Two of Cups Connection Ritual
incantation
Two of Cups
Once one, now two
Duality, division
The pairing is new
Clink of cups
Exchange of bliss
Feels free and true
As love’s first kiss
Ingredient
- • Two of Cups
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The Two of Cups was
called the Lord of Love
by the magicians of the
Golden Dawn, who assigned
it the time period of
June 21–July 1.
Enter the arcana of the Two of Cups.
You have entered the space of division. One has become two. In this space of duality, the Cup has become aware of itself. Context is provided by means of a second. Opposition is born. Oppositional tension creates a new energy.
A man and woman are engaged in a solemn ceremony. Is it a marriage? A promise? A red lion head floating above the couple snarls at you, warning you to stay back. The lion’s head is flanked by giant red feathered wings that keep him afloat. Below him two snakes wind themselves around a stake.
Become the woman in the card. Look at the man through her eyes.
You realize she is an actress performing a marriage scene. You see the darkened wings on the stage. A stage manager watches, absentmindedly chewing on a toothpick, waiting for the scene to finish. The director walks up.
“Listen,” he says to you. “If you want to get to the heart of this scene, you have to look at him as if he is the love of your life.”
You look at the actor. He grimaces at you. His breath smells like dog food. You’d rather run in the other direction.
The director continues. “Have you ever met another person you felt immediately at ease with? So comfortable it’s like you’ve known the person your entire life?”
“Yes,” you answer, thinking of your true love.
“Have you ever performed an activity and said, to yourself, ‘this is what I am meant to do?’” he asks.
“Yes,” you answer, recalling your favorite thing to do.
“That is the heart of this scene, okay?” He looks at you intensely. “Can you do it?”
“Yes,” you say.
You begin...
2 • July
Snap Spell to Change a Mood
incantation
Seven, seven, magic thing
My snaps the magic
That you bring
My mood is gone
And peace prevails
I move light as the
World dancer’s veils
To freedom, peace
And opportunity
Nothing but calm and
Beauty do I see
- • The Devil
- • Your fingers (which you will snap seven times)
- • The World
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Today marks the exact
halfway point of the
calendar year. It is
the day 183, and
there are 183 days
until New Year’s Eve.
The Devil card represents the dark and tumultuous emotions raging in your psyche. He represents being a slave to your emotions and habits, feeling out of control. Seven is a magical number, representing the days of the week, seven visible planets, seven continents, and seven deadly sins. People asked to choose a number between 1 and 10 usually pick 7; try it. The World card reflects the freedom and grace available in every moment.
This is a quick spell, once mastered. Perform it when you’ve hit a lull or are suffering through a bad day.
Place the Devil card in front of you. Gaze at his ornery face. Dive deeply into the depths of your bleak mood. Why is he rumbling inside you? Why are you feeling this way? Have you relinquished control like the chained figures? Does your mood give you a false sense of power? Is anger burning like the flames of the Devil’s torch? Do tasty treats like the purple grapes on the female’s tail seem constantly out of reach? Does it feel like some great force is bearing down upon you? If possible, come to a conclusion regarding the base of your mood before proceeding.
Snap your fingers seven times.
Place the World card over the Devil, completely blocking him out and obliterating him.
Focus on the world dancer’s athletic body. She is purity of freedom, form, and spirit. The four creatures in the corner manifest as opportunities in the field of pure potential, appearing when the mind is quieted and the eyes are opened, gazing outwards. The two magical wands in her hands are the mastery of the self, the loss of ego, and freedom from emotion. You have achieved this state. Begin again.
July • 3
Spell for Financial Security
incantation
Green, green
Green cash
Credit, mortgage
Financial stash
I am stable
Plant my seed
Have more than
I ever need
- • Yam
- • 4 pennies
- • Sprig of mint
1. Justice
2. Four of Pentacles
3. Ten of Pentacles
4. The Magician
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The first savings bank was opened in the United States today in 1918.
Yams are sacred to the Nigerian goddess of protection, Inna. Pennies are the essential denominator of finance, associated with number 1 and the Magician card. Mint brings money. The Justice card’s esoteric function is work. The Four of Pentacles reflects financial stability. The Ten of Pentacles represents complete material manifestation. The Magician is an energetic channel.
Wash the yam under running water. Consider its baptismal effect and feel cleansed by this action. Dry the yam. Using a knife, cut four slits in its orange flesh. Across each slit place a mint leaf. Stuff each leaf inside the yam, using a penny. Stuff the entire penny inside the yam.
Place the Justice card. Universal energy works on your behalf. The actions you put out are matched and magnified by the life force. Justice’s sword channels high source energy. Her other hand brings it down to you. Place the Four of Pentacles. Consider what you already have. Consider your needs already met. You lay the groundwork for stability.
Place the Ten of Pentacles. Ingest all the riches offered within the framework of this card. Let the pentacles peel away from the card and become affixed to your soul. You will never want for any financial thing. The gentleman on the card is your wisest self. What message does he offer you?
Place the Magician. His posture is akin to Justice. He channels energy into the material world. You attract money without even realizing you are doing so. Bury the penny yam in your yard as a symbol of security. If you have no yard, place in a public park.
4 • July
Independence Spell
incantation
The Fool, the Fool
To be a Fool
Do not fear
It’s super cool
To trod my path
And live my life
Steering away from
Darkness and strife
I will do it!
1. Eight of Swords
2. The Fool
3. The World
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Independence Day
is celebrated today in the United States.
Acts of independence can feel uncomfortable, even downright scary. The trick is to let the fear move through you rather than letting the fear move you. Make sense?
The Eight of Swords represents a transformative cocoon. The Fool reflects a new beginning. The World card’s nirvana reflects the result of facing a fear and moving through it.
Place the Eight of Swords. Though the figure is comfortable and wrapped, she cannot stay inside of her bondage. Once useful, the white ties are now binding, keeping you from being truly self-sufficient. Unravel them.
Place the Fool. See yourself breaking free. The sky has opened, the sun is bright. You are vulnerable walking as the Fool, but you walk anyway. The dog nips at your heels like resonant fear but you laugh, push away your trepidation, and forge ahead, performing the required actions.
Place the World card. Experience nirvana. You have faced your fears and taken care of yourself. As a result, the world has opened up for you. Possibility manifests everywhere, and you choose the most delightful choices. You hold two powerful wands of magic. You are immersed in the beauty that is the ebb and flow of all creation.
July • 5
Comfortable in My Skin Spell
incantation
Place of rest
My bones and skin
My body’s the place
I wake up in
I worship you, find delight
Don’t hide away; I shine bright
Treat it well
With love and health
Repays me with
Ultimate wealth
I am alive!
1. The Empress
2. The Star
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The bikini made its
debut today in 1946 at a
fashion show held at the ritzy Molitor Pool in Paris.
You are the proud owner of your body. You should feel amazing in it and grateful for it. Your body is yours for life.
The Empress reflects your physical body. The Star card reflects what you channel through your body.
Place the Empress card. Move inside the card and take her position. Inhabit her body so it becomes your body. How does it feel to inhabit the Empress’s body? How many amazing physical gifts has your body given to the world. How many hugs? How many kisses? How many soft caresses? Has your body created babies? How much physical pleasure has your body provided you? How delicious is the food you enjoy? How delightful is it to listen to your favorite music? How often have you shuddered under your lover’s touch? How many landscapes, sunsets, seascapes, snowscapes have made you swoon with delight when your eyes saw them? How many times has your voice served you well? How well have you expressed yourself or sung out loud in delight? How often have you danced with abandon? Your body is your temple of delight and love. It is every way in which you experience the physical world.
Place the Star card before you. Move inside the card and take her position. Inhabit the Star’s body so her body becomes yours. Your physical body opens to the metaphysical space above, below, around, and inside. Every molecule in your body hums with the electricity of the stars. You are beautiful. You are luminescent. You are eternal. You are greater than the sum of your physical parts. You are a goddess.
6 • July
French Kiss Spell
incantation
Lover, lover
Come to me
With my lips
I sing to thee
A song so sweet
You can’t deny
In the shadows
Come and lie
Beside me breathing
Naked still
You come to me
It is my will
- • Red lipstick
- • Paper and pen
- • The Lovers
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Want to invoke summer romance? Summer’s heat is settling in for the long haul. Make the most of it with a spicy love spell that relishes smoldering energy. Nothing feels, tastes, or looks as good as aligning with summer love energy.
Lips are the gateway of sensuality—the space from which we state our desire, the place where we taste our lover. When we lock lips with a special someone, they send our bodies into overdrive. Lips send a chemical cocktail to the brain that causes surges of excitement and amour.
Apply red lipstick to your lips. Kiss a piece of blank paper once for a clear lip print. Write the name of your lover (or desired lover) inside the lip print.
Place the Lovers card before you. Step inside the body of the woman. Feel the heat of the sun radiate from the card. See your beloved standing across from you. Their eyes move up and down your naked body. Your own eyes return the favor.
Repeat the incantation.
See them walking to you. Feel their embrace.
To close the spell, send this person a message via text, email, telephone, or old-fashioned love letter. Perhaps you find them and whisper a sweet nothing in their ear. If you are drawing a new person or a potential yet unknown lover, write “welcome” on a leaf and release it into the wind.
July • 7
Houdini’s Escape a Bad Situation Spell
incantation
Houdini magic
Escape plan
Away from you
I jumped and ran
Never again
It’s finished
I’m done
Freedom’s sweetest
When hard won
1. Eight of Swords
2. Nine of Wands
3. Card representing desired outcome
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Harry Houdini
performed his first
handcuffed escape in
New York City on this day in 1912.
Houdini’s trick to escaping straight jackets came from puffing his body up. He expanded himself before he was bound in the straight jacket. He kept his arms crossed rather than folded across his chest. Once upside down, he used gravity and the extra expansion room to free himself.
Give yourself the expansion and room to change a suffocating situation. The Eight of Swords reflects the ties that bind. The Nine of Wands represents a new opportunity. Choose a card describing your ultimate outcome.
Place all three cards facedown before you.
Close your eyes. In your mind’s eye expand the energy of your body. Lengthen your spine. Allow your head to float. Plant your feet firmly on the floor. Breathe in deeply. With each breath, expand the boundaries of your body. Perform until you feel you have expanded your body to twice the size.
Reveal the Eight of Swords. Enter the card. Become the figure, experience the heart of your current situation, and feel its binds. See what you have caught. Turn the card upside down. Allow the energy you have built up to release from you. Collapse your physical body in on itself. Wriggle free from the confining binds. Walk away from what trapped you.
Flip the Nine of Wands and see yourself walking through an opened door. The bandage on your head marks the scar of remembrance. You will never repeat a situation like this.
Flip the third card. Embrace your new reality.
8 • July
Success in Business Spell
incantation
Knot of one, business begun
Knot of two, this is a coup
Knot of three brings luck to me
Knot of four, prosperity at my door
Knot of five, come alive
Knot of six, strong like bricks
Knot of seven feels like heaven
Knot of eight, reward is great
Knot of nine, success is mine!
- • 13-inch cord or rope
1. Ace of Wands
2. The Magician
3. Ten of Pentacles
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Nelson Rockefeller,
businessman extraordinaire and vice president of the United States, was born on this day in 1908.
The ancient art of knot magic secures your desire. The Ace of Wands represents the genesis of your business. The Magician card represents successful execution. The Ten of Pentacles depicts extraordinary financial abundance empowering you, your employees, and your family.
Place the Ace of Wands before you. Recall your business as you originally conceived it—the brilliant idea you have now made a reality. It blazes with the fire of your originality and passion.
Place the Magician. He holds the Ace of Wands in his left hand, using it to channel energy. You manifest your vision. The tools on his table reflect all the tools you have to make your success a reality. You understand the nature of your desired outcome. It is time to direct your intention. You begin.
Place the Ten of Pentacles below the Magician. Your project is launched. Its effects are far reaching. You see the multiplication of finance; your money grows as time passes. The web of genius is spreading. Your wealth and success affects and empowers all those around you.
Tie nine knots in a thirteen-inch cord while repeating the incantation.
July • 9
Mend a Broken Heart Spell
incantation
Magic magic
Three, six, and nine
Rejuvination, you are mine
Can’t destroy me
I survive still
Nothing breaks my iron will
Three plus three
Is six, then nine
Happiness forever mine
1. Three of Swords
2. Six of Swords
3. Nine of Cups
4. The Fool
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The first open heart surgery was performed on this day in 1893, without anesthesia. Tarot serves as a reminder that all facets of life are worth living, even the painful ones. Every one of life’s events may be used for personal evolution.
The Three of Swords represents a shattered heart. The Six of Swords represents moving through a painful time. The Nine of Cups is the heart’s desire granted. The Fool card reflects new beginnings.
Place the Three of Swords. Enter the card. Open up and allow the feelings of pain to move through you. Let emotion flow freely. Acknowledge the storm clouds and rain. Look at the tender tissues of your heart. Fresh air blows the storm away. In your mind’s eye, using both hands, pull the first sword free, placing it next to you. Remove the second sword and the third. Let the heart float away in the wind. The storm is passing. Gather your swords.
Place the Six of Swords. Enter the card. Place your swords in the boat. Carry your lessons with you. The cold steel of the blades did not pierce you in vain. You use them to move forward. Take the helm of the boat and look across the river. See where you are going. Feel the boat beneath you as you push off from shore and head in a brand-new direction. You have secured safe passage.
Place the Nine of Pentacles. You have arrived at your true destination. You are safe in a protected garden where animal totems surround you. Your wounds are healed. You are strong and beautiful for the experience.
Place the Fool across all three cards while uttering the incantation.
10 • July
Three of Cups Connection Ritual
incantation
Three of Cups
Dancing girls
There’s joy and freedom
In your whirls
Take your cue
Tiptoe with joy
I’ll play my life
Like it’s a toy
- • Three of Cups
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The Three of Cups
was called the Lord of Abundance by the
magicians of the Golden Dawn, who assigned it the time period of July 2–11.
Enter the arcana of the Three of Cups.
A new possibility has been born from two. Threes are the sacred triad of manifestation. A third option has emerged. This is the birth of creativity from the tiniest grain of sand to the farthest galaxy in the known universe.
Soft grass tickles your feet. Citrusy lemon, lime, and pomegranate trees scent the air. Three beautiful maidens frolic before you. Their singing and laughing moves through the air like delicate chimes on the breeze. They dance in a vineyard as if it were a grape-crushing festival.
The latent heat of late summer sustains the ripeness of both females and fruit. The girls raise their chalices. Dancing with graceful glee, they move under a blanket of youth, unaware of their beauty, thinking only of their present delight. Wildflowers are woven in their plaited hair, which shines like silk in the afternoon light. Their loose garments burn with the colors of the sun, red and yellow, the color of passionate flames. Soft slippers move in circles across the grass as they dance. Bursting pumpkins and deep purple grapes are clutched by a maiden, signaling there is more wine to come.
The scene echoes the trifold effects of gifts of the heart. Offering oneself to another creates a butterfly effect that ripples beyond what can be imagined. This joyful card reminds us to give to another what we wish to receive for ourselves. The fastest way to experience love and joy is to give to others. Give and you shall receive.
July • 11
Bringing or Banishing Bridge Spell
incantation
Four of Wands and
Rushing stream
See you [state desire]
Grant my dream
Or
Five of Cups
Water wash away
Banish [state desire]
From me today
- • Four of Wands (attract) or
- • Five of Cups (banish)
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The Triborough Bridge, connecting three New York City boroughs, opened on this day in 1936.
We generally take bridges for granted, as we do cars, planes, and many modern conveniences. Imagine traveling two hundred years ago by foot or horse and having to cross a giant river with no bridge in sight.
Bridges are ripe with lore, grumpy old trolls, and billy goats. They can display fabulous feats of engineering. Bridges loom metaphorically in our minds and mark specific places of passage. Trials and tribulations are often implied at bridges. Consider the phrase “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Travelers were often ambushed on bridges. What lurks under a bridge is also symbolic.
Attraction Magic
To manifest a desire, stand on the side of the bridge where water rushes toward you. Focus on the Four of Wands (Pamela Colman Smith places a bridge on her card). Feel the card’s celebratory nature. Consider the reasons you want to attract this particular thing into your life. Picture it in your mind’s eye. See, feel, and hear the roaring water rushing toward you. With every drop plunging in your direction, allow your heart’s desire to race toward you.
Banishing Magic
To banish something from your life, stand on the side of the bridge where the water flows away from you. Focus on the Five of Cups (Pamela Colman Smith places a bridge on her card). Feel the sadness of the card. Consider what should be banished from your life. Picture it clearly. See, feel, and hear the roaring waters rushing away from you. With every drop plunging away from you, feel the item in question leaving you.
12 • July
Death Card Connection Ritual
incantation
Death card, you signal change
And kiss my lips
I tease you with
My supple hips
Angel of Death
To me be true
I promise to embrace
The change of you
- • Death
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Today, Northern Ireland celebrates the 1688 Glorious Revolution in which King James II of England was overthrown. A toppled king is seen upon the Death card, and this day lends itself to close inspection of death.
Enter the arcana of Death.
The familiar image of a white skeleton races across the card. People are terrified; he instills fear as he moves.
“Stop,” you yell at him as he approaches a child.
He is shocked to hear your voice. His hollow head turns in your direction, his dark sockets bearing upon you.
“What are you doing?” you ask.
“My job,” he replies, taking a step toward you.
“Your job is to kill people?” you ask.
“I kill no one. Nothing lasts forever. I simply remind people of the nature of the physical world. All physical things will cease to inhabit their form.”
“What happens to the people inside the bodies?” you ask.
“They move into another state. Released from their physical bonds, they become what they were before they were here. You know this. You simply have chosen to forget.”
“Why did I forget?” you ask.
“So you can experience this physical world. You let yourself be fooled. When you see an old man, do you see the infant, the toddler, the teenager he once was? No, you see only his exterior. People are betrayed by their eyes and do not see the truth that is right in front of them.”
“What is the truth?”
“That you are all luminous beings. You are all energy. You are all one. I exist to keep your physical world in check so you can learn and relearn this lesson. Please step aside. I have work to do.”
July • 13
Scrying with Temperance
incantation
Temperance card
And water still
Enhance my vision
Grant my will
See the truth and
Knowledge gain
Images dance across
The reflective plain
- • Temperance
- • A pond, lake, or still body of water
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
John Dee, Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer and friend, was born on this day in 1527. Dee practiced divination openly during his life. His scrying stone is available for public observation at the British Museum in London.
Scrying is the art of divination upon a smooth and reflective surface. It can be done with mirrors, crystals, or even a bowl of water. The mind is given the freedom to roam across the surface. Messages are often received. Scrying is a subtle art. Never rush a message. It is impossible to know or understand the process fully until you attempt it.
The Temperance card will help you get into the mind space of scrying. The mind space you inhabit when “entering” a tarot card is the same utility with which you will want to scry. You will focus first on the Temperance card, then scry upon your chosen reflective surface.
Enter your Temperance card. Note how the angel channels energy between the two cups. The continuous exchange of energy builds endurance, sharpens skills, and makes something shine with excellence.
Take this angel out of the card. Project the angel above your reflective surface. See and feel the energy of this angel. Thank him for accompanying you. Cast your eyes upon the reflection you have chosen. Keep the energy moving, but now instead of the angel’s cups it is the energy exchange between the surface and you. Stay until you have a vision.
14 • July
Remove Oppression Spell
incantation
Binding prison
Bonds of white
You vanish forever
With my knight
Imagined, real
It does not matter
Your strength is gone
Your power scattered
I dance with love
And light and glee
Finally and everlasting
Free to be me
1. Eight of Swords
2. Knight of Swords
3. The World
- • Transplantable flower
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
On this day in France
Bastille Day is celebrated. It marks the beginning of the French Revolution, a revolt against royal tyranny and oppression.
Oppression can act as a teacher. It shows us that what we rebel against can make us stronger. It may be an unfair decision, imposed rules, or a boss’s lousy attitude. Often, we inadvertently oppress ourselves by attracting oppressive things into our life.
You can perform this spell to remove an unwanted thought or attitude. It redirects the energy of the oppressor and allows you to move in a new direction.
Place all three cards facedown in their place on the table before you.
Flip the Eight of Swords. Enter the card. Become the figure. What is binding you? See it visually. What wrapped you up?
See the place you wish to be in your mind’s eye. What does your space of freedom look like? What are you doing inside it? In the distance, begin to feel the ground pounding under horse’s hooves. Feel the air around you shake.
Flip the Knight of Swords. The knight rushes to your aid. He cuts you free. Feel the oppressiveness slip from your body. The white ties fall to the ground and slither like snakes into the belly of the earth. You are free!
Flip the World card. Feel the freedom of movement you now have. The world is open and available to you. You may go in any direction you choose, making choices that add to your freedom.
Transplant a new flower into your garden or bring a plant into your home to flourish right alongside you.
July • 15
Wisdom of Thoth Right Study Spell
incantation
Magcian card
Wisdom of Thoth
Stir a magical
Potent broth
Shed your light
Show me the way
Decide upon
A course today
- • The Magician
- • Randomly drawn card
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The Rosetta Stone
was discovered today
in 1759. Scholars, long befuddled by Egyptian hieroglyphs, were finally able to translate them.
If you are feeling indecisive regarding a course of study, this spell will help you select the most beneficial option. It leads you in the right direction and the appropriate course of action will become clear.
The Magician card represents the power of Thoth, god of wisdom and the written word.
Place the Magician card in front of you. Focus on him and consider how you act as a magician in your life. You have created every physical manifestation: your home, your friends, the very room you sit in is what you have manifested. Manifestation is expressed by the white lilies and red roses drawn upon the Magician card. Focus on power coursing through you, the energy of your attention, and the amount of energy that shoots out of you when you focus on something. Like a camera’s lens, your focus narrows and defines your perspective. You will choose the right course of study.
Begin shuffling your tarot deck. Shuffle with certainty. Fan the cards across the table. Invoke the Magician’s power by imitating his posture. Stand up. Point one hand up and let your other hand point down. Let the Magician’s pointing finger show you which card to choose. Flip it over. Consider it deeply. This card holds the answer on your course of study. Choose one symbol from the card and let it inform your choice.
16 • July
Four of Cups Connection Ritual
incantation
Four of Cups
Opportunity unseen
What will it take
To live my dream?
See the choice
And spy the cup
The only place to go
Is up
- • Four of Cups
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The Four of Cups
was called the Lord of Blended Pleasure by the magicians of the Golden Dawn, who assigned it the time period of July 12–21.
Enter the arcana of the Four of Cups.
Fours represent stability. The arcana of three burst forth creatively. It has evolved into the next stage. A fourth appears. Stability is reached. A square. A home. A haven. The structure is complete. Four seasons. Four directions. Four elements. Four suits of tarot. Reality in the physical world has been achieved.
It is a clear day in July—one of those days that looks like it has been colored in by a child using crayons. The air is calm, the temperature just right. The grass and fields of sweet early hay fill your nose. Sun warms the nape of your neck.
A figure sits beneath a young maple tree. The figure is closed off from the outside world, crossing both his legs and arms. A mysterious hand emerges from a cloud, offering him a cup, yet his eyes are cast downward. It is as if he sees neither the offering nor the three cups spread across the grass in front of him.
The tree at his back holds powerful magic. Its roots reach far beneath the soft earth and reflect the branches that soar above in the daylight breeze. This echoes the human ability to be grounded yet open to inspiration. One foot on the ground, one head in the clouds. The tree is a haven for creatures big and small. An ant crawls between the bark that has been lined with weather and wisdom. A porcupine hides in a branch above, chewing on a leaf. The tree bears fruit, maple sugar generating deep within its trunk.
The figure aligns himself with the energy of the tree. In doing so, he will open his perception to understand more, to see more, to accept more.
When he opens his eyes, he will see the cup.
He will recognize it has been there all along.
He will drink from it.
July • 17
Bring Money Knot Spell
incantation
Lucky, lucky number nine
My dreams are answered
Needs divine
Grant me security
Peace and love
Faithful as the hawk
Upon my glove
Attract the money
Straight to me
Like honey created
By a bee
- • Nine of Pentacles
- • Your hairbrush
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
John Jacob Astor,
America’s first millionaire, was born on this day in 1763. Channel Astor’s unique energy to manifest riches and wealth.
Ancient Babylonians developed a system of knot magic. It was thought one could control money, love, health, and well-being through the tying and untying of knots.
Nine is the number of wish fulfillment and getting what you need. The Nine of Pentacles represents personal luxury and delight in the material world.
Lay the Nine of Pentacles before you. Contentment and security fill the card like the nectar of blooming flowers on a late summer day. See the pentacles growing. Know these will be yours. From here on out, each time you spend money, pay a bill, or exchange cash for services, picture the money returning to you threefold.
The universe conspires to aid you at your every turn.
Pick up your hairbrush and brush your hair to a shiny gleam. Pick nine hairs out of the brush. Rub them between your palms, turning them into a string.
Moving from left to right, tie your hair string with nine knots. See the vision of money you need and security sought as you hold and knot the hair.
When the money comes to you, bury the knotted string of hair and return it to the earth with offerings of gratitude.
18 • July
Increase Confidence Spell
incantation
Magician’s power
Come to me
I live a life
That’s wild and free
Chariot wheels
Underneath me turn
While passion and fire
Reveal the burn
The Nine of Cups
Grants my need
But my powers alone
Help me succeed
- • Journal or paper and pen
1. The Magician
2. The Chariot
3. Nine of Cups
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Today is Nelson
Mandela’s birthday. Confidence is just one of his many admirable qualities.
What are you building confidence for? Write or journal about what you would like to manifest. Write how you would like to embrace confidence.
Confidence-boosting spells gain extra power when performed during the waxing moon. As the moon grows larger, so does your confidence. Note the bright yellow color on all three cards. The Magician card reflects ultimate confidence and focus. The Chariot brings you to your desire. The Nine of Cups grants it.
Lay the Magician before you. Enter the card. Stand across from this figure. Now move so you are standing next to him. Allow your hand to touch his finger, the one pointing down. Feel his energy channeling into you. It is an electric and dynamic energy, one that fills you from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. He channels confidence into your body.
Place the Chariot card. Feel the forward momentum of your life. The energy coursing through you from the Magician now propels you in new directions. What do you see from inside your chariot seat? What is your view? What lies ahead of you? What do you desire?
Place the Nine of Cups. The genie crosses his arms and grants your wish. Your confidence has brought you the outcome you desire. Feel the delight coursing through your veins. Feel yourself shining with confidence.
July • 19
Caramel Lace for Elegance and Grace Spell
incantation
Elegance and grace
Upon my face
As delicate as lace
I embrace
Actions gentle
Yet strong and bold
This delicate art
I do behold
- • Three of Cups
- • 4 ounces water
- • 8 ounces sugar
- • Pinch of salt
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Edward Degas, Impressionist painter of ballerinas, is born on this day in 1834. Ballerinas are among the most graceful creatures on the planet. Perform this tasty spell to assume these gifts in all interactions.
The Three of Cups implies innate gracefulness. As in any cooking spell, let the pleasure of your senses lead your visualization. As you smell the sweetness of the sugar, allow sweetness to soften your situation. The water can dilute any issue that has arisen and caused problems. Allow the salt to purify your intent.
Place the Three of Cups before you and look at this card as if the girls were classically trained dancers moving in sync. See yourself in a future situation handling yourself with excellence.
Place your ingredients into a small saucepan and set to medium flame. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the mixture begins to simmer, stop stirring and allow it to take on a rich caramel color. Do not let it burn. Once the color is amber, remove from heat and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.
Using a spoon, drizzle caramel onto parchment paper in delicate lattice designs. Imagine your own gentle footwork as you do so. If beads drop from the spoon, the caramel needs to cool a bit more. Let it completely cool before eating or storing.
Taste your caramel when you need to access the art of delicacy and finesse.
20 • July
Small Step Spell
incantation
Page of Swords
Path of life
I no longer fear
Or avoid the strife
One small step
And then repeat
Life transforms
It’s an easy feat
- • Page of Swords
- • Mint leaves
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Is there something you’d like to change? The most impactful changes often begin with the smallest of steps. Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon today in 1969, declaring, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Small steps turn into giant leaps when we aren’t looking.
Small steps can be monumental in achieving our hopes, dreams, and desires. Sometimes, what we want is simply too big and scary to face. The most powerful magic can be created in the smallest of space. See the small step you are to take upon the culmination of this spell.
The Page of Swords represents elegant footwork. The hubris of youth makes us brave in completing small steps. Mint leaves put a spring in our step and move us forward.
Focus on the Page of Swords. Think back to when you were about eleven years old. See yourself in your eleven-year-old body. Let the wind blowing through the page’s hair remind you of being free on a bike with the wind in your own hair. Recall the fearlessness of youth. Think of how determined you were when you had your sights set on something. You dwelled in the moment rather than thinking ahead or second-guessing yourself. Walk up and ask your eleven-year-old self for a piece of advice toward your small step. Embrace her suggestion.
Sprinkle fresh mint leaves in a pair of shoes while uttering the incantation. Put on your shoes and go for a walk. When you come home, perform one small step in the direction you’d like to go.
July • 21
Open Solar Plexus Chakra Energy
incantation
Solar plexus
Shining light
I feel you glow
With all my might
Love to others
Returns to me
Delight in my
Soul’s destiny
- • The Sun
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
At the height of summer we can appreciate the true brilliance that the solar plexus chakra imparts to us. The solar plexus rules physical power and will. It is the part of us that glows when living in our truth. It is your self-esteem and confidence.
The solar plexus chakra is who you are. When opened, it will enrich your sense of expansiveness and connection as well as your effectiveness in the physical world.
The solar plexus chakra is located in the center of the body. When they work your core in an exercise class, this is the place you are working. It is the core of your body.
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor or sit in yogi position, legs crossed, on the floor. Place the Sun card before you. Focus on the center of your body. Place a palm flat on your chest and the other hand on your back. Feel the energy building between your hands from the center of your body. Imagine it is glowing brilliant yellow, and turn the energy in a circle until it is spinning.
Sit straight and hear the energy, smell it, or maybe taste it. Focus on the Sun card before you and feel the face of the sun in the card upon your chest. Feel the expanse and growth as the energy takes over your entire essence, filling and spilling the entire room with your radiance.
22 • July
Radiant Child of the Sun Spell
incantation
Radiant sun
Help me glow,
Enrich my life
This I know
Source of magic
Truth and light
Bring reflections of beauty
To my sight
- • The Sun
- • Fresh lemons
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The longest recorded solar eclipse happened on this day in 2009. Mark this day with a beauty ritual worshipping sun energy at the height of summer. Become as fresh, clean, and exuberant as the child on the card.
This spell invokes solar power across your entire physical and metaphysical body.
Examine the Sun card. Let its image wash over you without judgment or thought. Walk into the card. Move toward the brick wall. Extend your hand to scratch the white horse’s chin. His breath is warm in your palm. His coarse tongue licks the salt from your skin. The child looks at you in delight.
Smell the sunflowers, symbols of summer. The wall is warm in front of your body. Heat soaks into your cheeks and forehead. It is the perfect nurturing energy. It fills your body from tip to toe with energy. Radiant health brims. Look at the sun as depicted in the card. The sun’s face is also your face. You and the sun are one. You act as a sun to many in your life.
Slice a fresh lemon in half. Gently rub it across your face. Leave on or splash off with water. Rub halves on your elbows and the heels of your feet to smooth. Mix some lemon juice with baking soda and scrub with a cotton swab to whiten your teeth. Apply lemon juice to your hair for sun-kissed highlights. Drink a fresh glass of water with squeezed lemon. Perhaps make a lemon cake.
You are officially a radiant child of the sun.
July • 23
Self-Confidence of Leo Salad Spell
incantation
Strength and self-confidence
Rise like bread
This confusion is
All in my head
I’m strong, I’m brave
Can do anything at all
And while I’m at it
I’ll have a ball
- • Strength
- • Pen and paper
- • Fresh baby spinach leaves
- • Strawberries, sliced
- • Red onion, sliced
- • Almonds, diced
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Today marks the first
day of the astrological sign of Leo. Leos are ruled by the sun; unsurprisingly, they are also assigned to the Strength card. Leos are loyal, creative, disciplined, and self-expressive.
The Strength card provides self-confidence. Spinach and onions foster strength. Strawberries remind us to be sweet. Almonds invoke healing energies.
Place the Strength card before you. Enter the card and feel the warm sunlight. From this moment forward, when you see or feel sunlight, you will let it fill you with positivity. It will literally zap away the negative thoughts in your head. Look at the lion with gentle eyes and smile at him. Remember to smile at the people in your life. Smile for no particular reason at all.
Make a list of the things you have accomplished.
Place this list where you can see it.
Combine spinach, strawberries, onion, and almonds. Mix with your favorite dressing. While tossing, recite the incantation.
24 • July
Triple Goddess Spell
incantation
Triple goddess
All of me
As I embrace you
I am free
Eternal knowledge
Patience, speech
Within my grasp
Within my reach
- • The High Priestess
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Robert Graves, the scholar, writer, and poet who popularized the concept of the Triple Goddess, was born on this day in 1895. The Triple Goddess is the Maiden, Mother, and Crone correlating with the three phases of the moon and other metaphysical triads.
Triad principles exist cross-culturally, from Heaven/Earth/Underworld to Father/Son/Holy Ghost to the idea of Mind/ Body/Spirit. The High Priestess card echoes this trinity in her triple moon crown. It reflects the waxing, full, and waning moon. Use the High Priestess as a gateway card.
Mother/Maiden/Crone are especially evocative as they honor the three phases of a woman’s life: the joy of childhood, the pleasure of womanhood, and the wisdom of age.
Embrace these sacred parts of yourself, no matter your age. Enter the High Priestess card. Bow before her.
Walk to her left. Find the child version of yourself standing there. Spend time conversing with your seven-year-old self. What does she want to know? What do you want to tell her? What advice might she have for you? Whisper a secret to her.
Walk behind the High Priestess to find your middle-aged self. What does she want to know? What do you want to tell her? What advice might she have for you? Whisper a secret to her.
Walk to the right to discover your crone self. What does she want to know? What do you want to tell her? What advice might she have for you? Whisper a secret to her. Let her whisper a secret back.
The High Priestess combines all phases of life into a single entity. She is your reflection, your subtle mirror. You can communicate with the High Priestess and all three selves. Doing so, you have the power to change the past, present, and future.
July • 25
Queen of Cups Connection Ritual
incantation
Queen of Cups
Empathy runs deep
Your waves crashing
Eternally in my sleep
Waters dark, purple, and blue
Kindness brings me
Back to you
- • Queen of Cups
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Enter the arcana of the Queen of Cups.
The Roman festival of
Salacia, the female divinity
of the sea and Neptune’s wife, is celebrated today. This goddess is echoed by the Queen of Cups, who rules the seven seas and the element of water.
A westward wind has traveled across the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. It greets your face and blows across your bare shoulders and through your hair. Something sweet cuts through the air’s salty brine. You turn, discovering the shocking source. A mermaid leaps from the water with a splash and lands on a throne. Turning herself toward the sun, this glittering vision, scaly and brilliant, transforms into human form.
Her pale blue and silver scales fade into a gown and cape, and her human legs become visible under the sheath of her dress. A human foot slips out upon rocks shimmering like jewels amidst the grainy sand. The tiara on her head grows to a full-size golden crown. She holds a jewel in her hand. It grows into a golden cup, seemingly too big for her delicate hand, yet she gazes into it. Baby mermaids adorn her throne and speak with her in a strange aquatic language. She responds in a murmuring voice and they giggle adoringly at her.
Taking one last long look at her cup, she turns to you. Her otherworldly eyes reflect the clear saline blue of the water. She offers you her cup. You realize you will receive a deep secret of the ocean by accepting it. Thankfully, the heavy-looking cup is light. She nods with a smile. She wants you to look in the cup and discover what lies inside.
You take a deep breath and look down.
What do you discover?
What is the secret?
26 • July
Five of Wands Connection Ritual
incantation
Five of Wands
Challenge of fire
Channel my energy
Take me higher
The midway point
Brings me further so
Passions manifest
And around me grow
- • Five of Wands
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Enter the arcana of the Five of Wands.
The Five of Wands
was called the Lord of Strife
by the magicians of the
Golden Dawn, who
assigned it the time period of July 22–August 1.
Fives imply challenge. Fives are the halfway point, the turning point, the space in which a new chapter begins. What has manifested up until this point begins to build on itself. This required challenge provides perspective for the ultimate outcome in the finality of the ten. Inside every challenge lies a gift. Can you discover it?
You find yourself standing upon a vast field that spreads to meet the sky. The ground is rocky, covered with moss and grass. You hear scuffling and a commotion, the sound of voices and a wave of activity. Five young men are dressed in colorful clothing. Each bears a giant wand in their hands. The boys wield, lift, and swing the wands easily, though the wands are taller than the boys themselves.
The boys appear agitated, raising their wands in fight or in competition. You peer closer. The two boys in the foreground look deeply into each other’s eyes as they measure their sticks up against one another. The boy on the far left of the card raises his stick in jubilation while he looks at a boy who hauls his wand over his shoulder. The fifth boy looks skyward and upward. You realize the boys are not fighting. They are building something.
A great secret of the tarot is revealed to you as you realize the boys are about to create the sign of the pentagram with their wands. The pentagram is the symbol of the witch, the manifestation of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. When passion meets challenge and ideas, true magic emerges.
Take this symbol back into the world with you. Use as you see fit.
July • 27
Dream Inspiration Spell
incantation
Star light
Star bright
Shine your sight
In mine tonight
Wish I may
Wish I might
Feel your
Inspirational light
1. The Moon
2. The Star
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Today Finland celebrates National Sleepyhead Day.
Every household sets their alarms. Tradition states that the last person sleeping in the house gets a splash of water on their face.
Few things are as exciting as waking from a dream with grand insight or inspiration regarding something in your life. Journaling or meditating about our dreams in waking life causes exciting new effects in our sleeping life. Use night journeys to cultivate important information and take wild rides.
Place the Moon card. Enter the card. Stand between the towers. How is your sense of space larger and expanded in your dreams? How does your body move inside a dream? How do the scenes move in a dream? How far does your vision extend when dreaming, and how are landscapes different? With as much energy as possible, explore the Moon card as if it were a dream rather than a card on the table. Expand the card.
Move to the Star card. Feel the calm and quiet of the landscape compared to the Moon card. Slip yourself, as naked as she is, into the pool of water. Your feet do not touch the bottom. Hold your arms above you and point your toes as you descend deeper and deeper into the cool waters of this card. The water is not dark; it glimmers with incandescent light.
Let the weightlessness of your body pull you back to the surface. Break through to the air and allow her to pour the waters of inspiration all over you.
Utter the incantation.
Place both cards beneath your pillow tonight.
28 • July
Spell to Stop Zombies in Their Tracks
incantation
Zombies away
You stop, you halt
I was just being nice
It’s not my fault
Can’t give any more
I am done
Go somewhere else
To have your fun
1. Five of Wands
2. Nine of Wands
3. Seven of Wands
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
White Zombie, the first zombie film ever made, was released on this day in 1932. Real-life zombies are a lot like psychic vampires: people who suck and drain your energy, eat up your brain space, and are always after you for something, be it favors, attention, money, or help.
There’s nothing wrong with helping loved ones out. But if you feel like you’ve been giving everything to everyone else and have nothing left for yourself, this spell is for you.
In the movies, characters evade zombies by throwing them off their scent. The same idea exists in this spell. You aren’t affecting the people in your life, just sending them in another direction while you take cover.
Use the specific imagery on the cards rather than the meaning behind the arcana to banish your zombies.
Lay the Five of Wands. This card represents the people in your life who are pulling your focus, experiencing drama, and hating on things. Tell them to disperse. Reverse the card.
Place the Nine of Wands. This card represents the person who is most needful of you right now. See the person’s face and tell them to look elsewhere for the help they require. Reverse the card.
Place the Seven of Wands. This card represents you. The figure is protecting himself from the people below. See your self doing the same thing. Place an energetic field around you. Visualize white energy swirling around you in a cone pointing upward. Once the cone is erected, you may walk away from the situation.
Blaze this up at any point you need protection in regular life.
July • 29
House Hunting Spell
incantation
Beautiful, cozy
Excellent home
Come to me fast
I do not roam
The price is right
The process fast
The walls I seek
Are built to last
1. Four of Wands
2. The Hermit
3. The Chariot
- • Pen and paper
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
Today is National Tiger Day, honoring the power, prowess, and beauty of these great creatures. Tigers contain amazing hunting energy. Call upon tiger energy when house hunting for yourself and your family.
Place the Four of Wands. See the stability of the four wands and the hanging garland suspended between them. Step into the card and stand in the center of the four wands. Become the center of the square. Feel the magic of the space. People murmur in the background, happy voices laughing and celebrating. See the splendor of the castle walls and feel the protection offered by them. Envision the qualities you are seeking in your home. How does it feel, what colors does it have, what is the sunlight like?
Using your pen and paper, describe your dream home. Be detailed. Describe as much as you can. When you are finished, fold it and place beneath the Four of Wands.
Place the Hermit. Focus on the light shining from his lantern. It is a beacon. It will guide you toward the perfect home. What’s more, you will know it when you see it. It comes effortlessly.
Place the Chariot. The Chariot’s speed, velocity, and certainty directs you toward the home of your dreams. Keep the Chariot available as you search the Internet for properties. Keep the Chariot card with you when you go house hunting.
30 • July
Booming Business Beach Spell
incantation
Salt of air
Sand of earth
At this moment
I give birth
Money, money
Comes to me
Quickly
Swiftly
Effortlessly
- • Ten of Pentacles
- • Bare feet
- • Sand
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
The Small Business Administration was formed today in 1953 and has provided help to small business owners ever since. This spell works to increase your salary or net business earnings. Enjoy the effects long after you return home.
This spell is best performed at the beach. The beach is a threshold to another reality. The sands of earth meet the cooling waters of emotion while the fire of sun warms the salty air. The Ten of Pentacles reflects booming business.
Focus on the Ten of Pentacles. The figures on the card are the people involved in your business/career: customers, employees, and coworkers. See them intermingling happily. The arched door represents the doorway, the threshold to the possible. The world lies outside the threshold. It knows no boundaries, no limits.
Ten pentacles float in the card. The Kabbalistic Tree of Life represents a tenfold increase in the amount of money you will make. See your bank statements and accounts with extra zeros. What does the electronic balance of your account look like with all those zeros?
Venture to the beach. Let the ocean remind you of the infinite of potential for business growth. Collect ten shells. Dig a hole. Bury the shells, representing your financial stability. Covering the hole, you are essentially burying your treasure.
Trace a giant pentacle in the sand with your toe or a stick. Use your buried treasure as the center point.
Make this pentacle as large as the beach allows. The bigger, the better. Let them see your pentacle from space. Connect the five points with a circle and then stand in the center, over the buried shells. Lie inside, spreading your arms and legs like the Vitruvian Man.
July • 31
Protect Your Relationship Spell
incantation
Safe, safe, safe
We are
Negative energy
You stay far
Love and light
Surrounds us two
I dedicate
Myself to you
1. Card representing you
2. Two of Cups
3. Card representing them
- • Three 10-inch lengths of red ribbons
Method, Visualization, and Meditation
On this day in 1718 an unfortunate pair of lovers, John Hewit and Sarah Dew, were struck dead by lightning in an English field. Ward off unwanted influences with this spell.
This spell works equally well for a romantic relationship or child or friendship relationships.
Place the three cards before you.
Under each card, place a string.
Focus on the card representing yourself. Contemplate why you chose this card.
Focus on the card you chose to represent them. Contemplate your reasons for choosing it.
Focus on the Two of Cups. Meditate on why the two of you are so special together.
Begin to braid all three ribbons, repeating the incantation. Keep the braid in a special place.
