Musing Mystical

✨ A Gathering Place for Magical Readers and Writers ✨

Tag Archives: water

Pagan Portals – The Water Witch, by Jessica Howard

Pagan Portals – The Water Witch: An Introduction to Water Witchcraft, by Jessica Howard
Moon Books, 978-1-78535-955-2, 112 pages, March 2023

As a practicing witch with over twenty years’ experience, Jessica Howard has provided a blueprint for inviting the element water into personal practice. Her book, Pagan Portals – The Water Witch: An Introduction to Water Witchcraft, is full of useful information and insight. Not only does Howard talk about the various ways water could be used to develop one’s connection to the Divine, she also shares her own personal experience with the element, furthering the concept of there being no right way to practice this particular type of witchcraft.

Howard has laid the book out in both highly digestible and very practical sections in only 112 pages. The table of contents provides a glimpse of what’s contained within this book: an in depth look at the various facts of this craft. 

Personally, as a Fire sign I find water incredibly challenging to work with. Despite the great healing abilities water contains, along with various divination and knowledge seeking qualities, I have found it very difficult to use regularly. Howard’s clearly written book identifies the challenges and addresses them in the third chapter titled “Connecting With Water Energies”. In this chapter, she identifies and addresses the main root of my personal block when it comes to water: being gentle with yourself for not getting it right away. She explains why it might feel disheartening at first, saying:

“Sometimes we have shut ourselves off for so long that it can take a while to open ourselves up to these energies. So even if it doesn’t work with the first meditation or first blessing, keep at it. Try different approaches, search for more ideas than just what’s in this book, and keep at it until you find something that works for you.”1

I like the fact that Howard recognizes and fully embraces the fact that not every practicing witch is going to connect to water in the same way she has. By building in flexibility and encouraging additional studies outside of the book she wrote, she creates a sense of trust with the reader that isn’t overly cloying or fake. There is no loftiness in her language; not to say that what she writes is basic, rather, the way the book is written invites dialogue and experimentation on the part of the practitioner. Howard has not written a book telling the reader specifically how to be a water witch – she is sharing her journey and providing the steps she took in order to connect with the element in the way that she does.

This lack of information gatekeeping is so refreshing! Too many times I’ve read books that start off promising to share insight into whatever and before too long the realization that nothing is actually being shared sets in and I’m left with a book that doesn’t help my personal pursuit of knowledge. It’s disheartening and causes immense frustration. Howard has gone out of her way to ensure that if nothing else, the reader walks away with a healthy understanding of water in the context of magic and how useful it can be when used in conjunction with current practices. 

In a later chapter, Howard talks about the environment as it relates to those who follow a magical path. She is forthright in her requests to the reader in this specific framework: not only does she challenge those magical practices that instruct the practitioner to contribute to the ongoing crisis we see all around us in nature, but she gives specific thought to what we as individuals could do in order to reduce our footprint in this mass destruction. I’ve not seen anything as specific as this in any previous magical books and I am glad she took the time to remind us of the devastation our practices can cause if we aren’t mindful. Howard says:

“I’ve seen books on witchcraft which have recommended putting your petition into a plastic container and throwing into a river…pouring perfume into rivers because undines like pleasant scents. Please do not follow this advice. If you want to throw something into a river to help rid yourself of negativity, use a stick or small stone. If you want to give an offering to the undines, use a small vial of water which has had naturally grown rose petals steeped in it. Please stop and think about what you are offering and what the potential harm it could have before you make it.”2

This might turn folks off who want to just do their thing and not concern themselves with the harm they might be doing to the environment. Personally, my offerings are usually a combination of items that can be composted (fruit, flowers), and containers that are specific to the use of magic (candle holders, cast iron cauldron). While some of this might come off as sounding ‘holier than thou’, I share this only to show how simple it is to be mindful of the materials being used in your practice. 

Pagan Portals – The Water Witch is a wonderful book for those looking to expand their practice to include water work. It’s beautifully written and full of useful information that encourages the reader to learn more through other channels. A softer read than I am used to, this book both challenged my ideas around water magic and whether I could actually use it and helped me to find my own path as I navigated my deep feelings around being open to new things and performing magic.

How to Become a Mermaid, by Elyrria Swann

How to Become a Mermaid: Embodying the Elemental Energy of Water, by Elyrria Swann
Destiny Books, 164411450X, 128 pages, December 2021

I have one main goal for 2022. Are you ready for it? Promise you won’t laugh? It’s to become a mermaid. This has been blossoming for quite some time. I would say it started after I moved to the coast of Southern California, met all the wildlife along the shore, and started cultivating a meaningful relationship with the ocean. Overtime, I accumulated a seashell collection, which is now at nearly 300 different types of seashells, and focused on learning sea magic. I even have mermaid swim training with the tail booked for February at the LA Mermaid School.

When I discovered How to Become a Mermaid: Embodying the Elemental Energy of Water by Elyrria Swann, I was absolutely thrilled to read her perspective on this topic. It hadn’t crossed my mind that there might be a larger mermaid community out there or that I could learn from someone with experience in the mermaid realm. Lucky for me, Swann is the perfect bridge for beginner mermaids with the mermaid realm, teaching them how to cultivate a path to developing their own relationship with the mer-folk and embody the element of water in their daily life.

Swann’s approach to the topic of being a mermaid comes from her own experience, but it is filled with references to the works of others, which guides readers to new sources. It’s whimsical at times, and I would bet that quite a few might be dubious of her experience living as a mermaid, deeply connected to the elemental realm of water and astral realm of mermaids. I’ve always been someone who truly believes in angels, fairies, unicorns, and other mythical creatures, so opening up to Swann’s wisdom about mermaids wasn’t a far leap for me. But for some it might be, and that’s okay.

If a person can’t widen their perspective to include the possibility of mer-folk, then chances are this isn’t the path for them. I intend to review this book for an audience that has an interest in learning more about the topic, rather than try to convince a disbeliever of its merit. This being said, you might not be the right audience for this book if this concept seems far-fetched to you, as Swann doesn’t downplay her experience or restrain her knowledge of the subject to fit neatly into a “normal” lens of reality.

In fact, part of Swann’s reasoning for writing the book is to create a guide for those who feel called to working with the mermaid realm, or are even mermaids themselves, so they are a bit less lost in the world. At the same time, Swann repeatedly cautions readers about energetically connecting with mer-people. She asserts the need for an open heart and pure intention when working with the element of water, as well as knowledge of energetic protection and some preparatory basic skills of energy work.

One of my favorite sections in the whole book is about the mermaid’s energetic protectors in the astral realm: krakens, gorgon medusas, selkies, and hydras. These can become allies or foes, depending on one’s intention for the mermaid realm. Swann shares really interesting stories of engaging with these allies in the astral realm, as well as successful experiences of calling on them for protection in the world.

I enjoyed learning about these astral entities and their protective qualities, though I’m not sure I’d be ready for an alliance or communion with them just yet. Their presence made me more aware that the mermaid realm isn’t all fun and play; there are many energies in the astral that one has to be prepared to encounter, and I am grateful for Swann’s illuminating this.

The greatest change in my perception about mermaids came from Swann’s description of what a mermaid is:

“Mermaids are elemental beings that embody the vibration of water. A simple way to think of it is that they are the personification of the watery element. If water could talk, then it would be a mermaid. The purpose of the mermaid realm is to love and enrich the water element in the spirit world. “1

This definition heightened my awareness of the element of water being the primary aspect of being a mermaid. It might seem rather obvious, but previously I didn’t realize that working with mermaid energy is essentially learning how to engage with the element of water. While this can feel like a daunting task, as anyone who’s ever studied working with the elements can attest to, Swann offers practices to help one get to know their watery mermaid energy.

One example, recommended to be tried in the bathtub, is called “Meditation to Integrate the Spiritual Water Element.” I found this meditation to be quite helpful for discovering my own “unique signature vibration”2, as Swann describes it, of water. She also includes a “Meditation to Enter the Mer-realm” that I am looking forward to doing soon.

I deeply resonated with Swann’s call for mermaids to heal the world’s wounding and find a deeper meaning to this path:


“Donning mermaid tails, owning pet fish, and supporting mermaid merchandise companies is fun and makes life beautiful, but it is not enough. We must become what a mermaid (or merman) is. We must choose love, empathy, and “now” consciousness to be in alignment with a reality where Earth succeeds. We must take physical action when and where we can. Every decision we make can be conscious and rooted in a desire for the good of all.”3

One way that Swann suggests mermaids do this is through learning how to clean up the ocean not only physically, but psychically as well. This was a fascinating concept to me. Though, I have to admit, I tried doing the “psychic clean-up” of the ocean after a storm, where it is known that sewage overflows into the ocean, and I ended up with a sinus infection for two days. I definitely saw Swann’s point about the need for protecting oneself’ while working with the very fluid element of water. I got a feeling that the toxic energy I was trying to clear from the runoff caused a buildup in my sinus cavities.

As a result, I eagerly have been looking into the recommendation Swann provides to study the magical system called Hermetics developed by Franz Bardon in order to strengthen my relationship with water to learn more about on an element level. She describes how Bardon’s Hermetics system teaches about cosmic letters and numbers, which correspond to different elements and elemental properties. Swann writes these cosmic letters and numbers “are vibrations that are accessed through visualization , sound, concentration on imagery and feeling, and oneness with the element it represents.”4

For instance, Swan explains that M is the mastery of the water element. Through meditating on the letter M, people can strengthen their connection to the water element. I think this concept is extremely neat, especially since I love numerology and the correspondence between letters, numbers, and energy. This is yet another technique of Swann’s I plan on exploring.

All in all, How to Become a Mermaid is a wonderful guide for developing a relationship with not only the Mer-realm, but the element of water as well. Swann’s experiences with the mer-realm opens new doors of possibilities for those seeking to establish their own connection. She has lovingly, though with due caution, provided a guide for readers to create their own relationship with mermaids and discover the elemental pathway of water. This book certainly will give you a new perspective on what it means to be a mermaid and how developing the traits of a mermaid can change the world.

The Ways of the Water Priestess, by Annwyn Avalon

The Way of the Water Priestess: Entering the World of Water Magic, by Annwyn Avalon
Weiser Books, 1578637249, 238 pages, January 2021

The Way of the Water Priestess: Entering the World of Water Magic is a profound initiation. As you dive in, author Annwyn Avalon makes clear the distinction between being initiated into a lineage and going straight to the source of your own channel with spirit, your own intimacy with water. This is a sacred text that attunes you so deeply to what you are mostly made of. 

Avalon is a water priestess and a water witch. She is the founder of Triskele Rose,  an Avalonian witchcraft tradition. This book called to me because I wanted to deepen my relationship to water as an act of devotion.

“The work of a water priestess is expressed in various sacred practices like enchanting the waters, facilitating rituals, creating healing ceremonies, and preparing sacred baths.”1 

Each of these rich chapters had me diving into portals of sovereignty and healing. Avalon does a fantastic job weaving together concrete practices, lineages and history, as well as myth and story. In my personal practice, this book was the first step in so much unfolding. I embraced her invitation to me, “While you cannot initiate yourself as a priestess, you can dedicate your life to the sacred waters.”2

For me, this began with building my own water altar. This first step has been potent in my work as a priestess.  And when I say priestess, I mean  being willing to show up and do the work in devotion to tend and clean the altar; to center your acts of service to the water. 

The Way of the Water Priestess is created in such a way as to offer us that sacred journey of initiation, pulling on deities and archetypes, myths, as well as daily devotional practices. This book is beautifully written with a wealth and depth of knowledge. All geared towards you, discovering your own information. Avalon creates a framework for you to foster your own intimacy with the waters. These are concrete and specific tools to connect you to your path. 

My daily devotional, as Avalon calls it, with the water has deepened. Avalon offers prayers to help guide you through every step of the journey. There’s such an incredible wealth of knowledge, rooted, most particularly like Celtic and Roman traditions. I have found myself turning to this book over and over as I’ve struggled with my human being life. “You will find that the lesson of the river is different from the lesson that floral water, a sacred bath, or a gem elixir might teach you.”3 I so appreciated being guided to discover my own sacred relationship with the river, allowing it to be my guide in surrender and flow. 

I drink so much water every day. I’ve experimented with some of the ways that Avalon offers us to bless the water. “Sound is also a good way to create healing water… You can simply start with your voice and tone the water with vowel sounds.”4 You can find a beautiful water prayer on that same page. I love this practice as a way to begin my morning and set intention for my day. The more I’ve dedicated myself to this practice, the more I’ve found my words to honor and bless the water I put in my body. My stepdaughter’s favorite practice is to charge her water with the full moon. 

Avalon’s way of being in deep ritual practice with water is an invitation to reclaim your sovereignty through devotion and service. 

“As priestesses, it is vital that we honor the water and spirits we work with. But we must also become trusted conduits for their energies by living in sacred union with them and tending their temples–our own physical temples, the temple of our bodies, and the natural temples where the water flows. When in these states of sacred union, we become a vessel through which the spirit can speak.”5

This book serves such a depth and breadth of wisdom as to belong on every bookshelf, from novice to maven water carrier. It accessibly unpacks fundamentals like working on the holy days of Beltane, Samhain, and the like. It explores the art of ritual, water divination, and the path of the priestess. For those steeped in their own traditions and lineages, it offers context and spell work. 

If you are looking for your activism in this world, I invite you to welcome your devotion and service to water as being a part of how we collectively transform the world. I feel so much more able to hear the message of the water for me in encountering these practices and tools, and the power that comes when approaching this work as a devotee. As a being in service to something so much greater than myself. Everything you need to start is in The Ways of the Water Priestess.

Astrology for Mystics, by Tayannah Lee McQuillar

Astrology for Mystics: Exploring the Occult Depths of the Water Houses in Your Natal Chart, by Tayannah Lee McQuillar
Destiny Books, 1644110515, 176 pages, March 2021

There’s so many lenses through which one can embrace astrology, but my personal favorite has always been a spiritual perspective. Astrology for Mystics: Exploring the Occult Depths of the Water Houses in Your Natal Chart by Tayannah Lee McQuillar is a soulful dive into the element of water in one’s natal chart. By tapping into the healing, mysterious currents of the 4th, 8th, and 12th house, McQuillar takes us on a journey to discover and illuminate the depths of our astrology chart as shown by the sign and planet placements.

I think my favorite part of the entire book was the Introduction, “What is a Mystic?”, most likely because I’ve been pondering this question myself recently. McQuillar’s writing demonstrates such wisdom and insight that it makes it clear her spirituality has emerged through authenticity, originality, and genuineness. I immediately felt both trust and respect for her, which made me feel safely held as I proceeded onward.

“Mystics are the foundation of all religious and spiritual systems in the world. Someone, somewhere, at some time had to be the first to wonder if what she was being told about the divine was true and to seek a direct mystical experience in order to confirm or deny it for herself. Then, from that experience, that person formed ideas regarding the truth or nature of existence.”1

Her assurance that this book is meant to assist one in creating their own “individualized occult philosophy and spiritual regimen, one that doesn’t require you to believe anyone else, follow everyone else, or become someone else”2 greatly put this Aquarian at ease as I dove into the water in my chart.

Honestly, water has always been the element I connected with least, so I was looking forward to hopefully taking my time reading to figure out why and how I could better establish a connection to the energy of these houses in my chart. McQuillar lays a wonderful foundation by sharing a bit about what sets water apart from the elements. From how we can consume it and feel its nourishing effects, to the wide spread healing properties, her writing made me take a moment of pause in gratitude for all the water in the world.

By looking to the role of water in mythology, and sharing with the reader different spirits, gods, goddesses that are related to the water, McQuillar highlights water as the foundation of creation. The origin story of many cultures through time have evolved from a watery abyss, likewise the destruction of civilizations occurs through water when people have forgotten the importance of living in alignment. On that note, I appreciated McQuillar’s words on how our current society is allowing for the sacred waterways to become polluted. She puts forth an impactful call to stop these harmful practices and cherish the water supply here on earth.

For those who may be new to this level of astrological exploration, McQuillar teaches the reader how to look up their own chart and see the houses within it to discover the zodiac sign the house is located within and any planets there. She discusses the glyphs to help the reader know what to look for in their chart, and also gives a little overview of each sign with keywords to get a feel for them.

After this introduction into glyphs and astrological energy, McQuillar goes through the 4th, 8th, and 12th house respectively to give a bit of information about the zodiac sign and planet. First is an introduction to these houses, followed by each zodiac sign in those houses.

For every house, McQuillar focuses on the main themes of that house and explains how the energy in the chart of each sign would come through. For example, the 8th house sections are Sexual Intimacy, Your Elevated Self-Image, Your Secret Power, and Transformation and Endings. Based on which sign their 8th house is located within, the reader can learn more about the specifics of their chart.

Next, McQuillar discusses the specific meaning of each planet, providing information about their zodiac sign ruler and co-ruler as well. She then goes through the 4th, 8th, and 12th house and gives a description of each of the seven planets (thankfully, she included transpersonal planets!) in each one. I found her descriptions to be very illuminating, and reading this book came at a particularly apt time for me personally.

While doing a zodiac meditation earlier this week, I realized that I had immense trouble connecting with my Jupiter in Cancer in the 12th house; I simply could not sense the energy, nor get an intuitive grasp on this area of my chart. Reading the description of Cancer on the 12th house brought to my attention some traits that I didn’t immediately recognize within myself, but in reflection saw how they were in play in my life.

I think with the 12th house especially it’s beneficial to have an “outside” perspective because this can often be one of the tougher spots to see about oneself, as it’s related to our hidden, unconscious self. McQuillar calls this the house of “Unspoken Expectations, Confinement, Karma, Loss, and Self-Sabotage,”3 which can make it a bit difficult to delve into these placements lightly.

Luckily, I felt a bit of an optimistic boost from reading about Jupiter in the 12th house. It reaffirmed the initial connection to my spirituality that I usually always feel, and it also reminded me of the feelings of good will I get from being active in communities where I get to share my spiritual gifts.

This all being said, there were a few descriptions that I didn’t resonate with immediately, such as my Pluto in the 4th house, which implied a violence or abuse in my upbringing. However, I don’t think it diminishes the quality of information being shared, even if it felt like a more textbook description for me. I took McQuillar’s mystic approach of embracing what resonated with me and releasing what did not stick.

Plus, I am aware enough to know that sometimes energy and the meaning of the planets and signs can take time to sink in. Since this book is centered on the water houses specifically, it may take a bit more time to dive into these depths, swim within them, and emerge with a fresh breath of clarity. I would advise readers to have patience in moving through this book and taking the time to really explore their chart house by house using all the wisdom McQuillar has graciously offered.

I highly recommend Astrology for Mystics for those who want a guide for navigating the watery realms of their chart. For astrological novice, this can be a wonderful book to tap into the uncharted energy of the 4th, 8th, and 12th house in their chart. Those with advanced knowledge in astrology are sure to discover something new as well since McQuillar offers her own insight, which is soulful and poignant. It can be so very nice to have a “hand to hold” or a book to anchor us as we take the plunge into the occult depths of our natal charts, and McQuillar perfectly holds that space for us.