1. There is no “correct” sigil. If you find two completely different sigils that are supposed to mean the same exact thing, neither one is stronger or more effective or more valid than the other until an intent is put behind them.
2. Divination readings are not set in stone. You have as many futures as there are stars in the night sky. Imagine a giant wave is crashing over you, or a strong wind is pushing against you. You can either fight it or let it take you on its course, but you always have a choice. Use divination as a tool to see the wave coming and to even fight the wave, but do not use divination as an excuse to simply give up in an unfavorable situation.
3. Yes, herbs are real medicine. However, this does not mean you should simply abandon your medication for the sake of a seeming more “witchy” or “natural”. For instance, herbs can ease my depression, but they will never cure it. Herbs can soften some symptoms of my depression, but they will never be able to ease my pain as effectively as certain medication can. During the apocalypse or whatever, sure, take all the herbal alternatives you need. But for now, we live in a modern world and not all modern tools should be shunned. (You’re on tumblr right now, aren’t you?) Do not be ashamed if you need more mental care than just a handful of leaves to live comfortably. You are not any less valid as a witch.
4. You are magick, your tools are… well, tools. Don’t let anyone bully you for substituting your tools with something more creative if you can’t afford expensive or excessive witchcraft supplies. Quartz can act as a substitute for any other crystal in spell work. Rosemary can substitute any herb. Simple table salt can substitute sea salt. White candles can replace any color candles. Grimoires don’t need to be ancient-looking or leather-bound, plenty of beautiful Grimoires are made from three-ring binders. Sacrifices don’t need to be expensive either, you can make some simple cookies, draw a picture, or even write a poem. Just be creative.
5. Consent is a big deal and should not be overlooked. You can easily turn a spell or blessing into a hex or a curse if you choose to cast it over someone without their consent. For instance, in my opinion, love spells walk the very fine line between white spellwork and black spellwork. If you wish to walk on the lighter path, you may wish to cast a spell on YOURSELF for attraction, confidence, or beauty. Glamours would work perfectly for this situation. But on the other hand, without consent, you might meet with some resistance. If you do choose to cast a spell over someone else without their consent, they may try to battle it, which can be stressful situation having a spell come back at you. You may find that the outcome is not what you intended (like the old saying “be careful what you wish for”) and you might have a difficult time reversing it. You may even jeopardize the person’s lifestyle.
6. On that note, cursing is a topic of hot debate here on tumblr. It is up to each individual witch if they want to curse or not, and you should not let anyone else dictate what you can and cannot do in your practice. Just know that nothing in this world is without sacrifice. Be mindful of your craft, protect yourself, and be prepared to pay the piper when the time comes.
7. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in a sea of knowledge that’s offered on the internet, but be sure do do research before you put any practice into motion. Pay attention to closed religions. Does your spell or tool appropriate a culture that isn’t yours? It’s one thing to research and admire another culture’s practice, it’s another to cherry pick the “cool” parts of a culture that isn’t yours. Be thoughtful of the terms you use. Chances are, when referring to your own practice, you probably shouldn’t be saying “smudging”, you should be saying “smoke cleansing” or “censing” or even “saining”. You probably shouldn’t be saying “voodoo dolls”, you should be saying “poppets”. You probably shouldn’t be saying “rosary”, you should be saying “prayer beads”. This isn’t simply “to-may-to, to-mah-to”, this is respect for other human beings and their journeys.
8. You do not have to speak in order for a spell to be effective. Many witches actually prefer not to say anything at all. Some can write it down, some can focus enough that they only need thought and their will.
9. Don’t get in a rush to find out what “type” of witch you are. Lots of witches don’t like to limit themselves to labels, while others may take pride in certain specialties. But those titles came with a lot of work and chances are those witches experimented in a lot of branches of witchcraft until they found their “place”. Be patient, enjoy the journey. And don’t forget that it takes both time and effort to be good at anything, includingwitchcraft.
10. Take everything with a grain of salt. Even this post. Not everything you read is true. Not everything that’s true is applicable for your situation. Your craft is exactly that, your craft. And no one can take that away from you.
Ever since I can remember I’ve had really bad nightmares. Eventually as I got older, it got to this point where I had developed insomnia and anxiety associated with sleeping. It sounds so dumb, because sleeping is a super basic natural function so why was it so stressful?
Over the years I learned a lot about sleeping, how humans are designed to sleep and how stress, trauma and anxiety can lead to problems getting a good nights sleep. I also learned how unproductive people are simply because we are tired all the time.
I first ran into this chant reading an article that interviewed a spiritual medium. I am no medium, I do not communicate with spirits on the reg nor do I help people talk to their dead relatives. However, the chant still really helped me put up some barriers when trying to fall asleep.
The chant isn’t really a ‘chant’ but a series of visualizations that I throw up right before I go to sleep. It takes about a minute and I never forget to do it.
Before you fall asleep, while you are laying in bed with your eyes closed, say this:
I ask my spirits and guides to watch over me and keep me safe when I sleep.
I ask for protection from all ghost, demons, spirits, negativity and anything else while I sleep.
Now imagine in your mind a bright white circler of protection around your room keeping you and wherever you are sleeping inside safe.
That’s pretty much it. Super easy. Feel free to modify it in anyway that works for you. (The original chant was different but I changed it to work for me.)
Sometimes I also picture a massive ‘gate’ and close/lock the gate to lock out anything I don’t want in my head or dreams while I’m sleeping. This is also super effective.
In addition to this chant I also sleep next to a hunk of Black Tourmaline and a Selenite, but work with whatever crystals vibe with you.
In the end I don’t know if it’s really ghost keeping me up at night, or just the ghost of my own stress and anxiety manifesting in the creepy-ness. Like I said I am not a medium so I don’t play in that space. But regardless this simple chant has helped me for YEARS so I wanted to share it.
*Note sleep disorders are serious business, in no way is this advice to be taken in precedence of a doctor. If you are seriously suffering from insomnia or anxiety please seek out professional help. This chant is only meant to aid in sleeping or getting a good nights rest, not a cure for a serious medical condition.
When I first started reading tarot I had all these reservations and newbie mistakes that I sometimes made for YEARS. Don’t be like me, learn how to read tarot, be confident and understand that the good comes with the bad. And you’ll be an expert tarot reader in no time.
Tarot is a tool for YOUR intuition - I don’t know why, but this really didn’t resonate with me right away. I would second guess, re-read, and not use my intuition when interpreting the cards. In the end that cause some really inaccurate readings then if I would have just used tarot as a tool to grow my own intuition and spiritual feeling.
Don’t stress read - I know I know we all do it. Madly shuffle the cards then start pulling whenever things start to go array. Let me be the first to tell you that is not an accurate reading. That is just you stressing out pulling cards in a fury that will only lead to more stress.
Take time to meditate and clear your mind beforehand - Don’t come into a reading with a cloudy head. If you really want to get a good read, spend a few minutes clearing your mind before you shuffle your deck.
There are no bad readings - I repeat, there are no bad readings. Even horrible tower falling outcomes are just the start to something new and better. If you do get an outcome from a tarot spread that is less than favorable breath and take it one day at a time.
There are also no bad tarot cards - Just like there are no bad readings, there are no bad cards. Endings are just beginnings in reverse. So even if your BFF is stabbing you in the back with the 5 of Swords, don’t worry it’s just your spirits getting rid of them for you.
Get to know your decks beforehand - Each deck sometimes has a little personality. Spend some time with them, know them, see how they read for you before you jump in with all the important stuff.
Meditate with cards you feel drawn towards - Do you really vibe with the High Priestess? Or maybe it’s The Hermit for you. These cards could be your archetype. Pull them out, meditate, feel their answers and seek guidance from them.
Take breaks from reading - I am a huge advocate from taking a break from tarot. Sometimes you need to change it up, put it down or just step away for a few days or a year. Whatever it is take time away if and whenever you feel the need to.
Use tarot as a tool for manifesting - Ask questions, lots and lots of questions about different outcomes. If you don’t like the outcome, change your question or change your mind and ask again. Once you get the desired results stick to it.
Don’t read for free, but practice - I see so many new tarot readers reading for free online. Don’t do it! Your time is precious and if someone wants a free reading, they can lean it themselves.
Don’t skip knowing your shadow self in a reading - One of the best things you can do is learn exactly who you are, and you can’t do that without knowing all the parts of yourself you’ve rejected. Use the tarot to get to know yourself in the shadows too.
The cards never lie - Never. Ever.
Reshuffling won’t bypass a reading you didn’t like - Don’t get yourself trapped into ‘clarity’ cards. That’s shuffling and asking the same question again and again for clarity, or until you get the answer to the question you want. Sure ask for clarity ONCE when you don’t really understand, but don’t ask again and again just to see what you want.
Don’t wait to start tarot - If you feel called to read tarot, start now! You don’t have to wait for someone to gift you a deck (who started that bad rumor anyway?!)
Confidence is key - This also took me a long time to ‘get’. Read with confidence. You are a badass witch. You have stepped outside to do so much spiritual growth, why would your card reading reflect any different?
Your tarot reading is not the end all be all - Tarot is subjective, not prophecy. So change your mind and change your future. Nothing is set in stone.
Candles are of course a witches go to. Almost every spell, ritual or cleanse calls for at least a candle or two to help elevate the energy. It’s something about even lighting the candle in the first place that starts setting the mood. Think about a birthday cake, you light the number of candles according to how old you’re turning, make a wish, then blow them all out. I don’t care what anyone says, that’s totally a spell.
If you’re new to Witchcraft and want to sort it all out, follow the guide below. I didn’t really intend on writing this much on candles, selling as there is already so much information available on the subject, but I just started to roll with whatever I was thinking.
Types of Candles
Pillar Candles - These are thick round candles that can usually stand on their own. They come in any range of colors and sometimes scents. Pillar candles in my experience are used as a sort of decoration or just an altar candle. I’ve seen altars or spaces decorated with lots of different height pillar candles dripping everywhere. It makes for an amazing aesthetic. If you are using Pillar Candles, place a coaster or heatproof glass on the bottom of your candle to protect the surface you are burning the candle on.
Mini Spell Candles - These candles you’ve probably seen at any local mystical or witch shop. They come in a range of rainbow colors and are larger than a birthday candle but smaller much smaller than a Pillar Candle. Mini Spell Candles are definitely a staple in many witches’ cabinets, and oftentimes witches (like myself) keep several in every color just in case. When a spell asks for a certain color of candle, they are usually referring to these. The best thing about these candles is that they are pretty inexpensive, and you can grab a bunch in any color for all your spell casting needs.
Candles in Shapes (like a man or woman or skull) - These candles are more specific. They are sometimes used to target a specific person or even just yourself. The shape or figure of the candle can represent your target in a more personal way. These candles can be used for a wide range of reasons and come in a variety of colors to suit any spell working.
Tea Lights - I’m a Tea Light advocate. I know they’re not very witchy, but you can grab a bag at any dollar store and use them for everything. I like to use them to line the bathtub for any ritual baths, decorate my altar, and even carve intentions on them or symbols and burn them for small spells. I also use Tea Lights for tarot readings and any sort of Divination. The versatility of these little guys is what makes me a Tea Light fan.
Votive Candles - Votive candles to me are glorified Tea Lights. They are small sort of fat Pillars and need to be encased in a glass votive. Hence, the name. I haven’t seen too many of these in very specific colors but I do have a bunch on hand in case. Just like the Tea Lights, you can purchase these at a discount store and are generally not very expensive.
Knob Candles - I’ve only used knob candles a couple of times. You can recognize them by their specific look, they literally have seven or so knobs on them. The intention for this is that you cast the spell and burn one knob a day. Be warned the knobs take forever to burn, so make sure you have enough time to babysit this guy each day.
7 Day Candles - 7 Day Candles are sort of like the knob candle, however they are tall candles that come in a glass vase. These candles are generally poured, and sometimes the glass has decoration on it according to it’s intention. You can purchase these ‘fixed’ or charged with intentions like luck or money, and they come in a variety of colors. You can also purchase these white and create your own intentions by decorating the glass vase yourself and adding your own oils and herbs to the candle.
Dipped Candles - These are what I think of when I think of original old school candles. They sometimes come in a pair with the wick connecting the two candles. Dipped candles are usually crafted by a candle maker, and if you find a witch who dips and sells her own candles you’re in luck!
Tall Candles - Tall candles are your basic candles that people used to have out on their dining room table in brass or metal candleholders. I think most people use them for decoration, but you could add them to your alter or spells. I don’t typically use them for whatever reason.
Candle Color Meanings
White - White is used for cleansing, new beginnings and fresh starts. White can also be used for clarity and divination.
Black - Black absorbs negativity, so I’ve always used it to get rid of negativity, protection, or banishing.
Blue - Blue is tranquil. Use blue candles in your spell work for focus, peace and wisdom.
Orange - Orange is a bright and happy color. It brings out joy, stimulates energy and attraction. (The manifesting kind, not the lover kind.)
Yellow - Yellow is more of a breaking blocks kind of color. It also brings confidence and new ideas to the table.
Pink - Pink is all the things like love, passion, self-love, happiness and even romance.
Purple - Purple is more of a regal color and with it comes meditation, connecting to your spirits, and intuition.
Green - Green is all about money, success and prosperity. It attracts wealth and abundance.
Red - While pink is the color of romantic love, red is straight up passion and power. Increased energy and courage.
Gold - Gold is the masculine color and can bring about success and abundance. I like to use gold for money too.
Silver - Silver is the feminine version and is more about connecting to the goddess. Silver is used for deepening your spiritual connection and developing psychic abilities.
Crystals are an amazing way to start your witchcraft journey. They are perfect atmosphere cleansers, help protect and can even amplify your psychic abilities. Although everyone is drawn to different crystals for their own reasons, these are always my go-to favorites and I always highly recommend them to newbie witches.
1 - Clear Quartz The OG of crystals. This clear white stone is like the grandmother of crystals. It can replace ‘almost’ any stone in a spell and is a good all around healer, protector, cleanser. If you need to start your crystal collection, start here.
2 - Rose Quartz One of my all time favorites. Not only is this pink stone gorgeous to look at, it has amazing self love properties. I find that it helps open you up to accepting and being kinder to yourself. I always have one on my altar to remind myself that I love myself above all else.
3 - Black Tourmaline This is not the stone for everyone. If you want to try it out I recommend buying one and sitting around with it for a few days and seeing if you jive with it or not. If not, no worries replace with a Black Obsidian ideas. But if you do feel like you are bonding with your Black Tourmaline it’s perfect for keeping spirits away, bad vibes and a whole bunch of other not great stuff.
4 - Moonstone I love a good Moonstone. This beautiful iridescent stone helps me feel connected to The Goddess and all things divine feminine. I always keep one next to my altar and when I do tarot readings to help me connect to my higher self and guide my intuition.
5 - Amethyst Another OG rockstar. This purple stone is fabulous for so many things. A great protector this stone will keep you safe in any situation. It’s perfect for having around your home because it’s so pretty and it keeps the space cleansed and safe.
6 - Citrine This orange stone sometimes gets overlooked but it has great properties. Abundance, growth and energy are all in here. I keep one around to make sure things are flowing and I’m growing at the same time.
7 - Selenite This crystal usually comes in a sort of tower form. It’s a light pink but looks completely different then a Rose Quartz. It’s perfect for people who struggle with insomnia or who are restless and need guidance to find their inner peace. I always keep one in my space to instill a calmness in the room.
8 - Tigers Eye This one was one of my very first favorite stones as a kid. I could not get over the shiny orange/gold stripes mixed with brown sides. It’s still one of my favorites. It’s the perfect stone to help you focus and get rid of any fear and anxiety.
9 - Smoky Quartz A darker, richer brown tone than it’s sister clear quartz, this stone is amazing at dispelling any negativity. I actively use this crystal when cleansing my tarot or tools or just wanting to rid the space of any bad vibes.
Cleansing:Cleansing is removing any negative or unwanted energy You can cleanse your altar, your tools, a room, your house, your self, etc.
Some ways to cleanse are burning incense, sprinkling salt around a room, burying the object in the ground, hold it under running water, visualize all the negative energy leaving the space/object, ring bells, soak it in saltwater, banish negative energy by sweeping with a besom, run it over a candle flame, bury it in a bowl of salt, and leave it in the sunlight for a few minutes. Be careful though. Don’t put toxic crystals in water, bury objects safely, and be careful with fire (obviously).
Charging:Charging is empowering something with energy or intent.
Some ways to charge are putting the object/tool in the sun/moon, put it next to a living plant/herb and let the object absorb some of its energy, put a crystal on the object, use your own or the earth’s energy, or run it over a candle flame.
Using Crystals: Use them for Meditating, grounding, cleanse them, spellwork, carry it for good luck or other intentions, spell jars, scrying, charge something with the crystal’s energy, charge it with your energy and intention, and use it for spell oils (make sure it’s safe to use, some crystals are toxic when exposed to liquid)
Storing Crystals: You can place them on your altar, carry them on your person, put them in your car, if they’re jewelry you can wear them (duh), charge them with your intention and put them under your pillow, and place them in different places around your house.
Buying Crystals: Crystals can be found online and at Witchcraft shops. I’ve gotten all of mine off of eBay. If you buy them at auction, and they go for a low bid, the seller may not send them. That’s happened to me a few times.
If you have an interest in or are striving for something, like psychic abilities or prosperity; you can research crystals that correspond to.
Thank you for reading this and have a magickal day ❤❤
Element: Water (personally I feel that fire is more connected to Mabon because summer is coming to an end and it’s going out in one final blaze of glory. But you do you )
Symbols: Acorns, Pinecones, Cornucopias, Wine, Dried Seeds, Leaves, Apples, Crops, Pomegranates, Sun Wheels, Fowers, Ivy, and Rattles.
Altar Decor: Leaves, Acorns, Colors (yellow, red, orange, and brown) Cornocopias, Baskets, Fresh or Dried Apples, Pumpkins, Corn Dolls, Seeds, and Ivy.
Colors: Red, Brown, Orange, and Yellow.
Incense:Sandalwood, Cinnamon, Apple, Frankincense, Sage, Oak, Clove, Rosemary, and Cedar.
Spells and Rituals: Do spells/rituals involving balance and ending projects or controversy. Mabon is a great time for ending things and finding balance.
Some Mabon Gods and Goddesses: Thor, Modron, Mabon, Bona Dea, Hermes, and Bacchus.
Mabon Activities: Take a walk outside and gather herbs, berries, and leaves. Don’t hurt the plants though (obviously). — Have a feast. Good foods and drinks to have at Mabon are fruits, berries, bread, wine, and apple cider. — Make a wreath out of vines. —Make a Bessom.—Create a Mabon altar. —Research the lore and history of Mabon. —I do autumn related things, in general, to get into the spirit of Mabon. — Think about all of the blessings in your life and the things you want to change. Mabon is kinda like the witches’ Thanksgiving. —Prepare for the dark half of the year.
When is Mabon? This year, Mabon is being celebrated from the 21st of September - the 29th. So there’s plenty of time to celebrate! Thank you for reading this and have a magickal Mabon, everyone! ❤❤
Edit: And just a reminder, witches can celebrate Mabon too :)
They Symbolize:Good luck, potential, abundance, endurance, growth, and security.
Magickal uses: Can be placed on your altar for good luck. — You can wear an acorn necklace for good luck and a “youthful glow”.—If you carry an acorn with you, it will protect you from bad weather and illness.— Put an acorn on your windowsill to protect you and bring positive energy into your home.
Facts: When witchcraft was illegal, witches wore acorns as a necklace so they could identify each other as practitioners.—Only mature Oak trees can produce acorns. —They can be eaten and used in tonics, potions, and tea after a boiling process. Be very careful though.
Step One: You could find a stick lying on the ground or pick a very small branch from a tree. If you do the latter, I would recommend that you form a bond with the tree, ask for its permission beforehand, and leave an offering. You could also choose a wand from your birth tree or from a tree you have a connection to. You also shouldn’t kill or seriously harm a tree for a wand.
Step Two: Now for the fun part! When/if your wand is dried, you can remove the bark and decorate it. You could paint sigils on it, put crystals on the end(s), carve in symbols, wrap wire around it, etc. Get creative!
Step Three: You should cleanse your wand of any negative energy it might’ve picked up. You could cleanse it by running it through incense smoke, placing it in a bowl of salt overnight, ring a bell over it, smudge it with herbs, place it in sunlight for a while, or burying in the ground. Just be careful with the last one though.
Step Four: Remember; your wand doesn’t make energy by itself; you need to charge it. Your wand is an extension of the energy it was charged with. You can charge it with crystals, your own energy, sunlight, moonlight, herbs, gods and goddesses, soil, planets, and smoke.
Some Witches and Wiccans don’t use wands, so if you don’t feel connected to the tool you don’t have to have it. That goes for all tools, don’t let anyone tell you how to practice.
I hope you had a great Yule and a merry Christmas!
Even though New Year’s Eve is not part of the witches’ sabbats, or the pagan’s wheel of the year, many witches still decide to celebrate December 31st. Here are a few ideas to make this night a bit more witchy and magical…
Make New Year’s resolutions, and note them in your grimoire or book of shadows. Draw magical sigils to ensure strength and success.
Use kitchen witchcraft to infuse all your ambitions and good intentions for the new year into baked goods and NYE cocktails.
Make a 12-card Tarot spread, to reveal what you should focus on every month of next year.
Practice candle magic by lighting a white candle, which represents purity and new beginnings, at midnight and whispering your hopes for 2021 to the flame.
Write a letter to your future self, to open next New Year’s Eve, as a way to reflect on what you hope to happen within the year. You can write a physical letter or use FutureMe.org.
Be loud! Make as much noise as possible, especially at midnight, to scare away bad energies for the new year.
Open windows and/or doors at midnight, to let the old energies of 2020 go, and to bring in new and positive intentions.
Just about every religion incorporates sacred objects into its observance and practice. Whether it’s special vestments worn by religious officiants, statues of deities honored at shrines, candles, amulets, chalices or other symbolic items, people have been creating and utilizing physical artifacts—or “tools”—in order to create and maintain spiritual energy and focus in their ritual practices.
Athame: Used for directing energy and casting rituals
Wand: Used to direct energy and casting circles
Chalice: Used to hold ceremonial drink
Boline: Used for rituals and harvesting/cutting herbs
Incense: Used to cleanse
Censer: Used to burn incense pods
Scourge: Was used to whip witches as initiation into covens but now is used in some ritual poses by the Priestess and Priest when they do the “Osiris” pose with their arms crossed in front of their chests holding the athame and the scourge.
Cingulum: Used like a belt, can symbolize ranking via color, but is mainly used to measure the circle for casting
Besom: Used to sweep negative energies
Cauldron: Used to burns herbs and incense, can be used to make spells
Jewelry: Used upon intention, ex. pentacles on necklaces for protection and ring magick.
Spear: Used as a ritual tool for Odin
Stang: Used for directing energy and assistance on spiritual path
Bell: To stop and start a ritual
Offering Dish: Used to offer our offering to our deities
Hat: Symbolizes the witch herself and her knowledge, fedora like hats are used more often to give off the same look
Crystals: Can be used for healing and magick, each crystal has a different property
Oils: Used for spells and baths
Resin: (Pine) used to wake the circle
Mortar and Pestle: Used to grind up herbs
Rune Sticks: Used by oracles, usually thrown and read
White Stick: Grants invisibility and protection
Silver Spoon: Used to dig up dirt
Scrying Mirror/Bowl: Used to receive visions and messages
Gazing Ball: Used to scry as well
Hollow Glass Orbs: Used to ward off the home of witches spells, evil spirits, and ill fortune
Pendulum: Used for divination
Witches Spoon: Special spoon used for tea
The Garter: Used by high priestess to symbolize the head of the coven and her level
Skull: Used for protection and used to call the ancestor of which the skull belonged to (can be replaced with a handful of soil)
Talismans: Used to symbolize what we want to push towards, also protection
EDIT:@twilightmagick said this and i completely forgot to add it in at the bottom YOU DONT NEED TOOLS AS A WITCH you are the magick, tools only serve to help you out and please don’t buy new tools they can be expensive go to your local thrift or you can make your own tools if you so please but yeah thank you to the person that pointed this out
I am a powerful being I am at one with the Earth, the Universe and the Divine I am on the path to connect with my highest self My former selves are letting go I am a model of greatness
The Wheel of the Year is a diagram of the Sabbats celebrated in Paganism, equinoxes are included here as well.
Yule: Celebrated at the Winter Solstice, Yule is the celebration of the Goddess giving birth to the God.
Imbolc: Celebrated on February 2, it is the time when the first plantings of spring crops occur. It is also considered to be a time of spiritual cleansing and renewal of vows.
Ostara: Celebrated at the Spring Equinox in March, this sabbat represents a new beginning partly because it marks the beginning of longer days and shorter nights. It also marks the union of the God and Goddess and therefore symbolizes fertility.
Beltane: Celebrated on May 1, it represents the end of the planting season and the beginning of harvesting. It also represents fertility, as the celebration often involves loosened rules for fidelity.
Litha: Celebrated at the Summer Solstice, this sabbat represents the peak of the God’s strength. It may involve lighting large bonfires to ward off evil spirits.
Lammas: Celebrated on August 1, this is a time when the Goddess turns over control to the God. It is a time of feasts and craft festivals.
Mabon: Celebrated at the Autumn Equinox, Mabon represents the balance between light and dark, as it is the day that nights start becoming longer than days. It is officially the Pagan day of Thanksgiving.
Samhain: Celebrated on Halloween, Samhain means the end of summer and the beginning of winter. On this night, the dead are said to be able to communicate with the living in order to be with and celebrate with their families.
Other depictions include the Celtic Wheel of the Year with each holiday being represented by a rune.
Here’s a list of different types of witches, this is a pretty chunky list but it’s not all and as I remember more and more and learn about more of them, I’ll add more of them onto the list but for now, here ya go:
There are many types of witches, many of which can change throughout one’s journey, it’s important to know which path is which and how that affects us and others.
Atheist/Laveyan Satanic: Witchcraft worked with the idea that satan is a concept, rather than a real person or entity (loosely put; it’s a very detailed concept). Also known as Satanic witches who fit the secular description.
Alexandrian: holds that all participants are priests and priestesses; everyone is able to commune with the Divine, therefore there is no laity.
Augury:Divine omens, signs and symbols
Celtic: Studies and worships Celtic deities and magick
Cosmic: Looks to the stars, moon, and astrology
Christian: Witchcraft that is performed to honor / or is performed in conjunction with the Christian God as the primary and only deity
Correllian: practices based on the idea that inner truth is universal in nature. Since Corellian Witchcraft teaches that Deity enters the life of the seeker in a way that can be best understood by them, Deity is key to the beneficial magic of this tradition.
Crystal: Uses crystals and their properties
Dianic: Offshoot of Wicca focused on female deities
Divination: Used tarot cards, I Ching tools, etc for divination
Druids: promotes harmony, connection, and reverence for the natural world.
Eclectic: Embraces any and all magick and magickal work
Elemental: Works with fire, water, air, earth, and spirit
Faery: Based on British folklore and works with the Fae
Gardenian: based on the polarity of a male and a female, which are represented in covens by the High Priestess and High Priest. The values being: the value of life, the inevitability of death, and the reincarnation after this life ends.
Green:Magic based on gardening and herbalism
Hearth: Practices magick focused on the home
Hedge: Solitary practitioner, a herbalist
Hellenic: Worships Greek gods and goddesses
Hereditary: Handed down a bloodline of witches
Kitchen: Likes to mix food and cooking with magick
Lunar: Works with the lunar cycles
Norse: Based on the religion of Scandinavia
(Theistic) Satanic: Witchcraft that is often centered around honoring and/or working with satan in spellwork and prayer
Science: A form of magick in which both metaphysical ideas and scientific facts/theories are mixed in together by the individual practicer
Sea:Practices water based magick
Secular: Does not worship deities
Shaman:Enters altered state of consciousness
Solitary: Practicing by ones’ self; not included in a group
Traditional: One who practices witchcraft by honoring and using old and ‘traditional’ ways of magick; this type of witch might be one to practice modern methods of magick, but they might also stick to traditional concepts or techniques
Write a letter to yourself, forgiving yourself of all the things you did but don’t like dwelling on, and apologizing to your younger self for not treating your mental wounds like you would physical, then write about what you’re going to improve about yourself, stick to it.
Casting Circles is very important for baby-witches to learn for protection and in general for spells, but before preforming any spells please make sure you know how to cast a circle.
What is a circle, and why does it matter?
A circle is often a barrier that houses your spells and rituals. By casting a circle, you’re allocating energy to protect you from any unwanted or negative outside influences. There are a lot of formal ways to begin a circle and some informal.
It’s important to note that there are many ways to cast a circle.
In traditional witchcraft, you might call upon a god or goddess, while if you’re a secular witch, you might call upon the elements, or create a wall of your own energy. A circle isn’t mandatory, but it can significantly assist with protection and energy.
How to cast a circle
Always begin by cleansing your space. You can either use your mind to mentally push out, use incense to burn away or use a broom or besom to sweep away. Once you have your method for cleansing your space, it’s time to define your circle. To define your sacred circle, it’s important to take your space and location into consideration. Are you in your bedroom? Bathroom? Or outside? You can make your intended circle as large or as small as you’d like. You can mentally define your circle or mark the directions or elements with candles or crystals. If you’re using the four elements, you can create a cross shape. If you’re using the five elements, you can create a pentacle shape.
To cast a circle by calling upon the elements, begin facing the east. This is home to the element of air. When you move clockwise, you’ll end facing North where you can begin your ritual or spell work. Stand in your intended circle as you begin to relax and focus on your breathing. Take as long as you’d like at this step or until you feel calm, centered, and present.
What to Do/Say
Begin by envisioning the wind whipping around you and get really in tune with the element of air and say: “Element of air, I call on you.”
Moving clockwise, turn to the south. Envision crackling flames and the warmth of the sun. Once you are in tune with fire, say: “Element of fire, I call on you.”
Turn to the west. Envision flowing water in waves and waterfalls and streams, possibly moving around your body. When you feel attuned with water, say, “Element of water, I call on you.”
Turn to the North. Conjure up the scent of the earth after it rains. Imagine the silence and darkness of a cave and the rooted feeling of being barefoot on the earth. When you feel attuned, say, “Element of earth, I call on you.”
Still facing North, become aware of your feet and send a column or roots of light deep into the core of the earth. Bring this energy up from the center of the earth and into your body and visualize a white light flowing, creating the circle and say: “With these elements together under spirit, I cast a circle of protection above, below, within.”
This is where you perform your ritual, meditation, or spells.
You can also temporarily exit your circle without repeating the entire circle casting process. To do so, hold an athame or wand in your hand and make a cutting motion across the line of the circle and say: “I use this athame of crystal to open a door.” Your wand or athame will help you direct energy to make an incision in your circle of energy. When returning, you can simply reverse the process to close the door.
Opening a circle
Also called closing a circle is a way to release the energy you’ve built and is a way to thank the elements for their assistance.
The process of opening a circle begins with you facing north to release earth and saying: “Earth, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”
Next, you’ll turn to the west to release water: “Water, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”
Then, you’ll turn to the south to release fire: “Fire, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”
After that, you’ll turn to the east to release air: “Air, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”
Finally, you’ll return back north to release spirit and the circle by saying: “Spirit, I bid you farewell. I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth.”
Other popular phrases for circle casting and opening:
“The circle is open, but never broken. The love of the deity name is forever in my heart.”
“Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again.”
“I thank you, element of name for lending your energy tonight. I bid you farewell.”
“I call the Guardian of direction and the element of element to watch over this sacred circle.”
So now that we’ve grown a bit as a community and as a family (again im still freakin out thank you so much!!) what do y’all think I should focus on moving forward? any ideas or suggestions im completely open to! I heard of deity reveals which I can also do if y’all would want that(?) But its all completely up to you!! I’d love to hear from y’all❤️
I JUST FOUND OUT THIS MORNING AND ALMOST SCREAMED THANK YOU SO SO MUCH I DIDNT KNOW Y’ALL WOULD’VE BEEN THIS INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAVE TO SHARE BUT I LOVE YOU SO SO MUCH THANK YOU ALL!!
The Clairs are physic abilities that we have, now we don’t have all of them although it’s possible to train them, it is hard though.
Clairvoyance means clear seeing. This is when visions past, present and future flash through our mind’s eye, or third eye, much like a daydream. Many of us are highly visual and able to understand an idea best when we see it written or sketched out as an image on a computer screen or on a canvas. Visual people often choose to be artists, builders, photographers, decorators, designers and so forth. If this sounds familiar, your clairvoyance is most likely a dominant sense.
Clairaudience means clear hearing. This is when we hear words, sounds or music in our own mind’s voice. On rare occasions, spirit may be able to create audible sound, though this takes a tremendous amount of focused energy. Some of us best retain and comprehend information when we hear it spoken aloud. Our natural talents tend to lie in our auditory faculties, often making us gifted musicians, singers, writers and public speakers. If this feels right to you, clairaudience may be a leading sense for you.
Clairsentience means clear feeling. This entails feeling a person’s or spirit’s emotions or feeling another’s physical pain. Many of us are clairsentient without consciously being aware of it. When we get a strong “gut” feeling, positive or negative, about someone we just met or when we get the “chills” for no apparent reason, we may be tuning into the emotional energy of a person or a spirit around us. When we are highly sensitive and are in tune with not only our own feelings, but also the feelings of others, this makes us natural healers and caregivers. We often feel inspired to pursue careers as doctors, therapists, counselors, nannies and teachers. If this is you, clairsentience is at the top of your senses list.
Clairalience means clear smelling. This is being able to smell odors that don’t have any kind of physical source. Instances of this could include smelling the perfume or the cigarette smoke of a deceased relative, used as a sign of their presence around us. When our sense of smell is strong and distinct, we may find that certain smells connect us to past memories or we may be drawn to working as a florist, a wine taster or a perfume fragrance creator.
Clairgustance means clear tasting. This is the ability to taste something that isn’t actually there. This experience oftentimes comes from out of the blue when a deceased loved one is attempting to communicate a memory or association we have with a particular food or beverage that reminds us of them. If we have a heightened sense of taste, this would make us natural chefs, bakers or food critics.
Claircognizance means clear knowing. This is when we have knowledge of people or events that we would not normally have knowledge about. Spirit impresses us with truths that simply pop into our minds from out of nowhere. An example of this would be a premonition: a forewarning of something that will happen in the future. Claircognizance requires tremendous faith because there’s often no practical explanation for why we suddenly “know” something. Many philosophers, professors, doctors, scientists, religious and spiritual leaders and powerful sales and business leaders tend to be highly intuitive and seem to just know the facts with a sense of certainty. If this is you, consider claircognizance as one of your dominant senses.
Erebus was one of the oldest ancient Greek gods. He was one of the sons of the first goddess Chaos or Khaos. In mythology, his most common mistress was the goddess Nyx.
Erebus was the father of many gods and goddesses, including Aether, Hypnos (Sleep,) and Thanatos (Death).
Erebus was the Greek god of the Underworld and his name meant “place of darkness between earth and Hades.” His name was often used to refer to part of the Greek Underworld where the spirits of the dead pass after the leave the living bodies. This place was also sometimes called Tartarus.
Erebus was credited with finishing the Underworld after the gods created Earth. He did this by filling in the empty places with dark mists. Nyx used Erebus’ dark mists to bring night to earth. The Greek poets referred to this as the “Veil of Night.” In some stories, Erebus, Nyx, and Hemera are referred to as spirits rather than gods.
I really want a baby witch friend that’s super new to the craft and overwhelmed with information to be like a witchy mentor to, ya know? Like helped them get gather themselves and go about things at the beginning efficiently. We could bond on learning and teaching information and both being equally overexcited about how fucking badass witchcraft is. That’d be dope as fuck ngl
Ways to provide protection from spiritual and physical beings:
Make a witches bottle: They provide you with protection against curses, hexes, and spells sent your way as well as to protect your property and possessions.
Salt circle: A salt circle provides the person inside with protection from negative entities and demons. Line your window sills and door way entrances with salt to create an impenetrable barrier.
Iron: Repels evil.Three iron nails driven into a doorway or window sill will block negativity from entering your home. Note: Iron repels Fae!
Plants: Some plants have protective properties.
Ask your deity for protection
Mint leaves in your shoes protects you from curses
Put pepper in protection sachets to protect against magickal attacks.
Burn bay leaves to reverse curses
Scrawl your home and clothes with protective sigils
Quartz Crystals: Provides protection.
Visualization
Paint your front porch blue to ward off ghosts:They fear water so this may confuse them.
Hang an upside down horse shoe above your door: to ward off evil spirits.
Hang wind chimes around your home: To scare off bad spirits
Nazar or evil eye: Protects your home from bad luck.
Rowan: Two branches from rowan trees bound together with red thread in the shape of a cross. It provides protection when hung above doorways, according to celtic traditions.
Arrowheads: Placed above your door will help keep burglars and unwanted guests out.
Cinnamon Sticks: Tied over the door will protect your home.
Rosemary wreath: A wreath of rosemary bound with green thread can provide your home with protection. Add other plants that correspond with protection as well.
Ivy: Grown up your house provides protection,
Mistletoe: Hung in the house protects it from thunder and lightning.
Acorn: According to Norse mythology, placing an acorn on the window sill protects the home from being struck by lightning.
Pine branch: Where it for protection.
Create your own protection amulet
Place mirrors around your home to deflect the evil eye
