TBR: Soul-Centered Astrology: A Key to Your Expanding Self by Alan Oken

Yet another TBR that I am diving into soon, I have to say I am probably the most excited about this one.

I know that being "into astrology" is a whole thing right now, but I can honestly say that I have been absolutely fascinated with astrology from a young age. My family, especially on my dad's side, has a very strong tie to astrology and I believe a few family members could be considered cosmic witches really. When I was born, my birth chart was already made up for me and there has always been talk about how my sun sign (Taurus) has an effect on my day-to-day.

That being said, I have always felt a call to astrology, but until now I haven't delved past the very basics. And I definitely haven't considered how I can try to apply astrology to my life on a wider scale.

I am hoping that I can change that by reading this book and getting a more in-depth knowledge. Described on Goodreads as "[f]rom the best selling author of Alan Oken's Complete Astrology, a dynamic new way to interpret the horoscope -- the first to reveal the soul's path to inner enlightenment and outer fulfillment", I can't wait to explore astrology more.

Are you into astrology at all? What are your must-reads? 

Also, what are your Big Three?

I'm a Taurus Sun, a Virgo Moon, and a Leo Rising!

Lowkey Samhain - Ideas for the Lazy Witch

Samhain is less than a week away and if you still have no idea how you want to celebrate the holiday, or you need to do something small because you are still in the broom closet, I have a few ideas to get you started.

Do a short tarot reading/rune pull - Since Samhain is the time of year that we typically consider the easiest to get in touch with the spirit world, it is a great time to do a little divination. So grab those runes or your favorite tarot deck, and find some time to do a quick reading for yourself. 

Not sure what to ask? Since Samhain is the Witches' New Year, consider asking for advice for the year ahead or for guidance on how to proceed in a particular area you want to focus on.

Have a bonfire - As one of the Celtic fire festivals, bonfires are quite common on Samhain. Consider inviting a few friends over, share some treats and wine (responsibly), and be sure to set some aside for as an offering.

Do a small banishing spell - No one wants to take unnecessary baggage or negativity into the new year. Write down anything that no longer serves you (bad habits, small mindsets, etc) on a piece of paper. Then, light the paper on fire (fire safety is always important, folks). As it burns, visualize the thing on the paper leaving you and then scatter the ashes, if possible.

Decorate your altar with photos of loved ones no longer with us - Like I previously mentioned, Samhain is the perfect time of year to connect to the spirit world. Consider decorating your altar with photos of loved ones and beloved pets that are no longer with us, with flowers, candles, and other reminders of them.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate, I hope you all have a blessed and relaxing Samhain!

Crafting a Samhain Ritual

Samhain is just over a week away and if you are a serial procrastinator like me, you might not have your ritual ready yet. If that is the case, have no fear, because I have a few ideas to get you thinking about the holiday and what you can include in your ritual to celebrate.

When you start thinking about Samhain, there are a few themes you might want to consider hitting in your ritual: remembering the dead, goal setting, and divination

First, Samhain is considered to be the day when the veil between this world and the spirit world is the thinnest, so it is the perfect time to honor our loved ones and relatives who have passed on. Add something to honor them in your ritual, like an offering of food and drink.

Second, Samhain is the Witches New Year, so setting goals and intentions for the next year would be appropriate. Make a vision board or even a simple list of goals that you can refer to for the rest of year.

Third, like I previously mentioned, Samhain is the day when we are more connected to the spirit world. Because of this, it would be great to incorporate some divination into your ritual. Whatever tool you prefer, do a reading for yourself, just don't forget to write it down and any impressions you get from the reading.

Of course, these are just a few ideas to get you started. There are countless ways to celebrate Samhain, and what is important is that whatever you end up doing feels right to you. It doesn't have to be showy or elaborate - unless you want it to be.

What are your Samhain plans?

Creating Your Own Rune Set

Divination has been a growing fascination of mine over the past year, and I have especially been drawn to learning more about runes. I find the whole system of 25 different symbols so interesting; the ways those symbols can be arranged, their different meanings.

One thing I have learned is that the best tools for divination are the ones that you make yourself or that are gifted to you, so I decided to try my hand at it.

Here are the steps I followed:

1. Choose 25 rocks - I chose stone for my runes, so I had to collect 25 stones in total. You could also use small nuts you've gathered or pieces of wood, just be sure to ask for permission before collecting them.

2. Wash them in warm, soapy water - To get my stones ready, I washed all of the dirt off of them in warm, soapy water and rinsed.

3. Cleanse them in salt water - Once washed from the physical dirt, you need to wash the psychic dirt and negativity off. To do this, I soaked the stones in salt water for at least one hour.

4. Let them air-dry - Once cleansed, I put the stones on a towel to air-dry completely.

5. Draw one rune per stone - Once the stones are totally dry, on the flattest side of the rock, draw the rune. I used a black Tombow pen, but you could also use paint or a Sharpie pen.

6. Charge before use - Before the runes are totally ready for use, they need to be charged. To do this, I left the runes on my altar, in full view of the moonlight, for a full lunar cycle. If you don't have a full moon cycle to wait, consider charging them with your own energy.

Have you ever made your own runes before? What did you use?

Samhain - The Witches' New Year

Samhain, pronounced SOW-en, is a pagan holiday typically celebrated on October 31st. Regarded as the third and final of the harvest festivals, this day is hugely important to many, as it is the beginning of the shift from one half of the year to the next. Many aspects of Samhain play into contemporary Halloween celebrations.

As a Wiccan, I, and some others, refer to Samhain as the Witches New Year, and use the day to start setting intentions that will manifest over the next year - similar to New Year's Resolutions people set on December 31st.

Samhain is the day where the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. Because of this, many use this day as an opportunity to contact the other side. This is done in different ways from tarot readings, to rune pulls, and using spirit boards.

It is also a great day to remember your loved ones that have passed on and are already in the spirit world. In a similar vein to Day of the Dead celebrations, Samhain is the time of year where many witches and pagans alike decorate their altar space with pictures and other remembrances of loved ones to honor them. Due to the belief that the spirits of loved ones are closer to us at this time of year, it is also common to see some weddings and other big events happen, so those members can be there.

And this is really just the tip of the iceberg. There are tons of different views on the holiday and ways to celebrate. Curious for more information? Here are a few links to other resources you might want to check out:

Samhain Lore and Traditions

Celebrating Samhain

How do you plan on spending your Samhain?