Pagan

Tarot for Beginners and Deck Reviews

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Original Art by Natascha Pearson

Tarot has been an impactful tool to explore my reflection and objections of self and a life path guide. Sometimes I will draw cards on my past, and the card will put things into perspective about how I channeled my energy at that time. Other times the cards will map out a future path and remind me of what I should avoid or be wary of or what I should accept and be open to. I interpret the cards, and part of that interpretation is an inside intuition, and that is the psychic within. 

(All links in this article are Affiliate links or lead you to my Etsy. Thank you for exploring and supporting my writing by purchasing through these links at no extra cost to you.) 

Tarot, the suit cards, 21 trump cards, and the matto card (aka “the fool”) were played as a game in the 1430s, originating in Italy and spreading throughout Europe. Roma gypsy people took this deck of cards and began the divination fortune-telling Tarot we know now. They believed Tarot was a tool for psychics to interpret symbols for divination, realization, and understanding. 

I started with tarot cards when I was in high school. I became interested in witchcraft and began with the traditional starter deck Rider-Waite Tarot. I liked this deck because the images represent the card’s meaning more evident than most. All tarot decks come with a book for reference. Studying the book wasn’t something I was drawn to at first. Instead, I would pull a card and read up on it as I went. I would sit with that card and see how it resonates with me and my life at that moment. At this point, I was not ready to read for other people, but I was prepared to pull a past, present, and future Tarot spread. After shuffling my deck, I choose to discard my first card or not to discard depending on what came naturally to me. There is no rule on what is right and what is wrong. It’s about flowing with you’re own practice. Thank yourself for showing up and putting forth effort. It is unimportant if you forget to discard the first card before putting out your spread, but it is an option. If the cards are reversed, it is your choice to take this as an opposite meaning or to think of it as upright. You should take into consideration the other cards surrounding it. Either way, go with what flows naturally to you. Don’t be disappointed to receive reversals; if it’s easier for you, flip it upright. 

Then at Lucidity in 2015, an artist I treasure, Gabriel Welch, let me read his cards using his deck. His deck resembled the Druid Animal Oracle Deck, and I remember pulling some prolific birds that predicted a vibrant ongoing career along with obstacles that could arise. I could have been a better tarot reader, but I remember this as a special moment. He took the cards very seriously, considering the images and meanings. 

Later I met my husband, and we traveled to Shasta, where we lived in the woods, this time for about three months. He had the Egyptian Tarot Deck, it was very worn, and I could tell it was full of his energy. I did not have a tarot deck at this point, and I used his for divination. This gave me a lot of hope and guidance as to what our futures looked like and what I could expect. It even foresaw a struggle we would endure that would change our life paths. I was forever thankful for this deck and my time with it. Even though it wasn’t the deck that called to me as my own, it resonated strongly with my husband. It’s a superstition that tarot decks must be gifted to their beholder, but the magic remains the same if it is bought or gifted as long as the deck resonates with the owner. As you can see, there are many different tarot cards, and the symbols may be completely different. The card’s symbols are meant to bring meaning to the card, but there can be different perceptions of cards, such as the King of Cups. Where someone might see the King of Cups as fulfilled and abundant emotions, they might use a deck with the image of a king with a crown and staff holding a cup full of water and his kingdom behind him, or it might be a man at the beach meditating with a singing bowl and starfish like this Light Seer’s Deck. The tarot reader must choose a deck that resonates most with them so they can get the most meaning from the images. This also helps the reader decipher the card’s meaning without looking at the book.

My current deck is the Mystic Manga deck. I got it for my birthday four years ago and enjoyed the imagery and the manuscript with the description of the cards facing forward and reversed. I made this tarot deck cloth; you can purchase it at my shop. I also really like this Past, Present, and Future spread cloth from Tamed Wild and their beautiful Moon phase deck. 

Whichever deck you use to explore your deviation ventures, be easy on yourself. I thank you for researching Tarot and spending the time to explore not just this psychic art but also this bridge to you and the otherworld.  

Here is a gift to you for 10% off of any Tamed Wild product

Healing Through Writing

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A 10 Week Course by Francesca Lia Block

Francesca Lia Block

I just finished Healing Through Writing, a ten-week writing group hosted by Francesca Lia Block. Francesca has been my favorite writer since I was twelve and read I Was A Teenage Fairy, “a postmodern fairy tale, a teen model’s friendship with a fairy helps her overcome abuse,” (amazon.com) and the last book I finished was House of Hearts, her newest book with themes of mythology, death, and rebirth taken place at the Salton Sea. I always appreciated her work because she writes about taboo, abnormal, and traumatic topics accompanied (or disguised) by magical realism. Her language, details, and symbols will take you to another world, engulf you in its essence and bring you back into your existence more light-hearted. I always wanted to be a writer, and after reading Francesca’s books, I knew why; I had never felt more understood. 

I recommend this course. I finished my BA at Full Sail University in creative writing but struggled to publish. Since I graduated, I have taken a writing class at a community college. In this course, I read and analyzed plenty. I even started a new story, but I wanted more. I had yet to accomplish what I wanted. I came to Francesca with questions about getting a Master’s. If you read my blog post on my BA experience, you know I am overwhelmed with student loans and think college can be risky. She told me about her writing group. I’d known about it but needed the money for it. We worked out a payment plan, and I was ecstatic to dive in. 

We met on Sundays on Zoom and submitted ten pages a week, along with the answers to the questions she provided. She used the twelve questions from her book The Thorn Necklace and other questions for deeper thinking. These questions weren’t just about writing but about you, the writer. I am a brick wall regarding trauma, but even these questions helped me open up and reflect. As a writer, I learned that we are pushed to express our deepest desires, write about our childhood, admit our flaws, and appreciate our gifts. After all, without these things, good characters wouldn’t exist.

So, of course, I struggled. I struggled to open up, struggled to write ten pages, and struggled to give back good critiques, but I got better at these things. I continued writing a story idea I had when I took my first in-person class by Francesca Lia Block in 2016. The story I worked on was a high fantasy that could quickly go wrong since I was an inexperienced writer. I got so caught up in world-building that I lost concrete details that helped the reader relate or the characters come to life. She asked me to write a non-fiction piece for submission in week three. (I will post it on my blog in the upcoming weeks). It was called Somebody’s Giant, about a death in front of our home in downtown Oceanside. This piece was a great release for me, and it was nice to hear the feedback from my peers. Even though writing non-fiction doesn’t come naturally to me, getting support from my group was healing. 

We met every Sunday evening and worked in a group of four. These writers were very talented. For the price of the class and the amount of writing, the kind of people this class attracts are die-hards. Reading their stories changed me. Giving them feedback, getting their feedback, was more than someone close to me could offer. We are all striving for a common goal, all being vulnerable, and all there to support one another in the process. There was little time to chat, but Francesca allowed us as long as we needed to give each other our reports, talk about our work, and get her feedback. We had group exercises and even sat in a brief ceremony for the full moon. Reading their stories changed me more than I can say for my community college class because I was a part of their story. They took in my advice and comments, and it reflected in the upcoming submissions. They trusted me with their secrets, and the sisterhood bond was healing for me. 

In the tenth week, I didn’t submit my work. I’m not perfect, and I got stuck six pages into my chapter and was overwhelmed with work, illness, and stress. I didn’t move forward. Instead, I focused on my reviews and gave my group the best analysis I could for that week. I would recommend two hours a day put aside for this class, Monday through Friday, with a break on Saturday and a meeting on Sunday. I’m not saying it takes that long to write ten pages but you have to map out your chapter/ or short story, you have to answer the questions, review your classmates stories, take notes and execute the notes from the prior week and write your story. If I could do this class again, I would take the questions more seriously and put aside more time to focus.

I wrote 66 pages, 21952 words for my story Discordia, gained notes on an existing short story and a ten-page non-fiction called Somebody’s Giant. I received four notes (including Francesca’s professional notation) on each chapter. I learned how to become a better writer, how to plan and analyze my process, and I was pushed to write by taking this course. Because she allowed me a payment plan, I was able to manage the class fee, and I would 100% retake this class. 

If you are a reader, I recommend you pick up Francesca’s fiction books. If you want to become a writer, I recommend A Thorn Necklace. If you are a writer, take the course. There is nothing to lose and so much to gain. I am so proud of what I have accomplished in just ten weeks. 

Thank you for reading my blog! I am happy to be back. 

(Some links in this blog post are affiliate links.)

Tarot Card Writing Prompt:

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Photo by Irina Demyanovskikh

Snapshot. Choose a sing card and write a one-page story that explains or describes what’s happening. Try to add drama. Be imaginative. –Tarot for Writers by Corrine Kenner.

Death

A woman of wings, feathers, and beastly qualities emerges from the embers. She held a half-moon metallic staff with a burning red ember at its center. She hovered forward. The darkness of the underworld is colder, the stillness denser, and the vastness hollower than she had ever experienced on Earth. The creatures crawled toward her in fear, pulled by power. They bowed and trembled, pushing through the energy to graze her presence. She stepped up on the night crawlers and lost souls as they traveled into a staircase, throwing themselves over each other as she ascended out of the darkness until a blue light illuminated Pluto’s gate.

“Come with me,” she spoke to the doomed. “You deserve closure.”

Eris opened the gates of hell for all the creatures to return to earth. She flipped the hourglass and froze the stone doors open until the end of Samhain. “May chaos bring peace and understanding.”

The man on the moon sent Pegasus down from the cosmos and invited Eris for tea, and she gladly accepted.

“A shift,” A strong man with skin the color of bark and the face of a sacred ibis spoke.

“Yes, I have emerged,” Eris lit an herbal sacrament and inhaled, and she found a suitable stone like an altar to make herself comfortable on. 

“To make changes, “Eris spoke arrogantly.

The eternal being Yah’s eye squinted. “I make the changes.”

“I have basked in the light of your earthly realm presence and experienced your ‘changes,’ “she spoke unhindered.

“Well, please… indulge me on your human experience.”

“I was not needed,” she flicked the joint, and plants began to grow from its ashes. Yah quickly stomped them out.

“And what makes you think you are needed now?” Yah said dryly and annoyed.

“I thought you invited me for tea?” Eris responded. She felt no need to reveal her skin or to batter her eyes.

Yah snapped his fingers, and the creatures of the moon, blue earth-dwelling characters, set up a table and porcelain arrangement along with silver utensils.

“What are you doing on earth?”

“Creating chaos. There’s a need for that.” Eris said, making up her tea the way she liked it- black.

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Medieval Festival of Courage

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October 1, 2022- The Medieval Festival of Courage was hosted by Coastal Grove Charter (K-8th) in Blue Lake, CA. With 50 vendors, two stages, and three unique arenas, the festival attracted a large crowd dressed throughout the ages. I had the privilege of vending with TLC. My children, their friends, our friends, and school and work peers all came to indulge in the festivities. This two-day event spanned from Saturday to Sunday and was a very special showcasing of central Humboldt’s hidden gems.


At $10 a ticket, knights, wizards, queens, and kings entered the gates! Greeted by a sword-fighting arena for children and a few rowdy fathers, took on foam-covered sticks and fought to the death! The sword fighting arena was one of the most popular activities full of children’s rampage. The front stage was bedecked with belly dancers, clog dancers, poetry, and bagpipes. The days were full of thespians and musicians belching out their hearts in a medieval dialect. Surrounding the arena were vendors of jewelry, clothing, food, and wine. The cherry wine flushed the lady’s cheeks and beer overfilled grizzly bearded men’s mugs. Carmel dripped off green apples like witches’ muck, and meats and corn were cooked on open grills.


Over by the paddock was a tent for the kings and queens, dressed in authentic 500-1500 ce costumes excluded from the common folk. A large crowd lined the fences as men on horses jostled, flinging one another from the horse’s back. Between shows, men in armored suits and beautiful women dressed as royalty paraded the horses for the audience to touch. Within this arena were a petting zoo, a miniature pony ride, and even axe throwing! The animals warmed the children’s hearts while leaving their turds along the pathway.


Even though there was a metal fence on the high-top areas, I combined this arena as one. The front entrance welcomed the crowd to a beautiful children’s area and homely vendors. One tent offered toys for the children, blocks to make castles, animals to dress, and playsets decorated with dangling tassels and velvet flooring. A majestically dressed woman read stories from a book and welcomed groups on a story quest with the legend of the Sword in the Stone. Also displayed were gem vendors, free pin-making stations, and a gnome dome, the safe haven for the tired-out child to live in a fairyland.

Then there was “TLC” a non-profit showcasing local artists, including me! I represented Little Lost Forest displaying wands, resin trays, acrylic art, and ruins! I had the pleasure of live painting and reading tarot. My friend Savana showed her unique electroplating copper jewelry, and Patrick his locally made wood tables, mushrooms, and swords. We advertised for our upcoming festival in Manila next month! Behind the metal fence were aerial silk performers with young girls climbing the ropes! Musicians played at a small stage in the back, serenading us with the violin. A jump house, jewelry vendor, and archery station fit with plenty of room along the basketball court. Men, women, and children pulled back their bows and shot toward haystack targets. A few performers free-flowed with staff, poi, and Hoola hoops.

The Medieval Festival of Courage was a well put on event that brought the community together, offered affordable vending spaces, and showcased some top performers. The children ran the show, and Coastal Grove Charter did a good job relating its artistic and out-of-the-box curriculum. More adults (then I think would like to admit) dressed in their favorite garb and transported back in time. At the end of the day, the playful and innocent collaboration of our communities youth shinned through, and I can’t wait to return next year.

Abundant Self-Love Spell

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Practicing paganism.

Photo by Yan Krukov

Burn four candles in each direction.

In meditation, say to yourself,

What makes you feel most alive?

I want to ask you a few questions, and while doing so, I will give you my answers as an example.

First, sit and take a deep breath.

Now…

What makes you happy?

            (ex. I am happy being with my tribe

            when I am showing love,

            and when I am being productive.)

Now…

What really makes you happy?

            (ex. I am really happy when I am surrounded in nature. When I am in ceremony. When people around me are getting along. Also, being in trance.)

What change would you like to see in the world?

            (ex. I would like to see people live with less anxiety.)

            Take a deep breath, hold, hold, and breath out. Repeat those three times.

What do you want?

            (ex. I want to be separated from the stress and needs of society. I want to be with my loved ones living self sustainably.)

What does your deeper self-desire?

            (ex. I desire to draw inspiration from my loved ones, creating deep, passionate art while living in “flow.”)

            (ex2. My deeper self-desire to apply my education to feed, cloth, and provide for my tribe while spending as much time with them meanwhile being heard and appreciated.)

What puts you in a trance like state?

            (ex. Reading puts me in a trance like state. Dancing, music, sex, and movement put me in a trance like state. Massage and touch can get me in a trance like state. Art, poi, yoga and sitting in meditation help me fall into a trance like state. Being in the middle of the desert under the stars, a fire these things contribute to a trance like state.)

            What are you afraid of?

            (ex. I’m afraid of how my words and actions hurt myself and others. I’m afraid of failing. I’m afraid I’m not good enough.)

            What are you chasing but not achieving?

            (ex. I am chasing higher education, luxuries, and travel.)

            Who are you?

            (ex. I am a woman, living in America with a loving tribe. I love nature, animals and kids. I am a writer and an artist)

            Where do you want?

            (ex. I aspire to be a published artist and to work for animation. I want to spend my life traveling and living self-sustainably. To have an abundance of knowledge.)

            How are you going to get there?

            (I’m budgeting my money. I’m giving 100% at work and I work whenever I can. I have a savings. I am practicing my art. I am committing to a higher education, when I can afford it. )

            Now sit in meditation and allow yourself to transcend into your future self. Letting your passion and the motions fall into your skin and settle within you. You have the ability to become the person you desire to be. You do not give up. You see the adventure within.

Thank you for reading my Waxing Gibbous moon meditation. Coming soon, I will be interviewing Adam Schluter CEO of Hello, From a Stranger. A man full of the stories of strangers spreading positivity, acceptance and truth.

Little Lost Forest Deviation Runes

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Guide to using Deviation Runes

Deviation runes are said to have come before time from the center of the cosmos. They were used by Norse and Germanic civilization. The original 18 letter alphabet is told to have been a gift from Odin after he went through nine obstacles that cost him a lot of pain and distress. There are many different tales of how he sacrificed himself by hanging himself and being reborn a higher being. Each rune has a spiritual meaning and was used for writing language as well as mystic purposes. Later this set would become a 23 letter set with an added destiny card.

Choose a set of runes and speak clearly to you. Tad lock them rather in blood or saliva mixed with water and paint and draw the symbol on the rune and then on your forehead. Meditate with the rune and its meaning. Say out loud a spell that works to your liking similar too “I do this as an offering to create a link so that this rune can speak its truth to me.”  Or “I name you _”runes name”, I breathe life into your meaning. To you this name I fasten. As I will it, it shall be.” or “Mote it be.” Finish by breathing toward it. (Bewitched Bemused, You Tube.)

You may use the runes in multiple ways. Use the symbol in your everyday routine either in charm bags, under your pillow, in a window seal or shrine to amplify its energy and purpose. Clear the stones energy before each use either with incense, shaking the bag or with a crystal. 

You can use the deviation runes to ask as single question by pulling a rune. If more information is needed pull out another and place in a row from left to right discarding any runes that are showing a blank face. You can pull three stones for past, present, and future. Again, if more information is needed you can draw more runes for clarification. When casting the bag of stones, empty the bag onto a surface and remove any backward facing runes. Read the runes, taking special notes of any clusters. I prefer to shape them as a circle as you can see I have done in my last blog post.

We are selling sets of runes on the Etsy Little Lost Forest store made from epoxy resin. We can customize front and back colors, and have options to add gold flakes or fine glitter.

Deviation Meanings

The runes are in the order as displayed in this photo.

1. Kenaz Torch/ Luck/ Purging Fire/ Controlled Energy/ Gift for Skill/ Knowledge/ Warmth/ Caregiving/ Intellectual

Enlightenment/ Transformation/ Purification/ Clarity of Mind/ Stagma/ Creative Work

2. Ansuz Odin/ Wisdom/ Ancestor/ the God

Wisdom/ Healing Power/ Occult Power/ Language/ Communication

3. Hagalaz Hail Stones/ Disruption/ The Unanticipated/ Damaging/ Rebirth/ Change/ Protection Thwarted

4. Wunjo Joy/ Comfort/ Blessings/ Wisdom/ Good Reputation/ Friendship/ Happiness/ Success/ Peace

6. Tiwaz War God/ Victory/ Order/ Success/ Justice/ Legal Matters/ Fight/ Will/ Competition

5. Mannaz Evolution of Individual/ Female/ Self Perfected/ Social Standing / Self-improvement/ Communication/

Meditate/ Memory/ Intelligence/ Human Condition

7. Laguz Lake/ Healing/ Life Energy/ Flow/ Water/ Endless/ Terrifying/ Wild/ Dangerous/ Road to Adventure/

Transition/ Aid Intuition/ Influence/ Growth

8. Eihwaz Yew Tree/ Saftey/ Channeling/ Otherworld Communication/ Dynamic and Ongoing/ Protection/ Strength/

Paradox

9. Ingwaz Fertility/ Earth God/ Invoking/ Completion/ Grounding/ Progression/ Life Cycle/ Masculine (Barring fruit)/

Magical

10. Nauthiz Constraint/ a Need/ Defense/ Self Control/ Restriction/ Destress/ Limitations

11. Jera Year/ Sucess/ Harvest/ Year’s Cycle/ Hardwork/ Cause and Effect

12. Thurisaz Thorn/ Protection/ Overcome Resistance/ Weapon/ Barrier/ Rage/ Impulsive/ Losing Control/ Willpower

13. Sowilo Self/ Sun Wheel/ Wholeness/ Vital Energies/ Centering/ Higher-self/ Nourishing/ Clarification/ Illumination/

Journey over Water/ Strength/ Life Force/ Arrogance/ Cruelty 

14. Othala Prosperity/ Possession/ Ancestral Power/ Property/ Estate/ Enheritance/ Sacrafice/ Hardwork/ Skill/ Effort/

Family/ Environment/ Status/ Invoking Ancestors

 15. Berkanu Earth Mother/ Love/ Goddess/ Fertility/ New Endeavour/ Need for Neutering/ Invoking/ Emotional

Stability/ New Starts

16. Gebo Marriage/ Union/ Power Given and Received/ Gift/ Generosity/ Hospitality/ Equal Exchange/ Partnership/

Agreement

18. Isa Ice/ Standstill/ Delaying Defense/ Rest Period/ Stop Slander/ Relaxation/ Calm/ Coldness/ Unexpressed

17. Perthro Fate/ Game Piece/ Future/ Evolving Karma/ Hidden Forces/ Take Risks/ Lighten Up/ Sudden Luck/

Discover Secrets/ Emotions/ Meditation/ Rest

18. Ehwaz Horse/ Trust/ Motion/ Safe Journey/ Adjustments/ Astral Travel/ Mobility/ Prosperity/ Aristocracy/ Working

Together/ Cooperation/ Psychic Journey

20. Algiz Moose/ Friendship/ Protection/ Shielding/ Sharp Edges/ The Hunt/ Protected/ Incompentent

21. Raidho Ride/ Journey/ Quest/ Defense/ Decisions/ Taking Control/ Team Organization

22. Fehu Cattle/ Weatlh/ Good Fortune

Prosperity/ Power/ Creative Energy/ Love/ Growth

23. Dagaz Home/ Breakthrough/ Twilight/ Between Two Worlds/ Invisibility/ Light and Strength of Sun/ The

Awakening/ Enlightenment/ Hope/ Happiness/ Collective Consciousness/ Peak 

24. Uruz Strength/ Physical Health/ Vitality/ Strength/ Courage/ Healing/ Untamed/ Warrior Spirit/ Wild Natural

Energy 

25. Blank Destiny

References

  1. Bewitched Bemused, Aug 26,2020, Youtube, “Into the Runes: How to Charge them and Use them for Deviation.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUFoD4Zk9mE&list=PL2q7eRR0LSt-D7wQ8pdRdMwmtJa86mVWK&index=1&t=1s

How I Foreshadowed my Pregnancy with Deviation Runes

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Last November, I went on a date that ended in disaster because the girl’s husband I was seeing was a communist/ Christian who deemed me a trump supporter. But, through all the chaos, she introduced me to deviation runes that foretold my pregnancy. This girl is still on my mind ten months later and maybe what I have left from our encounter is a new fascination with runes.

This unnamed woman and I had gone out a few times before. This time we wanted to include her husband to develop a relationship within the boundaries of their marriage. Unfortunately, I don’t fit in most people’s boundaries, even when I try to respect those lines. Regardless, my friend was visiting from San Diego, and after a few drinks at the bar, we decided to go to their apartment.

For what it was, things started okay. The woman I was seeing showed me her home, and we sat in the living room and talked about her and her husbands lives. He showed me his communist bible, and she showed me her deviation runes. I was far more interested in the runes (maybe this is where I went wrong.) I had never used them before.

She told me a little about them; an ancient Germanic language scripted on stones that Vikings and later Europeans would use for future telling. A set of 24 ruins, this set of small stones are carved and inlaid in gold. I mixed them up in a small tote bag and poured them onto the carpet. She directed me to remove all the runes that were facing upside down. I took the remainders and placed them in a circle, softly pushing them to the closest position. In the end, it looked like this.

I asked the runes what my future would hold. The centerpiece being a foundation rune; Tehraz meaning victory. My story would tell of new beginnings possibly driven by impulsive behavior. Starting from the one o’clock position, I began to read my tale. Feliu, wealth, the first symbol of the set and in my circle. I would interrupt this stone as Love, my meaning of wealth and something I was focused on improving at the time. Rather it be with myself or my family. The second stone is Jers, the rune that means years, cycles, and success. I found myself starting a new practice in San Diego, where I connected with my ancestors in a monthly pagan ceremony that would quickly lead me to moving to Humboldt county.

Isa, correlates to a standstill, and after our move, I reflect on a time when things were so content that it drove me to find excitement- something new. With my partner’s consent, I began to look on Okcupid for a female companion—someone to enjoy my free time with. Mannaz, the following stone revealed a female in my life, the one that would give me these stones I had used to do this reading. When I met her, a fire lit within my heart. She got along with my husband and daughter, and we were able to get away for dinners and walks on the strand. I enjoyed her company so much; her dialect would echo in my mind still to this day.

The runes would predict events that would happen as quickly as that same night, for by the end of the evening, her husband would show distrust in me and what I would perceive as jealousy. The rune Gebo, marriage, is paired with Nauthiz, constraint. I want to say that we live in a world where polyamory is as easy as its imagined. When I read this in the stones, I foresaw trouble in my relationship with the woman, and later on, I would do a tarot reading for her that also foreshadowed trouble. Her husband wasn’t open to my point of view and had no intention of discussing any side besides his own. The night ended in a hot debate that resulted in him asking me to leave.

We could have ended there, but we didn’t. We continued to see each other, and maybe that’s where I went wrong. I didn’t confront her husband but ignored him. The next rune stone is Dagaz, meaning home, breakthrough, and twilight. So much was happening at the time; I was graduating from my bachelor’s program, my husband and I were getting along, and he was supportive of my relationship with my lady friend. His family came to visit, and we were settling into our new home nicely. I was able to ignore the turmoil with her partner and was back to being content and sharing my life with this woman. The next rune is Ingwaz, Fertility. I didn’t know it at the time of this reading, but I would remind her of what the runes had told me a month later when I found out I was pregnant. At first, she thought my partner was trying to separate us by asserting his seed, but I reassured her it was planned, even though I wasn’t sure if I would conceive so quickly. She told me she wanted to work through it. It was a fantastic feeling to know she cared about me so deeply that she would work through such a life-changing event. We shared a romantic night at an Airbnb to celebrate my graduation, but afterward, her husband demanded I apologize to him. When I came over and did so, he did not accept my apology, and I saw no other choice but to break it off.

The last rune is Othala, meaning prosperity but also hard work and family. I was blessed nine months later with a baby boy. Even though the struggle of meeting someone I connected so well with and losing her would take a toll on my heart, the amazement of having a child and a new member of our family filled me with joy. Do I believe in deviation runes? Yes. This reading I did in November was very relevant to my life and forecasted some unknown events. I wish I listened closer and tried harder to keep this lady friend in my life so that we could share the excitement of a newborn and explore witchcraft further together. Perhaps it’s time for another reading. The runes may have something new to reveal.

You can purchase runes at my store or on my Etsy.

Using the Cup and Offering Gaia Blood Collection

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Girl Talk!

by Natascha Pearson

May 19, 2021

The Menstrual Cup

Until October of last year, I was using the menstrual cup for about six months before discovering I was pregnant. Before that, I used tampons during my monthly flow. These were uncomfortable for me, and I felt unsanitary throughout the day. I also wasn’t comfortable with disposing of them, they shouldn’t go down the toilet, and it was always a pain throwing them away in the trash because my dog would try to get to it (gross, I know.) I worked on connecting with myself spiritually when I made the switch. I would save my blood to give back to the Earth. My monthly cycle was right before the full moon, and I took advantage of this by giving my offering when the moon was full.

Using the cup not only cuts out the waste of using tampons (or pads), but it is easy and comfortable for me to dispose of (in the toilet, or my case, a jar for safekeeping,) washed (preferably in a sink or in the case of a public restroom, over the toilet with a water bottle) and reinserted. It never felt too deep or lost (which can very well happen with a tampon.) So not only did I feel cleaner, fresher, and more comfortable, I also felt more aligned with my flow. I was aware of the days to expect it, how many days I would be bleeding, even how much I had bled (you won’t get that insight with a tampoon.) I could wear the cup in the water without an issue and keep it inserted for 6-12 hours without it filling, spilling, smelling, or causing discomfort. I use the brand Dot Cup (I prefer the black one to the white), and it comes in a discreet carrying pouch. You can choose from three different sizes. There are loads of tutorials on youtube for comfortable insertion and distraction.

Gaia| Earth| Mother Earth

Giving blood to the Earth sounded eww to me at first, too. But once I had come to appreciate how much the Earth offers me (or how much I take from it), I realized that contributing back to the planet that aids me daily helped me feel more connected to my environment. Women lose 2-4 tablespoons of blood a cycle. Blood should not be stored longer than 3-4 days to avoid bacteria build. In my practice, I dug out a pile of dirt next to my ritual tree or within the forest and buried my offering there. This offering comes with nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Blood is an attractive food for insects, according to an article on abc.net. Watering down the blood that is condensed with salt and other chemicals can be applied directly to plants as a fertilizer.

When my period didn’t come in October, I knew four days after my missed date that I was pregnant. Offering my menstrual cycle was a very beautiful experience for me since I felt that Gaia had shown her appreciation with the most magical gift of all, my first pregnancy. Later I would continue to give blessings to Mother Earth by offering herbs from my tea bags (something I drink a lot of while pregnant.)

I have gathered information from healthline.com about the cons of using tampons and pads compared to using the cup. In the worst-case scenarios, tampoons can cause toxic shock syndrome, which is life-threatening. They often can be uncomfortable, need to be changed frequently, can get stuck and forgotten inside the uterus, and the size of your flow can be more or less than the size of your tampoon. Tampoons have a significant environmental impact, with millions littering landfills every year. Tampons shouldn’t be flushed, and they can also irritate and dry out your vagina, causing pain and discomfort. Pads, on the other hand, can’t be used in water. It can lead to an odor throughout the day. They can shift out of place, wrinkle, and be uncomfortable. Their less discreet than tampoons or the cup, and you can’t wear them in a thong with G-string. The cup’s cons also include toxic shock syndrome in very rare circumstances. It can be irritable if not inserted or cleaned correctly and a possible chance of infection if your hands are not cleaned properly.

I wish someone had told me about the cup when I was younger, I would have liked to have taken advantage of it earlier in life, and I’m thankful now to have a tool that makes my period more comfortable and something honorable. I’m a woman, and I have this fantastic gift of giving birth. My monthly flow is something to embrace, not to be embarrassed over. It’s also a money saver.