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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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6 Alternative Altar Inspirations for Witches that are Bored of Altar Tables

No matter what path you follow as in witchcraft are, chances are you have some sort of sacred space. If you are a witch whose practice is part of your religious beliefs, this might be a place to communicate with your deities. If you work with spirits, this could be a place where honor your ancestors. Non-religious witches like myself often use altars as a space where they can connect with their magical and spiritual sides. Even though we all share this desire to have a place all our own dedicated to our craft.

That doesn’t mean we all need the same type of space. Whether you are a new witch who can’t show off your craft publicly (we’ve all been there) or just a witch who isn’t really into the more standard altar table setup, there are plenty of options for customizing and creating an altar space that meets your needs.

Window Altars

One easy way to create an altar is to take up a windowsill. Depending on the arrangement of the room you’re using, your personal preference, and the space available, the size of this type of altar varies.

This generally small altar space can be good for witches in the broom closet and green witches who like to keep their altars populated with plant friends. Because it is literally a window to the outside, these altars are also great places for charging things like crystals, spells, and water under the light of the moon.

Benefits:

Good for altars that are heavily planted (hello, sunlight!)

Generally discreet

Keeps your altar space contained (for all us witches that do not know when to quit)

Garden Altars

While pretty much any altar can include plants, there is something else to say for an altar that is almost completely plants. If you have some space indoors, why not design a witch’s garden that doubles as an altar space?

A small tray planted with succulents with offering bowls and candle dishes set into the soil and crystals scattered around can be a unique, and even moveable altar! You could also use potted plants so that you can change the arrangement or plants out whenever you need a refresh.

Benefits:

Deeply connected to nature and the earth

Pluck herbs for spells right off your altar

Generally pretty moveable

Bath Altars

If you love bath magic as much as I do, you’re a water witch, or your bathroom is one of your most sacred places (self-care anyone?), a bath altar could be the perfect thing to give your craft a physical home.

We’ve all seen those pictures of wooden tray tables for baths surrounded by eucalyptus and candles. Add a statue of your deity (or a symbol of something important to your craft), some crystals (check how your crystals are affected by water and humidity first!), and some jars of your favorite things to mix into bath spells, and your bath altar is set.

Benefits:

The perfect place to combine witchcraft and self-care

Perfect for witches that incoroporate the water element in their craft a lot

Magic really does belong in every room in the house

Travel Altars

If you tend to practice on a whim rather than waiting to be in a specific place or if you need to be able to stash your altar quickly, a travel altar is perfect. These altars can be fit into matchboxes, Altoids tins, jewelry boxes, and even hollowed out books! If you can carry it with you and find supplies small enough to fit, anything goes. (I’ve even seen locket altars!)

Some witches will create multiple travel altars for different purposes or focuses, but don’t feel like you need to collect them if that’s not your thing.

Benefits:

Small and discreet, it’s hard to make a mess with these

Very customizable (and easy to have multiples of!)

Perfect for witches in the broom closet

Virtual Altars

Tech witches, I haven’t forgotten you. If you’ve been following me for a bit, then you might know that I threw out the idea a while ago about a altar lockscreen/wallpaper for your phone/tablet/etc. Now that I’ve talked to some tech witches, I know this is actually a pretty sound idea!

Whether you commision an artist or design one yourself, a lock screen wallpaper for an electronic device (you could even go as big as a laptop with a touch screen!) could make the perfect altar for a tech witch. Even if you decide not to use it as a wallpaper, designing an image that serves as an altar and opening it in GIMP or Photoshop where you can create additional layers for placing other virtual elements could be useful.

Benefits:

Travel friendly

Can be synced across devices, so your altar is always with you

Easy to change and “redecorate” throughout the year

Paper Altars

(This incredible paper altar was created by Stella Witchcraft! Please click here to check out their full post and their blog!)

Similar to a virtual altar, a paper altar is a portable, customizable altar. Many witches choose to include paper altar setups in their grimoires, but there’s nothing stopping you from making larger paper altars with poster paper that can be rolled up and stored away.

If paper altars are attractive to you, don’t be deterred if you aren’t an artist! Minimalism in paper altars is perfectly fine. You can always outline your altar with symbols or even words alone. If you’re happy with it, it is perfect. You don’t have to meet any requirements for aesthetic or any other witch’s expectations.

There you have it! Of course, there are so many more types of altars, and even table altars can be created to fit your own personal needs. If you’re attracted to more than one of these, why not try combining the elements that call to you to make something entirely your own? The possibilities are endless.

Looking for more? Check these out: 6 More Alternative Altars for Bored Witches

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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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Crystals

~ What are Crystals and what are they used for?

Most crystals ( in this case including gems, rocks, precious stones, semi-precious stones, and simple stones) are of mineral origin. Crystals, like amethyst, come out of the ground naturally faceted and don’t need to be changed in anyway. Diamonds, for example, come out of the ground equally as rough, but are usually polished and cut into intricate styles.

For many years, crystal have been used as a tool to aid spiritual healing, psychic development, and meditation.

~ How can I incorporate Crystals into my everyday life?

You can carry around your crystals. This way you can feel your crystals energy when needed. Place them in a little sachet or pouch and they are ready to go!

Infuse your water with your clean crystals. This is a fast way to feel your crystals energy.

Decorate your magickal space and/or surroundings with crystals.

Meditate with your crystals. Just spend a minimum of 30 seconds with each crystal. Hold it in your hands, close your eyes, and feel its energy soaking into your skin.

How Crystals Can Help You

Agate

~Banded: help you feel grounded, remain focused, and banishes fears.

~Blue Lace: helps you adjust and adapt.

~Moss: refreshes spirit, brings peace of mind, helps to develop intuition.

~Tree: aids meditation and clear thinking, reduces stress.

Amazonite ~ soothes the nervous system, increases self-esteem and confidence.

Amber ~ relieves depression and lifts your spirits.

Amethyst ~ the great healer of mind, body, and spirit. helps the development of psychic abilities and intuition.

Apache Tears ~ brings good fortune and positive energy.

Apatite ~ aids in motivation and communicative powers.

Aquamarine ~ helps you during hard decisions and times. promotes compassion and empathy.

Azurite ~ relinquishes harmful beliefs.

Bloodstone (aka Heliotrope) ~ calms fears, and dispels confusion and obsessive ideas.

Calcite ~ boosts energy and provides amazing psychic protection.

Carnelian (aka Sard) ~ banishes jealousy and inspires courage. aids perception.

Celestine ~ helps with communication and good thoughts.

Chalcedony ~ balances emotions and lifts your spirits.

Chrysocolla ~ eases stress and promotes self-confidence.

Citrine ~ helps steady emotions and give inspiration.

Coral ~ strengthens and protects emotions.

Desert Rose ~ promotes love and stability in relationships.

Diamond ~ assists in your connection with the universe.

Emerald ~ strong healer with both physical and mental problems.

Fluorite ~ helps with rationality and combats anxiety and worries.

Garnet ~ protects against melancholy and depression. encourages perseverance and patience.

Hematite ~ helps with psychic development and building self-esteem.

Jade ~ a very useful healing stone for both the body and spirit.

Jasper ~ aids with stress relief and grounding. promotes tranquility.

Jet ~ keeps evil spirits at bay and strengthens character.

Kunzite ~ helps align emotions. provides security.

Kyanite ~ helps to align and heal chakras.

Labradorite ~ aids with strong development of psychic powers.

Lapis Lazuli ~ helps develop your sixth sense. stimulates intuition. promotes creativity.

Lepidolite ~ great for relieving stress and dispelling negative emotions.

Malachite ~ used for healing when dealing with negative emotions.

Moonstone ~ restores harmony and emotion balance.

Obsidian ~ helps you to focus on the paranormal, used for protection and a scrying tool.

Onyx ~ instills a protective psychic shield.

Opal ~ helps with rationalizing emotional states.

Pearl ~ aids self-respect, stability, and self-esteem.

Pyrite ~ opens the mind to new ideas.

Quartz ~ channels and aids in meditation. a powerful healing stone.

Rose Quartz ~ aids in anything love-related. instills comfort, relieves grief, and promotes harmonious relationships.

Rutilated Quartz ~ releases energy blockers.

Rhodonite ~ helps with assurance and confidence.

Ruby ~ purifies love, promotes spiritual knowledge and to be realistic about situations.

Sapphire ~ aids in mental clarity, clearing your inner eye, and bringing good fortune.

Smoky Quartz ~ filters out negative thoughts and emotions. helps with telepathy.

Sodalite ~ heals damaged emotions, and aids in restful sleep.

Tanzanite ~ helps you to accept change.

TIger’s Eye ~ a powerful aid in those seeking knowledge about past or future lives. promotes persistence and protection.

Topaz ~ allows you to transmit your visualizations as universal messages. an aid in telepathy.

Tourmaline ~ repels all negative energy and is a powerful stone for protection.

Turquoise ~ an aid in luck, love, money, and protection.

Unakite ~ heals the psyche, helps you realize your higher self.

Crystal Care Tips

Some crystals shouldn’t be left in direct sunlight. These include: Amethyst, Ametrine, Aquamarine, Celestite, Citrine, Fluorite, Kunzite, Opal, Rose Quartz, Smoky Quartz, Topaz, and Turquoise.

Some crystals shouldn’t get wet. These include: Celestine, Desert Rose, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Malachite, Selenite, and Sodalite.

Click here to learn about Crystal Shapes.

source: Crystals by Cass & Janie Jackson

* If there is anything we missed or you’d like to add, just let us know! *

I hope this is useful! xx ~ @chlovoyant

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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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Beginner Herbs

Lavender:

Antiseptic / anti-inflammatory properties. Useful for treating minor burns, anxiety, insomnia, bug bites & depression.

Rosemary:

Helps alleviate muscle pain, improves memory & concentration, boosts the immune & circulatory system and aids digestion.

Basil:

Supports digestion, liver function & helps detoxify the body. Aids depression, skin problems, diabetes & promotes a healthy gut.

Thyme:

Reduces blood pressure, preserves foods, supports yeast infections & treats skin problems.

Mint:

Speeds / eases digestion, relieves pain and discomfort from gas and bloating.

Sage:

High in nutrients & antioxidants, supports oral health, brain function & menopause, reduces blood sugar levels.

Lemon Balm:

Reduces stress / anxiety, promotes sleep, improves appetite, & eases pain and discomfort from indigestion.

Catnip:

Improves relaxation & boosts mood. Reduces anxiety, restlessness & nervousness.

Eucalyptus:

Helps colds, respiratory problems, fungal infections & wounds. Repels insects and offers dental care. Stimulates the immune system and assists with pain.

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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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basic crystal info

clear quartz 🤍

clear quartz is a definite must have crystal! it can be programmed with any intent which is why it’s many’s favorite. clear quartz also boosts the power of other magickal tools such as herbs.

rose quartz 🥀

perfect crystal for self love spells and such! it can be used to attract love, friendship, and amplify the intensity of relationships.

amethyst 💜

one of my favorites! amethyst can be used in meditation and intuition/psychic work. it can also be used in spells for anxiety. sleep with one in your pillow case to remember you dreams!

selenite ✨

selenite is great because it never needs to be cleansed. other crystals themselves can be cleansed with selenite!

tiger’s eye 🐅

a beautiful rock which has uses that stand with its name. tiger’s eye is used in spells about strength, courage, and prosperity. carry one with you for courage in uncomfortable situations!

citrine 🌞

citrine works like a dime in prosperity spells! bring it with you to a job interview. also used to ward off nightmares!

obsidion 🔮

perfect for banishment and protection spells! also great for scrying.

hematite 🌱

great for grounding and meditation! also used for protection, as it’s a reflective stone.

comment your favorite crystal! mine’s rainbow moonstone 🌈🌛🌝🌜

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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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CHAKRA BASICS:

The chakras are energy centres of spiritual power located within the body. Becoming aware of your chakras can help you to relax, improve your health and reach your fullest potential.

Each Chakra has its own powers that benefit you and you can do specific exercises to improve the flow of energy through that Chakra.

There are 7 main Chakras:

~ Base Chakra ~

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Name: Muladhara

Where: Base of spine

Colour: Red

Element: Earth

Mantra: ‘I exist’

Powers: Survival and Security

Exercise: Dancing, jogging and jumping.

~ Sacral Chakra ~

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

Name: Svadhistana

Where: Lower abdomen

Colour: Orange

Element: Water

Mantra: ‘I desire’

Powers: Sensuality, Sexuality and Pleasure

Exercise: Yoga, belly dancing and loving relationships.

~ Solar Plexus Chakra ~

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

Name: Manipura

Where: Solar plexus

Colour: Yellow

Element: Fire

Mantra: ‘I control’

Powers: Power and Control

Exercise: Meditation and deep breathing.

~ Heart Chakra ~

💚💚💚💚💚💚

Name: Anahata

Where: Heart

Colour: Green

Element: Air

Mantra: ‘I love’

Powers: Love and Compassion

Exercise: Healthy relationships with family and friends, being outside in nature and being open to reviving love.

~ Throat Chakra ~

💎💎💎💎💎💎

Name: Vishuddha

Where: Throat

Colour: Turquoise

Element: Ether

Mantra: ‘I express’

Powers: Communication and Truth

Exercise: Singing, Chanting and Breathing Exercises.

~ Brow Chakra ~

💙💙💙💙💙💙

Name: Anja

Where: Forehead

Colour: Blue

Element: Ether

Mantra: ‘I witness’

Powers: Insight, Intuition and Harmony

Exercise: Meditation and Visualisation Techniques.

~ Crown Chakra ~

💜💜💜💜💜💜

Name: Sahasrara

Where: Top of Head

Colour: Purple

Element: Spirit

Mantra: ‘I am’

Powers: Higher Power and Spirituality

Exercise: Meditation.

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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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💫The Five Elements💫

When people think of “the elements,” they’re probably thinking of the typical earth, air, water, and fire, but they don’t think of the fifth element, nor do they think about the stats of the elements or even the power behind them. This post is meant to go into detail about the five elements, and I hope that I (and my excessive reasearch, lol) are of use to you! 💛

🍄🌿Earth🌿🍄

The Earth element is the one most closely linked with our physical world, and the densest of all the elements. It is the foundation on which the other elements, and is a receptive energy, helping us to accept responsibility and bringing to our attention limitations in our makeup. It is represented in the forms of burying objects in the earth, herbalism, and making images out of wood or stone. Spells that benefit from the element are business-related spells, fertility-related spells, prosperity-related spells, and stability-related spells.

🍄Represents: strength, abundance, stability, prosperity, wealth and femininity

🌿Gender: Female

🍄Direction: North

🌿Energy: Receptive

🍄Symbols: Rocks, fields, soil, salt, caves, clay

🌿Pentagram Placement: lower left

🍄Goddesses: Ceres, Demeter, Gaea, Mah, Nephtys, Persephone, Rhea

🌿Gods: Adonis, Athos, Arawn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Mardyk, Pan, Tammuz

🍄Spirits: gnomes, dwarves, trolls

🌿Time: midnight, night

🍄Cycle Of Life: age

🌿Season: winter

🍄Colours: Black, Green, yellow, brown

🌿Zodiac Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

🍄Sense: touch

🌿Stones and Jewels: Rock crystal, emerald, onyx, jasper, salt, azurite, amethyst, quartz

🍄Magick Tools: Pentacle, Pentagram, salt, images, stones, gems, cords

🌿Metals: iron, lead

🍄Herbal: ivy, grains, oats, rice, patchouli, lichens

🌿Trees: Cypress, Honeysuckle, Jasmin, Lilac (some say Lilac is Water)

🍄Animals: cow, bull, dog, horse, ant, bear, wolf

🌿Instruments: drums and percussion

🍄Type Of Magick: Gardening, magnet images, stone (jewel divination, work with crystals), knot, Binding, money spells, grounding, finding treasures, runes

🌿Ritual Action: Burying, making clay effigies, planting trees or herbs

🍄Chant to Invoke:

“Here and now

I invoke the elemental force of earth

I call to the swirling dust

And dawn lit mountains,

To the farmer’s field

and all the swaying trees

You that remains solid

You that teaches of quiet stability

You that holds us firm against your skin.

I call your body here to infuse my intention

With your boundless gifts.

I call you here to fashion the spirit cavern,

Root my will in your soil,

and ground my purpose in the stones

Boulder and gravel

Redwood and rose

Earth, I call to thee.“

🍄🌿

🌬🌪Air🌪��

Air governs the realm of the mind and all mental activity, it is the most ethereal of the elements. As it is the element of the wind, it governs all movement. Air is represented in the forms of tossing objects into the wind, aromatherapy, songs, and hiding things in high places. It rules spells involving travels, instruction, freedom, knowledge, discovering lost items, and can also be used to develop psychic faculties. Air also rules the visualization.

🌬Represents: the mind and intelligence, communication, telepathy, psychic powers, inspiration, imagination, ideas, knowledge, dreams and wishes

🌪Gender: Masculine

🌬Direction: east

🌪Energy: projective

🌬Symbols: Sky, wind, breezes, clouds, feathers, breath, vibrations, smoke, plants, herbs, trees, flowers

🌪Pentagram Placement: upper left

🌬Goddesses: Aradia, Arianrhod, Cardea, Nuit, Urania

🌪Gods: Enlil, Kheoheva, Merawrim, Shu, Thoth

🌬Spirits: Sylphs, Zephyrs, Fairies of trees, flowers and winds

🌪Time: Dawn

🌬Cycle Of Life: Infancy

🌪Season: Spring

🌬Zodiac: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

🌪Colors: white, yellow, crimson

🌬Sense: smell, hearing

🌪Stones and Jewels: Topaz, pumice, rainbow stones, crystals, amethyst, alexandrite

🌬Magick Tools: censer, wand, sword

🌪Metals: Tin, copper

🌬Herbal: Clove, myrrh, pansy, primrose, vervain, dill, lavender

🌪Trees: Acacia, Almond, Aspen, Hazel, Linden, Maple, Pine

🌬Animals: Eagle, raven, spider

🌪Instruments: flute, wind instruments

🌬Type Of Magick: Divination, concentration, wind magick, prophecy, Karma work

🌪Ritual Actions: Playing a flute, tossing objects in the air (over the shoulder), burning incense, hanging objects in trees

🌬Chant To Invoke:

"Here and now

I evoke the elemental force of air.

The winds of intellect and imagination,

Satisfying source of flight, breath, and life.

I seek the open sky within myself

That I might breathe deep of freedom, ideas, sounds, and space.

I call you forth to sweep away

All that accumulates in the unseen places and to sing beauty into the world.

Wing and Feather,

Storm and Leaf,

Air, I call thee hence”

🌬🌪

🔥💥Fire💥🔥

Fire cleanses and purifies, but it is also creative and destructive. It can consume everything in it’s path and it is the only one of the elements that cannot exist without feeding on something else. It offers warmth and cooks food, but can get out of control. It has the power to transform everything it touches. It is positive and lifting, but can be frightening if not controlled. It is the most physical and spiritual of the elements and represents magick itself. Fire is represented in the forms of burning objects, love spells (always preferably self-love spells), baking, and lighting candles and fires.

🔥Represents: energy, inspiration, love, passion, leadership, magick

💥Gender: Masculine

🔥Direction: South

💥Energy: Projective

🔥Symbols: Flame, lightning, heated objects (stones in particular), volcano, rainbow, sun, stars, lava, heat

💥Pentagram Placement: lower right

🔥Goddesses: Brigit, Hestia, Pele, Vesta

💥Gods: Agni, Horus, Prometheus, Vulcan

🔥Spirits: Salamaders, firedrakes

💥Time: Noon

🔥Cycle Of Life: Youth

💥Season: Summer

🔥Zodiac: Leo, Sagittarius, Aries

💥Colors: Red, gold, crimson, orange, white

🔥Sense: Sight

💥Stones and Jewels: Ruby, fire opal, volcanic lava, agathe

🔥Magick Tools: Dagger, sword, athame, censer, lamp, candles, incense, herb burning, paper requests, knife

💥Metals: Gold, brass

🔥Herbal: Garlic, hibiscus, red peppers, cinnamon, coffee, beans, seeds, chili peppers

💥Trees: Alder, Ash, Cashew, Cedar, Chestnut, Fig, Juniper, Mahogany, Oak, Holly, Rowan, Walnut

🔥Animals: Dragon, cat, lion, horse, snake, cricket, mantis, ladybug, bee, scorpion, phoenix, coyote, fox

💥Instruments: Guitar, stringed instruments

🔥Type Of Magick: Candle, healing, love spells, energy work

💥Ritual Action: Burning objects, wood, paper, heating, preparing decoctions, cauldron work

🔥Chant To Invoke:

"Here and now,

I evoke the elemental force of fire.

The flames of creativity and passion,

Dancing source of heat, light, and life.

I seek the glowing force within

That I might warm myself with

Desire, excitement, courage, and inspiration.

I call you forth to burn away

All that impedes my highest vision

And to enact change in the world.

Lightning and heart,

Heart and force

Fire, I call thee hence”

🔥💥

💧🌊Water🌊💧

It is the element of love and emotions, constantly active beneath the surface, influencing our moods and emotional responses. It purifies, heals, offers emotional release, and removes all that is stagnant. It is represented in the forms of pouring water over objects, brew making, healing spells, ritual bathing, and tossing objects into of water. Spells that benefit from this element are friendship spells, fertility spells, happiness spells, and relationship spells.

💧Represents: emotions, absorption, subconscious, purification, eternal movement, wisdom, the soul, emotional aspects of love and femininity

🌊Gender: Feminine

💧Direction: West

🌊Energy: Receptive

💧Symbols: Ocean, river, shell, spring, lake, well, rain, fog, cup

🌊Pentagram Placement: Upper right

💧Goddesses: Aphrodite, Isis, Marianne, Mari, Tiamat, Yemaha

🌊Gods: Dylan, Ea, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune, Poseidon

💧Spirits: Undines, Nymphs, Mermaids, Fairies of ponds, lakes or streams

🌊Time: Twilight, dusk

💧Cycle Of Life: Maturity

🌊Season: Autumn

💧Zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

🌊Colors: Blue, turqoise, green, grey, indigo, black

💧Sense: Taste

🌊Stones and Jewels: Aquamarine, amethyst, blue tourmaline, pearl, coral, blue topaz, fluorite

💧Magick Tools: cup, cauldron, goblet, mirror

🌊Metals: Mercury, silver, copper

💧Herbal: Ferns, lotus, mosses, bushes, water lilies, gardenia

🌊Trees: Apple, Apricot, Birch, Cherry, Elder, Elm, Rose, Willow

💧Animals: Dragon, water snakes, dolphin, fish, cat, frog, turtle, swan, crab, sea mammals, sea birds

🌊Instruments: Anything resonant, harmonica, cymbals, a flute made from real reed or willow bark

💧Type Of Magick: Mirror divinations, magnet work, love magick, lucid dreaming, cleansing, protection spells

🌊Ritual Actions: Bathing, dilution, washing, sprinkling, preparing cold herbal infusions

💧Chant To Invoke:

"Here and now,

I evoke the elemental force of water

The fluid of infinite shapes and forms

Flowing source of adaptability, emotion, and life

I seek the pure spring

Within that I might drink deep of

Change, relationship, nourishment, and grace.

I call you forth to wash away

All that needlessly binds

And to move fluidly in this world.

Ocean and river

Ripple and rain

Water, I call thee hence.”

💧🌊

✨🌌Spirit🌌✨

Spirit (also known as Ether/Aether) is, by far, the most complex and complicated element to explain. It is what unites all things, anywhere and everywhere, and is our connection to the otherworld in rituals. The spirit element transports us beyond any narrow confines and allows us to open up to something much bigger, it is present in all aspects of life, and goes beyond thought and emotion. Unlike the other four elements it has no defined place or location, even though we cannot specifically place it, we know it is there. It provides the space, connection, and balance for the other elements to exist. All spells benefit from this element.

✨Represents: the sense of joy and union

🌌Gender: none

✨Direction: everywhere

🌌Energy: universal

✨Symbols: cord, rope

🌌Pentagram Placement: upper

✨Goddesses: The Lady

🌌Gods: The Horner God

✨Spirits: —

🌌Time: always

✨Cycle Of Life: eternity

🌌Season: year cycle (all seasons)

✨Zodiac: —

🌌Colors: white

✨Sense: higher receptions

🌌Stones and Jewels: —

✨Magick Tools: —

🌌Metals: —

✨Herbal: —

🌌Trees: —

✨Animals: dove

🌌Instruments: —

✨Type Of Magick: —

🌌Ritual Action: —

✨Chant To Invoke:

“Here and now,

I reach deep within myself.

Here and now,

I invoke spirit.

I call on the force connecting me

To the whole of existence

The thread running back through my blood,

And the ripples spreading over from my actions

I call on the visions that have inspired me, the kindness that has lifted me,

and the love I have given and received.

Life and song

Home and road,

Spirit, I call to thee”

✨🌌

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allthebeautifulpeople12 · 5 years ago

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Tarot A History and Brief Overview of Spreads

A History

The tarot, first known as trionfi and later as tarocchi or tarock is a pack of playing cards, used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play games such as Italian tarocchini, French tarot and Austrian Königrufen, many of which are still played today. In the late 18th century, some tarot decks began to be used for divination via tarot card reading and cartomancy leading to custom decks developed for such occult purposes. The word Tarot and German Tarock derive from the Italian Tarocchi, the origin of which is uncertain but taroch was used as a synonym for foolishness in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

Playing cards first entered Europe in the late 14th century, most likely from Mamluk, Egypt, with suits of Batons or Polo sticks which are commonly known as Wands by those practicing occult or divinatory tarot, Coins which are commonly known as disks, or pentacles in occult or divinatory tarot, Swords, and Cups. These suits were very similar to modern tarot divination decks and are still used in traditional Italian, Spanish and Portuguese playing card decks.

The first documented tarot packs were recorded between 1440 and 1450 in Milan, Ferrara, Florence and Bologna when additional trump cards with allegorical illustrations were added to the common four-suit pack. These new decks were called carte da trionfi, triumph cards, and the additional cards known simply as trionfi, which became “trumps” in English. The earliest documentation of trionfi is found in a written statement in the court records of Florence, in 1440, regarding the transfer of two decks to Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta.

The original purpose of tarot cards was to play games. A very cursory explanation of rules for a tarot-like deck is given in a manuscript by Martiano da Tortona before 1425. Vague descriptions of game play or game terminology follow for the next two centuries until the earliest known complete description of rules for a French variant in 1637. The 18th century saw tarot’s greatest revival, during which it became one of the most popular card games in Europe, played everywhere except Ireland and Britain, the Iberian peninsula, and the Ottoman Balkans. French tarot experienced a revival beginning in the 1970s and France has the strongest tarot gaming community.

Italian-suited tarot decks

These were the oldest form of tarot deck to be made, being first devised in the 15th century in northern Italy. The so-called occult tarot decks are based on decks of this type. Three decks of this category are still used to play certain games:

The Tarocco Piemontese consists of the four suits of swords, batons, cups and coins, each headed by a king, queen, cavalier and jack, followed by the pip cards for a total of 78 cards. Trump 20 outranks 21 in most games and the Fool is numbered 0 despite not being a trump.

The Swiss 1JJ Tarot is similar, but replaces the Pope with Jupiter, the Popess with Juno, and the Angel with the Judgement. The trumps rank in numerical order and the Tower is known as the House of God. The cards are not reversible like the Tarocco Piemontese.

The Tarocco Bolognese omits numeral cards two to five in plain suits, leaving it with 62 cards, and has somewhat different trumps, not all of which are numbered and four of which are equal in rank. It has a different graphical design than the two above as it was not derived from the Tarot of Marseilles.

Italo-Portuguese-suited tarot deck

The Tarocco Siciliano is the only deck to use the so-called Portuguese suit system which uses Spanish pips but intersects them like Italian pips. Some of the trumps are different such as the lowest trump, Miseria (destitution). It omits the Two and Three of coins, and numerals one to four in clubs, swords and cups: it thus has 64 cards but the ace of coins is not used, being the bearer of the former stamp tax. The cards are quite small and not reversible.

French-suited tarot decks

The illustrations of French-suited tarot trumps depart considerably from the older Italian-suited design, abandoning the Renaissance allegorical motifs. With the exception of novelty decks, French-suited tarot cards are almost exclusively used for card games. The first generation of French-suited tarots depicted scenes of animals on the trumps and were thus called “Tiertarock” (‘Tier’ being German for 'animal’) appeared around 1740. Around 1800, a greater variety of decks were produced, mostly with genre art or veduta. Current French-suited tarot decks come in these patterns:

The Industrie und Glück (Industry and Luck) genre art tarock deck of Central Europe uses Roman numerals for the trumps. It is sold with 54 cards; the 5 to 10 of the red suits and the 1 to 6 of the black suits are removed.

The Adler-Cego animal tarot is used in the Upper Rhine valley and its neighbouring hills such as the Black Forest or the Vosges, and has 54 cards organized in the same fashion as the Industrie und Glück. Its trumps use Arabic numerals but within centred indices.

The Tarot Nouveau has 78 cards, and is commonly played in France and is somtimes used to play Cego. Its genre art trumps use Arabic numerals in corner indices.

German-suited tarot decks

German-suited decks for Bauerntarock, Württemberg Tarock and Bavarian Tarock are different. They are not true tarot packs, but a Bavarian or Württemberg pattern of the standard German-suited decks with only 36 cards; the pip cards ranging from 6 to 10, Under Knave (Unter), Over Knave (Ober), King, and Ace. These use Ace-Ten ranking, like Klaverjas, where Ace is the highest followed by 10, King, Ober, Unter, then 9 to 6. The heart suit is the default trump suit. The Bavarian deck is also used to play Schafkopf by excluding the Sixes.

Tarot Card Readings

The earliest evidence of a tarot deck used for cartomancy comes from an anonymous manuscript from around 1750 which documents rudimentary divinatory meanings for the cards of the Tarocco Bolognese. The popularization of esoteric tarot started with Antoine Court and Jean-Baptiste Alliette (Etteilla) in Paris during the 1780s, using the Tarot of Marseilles. French tarot players abandoned the Marseilles tarot in favour of the Tarot Nouveau around 1900, with the result that the Marseilles pattern is now used mostly by cartomancers.

Etteilla was the first to issue a tarot deck specifically designed for occult purposes around 1789. In keeping with the misplaced belief that such cards were derived from the Book of Thoth, Etteilla’s tarot contained themes related to ancient Egypt.

The 78-card tarot deck used by esotericists has two distinct parts:

The Major Arcana (greater secrets), or trump cards, consists of 22 cards without suits:

The Minor Arcana (lesser secrets) consists of 56 cards, divided into four suits of 14 cards each;

The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World, and The Fool. Cards from The Magician to The World are numbered in Roman numerals from I to XXI, while The Fool is the only unnumbered card, sometimes placed at the beginning of the deck as 0, or at the end as XXII.

Ten numbered cards and four court cards. The court cards are the King, Queen, Knight and Page/Jack, in each of the four tarot suits. The traditional Italian tarot suits are swords, batons, coins and cups; in modern occult tarot decks, however, the batons suit is often called wands, rods or staves, while the coins suit is often called pentacles or disks.

The terms “Major Arcana” and “Minor Arcana” were first used by Jean-Baptiste Pitois (also known as Paul Christian) and are never used in relation to tarot card games. Some decks exist primarily as artwork, and such art decks sometimes contain only the 22 major arcana.

The three most common decks used in esoteric tarot are the Tarot of Marseilles, the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, and the Thoth tarot deck.

The six most common Tarot Spreads are the;

Love Spread

Here is a little you should know about the ‘love’ spread. This type of reading evaluates the relationships relevance, how strong and happy they are. Every relationship has its ups and downs and with this six-card spread you will be able to evaluate your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual connections with your partner. The ‘love’ spread has its own 6 cards which represent the following:

#1-The first card signifies what you currently feel about your relationship, your approach, and your outlook.

#2-The second card represents your partners current emotions towards you, his attitude, and expectations about your relationship.

#3- The third card is a connection card. For example; common characteristics of both of you

#4– The fourth card indicates the strength of your relationship.

#5– The fifth card shows the weaknesses in your relationship.

#6– This final card is your true love card. It interprets if the relationship is going to be successful or not.

Success Spread

Briefly about the ‘Success’ spread; it is a remarkably situational spread. It’s often used when a person is facing an obstacle or hardship. It can also be helpful if you don’t know how to face or overcome a problem as it will point you in the right direction.

#1- it helps you to find out about the true colours of the challenge in front of you. It will help you to identify what sort of skill set and resources you will need in order to not just solve but also overcome the challenge.

#2- this further clarifies on your current problems and challenges.

#3- The third card reveals the hidden factors affecting your current situation. You need to have knowledge about what these factors are to really overcome the obstacle you’re facing.

#4- The fourth card represents new plans, people, or objects that can help you grow further. By adapting yourself to these new aspects, your vision of the situation will change, leaving you with better solutions to your problems.

#5- The final card shows what requirements you need to fulfill in order to be proven successful and things you should avoid as they will lead you to failure. It will point you towards success if proven to be a positive card but in other cases it could be a negative card and will warn you about an upcoming disaster in your life.

Celtic Cross Spread

Despite its complications the ‘Celtic Cross’ Spread has stood popular for many years. This is most likely due to the fact that its importance lies in its difficulty. Each result of the Celtic Cross can be illustrated in a variety of ways depending on the direction of the of the fallen cards. Though not recommended for beginners, once anyone understands it, he or she can use this spread to find out the full depth of the situation. With enough practice it can it can be taken in use to find the answer to any problem. Celtic Cross deals with intricate situations.

#1– presents the current situation the person finds themselves in the and the reading is about the question they are facing.

#2– is placed over the first card, pointing to the left and is always read in an upright position. It shows what the basic challenge is that needs to be solved or the mental or physical object holding them back.

#3– The third spread reveals the subconscious influences. These strange influences have an extremely strong and powerful effect on one’s everyday life, especially in scenes relating to the question.

#4 – The fourth card shows what resources one has and the things they can use to face and solve the problem shown by the second card and in the process reach their ultimate goal, shown by the third card.

#5 – The fifth card shows the prologue of the scene. A negatively influenced past may have an effect that prevents their success on their current situation and they will need to let the memory go in order to stop it from negatively influencing their current situation so they can face and eventually overcome the problem at hand as shown by the second card. A positive past should be can simply be called inspiration. Even though the person may be facing a challenge in their current part of life, the problem

They are up against is natural growth of the positive past they had the benefit of experiencing and after they have overcome all their challenges, things will look even brighter than they were in the past.

#6 – The sixth card is the headlight. If the card states there is some form of negative energy on the way the five previous cards should give a good reasoning of why this is taking place and what we could do to prevent it.

#7 – The seventh card represents the person’s attitude. It illustrates your physical actions, thinking and ideals regarding the current problem. This will give you more to work with into whether the person’s attitude is conducive to a likable outcome or whether it’s time to retrack the way the person perceives the information.

#8 – The eighth card is an energy card. It talks about the energy surrounding them and the energy other people and the environment is letting off and if these energies are helping in any shape or form.

#9 – The ninth card tells us about what the person’s desires and fears. This is a revelation card. It gives importance to the things a person should be aware of in their current situation and might change the way a person acts which should not be neglected by them.

#10 – This is the final outcome and emphasizes on the energies, if they are complementing or conflicting. It also tells the person about the future that will take place immediately and if it is necessary or not to face the future.

Spiritual Spread

Similar to the Success Spread, the Spiritual Guidance spread is used when faced with problems that are of a spiritual nature. These sorts of challenges are usually related to spirituality in a person.

#1 – The first card represents your main concerns. You may think you know about the problem but this spread goes more in depth with it.

#2 – The second card looks into your motivation for looking for guidance.

#3 – The third card looks into the things about your life you are insecure or worried about.

#4 – The fourth card emphasizes on the parts of your life that you are not aware of.

#5 – The fifth card is your advice card as it will guide you to the steps to face your fears. It ties in with the previous cards.

#6 –The sixth card guides us to a life with no worries so that we could move forward on our spiritual journey.

#7 – The seventh card teaches you to deal with the situation with the resources you have at hand.

#8 – Finally, the eighth card finishes the Spiritual Guidance Spread by telling us that the result of the tarot cards all depends on our reaction to it whether we focus on the positive or negative.

Career Path Spread

This spread is for times where we feel left out on our career. We work hard hoping for a promotion but to no benefit. It helps us with these kind of challenges that we face in our professional life.

#1 – The first card basically asks us if our job that we have right now is indeed our ideal job

#2 – The second card emphasizes on the actions we must take to further boost our career. A positive card means we should stay at the same position we are in right now whereas a negative one means we should make some changes.

#3 – The third card tells us about certain things about our job that we can no longer alter. The card may tell you to look for a job in the same category we are working in right now.

#4 – The fourth card refers to our skills on our job to see if they’re enough to get us a promotion or if we are behind everyone else.

#5 – The fifth card tells us about the things we can do in our career to improve and start a new one or just small things we can do in our current career to at least get noticed.

#6 – The sixth card gives us the answer to the question that if our past mistakes are influencing our career now.

#7 – The final card tells you that if the card is negative it might lead to a bad outcome as it might result in you making other bad career choices.

However, if you aren’t sure of the outcome, use the card again after a few days or weeks to see if the reading changes as your attitude changes.

Three-Card Spread

The simplest and the most useful spread, ‘The Three Card Spread’ only uses three cards. This is what makes it the most popular. This is one of the most powerful spreads and can find answers for you really quickly for almost anything, let it be overcoming a problem or an obstacle or if you are simply just feeling lost or left behind.

Linear 3 Card Tarot Spreads

As you can imagine, this layout is good at suggesting some sort of linear path, sequence of events, cause and effect, or a way of getting from point a to point b.

Past, Present, Future

You, Your Path, Your Potential

You, Relationship, Partner

Situation, Action, Outcome

Idea, Process, Aspiration

Balanced 3 Card Tarot Spreads

In this layout, each card of the spread has a common intersection. They are all equally important, like three sides of a pyramid. Without any of these, the whole structure collapses.

Mind, Body, Spirit

Physical State, Emotional State, Spiritual State

Subconscious, Conscious, Super Conscious

Option 1, Option 2, Option 3

What I think, What I feel, What I do

Foundational 3 Card Tarot Spreads

I think think one is a little harder to explain, but I like thinking of these spreads being communicators of advice in a way such that “given X and Y, the result is Z”. X and Y attempt to give you a clearer understanding of options, and Z is a summary, a crux, a way to move forward given the information that is there. In fact, even when phrasing these spreads, I like saying them in a way that follows this formula to make the point clearer. The bolded items represent the actual card positions.

Given your strengths and weaknesses, this is my advice.

Given what worked well, and what didn’t work well, this is the key lesson.

Given that this brings you together, and that this pulls you apart, you must focus on this.

Given that you want this from the relationship, and your partner wants this, your relationship is heading towards this.

Given Option 1 and Option 2, This is what you need to know to make a decision.

Crossed 3 Card Tarot Spreads

As the layout would imply, this is about understanding conflicts and obstacles. The card that crosses over is something that stands in the way and that needs to be overcome, something that blocks you from attaining your ultimate goal, while the third card acts as a sort of advice card, looking at the situation from a more distant viewpoint. These can also be used as simpler 2 card spreads if you want to use only the crossing cards.

Situation, Obstacle, Advice

Aspiration, Obstacle, How to Overcome

Opportunities, Challenges, Outcome

Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis

I will be doing card meanings on a later date :)

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