I apologize for my recent absence, I have been suffering a lot with seasonal depression but things are starting to get better now that the sun is coming back out. I hope everyone is doing well. Here is a love and lust bath ritual.
Rather frustrating. The comments being ‘this is why you shouldn’t learn witchcraft from tumblr- read a book!’
-deep breath- no.
The publishing industry sees significant booms in new age/witchcraft material every 20 years or so and so very much of them are filled with the same attitudes you’ll see on social media.
The hosts of problems people are calling attention to in the new age movement are not native to tumblr or twitter or tiktok. Cultural appropriation has been a problem in any time period that colonizers decide that they can make a profit from native cultures by selling their beliefs as 'ancient wisdom’ and their tools as novelties and trinkets.
And I do mean any time period.
Books are not pure. Books are written by authors and because authors are human they are going to have their own biases.
And I’m not saying you should stop reading. I’m saying you should question everything you read. Why does this author think the only way to raise your energy is through chakras? Why does this author think these imported resins cannot be substituted with local herbs? Why does this author put so much emphasis on the womb as a center of a womans power?
“But Lee! If there are no perfect books, how do we find resources on witchcraft?”
Talk to people.
Talk to people currently practicing whichever practice you want to practice. Ask them questions. With few exceptions, most cultures being referenced in new age woo are alive and active and vocal online.
Yes, I realize that they, too, are imperfect resources. The goal is not to have a library of perfect, unproblematic fonts of information, or even have an unproblematic practice. The goal is to do even a little better than those that came before us. We will not be able to immediately heal from the people we didnt know not to trust, but we can bit by bit make the world a better place by letting people speak.
Shit to Watch Out For If You’re Interested in Magic:
The Rites Are The Rites - Closed practices are closed for a reason. Open practices are open for a reason. Learn those reasons. The history of magic is a messy and complicated thing, but learning will only enrich you. Remember, it is possible to learn about things without participating.
Magic Does Not Require Blood, Money, or Cruelty - Rarely, people will encourage unsanitary or dangerous practices. Don’t get tetanus. Don’t eat poisonous herbs. Bleeding and sickness are not necessary for magic. Be extremely wary of anyone who crosses established boundaries to ask for money, items, or services. Magic does not require money. Sometimes people are just bigoted assholes. Even if their information is good, you can likely get it from someone who isn’t an asshole. Magic does not require cruelty.
Disease Is Not Occult - Your physical, mental, and psychological illnesses are not a gift from the gods. Magic cannot cure them. Take your meds. Listen to your doctor. If something about your practice fucks with your physical or mental health, stop immediately. No spell or religion is worth your physical and/or mental health.
There Are Gates, But No Keepers - Magic requires study, practice, and preparation. Its called a practice for a reason. There are best practices, common protocols, and traditions to be respected, but almost nothing is inherently required for magic. There are no deities or spirits you are required to contact, no drugs you are required to take, no books you are required to read.
The Paths Are Myriad - There is no “one path” or “true magic.” Be wary of anyone proclaiming their ideas to be the One True Way forwards. Many rules are generally held by practitioners of all stripes, but very very few thing could be called universal. Paths twist and cross, none are inherently superior to another. Additionally, gods and spirits are not people, and summoners are not journalists. Personal conversations with deities are not a primary source.
Leave the water on a sunny windowsill or outside, preferably in direct sunlight. Sunrise, 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm are perfect times for this, or you can leave it from sunrise to sunset. You can also add herbs and flowers to it as well (lemon peels, orange peels, marigolds, chamomile, cinnamon, sunflower, etc.) Or charge it with some stones (like sunstone, orange calcite, citrine, tigers eye, goldstone or carnelian), but please don’t put these stones in the water. You can also make a sun tea with sun water for a very potent solar spell.
