Visualise the A+ (on your report card/on the paper after it’s been graded/etc) right before beginning to solve your test/exam, it also helps if you can draw a sigil somewhere on the paper, or trace it on the paper with your finger
When shaving, visualise any energy buildup being shaved off as well
If you play the guitar, draw a sigil on your plectrum/pick for an added boost (this works with other instruments too)
Do not litter out of respect for nature and its spirits
Feel free to add more things onto the list
When you’re just starting out, or even when you’re just too drained to practice your craft like you used to, it can feel like there isn’t enough magic in your life. This is your daily reminder that a lot of the time, the only difference between routine and magick is intent.
*I have been informed that the first link is now private. I will not be changing it, but here is my go-to method for enchanting tea. Stir clockwise to manifest/invite, and counterclockwise to banish/repel. Tap the spoon (or whatever it is that you’re using) thrice against the rim of the cup to seal in the intention.
Working with spirits is a fun experience in my opinion, but definitely comes with a risk. You’re meeting someone new, and there are “good” entities and “bad” entities and entities in between, just like with anything. Working with spirits requires some preparation, and may be easier for some and very difficult for others. I personally had to train quite a long time to get to where I am and I am still learning a lot even today.
Preparation Stage
1. Warding
Knowing how to ward is so important in witchcraft in general, and this is definitely no exception. Please make sure to have strong wards around yourself and your mind. A spirit with bad intentions can definitely hurt you or possess you against your will if you are not careful.
Note: Ward against all spirits, even the ones you trust. You deserve your own space and there are going to be times when you want to be alone. This is so important.
2. Learn about yourself
This may sound strange but you need to know who you are before working with spirits. This way, you can tell the difference between when you feel them around or your own energy, and the same with trying to hear/see them vs. your own thoughts.
To do this, meditate as much as possible. If you can end up meditating at least a few minutes every single day, that’s awesome. Focus your meditations at first on quieting your mind and focusing on a single random object in your mind. Visualize it and observe the details. How it smells, feels, tastes, sounds. Usually I do this with an apple. Something simple. Once you feel like you can do this comfortably, then begin exploring your current emotions. Identify as many as you can. You can dig deeper if you would like, trying to see what underlying emotions you carry that can cloud your readings, both telepathy and divination. Explore your energy- what color does it look like to YOU, not what others have told you? Everyone sees things differently, so you need to see how you see.
I could go into more detail about this but that will have to be a whole other post. This is such a big part of spirit work and your own journey that I cannot stress it enough. The more you know yourself, the easier it will be in a lot of your workings in witchcraft.
3. Trust yourself, be confident
Doubts and fears cloud readings, both physical and mental. Your intuition will become clouded if you do not trust yourself. It is good in my opinion to have a little doubt and to not be too confident, but it is a delicate balance. It’s hard to explain how much is too much, so the one way I can put it is allowing the first thought be your instinct. The thoughts that come automatically tend to be the instinctive ones.
4. Learn what is instinct, and what is yours
This is important as well. I briefly mentioned it in the previous point. A good idea to practice this is begin with divination- for example, tarot cards have basic meanings, but also should be interpreted with intuition as well. Learn to listen to that intuition in your divination and not only will it help you with listening and identifying spirits, but also will help you with your divination techniques. Definitely an awesome double whammy! Don’t forget, tarot is NOT the only way to talk with spirits!
5. Learn how to banish
Just in case you come across a spirit who wants to hurt you or will not leave you alone even if you ask it to, you need to learn how to banish it. There are many ways you can perform a banishing- it highly depends on your own abilities and what is easiest for you. Some people have a lot more power in words, while others need to make a spray with herbs and oils. I highly suggest doing some research on banishing and find what works best for you.
6. Find a communication method
Once again, everyone is different. Some work better with pendulums (I personally don’t like using them), while others use tarot or another method. Getting to the point of seeing and hearing a spirit takes a while for some people, and that’s ok. It took me almost four years to get to the point where I can comfortably see and hear spirits with my third eye.
For anyone, I highly suggest using some sort of divination method to read what spirits are telling you. Pendulum, runes, and tarot are most common. Keep in mind, when you use these for spirit communication, you will need to avoid putting your own energy into them so the reading doesn’t get mixed up or end up reading you instead. Practice reading other people first to help with this.
Spirit Stage
So now about spirits. Once again, remember, spirits have their souls. They have emotions. They make choices. They have personalities. This means they are capable of both helping and harming you. I don’t really believe in “good” and “evil” since it is relative to everyone’s beliefs. Instead, I believe that every spirit is capable of positive and malicious intent. Please remember this: Spirits can hurt you. But also, don’t judge a book by its cover. Just be cautious.
How do I get in contact with a spirit?
I would suggest starting with a deity you trust and feel close to. Deities have an energy that can be easier to read, and you may already have a relationship with this deity. You can also reach out to spirits in an area that you feel is safe.
First of all, with any entity, you should remain respectful and treat them like you would any person you meet for the first time. Introduce yourself (out loud or projecting gently through your mind is fine) and ask if they would like to introduce themselves. Use your divination method to help receive answers.
Trust your intuition. If you feel unsafe, say goodbye and ward up more. Banish them if they won’t leave you alone. Give yourself a good cleanse as soon as you can.
But also, trust your intuition in how the spirit feels as well. If you sense they are uncomfortable, apologize and back off. Some spirits are shyer than others- others may not feel like interacting.
Don’t feel frustrated if your first few tries are unsuccessful, it happens! This is one of the most difficult skills to get in my opinion, and can take a while to master.
I also highly suggest having a look at this pretty good thoughtform post
Lavender- Magickal uses include love, protection, healing, sleep, purification, and peace. Promotes healing from depression. Great in sleep pillows and bath spells.
chamomile-Love, healing, and reducing stress, success, hex breaking.
Basil- Love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, and protection. Dispels confusion, fears & weakness. Drives off hostile spirits. Associated with Candlemas.
Bay leaves - Protection, good fortune, success, purification, strength, healing and psychic powers. Write wishes on fresh leaves and then burn the leaves to make the wishes come true.
Mint- Promotes energy, communication and vitality. Draws customers to a business. Use dried leaves to stuff a green poppet for healing. Can also draw good spirits when used during a ritual.
Aloe- Protection, love and luck. Place on the grave of a loved one to promote peaceful energy. Thought to relieve loneliness and assist with success.
Rose- Magical uses include divine love, close friendships, domestic peace/happiness, and lasting relationships.
Rosemary- Health, love, protection, purification. Can be used as a substitute for many herbs. Associated with Fey.
Sage - Used for self purification and dealing with grief and loss. Carried to improve mental ability and bring wisdom. Used in healing sachets & incense. Promotes spiritual, mental, emotional & physical health and longevity. Removes negative energy.
Witch Hazel -Magickal uses include chastity and protection. Carry to ease grief over a lost love. Use in a sachet to reduce passions. Use in love spells and spells to ward off evil.
Vanilla Bean - Magickal uses include love, lust, passion, and restoring lost energy. Carried to increase energy & strengthen mental abilities.
Vinegar - Banishing, binding, averting evil.
Tangerine- Promotes energy, strength, and vitality. Awakens joy and dissolves negativity.
Sunflower- Energy, protection, power, wisdom, and wishes.
Thistle- Healing, protection. Use in sachet or amulet to aid in speedy recovery from surgery or illness. Hang in the home to ward off thieves and unwanted visitors.
Thyme- Attracts loyalty, affection, and the good opinion of others. Wear a sprig to ward off unbearable grief or provide strength and courage when needed. Burn or hang in the home for banishing, purification, and to attract good health for all occupants.
Most of these herbs can be found around the kitchen making them easy herbs for beginner witches’.
These ingredients can be used in spells rituals, spell jars and satchels.
talk to the moon at night. tell her your worries, your dreams, your hopes and desires. tell her what you ache for most deeply, your greatest regret and your biggest fears. dissect your heart in front of her, and feel it heal.
now that i’ve begun working more with energy, i wanted to share my methods of casting circles! when i first started working with energy, it was really hard to find references for casting circles, especially ones not dealing with the traditional Wiccan god/goddess. here are some methods and uses of casting circles!
Why Cast a Circle?
the primary reason i cast circles is to protect me from outside energy influences. most people associate circles to protection from ‘malevolent’ spirits, however, it’s just a great barrier in general!
here are some following scenarios i cast circles:
divination- to protect me from energies that might influence my cards or my interpretation o the cards
spellwork- pretty self-explanatory. i cast circles to protect from energies i don’t want in my spells, or from potential spirit attraction.
meditation- again, for energy use and to also not be disturbed from anything spiritual.
Methods of Casting
1 - Invoking Elements
a very basic way, if not the go-to way, of casting is to place each of the four elements at each of the cardinal directions. Earth at the north, Air in the east, Fire at the south, and Water in the west.
fire
Candles (color them for intent if used in a spell! alternatively, electric tea lights work fine.)
alternatively, any of these could be replaced with a tarot card of the corresponding suit! (wands for fire, cups for water, pentacles for earth, and swords for air).
to close the circle, walk clockwise starting in the east (air) and complete a full walk around the circle. do this as many times as you feel needed to envision a complete circle! after your use for it is done, unwind it by walking the same number of times counter-clockwise.
note:if you live in the southern hemisphere, you may want to reverse fire and earth in your directions and walk counter-clockwise to close the circle, and clockwise to end it.
2 - Envisioning
this is a very, very simple way to cast a circle! if you have very little time, simply imagine a ring of light around your workspace. you could align color to purpose as well.
the only downsides to this method include the fact that it may not be as strong as a physical circle for beginners especially, as i have learned many times over as i find energy that i don’t want in the circle. on top of this, to make it very successful, you may have to keep this image in your head throughout your spell or energy work, which may distract or hurt your concentration.
however, like i said before, it’s very easy, discreet, and requires no clean up! with practice, it could be very easy to maintain.
3 - Salt Circle
by simply spreading salt in a circle clockwise (or counter-clockwise depending on your location), you can create a strong barrier. as you walk around, envision your purpose of protection and safety.
if you are working outside, do not use salt. it will kill plant life! instead, consider alternatives such as: egg shells, diluted salt water, crushed herbs, flower petals, etc.
if working inside, consider setting out foil, cloth, or a tarp for easy cleanup.
4 - Cleansing the Room Itself
if you find that you for some reason cannot cast a circle, or maybe are just starting out, consider cleansing the entire room instead!
some methods include:
smoke cleansing (NOT smudging. please do not call this action smudging unless it is part of YOUR culture.)
salt or protective mixture
dance/song
salt/water spray
incense and candles
for smoke cleansing, light your bundle and start facing eastward, spreading the smoke and asking for protection from either the corresponding element or any deities/spirits/etc. you worship. move clockwise or counterclockwise.
for salt or protection mixtures, simply place a small pile in each corner of the room or at the cardinal directions.
dance and song can celanse the room when accompanied with smoke especially.
the salt water spray can be used similar to the protection mixture – spray a little in each corner or at the cardinal directions.
incense and candles can be placed in corners, the directions, or just throughout the room to act as protective energy.
Final Notes
make sure to remove your circle after you’re done!! leaving it up isn’t safe and could be draining on your energy or health.
try not to leave the circle in the middle of your work, if it can be avoided. ive had to do it before and nothing bad happened, but sometimes it ocould break the circle, or bring unwanted energy or precense in.
do your absolute best to have all your materials in the circle before you cast it. bringing items that were not in the circle before could carry energy that you just do not want in your circle. i’ve messed up plenty spells because of it already. if it is really necessary, cleanse the item as thoroughly as you can (quickly if you need to), and enter the circle from the east.
if these methods don’t work right away, don’t worry! these take lots of practice. some easy ways to try casting daily include:
cast a circle before you meditate
cleanse your room before you do homework for a safe space to work
if you have a form of divination, cast a circle before drawing a daily reading (i do this in the morning to see how the day will go or seek advice for the day!).
MIDSUMMER’S EVE PRAYER ~ With open arms I embrace warmth and light, May the magick of Litha shine bright tonight. With fairies dancing and magick abound, I see the Summer Solstice all around. On this Litha eve, as twilight glows, I welcome transition, of which my soul knows. I release all ego, to sun, moon and earth, My spirit rejuvenated, by nature’s hearth.
TO BIND- wrap in black thread, drip wax over, or seal in a jar and hide it in the dark.
TO BANISH- burn an effect to ash and sweep off the back door step, cast it out a window, or bury in the ground and spit on it
TO ENCOURAGE- plant it by the front door/steps, bury by a window, or place it on a windowsill
TO HIDE- place in a jar painted black, cover with cloth and bury, or wrap with a ribbon
TO CLEANSE- bury it in a bowl of salt, burn herbs and pass through the smoke, or lay it in a moonwater bath
TO GLAMOUR- leave under the full moon, hold its reflection over a mirror with herbs, or
TO WISH- place before a candle and blow it out, drown a coin in water, or let seeds blow into the wind
TO COMMUNICATE- (with a spirit or deity) - anoint a candle, leave out offerings, or open the front doors and windows
TO WARD- leave part of the spell in four corners, draw lines around the protected area, or plant an object of projection in the north, east, south, and west edges
TO CURSE- spit on it, drag your nails down it, or stick sharp things in it
TO DISCOURAGE - plant or bury by the back door, or burn to ash
TO JINX- say it three times out loud, or say a word the same time as someone else
TO MANIPULATE - use wax, use poppets, or tie several strings to pieces of an effect
TO BENEFIT - light a candle, charge a crystal, or create a talisman
Unicorns are complex symbols. They are the ultimate representation of innocence, as well as love and devotion. They stand proud on coats of arms, emblems of courage and strength. They are also symbols of sacrifice, as we know from our tapestries, woven records of hunts for them. They are avatars of the sacred beauty of nature, and the curse of its fragility. They represent something older and just beyond humanity’s understanding- something pure, which we are not.
Tears too, are complex. Tears flow with any emotion felt deeply, wether it be elation or dismay, or rage, or fear, or relief. Crying is something deeply primal that we cannot control, like hunger and bleeding, yet what other animal cries? Tears are a cleanse, a chance to reset and try again, to become for an instant, something pure.
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My first submission to this year’s Month of Love challenge! This week’s prompt was “Tears,” which got me all swept up in my feelings.
For more of my recent work, visit mywebsiteandinsta!
I had the pleasure of getting to design this piece for @fleurwomb, writer and witch extraordinaire. This was such a fun piece to sink my teeth into - let me draw roses and snakes forever
Happy halloween, my lovelies! I feel so happy at the close of this October. Even though I didn’t draw as much as I was hoping, I feel like I made a lot of steps towards marketing my art (which is the part I’ve always been bad at ) I’ve met so many great people through the pop-ups I’ve done, and am on the verge of opening an online store, which will carry these little bunny block prints! I hope you all have a wonderful night!
