7 SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS OF MY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

What you really get from a near death experience is a numinous new perspective on life, the Universe, and everything, says Worthy Stokes  …

Worthy Stokes The Numinous Near Death experience meditation teacher

The last thing I remember before leaving my body was the U2 song playing on my iPod shuffle: It’s A Beautiful Day. I was out for a morning jog wearing headphones and stopped at a crosswalk to wait for the signal to change. When it turned green, I turned up the volume and raced straight into Death.

A van had run a stoplight, and at the very moment it crashed into me, the world disappeared. Instead of memories of my skull breaking against pavement, I remember only that song and an image of wide, open sky. Thus, U2 serenaded my departure from this life; the ensuing brain trauma erasing everything except for Bono’s voice. So, when I tell the story of my Near Death Experience (NDE), I always think of him.

Five years have passed since my harrowing return to my body, during which time the nuts and bolts of universal intelligence have emerged in waves and codes. During this time, seven spiritual teachings have emerged — to inform my life and work here on Earth 

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1. Consciousness is not religious, humans are. When I dropped into the vastness of the primordial, cosmic soup, I came face-to-face with infinity. I was lucid in my perception of an elegant, fluid order, and, at the same time, the experience felt wholly incomprehensible to my human brain. I felt neither shock, or distress. I floated about leisurely, as I noticed, rather abruptly, that religion simply does not exist beyond the human mind.

Having previously “believed” in Buddhism, I came back into my body with a transfigured cosmology for which I have no translation. My faith rests instead in a mysterious beauty that remains unencumbered by mortal bias, dogmas, or doctrines—all of which, I see now, are highly destructive to human beings. Religion perpetuates guilt. Consciousness activates possibility.

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2. Death is a choose-your-own-adventure experience. If you like Jesus, he’ll be there. If you love practicing meditation, maybe you’ll see a monk. If you are tired of patriarchy, perhaps a fierce Goddess or tree spirit will greet you. For atheists or stoics who think this is nonsense, the journey into Death is destined to unfold in a way that is relaxing, uneventful, and not at all weird. Each of us naturally transitions from one state of consciousness to another without the slightest bit of pain—which brings me to the idea of Hell, which isn’t real, so everyone can relax. There is no darkness in that final exit, and if there is, it’s probably because you wanted it that way.

3. We are all as connected as we are separate. There is an individuated blueprint in each of us describing multiple portals to other dimensions, but how this system mechanically functions is beyond us. Invisible points of contact, layers of free will, shifting realities, and elements of destiny all move and meld in ways that are too complex for us to ever name. In the popular TV series about NDEs (OA), there are gestures coupled with movements to be found in the afterlife, which combine in an eerie combination of breath and choreography.

This hints at an interlocking system we all share and must sort out together, because each of us carries a vital piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fully work until connected with others. In other words, the success of our collective matrix depends on its parts functioning as coherent, interactive particles engaging consciously. So yes, your healing journey is valuable to all of us. My NDE showed me that we are linked, and we are separate. We have shared paths, and we engage singularity. We are interdependent, and we are alone.

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4. Some things do not heal. Consciousness is not just for manifesting a Ferrari or a mate or healing a primal wound; it is not a spoon we can learn to bend with our minds. We do not have as much control as we wish we did, and we do not get to know why some things heal and others don’t. Asking why X still hurts (despite having done all the Work), as so many of us like to do, leads nowhere. Let’s ask each other instead, “What happened? What can happen next?”

Our job here is to hold each other’s fragility, alongside qualities of strength, power, purpose, and possibility. Even after having seen in my NDE how vast we all are, and how very little control we have in our lives, I returned with a belief that wanting to heal something was enough. Over time, I learned I was wrong. I learned instead to make peace with hundreds of things I cannot fix. Now, I pay close attention to what IS possible here, in the realm of the living. I find enormous solace in my understanding that on the other side, there is no pain.

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5. Transformation is your birthright. We have the right to change what we do not like, need, or love, in this wakeful, transient life. Further, we are spiritually and neurologically wired for transformation. I’m not saying transformation is easy, and I am also not saying it’s going to be an affordable, realistic, or linear process. Nor is it a test or an experiment. There are no grades, or getting it “right” or “wrong.” Showing up and exploring is what counts. Dreaming, breathing, building, evaluating, noticing, and repeating what works. Getting into your carpe diem flow while motivated by visions of awesomeness is a very good place to start. Find mentors, make revisions, and don’t be afraid to color outside the lines.

Photo: Ameen Fahmy

6. We need our people guides more than our spirit guides. We are each like turtles bringing houses of consciousness from oceans of possibility to this shared, changeable world. Like turtles, we carry pieces of our primordial homes on our backs, which means we are all, always, “at home.” From this space, we can choose to be fiercely, tenderly present for each other, right here and right now. Yet I see countless seekers hitching rides on decorated spaceships to visit fancy vortices in search of “answers” and healing. The irony is we already boarded the most cosmic spaceships of all, our bodies, and we traveled a very long way to reach this life. Meeting each other in the flesh is a fantastic, holy, and healing event, in and of itself.

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7. Being human is the ultimate spiritual path. As spiritual beings, we are elements of unified consciousness, and as physical beings, we are connected by way of our neurobiology. Being human and being here in this life IS the ultimate path; regular meditation or devotional practices that nourish our relationships with each other are simply ways to maintain our connection with the Divine.

The task at hand, truly, is to care for each other in the physical domain, as creatures who age, break, triumph, and fail, through moments of tragedy and ecstatic, heart shattering joy. There is no need to look beyond this reality. Presence is what we are, and life inside of these beautiful days IS the messy, sacred experience we came here for. When we look outside of ourselves for truthful meaning, we shut down access to the very miracles we seek.

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Worthy Stokes is a healer, seer, and sage. Learn more about her work at thisworthylife.com, get her free meditations on Insight Timer, and follow her on Instagram @thisworthylife. Get on her mystical frequency with code NUMINOUS and a 20% discount: HeartMind: A 10 Day Meditation Journey for Sensitives and Survivors on the Path of Spiritual Awakening

HOLY F*CK: A DARK MOON PRACTICE TO LIBERATE YOUR SPIRITUAL ESSENCE

Stuck under layers of conditioning and aching to break free? Alexandra Roxo shares 5 ways to liberate your spiritual essence …

alexandra roxo ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world moon club holy fuck holy f*ck spiritual striptease
Photo: Caitlin Mitchell

I’ve been doing stripteases since I was 12. In 1996, in Marietta, Georgia, my friends and I dressed in Victoria’s Secret matching leopard-print bra and panties sets, and knew all the moves to Elizabeth Berkley’s routines from Showgirls.

But the striptease I wanna share with you here is FAR sexier. FAR juicier. FAR edgier. It’s one that will have your heart racing. Your panties wet. Your knees trembling.

Because it’s time for us to bring it back to basics and get spiritually NAKED. We live in “apart”ments. We stare at screens most of the day. The way we eat, shit, talk, walk, dress are all programmed for us by the dominant schema that we are born into. A return to our spiritual essence is a deep call for each of us. One that could possibly change the course of history. Of Mother Nature’s well-being. Our grandchildren’s lives. The health of the ocean. The future of fashion magazines. Of culture. Of REALITY as we perceive it.

This means peeling away, layer by layer, of all the baggage we have inherited. The stories. The conditioning. The things that weigh on us everyday. Stripping this away and getting down to our spiritual essence is part of our individual and collective awakening.

You began taking on your family’s shit in utero. Your mom’s anxiety. Depression. Her busyness. The way her heart sank when your dad didn’t come home til late or just flipped the TV on after work. The pain at seeing her old body slip away. The abuse she endured perhaps. Or her mom’s or her grandma’s. From the moment you were the size of a pea in the womb you began to be clothed in layers. Your spiritual essence began to be shrouded.

When popped out you inherited a specific culture. The pressure to look a certain way, talk a certain way,  dress a certain way. Coats and veils of other people’s ideas and customs and ways of being.

As a teen, this led you to feel confused about your body. Why did it not look the way it was supposed to? People were mean at school. Boys touched you. You weren’t allowed to be gay or queer. So you put on some more layers. You hid yourself. You were too weird. Too much. Too sexy. Too fat. If people didn’t notice you they couldn’t hurt you.

Perhaps there were traumas. Date rape. An eating disorder. Abandonment. Neglect. Health issues. Things that forced you deeper into hiding. Further masked your wild, loving, utterly unique spiritual essence.

And now here you are today—wearing enough layers to survive an antarctic freeze of the soul! True healing? The ultimate liberation? Learning how to peel them back, one by one, until you are bare. Naked. Vulnerable and WHOLE.

Below are my tried and true tips for freeing yourself from those layers and living in alignment with your spiritual essence …

1// Learn to feel your feelings. You may think “Well of course I know how to do that!” But we all have days where we think we’re feeling but are actually THINKING, which prevents us knowing our soul’s truth. To learn to FEEL more, breathe into your belly all day. Stay soft. Pull your car over to cry when you need to. Start sentences with “I feel …” instead of “I think …”  and before you make a decision FEEL into it with all your being. Soon you will start to feel more of YOU.

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2// Begin to hunt for your true essence. Look for it in books, works of art, libraries, operas, films, museums, national parks, oceans, fields, and albums. As you do these things, BREATHE into your heart and FEEL. Did that book make me wanna jump for joy? Scream? Did it feel like a wildfire broke out in your veins? Then THIS my dear that is a KEY to your TRUTH and your ESSENCE! Keep it close.

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3// Speak up when something hurts or doesn’t feel right. This may seem obvious, but it’s the microhurts that betray our soul’s essence. If someone cuts you off in line for the bathroom than say “Excuse me. I’m in line.” If you’re in a class and the teacher says something inappropriate, stand up and say, “Excuse me. That didn’t feel appropriate to me.” This demand for integrity will tell your soul you are SERIOUS about your devotion to yourself. You’ll notice how often these little things happen. You think “Oh whatever. No biggie.” This puts you into complacency and is literally like an ice pack for your JUICY fire. Once you stop you doing it, you’ll begin to feel a POWER beyond words emerge from you.

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4// Dare to pave a new way. Notice how many times a day you do and say things because that’s what others do. Now try something new. If all the other wellness people on Instagram are taking photos with white backgrounds and green plants but it feels more “you” to do it in a vintage car on a deserted highway, then why not? Notice where you follow the status quo out of habit. When you feel afraid to shake it up, look to people who have not followed; Frida. Anais. Albert Einstein. There is a huge payoff for taking a risk that’s aligned with your truth.

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5// Surround yourself with Souls who are unafraid to bare their love and truth to the world. You are who surrounds you. Your community should feel like Butter Love, Fire Love, Honey Love, warm tea, firecrackers in your Soul. When you leave hangouts notice: Do you feel more YOU? More alive? More loved? If not, find the community that does make you feel this way.

**Bonus: Take this a step further with an actual striptease class or simply strip in the mirror with your sexy self. As you remove layers of clothes, imagine that you are removing “Mom’s catholic shame,” “my fear of being too big” or “society’s gender impositions” so that you’re stripping on all levels at once—multitasking your way into your Soul’s Grand Reveal to humanity.  

 

Alexandra offers one-on-one transformational coaching programs globally online, and in NYC and LA. She also is the co-founder of Moon Club where she guides group coaching, leadership training, and mystical moon school.  Find her @alexandraroxo and alexandraroxo.com

THE CAPRICORN WANING MOON WANTS YOU TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR TRANSFORMATION

The sobering glow of the Capricorn Waning Moon asks us to befriend our shadow side, release addictive patterning, and align with our highest destiny, says Jennifer Racioppi

jennifer racioppi ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world club soda moon club capricorn waning moon 2018
Photo: Geo Martinez

Waning Quarter Moon // April 8 2018 // 3:17am EST // 18 degrees Capricorn 

Are you ready to take charge of your transformation? 

Next week’s New Moon in Aries offers tremendous potential to blast off in new directions. As we build towards this energy, the Capricorn Waning Moon asks us to release our shadow and get ready to open up to all this new potential.

First, we’ve got to assess what’s no longer needed. Conjoining Pluto, this Moon urges us to befriend denied aspects of Self and surrender the extra baggage.

With Mercury in the midst of his retrograde journey, use this Waning Moon to get clear on what no longer works for you! Release what stands in the way of creating what you desire.

Look for what’s coming to completion and make a choice … 

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//The Cycle//
This Moon harkens all the way back to the New Moon in Capricorn on January 9, 2016. Think back to the intentions you set at the start of 2016. What’s culminating now that correlates with the beginning of the new year in 2016? What did you manifest then that you no longer need now?

Intentions often take an extended gestation period, and aspects of life coming to fruition now may correlate to this New Moon from over two years ago. Simultaneously, it’s essential to release what you no longer need (whether you consciously want to or not), to make room for a new level of maturity that’s emerging.

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// The Transits //
With Saturn, Mars, the Moon, and Pluto all conjoined in Capricorn, this powerful combination puts pressure on you to befriend the truth and let go of addictions. Saturn represents purpose, Mars action, the Moon emotional needs, and Pluto represents shadow. Look at lies and addictions with clarity.

Luckily, Jupiter, the planet of growth and abundance forms a productive and supportive sextile to the Moon in Capricorn, signifying that good luck comes in the form of honesty!

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// The Square //
With the Moon traveling through work-oriented and ambitious Capricorn while squaring the Sun in assertive Aries, now’s not the time to resist change.

This Capricorn Waning Moon has the power to not only reveal secrets but to also disintegrate shame in the process. With the Moon conjoining Pluto and squaring the Sun, the ego not only has to confront issues it’d prefer to avoid, but simultaneously needs to integrate learnings.

*Warning: this tough medicine requires you to participate in your transformation. The good news though is that Jupiter is there to support you!

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// The Opportunity //
This Waning Moon offers up tough love, and asks us to release any blocks that hold us back from thoroughly enjoying our success.

Look to addictions and get honest about what you no longer need. Consciously think positive thoughts, get rip-roaring clear on what you need to release, and align your mind with your highest destiny! 

*Want to celebrate this Waning Moon’s clarity and consciousness, Numi style? Join us this Sunday, April 8th for Moonrise Kindom, a one-day urban retreat dedicated to deep connection and conscious un-cocktailing!  

And for more Moon wisdom, or to book a coaching session with Jennifer, visit Jenniferracioppi.com.

THE SAGITTARIUS WANING QUARTER MOON WANTS YOU TO BURN BABY BURN

As we prep for the Spring Equinox’s explosive fire, the Sagittarius Waning Quarter Moon wants us to sit with over-the-top emotions, and let the flames of feeling lead to powerful change, says Jennifer Racioppi

jennifer racioppi ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world moon club sagittarius waning quarter moon 2018
Photo: Bryan Fernandez

Waning Quarter Moon // March 9 2018 // 6:18am EST // 18 degrees Sagittarius

As the Moon wanes back to new, we find ourselves at the halfway point between the most recent Full Moon in mutable Virgo and the upcoming New Moon in mutable Pisces.

Mutable signs correlate with a seasonal shift; they help us transition from stable and steady, fixed influences, into new beginnings. So as we embrace the Waning Quarter Moon in mutable fire sign Sagittarius—and with less than two weeks before the upcoming Equinox—lean into the winds of transformation!

Let the power of fire purify your soul. Let go of what you don’t need and burn, baby, burn.

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// The Cycle // 
The current Waning Quarter Moon harkens all the way back to December 11, 2015. This late 2015 Sagittarius New Moon seeded events coming to fruition now. What’s culminating in your life now based on intentions set or decisions made then?

Beyond the lunar cycle, Mercury and Jupiter’s retrograde cycles are at play right now too. On March 8, Jupiter, the planet of good luck and good fortune, begins his retrograde journey in Scorpio until July 10. Jupiter retrograde in Scorpio will expose lies, and superficial tendencies that serve ego at the expense of soul. 

Mercury, also in his retrograde shadow at this time, brings things to light that will require work and reevaluation during his upcoming retrograde journey in Aries from March 22—April 15. With Mercury soon to station retrograde, use this Waning Quarter Moon to really get clear on what you need to let go of! 

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// The Transits //
As Mars in Sagittarius squares Chiron in Pisces, the masculine qualities of action come up against the influence of allowing. This may present as a healing crisis through which a wound becomes a teacher.

Yet with Mars in an angle of tremendous support to Uranus, breakthroughs abounds. Expect healing to redirect your path. And with Pluto sextile the Sun and Jupiter, this Sagittarius Waning Quarter Moon suggests that you can discern fact from fiction. Hear. Listen. Absorb. Integrate. And most importantly, trust yourself.

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 // The Square// 
With the Moon traveling through go-big-or-go-home Sagittarius squaring the Sun in soft, sensitive Pisces, this Moon might come with over-the-top emotions.

While the Sun in dreamy Pisces might shy away from anything aggressive or assertive, the Sagittarius Moon is bold and blunt. This Waning Quarter Moon asks you to do two things: sit with uncomfortable emotions and then find an outlet for excess energy.

There’s power in those emotions. Letting energy move through you brings the magic you need. 

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// The Opportunity //
As we approach the upcoming Equinox and first Mercury retrograde journey of 2018, this Sagittarius Waning Quarter Moon is a preparatory crossroads. Take in where you are. Stay conscious of what’s surfacing now, as it will likely play into the emerging Mercury retrograde curriculum.

Learning how to sit with emotions (Pisces) and simultaneously move through them (Sagittarius) will prep you for these cosmic transitions. Magic becomes possible as you treat this Quarter Moon crossing with the respect of a shamanic initiation.

Discern lies and shadow, and move through the illusions that limit your potential. You’ll emerge with clarity and readiness for the changes ahead.

For more Moon wisdom or to book a coaching session with Jennifer visit Jenniferracioppi.com. And to learn more about how to work with each Moon phase, check out Moon Club, our community of lunar-loving cosmic change makers! 

HOLY F*CK: HOW TO CREATE HEALING AS ART

Forget plasticky mats and badly lit yoga studios. Writer, director, artist, and transformational coach, Alexandra Roxo, tells you how to make sacred sexy, and create healing as art …

alexandra roxo ruby warrington healing journey as art the numinous material girl mystical world holy fuck holy f*ck moon club
Photo: Keith Carlsen

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Magic feasts & dark chocolate canoodles …
I’ve spent the last 15 years of my life working as a writer, director, and artist. At age 21, I created an immersive theatre experience, where the music, the aromas, and colors allowed people to be completely lost in the moment, forgetting who they were. 

For a New Year’s Soiree in Portland, OR, in 2007, I hand dyed invites with beet juice. I instructed everyone to arrive in white. I decorated the house with vintage candlesticks. Made little tents out of sheets for couples to canoodle in, with books of erotica and dark chocolate. Throughout the night there were surprise musical acts. Everyone dancing! And in the morning there was a feast around a long table, where declarations were spoken. It was 48 hours of Magic. A retreat into Love. And this way of crafting experiences has continued with me.

Birthday parties, events, rituals. I can “direct” and make art out of any part of my life. And my healing work is no different. I see healing as art.

alexandra roxo ruby warrington healing journey as art the numinous material girl mystical world holy fuck holy f*ck moon club
Photo: Alexandra Herstik

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Full body healing & healing as art …
When I think of healing spaces and rooms, I often think of bad lighting. Sagging couches. Yoga studios with plastic mats and water bottles and the same Kunda tunes on repeat. And as a healer and a director, I want nothing more than to make the healing experience a full body, full sensory experience of art, delight and great pleasure!  

I’ve had practice crafting this in our Moon Club meetups. Just last month, myself, Gaby Herstik and Kaitlyn Kaerheart— the LA pillars of Moon Club— crafted an evening of healing as living art, the whole night directed by me, like a Mistress of Ceremonies and a High Priestess extraordinaire!

We titled the event “There is a Light that Never Goes Out,” after The Smiths song. People arrived to candlelight. Wearing black. I opened with a monologue and setting of the space, an incantation, a dropping in. We were serenaded by Kaitlyn’s sweet voice. Like an angel! Then we shared stories in the dark. We received a magical Gong Bath from North and Nomad, and hands-on healings and oils from Kaitlyn, Gaby and I. The night was a piece of theatre. A true ritual, with every detail intact. No small talk. No chatter. No same-old Trader Joe’s snacks!

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Mix your sacred with your gorgeous …
This is how I will be crafting ALL my healing experiences from now on. Healing is getting a new look. Sex. Art. Fashion. Theatre. No more yoga studios and therapy rooms. I’ll be leading healing work on beaches. In gorgeous living rooms. In the forest. Sacred acts, dedicated to the Divine! A celebration of human existence. A return to the way we once healed and worshipped. Before the puritans took the fun out of it!

And you can DIY mini experiences for yourself and your friends anytime! No more pot luck dinner dates. How about hosting something fabulous and fun and experimental? It takes less efforts than you’d think to turn a night with friends into something magical and memorable.

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Here’s how to create your own artistic healing soirée … 
1// Create your event around a theme. This could be in line with the Moon. An Equinox. A certain ritual you’ve read about and feel inspired to lead. Or your own Solar Return!

2// Art direct the shit out of it! Make Pinterest boards. Choose colors. Start to envision and most importantly to feel the world you want to create.

3// Create a run-of-play. Do you want to put love notes in secret spots for people? Create a hot seat for Compliment Showers? Put sexy questions into a hat for people to answer? Invite a musician to stop by? Have someone lay down and get an 8-hand massage? Get creative and map out a time-line. Imagine the colors. The smells. No hummus and chips and no Pandora on shuffle! Get specific.

4// Ask for help. Get a friend on board to help you execute. This is your Assistant Director. Love them and have fun together. Send them a gift after!

5// Send those invites and test it out. The first one may be clunky. Maybe the music didn’t come on at the right moment. Someone got the dress code wrong. But have faith! Things will get more clean and clear as your faith in your ability to direct gets stronger. When you commit to bringing YOUR presence is when you’ll inspire others to elevate into their own greatness, too. I promise!

alexandra roxo ruby warrington healing journey as art the numinous material girl mystical world holy fuck holy f*ck moon club
Photo: Alexandra Herstik

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In 2018, I’ll be creating my most ambitious healing as art experience to date—leading a Transformational Healing Journey for six women. And I have two spots left! It begins February 1 and will entail a RADICAL six-month healing journey of magic and art and sexiness. A true return to healing and transformation as your own greatest art form!

Our journey will include SIX fully art-directed, 2-day retreats, which I’ll be co-leading with some of the most incredible practitioners from my own healing journey—many of whom I’ve written about for this column. We’ll be dancing with serpents. Suspended by ropes. Sitting in sacred tea ceremony. Diving into the wisdom of plant medicine. Taking cedar baths in the desert. Doing heart-opening work with the Divine Masculine (in divine man form!) And so much more.

Email Alexandra at [email protected] to receive all info and an application! Program begins 2/1.  First retreat is 2/10-2/11.

NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPE NOVEMBER 16 2017: THE DEATH CARD

The Death card asks us to drop in, and ask what must die out to make space for the next phase of our evolution, says Lindsay Mack

JOIN OUR NEW YEAR, NU YOU RETREAT + HAVE THE BEST NEW YEAR’S EVER

Join Numinous founder Ruby Warrington and friends for our New Year, Nu You retreat—literally the most high-vibe way to ring in the new year, ever!

New Year Nu You retreat The Numinous Kripalu 2018

Question: what’s the most high-vibe way you can think of to ring in new year?

Here’s my answer. I want to welcome this mega cosmic refresh with my arms and heart open wide. I want to make the transition from one year to the next in communion with people I trust with all my body and soul. I want there to be ritual, and ceremony, and for my intention setting to be … intentional.

I want to get quiet, so I can hear my own heart speak. I want to draw my scattered energy close. To fully recharge. I want to learn new things that ignite my inner wisdom. And I also want for there to be big hugs and belly laughs. Delicious food. Cozy walks. I want to be close to nature; all the better for breathing in the brand new 2018 air, and feeling the energetic shift deep in my bones.

Which is what I got to create when the lovely people at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health asked me to host a Numinous takeover the first week of 2018. YES, I said, in a hot heartbeat. And lo, our first ever New Year, Nu You retreat was born! (Read on for the full story, or skip to the end of the post if it’s already a YES from you too, and you just wanna read the line-up!)

Thank you, Numiverse. Because the past few new years have not been the best for me.

I’d always had December 31 pegged as party time. Food and booze with friends. Auld Lang Syne and sloppy kisses as the clock strikes midnight. Going through the motions with all the old traditions (which never really felt like mine). A foggy start the morning after, scrawling a list of half-baked “resolutions” over eggs and a sore head.

And more recently, sober curious new years’ spent feeling like a loser for not feeling like a party. Early to bed and long walks under clear blue skies the morning after, speaking my intentions into the ether. The start of something fresh, yes. But lacking a sense of celebration. Of communion.

So, after I said YES to the Kripalu people, I called some more of my favorite humans to ask if they wanted to come try something new this new year, too. They did, and the result is New Year, Nu You—a week of transformational intention-setting for 2018!

New Year Nu You retreat The Numinous Kripalu 2018

The people I called also happen to be some of the most talented, inspiring and heart-centered teachers I have worked with on my spiritual path. Some of whom are featured in my book, others whom I have co-curated much magic with. And this coming JANUARY 1—5 you get to share in this magic too.

So, what’s on the program?

As the great Universal oneness would have it, Jan 1 2018 also happens to fall on a Cancer Full Moon. (And you know how I feel about the Moon). Cancer is the sign of deep emotional healing; of sacred self-care; of family; and of coming home to the comfort of our own selves. And so we will begin with a special Full Moon ceremony, to open our container and set our intentions for the week to come.

We’ll then go DEEP with 4 days workshops, ritual, and awakening. Including:

  • Astrology as Basic Life Skill. Unlocking the basics of birth chart interpretation and a look at how the astrology for 2018 applies specifically to YOU … hosted by me!
  • Trust Yourself: Intuition 101. A practical guide to connecting to your own intuitive voice and unleashing your psychic super-powers with Betsy LeFae.
  • Guided Intention-setting Journey. A meditative deep dive into your heart space, using shamanic journey work, visualization, symbolism, and imagery with Alexandra Roxo.
  • Tarot for The Wild Soul. An immersive journey into soul-centered Tarot reading, learning how to read Tarot for growth, healing, and personal expansion with Lindsay Mack.
  • The Happiness Method. Ancient wisdom meets modern science and holistic nutrition, as we learn real-world applications for self-transformation with Sah D’Simone.
  • Spirit Séance: Group Intuitive Circle. The chance to receive your own psychic message from the spirit world in a safe and protected environment with Betsy LeFae.
  • Heart to Heart: Connection as the Sacred Path to Love. Discover a deep practice for unlocking our most authentic self-expression, heartfelt truths, and intimate relationships with Alexandra Roxo.
  • The Sacred Wheel. A Tarot journey into 2018 to discover the Tarot medicine for the year to come with Lindsay Mack.
  • Meditation and Breathwork. A practice to begin to rewire your brain with new habits, to heal trauma, settle the mind, and become more present and emotionally intelligent with Sah D’Simone.
  • Story Medicine. We close with a ritualized, open-sharing circle, to leave us feeling seen, valued, and inspired to continue on your journey, also hosted by me.

(Get full class descriptions HERE + presenter bios HERE).

And all in the beautiful, nurturing surroundings of amazing Kripalu, one of the premier yoga and wellness centers in the US. Set in 100 acres of beautiful grounds, we’ll be fueled with three meals per day from the renowned Kripalu Kitchen. All guests will also have access to daily yoga and other movement classes, plus access to the sauna, fitness room, outdoor hiking trails, and more!

The cost of the Numinous New Year, Nu You program is $375, with accommodation starting at $460 per person (including all food and additional workshops). Plus, there’s plenty of room for you to bring all your friends! Read more and explore all the options HERE.

Can you think of a better way to begin your new year? Didn’t think so. 2018 we are COMING TO GET YOU …

NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPE OCTOBER 6 2017: THE DEATH CARD

Transformation, or the Death card, asks: what needs to die, in order to step into your fullest self? asks Lindsay Mack

ADORNMENT AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: COMMUNING WITH JOY SMITH

Channeling the Divine through the decadently bejeweled, artist and mystic Joy Smith is raising the mystical-material vibration ever higher with her transformational talismans.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy

Sculptress and seer Joy Smith believes that adornment is an intimate conversation—between the creator, the wearer, and the Divine.

Inspired by nature’s potent mysteries, and the light of Divine beauty that resides in every being, the artist’s ethically sourced, recycled gold pieces spark an emotional exchange between the the universe and each of us.

For Smith, connection to the Divine is always available, and through our talismans we can bring our personal conversation with the heavens all the way down to Earth.

With her newly-launched Light Sessions, Smith is raising the material-mystical vibration even higher. During these custom experiences, she uses song, meditative chants, and Reiki to channel a one-of-a-kind talisman that supports your distinctive transformation and growth.

Spirit is absolutely everywhere. Why not dress her in radiant gold?

(Hint: Start decking out your Divine with some inspo from Joy’s jewel-drenched Instagram feed!)

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Ruby Warrington: What are your own personal talismans?
Joy Smith: I wear pieces according to what I need—so I can beam my light out everywhere. I have different pieces that embody different feelings for me.

For example, I have a custom piece I made for myself that’s super special. In Milan, on a retreat with Deborah Hanekamp, we hiked to a pagan ritual place, where I found what looked like a piece of a ceramic vessel glinting in the grass. I could feel that it was infused with a spirit that wanted to help me with my healing work, and so I set it into a ring, which I wear when I’m creating pieces, and during my Light Sessions.

Even talking about it takes me back to that place. In the future, I’d like to go on pilgrimages to sacred sites to source similar pieces as part of my work.

 

my moon my light communion by joy joy smith light sessions by joy ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world
My Moon, My Light Necklace

RW: Your pieces have a strong spiritual essence. What’s your relationship to organized religion?
JS: The dogma of different religions can get messy, but the essence of spirit is what’s precious to me. I connect to the idea of the Holy Spirit, which I think of as our connection to the Divine—the spirit in us. My work is about activating that in others. I’m also super interested in world religions. I see the common thread and that’s fascinating to me. All the stories are the same, just different characters.

Having grown up Catholic, I still connect deeply to the iconography. I see the etchings in my designs as radiating light, and my goal is to elicit the idea of “heaven,” which I define simply as the place where great spirit lives … bliss.

 

guardian rustic shield ring joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy
Guardian Rustic Shield Ring

RW: What do you see as the intersection between spirituality, craftsmanship, and art?
JS: I never thought I’d make jewelry. I knew I loved art history, and wanted to be a painter. I also connected to artists, as I felt they were connected to something spiritual with their work. I wanted that connection to come through in my work, too. I also love fashion because I see the spirit of the designer in it. It’s like art to me.

I fell into jewelry through the sculpture of making it. I initially wanted to be a fine painter, but didn’t think I was good enough and I couldn’t relay my message effectively at that time in that medium. Now, I express myself spiritually through my pieces as they relate to how I feel on the inside. I want them to be infused with feelings of beauty and light, and for this to be reflected in how I adorn myself on the outside.

I believe God, spirit, etc., created us as an expression of the beauty of the Divine. I make it a point to meditate and pray before I make my work. When we work in this way as creators, that’s spirituality to me.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy
The artist at work

RW: What do the concepts of God and the Divine mean to you?  
JS: I believe God and the Divine are forms of the highest spirit, a spirit greater than ourselves that also lives within us and is part of us. That guides and protects us and loves us unconditionally. Neither are religious terms for me- I see them as a universal Spirit.

My own spiritual breakthrough came in my early twenties, when I had a very severe panic attack, and found myself debilitated by anxiety. My first teacher asked about my spiritual practice, and she gave me my first spiritual book, Marianne Williamson’s A Return to Prayer. I still read it every day. It helped me remember how to pray—how to connect to God—in a spiritual way.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy

RW: “Light Language” is such a glorious phrase—tell us about learning to speak this language, and how clients experience it during your “Light Sessions.”  
JS: “Light Language” is how I describe my conversation with the divine, something that comes out in channeled melodies, or prayer. The term came to me via my guides during an Akashic records reading—and this really is how I feel about my conversations with God. The Light Language also comes through as automatic writing, which I carve into my talismans and artwork.

I came up with the Light Sessions since my work can be very solitary and I knew I wanted to connect with people on a deeper level. And my Light Language becomes vocal, as if I’m speaking in tongues, during one-to-one with my clients. I see it as the language of love, as expressed in my creations.

The Light Sessions are about channeling creations for transformation. We talk about stones and the style of the piece, and then my clients give me their intention and lay on my table, and I’ll either sing melodies of prayer or do Reiki and channel messages that come to me.

Afterwards, we create an intention candle together and they go home with their candle to pray / meditate with their intention in mind, and I go home and channel that energy while creating the piece for transformation. The plan is to also make this available to couples as a custom ring engagement ceremony.

joy smith communion by joy ruby warrington numinous material girl mystical world light sessions by joy

RW: Who is the “Communion Woman”? 
JS: Women who wear my jewelry have a strong sense of self. The common thread is that they have a connection to spirit, and that they’re all powerful in their own right. A lot of my clients have often been through a lot emotionally.

Having experienced challenges in their lives, they have been led to work on themselves spiritually, in order to connect more deeply to themselves and to the Divine. They’ve already found this connection, and want to explore more deeply what it means for their lives. A lot of their work is in service of the greater good. They have that depth.

Discover more about Communion by Joy’s sumptuously sacred jewels HERE, and book a custom Light Session with Smith in LA. 

joy smith ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world communion by joy light sessions by joy

HOLY F*CK: STYLE YOUR CROWN CHAKRA WITH A HAIR SHAMAN

The higher the hair the closer to Goddess! Alexandra Roxo chats with hair shaman Andi Scarbrough about gem combs, crown chakras, and beauty work as ministry.

holy fuck hair shaman andi scarbrough crown works gem combs ruby warrington alexandra roxo the numinous

 

“Your hair becomes an offering to spirit to catalyze the internal change”- Andi Scarbrough 

Hair identity is a HUGE part of our self-expression, especially for women. Our hair reflects our cultural and ethnic background, the subcultures we are a part of, and even our spiritual and political beliefs. Hair has both been part of sacred and ancient rituals, and has been used to repress and humiliate women. Through all of it, our locks have held incredible power.

But like most things sacred , hair rituals have been commodified. We see a Super Cuts on every corner and the mass homogenization of hairstyles that’s been dictated by celebrity and popular culture more than anything.

So what about reclaiming HAIR as another sacred as hell space for ritual, transformation, ceremony, tribe, and lineage? Stylist and hair magic maker Andi Scarborough is doing just that!

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I’ll admit, I was nervous (aka panicked) about letting someone cut my hair. But when I arrived at Andi’s salon, she scooped me into her chair with a quieting presence. As she began to run a rose quartz comb through my frizzed out mop, I felt myself loosen. I realized just how tight the control I had around my hair was.

As she gently asked me a few questions, I found myself revealing my whole “hair story” to her. I shared all the times I was ridiculed and the shame I still carried. All the times I had tried to tame this hair and the point when I started making my hair red.

As she counseled and intuited my hair story and my hair needs, the tears began to flow. As she snipped, she reminded me of all the old Loves, the stories, the pain, everything that was releasing with the hair falling to the ground.

I cried for the rest of the day. I was shedding. I let myself shed the old layers. I let myself release.

Post cut, I sat down with Andi to hear more about her work … 

hair shaman andi scarbrough crown works gem combs ruby warrington alexandra roxo the numinous holy fuck
Rose Quartz Gemcomb- to purchase your own contact [email protected]

Alexandra: How do you describe your work?

Andi: Women’s Health just quoted me saying “I believe this work is a sort of ministry.” Part of me still thinks this is hysterical! I had an experience when I was a little girl where a woman faith healer came to the church and told me that I would go into ministry. Then, I promptly left the church.

It’s funny to me how your purpose finds a way through you, no matter what you try to do instead. Your ministry is the vehicle that you use to deliver your message and in that sense, mine is a beauty ministry.

My work is about clearing out the shrapnel from the crown chakra. That clearing allows you access to the divine wisdom you already have. You don’t need a guru. You don’t need any of that. It’s about remembering the god source within.

Alexandra: That’s beautiful. I love that.

Andi: This is the part where I do feel like it becomes more of a ministry, rather than energy work.

Alexandra: After your work clears the crown chakra, how does it help align people with their soul curriculum?

Andi: I was talking with a client recently about her curly hair. She was telling me how she straightens her hair because she wants it to be more manageable. So, I asked her “What part of you feels like you’re hard to manage?”

It’s interesting because the way you do one thing is the way you do everything. The way you choose your hair color or your hair texture are all echoes of the stories that are already in place. We’re only choosing what we think is available to us.

Alexandra: I can talk about my hair without it being emotional, but the actual physicalizing of the experience brought things up that were very emotional. When you were doing my hair, I felt safe enough to share my hair stories and history- it felt like a ritual and like a therapy session.

Andi: Like ceremony. We do our hair so that we can be seen the way we think we need to be seen, and it’s the piece that we correct externally. It’s like makeup over a blemish. Rather than clearing out whatever the clog is, we wanna just sort of gloss it over and cover it up and make it look sort of nice from far away.

But our hair is actually a time capsule. You’re literally carrying around a diary of every experience, every hormone flux, everything you’ve eaten, everything you’ve not eaten, every time you were sick. It’s all physically there with you.

Alexandra:  Wow, yeah. I never thought about it quite like that.

Andi:  That’s why you get haircuts when you have big life stuff happening, or you want big life stuff to happen.

Cross culturally, the hair symbolizes so much. Whether it’s the Native Americans wearing their hair long and braided to ground them back into Mother Earth, or not cutting your hair in Kundalini so that you have a longer antennae to spirit, or in the way it’s cut in some Tibetan rituals and Hindu rituals. It’s a sacrifice. One of my favorite examples of this ritualistic aspect is when girls go to college. Often, they’ll sacrifice that high school long hair as they step into womanhood.

Your hair becomes an offering to spirit to catalyze the internal change, or to let spirit know how serious you are about the internal change.

hair shaman andi scarbrough crown works gem combs ruby warrington alexandra roxo the numinous holy fuck
Hair Shaman Andi Scarbrough

For appointments with Andi in LA, please call 310-751-4484 or email  [email protected]. Due to the sensitive nature of this service, online booking is not available. More information and service pricing is available at www.andiscarbrough.com. And be sure to follow @crown_works for hair rituals, treatments, and processes!

SPIRITUAL SHROOMING: MY UNLIKELY AWAKENING

Strung out on repressed feelings, a health crisis and mental break became an unexpected awakening for Meg Hartley, care of some spiritual shrooming…

how i lost all my fucks meg hartley ruby warrington the numinous spiritual shrooms mushroom tripping

“During my four-day break with the mundane, I connected to a bigger part of myself, which also happened to feel like an infinitely more stable part of myself”—Meg Hartley 

When I was 19, I wasn’t in a good place. I had lost my mother to suicide four years prior, and my once-successful “smashing down” of feelings had relentlessly resurfaced into every part of my consciousness.

I usually avoided the pain by staying busy all day, then intoxicated into the evening via copious amounts of marijuana or whatever else was floating around the dorms: ‘shrooms, ecstasy, and lots and lots of cheap alcohol.

But late at night, when I’d try my hardest to sleep and fail miserably, I couldn’t hide from the pain. I had taken to scratching at my skin until it bled because it hurt less than the storm that wailed inside. It was like there was so much unprocessed pain my mind didn’t know where to start. Agonizing thoughts just whipped around in my head, out of control and going nowhere.

I’d soon learn about meditation and mindfulness, which gave me a life raft to embrace during these times. But before then, I’d go home to Alaska for summer break and have a four-day experience a psychologist called a “mental break” and a philosophy teacher called “a preview to awakening.”

But to me, it simply felt like a very long dream that showed me true happiness was a real possibility … even for me, which seemed impossible at the time. This set the scene for my subsequent spiritual exploration and gave me a reason to commit to my emotional healing.

>>>

The year was 2002. My first year of philosophy classes in college had finally given form and texture to vague spiritual ideas I’d always had intuitive knowings about. The ideas that this life is an illusion, that humanity is currently experiencing a shift in consciousness, and that we’re each here to learn specific things, were presented by different religions and philosophers from all over the world.

This deja vu sense of remembering (that my teacher said was normal, but which sure felt like magic to me!) combined with all the partying left me ungrounded, spacey, and generally disinterested in “mundane” everyday life. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but I also had a B12 deficiency that was hitting mental health symptom levels. In addition to this, there was a cyst growing on my pineal gland, which is known to augment spiritual experiences.

And so, not yet privy to the drawbacks of being ungrounded, and unaware of this explosive combination brewing in my brain, I celebrated my return home by eating yet more ‘shrooms with a dear friend.

The experience of taking psilocybin is different for everyone, but in my experimental days it was something that I regarded with reverence––like a really fun church. During every trip, the idea of “God” or a benevolent bigger something, seemed obvious and present to me. There was silliness and hilarity, but also times where I would leave my friends to go sit with my favorite tree for hours, my head filled with streaming thoughts that were ontological in nature- the answers to all of life’s big questions, more ideas I’d later study in ancient texts.

And this time, for four days after the mushroom trip ought to have ended, my thoughts remained consistently in the ontological realm––a far cry from my daily headscape at the time, which was mostly centered around losing my v-card and being “too fat.” 

In stark contrast, everything I encountered had meaning on top of meaning, and life felt so beautiful that I cried happy tears. From the inside, the experience felt like a blissful and meditative state where therapeutic dreams met real life. Colors became more vibrant as I released dark twisted pains from deep within like a long and satisfying belch.

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Meg with a handmade lithograph about her experience

Of course, it’s not “normal” to weep from joy at the sight of a mountain that’s there every damn day, or to stare at everyday items babbling about “the language of the Universe” and “signs.”

Everyone in my world thought I had lost my marbles. When I finally noticed this reaction in others, I very suddenly snapped out of it, shocked at their concern and upset about making an ass of myself. That clouded my vision of the experience, as social acceptance was the form of surrender I was most familiar with at the time. But I now look back on it as being as helpful as it was hugely bizarre: the juice was totally worth the squeeze (it can be freeing sometimes to have people think you’re a little nuts, anyhoo!) 

I was immediately changed, and the depression didn’t return for many years (not until my B12 levels hit a fantastic new low and a whole new set of challenges revealed themselves). It was like I had been dusted from the inside out, I felt clear and centered in a way that I had never experienced. I carried on with the drug experimentation for a couple more years and nothing like that happened again- something that brought both great relief and a fleeting sense of disappointment.

>>>

During my four-day break with the mundane, I connected to a bigger part of myself, which also happened to feel like an infinitely more stable part of myself.

And that connection––and many times just the memory of that connection—brought a cherished light into the darkest nights of my soul. It also provided the motivation for my subsequent spiritual and emotional journeys: remembering that mental landscape, and knowing that if I stayed on the spiritual path then that sense of peace and connectedness would eventually feel like home.

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Meg Hartley is a neurodivergent writer with additional bylines at Huffington Post, Ravishly, SheKnows, Leafly, TinyBuddha, and others. Check out more at CreativeMeg.com and @heymeghartley on the socials. 

MEET BROOKLYN’S FITNESS WITCHES

Wanna get jacked up on magic? Bess Matassa explores workout as ritual with fitness witches Shanda Woods and Russ Marshalek of New Jack Witch

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Shanda Woods

“The working of the human body is in and of itself a magical process”—New Jack Witch 

Inside of a dimly-lit warehouse on the Greenpoint waterfront, New Jack Witch is making sweaty magic. Musicians. Witches. Fitness Instructors. This is where Russ Marshalek, an excitable, feline moon prince, and rooted revolutionary Shanda Woods, craft seamless, full-body enchantment—that also gets you ripped.

What exactly is their signature “Fitcraft” session? As I strip down and start to move to a soundtrack of goth rock, witch house, and Twin Peaks instrumentals, it seems deceptively simple. Combining yoga and cardio, it’s a minimalistic workout that thrives on repetition.

But as we continue through our reps, the energy begins to shift. “You’ve got your own back,” Russ repeats. “You’re fucking alive,” commands Shanda. I begin to experience an invigorating collision between light and dark, and a deep sense that feeling good and strong in my body can coexist with the widest, rawest range of emotion.

Post session, I sat down with the fitness witches to talk rockstars, ritual, and a workout that’s both wonderful and strange.

**Set the mood for your workout (or read) with New Jack Witch’s signature playlist for The Numinous. 

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TN: How did you each come to your fitness practice? And when did it merge with witchcraft? 

Russ: The torture and torment of being the “fat kid” really fucked with me, and was the beginning of a lifelong flirtation with an eating disorder. To quiet my anxiety, and strike the balance between my deep-fried youth and my anorexic high school years, I started exercising. Combine that with a deep disdain for the patriarchy, a seed first sown through Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, and you have the foundation.

When I moved to New York 7 years ago, I had a really intense period of unemployment that found me focusing on both witchcraft and fitness for self stability. And the more I worked on both, the more the two became vital facets of my everyday that I can’t really separate.

Shanda: My witchcraft and fitness practice have been intertwined for as long as I can remember. I’m a member of the Chickasaw Native American Tribe, and other parts of my lineage are from Ireland, so my blood is steeped in the craft. And I have always been physical—playing competitive sports since elementary school and practicing yoga since high school.

I also loved playing nontraditional “yoga” music in my classes, and got hooked on the energy of a room full of people working to change themselves. So I’ve forged my own style that blends my personal history with lessons from all of my great mentors.

Shanda Woods, Russ Marshalek, A Place Both Wonderful and Strange, Vanessa Irina, New Jack Witch, MonsterCycle, Fitness Witches, The Numinous, Ruby Warrington
Russ

TN: Both of you mention a dissatisfaction with existing fitness culture that led you to your current practice. What was lacking for you? 

Russ: The “new year, new you” concept sold by gyms everywhere actually removes the agency and ability of the individual, and places “fitness” as some unattainable goal. Self-care and working out should simply be present in everyday life. You don’t need a “new you,” you just need to actualize your intentions. You’re perfect and you’re strong and you’re powerful. That’s what magic is about for me, too. 

Shanda: Turning the art of helping and healing people into a commodity or ego-boosting strategy is what I really cringe at in the industry. Not to say you shouldn’t make money as a fitness professional, or that you can’t become well known, but those should be additional outcomes of helping people, not the goals.

I also believe that a lack of authenticity inspires the perpetuation of stereotypes, which leads to less variety for people who may not subscribe to the mainstream ideals of what “fitness” is. This is where we come in—we provide an honest version of ourselves, so others that are not seeking mainstream content or delivery can find a place to belong. 

TN: Tell me about some of your early icons and inspirations in both worlds. Who are the “patron saints” of New Jack Witch? Who do you see as your audience?

Russ: For me, this traverses boundaries. It’s Janet Jackson in Rhythm Nation—force, grace, power, intention. Gordon White of Rune Soup fame is another, for his combo of magic and political theory with pop culture observation. Grant Morrison. Tori Amos is our Ultimate Mother Witch. Michael Macneal of MonsterCycle is the fitness person who has inspired me the most. And my wife, Vanessa Irena (the third facet of New Jack Witch), inspires me daily to be a better person and a better witch.

But our patron saints are all those witches getting their fingers dirty, planting and growing and renewing and sweating and fucking, every day. I think our audience is everyone who wants to exist outside the currently established systems. Those for whom magic and fitness are both methods of creation and self-improvement, or those who want to align to that frame of mind and learn how.

Shanda: My mom and her best friend of 40+ years (who recently passed away, but is still here to guide me from the other side) are huge influences on my connection to the craft. As far as athletes, I’ve always loved the Williams sisters and any athletes or yogis that are rebellious and caring, sharp but kind. And patrons who speak to me through NJW are the Goddesses Isis and Diana.

Shanda Woods, Russ Marshalek, A Place Both Wonderful and Strange, Vanessa Irina, New Jack Witch, MonsterCycle, Fitness Witches, The Numinous, Ruby Warrington

TN: People often discuss the “mind/body” connection, but what’s the relationship between making magic and working out?

Russ: Magic uses the body and mind, as does exercise, and both require centering, intention, and the synching of the two. Think of breathing. Really. Your mind has your body do it subconsciously. It’s a brilliant trick when you think about it! When you’re in tune, both magic and exercise are like that—the two moving as one.

Shanda: Magic is learning how to control and manipulate frequencies, elements, and energy. Fitness is learning how to control your personal frequencies, energy, and breath. To me, they both address the strength and ability of the individual to transcend the artificial disconnect we’ve been conditioned to believe in—melting and coalescing mind, heart, spirit, body, and the physical external world, in order to manifest a desired outcome or reality. 

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TN: You’re both musicians also. How does your music-making feed into your witchcraft and your fitness practice?

Russ: Music is ritual, fitness is ritual. It’s about creating a spell, setting an intention, and eventually enacting a change, be it large or small. In our music and our workouts, ultimately it’s about creating a spell to get from point a to point b, to reach the desired intention and response.

Shanda: Just like magic and fitness, music is the art of controlling or manipulating frequencies, energy, and emotions in order to produce a visceral emotional connection or shift in consciousness. They are all the same thing, just in different forms!

Shanda Woods, Russ Marshalek, A Place Both Wonderful and Strange, Vanessa Irina, New Jack Witch, MonsterCycle, Fitness Witches, The Numinous, Ruby Warrington

TN: You mention wanting to “rebrand” the notion of the “rockstar.” What do you mean by that?

Russ: The concept of the rockstar has meant egotistical, out of touch, slobby, etc. Yes, we drink, and we have fun, and there’s a certain glamor to the showmanship of the music industry, but we’re also engaging with our bodies daily to keep them strong and healthy. It makes us better performers, humans, and witches when the main tool we have (our body) is sharp.

Shanda: We are trying to show people that caring for yourself and finding your power is one of the biggest things you can do for yourself and the world. There is an archetype of the rockstar that doesn’t cherish this internal divinity. It’s an outmoded archetype of self-abuse, unnecessary decadence, and an egocentric notion that’s not based on service, which is really what all musicians and teachers offer through art and knowledge.

While indulgence or the use of substances isn’t always a bad thing (witchcract is often connected to entering a trancelike state either through meditation or substances, after all), indulgence to an excessive degree is counterproductive to lifting the spirit.

>>>

TN: Some people think of goth culture and music as dark or cynical. What myths would you like to dispel about both witchcraft and about the music you use during your sessions?

Russ: Well, first off, there isn’t any separation between “darkness and light.” And once you start saying things like “I don’t fuck with that dark shit,” well, you’re already off to a highly misguided start. Both goth and witchcraft celebrate the lightness in the dark and the darkness in the light. Playing Godflesh’s “Streetcleaner” in a fitness class puts a huge smile on students’ faces.

Shanda: I believe that there’s a clarity that comes from practicing ritual or fitness, or creating music, when you approach them through a lens of innocent excitement. I believe everything should be viewed with an open heart. Vulnerability allows for the truth to filter through easier than upholding a wall of judgment. When you break down the walls, nothing but truth is left, and that’s where real growth and change can occur.

>>>

TN: What are your personal definitions of a witch? A fitness instructor? A musician?

Russ: A conjurer. A creator. A fighter. The definitions for all have been too rigid for far too long.

Shanda: Wavelength manipulators.

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TN: How do you want people to walk away from a Fitcraft session feeling? 

Russ: To steal a phrase from President Bartlet: Ready for “what’s next.”

Shanda: Empowerment, which is the knowledge of and faith in their own beauty and strength, backed by an infinite sense of self-love.

Learn more about New Jack Witch here, and check out their upcoming Goth Cycle + Yoga Class on Saturday, February 25 2017 at The Monster Cycle Limelight: 47 West 20th Street, New York, NY, 10011

YES, I AM: A MANIFESTO FOR 2017

The antidote for anxiety is to create your own manifesto for 2017, says Dani Katz. All you need to begin is a passionate cry of “Yes, I am!”

dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

Despite any and all mainstream propaganda to the contrary, I happen to know that 2017 is going to be amazing—chock-full o’ fun, joy, personal breakthroughs, real-deal love, next-level sex, and quantum leaps in consciousness, success, prosperity, and lifestyle.

I know this because I also know that I, and I alone, am responsible for how I choose to experience reality. To this end, it’s become a daily practice—aligning my heart, mind, body, and spirit with my values, my genius, my desires, and my dharma. It helps that I have created a secret weapon—Yes, I Am—a hand-drawn, transformational coloring book that supports me in being my very best me ever, and in making 2017 my most wonderful year yet.

The book is divided into twelve I Am chapters, each one focusing on a different intention. I chose the I am theme because “I am” is the most powerful phrase in every mystical tradition there is, was, and ever will be—these two words are encoded with the transformative power of the multiverse.

And so, because sharing is caring, and caring is cool, I am offering up this manifesto, inspired by that aforementioned book of intentional awesomeness, so that you, too, can make 2017 your very best year ever.

***

“I AM SYNESCOPIC POSSIBILITY”the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

I choose to remember that limitation is an illusion that exists to be obliterated. I don’t buy into anyone else’s attempts to limit me, and I devote myself to surpassing my perceived limitations, and surprising myself with all that I can—and will—accomplish, and be, and share.

***

“I AM LOVE”

the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

I choose to align myself with love in every moment. I meet non-love with love. I love myself unconditionally, and al(l)ways, and I radiate that love outwards, towards everyone I meet and engage with (while remembering that boundaries and discernment are self-love, too). I know that love is a state of mind, and a way of meeting the world, and I commit to embodying this love more and more, and better and better, each and every day.

 ***

“I AM OPTIMAL HEALTH”

the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

Because the external is ever and always a reflection of the internal, I am committed to cultivating optimal health. This means sweating, breathing, and hydrating. This means eating organic whole foods, and getting plenty of sleep, and flossing and cleansing and supplementing accordingly. It also means minding my media intake, extricating myself from toxic relationships, and not overtaxing my adrenals on yerba maté, regardless of how yummy it tastes.

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“I AM AUTHENTIC”
the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

While money, achievement and outward notions and acknowledgements of success are lovely, I am far more interested in being the very best, most integrated and expressed me I can possibly be. I embrace my uniqueness. I appreciate my individual quirks and characteristics, and all the ways they come together to make this once in a lifetime phenomenon called me. Fuck trends. Fuck in/out lists. Fuck envy, comparison, established standards of beauty and love and success and lifestyle. I’m carving out my own course, and I’m doing a bang-up job of it.

***

“I AM MAGIC”
the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

Did you know that 99% of our reality is totally invisible? Yup. And so it is that I am living 2017 as a testament to unseen forces of good and love and fun and wonderful, knowing that the Universe is infinitely more mystical than I could possibly imagine, and that miracles happen every second, of every day. Bring ‘em on, I say.

***

“I AM CONFIDENCE”
the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

I know my value. I embody my wonderfulness. I shrink for no one. I am an empowered badass warrior of light and love and giggles, and I model this elevated awesomeness for, and in service to, the world at large. We. Are. Welcome.

***

“I AM NOW”

the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

I don’t lollygag in the past, or worry about the future, because those are mere conceptual traps that keep me from experiencing the present moment, which is where reality (and juicy magical awesomeness) reside. I don’t surrender the miracle of my now to dark, dreary future fears, or what ifs, or worst case scenarios. I meditate. I focus on sensation instead of mind chatter. I trust in divine timing. I am patient. I am patient. I am patient.

***

I AM A HEALTHY, BALANCED, THRIVING PLANET EARTH”
the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

 

The earth isn’t just our home planet—our very own space ship, hurling us through space—it is a living, breathing, conscious intelligence. With this in mind, I honor her as I do all living creatures. I tread lightly. I conserve resources. I respect the gifts the earth so selflessly gives us—her oxygen, her water, her plants, her sunshine, and her gravity, as well as all the other beings sharing this ride with me. We are all of us earthlings. Every. Single. One. It is through this lens that I move through this magical world, ever and always grateful for these earth gifts with which we are so, so blessed.

***

“I AM ABUNDANCE”

the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

Abundance is a state of mind that draws to it like-vibrating experiences and energies. And so it is that I attune myself to the abundance that surrounds me. I root myself in gratitude for all my blessings. I give. I receive. I know my value, which colors my every exchange. I welcome free-flowing prosperity, and abundance, and enough for everyone. And so it is…

***

“I AM OPTIMIZED”
the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am , yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

Despite all illusory notions of time to the contrary, life is not a linear journey. It takes flexibility to flow moment-to-moment, and to hone in on what’s appropriate for said moments. And so it is that I choose to embody my most optimized version of myself, however that looks and feels in each moment. What I love about optimizing is that it requires a deep surrender to the wisdom of forces way bigger and more intelligent than I am. It’s the opposite of micromanaging. Aaaahhhh…so much easier.

***

“I AM GRATITUDE”
the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

It was Meister Eckhart who said: “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” Gratitude is a magical frequency that transports us to the present moment, and infuses us with graciousness and humility and appreciation. I commit to an attitude of gratitude in 2017. I choose to honor the blessings of what is, instead of lamenting all that isn’t, and all the ways I wish what is was different. And when mood, moon cycles, weather, and mercurial boyfriends threaten my peace of mind, and I stray into the dark and murky waters of fear and doubt and grief and rage, I commit to getting grateful, and to staying grateful, armed with the knowledge that I am not a victim, that there are no victims, and that everything is happening for a blessing – al(l)ways.

***

“I AM WE”

the numinous, dani katz, yes, i am, yes i am coloring book, transformational coloring book

I commit to Unity consciousness—to moving through the world armed with the integrated and embodied knowledge of our Oneness. I know that it is impossible to hurt another without hurting myself, as there is no other, and separation is an illusion. I devote myself to acting in service to the highest good of the whole of humanity, knowing that the only way to change the world is to change myself. I take responsibility for the reflections I attract, knowing that anything and everything that triggers me is merely a messenger who exists to point my attention toward shadows inviting acknowledgement and integration. I summon the courage, the will, and the fortitude to look said shadows directly in the eye, and to integrate them, in service to us all. We. Are. One.

 

Dani Katz is a human being. She writes. She draws. She dances. She lives in her native Los Angeles. Yes, I Am, her transformational coloring book chock-full of interactive inspiration, encouragement, affirmations, and awesomeness, is on sale here. Nab yourself a copy immediately!

 

INTUITIVE TAROT: 5 WAYS THE CARDS SPEAK TO YOU

Trade the crystal ball for trust in your own voice, says intuitive tarot maven Liz Worth, and let your instincts create the future…

The Starchild Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot
The Starchild Tarot

“What I thought tarot would be like: I can see the past, present, and future so clearly! What it’s actually like: Damn, I just got called the f*** out by a deck of cards”- Recent Tarot Meme

In my 20s, I decided to get serious about tarot and, like many people, I assumed that it either required, or would provide, “psychic” abilities. I had high expectations of feeling fireworks and becoming a divine, open channel who could see and sense things before they happened.

What I didn’t realize was that by listening to myself, I was already doing the work, and it was The High Priestess herself who “called me out” during a reading. She encouraged me to look inward and not outward, and to trust in the gold-mining process for what I call “intuitive hits.”

Intuition is our instinct, the seat of our emotions, and what exists beyond our rational minds. This instinctive realm is completely unique to each of us and moves in accordance to our own specific, natural law. Intuitive hits come in all shapes and sizes; they may take the form of ideas, images, words, phrases, or simply strong gut reactions that cannot be ignored.

If you’re ready to have a conversation with your highest self—that divine connection to your soul’s path, purpose, and power—then intuitive tarot is a great place to start. Here are five ways you can begin to let tarot speak to you and, most importantly, through you.

***

1. You Don’t Have to Grasp For Your Intuition

Myth: You need to have “psychic” abilities—such as visions or premonitions—to use tarot.

Intuitive Hit: Keep a journal as you practice, and meditate on the following questions: What word or idea jumped out at me when I turned the card over? How is this card making me feel—tense, angry, hopeful, excited? What images or symbols in this card reflect how I’m feeling right now, or what I’m experiencing?

The answers to these questions are part of the card’s message!

Meditate On: The High Priestess, who can guide you back to your deepest inner knowledge.

The High Priestess, Serpentfire Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot, Serpentfire Tarot The High Priestess
The High Priestess, Serpentfire Tarot

2. First Thought, Best Thought

Myth: You have to memorize all 78 tarot cards.

Intuitive Hit: Worrying about getting it wrong is a sure-fire way to block your intuition. Next time you pull a card, write down the first thing that comes to mind, and let that thought act as your prompt for the rest of the reading.

Meditate on: The Hermit, who can help you learn from the times you doubted your intuition.

3. Re-create and Rebel

Myth: The meaning of each card should be strictly and statically interpreted.

Intuitive Hit: Let your life experiences, your upbringing, your ancestry, and your stories enrich the messages that your tarot deck holds. Journaling about your own associations and personal vocabulary when using the cards will help you begin to craft your own style of reading. Tarot is meant to evolve, just like us.

Meditate On: The Ace of Wands, who can keep you courageous, confidant, and creative as you start out on your tarot journey.

Serpentfire Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot
Serpentfire Tarot

4. Decide What Tarot Means For You

Myth: Tarot has only one purpose.

Intuitive Hit: Whether you want to utilize tarot for personal empowerment, predictive purposes, to enhance creativity, or for something else entirely, remember that you call the shots. Get clear about what tarot means for you, and how you want to work with the cards. Write your own manifesto, mantra, or intention to remind you of your goals at this point on your tarot journey.

Meditate On: The Empress, who confidently creates her own reality.

The Moon, The Starchild Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot, The Starchild Tarot The Moon
The Moon, The Starchild Tarot

5. Intuition Might Take Its Time

Myth: If the answers you’re seeking from the cards aren’t clear right away, you should probably give up.

Intuitive Hit: Patience and practice are often overlooked parts of the tarot reading process. Intuitive hits don’t always appear immediately. Sometimes, a card’s message might not make sense for hours, days, or even weeks later. Next time you’re stumped by a card, step away from it. Go for a walk, watch for omens, or ask a fellow tarot enthusiast for a second opinion.

Meditate on: The Page of Pentacles, who knows that patience is integral to growth.

**If you want to take your intuitive tarot journey even further, enter to WIN one of five signed copies of Liz’s new publication, Going Beyond the Little White Book: A Contemporary Guide to TarotTo win, follow @The_Numinous and simply tag your next Instagram post #Numitarot—winners will be notified by direct Instagram message shortly after December 16 2016.

Liz Worth is a Toronto-based tarot reader, astrologer, author, and creative coach who helps seekers, artists, and entrepreneurs get behind the veil so they can get going.

TAROTSCOPES: DECEMBER 2016

Monthly Numinous Tarotscopes, cast by Lindsay Mack using The Starchild Tarot.

SAGITTARIUS :: SAGITTARIUS RISING
King of Cups

Are you ready to rise up, Sagittarius? Are you ready for the power and the activation that December will bring into your life? This month is a gateway to you fully and totally stepping up as the leader you are—holding space for the disenfranchised, standing on the front lines, being of service. If you are already a leader of service, again I say: get ready. If there is any doubt in your mind that you can help or make a difference in this world, it will be gone by the end of the year.King of Cups is lighting a flame in you that cannot be extinguished. The revolution and evolution of our collective will have an enormous amount to do with you, Sagittarius—yes, you!

The teacher, the archer, the sage. You are not without your flaws, of course, but this has to do with something much larger than ego and personal mastery. This is about transcendence, about transparency, about sharing your words and experiences so that others may be buoyed by you, healed by you, inspired by you. King of Cups has honored you with his invitation, and this card’s energy promises to transform and deepen you immeasurably. King of Cups is a leader for the lost, for the scared, for the one who is searching for a light in the dark. He is the one who can get people through crisis. He can hold his own experience, stormy, scared and raging as it might be, and be completely available to another, or multiple others. He has enough space within himself to hold both himself and others.

This is an energy that the deepest, most impactful healers are born with: the ability to hold two things at once without stuffing anything down. This is the stuff a leader of our times must be made of, and it is what you are being anointed into this month. You’ve always been able to do this, now you will really receive evidence of it. Watch closely around you for the service that is being asked of you. It might be with your social media tribe, with your clients or patients, with your child, with your ex, your friends, your family, or on the front lines, protesting. Wherever you are called, be prepared to answer. You are rising up, Sag, ready for a whole new way, a whole new level of service. You are ready.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

CAPRICORN :: CAPRICORN RISING
Akashic Records

You will be in some deliciously epic energy in December, all thanks to the medicine of the Akashic Records. This card is an extra Major Arcana card in the Starchild Tarot deck, one that the creator of the deck channeled. It is a very special card, very powerful, and truly indicative of the hard work you’ve been doing this year, Capricorn—getting a card this powerful to round out your year is most certainly deserved and bodes all things beautiful for your 2017.

So here’s the deal with this card. For those of you who do not know, The Akashic Records are a kind of universal filing cabinet, holding within them every thing that has ever been done, said, expressed or created since the dawn of time. Every being has access to this infinite knowledge and wisdom by virtue of their birthright: the key is accessing it. One of the clearest ways is to simply ask. One can get certified, one can read a book, but regardless of any official titles or experience, it is enough simply to remember that we were born with access to anything that is in our highest and best to know. This is where you come in, Capricorn. You are leveling up, evolving, and coming into the next phase of your life on this planet. This is a HUGE transition. It might not feel that way, but this card is bridging you into 2017, and it is not going to allow you to stay small and locked in old patterning. When we say “yes” to our soul’s path, we not only expand our intuitive abilities, opening us up to receive more clarity, but we actually start to heal our inherited family legacies, rewriting karmic law for ourselves and for them.

What this means for you, Capricorn, is that you HAVEs the chance to alter your legacy in some way—for the better. This is inexpressibly important, especially if you are carrying some big fears, insecurities, or resistance to your personal gifts, magic and abilities. Most likely, your parents did, too, and their parents before them. You will not only be committing more deeply to your true soul path than ever before, you are also shedding major blocks so that you can be free to expand past what your family did. Dive deep, tune in, open your eyes, reconnect into why you are here, and the legacy you are here to leave for the planet.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

AQUARIUS :: AQUARIUS RISING
Ace of Swords, reversed

This will be a very humbling and empowering month for you, Aquarius. Ace of Swords, the sacred lightning rod of the deck, is showing up reversed for you this month. That’s not a bad thing, but it will be something to acknowledge and pay attention to as December unfolds. In some way, there is a disconnect between what you are ready to create, to birth in your life, and the energetic means to do so. It will be important for you to clarify where this disconnect is, and bridge the gap. It will be deeply useful for you to buckle down and do some not so sexy work around this: talk to a therapist, create a business plan, work with a money manager, support your brain chemistry with meditation, food or medication, work on self sabotage—whatever you need, you will be energetically supported in undertaking.

It is really important that you disengage with any story that arises from this. Just breathe and take the first step toward self-support. As soon as you do this, everything you desire to manifest (and that desires to be manifested through you) will be able to flow into your life effortlessly. Ace of Swords is a divinely charged energy, a kind of lightning rod for the creative, mental process. It is a mini Magician card in many ways, connecting us to Divine so we are able and available to receive brilliance, new ideas, and inspiration from above. We rarely have to do anything to synch up to this frequency when Ace of Swords is right side up—it just happens, and we are always at the right place at the right time. When the card is reversed, as it is for you this month, Aquarius, it’s a gentle heads up that the Universal connection is turned on, but your volume is turned off in some way.

So, you may be feeling that you’re disconnected, when in fact, you just need some support to help you to turn up the volume on your channel of receiving. For some of you, this is in relationship to your career—for others, it relates to your personal life, specifically around love. If you invite in the right wisdom, so much abundance and clarity will be able to flow into you. Take the month to recalibrate, make a few adjustments, and watch what happens when the volume is turned up!

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

PISCES :: PISCES RISING
Knight of Crystals

Slow and gentle is the name of the game for you this month, Pisces. There is no rush, despite what your feelings and your brain might be telling you. Knight of Crystals, or Pentacles, is the slowest and gentlest of the Knights. He is the mover and the action taker most likely to pause and aim before an undertaking. When he takes off, however, he never misses. It looks like he has fallen behind, when in fact he has just taken longer to make sure his aim is true, getting everything organized and aligned before he hits the ground running.

This is the most important medicine for you in December, Pisces, to truly align yourself with the archer—aiming your arrow and taking your time before you release. This is related to career endeavors, decisions, moves, love—across the board, you are taking what might look like a breather to the ego, but is really a preparation, allowing you to be fully clear, available and aligned in your life choices. Trust and embrace this time. You still need a little more aim time before you fully plunge into your goals and plans for 2017. But don’t mistake for a moment that taking the time to get clear before moving and shaking is a waste—you are not going to be just hanging around this month. You are getting poised and ready for action. Avoid expend all your energy before it’s time to take the first step.

The Knights, again, are all action oriented, and as I mentioned above, you will still be moving and hustling in your life in a big way this month. Expect lots of awesome opportunities, perhaps even some surprise ones. Just focus your energy and attention on HOW you are moving, rather than the amount of stuff you can accomplish. You have great ambitions, Pisces—one of the less talked about qualities about your sign. This is a wonderful trait, and Knight of Crystals is helping you to get organized so that your visions can be supported. This month, ground your dreams and manifestations with lots of deep breaths, clear plans, and earthly support. Clear your space, cleanse your home, get your affairs in order; take care of business. The more you embrace the preparation, the clearer, sharper, faster and more swift your actions will be once you take flight. Slow and steady truly wins the race here.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

ARIES :: ARIES RISING
Starseed/The Fool

December is a time of rebirth for you, Aries. Pure and simple. The Fool, or Starseed, is here to invite you to leap into the unknown, kicking off a journey into the next great cycle of growth in your life. This is not necessarily a physical, earthly shift— although for some of you, it might be. If you’ve been manifesting a move, a break up, a commitment, or a pregnancy, this may very well be your month to receive that, if it is aligned for your individual path. But beyond the earthly realm, December is really about saying a HUGE yes to your soul. This is about evolution. It is a whole new level of commitment to your path, one that will transform your life if you bow over to it.

The main directive of The Fool’s energy this month, Aries, will be to help you to release fear around failure. You are moving through this specific mastery right now. You know instinctively that it is time to come out of the birth canal, out of the warm womb of “playing it safe” and into the dawn of the unknown; from hiding to being seen, from dark to light. This light is your birthright, Aries. This light is never something you can be rejected from, nor it from you. The light comes from you. And in this light, there can be no more hiding. There can be no more playing small; no more resistance, no more self sabotage. The world needs you, whether you feel ready or not. The Fool is here to help you leap before you believe you’re worthy or ready. As I often hear from Spirit with The Fool, Aries, you’re as ready as you’ll ever be in this moment. Failure is not possible for you.

You’ve been in a kind of grinding, quiet death cycle these last 6 months or so, with lots of old shadow, insecurity and contraction arising. Don’t think for a moment that it is because you’ve been going backwards. It has all been aligned, all of it so that you could move into this next phase of your life without the old stuff holding you back. The old stuff had to die so there could be room for the new. The new is here, and it is rebirthing you. Take a deep breath, bow to the fear, and jump into the heart of the light.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

TAURUS :: TAURUS RISING
The Hierophant

This is going to be an immensely powerful month for you, Taurus. The work of The Hierophant is multilayered, and this card will be working on your sign in both big and small ways, internally and externally. The Hierophant, at its deepest essence, is an invitation into belief inquiry. It asks us to consider what we we truly believe in. Are these beliefs are serving us? Is it time for us to upgrade them in some way to match a more aligned truth for ourselves? Do not forget, Taurus: beliefs are very, very charged. They feel so true! This is partially because they have an emotional undercurrent—far more more than thoughts or feelings.

Look at the fervor with which people regard religion, their politics, family and cultural traditions. Its tough to see reason within those places—or to be brave enough to admit that the beliefs we may be living through might not aligned for us. The Hierophant doesn’t come to scare us, or create fear in our lives—the deepest medicine that this card will offer you is for you to be your OWN teacher, your own guru, to look to your own school of thought, rather than outside of yourself. Have you ever questioned what was told to you by your teachers, mentors, parents, culture, religion, or school? Do you agree with them? If not, don’t toss the baby out with the bathwater. Just come back home to your own truth; rewrite the laws of your life so they serve your soul. The more you do this, the more your life will change—more spectacularly than you could ever imagine.

The more you allow outdated and false beliefs in your life to die away, the more space can be made to birth a life based on your own inner wisdom. In some area of your life, Taurus, it is time for you to step up as the master and leader that you are, if even just for yourself. Do not give your power away. The impact you have on other people around you is greater than you imagine, and our beliefs can mightily sway our interactions. Let the whole month be a deep inquiry of beliefs; if anything or anyone does not fully match the frequency of your soul, be willing to upgrade. You are your own teacher, Taurus. Claim it, own it, know it. Believe it.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

GEMINI :: GEMINI RISING
Knight of Swords

You are flying in the energy of Knight of Swords this month, Gemini! Expect a whirling, fast-paced month in which a phenomenal amount of accomplishment, manifestation and goal-setting will be possible for you, simply by the sheer force of your effort and will. December is a month of results, getting shit done in a way that will most likely baffle your friends and family, wondering how you are still standing. You will not only be standing, Gemini, but thriving in this energy—it is the frequency which you were born to flourish in. The key will be to use Knight of Swords to help propel you into all that you desire to achieve, do, and accomplish this month. In this card, nothing is impossible.

Knight of Swords, often shown as a man charging at full speed on a horse, is a double air card. He is all head, no body. This isn’t a bad thing in this context—there are times in life when it is appropriate for us to just DO, to move without too much pausing and reflecting. You have had lots of invitations over the last few months to do exactly the opposite. You’ve been asked to drop into the body, be kinder to yourself, take more breaks, and reflect more often. This has been crucial for you to undertake; many of you have needed to make dramatic shifts in your life in terms of upping your self care. Knight of Swords is the antithesis of this invitation, but in a wonderful way. The presence of this card truly means that you have done the work, taken those breaths, made those adjustments, and are now nourished and energetically available to manifest all that you want in your life.

Your eye is on the prize, and you have enough flowing into your personal well to fuel your journey to seize it. This card will ask you to work for what you want this month, to move and hustle in a way that will, again, most likely yield those who love you to implore you to take a break. Take the breaks when you need it, Gemini, but know that this month might not give you much of a chance to—and that this is totally aligned. Make a plan, set a course, and fling yourself into what you want to create and accomplish in your life. You will be amazed at the results.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

CANCER :: CANCER RISING
Eight of Pentacles

Do you know the phrase, “chop wood, carry water,” Cancer? This is your mantra for the month of December. If you can come back to the energy of that phrase over and over again, it will transform your life in ways that appear subtle at first. If you continue to follow the trail of the mantra, the subtle changes become huge, beautiful and overt; these little words have the power to change us, just as 8 of Pentacles has the power to change both us, and our lives. This is a very specific month for you, Cancer: you are going into a kind of transformation, moving from an apprenticeship to a mastery. The only way to cross this bridge is through conscious repetition, doing the same thing over and over again until we can execute it flawlessly.

This is the step in life that is most important for our expansion—it is also the step that many people often skip, or want to rush past, claiming to be masters when they haven’t done their work. Know that this process isn’t sexy. It’s not really Instagram ready. It isn’t something one can even easily express or explain verbally—it is a kind of evolution of the soul, of the spirit, but in a way that looks like nothing is happening. We are chopping wood and carrying water. Looks like nothing, yields something alchemically transformational. In some way, whether tangibly or energetically, you will be moving through a big shift this month, Cancer. It isn’t going to look like much at first—especially not while you’re going through it, but trust that that is EXACTLY how you want it! That is truly where all the good work gets done: quietly. It is done through the voluntary surrender into mastery, even through resistance.

Eight of Pentacles is a transformation card. In any Eight in the Tarot, we go into the energy of the card one way, and we come out another way. The fire that sparks the alchemical transformation in any Eight is empowered choice. You must choose to be a master this month, Cancer. That decision involves a return to presence, to the minutia of the moment. So whether you are training to become a yoga teacher, working through something with your child, or changing your thought patterns, you have the power to deeply shift your life this month. Keep it simple, trust the process. Chop wood, carry water, transform your life.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

LEO :: LEO RISING
Page of Swords, reversed

Your invitation for the month of December is still very much aligned with last month, Leo. You have to get back to square one, to ground and center yourself. Many of you have been locked in a cycle of dead ends and surprise disappointments as of late. This isn’t because you’ve hit bad luck, or even that you’re off the mark in your life. Your ideas, concepts, and dreams are amazing and on point, but you still have not worked through the steps to bring them to life. That is the first helping hand that Page of Swords reversed is extending to you. To get clear on steps A B & C, rather than trying to jump immediately to X, Y & Z. If you don’t know what to do differently, consult with someone. A trusted friend, a business coach, a money manager, whatever feels the best for you at this time. Let the right counsel in, and you’ll be back in the zone in no time.

The second invitation of Page of Swords reversed is also helping you to heal and strengthen your confidence in yourself. The biggest and most tender wound that you are really mastering right now, Leo, is the disconnect between how amazing you know you are, and the feedback from the outside world in certain respects. Sometimes the feedback you receive is totally in alignment with what you know you are capable and deserving of. And then there are times when the results you were expecting are so disappointing, and you don’t know where you went wrong. Despair, comparison and doubt all begin to appear. It can truly seem like you are being left out, that you are not as spectacular as you believe yourselF to be.

You have been swirling around in this back and forth for several months now—December is when it finally shifts. Page of Swords reversed is here to help you KNOW your worth, that you cannot miss anything that is meant for you. If what you desire is not manifesting in your life, take heart: it is coming. It is coming at the perfect time, and you get to continue to refine yourself, and work through your insecurities as you wait. It is an energetic win win. Take this month to go back to square one—bring some trusted and helpful friends along with you for support and clarity.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

VIRGO :: VIRGO RISING
Ten of Swords

Rejoice, Virgo! Ten of Swords is truly here to transform your life. Ten of Swords is the most amazing card, full of so much promise and opportunity. It is not the horrific energy that most people believe it to be. It isn’t a nightmare, it isn’t necessarily painful, it doesn’t bode death, or breakdowns or even mental anguish—quite the contrary, actually. What it offers us is the opportunity for a profound shift of the mind, of the heart, of the body, of our lives. It is a mindfulness bell, chiming to let us know that our thoughts are causing us pain in some way, and that we need to become clear on this so we can change it.

It is important to deeply reflect on our mental cycles, how they are either serving us or keeping us locked in contraction. How are we relating to an aspect of our lives that we desperately want, but it’s not coming? How do we relate to the future? To our anxieties? To jealousy, comparison, or grief? To getting old, to our children, or our partners? Ten of Swords can crop up around any of these areas, flagging them for review and renewal. You get to profoundly alter the relationship to your thinking this month, Virgo, and only goodness will be born in it’s place.

Stay present, curious and light around this idea this month. Ten of Swords is, after all, a card of the mind, and we do tend to identify with our thinking. But thoughts do not equal truth; it will be important to remember that this month. There is nothing to fear. Ten of Swords is bringing some incredible gifts, but if we stay locked in fear or resistance, we will not be able to receive them and allow the full transformation to take place. Think of Ten of Swords as the wake up call. That’s the freedom it is offering you this month. From here on out, you are free to create a new life for yourself, one that must include a more gentle relationship to your thinking. It is the death of an old way of thinking, so that a new one may be cultivated. The old way is not serving you, now there must be an upgrade of the mind. The gift of this upgrade cannot be overemphasized.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram

LIBRA :: LIBRA RISING
Oppression/The Devil

You’re going to be working through some very powerful energies this month, Libra, especially around—what else!—your thoughts. That is, after all, what you are here to master in this incarnation with your Sun or Rising Sign: to be in perfect balance even during times of imbalance, letting nothing shake your walk of peace. Bearing that in mind, you get to do some beautiful work in this mastery this month. This card has come at a crucially important time, Libra—it has shown up for you as December’s energy because you are actually doing everything RIGHT. When we are expanding, upgrading, and getting ready to be hurtled into an amazing new time in our lives, we can also get tossed into The Devil card.

Why? Because the brain is programmed to keep us in energies that are comfortable and familiar—it’s main directive is to keep us alive. Soul evolution and growth are NOT comfortable and familiar for the nervous system. The brain will actually work to trip us up and keep us in known, low-frequency territory by reminding us of that ex that treated us like shit, by encouraging us to get drunk every time we sit down to write, by keeping us locked in obsession with social media, or with self-doubt, self-loathing or self-sabotage. If this is happening to you, it is actually a wonderful sign! If the brain is working so hard on getting you distracted and unsure of yourself, it is a clear sign that you’re headed in the right direction. The primal part of us will fight expansion—yet the soul craves it desperately. It is in that sweet spot that we flower open like wild roses.

The Devil is not a card to fear. It would never show up for you if you weren’t ready for it. The Devil, or Oppression, is simply a mirror, offering you the opportunity to cut the chain of an addictive pattern of thinking, declining the brain’s invitation into staying safe and small. No more judgement, no more story, no more getting swept up into cycles that keep us locked in the very thing we are swimming out of. Once we stop the judgement, we are free to actually heal the addictive cycle, to give ourselves what we truly need. You are doing everything right, Libra. Keep going, and don’t let the brain screw around with your expansion. It can tantrum all it likes—you keep soaring higher.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram

SCORPIO :: SCORPIO RISING
Four of Wands

December is inviting you to let go and shake your tail feather a bit this month, Scorpio—finally. It has been all work and no play for quite some time, whether it has looked like it or not. You are truly ending something huge this month, perfectly aligned with the closing of the year and this cycle in your life. Trust all that you have learned, created, released and moved into—now, celebrate. Honor the births, the labor, the effort, and soak deeply in the glow and results of your hard work. You deserve it immensely.

Four of Wands is a beautiful card, one that invites us to honor some kind of rite of passage in our lives. This invocation can be both amazing and challenging, the challenge being that our culture has a very finite collection of these transitions that we actively celebrate: marriages, births, etc. There is so much that goes unprocessed and unhonored in our collective culture: a girl’s first period, moon ceremonies, death ceremonies, divorces, the changing of the seasons, etc. Four of Wands is the heartbeat of the ancestral way, calling us back to this ceremonial acknowledgement of a transition in our lives, whether pleasant or heart wrenching. If we bow over to this card and her invitation to us, we come together, stop our work, rest in the moment and process all that has gone and all that is to come. We make ourselves ready to move into a new phase. Our ancestors lived this way, in tune with the larger waves that flowed through our lives, and through the seasons.

What does this have to do with you, Scorpio? Everything. It will be enormously important for you to honor the transition that this year has been for you. It has been one HELL of a 2016 for you—breakdowns, breakthroughs, huge labors of love, massive commitments, shifts and wakeups all around. Don’t just keep plowing through your life, half-acknowledging all that you’ve released and all you’ve birthed. Stop. Take a breath. Pause and sit with yourselves. Honor it all. Let the entire month of December be a ceremony of gratitude, of sharing, of grieving, of celebrating. This is a rejoicing! You did it, Scorpio. You made it through this year, whole and evolved. Remember to pause through December and remember all that you’ve expanded through, and all of the goodness that is to come.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram