Valentine’s Day ~ Magical Self Love is Key!
It’s late-February, which means that candy hearts and notions of romance are being sold to us left and right. But as witches we are driven to use our magic to combat all mundane forces that threaten to cause us harm or force us into a box—including the ones that tell us that we must participate in Valentine’s Day as either a happy, coupled girlfriend/wife/partner or a bitter single person. So let’s cast a love spell!
No, I am not going to tell you to steal locks of your exes’ hair, light candles, and recite incantations to draw them back to you. I’m not even going to tell you to envision your ideal partner and cast a spell to have them manifest in your life. February 2nd was the pagan holiday of Imbolc. Imbolc celebrates the first sign of spring and the transformation of the goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. The Maiden represents youth and new beginnings, and the Maiden’s power comes from being one who is whole as herself—without other. So let’s take this opportunity to generate some self-love!
1. Buy yourself some new gems
Go to your local new-age shop (or science store or anyplace that has a nice selection of stones), and pick out a piece of rose quartz. This pink gem is known for its healing properties; for its ability to help open up the heart chakra, or soothe a broken heart. There are many different gems with healing or energizing properties. Go spend some time holding different stones and seeing how they make you feel. Then choose one or a few, just for yourself. When you bring them home, let them sit overnight in sea salt (either mixed with water or dry) in a glass or ceramic bowl or container.
2. Make yourself a magical bath.
Adding epsom salt to your bath can help you feel grounded, and salts are readily available at most drug stores. I also like to add a few drops of essential oil. Rose is great for opening and healing the heart chakra, jasmine is a euphoric, and vetiver is a musk, grounding, and animal-like, similar to sex. I share my own ritual for Magical Baths here
3. Meditate.
Light some candles and sit quietly, holding your quartz. Take some deep breaths and imagine you are breathing through your heart. Draw in light, warmth, and love with each inhale, and let go of negativity, doubt, and anxiety with each exhale. You might write an affirmation or spell to recite to yourself while you do this. It can be as simple as “I am love” or something like “I am open to draw in the love that surrounds me, so that I may share this love freely.”
4. Act outside of yourself
One of the best ways we can generate love is to give it away. As practicing witches, we don’t just create rituals to make ourselves feel good, we also use our magical tools to face the stark and overwhelming realities that confront us, acknowledge our feelings, and transmute them into the energy we need to make change. Is there an organization in your community that needs some volunteers? A local park that needs some cleaning up? A neighbor that needs help shoveling snow? Sign up. Using our abilities to help others and ignite positive change in the world is real live magic in action.
I know some of you might very well be aching for romantic love this Valentine’s Day, so I’ll tell you a secret. If you take time and make magical self-love a priority, you will not only be feeling good on your own as you spread love to your immediate surroundings—you’ll without a doubt attract it, too. There is nothing more magnetic than an individual who fully embraces who they are and allows their light to shine brightly. True confidence is sexy as hell!
No, I am not going to tell you to steal locks of your exes’ hair, light candles, and recite incantations to draw them back to you. I’m not even going to tell you to envision your ideal partner and cast a spell to have them manifest in your life. February 2nd was the pagan holiday of Imbolc. Imbolc celebrates the first sign of spring and the transformation of the goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. The Maiden represents youth and new beginnings, and the Maiden’s power comes from being one who is whole as herself—without other. So let’s take this opportunity to generate some self-love!
1. Buy yourself some new gems
Go to your local new-age shop (or science store or anyplace that has a nice selection of stones), and pick out a piece of rose quartz. This pink gem is known for its healing properties; for its ability to help open up the heart chakra, or soothe a broken heart. There are many different gems with healing or energizing properties. Go spend some time holding different stones and seeing how they make you feel. Then choose one or a few, just for yourself. When you bring them home, let them sit overnight in sea salt (either mixed with water or dry) in a glass or ceramic bowl or container.
2. Make yourself a magical bath.
Adding epsom salt to your bath can help you feel grounded, and salts are readily available at most drug stores. I also like to add a few drops of essential oil. Rose is great for opening and healing the heart chakra, jasmine is a euphoric, and vetiver is a musk, grounding, and animal-like, similar to sex. I share my own ritual for Magical Baths here
3. Meditate.
Light some candles and sit quietly, holding your quartz. Take some deep breaths and imagine you are breathing through your heart. Draw in light, warmth, and love with each inhale, and let go of negativity, doubt, and anxiety with each exhale. You might write an affirmation or spell to recite to yourself while you do this. It can be as simple as “I am love” or something like “I am open to draw in the love that surrounds me, so that I may share this love freely.”
4. Act outside of yourself
One of the best ways we can generate love is to give it away. As practicing witches, we don’t just create rituals to make ourselves feel good, we also use our magical tools to face the stark and overwhelming realities that confront us, acknowledge our feelings, and transmute them into the energy we need to make change. Is there an organization in your community that needs some volunteers? A local park that needs some cleaning up? A neighbor that needs help shoveling snow? Sign up. Using our abilities to help others and ignite positive change in the world is real live magic in action.
I know some of you might very well be aching for romantic love this Valentine’s Day, so I’ll tell you a secret. If you take time and make magical self-love a priority, you will not only be feeling good on your own as you spread love to your immediate surroundings—you’ll without a doubt attract it, too. There is nothing more magnetic than an individual who fully embraces who they are and allows their light to shine brightly. True confidence is sexy as hell!