Simple Witchery: Leaning On The Four Pillars

Last updated on: March 29, 2025 at 3:46 pm By Willow Rose

. . . coping with uncertainty in turbulent times

We are living in turbulent times. Authoritarianism is gaining a stronghold across the globe. Christian nationalism is an increasing threat to religious freedom in the U.S and many European countries. Times like these do not bode well for witches and pagans.

Far from a “new golden age,” as we are being promised, it feels like we’re backsliding into another dark age. Rumors of witch hunts loom in the shadows. Reports of Christian zealots harassing pagans and protesting pagan events are increasing. Social media posts suggest that pages and groups are being infiltrated by moles who gather information, including personal details, to use against us.

“We—humanity, the earth, the world—are right now in the process of being stripped down to the bone. Everything that does not well serve us is being excised. Our structure is being torn down to the framework so that we may begin the process of rebuilding, of starting over in new and more sustainable ways.”

At The Crossroads of Time

What’s a witch do? What power do we really have? Will sticking pins in a poppet stop the growing injustices being committed every day? Will circles of salt, or crystals, or brick dust keep harm at bay? Will incantations turn attackers away from us? Even if global wide, group spells can shift this dark energy, the results happen at a go-cart’s pace when we need a formula race car’s speed.

How do we care for a world in free fall and ourselves at the same time? The answer is to care for ourselves, our groups and our communities first.

The Four Pillars in Turbulent Times

The Four Pillars of Witchcraft, or the Witches’ Pyramid instruct us to Know, to Will, to Dare and to Keep Silent. Following these tenets during unstable times can help steady the course.

To Know

It’s important to stay current with developments and events, but the headlines these days can be overwhelming. News is a commodity, a numbers game generating billions for the owners and shareholders who have a vested stake in supporting a political climate that favors their wealth.

Regardless, the rapid-fire information dump is a constant assault on our nervous systems. A wise witch practices moderation in news consumption. Curate a few reliable sources that refrain from polarizing their coverage. Even then, take a break from it all once in a while. I have about a half dozen reliable news sources coming into my email daily, but on difficult days I limit myself to a local, evening news broadcast; if anything earth shattering happens, I’ll hear about it there.

It’s also vital for practicing witches to watch the lay of the land with a knowing eye. The shifting social climate is being fueled by fear and bigotry. Othering is modern day persecution, and while we may not be talking witch trials (yet), harassment, doxxing, and unjust legislation are certainly on the table.

If you choose to be an activist, be a smart and safe activist. Analyzing goals and desired outcomes, as well as the foreseeable consequence of any actions, is what we witches do best.

Consider these safety precautions:

Don’t attend protests or pubic rallies alone—there is relative safety in numbers.

Know where you are going, assess the location and exit routes whether indoors or out (even in open, public spaces).

Stay alert and be aware of surroundings and people, especially any suspicious behavior.

Bring water and a bandanna or scarf you can cover your nose and mouth with in case of chemical irritants (use the water to flush your eyes).

Keep a list of emergency contacts with you.

Do not bring children to these events.

Know your limitations. As witches, we are spiritual conduits, and we tend to believe we have more sway in manipulating energy and outcomes than the average muggle. We might take on a greater burden for healing the world than is ours, sort of the way a physician might suffer from God complex. The truth is, we can’t fix everything, and we shouldn’t even try. Some things just have to play out before balance is achieved.

When I start to feel the pressure to perform, to put my magick to work for the world every day, I rein it in with a simple spell for justice and peace, and then let it go for Spirit to take care of. It’s a simple ritual you can try. Inscribe a white candle with the words peace and justice. Light the candle every day. Take a few moments to feel your breath, letting it calm you, then focus on the words. Call on the element of air for mental clarity. Visualize a white feather being carried on the breeze, a symbol of peace being spread around the world.

I especially like this kind of magic in troubling times because it’s grounded in taking care of myself in both a magickal and practical way, while still setting intentions to the higher purpose. Always remember that you can’t fill another’s cup if yours is empty.

To Will

Mind over matter. For the foreseeable future, I am committed to not letting my worries, regardless of how founded they may be, live rent free in my head. In other words, if there are no practical measures I can take I’m not going to dwell on the chaos being created.

Again, beginning with myself first, those near and dear to me, and then my communities, I am acting in accordance with my core values and beliefs. I remind myself that all have free will to do the same, meaning the avaricious grifters, racists and bigots are revealing themselves to me. All the better to know who they are, than to be deceived by their masquerade of good will.

Get involved in your community, go out and explore what resources and sanctuary might be available in time of need. Consider volunteering, or organizing groups where you see a lack. Remember that these efforts needn’t concentrate only on the social safety nets (those are important), but can and should include opportunities and events that simply bring people together—where we can see the common bond. Invoke the magick of Stone Soup, because a community of good neighbors is a safer place for all when trouble comes. Never forget the tale of Stone Soup.

Work with the element of water for this pillar. Some cultural traditions practice pouring water to the ancestors, to honor them and ask for their wisdom and guidance. Other traditions whisper their intentions into water before drinking it.

To Dare

Your power is being tested. Dare to own the courage of your convictions.

Believe in your power to resist fear and disillusionment, and to persevere in the face of obstacles.

Dare to believe in a higher power, whether the collective consciousness, or a supreme energy that guides us.

Use talismans as touchstones to stay connected to power.

I wear three bracelets that say peace, love and unity. When I’m stretched about as thin as I can be, when I feel like everything true and good is going down for the count, seeing those words activates my faith in the human spirit to overcome adversity. Charge a piece of jewelry with intentions for courage and hope, or carry carnelian, sunstone or citrine with you.

Lean into shadow work and dare to face your fears. Ask yourself, what’s the worst that could happen, and what you could do in that circumstance. What are your resources, where is your refuge? What is every next step you can take for safety? Strengthen your courage and resolve using chakra meditation, especially with the solar plexus and heart chakras to activate your power and stay connected to loving energy.

Work with the element of fire. Try writing all your fears out, then burn the paper. Ask that the fear and uncertainty be transformed to courage. Bury the ashes in the earth.

To Keep Silent

This principle is often given less gravitas for modern witches, after all they’re not burning us at the stake or hanging us anymore. Still, as I mentioned above, there are many ways to persecute a witch these days, including harassment, public shaming, infringement of rights, doxxing, and terminating employment. In most advanced nations, we have civil recourse, but the damage is done—to reputation, financial security, and personal safety. All it takes is one loose cannon deciding to “not suffer a witch in thy midst.”

The decision to be out of the broom closet, and present yourself publicly as a pagan or witch is a personal one, nobody can make it for you. Be careful that you do not make it for others—never out another witch.

My personal interpretation of this pillar is to listen much and speak little. We’ve all known at least one person who has little to say, but when they do speak their vision and clarity is evident. I want to be that witch in my practice. It’s a formidable balancing act for me, and others like myself who have chosen the path of sharing knowledge with those seeking to learn. It’s a constant decision about where to expend my energy—talking/writing about witchcraft, or actually practicing it?

If you’re not keeping your witchcraft under wraps, I can only advise you to make sure you have mundane protections in place as well as magickal shields, and be careful who you trust. Your greatest power lies in wisdom and cunning, neither of which stop physical (possibly deadly) harm. A lesson we can all take from history.

Work with the element of earth to stay grounded and centered in your sovereignty. Visualize the majesty of the glacial mountains, and the ancient redwoods, standing as silent sentinels holding the secrets of time. Go on a nature walk with the intent to find a token meant for you. A stone, shell, walking stick—whatever call to you. Cleans it, consecrate it and charge it with holding your secrets.

Dear witches, I leave you with this: If the world truly needs our magick now more than ever, the first order of business must be to take care of ourselves first.

Simple Witchery: Take Pause

Last updated on: December 11, 2024 at 7:13 pm By Willow Rose

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. . . nolite te bastardes carborundorum

I’m exhausted. Are you too? Life seems to be getting more difficult with each passing day, and I feel trapped in a zero sum game I never agreed to playing. By all appearances, authoritarianism is gaining a strong foothold in the world and there is clearly no denying its patriarchal foundation. Women have gotten too close to power, we’ve had too much freedom, too many opportunities that weaken our restraints. Our deference to men’s whims has waned, and those in power don’t like it.

*Trapped in a zero sum game. Image Source: perspicacious_esthete on Pixabay.*

Likewise, if you identify as part of any “othered” group—LGBTQ, immigrants, indigenous peoples displaced from their ancestral lands, or (particularly in America right now) you practice a faith belief outside of predominately White populated, male dominated, prosperity gospel Christianity, you are being pushed further down in the hierarchy of power.

Great change is being thrust upon us. I’ve seen it coming for some time now. I fear we’ve reached the point of no return, where standing in the way will only get you run down.

“We, as a planet and a society are experiencing the dying off of old ways. We are at a pivotal stage, an epochal moment in time. We are entering the nexus, or as I like to say, we are birthing the next us.”—At The Crossroads of Time, Willow Rose

One thing I know is that change cannot happen without something being forfeited. Some will sacrifice safety, perhaps even their life. Some will lose their freedom, facing imprisonment. Some will lose faith, or hope.

The Illusion of Control

I pulled a tarot card this morning for insight, and drew the Lovers. This is not strictly a card about romantic relationship; it also harkens to unity, harmony and partnership. It was disheartening to see it, to think that these higher human aspirations must be set aside. Is there no way to bridge the deep chasm of division cutting its wide swath across our globe?

The Lovers can also indicate a pivotal choice, often between mutually exclusive opposition. Are the increasing differences among us irreconcilable? Must there be a winner—and a loser? It’s possible, perhaps even probable. I feel like the child of divorce, hoping my parents will get back together, but knowing there will be no such reconciliation.

*A deep chasm of division is dividing us. Image Source: AI created.*

I pulled a second card for clarity. The muse doubled down, handing me the Chariot—a card that speaks to taking the reins, controlling the direction. I, personally, have no control over what’s happening in the larger world around me. Believing that I do, that I ever did is detrimental to my well being. It’s not hope for a better world that I must release, but the illusion I have any control over the outcome of what has been set in motion by forces more powerful than I.

As a woman, and as a witch, I desire to create a kinder, more forgiving world for all. But it’s time to accept that my shoulders were never going to be broad enough nor strong enough to carry the responsibility of healing the world’s ills. It’s time for a different approach.

Earlier this year, I wrote about self preservation and self care in these challenging times.

“Self care can no longer be only about our own physical, mental and spiritual health. We are entering the realm of community care, as self care and self preservation. The most important thing everybody can do for their own self care, is to form a trusted circle of people who have their back.”— Resistance and Resilience in Hard Times, Willow Rose

These are dark times, and I fear they will become darker at the hands of greedy men, intent on conquering rather than cultivating, oppressing rather than encouraging, persecuting rather than protecting.

As witches, especially if we are women or identify as women, everything we stand for will make us targets, if not directly for those in power, indirectly for those who are being emboldened in their misogyny and bigotry. I feel it’s time to go where all good resistance movements go—underground and undercover.

Returning to the Fundamentals

I’m laying low, watching the lay of the land, and returning to the foundations of my craft. I plan to wield whatever power I have judiciously, for the protection of myself, my loved ones and my communities. In this way I can effect small change—by showing kindness and compassion, by practicing inclusion, and by sowing the seeds of peace. I’m not even going to say that if enough of us do this, we will effect larger change. I’m not sure that’s possible right now. But we will survive, we will hold the space for change.

*The fundamentals of witchcraft. Image Source: Author.*

To Know

There’s something to be said for knowing your limitations. And I have to question, even if I did have the power to effect sweeping change, do I have the right solutions? Do I know what is the greater good? I do have a crystal ball, but it doesn’t show me the future. Instead, my fear is showing me dire pictures of dark solutions with collateral damage. One of the first things I teach new witches is to be careful what they witch for. What’s good for them, even what they believe is the greater good for all concerned, may not be good in the larger picture of time.

To Dare

In troubled times, the bravest thing to do may be resisting your own impulsivity. I believe now is not the time for reactionary gestures of defiance, but rather the quiet courage of holding space, of letting what has been set in motion unfold, of stepping aside to let consequences be realized. Yes, there will be suffering, there will be loss, new wisdom and deeper understanding will follow.

By allowing ourselves to endure the darkness, sit with our grief, our bitterness, frustration and fear, we stand to gain a deeper understanding of our strength. As always, in confronting the shadow, (if not our own but society’s) we can emerge wiser and more powerful.

To Will

Will is associated with the element of fire, it is our inner spirit, our passion and driving force. In the Handmaid’s Tale, Offred learns how to survive, how to get along in the world of her captors, but she never surrenders her spirit, nor her will. Scratched on the inside of the closet door frame in her room, she finds the words nolite te bastardes carborundorum. She’s later told the phrase loosely translates to, don’t let the bastards grind you down.

I’m through expending my energy playing a game of whack-a-mole, trying to put out all the flaming bags of excrement that are mere distractions from the true agenda. I’m through railing against what I have no power to stop or change. I’m holding my energy in reserve for only that which I might truly have sway over.

To Keep Silent

I’m not suggesting abandoning values or core beliefs, just giving up and letting authoritarianism go unchecked. To keep silent does not mean to acquiesce, or abandon deeply held truths, but to refrain from letting your words (and actions) cause harm, to others or to yourself. Nor will I rely on the belief that free speech will protect me. I believe the best course of action will be keeping my own counsel—saying little or nothing about opinions or intentions of opposition.

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning, since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it, but we tried to fight it

— Billy Joel

The fire is raging. If we don’t act wisely, it will consume us. Reserve your power; let your might be unexpected when the time comes to wield it.

Between Two Worlds: Annie

Last updated on: December 9, 2024 at 5:12 pm By Brianne Raven Wolf

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Annie is my best friend. I’ve been there with her through two years of her living with dementia. When I first met her, she was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. A year ago I wrote an article about how her garden had slowed her disease. Before you go on, please read about it here to get an idea of where it all started.

Public domain image by thophilong via Pixabay.

Both of us have raised bed gardens in our community garden plots. We have to volunteer to help out periodically with some of the light upkeep there. As I mentioned before in the article above, Annie loves flowers. In bright daylight she can see bright colors very well. While she can’t always remember what the flowers are, they help her remain focused on their natural beauty. It puts her in a state of calm and meditation. She can sit for hours caressing the petals. It makes her feel needed by them. While she’s doing that it gives me time to work in my vegetable garden next to her garden.

About six months ago, I started noticing little things happening with her impairment. First it was, “Where did I put my phone? I just had it.” I know as seniors, we all have some things we forget. But this was happening on a daily basis. Our Senior Center had a class on early onset dementia that we both took about the same time. Annie was quite aware of what was going on and, to her credit, was fighting it.

We were walking together almost every day. Once in a while she would ask me, “Where are we?” My reply was, “Where do you think we are?” With a blank look it became obvious she didn’t recognize where we were. And we had walked that same route many times before. Before long she would say, “I know where we’re at!” It didn’t happen every time we walked, but it was happening more frequently.

In July I had to travel back to western New York State. My youngest sister was having a very serious operation on her carotid artery. She got through it as well as the surgeon expected considering the state of her health. I had to stay with her for a little over two weeks. She wasn’t able to drive her car as the seat belt would compromise her wound.

Annie and I talked on the phone while I was away a couple times daily. We were just checking in to see how our day was or had gone. One week into my stay with my sister I got a serious surprise from Annie. She had decided to go for a walk by herself. Usually this wasn’t a problem. But that one day she got lost. Totally disoriented. She told me later that day she was walking on the sidewalk and saw a man working on his lawn.

Public domain image by miakihiro0 via Pixabay.

She asked him directions to where we both lived. But she couldn’t remember the address. The man was able to take Annie to the public safety building in the village we live in. The policewoman asked her name, and also where she lived. Again, she couldn’t remember the address. Annie told her the Senior Center knew who she was and where she lived. The policewoman called them, got the address of our building, and returned Annie back home safely.

When I returned we went for a long walk together. We discussed what had happened. Her older sister, who lives in our village, didn’t want her to walk by herself anymore. Annie of course disagreed and was very adamant that she was fine. Actually, as it turned out, she wasn’t fine.

A week later a part-time senior helper came to be with Annie in the mornings. That did not go well with Annie at all. She insisted to her sister and son again that she was fine and didn’t need a helper. They are both part of her health care team. Her son has her health care proxy and takes care of Annie’s finances. So the decision was final. Temporarily anyway.

Since I’ve known her, Annie can’t see or process certain things. Her eyesight is fine, but there are synapses from her optical nerve to the back of her brain. She can’t see text unless it’s really large, written on extremely white paper with contrasty black ink, and in bright light. The other problem that was getting worse is that she was having trouble recognizing some objects, even fairly large ones. Not all the time, but enough to make me and her sister realize that it was happening.

Public domain image by qimono via Pixabay.

Annie got to the point where it was getting obvious to her care team, and me, that she needed more help than any of us could provide. Her son and older sister decided it was time to move her into an assisted living facility. Everyone was concerned about her safety, especially falling. Since she couldn’t see or process things, her apartment was getting cluttered. She was constantly moving things around. Annie called it sorting. But she didn’t know where to put her things, especially clothes. And she couldn’t remember where she put other things, especially her cell phone.

The time arrived for her to move about 45 days ago from when I’m writing this article. Thirty days before the move, her sister and I started to pack up the things that she would need at her new home. Since she can’t cook or bake where she’s at now, all of her cooking utensils, baking pans, mixers, and most of her cook books got donated. Annie excelled at baking before the dementia, so that took an emotional toll on her. It still does as her long-term memory is excellent.

Before the moving company came to move all of her belongings, her brother and sister-in-law came and took Annie to her new home. She knew what was going to happen, and had seen her new apartment two weeks before the move. It seemed to me like Annie was defeated emotionally. She did go quietly, trying to accept the inevitable. Did she want to move away from the building where we both were living? Absolutely not. Everyone said it would take her time to adjust. Even now, she’s not happy, but trying to adapt and adjust. But every day seems to be getting better for her. She’s made a few new friends there which I think is wonderful. We still talk every day on the phone. That helps both of us immensely.

Even though I don’t have a vehicle, I have friends and her sister from time to time to take me over there to visit and pick me up after a few hours. I’ve been very blessed for those friends in my life. When the weather was better we went for walks on the sidewalks there. The city she lives in now is a lot larger than where I live now. A four-lane city boulevard is less than a block away. Annie does realize that for her safety she can’t be walking off by herself.

There are a few benefits for her to be living there. Three regularly scheduled meals in a dining room near her apartment. Weekly live music performed by volunteer musicians. The halls are quite wide so Annie gets a fair amount of walking in to help her get enough exercise. Since she and I love to walk, that’s a blessing for her. And there are almost daily organized exercise classes led by staff members.

I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would become so close to someone with dementia. Within a week after I moved back to Wisconsin while living with my sister temporarily in western New York State during the pandemic, I met Annie. I’ve learned a lot about the transition from mild cognitive impairment to dementia in these two years plus. The most important thing is to have an incredible amount of patience with anyone who has dementia. I remember her older sister asking me what I learned from Annie after I was here about two months. I told her the same thing. Patience and lots of it.

I’ve been very blessed having Annie in my life. She’s the best friend I’ve ever had, or maybe ever will have. Where will Annie’s journey go from here? I guess we’ll find out…sometime, somewhere in the future. Blessed Be!

PS: If you’re interested here is a link to living with dementia.

Simple Witchery: Resistance and Resilience in Hard Times

Last updated on: June 28, 2024 at 7:55 pm By Willow Rose

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We’re living in hard times, a new reality for most of us. The post WWII era began what is arguably the most progressive and prosperous half century in world history, and surely in that of the United States democratic experiment. Now we face existential threats including climate crisis, pandemics, increasing global conflict of nations, and internal division.

*Is it too late to stop our own destruction? Image by PatoLenin on Pixabay*

We have faced similar hard times throughout the human history of the world. If we survive this round, if we manage to course correct, find remedies, adapt and evolve to live in harmony with the planet we call home, our progeny will no doubt face similar challenges again in the future.

“Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” – George Santayana

Resistance

What does all of this have to do with witches and witchcraft? If you take your craft seriously you’ve no doubt wondered, even obsessed over what you can do to effect change on a meaningful level. You’ve pondered, or perhaps even participated in large scale group spells. This is nothing new either. As far back as 1588, British witches are purported to have used the Cone of Power against the Spanish Armada, and again in 1805 to attempt to end Napoleon’s threat to England.

In 1940, led by Gerald Gardner, who would come to be known as the Father of Modern Witchcraft, the New Forest Coven directed a Cone of Power at Hitler, to cause him confusion and poor judgment that would lead to his defeat. But did it work? Oddly, shortly after the coven’s casting (as written about by Gardener himself), Hitler made a few unexpected and notable changes in his campaign that many experts agree ultimately led to Nazi defeat. You can read more about it here.

Does working in groups increase the power? Image by author.

More recently, in February of 2017, a mass binding spell against then President Trump was organized through social media, stirring up much controversy over ethics and the Wiccan Rule of Three. You can read about Astrea Taylor’s experience of it in her post, Join the Magic Resistance: Bind Trump.

I don’t necessarily abide by the rule of three—at least not as guaranteed or instant karma doled out tit-for-tat. I do, however, believe, that whatever energy you put into the world can have consequences never foreseen, regardless of how carefully you craft your spell or how many times you say “an it harm none.” For this reason, I’m cautious when it comes to any kind of group work on a scale that includes numbers in the thousands or tens of thousands of witches I don’t know.

I have, on the other hand, seen the results of group spells I’ve participated in with known and trusted practitioners. This leads me to wonder, since it’s all about energy, is it like a battery, the more concentrated voltage the more power? Or can it be accumulative, like the drip of water on stone? If 10,000 witches are all working to the same end, do they need to be doing it at the same time?

In the words of Gandalf:

“Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay . . . small acts of kindness and love.”

I don’t begin or pretend to have all the answers, or any answers, really, that pertain to every witch, we are, after all, each sovereign beings. We each must do what we think is for the greater good. I believe including spellwork, ritual, and simple petitions for peace and understanding in daily practice goes a long way to achieving that end. Still, I find myself believing I should do more. If find myself wanting to feel effective, to see direct results. I know this is my ego, my shadow self clamoring for recognition.

This is when I come back around to self care, this time for resilience.

A few days ago, Jessica Wildfire asked in her post if self care is even possible in a time of collapse?

“At a certain point, self-care simply can’t compensate for the void of empathy and compassion taking over the world. It doesn’t matter how self-sufficient you are. One day, every single one of us will rely on someone else for survival. Most of us already do, and only a few of us realize it.”— Jessica Wildfire

Self Care has been a hot topic for a while now and has more recently filtered into the world of witchcraft. I’ve written about the intersection of self care practices and witchcraft here and here.

In the history of mankind, it didn’t take long for early humans to realize that their survival increased when they formed social packs. In our modern world of conveniences and protections, individualism is idealized over collectivism. But that individualism is fracturing into deep division that, unchecked, will drive us to our own demise on this planet.

*It’s going to take a village. Image by author.*

Self Care or Self Preservation?

Self care can no longer be only about our own physical, mental and spiritual health. We are entering the realm of community care, as self care and self preservation. The most important thing everybody can do for their own self care, is to form a trusted circle of people who have their back.

From what I observe, the last few generations to have entered adult status have, in great numbers, eschewed family in favor of breaking toxic relationships. That’s a whole can of worms in itself, and every time I broach the subject, I get the inevitable clap-backs for bypassing abuse and manipulation. To be clear, I am in no way excusing abusive behaviors in any form. I am also no stranger to being oppressed by the most subtle forms of Machiavellian control; I know what might appear to be the best relationships, can be fraught with abuse.

Rather, I’m talking about the simple personality differences that are a part of all relationships. There is an epidemic of estrangement happening in the name of intolerance. Differences of opinion have risen to the level of offense previously reserved for deep divides in values and morals. Twenty-five percent of adult children are estranged from a parent. Ghosting, the art of simply disappearing from a friendship or romantic relationship, has entered our lexicon.

Again, in this era of alternate facts and corrupt leaders, I’m not advocating softening personal boundaries on values and morals. However, it is important to distinguish between those and innocuous (even if irritating) opinions, or personality differences.

As we face more and more devastation and the demise of our way of life, we will need more and more care, concern and support from people who truly give a flying fig about what happens to us, people we can rely on in times of need. We need people who think differently because they will see solutions we cannot. People who are both older and younger than ourselves, bringing varying skill sets to the table.

Your grandmother—or cantankerous old neighbor—may not be able to do the heavy lifting, but she probably knows more about food preservation and stretching resources than anybody else in your circle. You might be a vegetarian or vegan, and right now that’s a privilege you enjoy thanks to supermarkets and supply chains. One day, you might find that experienced gardener and the skilled hunter or trapper is the only thing standing between you and starvation. You may be old and wise in your ways, but when all communication has failed, it will be the young tech savvy nerd who finds a way to light the darkness—literally and metaphorically. It’s going to be a quid-pro-quo world.

*Create a cache of personal tools to support you through changing times. Image by Nadine Doerlé from Pixabay.*

Resilience

As much as I’d like to, I alone cannot cast a spell to heal the world’s ills, to vanquish the evil forces tearing us down, or to manifest universal understanding. Instead my witchcraft is turning toward building resilience, physically, mentally and spiritually. I’m increasing my knowledge of plant medicines and elemental energy, creating sacred tools, curating nurturing spaces for my self and in my community, and embracing tolerance.

“We are standing at the crossroads of change, digging up the bones of our ancient wisdom, being laid bare in preparation for the next phase, the next us. Now is the time to create a cache of sacred tools.” – At The Crossroads of Time, Willow Rose

Since learning more about my matrilineal heritage, I’m working on being in right relation with all living things within the life force of which we are just one expression.

Finally, I am holding space for the potential of peace—listening, paying attention, believing it can and will come.

Witchcraft isn’t just about spells and rituals, potions, crystals, divination or psychic gifts. Witchcraft is the belief in the innate power to change our own lives, and by changing ourselves, changing the world around us.

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Pergamum Unfurled: Magic with the Greek Gods (Book Review)

Last updated on: April 29, 2024 at 8:37 pm By Terence P. Ward

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Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods is a decidedly witchy take on gods that I’ve held dear since I was a wee child, reading and rereading what turned out to be watered-down versions of the Greek myths. My own spiritual path has taken a circuitous route from reading those child-friendly myths, one that included several years as part of a Wiccan coven before eventually joining a group reviving ancient Greek practices. Knowing what I do about both traditions, I was very interested in what Astrea Taylor and Jason Mankey had to say about the intersection of these topics.

I was not disappointed. What authors Astrea Taylor and Jason Mankey do beautifully is lay out an understanding how witches can relate to these ancient deities. Digging into primary and scholarly sources, they present some history of their human worshipers, and insights into how these gods were understood in antiquity. “The gods of Olympus have been on the lips of human beings for over 3,500 years, something that’s unlikely to change soon, or maybe even ever. While the popularity of Zeus and his extended family has waxed and waned over the centuries, it has remained ever-present.” They are frank about how some of the myths reveal very different views about issues such as gender equality, perhaps reflecting more about the humans telling these stories than about the deities themselves.

What readers should expect is a deeper understanding of how to engage with these gods through the context of Wicca. (If one desires to learn about the practices of the Hellenes of antiquity, including some of my own ancestors, I wholeheartedly recommend Greek Religion by Walter Burkert. I’ve read it cover to cover, but at 512 pages not everyone gets there.) The primary spiritual technology of Wicca is magic, and the authors take the time to ensure that the reader will understand which gods might be appropriate to invite to participate in what magical workings. There are example rituals to help make these important connections.

To be clear, magic has a different place in traditional Hellenic polytheism than it does in Wicca and Wicca-aligned witchcraft traditions. Magic is a central, sacred practice in Wicca, but has no role in the religious practices that draw from ancient Greek sources—practices that predate the word “religion” itself. Modern adherents include those who work magic but don’t see it as part of their religion, to those who avoid it entirely. Wiccans use a different approach to engaging with the gods, and I’ll let the gods decide for themselves whether they wish to participate.

*Public domain image via Wikimedia Commons.*

A reason a reader might push back against Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods is simply because it’s not Greek enough. In addressing this, the authors write, “In recent years, some individuals have attempted to place the Greek gods in a gilded cage and restrict their worship on the basis of ethnicity. The Greek gods have never been limited in such a way. While we have respect for those trying to revive the religious traditions of classical Greece, the Greek gods have been busy travelers the last 3,500 years, and some of them would first have to travel to Greece before spreading their wings yet again.”

I do not know that this crosses into the complex topic of cultural appropriation. There is an argument that that one cannot appropriate ancient Greek culture at all, because it is foundational to all of western civilization. However, at least one of my fellow Greek Americans disagrees with that argument.

Appropriation comes from stripping traditions out of the original cultural context, and making claim to it. It’s a form of theft that’s similar to plagiarism, but since the victim is the monolithic culture itself, not every participant in that culture is going to have the same opinions about what’s acceptable. For me, traditions and practices can be subject to appropriation, but gods cannot. Gods have agency, and go where they will. Religion and culture flow move and change like tectonic plates, slowly and irresistibly. Today there are devotees who swear off magic to follow these gods, and others who make magic central to their worship of the very same gods. This is a beautiful thing.

Quirks: the two authors mostly alternate writing chapters. I have sometimes wondered how multiple authors collaborate on a book. This is one option.

Quibbles: there’s more capitalization than I would prefer in this book. My brain is not entirely neurotypical, and my eye is drawn to those big letters in a way that’s distracting.

Transparency: I asked to write a blurb for this book when I learned it was being written. This is because of how the topic aligns with my spiritual autobiography, and also because Jason Mankey has always been nice to me.

Title: Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods
Author: Astrea Taylor and Jason Mankey
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
ISBN: 0738768766

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Pergamum Unfurled: Cunning Words (Review)

Last updated on: March 4, 2024 at 5:00 pm By Terence P. Ward

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I’ve read a lot of books about pagan and magical topics over the last 35 years, and none of them are comparable to Cunning Words: a Grimoire of Tales and Magic. Marshall, the Witch of Southern Light, builds this book about magic around a cycle of tales. There are many, many books in which very wise people patiently explain how the power of the human mind is based in stories, but there are limits to how much we can use our logic rocks to explain this creative force. Myth and parable have been a tool for teachers of many different spiritual and esoteric traditions, and it works very well for witchcraft.

The tales in these pages each give insight into this magical tradition, to which the author sometimes adds additional context in the form of notes or recipes. I’m probably not the only reader who will find some of the magical content familiar; the way a folk tradition spreads and changes through space and time is part of the magic itself. It’s relatively easy to pick the spells out from these stories, but there is a deeper layer that might be missed in such a scraping. Not every lesson can be conveyed by words alone. This truth is why there’s just not much in the way of really advanced books. Through story, Marshall WSL connects with the reader differently, possibly circumventing that limitation.

Not everything in Cunning Words is a tale, however. The stories, while restricted to the first of three parts, are the framework on which the entire book hangs. It’s the stories that illustrate the purpose of the various “spells in verse” in the second part. Those cover a variety of different charms and workings, giving a clear sense of how this particular witchcraft comes together. There are elixirs, charms, and sigils for a variety of specific goals.

I expected the third part—the “Cunning Compendium”—to hold the least of my interest, but I was wrong. There’s a section on dirt that is more detailed than anything I’ve seen. I didn’t know how much I needed to know about dirt until I read these pages. It’s on the same level as the variety of waters that Byron Ballard writes about in Staubs and Ditchwater. It’s no coincidence that these are both practitioners of southern folk magic traditions, I’m sure. Anyway, I now find myself looking at dirt very differently than I did before reading this book, and anything that can make new neural connections in this ossified brain has something powerful going for it.

*Public domain image by Jing via Pixabay.*

Quirks: “You’ll also find a full space between paragraphs because I personally struggle with keeping attention when I’m overwhelmed with walls of text. It is my sincerest hope that this will help other neurodivergent readers who experience this and aid in more smooth and comfortable reading comprehension.” This thoughtful note is just one of the many signs I’ve seen of late that point toward my own neurodivergence.

Quibbles: There are times when I wished this author had used more commas. There are other times when I wished to be half the storyteller that Marshall proves to be. I do not know if these two observations are related.

Transparency: I told the author I would read this book and publish a review on Patheos, because there’s been some nonsense circulating that books which are published by the author are automatically lesser. I did not ask for a review copy; I bought this one myself. While I did flag some proofreading errors (the fact that I can’t stop doing this is another one of the signs I’ve gotten about how my own brain is wired), I have read worse copy that made it through a professional editorial process.

Title: Cunning Words: a Grimoire of Tales and Magic
Author: Marshall WSL
Publisher: Marshall, the Witch of Southern Light
ISBN: 979-8-218-17837-6

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Pergamum Unfurled: Review – Magic for Troubled Times

Last updated on: January 9, 2024 at 2:17 pm By Terence P. Ward

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I wrote a blurb that’s in Magic for Troubled Times, which starts out like this:

There is a hunger for books about mental health and resilience that are written from a pagan perspective, and we should all be grateful that Deborah Castellano is adding to this body of knowledge. Castellano’s raw and unvarnished “suck-it-up-buttercup” approach may be shocking to some readers—and shocked is precisely what we all need from time to time!

Writing a blurb presumes saying nice things; writing a review does not necessarily mean being nice. Honestly, though, I put in the “quibbles” section of my reviews because I don’t want to gloss over something because I’m nice. I want to take a hard look, not only to bring out the strengths, but also to acknowledge something that fell short—even if only by a tiny bit. Otherwise, my reviews would tend toward saccharine positivity, and not very helpful. Honest reviews help sell books as much as blurbs do, but they are not the same. I have every intention of using some of the same prose for both, but they still are not the same.

As someone who finished writing a book mental health and pagans during the depths of the pandemic, this book really resonated with me. much of it is a diary of resilience during the months after the 2020 pandemic reached New York. “I worry as I write that I talk too much about myself, that I’m talking too much about this moment in time. But I also think about how important it is to have some voices of our people on the record about this. The witches, the occultists, the heathens, the druids, the dabblers.” Rather than limit the relevance, it makes this book all the stronger. For one, it will resonate with people who experienced this particular pandemic for the rest of their lives. More importantly, hooking into this worldwide event makes every example specific, which means that the human brain can more easily adapt the information to different circumstances. I imagine that a century hence, collectors of old occult books will find sage advice in Magic for Troubled Times that can be applied to the struggles of the day.

Castellano alternates between coaching readers on the sheer mental fortitude needed to begin to recover when the world implodes, and taking a deep dive into a particular esoteric approach to crisis. From hoodoo to ceremonial magic, this book covers everything from aligning oneself with a higher purpose to dealing with people whose gossip is keeping you down. Some of the exercises might be too complex for how overwhelmed you feel right now, or too dark for your personal ethics, or too Christian for your stripe of paganism, and that’s all fine: keep reading, and a few pages later there’s something else that might speak to your condition. This is an author who understands that not every tool will fit in every hand.

Here’s the kind of approach the reader should expect:

The critical first step of grounding is recognizing that you need to. This is harder than it sounds when part of your brain is chanting at high speed, everything is fine, everything is okay, this is no big deal and the other part of your brain can’t see how you’re going to make it through this moment without someone’s blood on your hands.

We can weep, wail, and gnash our teeth, or we can do something (like magic) to actively make change in our lives. Yes, obviously, you should also look at your budget, look at your investing, look at your bad financial habits, look at your current career, look at financial experts’ advice so you can improve your finances practically. Of course. I can also tell you from personal experience in money magic that one of the hardest parts is asking for what you actually want financially. Because I didn’t. I used to do some kind of crazy witchy math where you try to figure out how good of a person you actually are, how many favors you’ve asked, what bad deeds you’ve done and do you actually need this? I was never going to step forward into bigger and better things with that intention. It’s really . . . scary to ask for what you want. It’s even more scary to get it.

Taking control of your skin takes control of your own body. You don’t have control over all the circumstances of your hardship but . . . you have agency over your body.

*Public domain image by nattanan23 via Pixabay.*

Castellano roams all over the witch life, in service to a central theme of resilience. It needed to be written in 2020 for it to be written at all. There’s blunt advice, a variety of spell styles, and a bit more blunt advice for those of us who can’t take a hint.

This is a book that is felt as much as it is read. It can feel like a punch in the gut, or the first breath after breaking the surface. What it feels like on the first look says everything about the reader, which is a testament to the power of the writer. If you know, you know.

Quirks: This book has salty language, which I’ve glossed over with ellipses in the quotes I selected. There is more where that came from. It may be a selling point or a turnoff, but it’s a fact.

Quibbles: I am pickier about sentence fragments than most. Castellano’s writing has fragments as a feature, not a bug. It’s just not my style.

Title: Magic for Troubled Times
Author: Deborah Castellano
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 978-0-7387-6989-9

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Simple Witchery: Don’t Be That Witch

Last updated on: January 2, 2024 at 8:25 pm By Willow Rose

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As an elder witch, I try not to let little things bother me. I’m too old to be wasting my energy and squandering my power. Still, there are a few things I see in my wanderings around witch spaces that poke at my peaceful composure like a devil with a pitchfork.

Here’s my trifecta of behaviors to banish if you want to advance in your craft, increase your power and just be a really cool witch.

*Ditch the dark and dangerous witch stereotype. Public domain image by Victoria via Pixabay.*

You’re a Witch – with a W

It’s not spelled with a B. You know the witch I’m talking about, who never misses an opportunity to tell everybody how dark, devious and dangerous she is. “Mess with me at your own risk.”

These witches use aggressive language meant to intimidate and dismiss others. In the worst case, they humiliate and bully with insults. They look for weak spots to poke a stick in, before somebody can expose their gaping wounds. They are the mean girls of the witching realms. Either you follow their lead unquestioningly, or you can hit the road.

In social media groups, they manifest as one of two demagogues—the administrator who brags about how easily they banish members from the group for even the hint of an infraction, or the member who flounces out in a self righteous huff over some perceived slight, leaving a dire warning behind.

There is a vast chasm between power of and power over. One is self control, the other is abusive control. The self-proclaimed badass witch is on an ego trip with the shadow sitting in the driver’s seat, large and in charge. They are on their own journey.

*Don’t diminish your power by calling yourself a baby witch. Public domain image by behrouz sasani via UnSplash.*

You’re Not a Baby Witch

I’m pretty sure I never used the term baby witch for myself, even in my earliest explorations into the craft. Nor do I apply it to others. If any witch self-identifies as a baby witch, so be it, but I refuse to reinforce that infantilizing characterization.

Babies are helpless, in need of total care and nurturing from the adults around them. While their brains are little sponges ready to absorb any new information, the information they are capable of processing is rudimentary. I don’t devalue the beauty in that very basic learning process, but there is a difference between learning how to drink from a cup, and understanding the symbology and use of the chalice in ritual. The first is the task of a baby, the second is the work of a novice seeker.

Perhaps more importantly, the term baby witch denies novice witches personal agency, as Sidney Eileen explains in Words Have Power – Why “Baby Witch” Is Problematic.

Words definitely have power. Just think about that for a moment—if we don’t believe in the power of words, then what good are spoken spells? The words you use make a difference. The word you choose to define yourself creates an energy. Do you really want to be a baby?

If you’re new to the craft, just dipping your toe into the magickal waters, there are better descriptors you can choose. You are a seeker, a novice, a newbie or a beginner. You are not a baby.

*Your ability to manifest desires depends on the work you put into your craft. Public domain image sourced by the author from Mystic Stock Shop.*

Don’t Be A Lazy Witch

There’s a difference between simplifying your witchcraft, and just being too lazy to do the work. As Gretchen Little said in Embracing Imperfect Witchcraft, “I believe it’s (witchcraft is) less about following rules and more about how much time you’ve spent on cultivating your personal power.” That same belief is what set me on the path of Simple Witchery.

We’ve all encountered the lazy witch. They ask for a spell to do this or that, they want to know what they can do with an herb they have, or wonder if everything they see is a sign. And it seems they all want to know how they can vex or hex someone who has done them wrong.

Of course, if you are in any witch groups (online or in person) it’s okay to ask questions. Most experienced or elder witches are happy to guide you, but don’t expect them to do your homework for you. Effort and Experience = Efficacy. Your ability to achieve a desired result is in direct relation to the work you put into it.

Lets look at if a different way. Growing up in a family that embraced mainstream Christian religion, I often heard the adage, God helps those who help themselves. The secular equivalent is, the results you get are equivalent to the effort you put in. For an example, you can’t pray to god for a job, or if not praying then hope for a job, but just sit around and do nothing to get a job. Okay, once in a while, somebody might come along of the blue with a job offer, but most often, we have to make the effort to seek and apply for work.

Likewise witchcraft cannot do for you what you won’t do for yourself. And just like the miraculous job that drops into your lap, you might have some hit and miss success with your lazy witchcraft, but you’ll never really grow in your power.

The most important component for manifesting your desire, is the personal energy you put into attracting it. When I put time and effort into researching what herb best serves my purpose, when I look for examples, but still craft my own spell, when I stop relying on others’ interpretations and ask myself why a particular rock on a beach full of similar stones might be a sign, I’m building that cache of energy that goes into the final working. Over the years, that energy is stored, and like a battery, it charges all the magick I do.

The bottom line is you can be a dabbler, or you can become an adept. By definition, a dabbler is an amateur, trifler or tinker—one who isn’t seriously committed to the practice at hand. A dabbler doesn’t put forth sustained effort and tends to pick and choose the easier or more dramatic aspects of the craft for their practice.

*A group can offer support for new witches. Public domain image by Sierra Koder via UnSplash.*

A group can offer support and be a place for fun and companionship for new witches, bon’t rely on witch groups, especially online, for your primary source of information. You may find that there are dozens of witches more than willing to answer all your questions, some in great detail, but you don’t know who they are, you don’t know if their information is from practice and experience, or something they just googled. And in many cases, you could end up more confused by all of the conflicting advice.

A good mentor will tell you where to look for answers. If you’re inquiring what herb helps with increasing luck they might suggest you look at mint, or cinnamon. When you do this, you’ll probably notice there are a few others consistently mentioned and that each one has a slightly different nuance—to attract general prosperity, increase wealth, or support health. You’ll learn what herbs you can use interchangeably, depending on what you have available. All of this is charging your witch battery.

There’s a mistaken notion among younger witches, that elders don’t want to share their knowledge. Or that because it was so much harder for us — we didn’t have the internet, and the few books that were available were hard to obtain — that we want it to be hard for them too.

Far from it. Like the stories of Baba Yaga and Vasilisa The Beautiful (or Brave), the crone witch knows that the real magick is in what you learn, not what you are told.

Read more Simple Witchery, at simplewitchery.com.

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Between Two Worlds: Belladonna

Last updated on: December 12, 2023 at 7:31 pm By Brianne Raven Wolf

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Ever since Hekate chose me I’ve been drawn to belladonna. Specifically Atropa Belladonna. One of Hekate’s most desirable poison pretties. Belladonna is also my plant Spirit ally. Last year when I moved back to Wisconsin I knew I needed to know much more about Her.

I started by attending a belladonna class taught online by Coby Michael. Coby is very knowledgeable about so many of the poison plants. I refer to his book The Poison Path Herbal regularly.

Part of my practice with my Goddess Hekate is to ask Her for guidance. When I decided early this year to incorporate belladonna plants into my apartment living room I asked for Her advice. I don’t have any animals living with me and no children visit me. Safety for myself and others was my top priority.

Two of my very best friends visit me on a regular basis. I knew I needed to make both of them aware of what I was doing. One friend is a pagan who lives about two hours from me and is very knowledgeable about the deadly nightshades and many other herbs.

My other best friend, who isn’t pagan, lives in the same building as I do. That required me to teach her about belladonna for her safety. She visits my apartment almost daily. I started by reading some basic articles about belladonna to her. She knows that I’m a pagan witch and a Priestess of Hekate, so that wasn’t a surprise to her.

Since I wasn’t sure how belladonna would grow inside I started with three small plants last spring. To be honest, just in case only one or two survived. My living room windows all face south so natural sunlight wasn’t too much of an issue. I purchased a plant moisture meter to make sure I wouldn’t overwater my plants.

They accepted transplanting quite well and almost doubled in size after a couple of months. All three of them seemed to thrive for a while. Then their growth slowed down. After more research online, I decided to transplant them to larger pots. Since my good friend Annie gardens with me, I decided to ask her for help. You can read about her garden here.

Off we went to our local garden center for much larger pots and organic potting soil. Wearing gloves, and laying out a plastic tarp we cautiously transplanted the three plants. I was very concerned about how they would take to being transplanted twice in six months. After a few weeks, two of the plants almost doubled in size.

Then all of a sudden I noticed a small flower appear. I have seen all kinds of belladonna flower photos, but here was one right in front of my eyes. It was so beautiful. I thanked my belladonna plant Spirit ally and Hekate right away for being able to have that happen. As the flower started to die, I noticed a small green berry growing where the flower had been.

I kept watching it grow daily. It finally started turning to purple. Such a beautiful fruit it bore. Later on the same plant another flower started to grow. And another berry. Hekate and belladonna plant Spirit ally had gifted me with two flowers and berries on the same plant. What an experience!

As fall was approaching I knew I needed to augment the natural light. Days were getting shorter. I went back to my notes from the class I had been in chat on Zoom with another witch who was using artificial light. He had started to use a new type of LED light from a company called Soltech. I decided to purchase one and try it out.

We moved my larger pots to a very sturdy table and we hung one light above and between those two plants. The light covers both plants quite well and I still get some natural light coming in from one side. That was in mid-September. Both plants have grown about 6 inches in height since then.

I moved my yarrow, lemon balm and the third belladonna plant to another stand in late October. I hung a second Soltech LED light above that stand. Those three plants seem to be thriving fine even though they aren’t near natural light. This will be an ongoing project. I think I’ll move that stand back to another living room window using that light to augment natural light as well.

I’ll keep you updated on this progress. Until next time…somewhere, sometime in the future! Have a Blessed Yule and Winter Solstice!

The Corner Crone: Choosing a Signifier Card in Tarot

Last updated on: December 10, 2023 at 7:17 pm By Martha Kirby Capo

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When giving a Tarot reading, many Practitioners use a card referred to as the Significator or Signifier to represent the Querent. So, how does a Reader go about deciding which card to use?

What follows are some options. By the way, these options by no means whatsoever represent all of the things a Reader might take into account when assigning a Significator. Seasoned Readers will have developed their own tried and true methods, but if you’re just starting out you may find some of these options helpful.

*Public domain image by Number5555 via Wikimedia Commons.*

By Astrological Sign

Determine which suit is most aligned with the Seeker. Many Readers take astrological signs into account when assigning a Signifier. Thus, Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) align with the Pentacles or Coins suit, and Air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) are associated with the Swords suit. The Fire signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are aligned with the suit of Wands or Staves, and the Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) are associated with the Cups suit.

By Age

In a nutshell, for people who identify as young women, the Page; for people who identify as young men, the Knight; for people who identify as older women, the Queen; for people who identify as older men, the King. NOTE that this is a very binary approach that will not work for folx who identify as non-binary. Also note that “age” doesn’t necessarily mean physical age; if your Querent is a physically young woman who is far more mature than her years would suggest, you might choose to select the Queen as her Significator.

By Temperament

Does the Querent seem to be a sensitive person? Aggressive? Withdrawn or scattered? These qualities can also help inform which court card you might select to represent the Querent. (ex: a sensitive, dreamy sort of person might best be represented by a court card from the suit of Cups).

By Combining the Above Three Options

Let’s say your Querent has told you they’re a demiboy Earth sign. As you spend a few minutes getting to know them, you notice that their communication style seems to be mostly aligned with one of the Air signs; that is, they may seem to be somewhat detached from the emotional side of things. Rather than interpreting these data points as being in opposition with each other, try to find the touchpoints they have in common. For example, court cards that combine the classical elements of Earth and Air, such as the Page of Swords or the Knight of Pentacles, might be an option to consider for this Seeker.

Another option is to invite the Seeker to examine all of the court cards to discover the one they feel best represents them. Ask them what drew them to the card they chose; the answers will give you added insights about them that will be helpful in the Reading.

By Intuition

Many Practitioners choose a Significator using their intuition. One of the benefits to this method is that you can move beyond the binary construct inherent in the court cards of many decks. Another benefit is that just about any card in the deck can be used to represent the Querent, from either the Major or Minor Arcana. For example: using the court card system, my Significator is the Queen of Wands. I’m a fire sign and a physically as well as emotionally mature woman. However, I identify strongly with the High Priestess card and I consider that card to be one of my Significators.

Consider inviting the Seeker to examine all of the cards in the deck you’ll be using for the Reading to see if a particular image is compelling to them. The more clearly they can see themselves in their Signifier, the more connected to their Reading they will be.

*Public domain image by petr sidorov via UnSplash.*

It’s worth mentioning that a Significator card is different from a Birth (or Essence or Soul) card, which is determined using numerology. The Birth card speaks to a person’s basic nature; it typically is not drawn as part of a spread but can offer more insight into the character of a person.

Remember, these suggestions are not exhaustive. Rather, they’re simply a jumping-off point for people who might be new to reading Tarot.

Happy reading!