#witchcraft basics

Kick start your spring season by getting some spiritual cleansing done! For more witchy content, tips on starting your practice and more >> follow or visit witchesbelike.com. 

Cleansing with the 4 elements is one of the first things I learned in Witchcraft and a really simple way to cleans tools, ritual items and even yourself. The process is really simple and involves passing each item through an elemental representation. The best part is that you can find things outside or use items you already have to represent each element in your cleansing. I still use this cleanse on the reg, especially with new items, tarot and just really anything that I feel like needs a good energy clearing. 

The first thing you need to do is find or acquire an item that represents each of the 4 elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Use 4 separate items. I’ve listed below my suggestions but feel free to use whatever representation makes sense and speaks to you. 

Element Representation

For Earth you can use small potted plants, dried herbs, leaves, small sticks, crystals or even smooth rocks. 

Air representations can include bird feathers (that have fallen off naturally), incense or dandelions. 

For fire you can use candles of any kind, incense or metal objects that have been welded like old keys and small trinkets like rings or pendants. 

Water is the easiest, use a small glass or bowl of water. (Bonus if it’s moon water.) You can also use sea shells, tea cups, or even brewed hot tea.

Don’t feel stuck to these items only. If something speaks to you and you feel like it represents an element for you, use that item instead. The best representations to elements are ones that have a personal connection to you. 

Cleansing 

After collecting your items, place them on your alter or on a flat surface where you will be doing your cleanse. Space out each elemental representation in a square starting with Earth. Light any incense or candles if you have them for your element representations. 

Now, take the object you are going to cleanse and ‘pass them through’ each element starting with Earth. For instance if you are cleansing a new ritual tool and are using crystals for your Earth representation simply pass the item over AND under the crystal to cleanse of the energy. When you’re done move onto the next element. Repeat until all 4 elements are used and your items is cleansed. 

Safe Keeping

Keep your element ritual items in a small box or drawstring bag until next time and leave them in a space where they won’t be disturbed. If you have items you can’t keep such as leaves from outside or water in a cup, you can bury the contents outside or use the water to water plants. 

* The graphic for this post was created by Obsidian Oddessy. Please check out her amazing painting for magical beings!  

Living With Intention

When I first heard of living with intention I thought it was just some girl boss energy that I didn’t really want to participate in. I’m not a hustle wake up at 5 am person, so that never really works for me. I’m more of a lay in bed until 11 and I’m hungry enough to get coffee gtype person. So I initially just brushed it off as another lazy way businessmen are trying to hype up manifesting money. (That never really works mind you,) But then I learned that living with intention isn’t goal setting, it’s a lifestyle that adheres to what you want and how you can live your life to make it happen, in any way that you want. And no, you don’t have to get up at 5 am everyday to make it happen. 

Intentions not goals

I HATE goals. Like deep hate for them. All that slander in the early days of hustle culture really hit a nerve because not everyone is built for that same energy. And I saw a lot of people feel really guilty when they failed simply because that system was not designed for them.

When I say we are all different, I mean it. Each member of my family has a different energy type. So when you have one recipe for goal getting, it’s not going to work for everyone in the room. And yes, some people will fail and it has nothing to do with how hard they tried or how much effort they put into it, despite what all the hustle gurus tell you. 

Because it’s all about intentions NOT goals. You see, goals are little demons that crawl around making you feel guilty for stepping outside of your dream and doing something different just because you feel like it. Example 1: Oh you overslept, you didn’t get up at 4:30am and you missed your workout class now you are a failure forever. How is that mindset even healthy?!

Intentions are more simple and have a slower pace. Intentionally I want to someday live in an old Victorian house that we can fix up and make beautiful again. So I look up how to fix things and practice in my current home. I also read blogs on fixer-uppers and DIY everything I can in my house. This helps prepare me for the big dream. Intentions are not goals, but small steps you take to move forward with what you want. Can intentions change? Sure, I may never even move (LOL) or I may fall in love with a different style home. But does that mean I’m a failure? No, it means my intentions have changed and there’s room for that flexibility. 

Intentions can be other things, like career choices, what you want to study in school or how you visualize your life. Let’s say you want to someday be a salon owner. You can start living intentionally by researching salon ownerships, studying business or researching where you can get your cosmetology license. All of these things have the intention of someday being a salon owner. You can also do other things like enjoy your life, go out with your friends and work on your mental health. None of the other things take away from living with your intentions. It just means you are experiencing a full life. 

Intentions are moving forward daily and taking small steps towards how you want to build your life, without all the drama that comes with goal setting. With intentions there’s room for failure, flexibility, and changing your mind all while still manifesting the life you want.   

How I live intentionally

Journaling

Journaling has always been a big way for me to sort out my feelings and I incorporate that into my intentional living. I know goal setting is all about writing your goals, and setting time frames but we are setting intentions here so let’s scrap that. If you want to set intentions and use your journals, write how you feel. How you would feel walking into your salon (if that’s your goal) or what you feel like researching or doing in the next month to live in your intention. If you manifested life includes owning a salon, maybe you want to look up cosmetology schools in your area, or maybe you want to do something fun like practice doing your own hair. Either Way make sure it’s bringing you energy and lots of happiness when you’re doing it. Intentions should never feel like work or a chore, they should feel fun and full of invigorating energy.

Making a mood board or collage

Start by clipping images, having a dedicated Pinterest board or just using Tumblr to get an aesthetic of how you see yourself in the future. If you’re owning a salon in your future you can imagine how it would look on the inside, maybe pick a logo or color palette or make business cards for fun on Canva. Remember it doesn’t have to be stressful or complete. Just fun ways you envision yourself living the life you want. 

I like to  categorize everything to make it easier for me, so I might have several folders on my laptop with pictures of things I’ve gathered over the years. My folders are categorized in things like, family, home, career, money etc. That way I can see each board individually and play around with the images I find online. Sometimes I print them out, sometimes I don’t. 

The important part of making a board or collage is to help visualize how you see yourself in the future. If you want to go to a specific school or live in a certain state, start compiling images in that space and picture yourself there. Use full sensory visualization. How does it feel? What is your day like? Remember visualization makes reality because our thoughts are things. 

Using spells

Spellwork is a great way to move forward with your intentions and can be the magical boost you need. Want to get a certain job? Maybe as your first step towards a new career? Before you interview, do a spell to set up that energy up for success. You can continue to use spellwork throughout your life to manifest your needs step-by-step and create a mindset where you are attracting what you want. 

It helps to break down your intentions into digestible parts and start with the first step. Each time you move towards another step in your journey see if you can incorporate spellwork into your manifestation. Each little jump forward is you moving closer to the life you want and more importantly living your truth.

Art on this post was created by Obsidian Odyssey! Thank you for collabing with me and creating the art for this post. Check out her witchy blog! Also she’s an AMAZING artist and has a free coven you can join!

Things to do for a Spring Witch

Spring isn’t really my jam, but I do like to incorporate seasons into my practice. I love how each season brings with it a certain focus so you can really explore your magic throughout the whole year.

March 20th  is the first day of spring this year, and where I live we have had a long snowy winter so I’m really ready to incorporate some warm days into my magic. 

1 Clean out your witchy supplies

It gets to be a mess, I know. Spring is a great time to cleanse and purge your witchy things. Donate what you don’t need and organize the rest. Your magic will thank you. 

2 Do a big ritual cleanse for all your baddy spell casting

Kidding, but for real. Spring is a time for cleansing. 

3 Sweep out the negativity from your life 

This is not in the literal sense. To do a broom cleanse, open all your windows and doors and take your broom two inches above the floor metaphorically ‘sweep’ the negativity out of your space. 

4 Spring walks for collecting items

Spring is the best time for finding witchy things outside. I’ve found insect wings, small animal bones, rocks, anything you think you’ll need for your craft. 

5 Spells for New Growth

Ready to get that new job? New home? Or start a new business? Spring is the nest time to piggyback off that energy. 

6 Spells for Abundance

Want to attract more abundance around this time? Add dill or parsley to a drawstring bag and place it on your altar or carry it with you. 

7 Charge your Crystals (for real this time)

I’m not the greatest when it comes to taking all my crystals outside and charging them under the full moon because really it’s a nuisance. But I try to commit once a year and spring it when it is. 

8 Cleanse your tools

While you’re charging your crystals, do some more magical spring cleansing and charge your tools too. 

9 Honor your Ancestors with fresh picked flowers 

Next time you’re outside, pick up some fresh dandelions or spring flowers and place them in a vase for your ancestors. 

10 Draw, write, meditate outside

Take some time to sit outside and reflect. 

11 Focus on spiritual growth

Remember that the season of spring is all about new growth, growing spiritually and creating the life you want for yourself. 

12 Spring Clean your space

Sometimes it starts with the mundane work. Take some times this spring and clear out your physical space, sometimes it helps with your mental space too.

13 Make sun water

Make sun water on the first full spring day for the masculine equivalent to moon water. 

14 Go outside, camp, take a walk, connect with nature

This one speaks for itself, but go outside, connect and get out of the winter mood. 

15 Grow your food for spells

Even if you don’t have a lot of space (me!) take an old terra cotta pot and grow some tomatoes or zucchini. Use the vegetables in a soup spell. 

16 Grow herbs

Another way to bring spring into your home is to grow herbs. Start with basil on your windowsill and go from there. 

17 Make sun tea

Sun tea is simply making tea and setting the pitcher outside letting the sun brew the tea for a few minutes. Create sun tea and absorb that good energy from the sun in every tea glass. 

18 Press flowers or leaves

Press flowers or leaves gathered from your next walk and use them to decorate your spell book or journal.

19 Read tarot 

Do a really intense tarot reading for the season and see what’s headed your way.

20 Learn a new divination 

Spring is the perfect time to pick up a new skill. If you’ve been leaning towards learning a new divination technique, now is the perfect time to learn it!

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. 

There are probably a million reasons why sometimes spells just don’t work. Most of the time it comes down to needing to do the inner work or just waiting a little longer than you thought necessary for the magic to happen. Just like anything else, witchcraft is a practice and spell work takes time. So if you’ve been feeling out of focus with your casting there’s probably a reason why your spells aren’t checking out. 

Read below for my top ten reasons why sometimes spells just don’t budge. 

1 You didn’t do the inner work

The number one reason why magical intention doesn’t move the energy you wanted it to is because there are blocks, energy blocks. All these blocks are blocking up your ability to push forward to what you really want. Want to focus on more of your magic? Do the work to remove the blocks so you can forge ahead. 

2 Your spell doesn’t align with your highest intention 

Yes we all have the greatest potential, but what if what you’re asking for isn’t really aligning with that? Maybe you’re destined for bigger things…like owning that big company but you’re asking for a small fry raise at a place that drives you crazy with a toxic boss instead? If you have a calling go for it, don’t settle for second best. Your magic will help you more when you’re aligned with what you’re supposed to do. 

3 You don’t have enough focus

Spells are hard to perform. They’re even harder with kids, siblings, noisey housemates or any other interruptions bargingin in during your ritual work. If you really think you weren’t focusing enough, don’t force it. Just try the spell again when you can get a little quiet time instead. 

4 It just didn’t work

For reasons beyond understanding it just wasn’t meant for you (or me). I like to think of cases like this where my spirits are looking down the tunnel of my future and saving me from some really horrible outcome. So I say in instances like these, don’t force it, just go with the flow. 

5 You’re meant to focus your energy elsewhere

Just like the spell not aligning with your highest intention, it could be that your energy is needed elsewhere. Pay attention to where you are being drawn to. Something better could be waiting around the corner. 

6 You just need to practice

Pushing your magical energy out there to attract what you want in your life is not an easy task. It takes many years of dedication and practice to get it right. No one is perfect at it, and especially if you’re just starting out you may just need to practice. Don’t get frustrated, just like anything else, practice makes spells perfect.

7 You really don’t want it

Did someone beg you to perform the spell (the worst). Or is it something you really don’t want to do or happen? Dig deep and really ask yourself those hard questions. Are you manifesting what you truly want for yourself? 

8 The spell you used was off

Spells are weird. And there are a LOT of bad spells. Sometimes it’s hard to see which spells are not it and maybe the one you’re using just isn’t vibing with your energy. If it’s something you really want, switch up the spell and try again. 

9 You don’t believe

Belief is the number one drive in your magical force. If you don’t believe it’s like driving a car with no gas in the tank. Believe, believe, believe. 

10 You’re just having an off day

Maybe you’re just having an off day. It could be the planetary alignment, some funky person bothering your vibe at the gym, or a multitude of reasons why your energy was off. Even the best witches have off days. Dust off your spell and try again. 

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. 

Candles are of course a witches go to. Almost every spell, ritual or cleanse calls for at least a candle or two to help elevate the energy. It’s something about even lighting the candle in the first place that starts setting the mood. Think about a birthday cake, you light the number of candles according to how old you’re turning, make a wish, then blow them all out. I don’t care what anyone says, that’s totally a spell. 

If you’re new to Witchcraft and want to sort it all out, follow the guide below. I didn’t really intend on writing this much on candles, selling as there is already so much information available on the subject, but I just started to roll with whatever I was thinking. 

Types of Candles

Pillar Candles - These are thick round candles that can usually stand on their own. They come in any range of colors and sometimes scents. Pillar candles in my experience are used as a sort of decoration or just an altar candle. I’ve seen altars or spaces decorated with lots of different height pillar candles dripping everywhere. It makes for an amazing aesthetic. If you are using Pillar Candles, place a coaster or heatproof glass on the bottom of your candle to protect the surface you are burning the candle on. 

Mini Spell Candles - These candles you’ve probably seen at any local mystical or witch shop. They come in a range of rainbow colors and are larger than a birthday candle but smaller much smaller than a Pillar Candle. Mini Spell Candles are definitely a staple in many witches’ cabinets, and oftentimes witches (like myself) keep several in every color just in case. When a spell asks for a certain color of candle, they are usually referring to these. The best thing about these candles is that they are pretty inexpensive, and you can grab a bunch in any color for all your spell casting needs.

Candles in Shapes (like a man or woman or skull) - These candles are more specific. They are sometimes used to target a specific person or even just yourself. The shape or figure of the candle can represent your target in a more personal way. These candles can be used for a wide range of reasons and come in a variety of colors to suit any spell working. 

Tea Lights - I’m a Tea Light advocate. I know they’re not very witchy, but you can grab a bag at any dollar store and use them for everything. I like to use them to line the bathtub for any ritual baths, decorate my altar, and even carve intentions on them or symbols and burn them for small spells. I also use Tea Lights for tarot readings and any sort of Divination. The versatility of these little guys is what makes me a Tea Light fan. 

Votive Candles - Votive candles to me are glorified Tea Lights. They are small sort of fat Pillars and need to be encased in a glass votive. Hence, the name. I haven’t seen too many of these in very specific colors but I do have a bunch on hand in case. Just like the Tea Lights, you can purchase these at a discount store and are generally not very expensive.

Knob Candles - I’ve only used knob candles a couple of times. You can recognize them by their specific look, they literally have seven or so knobs on them. The intention for this is that you cast the spell and burn one knob a day. Be warned the knobs take forever to burn, so make sure you have enough time to babysit this guy each day. 

7 Day Candles - 7 Day Candles are sort of like the knob candle, however they are tall candles that come in a glass vase. These candles are generally poured, and sometimes the glass has decoration on it according to it’s intention. You can purchase these ‘fixed’ or charged with intentions like luck or money, and they come in a variety of colors. You can also purchase these white and create your own intentions by decorating the glass vase yourself and adding your own oils and herbs to the candle. 

Dipped Candles - These are what I think of when I think of original old school candles. They sometimes come in a pair with the wick connecting the two candles. Dipped candles are usually crafted by a candle maker, and if you find a witch who dips and sells her own candles you’re in luck!

Tall Candles - Tall candles are your basic candles that people used to have out on their dining room table in brass or metal candleholders. I think most people use them for decoration, but you could add them to your alter or spells. I don’t typically use them for whatever reason.

Candle Color Meanings

White - White is used for cleansing, new beginnings and fresh starts. White can also be used for clarity and divination.

Black - Black absorbs negativity, so I’ve always used it to get rid of negativity, protection, or banishing. 

Blue - Blue is tranquil. Use blue candles in your spell work for focus, peace and wisdom. 

Orange - Orange is a bright and happy color. It brings out joy, stimulates energy and attraction. (The manifesting kind, not the lover kind.)

Yellow - Yellow is more of a breaking blocks kind of color. It also brings confidence and new ideas to the table. 

Pink - Pink is all the things like love, passion, self-love, happiness and even romance. 

Purple - Purple is more of a regal color and with it comes meditation, connecting to your spirits, and intuition. 

Green - Green is all about money, success and prosperity. It attracts wealth and abundance. 

Red - While pink is the color of romantic love, red is straight up passion and power. Increased energy and courage. 

Gold - Gold is the masculine color and can bring about success and abundance. I like to use gold for money too.

Silver - Silver is the feminine version and is more about connecting to the goddess. Silver is used for deepening your spiritual connection and developing psychic abilities. 

How to make a kick-ass honey jar

Honey Jars are nothing new. The concept is derived from adding something ‘sweet’ to ‘sweeten’ a person up to you. I guess I’m not the most likeable person because I’ve made quite a few honey jars over the years. But it’s always good to have people in your favor, especially in circumstances such as work, school, you know the important people who control your life (kidding!). 

Let’s take a minute here to say that a honey jar has absolutely no effect on things WHAT SO EVER. Think of it as a nice to have. Sure, it would be great if your boss was a little nicer to you, and you felt like they were on your side. But if shit hits the fan, your boss will still fire your ass even if they sort of like you as a person, so I’m just saying. A honey jar is not a controlling mechanism. It’s just a little energy thrown someone’s way to nudge them in the direction of liking you a little more than maybe they naturally would have. 

What you need to perform this spell:

A Jar (cleaned out sauce jars work well for this too.)

A spell candle in the color of your intention. 

Something of the targets or a paper with their name written on it 9 times. 

Honey. 

Anything else you would like to add. Some ideas include sweet herbs like lavender or rose petals, rose quartz, sweet orange essential oils or anything else you think the person might like. 

What you’ll do:

Clean out your jar well and smoke cleanse it with any incense. 

Meditate and clear your mind focusing on your target. 

Add your target’s personal item and cover with honey. 

Next add in any additional items. 

Cover your jar. 

Place a candle on top of your jar. Securing it by lighting the wick and dropping a few wax drips onto the lid of the jar. 

Let the candle burn all the way down. 

Leave your jar somewhere safe. 

Occasionally add items to it that you see fit.

*Note: Never leave your candle unattended. If you have to walk away, blow out your candle and light it when you come back.

Fall has always been my favorite season, especially after a long summer. The way the leaves change and everything just has this spooky ambiance to it. I like to think of fall as very introspective. Whereas summer and spring are more about growth and moving forward with something new, Fall for me is about celebrating death and the cycle of turning inward. 

Salt your doors and windows - I like to add an extra ‘layer’ of protection in the fall with all the extra spirit activity. I have overdone the salt on occasion so a small sprinkle will do. You don’t need a 3 inch thick line of salt that messes with the way your windows close. 

Tie up your herbs to dry through the winter - If I’m at a fresh market I like to pick up some herbs and dry them out for use in the season. You can even bundle them up with sage or add them to bathwater. 

DIY Candles - I have made SOME candles before but sometimes I just melt the tops of candles from the dollar store and toss in herbs and oils in the wax. You can even add crystal shards or charms that go with your intentions.

Make an apple pie (or pumpkin!) - I always try to make one good fall pie from scratch, pie crust and all. When I knead the crust I think about health and prosperity for my family.

Sweep your porch for prosperity - I do this in the summer too but keeping your porch clean of debris helps the funds flow in. 

Dry orange slices - This makes your place smell amazing. Dry some orange slices and keep them on hand for citrus cleansing baths throughout the fall. Citrus baths are especially good when you’re feeling that seasonal depression. 

Read tarot on Halloween - I always do a full reading for myself on Halloween to see what the new year brings in for me. 

Thoroughly cleanse your space - You don’t have to do this with incense. Especially if it’s cold. Just leave out bowls of water with a few Tablespoons of salt. Flush it down the toilet the next day with all the bad vibes.

Leave out offerings for ancestors - If you do ancestral offerings leave them out some apples, Whiskey, or anything they would have liked in their life.

Tidy up your spells - I try to do this a few times a year when I feel like I have too much going on. It helps me cleanse my mind and rethink all my priorities. 

Collect fall findings outside - Acorns, feathers, seeds, there are a lot of things you can find just by stepping outside that will help you along in your practice. 

Nature walks - Nature walks are also great for this. I once found a dead squirrel at a park and took it home to collect the skull. 

Make moon cookies - I love sugar cookies so sometimes I just use a glass and cut out moon phases with the dough and bake. 

Write or journal - Fall is a great time to sit by the fire or a cozy space in your house and dig into your own thoughts and just write out what you feel. 

Pick up a new witch book - My reading always gets more intense in the colder months. I think there’s just less to do and I always pick up the latest witch book to stay in the loop with what’s going on in the magical community. 

Brush up on meditation - Meditate when it’s freezing outside and warm up your inner core. Try having some relaxing hot tea beforehand. 

Record your dreams - We tend to sleep more in the fall/winter months so it’s a great time to start a dream journal. To help with remembering your dreams, sleep with your journal on your nightstand and write down anything you remember as soon as you wake up.

Thrift for witchy finds - Thrift stores are great in the fall. So much fun stuff can be found snooping around old thrift shops or even Goodwill. I’ve picked up the majority of my witch things second hand. 

Cast a fire spell in a bonfire - If you’re at a bonfire write a wish on a piece of paper and toss it in for a fun spell. 

Visit a cemetery - Nothing is better than a cemetery on a crisp Fall day. Just don’t forget to leave your pennies for the gatekeepers.