Welcome to Mage by Moonlight!
My name is Celeste Larsen, and I am a pagan, witch, and lifelong spiritual student. On this page, learn about my spiritual beliefs, practices, and offerings.
My Spiritual Journey
I have been interested in spirituality and the greater mysteries of the universe for as long as I can remember. As a child I was fascinated with all things magical, and I remember attempting to perform spells as early as thirteen years old. During my teen years I explored New Age spirituality, and I was also drawn towards Buddhism and Hinduism.
In my mid-twenties, I experienced a three-year-long Dark Night of the Soul: a period of utter spiritual desolation, disconnection, and emptiness in which one feels totally separated from the Divine (source).
From the outside looking in, I was in a wonderful point in my life: I was newly married to the love of my life, we were living in our dream location, we were traveling frequently, we had good relationships with our friends and family, and we were both doing well in our careers.
As I told my therapist at the time, it wasn’t that I was unhappy; on the contrary, I was extremely happy with my life—to the point where I was terrified by the idea that my existence, and therefore my ability to experience this life, could all be taken away from me in an instant.
I became consumed by the inevitability of death and the concept of non-existence.
Each night I laid awake wondering if this would be the night when I wouldn’t wake up in the morning. I worried about car crashes. I worried about choking to death. I worried about contracting an incurable illness. Above all, I worried that this existence was utterly meaningless.
What was the point of this existence if one day I would be gone, and everyone I loved would be gone, and no one would be around to remember any of us? Existence seemed more cruel than anything else.
I remember the exact moment my entire worldview shifted. In an act of desperation, I visited my local metaphysical shop—something I hadn’t done in years. I purchased a double terminated amethyst crystal, laid down on my living room floor, placed the crystal on my forehead, and closed my eyes.
What I experienced during that meditation caused me to reconsider the beliefs I had developed over the years. It was the start of a long and colorful journey, and the beginning of my spiritual awakening.
What Do I Believe?
First and foremost, I believe that as humans, we can never have all the answers. To be a spiritual being means to never stop learning—which is how I chose the name for this website: Mage by Moonlight.
A mage is a practitioner of magic. More specifially, a mage is someone who achieves outcomes and acquires wisdom through supernatural means and lifelong occult study. Mage by Moonlight pays tribute to the moon’s role in my spiritual workings, as well as my commitment to continued learning.
That brings me to the core of my spiritual beliefs: that nature is sacred and divine.
My spiritual practices center very heavily around nature, including the moon, the planets, the seasons, and the earth itself.
For thousands and thousands of years, humans have followed the cycles of nature for survival, and turned to the skies when faced with the mysteries of life. Although we now have much more scientific knowledge than our ancient ancestors ever did, humans are still drawn towards the healing embrace of nature.
Have you ever looked up a full moon and felt its light lift your spirits? Have you ever dug your toes into the sand and instantly felt comforted and relaxed? Have you ever walked through a forest and fallen silent at the beauty and majesty of the natural world?
I believe that humans are so drawn to nature not just because nature is divine, but because we have the divine in us as well, and we recognize that pure magic in the natural world.
Yes, I believe that all humans are inherently magical and spiritual begins. I believe that we all have the power to tap into the energies of the universe and connect with them if we so choose, because we are as much a part of the universe as the ocean, the mountains, and the forests are part of it.
What Do I Practice?
In connecting with my spirituality, I have become increasingly drawn to the practices and beliefs of my ancient ancestors, who primarily came from Denmark, Germany, Sweden, England, Wales, and other countries in Scandinavia and Northwestern Europe.
As a descendent of multiple Northern European cultures, I choose to honor the shared beliefs of my spiritual ancestry in a modern context.
Unfortunately, historians have recovered precious little information about the specific religious practices of these ancient peoples before the spread of Christianity in Europe. What we do know is that from the Iron Age until Christianization during the Middle Ages, early Germanic peoples shared several closely related beliefs.
At the core of these beliefs was the idea that nature is sacred. Forests, bogs, and hilltops were places humans could visit to connect with the divine and speak to their gods.
In terms of a modern spiritual practice, here is what this looks like for me:
- Following and honoring the cycles and rhythms of nature, such as the moon phases and the seasons.
- Paying respects to the natural world, especially the land where I live. I try to spend time outside every day and appreciate the trees, plants, and animals on my property.
- Praying to and honoring the deities and universal energies I believe in.
- Upholding a regular practice of meditation, guided visualizations, yoga, and journaling.
- Remembering and paying respects to my ancestors, both ancient and recently deceased.
- Practicing simple, everyday magic to bring change and positivity into my life, such as meditating in the light of a full moon, lighting candles to send my intentions out into the world, and walking barefoot on the earth to ground myself.
- Committing myself to continual study of pagan religious and cultural traditions.
- Using tools such as oracle cards, crystals, and my handcrafted pagan prayer beads to tap into my intuition, inner power, and spiritual self.
On the Mage by Moon website, you will find musings and snippets from my spiritual journey and pagan practices, including my altars, rituals, celebrations, and crafts.
Pagan Prayer Beads
I first got the idea to begin making my handcrafted pagan prayer beads when I searched for a set of moon goddess prayer beads online, and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for. Making these beads has developed into an outlet for my creativity and an expression of my belief in the divine.
I now create pagan prayer beads not just for myself, but for anyone who seeks to deepen their connection to their pagan deities through prayer and/or meditation. My collection of pagan prayer beads extends beyond my own personal pantheon, and all sets are handmade by me in Austin, TX with the utmost care and respect.
Each and every strand of prayer beads features natural, high quality crystal beads. I prefer using crystals rather than glass beads due to the spiritual and metaphysical properties associated with crystals such as moonstone, lapis lazuli, aventurine, obsidian, and other stones.
Shop Pagan Prayer Beads on the Mage by Moonlight Etsy Store
An Extremely Important Note
Mage by Moonlight is a proudly anti-racist and anti-hate website. To be a contemporary pagan is to be an academic, and discrimination, tribalism and “folkishness” have no place in this belief system. Period.
Anyone can practice Germanic paganism (including Norse and Anglo-Saxon paganism), regardless of their age, race, ethnic origin, nationality, culture, disability status, gender / gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status.