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Heating Spells With Tarot Cards


Heat spells are appropriate during candle-lit hours, sending manifestation power into the atmosphere by way of subtle flame. Tarot can act as a powerful magical aid in magic by ensuring you've checked in with your conscience before practicing.

Read on for a simple Tarot-guided heat spell:

1. Preparation

On or just after the dark moon, prepare and tidy a corner of your altar or some private place you’d normally light candles.

Put a candle in a jar that would put a the flame high enough to gently heat something perched on top. Create a heat-safe shelf over the jar (ex: two flat knives) to perch a heat-safe ramekin or petite bowl on top. The bowl should be small enough that the candle wouldn’t lose air and go out if perched over the opening of the jar. A timekeeping device (such as an analog clock or hourglass) and gloves may also be useful.

Add oils to the bowl: a carrier oil such as olive or coconut, drops of rosemary essential oil for mental health and protection, bergamot essential oil for mood and money, lavender essential oil for pleasure and rest, etc. Collect the jar and candle, the knives, the bowl of oils, your Tarot deck and a pen and paper in your tidied spot.

Come as you are. Bathe if you prefer. It also works to simply fall into ritual no matter your cleanliness. This lets you be with what is so.

2. Grounding

Light the candle and let the flame warm your soul for a moment, then let your eyelids fall. Watch your breath without changing it. Feel gravity pull non-serving thoughts and stale emotions looser with each breath. Imagine the earth’s core neutralizing and sending out old energy as new, letting a cyclical image of this process appear in your mind. Feast on this image with your breath and stillness. When you’ve reached enjoyment in simple breathing and sitting, you’re grounded.

Cast a circle around the space in your mind’s eye, call forth any divinities and ancestors you like, and light the candle. Put the knives on top of the jar, creating a shelf for your heat-safe bowl. Let the flame begin to warm the oil and the aroma fill the space.

3. Shuffle your deck

Tarot cards may offer divinitatory information by way of the conscience. One simple method for going about this is to pull two cards: one Tarot card to represent the angel within, and another card to represent the rebel or devil. Create your own pairing if inspired. Create a comparison or duality to explore, with Tarot cards as your mirror.

The step of pulling cards will begin to feel vital to your magical workings if made into a habit. Spells that come from a stressful place when thinking isn’t clear and the heart isn’t full won’t help. Take simple steps to avoid this and all is well.

Let the Tarot deck absorb your chaos. Decks make excellent conductors, among their many talents, moving all of your stories, worries and mind chatter. This is a good time to let residual stress come to the surface and make itself known. Remember the duality you’d like to explore (ex: angel vs. rebel), and pull two cards.

4. Read the cards & free-write

Place the cards down on either side of your lit candle jar, face down.

Bring something you’re manifesting to mind, noticing Capricorn’s earthen, five-planet heavyweight influence over this priority. Turn the cards and begin to journal the messages that come forth, letting them come from your conscience: those of ethical considerations holding office in your consciousness and subconscious.

What is feels empowering and what feels negative about your manifestation? Be authentic. For added spell structure, use your time-keeping device to write for as many minutes as the number on the card.

4. Cast your spell

With a clear head and heart, write a fresh description of that which you’re creating for yourself on a small piece of paper. Fold the paper three times either toward or away from your heart, depending on whether you’re drawing something in or casting it away. (Toward is drawing in.)

Put the small, neatly folded piece of paper in the bowl of oil, letting the heat effectively apply the pressure to your request. Let it also warm your mind, body and soul. Let the candle heat the oil for a little while, taking care to keep an close eye on it. Never leave a flame unattended.

5. Complete the ritual

When the oil aromas have filled the space and all feels good and well, close the energetic circle and with a gloved hand, carefully pour the oil into a small jar with a sweet syrup. This step will “sweeten” your spell’s influence, helping relationships flourish along the way. Add optional dry herbs or a ribbon to accentuate its beauty. Label and keep your spell jar in a cool dark place, preferably in a NE corner of your home.

This spell will encourage a feeling of accomplishment, replenish a sacred space, and fill your home with magical aromas while warming your soul and easing stress. It will also set the Universe to work in lending vibrational support and opportunity.

Remember to keep your journal and Tarot deck nearby each other, as they often go hand-in-hand in a personal reading practice. This especially holds true with any manifestation magic. (It’s important to take heed of what we ask for.)

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