biwitchybitch

[biwitchybitch]

🎃🍁🍎✨Fall Baking!!✨🍎🍁🎃

(Recipes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

[biwitchybitch]

Samhain Blue Moon

Hello my friends,

As many of you likely know by now…this Samhain (or Halloween) not only lands on a full moon,  but this particular moon is a blue moon as well! So…what does that all mean?

What is a blue moon?

A blue moon means it is the second moon within the month. This October (2020) the was a full moon on the 1st and a full moon on the 31st. How is this magickally significant? Many believe that 2 full moons means 2x the power! 

What is the October Full Moon - Blood Moon / Hunting Moon?

Many of you are familiar with the different esbats (full moon gatherings). In many traditions the esbats are when you complete spells and spirit work and Sabbats (holidays) are reserved for gratitude and honoring spirts/elements. 

In the “old world” the October full moon is one of the 3 harvest moons. It is a time to harvest and preserve food and gather and dry herbs.  Honoring your ancestors, gathering with family, having a large feast, and mingling with the spirit world are all activities to focus on during the October full moon.

read more about October’s full moon here.

What is Samhain?

Samhain is one of the most popular witches holiday in pop-culture. But for most witches and wiccan’s, it looks very different than it does in the movies. 

On All Hallow’s Eve, or Samhain, the veil is thinnest between worlds. That means divination, spirit work, communicating with/honoring loved ones and remembrance are all the most powerful at this time. (Add a blue moon and you have yourself a party!)

If you are looking for a low-key way to honor your loved ones and connect with the spirit, check out this post to learn about Dumb Suppers.

Because this is also a full moon (and a blue moon!) you can also try full moon water scrying as a form of divination. Check out how to do that here, all you need is a black bowl!

Some other activities you can do on this very magickal night:

-Tarot Readings

-Leave apples offerings for spirits (burry apples at crossroads)

-Add to your gratitude jar

-Do a spell/ritual to strengthen your spiritual or psychic connection 

-Make some moon water, learn more here

-Decorate your altar with apples (one of the most magickal fruits!). Black cloth or dark purples and blues are powerful for spells relating to divination and spiritual connection. 

-Dark reds and golden oranges are also great colors to represent on your altar.

-Stones such as amethyst, obsidian, and labradorite are powerful to charge and use in your spells for grounding, cleansing, and meditation. \

[biwitchybitch]

✨ Cleansing in Witchcraft ✨

Cleansing is a way of removing negative or unwanted energies, spirits, and imprints from an object or a space. There are a number of simple rituals and actions that are done to cleanse. You can do as many or as few as you like, and create your own cleansing methods/rituals. 

✨ CLEANSING ONESELF

Brush your hair, morning

Ritual baths

Dancing singing

Visualization 

Drinking a tea designed to cleanse

✨ DISCREET METHODS

Brush your hair

Open the windows, let the new air come in and the old air out 

Light a candle

Playing a song you associate with cleansing

Ringing wind chimes

Wetting your hands in salt water and flicking the water through the area

Visualize light and colors, and manipulate the energy away

✨ OPEN AREA METHODS

Ring a bell through an area

Smoke cleansing / cense (not smudging)

Waft incense smoke around

Burn herbs, such as sage, rosemary, bay leaf, etc

Spritz lemon-infused water around, or salt water

Light a candle

Sprinkle salt or eggshell pieces in the windows and doorways

Use a besom to clean the negative energies out of the air like cobwebs

Wave a branch of a strong-scented herb through the area, such as mint

Toss a pinch of salt or herbs in the door ways and window

Touch each corner of the room and say a short prayer over each

✨ CLEANSING OBJECTS

bury in a salt bath

if water-compatible (not soluble, won’t react poorly, etc), let sit in a moon or salt water bath

pass through smoke

incense

rainwater, mist, snow, etc

[biwitchybitch]

Working with Spirits

In my last post, I talked about different types of spirits that witches may work with. Today, we’re going to discuss how to approach spirits and establish a working relationship.

Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and every spirit is different. I encourage you to do your own research beyond this post, especially if you plan to work with powerful entities like deities, angels, or fairies.

Remember the Four R’s

It’s important to keep these things in mind when working with spirits:

Respect. The spirits are powerful, and you need to have a healthy respect for that power when working with them. It’s also important to respect them as individual, autonomous beings.

I’m not saying that every interaction you have with the spirits needs to be a full blown ritual with incense and chanting. (In fact, some spirits don’t care for those types of rituals.) But every interaction you have with them should be conducted with an air of respect and reverence.

What this mostly boils down to is good manners. Being polite will get you better results — and it will also keep you from being on the receiving end of spirit mischief. Proper etiquette depends on the type of spirit you’re working with, which is one reason it’s important to do your research. In general, it’s polite to make an offering, use respectful language, and thank the spirits before you leave (unless you’re dealing with fairies — some traditions say you should never thank the fae).

Respecting spirits also means respecting their desires — even if that means respecting their wish not to work with you. Not every spirit you reach out to will want to form a relationship with you, just like not every person you meet in your life will want to be your friend. When a spirit turns you down, respect their decision, politely bid them farewell, and move on.

Reciprocity. The goal of spirit work is to establish a mutually-beneficial partnership — not for one partner to serve the other. On one hand, this means that you can’t just command spirits to do your bidding without giving anything in return. On the other hand, it also means that you won’t be worshiping/honoring them without receiving some kind of boon.

This is why it’s important to make offerings to the spirits you work with. These offerings “feed” the spirits by giving them power, and a good offering will likely make a spirit more willing to work with you. Offerings are not payment for favors from spirits (it’s not quite that simple), but they are a sign that you intent to practice reciprocity in your relationship.

In general, it’s important to make an offering when you first introduce yourself to a spirit and again before you ask them for anything. But you shouldn’t only make offerings when you’re about to ask for something! How would you feel if you had a friend who only did nice things for you when they were about to ask for a favor? You’d probably start avoiding them, right? You might even get angry. To avoid this kind of dynamic in your spirit work, make regular offerings to the spirits you work with. If you’re especially close with a spirit, you may want to offer to them every day.

Relationship. The spirits are not vending machines where you put offerings in and blessings fall out. They are living, sentient beings with feelings, and deserve to be treated as such. Your relationship with the spirits you choose to work with is just that: a relationship. And like any relationship, it requires time, energy, and emotional labor.

If that sounds like more effort than you want to make, there are plenty of ways to do magic without ever working with spirits. You don’t need to do spirit work to be a witch. It may not be your thing, and that’s okay!

But if you choose to work with spirits, it’s important to remember that you are working with them as an equal partner — you’re not their boss, and they are not obligated to like you, help you, or even tolerate you. Relationships with spirits are built over time, through mutual respect and trust.

You wouldn’t drive up to your friend’s house, throw a fast-food burger at them, and then demand a special favor. Likewise, you shouldn’t just dump an offering on your altar and demand something of the spirits. Take the time to sit down with them. Talk to them. Get to know them. Put some thought into your offerings, instead of just offering the same thing every time. Spirit work is, at its core, about building an authentic relationship with the spirits we choose to include in our practice. Enjoy it.

Research. When it comes to spirits, it’s important to know exactly who (and what) you’re dealing with. As previously mentioned, the etiquette for dealing with fairies is very different from other land spirits. Different deities have different standards for their worshipers, which vary from one pantheon to the next. The way you interact with your ancestors will probably be shaped by their personalities, cultures, and values. All this is to say it’s important to know who you’re reaching out to, preferably before you reach out to them.

With deities, this is easy. Most witches who choose to work with deities will feel drawn to a certain pantheon, or even a specific god or goddess. There’s a lot of information out there about most historical pantheons, so researching them is easy. The same goes for angels, saints, demons, and even fairies.

It can be a little more difficult to do your research when you’re dealing with land spirits, spirits of place, or other less well-known figures. In these cases, it’s best to take three steps: 1.) figure out what type of spirit you’re dealing with (land spirit, animal spirit, ancestor, etc.), 2.) find out what this type of spirit is like generally, and 3.) find out how that applies to your specific spirit.

For example: you want to connect with your local land spirits. You do some research to find out how land spirits have been treated in various cultures — you find out that they’re typically benevolent, are closely tied to the natural landscape, and were often given food offerings. Then, you do some research into your local plants and animals — what form might a nature spirit take in your local environment? Would it be a huge moose with snow-covered antlers, or a magnolia tree in full bloom? Is there any local folklore in your area that could be describing a land spirit? Once you have answers to these questions, you’ll have a much better idea of how to approach the spirits and start up a relationship.

Initiating a Relationship with a Spirit

Begin by identifying who this spirit is. For example, let’s say you choose to reach out to a specific ancestor spirit — maybe a deceased grandparent. Make sure you’re familiar with the etiquette for interacting with this type of spirit so you don’t accidentally do something disrespectful. (If your Grandma hated cussing, try not to drop any f-bombs while communing with her.)

Create a special space to communicate with the spirit. This can be as simple as lighting a candle or as elaborate as setting up a special altar. If you’re reaching out to a grandparent, you might set up a small ritual space with a photo of them, any of their belongings that you have access to, and some things that they enjoyed while they were alive. These items may make the connection easier, but you don’t need them to communicate. What matters is that you’ve taken the time to create a special space for this moment. (Like all ritual spaces, it should be clean and tidy, and it’s a good idea to do an energetic cleanse beforehand.)

Make an offering. Make sure your offering is appropriate for the spirit you’re connecting to. Offerings should be made with an air of reverence — don’t just toss a bag of Doritos on your altar and expect it to be well-received.

Introduce yourself. Speak out loud. State your intention and who you are hoping to connect with.

Wait and listen. You may feel a presence or receive some kind of sign — or you may not. Just because you didn’t get a sign doesn’t mean that your offering wasn’t noticed or that you’re being ignored. You may also receive a sign several hours, days, or weeks after you first reach out. Be patient.

Say your farewells. Express your gratitude for the spirit’s presence, and let them know that you are ending your little ritual. It’s up to you whether to invite them to stick around or politely tell them to leave, but if you’re going to give a spirit permission to linger in your home you better be 1000% sure you know who they are and what their intentions with you are.

Moving Forward

As you work with this spirit, it is important to establish clear boundaries for the relationship. Be clear about what you want to accomplish by working with them, and make sure you understand what they expect from you in return.

You might want to establish a time limit: for example, maybe you’re choosing to work closely with the goddess Brigid from Imbolc to Samhain, at which point you can choose to continue the relationship or to take a step back. Or, you may choose to work with a spirit on a specific task — for example, working with the goddess Aphrodite to get back on your feet and rebuild your self esteem after a breakup. Once this task is accomplished, you may choose to form a more long-term relationship or to take a step back.

Forming a permanent or long-term working relationship with a spirit is a very big, very serious commitment, and should not be taken lightly. This goes double for anything involving a ritual commitment, such as dedication to a deity. When you make these commitments, you are choosing to make a spirit and their energy a permanent part of your life. This decision requires some very serious introspection and consideration, and should not be made impulsively.

Resources:

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

A Practical Heathen’s Guide to Asatru by Patricia M. Lafayllve

Where the Hawthorn Grows and The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens by Morgan Daimler

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael’s A Jock: An Insider’s Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like and The Angel Code by Chantel Lysette

New World Witchery podcast (several episodes, including “Episode 164 — Irish Folklore and Magic,” “Episode 161 — Practicing Safe Hex,” and “Episode 152 — Honoring Ancestors”)

[biwitchybitch]

exactly.

[biwitchybitch]

You’ve heard of healing crystals

now get ready for Danger Rocks

Please do not lick any of these

1. Chrysotile

aka Asbestos! It heals lung cancer! heals it from 0HP to full health! it causes cancer do not touch do not lick

okay but this is a cool danger rock, it’s a physical carcinogen. As in, it doesn’t poison you into having cancer, it just has little needle-y bits that LITERALLY STIR UP your DNA and break it, and when the cells try to repair their DNA they get it wrong and you get cancer

2. Torbenite

A super pretty danger rock! it’s a uranium ore and releases radon gas for Extra Poison!

3. Hutchinsonite - (Tl,Pb)2As5S9

This danger rock has it all! Lead! arsenic! Thallium! All super toxic! Will legit kill you

seriously don’t lick this one, i’m looking at you, fellow geologists

thallium doesn’t taste like anything so you’re not even getting data, just poisoned

4. Cinnabar (Mercury sulfide)

Can be a very pretty red color! so it was used to make paint. The paint was super toxic.

In addition to being dangerous to your health, it’s also morally dangerous! someone had to mine it (v dangerous) so even owning it feels unethical

5. Stibnite (Antimony sulfide)

people used to make spoons and makeup and shit out of this, the spoons poisoned people who ate with them. It’s kinda pretty but not worth dying over

6. Orpiment  (an arsenic sulfide)

Look how pretty it is!!

“Incorrect handling” WILL poison you, that’s fucking arsenic

Honorable mentions:

Malachite, if eaten or… you know ;) (warning: nsfw, THat Post) Galena (lead sulfide), don’t eat it or break the rock and you’ll probably be ok, the dust is the main danger

[biwitchybitch]

Happy Bi Visibility Day everyone 💗💜💙

[biwitchybitch]

[biwitchybitch]

To be a Local Witch

Throughout history and our legends, Witches and Wizards were the crazy men and women that lived on the outskirts of the village. Their craft was wild and strange to those that lived in the village, but, nonetheless, people would seek after their wisdom of the land, the plants, the local spirits, and for wisdom or guidance in their path. These men and women, often bachelors, would know the ins and outs of the region and often went walking alone. 

Today, our villages are less rustic and more like local towns, and suburbs. But one can still be a Local Witch, and develop special connections with the land you call home. 

Become a Local Witch: 

Learn Local Lore Folktales, legends, and even tall tales develop the culture of a town or area. Learn these. Retell them over summer campfires, and over drinks with friends. People will start to LOVE your stories. 

Start Frequenting locally owned shops and stores Develop connections and relationships with the owners and those that work there every day. Learn their names, and introduce yourself after visiting more often. Supporting locally owned shops helps small business owners and provides nourishment to your community. This is putting down roots, and develops your connection with the people that shape your town.

Find a Local Bookstore This is an extension of 1 and 2. Locally owned bookstores always have a Local Writers, Local Plants, and Local History sections. Ask inside where these sections are, and start devouring these books. Not only will you be supporting a local shop, but you have a direct source of helpful information. Oftentimes, employees and owners also know a lot of Lore. Talk to them about what you’re interested in learning. They probably have some hidden gems of information. 

Learn about your Indigenous Plants Start researching and learning about the flora that grows locally, learn their lore, their uses, and magical or folklore associations. If Natives from your area used these plants, find out how. Learn where these plants grow and research local foraging. If you’ve never foraged, see if you can find a local group that can serve as helpful guides to stay safe. Never ingest anything unless you are SURE. 

Start a local Plant Grimoire Keep dried presses of flowers and plants in it, draw and diagram to help you remember what they look like. 

Learn about the indigenous animals Research their folklore and mythology. Start finding out what they eat, and what their habitats are. (Safely) Do your part to help foster their growth and health. This could be making insect houses to help local endangered pollinators, or leaving out special birdseed for endangered bird species in the area. (Safely) Start interacting with the non-aggressive species and leave them treats. This is great for birds, deer, rabbits, moles, chipmunks, hedgehogs, etc 

Join local Conservation Projects  Getting directly involved in wildlife conservation strengthens our spiritual and natural ties to the land we call our home. Taking personal responsibility and interest in it’s stewardship is honoring the spirits of the land, and the Gods. 

Use Google Maps while exploring parks, or protected open spaces to drop pins and places where you find animal habitats or useful plants for foraging. 

That’s all for now. More will come later I’m sure. Now go be the best local Witch or Druid you can be! 

[biwitchybitch]

Working with Air

I love working with the element air, it’s my personal favorite out of all the elements for a few different reasons that I won’t get into (I could make pages upon pages on why I love the wind but that isn’t what this is about) This post is about how to work more closely with the wind. Enjoy dearies!

Here are a few ideas on how to work with the element Air:

Conjure up the wind by singing a sweet melody from the heart (like your all time favorite songs), whistle, or use a singing bowl. 

Go to a park or trail and walk around for as much as you would like and just feel the wind wrap around you. If leaves/flowers happen to fall upon you, collect them. NOTE: Make sure you do your research if you collect. Never pull or cut leaves/flowers unless you know what you are doing. Also, make sure you don’t collect anything that is harmful to your health. 

Go to a park/field/backyard and practice yoga. Allow the wind to help form your body while the earth keeps you steady. Stretch, relax, breathe.

On a windy day go outside and just sit there. Close your eyes and feel the air. Breathe in and out deeply, let it fill your soul. 

Burn a loose incense containing herbs that relate to air. (ex. lavender, lemongrass, pine, star anise, sage, etc) Meditate and connect to the element as the fragrance fills the room. You can burn an oil using essential oils for the same purpose. NOTE: Be careful burning anything; use a fireproof bowl, make sure it won’t fall, make sure the room is well ventilated, and most importantly, make sure you do your research. Do not burn herbs/oils that are harmful to your/others/and pets health. 

Make a sigil that means “I am protected by the winds.” or something along the lines (Personally I am not a sigil maker but I see others make damn cool ones so I’m adding it, haha) Wear it on you wherever you’d like while you are out and about so your always protected.  

Make a special air altar underneath a window, preferably facing East. Fill it with feathers, incenses, athame, a music player, your favorite books, colors of yellow and pale blues, whatever you’d like! 

Paint, dance, read, draw, sing, play an instrument, etc, Be creative. 

Learn. Do research. Gain as much knowledge about subjects you love.

Talk to the wind, communicate with it. Tell the air your problems, the joys you have felt, the pain you endured. No matter what, always your message is heard. 

Research fairies. Most fairies are related to element of air but there are some that live within the other elements. Find the fairy folk who live in the clouds, in the winds, and fly with the birds; work with them if you would like. NOTE: Be careful with working with fairies as you would with any spirit. There are so many different kinds of posts on how to communicate with them so I will list sources. (This is a very small list of sources regarding fairies but ones that I found informative.)  

On Fae and Spirit Work, source.

Faerie Sight, source.

Fae Tip #1: Offerings, source.

On the Fae, source.

Elements: 

Water  Earth Fire

[biwitchybitch]

[biwitchybitch]

Simz Art on Instagram

[biwitchybitch]

When you use clear quartz because you don’t have a specific crystal needed in a ritual

[biwitchybitch]

So cringy when people are like "cats aren't affectionate i know this first hand!1!" Maybe your cat would follow you around as well if your vibes weren't so rancid

[biwitchybitch]

tasia.m.s on Instagram

[biwitchybitch]

Store bought flames