Happy Friday the 13th! Yes folks, I said HAPPY!

Because why does it have to be so sad? So spooky? IT’S SPIRITUAL!

It’s a holiday! And with the collab of the new moon eclipse tonight and Halloween in 2 weeks, it’s going to be one powerful October! So don’t miss out on the magic because of the misunderstanding behind this day.

I’ve always been a spiritual person, but never really a superstitious one. I believe what you think you’ll attract is how the universe will react. So no, I always found it pretty silly that people think if they stepped on a crack on this day, they’d “break they mommas back.” Or that a black cat crossing their path is bad luck. Or the fact people won’t go out because they’re afraid their car will run out of gas or something misfortunate will happen. It’s all so funny to me.

Actually, I had a few birthday parties on Friday the 13th, and my black cat is sitting right next to me as I write this, and he’s offended.

As a matter of fact, Friday the 13th is feared SO MUCH, it’s projected that the economy loses $800 million every Friday the 13th, because people refuse to travel, wed, or even work on this day.

Even with the movie Freaky Friday, the show 13 Reasons Why, and the forgotten 13th tribe of the Hunger Games, pop culture and media have also jumped on the bandwagon and played a role in perpetuating the fears and stigmas surrounding the number 13 and Friday the 13th.

But why is it feared so much? Well, there’s a few reasons.

The first one is religion. It’s said that Judas was the 13th person at the last supper on the Thursday prior to the crucification of Christ (which happened on “Good” Friday the 13th). There’s also an even further back Nordic legend suggesting Loki, God of Trickery, was the 13th guest to arrive at a feast in Valhalla. He tricked another attendee into assassinating the God Baldur, so now 13 guest is considered “bad luck.”

And with the number 13 being associated with the Death tarot card, it’s no wonder the number 13 gets a bad rep.

Because people fear what they do not know.

There’s so much history tied into the date and meaning that it’s created fear regarding a number and week day that’s meant to represent faith and femininity. Friday is also known as Venus Day, named after the Goddess of love and the divine femme, Aphrodite. The number 13 was also historically representative of the divine femme because it was common to menstruate 13 times in a year, in correspondence with the 13 moon cycles. 13 means blood, fertility, motherhood, and moon cycles. The number is also used to worship the Norse Goddess Frigg who is interchangeably associated with the Goddess Freya. Speaking of which, isn’t it also ironic how 3,000 years ago, we followed a lunar calendar with 13 months and 13 constellations rather than an ancient Samaritan solar calendar system with 12 constellations and 12 months? Lunar is to feminine as solar (and the number 12) is to masculine.

And why did the men do this? Because they just “liked” 12 better 😑 They thought it was “cleaner.” That it was “more complete.”

And if you look around now, you’ll notice we have 12 months in a year. 12 inches on a ruler. 12 constellations. 12 days of Christmas. Hell, Jesus even had 12 disciples. Religion and chauvinism try to teach us good things end at 12. But I mean… if we’re going off the original Friday the 13th stigma that 12 should be the lucky cut off number based on the story of Jesus, I think it’s important to note that only 11 of Jesus’ disciples were faithful. So shouldn’t the number 12, this number representative of masculinity, be the one considered unlucky? (I’m JUST saying).

So when did 13 become unlucky? Was it when negative religious connotations came in colonizing Greek/Nordic doctrines with Christianity, or when mysoginy came in? My best bet is: blame both. At the same time.

Despite the hype and the fact it’s in the same month as Halloween this year, Friday the 13th really isn’t that spooky. On the contrary, it’s supposed to be a rare day meant to practice magic and manifestation. 13 in ancient Egypt was a number considered lucky. And in other countries, like Japan, the number 9 is the one considered unlucky. In China, the number 4 is considered unlucky, and in Italy, 17 is historically considered unlucky. In both the latter countries, their numbers sound like their words for “death” when spoken in their native tongue which is why they’re avoided. So each country has their own superstition for why they fear certain numbers.

If you ask me? It’s all pretty silly. Fearing a number, I mean. I don’t get it. And don’t get me wrong! I’m into numerology as much as the next bougie bruja, but as someone that’s into numerology, I also know that any and all angel numbers have the potential to be interpreted as wishes or warnings. Westerners might discriminate, but the universe doesn’t. However, the fact that we attack and crucify the most feminine number, on the most feminine day of the week, seems like a form of femicide in itself. Spiritual femicide. And it’s playing out in the physical word. It’s like we’re subliminally being taught to inflict self hatred based on masc perspectives. It’s the removal of femme culture because we are in fact our own culture. They changed it to HIStory. Westerners, specifically Americans, who are also the only people who genuinely fear the number 13, also enforced Christian masculine retorics on us to coerce us to believe only men can hold divine powers and responsibilities. They don’t teach us about Goddesses like Isis. Aphrodite. Athena. Artemis. Oshun. Yemaya. They call Goddesses myths and Gods truths.

But I mean… I’m not surprised. They barely teach us about the women hero’s that we KNOW existed. They demonize and degrade them. Like Cleopatra. They try to call her a killer and a coward. They didn’t see the warrior she was. Why can’t they say her name without Julius Caesar being in the same sentence? Or like Josephine Baker. They only see her as a sex symbol. They never talk about her soul or her sacrifice. Or Belle Boyd. Why do we only hear of the work she did when she was groomed into conservatism at an impressionably young age? She was only 17. I had to go on a ghost tour to her grave to realize there was much more to her story than what was being told. She was a confederate spy for 4 years, but a black rights and women’s rights activist for the rest of her life there after. So why do we only hear of the things she did for white men?

And let’s not forget about Salem, 1692.

But even now, stars like Beyoncé or Rihanna can’t even get rich or famous without being accused of selling their bodies or their souls. And ironically all to men. And even IF that were true, isn’t it crazy how they’re hypothetically agreeing men are STILL the ultimate problem? By being the consumers of what they deem to be self degrading?

Like the sex work industry. They all watch porn in the dark or they want a woman that’s as a freaky as a stripper, but then cry when women do pursue these careers or wear slightly revealing clothing. (Not ALL men, but a lot of em)

Anyway.

Women can’t even be successful without even being accused of secretly “being a man.”

It’s like they can’t process the thought of power and women without adding themselves into the equation. They’re so pumped on their false sense of virility and need to feel progenitively omnipotent in comparison to their other cis masc peers, it’s like they forget women are people too.

There’s definitely a war on women

And there’s a war on witches.

And there’s a war on women witches.

But guys what??

We gone win!

That said, I’m bringing the femininity back to Friday the 13th. So here are 13 wondrous witchy things you can do for all my bougie brujas out there who want to say “fuck the patriarchy” and reclaim our Aphrodite day.

1. Paint your nails pink then paint the town red

It is a Friday after all! I want y’all to have fun and get sexy! Who gives a fuck about a superstition? Go out. Have a drink. Go dancing. Have a good time. Maybe you’ll get some good deals at a bar or something since business can be slow on these days anyways. And who knows? Maybe you’ll meet the one while you’re out on this day and get lucky ✨ Plus pink is a color that represents Friday (Nicki didn’t name the album Pink Friday for nothing). How can a day associated with such a pretty color also be associated by such darkness?? That never sat right with me.

2. Cleanse Your Crystals

And your other witchy tools: tarot decks, scrying mirrors, dowry rods, and more. Sit it under the moon, especially tonight! This is the Friday of the new moon in Libra and solar eclipse. The energy will be amazing for witches. As a matter of fact, manifest that these tools help bring you confidence to contradict any fears that you were taught to have.

3. Wear Your Lucky Charms

If you’re still a superstitious girly, it’s okay! This one’s for you. Or maybe you just want to use this day to manifest which is cool too! So make sure you wear or carry your lucky charms. 4 leaf clovers, rabbits foot, rainbows, evil eye Nazars, stars, or elephant charms could all bring forth good fortune today! You could also carry a lucky coin (or wear your lucky socks/underwear/jewelry). And if you have some, eat some Lucky Charms cereal too!

4. Make Moon Water

And use it to manifest good luck! The day before, the day of, and the day after the new moon are very powerful days for collecting moon water. Let this water sit out for a few days then bring it back in. You can even let it sit out in the sun to absorb this solar eclipse energy. When you’re done, you can use it to wash your hair, dip your paint brushes in, to clean with, water plants with, and much more.

5. Do Something Daring

While everyone else is fearing today, say “fuck it” and do something new. Dye your hair a crazy color, or maybe even try a new cut. Go for the fire red or bright blue lipstick today! Who gives a fuck about “matching tones??” Try that new restaurant you’ve been eyeing for the last month. Plan a trip or an activity like zip lining or snorkeling. Listen to that song you have saved but have been skipping for the last year. Text that friend or family member you haven’t talked to and want to check up on, but have been anxiously avoiding. Tell that guy you like him. Because why not? Why is it so scary? This day is about power, not punking out.

6. Write a list of 13 things you’re afraid of

And next to that list, write a list of something you can do to combat that fear. Are you afraid of not having enough physical power or feeling weak? Well then, do a work out! Check out a kickboxing video. Go on a bike ride or run. Or even dance if that gives you strength. Whatever physical activity makes you feel the strongest. Are you afraid of death? Do something that makes you feel alive (see #5), honor your ancestors, make an alter, or add to your bucket list. Or are you simply scared of scary movies? Start small with like a Disney spooky movie (Haunted Mansion or HalloweenTown), just to warm up a bit. Then, I want you to work your way up to something more mild, like the first Poltergeist or Chucky. If you can make it to The Conjuring or Friday The 13th by the end of the night, I’d say you did a pretty damn good job at facing your fear.

7. Learn About A New Goddess Today

I’m not asking you to worship them, leave offerings to them, make them your new deity, or dedicate your life to them. But research a Goddess you relate to and just learn about them as a way to honor your divine femme. Who are they? What did they do? When did they live? Where did they live? Who worshipped them? What can you learn from them? How can you apply their wisdom to help make the world a better place? Who knows… maybe they’ll reach out to you with a message. Maybe this article was the calling that you’re supposed to answer.

8. Put A Spell On You(rself)

Use this energy today to manifest and practice magic! Cast a couple spells on yourself. Do some candle or fire magic by burning some bay leaves with your intentions written on them. Do some mirror work and say aloud everything you love about your body (the moon is in Libra after all). Whatever you do, make sure to focus the spells on you. Also, check out Pastel Spells and Basic Witches. These books have cute beginner spells that emphasize women empowerment.

9. Rest. Relax. Read. Research.

Sure, spells are important and magic matters. But in order to be the best bruja you can be, you gotta hit the books! You can’t be a witch unless you do the work. So grab a cup of tea, get back in bed, and open up a book you’ve been meaning to read. I don’t know about you, but it’s a rainy day here today. So if you aren’t going out to paint the town red, stay in and read instead. As a matter of fact, read your tarot/oracle cards too. Do some shadow work and write everything you learned in your book of shadows.

10. Clean Where Your Coven Convenes

Are you still feeling pretty superstitious and need to know how to keep the bad juju away from you? Then clean, clean, clean! Clean your home. Clean your room. Clean your yard. Clean wherever you and your coven (your fellow witchy friends) come to convene. There’s nowhere for bad vibes to run and hide if everything is in its place. Sweep every corner. Dust every shelf. And when you’re done cleaning, open your windows to be completely sure that negative energy is gone with the wind. Plus, it’ll give you some fresh air. Then spray the air with a spritz of your favorite flowery perfume to further embody your inner divine femme. Remember: Cleanliness is next to Goddessness.

11. Practice Protection

After you clean your room, you may want to cleanse your aura. This can help you practice protection to protect your home, your spirit, your dreams, and your peace. You don’t have to go all out and dance naked under the new moon with sigils drawn on you in mud or blood— but a simple egg cleanse could suffice. You could even burn some sage or take a spiritual bath with Himalayan salt as a means to protect yourself. Whatever you do, stay prayed up so you can stay paid up. Plus, it’ll keep people from trying to play with you (cause your power ain’t nothing to play with).

12. Remember: You have Pussy Power!

There’s a “u” in every “uterus.” Don’t let men make it about them! Fuck the patriarchy! You deserve to uplift yourself. You shouldn’t be ashamed of your body because a little boy tried to put it down. Embrace your pussy power! Don’t be afraid to publicly talk about your period. Periods are natural. Let’s break the cycle of fearing cycles. Also, indulge in self pleasure, and use your sexual highs to manifest. Do some keegals or yoga that specifically exercise your pelvic muscles. Massage your pelvic area with rose essential oils to give it some blood flow and keep it relaxed. Eat more fish to reduce inflammation cause by the secretion of prostaglandin (which causes cramps). Make a list of things you want in a sexual partner (and it’s okay to be picky! This is YOUR pussy— not theirs). Don’t let just anybody enter your temple. Make sure they pass some test (I’m talking STD test). You can also watch TV shows with strong feminine leads to get into your inner Goddess character. And leave him on read for a few hours while you read your brujeria books. Whatever you do, make sure you practice pussy power today.

13. List 13 things you’re grateful for

Being great is your fate! And how you get there is by being grateful. Worry about spreading more love! Don’t worry about hateful people or their evil eyes— the universe will poke them in it. Don’t worry about bad luck from breaking mirrors, accidentally spilling salt or splitting a pole, or forgetting to knock on wood. These are silly superstitions. Don’t give power to them. Instead, reclaim your (pussy) power and give it to your divine femme.