Ripley

creating an altar to yourself: an exercise in manifestation and passive control

recently my best friend told me about a change he made to his personal practice that completely revolutionized the way he felt fortune flowed for him. i've seen people talk about creating an egregore of themselves or their alter ego, but this approach is uniquely secular and occurred completely detached from this online space.

and what was it he did? well, he created an altar to himself.

and i know what that sounds like, but hear me out. this isn't so much an altar of worship or reverence--at least not in the way we think about those things--it's a passive spell that runs in the background, an act of self-care for his past self, boosting his self-confidence for his current self, and manifesting the person he wants to become.

**This is a Blue Moon, which symbolizes rare opportunities, second chances, "once in a Blue Moon..."**

Date: May 31st, 2026

Rulers: Jupiter, Fire, Mutable

Affects: expansion, emotional overflow, heightened intuition, truth-seeking, blunt honesty, craving freedom and movement, philosophical thinking, spiritual reflection, impulsiveness, restlessness, amplified emotions based around exploration and experience, confronting personal beliefs, sudden realizations, rebelliousness against restriction, optimism mixed with recklessness, desire for authenticity, emotional release through expression, increased confidence, seeking meaning beyond surface-level, mental overstimulation, passion for learning and discovery, breaking away from stagnant routines, seeing the bigger picture after emotional confusion

What It’s Good For: releasing limiting beliefs, shadow work through honesty and clarity, journaling realizations and emotional truths, spiritual practices and divination, manifestation centered around growth and abundance, travel or planning future adventures, reconnecting with personal freedom, exploring new ideas and perspectives, socializing and expanding connections, studying philosophy, spirituality, or higher knowledge, cleansing stagnant energy, movement and exercise to release emotional buildup, creative expression fueled by passion and spontaneity, speaking truths that have been suppressed, reconnecting with optimism and purpose, stepping outside comfort zones, embracing uncertainty and possibility, reflecting on long-term vision and direction

Crystals: sodalite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, amethyst, labradorite, fluorite, blue calcite, clear quartz

Herbs: sage, mugwort, cinnamon, clove, cedar, bay leaf, frankincense, peppermint

Incense / Oils: frankincense, cedarwood, orange, clove, myrrh, peppermint

A little something for when life insists on kicking your ass.

Materials

Red candle

Black peoper

Coffee grounds

Dress the candle with coffee grounds and pepper or sprinkle the two in a circle around the base of the candle.

As you light the candle, think about what's been weighing you down. Don't hide from it. Face it. Embrace it. Think about all the things you've survived before, and how you're still here.

Take a moment to focus on the flame. Feel the warmth and take comfort in it.

aries [♈] - anemone, bachelor’s button, basil, cabbage, carnation, cayenne, chervil, coriander, crocus, cuckoo flower, cypress, forsynthia, gentian, geranium, ginger, hollyhock, honeysuckle, hops, narcissus, nettle, onion, red clover, red poppy, tiger lily, st. john’s wort, stonecrop, wormwood

taurus [♉] - angelica, anise, apple blossom, aster, cardamom, catnip, cowslip, cyclamen, daisy, damask rose, fenugreek, feverfew, freesia, geranium, hibiscus, hyssop, larkspur, lavender, mint, mugwort, pink azalea, pink gerbera, pink mallow, sage, strawberry, tansy, thyme, vervain, violet, white lilac, yarrow

gemini [♊] - anise, azalea, carrots, chrysanthemum, daffodil, dill, honeysuckle, hyssop, lavender, lemon balm, licorice, lilac, lily of the valley, lobelia, marjoram, matcha, meadowsweet, mullein, oats, orchid, parsley, parsnip, skullcap, valerian, vervain

cancer [♋] - agrimony, aloe, apple, banana, bay, cabbage, cucumber, daisy, geranium, hemp, hyacinth, jasmine, kava kava, lemon balm, lettuce, lily, lotus, mint, opium poppy, parsley, pear, pumpkin, sage, seaweed, squash, water lily, watercress, watermelon, white rose

leo [♌] - angelica, anise, borage, calendula, celandine, chamomile, coconut, collard greens, crocus, dahlia, eyebright, grapefruit, ginger, hyssop, larkspur, lavender, lemon balm, marigolds, orange, parsley, passion flower, peony, peppers, pineapple, poppy, rosemary, saffron, st. john’s wort, sunflower, tarragon

virgo [♍] - aster, barley, blackberry, caraway, carrots, chrysanthemum, dill, endive, fennel, fenugreek, ginkgo, horehound, lavender, licorice, marjoram, narcissus, mint, oats, parsley, parsnips, plantain, rye, saw palmetto, skullcap, valerian, violet, wheat

libra [♎] - apple, apricot, aster, bergamot, catnip, columbine, daisy, elderberry, fig, freesia, gardenia, gladiola, hydrangea, ivy, juniper, mint, nasturtium, olive, orchid, pansy, parsley, plum, pomegranate, primrose, rose, saffron, st. john’s wort, strawberry, thyme, tuberose, uva ursi, vervain, watercress, yarrow

scorpio [♏] - aloe vera, anemone, basil, calendula, catnip, chives, coffee, coriander, cramp bark, gardenia, garlic, gentian, geranium, ginger, ginseng, guarana, heather, hibiscus, holly, leek, mushroom, mustard, nettle, onion, pennyroyal, peony, pepper, raspberry leaf, rhododendron, rhubarb, sage, saw palmetto, wormwood

sagittarius [♐] - anise, asparagus, basil, beets, borage, calendula, carnations, chervil, cloves, crocus, dandelions, feverfew, jasmine, mint, nutmeg, olive, peony, red roses, rhubarb, saffron, sage, tomato, turmeric, watercress

capricorn [♑] - african violet, baby’s breath, black poppy, calendula, caraway, chamomile, comfrey, henbane, horsetail, jasmine, kava kava, magnolia, marjoram, mullein, mushroom, myrrh, nightshade, pansy, rosemary, rue, sage, sarsaparilla, snowdrop, spinach, tarragon, thyme

aquarius [♒] - aloe, barley, beets, blue lotus, catnip, chamomile, cinnamon, cloves, comfrey, daffodil, fennel, gladiolas, hops, kava kava, mint, myrrh, orchid, parsnip, passion flower, rosemary, rye, sage, skullcap, spinach, valerian, violet

pisces [♓] - anise, asparagus, basil, beets, blue lotus, borage, calendula, echinacea, endive, eyebright, goldenseal, hyssop, jasmine, lemon balm, lilac, lily, mugwort, narcissus, nutmeg, olive, orchid, poppy, sage, seaweed, skullcap, tomato, watercress, water lily, wisteria, yarrow

ajoite - overcome sorrow, emotional healing

amethyst - eases grief and sadness

andalusite - crossing over into the afterlife

apophyllite - spirit communication

bixbite (red beryl) - eases grief

black tourmaline - eases grief

bloodstone - to strengthen ties with ancestors or loved ones who have passed on

blue lace agate - connection to the spirit world, eases passage into the afterlife

calcite - emotional healing, peace

carnelian - eases sorrow, protection in the afterlife

celestite - spirit communication

charoite - eases passage into the afterlife

cuprite - spirit communication

halite - dispelling negativity, protection

hematite - grounding, peace, transforming negativity

jade - protection in the afterlife

jasper - safe passage into the afterlife

jet - eases grief and mourning

kunzite - eases heartbreak

labradorite - spirit communication

lapis lazuli - spiritual connection

obsidian - healing, deflecting negativity, grounding, protection

onyx - grounding, protection

pink tourmaline - emotional healing

quantum quattro silica - eases grief

quartz - safe passage into the afterlife

selenite - spirit communication, eases passage into the afterlife

sunstone - spirit communication

tanzine aura quartz - spirit communication

tsavorite - connection to the spirit world

turquoise - spiritual attunement

violet flame opal - spiritual awareness

Moonflower

Night Phlox

Night Blooming Jasmine

Evening Promise

Queen of the Night Cactus

Angels Trumpet

Say a small prayer or do a short meditation before you get out of bed in the morning.

Write down dreams or visions you had.

Stir your first cup of coffee or tea counterclockwise to banish negativity and bad luck or clockwise to bring positive energy.

Draw daily tarot or oracle cards (you can also use a pendulum) for guidance.

Cleansing yourself and home using sound or smoke.

Ancestor or spirit offerings

Pick out your clothes, shoes, jewelry... ect with intention.

Write a sigil or petition paper and burn it.

Take a ritual shower. You can spice it up with candles, herbs, and crystals, or you can simply step under the water and imagine all the negativity and bad energy washing off you. You can also recite a chant.

Every time you look into the mirror, say an affirmation

Take a walk outside and ground yourself to Mother Earth.

Dance!! Dancing is an excellent way to rise the energy, and it helps with opening the sacral and solar plexus chakra and getting in touch with the inner child.

Image courtesy of Elena Leya on Unsplash.

After the debacle of yesterday, and throughout many negative moments, I use kitchen witchcraft to soothe myself and change my luck and my mood in one fell swoop. This is a staple in my house and I’ve decided to share it with you!

When to use this recipe ?

For a pick-me-up at any time, after a stressful event, to invite prosperity - especially in the form of small windfalls, good times, small gifts, good relations and overall positivity. To magically power up this recipe, I used astrological correspondences of ingredients linked to Venus. Thus, substitutes might not work as well, but I’ll put the best in the recipe. If you’d like a Venusian drink, other Venusian herbs lend themselves to great tea recipes. This might call for another post.

You will need :

- a milk of choice (I like whole milk, or milk+cream. Any plant based one is fine, but I will recommend almond milk as it’s ruled by Venus too)

- cocoa powder

- a sweetener of choice (I like honey or brown sugar)

For the spices, I’d omit all 3 if you’re lacking one, but 6 ingredients or a multiple of 3 is ideal.

- cinnamon

- vanilla (extract, seeds, or a small chunk of pod infused in your hot milk).

- tonka bean

- optional ingredient : marshmallows

- optional tool : a milk frother

I’ll leave the exact measurements to your personal taste.

Steps to follow

Optional : heat up a pot with your vanilla pod or seeds and milk. Real seeds or vanilla pods release their aromatic compounds when heated.

Mix in your ingredients together well, stirring clockwise, 6 times (number of Venus). During this time, imagine the comfort and goodness that you’d like this hot chocolate to bring you, as well as specific Venusian outcomes you’d like to get into your life.

Optional : Use your milk frother to bring a bubbly foam to lift your spirits and even more decadence to this simple drink. I visualise the bubbles chasing whatever negativity is there away.

✨ Astro magic tip : Whip this up on Venus day (Friday), Venus night (Monday after sunset), or during Venus hour (you can track it via the app Time Nomad on iOS) for extra potency.