30 Days of Ancestors: Day 1

    Ancestor work, and honoring my ancestors, is an important part of both my craft and my life in general. (One would argue that those are one and the same, and you wouldn't be wrong, but for the sake of spelling it out...) Not a single day goes by that I don't think of those who have come before me, or passed during my time of knowing them, and the impact they've had on my life. Death has never been a stranger to me, for better or worse; my grandparents' generation was in their 80s before I turned 10, and I attended a lot of funerals as such. My father died when I was 15 after a (very) short fight with cancer; my childhood best friend grew up with cystic fibrosis so we always knew her time would be cut short. Not to mention my familiars and other beloved pets that already spend a much shorter time in this realm than they deserve... 

     So I decided, this year, I would spend each day of October remembering and honoring a different ancestor. Well, I meant to start this on the 1st but as life would have it, I've had no time and energy, as I've been working two jobs. So it goes! But I've kept different ancestors in my thoughts each day, and plan to catch up on the first few days that I didn't get to write during.

    I thought about starting this off with my most recent loss, but really, I feel that the most appropriate start is remembrance of my father. After all, his influence on my life has been immeasurable and is the formative reason I'm on this path. My dad taught me to honor nature, encouraged my crystal collection, and told me stories of the Green Man. He also instilled in me a love of science fiction and fantasy (his collection of original Lord of the Rings volumes sits on my shelf, one now signed by Billy Boyd) and questioning the ways of this world. He taught me how to draw, and my own creative writing was inspired by watching him write his own stories. I am, undoubtedly, who I am today because of him.

    He wasn't a flawless father or person (who is?); my sister, as the oldest and smartest, had a wildly different experience with him as he pushed her to be the top of her class. My brother, just 12 when he died, never speaks of his perception, but I assume it's vastly different from mine or my sister's. My parents fought sometimes, but I know that they loved each other. He worked overnight and a lot of overtime to provide us with much more than he had growing up, but that also meant that he wasn't around as much as he would have liked. (As an adult, I understand this way more.) But he was around enough, and I have a lot of fond memories of him.

    I still remember the scratchiness of his beard as I sat on his lap at the dinner table. I remember helping him in the vegetable garden (although I didn't enjoy weeding so much, he loved growing things, which I've now taken after). I remember, every once in a while, if we were home sick from school but not too sick, he would bring us to Toys'R'Us for a special toy (I prized those toys more than any others). And I remember watching him, in the hospital one day, shave his beard and try to deal with his hair that was falling out from the chemotherapy... he looked at me and smiled and told me not to worry, it would grow back once he was better. But of course, that didn't happen.

    As a child, he taught me a lot of Pagan stories and traditions, but it was a secret, being from a very Catholic family. (We were the black sheep of the family and never went to church, at least until I decided to become an altar server, but you could only take your heathenism so far, you know?) I didn't understand until much later... much, much later. He stopped talking to me about these things when I was around 8 or 10, when I started getting more involved with the church... but I think he knew that I'd eventually come around. He saw the magic in me that I took so long to acknowledge. And, in the meantime, I grew up thinking it was totally normal to know about the Green Man and what the triple moon symbol meant and to tread carefully with fairies. (A note about the Green Man though, my little childhood brain mixed him up with the Green Giant on the cans of peas, so... certain things didn't make sense for a while.) I learned that trees whispered to you if you listened, and the ocean could restore your energy, and crystals could calm or inspire you. All of this seemed second nature to me (or is it first nature?), and I'm grateful that he shared it with me. I know that he never shared any of this with my siblings, but he must've known this was my true path.

    I don't like to think on his death. I mean, that's probably a given, but even beyond the shock and suddenness of it (we children were told he'd get better, even though my mom and his sisters knew otherwise). I hate to say that my last conversation with him was me getting mad about some petty teenager thing, and then refusing to visit the next couple days. I don't remember what it was about, it was so insignificant. I carried that regret with me for a long time. Some part of me still does. But, I also know that he understood I was a moody (read: undiagnosed bipolar) teenager, and I loved him even when we fought (which wasn't often). I'm sad that I didn't see him in his last days, but that's a lesson I carry forward regarding others, at least.

    However, embracing witchcraft has helped me heal regarding that and many other things. I know now that my father has been guiding and protecting me since his death; I often felt his presence without knowing why, before I tuned into this part of me. I've been told by many people that I have strong protections surrounding me, even without my own doing (it's made work with other spirits difficult, but we're working on that). And, now that I've come to know and learn about ancestor work and the magic inside myself, we're able to communicate again. He (and my childhood best friend) visit me in my dreams to help guide me, and he sends me little signs here and there to let me know he's keeping an eye out.

    I still miss him every day, I still cry about him and what I lost, and that I lost him while I was still so young, but I'm grateful that I can connect with him in this way. So, of course, I had to start this project off with him.

Winter Solstice: Bringing Warmth In

Winter Solstice is something that almost everyone in the western world is familiar with, even if they don't call it by that name. Every civilization (not just western ones) has celebrated the winter solstice in some form, and many traditions that we follow today go back to the 3rd and 4th century, if not before! So, what is it, and why is it so significant that people around the world and throughout history have observed it?

The winter solstice is the longest night of the year, and it happens on either December 20th or 21st. This year, it's celebrated on December 21st, and the exact time is at 3:45pm EST. After this, the days start getting longer and the nights shorter, so the day after is seen and celebrated as the return of light and the sun. (For our southern hemisphere folk, it's instead the summer solstice, and the days start getting shorter.) The winter solstice is a celebration of death and rebirth.  

The word "solstice" comes from two separate words, "sol" for sun and "sistere" meaning "to stand still". On the solstices (both winter and summer), the sun appears to have no change in latitude around the world. The sun sits firmly at the latitude of Tropic of Capricorn, and marks the beginning of Capricorn season (my season!). It is a time that encompasses past, present, and future -- a pause to reflect, be in the moment, and then move forward. 

It is also the time to stay indoors, keeping ourselves safe from the cold and the dark. Historically, it was very important to stay indoors in winter, as many dangerous creatures used the cover of night to hunt their prey, and less food outside meant they were hungrier and more likely to venture towards towns to fill their bellies. In fact, it was so important to keep this in mind that there are many cautionary tales for children about winter spirits eating or torturing children, designed to keep them indoors around this dark time of the year. Families would gather in their houses, telling stories around the fire and celebrating that light was returning-- sounds a lot like our winter festivities now, doesn't it? Sure, we tend to tell more optimistic tales like "The Night Before Christmas" and "A Christmas Carol" rather than about Gryla and her Yule Lads, or Krampus punishing children who didn't behave (although many still get that warning in a milder form of not receiving presents), but storytelling remains a key tradition to this winter holiday.

One tradition from European pagan solstice celebrations is the decorating of an evergreen tree. The evergreen is a symbol of longevity and perseverance, as they were the only living trees alive in winter, still full of greenery. In the dead of winter, people celebrated the evergreens' survival by bringing these trees into their houses and decorating them with lights to bring the warmth in, and to give homes to the spirits of the trees. Additionally, this was the creation of the Yule log tradition. People would find the biggest tree and bring the trunk in to burn through the shortest day and the longest night. It burned until the dawn of the next day and the rebirth of the sun to protect from evil spirits and welcome back the light. These days, most people just burn some small logs in the fire in the evening, or even make a cake dubbed the Yule log, but the spirit of the tradition persists.

Decorating a tree is one of the most common celebrations still to this day, now widely transformed into a Christmas tree. A lot of the pagan traditions for winter solstice were repurposed to fit Christmas, often in a way to convert Pagans to Christianity in Roman's invasion of Britain. In fact, the Puritans of the American colonies recognized the pagan traditions and roots to the extent of banning Christmas celebrations!

Treats commonly eaten at solstice celebrations include yule bread or logs, kinship cookies, and mince pie. There was a belief that as many mince pies as you taste at Yule will equal the months of happiness to come in the new year. Wassail is also a common drink at this time, a warm cider with pleasant spices -- "wassailing" is a tradition that continues to this day in the form of caroling, although (usually) with less drunken shenanigans!

Spell crafts to make while sitting around the fire include witch balls, and cranberry and holly garland. Both are seen as protective charms against the evil spirits of the winter dark. Witch balls are hung in windows, and the garland is often hung around doors or walls, or even on the tree itself.

My book recommendation for this time of year is "The Old Magic of Christmas" by Linda Raedisch. Learn more about the historical pagan traditions, folklore, and symbolism that I've mentioned here, plus more!

As a final note, Santa Claus is totally a fae spirit. Entertain that idea! If you work with the fae, think about if you'd like to work with him.

Mabon: Harvest and Community

 Mabon is the celebration of the autumn equinox, which this year falls on September 22nd, although celebrations start on the 21st and some people celebrate all the way up to the 29th. It's the second harvest festival of the year (first being Lammas, third and final being Samhain), when nuts, apples, pumpkins, and all sorts of hearty crops have come in, making us feel all cozy as the weather slowly turns cooler. Like the spring equinox, emphasis is put on balance in our lives, and a move into a decrease or banishing phase to achieve that -- banishing things like bad habits and relationships, negative thinking, and other things that aren't serving us positively. This is also a time to look at budgeting -- time, money, resources, etc. to ensure there's balance in your life in other ways, and to prepare for the future. In agricultural communities, this is the time when people would look at the amount of harvest and start to plan how much food to put aside for the long winter months.

Mabon is also a celebration of gratitude, of what came before and will come after the equinox, both physically and spiritually. It's a time of giving thanks and appreciating what we have and what we're working towards. It's a holiday that is community and harmony focused-- contributing to common goals, supporting each other, finding each others' strengths (and weaknesses) to balance the community. Pagan Pride festivals often happen around this time, which are also a celebration of community, and many collect food donations for local pantries in lieu of money for admission. This is just one more way that sharing the harvest continues in our communities today.

Mythologically, the autumn equinox is associated with the descent of Persephone into the underworld. She is the daughter of Demeter, goddess of harvest and agriculture, who mourns her absence by draining the land of its fertility and greenery until Persephone returns in the spring.

In China, this is also the time of the Harvest Moon Festival. It's a separate holiday, not pagan, but has many of the same themes. It goes back to before 1,000 BCE and is the second largest celebration in the Chinese calendar; the only one larger is the Chinese New Year. It's a time of visiting and celebrating with family, making peace if there was a falling out, and just generally gathering together with good vibes. On the basic level, it shares a lot of the same themes as our autumn equinox! But, let's be honest, I mostly just wanted to mention it because of the game Harvest Moon, since I'm a big nerd. It's also the folk lore name of this month's full moon, which is much more relevant.

Ways to Celebrate:

• community dinner/gathering to give thanks and enjoy the fruits (both literal and metaphorical) of your labors
• toast to each others' health and to gratitude
• moon festival
• food blessing spell for a happy and harmonious home
• apple picking with friends and family
  

Foods:

• pumpkin spice (and pumpkins too)
  
• apples! cider, pie, baked, candied, etc.
• corn
• squash

Samhain Preparations

Since this is my first deliberate celebration (both as a witch and Samhain specifically), I plan on keeping things very simple. I'm going to set up my father's picture on my altar along with a few of his things (Lord of the Rings books, maybe his sword, the paint he gave me). I don't know what I'll do regarding dinner and an offering, as I don't cook and (sadly) rarely eat fresh vegetables, but I'm considering corn or something that reminds me of fresh vegetables from our garden. I haven't even dipped my toe into spirit work, so I don't expect any contacts with my ancestors or anything, but I'll spend some time (before Hocus Pocus and wine with friends) quietly reflecting on my dad and trying to bridge that metaphysical gap. My dad died when I was 15 and we were very close, so I still feel quite a bond with him even after all these years.

As I was moving through this week with thoughts of Samhain in the back of my head, I found something I hadn't seen in years: the card from my best friend Jenna's funeral. She died almost six years ago now, and I don't think I've used this purse that the card was in since then. I think of her often still; we were inseparable as kids and her family was my family, especially after my father died. I carry her in my memories only; I don't think I have any trinkets of hers, or rather I didn't. Finding this card just days before Samhain was not coincidence, and I'm glad she'll have a place on my very first Samhain altar. We often made cookies in her kitchen as teenagers, so chocolate chip cookies will be put on the offering plate for her.

My grandparents' generation was significantly old as I was growing up; they didn't have children until they were in their 40s and my parents didn't have children until their 30s. As such, my paternal grandparents were gone before I was born, but I did spend a lot of time with my mother's family as a kid. They have all long since passed (my grandfather, the last of the generation, died in 2009), but as a child and teenager, I was very close to my two ciocias (aunt in Polish, although these were great-aunts). As a reckless young adult, I sadly lost all the treasures I'd been given by Ciocia Stephy, both in life and death, so I have nothing from her for my altar. But two of my necklaces were given to me by Ciocia Tillie, and the amber necklace that I wear a lot in the fall will be placed upon the altar. I'd hoped to find the jade necklace she'd given me, I know it's somewhere in my apartment still, but no such luck yet. For the offering plate, I shall set out some pierogi and, if I'm lucky and can find it, some Turkish Delight, which was always a treat when visiting them. 

(The funny story is that I knew of Turkish Delight from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I grew up eating Turkish Delight, but I didn't know that one of my favorite treats was such. My whole life, I longed to eat some Turkish Delight! I didn't find out until after college that my ciocias' staple treat was the thing I'd wondered about my whole life.)

Since it's also a full moon (and a blue one), I'm hoping to take advantage of that too, although seeing the moon or anything in Chicago is hard. If the weather is nice and the neighborhood is quiet and safe (mostly regarding covid), I may go for a walk. I'll set my crystals out, and some water to be blessed by the moon, and I'll do a few spells for prosperity, happiness, and health. The full moon is a time to focus on major issues and things that are most important in your life, and the Ivy Moon of October is especially a great time to accept support and ask for help from others. I've been struggling a lot mentally lately, so I hope that focusing on these few things in the coming week leading up to the full moon will help provide me with clarity and intention.

I have November 3rd and 4th off, and plan on going to the forest preserve on one of these days if the weather isn't bad. I'm in desperate need of the outdoors in general, and a nature walk is one of the rituals associated with Samhain and the shifting of seasons. I've previously gone to the forest preserve to go hiking with my roommate, which I enjoyed, but this time I'm craving solitude in the great outdoors. I might hike, or I may just sit and enjoy the peacefulness of late autumn. I'll play it by ear that day and see how it goes. This is, of course, assuming the weather is still decent, which is a gamble in early November in Chicago. Right now the forecast looks warm and clear, so I might get some stargazing in if I drive far enough out, but we'll see if that holds.

All told, these are my preparations and thoughts leading up to my first celebration of Samhain.

This mind was made for wandering...

A few weeks ago, I sat down to write a blog post about Arthuriana. I got a line and a half in, and I expect that post will be written eventually, but this night, instead, I went on a journey.

Recently, I bought some plants. I wanted some kitchen herbs because I thought they'd look nice in the windowsill (the kitchen window is the only one the cats can't get to), plants are familiar territory for me to explore witchy uses of herbs, and maybe it might motivate me to cook. Side note: nope, I don't cook. I used to bake, but even now that's a rarity. I have an aversion to spending time in the kitchen thanks to a prior abusive living situation, and I'm working through it... hence the plants. But, it's quarantine and still not many places are open, plus it's late in the season now for a lot of nurseries. So, I went to my friendly neighborhood Lowe's (they're not actually in my neighborhood, but my work's neighborhood) and bought some herbs: basil, sage, thyme, and mint.

They're all diseased. Every single one of them. An incurable disease, and I'm rather upset about it. But this isn't about them.

That evening, I had a monthly book club meeting and while I won't name what book we were discussing (none of us were much of a fan), it did inspire a lot of us to get in the spirit to write again. I've had a story in my head for years that I want to write and explore; I actually think it would work well as a visual novel but I have to get it out on paper first. The problem is, I've been thinking on this story for years, and I have a lot of it planned out, but... I've never found a name that fit the main character. So I sat down on the couch, intending to write a blog post (hello!), but couldn't stop thinking about this story. I decided to start prepping for NaNoWriMo-- it's only a couple months away after all-- since we'll most likely all be stuck in quarantine still and I'll have time for it for the first time in years. And that means finding a name for my protagonist. 

I pulled out my trusted baby name book and started reading, flipping, reading, flipping. Came up with a list of about 15 names for other characters. But this isn't about them.

Gave up and went to the internet to see if babynames.com had anything to spark inspiration. I want a nature-inspired name for my character; it's a fantasy book but she's more hedge witch than flashy. I looked up "forest" and found a lot of names tagged with #naturename. Looked through them. Liked a lot, but none for my character. Took note of a few but my main character's name remains a mystery. But this isn't about her.

Looking through the nature names, there were a lot named after herbs and flowers. A lot. I've been attempting to fill my apartment with plants lately, to feel a little bit of nature, to have some greenery, and to explore magical properties and uses of these plants. Seeing all these herb names got me thinking. Not about my character and story; oh no, those thoughts were long gone. But about the diseased herbs and the disappointment of that. That I'd have to replace them (or give up). So, my fingertips got wandering and after looking at a lot of herb kits and seed packets, ordered a few different packets. Seeds, which I'd wanted to avoid, but better than diseased fully grown plants. 

The seeds I got are: basil, calendula, chamomile, cilantro, echinacea, fennel, hyssop, lavender, lemon balm, lemon mint, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, and yarrow. But this isn't about them.

These are just seeds and starter grow pots, though, so of course I need full size pots to keep them in after they're out of the seedling stage. Cue another hour of looking at different pots and holders for them. Since Avocado likes to chew on any and every plant he can reach (including fake ones), I really want plant holders that I can hang at the top of the window out of reach of his mouth. I think, ultimately, I'm going to have to make my own shelf of what I'm envisioning, but I need something in the meantime. (And believe me, I've spent many other hours looking for the shelf I want with no luck.) I eventually found some that I actually love, amidst all the white ceramic modern minimalist that's definitely not my style. Purchase. But this isn't about any of that.

An accidental hundred bucks later, I now have a lot of plants, a blog post, and... a character name! This path is a strange one.

City Spirits

In my dreams, I'm a naturalist witch, living in a hut in the woods with my cats, plants, and books, far from everyone else. (I'm naturally an introvert and love isolation, even though I know it's ultimately not the best for my mental health.) But that's my dreams, unlikely to happen and I'd probably hate it in a year or two if it actually did.

In reality, I grew up in the woods of Massachusetts, although I had plenty of neighbors. I spent my childhood running through forests, climbing trees, and eating fresh vegetables from our land. I tumbled down hills of poison ivy (oops) and splashed in creeks. But after college, I moved to the concrete jungle of Chicago, a place with little nature and no connections for me. From the start, I've been at odds with this city-- so different from home, even from the cities we'd spend day trips in. It wasn't an easy transition. Years later, I still yearn to get out.

Chicago, however, has opened my eyes to things I never experienced back east: I went to my first occult shop where my girlfriend liked to buy crystals; I went to fire ceremonies on the beach for the summer solstice; I got my first tarot card reading; I met more witches than I can even point out to this day. The funny thing is, I went to all these places and events and met all these people, but I willfully ignored what it all really was, because I wasn't ready. Looking back, I laugh, because it's all so obvious.

The incongruous feeling of living in Chicago is, ultimately, what led to me accepting my path. Well, Chicago and New Zealand. I went to New Zealand at the end of 2019 (feels like a lifetime ago now) and I've never, in all my travels and all the places I've called home, felt my soul be so at peace. To say something called to me in New Zealand would be wrong-- everything there called out to me. When I returned, I started making plans-- to move back to nature, to recapture the feeling I felt, the spiritual connection with Mother Earth. As with most plans for 2020, these plans of mine are so far upended-- but I examined, really examined, what my soul needed.

I long for the greenery of New Zealand, of my hometown. I desire open spaces and clear skies. I need a lot that Chicago hasn't offered me-- but it has, in the meantime, provided me with something else. It has provided me with a start, the true start to being myself and understanding how my soul speaks. The practical foundation was found here-- learning that there are others like me around here, those who know how to find the magick in city life and introduce me to a ton of mystical, spiritual, or occult stores to shop and ask questions at. Chicago is also a city with a lot of conflict-- racism, classism, and institutionalized violence divide the city mile by mile in very obvious ways. I've spent my time here participating in protests and working for nonprofits to try to heal the city of some of this strife. Without knowing it, this city has provided me with my soul's purpose in more than one way.

I know that the ultimate answer for my soul isn't here. But until I can make that a reality, I'm learning what Chicago's spirit has to teach me, finally. It's only taken about ten years for me to listen to it.

Currently Reading: Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom

I love books. Really, really love books. Not to be all "stereotypical Harry Potter" witch here (fuck terfs btw), but I'm absolutely a Ravenclaw, I love knowledge (and sharing that knowledge!). I also worked as a librarian for a few years (it's my dream job and I'd love to get back to it, if anyone wants to fund my grad school endeavors...), had a home library with 800+ books, and have genuinely read more books than I have any idea of. (I've had a goodreads account from 2006 but only accurately kept up with it since 2012-ish.) I also, even more than being a librarian (or in tandem with), want to be a writer. Maybe one day. But in the meantime, I read. 

When I first accepted this path, I immediately went to research what books I should pick up. Spoilers: there are a lot of books out there, and a lot of different opinions, and honestly it was very overwhelming to wade through it all. But I did see some books with absolutely glowing reviews, and I made note. So, I intend to write about them as I read them. As a note, I believe this whole journey is extremely personal, and what I get out of a book may not resonate with you. That's okay! That's why we're all on different journeys. If these write-ups help you in any way, even if that's to say "This book isn't for me, I'll look elsewhere", then I've done my part.

Up first: Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness by Rachel Pollack.

I'm very new to reading tarot, and had only had my cards read by friends a few times prior to getting into it... and of course I had absolutely no idea what they were looking at at the time. So, this in-progress review comes from a naive and fresh perspective. Nothing wrong with that, but your mileage may vary. I've also yet to finish the book, or even the major arcana part of the book. Hence "currently reading". That said, I love this book. 

I've been taking my time with it, reading about one card a night when I don't immediately fall asleep. This isn't a quick read or reference guide; while it does have information about how to interpret cards, its main use isn't to be a quick flip-through to find keywords for readings. Instead, it goes through a lot of history of tarot, its origin and uses through the years. Pollack delves in-depth about each card in the major arcana, often spending 5 or more pages on each card.. I haven't gotten to the minor arcana yet, but a quick glance offers a page or two for the minor cards, which is much more than most guides give. She draws on the traditional Rider-Waite cards, sometimes other decks in addition, and a lot of history and symbolism to give each card a detailed interpretation. 

One of the things I especially like about this book is that nothing is "hard and true", and she leaves room for your own interpretations. Some people like this way of reading and some don't, so your mileage may vary. Personally, I'm much more inclined to intuition than memorization, so this sits well with me. She also includes a few paragraphs on reversals for each card; again, not everyone reads reversals, but this information is useful for those who do. (I, personally, struggle with reversals but I'll figure them out eventually.)

One thing to note is that she also dives into numerology to interpret these cards. I have no knowledge or interest in numerology, so I can't say if any of that is accurate or a fresh perspective. Honestly, I most often skip these passages, as none of it makes sense to me nor is it in my particular interest. (Truth be told? I hate numbers and my brain goes "out of focus" when I look at them.) It's another way to interpret the cards, however, if you're interested in numerology or just a deeper understanding of the cards. This information may be useful to me later down the line, but it's not for me with where I'm at at the moment. Still, I think it's important to note. The numerology sections are a paragraph or two of each card's chapter, so you don't miss much by skipping it but might offer plenty of insight to people who are interested.

In addition to learning to read tarot, or learning about the history of tarot, which this book does both of, it's also offered an abundance of nuggets of introspective wisdom in general. A few of my favorite excerpts that really resonated with me: 

"The Fool's wand is black; the others are white. For the unconscious Fool the spirit force remains always in potential, always ready, because he is not consciously directing it. We tend to mis-understand the colour black, seeing it as evil, or negation of life. Rather, black means all things being possible, infinite energy of life before consciousness has constructed any boundaries. When we fear blackness or darkness we fear the deep unconscious source of life itself."

"People often link passive with 'negative' or that is, inferior and weak. But passivity contains its own power. It gives the mind a chance to work. People who only know action never get a chance to reflect on what that action has taught them. In a deeper sense, passivity allows the unconscious to emerge. Only through withdrawal from outer involvement can we allow the inner voice of vision and psychic forces to speak to us. It is precisely to avoid this inner voice that many people never rest from action and movement. Our society, based completely on outer achievement, fosters a terror of the unconscious, yet without its wisdom we can never fully know ourselves or the world."

"Life requires us to make decisions; at the same time each decision, once made, cannot be revoked. It becomes part of us. We are formed by the actions we have taken in the past; we form our future selves by the actions we take now."

Overall, I've really enjoyed this book so far, I've learned a lot from it and feel that its information is going to aid me for a long time, possibly forever, on this journey. I'm really glad I picked it up and recommend it to anyone who may want a deeper knowledge of tarot, as long as you have an open mind. That last bit is key for tarot (and witchcraft) but I make it here especially because I saw a lot of close-minded reviews on Goodreads, including one of the top reviews.