Yesterday was January 1, 2019. At 9am I set the intention to have a sugar-free month during January. At approximately 12:15pm I consumed a delicious decandent bread pudding, which, as you may have guessed, was sugary AF. Whenever I do things like this, I try to find the right blend of self-love and self-discipline. The self-love part is in accepting that perfection is not an acheivable aim and being kind to myself when I get off track. The self-discipline part is in delving into WHY I have veered away from my goals and making a plan to stick to the things I know will ultimately be better for me. 

I know I’m not alone in feeling kind of disgruntled about a bumpy take-off into the new year: I posted a tough or tender tarot reading on my Instagram today, and the TOUGH message in particular resonated with a lot of folks. I drew the Devil from the Wild Unknown tarot and this was the message that came through: 

It’s day two of a new calendar year and maybe things have gotten off to a bumpy start. Perhaps you’ve already slipped back into some old habits that should have been left in 2018. Maybe you’ve engaged in some behaviors you know are toxic for you. The Devil requires you to face these things directly. No making excuses, no lying to yourself, no avoiding ownership. It isn’t useful to succumb to the siren call of shame when you fuck up, but it IS useful to be curious about your shadows. What is the root of your self-sabotage? How can you shift your resistance to making positive changes? Know that even if the ‘take off’ phase of 2019 has been bumpy, that doesn’t give you an excuse to abandon your good intentions. Do not throw your hands up and choose to stay stuck. Choose progress over perfection.

As is often the case when I post these mini-readings, the tough message was the one I needed myself! It is currently the evening of January 2, 2019. This morning I reaffirmed my intention to avoid sugar this month. And even after the bumpy start yesterday, today has been much smoother. Will I fuck up in the future? Probably. But I’ll never stop trying to re-direct myself towards the choices that I know are more affirming of my overall well-being.

It always takes me a while to settle in to a new year. I still feel in transition right now. My new planner for 2019 hasn’t arrived yet, the Christmas decorations are still up, and I’m easing back into a typical schedule after holiday parties and travels. I’m also still working through my personal copy of my Dreams & Themes for 2019 ebook, so if you’ve been thinking about getting one for yourself and haven’t done so yet, know that it’s not too late!

One of the exercises in the ebook walks you through using tarot to choose a theme word for 2019. But this year I didn’t even need to turn to tarot because I already knew what my theme word would be: CLEAN. This resonates for me on so many levels. 2019 will be a year of cleaning up my actions, sorting out my mental file cabinents of old stories and neuroses, clearing away literal and energetic clutter in all areas of my experience. I’m already interested to see how my relation to this theme word evolves throughout the year.

Maybe you’re super into all of this new years stuff, maybe you’re not. Maybe you’ve had an amazing start into 2019, maybe (like me) it’s been a bumpier ride. Either way, the most important thing is that we are here. We are showing up. May we keep affirming our right to be here, to take up space, to make mistakes, to be fully engaged with all aspects of the journey. May we be patient with our humanness and do what we can to live with intention. That’s my wish for us all in 2019 and beyond.

PS: I wanted to mention that after the first round sold out, I’ve now opened up a few additional slots for ‘Setting Your Theme for 2019‘ tarot readings! As I am writing this there are only about seven left, so please do claim one soon if you are interested.

Book a private reading with me here.

You know what I don’t like? Our culture’s focus on selling cheap, poorly made, pointless junk in order to make more and more and more $$$. I also don’t like the implied assumption of corporations that we need certain external objects in order to reach an internal state of happiness. Pooey on all that noise!

That said, I am somewhat of a hypocrite because I do like purchasing lovely things, and I like giving things to the people I care about. Sometimes I find material possessions that actually DO bring real joy into my life! Maybe it’s my Virgo moon, but part of me loves useful and gorgeous objects. Right now the holiday season is upon us, so I’m thinking about gifts for my fellow mystics and weirdos!

Gathered here are a few things you may want to consider giving as presents to those you cherish. Or, if you’re like me, you may want to give YOURSELF a present or two from this list. Full disclosure, a few of these are Amazon affiliate links, which means if you purchase them I will get a very minuscule sliver of Amazon’s unfathomable wealth. Without further ado, lets put aside the ambivalence about consumerism and get into the gift ideas!

This oil blend was an impulse purchase I made a few weeks ago and I am IN LOVE WITH IT. It comes with a dropper so I’m constantly rubbing a few drops between my palms and then inhaling the glorious aroma. It’s a 100% pure essential oil blend of frankincense, orange, lavender, lavandin, vetiver and ylang ylang. The smell is dreamy, it makes me imagine I am floating on a beautiful orange and pink cloud as the sun sets. It’s not a bad price either, currently about $9.

If you hang around in the tarot community on Instagram, or if you saw my review a few months ago, you’re probably familiar with this deck. It’s gorgeous and it feels like a luxury item. The box is beautiful, the card stock is beautiful, the images are beautiful. The imagery centers around animals and the natural world, so it would be a nice gift for someone who doesn’t like the human-focused imagery of more traditional decks.

When I think about Benebell Wen a few words come to mind: thoughtful, thorough, knowledgeable. This is one of the few items on this gift guide I haven’t personally used but I have been intrigued by it since she debuted it in 2017. This is a planner that focuses on structuring your mundane life and to-do lists, but it is ALSO focused on fitting in your metaphysical pursuits. Benebell offers the digital files for only $25 which is a remarkable price for what you get, and she also describes options for getting your planner printed. You know anything Benebell creates is going to be legit, so check this out for the serious metaphysicians in your life.

Starting to make blackout poetry is one of the most life-affirming things I’ve done in a long time. There’s something really healing, soothing and quieting about this process. John Carroll runs the Instagram account @makeblackoutpoetry and he was the original inspiration for me, and many others, to try out this art form. His new book is a collection of written material, all bound together for you to get started out on your own blackout poetry creations. This would be a great gift for anyone curious about blackout poetry!

My rad sister-in-law gave me this book as a present last Christmas and it is AWESOME. If you know someone who is interested in making their own teas, this book is a great resource. Sarah Farr has a grounded, welcoming approach. A lot of ground is covered here: information on different types of herbs, how to start your own herb garden, information on purchasing quality herbs, and ways to forage with respect to cultures and the land. I mentioned this book to the guy who owns our local apothecary here in Salt Lake City, and he likes it too so you know it’s legit. I’ve blended two teas from the recipes here and both have been delightful.

It seems like every time I turn around, someone else is either going full on vegan or just trying to eat with a more plant-focused approach. I’m no fan of food dogma – eat meat if you want to eat meat – but it’s undeniable that at least trying to eat a LITTLE more plants is a good thing. I love cooking, and Isa’s recipes are HANDS DOWN my favorite. I have all of her books and sing her praises to anyone who will listen. This one is probably my favorite because the recipes here are both delicious and fairly simple. A few of my favorites: Arabian Lentil Soup, Irish Seitan Stew, Trattoria Pasta Salad, Mac and Trees… gah now I’m hungry! Buy this book for everyone you know, it is da bomb.

I started attending a meditation class a few months ago and the teacher always has a bunch of these blankets on hand. Cozying up on this magical blanket is basically my idea of heaven. I don’t know what it is about these blankets, they are just extraordinary. They’re made from recycled fibers! They are so soft! They are so warm! This is another item I sadly do not yet own, but I love using them at meditation class and I oh so want one of my own. They are listed as yoga blankets so they’d be a thoughtful gift for anyone who practices yoga, but honestly they don’t HAVE to be used for yoga, they’d be a great gift for anyone who enjoys being wrapped in a magical blanket hug.

I have one of these in my office. There’s a reason the motif of skulls and plants comes up again and again in various cultures, it’s powerful. Life and death, together. So poetic! And let’s be honest, it also just looks cool. Get these planters and then stick a plant in ‘em and you have a unique and inexpensive gift.

I got this book when it first came out and have been sloooowly working my way through it. There are so many things to love about this: coloring is relaxing! You can learn about the Waite-Smith deck symbolism while you color! I’ve found myself noticing small details in the cards as I’m coloring, so not only is this a fun gift, it’s also a way to progress as a tarot student.

I know they are a huge company owned by Clorox, but I can’t help it… I still love Burt’s Bees. I use many of their products and bought this candle for the first time earlier this year. I liked it so much I stocked up on a bunch of them. The soy burns like a dream and the smell is woodsy and musky. If I’m not diffusing the essential oil blend mentioned above, I often have one of these candles going in my office. The scent is a nice accompaniment to reading tarot, journaling, or doing other spiritual shiz.

I may be slightly biased, but this creation of mine would make an A+ gift if I do say so myself. The first section is a workbook with tarot-inspired activities to round out 2018 and set the tone for 2019. The second section is a gathering of collective energy tarot readings for each month of the new year. It’s only $18 for the digital download. Purchase one for yourself, purchase another one for a friend! To make it an extra nice gift, you can do what I did last year and have a copy printed and bound at the UPS store or somewhere like that.

And there you have it! Just a few ideas of things you might want to give (or get) this year. Sending you many warm blessings,

Book a private reading with me here.

Hello friends,

I’m back from a couple weeks of traveling. I’m currently sitting in one of my favorite corners of the universe, my little home office. My chunky calico cat Lulu is curled up in a patch of sunshine, the smell of wet leaves is drifting in from outside. My trusty Waite-Smith tarot deck is sprawled out on one side of my desk, a cup of coffee and a selenite sphere on the other side. It’s a nice atmosphere. I am lucky. I am grateful.

If you follow my Instagram stories, you’ve already heard plenty about my travels. But if you’re not an avid Instagrammer, here’s what’s been going on: I went to Montreal to attend, and speak at, a tarot conference. I have wanted to give a talk about tarot for many years, and I am so happy that the opportunity arose!

The keynote speakers were my top two tarot icons: Mary K Greer and Rachel Pollack. I loved listening to them, and I also loved giving my own speech – even though I was nervous, it was late and the audience was waning and half asleep. I very much hope I’ll be talking about tarot at another in-person event in the not too distant future.

My talk was titled ‘Finding a sense of belonging with tarot.’ I talked about what belonging is, why it is important, and discussed three concrete ways we can use tarot to foster a sense of belonging for ourselves and the people we read for. It’s a topic I’m very passionate about and quite personally invested in. Within the next few weeks, I’m hoping to record myself giving the speech and put it up online for anyone who may be interested.

What else is happening next? Client readings were on hold while I was away, but they are now re-opened and I’m currently booking one hour Skype readings for October. As usual, I have a limited amount of slots available (nine as I’m writing this). If you are interested in getting together to pull some cards, I would love to connect with you!  

I’m (already!) looking forward to starting work on a Dreams and Themes for 2019 ebook. You may recall I put one out for 2018 – maybe you’ve even used it this year? If you did purchase the 2018 edition, I’d love to hear any thoughts or feedback you have. I’m considering ways to make the 2019 edition even more meaningful and useful, so please shoot me an email or leave a comment if you’d like to help me shape this process.

It’s only October, but I know the rest of the year will start flying by quickly, as time sometimes does. For the rest of October, I’ll be focusing on the ebook, as I already mentioned, as well as client sessions and a few other miscellaneous business projects. In my personal life, I’m preparing to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) during November. A few years ago I wrote a blog series called From Nonexistent to Novel: Winning NaNoWriMo Using Tarot. It’s worth a read if you, also, are daring enough to attempt to write a novel in one month!

Aside from all of this, I’m trying – as always – to reconnect with myself. To stay centered, present and powerful even when the world around me feels chaotic. I’m trying – as always – to stay informed without losing my shit. I’m doing what I can to take care of myself mentally, spiritually and physically. Lately this means walks in the rain, cooking vegan jambalaya, and of course, pulling tarot cards for myself.

October is one of my favorite months (tied with May). There are some autum hikes to look forward to in the near future, as well as baking pumpkin oatmeal. I’ve busted out the Deck of the Bastard to use for my daily draws as it is one of my favorite decks for fall. Soon I will be harvesting herbs from my garden – I have an abundance of nettle, lemon balm, and mint! They will be dried and blended into tea for the upcoming cold winter months.

So yeah! That’s a small slice of where I’ve been and where I’m going. I hope that wherever you are, you are connecting with meaning and magic. 

Until we meet again,

Book a private reading with me here.