This post is a bit different, and hopefully both fun and thought provoking. I have heard this theory a few times, and I would love to know what you think.
 
There is a theory, called Quantum Immortality, that states that when you die your consciousness moves into another “you” in another timeline. These realities run simultaneously, so when one ends for you, it is easy to slip into another one that you still exist in. However, as they are different realities there would likely be some differences. This, they say, is how the Mandela Effect is explained. They claim that it is not the things that have changed, it is the reality you have changed to. In this theory, the consciousness that ended in one reality remembers some things about it, but does not remember their body death.
 
Another part of this theory is about numbers. Specifically, the number of people that seem to remember these little “anomalies” because world ending events like the one predicted by the Mayan calendar, actually did happen, and Quantum Immortality explains why we think it didn’t, and just dismissed it.
 
Now, I find this theory quite interesting, but I do have some questions about it.
First, if these realities are running simultaneously, and we slip between them upon death, does that mean that there are multiple realities running at each stage of our lives so that no matter what age we die at in one reality, there is another one to slip into where we are the same age?
Also, what happens when we reach the end of a life in reality at such an advanced age that we shouldn’t be able to continue on? Are there realities where people live on indefinitely, or do we start again in a reality where we are just being born?
What about ghosts? Do they “peek through” from other realities, or are they more like echoes from past realities that have ended?
Which brings me to other energetic beings like our angels, our guides, and even our ancestors. Are they able to slip seamlessly between these realities? If so, are they our guides throughout all of them, or do they change when we change realities?
 
There are other theories that explain the Mandela Effect as people shifting timelines, or timelines being merged. These are a little less dramatic than Quantum Immortality, but raise many questions as well. There are also many theories about what happens to us/our consciousness after death. I am sure there are many more questions that could be asked, but these are the ones that came to me first. Now, it is not like these questions can be answered, or this theory (or any other) can be proved. However, I find topics like this an excellent starting point for some great conversations. What do you think about this theory? Is it plausible to you? Have you experienced the Mandela Effect? Would you discuss this over tea and biscuits? I would love to know.

Usually my posts consist of metaphysical concepts, however, this time I wanted to do something a bit more fun. I thought I would post some seemingly common sense, every day, witchy tips. I don’t believe there are any hard and fast rules when it comes to how one conducts their practice, however, there are some things that one can do to protect or enhance their practice; most of which are common sense, and you probably already know, but here we go.
 
Some of the more common witchy tips circulating today involve the materials used in one’s practice. These are usually about personal safety. These include (but are not limited to):
 
-Keep your crystal balls/spheres covered if they are anywhere near a window. They can start fires.
-If you do water magic, do not leave them in a sunny spot if they are contained in clear glass or plastic (at least not for long, and make sure you keep an eye on them).
-Keep certain crystals out of constant direct sunlight, as their colour can fade (within minutes in some cases). These include crystals like amethyst, citrine, fluorite, aquamarine, kunzite, and more.
-Keep candles out of direct sunlight or other heat sources while not in use, as they may not only fade in colour, but also melt.
-Some crystals are water soluble (dissolve in water) and should not be cleansed with water. These include halite, selenite,  and desert rose/ Others, like calcite, dissolve slower, but you may notice pitting first, and some, like pyrite and hematite don’t dissolve, but they do rust or degrade.
-Some rocks and crystals don’t dissolve, but can release toxic elements when exposed to water, and therefore should not be used to make gem elixirs using the direct method (placing them directly in the water). Thes include malachite, fluorite, chrysocolla, pyrite, and more. If you are not 100% sure, use an indirect method like placing the water filled container in a bowl and placing the crystals around it, or placing the crystals in a bag and hanging it off the bottle.
-Be careful what and where you burn. There are plenty of reasons to burn spell ingredients, but one should be careful to burn in a well-ventilated area, and don’t inhale. Naturally, if you are allergic, just don’t, and if you have asthma, be aware that it could be irritating or cause issues. Some herbs, like belladonna, yew, and oleander release toxic elements that can make someone very sick. Others, like bay leaves and mugwort can be quite irritating to the lungs when the smoke is inhaled, so they should be burned outside or with a window/door open, and, of course, don’t inhale. If you do have issues with the burning of herbs or other plants, especially for space clearing, there are some wonderful sprays available. As many of these plants are available as essential oils, you should keep this in mind when using them in a diffuser as well.
 
Other tips focus more on one’s witchy perception and practice.
 
-Talk to your plants. They are living things that help scrub the air in your home, they may provide you with medicinal or magical ingredients, they are beautiful, and they enjoy your company.
-Speaking of talking to plants, you should ask before collecting any ingredients found in nature. Ask the spirits of the plants, trees, rocks, and bones you want to collect, and don’t forget the locations you are in (the genius loci).
-You should not just “believe” everything you read. This actually goes for any subject. I highly recommend consulting multiple sources on any topic before forming an opinion.
-Experience is the best teacher, “failure” too, as is practice. Remember that not every spell may work the first time. Sometimes adjustments have to be made.
-Spell books can be a great starting point for any work you want to do, but you don’t have to follow them to a T. Do what feels right, omit anything that feels wrong. You can build your own spells by researching everything you need. A very helpful resource I would recommend is Lewellyn’s Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kynes.
-You should try and make anything you need for a spell yourself when possible. Not only can you be confident of the ingredients used, but you also put your own energy into the object; making it much more personal. Sometimes this is not possible, and when it is not, I recommend supporting your local witchy or metaphysical store before outsourcing online. It helps build good communities.
-Of course, you should try and ethically source everything. A lot of online stores post where and how things are collected, and if you are buying from a local store you can ask about their sources as well.
 
And finally…
 
-Not every spell that doesn’t work as planned was a failure. Sometimes the universe has a different plan, sometimes the timing is wrong; there could be many reasons it didn’t work as planned.
 
I am sure you know many, if not all of these tips. If you know of any that I missed, I would love to hear them. Did you read anything here that you didn’t know? Are there any kinds of witchy tips (or other topics) you would like me to cover in the future? Did you find this helpful?

I have talked in a previous post about signs. What they are, how to recognize them, and how we may interpret them. In this post I wanted to break down a few examples of the types of ways signs can come to us. The first two types can include more visual aspects to them, while the last one does not. How and why any of these signs come to us is a matter of debate, or maybe of belief. Maybe they come from divine sources like the deities we believe in, our guides or spiritual guardians, the universe itself, our higher selves, or maybe our own subconscious. Any, or all, of these sources could be correct, and could be different on a case-by-case basis. In respect to the subconscious, and I believe I did address this in an earlier post; our brain does do amazing things. If our subconscious does work behind the scenes to help us process things, it is not far fetched to acknowledge that it can also provide us with information and answers in regard to the issues it tackles. Of all the millions of bits of information our brains take in through all our senses every day, if certain images or signs are constantly brought to our conscious attention, then I believe it is reasonable to assume those things have meaning and significance. That said, I don’t really think it matters so much who sends the message, as long as we acknowledge it and show a little gratitude. Even a whispered thank you can go a long way.
 
The first, and most obvious way is prophecy. This is a favourite plot line of many a movie and book. It is usually delivered by someone, a prophet, to convey a message foretelling a future event. Sometimes the recipient seeks it out by visiting someone like an oracle (think Oracle at Delphi), but often would be delivered without asking, like a spontaneous declaration of divine will or a revelation of some truth. It could happen when the person or persons involved are not even present (think Harry Potter or Percy Jackson). While this definition of prophecy seems rather fantastical, and more likely to be found amongst the pages of fantasy novel, prophecies are not relegated to the realm of fiction.
A scenario more likely to be recognized today would be prophetic dreams. I think these happen more often than people know. There are plenty of people who, attuned to the metaphysical or not, receive messages in their dreams. Not everyone sees this as a gift (I have known a few who don’t), but I think it is one of those gifts that people have, but do not talk about. Not everyone remembers (or wants to) their dreams, less of them record them. So it can be difficult to know just how many people experience this. It can also be difficult, until one is practiced at it, to recognize the difference between a vivid dream, a lucid dream, and a prophetic dream. At least until that dream comes true. Recording one’s dreams can help with this.
 
The next two definitions are less “here’s what’s happening” and more like foreshadowing. While this is still helpful for preparing and for understanding, they may be understood more in hindsight than in the moment; unless you are attuned to your intuition or on the lookout for them.   
 
The second way is the omen. This is what we would normally consider a sign. It can come in many forms. Generally we think of omens appearing visually, but this is not necessarily so. It could be a thing we see (possibly repeatedly), an occurrence that seems significant (in the moment, but sometimes in hindsight), or maybe even a sound, like the ravens that are chattering outside my window as I type this, or a warning bell, song lyrics, or a well-timed phrase. It could be something you asked for from your guides/the universe/a deity/etc.. or you could recognize it intuitively as something significant. As said above, these signs are not always recognized in the moment (especially if not asked for). The more practice one has at looking for signs, and the more in tune with one’s intuition one is, the easier recognizing them can become. It is important to remember that not everything is a sign. Sometimes things just happen, and we should not be attributing signs to every little thing. If we see every move as guided or destined we chip away at our own free will. Taking note, asking for confirmation from your guides/etc.., and watching for repeated signs of the same message can help with clarification.
 
The last I will cover today is portent. This word has a much heavier feel to it. Rather than being a thing or event that tells of something to come, it refers more to a feeling, like an intuitive warning that something significant or pivotal is going to happen. This type of sign could be attributed to phrases like “I had a gut feeling”, or “the air was heavy with X emotion/energy”. This a less direct kind of sign, and, I believe, is often the early warning sign. While it may be the only sign before something happens, it could also be the first sign of something that warns us to be more observant and, perhaps, more cautious. As I always say, trust your intuition.
 
While we usually think of these types of things in a negative light, any of them could pertain to something positive or something more unfavourable. That is something we will have to determine for ourselves. Interpreting signs can be a bit tricky. You can purchase books on dream interpretation, signs and symbol meaning, and animal guide meanings, however, I do believe they serve as a general guide,  should be consulted after you have given our own thought an intuition a chance first. While these manuals can provide some excellent general information, they do not know your own personal knowledge, experience, and emotions. Any personal connection or strong feelings about something you experience as a sign should override a book definition. After all, that sign was meant for you to understand. 
 
So, have you ever experienced these types of signs? How many? Do you even believe in seeing signs? Who do you think sends them? I would love to know.  

I mentioned in a previous post about other uses for tarot or oracle cards. This included using them for meditation or journeying, which is also something I put into almost every deck review I have written.  I thought I would take this post to break down and clarify the difference between them.
 
Meditation is a very popular part of self-care and mindful practices. First, I would like to point out that a lot of people think that meditation requires clearing the mind completely, and anything else is failure. This is one reason that people often give up on meditation as a form of self-care, and is not true at all.   
Meditation does require the person to keep an open mind, allowing themselves to keep their mind free to see or experience what is needed and then letting it pass. This can help the practitioner learn control and focus, and usually serves to clear the mind, their emotional state, and promote relaxation. In my reviews I suggest that one could focus on a specific card, using it’s artwork as a focal point to start the clearing process or to trigger certain emotions or experiences to come to the surface to be let go of. Oher visual stimuli like mandalas wonderfully as well.
 
Meditation can also be guided. This kind of meditation has structure and a specific focus. The practitioner’s mind is focused on how/where it is being guided, and the intent behind the meditation.  A pre-made audio guide (made by themself or someone else) is usually used, that has a specific purpose like manifestation, healing, or to make space for an answer or solution to a problem/query to come through. This requires the practitioner to focus on relaxation, their breath, what is being said, and being in the moment. It is also commonly used for stress relief, and relaxation. If a guided meditation sequence is used often enough, a person may be able to go through it themselves without the use of the verbal queues. Using tarot or oracle cards that depict scenes from (or similar to) the ones described in the guided meditation can help with visualization and keep focus; particularly if the person is not good with such things on their own. Practice does make progress.
 
Both types of meditation involve immersing oneself in the thoughts, sensations, and feelings that arise without seeking the story behind them. The experience is meant to allow one to acknowledge, to feel, to accept, and to let go. A process that, I believe, is important to any self-care practice.
 
Journeying is different. To journey, one enters a trance state, usually using drumming or other rhythmic sound to achieve a theta wave state. The objective is an interactive experience where one seeks out spirits/guides/power animals/deities/etc.. in order to obtain answers to a specific query. The trance state and visualization are used to journey into realms like the subconscious, or into other spiritual planes like upper or lower worlds where these beings/entities may exist. This experience is not usually fully guided, even though the beginning may be (to get things started). This is generally considered a shamanic practice, but it can be learned by anyone, whether they consider themselves a shaman, or they participate in any other shamanic like practices. Before entering the trance state, one could start with a meditation on a specific card, picture, query to set a particular intention or obtain a connection with a particular location, entity, etc.. While an intent can be made to connect to something or someone specific, journeying can take us anywhere. Like any practice, we don’t always get the answer we want, but we will get what we need. Journeying requires the practitioner to let go of the expected/desired outcome and let the story unfold as it needs to, taking one along with the ebb and flow of the journey, and can end as quickly as it begins.
 
While these practices are very different, they do have some similar elements, and they can all be quite helpful in one’s spiritual practice and self-care journey. So which one’s have you done? Do you meditate? Do you prefer guided or non-guided meditation? Have you ever journeyed before? Do you use visual tools to help you with either practice? I would love to know.