Heads up!! I received an email from the Amazon KDP program (Kindle Direct Publishing) that coming June 20th the cost of printing is going to go up and authors are advised to adjust the prices on their paperback books to insure that they receive a royalty. If there’s any of my books that you were planning on ordering, now’s the time to do it. June 1st I’ll be going into the Amazon program to adjust book prices accordingly.
Before I started writing this book, Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way, I had just finished and sent off for publication, “The Gray Witch’s Grimoire”. On completion of the “Natural Magick…” manuscript, I thought to myself, “Damn, I should have combined these two books for one great big fat volume.” But I didn’t, and I don’t know if that can be rectified someday, or whether it’s too late. We’ll see. However, these two books together make great companions, as they are two separate books pining to be one:
This book is available @ Amazon in print and kindle
· What is the difference between white and black magick?
· Is it possible to dwell too much on a spell you’ve cast & ruin it?
· Who can do magick?
· What is a familiar?
· What is neo-paganism?
· Do All witches practice their religion the same way?
· Who is the Wiccan Goddess?
· When did you first know you were a witch?
Magickal Substitutions…467
Terms and Lingo…473
Book Trailer
[Excerpt, from Forms of Magick, page 13]
Sympathetic Magick
This is that.
A specific object is chosen to represent the target of a spell. Through sympathetic magick, this object actually ‘becomes’ the target. Whatever happens to this object, happens to the target.
The most common form of this magick, and the one I have personally used the most, are poppets– those infamous dollies of hoodoo fame. A poppet does not just represent the
target, it actually becomes the target, with the addition of personal items and effects belonging to the subject, secret rituals to breathe it to life, and the movement of magical energy to manifest and transform the very being of this cloth creation into the flesh and blood essence of your target. This is why it’s so important to keep these poppets in secure safe locations.
Comparative Magick
· A relationship and connection between a magickal object or objective are associated with and represented by a specific item or items.
A good example of this type of magick would be the Witches’ Bottle. Say for instance that you want to create a bottle to draw money and wealth. You would add to this bottle a number of items, all designed to draw the energy of money and wealth to the bottle, and thus to you. These items would include coins and paper money, herbs for wealth and prosperity, stones, and personal talismans. This bottle is, in effect, representative of your desires and your objective, which is to draw money to yourself. And it will do just that.
Directive Magick
This affects that.
· This magick raises energy while the practitioner focuses and visualizes their goal and uses an item or items to move this energy toward manifestation.
The most common form of this magick, and the easiest to work, is candle magick. The candle is imbued with the energy of your goal by carving various symbols and sigils upon it, dressing it with oils and rolling it in herbs that carry the energy of your intentions. As the candle is consumed by the flame, you will maintain a visualization of the end results of this spell, so your goals and intentions are sent out into the universe and the cosmos with lightning speed and absolute assurance of magickal manifestation.
Transference Magick
· Transference magick moves a malevolent energy out of one object or individual and into something or someone else.
The mildest example of this type of magick would be protective magick utilized to block negative energy or to send it back to its source. A more intense form of Transference Magick would be an exorcism; and the most extreme form would be a hex or a curse.
[Excerpt from The Infamous Vacuum, page 20]
The Infamous Vacuum
The rule is– if you empty a space, creating a vacuum, something else will fill this space. This is true not only from a magickal perspective, but from a mundane vantage point as well– it’s called physics. The thing is that once you’ve emptied this space, i.e. banishing something/someone, you have no control over what is going to fill this vacuum which you have created.
I learned this pointedly through an interesting lesson.We used to have a neighbor who lived behind us, a rather unusual elderly man whose behavior was becoming consistently more erratic as time went on. Until we put a fence up between our properties, he would set his self-propelled tractor sprinkler in the middle of our basketball court as it’s starting point. My children didn’t like this and neither did I. If I wanted to water my lawn, I was perfectly capable of doing it myself. He was a cross-dresser, which is really beside the point, but it’s an intriguing fact that I’m going to toss in anyway. I remember many a morning, up early for my first cup of coffee, I’d step out onto the back porch, and there was
this man, his garage lit up like a circus, just climbing into his car wearing a white skirt, a red sweater and heels to match. He was off to the local café for breakfast.
It was when he began mowing his lawn in nothing but briefs and tennis shoes that I became concerned. “Briefs” is a generous description for what he wore. Let’s say that there was just enough material to cover the necessities– barely. My girls were younger at the time, and I really didn’t feel that they needed this show, and neither did they, it was a little too much.
I decided that it was time for this man to take a hike. So, I rolled up my sleeves, put a whopping banishing spell together, and gave this guy a magickal punch to his mid-section. Within a moon phase, he was gone.
I was feeling quite pleased with my big old powerful witchy self, when I came through the kitchen one morning to find my husband standing at the backdoor, his nose pressed to the glass, peering over the fence, into the ex-neighbor’s back yard.
“What are you looking at?”, I asked.
“The new neighbor.” he says.
I wanted to see what was capturing his attention, so I took a look myself. There in the backyard, bouncing merrily along on a huge riding mower, was a very petite gorgeous tanned blonde woman in a very tiny pink bikini.
I’ve been writing my whole life, ever since I started journaling at 12 years old. In my teens I naively sent off tedious poetry to a variety of magazines, and finally, in my early 30s, I actually received payment for a series of short stories that were published in literary magazines featuring fiction.
This was an affirmation to me, an acknowledgment from the universe that, yes, I could write, and there were people who actually wanted to read what I have written — and they would pay me for this grand creative effort.
So, comes the year 2009. I was getting dressed early one spring day. I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was standing in my bedroom, slipping on a pair of blue jeans. I had just put one foot in one leg when I heard a voice in my head say: “Write a book.”
Follow author, Amythyst Raine, through the realm of Tarot, uncovering life’s mysteries along the way. Explore esoteric connections through the cards with astrology, numerology, and the Kabbalah. Delve into criminal cases explored intimately through the intricacies of the tarot and intuitive reading. Connect with and experience the human psyche through the court cards. Discover tarot’s power within the magick of the occult world. Begin your journey through the realm of Tarot today.
Table of Contents
The Tarot ~ 6
The Minor Arcana ~ 8
Court Cards ~ 34
The Major Arcana ~ 47
Frequently Asked Questions ~ 76
Deeper Tarot Connections ~ 91
Tarot Spreads ~ 104
Criminal Cases/Psychic Readings ~ 143
Astrological Correspondences ~ 167
The Zodiac/12 Houses ~ 178
Numerology & The Tarot ~ 195
The Kabbalah Connection ~ 215
Tarot Magic ~ 237
[I included in this book a very special section to the Table of Contents so you can easily find the tarot spells included in this book]
Spells
• Mojo Bag Spells
To Bring Justice ~ 243 The Bag of Retribution ~ 245 For Safe Travel ~ 247 For Safe Childbirth ~ 250 The Bag of Riches ~ 251 The Lovers Bag ~ 252 To Uncover the Truth ~ 253 The Personal Power Mojo Bag ~ 254 For Protection ~ 256
• Candle Spells
To Promote Fidelity ~ 257 To Catch a Thief ~ 260 To Gain Employment ~ 262 The Wish Spell ~ 264 To Regain Balance in Your Life ~ 266 To Summon Someone From Your Past ~ 268 Reaching a Decision ~ 272 Achieving Victory ~ 274 Banishing Nightmares ~ 276
October 2010
My first book release.
Book Trailer…
to promote the 10th anniversary release of the second edition in July 2020. This is an updated and illustrated edition that is available in print, hardcover (in color), and kindle.
[Excerpt: Minor Arcana ~ In-depth]
The Two’s
The two’s involve pairs. These cards can revolve around couples, business, money, mental endeavors, and decisions, as depicted by cups, wands, pentacles, and swords. The two’s can predict compatibility and the need and direction of decisions. The two’s speak of balance—yin yang, black and white, left and right, etc.; they herald partnerships and validate relationships. This suit can also warn us when there are imbalances in our lives that may affect unpredictable areas.
Two of Pentacles
The figure on this card appears as a juggler, most often than not. In each hand he holds a golden disk, balanced precariously on their edges. As this card tells us, the trick of life, the most important thing, is to keep everything in it balanced out, on an even keel. Upright this card indicates that we have accomplished this task successfully. In deep concentration, we maintain an even equilibrium in our lives; and in doing so the paths before us will be smooth and easier to traverse. This card reminds us that maintaining balance is much like keeping a house clean, it is an ongoing thing.
When this card is reversed, it is a smack to our consciousness, telling us that something is off kilter, out of whack, with often tumultuous and chaotic consequences. There is an imbalance somewhere in our lives, and this imbalance will be like ripples on a pond, upsetting the smooth surface in all aspects of our existence. The surrounding cards will quickly point out the specific areas that are affected and will offer solutions to the dilemma.
Two of Swords
Crossed lances, a blindfolded figure…Conflict, inability to compromise, unwillingness to see that which we don’t want to face, not having all the information needed to arrive at a decision. This card tells us that the problem here in lies with us. It speaks to us of internal forces at work, creating within us indecision, stubbornness, blunders, and aloofness. This card tells us to open our eyes, take a clear look. The truth, the answer, the right path, all will be revealed in time.
Reversed, this card assures you that the answers, the solutions, the correct path are right before you, just open your eyes and you will see. This card, in conjunction with those around it, can also be pointing to very specific solutions, people, paths and answers. The reversed two of swords can also indicate that someone is not ready to see the light, make decisions, or decide on a direction.
Two of Wands
This card speaks of partnerships, pairings, a mutual benefit derived from working together. It can also point to the need for decisions based around issues of business, finance, and other practical mundane matters of life. Within this card, the figure, standing so his back is to us, seems deep in concentration, sort of wrapped up in his own thought process. At the same time, he’s also watching the horizon, facing a direction that allows him to see what’s coming, to avoid unpleasant surprises, to be prepared.
In some decks there are other figures in the distance, often a ship or an animal. This can indicate a second party who will have a direct effect on the decision made, on the partnership, or the business venture. Pay attention to your impressions about these figures.
Reversed, this card often warns us that now may not be the right time to undertake any new projects or in-depth endeavors. You may need more information, maybe something more from the mundane world such as funds, backing, or support. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the enterprise should be abandoned, merely that more time may be needed to work out any glitches.
Two of Cups
The suit of cups deals with emotions and relationships. This card often announces engagements, weddings, a union of some kind. Depending on the surrounding cards in the reading, this could be any sort of union that is steeped in strong emotions and a variety of relationship connections. Upright, this card reeks of a couple, a partnership, soul mates, a coming together. This often means a physical union, but it can also point out more intangible unions, such as a ‘meeting of the minds’. This is a celebratory card and strikes at the heart, the deep-seated center of love, strong emotions, and ethereal fantasies.
Reversed, the two of cups can sting a bit. It may be telling us to step back, slow down, and take a second look. This card can also indicate problems in a marriage or a relationship. Look closely at the surrounding cards for details. It can speak of imbalances in relationships and expose controlling behavior. In some of my readings, the two of cups have also foretold of cancelled engagements and weddings, and it has spoken of divorce.
[Excerpt: Major Arcana ~ In-depth]
18. The Moon
Mystery, esoteric knowledge, psychism, deceptions, mental illness, the dark side—the enlightened side…All meanings of The Moon, and all of these aspects for this beautiful and complicated card have come up in my readings.
This card, with its moonlit path always leading between two stalwart towers or mountains, has the feeling of wandering about it, an unsettled spirit and eternal quest. This quest may involve the search for something in our mundane world, and this card has indeed come up in readings for missing person cases. This quest can also involve the spiritual, the intangible search for knowledge, often occult knowledge. It speaks of ‘The Seeker”.
The sentinels on either side of this card, often portrayed as canines, reeks of inner initiation, of someone who has come through—or is about to enter—a new phase of self-awareness and inner enlightenment.
Reversed, this card often is a warning—someone close to you is not being truthful, perhaps it is you yourself, not being true to those around you, or being swallowed by self-deception. Occasionally The Moon has warned of an unbalanced mind, mental illness, or the dark side of yourself or someone close to you.
This is my favorite tarot card of the entire deck. I suppose part of this affinity stems from the Wiccan, Goddess oriented part of myself. I find comfort in the moon, in the subdued light it casts, and in its ever changing subtle energy and phases.
Yes, this card has a dark side, there’s no getting around that. But there are light and dark aspects to everything in our world, everything of nature. Sometimes we find ourselves stepping into these shadows, only to discover the light.
And that’s where this card will take you.
[Excerpt: The Querents]
The Talker
One sunny afternoon when I was giving readings in an occult shop, a determined middle-aged lady plopped herself down in front of me and started to profusely proclaim how glad she was that I was there to read for her. As I shuffled the cards, she began a one-woman soliloquy on her life, her late husband’s life, her children’s lives, and her grandchildren’s’ lives. When I began to turn the cards and opened my mouth to give her the reading she was so ecstatic to be receiving, I thought she would stop talking.
She didn’t.
Every time I turned a card, before it was even all the way over, she would react, first with a sigh, a ‘tsk, tsk’, a dismayed ‘oh my’, or a squeal of approval. And she would then proceed to read the cards in her own interpretation, chattering away at a hundred miles an hour.
I couldn’t get a word in.
Throughout the entirety of this reading, she persistently wanted to know if she would receive the money she needed for an upcoming bill, but she never stopped talking long enough for me to tell her anything. She insisted that I draw another card, and another card, and another card, hoping to see the answer she desired. After the last card was turned and she gave a final sigh, she said impatiently, “Well, do you see that money coming in on time or not?”
Quite frankly, I didn’t, and I told her so.
She looked at me with a condescending eye, thinly veiled contempt, and with a disappointed attitude she said, “Well, I guess you did the best you could.”
Then she pushed back her chair, stood up, and stormed off.
Try not to let this type of client rattle you. Most likely she would never find favor with anything you had to say, even if you would’ve gotten the opportunity to say it.
[Excerpt: Using Psychic Tarot Readings to Solve Criminal Cases]
Tarot Case #4
September 17, 2005
Taylor Marie Behl, Richmond, Virginia
Knight/cups ®
2/cups 5/cups Knight/pentacles
The Moon Lovers ® High Priestess ®
4/Swords 3/pentacles King/wands ®
General Reading:
There is a romantic relationship.
There is someone Taylor was involved with—friend, lover. She broke up with this person. Someone, something was lost. There is a young man—appears to be solid type, good worker, serious student, goal oriented, and serious person in general. She broke up with this person. It was a sad ending, bad feelings.
There follows a period of trickery and deceit, emotional illness, jealousy, black thoughts…not Taylor, but someone she met. Another lover comes into the picture. There are problems with this relationship. This person becomes an ex-lover, boyfriend. Taylor had misgivings about someone close to her, about this person— but she did not listen to her gut feelings that were warning her about this situation.
There is a possibility Taylor was drugged or poisoned.
Taylor may already be dead as of this date. But I feel she may have been confined or held for a short period of time against her will before she was killed. It may have been a very brief period.
I feel she is already dead. It’s too late to help her.
Taylor, or her body, may be hidden in, or near, a building. The abductor may have had two other people help him conceal her body or her. They know something about it, but I don’t think these people were a part of the actual murder.
This man (the older man) is fair skinned, has light hair (maybe red), and is a control freak. When Taylor brushed him off she upset the balance in his life. He no longer felt in control. To regain his feeling of control he physically overpowered Taylor. He may be a few years older than Taylor. An older man. The situation was beyond Taylor’s control. She was helpless.
Summary:
There may have been two men who were involved with Taylor—one of them, a young man, is innocent of any wrong doing—just an ex-beau.
The second, the older man, may have mental problems, is emotionally unstable, and is responsible for Taylor’s disappearance.
Key:
This was a case of a romantic encounter gone bad.
Second reading
September 17, 2005
8/pentacles 6/pentacles® The Emperor® Queen/wands®
General Reading
Taylor was a generous person—to a fault. People might have taken advantage of her in this respect. There was an overwhelming negative male influence involved here—overpowering masculinity. There is a woman—maybe jealous and mean spirited. This woman may have wanted something from Taylor. She is also controlling– This card, The Queen of Wands, also strikes me as having a double meaning here: It could be Taylor’s mother in mourning—a generous woman, a country woman or genteel lady. She may also be a business woman. She is kind and likes children and animals. She’s the kind of woman who is comfortable being in charge.
Summary:
Authorities should check 1) Taylor’s place of work or study—someone she knows at school and 2) Someone she met at work. (If not HER place of work, then HIS place of work.)
Facts/Information on this case:
• September 18, 2005There is a “person of interest”, an older man. He is a 38-year-old photographer who was working with
Taylor. Taylor is seventeen.
• September 19, 2005
Taylor’s cell phone was receiving calls for a week after she disappeared. Her car—a white Ford Escort– was found 1 ½ miles from her college. The license plates had been switched to Ohio plates. The person of interest, the photographer, is Ben Fawly. The 38 year old man met Taylor at her college while visiting a young man there who is his friend and a student at the college. Ben Fawly was visiting this young man in the dorm.
• September 20, 2005
Ben Fawly—Taylor had met him some time ago and was having some sort of relationship with him. He lived in the area. Police have confiscated items from his home, such as his computer, photos of Taylor, etc.
At one time she had met a young man that she dated on and off but the relationship never grew into anything serious. This young man is apparently NOT a “person of interest”.
• September 21, 2005
A second car has been impounded by the police and is being searched. Ben Fawly had photographs of Taylor posted on his website. The police have gone to the home of a young man to question him, however, he is not considered to be a suspect.
• September 26, 2005
There has been an arrest in this case.
• September 28, 2005The man arrested was 38-year-old photographer, Ben
Fawly. He was arrested on charges of child pornography. A young man, Jessie Schulz, took and failed a polygraph test on two counts: 1. Did he know Taylor? 2. Was he in Taylor’s car? This young man lives within a mile or mile and half from Ben Fawly. The police are looking for a stolen license plate: GRN ERTH.
• September 29, 2005
Ben Fawly—fair-skinned, dark hair dyed light reddish. He has mental problems. He’s bi-polar. A number of unusual items were removed from his home including a box of bones and sex toys.
Taylor, Jessie Schulz, and two other young men were going to go skate boarding the night she disappeared.
Taylor met Ben Fawly that night and had sex with him before she left to meet the guys for skateboarding.
• October 6, 2005
Taylor’s body was found yesterday- October 5, 2005. It was found in Virginia, off a dirt path on a private farm. The body was buried in a shallow grave behind a barn. Ben Fawly’s ex-girlfriend led the authorities to the body. The farm belongs to her family. Ben Fawly claims that he saw Taylor twice on the day she disappeared and had sex with her on that day. He also claims that he was abducted that day by 3 or 4 men and then released.
Ben Fawly is on disability because of mental problems. He is believed to have sexually deviant behavior and had a number of unusual sex toys, etc., removed from his home by the authorities.Police dogs followed a scent trail of Taylor from her abandoned vehicle which was discovered with stolen license plates to the home of Jessie Schulz. Jessie
Schulz was in court today on unrelated drug charges.
• October 10, 2005
Ben Fawly is now officially a suspect in the murder of Taylor Behl. He was living with a young man that Taylor knew from high school. He has a long list of assault charges and a restraining order was put on him for one ex-girlfriend. Cause of death has not been determined yet. The body is “badly decomposed”.
You will find in this book tarot connected to a variety of other esoteric subjects including astrology, the kabbalah, and numerology.
The first house is the most powerful and the most revealing, for it is “you”. In a tarot reading, this house will lay you open before the reader. It will tell her how you handle yourself with people and the day to day circumstances of life—Are you fair, temperamental, good-natured and friendly, crotchety, suspicious, affectionate or abusive? All and much more will be revealed. It will expose those things you dislike in life and the world, as well as people, animals, places, activities, or objects you love and cherish.
It will detail certain physical characteristics, as well as mental quirks and any other idiosyncrasies about your nature or habits. If there is anything about yourself that you don’t wish to have exposed, The Horoscope Spread is not a reading you would want to have done—or any tarot reading for that matter.
Anything we hide or hide behind will be stripped away with the turn of a card.
[Excerpt: Journey On the Pathways…There are 22 pathways between the ten sephiroths of the Tree of Life. To each of these 22 pathways a major arcana card is assigned, as well as a Hebrew letter. This creates a pathway of interconnected mysteries that can lead to incredibly deep and awe inspiring revelations when the various meanings and correspondences are all taken into consideration.]
Path 28
Tzadi
The Star
This is the path where we discover the mystical and revel in our fantasies—opening doors to these fantasies, making them accessible. This is where we wade through the odyssey that is our dreams and in doing so…find our true identity—the unpolished, raw and gorgeous being that we are.
The charm that is this part of our journey allows an inner world to unfold before us, an inner world filled with creatures created from the essence of our psyche, colors in brilliance and hues not of this world, sounds heard only with the sixth sense, and landscapes woven from the palette of our sub-conscious mind.
We travel in full circle upon this path—that is, in reality, going from one point to the next, but as travelers who are lost and wander in circles until they come to this realization on their own.
Upon this path we discover that the mystical, ethereal portion of our persona shapes our identity with a much larger sense of influence than expected.
[Excerpt: Mojo Bag Spells]
The Personal Power Mojo Bag
Personal Power Bag for Women:
For this mojo bag we’re going to draw on the energy of the High Priestess. Within her lays the power of the Feminine Divine. She will represent the inner core of all women, where magic resides, where the witch exists—“There’s a little witch in every woman.”, so goes the saying. All of these archetypes—the priestess, the goddess, the witch—represents and emphasizes personal power.
6. Stones: moonstone, blue lace agate, clear quartz crystal
7. Tarot Card: The High Priestess
Personal Power Bag for Men:For the man we’re going to draw on the energy of The Magician. Within him lays the power of the masculine, the Priest—the Elder, the Shaman, the Sorcerer, the Wizard. The Magician holds the mysticism of the four elements within his hands and the will needed to create magic. These archetypes represent personal power.
Correspondences:
1. Moon Phase: full moon
2. Day: Sunday
3. Planet: Sun
4. Colors: yellow, orange, white
5. Herbs: carnation, juniper, rowan, sunflower, St. John’s Wort, mistletoe
6. Stones: amber, carnelian, tiger’s eye
7. Tarot Card: The Magician
To this bag, add at least three of the herbs and one of the stones listed. You could also add an image of the God/Goddess, such as a pendent or small statuary. I’ve seen some very tiny and beautiful ones in new-age shops. If you have a patron god/goddess, you could also add images, herbs, stones, objects, etc., that are special and unique to His/Her energy.
Add to this bag images or objects that represent power to you—an object from your work place, if you feel this is where your power lays; a photo of your children; tokens of past success; slips of paper filled with personal affirmations; images of men or women who represent success and power to you, such as your mother or father, grandmother or grandfather, or a public figure.
This book is jam-packed with so much information on such a variety of levels, I can’t begin to tell you. And this book was, indeed, a journey, as the title states. If you haven’t purchased your copy of this book you can do so with the link below at Amazon. And if you already have a copy, you might want to gift a copy to a friend. Spread the magick
This book is available @ Amazon in Print or KindleThe Spiritual Feminist helps today’s woman reconnect to The Mother Goddess, through a wide variety of pantheons and cultures from around the world, from the author’s personal experiences, and from the magick inherent in our ancient connection to the Wise-Woman ~ Women…you will be touched, you will be inspired, you will be re-empowered, you will find healing and a sense of spirituality like nothing you’ve ever experienced. You will reconnect with the Goddess in so many magickal ways, and you will connect with the Goddess in YOU!
“So many people throughout my life have told me who I am, what I must do, what I can’t do, what I have to complete, and what I will never be able to accomplish, and then I met the Goddess.” (From The Spiritual Feminist)… The Spiritual Feminist empowers today’s modern woman through the Goddess, connecting her to ancient matriarchal divinity and spiritual practices which invoke this energy. It embraces the essence of womanhood in its entirety, through mental, physical, and spiritual affirmations, connecting personal energy and lives through the four elements–Earth, Air, Water, & Fire, with affirmations and invocations.
And now, let’s address a couple of the reviews for anyone who doesn’t get it…
I love the maiden mother and crone and it works well for me however it leaves out a huge group of people (unable to bear children, lesbians and transgender communities) I with there were an alternate group for them sets of people so they didn’t feel left out as they are also people…
The aspect of the goddess as mother (or maiden & crone for that matter) is not a literal interpretation, and I’m always stunned that people view it so literally and in such a human physical way. When we refer to the goddess as mother, we are talking about Divine Energy here, not a physical female form.
So, when you refer to the goddess as “mother”, you are not referring to human females who have given birth, or the idea of birth at all. You are referring to a loving, nurturing energy and our ability to harness this energy and gift it to others.
It’s that simple.
I thought this was going to be a book about spiritual feminism.
It is. If honoring and acknowledging the Feminine Divine in a world of mostly patriarchal spiritual practices is not a form of spiritual feminism, I don’t know what is. If it’s something more dramatic, more attune with mundane and worldly feminism, like bra-burning, marching to protest for equal and fair wages, or donning a corporate suit while balancing home and family, you’re not going to find that here. That’s not what this book is about. Those things may embrace a form of feminism, but they are not spiritual feminism.
With that said, I don’t think that everyone who’s read, or reviewed, this book truly understands just what spiritual feminism really is…
Case in point:
Feminist spirituality is a grassroots religious movement inside and outside established religions that reclaims the power, value, and dignity of women. It is a commitment to bringing about in oneself and in the world an alternative vision of justice and equality for all. It focuses on women’s heritages, women’s body as the locus of the divine, and women’s work of replacing patriarchal, hierarchal societies with equality for all. This empowering spiritual quest starts with women’s search for meaning rooted in women’s experiences. It is Earth-centered and embodied and oriented toward global justice. Feminist spirituality stands at the heart of human transformation, challenging accepted ways of knowing and being. It includes feminist knowledge, rites, religious practices, prayers, and beliefs.
The term “feminist spirituality” emerged during the second wave of the modern feminist movement in the United States in the 1970s. Feminists charged that Judaism and Christianity were sexist religions with a male God and male leadership that legitimized the superiority of men in family, religion, and society. They began to examine traditional arguments for female subordination, deploring the exclusion of women from the ministry, and rejecting teachings that denied women’s selfhood. Some gathered in consciousness raising groups to voice their own experience, critique patriarchal culture, and work to transform it. Some recovered a Goddess-centered religion that grounded women in a sacred, embodied self….
Although feminists hold a variety of beliefs about feminist spirituality, there is agreement about empowerment (healing) for women as the goal and reward, ritual as a tool of empowerment and a means of communication with the sacred, and nature as sacred.
To see this complete blog post, including all of the photos included in this original post, click HERE
The back cover blurb [excerpt]: Cover Art: The Apple Heart,inspired by the Adam & Eve myth, was created by Nebraska artist Anne Turrell Thome. It’s part of her “Broken Hearts” collection…
This book is available @ Amazon in print and kindle
We explore all kinds of esoteric connections with the tarot in my big chunky tarot book, The Ultimate Tarot Guide for Your Personal Tarot Journey. Here’s examples of some of the information that can be found in this five star book including: stones & crystals; health, Kabbalistic health correspondences; astrological sun signs, moon signs, and rising signs; gods and goddesses; the numbers; calculating the numbers for yourself; the planets; and the elements.
Stones, & Crystals
I love the tarot, and I love crystals and stones. The only thing better than any one of these things is these three things all together. To mix the energy of a tarot card with the corresponding energy of a stone or crystal is to invite magick into your life. I’ve already added one favorite stone to each major arcana card correspondence in the major arcana section, but this energy is so overwhelming, so connective, so inspiring, so creative, that I’m devoting this space to more information and connections on this topic. Let the magick find you!
The Fool/Green Tourmaline ~ wonder, joy, openness, patience
The Magician/Quartz Crystal ~ concentration, life force, balance, expansion
The High Priestess/Agate Geode ~ psychic power, complexity, esoteric knowledge,
You’ll find a chart similar to this under the section for the suits, listing all the astrological connections, suit by suit – card by card, for pentacles, swords, wands, and cups. However, I’m leaving this section here, as you might want to locate a card for a particular zodiac sign, and this chart will make it very easy to do so.
Aries ~ Major Arcana: The Emperor
Minor Arcana: —
King of Pentacles ~ Aries/Taurus
Queen of Wands ~ Pisces/Aries
Two of Wands ~ 1st decan of Aries (Mars)
Three of Wands ~ 2nd decan of Aries (Sun)
Four of Wands ~ 3rd decan of Aries (Venus)
etc. etc.
Gods & Goddesses
I believe that tarot works through Spirit and our connection with the Divine, in whatever pantheon or framework of spirituality that we follow and find comfort with. The following chart is created using the major arcana cards and the pantheons of Egyptian, Sumner-Babylonian, Greek, and Roman gods and goddesses. However, always remember that no matter how many charts and confirmed correspondences there may be for the tarot, once you’ve developed your own relationship with the cards, you may discover unique connections that come to you personally. Don’t question their validity, embrace them as a gift from the Universe.
The Fool: Egyptian/Bes; Harparkrat; Shu ~ Sumner-Babylonian/Enkidu; Enlil; Ellil ~ Greek/Pan; Zeus; Aeolos ~ Roman/Pan; Silvanus
High Priestess: Egyptian/Isis; Khonsu ~ Sumner-Babylonian/Innana; Ishtar; Nannar; Sin ~ Greek/Demeter; Selene; Artemis; Hecate ~ Roman/Ceres; Luna; Diana etc. etc.
The Numbers
Numbers contain energy, and associations, and power, and magick, and potential. Do you have a favorite number? And how did you come by this number? What does it mean to you? How does it make you feel? All of the numbers in your life are important and have a direct effect upon you in some manner and at various levels. The entire universe is built upon and works around and through a numerical system, from the number of days it takes Earth to rotate around the sun, to the number of days it takes a fetus to come to term in the womb. Numbers are an integral part of our life and the world around us. The tarot is immersed in numbers. It’s built on a numerical system. The numbers of the tarot cards takes you on individual journeys through higher realms and through your own psyche. In order to more fully understand this journey, we need to have at least a rudimentary look at the numbers themselves.
1…One
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire
Letters: a, j, s
The character: the individualist
Energies: Developing the self, the All, wholeness, unity, beginnings
etc. etc.
Calculating the Numbers for Yourself
I’ll use myself as an example for this exercise, Amythyst Raine, born on September 24, 1957.
1) Soul Number ~ calculate your soul number by reducing the day of your birth to a single digit:
2 + 4 = 6
2) Fate Number ~ calculate your fate number by adding all the digits of your birth date (day, month, year) and reducing it to a single digit:
2 + 4 + 9 + 1 + 9 + 5 + 7 = 37
3 + 7 = 10
1 + 0 = 1
etc. etc.
The Planets
When I first began my own tarot journey, the one thing that I was most struck by was the inter-connectedness of everything. I was amazed to discover that it all works together, all of it, and it’s all tied to the cards: the energies of the planets, of colors, and herbs, and crystals, even to the letters of the alphabet, numbers, and zodiac signs. This realization was an eye-opening “aha” moment.
Below you’ll find the basic energies and correspondences for the planets. You should know, and some of you will realize, that these correspondences not only relate to the tarot, they also relate to a variety of pagan spiritual paths and are incorporated into the practices of many of us.
I wanted this book and the information contained here to specifically focus on tarot, and I even toyed with the idea of paring these sections down and trying to keep them solely focused on the cards. I soon realized this was folly. Certain connections exist and cannot be denied without diminishing their energy and their power.
Sun
The Sun is filled with healing and hope, warmth and the promise of growth. It’s imbued with masculine energy and is closely connected to the god. As it pertains to tarot ~ for clients male issues often come to the forefront, their health, happiness, fulfillment, optimism for the future. But it’s energy is also all encompassing for everyone. You’ll find an abundance of strength, unwavering support, and ridiculous amounts of in-your-face positive energy. The future can only be looking up, and if healing is needed in some aspect of your life, you’ll know it’s coming up with the Sun.
Stones: amber, carnelian, diamond, sunstone, tiger’s-eye, topaz (yellow)Element: Fire
Energies: magick for the god, male health issues, passion, healing, spiritual connection, transformation, relationship issues
etc. etc.
The Elements
All four elements, Earth ~ Air ~ Fire ~ Water, are also connected to the tarot on a variety of levels… physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m not going to list long paragraphs of general correspondences for these elements here, as I’ve already done this in two of my books (The Gray Witch’s Grimoire & Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way). I’m going to concentrate here on their connection to tarot and perhaps a personal choice I have for an herb and stone that connects their energy to me.
The following blog post is an excerpt from my great big chunky Tarot Book… “The Ultimate Tarot Guide: for Your Personal Tarot Journey”. This book is available in Kindle or Print at Amazon
This excerpt was taken from the section all about “Paying Clients”. You have to learn how to deal with people in a relatively unusual situation, with a myriad of emotions and mentalities emitting from them. When you do this professionally, you really have to learn how to handle people, when to allow them to vent and talk, and when to instinctively know they are trying to manipulate a reading to get the outcome they desire, or even when a client may be mentally “off” — just a wee bit. And the following client and my experience with her is a good example of that… “The Saga of Evil Gloria”
The Ultimate Tarot Guide: for Your Personal Tarot Journey *link to purchase is above… Whether you’re interested in learning how to read the tarot, or you’re ready to fine tune your skills, or you’d like a completely new perspective on the cards, this is your book. The physical book is actually set up like a workbook, there’s room for you to fill out and actually complete each tarot spread shown here. Also, I do add an unusual twist, and that’s my own personal connection with each of the minor arcana cards, and it can get mighty personal, let me tell you.
For example: The Ten of Swords… (and no, not every card is so dire, but the 10 of swords is, after all, iconic in its misery)
Swords ~ It’s all about life (and certain individuals in it) catching us off guard. Its all about a sucker punch, either from the universe, or through a human connection.
Gossip, lies, misfortune, back-stabbing, illness, surgery, death
10/Swords ~ The saddest thing about this card, when the fatal blow comes from human hands or lips, is that our illusion of friendship or love is instantly shattered, never to return to it’s rosy former state. The sense of betrayal is so thick you can taste it, and if this is your first unfortunate experience with it, it will be very bitter indeed. The figure on this card looks so solitary, but you need to understand that just out of the frame there stands all the individuals who could have sounded an alarm, individuals who could have come forward to support you and affirm your good character, individuals who were either two-faced or intimidated. Whether this difficult and somewhat tragic set of circumstances takes place among a group of friends, the workplace, school, or within a relationship, it is devastating, and the after-effects can last a lifetime.
Reversed:
Check your health. Often this indicates that problems lay, not with humanity and it’s petty loyalties, but with the body and Destiny’s fate.
My Personal Connection:
The ten of swords is an impressionable dramatic card, there’s no getting away from that. My personal connection with this card and its energy was developed quite early with the idea of female friendships and loyalty. Her name was Debbie S., and we met in high school. I took her friendship and her loyalty for granted, thinking it was an endless boundless infinite state of being, until she showed up with my soon-to-be ex-husband for a divorce hearing, arm in arm, making sure he felt her support and sympathy. The ten of swords is quite appropriate in it’s usually shocking appearance in most tarot decks. It’s energy can leave you blind-sided, open-mouthed in disbelief, and it can quite quickly make mince-meat of your naïve and trusting nature.
The thing about it is, we don’t all learn the lesson this card is trying so hard to teach us right off the bat. So you may find that you will have many such disturbing scenarios in life until you finally get the message the universe is trying to send you. When that clicks, you will realize how important it is to set boundaries, to protect your space, your physicality, and your spirituality. You will discover that you have to protect yourself from the energy of this devastating card and its consequences. If you can’t learn to do this, you will have a repetition of negative events.
“Tarot for Grownups”… meaning this book is not for kids or the ‘tweens’ who are playing with their first tarot decks: Tarot for Grownups is a no-nonsense book written to tell it like it is in a black and white, cut-and-dried way. This book is written for grownups, and it looks at their world through the magick and mystery of the tarot, addressing adult issues with unabashed candor and a healthy dose of sarcasm.
This book is deliciously irreverent.
If you don’t have a copy, you can purchase one at Amazon by clicking HERE
The following is an excerpt. It’s a short and sweet list of the Major Arcana cards with an adult twist to the meanings. In the book, this will be followed up with an up close and more personal look at these cards and what they may imply…
The Major Arcana: Life in a Shot Glass
0 The Fool: Road sign…“Idiot’s Cross Here”…drive slowly.
1 The Magician: The hand is quicker than the eye.
2 The High Priestess: Use your fricken’head!
3 The Empress: Life is preggers.
4 The Emperor: All man, and don‘t you forget it.
5 The Hierophant: Get a life, for Christ’s sake.
6 The Lovers: Hooking up.
7 The Chariot: Run baby, and don’t look back.
8 Strength: Get a spine.
9 The Hermit: “I ‘vant to be alone.”(Greta Garbo)
10 Wheel of Fortune: Don‘t bet on it.
11 Justice: Holier than thou.
12 The Hanged Man: Pity party.
13 Death: Your mother warned you, and you didn’t listen.
14 Temperance: How dull can it be?
15 The Devil: What you do when no one’s looking.
16 The Tower: Shit happens.
17 The Star: The glass is half full, if you squint.
Order your copy of my new book, The Divine Me: Embracing Your Inner Goddess, at Amazon, click on THIS LINK
There’s a little goddess in every woman… yes, there is, and you’re going to find the little goddess in you with the help of this book. Take an unorthodox look at the history, myths, and legends of goddesses from around the world. Learn how to tap into their energy and harness it to aid you in your mortal journey.
Along the way, let’s “Face the Mirror”, and take a good look at what you need to concentrate on to be the best you can be and let your inner goddess shine.
I’ve been asked frequently about this company, which is listed on the copyright page of four of my books, along with Amazon. I’ve published four of my own books through Amazon and their KDP system so far, and I love it. I love being in control, I love editing the manuscript and deciding how I want it set up and how I want it to look, I love choosing the type of paper, styles, etc., and I love doing my own cover design. I went all out on my last book… full color, premium paper, heavily illustrated — a lot of my own photographs, as well as public domain images.
My other five books are published through traditional publishing companies, and I greatly (greatly!) appreciate the talented editors, artists, and publicists and all the work they have done. I’m proud of the connection I have with these amazing people and these companies, and I’m proud of the books that have come out of this joint effort.
As far as Pink Orchid Publishing goes, at this time, I am only publishing my own work. If I were younger and had more energy, I probably would take on other authors and projects, but not right now. I whimsically asked my daughter, “I think I created a publishing company?” and she said, “I do believe you did.”
Even before “The Gray Witch’s Grimoire” had been sent flying across the pond to my publisher in England (Moon Books/John Hunt Publishing), I was knee-deep in writing my next witchy book, “Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way”. The second book I published independently with Amazon through their KDP program under Pink Orchid Publishing — which is me. But for one brief insane moment, there was one of those slow-motion experiences when the little voice in my head said, “Wait a minute, you should combine these books.” It was absolute basic laziness which resulted in my reaction, which was “Nope, don’t think so, there’s so much material here.” So I didn’t.
One book went one way, on its destiny overseas, where it would eventually become a best seller. And the other book has found it’s spot at Amazon, happily ensconced among the witchy tomes of neo-pagans around the world.
I have always said, and I’m saying so again with emphasis, that these two books make great companion books and will get along quite well on the book shelf together. Whatever I didn’t include in one, can be found in the other. Below you’ll find an overview of the contents of each book and links to purchase. Both books are available in print and kindle at Amazon.
I just ordered a couple more copies of my new book, The Little Handbook of Spiritual Awakening, for my pixies. I received my first copies a couple weeks ago, so I finally have a clear copy to photograph (not the author’s proof that has the ugly “not for resale” band around it)… So, if you ordered a copy, are you still waiting for it, or have you received it already, and if so Pictures Please!! I’d love to see where they end up. If you’ve read your new copy and have had time to get acquainted with it, jump on over to amazon with the following link and leave a word about the book. I will greatly appreciate it — thank you!! And, enjoy! If you have NOT ordered your copy — horrors!! — here’s a link so you can do that.