Category: How-To

Grounding and Energizing – February 2019 Domagick Week 2

February is now half over and with it this month’s Domagick challenge. While this week’s artistic meditations remained as enjoyable and relaxing as those previous, they weren’t as productive because they didn’t result in as much writing afterward. That isn’t the fault of the meditations themselves, however, but mine. I spent as much time as I could resting between jobs thanks to feeling run down due to a cold. Because of this, I tried to take a cue from Julia Cameron of The Artist’s Way who said it is possible to “rest on paper” and decided to work with aspects of the Daemonic Divine that I find the most restorative, energizing, and soothing. This allowed me to sit with them and draw on their reserves when it felt like the day’s chores would be too much for me alone. With them, I was able to augment my energy with theirs and get through the day successfully.

My artistic meditations this week include work with six different spirits, but my absolute favorite this week were:

Rosier – The connection I had with him during this piece was extremely strong. I could see him clearly in my mind’s eye, handing over such a crystal, and I nearly overflowed with positivity.

rosier love romance crystal quartz rose demon daemon demonolatry daemonolatry satan

Belial – For this meditation, I chose a straightforward grounding visualization. I’ll add it here, in case you would like to follow along.

Belial grounding meditation demon daemon demonolatry daemonolatry satan

Sit or stand quietly with your feet approximately your shoulders’ width apart and your feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes and turn your attention inward. Now take a few deep breaths to clear your mind. When you are ready, picture you are a tree with a tall, strong trunk reaching all the way up to the sky. Roots grow out of the base of your spine, down and out of the soles of your feet, and deep into the soil beneath you. The roots anchor you there, securing you firmly.

Take a few more deep breaths. Each time you exhale, visualize your roots sinking deeper and deeper into the earth, connecting you even more deeply to the dirt and rocks below. As you inhale, see your roots drinking in the nutrients deep below the ground. Rain falls and the sun shines down on the earth, nourishing and feeding it, feeding you. With each inhalation, your roots drink in this vital life energy, pulling it up into your body. The energy flows up your trunk, up your body, into your branches. Breath it in and feel it flowing through your entire body, filling every part of you with rich, abundant energy. You feel this energy run through your entire trunk, through your whole body, up into the sun, into the brightness, leaving you secure and energized.

Take a few more deep breaths, reveling in this feeling, enjoying it. Sit with the vitality and energy running through your body as long as you like. When you feel satisfied, thank the earth for its sustenance. Withdraw from it slowly by beginning to wiggle your fingers and toes, then finally bringing your attention back to the room you are sitting in. Open your eyes when you are ready. If you feel at all unsteady, have something to eat or drink. Many people find it helpful to record the results of the meditations in some way, and I recommend this.

May this week be rejuvenating for you!

 

February – Discounts, Desire, and Divination

February is nearly upon us, with all the possibilities it holds. It can be a busy month for magicians!

Those looking for romance may feel the pressure of Valentine’s Day fast approaching on the 14th and turn to love spells and divination to foretell their prospects. To help alleviate some of those fears, I’m offering all love and romance readings at a 25% discount for the entire month of February. Simply mention this entry when arranging your reading. You can find more information on my available services here.

Those not concerned with romance this month may choose to work on themselves instead through the  DoMagick meditation challenge. Classic forms of meditation are suggested but not 100% required, so I’ll be using artistic meditations to help jumpstart my creativity each day in February. In short, I’ll be meditating on the Daemonic Divine with some sort of art supply in hand, trying to capture a representation of their essence visually. Like trying to force a genie into a bottle, I don’t believe you can actually trap a spirit in a piece of art. If anything, I would describe artistic meditation as freeing. It often helps remove blocks I have, not only warming me up before I begin writing for the day but also working through misconceptions about the Daemon in question and breaking through to new levels of understanding. Overall, this challenge aligns nicely with my current goals in February, so I thought I would participate and share my work on social media as per usual.

Many Pagans plan to celebrate Imbolc this February 1-2. Also known as Candlemas or Brigid, this holiday honors the return of the light after the longest night of the year and marks the halfway point between winter solstice and spring equinox. Although the tradition I practice does not typically observe this cross-border day, I explored Wicca and other pagan paths for many years before choosing Demonolatry, and now my calendar feels empty without a ritual scheduled in early February. Who to venerate instead of the goddess Brigid at this time was never a tough question for me, however. Even if Unsere were not the Daemon who corresponds with February, she is known as the Daemoness of motherhood, growth, and protection. It makes sense to me to worship her during the time of year once strongly connected to childbirth and pregnancy. Originally, the word Imbolc meant “in the belly” and referred to the pregnant and nursing sheep that would be prevalent during this season in the ancient Celtic Isles.

I like to spend this day with my family, playing games and eating some sort of feast – a decadent treat shared together at the very least. My days of having and raising children are now over, so fine food is the only thing getting “in my belly” on this particular holiday. That isn’t to say that those still planning a family couldn’t work fertility magick on Imbolc. After all, not only is Unsere known for nurturing children but February is the month of romantic love – and that can help produce children too!

Personally, I tend to incorporate hearth magick into my Rite to Unsere, preparing as much of the feast as I can with my own hands and making sure to leave her portion in offering. I generally do this right at the dinner table, setting aside the best part of my own plate and saying a prayer either aloud or silently, depending on the acceptance level of those present. In this way, Unsere is included at the table as part of the family, with her blessing and protection requested in that same moment. Afterward, I dispose of the offering with the same reverence I do all others.

Beyond that, I spend some time on divination that night, as I do on all holy days. On the Rite to Unsere, I lean towards using an “in the belly” card spread I developed especially for Imbolc celebrations before I became a Daemonolater. It’s meant to help you check on any personal work you may have been doing thus far in the year and see what you need to do next. The cards are laid out like this:

  1. What’s in The Belly – What You Are Digesting
  2. Potential
  3. Obstacles
  4. What Brings You Joy
  5. What Brings You Dread
  6. What Needs Nurturing
  7. What You Feed Instead
In the Belly card spread.

Hopefully, this reading will make your February a little smoother.

Most of my creative and magickal efforts this week were focused on my next Dalliances with Demons novella. The time I’ve been putting into writing my daily morning pages and generating ideas through the Inner Demons Challenge has really paid off. I have filled a notebook in the last month. Most of it is trash – as it supposed to be – but the bones of the story are starting to line up into a recognizable skeleton. There are definite gaps and the flesh is missing, but I can nearly see the shape of it. I have hope, after spinning in circles for what felt like months. I’m even starting to smile at the synchronicities, at the start of the Daemonic Divine having its way with the piece – precisely as it should. It has a long way to go, but I’m no longer afraid that it will never happen. I’m relaxing into it and realizing it will come as it wishes.

Here are the cards that have helped me generate character ideas this week:

Her – How can she see her shadows more clearly?
Him – How can he see his shadow more clearly?
Her and Him – How are they projecting their shadows on other people?
Her – How can she use her inner demons to heal herself?
Him – How can he use his inner demons to heal himself?

I’m looking forward to wrapping up this challenge and trying to organize my notes / the scenes into something cohesive.

Have a good one. See you next week!

Broken Resolutions and Pacts

After I briefly mentioned broken resolutions in my last blog entry, I’ve had a couple of questions. What should a person do if they break a New Year’s resolution after requesting as spirit’s help with it? How should they fix the situation?

First off, I didn’t want to be the excuse someone used for giving up on their goal. There can be many reasons for giving up on a resolution, both good and bad. You can make plans that are too lofty, and then understand you should’ve started smaller, or you can pick up a hobby and then figure out it isn’t really for you. You can realize pursuing the resolution is not in your best interest. This is different than derailing your diet with extra dessert, skipping a gym day (or four), or falling off the wagon in Dry January. When this happens, you can apologize to the Divine appropriately and then continue on towards your goal.

On the other hand, there are situations when people give up altogether on a resolution for all the wrong reasons: sheer laziness, lack of willpower, unwillingness to look at your issues, etc. In short, it isn’t the Divine’s problem when this happens. It’s yours for as long as you want to hold onto it, unresolved. Hopefully, you realized that achieving your goal would still take some type of effort or output on your part, and that it wouldn’t merely occur with the wave of the spirit’s hand. Significant changes require preparation and adjustment – and frequently many steps to accomplish. Even winning the lottery would require purchasing a ticket as well as long-term plans what to do with the money and how to manage it successfully. All desired changes must be initiated in the mundane world for the spirits to have anything to aid. What the spirit does is provide opportunities to augment and assist this change. As Above, so Below. The spirit plays a part, but you must be ready to do yours.

In the case of a broken resolution where you have asked assistance, the best course is to make an apology, promise not to continue your poor behavior, and get back on track. If you’ve decided not to pursue that resolution in the long run, an apology is still the best course of action, as well as thanking the Divine for the help they provided so far. Remember – this relationship matters to you. Be polite. Consider, too, how much your commitments mean to you and how you would like to be known to the Divine. You’ve involved another party, and how you appear to them is crucial. I cannot count the number of frustrated practitioners who come to me, lamenting the fact that Spirit has gone quiet for them. They rarely want to contemplate what they might have done to offend them. While it is true that we can never fully comprehend the scruples and morals of spirits, we can perhaps best define patrons, mentors, and guides as those who have chosen to help us better ourselves. It behooves us to maintain good relationships with them, even if that means we must occasionally account for our own poor behavior.

If you have bargained with the spirit, however, promising them something for their efforts, then they are owed more than an apology. In effect, you have entered a contract with another party and failed to uphold your side. That means you still owe the spirit what they are due, even if you do not want to pursue the resolution any further again. Besides fulfilling the terms of the contract, consider how you want to be seen by the spirit. Ponder what they like. While we can draw on lore and peer gnosis for advice, we must ultimately look to our relationship partners themselves for guidance in these situations. What does the spirit in question need to make it right?

***

My work in the Inner Demons Challenge continues this week as I use divination to dig deeper into the personal issues plaguing the two main characters of my next paranormal romance novella. I’m slowly building a character profile based on the prompts provided and the cards drawn in response. So far, I’ve learned my female lead is impulsive and charismatic, the type that would leave without looking – but probably have a slew of friends jumping after her. She tends to minutia and fails where tact is key. Her confidence and courage can occasionally come off as bravado or arrogance. My male lead is well off and possibly older than she is. He’s usually generous with both his wealth and his affections but is currently so worried that his world will fall apart that he is blocking his natural creative and nurturing energies. I’m still unsure how these two fit together and, more importantly, how they fit with the Daemon at the center of my next Dalliances with Demons story. She’s teasing me, speaking in whispers and throwing me flashes of the tale, all disconnected…

Here are my individual posts about these characters for the past week, from Instagram:

Her – How have your inner demons affected you?
Him – How have your inner demons affected you?
Her – Where in your life do your demons and shadow sides show up?
Him – Where in your life do your demons and shadow sides show up?

Have a good week!

#Tarot Card of the Year #decembermajors

I continue my study of the Major Arcana this week and meditated on the Hanged Man through the Tower. I would have to say that, with the exception of Temperance, every one of these cards has earned a negative reaction from my clients more than once during readings. Their names and images can be shocks to the system, especially to those unfamiliar with their meaning. The truth is that all Tarot cards have the potential to mean something “negative” depending on the question asked and where they fall in the reading. It all depends on context. It also has a lot to do with attitude, and whether one can turn lemons into lemonade.

Continue reading #Tarot Card of the Year #decembermajors

#MajorArcana Study – Week One – #decembermajors

It’s been a good week (and a bit) studying the Major Arcana. So far, I have meditated on the Fool through to the Hierophant, spending between an hour to an hour and a half on each card. This is a lot of time, but if you concentrated only on visiting the card and journalling afterward could conceivably do this is approximately 20 to 30 minutes. I’ve detailed my full technique below.   Continue reading #MajorArcana Study – Week One – #decembermajors

Daemonic Dreams – Coming Soon

Hey there. Long time, no post! I’ve been busy writing and editing my next book, Daemonic Dreams. I’ve taken a new editor on board, and she pointed out several places where I could expand my original ideas. I had to go back to my original notes! Even so, her advice plus my usual line editor’s keen eyes are truly helping bring Daemonic Dreams together.

By working through the exercises in the book, you can learn to recall your dreams better, plan what you want to dream about in advance, and even control the very fabric of your dreams themselves. More importantly, what your dreams are about need no longer puzzle you, as you’ll have figured out how to interpret them without a dream dictionary. I’ve included rituals involving dream deities from ancient Sumeria, Egypt, and Greece, all in a Daemonolatry context, as well as dream daemons from The Ars Goetia, The Grimorium Verum, and Dukanté Hierarchy. I have also provided nightmare protection and creation rites for those who either suffer from such horrible dreams or wish to terrify their enemies.

Daemonic Dreams is in its final editing stage and should release on the Kindle by April 7, with paperback to quickly follow. I’ll say it then and I’ll say it now: a hundred thanks to those of you who helped get the book to market. I couldn’t have done it without you.

I Don’t Wanna Spread

I admit it. I don’t want to blog today. I don’t want to do much of anything. It is chilly outside, and all I want to do is hide under the covers with a good book. Well, other than nap. It is positively dreary outside. Still, I know there are a few things on my To Do list yet to check off. Unfortunately, I’ve put them so far out of my mind that I’ve forgotten what they are. To jog my memory, I’m using the I Don’t Wanna spread.

spread lenormand tarot divination monthofspread dontwanna

After shuffling your cards until you feel satisfied, set one out in the middle. This represents what you are ignoring. The other three indicate what will happen if you leave the matter alone, if you tend to it, and what you can do to resolve it right now.

“I Don’t Wanna” is a very simple reading for those moments when brainpower is running low and you feel like you need that fourteenth cup of coffee. Speaking of which, I am off for one now.

Dreams – Help Interpret Them with the Dreamspeak Spread

I’ve engaged in dream-work and interpreted dreams for others for over two decades now. After this many years, I tend to rely on instinct experience more than anything else. Still, a friend asked me yesterday what tool I turn to you whenever I feel off balance. Whenever I am unsure or off-kilter, the first thing I do is practice an elemental balancing ritual. If that doesn’t do the trick, I take out a trusty oracle deck to uncover what the matter is. This spread, Dreamspeak, is one of my favorites when something from the night before lingers on my mind.

After shuffling your deck until you feel comfortable, deal 6 cards. They are:

1. The triggering event
2. The dream itself
3. The possible future
4. To what part of my life does the dream refer?
5. What can I learn from this dream
6. How can I act on this dream?

I normally set these out in two rows of three.

This morning, I woke up with a word I couldn’t quite remember on my lips. This bothered me all day, so these were the cards I drew. I used Lenormand here, but you could definitely use Tarot or even runes with the Dreamspeak spread.

Continue reading Dreams – Help Interpret Them with the Dreamspeak Spread

Personal Pantheon Spread

I could barely motivate myself to do anything but huddle in a sweater and write today. The cold weather is truly setting in for my city. Still, I have witchy work to conduct tonight, so I need to speak to my spirits. When I need to touch base quickly, I use the Personal Pantheon Spread for Tarot or Lenormand.

Before shuffling the cards, I try to make myself more receptive their messages. For me, this means dimming the lights and any outside noises. I tend to light a candle and some incense too, but this isn’t necessary. If I have the time I will also construct a balanced ritual circle and connect with my highest power. It isn’t always possible, though. When that’s the case, I simply say a quick prayer and shuffle until I feel satisfied.

I deal five cards in a flower or star like pattern. The first one, placed in the center, represents the spirit itself. I deal four more cards in a circle, starting in the east and working to the north. (If you don’t know the exact directions, go with your gut instinct.) The card in the east indicates what the spirit wants me to know. The card sitting in the south indicates what the spirit believes I should want. The card in the west points to what the spirit believes I should feel. Lastly, the card in the north shows what the spirit wants me to do.

For example, in my own Private Pantheon spread, I pulled:

the center – the spirit itself – the snake / queen of clubs – deception, complications, betrayal, and lies… or a woman that gets what she wants, driven by her will, and can be disliked for it. Lillith immediately came to mind

the east – what the spirit wants me to know – the house / kind of cups – family, familial time, home, a man rule by creativity and his heart; possibly that my heart rules my thinking

the south – what the spirit believes I should want – the coffin / 9 of pentacles – end, finish, culmination, but one that comes to a satisfaction or self-sufficiency; this has connotations of stability and livelihood, like the anchor

the west – what the spirit believes I should feel – the book / ten of pentacles – knowledgeable, learned, intelligent, educated, but all with the ten of pentacles that I have come into my own, my inheritance, that I have the resources I need

the north – what the spirit wants me to do – the bouquet / queen of swords – reward, gift, beautify, decorate, but also female air, a thinker, organized and methodical, possibly perceived as cold; this is the other side of Lillith, the she is both serpent and owl

If I look at the triplets:

book + snake + house = learn complications home.

bouquet + snake + coffin = reward complications end.

Summary:

This seems to be quite a generic reading (i.e. think about your family or I think with my heart), but the triplets give me something to ponder. Either way, it seems Lillith wands an offerings, and so I made this for her. It was the least I could do for her help, and for a member of my personal pantheon.

lillith lilith demonic daemonic enn sigil tarot lenormand personalpantheon spread