Season Of The Witch!
11 March 2013, 11:19
Just shopping at Bergdorfs… !
Witches are having a pop culture moment. From dark clothes on the runway to mysterious editorials and a slew of new fairytale films, the witch has replaced the vampire as the new icon of power and fantasy. (Hey, if the New York Times says it, it must be true!)
We’re being encouraged to embrace a spookier side of life, and even though there are fresh green shoots emerging from the dirt, I still want to spend my time anointing candles, pulling cards and lighting incense.
Witches get a bad rap. Far from devouring children (à la Hansel and Gretel), modern witches celebrate the divine in their own way. For more information, check out my interview with two wonderful women: I’m A Witch!
Either way, here’s my very stylised take on the whole phenomenon…
“The witch is the ultimate bad girl. You want to be her.”
(Carly Cushnie)
A modern witch would wear a white lace dress with supersonic leggings, white moto boots and a wired crystal pendant around her neck. She would enchant in a harness-back maxi dress and t-strap wedge sandals. She wouldn’t go out in public without a pair of oversized cat eye sunglasses and a skeleton hand collar. She would stash her treasures in a studded tote bag, and at night she’d go dancing in a pair of striped platform sneakers.
A modern witch always has her divination tools within arms reach. My new favourite set of cards is The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck, a gorgeous illustrated deck which has a guidebook that I’d highly recommend if you’re new to reading the cards. In an ideal world, you wrap your cards in silk and put them in a little bag, but this leather tarot card pouch is fantastic!
You might also like to experiment with oracle cards, the Rider Waite tarot, runes, or your own psychic ability...
A modern witch is always thinking about the stories we tell with our hands. Fingernail rings, knuckle rings, chunky cocktail rings and engagement rings all have their own narrative. They are part of our make-up, an essential piece of costume. A modern witch selects her rings with care every morning, and slides them onto her fingers: elvish twig rings which stack magnificently, rune rings and a Lily Dale spiritualist ring all take pride of place on her hands.
Her jewellery box is full of sparkly gems and unusual finds. A cobra ring in diamond, ruby, black rhodium and 18k gold sits alongside an amazonite pendulum and a crystal point necklace. She scours flea markets and antique shops for anything that catches her eye.
A modern witch embraces symbols and talismans. She adorns herself with charms and amulets to protect her from the evil eye: a little diamond ring, or a necklace from Max and Chloe. Her martlet and heart necklace guarantees good news. She wears a bracelet showing the phases of the moon...
A modern witch has a well-stocked library. All of these books are excellent, and give a friendly introduction to what modern witchcraft is all about: Confessions of a Teenage Witch: Celebrating the Wiccan Life / A Witch Alone: The Essential Guide for the Solo Practitioner of the Magical Arts / Llewellyn’s 2013 Witches’ Datebook / Llewellyn’s 2013 Magical Almanac: Practical Magic for Everyday Living / Grimoire for the Green Witch: A Complete Book of Shadows / Practical Protection Magick: Guarding & Reclaiming Your Power / Llewellyn’s Complete Formulary of Magical Oils / Mrs. B’s Guide to Household Witchery: Everyday Magic, Spells, and Recipes / Magical Housekeeping: Simple Charms and Practical Tips for Creating a Harmonious Home / Llewellyn’s 2013 Witches’ Companion: An Almanac for Contemporary Living
...But most of all, a modern witch knows that the magic comes from within. She knows that she contains all the power, guidance and courage she’ll ever need. She loves boldly and she is never ashamed of who she is.
Always,
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Palmistry 101: A Guide To Palm Reading For Enchanted Babes!
6 March 2013, 14:14
Do you want to know your future? Oh come on now, I know you do!
Palmistry has been around for thousands of years, and it’s still popular today. No matter where you came from, everyone is at least a little bit curious about what their hands might tell them.
Obviously, the best way to create a future you’re happy with is to take consistent, positive action every day. But if you want to dabble on the metaphysical side of things, it can be really fun to read your palm!
It’s old-fashioned, I know, but I believe everyone should have a party trick. Being able to read palms is one of the best!
Palmistry is quite easy to learn, and like with any other form of fortune-telling, you get better at it the more you do it. It’s a great thing for shy people, too, because it forces you to interact with others one-on-one, and it gives you something to talk about.
I’ve written a super-simple guide to palmistry below. There are many more lines, mounts, bumps and clues you can read, but I’ve kept it simple… And there are some links at the end if you want to develop your skills further!
Which palm should you read? Well, ideally, you should read both. The theory is that the left hand shows potential, while the right hand shows what you’ve done with that potential. Some palm readers believe that “the left is what the gods give you, the right is what you do with it”.
There are four major types of hands, which relate to the elements. Your astrological sign might be an Earth sign, for example, but your hand might not be! Here’s how they break down…
Earth hands are wide, with square palms and fingers, thick or rough skin, and ruddy in appearance. The length of the palm is usually equal to the length of the fingers.
People with Earth hands are usually very practical and level-headed. They’d rather get out into the world and do something rather than learn about it. They can be quite conservative, and prefer to be outdoors. If you have Earth hands, cabin fever is real!
Air hands feature square or rectangular palms with long fingers. They often have protruding knuckles, low thumbs, or dry skin. The length of the palm is usually equal to the length of the fingers.
Air types are very intellectual, always curious and full of ideas. They practically hum with nervous energy, and can be prone to worry and stress. People with Air hands are great communicators, but they can internalise their feelings too much. This can lead to difficulties within their close relationships.
Water hands are based on a short, sometimes oval palm, with long, flexible fingers. Their palm is usually wider than it is long, with fingers equal to the height of the palm.
People with Water hands are very emotional. They are always looking for peace, and are extremely artistic. It can be hard for Water hands to deal with stress, and they are mostly motivated by feelings.
Fire hands have a square or rectangular palm, flushed or pink skin, and shorter fingers. The length of the palm is usually greater than the length of the fingers.
Fire hand types are energetic and always on the go. They need variety, and can be a little impatient and intolerant! People with Fire hands are often fiercely individual, and make great leaders.
If your hands are clammy, you are lazy and unstable, but well-intentioned. If it is hot, you are wild and successful, but can be insincere. If your hands are cold, you are generous, reserved and a bit of a hermit!
The heart line is about any and all matters concerning love.
If your heart line starts under your index finger, you have a satisfying love life. If it starts beneath your middle finger, you are selfish in love. If it starts somewhere in between your first finger and your middle finger, you fall in love easily!
A short heart line denotes little interest in romance. You’d rather do other things! If your heart line touches your life line, it means your heart breaks easily. A long, curvy heart line means you express your feelings with ease and tact. A straight heart line which runs parallel to your life line means you are exceptionally practical in matters of love. A wavy heart line means you will have many lovers, few of them serious… !
If there’s a circle on your heart line, it signifies sadness or depression. A broken heart line, or small lines crossing your heart line, shows emotional trauma of some kind.
The head line shows your intellect or wisdom.
In general, a curvy line denotes creativity and spontaneity, while a straight line favours practicality and structure.
A short head line means you prefer physical accomplishments over intellectual ones; you’d rather go hiking than write an essay. A wavy line shows that you have a short attention span, while a deep, long line is evidence of a clear, focussed thinker. A straight head line means you are a realist.
If your head line is separated from your life line, it means you have a lust for life and an unquenchable thirst for adventure!
If there is a circle or cross in your head line, this denotes an emotional crisis of some kind. Multiple crosses show that you have to make a lot of very big decisions in your lifetime.
The life line is the line of destiny.
It shows your character, as well as any important events that will happen in your life. And don’t worry: contrary to popular belief, the length of the line doesn’t show when you’re going to die!
If your life line is very close to your thumb, it means you have low energy and are often tired. Conversely, a wide, curvy life line shows that you have plenty of energy. If it swoops in a semi-circle, you are strong and enthusiastic. If it’s straight and stays close to the edge of your palm, you are cautious in your relationships.
A long, deep life line shows your inner vitality, while a short and shallow life line means you are easily manipulated by others.
If there’s a circle in your life line, it shows that you will be hospitalised or injured. A break in the line shows major changes in lifestyle.
The fate line can be read in conjunction with the life line to show the future.
By the way, not everyone has a fate line, so don’t feel bad if yours is nowhere to be seen!
A deep fate line shows that you are strongly controlled by destiny. (It’s up to you if you choose to believe that or not!) If there are a lot of breaks in your fate line, it means that external forces will change your life many times.
A fate line that is joined to the life line shows that you are an aspirational, self-made babe. If your fate line starts at the base of your palm, you will find yourself in the public eye often!
Reading the mounts is the next step in palmistry, and it’s pretty easy. At the bottom of each finger is a spongy pad — the other side of your knuckle, if you will. All you need to do to “read” the mount is to look at it and gauge the height. There are three heights: high, low or flat. How well-pronounced the mount appears will tell you everything you need to know!
If you find it difficult to tell the relative size of your mounts, just cup your hand slightly and look at it side-on. You will easily see which mounts are larger than others!
The Venus mount is under your thumb. It’s the fleshy bit that your life line curves around. The Venus mount relates to love, intuition, vitality, sensuality and success.
A high Venus mount shows someone who can be promiscuous and overindulgent. Sometimes they can become obsessed with instant gratification. A normal, well-developed Venus mount denotes a person who is influential, and passionate about the arts. If your Venus mount is flat, you have little to no interest in family life. These people also tend to criticise others.
The Jupiter mount is under your index finger. It tells us about your personal philosophies, beliefs and leadership capabilities.
A high Jupiter mount means you are self-centered and aggressive to the point of being dominating. If your Jupiter mount has a normal height, you are intelligent, and an ambitious, natural leader. A low or flat Jupiter mount means you don’t have much self-confidence.
The Saturn mount is under your middle finger. This mount is all about how patient and responsible you are.
A high Saturn mount shows stubbornness, a tendency to be alone, depressed, cynical and shy. If your Saturn mount has a normal amount of elevation, you are responsible and hard-working, friendly and you trust in the Universe. If it is low or flat, this can mean you are superficial and disorganised.
The Apollo (or Sun) mount is under your ring finger. The Sun relates to creative genius, fantasy, imagination and happiness.
A high Sun mount means that you are a prideful person, who loves to flatter others, can be extravagant, but can be quick-tempered. A normal Sun mount shows someone who is adaptable, outgoing and self-confident. A low Sun mount means you are someone with very little imagination. You might find it difficult to make decisions.
The Mercury mount is under your little finger. Mercury is all about wealth, intellect and travel.
An overdeveloped Mercury mount can denote someone who speaks too much, and can be untruthful. They can be greedy, too. A normal Mercury mount means you are thoughtful, versatile, with lots of interests. These people tend to be great in business and able to read others well. A low mount of Mercury shows someone who is shy, unable to communicate, and may not make a lot of money.
The Luna (or Moon) mount runs along the outside of your palm. It starts underneath your little finger, and runs along the side of your hand. The Moon is a sign of imagination, creativity and emotion.
A high Moon mount points to someone who lives so much in their imagination that it crowds out all sense of reality. If you have a well-defined Moon mount, you have extraordinary creative abilities. You love the arts, are compassionate, and have psychic abilities. A low or flat Moon mount denotes someone who lives in her head, but doesn’t share it with others. She may be a bit of a loner, with pessimistic tendencies.
Thumb shapes
Large thumbs belong to people who are opinionated workaholics with high energy and plenty of self-control. If your thumb bends towards your palm, you can be a little cold and indifferent. A thumb which bends outwards demonstrates a generous nature. A thumb that is bent out and backwards is called a “killer’s thumb” — hey, I didn’t make it up!
Finger shapes
Long fingers show someone who is anxious, delicate, good-looking and well-mannered. Short fingers belong to the impatient, creative and highly-sexed! Pointed fingers denote someone who is well-intentioned, but scatterbrained.
Fingernail shapes
Long fingernails mean you are kind and you’re good at keeping secrets! If they’re long and thin, you are quite psychic, and easily annoyed! Long, large fingernails mean you are shy and a bit of a hermit.
Almond-shaped fingernails belong to people who are sweet, kind and extremely diplomatic.
Rectangular fingernails denote someone who is practical and logical. You like things to be explained, and you always wear sensible shoes.
Short fingernails show someone who is critical and sarcastic. Extremely short fingernails mean you have no self-control whatsoever! If your nails are short and large, you are sad, depressed easily and a little unstable. Short, straight nails belong to those who are filled with envy. Short, rounded nails mean you are a bit judgmental and love to gossip… !
The Palmistry Room at Psychic Library has a great and in-depth primer on palm reading.
This pieces goes into more detail on the individual fingers of the hand, as well as the thumb.
Here’s some more information on the Earth, Air, Fire and Water hand shapes.
Palmistry on Wikipedia is a pretty brilliant resource, too!
I hope this little overview has inspired you to give it a go. Let me know how you get on with reading your palm (and those of your friends, too)! Tweet me with your discoveries!
Love always,
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