Let’s Burn Our Shit!

Inaugural interview with author Lori Dyan.

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Hello my dear friends!

Greetings from the Romazzino in Sardinia, Italy. The island of Sardinia is absolutely stunning with the green rocky cliffs meeting the turquoise ocean and gorgeous villa estates peeking out between the mature trees.

I feel incredibly blessed to be on holiday with my family learning about different places, cultures, and ways of living. Today we visited some of the islands and swimming holes of the “Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena.”

While traveling through mid July, I will be sharing a view through my eyes of what delights me via the chat I created for us last week. If you have not yet joined, please download the Substack app and come check it out.

Alright, let’s jump into this week’s micro edition of my Little Black Book of treasures I am loving right now.

1. Burn Your Shit: The Life-Changing Magic of Rituals by Lori Dyan has finally hit shelves at our local and big box booksellers. I am extremely excited to introduce this book that my dear circle sister, Lori, also known as Tarot Lori, wrote. Lori’s 35 years of storied wisdom helps us discover what is possible (and the work that needs to be done) by providing step-by-step instructions to celebrate any occasion, tackle every challenge, and elevate our intentions. Yes please! Count me in!

2. I revel in the details. To me the details are what turn up the enjoyment level of all things. Pencils are a perfect example of something we take for granted, until you try a smooth, richly colored graphite Blackwing pencil. Every first draft I write begins by hand with my Blackwing pencil and my Esme journal. Yes, as a writer I may be biased about what writing utensil I use. But I do not think I’m the only one amongst us who appreciates the details. The little things are what make our lives special, alchemizing the mundane into the elevated. The scent of a candle burning, the pencil in our hand softly gliding across the page. Voila! Our space and experience transformed.

3. The Serpentine Sofa by Vladimir Kagan is what we decided upon for our living room. Our new home is architecturally linear to which we wanted to introduce softness through the interior design, balancing the masculine with the feminine. Yin and yang. Kagan’s Serpentine Sofa as the anchor piece of the living room with its curved lines does just that in spades.

Let’s Burn Our Shit!

Today I am excited to host an interview — my first ever interview for A Life Considered — with Lori Dyan, author of Burn Your Shit: The Life-Changing Magic of Rituals.

To kick off our talk, Lori and I start by chatting over video (included below). In our video, I ask Lori to answer the Pivot Questionnaire so that we can get to know a little bit about her. Lori also indulges me when I surprise her with a request to pull a tarot card for me!

Following our video chat, I’ve included a written Q&A where Lori discusses the power of rituals.

I’m so excited you all are here and I’m thrilled for you to meet Lori and to share with you her new book, Burn Your Shit! So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to Lori Dyan…

Lori, how did you come to rituals and tarot in your life?

I grew up in Calgary, Alberta and there was a psychic named Erica who was (and still is) a practicing witch. I was always interested in the metaphysical (horoscopes, mediumship, etc) but something about tarot resonated in a deeper way - it was like love at first sight! The idea for my book about rituals stemmed from the Full Moon ritual I do every month on Instagram Live, and I realized I had enough content for a full book after taking stock of the various rituals I've picked up over the years from a variety of sources as well as those I've developed on my own. Rituals have always played an important role in my life just as they have for every other human being.

Is there a specific ritual that has most shaped or transformed you as a person?

My Full Moon ritual has been transformational for me on a personal level because I've experienced the cathartic release it facilitates when something (or someone) is released energetically. Although I've been doing this Moon ritual for decades, bringing people together every month in a virtual coven has demonstrated how connected we all are in our challenges, fears, desires and dreams. Everyone feels more empowered after a Full Moon release ritual because you're becoming the co-author (along with the Universe) of your next chapter, rather than being a passive reader.

What is the most important thing(s) we should understand about the power or significance of ritual?

A ritual isn't magic (although the experience can feel very magical) and it can't guarantee a specific outcome. It can, however, support you in your efforts toward achieving your goals. That could mean improving your performance at work, easing anxiety, grieving a loss, discovering your purpose, or cultivating self-love. Rituals are the ultimate tool for discovery and productivity. Most importantly, they offer connection to self, community, and the Divine.

Do you have a favorite ritual and if yes, what is it and why?

I love doing New Moon rituals focused on manifesting. I've created the life of my dreams by having clear intentions, taking inspired action, and then letting life respond. People often repeat the New Moon Manifesting ritual that I lead every month on Zoom because it's so effective. I share certain tips to help you craft the ideal intention and identify the action that can be taken, as well as the secret that my witchy mentor taught me, all of which I detail in the book. 

Is there a ritual you recommend we all try at least once or incorporate into our life, and if yes, why?

Writing a letter to your future self on your birthday can be very powerful. You date the letter for the next birthday and document all of the wonderful goals you have achieved in the past (but really upcoming) year. Revisiting that letter on the following birthday can be extremely gratifying because you may not have reached all of your original goals, but you will definitely see how much you've grown over the past 12 months. Also, nobody has ever felt worse after doing Burn Your Sh*t under the Full Moon!

What is the difference between a ritual and a routine or a habit?

A ritual is a habit infused with loving intention. A habit becomes sacred because of the significance we bestow upon it. We're already doing rituals every day, whether it's standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, doing the wave at a baseball game, or blowing out birthday candles. Anything can become a ritual if you are intentional about it. The "what" isn't as important as the "why" (one person's coffee prep is another person's ritual).

How did this book come to be born?

I wrote a book about tarot and it landed me an agent and meetings with publishers. I met with HarperCollins a few days after the Full Moon and the editors had watched me lead the Burn Your Sh*t ritual on Instagram Live. They loved my approach to rituals - making them accessible to everyone and meeting people where they're at (i.e. from skincare to sacred geometry) - and from there I created a proposal for Burn Your Sh*t: The Life-Changing Magic of Rituals, which HarperCollins published on May 28, 2024!

What is the best way to reach you, learn more about what you do, or to book all things tarot with you?

The best way to learn more or to reach me is on my website at www.tarotlori.com. There you can also find information on booking tarot readings. And please come Burn Your Shit with me on instagram @tarot.lori.

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Well there you have it! Lori Dyan: Witch, Goddess, Tarot Sage, Circle Sister, and Dear Friend + Author!

Sending love to you all!

Xoxo ~ WRW

P.S. Please note, that I will not be recording the audio of my weekly essays while traveling, but will continue once I return. Thank you for your understanding!