#witch journey

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. 

I know the saying is spirituality isn’t cheap, but it doesn’t mean it has to be inaccessible. I remember how difficult it was starting my practice and wanting to get all the things that cost all the money and having neither. One of my favorite go-to places from way back then (and still is)  was the dollar store. If you really look up and down the isles, you’ll find so many things you can use in your practice on the cheap.

My advice to baby witches just starting their collection of craft items is be patient. Set a budget of a few things and make sure they are the items you need to use on the reg. Once you’ve picked up your first couple of things, plan out the next few pieces you will need to help expand your craft. Don’t worry about getting everything you need at once. More than likely you won’t need everything you think you do in the beginning anyway. 

Make sure you are purchasing à la carte items one at a time as needed, and stay away from Etsy and spiritual shops that tend to overcharge. Instead, use them to pick up special items like crystals or blended oils that you can’t get at a discount store. And always keep your eyes open at garage sales, thrift shops and your grandmas house.

*Each local dollar store will have different inventory, so your dollar store might vary in what they have available. Take note of what they have but check back every few months when they rotate their stock. 

Notebooks, Pens/Pencils - Note books, pens and pencils will be at every dollar store. You can even pick up markets or colored pencils. 

Journals - Journals are sometimes stocked with the book isle. So I usually check that area to see if there are any blank journals I want to use for spell books or craft journals. 

Candles - Dollar stores are the jackpot for candles. You can get pillar candles, tea lights or votives in glass.

Offering Plates - They typically have clear glass bowls you can use for offering plates or even small dishes. 

Bottles (Glass or plastic) - I’ve found colorful glass bottles with cork tops at one time or another, this might be a seasonal item. 

Mirrors - Mirrors are always good for reflecting spells so pick up a few for protection/reflection magic. 

Olive Oil - You can use olive oil to anoint and bless. Grab a bottle if they have it in stock. 

Essential Oil - Your dollar store may carry a limited amount of essential oils, if they do you know you’ve scored big. No doubt these aren’t real essential oils and probably more like fragrance oil, so I wouldn’t put directly on my skin, but you can still use them in candles and just in general. 

Boxes/Bins/Storage - Any dollar store will have loads of bins, and storage to hold all your witch crafty items in. 

Incense/Incense holders - My dollar store always stocks incense cones, so I know they will be there, but I’ve seen sticks and some too. 

Jars - Grab some canning jars! You will definitely need them to make spell jars and hold items in. 

Yardley Soap - In my opinion, this soup is so overlooked. This original recipe dates back to the 1700s and is made in London. Use it for cleansing and ritual work. 

Clay - Clay can be used to make small pentacles and even painted with paint from the dollar store. You can use clay to create other alter items as well like candleholders, beads and jewelry. 

Calendars/Planners - Most calendars and planners will have the moon phases written on them, and if not you can always go in month to month and write it in yourself. Planners are a great way to track moon phases and spells that are coming up.

Drawstring Bags - Perfect to house herbs, crystals or anything you want to carry around with you in a little pouch. 

Chalk - Chalk can be used to draw on doors, windows and porches for protection symbols. You can also use it to draw your circle around you when you cast spells. 

String - String can be bought for tying up bags, knot spells or cord spells so definitely something handy to have around. 

Felt - Not every dollar store will have felt, but it’s worth a mention. Use for making poppets and dolls. If your dollar store doesn’t carry felt, craft stores usually carry it for a dollar a sheet.

A small stool or shelf - If you’re looking for a small alter space you might be able t find a shelf or small stool/table. 

Table cloth - Dollar stores will generally have this item either in the party section or in the household items. Typically they come in white but if you go during Halloween season you might be able to score a black one. 

Seasonal decorations - Always head over to the dollar store for any seasonal items. Think Yule décor, Halloween decorations and so much more. 

Lighter/Matches - A regular find at any dollar store and super useful. 

Paper - Loose leaf lined paper or computer paper is always good to have on hand aside from notebooks.

Spices (Garlic/Salt/Cinnamon) - They won’t carry all the spices, but a dollar store will have a small selection. Look for cinnamon, garlic, salt and sugar. 

Honey - Perfect for making honey jars and sweetening up spells. 

I love it when the seasons change. Each shift of warmer to cooler months feels like a fresh start, and the seasonal magic is really where it’s at. In the summer I like to focus on cleansing, doing things outside and lots of gatherings. But in the winter things change to a more personal perspective and I want to work on inner growth and spending time with myself. 

I’ve put together a list to give witches some ideas on what they can do this winter. Feel free to add to it in the comments and write your own take on things. Happy winter witches!

1 Winter spell jar - Sometimes I like to create a fresh spell jar for the season. I view this jar as me, my psychic energy, and I place it in things I want to cultivate during the season. Maybe it’s an image of the High Prestress from tarot, because I want to learn to connect more to my higher self. Or maybe it’s a rose quartz because I need to work on self-love. Place it in whatever feels right for you and leave it out to remind yourself of where you’re going this season. 

2 Melt away the stress snow spell - Collect snow from outside and bring it in. Pace it in the center of a circle of white candles. Say your intention over the snow and let it melt away whatever you were stressing over. Modify this spell in any way you want as a release spell. 

3 Collect snow for other spells - Snow melts. But you can use it otherwise in place of water during the winter. You can use it to cleanse crystals or wash ritual items. If you’re feeling very witchy you can collect snow from graveyards. Just be mindful of ‘who’ you’re collecting the snow from if it’s from the tops of graves. 

4 Cinnamon ornaments - Make cinnamon ornaments with cookie cutters, glue and powdered cinnamon. Mix together and make a dough, cut out with cookie cutters and tie up with string. Not only does cinnamon smell good, it brings in prosperity energy.

5 Winter wish fire spell - If you have a fire going, use it to write a wish on a bay leaf and toss it in the fire. 

6 Winter graveyard walk - Nothing is prettier than an old graveyard covered in snow. Walk around and take it in. Leave pennies as offerings to anything guarding the cemetery.

7 Winter offering - Don’t forget your ancestors this winter. Leave them out their favorite holiday treats, drinks, or light candles in memory of them. 

8 Yule ornaments - Collect pine cones, sticks, or berries from outside and make yule ornaments to hang on your Christmas tree. 

9 Pine cone candle holders - Pine cones also make great candle holders. Cut them in half and hollow out a space for a candle on the inside. Perfect if you want to add a little winter decor to your magical working space. 

10 Charm your soup for a winter healing spell - The winter blues is real, and this spell helps with feeling blah during the cold months. Make a soup (any soup, really) and say your intention over it. Mix your spoon clockwise and imagine a white light mixing into your soup, while you eat it imagine it going into your body and warming you up from the inside. 

11 Herb jar candles - Evergreen is a nice winter herb to burn and looks great in candles. Make your own jar candles with melted wax and jars you might already have. Add evergreen herbs and even white quartz crystals to the tops of your candles.

12 Lavender sachets - If you’re having trouble sleeping, make a lavender sachet. Use purple felt and sew up three sides. Flip inside out and fill with lavender herb. Sew up the remaining side. 

13 Bird feeders - Love making these during the winter. Only because I feel like birds need a break too and there’s less food for them during the winter months. Take a toilet paper roll and smear peanut butter on them, then roll them in bird seed. (Kind of preschool project, I know.) Hang them outside on your trees. 

14 Read read read! - Since most people are spending more time inside during the winter, it’s the perfect time to catch up on any witchy reading. Try your local library and see what they have on witch books, cook books and more. 

15 Orange slices - Make orange slices for citrus cleansing baths by slicing fresh oranges very thin and baking them on low 175 degrees for 3-4 hours or until they are dry. String them along for a garland for another variety. 

16 Winter blessing - Do a winter blessing spell for you and your loved ones. 

17 Baked breads and cakes - Lavender bread is my favorite but make sure you purchase edible lavender herb first. Try cinnamon cakes or anise for a winter theme. Look up the meanings of the herbal properties before adding them into your dough. 

18 Tea leaf reading - The colder months are a great time to brush up on your tea-leaf reading. You’ll need loose tea leaves and a keen eye to pick out the shapes in the cup. 

19 Tarot meditation - Brush up on your tarot by doing tarot meditations. Choose a tarot card that you would like to connect with more closely. Light a candle and place the card in front of you. Close your eyes and meditate with the card taking in any messages, feelings or visuals you receive. 

20 Write your grimoire - Get creative and start your own grimoire with your favorite spells and rituals. 

It’s crazy to me to think that we are in such survival mode with finances that ‘side hustles’ are a regular thing now. Don’t get me wrong, I hate hustle culture. I believe we all should be pursuing our passions but not to the level of toxic self-destruction. 

So why the side hustle? Because we all need money, and witchy side hustles can oftentimes manifest into lucrative careers. Nothing makes me happier than a witch living their best life making a career out of doing what they were born to do. 

If you have another idea you want to add to the list, or drop a comment below!

Read tarot -This one is by far the one I see the most often, and that’s not a bad thing. I have my go-to favorite tarot readers for different things because I feel like tarot readers are not all built the same. Some styles of reading work better for life paths and some for career choices. Nothing is better than an abundance of tarot readers. Plus you can create a large audience by using Instagram or TikTok and this one requires almost no start-up money. 

Spell services - I’m not always a fan of selling witchy services because some people seem kind of shady or are in it just to make money and not really having any background in witchcraft or occultism BUT I put it on here. If you genuinely care about your clientele and want to spread the magic by offering great spell casting services, then this might be the side hustle for you.

Etsy shop - I am not remarkable at selling on Etsy and have never really had a tremendous amount of luck with that site, but that’s not to say you won’t. I’m also an avid Etsy shopper and have found loads of witchy shops selling everything from blended oils to fixed candles on the platform. 

Blog- Then there’s the blog. This is the space where I find the most success, but what I often don’t find are a lot of other witchy blogs. Sure, there’s a bunch out there, but it doesn’t seem as over-saturated as say a cooking or your basic mom blog. Although I don’t, you can make money off of advertising and other ad revenues. 

Write books - If you have a knack for writing, try penning your own book. You can go the traditional route of seeking out a publishing agent, but honestly, self-publishing is so huge right now. So many books with so much great content, definitely worth taking a look at. Who knows you could be the next big thing in witch books. 

Teach classes - Is there a local witch shop nearby? Have you thought about hosting classes or teaching workshops on various witchy subjects? In my experience I have found so many people interested in learning more about the craft, it could be a noteworthy start to a rewarding career. 

Create lifestyle goods - Lifestyle goods to me are things like shirts, stuff for your house, coffee mugs. Printify and Printful are two websites to get things rolling in the merchandise world.

Cottage food - Cottage food to me are things like jellies, jams and preserves. Think kitchen witch vibes. If you’re already a gourmet cook with a penchant for magic, this could be the space for you.

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.

HOW TO MAKE A CLEANSING ROOM SPRAY

I was looking for a cleansing incense a few months ago and ran across a shop that sold room sprays. The idea is you can use these sprays to cleanse the ‘vibe’ in your room before ritual work. I picked up one for the Full Moon and one for the New Moon and I freaking LOVE them. Especially if I’m in a hurry and don’t want to light a whole charcoal block to cleanse with loose incense or any incense in general I just use these witchy sprays.

Both sprays are come in dark glass bottles and filled with incense, distilled water, crystals and blessed by the full moon. I use them so often now that I wanted to try my hand at making my own room spray.

This recipe is for a cleansing room spray that can be used pre any spell or ritual. It’s great for times you’re on the go and can’t light incense or are sensitive to the smoke from incense in general. Room sprays are my for sure go-to now,

What you need

One small glass spray bottle

Lavender and Sage essential oil

Moon water (bonus if it’s distilled)

One small Amethyst

What you’ll do

It’s pretty simple. You just need to place the ingredients in the spray bottle. Try decorating a sticker or label and place it on your glass bottle so you know which spray it is. If you’re curious about how to make Moon Water I’ve written about it before here. You basically leave water outside during the full moon to collect the energy and you can use the water for different things like ritual baths and to make this room spray.

Change it up by adding different crystals, essential oils and herbs to make sprays for energy, self love, or anything else you can think of. I would love to make a protection spray too.