Hello, my lovies! Happy August! We find ourselves 8 months into the year, with spooky season budding delightfully early and halfway through the current Mercury Retrograde. While some of us are in the throes of shopping for Halloween tricks and treats and indulging in spooky events like Midsummer Scream, others are just trying to get through the chaotic energy of a summertime retrograde. What end of the spectrum are you landing on this month? Let’s ask the cards and find out. 

August brings in changes and forces us to look outside of the box to find our new paths. For some of you this is happening in a more internal way, challenging your beliefs and the structure that has long been in place in your life. It’s so hard when we have to look at the things that have been presented to us as truth and realize that they are in fact not true, or that the people you have looked up to have flaws and are more fallible than you originally knew. You might have Mercury Retrograde to thank for that. Most often people just blame this retrograde for technology mishaps and miscommunication, but we must remember that one of the deeper things this time does is bring the truth to light.

For those of you facing new truths and trying to reshape relationships through them or embrace new routines because of them, I want to remind you that change is uncomfortable, but it inevitably leads us to a better plan, higher understanding, and a more spacious comfort zone. Kambaba Jasper could be a helpful stone for you at this time. It is known to help soothe us through its nurturing and grounding properties. Hold a piece in your hand, take a deep breath in, hold it to your heart, breathe out. You got this, Boo.

As rocky as communication can be during a retrograde, I see relationships actually thriving right now. The energy is set up for people to have deep, vulnerable conversations with their partners and in turn fall deeper into harmony, love, and a tangle of sheets. The opportunities for these conversations encourage us to embrace and grow our inner wisdom and empathy. Even if you don’t want to share whatever event in your life that has brought you to the place of understanding that you are currently at, you can still hold space and set the example that people around you deeply need.

Remember that strength doesn’t always arrive in the form of the Divine Masculine, bulging muscles and brute force; sometimes it shows up in the aspect of the Divine Feminine, gentle, graceful, and flexible. When this kind of strength is called into action, I always think of a Willow Tree. In a storm, a Willow survives the night not by being rigid but by knowing how to bend but never break. 

The second half of the month brings promise of fun and feelings of success. With Mercury going direct on August 11th, we will all start to feel a bit more at ease as we get closer to the 14th. The chaos in our personal lives begins to turn itself down a couple notches and we will find ourselves seeking ways to embrace some balance and light hearted pleasure. There are some big wins and personal triumphs this month and it’s important that we see ourselves for the glorious, victorious creatures that we are. After all, we have managed to still be here striving and thriving even in the dumpster fire of 2025. If you ask me, that in itself is a win. Vacations and sensuous temptations are calling to us, asking us to hang up the hustle for a minute and let our hair down. This is your reminder to make good life choices but still have fun doing so!

There seems to be energy here that is leaning towards awareness of health and wellness. A hike at Runyon Canyon or Malibu Springs might be a new part of your weekly routine and that satisfies this craving. For others, the wellness aspect of community might be what your spirit is calling for. Commit to dinner plans with your chosen family, paint night with your coven, or simply a cup of tea (literally and metaphorically,) with your bestie and watch how at peace your spirit will feel.  The month of August is telling us to replenish our souls and we should listen to the instruction.

Shana is an initiated priestess, paranormal investigator, author, and host of the podcast Queer from the Other Side. Follow Shana on IG.

July is here, we are in the throes of summer and we are swimming in the mingling energy of chaos, sex, personal power. 

July may be a lot of things and with the way this year is going, I can promise you it is. It is definitely a month steeped in passion, romance and sex. For those of you in relationships, you will find the heat and sense of adventure turning up in the bedroom. Now would be the time to reevaluate your wants, needs and boundaries and to articulate them in a way that is clear and comfortable. Your partner may be booming in the bedroom, but sometimes all that passion drowns out common sense and we don’t need boundaries trampled or feelings hurt. So use your words and you will receive fantasy-like pleasure.

For the folks that aren’t coupled up, the Universe is asking for your heart’s desire. Do you want a relationship, a bed fellow, or a sugar daddy? There are no wrong answers and all of it is on the menu.

My warning to you is: be very clear and very careful what you wish for. The Universe has jokes that no one thinks is funny. You don’t want your love life to be the butt of a cosmic joke. Whisper your desire to the full moon while burning rose incense, carry Rose Quartz with you, or do a full on Come-To-Me spell. The magical choice is yours, just make sure you have written down your desires and requirements before wishing your next person of interest into existence. 

June showed us the power and strength of the Los Angeles community as a whole. Pride brought the queer community together in celebration, visibility, authenticity, love and our ongoing fight for equality.

We took that energy from the Pride parades and marches to the streets of DTLA and all over the greater L.A. area to protest the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and  show up for the ‘No Kings Day’ protests on Saturday, June 14. We came together to lend our voices to larger causes and in return we see where our voices and energy landed and made its impact.

The message for July is to remember the camaraderie and chaos that we collectively produced and experienced during Pride month and see how that energy can be further harnessed to care for and protect our community in other moments. We are being told to remember in what ways we can hold space and care for ourselves and others around us and the importance in even the smallest act of love and defiance. Find your place within your community and hold strong to it.

Lend your energy, power and love to your cause and to those around you that are looking for your support this month. These acts don’t have to be huge. Sometimes a late night phone call or brunch with inspired, like-minded babes is a radical action.  Lean on to the magical help of a High John root tucked into your bag or pocket to help give you strength even when you feel like you are facing the impossible, or dab some Dragon’s Blood oil on your pulse points to help put some fire in your roar. 

Our closing message for the month of July is to slow down and not over think.

The world may be going crazy right now but the planets are shifting into a space to allow things in your personal world to look up. This leaves a lot of room to over think the potential political gloom we are all swimming in or to get lost in the manic clouds of new love and artistic projects. Try and set aside time daily, even if it is only 10 minutes, to be present minded and detach from the wonderland that is your internal dialog. When we begin to silence our minds we are able to let our spirit and body connect in a way that is rare during the busy times of our lives.

Hello my magical beauties!

June is here and it brings the heat, passion and a little bit of mischief with it. How does this play into our lives? What magic can we throw at a situation to smooth out the bumps? Where do we need to put on our show girl smile and enjoy the glitz and glamour? Lets ask the cards and find out.

Coming in on the heels of a chaotic May, June is telling us to take a moment to find or zen and rebalance.

Get back to your gym routine and let the endorphin rush chill you out, have your next outing with your coven or spiritual family be to a sound bath, or simply make time in your schedule for some basic guided meditation videos. Whatever you need to do to find some peace and stillness, do it babes. A lot of folks are feeling depleted from the last few weeks (or months in many people’s cases) and if you don’t take a second to slow down, you will inevitably find the mythical bottom of the bottomless mimosa and it’s not pretty.

When the Universe says, “girl, slow down!” We must heed this warning before it forces us to slow down and I will be the first to say that the universe has jokes that nobody thinks are funny. I know the timing of this call for calm is awkward. Who wants a quiet night in during Pride?

I’m not saying to sit this one out, I’m saying be sure to find precious moments of seclusion and calm between the bursts of celebrations, shows, parades, and anything else you have on the agenda. If you are someone that is always on the go and has no chill, try rocking some Fluorite or Jasper (preferably Kambaba Jasper,) crystals to help you embrace some refreshing and relieving energy. 

Speaking of Pride and celebrations, the cards are showing a lot of good fortune, celebration, and elevation during this time. Throughout June many of you will not only be celebrating with the masses but the masses will be celebrating you.

And my dear, you have much to be proud of.  Strut your stuff and boldly bask in the limelight. This means take advantage of moments to insert yourself (respectively) into important conversations, go on auditions even if you feel like the role is out of your scope, or finally proposition that cutie you’ve been too shy to talk to.  Lady Luck is smiling at you and wants you to shine. You will also see recognition for the what you have been putting into work, projects and relationships. This is a good opportunity for those of you that struggle with accepting compliments and fear of success to work on it. 

Welcome in the praise and good energy, babe. 

People want to celebrate and elevate you. Roll with it. If you need some spiritual help in this department, try dabbing a bit of Sudanese Frankincense oil on the crown of your head or wrist before leaving the house or wearing tiger’s eye jewelry. 

While this month is setting a good tone for us to  recenter and get ahead in our current endeavors, some of you may be feeling stuck. The energies around you are saying that in order to get the good things that are being dangled in front of you, a sacrifice must be made. It’s a good time to remember that every good thing comes with the closing of something else.  Mysterious and terrifying sounding? Yes. Does it  have to be that way? Not at all.  I have a relatively simple and effective ritual that will help you get life back on the right track.

Take yourself out into nature to decompress and ponder what your sacrifice might be. Grab a coffee and stroll through Griffith Park or around Echo Park Lake — wherever it may be, just make sure it’s close to home because we will be revisiting this spot to wrap up this ceremony in a few days. Take your time, think about what you want and why you’re feeling stuck. What is there that may directly or indirectly be standing in your way? Let your mind flow easily and see if you arrive at an answer. If nothing comes to mind, ask yourself and spirit (whoever your higher power may be: ancestors, spirits guides, god, a plethora of pagan deities…or simply yourself), what isn’t serving you in life anymore.

Keep walking or settle under a tree until you arrive at your answer. And trust me, you will, nature spirits have a way of guiding us to clarity. Go home and prepare a cleansing bath* of sea salt, rosemary, bay leaf, lemon peel, and green tea (chamomile for those of you that are sensitive to caffeine.) Settle into your tub and while you soak, think about what it is you have been called to sacrifice- a bad habit, a toxic ex (not literally even if it does sound tempting!), staying in your comfort zone…the list goes on and on. Acknowledge where this thing once held value in your life and embrace the reason you are letting it go now.

Let the bath water wash over you from head to toe. As the water runs over you it begins to remove the energy of your sacrifice, detaching it from your body and soul. Visualize this energy it floating in the water. When you are bathing, gather the ingredients from the bath and set them aside, you will be disposing of them tomorrow. Stay in for the night, nurturing and grounding yourself. The next day, collect your bath ingredients and  go back to the place in nature where you were given the inspiration or confirmation of your sacrifice. Place the ingredients at the base of a tree or crossroads, along with an offering of fresh bread or tea. As you place them on the ground, say thank you and walk away without looking back. 

If you have the time, commitment and basic magical ingredients that are probably laying around long forgotten in your kitchen, you can work this ritual. Which means that you can get yourself unstuck and get energy flowing back into the pathways that make up your life. 

Note: If you don’t have a bath you can prepare the ingredients by wrapping them in cheesecloth and using them as a scrub in a hot shower.

June leaves us feeling empowered but probably also tired because it sounds like everyone has a lot of inner work that is coming into play. The cards assure us that the hard work not only pays off but does so quickly. There is a lot of emotional healing for those of you that decide to really put the work in this month and also promises of new emotional horizons that bring us confident new lovers, companionship and a safe space to let our hair down and just exist exquisitely…as we were meant to!