November 2025

RETAILING INSIGHT November-December 2025

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Manifesting

CONTENTS Cover Image: Ysbrandcosijn

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05 Manifesting Discover how to manifest with intention in 2026

at the Speed of Wi-Fi: 08 Manifesting Are We Scrolling Away Our Power?

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Learn how to become more conscious and create a life with intention Manifesting Tranquility Find how you can decrease stress and increase tranquility in your life

Magic and Sales This 18 Manifesting Holiday Season

Turn your list into a team-building ritual this season Celtic Spirit Tarot: Reawakening 25 The Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times Explore how the cards can help you find guidance, inspiration, and connection in the Cards 28 It’s Invoking elemental and galactic energies to create abundance and reach your goals Mindful Ways to Navigate 2026 30 Five Find how simple mindful shifts can help you choose presence over productivity and protect your energy 2

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MANIFESTING T

he ability to manifest our dreams transforms them from a wish or hope into something concrete and real. It moves our desires from something vague and ephemeral into something solid and tangible. Here’s an example of multi-level manifesting: “Not only did I hope for, maintain a positive mindset, and visualize getting this new job, but I did my homework. I researched the agency, verified that my skill set matched the job description, and made sure I got a good night’s sleep and stayed well hydrated before the interview. I remembered to speak more slowly than I usually do when I’m nervous or excited, and the next day I got the job!” This is an example of manifesting in action at multiple levels of being.

We start with the thought, idea, or dream we had last night, then incorporate the energetic level, the spiritual level, the emotional level, the dreaming level, the physical level, and ultimately the active, concrete level. The move from an idea or dream into a concrete action step makes the dream a reality. Manifesting can also refer more specifically to a spiritual practice rooted in the law of attraction, where you use focused thought, visualization, and positive affirmations to bring your desires into reality.

In other realms—dreamtime, seance, spiritualism, and connecting with departed relatives—manifesting refers to making a ghost or spirit appear.

This can be moving and powerful,

especially when you manifest a visit from a departed relative or friend. A recent Pew research study found that 53% of those who lost a loved one reported a visit of some form after the death. It can happen within the dreamscape itself and in “dreamadjacent waking experiences” like synchronicities, déjà vu, signs and symbols, and the near-sleep zones of the hypnopompic and hypnagogic states. Carl Jung identified these liminal zones as the states of being just before we fall into deep sleep and just before we’re fully awake at the other end.

In all practices of manifesting, intentionality is key. Henah Velez, author and editor at The Good Trade, says, “As I’d come to find out, the practice

About the Author: Linda Yael Schiller, MSW, LICSW, is an international speaker on dreamwork, trauma, and integrated embodied spirituality.

Schiller is an EMDR- and energy psychology-trained psychotherapist and consultant with over 40 years’ experience, and a long-term member of The International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD). She is the author of Ancestral Dreaming (Llewellyn, 2025), PTSDream (Llewellyn, 2022), Modern Dreamwork (Llewellyn, 2019). She is a Professor Emeritus at Boston University School of Social Work. And with Simmons University, she has received awards for her original theory of relational group work and recognition worldwide for her teaching excellence. For more, visit www.lindayaelschiller.com

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(of manifesting) combines both dreaming and doing. Manifestation takes an overarching goal and breaks it down into more digestible actions and fewer limiting beliefs.”

The Stages of Change behavioral paradigm supports this process. Also known as the transtheoretical model, it describes how personal and behavioral change moves through several steps: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Some models include a sixth stage—termination. This aligns with our understanding of manifestation.

The vague “maybe I’ll do or go or create something” is the germination seed of pre-contemplation—we’re thinking about thinking about it.

To reach actualization, we need to move through the stages of change to actually manifest it in our world.

After “thinking about thinking about it,” we really examine the idea; we consider and ponder it. Next, we research, prepare, and gather materials. Finally, we take the action we’ve been preparing for. Then, depending on the project, we either continue to amend and maintain it or bring it to an end.

We can also use our nighttime dreams to help manifest what we desire in life, as well as to ask questions, gain knowledge, get health advice, and spiritually connect. Dream incubation is an ancient practice that involves spending time before sleep to journal your question, hope, or what you want to manifest. Write a few sentences or a few pages, but end with a clear question. The clearer you are, the higher the chance that the dream will be easy to understand and won’t need as much interpretive work or unpeeling of layers. In ancient Greece, the Temple of Asclepius drew seekers from far and wide to sleep in the temple and have priests and priestesses interpret their dreams.

The original practice involved releasing small non-venomous snakes to

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whisper the dream message in the seeker’s ear.

Luckily, modern dream incubation doesn’t involve snakes or trips to ancient temples. Make your incubation journaling the last thing you do before sleep, and keep your attention focused on your question as you drift off. In life and dreamwork alike, clarifying your goals and requests helps manifest them. Be specific— the more specific you are, the more

" We can also use our nighttime dreams to help manifest what we desire in life, as well as to ask questions, gain knowledge, get health advice, and spiritually connect."

likely you’ll actualize what you’re seeking. Then, in the morning (or in the middle of the night if you wake from a dream), write down the dream on the same page where you wrote your question. Spend some time with it. Dreams usually come veiled in symbol and metaphor. The gift of dreamwork is the gift of association.

Let yourself associate freely with the images, symbols, and characters in your dream, and see what emerges as related to your question. Share the dream with others—two or more heads are often better than one when unpacking a dream.

If nothing seems clear enough, try again. This time, make your writing even clearer and more specific. Here’s an example: I love to swim, but as I got older, the arthritis in my neck made turning my head to breathe really uncomfortable.

I didn’t want to stop swimming—it’s my favorite all-over exercise—so I incubated a dream to find a way to continue swimming without pain or discomfort. The simple one-liner dream I got in response was, “Swim like a fi sh.”

At first, it was a mystery to me, but I know dreams come in metaphor and symbolism, so I asked myself as I worked with the dream upon waking, “What does it mean—to me—to swim like a fish?” You need the personal if you want to manifest something for yourself, so I asked “for me,” not generically. I thought about fish, swimming, and when I’d swum with fish. It came to me—I’d swum with fish many times while snorkeling in the Caribbean, Florida, and Hawaii over the years. Without pain—because I wore a snorkel and mask each time and didn’t need to turn my head! That was it. Now, many years later, I still take my snorkel gear with me to every pool, pond, lake, and ocean I swim in, and it remains both a joy and my primary form of exercise.

THE NEW GENERATION

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MANIFESTING AT THE SPEED OF WI-FI: ARE WE SCROLLING AWAY OUR POWER?

By Roberta Gazzarolle, Publisher at Retailing Insight

Y

ou’ve set your intentions.

You’ve visualized your desires with crystalline clarity. You’ve even created a vision board—but here’s the twist: it’s a Pinterest board with 347 pins, and you’re checking it between Instagram Stories and TikTok videos about manifesting your dream life. Welcome to manifesting in the digital age, where the universe apparently has a username and your desires compete with push notifications for your attention.

For those of us who’ve been walking the manifesting path long enough

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to remember when vision boards required actual scissors and glue, the digital transformation of our practice presents a fascinating paradox. We’re more connected than ever, with access to endless resources, communities, and tools. Yet somehow, many practitioners report feeling more scattered, less grounded, and increasingly disconnected from the very source energy we’re trying to channel. So, what’s really happening when ancient manifestation principles collide with modern technology?

And more importantly, how do we harness digital tools without letting them hijack our power?

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has gotten diluted into something resembling cosmic Amazon Prime.

What Does Manifesting Really Mean?

Before we dive deeper into the digital dilemma, let’s anchor ourselves in what manifesting actually is—because somewhere between the Instagram affirmations and the TikTok success stories, the essence

At its core, manifesting isn’t about placing orders with the universe or manipulating reality through positive thinking alone. It’s a co-creative process of aligning your energetic frequency with the reality you wish to experience. Think of it as tuning a radio—you’re not creating the station, but you are deliberately adjusting your dial to receive it. This involves several interconnected elements: clarifying your desires from a place of authentic knowing (not ego), cultivating the emotional and energetic state of already having what you seek, taking inspired action when guided, and—critically—surrendering attachment to specific outcomes and timelines.

in consciousness, belief systems, and energetic signature. The external results are simply reflections of that internal transformation. You’re not trying to force the universe to bend to your will; you’re removing the blocks and resistance that prevent natural flow. You’re becoming a vibrational match for what you desire.

This matters because digital culture has flipped the script, making manifesting seem like an outside-in process—consume the right content, follow the right steps, post the right affirmations, and results will follow.

But that’s backwards. The content, the steps, the affirmations are only effective if they support genuine internal transformation, not substitute for it.

True manifesting is an inside-out process. It begins with internal shifts

The Original Zodiac

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algorithm may know what you want based on your behavior patterns, but it has no access to your soul’s true calling or your highest timeline.

The Algorithm Knows What You Want (But Does It Know What You Need?)

There’s something undeniably creepy, I may say, about how social media platforms seem to read our minds. You think about manifesting abundance, and suddenly your feed floods with ads for manifestation courses, crystal shops, and cryptocurrency “opportunities.” The algorithm has become our digital oracle, reflecting our desires back to us with unsettling accuracy.

But here’s where we need to pause and examine what’s actually happening energetically. Traditional manifesting teaches us that clarity of intention is paramount—we must know what we want and why we want it. The digital ecosystem, however, thrives on the opposite: it profits from keeping us in a perpetual state of wanting, scrolling, comparing, and consuming. Every “5 Signs Your Manifestation Is Coming” post, every success story screenshot, every before-and-after transformation keeps us locked in a loop of external validation rather than internal knowing.

The danger isn’t the technology itself—it’s that we’ve begun outsourcing our intuition to our feeds. We check what’s trending in the manifestation community before checking in with ourselves. We measure our progress by likes and shares rather than by the subtle energetic shifts we once trained ourselves to notice. The

another item on your digital to-do list, checked off mindlessly between emails? Are you engaging with online communities to genuinely give and receive support, or are you performing your spiritual journey for an audience?

The litmus test is simple: Does this digital tool leave you feeling more connected to your power, or more dependent on external validation?

Does it quiet your mind or fill it with more noise?

Digital Tools: Amplifiers or Distractions?

Let’s be honest: manifestation apps, digital journals, and online communities can be incredibly powerful.

There’s real magic in finding your tribe across continents, in accessing guided meditations at 3 AM when you can’t sleep, in having a scripting app that reminds you to affirm your desires daily. The digital realm has democratized access to teachings that were once gatekept or geographically limited.

But power tools require skillful handling. The same smartphone that gives you access to transformative breathwork videos also interrupts your meditation with a notification about a flash sale. The same online community that supports your journey can also become an echo chamber of toxic positivity or competitive manifestation—where everyone’s claiming to manifest six figures and soulmate partnerships while you’re still working on manifesting a decent night’s sleep.

We know that manifesting isn’t about the tools; it’s about the energy behind them. A manifestation app is only as effective as the consciousness you bring to it. Are you using it as a genuine practice, or has it become

The Instant Gratification Trap Perhaps the most insidious way digital culture affects manifesting is through the recalibration of our expectations around timing. We’ve become accustomed to instant everything—instant information, instant communication, instant entertainment. This conditioning seeps into our manifestation practice, making us impatient with the universe’s timeline and frustrated when desires don’t materialize at broadband speed.

Scroll through any manifesting hashtag, and you’ll find countless posts promising “instant manifestation” or “how I manifested my dream in 24 hours.” While rapid manifestations absolutely can and do happen, the constant exposure to these highlight reels creates an unrealistic baseline. We forget that some seeds need seasons to grow, that integration takes time, that energy needs space to reorganize itself in the physical realm.

This digital-induced impatience can actually sabotage our manifestations.

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When we’re constantly checking for results—refreshing our bank accounts like we refresh our feeds, analyzing every interaction for “signs”—we’re operating from lack and desperation rather than trust and alignment. We’re essentially telling the universe we don’t believe it’s working, which creates resistance to the very thing we’re trying to allow.

The antidote? Deliberate unplugging.

Create technology-free zones in your practice. Return to analog methods occasionally—handwrite your intentions, create physical altars, spend time in nature without documenting it for social media. Remember what it feels like to sit with desire without immediately searching online for “how long does it take to manifest X” or posting about your process for external feedback.

Reclaiming Sovereignty in a Hyperconnected World So how do we navigate manifesting in the digital age without losing our center? The answer lies in conscious integration—taking what serves us from the digital realm while maintaining firm boundaries around what doesn’t.

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#1 Audit your digital consumption with brutal honesty.

Does following 47 manifestation coaches on Instagram inspire you or overwhelm you? Does that manifestation discord server energize your practice or fragment your focus? Are you consuming content about manifesting more than you’re actually practicing it?

Unfollow, mute, and delete ruthlessly! Your feed should support your practice, not substitute for it. #2 Establish sacred offline time.

Designate specific periods— whether it’s the first hour of your morning or one full day per week—where you practice without any digital input or output. No manifestation podcasts, no posting about your breakthroughs, no checking your manifestation tracker app. Just you, your intention, and source energy. Notice how different this feels. #3 Use technology intentionally rather than reactively.

Instead of scrolling manifestation content whenever you’re bored or anxious, schedule specific times to engage with digital resources.

Treat your favorite manifestation podcasts or online courses like appointments with a mentor— show up present and purposeful, take what resonates, then return to your direct practice.

Finally, remember that the most powerful manifestations often happen in the spaces between our digital consumption—in the quiet moments of integration, in the seemingly mundane experiences that we might overlook if we’re too busy trying to capture them for content.

The Way Forward The digital age isn’t going away, and frankly, it doesn’t need to. Technology has genuinely expanded our capacity to connect, learn, and grow.

But for many of us, the real work now is learning to be in the digital world without being consumed by it—to leverage its tools without becoming dependent on its validation.

Manifesting in the modern age requires us to become more conscious, not less. More discerning, not more consuming. More trusting of our internal guidance, even when the algorithm suggests otherwise.

The practices that have worked for centuries—visualization, feeling into the desired state, surrendering to divine timing—haven’t changed. But our ability to access them has been complicated by a thousand digital distractions.

Perhaps the ultimate manifestation for our time isn’t a specific outcome at all, but rather the ability to remain sovereign, centered, and connected to source in a hyperconnected world.

When we master that, everything else flows naturally—at exactly the speed it’s meant to, whether that’s Wi-Fi fast or divinely slow.

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Manifesting Tranquility W

ithout having even met you, my spirit can already sense that you’re too busy. Am I right? (I also sense that you’re smiling at that last comment… well, at least smirking.) Why are we in such a hurry? Mother Nature isn’t. Look at the trees, for example. They don’t rush to reach their full growth. Yet we always seem to be racing against the clock. Ironically, I even found myself rushing through traffic the other day, trying desperately to get to my meditation group on time so I could be still and quiet my mind.

How crazy is that? I was in a hurry to slow down! And I’m supposed to be an expert on stress management?

(Oh, the irony. Sigh.)

You need only read the news to learn of the suffering all around the globe.

Or simply look at people’s faces in public — you can empathically sense their emotional tension. There’s such

a great need out there to find and hold onto tranquility. So what can you, personally, do to manifest a state of tranquility in your life, not only for your benefit, but also to improve the emotional temperature of those around you?

Okay, let’s start at the beginning. The first step is mindfulness. We need to become aware of what causes us to feel stressed and what triggers our anger. After all, we can’t expect to manifest tranquility if we’re upset.

Here are just some of the major stressors in our lives:

1. Family conflict.

2. Work disagreements.

3. Relationship issues.

4. Money troubles.

5. Environmental concerns

involving climate change/global “weirding,” pollution, high crime, problems with neighbors, and so on.

6. Geopolitical strife like war, overpopulation, starvation, etc.

7. Health problems such as illness, chronic pain, and chemical dependency, to name a few.

The following helpful suggestions are from Wisdom from the Woods and can be used to decrease stress and increase tranquility: –

Living a healthy lifestyle including moderate exercise, proper nutrition, good hydration, and adequate sleep.

About the author: Mark Langenfeld is the author of Wisdom from the Woods: A Year of Gentle Guidance from Mother Nature, published by Llewellyn Worldwide and releasing January 8th. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from Alliant International University in Fresno, CA, and teaches psychology at Northwood Technical College in Superior, WI. Dr. Langenfeld practices a hybrid blend of Paganism and Buddhism.

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Meditating and letting go of disturbing thoughts instead of clinging to them.

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Guided imagery such as picturing the relaxing, puffy, white clouds slowly passing overhead.

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Diaphragmatic breathing exercises.

Slow, deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to reduce tension and invite peacefulness into your heart. I feel the beneficial effects of diaphragmatic breathing starting with the first breath, and it only gets better from there.

When you’re feeling stressed, try taking four to six deep breaths.

Inhale slowly through your mouth as if you’re sipping air through a straw.

Hold your breath for four seconds.

Then exhale slowly through your

nose. Why through the nose? Because it slows down your exhalation.

Soon you’ll discover that whenever you need it, tranquility is only a breath away.

within you, too, because we are part of Mother Nature, not separate from Her.

Nothing is more rejuvenating and grounding than a stroll through the woods, in any season. You don’t need to draw a Magickal circle around you and conjure up woodland fairy spirits to manifest tranquility. Simply sit on a log or boulder in the woods, and the Earth Goddess will do the manifesting for you.

What if you’re not physically able to go into the woods? (Okay, fair question.) I assume that somewhere in your home, you have windows. If you can’t go to the forest, go to your window. Look up at the sky. Is the Sun God greeting you with rays of sunshine? Or perhaps it’s a cloudy day, bringing the land much-needed moisture in the form of rain or snow?

Can you see the trees, squirrels, birds, summer’s green grass, winter’s swirling snow drifts? Even if it’s freezing outside, can you appreciate Mother Nature’s beauty in the lacy frost around the edges of your windows? These are all manifestations of tranquility. Claim it!

The manifestations of tranquility are all around you — and already

Look to the loving care of Grandmother Moon. Basking in the

Here’s the thing: everyone on the entire planet needs to stay connected to the Great Earth Mother. If you’re physically able, get yourself into the forest for a hike. This will give you exercise and a mental health break.

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moonlight always increases my tranquility. Whether you’re outside or looking out a window, stand in the moonlight. Let Grandmother Moon stream her moon beams on your face.

Let her moonlight wash your soul clean of all the tension, bitterness, resentment, and negative energy. Just stand there and breathe. Breathe in love from the Universe. Let that love manifest tranquility in your body, mind, and soul. Then, breathe out any last remaining stress you may still have.

WHAT’S THAT YOU SAY? YOU WANT A HANDY EXERCISE TO HELP YOU MANAGE STRESS? TRY THIS: Pick up a dried leaf from the ground and hold it gently between your palms. Close your eyes and focus on transmitting all your stress, anger, bitterness, hurt, and resentment into that leaf. No matter what situation frustrated you or who hurt you, release your tension into that leaf, and let it go!

I suppose you can see this as a pagan type of forgiveness (in a way). If you think about it, forgiveness is essential for achieving peace — because how can you have calm in your heart when you hold onto resentful thoughts in your mind?

After you’ve emotionally placed all your negative energy into that dry leaf, step outside, scoop a small patch of ground away with your fingers, and bury the leaf. Say out loud, “As the leaf rots, so, too, does my stress and bitterness.” Then, with each passing day, be mindful that the leaf is slowly decaying. After about a week or two, you’ll feel in your spirit that the leaf is gone and so is your tension.

ONE MORE QUICK ONE. TRY THIS PRACTICAL MEDITATION EXERCISE TO HELP YOU MANIFEST TRANQUILITY: Imagine that you are a tree. The stormy winds may cause your branches to sway, but your trunk is sturdy. Imagine sinking your roots into the ground. This visualization will not only keep you centered, but it will also help you manifest tranquility by grounding your uncontrolled energies.

We may not have it all...but we have a lot!

Enjoy a virtual tour of our spectacular trove of treasures!

LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THIS FINAL THOUGHT: Some say the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. And it’s tempting to think that you can be more tranquil there. But, instead of jumping the fence, why not just water your own grass? Self-care leads to manifesting tranquility. Take care of yourself, and your tranquility will grow like the grass!

Email: jeff@raiderocks.com 4651 NW 6th Street Suite C Gainesville, FL. 32609 800-527-4367

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MANIFESTING MAGIC AND SALES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON The Holiday Hustle

T

he holidays hit like a freight train made of glitter and deadlines. One minute you’re unpacking pumpkins; the next, you’re knee-deep in snowflakes and invoices. Everything blurs — the phone rings, deliveries pile up, and your to-do list multiplies overnight.

Suddenly, you’re running a marathon in elf shoes.

If you’re lucky, you’ve placed your orders and mapped out promotions.

But even the best-laid spreadsheets can’t prepare you for the candle shipment that goes missing or the customer who insists your “Yule altar” should look exactly like Pinterest.

Then comes decorating: lights strung, displays dressed, glitter in your coffee (spoiler — it’s staying there). The moment the décor goes up, the space starts to hum. That’s when your store begins to cast its spell.

About the author Jacki Smith is the founder and owner of Coventry Creations, a pioneer in the world of spiritual candles for over 30 years. Her parallel journey in the spiritual and business world allowed Jacki to hone her craft of honoring the Business Soul. From books to podcasts, Jacki shares her experiences with the world. Her coaching clients rave about how she helps them find the soul of their business so they can create their ideal life. You can find Jacki on social media at https://www.facebook.com/jacki.smith.official, https:// www.instagram.com/jacki.smith.official/, https://www.threads.net/@jacki.smith.official

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Add community events — open houses, pop-ups, meet-the-maker nights — and your shop becomes more than retail. It’s a gathering place. That’s where your light really shines: when your store transforms into a refuge from the chaos outside.

But amid all that sparkle, the pressure is real. For most of us, the season decides the year. You’re counting payroll and prayers in the same breath, watching the POS like it’s an oracle.

Here’s the truth: chaos isn’t the enemy. It’s energy waiting for direction. And you, witch boss, know how to direct energy. So instead of being swept away, claim it. Turn your list into a ritual, your stress into motion.

This year you’re not surviving the holidays — you’re conjuring them.

The Joy Spell: Aligning with Your Staff Running a store during the holidays is equal parts enchantment and emergency management — with a little therapy thrown in for free. You can’t do it alone. Not because you need help at the register, but because the energy of your business is cocreated by everyone clocking in.

Staff dynamics are shifting. Younger workers guard their time; long-timers carry the weight of “how it used to be.” Everyone walks in with their own stress. You can’t fight it — but you can focus it. The goal isn’t forced cheer; it’s authentic alignment.

That alignment starts with you.

When you walk in grounded and clear, you set the tone. Begin each day with something intentional— a shared breath, a simple “Let’s make it a good one.” Calm leadership is contagious.

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Boundaries and Accountability (Keeping Joy Intact)

kindness. Keep it short and real.

Ring the bell. One clear chime seals the moment.

Joy doesn’t mean dropping standards. Accountability and kindness can live in the same sentence. Be clear about expectations, follow through early, and handle slip-ups with compassion.

Affirm together: “Together, we create a joyful season—one customer, one moment, one spark at a time.”

You can be joyful and still say, “That’s not acceptable.”

You can be kind and still hold the line.

That’s leadership with intention.

When everyone knows what they contribute—humor, craftsmanship, focus, grace—balance comes easier.

People rise when you let them name their strengths out loud.

Seal it with laughter. End with a funny story or a favorite customer moment.

Let the candle burn during the rest of the meeting. Extinguish it and place it near the register or in the break room as a quiet reminder of your team’s shared energy.

Relight it when tensions rise, and when you need a fresh candle, light the new one from the old flame—passing the magic forward.

Authentic alignment isn’t empty talk about “togetherness.” It’s a workplace where people feel respected and part of something that matters— even if only for one holiday rush.

The Joyful Alignment Exercise A short, simple team-building moment with a little Coventry-style magic.

How to Do It: Choose your candle. Pick one that fits your goal—Happiness, Stability, or Happy Home work beautifully. Light it safely in the center of the room.

Set the scene. “We’re heading into our busiest time. Let’s reconnect to why we do this—to bring light, joy, and care into people’s lives.”

Name what you bring. Have each person share one quality they add to the team—patience, humor, focus,

RETAILING INSIGHT November-December 2025

Set the Intention: Your Holiday Season Spell Once your crew’s in sync and your energy’s humming, it’s time to give that magic direction. Setting your seasonal intention isn’t fluff — it’s motion leadership. Before involving staff, get clear on what success means this year — not just numbers, but how you want the season to feel. Then bring everyone in to shape it.

Light the same candle from your alignment meeting (better yet, make this a continuation of the same gathering) — same flame, next chapter.

Share your vision. Be honest about goals and challenges.

Ask: “What do we want customers to feel when they walk in? What do we want us to feel when we lock up at night?”

Write the intention together.

Something like: “We create calm, joy, and community through every interaction.”

Post it. Read it aloud each morning before the first customer arrives.

This isn’t a memo from the boss — it’s a moment you all built together. That’s why it sticks. “An intention isn’t a slogan — it’s a living spell. Every time you honor it, you recharge it.”

Manifesting Your Ideal Customers Now send that energy outward.

The people who walk through your doors mirror the energy you project.

Manifesting isn’t wishful thinking — it’s culture. It’s the mood your space carries.

In the same meeting, right after you set your intention, ask your team: “Who are our favorite customers?”

“What brings them in?”

“What keeps them coming back?”

You’ll hear patterns — kindness, humor, curiosity, and appreciation.

Those are the fingerprints of your ideal customer. Weave them into your intention: “We attract customers who value what we create and joyfully invest in it.”

Speak it into the day: “We open our doors to customers who are kind, joyful, and ready to exchange energy generously — in spirit and in purchase.”

The Customer Gratitude Jar Flip the script on customer frustration. Keep a Gratitude Jar near the register. When someone brightens your day — with a kind word, a big purchase, or just great energy — write it down and drop it in.

At week’s end, light a candle in their honor and read a few aloud. Celebrate the good ones. Laugh about the sweet ones. Remember: most customers are genuinely wonderful people keeping your purpose alive. (If you light a prosperity candle while honoring them, you’re sending them wishes of prosperity and expanding your own prosperous energy at the same time.)

“Every name in that jar is proof that good customers exist in abundance — and that prosperity begins with gratitude.”

Energy Management Is the New Inventory Control The plan looked great. Then the rush hits — shipments are late, tempers flare, shelves empty. This is when self-care stops being theory and becomes survival.

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Energy is your real inventory. Track what you have, notice when it’s low, and restock often.

bubble baths and more like staying alive and effective.

Model daily resets:

“On-the-floor” Rituals that Keep You Steady

Play Energetic Tag — one person clears the air with a bell while another resets displays or lights a candle or incense to complete the shift.

Add humor and motion; laughter shifts energy instantly.

Take thirty seconds: hand on heart, deep breath.

“We’ve got this.”

If the room starts feeling flat, change something — the music, the layout, even the candle by the door. Fresh energy follows movement.

Keep tools close — a candle by the register, a salt bowl by the door, crystals in corners. When energy care becomes culture, flow follows naturally.

Inventory will empty out eventually, but the energy you cultivate keeps restocking itself — every time you choose to reset instead of react.

Self-Care Isn’t Optional — It’s Sacred You open the doors, close up at night, and fix the Wi-Fi in between. Most days, you’re holding the place together with coffee, tape, and sheer willpower. You built this business from grit and heart — but if you burn out, everything else dims with you. So treat self-care less like

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Breathe your brilliance. Inhale your own products — the scents you crafted, the energy you built.

Anoint yourself. Before a rush, swipe calming oil on your wrists.

Ground between customers. One breath. One reset.

Hydrate with intention. Mark your water bottle clarity or ease.

Move, laugh, stretch. Faster relief than caffeine.

When staff behavior tests your patience, take a breather. Step away, light a candle, and whisper, ”Breathe.

Don’t match the energy, redirect it.”

Boundaries aren’t cold—they’re sacred. They protect your peace and your longevity in this work. End your day with release. When the lights dim, light one final candle and say: “Everything I gave today returns to me in rest and renewal.”

Snuff the candle, not your spirit.

Burned-out magic doesn’t sell—but a rested, radiant owner? That’s the power people feel.

Gratitude & Generosity — The Prosperity Loop You steadied the current and stayed afloat. Now let it carry you for a while.

Prosperity isn’t just what’s in the till. It’s the current running through every act of giving and receiving.

Gratitude and generosity keep that current alive.

Start with gratitude. Name your wins weekly—a big sale, a kind word, a day that just worked. Gratitude points your mind toward abundance instead of exhaustion.

Practice generosity. Slip thank-you notes or tiny charms into customer bags. Treat your staff to a real lunch (seriously, a pizza party doesn’t count). Donate to a local cause that resonates. Every act whispers, there’s more where that came from.

Celebrate the season. Gather your crew, light a Prosperity candle, and read from the Customer Gratitude Jar. Remember the laughter and the faces that made it all worthwhile.

Then say together: “We’re grateful for every exchange, every challenge, every blessing. Prosperity flows to us, through us, and back again.” Prosperity isn’t a finish line. It’s a rhythm— and you’re the drummer. The season ends, but your magic doesn’t. It lingers in every heart you touched.

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The Celtic Spirit Tarot: Reawakening Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times Courtesy: Rockpool

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or centuries, tarot has been a mirror for the soul — a way of uncovering truths, accessing intuition, and finding guidance through life’s shifting seasons. From its Renaissance roots to its presentday renaissance in spiritual and wellness communities, tarot has remained a living, evolving language.

Each generation brings its own voice to the cards, reinterpreting them for the times we live in.

With the Celtic Spirit Tarot, author and artist Nicola McIntosh brings

forth a vision that draws deeply from the wisdom of the ancient Celts — a people whose reverence for nature, cycles, and spirit remains just as relevant today. This deck, with its 92 cards (more than the traditional 78), invites readers into a landscape where myth, magic, and the natural world interweave. At its heart is an innovation that sets it apart: an entirely new suit dedicated to the Spirit element — the fifth point of the pentagram, symbolising the animating force of all life.

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The Celtic Worldview: Living in Rhythm with Nature

forgotten. In a time of climate crisis, disconnection, and digital saturation, many people feel the call to return to a more harmonious relationship with the natural world. Tarot, when infused with this Celtic spirit, becomes more than a tool for divination — it becomes a path of reconnection.

The Celts lived close to the land, guided by cycles of sun, moon, and seasons. Their festivals — Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh — honoured the wheel of the year, marking the turning points of life, death, and renewal. To the Celtic mind, all of nature was alive — rivers had guardians, trees were kin, stones were imbued with memory, and the unseen world of fae and spirit was ever-present.

The Celtic Spirit Tarot invites readers to reawaken that sense of belonging within nature’s web. Each card draws upon symbols from Celtic myth, sacred landscapes, and the elemental forces. It asks us not only to read the cards, but to step into the story of the land, the cycles, and the spirit within us all.

This animistic worldview is something our modern culture has largely

The Fifth Element: Spirit as the Missing Piece Traditional tarot is built on four suits — Wands (Fire), Cups (Water), Swords (Air), and Pentacles or Coins (Earth). Together they map the energies of human experience: passion, emotion, thought, and material life. Yet, as creator Nicola McIntosh reflected, something was missing.

In the Celtic worldview, and indeed in many ancient traditions, there is a fifth element: Spirit, or aether. It is the breath that animates all things, the invisible thread that connects us to the cosmos, the Otherworld, and the divine spark within. Represented as the top point of the pentagram, Spirit brings balance to the other four.

By adding a full Spirit suit to the deck — complete with Ace through ten and four court cards — Nicola has expanded tarot’s language. These cards do not replace the traditional four suits but

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elevate the reading into a new dimension, guiding querents into questions of soul purpose, higher guidance, and connection with the unseen.

For example, while the Ace of Cups may speak of emotional beginnings, the Ace of Spirit reaches deeper — hinting at awakenings of consciousness or encounters with the Otherworld. The Court Cards in this suit — Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Spirit — act as messengers of soul wisdom, representing guides, ancestors, or even aspects of the higher self.

This addition brings the deck to 92 cards, making it one of the few modern tarot decks to expand the traditional structure in such a meaningful way. Readers familiar with tarot will find fresh layers of depth, while beginners will be gently guided into the mystical landscape of Spirit alongside the familiar elemental archetypes.

The Art of the Deck: Painting the Celtic Otherworld The artwork of the Celtic Spirit Tarot is where its soul truly comes alive. Nicola McIntosh is not only an author and Celtic shamanic practitioner, but also a visionary artist. Each card is painted with a fine balance of detail and atmosphere, drawing the reader into landscapes where the veil between worlds feels thin.

Sacred trees rise like guardians, Celtic knotwork weaves through the imagery, and mythological figures stand as guides. Animals, plants, and stones — all revered by the Celts — find their place in the cards,

reminding us of the deep interconnection between all forms of life.

the interconnectedness at the heart of Celtic lore.

Rather than simply illustrating symbolic meanings, the art itself is a portal into the Otherworld. Readers are invited not just to interpret the images, but to journey into them. The deck holds space for stillness, reflection, and the kind of imagination that the Celts called imbas — inspired knowledge flowing from spirit.

Using this deck isn’t just about seeking answers to daily questions.

It’s about entering a dialogue with the natural and spiritual worlds.

The deck serves as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms. A reading might guide you to honour a seasonal transition, seek wisdom from an ancestor, or explore where your soul is calling you next.

Working with the Deck: A Journey Through the Otherworld To work with the Celtic Spirit Tarot is to embark on a journey. Each card becomes a doorway into myth, medicine, and mystery. For example: The Major Arcana carry familiar archetypes like The Fool, The High Priestess, and The Tower, but reimagined through a Celtic lens — drawing on deities, mythic heroes, and sacred symbols.

Why Celtic Wisdom Now? We live in a time of immense change and uncertainty. Many feel a longing to return to roots, to practices that remind us of our belonging in the world. The Celts, though often shrouded in myth and mystery, left us a powerful legacy of cyclical wisdom, reverence for the land, and awareness of the unseen.

The Minor Arcana in Wands, Cups, Swords, and Stones (Pentacles) ground the reader in elemental experience, while the Spirit Suit calls the soul to expand beyond the everyday.

By weaving this legacy into tarot, the Celtic Spirit Tarot offers readers a way to navigate modern life with ancient guidance. It doesn’t ask us to retreat into the past, but to remember what was once known: that our wellbeing is tied to nature’s rhythms, that spirit is not separate from matter, and that magic is woven into the everyday.

The imagery often includes ogham or rune symbols, sacred animals, and ancient landscapes, reminding us of

In Nicola’s words, “The Spirit Suit was born from a spiritual nudge that the tarot needed to include what the Celts

already knew: that life is more than the physical. Spirit is what animates, guides, and connects us. When we bring that into the cards, we bring the tarot closer to wholeness.”

A Deck for Our Times The Celtic Spirit Tarot is more than a tarot deck. It is a call to remember — to remember the cycles of the earth, the whispers of spirit, and the magic that dwells in the spaces between. By honouring the Celts’ deep understanding of nature and daring to expand tarot’s traditional structure, Nicola McIntosh has created a deck that is both timeless and groundbreaking.

In these cards, readers will find guidance, inspiration, and connection — not only to their own inner wisdom, but to the wider web of life. As we navigate a world in flux, the Celtic Spirit Tarot offers a compass, pointing us back to spirit, back to nature, and back to ourselves.

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CaRddeckS

MANIFESTING: IT’S IN THE CARDS Invoking Elemental and Galactic Energies to Create Abundance and Reach Our Goals

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ometimes the hand that we have been dealt in business or personal life is neither helpful nor pleasant. We may plan ahead, attempt directional changes, or hope for the best, yet we are stuck in negative energies and outcomes. When these blocks continue to happen, it’s time to grab a new deck, shuffle the cards, and deal them out! Focus and create fresh possibilities with these manifesting decks.

ELEMENTAL SPELLS: DRAWING ON THE MAGICAL ENERGY OF FIRE, EARTH, AIR AND WATER

By Julieta Suarez Valente Published by Red Wheel Weiser ISBN: 9781590035832 44 cards, 56-page booklet $22.95

Valente shares the transformative energies of the Elements to focus your wishes into power and clarity. Each card is titled, with a small center artwork with instructions on working with the featured plants, animals, beings and planets. The full-color book showcases rituals, recipes and instructions for each card. Pagan customers will be enchanted with this deck’s magical assistance!

About the Author: Melinda Carver is a Spiritual Business Expert and an award-winning Author, Psychic Medium and Speaker. She has appeared on TV, radio, podcasts, corporate events, expos and stores. She is the President of the Church of Radiant Lights located in Cleveland, OH. www.MelindaCarver.com

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WISHCRAFT ORACLE: YOU ARE THE MAGIC

By Stacey Demarco, Illustrated by Elizabeth Tiethoff Published by Rockpool Publishing ISBN: 9781925946574 30 cards, 48-page booklet $19.95

Tiethoff ’s joyous artwork featuring children, animals and landscapes welcomes you into a magical realm where wishes come true. Each card features an affirmation or invocation to begin “wishing”. Demarco’s book introduces the card-specific activity to attune to the power and inner workings of wishing – the beginning of manifesting. Children and Young Adults will adore this great introduction to oracles!

MAGDALENE MANIFESTATION CARDS: CREATE ABUNDANCE THROUGH LOVE

By Danielle Rama Hoff man, Illustrated by Christine Lucas Published by Bear & Company ISBN: 9781591434801 44 cards, 224-page booklet $30.00

Hoff man introduces the 24 Magdalene Codes channeled from the Magdalene Midwives, a higher-dimensional collective. These 24 codes are shared to promote manifestation practices for your conscious evolution. Her instructive guidebook explains how to create vortexes, usage of the codes, and expanding energy. Lucas’ art features glyphs, lines, and Sacred Geometry. Lightworkers and Law of Attraction fans will benefit from this deck!

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TaKeFive 5 MINDFUL WAYS TO NAVIGATE 2026

By Roberta Gazzarolle, Publisher at Retailing Insight

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he world keeps spinning faster. Expectations shift, and the pressure to keep up can feel overwhelming. But what if 2026 became the year you slowed down enough to actually live it?

The coming year doesn’t have to be about chasing every trend or forcing yourself into someone else’s version of success.

Here are five mindful approaches to make your year genuinely meaningful:

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#1 Choose Presence Over Productivity We’ve been sold the idea that doing more equals being more. But productivity without presence is just exhaustion with a fancy label. In 2026, try measuring your days not by how much you checked off a list, but by how fully you showed up for the moments that mattered. That morning coffee before the chaos starts.

The conversation with your partner that went deeper than usual. The walk where you actually noticed the sky. These aren’t distractions from your real life—they are your real life.

Everything else is just the stuff we do in between.

#2 Create Boundaries That Actually Protect Your Energy Boundaries aren’t walls. They’re not about shutting people out or becoming selfish. They’re about recognizing that your energy is finite and precious, and you get to decide where it goes. Maybe that means turning off notifications after 8 PM. Maybe it’s saying no to commitments that drain you without second-guessing yourself. Maybe it’s acknowledging that you don’t owe everyone an explanation for how you spend your time. Protect your peace like it’s the most valuable thing you own—because it is.

#3 Embrace the Uncomfortable Space Between Who You Were and Who You’re Becoming

#5

Change is messy. Growth doesn’t happen in straight lines, and this year might ask you to let go of versions of yourself you’ve outgrown—old habits, relationships that no longer fit, stories you’ve been telling yourself about who you are or what you’re capable of. That in-between space, where you’re no longer who you were but not quite who you’re becoming, feels vulnerable and uncertain. Sit with it anyway. That discomfort is where transformation actually happens. The becoming is the point.

Nobody has it all figured out. Not the people with perfect social media feeds, not the ones who seem to have their lives together, not anyone.

We’re all just doing our best with what we know right now. So give yourself permission to not have all the answers in 2026. To try things and change your mind. To pivot when something isn’t working. To admit when you’re struggling. To ask for help. To be a work in progress.

Choose mindfulness over hustle.

Choose intention over obligation.

Choose yourself, again and again, in the small daily moments that actually build a life worth living.

#4

Let Go of the Need to Have It All Figured Out

Practice Gratitude for What’s Already Here It’s easy to focus on what’s missing— the goals you haven’t hit yet, the life you thought you’d have by now, the things others seem to have figured out. But while you’re busy looking ahead or comparing yourself to everyone else, you’re missing what’s already in front of you. Notice what’s working. The people who show up for you. The body that carries you through each day. The small freedoms you take for granted. Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is perfect—it’s about acknowledging the good that exists right alongside the hard.

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editorial

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2025

Retailing Insight Magazine is a bimonthly trade magazine specializing in the conscious living retail market. The magazine is published exclusively for qualified retailers and small independent businesses in the United States. Our mission is to share one on business advice, product reviews, advertisement from top sellers and makers in the industry, and exclusive topics to help business continue to thrive.

Editorial Roberta Gazzarolle Art Gisely Fernandes Digital Media & Sales adsales@retailinginsight.com Contributing Writers Melinda Carver Mark Langenfeld Linda Yael Schiller Jacki Smith

©2025 New Way Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 2372-7977.

Volume 39/ Issue 6/ November-December 2025. The magazine is published bimonthly/ six times a year (January, March, May, July, September, November) by New Way Publishing, LLC.

WWW.RETAILINGINSIGHT.COM Retailing Insight Magazine is published by New Way Publishing, LLC. Charlotte, NC 28220 circ@retailinginsight.com

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