_edited.png)
How does one get into the occult, mystical, and spiritual. I don't know about you but for me I grew up in a semi practicing Catholic household. We went to church on special occasions but Religion and Spirituality was never front and center. Occasionally I'd hear that so and so was a bruja and that someone was a victim of brujeria but what that meant was never discussed. I was left to my own imagination to figure out what that meant.
The words bruja and brujeria had a negative connotation and I instinctively knew to referred to as a bruja or to be a victim of brujeria was not good.
A bruja is a witch and brujeria is witchcraft.
With that said, I was still called and drawn to the Tarot, which people in my family associate with brujeria. In spite of what anyone thought or would say I went to barnes and noble and bought myself a Rider Waite Smith tarot deck. I had the tarot deck for over a year before I told anyone about it.
Making Tarot a Daily Practice
I pulled tarot cards every day. I journaled about what came up. I read books on Tarot and constantly googled tarot terms. Eventually I started attending classes, conferences, and retreats on Tarot. The tarot provided me with clarity, and direction I wasn't getting anywhere else. One thing to note is that the tarot provides insight not answers. I know there is a an idea that tarot is about fortune telling or looking into the future but I have come to know it as a mirror into the present moment.
"The insight I was getting from the tarot cards was so on point I could not help but to go deeper in my studies and to share the insights with others."
Introduction to the Moon
While on a tarot retreat a companion pulled me aside to tell me about her New Moon practice using tarot. She compelled me to get a WeMoon and to start right away. She was so convincing that I did!
We all know the moon. We see her in the sky... sometimes. She is the closest celestial body to our home, Earth. We know that when the moon is full tides rise. People have used to cycles of the moon to grow crops. There is a general awareness that a woman's monthly cycle is referred to as her moon cycle. There are stories about people being compelled to howl at the moon (hahaha at least in movies). However, most people do not know that the moon is pretty much a calendar, some religions depend on the moon to determine the dates of their holidays. Think Easter, Eid, and Lunar New Year.
How many phases does the moon have?
The moon has eight phases.
New Moon
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter Waxing
Waxing Gibbous
Full Moon
Waning Gibbous
Last Quarter Waning
Waning Crescent (Dark Moon)
Every month the moon starts a new cycle and grows (waxes) until it is full. Then the moon diminishes (wanes) until it goes completely dark and starts a new cycle. This whole cycle happens in 29.5 days. Every new moon (which I like to call Moonth because the whole cycle pretty much a month long) starts a cycle in a different astrological sign (there are 12). Each of the signs has its own attributes, energy, and rulerships.
Tying in Astrology
After working with tarot and the moon for a couple of years I added in astrology. It came naturally. The WeMoon Calendar introduced me to the fact that each new moon cycle begins in a different zodiac sign each month. My curiosity began my astrology studies.
Soon after, because life is a wonderful spiral of synchronicity, I was gifted the book Tarot for Magical Times which connects Tarot and Astrology. It goes over the 12 zodiac signs and how each of the 78 tarot cards are connected to astrology. It is a method created by the golden dawn.
Weaving the threads
Through experiential practice I found a way to weave together the energies of the New Moon, Astrology, and Tarot in a cohesive framework. The YesSpiral framework helps me to attract abundance, feel clarity, and confidence as I design my ever evolving life.
Years later I'm still working on authentically owning my devotion to the Moon, Astrology (study of influence of stars, planets, on terrestrial life) which people associate with brujeria. These days I am making it a point to reclaim the words bruja and brujeria. I own them and consider it a practice so empowering that institutions have, for centuries waged mis and dis information campaigns against it.
The practice has inspired creativity, drive, and a deep connection to myself that I am now happily sharing with others via Moonthly Blog posts, Circles, Tarot Readings, and monthly workbooks. I am grateful for the call to the occult, mystical, and spiritual even though I've had to face some adversity but the more I stand up for my beliefs the stronger my resolve becomes.
Comments