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Cleansing

What is cleansing and why should I do it?

Cleansing in witchcraft is the practice of removing lingering negative energies from a place, object or person. There are many ways it can be done, which I will explain below. When we buy items to use in our craft, it is likely they have passed through a number of hands before they have got to us, and could have picked up many negativities on the way which may affect their performance. Our homes and our selves can also get clogged up with the daily stresses of life, and cleansing is a way of decluttering that energy.

When should I cleanse?

- When you buy a new item, particularly one linked to your craft. - After a bad experience/argument. - Before working a spell or ritual, before casting a circle. - Most crystals should be cleansed monthly or weekly if in heavy use. Black crystals in use are likely to need cleansing more frequently than monthly. - When it feels necessary and/or beneficial.

What should I use to cleanse?

There are many different methods, some more suited to particular circumstances. 

Smoke Cleansing

Caution: Smoke cleansing should not be used around small animals (birds, rodents, lizards etc) or small children.

Also known as recaning, some people use the term ‘smudging’ to refer to this practice, however, that is a very particular ritual specific to Native American cultures and it is considered culturally insensitive to use the term for other smoke cleansing rituals. Smoke cleansing involves lighting a stick or bundle, blowing out the flame and passing the object to be cleansed through the smoke, or wafting the smoke around the space/person to be cleansed. A large feather may be used to help direct the smoke. The following items can be used for smoke cleansing: Cedarwood Herbs: Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, others depending on intention Incense: Sandalwood, Naag Champa, herbs etc depending on intention. Palo Santo

Water/Misting

Caution: Some crystals dissolve or leech toxic chemicals when wet. Some surfaces may be affected by water/saltwater.

For cleansing entire rooms/houses, water can be a good option. Some of the following ingredients can be combined and used to mop the floor, clean doors and windows and/or mark invisible sigils/runes onto doors and windows. Alternatively, they can be put into a spray bottle and spritzed around a space or onto objects. I have listed some water-safe crystals below but it is possible to use non-contact infusion if you only have raw stones or if you wish to harness the power of a water-soluble/metal-containing crystal.

Moon/sun/rain water Rosemary/sage/lavender Polished crystals: (Quartz family - clear, smokey, rose, amethyst, obsidian) Lemon juice  Apple Cider Vinegar  Salt  Pepper

Crystal Cleansing

Some people feel that certain crystals do not require cleansing and therefore can be used to cleanse other crystals, objects and spaces. These may still need retuning/charging from time to time, go with what feels right to you. Large crystals could be kept in, on or near storage containers with other crystals and/or with witchy tools/jewellery/charms etc. Wand-shaped crystals could be used for cleansing spaces and people.

Selenite Smokey Quartz Clear Quartz Citrine Amethyst

Salt/Earth/Brown Rice

Objects can be buried in salt, brown rice or earth for 12-24 hours to cleanse them. If burying in earth, it is recommended to do so in a pot, to remove the risk of losing the item. If burying in salt, check the item’s properties first (some crystals and metals may be damaged by salt). Black salt may also be used. Rice and salt should be disposed of quickly after the item is removed. Earth should be returned to the outside.

Sound Cleansing

Some people use sound cleansing in conjunction with another form of cleansing, but depending on methods, it may be impractical to do both.

Singing bowl Chimes (Tingsha, gong, triangle, tuning fork, bell etc) Recorded music Drumming Clapping Singing/Humming/Vocalising

Cleansing Spell

There are many spells available for cleansing, or you can write your own. Do what feels right to you. Most people combine a spell or sound cleansing with one of the previously listed forms of cleansing which use physical materials. A spell could be as straightforward as thinking clearly about your intentions as you smoke cleanse, spray, bury or use your crystal. If you would like to pair words with your intention and action, here are two spells I personally use.

For spaces: Let negativity dwell no more, Banish evil, close the door. Let this area peaceful be, Protect this space and protect me.

For yourself: (change pronouns if performing on another) Cleanse my mind, cleanse my soul, Keep me kind, leave me whole.

What if I do it wrong?

Then things may continue to feel a little off, your tools might not be as efficient as they could be, but you won’t make anything worse by trying. If it doesn’t feel right, try something different next time. It’s an art, not a science. Read around, try things out, be patient with yourself. You’ll get there.

[ami-incants]

Nobody: .........

My brain: the moon is basically the earth's pet

Me: ...uh... What?

My brain: Well we regularly take it for walks around the sun, keep it safe in our orbit and in exchange it looks cute and occasionally causes liquid to be where it shouldn't

Me:

[ami-incants]

Okay so I’m tired and bitchy and I’ve had a rough morning, and because of that I’m probably about to drop an unpopular opinion here, but I really dont care.

Narcissist is starting to become the new sociopath/psychopath/psycho, and I am really, really concerned with where this is heading.

It’s the exact same thing I’ve been seeing for years with my own diagnosis. You say you’re a sociopath, and immediately you’re now an asshole. I’ve had people actually ask me if I have ever hurt someone/wanted to hurt someone because I’m a sociopath, and I’ve had to explain over and over again that no, that’s not what that means, it just means empathy is not something that I can experience like everyone else. I can still be compassionate, I can still be a kind person, I can have no desire to hurt anyone ever, but I still get treated like a ticking time bomb. Even though my disorder actually helps me in a job that saves lives (I work in tissue donation, so not feeling empathy makes handling donor tissue from a 15 year old a lot easier), I still get asked by people at that same job about my “secret dark side” and if I ever did/do things like torture animals.

The same thing is happening to narcissists. You say you’re a narcissist, and now suddenly you’re an abuser. You want to paint someone as a bad person? Call them a narcissist, then everyone will understand how mean and evil they are. I am so sick and tired of seeing tiktoks, tweets, and Tumblr posts going on and on about how horrible narcissists are and how much people hate them. As if narcissists aren’t people! As if narcissists aren’t people experiencing a personality disorder! Y'all are all about “neurodivergent/mental illness solidarity uwu” until you bring in the “undesirable” mental illnesses and personality disorders, and then suddenly it’s “All x people are mean and evil and abusive blah blah blah they can’t get better/better themselves blah blah blah here’s how to argue with them except I’m not going to actually talk about that I’m actually going to just say how horrible they are and how they’re bad people blah blah blah” and it’s like shut up! Shut the fuck up! Those are people! Those are real people with real feelings and you’re just out here saying they’re inherently bad, and for what? For likes? For clout? Do you have any idea how hard it is to come to terms with a diagnosis like that when your view on it is so incredibly skewed, when you think you’re being assigned the Bad Person Disease™️ after you’ve tried so hard to be a kind person and uplift those around you? And now you’re left thinking it was all for nothing, because now you can never be a good person no matter how hard you try because you have Bad Person Disease? Do you have literally any idea how damaging that is, and how much that hurts? But hey, ableism isn’t ableism when it’s against the “bad” people, right?

Anyway, if you’re a sociopath, psychopath, narcissist, have bpd, are bipolar in the “wrong” way, are schizophrenic or psychotic, are the “wrong” type of autistic, or anything else, I see you and you’re doing amazing. Your diagnosis doesn’t dictate who you are and, even though some things are harder for us than they are for others, that doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.

[ami-incants]

friendly reminder that anyone can be a witch. magic is everywhere and can be tapped into by anyone, whether you were born a witch or if you weren’t born a witch. it may be harder and take longer for you to tap into your magic but i promise you will get there. it’s okay if you don’t have ancestors who were witches. it’s okay if you don’t have witch markings. it’s okay if you don’t meet whatever criteria that other rude witches want you to have in order to be seen as a witch. YOU are valid in your craft and have the right to be a witch ! i see you and i stand by you<3

[ami-incants]

In memory of Jaxon Finch Blu who performed as Royale E Blu and was known as Jay @siriussly-serious here on Tumblr, we’re raising money for Raze Collective and Chrysalis - Gender Identity Matters, to support other queer performers and support the mental health of trans people in his area.

Donate to Chrysalis - GIM here.

Donate to Raze Collective here.

I understand not everyone is in a position to be able to donate, look after yourselves loves, but please share this post far and wide to spread the word.

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far and to all who attended Jay’s Farewell livestream. For anyone who missed it, you can catch it here.

There’s also an archive for video and photos of Jay, information about which can be found here, and a Tumblr archive which you can read about here. Both of these archives are available for anyone to contribute to.

[ID: A photo of Jaxon, a Black trans man, wearing red eyeshadow and a black pocket tee with rose detail. He has his tongue out with a small blue heart candy on it and stands in front of a white wall with vinyl records on it. Logos for Raze Collective and Chrysalis - GIM are overlayed, and the text “In Memory of @siriussly-serious 11.03.1995 - 15.05.2021”]

[ami-incants]

Elves and Fairies of West African Folklore

Art by Lokelani (https://www.deviantart.com/lokelani/art/Mmoatia-122212680)

Most of us are familiar with elves, dwarfs, sidhe, satyrs, nymphs and the Tuatha de Danann- but what of their equivalents from the African continent? Here are a few of the “good folk” that wander the grasslands and forests of West Africa:

1) The Aziza/Azizan:

According to Carol Rose’s scholarly “An Encyclopedia of Sprits, Fairies and Leprechauns”, the Aziza are the “little people” of those communities which formerly made up the Dahomey Kingdom in West Africa (whose borders existed within the modern nation of Benin). They inhabit the deep forests and had a relationship with the hunters who ventured into them. The Aiziza have conferred some of their knowledge of supernatural powers onto these hunters, who in turn have since introduced this knowledge to human society. For this, the Aziza were propitiated. 

The “Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology” by Theresa Bane gives similar information, but adds: “Considered to bring luck with them, the Aziza were often called upon by the native people for assistance in hunting and luck in general.” 

The book “African Myths of Origin” by Stephen Belcher records a story from the Fon (the dominant ethnic group of the Dahomey Kingdom), wherein a hunter whose wife suffered from leprosy came across a mound of earth inhabited by an azizan. The azizan spoke to the hunter, who never saw it with his own eyes, and presented him with a remedy composed of plants from the forest. The azizan offered to provide more remedies if the hunter returned with descriptions of the ailments that afflicted his people. The hunter returned on multiple occasions and the azizan kept his word. Eventually, the king of the country himself visited the mound and, after making various offerings, told the azizan “that in his land they had no means of curing sicknesses, and asked the azizan to provide him with remedies.” The azizan “gave the king of the country many of the Vodun [gods] who are now worshipped there […] and the king took them back.”

The gods referred to here are the deities of the Fon religion, or Vodun. Fon religion and folklore survived in the New World in the form of Voodoo. 

2) The Mmoatia:

According to Carol Rose, this is the title given to a group of Little People in West African folklore. The Ashanti believe that they are the “guardian spirits” of the wilderness and of the animals that live there. 

“The Annotated African-American Folktales” by Maria Tartar and Henry Louis Gates Jr. records a number of Black American folktales as well as their African analogues. The collection has a West African tale titled: “How the Sky God’s Stories Came to be Known as Spider Stories.”

In this tale, Anansi the Spider (a trickster hero) asks the Sky God Nyankapon for the price of his stories. The Sky God replied that “They cannot be brought for anything except Onini the Python, Osebo the Leopard, Mmoatia the Fairy and Mmboboro the Hornets.” Anansi then agrees to capture all of these things and bring them back to the Sky God.

Anansi tricked the Mmoatia by creating a doll with yams in her hand and plastered with tree sap. When one of the Mmoatia spotted the doll, she was fooled into thinking it was a real child, and asked it for some yams. Anansi through his trickery made the doll appear to reply by nodding its head. After bringing along one of her sisters, they ate the yams, but when they thanked the doll there was no reply. Enraged, one of the sisters slapped the doll and her hand became stuck to the sap. Her sister prompted her to strike it with her other hand and then to push it with her stomach, but the other fairy only became more stuck. Anansi then revealed himself and took the fairy, along with a captured python, leopard and hornet’s nest, to the Sky God, whereupon Anansi received the great deity’s stories. 

3) The Ijimere

The Yoruba (an ethnic group primarily found in Nigeria) are known for their profound impact on the cultures of the Black Diaspora and for the vitality and longevity of their traditional beliefs. A sizeable portion of the Yoruba still practice their ancestral traditions in West Africa, and their religious influence includes New World manifestations of their faith such as Santeria and Candomble. 

According to Rose’s encyclopedia, Ijimere is “the collective name for a group of spirits in the West African Folklore of the Yoruba People.” These “little people” inhabit the depths of the forests and the wild places in the country of Nigeria. 

[ami-incants]

This is so fucking important!!

[ami-incants]

An anime manga theme park aimed at getting white weeaboos to come spend money in Japan that displaces and desecrates indigenous Ainu territory...

Y’all blog about Japanese people and culture all day please boost this.

[ami-incants]

Let’s Talk About Spirit Anchors

What’s an Anchor?

An anchor is a physical object that a spirit uses to connect more easily to our plane. It’s their loading point, or a way to find a place/person more easily, or just something to help them get a better hold. They are connected to the anchor, but can move/travel freely from it if they wish. They’re bound to it in the more metaphorical sense, not literally.  Some people also use the word vessels, which seems to be the more common use on this site. I personally prefer the word anchor, because to me the word vessel connotates the spirit being held inside it, which often isn’t the case. I’ve also seen many people assume that spirits are trapped by vessels, which I don’t want my speech to imply. More often than not, in my experience, spirits choose their own anchor(s).

Common Anchors and Why They’re Chosen

Jewelry, bones, photographs, figurines, crystals, stuffed animals, and knick knacks are all common anchors! Jewelry seems to be the most popular amongst spirit workers because of its innate subtlety, but spirits can choose anything to latch onto. Often, it’s an object that they just really enjoy. They may like the feeling of a certain crystal, the cuteness of that plushy, or the elegance of that necklace. It may resemble something they used to own or resemble what they look like (or used to.)  For bones and photographs specifically, you’re more likely to find the spirits of animals and humans that have passed on from this plane. It could be their photo, or their bones! Or, it could be a photo of someone who resembles them/ an animal of the same species. 

How to Use Anchors in Your Craft

Often, a spirit worker will help a spirit they trust find a suitable anchor, so that they can work more regularly with that spirit or ease their transition to working with someone else. This is a pretty common practice that you can see demonstrated with any spirit companion matchmaking service! But there are other ways to use them too. You can often find spirits in your daily life, just by trying to sense the objects around you when you’re out and about. A spirit may have already found an object and decided “Yup, this is mine” and set up shop. (Antique stores are great for this.) Once I saw a woman at a festival selling ethically-sourced bones, and ended up taking home a skull because I picked it up and my gut said, “there’s something inside this still.” I’ve found at least two spirits while shopping at Goodwill before, just hanging out with the beanie babies.  You can also reverse-engineer meeting a spirit by starting with the anchor. Find an anchor that is both suitable for your craft-style and the type of spirit you’re looking for, then go out to a place where you can expect that type of spirit. Do your usual spirit working stuff, and see if anybody is interested in companionship in exchange for the anchor you’re offering them. Bonus points, you can also give yourself anchors on the astral plane for all the same reasons a spirit may get one here! I tend to call them waypoints when I’m using them personally, but that’s just me.  I hope you find this info useful! As always, use protection and practice responsibly~ 

[ami-incants]

Interviewing a Spirit

Whenever we’re encountering a new spirit we’re thinking of working with, asking the right questions is important. Here’s a list of potential questions to ask that can be useful in figuring out their vibe and if they have a place in your practice.

What is your name/what can I call you?

Is there a name in my language for the type of being you are?

What do/would you want from me?

How do you sustain yourself? (aka, what do you “eat?”) 

What are you looking to gain/do/achieve? Short or long term.

What do you think of humans?

Do you agree to respect any boundaries I set?

Would you like or require offerings from me?

If so, what kinds of offerings do you like to receive?

What are your favorite colors/smells/foods/sounds/etc.?

Do you plan on staying around a long time or would any arrangement be temporary?

Do you have any other loyalties? With whom? (It’s not always bad if they do, but it’s important to know.) 

Is there anything you dislike or are afraid of?

What signs might you show me to let me know you’re there?

Do you have/want an anchor? What kind?

Do you have any particular talents? 

Is there anything you struggle to do?

[ami-incants]

So, I’m gonna try this again. Please please please if you see this please click the link to my little shop, it helps boost traffic which is super helpful for a new small business like mine 🙏🏻 It would mean the world to me if this blew up a lil bit😭💕

Take a peek into the apothecary ✨- verbenalune.com 🌙

[ami-incants]

Dream Interpretation: Vampires

What is Dream Interpretation?

It is assigning meaning to dreams, meaning using what one dreams of and the symbols, objects and events of the dream to relate them to the psychological, emotional and sometimes spiritual state of the dreamer. Some use it as a way to divine and predict the future while others use it to help assess their emotional states and subconscious thoughts they may be ignoring in waking life.

General Overview and Meaning

A vampire in your dream can relate to numerous meanings. Sometimes they can relate to a person’s desire of romance and physical affection; other times they relate to feeling drained and tired in your waking life. If the dreamer is generally fond of vampires then seeing them in dreams tends to lean more towards the positive. Due to recent media portrayals of vampires many now associate them with sex and romance.

Specific Dream Situations

Following/Watching You: Often, when a vampire is following or stalking you in a dream they represent an aspect of yourself that you feel is parasitic and negative to who you are. They may also represent a person who you feel has been draining you and are exhausting to be around. If the vampire also takes on the appearance of a specific person you know in your waking life then it may mean that specific person is starting to drain you of your patience and are getting on your nerves.

To Be a Vampire: To be or become a vampire in your dream represents a selfish need to use or feed off of others in your waking life. You may also be overly dependent on a friend, family member or significant other and are subconsciously aware of it.

Being Bitten or Fed Off of: You currently feel like others are using you and you feel very much helpless to it. You may also feel trapped in a relationship that is “sucking the life out of you”.

Original/Traditional Vampires: Seeing a more horrific and bat like vampire in your dreams indicates something very distressing is going on in your life and it is negatively affecting you. Some psychologists link these dreams to people who are sickly or unwell. There also seems to be a common pattern of dreamers with heart problems/illnesses dreaming of nightmarish vampires.

Sexy “Modern” Vampires: The dreamer currently desires more in their love and/or sex life. It is feeling bland and lack-luster to you right now and honestly, you are feeling bored.

Being Chased by Several Vampires: You are fighting some major force in your life and its very stressful. The situation itself may be scaring you more than you’d like to admit. You may feel like you are losing the battle as well, and that your failure is “catching up to you”.

Falling in Love with a Vampire: This dream is very common but often means you are thinking romantically about someone and you are still on a subconscious level are trying to figure it out.

Intercourse/Kissing a Vampire: You are feeling sexually stifled and even neglected. This dream is very common after break-ups.

Killing or Hunting Vampires: You are overcoming your dependence on someone and are finally confronting your problems/flaws.

Dracula: To dream specifically about Dracula means there is a person you are intimidated by that is making more of a presence in your life than before and it is very upsetting to you.

Divination

For a long time it was believed dreaming about a vampire in the traditional sense was an omen of doom and disaster and likely tragedy. In some cultures dreaming of a vampire was similar to that of dreaming of a demon (especially for religious cultures) meaning something evil is at play. Modernly, dreaming about vampires in the modern sense or romantically may allude to a relationship to come or a new ‘mysterious person’ to enter your life.

Special shout-out to @orriculum who subtly and unwittingly made me think of doing a vampire dream post :p

**all sources for this post come from numerous book resources, online archives, personal experience and personal grimoires.**

Like what I do/post? Interested in letting me know? Feel free to buy me a coffee!

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A Witch’s Ingredients: Lady’s Mantle/Achemilla

Correspondences

Love, Protection, Purity, Fertility, Beauty, Youth, Improving Romance and Libido

Scientific Information/Overview

Lady’s Mantle is a the common name of Achemilla, which is a genus of plant in the family Rosaceae. There is about 300 species of Lady’ Mantle found across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Some are used for medicinal purposes for gynacological disorders, issues or menstruation while others are commonly used in teas for spiritual or traditional purposes.

Other common names of Lady’s Mantle are - Lion’s Foot, Bear’s Foot, Stellaria and Pied-de-Lion.

Historical 

Known as a herb greatly revered by alchemists, and where it gets its name Achemilla, it was often believed that gathering that the dew on the leaves of this plant was very magical and powerful. Many alchemists would bottle the dew believing it was connected to many magical powers and itself would increase their own powers. Some believed it could be connected to the Philosopher’s Stone. Women, especially in Europe, would also collect the dew from Lady’s Mantle believing that applying it to the face and skin would rejuvenate it and make it more beautiful and soft. It was later on commonly used in the 16th century by women to “restore” virginity for it was believed that the herb would heal any signs of pre-marital sex and restore any “damages” to the vagina and uterus. 

Mid-wives would use tinctures and teas of Lady’s Mantle before and after child birth believing it would help the mother recover faster and allow her to carry child again sooner.

It was wildly believed that Lady’s Mantle was a cure-all for many ailments including rashes, impotence, sores and welts, fever, bronchitis and organ failure though like many historical believes most of these declarations were inaccurate and unresearched.

Folklore

Often the plant is associated with the Christian Virgin Mary and where its restorative powers of virginity in women likely originated from. Though the name “Lady’s Mantle” also is related to Mary due to the curved leaves appearing to be like a lady’s mantle or cloak.

Many female deities are related to Lady’s Mantle, especially goddesses of fertility, virginity and motherhood, such as: Isis, Tawaret, Brigid, Damara, Freyja, Frigg, Demeter, Hera and Libera. Though a few male deities are related to it as well. Both Dionysus and Pan are associated with it due to its associations with fertility and libido.

The herb is said to be connected to the planet of Venus and the element of Water.

Modern Medicinal Uses

Often, Lady’s Mantle is brewed into teas used to help relieve the pain, cramping and bloating caused by periods. It is also commonly utilized by women facing and experience menopause to lessen some of the symptoms of it such as bleeding, sweating and soreness. The teas are also drank to help with digestive issues, painful gas and upset stomachs.

As a tincture it is often applied to rashes, swelling or areas the muscles are sort to help bring some minor relief. It can also be applied to the stomach to relieve stomach aches, indigestion, bloating and menstrual cramps though it isn’t usually as strong as the teas. Some herbalists recommend both the use of the teas and the tinctures to relieve insomnia and anxiety in some patients.

This herb is still used by midwives with women after giving birth to help the uterus “heal and regain shape” though this is wildly debated among professionals over whether it actually helps in after birth care or not. Some midwives still use it to induce labor and contractions in pregnant women if they are having difficulties in birthing or are past their due date - though doctors and hospitals no longer use this method.

Some dentists will recommend its use to help with tooth and gum pain after extractions and other oral surgeries. Tea from it can also be used to help with canker sores on the tongue and gums, though it isn’t proven to help them heal any quicker only to help relieve the pain for short periods of time.

Modern Magical Uses

Many witches associate Lady’s Mantle with love spells and fertility spells - which it has been used for both for a very long time. Teas of it are often shared by couples before intercourse to promote fertility in a simple ritual. Rituals of applying tincture of Lady’s Mantle flowers to the chest and stomach of a lover is said to improve libido and passion between the pair before intercourse. Carrying the flowers is said to improve one’s attractiveness to others. Carrying sachets of the dried leaves is said to to help attract love into one’s life. Bathing with the herb added to the bath water is said t improve self love and beauty. 

Lady’s Mantle is often added to jar spells and enchantments to increase the power and fortitude of the spells. It is seen like a magnifier of most magic - so often it is added to all sorts of spells to give it an extra boost as well as to wards, poppets and altars. Some believe that planting Lady’s Mantle in your garden will help keep it protected and warded from baneful magic.

Using Lady’s Mantle in anointing oil and anointing oneself or a candle is said to improve the spell or ritual being done, improve energy flow and improve psychic awareness. Some will use it on their forehead and chest to help keep themselves from exhausting their energies too quickly during divination or trancework.

Casting Lady’s Mantle into fire or burning it in a spell is said to be a “cure” for a broken heart and mourning of a lost relationship allowing the caster to move on from it.

Cultivation and Care

Lady’s Mantle comes in a wide variety of species thought most like to grow in cool, moist climates with rich fertile soil. These plants need plenty of space about 12 inches (about 30cm) of room to properly flourish and grow. It can be potted though that is not ideal for long term growth and care, it does best planted in the ground. When planting from seeds they need only shallow planting but need thorough watering to ensure the soil stays moist. Germination of most Lady’s Mantle is around 3 to 4 weeks, though it varies between species.

These plants need plenty of water, especially if in intense sunlight or bright areas. In less sunny areas make sure the soil stays moist but not flooded. Lady’s Mantle is prone to seed and spread rapidly, be sure to take precautions to prevent it from getting too out of hand and taking over your garden or yard.

The parts of these plants used are mostly commonly the leaves and flowers. The leaves can be dried and used in teas or tinctures as well as fresh ones can be used in carrier oils to make Lady’s Mantle anointing oils. The leaves can also be eaten fresh, though often they need to be harvested when young, and are used in salads, wraps, sandwiches and pesto. Though women in late pregnancy are advised not to ingest or use caution when using Lady’s Mantle (more below). The flowers of the plant can also be used for teas or dried for magical uses and purposes. The roots of the plant are occasionally used as well but the benefits and taste of the powdered roots are not as potent as the leaves.

Side Effects and Cautions

According to Webmd - Lady’s Mantle is possibly safe for most people when taken in proper doses. Though some research shows that it could potentially cause liver damage over time if used in large amounts - though many professionals argue that this research is exaggerated or incorrect.

It is advised due to lack of overall research with this herb in recent years for women who are breast-feeding to avoid using this plant. Mixed information on its effects on women who are pregnant make it a cautionary herb and also recommended to be avoided or to speak with a doctor before using. It is not known to cause any issues with medications but this is again under researched and is advised that people on regular meds should speak with their doctors before using Lady’s Mantle regularly. It is not known to cause skin irritations though people with allergies to common herbs or grass are recommended to avoid using this plant on their skin.

Sources

*much of this post came from my personal grimoire and years of research on the herbs and plants I commonly use. Additional information I used are listed below!

Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Source 4 | Source 5 | Source 6 | Source 7 |

Please do not copy or repost this post, I put a lot of effort and time into making this (theft isn’t nice) - reblogs are of course always welcome! 

Like what I do/post? Interested in letting me know? Feel free to buy me a coffee! Or ask for my paypal~

[ami-incants]

types of candles in witchcraft

altar candles: altar candles are used to represent the deities, entities, spirits and/or powers that you wish to call upon and communicate with. they are a way of honouring and communicating with them. traditionally, two candles are set on the altar, one on the left side and one on the right. they represent male energy on the right and feminine on the left. colours typically vary based on deity or the system one has.

astral candles: astral candles are ‘personal candles’, they are of any colour and shape that you personally feel drawn and connected to. in contrast to zodiac candles which are affixed to you at birth.

cat candles: cat candles are usually used for luck, jinx-breaking and hexing depending on the oils and energies that you project onto them. these usually come in three colours:

black: used for banishing bad luck and bringing good luck

red: usually used for gaining the love of another by feminine (feline) guile

green: used to obtain money of a transient nature or to heal a sick pet

compass candles: a compass candle also called a directional candle is used to help one determine a decision. these types of candles are usually tapered to allow the candle to drip freely when lit. one would make the choice by assigning the options to the four directions of the candle and then observing it to see which direction the wax is dripping. the wax will drip in the direction that is the best option to take not the one you necessarily want.

cross or crucifix candles: the cross candle, also called the ‘flora’ or ‘floral cross’ candle, comes in a variety of colours. it is generally burnt for protection and banishing. these can also be used to represent angels which can be called in to protect the home.

dehexing candles: a dehexing candle is used to undo a hex. the best colours for these candles are:

black: absorbs anything coming to you

grey: neutralises anything coming to you, your energy must become neutral with this candle colour

silver: reflects the incoming energy back to the sender, your energy must become neutral with this candle colour

bi coloured reversible candles: usually found in the colour combination of red and black, the black absorbs incoming energy and the red concentrates it, adding bits of your making and sending it back to the sender with interests

devil candles: the devil candle is used to banish a jinxed or crossed condition in the home or place of enjoyment or about one’s person. commonly used in exorcisms. can be used to create a jinx, hex or crossed condition

devotional candles: these are the candles found in stained glass containers with images of various saints or loas (loas are used in voodoo which is a closed religion, do not try to invoke beings/loas/deities which you don’t have the right to. educate yourself)

double/triple action candles: double action candles have two colours, common colours are mentioned above. triple action candles have three colours hence there is one more action in combination, common colours include a red (passion), white (protection) and green (money) combination.

floating wick candles: instead of wax this candle has fragrant oils as its body. a floating wick is suspended in oil in decorative holders. they are typically used at social gatherings to remove the smell of stale cooking or smoke. you can energise the candle the same as a wax body one.

glass oil candles: similar to the floating wick candle as it uses oil rather than wax however the wick doesn’t float, it is suspended in the oil body. these candles come in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes and is used in magic, typically, as a perpetual flame or altar candle. the fragrant oils can be used to match the magic you are performing. typically has a small opening to put in new oils while still burning. these candles are usually in glass tapers, when using in magic always imbue the glass taper first with your will. do not anoint the container though.

hand of glory candles: the hand of glory candle and spell dates back to the early middle ages. the legend behind this candle was the thought that if you take a hand off a thief and submerge it in the wax from this candle and then burn the hand that you would become invisible. in modern times visualisation is more than enough to control the mind of those you wish to be invisible by using candle images. this may be invisible to you or to someone you wish for them to avoid.

the guardian flame candles: this is a candle lit with the flame of a deity done specifically to allow the flame to stand as a guardian in the home or temple.

household candles: an all-purpose candle used for magic

invocation candles: an altar candle used to invoke a specific deity. the seven-day novena candle is frequently used as an invocation candle as it is tall and will outlast all others on the altar.

jumbo candles: a larger, thicker version of the household candle

knob candles: this candle has seven small knobs each of which can be burnt while concentrating on what you desire to manifest into your life. a separate oil is used for each  knob or an all-purpose oil can be used for all seven.

black: provides an excellent way to banish undesirable energies from your home and surrounding areas

green or white: build a protective wall around your home and those you love

mummy candles: traditionally, this candle is used to acquire success and power. can also be used to ward off danger

novelty candles: any candle not in glass and that has a shape other than cylindrical. 

novena candles: generally a seven to twelve day, glass enclosed candle. frequently has saints stained on glass.

seven-day novena: long-burning candle enclosed in thick glass comes in three varieties. each comes unscented.

plain novena: found in a variety of colours

spiritual novena: various saints and holy personages on the glass container

specialty novena: made of specific colours and sports specific designs on the glass container. named for the variety actions it can perform. commonly confused with novelty candles.

offertory candle: main candle that offers your desires, goals or wishes out to the universe for manifestation

phallus candles: candle in the shape of the male organ. can be used for anything to do with male sexuality, sterility or impotence

protection candles: protection candles can be any shape and size. colours and saints (novena candles can also be used as protection candles, when using saints candles then write down your desires nine times and stick it to the bottom of the candle) are what count in these: 

white candle: use while doing destructive magic to protect yourself from harm

silver candle: use while doing destructive magic against a person who also knows magic

grey candle: use if magic should return unexpectedly to neutralise it

san capistrano: use to keep away enemies

saint anthony: use to find a job

saint jude: use for court problems

sacred heart: use for marriage

santa clara: use for drug and addiction problems

saint michael: use for general protection

rebirthing candles: a candle of three or more days of burning used to guide the dead across to peace and rest

skull candles: this candle shaped in the form of a skull comes in several colours , the most common being:

green: used to make someone more gullible to being separated from their money, aids memory, health and healing

black: used to cause great harm, suffering and pain 

red: used to force someone physically move away or fall in love

white: used to bend someone to your will

snake or busting away candles: used to break free or ‘bust away’ from evil. used to break free of undesirable situations 

vigil candles: any candle can be a vigil candle as long as it is burnt for a long period of time for another’s benefit as well as to peacefully demonstrate for a cause

witch candles: traditionally used as extremely potent love candles with the idea of ‘bewitching’ your intended

yoni candles: the yoni candle is the female counterpart to the phallus candle, shaped like a vulva. used in sex magic, safe birthing and mostly dealing with women and their sexuality.

zodiac or astrological candles: zodiac candles are used to represent each of the twelve signs. they are all specifically scented, coloured and adorned with the information of each zodiac . in conjunction with other candles it can be used to represent your goal or target. typically placed on the altar and then moved closer to the target candle as the magic works to slowly combine them together to simulate the merging of the two.

sources: candle magick by unknown 

[ami-incants]

This kinda stuff annoys me. Anyone out there thinking of learning Reiki, you have to be initiated into the practice by a reiki master so that you have a spiritual lineage linking you to the founder Usui Sensei. You have to learn his healing methods and special symbols and all the chakras. And you can only learn them when initiated. You cant learn them from these books, which are not reiki. Annoyingly, the authors who obviously don't have much idea of what real Reiki is are just selling these books to make money now that energy healing is trendy and reiki is popular. The reiki symbols are kept secret amongst reiki masters and are only given to their students when initiated.

These books are just small, watered down guides on energy healing. They are not reiki, and I had a quick squiz through them to see they are quite vague and over simplified and don't even contain the symbols. This oversimplification results in the loss of valuble information related to the cultural ties the practice of reiki healing, and the actual knowledge of the practice itself. It's not helpful in the long run.

Honestly, if you're going to do something, do it properly. It's not my job to police cultural appropriation, and I can't control others. All I say is that if you're going to insist on being involved in something, learn it the correct way. Learn the cultural context, the history and meanings behind everything. Support writers of colour, go straight to the source for the information, and do your best to understand it correctly. Don't pretend to be an authority on something you have no true understanding of. Essentially it is quackery in a sense. And that is not to say that your own spiritual experiences aren't meaningful for you, but they differ slightly as your understanding of the meanings, symbology, and practices stem from your own values and upbringing, and thus cannot accurately represent the particular context they come from.

To all beginners in spirituality and witchcraft, I'm just letting you know most books out there are a watered down and oversimplified mess. You cannot capture the whole of a spiritual teaching in one small book. Anything promising that is lying to you. Depending on what you're reading about you will likely need to read a variety of different books about just one aspect of a practice or idea. And you want to aim for things with references if possible. If its a traditional or cultural text aim for the original source and not someone elses opinion on that text, unless that person is a spiritual teacher from that culture or tradition.

A lot of inexperienced spiritual people who mucked around once or twice with a spell seem to believe they are now qualified to write a book. So just take everything with a grain of salt when you're having a look for information. Use the internet and other resources to verify the information as well.

😊 And lets make sure we're learning reiki from a reiki master so as to preserve the tradition taught by Usui Sensei.

[ami-incants]

Spooky Goosy