The Dark Days Tarot is one more chapter in the attempt to define what it means to be a modern witch.  It’s an idea us who live in the internet age have been thinking a lot about.  This deck created Wren McMurdo is distinctly feminine and minimalist.  The creator went with a bold choice making the cards square and only using black and white.  The absence of bright color forces you to notice the subtleties of the designs.  The drawings are quirky, whimsical, and almost surrealist with abundant nature symbolism interwoven and mixed in with scenes of domesticity.

The cards that stuck with me the most were the ones that featured a coven working together.  Sometimes I dreamed myself into the scene depicted in the Six of Pentacles.  As a solitary practitioner, I occasionally go through bouts of loneliness-especially around the sabbats.  As much as I enjoy being solitary, I often desire for a community of like minded witches to gather with.  To plan a Yuletide meal and invite friends over for rituals.  Is there a coven out there for me? I sometimes ask myself.  This deck created visions of that world and community I desire.

The minimalistic aspect of this deck will not be for everyone.  I, however, found the black and white cards beautiful in their simplicity.  The fact that they are square also helps differentiate The Dark Days Tarot from the multitudes of other decks out there.  The minimalist nature of this deck is part of a wider trend I see among not just deck creators, but our current society at the moment.  A growing desire to turn away from all that noise and visual excess and instead focus on something more simple.  Something more meaningful.

What are your thoughts on these more minimalist decks?  Do you like this trend? Share your thoughts in the comments below.  

The first thing you notice when you drive into Savannah is the trees. The branches reach far over the roads creating a thick canopy of green that shades the road from the blazing Georgia sun.  Spanish moss trickles down in a delicate lace that adds a sense of sophisticated decay to the atmosphere.  As the wheels bump along the cobblestones below you begin to slow down and get the sense that rushing for anything down here is strongly discouraged.  Indeed, this is a city that runs on it’s own sense of time.  It is a clock built around mimosas at noon, leisurely walks among the verdant squares, and evening carriage rides.  I could not envision a place more diametrically opposed to our rat-race style of living than Savannah.

I had been wanting to visit Savannah for a while and I was pleased to see that the city looked just like I thought it would be.  This "city in a garden" truly looks like a place that time forgot.  The homes that line the grids of public squares are heavy with history.  To be in Savannah is to be surrounded by visions of the antebellum south.

I began my trip with a visit to the Davenport house, a beautiful home from the early 1800s.  As I toured the home I was struck by the french patterned wallpaper that draped the rooms in a vision of luxury.  Of course, I knew that this wealth came with a dark reality we must acknowledge - that all this financial success in the antebellum south came from the work of enslaved people.  This dark history permeates every aspect of the historic south and must be understood and recognized.  

The Davenport house was well known to have it’s fair share of ghosts and as I toured the home I could almost hear uncanny piano chords floating in the air.  The sound seemed to linger in my ears for several stanzas then delicately seeped beneath the wood and disappeared. 

Moving into the study a large black and white art print hung dramatically on the wall.  It depicted a scene we all know well--the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  The tour guide told me that in the antebellum south almost everyone had a copy of this image displayed prominently in their home.  He said back then people understood the fragility of their new country so they felt the need to declare allegiance to this great experiment in state- building we call America.  For some reason that idea stuck with me.  America seems so powerful and impenetrable now.  But yes, at one time, we were small and delicate.  A nation built upon radical ideas of democracy and religious freedom.  At that time the future of America must have seemed like a blank chalkboard: full of possibilities, but also with the risk that everything could quickly be erased.  

The other event that market my stay in Savannah was a nighttime ghost tour.  The coming of night cast a blanket of silence around the city.  Savannah is mostly free of the type of rambunctious tourist noise you would find in New Orleans.  When you walk the streets at night you feel the quiet in your bones and in the hairs standing upright on your neck.  You feel alone among the brick facades as you walk the cobblestone streets.  Any rustle of noise causes your head to snap towards the source of sound as you stretch your eyes to find the culprit.  

I passed through the Colonial Park Cemetery on my way to the tour.  The tall grasses seemed to quiver between the gravestones and shadows hung heavy beneath the spanish moss.  “I’m sure I'll be fine”, I said to myself as I walked along a pathway lit only by the yellow moon glowing above.  ‘Were ghostly phantoms passing behind me?’ I wondered.  Did they float swamp-like among the trees? I resisted turning my head around, fearing that I might see something from beyond the veil.  

As I finally made it to Reynolds Square, I breathed a sigh of relief that I would soon be among other travelers for the tour.  Shortly after the tour began we came across a particular house that was lit from the flickering flame of a single gas-lit lantern.  It was a very unassuming home set back from the sidewalk and behind a garden of tall grass.  With first glance at this home I felt something different.

Do you believe that magic can be in the air?  That it can follow along the air currents till it finds a receptive host.  What I will say is that the air near this small home had a particular taste.  It filled my nose with an unusual electric and heavy scent.

The tour guide told us this small home was called ‘Laura’s House’ named after a slave who once lived here when she took care of the mansion next door.  According to the story, her master once promised her freedom and that he would give her the deed for the small carriage house he let her stay in.  However, he reneged on his vow and she remained a slave till her death.  It seems she has claimed the carriage house in death and passers by often claim to see her sitting on the rocking chair of her small porch.

If there was a shade of paint that could be considered notorious, it would be the color known as ‘haint’ blue.  It is thought that this color prevents ghosts and evil spirits from entering the premises so people today still cover sections of their home in this color.  The homes next to The Laura House covered their doors, window frames, and porches this color to prevent her from coming in. Even the Laura House has this blue shade around the porch, but not the door.  The door was left empty of color so that the ghost of Laura might someday find a way out.  

The Laura House is now an airbnb so you can even spend the night there if you wish.  Though I wouldn't recommend it if you’re male.  It is said that men who stay there are often awoken with a sensation of hands clasped tightly around their throat, constricting their ability to breathe.  It seems that Laura doesn’t like men too much, and given her life story I don’t blame her.

You must be wondering if I actually saw a ghost during my trip to Savannah?  I must be honest and say no.  I did, however, feel their presence. I felt it rattle my bones as I walked along the cemetery.  I felt the electricity in the air as I stared into the Laura House.  A question I often ask myself is if these feelings are truly real.  Or, does just being in a place filled with old homes and ghost stories cause us to have these sensations.  I guess I’ll never really know for sure.  But if ghosts are real and they are out there, I’m confident that many of them call Savannah their home.

Have you ever been to Savannah?  Did you get the sense that the city was haunted?  Share below in the comments.

A gathering approaches.  I’m in the heart of my home tending to a bubbling brew atop the stove.  Cozy knitted socks warm my feet against the October chill and the steam from the pot of wine tickles my nose with the scents of late fall.  Warm clove and cardamom meld with the bright citrus of orange peels.  Five-pointed anise stars and thick cinnamon sticks bubble to the top of my burgundy brew.  I swirl the collection of herbs around with a wooden spoon and my cat jumps up onto the kitchen counter, trying to get a better view.   

The doorbell chimes.  My fellow witches have arrived!  I let them in and we share our tales of magic and mischief as I carefully pour the mulled wine.  The steam spirals above the mugs and twirls towards the window.  I catch a glimpse of the trees outside.  The crackled brown leaves of late October are frosted with ice crystals, yet they still dance as the wild wind whispers through the branches.   

We move to the living room and get cozy by the crackling fireplace. Cheers! We chime our haphazard collection of glasses and mugs together and begin to warm our bellies and hearts with our autumnal witches brew.

MULLED WINE

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten
Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients

4 cups apple cider
1 bottle of red wine
¼ cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, juiced & zested
4 whole cloves
3 star anise
4 oranges, peeled for garnishes (optional)

Instructions

Take a large pot and add the wine, cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, honey, and orange zest & juice.  Bring to boil then simmer over low for around 10 minutes.  Pour into mugs and add an orange peel as a garnish.  Enjoy!

A lightning strike then a loud crash.  The tower comes tumbling down and we are thrown from on high to crash-land below, beaten and broken.  The only way to face a ‘tower card’ moment is to stand up, brush the dirt off your knees, and begin to build again.  In a time like that, when all seems lost, you look to the distance and see a small shining light.  Subtle at first, but growing lighter by the day as you pass through a long tunnel. And then as you reach the end of tunnel, there she is - hope.  

There are certain moments in your tarot study when you become taken aback by the sheer wonder of it all.  How the cards not only bring us truth, but do so poetically.  In tarot, the Star card comes right after the destructive force of the Tower card.  At a time we need it most.  The Star card shows a beautiful maiden at the edge of a lake.  She is pouring two cups of water - one into the great healing lake, and another onto the sand.  Glittering stars illuminate our lady as she dips one foot carefully into the waters of our subconscious and places the other firmly on land. She is of course the Water Bearer, a personification of Aquarius.  

I used to be baffled when I first learned that Aquarius is in fact an Air sign.  I thought as a ‘water bearer’ it made much more cosmological sense for Aquarius to be grouped in with the other water signs.  But when I meditated on the Star card it began to make sense to me.  The star card is about hope, renewal, and inspiration.  These are ideas and constructs that we form in our mind, and our mind is ruled by the element Air.  Yet, water is ever present in the Star card.  Water as a symbol is usually connected to healing and the subconscious.  It is the combination of both the healing power of water and our mind’s capacity for hope that brings us to a state of true healing.  This is what the Star card represents to me.

When this card appears in a reading it foretells a time of calming energy and mental stability.  These things are necessary after facing any kind of drastic upheaval or change.  The Star card gives us permission to forgive both others and ourselves so that we can move on to the next stage of our life.

I like to mediate with this card whenever I’m facing a difficult time within my life.  I visualize myself next to the lake featured in the card.  I imagine my toes caressing the smooth sand at the water’s edge.  Dipping my hands into the healing water, a bright light forms in the ripples and travels up through my body bringing me into a state of calm.  I then go in search of the beautiful maiden.  Finding her off in the distance beneath a tree, I ask her how I might best move on from my difficulties and bring balance again into my life.  

In my experience, when I do this visualization and meet the water bearer, she usually gives me good advice.  Of course, I believe that it is really just my own subconscious that is coming forth and proving the answers I need to grow. Just as the maiden dips her toe into the water of our subconscious realm, we do the same when we participate in tarot readings or meditations.  The healing guidance we need is always there, within ourselves, and tarot is a tool that helps us discover it.

Do you use tarot to help you get through difficult times?  Share your experiences with the healing power of tarot in the comments below.  While I associate the Star card with healing, is there a different card that you like to use for healing spells, meditations, or tarot sessions?

Do you like deciphering hidden symbols and decoding ancient alphabets?  If so, put your Indiana Jones hat on because it’s time to get to work.  The English Magic Tarot is not for the faint of heart and you're going to need to use the full extent of your brainpower to uncover its secrets.  That’s because each card (including the minor arcana!) has a hidden message for you to translate.  This is the reason why I purchased this deck.  While the artwork is nice and the theme is certainly interesting, it was the hidden symbols peaking from the images that made me stop in my tracks and purchase this deck immediately.

The title of the deck brings us our first clue. The English Magic Tarot weaves a tale of “high” and “low” magic throughout English history.  Kings and Queens make an appearance of course, but so do astrologers, druids, and characters from English folklore.  England has a deep and expansive magical history and this deck attempts to take us through that journey card by card.  

With a deck like this the guidebook becomes an essential component of your understanding.  It helps us comprehend who is depicted in each card and their historical significance.  The history featured within this deck starts with the end of the Renaissance and goes to the beginning of the Early Modern Period. I always had a bit of trouble remembering the succession of the countless Kings and Queens throughout English history.  By studying this deck and guidebook I now feel that I have a deeper understanding of English royal history.  In addition, I learned a good deal about the magical traditions of the “common folk” and how those beliefs and rituals have lasted through time.  

The artwork of this deck is in a storyboard-style with sharp lines and bold colors.  It is dramatic and the characters appear in dynamic action poses.  This style works well when the cards are all laid out in a large spread where you can easily see how they can form a storyline.  However, when looked at individually they loose a bit of their luster.  While I’m personally not as much a fan of the comic-book style, I know that many others will absolutely love this bold and unique artistic interpretation.

One of the first things you’ll notice while attempting to translate the hidden riddles is that there are 4 distinctive ‘alphabets.’  The Enochian alphabet, created by court astrologer John Dee, was easy enough to decipher by looking up various translations of it online.  The backwards writing was also fairly easy to translate by holding the cards up to a mirror.  The Futhark runes I found a bit tricker, as they didn’t match up exactly with examples of alphabets I found online.  The hardest to translate was the Ogham writing.  This writing consists of a series of notches in a straight line, which made it tricky to determine where one word ends and the next begins. In addition, it did not fully match up with examples of this alphabet I found on the internet.   

Once you’ve fully translated the major and minor arcana, you’ll then need to figure out how it all fits together to create a coherent passage.  Shall I give you the final translation?  No. That would be too easy I think.  It’s up to you, brave explorer, to venture off and solve these riddles alone.  For it is the act of translating these cards that forces you to spend considerable time with each image and thus develop a personal connection with this unique deck.

A freudian carnival with lusty intrigue as the main theme, the Eros deck is coquettish and dripping with innuendo.  This deck will certainly make you blush.  Sex is not just included, it is the main star of this deck; each card finds a way, often humorously, to incorporate it.  The characters in the cards are topsy turvy, each image filled with both shock value and little inside jokes that only an experienced cartomancer would detect.  

The Fool begins our journey through this bacchanalian adventure, his cartoonishly large ass setting the tone for what's to come.  Flipping through the major arcana you’ll find yourself laughing at a drunk Temperance, a Justice holding scales-turned-brassiere, and a Hierophant that, looking upon The Lovers doing The Devil’s dance, has him praying with knees upward.  

Try counting the genitalia in this deck, I dare you. There must be hundreds.  Some are subtly referenced, like the rooster or ‘cock’ on the Emperor's’ shield, some are hidden in plain sight like the Magician’s “wand”, while some stare proudly at you as if they were saying, “look at me, look at me.” 

Moving into the minor arcana you’ll find a classic Pip style common to marseilles decks in that there are not unique individual scenes.  Normally, I would find this a bit disappointing, but this is not a normal deck.  Each Minor card contains erotic symbols of their own--some delicately hidden and others standing prominent.  Looking through the suits you’ll find yourself counting, "...8 penises, 9 penises, 10 penises...", wondering just how many they can fit!

The court cards conclude this deck looking like boisterous buffoons enraptured by their desire.  They seem to be performing their own kind of courtly embrace as they look to the side waiting for someone to join them in their revelry.  Perhaps they’re looking at us, the readers.  Maybe they're asking us to open a bottle of René Pogel and begin to indulge in some horizontal refreshments of our own.  

With a deck like this you have to ask when, if ever, you would actually use it in a reading.  With love and sex as its primary theme this deck would certainly work well for readings focused on relationships.  The comical nature of many of the images also suggest that this deck would be fun to bring to a party and do readings for your friends.  Though I have to admit, at it’s core, this is a collector's deck. This kind of uniqueness appeals to the collector impulse of cartomancers.  And let’s admit it, most of us tarot readers have hoarding tendencies when it comes to our deck collections.  

The uniqueness of this deck even goes beyond the cards themselves: the box the cards come in is ‘titillating’ in both senses. Additionally, the companion book, more than just a guide, is an adult coloring book filled with naughty limericks to enhance your readings.  

It is clear that each component of this deck was carefully thought out.  Looking beyond the humorous and sexual surface level, you see a deck with beautiful artwork, clear attention to detail, and outstanding creativity.  So while this certainly isn’t the first deck I grab for readings, it still holds a prominent place on my shelf and in my heart.

If you'd like to find out more about this deck you can do so here.

If you're interested in a reading with this deck, or any of my other decks, you can sign up here. 

If you'd like to see a full walkthrough of this deck, you can view the video below: 

What are your thoughts on this deck?  Share in the comments below.

The grain swells against the morning wind as waves of amber and gold ripple through the fields.  I envision what these wheat fields of Illinois might have looked like a long time ago.  Farm boys swinging scythes, their calloused hands aching with a summer of hard labor.  I envision horses neighing in the distance, their glossy chestnut mains shining in the summer sun.  I imagine a large farm table filled with sun-ripened tomatoes and loaves of freshly baked bread.  The delicate sounds of a summer afternoon, the wild hum of grasshoppers leading to the warm and hazy glow of lightning bugs as the sun falls below the horizon.

Today when I look upon the fields outside my city, I find endless rows of wheat and corn.  The fields go on for miles, a never ending surface reflecting the color of our summer sun.  In the midwest it seems we have our own ocean, but instead of water, our ocean is a sea of harvest.  Our modern fields take on an otherworldly quality in their grandness.  The visions of amber punctuated only by roaring machines that have taken the place of of scythes.  

Living in the Midwest I feel a great connection to the harvest festival of Lammas.  While other regions may provide more glamorous resources, the midwest has taken on the role of Ceres, the goddess of grain.  Our wheat and corn travels across the country and beyond to nourish millions.  It’s so easy to become complacent and unaware of the skill and hard work necessary to create this endless sea of golden fields.  So upon this harvest festival, us Pagans take a moment to give thanks for the summer bounty nature has provided.  

Looking upon my modern feast, I see not only the foods from my region.  I see the success of our beautiful country united.  I see grains from the midwest baked into an herbed loaf.  I see goat cheese from New York, and olives grown in California.  I see beer made from the hops of Washington and charcuterie from Kansas.  To hear people speak, you would think we are more divided as a nation than ever.  Yet looking at my harvest table I see value in each region of our country and feel united in this celebration of the summer bounty.  So upon this harvest day, let us come together ‘round our tables.  And let us take a moment to appreciate and give thanks to all that makes our feasts possible.

How will you be celebrating this harvest festival?  Let me know in the comments below. 

This image from Local Milk Blog

The waitress poured my coffee into a delicate porcelain cup as I stared out the window looking towards the old cobblestones that my feet would soon tread.  It was hot that morning and the trees in the nearby park hung thick and languid waiting for a breeze to sway their leaves.  I was staying at the Hawthorne Hotel right in the heart of Salem, Massachusetts.  I had read that the place was haunted so of course I booked a room hoping to investigate later in the evening.  At the moment though, ghostly apparitions were far from my mind.  Instead, I was thinking about what these streets and buildings might have looked like in the spring of 1692.  

My trip to New England had taken me across Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.  There was one main constant across these states and that was the forest.  Tall pine trees and heavy maples grouped together.  Looking into the forest the sunlight soon became obscured under a canopy of leaves.  Even today, in our modern world, I felt that the forests of New England seemed to conceal mysteries and magic.  

It is no wonder that the settlers of New England feared the woods.  The early villagers of Salem must have worked relentlessly to carve their town from these forests.  The ‘civilization’ they created for themselves still did not allow them to escape fear.  Their fear came, not from the forest, but from each other.  Their fear built and built until the fear created a life of itself.  Accusations and hangings ran rampant through the town, spreading like a virus.  And then, in about a year it somehow died off and the great witch trials were over.

It seemed odd thinking about such historic tragedy on a hot summer day.  Walking through the town you discover a much different community.  I’m not quite sure why modern witches have gravitated towards Salem.  Perhaps they enjoy good irony or maybe it’s an attempt to reclaim and proclaim the real meaning of the word 'witch'.  You are reminded of what occurred in 1692 around each turn as you pass by shops, museums, and historic markers.  Regardless, it was enjoyable to walk through the quaint town and visit its many shops.  While some stores were filled mostly with tchotchkes and souvenirs, I did encounter a few stores providing supplies for the discerning modern witch.  

Returning to my hotel in the evening I wandered the halls for a bit passing by the two rooms where various hauntings had supposedly occurred.  I wish I could say different, but honestly I didn't get much of a ghostly feel from the hotel.  As the skies turned dark I looked off in the distance to the line of trees.  For some reason, I couldn’t keep my mind off the sensation of walking through the forests of New England.  Here I was in a haunted hotel in a town covered with dark history.  Yet I felt it was the woods in the distance that held the real mystery and only there would I gain an true understanding of this place.

My recommendations in salem

 

where to visit

The Witch House

Peabody Essex Museum

Witch Trials Memorial

The House of Seven Gables

places to eat & Drink

Notch Brewery & Tap Room

Far From The Tree Cider

Caramel Patisserie

Rockafellas

favorite shops

Circle of Stitches

Haus Witch

The Coven's Cottage

Wicked Good Books

Have you been to Salem before?  What were your thoughts?  Share your favorite places in the comments below. 

There it was, a lonely glass filled with "two-buck chuck" wine and next to it a small plate with four town-house crackers.  The ritual was over and as I turned to partake in the "cakes & ale" portion of my full moon ritual it somehow felt all wrong.  Here I was all exhilarated and energized from participating in this sacred rite.  I had just danced to the beat of drums with the summer air swirling around me.  I had called the energies of the elements and felt their presence within my circle.  I had pondered the beauty of the full moon and felt my own connection to its mysteries.  

And now it was over.  It was time to ground my energy and recover, which meant partaking in the "cakes & ale" I had laid out for myself.  Compared to the beauty and energy of the summer full moon, the wine and crackers before me seemed lackluster and uninspired.  While I have nothing against cheap wine, in fact I rather enjoy it, it somehow didn’t feel right for this ritual.  It was summertime and the flowers were in full bloom all across the city.  The scent of honeysuckle lingered in the air as the fresh breeze from the lake tempered the evening heat.  Summer was a time of sticky-sweet strawberries and cool lemonade.  Wine, on the other hand, reminded me of an autumn landscape filled with burgundy and chestnut-colored leaves.  

In general I’ve been trying to eat more seasonally as I know that doing so will make me feel more connected to the changing seasons.  I’m not sure why this intent hasn’t filtered down to my own solitary full moon rituals.  It seemed that I was just going with routine; casually picking whatever I happen to currently have in my apartment for the "cakes & ale" portion of my rituals.  A simple ‘cakes & ale’ definitely makes sense for group rituals, but as I practice mostly solitary I know that I can do more.  Besides, I really do enjoy cooking and know that with a bit more effort I can really end my full moon rituals with something unique and truly representative of the season.

Here’s some links to a couple recipes I've found that I’m planning to make for future summer full and new moon rituals.  These recipes and photos are adapted from Local Milk Blog and The Minimalist Baker.

I’d love to know if you ever change-up the "cakes & ale" portion of your full and new moon rituals.  If so, do you have a favorite recipe?  Share in the comments below.

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Summer "Cakes"

Lavender Blueberry & Ricotta Turnovers

White Peach, Rose, & Basil Hand Pies

Herbs de Provence & Rose Olive Oil Cake

Summer "Ales"

Blackberry Basil Mojito

Cardamom & Rose Iced Latte (non-alcoholic)

Rhubarb & Strawberry Margaritas