This week I had the honor of interviewing Andi one of my colleagues and the Oakland store manager. We talked about his background as an Astrologer and Cosmic Consciousness the monthly astrology salon he hosts.
Read moreNew Moon in Capricorn - January 2022
Our first new Moon of the year! Let's ask Andi, Oakland store manager and our in-house Astrologer, what we should be expecting!
Read moreJanuary 2, 2022 - Reading of the Week
Our first 2022 Community Reading for the Week comes from Miss Remy at our Portland store. Starting today Sunday, January 2nd, she is using a combination of the Numinous Tarot and The Thread Bound Oracle.⠀
Read moreIris's Tarot Spread for the New Year
This spread has a mini reading for each quarter of the upcoming year; Winter to Spring, January first to the spring equinox, Spring to Summer, equinox to the summer solstice, Summer to Fall, solstice to the fall equinox, and Fall to Winter, equinox to the winter solstice (or the end of 2022, as you choose).
Read moreFull Moon in Gemini - December 2021
The Full Moon is upon us - and the last one for this year. Let's see what our in-house Astrologer Andi has to tell us about it...
Read moreInterview with Deliah about Herbal and Solstice Magic
Annie: How long have you been practicing witchcraft?
Deliah: I’ve been fascinated with magic since I was very little, playing with oujia boards and making kiddy potions in the yard out of mud, flowers and slugs, creating fae gardens and leaving them offerings of shiny found objects. I started my first altar and bought my first spell book at the age of 10 and have been teaching myself and learning the craft ever since.
How Long have you been reading Tarot?
I started reading tarot at the age of 16 when I was given my first deck by the creator of I Am One Tarot, Maya Britan. At the time I was sitting on the corner of Hawthorne outside Ben and Jerry’s where I would set up a blanket and sell used books and VHS tapes every day during the summers to help me pay for my daily necessities. Maya and her husband saw me as they were walking around from shop to shop and stopped to gift me a handful of a tarot deck she had created. She told me I could sell them all and keep the profit or even keep one of the decks for myself, which I did. I taught myself how to read the cards and dumped the books and VHS tapes to start offering readings on my blanket instead!
It says in your profile that you are an oneironaut. Can you explain what that entails?
Oneironaut refers to someone who travels through the dream world consciously. It’s the act of lucid dreaming and astral traveling/projection, but typically an oneironaut can move fluidly between their own dreams as well as others - also known as dream telepathy. I personally also have the pleasure of experiencing other planets and their universe as well as our own.
Can you tell me about the process you use to create your Dragon’s Blood Oil?
My oil making process is actually super simple! The hardest part is grinding up such huge chunks of dragon's blood, but once I can crush it into a fine powder it seeps in the oil for seven weeks. I shake up the jars everyday while they are processing and infuse and charge it with my own personal power, and then ya know….I put a dragon in it :)
Are there other products that you will be making in the future?
I also have been making small batch, hand-dipped dragons blood candles that I have been calling Witch Fingers, made with all natural hemp wick and beeswax. My newest product to hit the shelves is my Archangel Holy Oil, made with a lot of care and intention and infused with prayers to the 7 archangels and Metatron. It holds some really lovely notes of sandalwood, rose, lavender, frankincense and myrrh. New oil blends are also in the works, but I’m really excited to focus next on my Astral Travel oil so others can experience some of the amazing wonders of the active dream world!
Do you have a favorite herb, flower or plant that you like to work with?
My favorite herbs to work with are dragon’s blood, rosemary, and cinnamon. I find it funny that all of my favorite herbs have basically the same properties; love, lust, protection, exorcism, and banishing. Dragons Blood I find to be incredibly potent when you need something to manifest. I enjoy adding Rosemary to dinners when I’m trying to inspire love and good health in the home, or hang a sprig above the bed to help remember dreams. Cinnamon is probably my favorite and most used however, as I like to sprinkle some in my coffee grounds before brewing to attract love, luck and money…and coffee helps to make that magic work fast!
What is your favorite thing about this time of year?
My favorite thing about winter is the songs of the birds. To hear them chatter and watch them pick berries from the trees is just one of those small joys of winter. That and the crispy fresh air!
Do you have any spells or rituals for the Solstice that you can share with us?
A fun Yule activity/spell I like to do every year is crafting Witch Ball Ornaments! It’s super easy to do and you can use any herbs you choose for the intention you desire, but for an example let’s use some herbs here to bless the home;
Fill an empty ornament ball with pine needles, holly, hawthorn berries, juniper berries, frankincense, myrrh, dried orange peel, and whole clove. Write your words, sigils, or symbols on a piece of paper that correspond to home blessings, roll it up toward your body and tie it shut with a ribbon or piece of twine and place it in the ornament. Cap the ornament and hold it in your hands to visualize and infuse it with your own personal power and intentions. You can now hang the ornament on your Yule tree or by the door. Leave it hanging up all year long to let the blessings linger, and next Yule you can pour the mixture out onto a charcoal disk to burn as incense (this releases the magic to make way for the new) and refill the ornament for the new year!
To learn More about Deliah’s magic check out her social Media:
Resources from the December Death Cafe
Here are the links from tonight's Death Cafe.
*Reminder that we're just pulling these links without knowing much about them. Death Cafes do not promote any services or products.
New Moon (and Eclipse!) in Sagittarius - December 2021
A New Moon AND an Eclipse!? Better put in a call to Andi (Oakland store manager and our resident Astrologer) to see what we can expect with that energy combination! This is what he has to tell us:
Read moreInterview with Miss Remy
This Last week I had the privilege of interviewing Miss Remy an employee at our Portland location about her practice, background and her two upcoming classes. The first will be a Psychic Self-Defense Workshop happening December 7th from 6:30-8pm and the other is a Chakra Class coming up in 2022.
Read moreFull Moon in Taurus
With today's combination of a Full Moon with an eclipse, it seems like the perfect time to get our resident astrologer Andi to give us a little insight into the energies we are going to be dealing with! Here is what he has for us:
Read moreResources from the November Death Cafe
Here are the links from tonight's Death Cafe.
*Reminder that we're just pulling these links without knowing much about them. Death Cafes do not promote any services or products.
Books
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Way_of_Death
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15860317W/The_American_way_of_death_revisited
Videos
A favorite death video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6fcK_fRYaI
https://www.hulu.com/series/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-0b10c46a-12f0-4357-8a00-547057b49bac
https://www.ted.com/talks/jae_rhim_lee_my_mushroom_burial_suit
Ask a Mortician just did a video about human composting
https://youtu.be/_LJSEZ_pl3Y
Articles
https://www.greenmatters.com/p/tree-pod-burials
https://www.cremationassociation.org/page/alkalinehydrolysis
https://www.usurnsonline.com/cremation/things-to-do-with-ashes/
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/feb/16/human-composting-could-be-the-future-of-deathcare
New movie coming out about what was happening inside the hospitals during the first wave of the pandemic
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/movies/the-first-wave-review.html
https://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/article/ask-a-mortician/
Miscellaneous Death Resources and Lore
https://www.introducingedinburgh.com/greyfriars-bobby
https://gourmetwitch.org/food/the-dumb-supper/
https://www.etsy.com/market/funeral_face_mask
Mortuary “Last Responder” face mask
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1025357495/mortician-face-mask-funeral-face-mask?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=funeral+face+mask&ref=sr_gallery-2-7
New Moon in Scorpio - November 2021
Our in-house astrologer Andi has some words to share about the Scorpio New Moon coming up tomorrow so we can all know what to expect in the days to come.
The Scorpio new moon arrives at 2:15pm Thursday and it is exactly opposite Uranus in Taurus. Whenever Uranus is involved, you can expect the unexpected. And with Saturn and Mars squaring each other, this new moon has no chill. If you choose to do any kind of ritual or magic at this time, I recommend detaching from any idea of what the result might look like and how long it will take (that's always a good idea but especially now!).
November in general is full of many tense moments as Saturn and Uranus prepare to square off again next month and Mars adds fuel to the fire from its home sign of Scorpio. This new moon also marks the beginning of eclipse season as the full moon on the 19th will be a partial lunar eclipse.
While Scorpio is a fixed water sign and may have a tendency to hold on or obsess, the astrology right now is all about letting go. Use the investigative, penetrating Scorpio energy of this new moon to get curious about why you hold on and what fears keep you from letting go. You will might be surprised by what you find!
Interview with J. Allen Cross Author of American Brujeria
This last week I had the honor of interviewing J. Allen Cross author of American Brujeria about his book, ancestor worship and his work as a paranormal investigator. It was a timely and important conversation to have during this spooky time of year.
Annie: How long have you been practicing witchcraft? Do you have any suggestions for those beginning their studies?
J. Allen Cross: I’ve been formally practicing witchcraft since about the age of twelve. However, I was actively and intentionally doing spell work before then.
I always suggest that new folks stay away from witchy or witchcraft based social media until they’ve been practicing for a while. A great deal of witchy social media is rife with misinformation and often hinders the learning process more than it helps. It will save you from having to do a lot of unlearning later. Similarly, developing discernment and critical thinking skills is key to this work, lest you find yourself victim to more internet misinformation or predatory spiritual mentors.
What inspired you to write American Brujeria?
My community! Mexican Americans often get swept under the rug or lumped into different categories by everyone around us in order to try and make us disappear. We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans in order to prove that we belong. Being of mixed race can often be very isolating, and we can feel very lonely and without support. But the truth is that there are a ton of us who are both Mexican and American (or similarly multicultural) and we are not alone. A bunch of folks live in this space between. This space is something I’ve come to think of as a liminal space, or a powerful spiritual crossroads that we stand in every day. This isn’t something to be embarrassed of, it’s a powerful gift to have a foot in each world. I wanted to not only spotlight my community but empower them as well and wake them up to their own magic.
This time of year many of us want to contact or work with our ancestors. What do you want those who are beginning their studies in witchcraft to know about building an altar to their ancestors?
That the term “ancestor” should be approached very loosely. Even if they aren’t blood, people can still be our family. The Queer community understands this more than most. Any of your dearly departed loved ones can be ancestors, even if you didn’t know them, but their existence impacted you in some way like famous musicians or writers or what have you.
Are there other ways that you would suggest honoring our ancestors if there isn’t space to build an altar?
Yes! I find folks underestimate the power of carrying on tradition. Sure, the altars and candles and stuff all look great on Instagram, but what if instead you learned to quilt like your grandma? Or how to play the guitar like your grandfather? These are not only things that we may enjoy but when you do these tasks, you’ll often find yourself telling stories of them and that way they can live on.
What sort of safety precautions would you suggest using while venerating ancestors?
Anytime we do spirit work whether it’s ancestors or deities we will draw the attention of the spirits as a whole. So always make sure to keep the altar physically and energetically clean, and make sure to be specific when you address them. Folks sit at the altar and say really broad things like “spirits from the other side, hear me!” and that’s a wide net to cast and a big invitation to anything that falls into the category of “spirits”. Call forth your “holy ancestors who have chosen to guide and protect you in this life”, this greatly decreases your chances of inviting in something unfriendly.
As someone who comes from an Anglo-Saxon/Celtic tradition are there ways that I can celebrate Dia de los Muertos without engaging in cultural appropriation?
I think the most important part of any sort of ancestor work or veneration is to put the ancestors first. Ask yourself what they would want. A lot of folks watch Coco and then decide this year they need to do Dia De Los Muertos but if their ancestors have no connection to the holiday, it can be awkward. The thing we need to remember is that this time of year is known to be a bridge to the ancestors all over the world and not just in Mexico. Every culture has ways of honoring the dead and you can absolutely honor your ancestors in the way they are accustomed during this time of year no matter what culture you are from. I highly recommend it.
Since it’s the spooky time of year I feel I would be remiss in not inquiring about your work as a paranormal investigator. How long have you been working as a paranormal investigator?
I began doing this work solo when I was in high school (about 16 years old) and did my first house clearing. Since then, I spent many years solo then joined a group that I love dearly in the Portland area about 9 years ago. So, I’ve been doing this work for about 14 years.
Do you see an uptick in paranormal activity this time of year?
As far as hauntings go, not really. Hauntings don’t follow a yearly cycle and are a constant factor no matter the season.
What is the most common reason a house might be haunted?
I’ve noticed that there some common threads, or reasons why folks find them common. But I’ll narrow those down to the top three for brevity. First, they usually did something to cause it such as a misguided Ouija board session, or even haphazardly practicing the craft can all draw unfriendly spirits into your home. Honestly, I see more folks haunted after trying to “manifest abundance” than I do with people actively trying to do satanic rites. Second, a surprising amount of folks think they are haunted, or cursed, but they are actually psychic. If most of the houses you’ve lived in have been haunted, or you’ve experienced paranormal phenomenon your whole life there’s a good chance you are a medium and you’re not realizing it. Earthbound spirits are often drawn to those who can perceive them and will bother them over the course of their life trying to get their attention. Third is location, some places are stained or rotten or at an energetic crossroads which creates all kinds of activity. Even things like underground water running underneath the house will increase your odds of activity.
Do you have any suggestions for simple ways to cleanse a house that isn’t haunted or a way to keep our houses safe from unwanted spirits?
To cleanse a home that isn’t haunted I recommend lighting your favorite incense and walking around each room counterclockwise and visualize the energy “unlocking” as you complete the circuit. Sprinkling salt across doorways and windowsills is quite effective at keeping unwanted spirits out of your home.
Do you have a memorable haunting that you would be willing to share?
The very first time I helped a spirit cross over was the case that I now refer to as “the spider girl case.” The basement of a local home had the ghost of a young girl haunting it with sadness and fear. Through our investigation and interactions with the spirit we learned that her spirit was trapped there because the basement had been her prison in life. We gathered that her father was abusive and would lock her down there for hours if not days at a time. During her time down there as a ghost, she had a lot of time to spend with the local fauna, mainly enormous wolf spiders that the home was infested with. They were her friends, her protectors, and her allies. It was very strange, the corner of the basement where she would spend most of her time had a thick web wrapping around it like they had spun it in an attempt to either protect her or give her, her own room. In order to get her spirit to finally come out of the basement and step into the light, we had to capture one of the spiders in a jar, take it upstairs and out into the gorgeous summer afternoon so it could see that it was safe, and then re-release it back into the basement so it could tell her what it saw. After that, she was able to leave and therefore move on.
For more information on J. Allen Cross be sure to check out all of the links below and buy his book American Brujeria.
Full Moon in Aries - October 2021
The Full Moon is upon us, so it's time to ask Andi about what we should expect as we move into a new set of energies. Here is what he has to share with us:
Tomorrow morning at 7:59am PST, the Aries Moon will oppose the Sun in Libra both at 27 degrees. While an Aries full moon usually doesn't have much chill, this one is especially volatile. The Sun is still very close to Mars and Mercury is slowly emerging from its retrograde cycle.
Given the time of day this full moon peaks, please be careful on your morning commutes y'all! That includes watching your own tendencies to be impatient or passive aggressive on the road. Reschedule those early meetings if you can, the moon moves into Taurus at 1pm that day relieving some of the pressure.
And on top of all that, The Moon, Sun and Mars are all squaring Pluto in Capricorn. Whenever Pluto is involved, you can expect themes of power, obsession, and things coming to light that we prefer remain hidden.
Amidst all this intensity, there is the potential for some kind of release. Mercury is opposite Chiron, the Wounded Healer, so the revelations that come may be painful in the moment. If you can sit with the discomfort, there is an old skin being shed and a new you ready to emerge. It takes courage to leave behind the old stories / ways of being and this Mars ruled Aries moon has lots of courage so lean into it!
New Moon in Libra - October 2021
Our in-house astrologer Andi has some words to share about the New Moon coming up tomorrow in advance of the first session of the new Cosmic Consciousness: Astro-Wellness Salon!
Tomorrow at 4:04am we have a new moon in Libra at 13 degrees and it is going to be a feisty one! Mars, the planet of action and desire, is also in Libra, not quite a full degree away from the Sun and Moon.
Libra is not a comfortable sign for Mars since it cannot act as directly and swiftly as it wants because it has to take into account all of the social ramifications of its actions. So this leads to using indirect means or sometimes even passive aggressiveness. Also, when Mars is this close to the Sun, it is no longer visible in the sky and weakened in its ability to achieve.
Have you noticed over the past week that people seem to be a bit more on edge? This is a good new moon to pick a fight with someone but it probably won't be that satisfying. Try to find other Libran outlets for that Martian energy - make some aggro art, dance it out to your fave angsty music from your teens, rearrange your furniture, have a dialogue with your anger and ask it what it wants.
Mercury Retrograde! - September 2021
Oh No! Mercury Retrograde! Time to ask Andi (Oakland store manager and in-house astrologer) what to expect this time! This is what he has to say:
On Sunday 9/26 Mercury begins its retrograde journey through the sign of Libra, retracing its steps from 25 degrees to 10 degrees when it stations direct on 10/18. When planets begin or end a retrograde cycle, they are moving so slowly that transits that may usually last a day or two can stretch out for sometimes several weeks. As Mercury goes retrograde, it is trining Jupiter, squaring Pluto and opposing Eris (a dwarf planet beyond Pluto named after the Goddess of Chaos).
Have you been holding on to some news or information that you know will upset others or rock the boat? This week may push you to blurt it out and/or obsess about the details of it. Whatever you communicate or decide at this time may not last and will likely need to be revisited during the retrograde, probably around 10/9 when Mercury meets up with the Sun. When Mercury stations direct on 10/18 it will oppose Chiron, indicating that there will be some delayed emotional blowback. When we cause waves, our own boats can get rocked too. Something painful may be revealed, try to lean into that Libran superpower of seeing the situation from another perspective.
Full Moon in Pisces - September 2021
The Full Moon is coming up on Monday, so what better time to ask Andi, our Oakland store manager and an amazing astrologer, what energy shift we should be working with. Here is what he has to say:
This Monday at 4:55pm PST there will be a Full Moon at 28 degrees Pisces with the Sun at 28 degrees Virgo. The Sabian symbols for this full moon are quite revealing, literally: "Light breaking into many colors as it passes through a prism" (Moon) and "A person gaining secret knowledge from an ancient scroll they are reading" (Sun). What insights can you glean from this last month of Virgo season spent analyzing the details and cleaning out neglected spaces? This Full Moon is likely to illuminate and bring psychic clarity to an issue that has been perplexing you, such that you can now see it clearly for each of its parts.
Also during this Full Moon chart Mercury (ruler of the Sun) is both squaring Pluto and trining Jupiter (ruler of the Moon). You may be super jazzed to share this new information but be mindful about how you choose to communicate these insights with those around you. We are also officially in the Mercury retrograde shadow (starts 9/29) so may even change your own mind in the coming weeks. Be patient, the truth will endure if it is indeed true.
New Moon in Virgo - September 2021
With the New Moon coming up on Monday, it’s time to ask Andi, our Oakland store manager and an amazing astrologer, what we can be ready for in this energy shift. Here is what he has to say:
Monday's Virgo new moon arrives at 5:50pm PST at 14 degrees, making an exact trine to Uranus in Taurus, the planet of sudden change and revolution. While Virgo energy is often associated with being critical and clean, at its essence Virgo is about discerning the right time to take action and being of service to others. With so much climate catastrophe unfolding all around us, what can you do from where you are? There are mutual aid projects in Louisiana and New York that are helping folks on the ground, what do you have to offer?
On a personal level, this could be an excellent time to start a new habit for your health or shake up your routine. We can't help others if we aren't taking care of ourselves too. There may be some blowback from the changes you make because Mercury opposes Chiron and Venus squares Pluto. If there is anyone in your life who is invested in and attached to you not being well, this will come to the surface as you start to move in a different direction. Let them go with love, Virgo knows there's much work to do and little time to do it.
Full Moon in Aquarius - August 2021
Our Oakland store manager Andi is an amazing astrologer! We asked him to give us a look at tomorrow's Full Moon so we can be ready for the energy shift. Here is what he has to say:
Leo season comes to a close the same way it started, with an Aquarius full moon!
Around 5am PST on Sunday, just after meeting up with Jupiter in Aquarius, the moon will oppose the Sun at 29 degrees. At the same time, Venus and Saturn make a positive aspect to each other in their home signs of Libra and Aquarius.
The word that keeps coming to mind for this full moon is: DIGNITY. What has Leo season taught you about self-love and respect? What areas of your life do you feel sovereignty? All of this will come to light and get magnified by Jupiter's presence. Where do you need to take up more space and are there places where you actually need to step back? Jupiter can lend itself to self-aggrandizing gestures, so watch out for any tendencies to get up on the soapbox and proclaim your opinions as Truth.
If you would like to get a more in-depth astrological reading for yourself, book a reading with Andi. He offers several types to choose from: Natal, Transit, Solar Return, and Vocational readings to help you really know what is going on in your life.
Resources from the August Death Cafe
Here are the links from tonight's Death Cafe.
*Reminder that we're just pulling these links without knowing much about them. Death Cafes do not promote any services or products.
Books
Finding Meaning, the Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler
Green Burial Handbook
Articles
https://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/articles/
Videos
The Life of Death
https://youtu.be/ofnCdC8P70g
The Egg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6fcK_fRYaI&t=1s
@dying2livepod - podcast
@kelly.m.guyon - for general death talk