Runes for the Bright Season: Guidance from Sowilo, Jera, and Berkana

I'm not going to lie, summer is my least favorite time of year. Living in the South, summers are hot and humid, often reaching a level of sticky that I have no desire to endure. I am a fall and winter witch, thriving in the season of dark skies and freezing temperatures, but there are definitely magical strengths to be found in summer.

Summer is a time of growth and abundance as the sun reaches its zenith and the land comes alive with blooms. Our ancestors historically used this season to plant, gather, build, travel, and strengthen the bonds that sustained their communities throughout the turning of the Wheel. Fields ripen beneath the long hours of sunlight, gifting us with an abundance not seen in the fall and winter months. To thrive during this season, however, required effort and wisdom, just as thriving in winter does.

In the language of runes, this season's lessons are beautifully personified by Sowilo, Jera, and Bernaka. I am not going to lie, it was difficult to narrow my choices down to three runes, because many of them reflect abundance, growth, and strength, strong symbols of summer. However, I felt these three best represented the poetic map of the season, as they form a triad of strength, growth, and fruition rooted in patience.

In today's post, we will explore how to work with these runes during the bright season, including their symbolism and their use in meditations, spells, rituals, and mantras.

Sowilo, the Sun Rune

I think Sowilo (𐌔) is going to be the next rune I dive into, because the language of this rune is so beautiful. Sowilo is the Sun rune and the symbol of achievement and victory, making it the perfect rune to work with during the bright season. 

As summer reaches its height, Sowilo burns across the landscape. Life bursts forth under its lingering gaze, bringing abundance and vitality not seen in the dark months. Sowilo teaches us the power of illumination, strength, and vitality. It reminds us that there are seasons for standing fully in our strength and allowing ourselves to be seen clearly. In modern magical practice, Sowilo can represent success, personal power, clarity of purpose, or the courage to move forward despite fear.

Meaning: Sun, Victory, Vitality, Success, Warmth, Illumination, Confidence, Wholeness

Working with Sowilo:

• Spell: At sunrise or beneath the warmth of midday light, light a gold, yellow, or white candle and trace Sowilo above the flame. Hold your hands over your heart and focus on a challenge, goal, or struggle you wish to overcome. As you do say, “I rise with the strength of the sun. I claim victory through courage and strength.” Sit quietly for a few moments, imagining sunlight filling your body with confidence and determination. Visualize yourself achieving your goal or overcoming the challenge. When ready, snuff out the candle or allow it to burn out completely. Make one intentional action toward your goal before the day ends.
• Magic: Use Sowilo for confidence, creative breakthroughs, empowerment, and calling vitality back into your spirit after long periods of exhaustion or doubt. It can also be used to reinforce goals by ensuring victory.
• Journal Prompts: Where in my life am I being called to step forward with greater confidence and trust in myself? What fears or doubts keep me from fully embodying my own power and light?
  
  

Mantra: “I carry the sun within me. I shine with strength and power.”

Message/Gift: Sowilo’s gift is strength. It teaches us that victory is not always conquest over others, but the courage to rise, endure, and even trust ourselves enough to move forward without fear.

Jera, the Harvest Rune

Jera (ᛃ) is the very first rune I covered in great detail on my blog, and for a good reason. While it is often associated with autumn as it is the rune of harvest, Jera is also a prominent rune of summer. If Sowilo is the radiant force that drives us forward, and Berkana is the tender growth, Jera is the season of harvest itself. Its name means "year" or "harvest," reflecting an ancient understanding that all things move in cycles of planting, tending, death, and rebirth. Jera reminds us that nothing meaningful appears overnight and that every reward is won through hard labor and patience.

In many ways, Jera is the rune of earned abundance. It teaches that the bright season is not simply about enjoying the fruits of our labors, but also about recognizing the effort it took to achieve said goals. What we nourish grows, while what we neglect ultimately withers. During the bright months, Jera often appears when long-term work finally begins to bear fruit, whether in our relationships, creative practices, spiritual growth, or personal healing. It asks us to trust the timing of our lives instead of forcing results before their season has arrived.

Whenever Jera appears in my rune readings, I see it as reassurance that growth is unfolding even when I cannot fully see it yet. It reminds me that every season, even those I do not like, serves a purpose and that the work I put into myself, my relationships, and my path will eventually return to me in some form. Jera teaches patience, but it also teaches hope, the understanding that what we lovingly cultivate today may one day become the harvest that sustains us. It's a powerful rune to work with, and one I find myself ever drawn to.

Meaning: Harvest, Cycles, Progress, Endings & Beginnings, Reward, Completion, Seasonal Change

Working with Jera:

• Spell: Gather a small bowl of seeds, beans, or coins (or other material that represents prosperity to you). Trace the Jear rune over the bowl with your finger while speaking your goals aloud. End by saying, "What I nurture returns to me." Leave the bowl on your altar or plant the seeds/beans. As you nurture the new seedlings or view the bowl on your altar, you will be reminded of your goals and the work you need to do to continue manifesting.
• Magic: Use Jera for long-term goal setting, prosperity magic, and manifestation work, especially that which honors the seasonal rhythms.
• Journal Prompt: What have I been cultivating that is now ready to bear fruit?

Mantra: “I trust the rhythm of cycles. I harvest what I have lovingly tended.”

Message/Gift: Jera's gift is fulfillment. It teaches us that abundance is rarely sudden but instead built through repeated persistence and actionable steps.

Berkana, the Birch Rune

Berkana (ᛒ) is the birch rune, one of the first trees to reclaim the land after long winters. It carries the energy of renewal, healing, growth, and regeneration, teaching us that transformation is not always dramatic or destructive, but sometimes gentle and steady. During the bright months, Berkana often manifests as new beginnings, creative growth, or emotional healing, its energy encouraging us to tend to both ourselves and those around us.

I wrote pretty extensively on Berkana recently, where I explored how this rune interacts with others in a nurturing and developmental way. Where some runes introduce conflict or disruption, Berkana softens the surrounding influences, emphasizing growth and perseverance. Unlike other types of transformation, however, Berkana is gentle, reminding us to take our time instead of rushing forward to force an end.

Meaning: Growth, Creativity, Development, Regeneration, Healing, Gestation

Working with Berkana:

• Spell: Place fresh leaves, flowers, or a small branch in a bowl of water. Trace Berkana over the surface and ask the rune to bless new growth within your life. As you do so say, “I welcome what wishes to grow with tenderness and strength.” Use the water afterward to nourish a plant, pour at your doorway, or offer back to the earth. This spell is about opening yourself generally to new growth, but it can be altered to be more specific. Instead, focus on what you wish to grow in your own life and speak it into existence.
• Magic: Use Berkana for healing, creativity, fertility in all forms, nurturing relationships, personal transformation, and tending new ideas or beginnings with care.
• Journal Prompt: What part of me is asking for gentleness instead of pressure? What new growth deserves protection and patience right now?

Mantra: “I am deeply rooted and trust in the wisdom of my becoming. I nurture what is sacred within me and bloom in my own time.”

Message/Gift: Berkana teaches us growth through tender care. It reminds us that we cannot force growth into existence. Instead, we must be patient as life is fragile.

Bright Season Rune Meditation

One of the best ways to connect with any rune is to spend time working with it, and the first step in this process is through meditation and opening yourself up to the messages the rune has to offer you. This runic meditation is designed to do just that, allowing you to connect with each rune individually and with the story they tell.

Find a bright place to sit comfortably, such as near a window or outside. Lay these three runes out in front of you in the following order: Sowilo, Jera, Berkana.

Sit quietly before the runes, breathing in their energy of warmth, change, and growth. Feel the warmth the runes exude, not only as the heat of sunlight, but also as movement, growth, birdsong, green leaves, and blooming things that teem with life.

Take another deep breath and close your eyes. Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a golden field at dawn. The earth beneath your feet is warm and alive. Ahead of you, three runes appear one by one, glowing softly in the summer light.

The first to arrive is Sowilo. The rune shines bright like the sun itself, but does not blind or burn. Instead, it reveals the hidden corners of your spirit, illuminating the parts of yourself that are ready to emerge from the shadows. Feel the warmth spreading through your chest and radiating outwards toward your face, hands, and feet. Pause for a few breaths, visualizing this light encompassing your being. Make a mental note of any patterns, feelings, messages, or epiphanies that arise. Is there an area that takes longer to brighten? What changes are begging to be made? When ready, whisper, "I allow myself to shine honestly and fully. I accept the change to come."

Next comes Jera, turning like a wheel. Around it, the field blossoms, quickly turning to fruit that swells on the branches, before decaying and returning to the earth, just for the cycle to repeat itself. You feel yourself as part of this living cycle, but remember that nothing meaningful blooms all at once. Continue breathing deeply, reflecting on the changes you see unfolding before you. Make a mental note of any patterns, feelings, messages, or epiphanies that arise while you watch Jera turn. What lessons can be learned by accepting that all things must end only to be reborn again? When ready. whisper, “I trust the timing of what I am becoming. I am open to beginnings and endings.”

Finally, Berkana appears, lush and green. It rises like young trees in summer forests, reaching for the light of the sun. Its energy is soft and nourishing, yet deeply alive. Feel it wrapping tenderly around your dreams that are still growing and the healing that is still unfolding. What areas of your life is it seeking? Are there places that require more tenderness and care than other areas? Make note of these areas and any other messages, feelings, or epiphanies you have. When ready, whisper: “I tend my growth with care and devotion.”

Now imagine the three runes surrounding you together: The light of Sowilo. The rhythm of Jera. The nurturing embrace of Berkana. Feel yourself within the bright season, invited to participate in growth, reciprocity, joy, and becoming without the pressure to produce endlessly. When finished, say, "From the sun, I learn courage. From the harvest, I learn to trust in the cycle. From new growth, I learn gentleness. Thus, I walk the bright season rooted in strength, abundance, and becoming."

When you are ready, open your eyes slowly. If you wish, leave a small offering of water, herbs, flowers, or gratitude to the land around you.

I encourage you to work through the following journal prompts to help put everything into perspective.

1. What part of myself is ready to step into the light after a long season of hiding or hesitation?
2. Where in my life am I being asked to trust natural timing instead of forcing outcomes?
3. What seeds (spiritual, creative, emotional, or practical) have I been nurturing that are beginning to show signs of growth?
4. How can I practice gentleness with myself during periods of transformation and expansion?
5. In what ways can I live more reciprocally with the living world during the bright season, rather than simply consuming its abundance?

Dark Season Rune Spread

I have been trying to come up with more rune spreads as of late in my attempt to better connect with my Nordic ancestry. While we cannot be certain if or how runes were cast, it is clear they held meaning to the Norse. This spread is built around the meaning of Sowilo, Jera, and Berkana, with the runes you draw for those locations helping you to reflect on what is unfolding during the bright season and your path forward.

As with all divination, begin by cleansing and consecrating your space and grounding and centering yourself. If you feel called to, cast a circle and invite any deities, spirits, or ancestors you wish to guide you to join you. Hold your rune bag in both hands and close your eyes. Breathe deeply and slowly in and out, focusing on your intention to understand what is awakening, what is being cultivated, and what needs care and protection moving forward. With your intention firmly in your mind, say, "Through light, through harvest, through growth, I seek the wisdom of the bright season." Draw three runes and place them in the configuration featured below:

Rune Meanings:

1. Rune One: The Light Within- This position illuminates the parts of yourself that are growing strong and more visible during this season, highlighting the parts of your life that are ready to step fully into the light. This could be talent that is ready to be shared, a trust you are finally prepared to embody, or a victory that is slowly unfolding through your own courage and determination. Sowilo reminds us that illumination is both a revelation and an empowerment. Knowing where you stand is an important step in moving forward.
   Write it down and reflect: What within me is ready to shine? Where am I being called to move with greater confidence and courage? What victory am I moving toward?
2. Rune Two: The Harvest- This position exposes the cycles currently unfolding in your life and what is beginning to ripen. It may point toward rewards, manifestations, relationships, creative work, or personal growth that are coming into season. In the end, however, you must remember that abundance is cultivated through persistent work and trust in the process, not force.
   Write it down and reflect: What am I cultivating in this season of my life? What is beginning to bear fruit?
3. Rune Three: The Bloom- This position points toward what must be nurtured gently in order to continue growing. It may represent healing, creativity, a new beginning, or a vulnerable part of yourself asking for protection and compassion. It is essentially about recognizing what you must continue to tend, but without pressure or speed. Just as plants are often slow to bloom, so too are your goals and aspirations.
   Write it down and reflect: What within me still needs gentleness and nourishment? What growth or beginning deserves my protection? How can I care for myself as I continue growing?

Like my previous rune spread found in Runes for the Dark Season, this rune spread also tells a story. In position one, Sowilo illuminates what is awakening within you, while position two, Jera, reveals the harvest that is unfolding from your efforts. Finally, position three, Berkana, shows what still needs to be tended to so that things may continue to flourish. Whatever runes you draw fill in this story and help answer the question: How does the bright season call me into growth, abundance, and becoming?

You can download your free copy of the journal prompts below.

Sowilo, Jera, and Berkana remind us that the bright season is just as sacred as the dark. It is a time to stand in our strength, to recognize the fruits of what we have nurtured, and to care for the fragile new growth taking root within and around us. These runes teach that true abundance, however, is not endless consumption or constant productivity, but a relationship built on reciprocity, patience, and trust in the cycles of becoming. As the days continue to stretch and the world bursts into bloom, I hope you find the courage to let yourself be seen. May the bright season bring you not only growth, but a deeper connection to yourself, the land, and the living rhythms that guide us all.

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Sígrblót Altar 2026

Sígrblót is today, aka the fourth full moon after the first new moon after the winter solstice. It is a wee bit later this year, making it correspond with Beltane or May Day. How fun!

Like other blóts, Sígrblót traditionally included a sacrifice, along with feasting, toasts, and general celebration. From what historical records we have, we know Sígrblót was a celebration of victory, whether that be the triumph of summer over winter or past successes by those in the community. The spring and beginning of summer were also the time for exploration and raiding, so it should come as no surprise that they celebrated by recounting past victories and making promises of future ones.

With these symbols and historical traditions in mind, I created this year's Sígrblót altar. My altar celebrates the changing seasons, as well as my personal successes over the last year. For the sake of this article, I have removed some of the more personal items, but please know they are there and should be present on your altar as well.

1. Deer Antler- Like many animals, deer have a number of magical associations. I usually place deer antlers on my altar to help me connect with the spirit world, as they are said to be able to move between worlds. However, deer are also traditionally associated with victory and success. In Norse mythology, Freyr wielded an antler in his battle against Beli, a battle he won. Unlike cattle or horses, however, deer did not contribute to the domestic economy and were often regarded as pests as they ate valuable crops. Despite this, they were also viewed as a prize, specifically reserved for high-ranking individuals such as lords and kings. The hart would be hunted, and the killing blow would be saved for these high-ranking hunters. Successfully hunting and killing a hart was seen as a great honor. Apart from this, the legend of King Clovis suggests a magnificent stag led Clovis's army to a safe river crossing, allowing them to win their upcoming battle. Needless to say, the deer and its antlers are associated with victory and success, which is why it is featured in the center of my altar. (Where did I get it: Found; Cost: Free)

2. Red Candles- Sígrblót marked the end of winter and the beginning of summer (there were only two seasons in Norse tradition) and therefore the return of the sun and warm weather. As such, it wasn't uncommon for celebrants to light bonfires. For this reason, I included candles on my altar instead of a traditional bonfire, which would not fit for obvious reasons. I chose red candles because red is also associated with victory and success, making it the perfect choice for a Sígrblót altar.  (Where did I get it: Candles- Amazon; Cost: $2, Candle Holders- Dollar Tree; Cost: $2)

3. Tiger's Eye, Green Aventurine, and Garnet- As with most of the items on this altar, I chose crystals associated with success and victory as well. Tiger's eye is also associated with courage and strength, while garnet is associated with vitality and strength. Green aventurine, on the other hand, promotes optimism and confidence. (Where did I get it: Various Shops and Subscription Boxes; Cost: $10)

4. Thor's Hammer- Some historical records suggest mock battles were performed during Sígrblót celebrations, along with stories of past and future battles being shared. It should be no surprise, then, that I included a weapon on my altar, more specifically, Thor's hammer, Mjölnir. Mjölnir is associated with strength, courage, and victory. Furthermore, it aids in connecting with Thor, like the deer antler aids in connecting with Freyr. Both were likely called upon during battles or when people needed strength to ensure success. (Where did I get it: Gifted; Cost: Free)

5. Purple Iris, Lenten Rose, Columbine, and Pincushion Flowers- In the center of my altar is a collection of flowers from my garden. First and foremost, these flowers represent the changing of the season and the warmth that has returned. However, I didn't just pick anything currently blooming in my garden, but instead chose those associated with protection, victory, and success. Purple irises, while associated with protection, are also with communication. They are connected to the Greek Goddess Iris, who is the messenger between heaven and earth. As such, this makes the purple iris the perfect inclusion on an altar that wishes to help one connect with the gods of success and victory. Lenten rose, also known as hellebore, is associated with protection and transformation. Columbine is associated with both protection and courage, as are pincushion flowers.   (Where did I get it: My Garden; Cost: Free)

6. Sowilo and Tiwaz Runes- Last, but certainly not least, are the runes Sowilo and Tiwaz. Sowilo is the Sun rune, connected to success energy. It represents positive momentum, guidance, and the power to overcome obstacles, making it perfect for an altar dedicated to victory. Tiwaz is also associated with courage and victory, as well as the god Tyr. Tyr is the god of war, justice, law, and strategy. Who better to ask to be blessed with victory and success? (Where did I get it: Won; Cost: Free)

TOTAL COST: ~$16

Like my other altars, most of the items I use are found, made, or purchased for around $1, although if the items must be purchased by you, then the cost will be higher. This altar is more expensive than some of my previous altars because I wanted to include some new items I purchased this year. I hope you find this sort of breakdown helpful, especially for those of you looking to create Instagram-perfect altars on a budget!

I hope everyone enjoys the warmer weather and the promises it brings for the future. I know things seem very dark right now, and one of the best things you can do to resist is have hope. Finding positive, small wins to focus on helps keep the momentum. All is not lost...

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Spirit Ecology: Living Within an Animate World, An Introduction

It has been several years since I wrote a consecutive series on my blog, and I think it's high time I bring it back. It can be daunting to develop, outline, and write a series, especially when I try to avoid basic topics that you can easily find information on. I like to write series to fill knowledge gaps, choosing topics not commonly covered in books, blogs, forums, and other online and offline spaces. I also like to pick topics I am personally interested in learning more about, and it gives me structure throughout the year, as I always have at least one or two topics I can cover when I run out of ideas. This year, I decided to focus on what I am dubbing "Spirit Ecology."

What Is Spirit Ecology?

While there are plenty of sources referring to "spiritual ecology," which describes the intersection of spirituality and environmentalism, as far as I know, no one has used the term "spirit ecology." As such, there is no formal definition, and I would like to change that. Maybe I coin a term today...maybe I don't.

Spirit ecology is the practice of observing, understanding, and participating in the relationships between humans, spirits, and place as part of an interconnected living system. Its foundation is built upon both animism and folklore; it recognizes that all things are alive with spirit while drawing on generations of lived experience that reflect how people have historically navigated these relationships.

Instead of focusing on classifications and techniques, however, spirit ecology focuses on patterns, behaviors, and relationships over time, thus separating it from other current schools of thought on spirit work. Modern approaches generally emphasize contact, communication, and identification before "working with" the spirit. In spirit ecology, the focus is shifted instead to observation and understanding context, how an individual exists within a system, and thus how the system operates as a whole. This results in true relationship building, where both parties are active participants in the "ecosystem." In other words, instead of asking "What is this spirit? How do I connect with a spirit?" practitioners of spirit ecology ask: "What is happening in this place over time? What patterns repeat here? What relationships already exist here, and how do I move within them responsibly?"

I need to make something very clear, however. I am not against or disparaging modern approaches to spirit work. In fact, identifying spirits is incredibly important work, especially when it comes to your safety. After decades of spirit work, however, I have found this school of thought to be lacking and even exploitative. It often separates the practitioner from the ecosystem (a very colonial mindset, one where we exist outside the system instead of within it), which leads some practitioners into believing they can control, manipulate, or use spirits to do their bidding. Spirit ecology directly opposes this mindset, drawing upon what Indigenous peoples have been trying to tell the rest of us, what our ancestors also knew: we are but a single part of a very complex, interconnected system.

Key Tenets of Spirit Ecology

In order to better understand spirit ecology as a practice, I have identified 5 key tenets or pillars. As with other systems, these tenets/pillars are core beliefs that serve as the foundation of spirit ecology. They are a framework for practitioners to use to help guide spirit work and the development of meaningful, working relationships with the world around us.

1. We are part of the system, not outside of it. 

Colonial views on the environment and our relationship with the world often place us outside of the system, which limits our understanding and interactions to superficial. You are not visiting an ecosystem; you are part of it, and your presence has an impact. Where you walk, what you notice, what you take or leave, and how often you return have real consequences. Your practice is never neutral, and because you are part of the system already, there is no need to "open a door" in order to access spirits. The work starts with recognizing that you are already participating, whether you realize it or not.

2. Not everything is for you.

This is one of the hardest ideas to accept, especially in a culture that emphasizes access and personal connection. Some spirits will be indifferent, closed, or uninterested in a relationship. They may ignore you, avoid you, feel closed off, or simply never engage with you, despite your best efforts. This is normal and does not represent failure.  Just like any ecological system, some species never personally interact. Trying to force a connection, whether that be through repeated offerings, constant reaching out, or interpreting every small shift as a “sign," can create friction and close the spirit off to you even more. Respect, in this context, often looks like stepping back and recognizing when something is not open to you. This is just as important as recognizing when it is.

3. Relationship develops over time.

Modern spiritual practices often try to compress time. There’s an expectation that with the right method, you can quickly achieve the results of your dreams. However, relationships, human or otherwise, don’t work that way. In spirit ecology, relationships look more like repeated exposure, familiarity with patterns, gradual shifts in perception, and subtle changes over weeks, months, or even years. You might visit the same place dozens of times before anything feels different. And even then, that “difference” may not be dramatic. It might be a slight sense of ease, a reduction in tension, or a growing sense of recognition. This kind of relationship is slow and deliberate and not initiated on demand or guaranteed through technique. 

4. Behavior matters more than labels.

How something acts and responds is ultimately more important than what you call it, and should inform how you develop meaningful relationships. There’s a strong impulse in modern practice to identify what we’re experiencing and give it a label: “Is this a land spirit, a deity, or an ancestor?” But labels can create a false sense of certainty and flatten the complexity of the spirit, thus reducing something dynamic into something fixed. Spirit ecology, on the other hand, prioritizes behavior instead. Does this presence feel consistent or variable? Does it seem tied to a place, a time, or a condition? Does interaction change anything, or not? Two presences might feel similar but behave very differently. One might be stable and predictable, while another might be shifting and difficult to read. Understanding these behaviors helps you respond appropriately, while labels, on their own, often don’t.

5. Attention comes before action.

Observation, patience, and familiarity are the foundation that all the other tenets of spirit ecology rest upon. Before communication and working relationships, there is observation, and not just brief attention. It must be sustained and repeated. This includes tasks such as noticing without interpreting, sitting with uncertainty, letting patterns emerge on their own, and accepting that some things may remain unclear. In practice, this might mean spending time in a place without doing anything other than watching and listening. No ritual. No reaching out. No asking for signs. Just watching, returning, and learning how that place exists without your intervention. Action, when it comes, should emerge from that understanding, not replace it. For many modern practitioners who are expecting quick results, this can be the most difficult step. You may need to visit a location for weeks or months before a pattern emerges that informs you enough to move forward. It may be even longer still until the spirit trusts you enough to make contact.

During this series, we will explore each of these tenets in more detail and how they work in practice, instead of just in theory. These tenets will also be explored through an animistic and folkloric lens, drawing upon the knowledge and practices of our ancestors. It's all well and good for me to tell you what spirit ecology is; it is quite another to put it into action. As such, each accompanying post will include journal prompts and actionable items that will help guide and inform your personal practice.

Upcoming posts will cover such topics as: 

• Animism as lived awareness
• How folklore informs spirit work
• Ethical considerations
• Recognizing patterns
• Decoding symbols
• How to coexist with spirits
• Integrating spirit ecology into your daily life.

I am still working on the general outline of this series, but I hope that you will join me on this journey as we explore and lay the foundation for spirit ecology as a practice. Until next time!

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Book Review: Past Life Prompts by M. Belanger

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this deck in exchange for an honest review.

When I was a freshman in high school, I started having vivid "flashbacks" involving Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte. At the time, I wasn't entirely sure what these memories were until my world history teacher mentioned in class one day how she believed she was a close friend of Anne Boyelyn in a past life. She described having very real recollections of walking palace hallways and laughing with other noble women. She did not think she was Anne, though, believing she would have remembered having her head cut off. I giggled right along with everyone else in class, but it struck a chord. Were my experiences the same as my teachers'? I fell into a rabbit hole as a young teen, trying to learn as much about my experience as I could, exploring history right alongside past life work. 

I have mentioned before that I have clairolfactance (also known as clairalience), or the ability to "clear smell." Sometimes this is accompanied by quick visuals (clairvoyance) and even a little bit of just knowing things (clairsentience), but by and large, I rely on smells to help me figure things out. It is a wild gift to possess, especially when you smell an odd odor and think, "Did the cats pee somewhere odd?" or "Did someone fart in here??" But I digress. The reason I mention this is that the more I pushed to figure out what was happening, the more smells that came to me, which triggered more and more memories. After months of research and "soul searching," I came to the conclusion that I was a very close friend of Josephine, Napoleon's wife, and I loved Napoleon greatly, but secretly. This love was not acted upon, let alone returned, but I was devoted and loyal nonetheless. I don't know who I was exactly, only that I played an important role in their life.

In the early 2000s, it was difficult to find information on past lives. In fact, there wasn't much information at all, and much of what I was finding seemed very "out there," even for a young teenager. Today, however, information abounds, including M. Belanger's latest book/journal Past Life Prompts: A Journal of Memory Work.

In this journal, Belanger offers over 130 prompts to explore your past lives, if you have any. These prompts are designed to trigger potential memories, even if they are only memories of this life. As Belanger mentions in the introduction, sometimes we cannot recall specific details about our past lives, but instead themes that have echoed through our lives. These patterns or echoes can be explored through the prompts after your initial journaling. Prompts range from "Tears well in your eyes. What just happened?" or "Your prayers have been answered. Where do you go to worship?" I found each prompt extremely thought-provoking and wish I had had access to such a journal when I was first exploring past lives.

Belanger doesn't leave us completely hanging when it comes to answering the prompts, however. The journal opens with a brief guide that explores the what, how, and why of past life exploration. She also includes a brief guide to assessing your style of memory and how to determine if your "remembering" is "real" or not. My biggest complaint about the introduction is that it's too short. I wish there had been a more detailed guide with some examples of how to read and interpret your responses. I know others will likely struggle to figure out exactly what to do once they have answered a prompt or all of them.

Despite the lackluster guide, the prompts alone in Past Life Prompts: A Journal of Memory Work is worth the purchase if you are interested in exploring your past lives. However, I strongly encourage you to use this journal in conjunction with another resource that delves deeper into past life exploration.

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Magical and Medicinal Uses of Fennel

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mercury
Element: Fire
Powers: Enlightenment, Fertility, Healing, Lust, Protection, Purification, Wisdom

Magical Uses and History: Fennel likely originated in the Mediterranean, spreading throughout the rest of the world as trade prospered and cultures exchanged goods. Fennel has long been revered, not only for its culinary uses but also for its medicinal and magical properties, playing a significant role in rituals as far back as the ancient Greeks. These ritual uses did not die with the ancient Greeks, however, but spread and morphed with time.

In ancient Greece, fennel was most often used in religious ceremonies, most notably for the Greek god Dionysus. Fennel was used to create thyrsi, wands or staves made from giant fennel covered in ivy and leaves, and topped with a pine cone or artichoke. These staves were carried by devotees of Dionysus and used in Bacchic rituals. It was a symbol of fertility (it is a deliberately phallic object, after all), prosperity, and hedonism. By some accounts, iron points were hidden among the leaves and used as weapons to "incite madness." In the Bacchae and Other Plays, Euripides writes, "To raise my Bacchic shout, and clothe all who respond / In fawnskin habits, and put my thyrsus in their hands– / The weapon wreathed with ivy-shoots ... There's a brute wildness in the fennel-wands; reverence it well." By all accounts, the use of fennel in the thyrsus associates it with fertility, lust, and protection, and therefore, it can be used in spells and rituals for such purposes. If you work with Dionysus, consider creating your own thyrsus to use in rituals. Add fennel or fennel seeds to spells and recipes to attract or promote fertility, increase lust, and ignite passions. It works best when consumed.

Fennel wasn't just associated with Dionysus in ancient Greece, but also with Prometheus. Fennel is believed to be the plant Prometheus used to steal fire from the gods to gift to humanity. This associated fennel with enlightenment, knowledge, and wisdom. This symbolism is echoed by Pliny the Elder, who wrote that snakes rubbed against fennel plants to restore their eyesight while shedding. This led people to believe that eating fennel would improve one's eyesight, and as such, further links fennel to enlightenment and knowledge, as boosting eyesight helps one "see" the truth. This is further supported by fennel's association with Mercury, which Culpepper attributes to its versatile nature and associations with mental clarity and wit. As such, fennel can be used in spells, rituals, and recipes for clarity, enlightenment, wisdom, and knowledge. Fennel seeds can be burned, drunk as a tea, or used as an essential oil to enhance clairvoyance and promote focus.

The Romans, however, by and large revered fennel for its associations with strength, success, and longevity. Roman soldiers consumed fennel seeds prior to embarking on military campaigns to increase their stamina and ward off bad luck and evil spirits. In Goblet of Life, Longfellow suggests it was eaten by gladiators for similar purposes before entering the arena: "It gave new strength, and fearless mood; / And gladiators, fierce and rude, /Mingled it in their daily food; / And he who battled and subdued..." Furthermore, fennel was often used to crown the winners of games, thus associating fennel with success. This correspondence is echoed in Greece, where fennel is referred to as marathon after the battle of Marathon (490 BC) that was fought in a fennel field. Use fennel, especially the seeds, in spells and rituals to increase stamina, bring strength, or ensure success. It is also useful in ensuring the spell lasts and is successful.

Fennel was so well-regarded that Charlemagne encouraged its cultivation across Europe. It became a staple in royal kitchens, being served to kings with fruit, bread, and fish. Records indicate that King Edward I of England purchased fennel seed by the pound, which would have fetched a rather hefty price. Spanish missionaries spread fennel to the Americas, while the spice trade across Europe and Asia spread it into India and China. Across all of these cultures, fennel was highly regarded for its medicinal purposes, being used to cure a wide range of ailments. As mentioned earlier, fennel was associated with snakes, which likely led to its use in poultices to treat snake bites and as an antivenom. It was also used to treat diabetes, bronchitis, chronic cough, kidney stones, hookworms, and improve eyesight. In Longfellow's Goblet of Life, fennel is praised for its ability to restore eyesight: "Above the lowly plants it towers, / The fennel, with its yellow flowers, / And in an earlier age than ours / Was gifted with the wondrous powers, / Lost vision to restore." This use is also extolled in an old English rhyme: "Whaune the heddere (adder) is hurt in eye / Ye red fenel is hys prey, / And yif he mowe it fynde / Wonderly he doth hys kynde. / He schall it chow wonderly, / And leyn it to hys eye kindlely, / Ye jows shall sang and hely ye eye / Yat beforn was sicke et feye." Needless to say, fennel is deeply associated with healing and can be used in spells, rituals, and recipes for such purposes.

Apart from its use in improving eyesight (which modern science does not support), it was also used heavily as a digestive aid and an appetite suppressant. In the New England colonies, Puritans often chewed on fennel seeds to suppress their appetite during fasting. Churchgoers often chewed on fennel seeds during long services for similar purposes, earning them the name of "meeting seeds." Fennel seeds can be added to spells to strengthen their endurance or suppress an unwanted force from interfering with their success.

Finally, fennel has a long history of being used in purification and protection magic. In Medieval Europe, fennel was hung over the door, or seeds were placed in a keyhole, to protect against witches, ghosts, and evil spirits. Stuffing a keyhole with fennel seeds was believed to bar passage into the home. Both the hanging of fennel and the blocking of keyholes were done during Midsummer for protection. According to some accounts, fennel was also used to ward off fleas and other insects. As such, fennel can be added to spells and rituals for protection. Hang fennel above doors and windows or sprinkle seeds around your property, add to spell jars, burn seeds or dried leaves, or add to sachets for protection.

Fennel can be used in a number of spells, including:

      Protection Spells

      Fertility Magic

      Lust Spells

      Healing Spells

      Endurance Magic

      Strength Spells

      Enlightment Magic

Medicinal Uses: Fennel seeds make an excellent remedy for stomach and intestinal issues such as flatulence and colic, and are also often used to stimulate appetite and digestion due to their carminative and antispasmodic properties. As an expectorant, fennel seeds can also be used to treat bronchitis and coughs, and are often used to flavor cough remedies for this purpose. Fennel is also a natural galactagogue, meaning it can be used to initiate, maintain, or increase breast milk production, making it perfect for expecting or new mothers. Externally, fennel seeds can be used to treat muscular and rheumatic pains as they are a rubefacient, stimulating blood flow and creating a warming effect to relieve deep tissue pain and reduce inflammation.

Preparation and Dosage: To create an infusion, combine one cup of boiling water with 1-2 teaspoons of slightly crushed fennel seeds. Allow the mixture to infuse for 10 minutes. Drink up to three times a day. To relieve flatulence, drink one cup 30 minutes before meals. As a tincture, take 2-4 milliliters up to three times a day. To create a salve, combine 1.5 cups of lightly crushed fennel seeds with 1/2 cup of carrier oil. Allow the mixture to infuse in a window for 1-2 weeks or warm on very low heat for one hour. In a double boiler, combine infused oil with 1-2 tablespoons of beeswax. Pour into tins or glass jars and allow the salve to harden undisturbed. Use as needed for pain relief. To create a poultice, crush 1-2 tablespoons of fennel seeds and combine with a small amount of water to form a thick paste. Apply directly or in a gauze to the irritated or inflamed skin. Leave on for approximately 20 minutes before removing.

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