2016 In Focus- Astrology Events

2016 Quick Synopsis

Boy oh BOY what a year do we have ahead of us astrologically! This year is going to make you feel limitless and restricted at times! The key players this year are all the big giants! Mercury retrogrades 4 times this year. (Big deal he always retrogrades, worry about the giants). Venus on the other hand, the goddess of love and beauty stays direct all year! This is going to be a highly spiritual year for most, but above all for everyone a testament to the building of character and personal resilience. Navigate the sea of energy with care! Take caution where needed and catch the wind in your sails to keep you moving. 

Jupiter makes to positive aspects with Pluto this year. This is energy that allows you to create win/win outcomes in your life. Dedicate yourself to a goal and follow through. Act in accord with your intentions and you will see them flourish with this energy!

Saturn and Neptune have some unpleasant aspects this year. They are opposing forces in the universe. Saturn is the creature of structure, limitations, and boundaries. Neptune on the other hand, is the dreamer, the actor in the theatre, the dreamy fantasy land that has no need for what Saturn has to offer. These aspects this year will be important regarding priorities. Keep a level head at these times and fight the urge to run off into a fantasy land. Neptune isn't all bad, he does give us the ability to go to our dream space to breathe and collect our faculties. The temptation is to stay there. Keep that discerning Saturnalian energy with you, so that you don't get sucked into procrastination and dramatics. 

The months of March - June are going to be a particularly trying time for many people. Don't take petty arguments personally at this time, but don't get shafted or backed into a corner. There is a fine line between egoism and humility. Don't be surprised if spiritual matters are amplified at this time. During shifting energies it's always good to have a strategy to keep centered. You may feel the greatest urge to fly higher than ever. Remember the reverse can be true as well. 

Mars goes retrograde every 2 years. So when his effects come they come swiftly. This retrograde is probably not the best time to launch new projects; instead refine old ones or shut down ones that are failing. Question your direction and ultimately WHERE you're directing your energies. 

The above was a brief synopsis of the coming year, 2016. As the year progresses I will go into further detail. Below you will the big events of this year. I have set them up by month chronologically. This way we are able to see everything that happens chronologically and can plan accordingly! What an intense year this is going to be!

-Lord Auriael-

Prince of Swords

3rd Degree High Priest of the Craft/Witch

January

1. Mercury Retrograde: 5th-26th in Capricorn
2. Jupiter Retrograde: 7 Jan - 9 May in Virgo

February 

1. Jupiter Retrograde

March

1. Jupiter Retrograde
2. Total Solar Eclipse: 8th in Pisces (Supermoon, New Moon).
3. Jupiter creates positive aspect with Pluto: 16 March
4. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 23rd in Libra
5. Saturn Retrograde: 26 March -13 August in Sagittarius.

April

1. Jupiter and Saturn Retrograde
2. Mars Retrograde: 17 April begins in Sagittarius, dips into Scorpio on 28 May, direct 29 June.
3. Pluto Retrograde: 18 April - 26 September in Capricorn.
4. Mercury Retrograde: 28 April -22 May in Taurus.

May

1. Jupiter Direct: 9 May in Virgo
2. Pluto, Mars, Saturn Retrograde
3. Mercury Direct: 22 May
4.  Mars Retrograde enters Scorpio on 28 May 

June

1. Pluto, Saturn Retrograde
2. Saturn Square Neptune: 17 June
3. Jupiter makes positive aspect with Pluto again 26 June.
4. Mars Direct: 29 June in Scorpio

July

1. Pluto and Saturn Retrograde
2. Uranus Retrograde: 29 July-29 December in Aries

August

1. Pluto and Uranus Retrograde
2. Saturn Direct: 13 August in Sagittarius
3. Mercury Retrograde: 30 August - 21 September in Virgo

September

1. Annular Solar Eclipse: 1 September in Virgo
2. Saturn Squares Neptune: 10 September
3. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 16 September in Pisces.
4. Pluto, Mercury, and Uranus Retrograde.
5. Mercury Direct: 21 September in Virgo.
6. Pluto Direct: 26 September in Capricorn

October

1. Aries Full Moon (Supermoon) 15 October.
2. Uranus Retrograde.

November

1. Taurus Full Moon (Supermoon) 14 November.
2. Uranus Retrograde.

December

1. Gemini Full Moon (Supermoon) 13 December.
2. Mercury Retrograde: 19 December -8 January 2017 in Capricorn.
3. Uranus Retrograde
4. Uranus Direct 29 December.

What happened?! Didn't My Spell Work?!

"Ugh why didn't my spell work?!" How many witches out there have had this reaction?! My guess is every last one of you. I bet you even went back over your ritual notes, rewritten the spell, and did it again. I know I have. Unfortunately, many new witches tend to have this belief that their spells will work overnight, this simply isn't how the process works. The following are some quick 'go to' questions when evaluating the effectiveness of your spells.

1. Did you plan properly?

• Some times spells fail simply because we didn't plan the right correspondences and the timing just wasn't right. A common example is use of color. Suppose you are going to sit down and do a love spell. You get all the red romantic bits and bobs on the altar and you go to work. You set your intention and the result is a more sexual partner then a romantic loving one. Did you check your color correspondences of your candles? Traditionally, red is the color more attributed to lust, passion, ecstasy, and action. If you were looking to attract a partner for a more sustainable and romantic relationship a better option might be to choose the color pink. 
• Did you choose the right day, phase of the moon, or magickal hour? Each of these areas are attributed to a particular energy for the witch to use. Perhaps it would have been better to choose an hour dedicated to Venus on a Friday (Sacred to Venus). 
• Timing and proper planning are very important when it comes to crafting spells. Generally, I give myself a week of preparation time. This week prior is used to gather all the supplies, make any oils, incenses, poppets ect. This is also the time I use to write my ritual and make changes as needed. 
• The planning process is very important for what we call 'ritual consciousness.' This state of awareness is called 'the zone.' The zone where your focus lies, where conscious mind gets quiet, and subconscious gets to work on the task at hand. The ritual tools, incense, candles, and poetry we use all excite this zone the same is said for pre-planning. Finally, Preplanning is the very spark of the ritual. This is where the spell actually starts. The ritual is the culminating event. Think of ritual itself. We start out small, cast circle, call the energies, raise personal energy to a climax and release it. The preparations is just an extended portion of the process.

2. How was your visualization?

• Sometimes our visualization can be too complex, too little, or not there at all. During your preparation time, write down your intent and try to attach ONE image to that intent. This visual should be something you can hold in your mind and call upon easily. 
• If you are having difficulty visualizing make an image board something small you can place on the altar. You may consider a specific style of incense or oil. 
• Change your visualization to simply the RESULT not HOW the task will be achieved. Let that marinate a bit. 

3. How specific was your intention?

• The devil is truly in the details. If you are too specific you may end up hitting a dead end. If you are too general you may only get a general result. You as the witch need to find your happy medium between the two extremes. For example: You may ask for prosperity. Well, that's a wonderful intention, however I have found that prosperity is generic and too general. Universe tends to spread out the prosperity. This would not be very effective if you are looking for that extra $100 to put on the bills due at the end of the month. Perhaps change your intention to: "I desire $100 to put towards the rent by the end of this month." 

4. What did you expect to happen?

• Sometimes witches who cast spells expect a certain result. Well of course, or whatever would be the point of doing spells and rituals? The problem is they end up looking for that result exactly as they envisioned it. I have commonly referred to this as living in your spell work. I find this tends to be a common affliction with some earth and air signs. They expect a certain thing and try to control it, which really takes all the magick out of the magick. This miss the ACTUAL manifestation of the spell. Do the spell, document what you need to after the ritual, and move on with your life. Does that mean you don't tend to that intention? Absolutely not! You can continue to 'feed the spell.' Maybe it means placing an offering and dedicating it to that intention. Perhaps you can say a daily affirmation around that intention that repeat through out the day or weeks after the ritual. Whatever it is get creative. 
• Typically spells slowly manifest over time to a big culminating manifestation, sometimes in 3's. This is the energies way of telling you it's working. Just let it be! As you develop your practice you will become more aligned with the energies.

5. Energy ALWAYS takes the easiest route. 

• There can be a million and one ways and reasons why your spells either didn't work or simply were not as effective as you anticipated. That's why the Craft is called a practice. Just like a doctor or a nurse has a practice, it's a skill. Skills are not developed overnight. Energy will always take the easiest route. Sometimes we cock up our spell by being too elaborate or having too many moving parts. Sometimes is better to just keep it simple. 

6. Act in accord with your intention.

• Here's the thing, if your walking around being all mopey, not believing in yourself, or the working, you just wasted your time. Have a little faith. 
• Get rid of junk. Let me tell you the quickest way to get a prosperity/money spell to work is if you clean house or get rid of old clothes. You can't have new things when you are holding on to clutter, spiritually, energetically or physically. 
• You have to BE what you are trying to make manifest. I am not saying your going to do all the work, nor is universe/energy going to do the work for you. By acting in accord you will work TOGETHER to make the intention manifest. How do you know if you are acting in accord? Ask yourself and do an HONEST, not critically demeaning, SELF EVALUATION. 

Point is folks there are probably millions of reasons why spells work or don't. We could be here all day discussing this. These are some of the top reasons that I can think of that will help make your spell casting a little easier! 

Lord Auriael

3rd Degree High Priest of the Craft/Witch

The Prince of Swords

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The Witch's Name Game! Ritual included

The Witches Name Game!  Ritual included!

Witches are the masters of the alter ego, among other things. What's in a name? For witches it is everything. We know that if we give a name to something it potentially takes form, gains power, and has a life of it's own. I recently received a question about the witches name or a magickal name. The client also asked to go about finding out that name. My response is have fun looking!

There are many ways to go about finding your witch name or magickal name. You can use numerology by calculating various names and seeing if matches your birth number. To do this you need a numerology chart and your birthday. In the chart each letter is assigned a number. You add them up and if you get a double number like 10 the two numbers are isolated and counted, to give you a single digit. After you have done that you can add the numbers of your birthday together. Again you will get a double digit. Isolate the numbers and add them together. The difference with your birthday is that you are calculating what some refer to as a destiny number or birth number. If the number from your birth number and name number match it's probably a pretty good fit! 

What about if I really like a name and they don't match? Well if your anal OCD self can handle it, take it! If things in your life have to be orderly and matching (Capricorn's....) then adjust, add, or take away letters to make it so. See calculation examples below. 

R Y A N

9 7 1 5    9+7+1+5 =22   ----> 2+2=4 My name number is 4

Auriael 

1 + 3 + 9 + 9 + 1 + 5 + 3 = 31 ----> 3+1 = 4

Calculating your birth number is as simple as doing the same process as above, except using your full numeric birthday! Isolating the digits into single digits and adding them together to get a single digit! I am not putting my birthday on here, but you guys get the jist. Btw if you didn't figure it out, my birth number is a 4... lol

Now you will notice that they match. Keep in mind that my name has a story behind it. Also the name number matches my birth number. 

You may do a ritual like the one that follows.

Gather together a blue candle, a representation of each of the elements, and a set of binoculars. They don't have to be real, but should be tangible. 

Assemble all the items on the altar before you and ground and center. If you cast circle normally this is a good time to do that, or you don't have to it's up to you. In this ritual you are not raising energy for magick. You are simply on a quest. 

After you have done that you will mark off little dashes in the candle to symbolize 7 days and you will light the candle. Keep in mind to allow the candle to burn to only that mark you put in the candle. It would be best to have a larger taper for this ritual. 

Focus on the candle and clear your mind. 

Speak these words of power: 

Adoro te devote, latens Deitas,

Quæ sub his figuris vere latitas;

Tibi se cor meum totum subjicit,

Quia te contemplans totum deficit.

Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur,

Sed auditu solo tuto creditur.

Virtutes nominant me in septem diebus.

Sit and think about the ritual and the task you are doing. If any names pop into your mind simply write them down. You are not choosing one until the seventh day. Experiment with different names and see what you come up with. Be ready for a trippy seven days! Through each of the seven days keep everything on the altar in tact and in a place that doesn't have a lot of traffic and has privacy. Be sure to do the ritual same time for each day. It's best to do this starting at the New Moon. 

Why is this all so important? Your ritual name is you alter ego at ritual. It's special and makes you unique to the gods and the community of witches. The most important thing to remember is that this is the ultimate tool in regards to ritual consciousness. Once you put this hat on your in the zone and it's time to do work. So you see how powerful a name is? This is why witches don't name bad shit. 

The last point I want to make is that your name doesn't have to be private, though many people do. Since I run a business in this market, I use my witch name simply cause I love it and it goes with the theme. Finally, I know that when I am referred to Lord Auriael I am at work. Happy questing!

If you would like to set up time to talk about your craft or get a Tarot Reading, please visit my website! If you would like to email me your questions you are welcome to do that as well! 

Finally like, share, and chat with me on Facebook! You can also join our group for free psychic and tarot and rune readings! 

Uranus Retrograde Steer into the Energy of Personal Awareness July 26 - Dec 25th 2015

Uranus Retrograde

Ah Uranus, the planet that gives us a fresh perspective and demands us to expand our minds like the sky. Uranus is the equivalent to the Roman Sky God Caelis. This planet when retrograde focuses its energy on making us release what is toxic in our lives, and therefore become expansive like the sky. The energy of this planet can be chaotic, fast moving, and rebellious, thus it is the modern ruler of Aquarius. This planet allows us to have a fresh perspective on old, stagnant, present situations in our lives. In order to bring resolve to these situations, Uranus will direct you to which sacrifices to make as well as the right timing. The big picture of your life is what Uranus will force you to see. Uranus will first show you your personal bigger picture, and then the avenues to achieve that picture. Be prepared for some very deep thinking and highly introspective thoughts. Philosophical thoughts may be on the rise as well! All of these leading to an epiphany! "By George, I think he's got it!" Beware of living through impulse during this time. As much as you want to rebel under this energy, take the time to garner patience. This is an energy that demands you look at the reality of your life. Allow the lessons to unfold before you so that you can learn them once and for all!

-Lord Auriael-

-Ryan Morrigan- 

http://pathofthespirit.weebly.com

http://www.facebook.com/pathofthespirit

Venus Retrograde 2015

Venus Retrograde 2015

Venus Retrograde Pulls you back to make changes in the areas of what you love and value. She beckons you to make changes in how you relate to people and your relationships. Are you ready for these changes? If not, this energy demands you become ready. Past lovers may present themselves at this time, while a possible romantic liaison may show up to reignite your heart! Take this time to nurture the self and make goals to remove the unwanted relationships as well. Keep in balance however, for every bad relationship that is remove find a creative way to nurture one that is valued above the others. -Lord Auriael

Saturn Retrograde 2015

Saturn Retrograde in Scorpio, 2015

We are going to look at the Saturn Retrograde happening in Scorpio this year. Please know that all a retrograde means is that from our vantage point it looks (illusion) like the plant is moving backwards. It is saying there is special emphasis on the lessons of the energies of that planet. It's not a bad thing, however some people may find that the energy is a bumpy road for them. Retrogrades give us the opportunity to see the illusions of our lives. This years Retrograde is in Scorpio. Regardless of where it is, Saturn in nature is not about the warm fuzzies and feel good factor. Saturn, especially in Scorpio, demands that we all look at the REAL truth of the matters at hand. Dig to the root of all problems to find resolve to our problems.Saturn is also known to be the deliverer of Karma. Have you been living in your truth? Those that have been will see great rewards, however those that have not will be caught in their own webs for all to see. Finally, Saturn demands that we look at the quality of our actions. Are you setting the stage for what you would like to manifest in the long term, but taking control of things in the interim? Are you being proactive to remove PERMANENTLY not TEMPORARILY toxic people and energy? Are you putting band-aids over situations? This the question of quality of choices made! Now is the time, are you on board? Allow the energy to guide you, and show you the way!

-Lord Auriael-

How do I use my psychic gifts? What are they?

Hello, I wanted to take a minute tell you about my gifts, abilites, and what it is I do for your the client. Many of you are familiar with the Tarot Deck. I couple my readings with tarot and the Quabalistic Tree of Life.This is the main avenue of my divination practice. However I use other gifts as well. My abilities that I have developed are empathy, clairaudience, clairvoyance, claircognizance, and clairsentience.

Clairaudience: The ability to clearly hear. The things I hear are not heard by the client. The things I hear are quick short phrases that pertain to the reading.
This is an ability to clearly and intuitively hear messages. Sometimes people will describe this when they are driving and they clearly hear something inside them telling them "go right."

Clairsentience: The ability to clearly feel. This is sometimes linked in with empathic abilities. While empathy is feeling the emotions of others, this particular gift is about feeling the energy and getting a good read on it. Some psychics will describe this as a gut feeling. For me during a reading every feeling has a different meaning. For example a twisting stomach is nervousness. A heavy sacral charkra can be sexual energy, pregnancy, or lust. A light heartness is happiness and bliss. Sometimes these feelings will get mixed in with the clients energy and I have to carefully separate the two to be as open and not inflict the reading. Generally I tap into this gift after I have shuffled and laid down the first card.

Clairvoyance: Clear seeing is a very misunderstood gift, and sometimes even the hardest to describe. Sometimes clients think I see whole movies of their lives, and that is not the case. Most of the time I see little vignettes and short scenes as the client is answering my baseline questions and other questions through out the reading. This is one of my favorite gifts to work with. I have really spent time on this working with psychometry. The ability to clearly see and get a read on objects. The best way that I have developed that is by being blindfolded, knowing nothing about the object and having it given to me. I do have visions and premonitions. I started having those when I was about 7 years old. however I keep them quiet because they have a lot of energy. Sometimes during a reading, I get little flash and they are vision in nature.

Claircognizance: Sometimes I just know things. I can't explain it! Clearly knowing is simply that. We just know something.  The feelings that come before clearly knowing time is very heavy. I tend to get these when I am unsure about a situation. I just know that something isn't quite right. I have typically seen this work when dealing with people who were trying to lie.

Finally, I am always trying to be tapped in to your guides and my guides to 'guide' the readings. I see myself simply as an interpreter of the cards and a voice for the spirit world to help clients. As you can see I use a lot of different avenues that the client doesn't see or know is going on. All of these things amplify the readings and give you the best guidance that you need! I hope you will give me a try! Check out my website to set up your appointment today! My readings are kept affordable for all!

What is a Tarot Reading and How do I get one from Ryan?

A Tarot reading is a form of divination in which the reader (dealer) flips cards and interprets the symbols and cards on the table. This is a very old form of divination and takes many years of practice to simply get a "grasp" on it. After the learner gets the jist, it's still a journey of exploration and learning. I am still learning after 10 years.

How the process works with me:

You the client will sit down at the table or we will begin over the phone. I will want to get a baseline from you in regards to your life, relationships, and any other basic pertinent information. I may even take notes as well. The client may ask any questions they wish of me or the cards as well. Generally clients ask questions regarding one of three topics. These topics usually are love, finances, and spirituality. Other times clients may simply talk about current situations in their life. The whole beginning process is to obtain a 'base line' of the energy around from which to work. All the while we are getting to know each other, I will be shuffling the cards and connecting with my guides and yours as well.

The tarot is set up like a regular playing deck of cards. You have your court cards King Queen, Knight and Page and the 4 suits each corresponding to a different element. The swords (air), wands (fire), cups (water), and pentacles (earth). These are what diviners call 'the pips' or the Minor Arcana. There is another part of the tarot deck called the Major Arcana. These cards are the big time pivotal cards that really give emphasis to areas of the reading. Be assured that when those show up we will focusing a lot on those.

I will also briefly explain some of the astrological correspondences happening the day of your reading. I will also take a moment to explain the Tree of Life that I work off of as well. You don't need to know all about it, just know that I will explain and carry you with me the whole way!

My goal is to ALWAYS create an environment that is safe, healing, and open between myself and the client. I want all my clients to have the best experience and to visit with me again. The feel I want to capture for the client is that it's like talking to an old friend.

Please know that I use all of my gifts not just the cards. I use the psychic skills of clairaudience and clairsentience heavily, as well as the others. The objective is to give the best reading possible. It is also my personal goal to give you accurate predictions and usable advice to guide you after you leave.

How do I get a reading from Ryan? 

Please visit my website at http://pathofthespirit.weebly.com click under Tarot services and make the selection of your choice. Many people choose the 1 hour reading. It's only $30 in June and $40 regularly. My rates never get higher. I love to do discounts and I am always willing to work with you!

After you have made your payment we need to set up an appointment. Unless it is Monday or Tuesday between 10-4:30 in which it is considered a walk in reading. Again longer sessions are encouraged to be by appointment. Appointments are made by phone at 218-269-2763 or by email at pathofthespirit@gmail.com. Readings are conducted in CST time zone if you are out of town, and over the phone. I will give you my number and you will call 5 minutes prior to the reading. There are no refunds on services provided. If you are late, the payment is forfeited and I move on to my next reading. (If you are going to be late, you must call in advance to let me know. If I am going to be late, I will generally let you know 24 hours in advance). Please extend that courtesy to me.

All payments are made through my website securely through Paypal. I hope this answered some of your frequently asked questions. For a quick free reading please join my Facebook group at the link below. I hope to talk with you soon!

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Mercury Retrograde Calendar for 2015

Mercury Retrograde for 2015 

January 21 - February 11th in Aquarius

May 18- June 11th in Gemini

September 17th - October 9th in Libra

January 5th 2016 in Capricorn

This year we have an interesting set of retrogrades for Mercury. This should come as NO surprise to any of you! We know that this planet goes retrograde about 3 times a year, so what do we do? We PREPARE for it! I have included that the first retrograde of 2016, because we begin that retrogrades shadow period and so the year begins under a retrograde. Let's stay concerned with this year, shall we?

Mercury Retrograde the Basics with NO BULL!

Check it out guys we know that this happens as often so deal with it. Don't put your life on hold just because of this particular energy. Drive into it and understand it. If you implement the lessons of this energy you will not have to worry about the energy jerking you around! Stop blaming the retrograde, it's not the retrogrades fault you didn't prepare or pay attention to the details! 

During any Mercury retrograde it isn't a good idea to make big changes or start new projects. We ought not to do this simply because the energy isn't there for it. The energy is demanding that old projects be taken care of first. This will require a little work on your part to figure out what ones need your attention and which present projects can go on the back burner. 

Please consider keeping a close eye on the details. Just because you sent the email to someone doesn't mean they got it. Communication will be jacked up, but you can overcome that too! Slow down when you speak. Actually think about what you are going to say and as you are saying it actually hear yourself! You will find that these little techniques will help during the direct periods of Mercury as well! You can't expect people to listen to you if you are not hearing and LISTENING to them as well.  The devil is in the details when it comes to comms during this time. If you are unsure if someone got the message FOLLOW UP! What can it hurt? 

Life can't be put on hold, because a planet isn't direct. So take the time to pay attention to the details. The Mercury retrogrades are all about pulling back, preparing for the future by finishing unfinished projects and business. That being said, don't be surprised if someone from your past comes to you as well for the same opportunity. 

All the retrogrades are happening in the Air signs this year. This is important because they are asking you to internally build up your mind and strengthen for any situation. The catch is YOU must do it!

Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius

This energy is going to be a little chaotic but it is not insurmountable. You are able to push through this with a calm head. Aquarian energy is naturally rebellious and in the search for independence, hope, and faith. Keep a calm head when dealing with people who are in search of their independence because they may do it through rebellion and nonconformity. Most importantly, this energy is demanding that you build a foundation of hope and faith internally. This internal "storage" will help in the future keeping you resilient and hopeful that you can make through anything! Aquarian's love to laugh, take some time to laugh even in dark times! 

Mercury Retrograde in Gemini  

This energy challenges your mind directly in how you interact with people and the environment around you. This energy is forcing you to be an observer. What are you observing? You are observing details of situations. Analyzing what people say; is what they are saying fact or an opinion cleverly disguised as a fact? This makes your mind stronger because you are able to accurately extrapolate what is going to happen next. You can gauge situations to where you will come out on top and end conflict before it escalates. 

Mercury Retrograde in Libra

This energy will be challenging how you create balance in situations. Do you see the pattern yet? Aquarius is telling you keep a calm head, but stick to your guns. Have hope that any situation can find resolution. Gemini is telling you as you work through the situation pick out the facts and separate opinions. Communicate concerns clearly using facts and being upfront. Libra comes along and now asks you to implement what you have learned. How can I make this a win-win situation. Now, not every situation can be win-win. This energy is trying to get you to see that even a win-lose situation is balanced. Perhaps further compromise is needed and the win-lose is only temporary. From this energy you are challenged to be a strategist. Many people who embrace this energy become excellent leaders.

All the energies explained above can have their pros and cons it's up to you to figure out how you are going to apply the lessons learned. These energies only influence the energy of the year further. If the objective is to make your year and life the best always live in accordance with the energies. You will find that life is far easier to navigate. 

Astrological Magick- Retrogrades

Each retrograde has their quirks and challenges. The stigma is that each retrograde has more pitfalls that gains. That like a planetary retrograde is an illusion. I couldn't think of any ritual to do, so naturally I looked through my books. Astrology magick gave an avenue. When embarking on Astrological magick, be sure to do your research of the energies involved. A good place to start is as follows:

1. Understand normal planetary associations and energies
2. Understand retrograde energies of the planet. 
3. Know what sign the planet is retrograding in and research that. 
4. Be aware of any aspects that are on it (squares, tringes, sextiles ect.). 
5. Length of the retrograde. 
6. Research your natal chart. Be aware if the planet retrograded in your chart at the time of you birth. If it did look at what house it was in at that time. 

The above is just a short list. You can get as detailed or basic as you like. Understanding the energies will help guide in the creation f rituals and effectiveness of your spells and magick. Also for the novice witch this yields incredible learning opportunities and applications, as well as some great entries into you Book of Shadows!

Example:
Jupiter Retrograde in Leo. Enters Virgo August 11th, 2015
Jupiter is Retrograde Dec. 8th 2014- April 8th, 2015
Today is Jan. 2nd, 2015
Aspects: Moon sextile Jupiter
Highly protective influence. Good Fortune and coming out on top. Unyielding hope, faith, and intuition, and optimism allow you to tackle life's challenges. These traits you building in yourself which boosts your self esteem and confidence. You also put it in the universe or a higher power. Sextiles are positive energy and are a building energy. How does this effect a retrograde? You are asked to use these gifts internally, to pave the way.

Mars opposes Jupiter:
Enthusiasm and optimism are strengths and weaknesses. Avoid impulsive spontaneity and be aware of the consequences of you actions. This energy could make you think that you can tackle anything willy nilly. That's not always the case. You may be larger than life, but your acts are not and will yield only temporary results. Take this time to plan and be methodical. That is a strength that brings not only abundance, but long term abundance.

Effects on a retrograde:
You can't rely on someone else to do it for you. Jupiter is showing you that you are capable, but it starts with you. Long term success comes from making a methodical plan. You need to get the internal view of your reality in sync with whats going on around you to have long term abundance in the material world.

Jupiter is retrograde in the fifth house of Leo. The fiery lion. He is the embodiment of strength and courage. You can do anything you set your mind to. When Jupiter is retrograde in Leo, beware of the pitfalls of Leo energy like vanity, gambling, or too high of a risk. You may become a bit exorbitant with purchases which will lead to financial problems down the road. There is the unstable energy of money here, so before the planet retrogrades, put a little aside for a rainy day. This planet is retrograde once a year for 120 or 4 months. Don't touch this money or put it in a certificate of deposit,  (retrogrades have a way of surprising us...like car troubles). This is the physical manifestation of going within in regards to money matters. Putting that aside will help you eventually in the long run. Big picture planning from within is the focus of a Jupiter retrograde in Leo.

Now you know these very basic things about the Jupiter Retrograde in Leo. From here you are able to build a small ritual to help you through the energy to make it actually pretty beneficial. Good luck!

Pillars of Greek Wisdom!

This is an ongoing discussion. I will be updating this particular stream with all the videos that I do on this subject. This will help people to be able to view them in order and keep track of them. There are some videos that I was actually able to insert, others I had to just copy and past the link. I hope that doesn't make anything confusing! I am really excited and would GROUP participation! Please leave comments!!

Achilles' Choice

The Temptation of Ulysses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuUO4GjZw4A&index=5&list=PLlYnOp4dTI2ARMh9yCNJCLuLciMl2ko5L

The First Greek Pillar, Humanism. Not a Choice, but a Responsibility

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzQbHcIadyY&list=PLlYnOp4dTI2ARMh9yCNJCLuLciMl2ko5L&index=6

The Second Greek Pillar, The Pursuit of Excellence Part 1

The Second Greek Pillar, The Pursuit of Excellence Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avuWk_Tn4VY