40 Spells, Rituals, Charms & Simply Magical Practices That Are Perfect for Moms

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it's easy for parents to wish they could wiggle their nose like Samantha on Bewitched or perhaps stir up a boiling, frothy cauldron like the Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus that would instantly get the kiddos ready for school, miraculously make dinner appear at the table, or simply stop time to make room for much-needed, well-deserved rest and relaxation. (Pouf — a spa day, please!)

Unfortunately, that sounds like a complete fantasy. After all, "practicing magic" is just something reserved only for movie characters played by Daniel Radcliffe or Sandra Bullock, right? Well, not necessarily. 

Throughout everyday life, moms will perpetually face challenges like seemingly unshakeable stress, a partnership stalemate, difficulty building a new social circle after a big move, poor body confidence, or simply finding it tough to tap into a feeling of gratitude or peace. There's a lot of buzz that practices like yoga, aromatherapy, acupuncture, massage, or therapy helping to address many of these issues, but magic can fit into the mix, as well. 

"Ritual and self-care are all sort of wrapped up in one," says Lisa Marie Basile, author of Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100 Spells, Rituals, and Practices for Coping in a Crisis. "There is magic in consciousness and the deliberate — and when we decide to care for ourselves, our bodies, and our own peace, that creates change, for the better. Change is magic! When you are so busy providing and teaching and inspiring others, being able to give back to yourself is so important. Giving breath and the senses and imagination and sensuality back to yourself is magical."

Some practices require nothing more than mindfulness and specific language. Others might involve simple items like a mirror, ribbon, or crystals. And particular rituals are tied to celestial events or other special seasons. But no matter the day or time, busy moms can easily tap into a bevy of benefits through easy spells, rituals, and related practices. Even those who aren't the crystal and sage-loving type could find a simple meditation makes a world of difference. 

Here, magical experts share 40 spells that are perfect for moms.

A Glamour Ritual to Boost Your Personal Power (From 'Light Magic for Dark Times')

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Materials: Lipstick or Chapstick

A small keychain knife

Using lipstick as magic is a way of glamouring, and this ritual will help you feel like your most powerful self. Swap out the lipstick for lip balm, if you prefer. The goal of this ritual is to make you feel good, not necessarily to change the way you look (although that can be part of it).

Color Messages

If you’re using lipstick, think about what its color means to you (and to the world at large). Red is classic and always stunning. Blue is unusual and bold and daring. Black is dark and striking. Violet is magical and intuitive. These colors may mean different things to you, so let that guide you. Do you feel most confident when wearing blue lipstick? Do you feel most yourself in red? Does violet scream “get things done” to you? That’s what you’re looking to tap into.

Lip Balm and Gloss

Maybe you prefer the simple ritual act of applying something that can “turn on” your power. While lipstick may message something to others, this ritual is mostly about you and how you feel when you wear it, so sheer lip balm or gloss will also do the trick.

Set your chosen lip color or lip balm in front of you. Perform a moment of grounding — think about what you want the lipstick or lip balm to convey. You’ll be programming it with that message, feeling, and mood.

Use the knife to draw a tiny, not-super-deep “x” into your lipstick or Chapstick. State your intentions. For example, say:

With this color, this paint, this armor, I become myself strong and myself enchanted.

Now, carry the tube with you or keep it in a sacred space. Wear it when you need its power.

Reprinted from Light Magic for Dark Times (Fair Winds Press) by Lisa Marie Basile, copyright 2018

Sex Magic Ritual for Manifesting Body Acceptance (From 'Light Magic for Dark Times')

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Materials: Your bed

Optional: A mirror, a sex toy

Sex magic is sometimes wildly misunderstood, seen as simply driven by maniacal, hedonistic pleasure. While pleasure is phenomenal — of course — sex magic is less totally wild and more straight-up potent. Well-rooted in the fabric of history, sex magic is one of the most potent forms of magic that can be performed — alone or with a partner or partners.

You’ve likely heard of tantra or tantric sex. Tantras were fifth-century esoteric Hindu texts that suggested the body could be a spiritual tool. Tantras have a fascinating and complex history, and it’s one that I recommend researching in depth. For us, using sex magic means becoming or tapping into that spiritual tool — using our sexual energy to manifest or focus our intentions. It’s not about performative sex or even feeling sexy; it’s literally about taking that engine of energy our body revs and shaping out a direction for it.

In this ritual, we’ll focus on using our own sexual energy to evoke feelings of body love and acceptance.

On a night when you’re alone — perhaps during the full moon, when energies are blazing and the magnificent vibrations are roiling through the cosmos — get ready to get cozy, settle in, and touch yourself in a way that gives you pleasure. Situate a mirror near the bed. If it feels uncomfortable to watch yourself, you can skip this; that discomfort may be good for some of us, since it’s often through discomfort that we grow, but this is your choice.

Focus on your breath and the sensation. Follow them in your mind as they ebb and flow, as your physical sensations change with your touch.

Take a moment to honor your body, to send it love, to appreciate it. Look into the mirror, if you’re using it, and celebrate yourself.

Climax is usually the goal in sex magic: to harness that grand boil-over of energy and, in the moment, use it to manifest your will. If you do climax, think or speak your intention. For example:

I will love my body and will treat it with respect.

Or

I accept my body as it is.

If you cannot or do not reach climax, focus heavily on your intention as you touch yourself.

Don’t scold yourself or feel bad if your mind drifts away. This is a practice, not a one-time experience.

Reprinted from Light Magic for Dark Times (Fair Winds Press) by Lisa Marie Basile, copyright 2018

An Herbal Elixir for an Open Heart (From 'Inner Witch: A Modern Guide to The Ancient Craft')

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Elixirs are a form of tincture: a mixture made from alcohol and herbs, only with added honey or sweetener. Hawthorn, apple, and rose are all from the same botanical family, and along with honey, all promote an open heart, so this quick, herbal pick-me-up is for whenever you want to channel and open your own heart.

Materials: A glass jar (a standard jam jar would be perfect)

80 percent proof alcohol (vodka works great and other spirits will do, although the clearer the better)

Liquid sweetener (for example, runny honey, glycerine, maple syrup, simple syrup or agave)

1 tablespoon each of the following dried herbs: hawthorn leaf and flower, organic rose, apple, cinnamon, chamomile (pick as many different herbs as you like, but material from three to five types is usually a sweet spot)

Muslin or cheesecloth to strain the mixture

Small amber dropper bottle(s)

Tape and a permanent marker to label

Step 1: Prepare the herbs and add the alcohol and sweetener.

Using a coffee grinder or a blender, finely chop your herbs of choice. Place the herbs in the jar. Then cover with 2 parts alcohol and 1 part sweetener. (If you use fresh herbs or flowers, add a little bit more alcohol. To have a shelf life, a liquid must be 20 percent alcohol. With the sugar, the preservative qualities are even higher.) Label the jar with the date, herbs, and alcohol used.

Step 2: Store the jar in a cool, dark place, like a closet or a pantry, for two to three weeks. Making sure the lid is firmly closed, shake the liquid several times a week.

Reprinted from Inner Witch by arrangement with TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright  2018, Gabriela Herstik

Makeup as Ritual (From 'Inner Witch: A Modern Guide to The Ancient Craft')

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If fashion is resistance, then beauty is ritual. For me, my skin care and makeup routine are the first things I do in the morning after waking up. I wash my face, brush my teeth and start on my routine. Usually, I know where the Moon and Sun are, and I’ve already started to feel the energy of the day. Doing my makeup is the first piece of putting on my glamour. Do I feel like channeling an open heart, or working with a fierce attitude? Do I want to wear gold to attract abundance, or do I want to wear red to feel dangerous? Sometimes you don’t have enough time to be this and that’s totally OK! There are no rules — and we are cyclical too, remember? 

If you wear makeup, try honoring the process of putting it on as a ritual. Turn on some music, burn some incense, spray on some perfume and get to work. You can also create a beauty altar in your bathroom, or on a vanity table, as further ways to channel energy. Try adding crystals, photos of style icons, old starlets, or family members to this — there’s no wrong way to do it. 

The first thing to ask when beginning your makeup ritual is “what do I feel like today?” 

For example: • A cat eye, drawn with eyeliner, is a perfect glamour for when you don’t want people to mess with you. • A silver eye is the ultimate way to honor the Moon. • Dark green and gold eye makeup can help you channel Mother Nature in an organic way. • A kiss of blush can help attract love and sex, since blush mimics the flush of an orgasm!  

If you like, think about what sort of makeup the women in your family — either chosen or blood —  wear. Want to channel your mother’s confidence? Why not wear her red lip? How about your aunt’s spontaneity? Try wearing her green eyeliner, or whatever her signature look is. And if you want to infuse some extra blessings into your routine, try using mantras while you’re working on your makeup. You can create your own mantras (which I encourage since this is your path) or use one of the following, listed on the next page. You can also sit for a second once your makeup is completed, visualizing whatever it is you hope your day holds. Hold this in your third eye for a second and then imagine it turning into a bubble that floats into the Universe. So it is! 

As you do this … say … 

Face: May I face the day with __________ (love, an open heart, courage, presence, stillness, passion, energy, joy, bliss, respect, etc.). 

Eyebrows: May I frame my day with __________ (truth, love, honesty, compassion, etc.). 

Eyes: May I follow my truth and know what’s real. May I see __________ (the best of the situation, love, joy, etc.). 

Eyeliner: No one can mess with me; I am centered and I am ready. 

Lips: From these lips shall spill the truth, com

A Chakra Meditation (from 'Inner Witch: A Modern Guide to The Ancient Craft')

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This simple meditation will help you align and balance your chakras and aura. Start by imagining a ball of glowing red light at the base of your spine — at your root chakra. This red glowing ball stays there as you breathe into it for a few deep breaths. Then it moves up to your sacral chakra, turning orange along the way. Breathe into this before it moves up to your solar plexus chakra and turns yellow. Do this with each chakra, imagining the light changing to the corresponding color as it moves upward. When it gets to the crown of your head, imagine it being here for a few breaths before it then starts to move back down your spine, going from white to violet to blue, all the way down. You can also imagine flowers opening at each chakra in the corresponding colors, blooming as you move up and folding back in as you move down your body. Use the same flowers in each of your chakra meditations, but remember to close your chakras if you open them. This will help you stay balanced.

Treasure Within, a Self-Love Exercise (From 'Crystal Healing & Sacred Pleasure')

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Materials: Mirror

This exercise is an easy way to include self-love practices in your everyday routine. It combines crystal healing, self-massage, and the therapeutic art of eye-gazing. It only adds five to seven minutes to your daily routine (but can last longer, if you would like!). Keeping a crystal charged with your intention on your bathroom counter can help act as a reminder to include this practice in your daily routine.

Have you ever looked into your own eyes? It may feel strange at first, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Before getting into the shower, take some time looking into the mirror. Focus on your eyes. There is a reason why they say eyes are the windows to the soul. Looking into someone’s eyes or into your own eyes for an extended period can be a spiritual experience in itself. It is a bonding and trust building exercise.

1. Place one or both hands on your heart in front of the mirror.

2. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in. As you exhale, open your eyes.

3. Gaze softly into your less dominant eye.

4. Try to keep a steady focus, and imagine you are looking deeper and deeper within the eye.

5. Tell yourself aloud or silently: “Thank you for seeing me for who I really am. I love you, I forgive you, and to continue this love I will…” Finish the thought.

6. Step into the shower.

7. In the shower, recognize that within you there is crystal. Imagine that the shower has acted as a cleansing agent, just like you would use to clear any other crystals. Tune in to what you feel a crystal goes through energetically when it is being cleaned. Feel excess and unnecessary energy running off you, down into the shower drain.

8. After the shower, once you get out and while still wet, take a deep breath and imagine your skeleton inside you, glowing with the crystals throughout.

9. State this intention: “I appreciate all my body does for me.”

10. Rub your hands together so they become warm. Now, put your focus on your toes — you may touch them if you’d like. With your attention, you are activating this part of you. This can be done by imagining orgasmic energy but placing it in your toes. Focus your attention on the bones in all your little toes, and feel the subtle vibration of the crystals within you. Give thanks to this part of your body.

11. Move up toward every part of you, thinking deep down all the way through to the skeletal system. Keep imagining the orgasmic energy moving to each part of the body you focus on. How does it feel to caress and give praise to every inch of you? How does it feel to know of the inner workings that are happening constantly within you?

12. Keep doing this while working all the way up to your facial structure. Softly caress your face with the tips of your fingers. You are creating a circuit of enhanced energy, simply by putting your attention on these underlying minerals within you.<

To Help You Bond With Someone (From 'Love Magic: A Handbook of Spells, Charms, and Potions')

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To make a romantic partner feel bonded to you, use this Gaelic charm. Keep a sprig of mint in your hand until the herb grows moist and warm, then take hold of the hand of the woman you love, and she will follow you as long as the two hands close over the herb. No invocation is necessary, but silence must be kept between the two parties for 10 minutes, to give the charm time to work with due efficacy.

Reprinted from Love Magic: A Handbook of Spells, Charms, and Potions by Anastasia Greywolf and Melissa West.

To Make Love Last (From 'Love Magic: A Handbook of Spells, Charms, and Potions')

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Love will last forever with this charm. Take a bay leaf and split it in half. Kneel with your beloved in front of a red candle. Kiss one half of the bay leaf, then press the other side to their mouth to kiss. They should repeat the same process with the other bay leaf half. Tie the two halves together with one strand of hair from each of your heads. Place it in a green sachet and bury in your yard or another place that has meaning for you.

New Town Friendship Tree Charm (From 'Love Magic: A Handbook of Spells, Charms and Potions')

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Love Magic

If you’ve moved to a new city or town, use this charm to bring friends into your life. Gather some strands of ribbon. They can all look the same, but it’s better if they have varying colors, lengths, and textures to represent the different kinds of friends you want in your life. Tie each one to a different tree where you would like to meet new friends.

Love Tea (From 'Love Magic: A Handbook of Spells, Charms and Potions')

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Love Magic

Take three rose quartz stones (for the mind, the heart, and the spirit) and rub them between your palms over a pot of spring water, blessing it with your intention. Meditate on the type of love you want. Bring the now blessed water to a boil. In an empty mug, add the ingredients.

Take the rose quartz stones and place them on different points of the cup. Pour the boiled water into the mug, focusing again on the love that you want. Let the tea steep for three to five minutes. Pick up the stones and keep them in one hand, and drink the tea slowly with the other.

1 orange pekoe tea bag

2 tablespoons organic milk

1 tablespoon pure honey

3 drops vanilla

A fresh ginger slice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

A Mirror Spell When You Forget How Magical You Are (From 'Light Magic for Dark Times')

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Materials: Music that you have a strong connection to that also makes you feel empowered (If you can’t hear music, try another sensory item, like wearing a soft fabric that you love, or spritzing your favorite perfume) 

A mirror

 Paper and pen

A prize (e.g., a snack, vibrator, lavender bubble bath, bouquet of roses, glass of wine)

Optional: A resurrection plant (also known as a rose of Jericho — they can be purchased from some occult or flower shops), placed in a bowl of water.

There are always going to be days when you feel less than divine, as though your spark, your magic, your intuition, and your drive have vanished into the abyss. You may feel empty, lackluster, or hungry for something more, some sense of ability or confidence — and you’re coming up short.

This spell is especially useful in times when you’ve let yourself go — when self-care has become a distant memory, and you can’t remember the last time you did anything for yourself (except showered, maybe). In this spell, you’ll grease the magical gears, look inward, and find a pathway toward your own light. It’s not a one-stop shop, of course, but it’s a first step. (Remember not to be hard on yourself; you are an ocean, ebbing and flowing.)

Play your music, loud enough to drown out other sounds. Set the mirror before you, so you can gaze at yourself. If you have a resurrection plant, now would be a good time to water it or set it before you as you focus.

Ground yourself in the moment by simply being there, listening to the music, feeling the emotional connection to it, remembering why it means so much to you. Acknowledge the time you are taking for you. Breathe in and out, and accept the fact that you’ve been feeling less than lustrous lately — but that that will all change … now. Believe it.

Gaze into the mirror and find in yourself a friend, someone you love, someone you have been with your whole life. Allow feelings of blame, shame, or negativity to come right in and pass through. Say the following (or amend the language to fit your needs):

I see a powerful witch who won’t take shit. I see a powerful witch who will not fail. I see a powerful witch who evolves and transforms. I see a powerful witch who will prevail.

Repeat this three times while looking in the mirror. Afterward, envision clear ways that your life can be more magical: Are you writing more often? Do you take more time to visit nature? Say those ideas or practices out loud. Scream them over the music, if you want to.

Next, make a list of those ideas. Fold the paper and place it in your bag so that you carry it with you, or keep it on your desk.

Next, get up and treat yourself, witch! Focus on the pleasure, on the beauty, on the richness of the experience. Be you, wholly and fully.

An Altar-Building Practice for Raising Your Love Vibes (From 'Light Magic for Dark Times')

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Materials: Items that represent love to you

An area to use as an altar — a place to display a few items (a dresser top or shelf will do)

Optional: A camera or phone camera 

Romantic love is not the only kind of love — it’s reductive to say it is, especially given that everyone has a different way of experiencing love and desire. Love is about connecting your life to a bigger purpose, experiencing being alive and being inspired, showing gratitude and kindness, and constructing a world for yourself in which positive things happen. Obviously, this isn’t la-la land and that’s not always possible — but taking some time to raise those love vibes can help in larger ways that might not become apparent to you until you’ve spent some time cultivating them. You may already be doing some of these things — but now’s the time to set intentions to it.

In this practice, you’ll be reaping love’s finest gifts by collecting, taking note of, engaging with, and sharing them.

Collect the items that represent love to you (e.g., a letter from a friend, a photograph, a gift, a family heirloom).

Display these items on your altar space; take time to arrange them, pausing on each item and reflecting on why it means something to you.

Continue adding to your altar whenever you feel you need to. Each day, stop by and look at it — remind yourself of your lovability and how much love is in your life.

Vow to show that same love to someone else as often as you can.

Snap photos of things that bring you happiness and share them on social media, if that feels right. Challenge yourself to share statuses of love weekly — to spread the love around and inspire others.

Reprinted from Light Magic for Dark Times (Fair Winds Press) by Lisa Marie Basile, copyright 2018

'Use What You Have,' a Gratitude Practice (From 'Wellness with Katie')

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Katie Corritori, an integrative nutrition health coach and certified professional organizer, advises this simple practice to channel gratitude and abundance: 

"When you take the time to acknowledge what you have already been given — whether it is clothing, money, gift cards, groceries, time for a bath, a work opportunity or supportive childcare — use of what you have available to you. When you acknowledge what you've already been given, you open yourself up energetically to receive more. Bonus points for expressing some gratitude along the way. Whether that's a text to your mother-in-law for watching the kids last night, an e-mail message to the colleague who connected you with an opportunity, or a quiet whisper of, 'Yes, thank you, more please!' to the Universe while enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. An attitude of gratitude will go a long way!"

Bring Your Home Peace and Happiness (From 'The Witch's Spellbook Enchantments, Incantations, and Rituals from Around the World')

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An Enchantment Calling on Eirene

When to Perform This Spell: Eirene’s Hour (December 25)

Materials: A horn of plenty (This can be a horn-shaped drinking vessel or bowl, or you can make a replica by twisting a conical shape out of stiff paper and then stapling the edges to keep it in shape)

3 fruits (a pomegranate, a fig, an apple, or grapes are best)

Rose petals

1 sprig of lavender (or pinch of dried lavender)

A piece of paper and a pen

Eirene, goddess of peace, was depicted in art carrying a horn overflowing with fruits and flowers. One of the three Horai, the goddesses of the seasons and the keepers of the gates of heaven, Eirene also personified one of the Nine Hours of the day between sunrise and sunset. The word hora means 'the correct moment,' so perform this spell during Eirene's "hour" between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., to align with her correct moment and bring you a happy future.

At precisely 1 p.m., fill your horn with the various fruits and herbs. Place carefully on your altar or on a table as an offering to Eirene.

Next, on a piece of paper, draw the glyph for the sun (a circle with a dot in the center) on one side and the glyph for Jupiter on the other side (see right). Fold it carefully four times and place it on your altar or sacred space next to the horn of plenty.

Now say,

“For peace and wealth, bring me thy skill,

Within this talisman luck instill

That I may fare successfully,

As I will, so mote it be.”

Leave your horn of plenty and the paper charm to Eirene until the clock strikes 2 p.m. and then remove it from the table or altar. Take the paper talisman and place it in a drawer in your desk or keep it with you in your handbag if you are traveling throughout the day, to ensure peace and happiness for the new year.   

Reprinted from The Witch's Spellbook Enchantments, Incantations, and Rituals from Around the World by Sarah Bartlett

Ensure Family Luck and Happiness (From 'The Witch's Spellbook Enchantments, Incantations, and Rituals from Around the World')

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An Enchantment Calling on the Three Graces

When to Perform This Spell: Any time

Materials: 3 yellow rosebuds (or 3 images of yellow rosebuds)

3 garlic cloves

3 gold-colored coins

3 gold-colored rings

A small bag or pouch

Gold ribbon

1 iron nail

This general spell will bring you beneficial energy in and around the home, as well as improve relationships with family members. With the help of the triple Greek goddess in the guise of three Graces — Aglaea (Splendor), Euphrosyne (Mirth), and Thalia (Good Cheer) — you can also make your home a lucky place to live. The 12 ingredients used represent the astrological signs and invoke attributes of the powers of the three Graces.

Place the rosebuds, garlic, coins, and rings in the bag and tie it up with the gold ribbon. Take the bag and walk around your home in a clockwise direction, starting at the outer perimeter and holding the bag in front of you. Cover every part of your home and gradually work your way into a center point. As you walk, repeat the following charm,

“Thrice times I walk to honor my home.

Three Graces help me wherever I roam

To bring me luck in all I do

My family too, with help from you.”

Now make the same walk, but in a counterclockwise direction, repeating the charm below:

“This magic pouch holds virtues sweet

Each zodiac sign, each element writ

With love and luck sealed in its place

It’s time to thank you all for Grace.”

Finally take your pouch and hang it over your front door using an iron nail, which has the magical property of fixing all that you desire in place in the home. Your home will be blessed with luck for months to come.

To Make Oneself Happy (From 'Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic Spells and Potions')

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American Witch’s Spell

To Bring About Happiness when Feeling Sad, Recite as Many Times as Necessary:

I have word for you,
For you, Sad-Heart,
And pray you keep it till the dawn come true,
And sorrow part.

I never bid you doff
A single care:
But ever till tomorrow, O, put off—
Put off Despair!

Reprinted from Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic Spells and Potions by Anastasia Greywolf

To Gain Strength (From 'Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic Spells and Potions')

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American Witch’s Spell

To Gain Strength, Repeat This Spell in The Sun:

I reach my arms up, to the sky,
And golden vine on vine
Of sunlight showered wild and high,
Around my brows I twine.

I wreathe, I wind it everywhere,
The burning radiancy
Of brightness that no eye may dare,
To be the strength of me.

Come, redness of the crystalline,
Come green, come hither blue
And violet—all alive within,
For I have need of you.

Come honey-hue and flush of gold,
And through the pallor run,
With pulse on pulse of manifold
New largess of the Sun!

O steep the silence till it sing!
O glories from the height,
Come down, where I am garlanding
With light, a child of light!

Abundance (From 'The Ultimate Guide to Crystal Grids: Transform Your Life Using the Power of Crystals and Layouts')

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'The Ultimate Guide to Crystal Grids: Transform Your Life Using the Power of Crystals and Layouts'

A spiral draws energy into a stagnant situation or clears away negative energy. So if your finances are floundering and you need an infusion of cash, use a spiral grid to clear away anything blocking your abundance — or, if you’re seeking a raise or a new job, lay an abundance spiral. Place it over a lottery ticket or a scrap of paper with your wish printed on it. 

Abundance doesn’t just involve money. Abundance is about feeling satisfied and secure with what you have, living an enriching and fulfilling life, sharing life’s bounty, showing gratitude, and trusting that the universe will provide appropriately for all your needs. 

Using the grid: First, lay the grid with the crystal points pointing up and out to cleanse the energies and remove any blockages to abundance. Cleanse your crystals, then switch, laying the grid with the crystals pointing in toward the center to draw in abundance. 

Timing: New moon is the traditional time to begin new projects, but it is also customary to lay an abundance grid under a full moon. If time allows, lay a preparatory clearing grid first, as above, and then lay the second grid. (Remember to cleanse the crystals and the grid space in between.) Leave the grid in place for a moon cycle or until it has completed its work. Color and background: Green, gold, and yellow are the traditional colors of abundance. 

Materials: Base for the grid, such as wood, slate, fossilized wood, or golden card, or cloth

Cleansed and empowered citrine and/or goldstone

Cleansed and empowered Herkimer diamonds or smoky quartz

Cleansed and empowered goldstone for the keystone

Anchor stone, if appropriate 

To Lay the Grid

1. If you’re laying a preparatory “cleansing” spiral, start at the topmost point and lay crystals alternately, with the points pointing out from the center. Place the Goldstone in the center as the keystone. If laying an abundance grid, begin by placing the Goldstone in the center, stating that your intention is for it to bring abundance into your life. 

2. Lay a spiral of alternated crystals, pointing down and inward, until you reach the Goldstone. 

3. Add a grounding stone if appropriate. 

Grid-kit suggestions: citrine, goldstone, green aventurine, Herkimer diamond, jade, moss agate, ruby, tiger’s eye, topaz

Reprinted from The Ultimate Guide to Crystal Grids: Transform Your Life Using the Power of

Salt Readings (From 'The Ultimate Guide to Divination: The Beginner's Guide to Using Cards, Crystals, Runes, Palmistry, and More for Insight and Predicting the Future')

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Salt Readings

Alomancy, also known as halomancy, means divination by means of salt. Salt is used widely in spiritual cleansing and protection rituals, and It has symbolic meaning. Its importance in ritual may have been reinforced by Its cost. Expensive to produce before industrialization, salt was a precious commodity, which may explain why spilled salt was regarded as an omen of quarrels or bad luck to come.

Salt reading, like tea leaf reading and hydromancy, requires only what you have in your kitchen. You can use regular table salt.

Salt-Casting

You will need salt and a small black skillet. As an alternative to the pan, you could use a dark plate, baking sheet, or cake tin; any surface will do, provided it is dark and flat.

Take a handful of salt. Take a slow breath in and out and ask your question (e.g., “Will x project go well? Will I get x opportunity?”) or simply ask the salt to show what you need to know just now. Holding the salt above the pan, close your eyes and scatter it into the pan, keeping your question or request in mind. You might find you sprinkle it or release it in bursts; just do what feels right in the moment.  Alternatively, you can pour the salt from its container — hold it upright over the pan, close your eyes, ask your question, and then tip it for a second or two so your salt is cast and ready to read.

Interpreting the Salt

Ridges: Challenges; obstacles.

Undulations: Slowness; delays to your plans; start-stop.

A small well: Protection; relief from stress.

Swirls on the right of the pan: Manifesting. A situation is progressing; an idea is incubating. You are moving toward your wish.

Swirls on the left of the pan: The need to let go. A time of transition.

If you see other shapes or numbers in the salt, interpret them as you would a teacup.

Reprinted from The Ultimate Guide to Divination: The Beginner's Guide to Using Cards, Crystals, Runes, Palmistry, and More for Insight and Predicting the Future by Liz Dean

Aleuromancy (From 'The Ultimate Guide to Divination: The Beginner's Guide to Using Cards, Crystals, Runes, Palmistry, and More for Insight and Predicting the Future')

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As an alternative to salt, you can use flour. Flour divination, or aleuromancy, is an ancient form of divination. Predictions were written on slips of paper and placed inside a dough ball, much like fortune cookies today. To use flour in the same way as salt, follow the salt method: Take a handful of flour, ask your question, and release the flour onto a dark plate, pan, or other surface. Refer to the salt interpretations above.

Despacho de la Madre or An Offering to the Mother (Earth) (from The Ultimate Guide to Chakras: The Beginner's Guide to Balancing, Healing, and Unblocking Your Chakras for Health and Positive Energy by Athena Perrakis)

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The Ultimate Guide to Chakras

Materials: 1 ounce (28 g) white sage leaves

A pinch of ceremonial tobacco

6 black or pink peppercorns, or a pinch of black pepper

Frankincense or copal resin

Brightly colored candies or dried fruits

A pinch, or one large crystal, of sea salt

• Seashells, gemstones, or other organic materials

•12" x 12" (30 x 30 cm) piece of canvas or biodegradable fabricTwine or thread to tie the package

Make sure all the items you use are organic and biodegradable, as you will be burying, burning, or floating this despacho off to its permanent home — that is, offering it back to Gaia. Include a variety of ingredients, and make sure some are sweet and brightly colored. The Mother enjoys candies and sweets as well as non-edible offerings that bring sweet, loving energies back to Earth.

Place all of the ingredients inside the piece of canvas or fabric, then fold the despacho into a square or rectangle. Wrap it three times with your thread or twine, whispering a prayer for our planet each time you do so. Then either bury or burn the despacho, or set it out to sea. Release it to the elements and ask that your offering be received by the Mother with love and gratitude — just as it was created. Amen, A’ho, So it is. (While the despacho is meant to honor Gaia, and is not often used for personal intentions, some shamanic groups do create them for group intentions related to Pachamama.)

Reprinted from The Ultimate Guide to Chakras: The Beginner's Guide to Balancing, Healing, and Unblocking Your Chakras for Health and Positive Energy by Athena Perrakis

Color-Coding for Balance (From 'Wellness with Katie')

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"For visual learners — aka 65 percent of the population — color-coding can be pure magic when it comes to the always elusive idea of achieving balance in your life," Corritori notes. 

"Start by choosing colors to represent what is important to you," she suggests. "Red can represent household or career-related tasks — things that keep everything running, orange for things that fuel creativity and fun, yellow for time to work on your big-picture goals and things that will move you forward in your life — maybe a health goal, green for time spent with family, friends and loved ones, Blue for time spent on focused tasks like errands, and purple for a spiritual practice such as going to church with the family or going to an evening yoga class. It will take about an hour to implement, and after that you'll be able to see how balanced your week ahead is looking at a quick glance and make changes as needed."

For Self-Care, Mindfulness, and Self-Awareness (From the Light Journey)

Shayleen McHugh, an intuitive empath, Reiki practitioner, and owner of The Light Journey from Alberta, Canada, created healing salts "to aid others with their self-care routine and to encourage mindfulness and self-awareness by giving others the tools they need to grant themselves the time, energy and attention that we each need to feel balanced and whole." 

"I believe when we ritualize self-care, it is the ultimate declaration of love for oneself," McHugh says. "The devotion of our limited energy and time to this sacred practice is prudent to our understanding of self. By adding the sacred Reiki + Crystal Infused healing salts to your bath or shower you are consciously bridging the gap between the physical and spiritual. Allowing yourself to tune into the needs of your body so you can give yourself what you need in a way that feels true to what lies deep within your heart."

To Activate Your Heart Chakra (From The Light Journey)

"Along with their effect on the energy of the body it is believed that chakras have a physical manifestation, as well," McHugh notes. "When one or more of the chakras are in a state of imbalance, the mind/body health becomes at risk. Past events, daily activities and sources of stress result in disruptions and fluctuations in our energy which can also influence how we feel and act in the world and effect how we manage our energy day-to-day. The health of our energy body is reflected by our physical body. Stress, illness and disease tend to occur as a result of these systems no longer working in harmony with one another. When we experience physical issues, it is almost always due to the fact that our body is communicating what we have neglected to observe within ourselves."

Decluttering for Restfulness (From 'Wellness With Katie')

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"Set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes each night before you go to bed and get to work," suggests Corritori. "As simple as it sounds, this one ritual alone is 100 percent pure life-changing magic. It will allow you to give your mind and body some transition time between the day's activities and getting ready for bed and it allows you to start your day fresh without the previous day's stuff getting in the way. If not tripping on shoes in the morning and a clear counter to make a cup of tea isn't magic, I don't know what is!"

Transition Time for Centeredness (From 'Wellness with Katie')

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"If you've ever spent time in a preschool or kindergarten classroom, you've noticed that kids get a lot of advanced notice and warning that one activity is coming to an end and another will soon begin," Corritori says. "Kids often get the 10-minute warning before bed, too. Somewhere along the way our society starting operating at a really fast pace and transition time has been sacrificed for speed." 

That's why Corritori recommends "allowing yourself transition time between obligations, meetings, appointments, and meals and at the beginning and end of your day. Even five minutes for some conscious breathing will do magical wonders on your ability to keep juggling all those balls without losing your sanity completely."

Empowerment Candle Magick Spell for Confidence-Boosting (From Hoodoo Practitioner Tiffani Moore)

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"Call on your angels, guides, saints, or elements — whomever you work with," recommends Tiffani Moore, a hoodoo practitioner. 

"You need a purple candle (which represents royalty and empowerment), honey, High John the Conqueror root or Angelica root, and blessed olive oil," she says. 

"Prepare your candle by adding some High John the Conqueror root, the blessed olive oil, and write a petition saying, 'I am all that I am and I see myself clearly and accept all that I am,'" says Moore. "Pray or enchant over your candle and let it burn down. This is spell work that very powerful and helps with self-acceptance, which in turn empowers the person."

To Safeguard Your Loved Ones (From Skye Alexander, Author of 'The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells')

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Skye Alexander, the award-winning author of more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books, including The Modern Guide to Witchcraft and The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book, recommends this easy protection spell for moms: 

This spell draws upon the symbolism of the pentagram, a five-pointed star — which represents the five points of the body: head, arms, legs — surrounded by a circle that symbolizes security and wholeness. Your child doesn't even need to know what you're doing.

Draw a pentagram on a piece of paper, using a black marker, and lay it face up on a windowsill where the moon can shine on it overnight.

Pour spring water into a clear glass bottle/jar (no markings on the bottle/jar). Set it on the image of the pentagram and leave it overnight; the protective image of the pentagram will be infused into the water.

Envision a bubble of pure white light surrounding your child while you state aloud: "[Name] is surrounded and protected by Divine White Light. S/he is safe and sound at all times and in all situation, now and always. Thank you."

In the morning, give the protection-infused water to your child to drink. 

A variation on this spell: Set a clear quartz crystal on the image of the pentagram overnight, and then give the crystal to your child to carry in his/her pocket for protection.

A Hot Towel Scrub Ritual for Sleep (From Wellness with Katie)

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"For the nights when you don't have the time or energy for a hot shower or to run a bath but your body is craving a hot soak, a hot towel scrub will work wonders," Corritori notes. "It takes only about a minute, and when combined with a little bit of lavender essential oil or roman chamomile, it just might be the ultimate bedtime sleep spell!"

To Feel More Positivity Instantly (From Anne Novak, Spirit Voyage)

The Breath of Fire is a Kundalini yoga breathing practice that boosts blood flow, energizes, and relaxes the practitioner. Note that if you're pregnant, you can do a light form of it in your first trimester, but is otherwise contraindicated.

Self-Healing Through Flower Essences (From House of Intuition LA)

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DYI magical flower essences are a powerful way to set intentions, change the structure of your vibrations, and heal yourself, shares Harriet Wien, a skilled clairvoyant, tarot reader, and teacher with House of Intuition in Los Angeles. You can learn all about how to create your own flower magic in her online class with HOI.TV.

An Act of Kindness for Positivity and Healing (From House of Intuition)

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Shannon Yrizarry, a Reiki, tarot, and intuitive practitioner with House of Intuition recommends the following as a quick, simple healing ritual: 

"Do something kind for someone else. Giving is usually saved for special occasions and limited to the confines of wrapped presents but giving is an extremely healing action. It doesn't have to cost money either. We can send an 'I just want you to know I appreciate you' text, we can give a hug, we can give some time to listen or we can give positive energy. This activates a connection between us and the other person that allows both people to feel more positive. Our emotional state shifts and we feel hopeful and purposeful. When we get used to giving as a lifestyle, people enjoy our company, and it develops strong bonds that can help you overcome depression."

To Optimize Your Thoughts (From Nikki Boruch)

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Nikki Boruch is an intuitive, angel communicator, prayer counselor, and certified hypnotherapist from Phoenix, Arizona, who recommends the following prayer for upgrading your thoughts:

"I give thanks that all my thoughts are optimized and upgraded to the highest state of happiness, goodness, bliss and love energy so they manifest wonderful and creative things in my life for my good, the good of my partner, the good of my family and the good of all concerned in all directions of space, time and being. And so it is or even better! Amen."

Pause for Peace, a Self-Care Check-Up (From 'Nurturing the Soul of Your Family')

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Take a moment to close your eyes, slowly scan your body, and check in with how you’re feeling. Ask, What do I most need to feel nurtured and to function at my best today — emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually? Respond to whatever comes up: Maybe it’s saying no to a commitment, altering your schedule for the day, asking for a shoulder massage, going for a walk, cutting back on caffeine or sugar, getting more sleep, taking weekly solo dates, finding a therapist or coach for support around a difficult issue, or going to dinner with a friend you haven’t seen in a while. Don’t question what arises; just listen and respond. 

Doing regular self-care checkups each morning — ideally before you get out of bed — sends a message to your heart and soul that you’re committed to your well-being. Your life will begin to change radically once you start to feel loved, nurtured, and truly in tune with your own needs. Everyone will benefit.

Reprinted from Nurturing the Soul of Your Family: 10 Ways to Reconnect and Find Peace in Everyday Life by Renee Peterson Trudeau

A Heart Chakra Cleansing Ritual for Depression and Anxiety (from Quantum Stones)

Using a green stone like fluorite can allow you to tune into your heart chakra and help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to this ritual from QuantumStones.com.

To Increase Your Energy, Enhance Your Mood, and Reduce Stress (From Renee Peterson Trudeau)

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If you "ever wake up in the middle of the night and feel your thoughts spinning like a hamster on a wheel, or have days when you’re on the brink of overwhelm and the slightest nudge might send you careening over the edge," Trudeau recommends trying this practice she learned from Master Li, her qi gong teacher. It's meant to increase your energy, enhance your mood, and reduce stress. 

"Take 10 breaths from your belly, in and out through your nose," advises Trudeau. "They can be gentle or strong; listen to your body. Ahhhh, it works. Often worrisome thoughts just melt away and you’re left with a whole new level of perspective. Conscious breathwork is one of our most powerful tools for bringing our minds and our bodies back to home base. Yoga is also an excellent way to develop or learn more about various breathing practices."

A New Moon Ritual to Manifest Your Best Life (From Melanie Santos)

Melanie Santos is the guru behind her own personal development brand focused on cultivating mental, physical, and spiritual wellness as a catalyst to aligning with your purpose and highest potential. In this clip, she demonstrates a ritual for using the new moon to manifest a life you love.

A Full Moon Cleansing Ritual to Release and Forgive (From Melanie Santos)

In this clip, Santos explains how to you can "release, forgive, and cleanse with the full moon to make space for the miracles inside of us."

A Mindfulness Ritual (from Renee Trudeau)

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"Head out to your yard — or to the closest green space — for five minutes," recommends Trudeau. "Find a nice spot that calls to you. If weather permits, take off your shoes and socks and feel the grass and earth under your feet. Place your hands on the bark of a tree, dip your toes in running water, pick up some fallen leaves. Close your eyes. Breathe in deeply. What do you feel … hear …  smell … observe? What sensations do you feel in your body? Does being outside affect your mood or perspective? The healing power of nature is often only steps away from our work space. Remember to allow yourself to soak up this amazing, free, and always available gift."

To Relieve Stress (From Skye Alexander)

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Remove all distractions temporarily (turn off your phone, TV, put a sign on the door saying "Do Not Disturb").

Run a nice, hot bath while you set a blue candle at each corner of your bathtub. 

Add nine drops of essential oil of lavender to the bathwater. With each drop, repeat an affirmation such as "Peace and harmony accompany me in all I do."

Invite the water spirits, known as ondines or undines, to join you in your relaxation ritual. Ask them to help balance your emotions, calm stress, and release tensions.

Light the candles, turn off overhead lights, and slip into the bathwater. Soak as long as you like.

An addition to this spell: Add Himalayan pink, Epsom, or dead sea salt to your bathwater.