Can anyone help a baby witch out with how to figure out a solution for something nasty? I don’t know what it is per-say (I’ve tried to get answers but meh) all I know for sure is it’s annoying as fuck and I’m TIRED of it.
I know I’m mostly able to put up warding when I’m feeling strong enough energetically.
Problems I run into: It gets worse/angrier when offensive is used, and it LOVES preying on energetic vulnerability.
I’m asking now because I’m a bit energetically spent. The other day I just put up some really taxing wards for protection because I knew me and my confidante (witchy partner) would be emotionally and energetically vulnerable and I wanted to ward off basically everything. (This place is very active with just like, nature and other types of things)
The good news? It worked FANTASTICALLY for the duration I needed it to. The bad news? I didn’t manage to design them to last and since I’m fairly drained they’re sort of getting weak which means ol’ nasty is a tap-tap-tapping on them.
If Anyone has any advice or good references I could look up, that would be fantastic. Thank you!
@positivehappenstance
So I very rarely reblog anything, but you seem to need a helping hand and that’s really what my blog is about.
So first things first: What are we working with?
To me, this sounds like it could be a number of things but there are a few things that are more likely that others, for the same reason that a person with a cough is more likely to have a cold than diphtheria; colds are just way more common.
A Predatory Natural Spirit: In the same way that a wild animal can be a predator, so can a spirit, and like all predators this means it needs to feed on prey. However, unlike a creature made of matter (such as a wolf or a human), it doesn’t eat the body of its prey but rather eats its energy. This doesn’t make it evil or malicious, so I would strongly advise against calling it as such: it’s just a predator, and like any living creature it needs to eat. It just happens to need to eat, basically, you.
A Malicious Human Spirit: Now I work mostly with natural spirits but I have known many, many people who work with human spirits and so I would consider myself at least fairly knowledgeable of them, if not actually any good at working with them.Unlike natural spirits a human spirit CAN be malicious, usually as a result of being lost and scared and angry, and so it lashes out in any way it can which often means humans living in the area have their psyches and spirits injured. This can often cause a lot more than just fatigue and mental lethargy, but can actually result in illness and disease as your body’s vital energy is drained and it becomes less able to defend and repair itself against more physical problems like bacteria and lacerations.
A Psychic or Energy Vampire: These are essentially human beings who either knowingly or subconsciously are probing out into people’s spirits and stealing energy from them to feed themselves. They are not true “vampires” in the sense of an actual physiological need to do this in order to function, but instead are using this feeding as a means of boosting themselves and increasing their own strength. Again many (and I would argue most) psychic vampires don’t realise what they’re doing, but are often confused with just major extroverts because like extroverts they seem to become energised by having people around them. Unlike extroverts however, being in the presence of a psychic vampire will drain you of energy, mental acuity, and other faculties quite quickly.
There are a few other things it could be, but these are by far the most likely so we’ll start with these. If that doesn’t work, feel free to ask me!
Which is probably the cause? How can I stop it?
In my experience, it’s almost certainlya predatory natural spirit. They’re by far the most common, and thankfully also the easiest to deal with. In this case, stopping the problem is really as simple as purging the area of spirits and then keeping up barriers to stop more coming back to fill the gap. At the moment what you’re doing is essentially holding up a shield to stop the spirit from getting to you, but that’s an active process which means it uses a lot of energy and concentration. When you’re unable to actively hold up shields, such as when you’re asleep or fatigued, the spirit is able to freely attack you and slowly drain you of energy, and because you’re never pushing the spirit away from yourself even after you start defending yourself again it’ll just hang around outside your shields until you get too tired to keep them up again.
So, the best way to purge an area of natural spirits is to use banishing and exorcising herbs in all the areas where you’re usually affected (spirits tend to be tied to a specific place rather than following a person around), and then placing sigils at strategic points around the exorcised area to create a barrier that the spirits cannot cross to get back to you. The best herbs to use for banishing spirits from an area are sage, rosemary, agrimony, lavender, and angelica, but honestly starting off with just the most accessible to you is fine. I’d recommend taking a combination of dried sage leaves and dried rosemary leaves, and burning them in a pot (or using sage and rosemary incenses) before carrying the burning herbs/incense around your home in all the places that are affected by the spirits (so, all of it).
If for some reason you can’t have an open flame, as I know some places don’t allow this, then you can instead mix sage and rosemary with water and salt in a large sealed bottle, and then leave it to sit for at least three days in a place out of direct sunlight. Then take the water from inside the bottle (leave the herbs) and using a brush “paint” the water across the lintel of all the doors and windows in your home that face the outside (so an inside door that just opens from one room to another would be ignored). There are more of these simple water spells on my blog.
After that, you’ll want to go to the most southerly, easterly, westerly and northerly points in your house (which is almost always the four corners of your home), and draw warding sigils on either the floor, walls or ceiling at that point to stop spirits from crossing the invisible lines they draw between each other. If you live in a house with space to do this, you could also go outside your house and bury four small stakes into the ground (you can bury them completely, that’s fine) that have the sigils drawn, burnt or carved into them. If you’d like to make your own warding sigils I have a post on learning the basics of sigil magick here on my blog, but if you don’t mind using a sigil someone else has already made then there’s one right here that I made last year!
How do I stop this in the future?
Well, first off, like most novices you probably made the simple and easily made mistake that we’ve ALL made at some point or another: you didn’t cast a circle when you performed spells or messed around with energy work. A spell is basically a big ol’ beacon of power and energy into the universe, and if you don’t shield that, if you don’t protect that, then you’re going to attract predators who want to feed on that energy. It’s a common mistake, and simple enough to prevent by casting a circle before you do any spells or workings in the future!
If you don’t know how to cast a circle, surprise surprise I’ve got a how-to on my blog. However, bear in mind that a circle doesn’t have to be physical, and it should be large enough for you to NOT STEP OUT OF IT as you perform your spell. If at any point you leave the circle during your spell, the FIRST THING you must do when you go to restart the spell is redraw the magick of the circle. If you’re using a physical circle as a focus to help the magick the physical circle doesn’t have to be redrawn, but the energy must be recast.
—————————-
I hope that helps you dear! We’ve all been novice Witches before and you’ll learn fast, so I hope this helps you and answers your question!
For my regular followers, if you’d like to read this again in the future, I’m tagging this post with “spirits”, “spirit exorcism”, and “common mistakes”.
A bit weird for me to be writing about considering beginner witchcraft and a few historical events are the only things I usually write about, but hey-ho. Here is a list of tips that can help you decide where you’re taking your next journey. I am, as usual, required to state that none of this is mandatory and that these are simply options to consider.
Learn about the religions of the world. Yes, even ones you think you don’t like.
Understanding at least a little about the religions of other cultures will make you a more open member of society who is better equipped to live in the multicultural world of 2018. It will also improve your understanding of spirituality, humanity, history and your own religion (if you have one) as a whole. Athiest or not, religion or at least a vague spirituality has been crucial to people all over the world since the beginning of time. Almost every religious practice has at some point had roots in, or taken inspiration from another. Finding these links and seeing where the different viewpoints, morals and ethics branched off in different directions that better suited the country in question will give you a level of understanding that not many people have, which you will then be able to apply to your own practice. On my bookshelf I have books on Wicca, Norse Paganism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Greek and Roman Mythology, Kemetism… you get the point.
Choose a specific topic of high interest to explore in depth.
So you’ve, for example, written all the rune info you found online in your grimoire and like the feel of it. You’ve maybe even used some runes for spells or divination a few times and feel comfortable. But… Do you know which ‘viking’ runes you are actually using? do you know what time period they came from? Did you know the elder futhark was actually dead long before the ‘Viking age’ began? Do you know of other systems of writing? Have you read essays and books on the topic? Have you figured out which essays and books are useful and which are misinformed? Have you written your own essays on the topic?
A casual interest in a topic like this can leave you falling down a rabbit hole of research and information. Studies like this can occupy months, years of the lives of many academics. So it’s important to decide if the topic you choose is something you are genuinely interested in, or just learning because you feel like you ‘have’ to. This level in witchcraft is where you break away from dabbling and enter the path to deep understanding in a chosen topic.
Meet people in the community. Go to events, even if you do not celebrate the holiday in question.
As mentioned in the first point, understanding the practices of others is very important. Being present is another side of this coin that many debate the use of, but I shall say this. Yes, you are not required to be a member of any organised group or structure. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should miss the chance to learn firsthand from other people if you have it. The knowledge of those who have been walking a life of witchcraft far before you ever thought of it is valuable beyond measure. These people can introduce you to ideas and concepts that you would have never been able to come up with by yourself from simply reading a book or an essay. They can also be an excellent example of what to avoid, so be wary.
Find and maintain a spiritual schedule.
Repetition is the path to mastery; incorporate aspects of witchcraft into your daily routine and keep them there. Not only will this develop your understanding of the fact that a physical and spiritual life do not have to clash with each other and can, in fact, live in harmony, but it will enhance proficiency in the areas you choose. Daily meditation or tarot, for example, will both increase your intuition by leaps and bounds. Even getting into the practice of brewing herbal teas and becoming familiar with the properties. It’s a commonly known thing amongst those who study that doing a little bit every day is much better than doing a lot once every two weeks.
Form your own beliefs and methods from experience.
I’d say this is really where the distinction between beginner and something else sits. A LOT of people have the misconception that you stop being a ‘beginner’ when you can memorise a list of correspondences, but I’d say finding the techniques that work for you and finding out what personal meaning an item or act helps you with is really a telltale sign that you’re being active in your craft. I never have and never intend on knowing the correspondences to things I don’t currently use or need; learning that would be pointless. I’ll learn it when I need to. A good example of exploring correspondences in a more advanced method; To most people beginning their journey, sage is the go-to spiritual cleanser. I, however, have built a familiarity with rosemary in which I feel it does a much better job to suit my needs.
All in all, there’s never a set mark, amount of knowledge or action that says “Hey, you’re not a beginner anymore!” It’s more like an unconscious realisation that will come to you over time. Rushing to get to that point is just going to push you further away from it, so take things slow and enjoy yourself. You only have… your entire life to work this out. I think you have time to explore a bit ;)
If you found this post interesting and want to help support my writing and the availability and continuation of free resources for the masses, consider leaving asmall tipvia PayPalon Ko-fi! If you don’t have the funds, a reblog would still be a big help! Thanks for reading!
A MASTERPOST FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN WITCHCRAFT AND ALTERNATIVE SPIRITUALITY
You are an individual interested in witchcraft. Everything seems big and scary? You don’t know where to begin? This is one of the places you can!
Note: This is an updated, fleshed out and improved version of my original “How To Begin Witchcraft” post which is going to be deleted after this is posted. Due to this some of the text may be familiar, but the resources and tips are updated as I now have a better understanding of a lot of these topics.
What is witchcraft?
Given many descriptions and definitions by every culture since the beginning of time, the modern understanding of witchcraft is as so; witchcraft is a method of bringing a desired action into existence, through a transfer of personal or external power. These transfers can be spells, rituals, ceremonies, the use of crystals, materials found in the earth, through appealing to a divine power. All of these methods are what witches consider ‘magic’.
Of course, no one believes you can just extend your hands out and lightning will rain down upon the world, nor that they can fly or turn people into frogs. People do, however, believe that the actions of an individual have an impact on this world larger than what you would expect. Witchcraft isn’t a definitive ‘this action will happen’ guarantee; it’s more like a forceful, quiet push at the probability. This is why it’s unreasonable to do a spell and expect to win the lottery. Sure it might increase your chances, but if your chances are already tiny, then a small increase isn’t going to do much.
Is there any proof?
Aside from phenomena that science hasn’t found an explanation for yet, no. But asking for proof of witchcraft working is like asking for proof that God exists. What you consider as ‘proof’ can be a matter of perspective.
Do I have to be from a certain place to be a witch?
Witchcraft has no religion, has no race, has no doctrine. Practising the art of witchcraft has no requirements and no set level of education, social standing or skill.
Having said this, if you’re wanting to join an organised group of witches (often referred to as a Coven) or if you want to devote yourself to a specific religion while you are a witch, there is generally some code of conduct or set of rules to follow. This, of course, differs from case to case. Being a member of an organisation or religion is also not compulsory at all, and most witches are not.
What do I have to learn?
Literally whatever you want. While it’s suggested to have a broad basic knowledge of simple things such as a few herbs or moon phases, it’s completely up to you. Just because everyone else seems like they are doing divination, for example, it doesn’t mean you have to.
Important Tips
Don’t feel like you need a witchy label, you don’t.
Don’t feel like you need to worship a deity or be religious at all to be a witch, you don’t.
Practice what feels natural, if something doesn’t click then don’t force it.
It isn’t a rush. There is no time limit on learning. You have your entire life to discover what kind of spirituality you want to pursue. It’s been 10 years for me and I’m still undecided on many topics.
Your mind is your best tool; you don’t need every herb or crystal under the sky to be a practitioner. People all over the world have been practising witchcraft without crystals, herbs and ritual tools since the beginning of time.
Meditation can be a very helpful guide, but don’t feel bad if you can’t get the hang of it. It is not crucial to being a witch and not something you ‘have’ to do.
Like any craft, skill or hobby, friends will help you learn. Join witchy chat rooms, integrate into your local community.
Don’t take all of your resources or information from one source; even me! Having knowledge of a large number of sources will give you a fairer, unbiased viewpoint.
The tips mentioned here are valid for witchcraft as a general term, but some things may differ depending on whether you want to study a specific religion or style of witchcraft. Every practice has a unique way of looking at things, and sometimes different rules to adhere to. (An example of this: the modern consensus is that the intent of the spell you do matters more than the ingredients you use or the techniques you utilise. But some practices and some people believe the complete opposite, that without using all the listed ingredients and actions, the spell will not work.)
Bonus Tips
Take the time to refamiliarise yourself with nature.
Something crucial to note; Wicca is not the same thing as witchcraft, though many authors and blogs use the terms interchangeably when they mean different things. See my “What is Wicca?” guide below for more info on that.
Keeping that in mind, Wicca books are still amazing reads for witches because witchcraft is the form in which Wiccans express their faith.
If anyone tells you that Wicca is an old religion they are misinformed; The religion started around the 1940′s and was a culmination of various practices and superstitions from both other cultures and personal gnosis, all mashed together.
I would advise any beginners to steer clear of Silver Ravenwolf books; they are full of incorrect information. Though this applies to most Wiccan books, SRW is a particularly prominent offender. When you’re new it can be difficult to sift through what is authentic or not, so feel free to check her out later on in your journey if you’re interested.
Don’t take practices from cultures that don’t want to share them; basic human manners!
HAVE FUN.
Make spells up as you go along. There is no need to do a spell you found on the internet instead of something you made yourself, you being new doesn’t make it any less valid.
Don’t worry when spells fail; People don’t expect every prayer to be answered, the same logic should apply to spells.
Age does not equal knowledge; there are many older witches who aren’t as well informed as they seem.
Stay away from the drama, it’s not worth it and will only make you angry. Tumblr is a good resource but can also be a toxic cesspool, so be wary.
My Beginner Course
Over my time in this community, I have crafted a few posts towards the end goal of creating a mini beginners course, a point of reference for you to grow from. This post is the first entry in that. Here are the rest!
As well as the posts above, I have a section of my website called ‘Isobel’s Grimoire. There I list not only the posts I make on witchcraft but also a lot of my favourite resources and spells. This content isn’t geared towards beginners, but neither is it explicitly ‘complex’. If you are interested you can find the grimoire HERE!
That’s about it! The last note I have for you that contradicts with pretty much everything above; you don’t need a massive encyclopedia of information. Feel free to use this post as a reference, something you can refer back to and pick out the parts you like. I wish you the best of luck on your journey! If you even survived reading to the end let me know in the tags ;)
A fun little infographic I made to remind you that magick is everywhere!
Little things you can do to make your day more magickal
Match your coffee or tea to the day’s vibe - Maybe add some cinnamon for confidence and protection. Or choose a lavender tea to sip on for relaxation and psychic protection. The possibilities are endless!
Appreciate nature - Obviously nature is the main ingredient in all witchcraft. You are nature too! Appreciate all that the world has to offer, even yourself. This is something you can do in less than five minutes and can help to ground you, especially if you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed.
Shove a crystal in your pocket - that’s it. Do it. Find one that matches your vibe or one that you need to match the vibe of and shove it in your pocket/purse/put it in one of those cute necklace cage things.
Meditate - this doesn’t have to be some third-eye-opening meditation. Just one that is 5-10 minutes long can help you refocus and ground yourself. I do this in the morning a lot when I am feeling low energy. Sleep meditations help too!
Daily Tarot Reading - just one card is enough. “What do I need to focus on today?”; “Give me some advice for (this event) today.”; etc.
You don’t have to do magick daily to be a witch but if you’d like to add some witchy spic to your day without doing an entire ritual or spell then please take time to do these small things. They don’t take up a lot of time or energy and most of them can be done while already doing your daily tasks!
This is my online Grimoire, complete with my spells, the spells of others, and masterposts. Feel free to use this as your own Grimoire, or take bits and pieces from it.
Everything below are things I’ve read, enjoyed, and have influenced my practice in some way. Enjoy! :D I’ve also include some comments about most of them
Authentic Witchcraft by Grayson Magnus: great, non religious, traditional witchcraft book. Definitely not not neowiccan. The author has many opinions about neowicca. They don’t pop up much, but heads up
Ancient legends mystic charms and superstitions of Ireland by Lady Wilde: My favorite book! Great look into Irish witchcraft and the practice of the fairy doctors. Heads up, certain spells and charms use poisonous ingredients without stating as such. Do research before trying any of the charms and spells
A Deed without a Name by Lee Morgan: A book that covers a large amount of topics in traditional witchcraft. A rather good for both those starting traditional witchcraft and those that have been practicing for a while.
Flame in the Cauldron by Orion Foxwood: Some good stuff! Covers a lot of topics and even talks about the witchfire.
Old Tradition Crafte - (translated by) Robin Artisan: Lots of really neat stuff from old grimoires and witch journals
The Sorceress by Jules Michelet: It talks a LOT about the witches’ sabbat. Lots of neat info and a pretty read
The Rebirth of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente: Very lovely. It talks about the history of traditional witchcraft in regards to the modern movement.
The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer. Lotssssssss of lore. It is considered a “classic” by many. A bit old, so expect a few weird things. Free to read online
WEBSITES, LINKS, VARIOUS ONLINE ARTICLES AND BLOGS
Sacred-texts: A HUGE library of books and resources on a wide amount of different subjects.
Cornish Witchcraft: I want to own all the books on this site. A great resource about Cornwall and its witchcraft practices.
This is a super simple cleansing spray for those whose situations prevent them from burning herbs. I use this when I have to cleanse something too large that calls for an amount of smoke that’d set the smoke detectors off (it’s happened; its notfun). Here’s what you need:
Rosemary.
Sage (I use basic sage, not white sage, but you can use whatever).
A bay leaf.
Salt.
Good ‘ol H2O.
NOTE: the bay leaf is totally optional. I include it because I use bay leaves to help grant wishes. It adds a boost to the cleansing properties, and gives an oomph to the spellwork.
Directions
Put the water in a pot on the stove and toss in the salt, rosemary, sage, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce it to medium and let it simmer for a few minutes, so the oils seep out of the herbs. The wonderful scented steam will cleanse your kitchen in the process!
Once you’re satisfied (or until the water is a yellow-green color - yes, it willlook like pee), take the pot off, pour the water into a safe container, and let it cool. Once it’s cool enough, bottle it up and you’re good to go! I always put some sprigs in my bottle just for the sake of it, too!
I knew moonsalt since I was a little kid, and I had no idea that it was witchcraft. thing. Basically moonsalt = salt+ash+oil. Of course you can add wahtever you want to this is just a base.
☾ What i need to make it? ☽
★ 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt (normal or sea salt, I prefer normal)
★ piece of paper and a pen
★ some oil (I use lavender oil)
Write a sigil on the paper. I mostly use protection or balance sigil. Then burn the paper (be carefull!)
Mix ash, salt and oil and keep it safe in a tiny bottle. You can carry your moonsalt in your bag for protection or keep it in your house for balance.
☾ Why moonsalt? ☽
I was a kid when I called it like that, probably because of its colour.
☾ Moonsalt will help you to keep balance in your life and its really simple to do even for baby witches ☽
As long as you can focus your energy and set your intention your spell should work, so I’ve designed these 5 spells using just one word for a Witch who needs a quick fix.
Mariquil
Pronounced mar-e-quil
Used to calm a temper or an upset person. From the latin word for sea, mare, and the english word tranquil. Essentially you are calling the sea inside them to be still. For better results cast with wet hands.
Univert
Pronounced Uni-var
Used for faster transport. I use it at the train station to have a shorter wait time but really its designed for traffic lights. By combining uni from universe and vert,the french word for green, you’re essentially asking the universe to make your path green.
Visididen
Pronounced Vis-e-did-en
Used to go unnoticed or invisible. Taken from the english words vision and hidden. For best results chant it softly while visualising yourself turning transparent.
Lapagna
Pronounced Lap-ag-na
Used when you just need someone to shut the f**k up but are too polite to say so. Taken from the Latin words lapis and magna, meaning stone and voice. For best results hold a stone or some earth while casting, if they’re really pissing you off just throw the stone or dirt at them.
Bavarignis
pronounced Bav-are-ig-ni
Used to strike up a conversation or to continue a conversation. Taken from the French word bavarder, which means chat, and the Latin word ignis, which means fire. Basically you’re asking for the conversation to spark or catch fire. For best results flick a lighter in your pocket or light a match.
I’ll be honest. As soon as someone says “Antheia, think of a bright light between your hands,” I’m out. While visualization works very well for me when I’m grounding, meditating, or shielding, I find it hinders rather than helps when I get to actual spellcraft and more complicated energy work. While visualization is a skill that is very useful and good to practice, here’s a few solutions.
Do something physical. When you’re putting up your shields, lift your hands with your shield. When you’re cleansing yourself or something, rub it down as though you were washing mud and grime off of yourself/the object. Imagine the heat of your skin is the energy that you’re putting into something. While you might feel a little silly at first, I’ve found that doing something along with your energy work can be really helpful in putting you into the right mindset. In terms of spell craft, sometimes making something that you can hold physically will help, as well.
Command it. You will do as you please. Saying it out loud can also be helpful if you’re having trouble visualizing. “I’m raising my shields/My shields are up.” “The energy will…” “My intent is…” Simple commands can be very effective, just don’t get too caught up in having good grammar or anything. Sometimes one word works. Sometimes you might want to dictate what you feel or what you want to happen.
Do some breathing exercises. These are not for everybody, but again, something physical for you to do. A very simple exercise is to imagine your shields swelling big big bigger when you inhale, and then coming in tight around you, right against your skin, when you exhale. Works with energy, works with some spells, helps with meditation and grounding.
Close your eyes. Sometimes, especially when you’re a beginner and can’t see what you’re doing, just closing your eyes can make a difference. By taking away that sense, you sharpen your other senses a little more, and it gets a lot easier to practice. When I’m in a very high or low part of my mood disorder, I have a lot of trouble concentrating on magic and on energy. I find that closing my eyes can help me by disconnecting me a little from what I’m seeing and I can pay more attention to what I’m actually doing.
Again, these are things that I do when I’m having issues with visualization. If they don’t work for you, try something else! These aren’t the only ways, and you can combine them however you’d like. I’d also love to know the practices that other people use in energy work, be it visualization, one of these techniques, a combination, or something else entirely!
Aries is the firstsignof the zodiac marking a new beginning of the lunar cycle. Embrace this new chapter.
———
Under this New Moon our manifestation abilities will be heightened. Be mindful of your thoughts, words, and choices at this time.
Allow your thoughts to be an expression of opportunity and hope. Shift your perspective from limitationtoabundance.
You may have to take some action… you may need to follow your instincts at this time…, and make those hard choices that stem from your intuition. Know there is cosmic support on your side.
The fire sign energyof this New Moon May heighten our emotions in general. We may feel extra sensitive, needing additional love & support from those around us or our higher selves.
Something I’d like to do this year is go back through my blog and rewrite some of my posts, some just because I have so much to add since it was written so long ago, and some, because I’ve learned a lot and it needs to be updated or corrected (because of potential appropriation, misinformation etc)
If you have a favorite post of mine, or you know of a post of mine that could stand to be updated, can you help me by linking me to it, sending it my way and letting me know it could use a look? I’ll do my best to make my blog an informative space, just as I’ve always done!
If your problem pertains to a specific person I recommend using something that will banish them.
Items:
Acorn
White Candle
Black Candle
Dragon’s Blood (Incense)
Amethyst
Quartz
Black Salt
Directions:
Set up your altar with all the items in any way you please.
Light the incense and the white candle; say something along the lines of “I am (name). I have a voice, no one speaks for me. I use my brain, no one thinks for me. I make my decisions, no one decides for me. I cannot be manipulated!”
Hold the acorn, amethyst and quartz in your NON-dominant hand. Light the black candle and sprinkle a circle of black salt around it; say “I am (name). I have a voice, no one speaks for me. I use my brain, no one thinks for me. I make my decisions, no one decides for me. I cannot be manipulated!” Repeat as many times as needed until it feels right.
leave the black candle burning until it burns out on its own, as well as the incense. Blow out the white candle. cleanse your stones. Clean the black salt up AFTERthe black candle burns out.
Carry the acorn with you in a pouch, in your pocket, as a charm, etc… to insure you will not be manipulated.
A post type that I see frequently is a newer witch posting about how discouraged they feel because they don’t have an intense daily practice, or witches in general comparing themselves to other witches.
Dabbling is okay! Not everyone has the time or desire to devote a large portion of their life to witchcraft, and that’s okay! Practice as much or as little as you desire.
There is a bit of a “downside” to dabbling in that you may not progress as quickly as someone who devotes more time to their craft, and you may take longer to master certain skills. This is what causes many witches to feel discouraged or inadequate: they compare their practice to someone who has either practiced longer, more frequently, or just generally has more experience. The solution to this is simple: don’t compare yourself to other witches! Your craft is your craft, and theirs is theirs. They have had more time to develop while you’re still just starting.
There is nothing wrong with dabbling or having more of a laid back practice, and many experienced witches started out by dabbling. Do what works for you, and ignore anyone who tells you that you must devote a specific amount of time to your craft.
If you are unhappy with your craft and want to take a more disciplined approach to it, the only person who can make that happen is you! Treat witchcraft like any other skill or habit and slowly incorporate it into your life more and more. Start small. Over time, it’ll become second nature to you. And if you’re content with just dabbling, that is perfectly okay too!
Just like each herb and crystal has certain properties and strength, so do actions taken during rituals and spells. When writing spells it is important to include the proper actions to make sure your spell is as effective as possible.
Burning - Burning an object is a common practice in spells and rituals. Fire is considered a cleansing and activating force.
If you want to destroy something’s influence, burn it and dispose of the ashes away from your home.
If you want to set something into motion, burn objects related to the situation to ash.
If you want to activate certain energies, burn objects related to those involved.
If you are performing a curse or hex, burn the object in the flame of a candle.
Burying/Abandoning - A Witch might bury and object for many reasons. They might want to put something to rest, perform a slow spell, or banish something. There are different ways in which one can bury an object to accomplish a desired outcome:
If you want to keep something close, bury the object in your back yard.
If you want to attract something, bury the object under the front door step
If you want to disperse something to a distance, throw the object into a crossroads
If you want to fix an influence, inter the object in a five-spot pattern
If you want something to work by means of spirits, bury the object in a graveyard (but don’t disrupt those buried there!)
If you want to hide something’s point of origin, conceal the object in a tree
If you want something/someone to work by stealth, hide the object in clothing or on objects
If you want an influence to begin or strengthen, throw the object East
If you want an influence to end or weaken, throw the object West
Rubbing - Rubbing an object can be the easiest and most immediate way to experience witchcraft. Transferring and garnering energy from objects can be done through physical contact with an object.
If you want to put energy into an object, rub it with your left hand
If you want to gather energy from an object, rub it with your right hand
If you want to bring positivity, rub clockwise
If you want to bring negativity, rub counter clockwise
If you want to use crystals to heal, rub the appropriate stone on the effected part of the body.
Soaking - Water is one of the main elements used in witchcraft. It comes in many forms with many different properties and uses.
If you want something to move away and sink, throw it in running water
If you want something’s influence to rise and fall cyclically, float it in a tidal estuary
If you want to protect or cleanse something, soak an object in rain water
If you are focused on your personal goals, soak your object in sea water
If you want to bring about transformation, soak your object in snow/melted snow
If you’re trying to make a wish come true, soak your object in well water
If you want to banish, soak your object in harbor water
Let’s just start a series of crash courses in witchcraft, since sometimes we need to learn things the quick and dirty way. Today, let’s talk about wards.
What are wards? Wards are protective energy barriers. They keep things out. You can place them around your home, certain rooms, even on certain objects. With practice and clear intentions, you can focus the wards to block out everything or only certain things. We’ll get to that in a bit.
Why should I ward my space and my things? Wards can keep out all sorts of things you don’t want in your home. They can block out negative entities, wayward spirits, mischievous entities, demons, and (if you’re really good at what you’re doing) even gods. Some people ward their divination tools so they know there are no spirits tampering with the results.
So what do I need to do first? Cleanse. This is very important. Wards are kind of like walls, or perhaps more accurately, bubbles. If you don’t clean the space first, you might trap things inside your ward bubble. You do not want that. There are lots of methods of cleansing, from burning sage to spritzing oil-infused water. Find a method you’re comfortable with and cleanse everything you’re going to be warding.
I’ve cleansed my home/item. Now what? Now we ward. I’m going to give you a couple methods. Let’s start with my favorite, incense warding.
Incense warding can also be done with spritzes of water/essential oil blends orherb-infused water if you can’t have smoke in your space. Whichever you’re using, you want to have a blend of protective herbs. Bay leaves, cinnamon, ginger, mustard seed, and salt are some great options that you can find in the grocery store, no fancy witch shop necessary. If you’re using incense, make sure you’re using natural incense and not super cheap stuff that’s artificially scented. The magic is in the herbs, and you won’t get that from fake scents.
How to Incense/Spritz Ward an Item
Smoke or spray item.
Visualize the smoke or spray clinging to the item and wrapping around it like a tight blanket, protecting it from anything that would cause harm (or interference, etc.).
How to Incense/Spritz Ward Your Space
Pick a place to start. I always start at my altar, but it’s up to you. If you’re doing multiple floors, start either at the top or bottom floor.
Moving continuously to your right, smoke or spray along the walls and door frames. As you go, imagine a barrier being formed around the walls, ceiling, and floor, pushing outwards to fill the room. Visualize the smoke or spray forming the barrier to keep out anything that will do you harm. [If you have a hard time with visualization, you can simply focus on the intent of the smoke or spray keeping things out.]
Keep moving right, following the layout of your home, making sure you get all the closet spaces. You basically want to outline the entire area you’re protecting, whether it’s you’re room or your whole house.
For multiple floors, repeat on each level.
For big layouts where there are rooms in the middle, go around those rooms as well.
I like to reinforce the wards over outside doors, windows, and mirrors. These are all passages of sorts, and when I reach them, I use the incense to draw a pentagram in the air over them. This is entirely up to you.
You’re done when you’ve reached the point where you began.
So why do we go to the right? Is that important? Kind of. Going to the right is like going clockwise. It’s about making things and progression, where going to the left or counter-clockwise is about deconstruction or reversal. [I read this idea in a witchy book a long time ago and will try to find a source when I can. If you honestly don’t feel it makes a difference, do whatever you’re comfortable with.]
Can I place wards that keep out certain things but not others? Sure. When you’re going around your space/warding your item, your intent is what’s important. I like to ward out entities that mean harm - it’s nice and general and doesn’t keep the fae out. Some people might want certain spirits and not others. Have your intentions clear in your mind as you place your wards.
That’s neat and all, but what are some other ways to ward? Let’s list a few.
Symbol/Sigil Wards
Choose (or make) a symbol or sigil that has protective properties. I’ve done this with Pluto’s astrological symbol because I worship him and it’s my way of being like, “Hey, Pluto. Please protect me, kthanxbai.” Pentagrams are nice and basic witchy/pagan symbols if you like them.
Draw the symbol over doors and windows. You do not literally have to draw it. It can be in water, incense smoke, or just your finger against the surface if you want.
As you’re drawing, make sure you have your intentions in mind - that nothing harmful can pass through this door, that the windows remain closed against entities, etc.
Energy Bubbles (if you have control over your energy)
Pick an item - any item.
Get your warding intentions in mind.
Channel lots of energy into the item. Visualize it emanating from the item in a bubble to fill your space.
If you’ve got mad skillz, you can form the bubble to the walls and be super exact with where its barriers are.
Vocal Wards
If you like spoken (or thought) spells, come up with a small chant to protect your space.
You can repeat this chant as you focus on your item being protected or as you walk around your home, protecting every room.
This is really great to incorporate into basically any other form of warding and gives your magic an extra bit of oomph.
I’ve heard wards can “fade” over time. True or false? Wards are just energy. Like all energies, they can disperse and weaken over time, or if something particularly nasty puts effort into destroying them. Redo your wards every so often (I do mine every few months, but it’s up to you), and especially before spiritual interactions. I also like to do mine after I’ve had lots of company, to kind of clear out family’s lingering energies and reinforce what I don’t want in my house.
In general, the intent of your wards is the most important part. Know what you want to keep out. This concludes our crash course on warding. Now go forth and protect some stuff!
These are not recipes, but ideas - what meal could serve what purpose. They are simple, so you either should have your own recipes for them, or find them on the internet easy enough.
Happy cooking!
BANISHING
chili (cayenne pepper, black pepper, chili - generally spicy things)
lemon-infused water (lemon is a repellant, and water is uncrossable for some entities)
sugarfree coffee with cinnamon (coffee and cinnamon are both banishing ingredients)
curry (cayenne pepper, black pepper, chili - generally spicy things)
PROTECTION
caprese salad (basil, tomatoes)
margarita pizza (basil, tomatoes)
apple pie (apples)
corn-on-a-cob (corn)
mint tea (mint)
herb soup (rosemary, basil, mint, thyme, bay leaf…)
A.)Legalities:I will mention some things that I do very briefly in my personal graveyard. It is an older one that borders my 3 acre property directly and is not regularly maintained. This allows to me to fudge some rules. HOWEVER- working as a paralegal for over a decade, let me lay some groundwork legality clauses for the general witch: 1.) Do not enter after dark. It is illegal in most states. 2.) Do not take dirt directly from atop a grave. 3.) Do not bring bottles of liquor into the cemetery, or glass jars to put you dirt in. 4.) Do not light more than a tea candle and always hold the tea candle yourself (do not set on ground) 5.) It’s best to not disclosure your craft to anyone asking what you’re doing. Just say you’re visiting (and wanted to honor your relative’s memory if a candle is lit)
6.) ALWAYS do as an employee/pastor/policeman asks. Even if it may be technically legal and they’re just uncomfortable, it’s better to de-escalate the situation and leave. You can either come back at a different time or find a different graveyard. 7.) Bring flowers to appear more normal! They also make great offerings! 8.) Do not remove ANYTHING from a grave site. Ever. 9.) Do not leave offerings of stones. It is offensive (i.e. personal) in some religions.
B.)Offerings:these should always be something subtle. I never bring in an actual bottle/glass of the liquor offerings. I usually soak a small bit of cotton or leaf/herb mixture in it and use that. For honey, I’m a huge fan of those individual packets you can get at restaurants (even though they aren’t perfectly local and organic, they are more transportable and less legality issues- just please dispose of the plastic trash after use properly) Offering examples: tobacco, juice, silver coins, honey, liquor, fruit, flowers, herbs, incense (I like to use pomegranate based juice/liquor/fruit due to it’s ties to the Underworld)
-I do NOT recommend bringing a shovel or spade. Period. I don’t even do this with my own graveyard, it is a dangerous offense to be caught with. -It would be best to wear shoes that are easy to take off, and do the ritual without digging (if you don’t like the idea of bare feet in a graveyard, wear thin socks you don’t mind getting dirty). The spirits will understand you don’t want to be put in jail. -I do NOT recommend inhaling the herbs listed as wormwood and mugwort both contain Thujone, which can cause a LOT of issues if too much is ingested/smoked. An sachet of these is fine. You can gently smell the sachet bundle when focusing on the spirit connection. Please be aware of your own medical conditions as well (i.e. allergies/pregnancies/disorders)
-Oils I recommend that are safe to place on your eyelids and would have positive connotations with the dead: olive, pomegranate, coconut, almond, hemp seed (these are all technically “carrier oils” and if you want to add a dash of an essential oil that increases psychic/perception, you can- just spot check it before you put it on the eyelid. Also, just a dab on each eyelid is fine. No need to stick your eyelashes together.
D.)Graveyard dirt. What the hell is it? Simply put, it’s dirt collected from a graveyard. It is NOT a euphemism for other herbs. Also, when it comes to “Goofer dust”, that is a NOT interchangeable with graveyard dirt, though graveyard dirt is a component of the mixture. Please keep in mind Goofer dust is a traditional Hoodoo mixture, and not something I recommend trying to use or replicate without stepping into appropriation territory (THANKS “SUPERNATURAL”). However, graveyard dirt is not.
-Magical uses: Protection, barriers/wards (around property especially!), cursing/hexes, banishing, certain types of healing, divination, spirit-work
DON’T TAKE SOD/GRASS.
Types:
1.) General graveyard dirt: from anywhere inside the graveyard grounds. This is what I recommend for beginners or people who don’t have a lot of spirit work experience. Still leave an offering, explain your purpose, and be respectful even if you’re just snagging a couple spoonfuls from under a tree.
2.) Grave dirt: dirt from a specific grave. Do not do this with recent graves unless it is someone you knew/a relative. It’s best to do this with older/semi-abandoned graves (pre 1900s are great). Ask permission first (this is where spirit work experience comes in, it’s best to get some sort of positive response in the method you are familiar with before removing), leave an offering, and again be respectful.
3.) Grave dust: The “leavings”/debris from atop the gravestone itself. This is actually the easiest to collect without looking suspicious. Just gently sweep it off into your hand and discreetly put it in the bag/vessel you brought. It’s a common ingredient in Underworld/Death/Necro workings. Also can be thought of as an extra potent version of graveyard dirt in regards to magical correspondences. Still leave an offering, ask permission, and explain yourself beforehand.
E.)Homework: Go to a graveyard/cemetery and walk around quietly. Let yourself soak in the energy and see if you’re drawn to any gravestones. Take pictures of the one(s) that you’re drawn to! Share them on the server (or on your blog and tag us!) Extra credit: Research the person listed on the grave and see if you can figure out a reason you might have been drawn to them!
One day I was walking around the city with a friend, and they randomly asked me about a weed growing through the pavement. They wanted to know what “occult use” the plant had.
I crouched down and asked it. It gave me a very casual speech about it’s habits and adaptability in an urban setting “I eat the dust that gathers in asphalt and from it I bloom. I spread my children on the tires of cars, and they do the same as me. I subsist on skin cells, spilled drinks, and the precious rain of the gutters.
So I roughly translate: Plant says it survives and thrives. Could show you how to skirt by on nothing, subsist on little, live in urban environments and still keep your connection to the dirt. Maybe even how to better-tolerate living in an apartment complex with noisy assholes. It grows along sidewalks almost ALWAYS. So there’s something about traffic and movement that applies as well - maybe a good plant for getting your ass out of that roach-hovel on 12th and into better digs on 24th.
My friend looked put-out, and expressed disbelief that I had to “ask a plant” what it did, rather than having read about it somewhere. The idea that the knowledge was “new” was unpleasant to her.
I got a little put-out, too. Because 90% of occult books 1: talk about European plants, or Biblical plants. 2: Talk about extremely common, widespread, or culinary plants. They don’t often talk about a wild, native, forb from the Mid-South region. You can’t buy that plant from Azure Green in bulk. Nobody’s going to talk about that plant.That random, wild, hardy, native forb isn’t something that is opined about in extremely expensive hardcover books, or cited in medieval recipes. It’s a new and “unknown” element in European-styled Craft.
Southern Conjure and Rootwork might cover it, but then again… might not. It might be one of those plants that’s too far North, or West to apply to the “Deep South” region’s biodiversity.
Even if they talked about the species, they’re not going to talk about what THIS plant, and the similar plants in the city can teach you. They’re going to talk about elements, planets and general correspondences. It’s going to be vague, like an astrology report, and softly-worded.
It’s not going to say “This plant makes you care a little less that your neighbor is an asshole, because we’re all trying to get by here, goddamnit.” Because that doesn’t really sell. Practicality isn’t really the order of the day when the book could waffle about the psychic alignment of Lavender (it’s PURPLE after all) or the intense vibrations of the Yemeni Myrrh that had to be trucked out under gunfire.
Take books with a grain of salt. Learn your region. Welcome to a gigantic, new, world of information and witchery that knows your dirt, and knows your people, and knows how to make all of it work with the sun and rain that falls there. Yes, even in the city. Even in the cracks in the pavement.
*(It is/was a “Croton” species, Likely a large, mature, One-Seeded Croton. Looking for a “Biological Survey” site for your area, preferably with pictures, is just ever-so-goddamn-helpful in getting to know the neighbors.)
Hello, my greenies! While I love baking and taking the time to really create something delicious, there are also many times where I just wanna pop those pre-made lovely cookies in the oven. So, I have a little witchy coating that you can dust onto your cookies that can help you manifest good energy, or whatever your heart and soul need.
Because this is for general use and manifestation, feel free to play with the recipe as you see fit. When I create any type of dust or coating, I kind of just use my eyes as measurements, so I’ll do my best to give you somewhat of an idea. ***Depends on how many cookies/baked goods you’re making.
Ingredients
1 ½ tbsps of ground cinnamon
1 tbsp of brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla (or a small drop)
pinch of salt
itty bitty pinch of ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves
Directions
Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix clockwise and say the chant at the end of the recipe or your own. Make sure you’re really thinking about what you’re looking to manifest with this recipe. Say some affirmations and visualize your body being filled and coated in this energy.
Once the ingredients are all squished together and make a flakey crumbly dust, you can either roll the cookies in the dust or sprinkle it on top. ***I love using this on the Holiday Pillsbury Sugar Cookies! Those are my childhood favorites!
Bake the cookies and enjoy when done!
Chant: Just as the moon pushes and pulls the tides, I am in control of my energy. I am strong. I __insert desired manifestation__.
I hope you all enjoy and have a wonderful spooky season! Don’t forget that trick or treat ends on the start of 31st! Let me know which cookies you use this spread on and your samhain plans!
Do you prefer casting at your altar or is your place of magick not set or permanent?
What entity (if any) is your altar dedicated to?
What objects do you keep permanently on your altar? What purpose or personal meaning does it have?
Do you change your altar to correspond with the sabbats?
Draw and label a diagram of your altar. Include an explanation of their meaning to you.
Tuesday: Sigils
Are sigils something you use through out your practice?
Choose your three favorite sigils. Include their meanings as well as any personal interpretations. Why are they your favorites? What is the most common place that you add sigils too?
Research and write down the steps to take in order to create a sigil. Use these steps to create your own sigil.
Wednesday: Local Fauna
Create a list of your local animals.
For each profile be sure to include the following: Any lore, superstitions, their meanings to you, their magickal and spiritual meanings, and ways they can be incorporated into your craft.
Thursday: Seven Planes of Existence
What are the planes of existence?
How can they be incorporated into your craft?
Do they seem believable to you?
Draw and label the seven planes of existence.
Friday: Lightning
Is lightning a form of energy you incorporate into your craft?
How could you incorporate lightning into your practice?
Create correspondences for lightning.
Plan and write a spell that incorporates lightning.
Saturday: Quote Interpretation
Choose a quote that speaks to you on a spiritual level and expresses your path.
Do a deep meditation with the quote in mind.
Write down all the thoughts and visions you have about the quote. Go into as much detail as possible.
Sunday: Amethyst
Sketch a picture of Amethyst.
Create it’s correspondence that includes its magickal and healing properties.
Is amethyst a crystal you use lots in your practice?
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
