The Magic in the Mundane
Magic lives in the simplest of things, actions, and tasks. Adding intention, mindfulness, and worth to your routines can change the way you view life, housework, and daily regimens. The Magic in the Mundane is a series of blogs that will explore the magic I’ve found and created in day to day life that have made a permanent place in my practice and craft. These will be filled with tips and tricks for you to use and hopefully encourage you to create your own magical habits and integrate them into your practice.
This first blog is dedicated to one of my absolute favorites, simmer pots. Simmer pots are pretty much what they sound like, a pot of water that you bring to a simmer on the stove, but what you add to the pot is where the magic and intention come in! Simmer pots are made with water, herbs, flowers, and even certain fruits. You can also add essential oils, flower essence water, and perfumes. The type of ingredients you add are based on your intention and the kind of energy you are inviting into your home and sacred space.
Adding these natural elements and ingredients to the simmer pot allow for not only their natural oils and aromas to fill the air and space, but their energetic and magical properties as well. Another great thing about simmer pots is they have antibacterial and anti fungal benefits depending on what herbs you add to the pot. They’re perfect to clean the air throughout the home and beneficial during colds and flus!
My favorite time to make simmer pots are after I’m done deep cleaning my house, when I’m trying to manifest certain things or invite certain energy into my home, when I need an energetic resent and cleanse, and during new and full moons!
I’ll list some of the most used herbs and their properties below:
Cinnamon- abundance, prosperity, energy, protection, love, hearth energy.
Bay leaf- abundance, prosperity, protection, purification, divination
Lemons- cleansing, purifying, protection, uplifting, creativity, sun magic
Oranges- abundance, success, luck, love
Rose- love, sensuality, abundance, protection, luck, divination
Mint- prosperity, luck, love, clarity, protection
Rosemary- protection, purification, health, love, beauty, clarity
Lavender- intuition, peace, divination, protection, health, love, purification
There are countless combinations of ingredients to add to a simmer pot. I generally allow my intuition to guide me during the process of picking the herbs and the results are always a lovely uplifting energetic boost to strengthen my manifestations and magic!
I will be doing doing a simmer pot for this New Moon in Taurus that will be centered around finances, security, comfort, and inviting abundance into my life! I’ll share the ingredients I’ll be using and invite you to join in on this simmer pot goodness! You can adjust the recipe as you see fit.
3 Cinnamon sticks
3 lemon slices
3 orange slices,
3 bay leaf
3 allspice
3 Fresh basil leaves
3 Peony root slices
dried rose petals
1 rosemary sprig
Once you add all your ingredients in, don’t forget to say some affirmations and set your intentions over the pot. As the water simmers and you smell the aromas of the ingredients throughout your space, let that affirm your intentions and goals you’re wishing to manifest.
I hope you enjoy these simmer pot tips and use them to your liking. I would love to see yours and the creations you come up with!
Love and blessings, Nadia
The concept of “honoring” your moon or menstrual cycle might seem a little foreign and unfamiliar, but the practice is becoming widely common again. And with good reason!
Our menstrual cycles were once considered sacred and were occurrences that were honored and respected by both women and men. Native American tribes would reserve moon lodges for the women of the tribes as places for them to come together, rest, ruminate, and dream. During your moon cycle, your senses and intuition are heightened. This is when women would have prophetic dreams about how to hunt, improve, and govern the tribe.
Now, in modern times, when a woman’s cycle is mentioned, it’s met with awkwardness, embarrassment, and tension. Where along the way did what was once respected and valued, turn into disgust, shame, and a misconception of uncleanliness?
It’s necessary that we start reclaiming our power and embracing our cycles for all they are and offer us. It is one of the deepest connections to the archetypal feminine energy and Mother Earth. The menstrual cycle follows the same cycle of the moon which is roughly 28 days. We are in sync with the moon that pulls the tides and affects behavior of wildlife. There is power in being a woman and experiencing this cycle every month, just as the moon goes through her phases.
Learning to honor your flow can be a healing and intimate way to reconnect with your body, nature, and divine feminine energy. When you listen to the way your body feels and how you feel emotionally, it can help you understand when something within is out of balance (ex. Pain, headaches, anxiety, distress) and needs to be addressed.
Our moon is asking us to slow down, honor, and listen our bodies. During this time:
- Our senses and emotions are heightened making it a great time for creative ideas to flow.
- We dream more often, more vividly, and are more likely to lucid dream during our moon. ( I always look up or try to interpret my dreams that stand out to me, as I feel like spirit is trying to relay a message.)
- Our energy is focused more inward than on social matters. This is a time for introspection.
- We are more intuitive. Our intuition is sharper during this time, so trust your hunches and gut feelings, they are messages from spirit!
- We are in a process of death and rebirth. We go through a literal process of shedding, which is a powerful time for releasing things and patterns that are no longer serving our highest good!
Ways we can honor our body during our cycle:
- Connect with your body. Focus on deep belly breaths. Give yourself a loving rub in your pelvic area with massage oil and essential oils. (lavender or peppermint are my favorite for this!)
- Do yoga, honor your body with movement. There are certain poses for relieving bloating, heavy bleeding, and, PMS.
- Track your cycle, and the moon cycle. Take note of the way you’re feeling during that time.
- Drink a lot of water! Staying hydrated keeps you feeling lively, helps prevent cramping, and helps your flow.
- REST. Allow your body it’s time to shed and replenish.
- Create a self care routine. Pamper yourself, use face masks, hair masks, light your favorite candle and incense, read your favorite book, and sip on your favorite tea!
Mother Nature has blessed us with our sacred moon cycle. It helps us honor our energetic, sexual, emotional and spiritual needs if we learn how to listen and understand them.
-Nadia
How I Use the Full Moon In My Magical Workings
Using celestial events like eclipses, moon cycles, and certain planetary placements can help to enhance our practices and rituals. When we align our intentions and magic with these natural occurrences it’s as if the Universe herself is giving us a helping hand. Once you learn how to work with and go with the flow of these celestial energies and transits, you can use them to your advantage and make them work in your favor.
When I first started incorporating the planets and astrology into my practices, the first and easiest for me to begin working with (and is still one of my favorite) was the moon. I started working with the lunar cycle in my manifesting work and rituals which is what I want to share with you all in this blog post, specifically, my full moon ritual!
Full moons provide us with illumination and clarity. They help shed light on things or situations in our life that have been clouded or had us in a bind. Full moons are also a time of introspection, allowing us to go within and find what we’ve been holding on to that needs to be let got of for our highest good. When we work with the universe and not against it, and allow it to show us what needs to be healed and fixed within us and in our live, beautiful things will start to happen!
Every full moon carries with it a different energy depending on what zodiac sign it falls under. Each sign also has it’s own energy, making certain full moons more ideal for working on specific intentions, but you don’t NEED to work with those energies if you’re not called to do so. Always do what feels right with you and your needs, not what your favorite instagram astrologer says you should be working on. You know yourself best!
A look into my full moon ritual:
What you will need
- Pen
- Paper
- Fireproof bowl
- match/lighter
- Incense (optional)
- Candle (optional)
- I center myself and calm my mind, trying to bring myself to the most relaxed state of being. I close my eyes, control my breathing, and reflect on what I need to release and let go of.
- I light my incense (any kind will do), and light my candle. Before I light my candle, I say a few intentions such as “may this full moon illuminate what I may not see clearly to help me release what no longer serves me or my highest good.”
- Now I begin to write my intentions on the paper. When including any affirmations in your rituals, its important to word the in the right way. When releasing you want your affirmations to be something like this. ex. “I release fear of change” “I release the fear of not being good enough that hold me back from opportunities for growth” “I release unhealthy habits, thoughts, patterns, and programs that I have toward myself.” “I release any self sabotaging habits that are keeping me from reaching my highest potential” “I let go of relationships that are no longer in alignment with my highest good” “I let go of the need to constantly be in control” ect. Write down whatever you feel is no longer serving you, or helping you grow. Anything that is holding you back from being the best version of yourself!
- Now, we are going to burn the paper, as symbolism for releasing our intentions to the universe and letting go. Put your paper into your heat proof bowl, you can fold it if you wish, and light it.
- I always pay attention to how my flame burns the paper. If it’s met with resistance, your intentions might not be as strong (when I find this happen to me, I redo the ritual the next day.). If it burns fast and strongly, your intentions were heard loud and clear! I also look at the burnt paper and if any words are still showing through I take it as a sign that there was some resistance there and I may need to do some additional work and healing in that area.
- Always give thanks to the universe once you finish your rituals. Once you release it to the universe its in her hands now, don’t obsess over it, just let it go and go with the flow of things. You will know if you need to do additional work or not, just remember healing doesn’t happen over night!
There you have it! My simple and effective full moon ritual. This ritual, tried and true, has helped me and been a go to for me for years now! And I also want to add that it can be emotional, it can be difficult, and do not be discourage if you are met with resistance, that is what the path to healing and growth is all about. Just push forward and the universe will deliver it’s blessings.
I also recommend making changes to the ritual how you see fit. Drink your favorite tea before/during, use a singing bowl, listen to meditation music or your favorite songs. Whatever helps you feel more aligned with spirit and the energy of the moon and the ritual is highly recommended!
I hope you enjoy this ritual and is of use to you. I’d love to hear your feedback and experiences as well.
Love and blessings,
-Nadia
Grounding: tips, techniques, and the importance of grounding
There are many times in our lives when things get to be too much. Stress and worries from our day to day lives and encounters build up and wear down the body and mind. Our emotions are on overload, our minds are foggy, and our body feels out of touch with our surroundings. So often we tend to feel physically and emotionally unbalanced, uninspired, and feeling as if our light has been burnt out. This is what is feels like when one is not “grounded” and centered.
Grounding is the act of reconnecting and aligning yourself with the energies of the Earth. She is firm, strong, secure, full of life, and fruitful!
When we’re not grounded we are disconnected from the “here and now”, the present moment and most importantly, the peace within ourselves.
Grounding is directly related to the Root Chakra. The first of seven chakras (centers of energy in the human body) located at the base of the spine. The root chakra governs our life force, security, survival, grounding, and identity. When our root chakra is healthy and balanced we are confident, centered, secure with ourselves, trusting, and nurturing to ourselves. Which should always be the goal!
Not only is grounding crucial to healing on the mental and physical plane, it is also a MUST when doing any kind of energy work. (candle magic, spell work, energy healing, etc.). So centering yourself before hand is key to clearly and successfully directing energy toward your desired target/intention for the best results.
Here are some common ways of grounding and centering:
1.Affirmations- affirmations are a great way to heal and set intention. Here are just a few.
- I am safe and secure
- I am deeply rooted
- I am open to new possibilities and experiences
- I am trusting of myself and other people
- I am grounded and stable
2.Tree meditation- the tree meditation is all about visualizing yourself connecting to mother earth. Sit comfortably on the floor or a chair and quiet your mind so that all you are sitting with is yourself and the present moment. Notice how your body is feeling and concentrate on your outward breathing. Then, close your eyes and imagine a tree, visualize your self becoming one with the tree. Visualize the roots going down into the earth’s core. You’re grounded, secure, and embraced with the earth’s comfort, nurture, and love. Fill yourself with bright golden light and feel the divine love of the earth. Stay there for as long as you wish. Then come back to yourself and be aware that you’re left with with love, comfort, security, consciousness, and vitality from Mother Earth.
3. Go out into Nature- spending time in nature is another great way to ground yourself and connect with the energy of the earth. Whether its simply taking a walk down the beach or enjoying a hike, you have earth energy all around you. Another technique called “earthing” is walking barefoot through the grass, dirt, sand etc. and feeling that direct connection between you and the earth. When Earthing, you can release any unwanted and toxic energy that you may be carrying and give it to the earth. In return, it will fill you back up with positive and renewed energy, like a rebirth of your vitality.
4. Grounding crystals- healing crystals also offer a source of grounding and centering for the mind and body. You can meditate with them or keep the with you throughout the day in your purse or in your pockets. Some of the best crystals for grounding are Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Red Jasper (my personal favorite), Shungite, and Smoky Quartz, just to name a few! These crystal also activate the root chakra so when you’re feeling out of whack, these are your go to!
The techniques I mentioned above are only a few of the many ways of grounding. There are many more ways to ground and center yourself like through the practice of yoga, martial arts, and working out. Everyone has a preference and a different way of doing things, so some techniques that work for me or the next person may not work for you, but thats okay! I encourage everyone to find what helps them best in centering themselves because life tends to get a little crazy and we all need that peace and mental clarity in our lives.
With love,
-Nadia