Author: Emily Guenther

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Metaphysical Connection: The History of Halloween

Halloween is fun. Samhain is sacred. (Photo: Brenkee | Pixabay)

Halloween is a magical time of year for many people. It’s a time when we can let some of our inhibitions go temporarily. Halloween allows all of us to confront our fears in a controlled way via scary costumes and haunted attractions. Secular Halloween is fun, but there is a spiritual history behind the holiday. Many pagans and witches still observe the rituals and meanings behind it. 

For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K., and other parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (pronounced saa-win) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year. Ushering in a new year signaled a time of both death and rebirth, something that was doubly symbolic because it coincided with the end of a bountiful harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter.

Samhain is one of the eight sabbats celebrated by Wiccans and other pagan religious groups. Pagans recognize a seasonal calendar known as the Wheel of the Year, based on the agricultural cycle of the U.K. The Wheel of the Year honors the blessings and changes of each season and acknowledges that the year has two halves — a light half (spring/summer) and a dark (half autumn/winter). 

We recognize Samhain as the third and final harvest festival. The first is Lughnasadh at the beginning of August. Lughnasadh celebrates the harvest of grains and the last of the summer fruits and vegetables. It is fondly called the bread holiday. The second is Mabon. Mabon is celebrated on the autumn equinox and is a time of balance, thanksgiving, and celebrating the harvest of the last of the fall fruits and vegetables. Some consider Mabon to be Witches’ Thanksgiving. 

Samhain is the final harvest of the fall season. This would have been a time when our ancestors brought in any remaining grains and vegetables from the fields and slaughtered animals to supply meat for the upcoming winter. Special bonfires were lit, which were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers. The animal harvest at Samhain may be one of the reasons that death is associated with it. However, nature grows dormant now, which is likely another reason we associate death with this time of year. 

According to Irish mythology, Samhain (like Beltane) was when the “doorways” to the Otherworld opened, allowing supernatural beings and souls of the dead to come into our world. While Beltane was a summer festival for the living, Samhain was often considered a festival for the dead. 

The origins of Halloween are so closely tied to Samhain, it would be easy to say that your Halloween celebrations are much like Samhain celebrations. There’s lots of overlap, but one of the biggest differences between them is intention and reverence. 

Many Wiccans will perform a Samhain ritual close to October 31st — the date we have standardized as Samhain/Halloween. Samhain rituals typically honor deities associated with death and rebirth from various cultures, calling out to our ancestors and honoring them or leaving them offerings. Some people put up an ancestor altar at this time. 

Halloween is the commercialized version of a religious holiday, giving it a slightly different energy from the origins of Samhain. Many Wiccans and pagans enjoy Halloween as a part of Samhain. Some of us will decorate our homes or workspaces with seasonal decor. We carve pumpkins, go to corn mazes and haunted houses, and buy a ridiculous amount of candy. We may likely end up in a costume at a party, eating and drinking with our community — much like our ancestors. We can do all of these fun and exciting things for Halloween, so long as we understand that when we begin the religious portion of our seasonal rites, we must do that part with reverence and intention. Halloween is fun. Samhain is sacred. 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Witchy Crafts

Labels can give your witch bottle some pizzazz. (Photos: Emily Guenther)

October is here and that means we’re all on the hunt for everything witchy. A relatively easy thing you can do this season is create a witch bottle. Typically witch bottles are spells or tools used in manifestation work. But if you are looking for a cute, decorative item to add to your Halloween décor, you can make a witch bottle for decoration. 

Making a decorative witch bottle can be a fun activity for the whole family and a great way to express your creativity. You’ll need jars. Any size will work so long as the mouth is big enough to add things into the bottle and it has a lid to seal it. You’ll also want glitter, mica powder, dyes, foil paper, or other pretty items to add to your jar. Once you have all your supplies, let your creativity flow. Add any glitter, mica powder, dye, or foil into your bottle. Fill with water and put the lid on the jar. If you’d like to make it extra witchy, you can melt wax over the top or add a label to the bottle. It can be easy to make your own labels to tie to the jar, but you can also purchase some witchy stickers while you’re collecting supplies to go in the bottle. I made a few of these up for a party I threw years ago and they stayed up in my house for years. 

Making an intentional witchy bottle is not much different, but it will depend on what you want to manifest. In order for your bottle to be effective, you have to begin with a very clear goal. The ingredients and tools you should use change based on what type of love you’re looking to invite into your life. Do you want to find long-lasting, romantic love? Are you hoping to strengthen familial bonds and connections? Visualize a very clear image of what this spell jar’s success looks like to guide and inform the whole creation process.

Once your intent is set, it’s time to select a jar and begin deciding which ingredients, tools, and other implements you may want to include. I encourage you to put a good amount of thought into this and be thorough. Make sure you have everything you need when beginning, to avoid breaking your concentration to fetch something in the middle of it. This would be disruptive and could affect the spell’s viability. Spend some time researching herbs, oils, and symbols associated with your desires. 

Most spell-crafters agree that it’s important to energetically and spiritually cleanse the immediate space where you’ll be working. This ensures that no unwanted energies will interfere with or muddle your spell. Try out different methods, or combinations of methods, to figure out which ones feel best to you. You don’t have to stick to any one method, either. Feel free to change it up depending on your mood or the intent of the witch bottle. Four different methods you can use to spiritually prepare your ritual space are sound cleansing, smoke cleansing, cleansing with visualization, and space cleansing with crystals. 

Now it’s time to build your jar. I often start by adding written intentions to witch bottles because that helps to set the intention for the rest of the bottle’s creation. There are no hard-and-fast rules to the assembly, so please feel free to assemble yours in the ways that feel most appropriate to you.

There are a few different ways to seal your finished witch bottle. Wax sealing, sealing with tape, cloth sealing, and using sigils to seal the spell jar spiritually are the most commonly used methods. After your spell jar has been assembled, it’s time to give it a concentrated boost of magickal energy to activate it and set its power into action. There are several ways of doing this: through visualization; by using athames, wands, or clear quartz points; or by shaking the jar. Shaking the jar is one of my favorite ways to activate a witch bottle, especially those that are water-based. 

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy the witchiness of October — and happy manifesting! 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Manifesting Abundance

Photo: Flying Logos | creativecommons | Wikimedia Commons

In the spiritual world, there are certain topics that are highly popular, and rightly so. Cleansing and protection are among the basics of metaphysical practice and therefore get a lot of attention. Love is another. But money is on people’s minds the most right now. 

As we wind down summer and look ahead to autumn, we are entering harvest season. In Wicca and witchcraft traditions, August 1st is known as Lughnasadh or Lammas and is considered the first harvest. The autumnal equinox on September 22nd is known in these traditions as Mabon and is considered the second harvest of the season. Those who work on farms or have gardens are likely preparing to bring in their final harvest of the year within the next month or so. Harvest also brings us into the season of gratitude and taking stock of what we have. 

Even though we are moving into fall, into harvest and gratitude season, that does not mean we stop manifesting. Working with the cycles of nature lends extra energy to our workings, but our manifesting never stops. 

Gratitude goes a long way on a spiritual path. I find that when asking for something, it helps to show your gratitude for things you already have. If you are doing money manifestation work, it may not hurt to tell your guides or the universe that you are grateful for the job or the opportunities you already have. If we show our appreciation for what we have, perhaps the universe will be more generous with us. 

There are many different approaches to manifesting abundance and prosperity. Do what feels comfortable or right for you. If you are looking for a powerful spell that is easy to use, I often recommend candles. The longer the candle burns, the more energy is put into the universe on your behalf. You have plenty of options of candle size, so you can find one that works best for you. Candles are easy because they don’t require a lot of supplies or money, and once you light them the magic is working. 

Color psychology plays a big part in manifestation. When manifesting money, you typically want to use colors that remind you of money: green, gold, or silver. But there are always exceptions to the rules. White is also powerful and can be substituted for any other color. And red is a color of fire and action. You can use red on any working to speed up the timing of your request. If you need fast money, try red. 

Gemstones are also great to aid in your manifestation work. You can carry them with you or wear them. You can add them to candles, set up crystal grids, or place them in your home. Your money-drawing gemstones are typically going to be those whose colors are green or gold. 

Many of your kitchen herbs can work for attracting prosperity. Basil, bay, allspice, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger are all good for this. You can also use chamomile, lavender, five finger grass, goldenseal, and many others. You can dress your candles with these herbs, add them to a mojo bag, or even use them in your cooking to attract prosperity. 

You can use all of these suggestions together to manifest money, or pick and choose. You can add your prosperity gemstones to a mojo bag with money-drawing herbs to carry with you or place at work. Or you can put them in a jar to create a prosperity jar spell. It is impossible to list all the options here, but you can also use incense or oils to attract money. 

Regardless of which method you choose, there is a tool or an aide for everyone. Happy manifesting! 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Wheel of Life

Our spiritual lives often work in cycles just like our mundane ones. (Photo: European Space Agency | creativecommons.org | via Wikimedia Commons)

Learning the Wheel of the Year and the cycle of the year is one of the core teachings in many Wiccan and witchcraft traditions. As a person learns and practices their path, they may find themselves becoming more and more attuned to nature. They may notice they behave differently during certain seasons or are more affected by things at other times of the year. 

Over the years, I have learned to honor and accept the cycles I see in my life and my path. We are each the universe in microcosm, which means we each have cycles in our lives that are unique to us too. If we take a step back and look at our lives from a bigger perspective, we may notice there are cycles or patterns that our lives follow. These patterns may be dictated by work or school. They may be more influenced by family and traditions, or they may be all your own. Most people’s cycles are some combination of all of these.

I own a metaphysical store and a ghost tour company. My patterns and cycles often reflect the busy seasons of my businesses, with most of my downtime happening in January and February. The last quarter is our busiest time and there is no rest for the Wiccan until the new year.

We have more than just physical, busy cycles. Our mundane work and school life have their own flow. But our spiritual practice and our emotional lives also have their own patterns. Sometimes all these cycles align, but usually they do not. Which means we are often living in different cycles all at the same time. Perhaps that is part of the beauty of life.

There are going to be times when your spiritual practice is the first thing you do when you get out of bed. There may be times when you don’t even think to pray all week. I get it; I’ve been in both places on my path.

Try not to beat yourself up about missing your spiritual routine if it happens. Our spiritual lives often work in cycles just like our mundane ones. There are times when my guides are very active and close, and it gets very noisy in my head. Then there will be times when it’s completely quiet and I wonder if I’m alone in the universe. I’m not; I don’t really believe that, but at those times it does feel like all of my spirit team is off doing other things.

Sometimes when it’s very quiet, I reach out to see what is happening on the astral plane. Lately when I do this, I get the impression that everyone is busy, doing other things just slightly out of my reach. It can be annoying, but I understand. The gods, ancestors, and guides all have many things to do and many people to see, not just me. Your guides might feel like you are where you need to be and therefore do not need their constant attention now. Something might have happened to one of their other devotees that they need to attend to. Our guides are mighty beings with incomparable skills, but they cannot be everywhere at once.

Things happen in our lives that cause us to focus more on the physical world and less on the spiritual. It’s okay. Life happens. If you are working on a big project or have a lot going on, it’s natural to put off what you feel like doesn’t have to get done. Yet I know many of us will feel guilty for skipping out on visiting our altars or doing our regular meditation practice.

Every spiritual teacher, including myself, will tell you that the best way to grow your relationship with your gods and guides is to create a regular practice. Spirituality is something we learn by doing, just like tarot and divination or any other skill we want to acquire. But when we fall off our routine wagon, we have to learn to accept it and get back on, without guilt and without fear. 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: The Lion’s Gate

The sign of Leo is associated with boldness and confidence.(Photo: Emily Guenther)

We are now in the Lion’s Gate Portal (July 26th to August 12th), a relatively new energetic phenomenon. It’s a combination of astrology, ancient cosmology, and numerology — all channeling a very specific celestial alignment that peaks on August 8th. 

The portal happens when the sun, in the astrological sign of Leo, is in alignment with the star Sirius, Orion’s Belt, and Earth. This happens when Sirius “rises” or becomes visible again due to the sun’s yearly passing of the star. The rising of the dog star is an occurrence that has been noted by cultures for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians knew Sirius well and based many of their ceremonies and holidays around the time it became visible. 

To the ancient Egyptians, Sirius was seen as the embodiment of the agricultural goddess Sopdet and was connected with the annual rising and flooding of the Nile, indispensable to their survival. In later civilizations, the Greeks and Romans noticed that Sirius, actually a binary star that they called “The Dog Star,” began to rise alongside the sun in late July. They believed that the united ascent of these two stars side-by-side made for the hottest time of the year — the Dog Days of Summer. The Dog Days of Summer and the Lion’s Gate Portal are not the same, even though they happen simultaneously and focus on Sirius as a key factor. 

Besides its brightness, ancient astrologers noted that Sirius seemed to take on characteristics of two fiery planets — Jupiter and Mars. In astrology, Jupiter is the planet of luck, miracles, expansion, and growth believed to bring forth prosperity, happiness, fortune, wealth, and wisdom. Mars is the planet of action, competition, conquest, passion, desire, and energy. With these powers combined, Sirius was considered particularly auspicious. This is why taking action while it is in alignment is thought to help one achieve one’s goals, imbued with the luck of Jupiter and the courage of Mars.

Sirius is the brightest star in the sky and is astrologically considered to be a spiritual sun. Its powerful energy is activating, uplifting, and capable of raising consciousness. Where the sun provides physical nourishment, Sirius is believed to breathe life into our “spiritual bodies.” In astrology, it brings wealth, abundance, fortune, and fame. This alignment with the star means it is an excellent time for manifestation. 

The entire Lion’s Gate Portal period is considered spiritually significant but its peak falls on August 8th. In numerology, the number 8 is associated with balance, power, karmic relief, and mastery and is known as the number of good luck and fortune, discovery, hope, and opportunity. It’s also linked to the infinity symbol, which represents continuous balance and the infinite flow of energy. The 8:8 combination signifies inspiration, integrity, knowledge, introspection, and intuition and represents infinite activation. Some consider 8:8 to be one of the most powerful number combinations. 

August 8th is also the day that marks the sun’s mid-way point through the astrological sign of Leo. The sign of Leo is associated with boldness and confidence. Of course, the sun is also the ruler of sign Leo. So in this moment, everything is in alignment physically and spiritually.

This feast of energy allows an opportunity for spiritual expansion and evolvement. Giving us a chance to become a more empowered, better version of ourselves. Many people use this window of the Lion’s Gate to help them manifest their dreams and significant changes in their lives. If you are manifesting prosperity or things that involve taking a risk, this might be a good time to double down on your manifestation rituals. 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Mercury Goes Retrograde This Summer

Mercury doesn’t actually orbit backwards — it’s an illusion. (Photo: Pixabay)

From August 5th to August 28th, Mercury will once again be taking its backward spin through the sky. This will be our second full Mercury retrograde of 2024. Mercury also went retrograde in December 2023 and carried over to January 1, 2024. 

A retrograde is a phenomenon that happens when it appears that a planet in the sky is orbiting backwards. The planets don’t actually change orbital direction; it is more of an optical illusion. However, many people believe that during these periods the energy or properties of that planet may be behaving differently. All planets do this, but the spiritual community puts a lot of focus on Mercury going retrograde. 

Mercury is thought to rule over our communication, travel, and commerce. When it is in retrograde, we can often expect miscommunication, disagreements because of miscommunication, hiccups with travel plans, and inconveniences with technology. Retrogrades, especially Mercury retrogrades, often throw speed bumps in our way to make us slow down, reflect, and readjust for the next phase.

August’s Mercury retrograde begins in the zodiac sign of Virgo but will move into Leo before it’s over. Virgo is an earth sign, and many of Virgo’s qualities revolve around being grounded and connected to earthy energy. Virgos are thought to be good problem-solvers. They are organized, practical, prepared, loyal, and kind. Leo is a fire sign, and many of the things we love about Leos come from this sign’s fiery connection. Leos are confident and bold. They are creative thinkers, passionate, and motivated. 

While Mercury retrograde impacts all of us, the sign in which the retrograde falls tends to be impacted the most. That means if you have strong Virgo and Leo placements in your Sun, Moon, or Rising signs, you’ll be hit harder than others. 

This retrograde is here to shake things up, and that likely will not sit well with Virgos. Virgos are also known to be perfectionists who like to preplan as much as possible. With Mercury retrograde in the mix, things are not going to go as planned. To better enjoy and perhaps mediate the lessons of this retrograde, we will need to learn to loosen up. When things do not go according to plan, we will need to roll with the situation at hand. Becoming distressed or angry can easily be misinterpreted and can upset the people around you. Remember Mercury rules communication, and when it’s in retrograde, communication can become very muddy very quickly. 

Mercury also rules over technology, travel, and commerce. If you have embraced those Virgo qualities of structure and having all the details planned, be sure to give yourself a little wiggle room in August. Expect things that you have planned to develop a few speed bumps or need a few last-minute adjustments. Perfectionism will not be possible during this retrograde. Do not let perfection be the enemy of good enough. Sometimes you need to accept the hand you’ve been given with grace.

As we move to Leo, we see this period shift thematically toward identity and confidence. Miscommunications and clumsy wording are common during Mercury retrograde, but you cannot let this shatter your self-image. We must also be very careful with our actions. Leo is a bold and proud sign. This influence can embolden us to do things we wouldn’t ordinarily do in our communications. Don’t let your frustrations with things and the passion of Leo merge into risky behavior. You may feel like now is the time to have that difficult conversation or finally send that email. Before you do though, take some time to think it through; don’t be rash. And remember communication is already going to be tricky. Is now the time to bring up touchy and vulnerable topics? 

If we can be flexible and go with the flow this Mercury retrograde, we shouldn’t have any more trouble out of it than usual. Be patient and understanding and don’t let your ego get in the way. Again, this is a time to step back and observe and learn about ourselves. Approach these retrogrades as opportunities and be open and grateful to the lessons. 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Spiritual Significance of Summer

Photo: Johann Elert Bode | Wikimedia commons

It’s officially July and we are now half way through 2024. July is a month rich in spiritual symbolism and significance. As the heart of summer, July represents a time of growth, abundance, and inner illumination. In many cultures and traditions, the seventh month of the year holds deep spiritual meaning, connecting to themes of transformation, creativity, and personal empowerment.

July, named after Julius Caesar, carries the legacy of leadership, power, and transformation. The very essence of its symbolism is intertwined with the zenith of summer, where the sun’s energy is at its peak, illuminating our lives with warmth and vibrancy. This period represents growth, fruition, and the manifestation of all the hard work put in during the earlier months. This month stands as a beacon of hope and a reminder that no matter the challenges faced, the light of endurance shines brightest in the warmth of this month.

July’s symbolism is also marked by the celebration of independence and freedom in various parts of the world. It’s a time when we reflect on the concepts of liberty, self-determination, and unity. This brings a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy and the ongoing struggles for liberation across the globe.

July is a testament to the bountiful gifts nature has to offer. The lush landscapes and the plentiful harvests that characterize this time of year symbolize a spiritual abundance that extends beyond the material realm. This invites us to shift our focus from scarcity to gratitude, acknowledging the wealth of blessings that surround us. Whether it’s an abundance of love, health, or happiness, July reminds us to approach each day with a spirit of openness and appreciation.

By embracing this mindset of prosperity, we can cultivate a deeper connection with the divine and find joy in the simple pleasures of life. The generosity of nature during this season serves as a powerful inspiration, encouraging us to share our own bounty and uplift those around us.

The intense heat of July presents a physical but also spiritual challenge. The Southern summer requires us to tap into our inner reserves of strength and resilience. This month serves as a reminder that the flames of adversity can forge the steel of our character.

The fiery energy of July symbolizes the passion and drive that fuels our actions, urging us to confront our fears and emerge victorious in our personal battles. In July, we move out of Cancer season and into Leo season. The astrological sign of Leo brings its passion and fire to the forefront this month. By embracing this inner fire, we can tap into a wellspring of courage and determination, allowing us to overcome obstacles and reach new heights of personal growth. The unwavering spirit of the sun during this season serves as a guiding light, inspiring us to stand tall in the face of life’s challenges and to never surrender in the pursuit of our dreams.

Since we are more than halfway through the year, it is also a good time to check in on the goals that we set in January. Are we making progress? Have we reached those goals? Do we still want to pursue those goals? If you are still working on manifesting things that you set your intentions for earlier this year, use the energy of July to help you refocus and make those dreams a reality. 

Astrologically, July is dominated by the signs of Cancer and Leo, each bringing its unique energy and lessons. Cancer, represented by the crab, emphasizes the themes of home, family, and emotional depth. It teaches us the importance of nurturing our relationships and creating a safe and loving environment for our growth and the growth of those around us. Leo, symbolized by the lion, roars with the energy of leadership, creativity, and self-expression. This sign encourages us to embrace our personal power, to shine our light boldly, and to pursue our passions with courage and confidence. The astrological significance of the month thus lies in its invitation to balance our emotional depths with our desire for expression and visibility, weaving a tapestry of personal and collective growth. 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Welcoming the Summer Solstice

Summer solstice sunrise over Stonehenge (Photo: Andrew Dunn | Creative Commons | Wikimedia)

June 20th is the official start of summer, with the summer solstice happening at 3:50 p.m. that day. This solstice marks the longest day of the year — when the number of hours of daylight are at their maximum, and the number of hours of night are at their minimum.

The movement of celestial bodies has fascinated humans for millennia. Ancient cultures knew that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shifted in a regular way throughout the year. They built monuments, such as the ones at Stonehenge in England and at Machu Picchu in Peru, to follow the sun’s yearly progress. Newgrange in Ireland was constructed to align with the winter solstice and Angkor Wat in Cambodia aligns with the sun on the spring equinox.

Many ancient cultures created holy days and festivals to mark the movement of the heavens. Our ancient ancestors often celebrated the solstices and equinoxes, honored them as holy days, and set them aside for religious observances.

Today, we know the solstice is caused by Earth’s tilted axis and by its orbital motion around the sun. The Earth doesn’t orbit upright with respect to the plane of our orbit around the sun. Instead, our world is tilted on its axis by 23.5 degrees. Through the year, this tilt causes Earth’s Northern and Southern hemispheres to trade places in receiving the sun’s light and warmth most directly. It’s Earth’s tilt — not our distance from the sun — that causes winter and summer. In fact, our planet is closest to the sun in January and farthest from the sun in July, during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer.

But does understanding the science and reason behind the summer solstice (or any solstice or equinox) take away from the awe or reverence we have for these sacred times? For some people it may. Knowing the mechanics behind a phenomenon might make that occurrence less mystical for people. It may no longer seem special just because we understand what is happening and why.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There can be something powerful in taking part in the same celebrations that our ancestors took part in. It doesn’t mean we are doing the same things our ancestors may have done to honor the solstice. But just continuing the practice of recognizing the day, or the moment, helps create a tradition that will continue to live and evolve through you and after you.

It’s the 21st century. We know that the Earth rotates around the sun in our solar system. And our solar system is just one of millions in our galaxy of the Milky Way. But does this knowledge make phenomena such as the summer solstice any less magical? Not to me. In fact, sometimes it makes it more magical.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs or tradition, it is possible to the look at this intricate system that is our world and be amazed. Whether you believe a higher power created it or the Earth and humans are an accident of science and evolution, it is still amazing how well-balanced and special our world is. And it is just a fragment of dust in comparison to what’s out there beyond the stars. How is that not awe-inspiring?

In spiritual traditions, the summer solstice is often referred to as Midsummer. Although it is officially the start of summer, for most of us summer began months ago. It is starting to get hot, the kids only have a couple of months left before school starts back for the fall, and we’re likely looking forward to cooler weather. But the summer solstice is also the end of the light half of the year. Since the previous winter solstice, the days have been getting longer and the nights shorter. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year but going forward now, the sun will set a little earlier each night. From the summer solstice until the winter solstice, we are in the dark half of the year. Enjoy your summer with intention.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Tarot Is Queer

Photo: Noipornpan | Dreamstime.com

Happy Pride month! June is going to be a rainbow party here in the Mid-South, where the LGBTQ community is making their voices heard. In the large overlap of the metaphysical and LGBTQ communities, there are many conversations about the words and terms used to describe energy. This conversation includes tarot, as tarot is a story of the flow of energy in our lives and the cause and effects of that energy and the choices we make.

The artwork of tarot has been evolving recently, with more decks being inclusive of BIPOC people as well as having more LGBTQ images. In a spiritual community, where love should be the law, having representations of queer and BIPOC people is necessary because they are a large part of the community and they need to know that they are welcome and important here, too.

Tarot is historically white. The mass-produced Rider-Waite-Smith deck was illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, a Black woman who ran with the likes of Bram Stoker and William Butler Yeats. It was through Yeats that Smith was introduced to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Arthur Edward Waite, who commissioned her to illustrate his tarot deck. Yet none of the people in the deck looked like Colman Smith. Even with the enormous popularity of what she created, Colman Smith suffered, like so many women, from the exclusionary attitudes towards female talent: She received a small, flat sum for her tarot deck and no royalties. Only recently has her name been added to the title of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

The current push for more inclusive decks has created a whole new genre of tarot. Although tarot is still historically both white and very straight in its imagery, all the new queer and inclusive decks have added a richness and depth to our tarot choices. As a professional tarot reader, I have many tarot and oracle decks — too many if you ask some. And most of them feature nothing but straight, white people. However, over the last few years I have added some new, amazing decks to my collection that include both people of color and queer people in the artwork. I have made the conscious effort to do so. I like to see people of different ethnicities and cultures in my decks. The world is full of people with different skin tones and cultures, and I want that reflected in my spiritual world, too. As someone who reads professionally for others, I want the people I read for to see themselves included in my tarot cards. We have all had moments where we relate to someone on TV, in a movie, a story, or in art that does not look like us or live the same lifestyle we live. But being able to see a person who has a similar skin tone or haircut or presentation that resembles yours is empowering, welcoming, and affirming.

If you are searching for a tarot deck that includes BIPOC and queer representation, I have a few suggestions to get you started. The Light Seer’s Tarot is my current favorite deck and the one I read for clients with. It includes people of various skin tones in different settings. The Modern Spellcaster’s Tarot includes a variety of skin tones and many LGBTQ people in various relationships. Without being a strictly “queer” deck, it is one of the more inclusive decks I have seen. The Modern Witch and Modern Goddess tarot decks feature women of all representations. The Queer Tarot and Pride Tarot both focus on queer representation with many BIPOC people included. Two of my favorite new decks just published are the Fifth Spirit Tarot Deck and This Might Hurt Tarot; both decks are queer and inclusive, for a world beyond binaries.

If you are new to tarot, or a professional like me, I encourage you to check out some of these decks and add them to your collection. They will add a depth to your readings, and may help your clients hear your message and take it to heart easier.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Fun Stuff Metaphysical Connection

Metaphysical Connection: Energetically Protecting Your Home

Kathy Swaggerty | Dreamstime.com

Protection work is the bread and butter for most spiritual practitioners. It is something that can and probably should be done on a regular basis along with cleansing work, and it never hurts to do. You can do it whenever you feel like you need to, or you can make it a part of your regular routine. 

Cleansing and protection go hand in hand. When you do a cleansing, you are removing unwanted energies from your property and purifying your space. In an ideal situation, you may want to perform a thorough cleansing before doing your protection work. However, you do not have to cleanse before asking for protection. Yes, cleansing is often considered the first step, but it is not required and sometimes it’s not feasible. 

If you add cleansing your space and doing protection work as part of your routine, this will keep your home or space purified and protected and doing it regularly will increase the potency of your work over time. 

Many people don’t think of doing protection work until we need it. And in these situations, taking the time to cleanse may not be realistic. Although cleansing on a regular basis is good spiritual hygiene, it is not necessarily required before you do any protection work, even if you have the time and means to cleanse beforehand. 

Because protection is so important, there are many ways you can energetically and spiritually protect yourself. Placing gemstones around your home is an easy way of adding protection. Gemstones that are dark in color are typically used for this purpose, although amethyst breaks the color rule and is great for everything. You can also create herbal amulets, also known as gris-gris bags or mojo bags, with protective herbs and gemstones to place around your space. 

Some of the best protection workings you can do, though, are ones that no one knows about and that no one can see. Creating energetic wards or shields around your home is one way to add some invisible protection. Another way is to bless or charge items in your home to be protective. 

You can use any item that already exists in your home and charge it with the intention that this item is now protecting your home. Many people use door wreaths or other décor near their entryways for this. You can also create something new for this purpose. Break out the arts and crafts and create a special piece to be hung where you feel like you need protection the most. While you are working on it, remember why you are creating the piece (for protection) and put that energy into whatever it is you are making. 

You can also create an energetic ward around your home. We don’t have the space to get into energy work, which is the foundation of creating wards, but that is something you can look up online or come ask us about at The Broom Closet. 

Energetic wards are a type of protection work used to guard against negative energies. To create a ward on your home, you will want to visualize a sphere encircling your home. It needs to go all around, over it, and underneath it. Once you see this sphere in your mind’s eye, you will want to infuse it with protective energy. Think about the kinds of protection you need from the ward while you are visualizing it. 

All protection workings will need to be revisited at some point and refreshed. In my experience, wards and other energetic-based workings may need a little more maintenance than other types of workings. If you are not yet an experienced energy worker, you may want to check in on your wards more often. The more experience you have working with energy, the stronger your skills will be and the less maintenance you will have to do. 

As you go about your summer and work on your to-do list, don’t forget to add protecting your home to your list. It’s always better to be proactive than reactive. 

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.