Spelloween 2025: Day 2

Don’t mind me. Trying to get back into the groove of habits left behind. Today is October 2, 2025, and it’s time to get silly. Each day of the month of October, I’m going to put together a little spell that involves one of my favorite tools: Tarot cards.

None of this is meant to be taken serious, unless you want it to be so. All of this is in fun and with “good” intentions. All of this is meant to bring me joy. If you get some of that joy-juice as well, then all the better.

Day 2: 9 of Wands – Face Your Fears

Gather the following:

• The 9 of Wands card, or equivalent in the system your preferred tarot deck uses. If you prefer an elemental system, pull from the suit that corresponds to Air. (If my personal cosmology is not compatible with yours, then use the card that is suitable for you.)
• An index card, or small note paper. Large enough to write large letters on, small enough not to get in the way.
• A writing utensil.
• Tape.
• Access to a mirror. Preferably, the bathroom mirror or a vanity mirror. If you are in a shared living space then a personal or compact mirror will do as well.

The spell:

1. Sit down at your favorite writing place and consider the things you are afraid of. Some of those fears are justified, some of those fears are not. Some of those fears are things adults worry about, some of those fears are things children worry about. Some of those fears can be mitigated, some of those fears can not. On your paper write three fears that presently have a large influence in your life. Use a short phrase or key words that makes sense to you when you glance at them. Write them as large as you can on the card or paper.
2. Once you have written those fears, take your tarot card and hold it as if the card is a hand-axe and you are going to pierce the paper with it. As you hold the card, fill the physical presence in your hand with your awareness of the hold these fears have on you, with your determination to not let these fears hamper you, and with your intent to cut through the irrational that you cannot affect.
3. With just enough force to make a sound, but not so much force that you damage the tarot card, bring the card down onto the paper three times for each fear. As you do, say “I bring my will to bear against [X]!”, where [X] is the key words or short phrase that represents that fear. If you are not comfortable or not able to vocalize, then express yourself in your preferred way, even in complete silence if that is your method.
4. Place the tarot card down, pick up the now dominated paper, get the tape, and proceed to your mirror. If you have a vertical mirror such as a bathroom mirror or a vanity mirror, take the paper to the mirror in such a way that it is out of any splash zones and off to the side, but is still easily visible when you use the mirror as normal. If your are using a personal mirror or a compact mirror, place the paper in such a way that you have to move the paper out of the way to use the mirror.
5. Return the tape, tarot card, and writing utensil to their usual places.
6. Over the next nine days, examine that paper. Consider the fears you have written there and your resolve to not let them negatively affect you. Take whatever actions you deem reasonable and necessary to continue reducing their hold on your life. This could be making that phone call that had you wound up, or going through that box of stuff that held painful memories. Could be signing up for that drawing course that you were afraid everyone would laugh at you for, or going to that new independent coffee shop that opened up on the corner. Don’t force yourself to do anything that would cause you harm. Do consider that looking out for yourself and respecting those kind of boundaries are another way to confront and reduce that fear.
7. After nine days have passed, take the paper and review it one last time. How have you made progress against those fears? Did you learn more about yourself and what these fears represent. It’s okay if you are not able to take any steps against these fears. You know what they are now. Some things take longer than others to resolve, and knowing where these boundaries are is an important step.
8. Optional: Get ice cream because you are never too old for ice cream.

Modification: If it is safe to do so, after the end of the nine days, burn the paper as a purification ritual against your fears. Whatever small steps you have taken are steps of success just the same.