Compliments, Catalysts, and Kin
A Venus Day Love List 9/27/24
Today I’d like to start off my list of things I love with…
1) You!
Last night at our reading group, while we gathered and you spoke of things like how ancient rituals get preserved; how art is a reflection to the spirit of the times; how magic brings together food, metaphysics, ritual, and song; desire; oral cultures; pleasure, austerity, and the prices we pay for taking short cuts… A swell of gratitude overtook me. I feel so lucky to have a coven of witches with such brilliant, curious mind, so much heart, and such great senses of humor. Thank you, truly, to each one of you who reads my work, comes to my rituals and gatherings, and participates here in Mystery Cult. Each one of you delight me and I am so grateful to get to know you better.
2) The Page of Wands
Known as the Daughter of the Shining Flame, The Rose of the Palace of Fire, Exultation of the Salamanders and Throne of the Ace of Wands the Page of Wands appears when you are ready. You are waking up. The page of Wands is a catalyst comes into your life, fires you up, and prepares you for lift off. As a signifier of Venus in the fire Signs, the Page of Wands brings pleasure, enthusiasm, joy, electricity, and happiness. The mantra of the Page of Wands is “yay yay yay yay yayyyyyy!” I had the great joy of discussing this delight of a card (on my podcast Between the Worlds) with Alice Sparkly Cat, author of Postcolonial Astrology and maker of viral decolonial astrology memes. Can’t wait to hear what the Page of Wands catalyzes for you when you listen to the episode!
3) Rebecca Sharp’s book, “Long Field Loop”
Rebecca Sharp’s latest book of poetry is so kitchen-table intimate that, reading it, I felt my cold fingers warmed among a circle of friends that included humans, geodes, birch trees, otters, and peat. Sharp's is the warmest kind of magic. Long Field Loop is not just poetry, it’s an invitation to a party. Beyond the river and through the canyon together with our odd kin we enter a circle of pine. When the morning comes, and we return home, Sharp presses into our hands a party favor, a warding charm, a sacred reminder. We depart from this book knowing, as she says so insistently, we still want to be here.
4) Helping Friends Achieve their Dreams
You might remember my friend Maze because they’ve been a guest on Between the Worlds when they offered us “Herbal and Spiritual Support for 2020” — I mean, we all needed that, right?? Now we have an opportunity to support Maze in return! Maze has 4 Chronic Kidney Disease and has been chronically ill since they were a child. Maze has dreamed of becoming an acupuncturist for over 10 years. They got into a great school in NYC, but because of their chronic health issues, Maze knows they need at least a year of just focusing on school when they arrive at their program. With the support of their community, Maze can make this happen! Maze says that, “When I become an acupuncturist I am committed to paying this support forward by always offering sliding scale appointments and providing care at community events.” We love you, Maze, and we want to help! Can you spare a few dollars to support Maze in their new adventure!
May your generosity be returned 100 fold! Donate here.
5) Help with Writing and Art-making
Writing is hard y’all. Yet for some reason, most of us want to do it. If you want to write (or make art), or say that you do, but haven’t been able to get yourself to leap across the abyss of self-doubt and avoidance to actually put words on paper, you will love… Parakeet! Created by my lovely friend (and podcast producer) Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs and my lovely friend (and artist wrangler) Beth Pickens (who was on the podcast with the episode The World Needs Your Art) this program is basically guaranteed to get a book out of you. Huzzah! Find out more here.
6) Solstice D’Hiver
Another high five to my podcast producer Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs. She gifted me this incense a while back and I just can’t tell you how delicious it is. It might just be my favorite incense ever! Solstice D’Hiver is such a romantic, and dare I say, accurate name for what it evokes. Silver fir, vetiver, wood smoke, juniper, labdanum. Carolyn said she got it for me because she felt it was a Scorpio scent - it finds the beauty in the underworld. AND it comes in a box that looks like something you’d find on the altar of Persephone. Highly recommend!
