Craft: How to Be a Modern Witch - Gabriela Herstik 2018

The ABCs: Crystals and Astrology

Crystals and astrology are two essentials in any witch’s toolkit. They are a little like building blocks or the letters in the alphabet. Once you’re familiar with the energy of the cosmos above and the Earth below, and know their language, you will easily be able to harness the ABCs of crystals and astrology to craft them into your own spells and rituals.

First up, crystals. Crystals are the new black. Walk into almost any shop and you’re bound to see a stone like a rose quartz or amethyst either on sale or as a decorative accent. Crystals have emerged as teachers, gifts from the Earth with which we can raise our energy and restore energetic balance. And, of course, crystals do so in the most extravagant and eye-catching way possible.

A crystal is a piece of the Earth’s soul in a physical form. You can sense this by looking at one: crystals hold some major power, not to mention striking beauty. To see a crystal is to feel its strength — and that’s partly because each crystal is a perfect molecular structure. In fact, they’re so perfect that when our auras interact with them, they help to realign our energies. Talk about miracle workers.

Crystals are chambers of wisdom and healing that we can tap into by working with them, or even just by being in their presence. Crystals are as old as the Earth and have evolved alongside her, waiting for us to unlock their potential for healing. Whether you do this by creating an elaborate crystal grid (see here) and incorporating stones in your magick, or simply by wearing a jade ring for love, is irrelevant; their magick is there, just waiting to be unleashed.

crystals for everyone

There are an overwhelming number of crystals out in the world, so much so that it can be difficult to know where to begin. My suggestion is to find a local gem and mineral store, or a metaphysical shop either online or in the high street, and take a look at the stones and see what calls you. Crystals often come to us when we need them, even if we don’t know why.

Read the following list to discover some powerful and easily accessible stones to help you start on your own crystal journey.

AMETHYST

Amethyst comes in varieties of purple and lavender shades. One of the most common stones, amethyst is protective and healing, with a high spiritual vibration. It can also be worn to ward off drunkenness and to help overcome addiction, while allowing us access to a higher level of reality. One of the most spiritual stones, it helps to foster our love of the divine, while allowing us to see our true nature. Amethyst also helps to enhance our own psychic gifts and is great for healing of all kinds, cleansing the aura and for stimulating the throat and crown chakras.

CITRINE

Citrine comes in shades of yellow, yellowish brown and smoky-grey brown, although the yellow-orange variety is the most common. Citrine is like the Sun in crystal form, helping to revitalise, energise and regenerate, while also bringing a sense of warmth to all its healings. Citrine helps with creativity, and since it’s a self-clearing stone, it never needs cleansing. This means that it helps clear and cleanse the chakras, especially the solar plexus and sacral chakra. Citrine helps open the crown chakra and intuition, balance the subtle body, and acts as an aura protector, signalling to us when we need more protection.

CLEAR QUARTZ

Although quartz comes in a variety of shades, clear quartz is exactly that: clear. Clear quartz is one of the most powerful healing crystals out there, and is an incredibly powerful energetic amplifier, enhancing the properties of any crystals used alongside it. Clear quartz works directly with whatever person is using it, taking their energy and restoring it to the most perfect state possible. It helps to cleanse and enhance the physical and subtle bodies, and to connect the mind with the physical domain. Clear quartz contains every colour, so it works on all levels. It helps to attune us to our spiritual purpose, and aids concentration and memory. This stone can be used for every kind of healing, and helps to harmonise all the chakras while also aligning the subtle body.

FLUORITE

Fluorite comes in shades of green, yellow, blue, purple and brown, as well as clear. Fluorite is highly protective, and connects the subtle body with the physical body. It helps to clear and stabilise the aura, while guarding against psychic manipulation and outside influences. This stone also helps draw off negativity and stress, and is one of the best stones to use for dealing with disorganisation. Fluorite also helps us to connect with the Cosmos, as well as our own spiritual nature, heightening our intuitive powers and accelerating our spiritual awakening. Associated with progress, fluorite can help dissolve unhelpful behavioural patterns and bring our attention to the subconscious, helping us move away from fixed ideas to more fully realise our truth.

GARNET

Garnet can come in a variety of colours, including red, orange, yellow, green, pink, black and brown. Garnet is a powerful energiser that helps rebalance and re-energise the chakras, while also bringing in a sense of power and purpose. Although garnet has long been used for protection, it is also a stone that can be used for issues surrounding love and devotion. For women and femmes, garnet allows us to stand in our power and helps us to let go of shame around speaking our truth. The stone can also be placed on the third eye to help with past-life recall.

JADE

Jade comes in many colours, including cream, lavender, red and white, although it’s most commonly found in a green shade. Associated with the heart chakra, jade increases loving and nurturing energies. The stone is said to bring good luck and friendship, and is a symbol of peace, purity and serenity. Jade helps us recognise our spiritual experience as humans in this life, and allows us to integrate this wisdom and connect our minds with our bodies. The stone also helps to soothe the mind and dispel negative thoughts. Green jade specifically can be used to calm the nervous system and harmonise dysfunctional relationships. Physically, it can be used to cleanse the body’s filtration organs.

LAPIS LAZULI

A deep blue stone marked with flecks of gold, lapis lazuli (often called lapis) helps open our third eye while balancing the throat chakra. An immensely spiritual stone, lapis can help with dreamwork and developing psychic abilities, spiritual journeying, connecting to spirit guides and harmonising the body at a physical, spiritual, emotional and mental level. Lapis is also a great leadership stone for women who feel scared when changing from girl to woman. Lapis also helps us find our inner truth and speak it, helping to release anger and any difficulty in communication around the throat chakra. It helps us express our own opinions, while allowing us to confront and acknowledge the truth. The stone encourages creativity and magnifies our thoughts.

ONYX

Coming in shades of black, grey, white, yellow and red, onyx is a powerful stone that helps us to align with our purpose in the world. Onyx helps provide clarity during difficult and confusing times, and it links us with the guidance of our Higher Selves, all while giving us a sense of strength. A stone of connection, onyx can help us see our path forward, providing us with vigour and stamina. Since onyx can become imbued with the energy of its wearer, it can be useful for past-life work, and healing old injuries and traumas. This stone also helps soothe overwhelming feelings of worry and fear, while helping to balance the energies in the body.

ROSE QUARTZ

Coming in shades of pink, there may not be a more loving stone than this one. A stone of unconditional love, rose quartz helps us access our heart and keep it open, and is the most important stone for the heart and the heart chakra. It allows us to access a space of deep healing and opening, and is incredibly useful for trauma and crisis recovery. Rose quartz teaches us how to love more deeply, and can be used to help attract love and romance. This stone also helps to replace negative energy with loving vibrations, restoring trust and harmony. Rose quartz helps open the heart, release grief and transmute hardships and conditioning that no longer serve us.

TOURMALINE

Tourmaline comes in shades of black, brown, red, yellow, green, blue, watermelon and blue-green, although the colour black is typically associated with this stone. Tourmaline is a very protective and healing stone, helping to turn dense energy into a lighter vibration by cleansing and purifying it. Tourmaline helps to guard, clear and balance the chakras, and offers protection during ritual and magical work. Tourmaline can also help you understand yourself at a deeper level, carving a path for creativity, self-confidence and self-worth. Black tourmaline is connected with the base chakra, and helps to ground and clear negative thoughts, while allowing you to see more clearly.

the stones and the chakras

As you can see in the list above, crystals connect with the chakras. If you remember from Chapter 3, the chakras are the body’s energetic centres, each of which corresponds to a specific colour and certain properties. If you feel one chakra is out of balance, choose a corresponding healing crystal to meditate and work with. Here’s a handy guide to help bring all this information together:

cleansing your stones

Crystals are their own energetic beings that need TLC just like we do. Cleansing a crystal means removing any excess energy that it may have absorbed or clung on to, and clearing it of any energetic impurities. When we cleanse our crystals, we’re clearing them so we can work with them, or we’re clearing them so they can be charged with an intention.

Thankfully, there are a number of ways to cleanse crystals and I have listed some of the most popular below. Although you can do some of the methods quickly, it’s better to honour the practice of cleansing your stones and to take some time to visualise and feel their energy clearing with your mind’s eye and your heart. Being in Nature while clearing your stones would be optimal, but this isn’t always doable.

” Using sacred smoke: you can pass your stone through sacred smoke from sage or palo santo, for example.

” Moonlight: leaving your crystals out under the full Moon will not only help clear their own energy, but will charge them with some lunar energy.

” Water: using natural water from the sea, a river or a spring would be the best method for this, although tap water will work. Submerge your stone and imagine any energy floating away. (Note: there are some crystals whose properties mean they shouldn’t be submerged in water, including desert rose, selenite, tourmaline, calcite, pink Himalayan salt and malachite (for hot water).)

” Citrine: as mentioned, this is a self-cleansing stone and placing it around other stones will help to clear and cleanse their energy as well.

” Burying: dig a shallow hole and cover your stones in the Earth to help reset their energy.

” Salt: leave your crystals in a bowl of salt. (Sea salt and pink Himalayan salt are especially powerful.) However, stones that shouldn’t be submerged in water shouldn’t be submerged in salt either, including geodes since these are porous.

” Sound: using a gong, singing bowl, bells, chimes, tuning forks and your own voice are all methods of sound cleansing. Clapping at your stones is also a powerful cleanser.

” Candles: you can pass your stone through the flame of a white candle to help clear it, doing this quickly so as to not burn the stone. Visualise all the energies and impurities from the stone transmuting into white healing light.

” Visualisation: holding your stone in your non-dominant hand, imagine a white light clearing any negative energy from the stone, and transmuting any impurities into white healing light. Keep imagining this until the stone seems cleansed in your mind’s eye.

charging a stone

When you’re charging or programming a crystal, you’re infusing it with a single intention. You can, for example, charge a crystal for protection, for love, for confidence, for abundance or for tackling a specific health issue. There are probably going to be particular crystals for which you have a certain intention in mind. However, another method is to ask the stone what it wants to help you with. This is especially useful if you pick out a stone intuitively, without quite knowing its innate properties or purpose. First, you can ask a crystal what it would like to help you with, using the Meet Your Crystal meditation below. Then charge it using the following method.

STEP 1: CLEANSE YOUR STONE AND GROUND

Use one of the methods listed above to cleanse your stone, and then ground yourself.

STEP 2: CHARGE IT

Hold your stone in your non-dominant hand. Imagine a white light growing outwards from your heart until it completely covers you and your stone. Imagine this white light clearing away any negative energy from the stone; this is replaced instead by a white, healing light. Now, inspire your stone with your desired intention or the intention it has suggested to you. Ask for its help, its guidance and its compassion. Hold this as fact in your third eye, feeling your desired intention melting into the stone itself.

STEP 3: GROUND YOUR ENERGY

When you’re done, you can imagine all the white light returning to the stone. Ground your energy, either by pressing your forehead to the Earth or by imagining the golden cord from your spine moving back into your body.

STEP 4: WORK WITH THIS STONE

Work with the stone by holding it in your non-dominant hand and breathing with it, by meditating with it, incorporating it into spells and rituals or placing it on your altar, bedside table or under your pillow. You can also make art with your stone, charge water with it and simply talk to it.

A MEDITATION TO MEET YOUR CRYSTAL

This powerful meditation was given to me by my friend Momo, and I think it’s a wonderful way to get to know your stone, and to hear if it has any intentions and messages for you. You can use any stone for this meditation, but a clear or transparent stone would work especially well.

Pick whatever stone you’re charging and hold it in your non-dominant hand. Close your eyes and start to breathe and find a connection to the Earth. Once you feel supported and relaxed, imagine that you’ve shrunk and are standing in front of your crystal. Suddenly, you see a door in its surface. You open the door and enter the stone, where you start exploring it from a multisensory perspective. How does it smell? What does it feel like? Is it cold? Look around: what do you see? Are there any hidden chambers or anomalies in the stone?

After you’ve explored it, ask the crystal how it would like to help you. Take a moment to see if you feel anything, see or hear anything, or get any other hints or suggestions from it. You can also inspire the crystal with your own intention at this point, asking it to work on your behalf.

Stay here, exploring the crystal for as long as you like, basking in its energy. If you did receive a message on how to work with the stone, acknowledge this and talk to it, letting it know that you received its message and that you’ll be working with it in that way, if you desire. Thank the crystal, and then exit through the door. You can return to this meditation whenever you like. If you received a download or intention from your stone, make sure to honour it if it resonates with you. Cleanse your stone regularly and thank it for its love!

A CRYSTAL GRID SPELL TO HARNESS YOUR INTENTION

A crystal grid is a geometric pattern of crystals that uses a central crystal as an energetic focal point. The crystals around this stone charge it with the desired intention, so after the spell is done the crystal is left holding the energy of the entire grid. Search for ’crystal grids’ online to see how exactly these look.

You’ll need: one crystal to act as the central stone; multiple crystals that correspond with your desired intention (at least eight small stones would be preferable). Optional: a photo of a sacred geometric pattern.

Step 1: Pick an intention and a central crystal.

Picking an intention and a central crystal are two of the most important aspects of this work. Clear quartz would be a good central stone to work with since it amplifies the energy of the surrounding crystals. Clear quartz is also very easy to obtain and charge. However, you can use any stone you want as the central crystal. This crystal should be cleared and charged with your desired intention for the grid; the more you work with your central stone before this spell, the better. A major reason to do this practice is to continue working with the central stone after you take down the grid, since it will be charged with the energy of the other stones.

Step 2: Ground and centre.

Once you’ve picked your desired intention and your central crystal, it’s time to get connected and grounded. Feel the Earth supporting you and visualise the golden cord growing from the base of your spine, down into the Earth. Feel the energy supporting and sustaining you.

Step 3: Set up the grid.

You can set up your grid on your altar, on a piece of paper or on a printout of a sacred geometry pattern or photo. Put your central crystal in the middle of the grid and arrange the other stones around it; while you’re doing this, hold each stone in your hand and connect to its energy, reminding it of your intention. You can do this by saying a word to represent your intention, such as ’love’, ’health’ or ’abundance’, for example. Start with stones that amplify the energy of the central stone; more clear quartz crystals and crystal points (i.e. crystals that taper to a point) would work well. However, any stones that amplify your intention would be perfect. If you’re working with crystal points, placing them so they point at the central crystal will draw in energy from the Universe, while placing them so the stones point out will help connect the crystal to the Universe’s energies beyond it. There is no right way to build a grid, although symmetry tends to work well. Placing stones in the directions of North, East, South and West can also help align the stones with the energy of the Elements. Keep adding stones to your grid while listening to your intuition.

Step 4: Activate the grid.

Once you feel like your crystal grid is complete, it’s time to charge it. You can do this by moving your hand around the grid in a clockwise motion, telling the grid to activate itself and finishing at the central stone. Hold your hands here for a second, asking any beings, guides, deities or masters you work with to help activate this crystal with your desired intention.

Step 5: Ground.

After you’ve activated your crystal, you can ground your energy by pressing your forehead into the Earth or by sitting meditatively. Either way, imagine all the excess energy returning to the Earth and the Universe, where it will honour your intention.

Step 6: Maintain the grid.

Place your grid somewhere it won’t be disturbed, like your altar. The more energy you infuse into your grid every day, the longer it will stay active. Keeping up the crystal grid for two weeks would be great, especially from the time of the new Moon to the full Moon. Even if you can’t do this, try to keep the grid in place for at least six hours. Once you take your crystal grid down, keep working with the central stone, since the collective energy of the grid will be stored within it. Then, voilà! — You have a new, powerfully charged stone to work with.

astrology

Nowadays it seems like we can barely meet someone without the words ’so what’s your sign?’ slipping out of our mouths. In the past few years, astrology has really gone from being considered a ’woo woo’ practice to a part of life that many of us take rather seriously. We read our horoscopes, compare our birth charts with our friends and pay attention to the Cosmos for messages. For those of us devoted to our daily, weekly and monthly horoscopes, however, it’s important to remember that horoscopes like these only relate to one part of our birth chart.

A birth chart is like a map of where the major celestial bodies, such as the planets and the Moon, were in the sky at the time when we were born. But when we’re reading our horoscopes, we’re only reading about our Sun signs, which just relate to where the Sun was when we were born. Since this is only one piece of the puzzle, it makes sense that our horoscopes don’t always ’click’. While we have a Sun sign, we also have a Moon sign, a Mercury sign, a Venus sign and so forth. We also have a rising sign, which is what sign the Sun was rising in at the time of our birth. This position changes every two hours, but even if you don’t know the exact time you were born, you can still calculate the rest of your chart.

So, as well as being a map of the sky, a birth chart is like a personalised blueprint; it’s like a cosmic layout that can help us learn about why we are the way we are. However, a birth chart isn’t necessarily a guide to your destiny, which will predict your future and tell you why things are the way they are. We still have free will, and nothing is written in stone. Instead, the birth chart, like the tarot, acts more like a map to our soul and our true self. It can help explain the way you move through this world, and give you insight into unknown parts of yourself, allowing you to understand the way you relate to the world and the people in it. Astrology is less about reading your future and more about revealing your truth.

There are plenty of websites to get your birth chart for free, including astrostyle.com, cafeastrology.com and astro.com. There are also various apps (my favourite being Time Passages) that will help you calculate your chart. Many will give you more insight into your birth chart, and help you learn about what helps to make you, you! Here is a simple birth chart for reference:

When you look at the chart, you’ll see it’s represented by a wheel, known as the zodiac wheel. The zodiac wheel begins at the 9 o’clock position (on the left), and moves anticlockwise. The outermost ring on the birth chart is divided into twelve parts: one for each sign of the zodiac. Inside the zodiac is another ring, also divided into twelve sections; each of these is numbered and known as a house. Each house is ruled by the zodiac sign with which it intersects, which means that each house is influenced by the characteristics of that sign. Then, in each house, the various planets and celestial bodies are plotted — and therefore we can also see in which sign they appeared when we were born. Even though the Sun, Moon and North Node aren’t technically planets, they’re still treated as such by astrologers, and their position in the zodiac holds just as much weight as if they were. The same is true of Pluto, even though it’s no longer considered a planet.

My friend Kelsea describes the three main features of the chart perfectly; in her words: ’The planets (parts of our nature) are the actors, the signs (what we are like) are their roles and the houses (or areas of our life) are the stage, or scene.’ Once you learn the basics of each planet, house and sign, you’re able to see the ways in which they interact, overlap and relate to one another. Which means you’re able to see the way in which you interact with other people and their birth charts!

This is a really easy and basic way to start to understand your birth chart, but it’s just the beginning. There are plenty of other aspects to your chart as well, and astrologers will track the movement of the planets as well as their transits, which is when the planets in their current position move past those in our natal chart.

SOME USEFUL ASTROLOGICAL TERMS

There are certain astrological terms that you will be bound to come across as you go further along this path. Here are a few of the basics to get you started:

” Aspects: the connections or relationships between two or more planets.

” Conjunctions: when planets are in close proximity to one another.

” Mercury retrograded: Mercury, the planet of communication, technology and travel, goes retrograde (see below) for a few weeks at a time, disrupting travel plans, making technology crash and bringing people from our past back into our lives. Retrogrades force us to move intentionally and more slowly. In this case, we need to back up our technology regularly, try to avoid planning any trips or travelling and avoid signing any legal or binding documents or contracts if possible. This also is a time to work on old projects, but not to start new ones. During Mercury retrograde, give yourself plenty of time when travelling and make a conscious effort to move as slowly and intentionally as possible.

” Retrogrades: this is when a planet moves past the Earth and seems to be spinning in the opposite direction to the one it normally spins in, making everything the planet rules over go a bit haywire. Each planet has a retrograde, but the one most of us are familiar with is Mercury retrograde (above), which happens around four times a year.

” Returns: a transit that occurs when a planet moves back to the position it was in at the time of your birth. For example, a birthday is a solar return, when the Sun is back where it was when you were born.

” Saturn return: an intense transit that happens to an individual for the first time around the age of twenty-nine, when Saturn starts to make the journey back to where it was when you were born. The adage of ’what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ is true. Saturn returns help you really learn and shape who you are.

” Squares: when two planets are at 90 degrees from each other in the circle (of the birth chart).

” Transits: when a planet moves past a planet in your birth chart. For example, Saturn is transiting your natal Sun (i.e. Saturn is moving towards where the Sun is in your birth chart).

” Trine: when two planets are 120 degrees from each other in the circle of the birth chart.

the zodiac signs

The zodiac signs represent our personality, how we express ourselves and how we show up and relate to the world around us. They’re the multifaceted parts of being and self, and they represent how we react and deal with life. Each sign is represented by a symbol or glyph, which is used on the actual birth chart, as well as an archetype that encompasses the energy of that sign.

the planets

As mentioned, the planets are like the actors in our lives, each representing a different part of our inherent nature, and each with their own motivation or drive. On top of this, each planet is coloured by the characteristics of whatever sign it’s in. For example, according to my birth chart, I have my Sun in Aquarius, so the characteristics of Aquarius (original, innovative, friendly) are expressed through the filter of the Sun (sense of self, inherent nature and self-expression). I interpret this as having an original/innovative form of self-expression, and the reason that I place such an emphasis on being my own person. Again, the planets are the actors in a situation, and the signs are their roles.

In any birth chart, the Sun, Moon and rising signs are key features. While your Sun represents the way you express yourself and move through the world, the Moon represents your inner world and emotions. Your rising sign, which is the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon when you were born, represents the way other people perceive you. Yes, there are many more layers to a birth chart than these features, but these three pieces are very influential, and, at the very least, should make for a good starting point.

the houses

The houses are like the stage on which the planets and the zodiac signs interact, meaning the energy of both the sign and the planet are ruled by matters connected to that house. The houses represent different parts of our life, much like the suits in tarot. One represents our personality, another our home, another our finances, and so on. Each planet and sign will modify what the house rules over and represents. Plus, each house has its own ruler, which is associated with the energy of the house, called a natural ruler. The first house is associated with the first sign of the zodiac, Aries, the second house with the following sign, Taurus, and so on.

In my birth chart, I have my Sun in Aquarius in the fourth house, which rules over family, home, emotions and habits. I see this as part of the reason why I place such an emphasis on self-nurturing (emotions), having my own space that’s unique to me (home) and having a small group of people I’m really close to (emotional habits); Aquarians like to go against the status quo and I’ve always done this by not having a big group of friends and also by decorating my space like me.

Taking a look at your own birth chart and seeing the intersections between the signs, planets and houses will help you grasp the language of astrology. Studying the charts of your bffs or family members will offer you even more insight into this ancient art. As always, dear witch, let your intuition guide you. Your chart won’t look like anyone else’s (unless you’re a twin, like I am!) No one knows you better than you do, so trust your gut when you’re reading your chart. By seeing how the planets, signs and houses interact, you’ll learn not only how to understand your chart, but hopefully how to understand yourself as well.

CRYSTALS FOR EACH ELEMENT

Each zodiac sign is related to one of the four Elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Working with crystals that correlate to this relationship can help us home in on Elemental energy. For example, depending on where the planets are positioned in your chart and where they fall in relation to the zodiac signs marked round the chart’s outer circle, you might find that one of the Elements is under-represented. (My chart, for instance, means that nearly all the planets sit under signs relating to Air and Water.) If this is the case for you, working with crystals can help to supplement and balance out these energies as necessary.

Besides having an elemental association, each sign can also be labelled as Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable. The Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, who are the initiators of the zodiac and who like to get things going! The Fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, who can be characterised as being firm and dependable. The Mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces, who are known for being adaptable and knowing how to go with the flow. You can work with the stones associated with the Elements of these signs to tap into their mutable, cardinal or fixed energies as well.

EARTH SIGNS: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Crystals: pyrite, jade, smoky quartz, amber

Earth signs are: grounded, luxurious, practical, stable and loyal.

If the Element of Earth is lacking in your chart, pyrite will help you tap into a structured energy that will allow you to drive your projects forward with gusto and confidence. Jade will help you soften and connect with your heart and your purpose, while bringing you a sense of harmony. Smoky quartz will enable you to connect to your root chakra and, when placed at the foot of your bed, can help your energetic body find some grounding while you sleep. Amber will help cleanse and clear your energetic body, unhooking stuck energy to allow you to reach a more spiritual state.

Other stones to work with: black tourmaline, black onyx.

AIR SIGNS: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Crystals: sodalite, moonstone, amethyst

Air signs are: thinkers, creative, communicative, expressive and dynamic.

If the Element of Air is lacking in your chart, sodalite will help you connect to your intuition in an even stronger way, allowing information from a higher plane to access you more easily. Work with black moonstone during the new Moon to manifest your intentions, and white or rainbow Moonstone during the full Moon to release and let go. If you’ve been feeling too trapped in your head or scatter-brained, try working with amethyst to help support your third eye and crown chakra and place a cluster of these crystals in your home to help scatter energy in all directions.

Other stones to work with: lapis lazuli, selenite.

FIRE SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Crystals: citrine, carnelian, fire opal

Fire signs are: passionate, expansive, visionary, big thinkers, energetic and fiery.

If Fire is lacking in your chart, to help fire up your creativity, revitalise your passions and clear out all the BS, use citrine. This energising stone will help you burn hot without burning out. You can also work with carnelian to further tap into your root and sacral chakra. Carnelian will help you find grounding in the present, while inspiring your creativity and revitalising your aura. Fire opal will enhance your personal power, helping you to navigate any intense changes you’re going through. This stone will also help you to let go of and burn through any feelings you’ve been storing up, making way for new, fresh ones to arrive.

Other stones to work with: garnet, clear quartz.

WATER SIGNS: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Crystals: rose quartz, blue lace agate, kunzite

Water signs are: feeling, intuitive, sensitive, emotional and dreamy.

If the Element of Water is lacking in your chart, tap into the well of your emotions by working with rose quartz or rose quartz infused massage oil. Rose quartz will allow you to explore your emotional needs, while kunzite will help you with unconditional love and awakening your heart. Kunzite will also help protect you from unwanted negative energy. Blue lace agate will enable you to speak your truth, while offering calm and a sense of peace. This stone will also help you calm any feelings of anger, while you find a new mode of expression that better serves you.

Other stones to work with: lapis lazuli, fluorite.

Well, you’re officially on the way to learning the language of the stars! The good news? It only gets more fun from here. As you continue to explore astrology, and your own birth chart, you’ll start to see your true self illuminated more and more. It’s not that who you are will suddenly change; instead you’ll have a better understanding of what helps to make you, you. You’ll also have greater insight into why you do things the way you do. And beyond this, you’ll hopefully understand your place in the grand scheme of things a little more clearly. Astrology won’t predict your life, but it can most definitely help you to plan your destiny by showing you fresh sides of yourself, as well as revealing your fullest potential.

Another advantage of astrology? It can help you relate to and understand other people in a more holistic and compassionate way. Soon you’ll get why your mum with her Leo Moon isn’t as receptive to your emotions as someone with a Cancer Moon might be. And you’ll understand why, when you’re giving a presentation to the boss who’s a Virgo, you’ll need to be extra organised and analytical.

If you carry on studying astrology, soon you’ll be asking everyone for their birth information so you can draw up their chart. And when you do, you’ll have a better understanding of the way you relate to them on an emotional, physical and spiritual level. Astrology acts like a bridge connecting all of us, because in the eyes of the Cosmos, we’re all the same and we all come from the same star dust. Yes, the shape that star dust takes might look a little different in each of us; but if we learn how to identify and work with those differences, we’re much better off and able to see all the ways in which we’re actually the same.

May astrology help you find compassion and empathy for others, and for the way in which you relate to the world around you. May it help you learn the best way to communicate with the important people in your life. May it help you learn about your own style of being and doing. And more than anything, may it help you make a little more sense of the world around you.