There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Tanja Andrews. She’s one of those rare magicians whose social presence suffers from her commitment to study and craft. Tanja is a Root Worker and Astrological Magician who busies herself creating potions and lotions and various other talismanic apothecaries under the moniker, Third Coast Mojo.
All this to say talktalktalking to Tanja is a real treat! And one, admittedly, I get to indulge in on the regular….
This month I had the opportunity to catch up with her shortly before the Lord of Time, aka the planet Saturn, made its ingress into the Astrological sign of Pisces. If you have no idea what I’m referring to a.) welcome to Astrology and b.) listen to our full conversationhere — and watch ithere.
As for Tanja, our meetup happened on the heels of her immersion from six long wintry days without power, where she had a lot of time to reflect on a lot of things. Hello, Saturn! Dark nights of the soul. Rejuvenating recipes. It was a juicy conversation, indeed.
“Tanja Andrews,” photo credit: Tanja Andrews
CV Henriette: This interview almost didn’t happen. You were without power for six days and emerged prepared to talk about “dark nights of the soul,” among other uplifting topics. What wisdom did you gain from your wintry descent and ascent from the symbolic Underworld?
Tanja Andrews: Looking deeply at what we take for granted and thinking a lot about where we have “power” in our lives and where others don’t. There’s so many people living without power in every sense of the word, and it makes life immeasurably more difficult. It’s always important to check our privilege and remember to help where we can.
CVh: You also mentioned “Nurturing yourself when things aren’t going well.” I’m hoping you have some advice to share on this topic. No doubt a lot of us need it.
TA: We all can find ourselves in survival mode when things go sideways, and it’s so important to give yourself some grace when this happens. Speaking gently to yourself and others, accepting that there’s going to be times where you won’t “be productive”, and finding ways to soothe yourself that are as healthy as you can manage. A warm bath, a nourishing meal, some time with a book that’s just for fun, or even just giving yourself some time to just BE, all can be powerful when the going gets rough.
CVh: Speaking of “nurturing oneself…” The Astrology of March! It’s hard to imagine that anyone listening to this hasn’t felt the slow creep of Saturn into Pisces or the tensions around Pluto’s ingress into Aquarius, the month’s two defining transits.
What are your thoughts on all of it? Make it make sense. Please and thank you. What else?
TA: While Saturn into Pisces is a big dignity drop, I think as a collective we’ve had plenty of helpings of what Saturn in its domiciles has to offer over the last six years! I think we’ll see a lot of dissolving of structures that have outlived their purpose, and a flowering of the fantastical and dreamy visions being brought into reality with Saturn’s influence.
As for Pluto? Everything has to be somewhere, and Pluto’s transits are soooo long that in some sense it’s just life. There’s always parts of your life that are transforming, and bringing the unseen or unacknowledged to the surface for processing and healing. For me personally, Pluto has been plowing over my ascendant for the last several years in particular, and part of that has been some really important work on sobriety and healing the ways that I numb out or avoid life. It’s not fun stuff, but Pluto can bring some important lessons.
“Come To Me oil by Third Coast Mojo,” photo credit: Tanja Andrews
CVh: In our coordinating notes, you mentioned “tips for uncrossing to improve your luck.” Do tell. How is one crossed, and how does one uncross?
TA: We all have those days where you spill your coffee, stub your toe, and your car won’t start. Sometimes a run of bad luck can have layers of causes—astrological, karmic, curses by ill-wishers etc. In those times, it’s a good idea to take some extra steps to clear your energy and protect yourself.
I love a nice spiritual bath with blessed sea salt, kosher salt, white vinegar, and some blessing herbs like rosemary, rue, or hyssop. Light a couple white candles on either side of your tub, and pour your bathwater over yourself, washing downward to carry away any negative influences. If you vibe with the psalms you can recite ones that are associated with blessing and uncrossing, or just earnestly speak from your heart and wish for any negative conditions to be cleansed away from you. Then drain the tub, save a cupful of the water to toss towards the rising sun, and watch the rest drain away. Air dry, if you can, and put on some fresh clothes.
CVh: Let’s talktalktalk herbs and spices. What are you working with this month? How are you working with it?
Chamomile is a super herb for sunny good fortune, and as a bonus, superbly calming for these turbulent times!
Star Anise is a fragrant spice that’s great for making your very own mojo bag or lucky charm.
Basil is a fantastic Jupitarian herb that’s lucky, easy to get your hands on, and ready to add good fortune to your cooking, floor washes, and magical powders
CVh: Finally—your business, Third Coast Mojo. For those who aren’t familiar with your work, talktalktalk to us.
TA: Third Coast Mojo is the result of my heartfelt interest in combining conjure/rootwork with astrological magic, with the aim of creating luxury planetary rootwork for every magical lifestyle. Oils and herbs are ritually blended at carefully selected astrological elections according to the principles of rootwork (African-American folk magic) and astrological planetary magic.
All products are crafted to the highest standards and are intended to allow anyone to bring a little magic into their life. The bottles are designed to be visually appealing and speak to the subconscious mind of abundance, blessings, and mysteries. Each item is intended to be a talisman; a charm speaking to the owner of their innate power, greatness, and worth.
For too many people, life is drab and mundane, slowly wearing you down into forgetting your miraculous nature. Third Coast Mojo's mission is to show everyone that, with a little self love and intention, they can unleash real magic in their lives every day.
CVh: And! What have you been working on? What’s available? What are we waiting for?
TA: I’m now offering custom blends based on clients’ birth charts and needs. Looking forward to sharing my passion for this gorgeous work on a more intimate and bespoke level with people who are interested!****
**** Shameless plug: I’ve been using Tanja’s oils for a long time, and the custom blend was an absolute game changer. Order yourshere.
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