Walking Between Fire and Shadow: Full Solar Eclipse April 8th 2024
There is something big brewing, can you feel it? The palpable crackling of a major energy shift, ushered in by the first total solar eclipse since December 2021 coinciding with the new moon; both dancing through Aries. In fact, there are many coincidental occurrences happening during or around this event, both terrestrially and celestially. Powerful earthquakes and aftershocks have rocked the ground beneath our feet, the rare Devil’s Comet is set to streak through our skies during the eclipse, and the Coronae Borealis nova is set to erupt again sometime between now and September.
All these highly rare and energetic events coinciding are impossible to ignore, however many in the community might say we should.
Should you do workings during the eclipse?
I have often heard that doing any form of ritual workings during an eclipse is a big no-no to many in the greater Pagan community. Eclipses have long been considered times of ill omen and that the chaotic energy of these events can cause your workings to go awry. While the latter can be true, if your ritual work is done with the mentality not of harnessing this celestial power, but more basking in or surrendering to it, it can be an extremely positive and productive event.
As I previously mentioned, this particular eclipse has the energetic tie to the fiery and passionate sign of Aries, which means that on top of everything else, this event is also ushering in the rebirth of the astrological year. You truly couldn’t ask for a more opportune time to perform spellwork in the realms of beginnings, renewal, and transformation.
Transformation is really the buzzword here; this epic convergence of eclipse AND new moon energy is a call to action that the time for beginnings and change is NOW. The past few decades in particular have torn our society apart at the seams and our planet has been taking the brunt of this for us; however this burden has caused a level of strain that can only be bared for so long before things break irreparably. In terms of what this means for the overall global community, my intuition is strongly indicating to me that these events are about to enter us into a period of space and time where a doorway will be wide open for us to influence big changes. It is bidding us as a community to focus a more significant effort towards impacting positive change and growth; environmentally, politically, and socially. Our global society’s sustainability depends on it now more than ever and I feel that if we miss this wake up call, there may not be another like it ever again.
Personal transformation is still just as imperative. Maybe it means taking the first steps into a new career path that makes you feel more fulfilled, or reevaluating your relationships with others. Perhaps it is taking more time to cultivate a better understanding of who you are and what you want and need out of this life. No matter what change looks like for you personally, the time has come for you cast aside fear and doubt and manifest, manifest, manifest because we are all going to be called upon very soon to be in our very best shape.
So how do you best work with this energy?
As I said before, the best way to work with the energies surrounding this event is to go with the flow. While I do maintain that letting the opportunity to work with this event pass you by would be tragic, trying to force these energies to work for you is at best going to result in your spellwork being ineffective and at worst, could be extremely physically, mentally, and emotionally draining to you.
The name of the game is being careful and protective of yourself and your own energy. I recommend opting for a more chill approach to your ritual work to obtain the best results. If meditation is your jam, now would be a great time to pull out one that resonates with you or you can create a new one especially for the event. Journaling and reflection or doing some intentional crafting or cooking (more on this a little later in the post!) would also be a great use of this time.
For me, one activity I am choosing to do is to pull a special tarot spread that I have created for the event that focuses on healing, reconnecting your head and heart and obtaining a deeper understanding of self. If you feel inclined to also use this spread, check out the explanation below and let us know in the comments what wisdom it held for you!
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” Tarot Spread
Card one: Vibe Check
Where is your current energy level at and what is that energy being channeled into?
Card Two: Road Blocks
What blockages are you currently dealing with that are preventing you from being where you want or need to be?
Card Three: Inner Self
What does your current inner landscape look like?
Card Four: Shadow
What truth is being kept in the shadows/hiding within yourself that needs to be heard or seen to help manifest positive change?
Card Five: Enlightenment
What path(s) do you need to travel down and how can you eliminate the blockages you face to work towards becoming the best possible you?
Card Six: Illumination
What is the eventual outcome of the journey you are on now?
Recipe: Homemade Pizza
Now, I know what you might be thinking; how did I happen upon pizza as an intentional food for an eclipse?
When I was thinking about and researching the perfect recipe for this post, my original idea was to make a loaf of wheat bread that featured honey. Both wheat flour and honey hold massive energy for drawing in abundance and fostering new beginnings and are linked to solar magick. As a busy mom of two now though, I also am constantly thinking about what I can make that will also serve me well time-wise. After all, this blog is built upon the foundation of making magickally charged meals more accessible.
Then it hit me… PIZZA! It was perfect; It’s faster and easier than a traditional loaf of bread, I still utilize the solar magick boosting energies of wheat and honey in the dough, I could empower intentions even further with the toppings I chose AND it provides my whole family a cozy and fun meal to share. A total win!
While this is a great meal idea for the eclipse, no matter when you choose to make this classic comfort food, it is one of the most ideal meals to imbue magical energy into; especially because you can easily customize each pizza you make for a different set of intentions just by switching the toppings and ingredients.
Below I’ve compiled a short cheat sheet of some common ingredients and toppings so you can customize these homemade pizzas to fit any intentional need!
Tomato: The most classic ingredient on most pizzas is tomatoes or tomato sauce. You can use them fresh in slices on top of the pizza, sprinkle on some sun-dried, or in a homemade or store bought sauce to foster creativity, draw in prosperity, or ward away negative vibes.
Basil: Whether you season your pie with it dried or fresh or spread on a pesto sauce, basil can be used when you are looking to heighten intuition, harmonize your life, or bring more opportunities for happiness, luck, or wealth into it.
Oregano: This pungent herb is used in many different global cuisines and can be utilized intentionally to promote health and revitalization.
Cheese: Cheese is a very popular topping for pizzas and you can use nearly any type you prefer to great result. Generally speaking, most forms of cheese can be used when you are looking to draw more prosperity and success into your life.
Peppers: Slightly sweet and crunchy, bell peppers and hot peppers are a favorite of many on pizza. Bell peppers are great for inspiring creative thought and bolstering vitality, while hot peppers help to energize.
Mushrooms: Unsurprisingly to most I imagine, mushrooms are a wonderful ingredient for when you are seeking earthy, grounding energy.
Pepperoni: This classic spicy topping is perfect for when you want to boost passions or incite quicker action to your spellwork.
Olives: A food of love, prosperity, health and beauty, olives also hold big energy for any workings in relation to solar magick.
Garlic/Onions: Adding a bit of extra fresh garlic or onion to your pizza not only makes it taste fabulous, but both are key ingredients when protective or banishing energies are desired.
Homemade Pizza
Ingredients
- 6 cups 00 or all purpose flour (beginnings, abundance) *see note
- 1 tsp sea salt (protection, purification)
- 2 cups water, warmed to 100 degrees F
- 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp instant yeast (action, activation of spellwork)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (beauty, solar magick, prosperity, health)
- 2 Tbsp honey (solar magick, prosperity)
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning or other dried herbs of choice (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, place the warmed water,yeast, and honey together and mix gently. Set aside for 5-8 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. Be sure the water does not exceed 110 degrees F as it will kill the yeast if it is too warm.
- While the yeast activates, place the flour, salt, and herbs if using them into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or into another large bowl if hand kneading. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients.
- Once the yeast mixture looks frothy, add in the olive oil and pour into the dry ingredients.
- Turn the stand mixer on to it's lowest setting and allow the dough to begin to form; knead on low for 8-10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
- If hand mixing, gently incorporate the ingredients in the bowl and once a shaggy dough has formed, place the dough onto a floured surface and hand knead for approximately 15 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- If using the same day, place the dough into a oiled or sprayed bowl and allow to proof in a warm area until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
- At this point, you can also opt to place the dough into a large oiled or sprayed lidded bowl or container and place in the refrigerator overnight. If utilizing this option, be sure when you are ready to use the dough, you take it out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature 2-3 hours before you plan on using it.
- While the dough proofs, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and prepare two sheet trays with parchment paper that is sprayed and coated in cornmeal to prevent the pizza from sticking. If you have pizza stones, you can absolutely use them as well!
- Once the dough has proofed, separate it out into four small balls and gently stretch them into the desired shape and thickness. Place the pizzas onto the prepared sheet trays and top them as desired with any ingredients of your choosing (see blog post for ideas and intentions).
- Place into the oven and bake the pizzas for 15-20 minutes or until the crust begins to look golden brown on the edges and bottom. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you can find it, I highly recommend using 00 flour for this recipe. It is specifically used in making pizzas and offers you a crispy, yet chewy crust. I use King Arthur brand 00 flour which you can find in the baking aisle of most larger grocery stores. All purpose flour however does still work for this recipe if you cannot find this flour.
