There are certain people whose presence imparts a feeling of calm, of reverence, of renewal. There are others whose presence is immediately energizing, like a bear hug for the soul. I’m fortunate to have women in my life who represent that full spectrum, and I have turned to each of them as I explored my own spiritual journey this past year.
Whether calming, uplifting, or magically both, their grounding natures stem from places of deep conviction in their “why,” and in their work. As we enter this new season, amidst many challenges, I called on these women to guide us all in seeking rituals that transform the everyday into something more sacred.
Their lessons came together at the new home of The Farmer’s Daughter (just across the street from the original location). Owner, farmer, and floral designer Lauren Work Phillips is a constant reminder that seeking and creating beauty is a ritual act unto itself. From starting the day with important heart questions, to kitchen creations, to facial steams and foot baths, these women shared their interpretations of what ritual means. Ultimately, we all left feeling lighter, more connected, and in tune with the journeys ahead of us.
Self-Care Rituals to Try at Home
Ta’lor Pinkston, The Heart Advocate
Feeling like she had settled, forgotten her worth, and dimmed her light, Ta’lor Pinkston began her own journey of self-love — real self-love, not the marketing schemes tied to pampering. This work fundamentally shifted her life. Now, as a therapist and “The Heart Advocate,” she helps others choose self-love as a coping skill for mental health and healing.
Whether it is a daily, weekly, or monthly practice, Ta’lor views rituals through the lens of opportunity. They act as a reminder to be intentional about what she needs from moment to moment and to set intentions for her client work. Aromatherapy, incense sticks, essential oils, and check-ins are all tools of her practice. As a backdrop, she prioritizes a clear, personalized space so she can create comfortably.
Want to take a deeper dive with Ta’lor? She provides virtual Heart Advocate Programs, Self-love Therapy, and Self-love Workshops, and she runs a support group called Healing Over Everything™. Through these paths, she equips individuals with the tools to choose self-love as a coping skill for mental health and healing — because we are all healing over something (PTSD, anxiety, toxic relationships, loneliness, trauma, fear, depression, self-doubt, insecurity, to name a few).
Ta’lor’s Recipe for Ritual: A Routine Check In
Ask yourself the following three questions:
- What am I feeling today?
- What do I need to say and/or give myself in this moment to create positive energy in my space?
- Who can support me if I need it?
Carley Rice of Flower & Finn
A pastry chef with an affinity for kitchen witchery, Carley Rice creates custom confections, ritual herbal salt, and sugar infusions under the moniker Flower & Finn. Beyond a livelihood, she describes her work as a creative and spiritual outlet. Her art is steeped in the magickal and spiritual properties of the ingredients, as well as the positive energy she puts into everything she makes.
She elaborates, “The culinary arts, like watching a ballet or listening to a live performance, is fleeting. One moment, the dancers are on stage, the next, they are taking their bows. In that same regard, in a moment the last bite of cake is gone from your plate and you are left with the memory of its beauty, its taste, and the wonderful people who shared it with you.”
She translates the idea of rituals into an entire kitchen philosophy. Carley explains, “Baking is energy work, and that energy is absorbed into our bodies. My kitchen is a sacred space, and I work in a loving and meditative state. Even if I’m having a bad day, or just feeling ‘off,’ this practice forces me to get into the right headspace before I create and I end up carrying this frame of mind throughout the rest of my day. When I create, I create with compassion for not only my client, but for myself.”
Carley’s Recipe for Ritual: Intentional Infusions
The fall season represents and celebrates prosperity, abundance, change, and maturity. Some herbs that attract abundance and prosperity include basil, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and mint. If you’re a tea drinker, incorporate these herbs in your tea. Allow yourself to meditate and connect with the herbs as your tea brews. Invite these herbs to share their wisdom and offer their comfort. If you’re a coffee drinker, add a dash of cinnamon, and take the same approach. You can also incorporate these herbs into your meals or baked goods. Enjoy them quietly with yourself, or share with a loved one.
If you’re a writer, write out what you would like to attract this coming season, what changes you may need to make to better serve yourself, or celebrate your growth from last season to now. Consider what you enjoy and how you can learn from and celebrate these themes during the autumnal season.
Alison Garber of Land Spirits & the Ask A Hag Podcast
Land Spirits is the life’s work of Alison Garber, an ancestral herbalist and hedgewitch. As a hedgewitch, Alison travels the wild in-between spaces, the edges that are potent with vital medicine, and harvests these Green Elders through a deep connection with the wild landscape. Through Land Spirits, Alison teaches regular workshops on the healing magick of herbal medicine, creates vibrant, wild-foraged plant remedies, meets with clients, and leads plant walks that focus on the medicinal herbs that grow abundantly on the wild edges of our region.
As a witch, Alison frames every action with ritual in mind. She translates ritual as “stepping into a space that is separate from the mundane. Ritual marks time, creating a container for reverence and revolution.” Whether it is taking a daily woodland walk, creating plant-spirit remedies for her clients, or cooking dinner for her family, each action is made with the intention that it connects her and her loved ones with the Sacred.
Want to take a deeper ritual dive with Alison? Consider a Wisdom Session. These are personalized energetic insights into a healing journey. She elaborates, “During our time together, I call upon ancestral traditions of plant magick and tarot to uncover any soul messages that wish to come through.” You’ll receive practical suggestions and a bespoke ritual aligned with your goals. You can also submit questions and glean more magick from Ask a Hag, the podcast Alison co-hosts with Leslie McAllister. It’s an outlet for the curious to ask questions, and the Hags respond using their knowledge as healers and witches.
Try out Alison’s Recipe for Ritual: Self-Love Facial Steam after a hard day!
Leslie McAllister of Ceremonial & the Ask A Hag Podcast
Leslie McAllister is the owner and in-house tarot reader of Ceremonial, a Point Breeze shop she describes as a ritual and ceremonial lifestyle store. She curates tools, companions, books, supplements, and candles for sacred ceremonies. For Leslie, ritual is “about creating and interacting with the sacred. It’s about making something special, to give it a greater power. It is useful in helping us humans to make the everyday intentional.”
She likens it to the way Japanese culture creates divinely sacred tea ceremonies, with details right down to how to steep the tea and pour the tea. We can all add that level of intention in our lives by following our intuition.
Leslie adds, “By listening and honoring your own inner wisdom you begin to see how you already, organically, find ritual in your daily life. We humans need this, especially now, and it’s one area of our life that many have forgotten. To bring it back can really help to shift consciousness. I have the honor of witnessing my community find their own innate ritual practices. And often, they have been ancestrally/generationally handed down. It’s a definite ‘wow’ moment for them.”
Try out Leslie’s Recipe for Ritual: An Autumnal Equinox Bath!
Story and Styling by Quelcy Kogel
Photography by Matt Dayak
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