fae-wicca

[fae-wicca]

I AM + LIVING IN THE END CHALLENGE

: ★ before we begin, no — this isn’t about the void state, something similar, but without you having to enter the void… Sounds cool right? — has it worked for me? hell yeah, it’s basically living in the end!

what is it fleur, is it a mix between the "I AM" state & living in the end technique?

you're right, it's a great challenge that has worked wonders for me, and i'm sure you'll love it.

let's start! ↓

i challenge you, to live in the end for three days, no procrastination, no doubts, no nothing, simply knowing you have your desires already, because you do.

not seeking for your desires, not ‘trying’ to get your desires, not wishing for you to get your desires, simply living in the end.

you’re going to write on a piece of paper / notes app | a list of your desires, and your deadline to get them is three days from now.

you’re not going to try any techniques or any methods, on these three days.

you’re going to be embodying the version of yourself who has their desires, you’re going to act & think like her/him/them

you’re not going to change the date you’ve established, nor you’re going to doubt that date.

+ on these 3 days, you’re going to take 10 minutes to close your eyes and affirm “I AM” while envisioning yourself with your desires and dwelling in that feeling, you’re going to repeat this scene 2x every day, just 10 minutes of seeing your desired version of yourself, and you’re going to select that state and continue your day knowing that you’re already IN that state, no matter what the 3D is showing you, because mentally you’re there, and that’s all that matters, while you are affirming “I AM” envision the version of yourself you’ve selected with a bright white light surrounding you.

: ★ Fleur, is it going to happen exactly in three days?

i’ll assure you that even on the first day you’ll already have everything (even though you do already 🧘🏻‍♀️) it’s all about how much you persist and believe that it’ll happen.

— this challenge was entirely inspired in neville’s books, i do not own these methods, this challenge is simply for you guys to live in the end and stop over complicating your power, i truly hope you guys love & try it, please leave your success stories in my inbox, it has given me insane results in less than two days, x.

[fae-wicca]

one of the funniest images made with these things in the past 3 years at least

[fae-wicca]

[fae-wicca]

[fae-wicca]

✨ Ingredients & Tools

breathable material sachet

dried hydrangea petals

dried and ground hydrangea stems

crushed sea salt

lavender essential oil

rosemary

dried lavender petals

dried amaranth seeds

rose quartz nuggets (small enough to fit in your sachet)

✨ Layering Ingredients

Do what feels right to you. For each layer of ingredients added, add a couple of drops of lavender essential oil.

Once you’ve sealed your sachet, tie a pentacle around the neck of it to charge. You can store on your window seal, by your bed, or under your bed. If you choose your window, making a sachet for each window seal is an option.

[fae-wicca]

∆Protecting Yourself Masterpost∆

There seem to be an infinite amount of creative ways to protect oneself, each of us have ways we are most comfortable with, some prefer to create their own, while others enjoy using ways that have been confirmed and used by others. Any which way you choose to protect yourself, I hope this list of some techniques that I have personally created, come across in my work or have been told about by friends from this realm and the next comes to you in the best of fortune.<3

 Calling on the God(s)/Goddess(es)/Deities: This is by far one of the most common ways of protection that I have personally seen, many have felt incredibly safer and comforted when they ask for the protective aid of their chosen Deity or Deities. Simply ask, whether out loud or in your mind to be bathed with their holy protection. You can easily ask for this in an elaborate ritual, or just a quick thought if you happen to be in a hurry or somewhere you feel is unsafe.

Calling on Angels: Very similar to the previous technique, at any time and anywhere, you can always ask for the love and protection of the Angels or your personal Angels. Even if you know that your personal Angels are always around, sometimes it helps to allow them more influence on you and your life if you make sure to ask and give permission. 

PSI Ball: This technique is taking your protection into your own hands, quite literally actually, as to create a psi ball, you must first relax yourself and enter a meditative state before cupping your hands together in-front of yourself, switching your focus from your breathing to the palms of your hands and gathering energy between them. Slowly form the your pouring energy into a ball. Once satisfied with this, begin to program the ball for protection, this can be for specific or general protection. After you feel confident in the programming, you can choose to leave the ball that size, make it smaller, or make it larger. Some will leave it small and visualize it slowly circling within their energetic field, while others will expand it to encase their physical and spiritual body. 

Strengthening Your Aura/Energetic Field: Find a comfortable position, whether laying down or sitting up, take some time to calm yourself and slowly slip into a meditative state. As you quiet your mind by focusing on your breathing, only slightly shift your focus to your aura, just enough to become aware of your personal energy while still engaging your breathing. Imagine and visualize your energetic field breathing with you, expanding as your chest does, and sinking with it as well. Feel the connection between you and your energy becoming stronger, more intricately woven together with your intentions and thoughts. With this practice, simply thinking of your energy becoming basically a shield or your thoughts getting more on the defensive side, your energetic field will respond and protect you at your will. 

Sparkling Energy: I personally have been told on multiple occasions by several different spiritual beings that the strongest energy type is ‘sparkly energy’. (This isn’t to say others have been told incorrectly if they’ve been told differently, this is my own personal account of my experiences) This ‘sparkly energy’ almost resembles the night sky, or galaxies, each color of energy possessing thousands of stars within it. Focusing on this kind of energy and wrapping yourself within it can bring, not only immense protection, but for some, a peace of mind that may not always be achievable with other methods. NOTE-Most used colors for protection with this technique is: black, white, red, pink and gold. 

Enchanted Jewelry/Objects: Wearing enchanted jewelry or carrying around protective objects is an easy and effective way to keep yourself protected. Some easy ways to enchant or charge something are: Energy, the Sun or Moon, the Elements, Candle Magick, Herbs and Crystals. 

Music: Focusing and meditating on music, whether you choose to focus on the tempo, the words, the instruments or everything together, music itself possesses and brings it’s own energy, and by incorporating this energy into your own, you can focus on it becoming a protective energetic shield around you. This method is very useful when out and about, and you remembered to bring headphones.

Candle Magick: Pretty self explanatory. Simply charge a candle of your chosen protective color and allow it to burn in a safe space. You can imagine that it only protects you for as long as it burns,(in this case, best used as you do spells, rituals or even take a call that has you nervous), or you can imagine and allow it to feed this protective energy around you as it burns so that the gathered energy still circles you, even after the candle has either burnt out or been snuffed. 

Spells: Most likely one of the most obvious methods to protecting oneself. Protection spells, with the correct knowledge, ingredients and tools can provide you with immense and powerful protections for as long as you wish and specify within the incantation.

Crystals and Crystal Grids: Carrying a crystal that embodies protective vibrations is another wonderfully simple way to protect oneself. Some protection Crystals being: Amber, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Garnet, Jet, Obsidian, and Tiger’s Eye. On the other hand, you can build your own crystal grid in your safe space that constantly feeds protective energies to you at all times.

Mojo Bags or Witch Bags:  (NOTE: both of these types of bags are associated with different beliefs and will even call for very different ingredients, this post is just simply trying to be as inclusive as possible) With the right ingredients, crystals, stones, symbols, material and empowerment, both of these techniques can be incredibly powerful protective sachets that are convenient enough to carry around with you.

Witch Jar: This technique, usually calling for things like vinegar, rusty nails and broken glass is actually one of the older known ways to protect. However usually this jar is buried on the grounds of a witch’s home and strictly keeps the land and everything on it protected, but still a highly recommended, amazing and incredibly strong way to protect yourself, your family, land and sacred space. 

[fae-wicca]

Point of No Return Spell

Inspired by The Phantom of the Opera A simple spell to remove someone’s mask aka to see clearly how much a person is two faced towards you. This spell is an act of the person revealing themselves.

Supplies: - a picture of the person you suspect - a cloth (or piece of paper) to lay over above the picture (or object) note: best not to use a black cloth/darker pattern cloth - black candle (and lighter/matches) - a black marker (something you can write with)

Steps: - On your altar/working space, take the picture (or object) and place it in the center of your working. - On the cloth (or paper) draw the person’s face but in glamoured manner. This is the facade they are showing you, so make it as a beautiful representation of them as you can. - On the picture of the person, make the face look twisted, deformed, distorted, ugly, whatever your heart desires. This is the true feelings they have towards you. - Once done, place the cloth over the picture - Light the black candle - Focus on the intent of this spell. Remember all the times you realized they didn’t mean what they said they did. Remember all the clues you found to the person not being truthful with you. Use that pain to feed the spell and release it. - Recite the following: “Past the point of no return; No backward glances; The games we’ve played till now are at an end. Past all thought of if or when; No use resisting; Abandon thought and let the dream descend….” - With a flick of your wrist, remove the cloth from the picture with haste. - Say aloud the following: “I no longer am fooled by your facade. We’re past the point of no return. Show your true intentions you fraud! This lesson may you truly learn.” - Take whatever max has melted form your candle and place it on top of your picture, making sure to cover their disfigured face.

Keep the picture on your altar to let the energies go where they may. Once done, discard the photo as you wish. Don’t give it a ‘‘proper burial’‘, treat it as trash, just like the two faced person is.

[fae-wicca]

PROTECTION SPELL BOTTLE

a simple spell bottle to protect yourself mentally, physically and spiritually

WHAT YOU NEED :

salt - protection, purification

cinnamon - protection, speeds up spells, courage

rosemary - protection, purification

chilli flakes - ward of unwanted energies

bay - protection against hexes and curses

basil- peace, protection, drive away evil

ginger - make spells more powerful, protection

black pepper - protection

oak leaves- protection, wisdom

egg shells - protection

lavender - peace, healing, protection

sage (please don’t use white sage) - protection, purification

paper

pen

spell bottle jar

candles : i used a white one and the also the wax from my deity candles on my alter

WHAT TO DO:

as always, ground yourself and cast a circle in the way you prefer

light all your candles, you can also light some insence if you’d like

in no particular order, add all your herbs into the jar (using a funnel - even if you make one from paper, can be really helpful), focussing on intent

create a sigil with the intent of protection using your own words and method. draw it on a small slip of paper, fold and add to the jar.

speak affirmations into the jar focusing on the protection of yourself ( or whoever will be wearing this). You can also repeat the statement used for the sigil

put the lid on and place the jar on something you can pour the candle wax onto.

pour all the candle wax onto your spell jar, allowing it to run down the sides and even create a pool at the bottom

allow the candle wax to mainly dry and remove the bottle. it is now done. i like to put the left lever wax that’s not attached on a wax melt thingy and melt it for further protection

I hope this will help some of you! As always, change herbs or add herbs to your preferences or what you have available. Blessed be 💗 (leave any questions below as well x)

[fae-wicca]

Protection spell jar

This is the instructions for making a simple protection spell jar:

Ingredients:

-Rosemary (protection, warding off the evil eye)

- Sage ( protection, clearing out energy)

- Black tourmaline (removing hexes, blocking evil)

-Mint (cleansing, warding)

- Lavender (to bring good vibes back into your space as well as cleansing)

- petition stating what you want to protect, what you want out of your life/ what is harming you/ what you want to banish

Instructions: During a waning moon (cleansing, releasing, etc.) smudge with protective herbs and after casting a circle, place the ingredients in the jar whilst saying a protective incantation or prayer. I will let you choose your words, but I recommend the following incantation, which I really like:

“ I seek protection, and sound my alarm, my body mind and spirit now safe from harm, my aura a shield to keep me from harm, I now banish negativity and all that is wrong.”

When you are done, smudge some smoke into and inside the jar before closing it; finishing by saying “so mote it be” right as you are closing the jar. 

This spell should last for around a moon cycle; on the next waning moon I recommend redoing the spell or adding to it to keep its strength alive. 

Go to the jar and shake it whenever you need protection. If things don’t get better within  a moon cycle I recommend a stronger banishing spell, or even hex removal. However, I personally don’t like to go full out aggressive for every little issue; generally if the issue is something that can be solved easily a spell jar will do the trick. \

 Also make sure to consult your spirits and guides on the matter, as danger, both physical and psychic is very serious and needs to be take care of. Blessed be )O(

[fae-wicca]

The Fire.

a tarot spread for beltane.

1. The Shadow.

An ever present darkness looms over your shoulder. What is hiding within your shadow? What challenge do you need to face?

2. The Fire.

The Beltane fire glows brightly. What does it want you to see? What is the source of your strength?

3. The Path.

You can endure the darkness and overcome your fear. What do you need to remember as you move forward? Where should you focus your energy?

[fae-wicca]

IMBOLC 2021

The Quickening of the Year.

We are half way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.  Now is a time to honor the Goddess of the season; Brighid, Goddess of healing, poetry, craft, flame, hearth & home, fertility, rebirth, and the sun. Think on rebirth, newness, growth, renewal. Remember that the cold season will end and the sunlight will soon begin to reach out and thaw us.

This is the perfect time to begin your spring cleaning, both in your home and your heart. Cleanse your soul of the past year and open yourself to newness. This is the awakening turn of the wheel. 

There are many ways to recognize and celebrate Imbolc from crafting to cleaning. Keep reading if you want to know more!

Keep reading

[fae-wicca]

✨🌑🌘🌗🌖🌕🌔🌓🌕🌑✨

Full Moon tonight! Charge your crystals, set out your moon water, and let the full energy of the powerful full moon into you!

[fae-wicca]

Samhain Facts✨🎃

2020 is the first year since 2001 that we will have a full moon on Samhain. Before 2001, it was 1955!

Samhain is celebrated on the sunset of October 31st to the sunset of November 1st, almost halfway between the autumn equinoxes and the winter solstice.

Samhain is pronounced “Sah-win” or “Sow-win” and means “summer’s end”.

Some of Halloween’s most common traditions are rooted in Samhain’s harvest festival roots, such as the carving of pumpkins and turnips, bobbing for apples, bonfires and dressing up.

Rituals surrounding Samhain include bonfires, healing, dancing, thanksgiving, and honouring of the dead.

During the pre-Halloween celebration of Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the long, hard winter. Often bones of cattle would be thrown into the flames and, hence, “bone fire” became “bonfire”.

Some celebrate Samhain with a ritual to guide the dead home by opening a western facing door or window and placing a candle in the opening.

It is considered a time when the veil between life and death grows thin. Food is set aside for ancestors and lost loved ones as gifts, and rituals honouring the dead take place.

[fae-wicca]

Ending romantic feelings (a few different spells)

🌙🔮💔

To Rid Yourself of an Unwanted Admirer or Ex-Lover Who Will Not Take No for an Answer

You will need:

A gray candle and a white candle close together

Timing:

Three nights, beginning on Saturday

The Spell:

Light the gray candle for yourself and say: "No more notice me. I am free, surrounded by the mists of invisibility."

Move the unlit white candle away from yours, saying: "No longer desire me or seek connection. My rejection though kindly is clear. Find love and life new, the binding is through, and you shall no longer be near."

Blow out the candle.

On night too, light the gray candle, repeat the first words, and moved the unlit white candle farther away from yours, repeating the second words.

Again blow out the candle.

On night 3, move the unlit white candle as far away as possible from yours, saying: "Follow your own path in joy; no longer walk along mine."

Like the white candle and let it burn through and then like the gray candle, saying: "May the mists of invisibility remain between us perpetually as you go your way and I mine."

Extinguish the gray candle and dispose of it and any wax from the white candle.

🌙🔮💔

For Cutting the Ties of a Destructive Relationship or One That is Going Nowhere

You will need:

A dark blue pillar candle

A length of thin red curtain cord or strong thread

A container of soil

Timing:

Saturday after dark

The Spell:

Light the candle and say: "By the power of fire, I am set free."

Tie a knot in the center of the cord and say: "Tie and wind and seek to find freedom from [name the destructive person or situation]."

Hold the knot over the flame with the cord taught in both hands.

Say: "The cord between us was long. The cord between us was strong. But now it is decaying, fraying, burning, breaking."

Drop both burned halves into the pot of soil, letting the flame burn out, saying: "The link is broken, and I am free."

Bury the charred cords where nothing grows, still in the soil from the spell.

🌙🔮💔

A Hand-Parting Spell

You will need:

A dark red cord about 3 to 6 and 1/2 yards long

A tree

Timing:

The hour before sunset

The Spell:

Wind the cord around a tree nine times, securing it with a very loose not, looping the over other end over your hands.

Slowly unwind the cord from the tree, moving in circles farther and farther from the tether, chanting: "Hand part, my heart; hand fast, not last; let go, unwind, unbind, untie, release, too tight bonds now must cease."

With a final tug, pull the knot free, unloop your hands, and as you do so, say: "Unbound, unwound, hand parted, and so life begins anew; the ties are through."

Loop the cord over the trees so that it will decay naturally.

🌙🔮💔

A Second Rainy Day Ritual to End a Destructive Relationship When a Lover or Ex Won't Accept That it's Over

You will need:

A large circle of green paper

A black pen

Pens of various colors

Scissors

Timing:

When the rain is steadily falling and look set to continue for much of the day

The Spell:

On one half of the paper circle, draw an image to represent yourself in black pen, and on the other half, the two of you together.

Draw a jagged line down the middle and cut the paper circle in half.

Place the half representing the relationship from which you wish to be severed in the rain, saying, "Not to harm you, but to calm; you must let go, it shall be so. New love you'll fine when you release me from your heart and mind."

Leave the half representing the relationship in the rain until it has dissolved.

Color the image of yourself in bright patterns and right across it, I AM FREE.

Pin it on a wall until you find new love and forge a new life without your ex.

🌙🔮💔

A Venus Ritual for Moving on From a Broken Heart

You will need:

A green candle

A ring or bracelet in copper, Venus's metal

A small bag of old metal nails

An empty bowl

Timing:

Friday, the first hour after dawn, Venus's day and hour

The Spell:

Light the candle.

Put on the copper ring or bracelet, touching it and then your heart with the index finger of your dominant hand, and say, "Lady Venus, morning star, call gentle love from near or far. Send me to a lover new, who will always to me be true."

Take off the ring, shake the bag of rusty nails hard, and say, "Lady Venus, fierce evening star, this old love does my future mar. Release me from my broken heart, for shattered I am that we did part."

Drop the nails one by one into the bowl, then say, "No more cruel love, for I grieve you. By the light of Venus, my thoughts you shall leave."

Put on the ring or bracelet again, saying, "Venus, star of morning, my life begins again with this new dawning."

Wear the bracelet/ring, dispose of the nails, and let the candles burn through.

-

"1001 Spells: The Complete Book of Spells for Every Purpose," by Cassandra Eason

-

@Xultimatekarix I hope one of these works for you 🖤

[fae-wicca]

[fae-wicca]

Pathworking and Astral Travel

In spirit work, we often connect with the spirits that have crossed over and are present in the physical world. However, there are also ways to cross over into the spirit world and connect with spirits in their home environment.

Pathworking

As I mentioned in a previous post, a pathworking is a specific type of meditation where you go on a psychic journey, but are still anchored to your physical body. It’s sort of like dipping your toes into the spirit world.

There are two important elements to a pathworking: a clear entrance/exit point and a way to retrace your steps. Pathworking journeys are typically cyclical — there is both a journey out and a return where you go back the way you came. This makes it easier to fully return your consciousness to your body, and failing to do so can cause you to feel disoriented upon the return.

Your entry/exit point can be absolutely anything, but common examples include a door, a gateway, a tree (or sometimes The World Tree), a cave/tunnel, or a natural landmark like a beach or mountaintop. What’s important is that it’s recognizable and easy to find your way back to.

If you want to try pathworking, make a rough “road map” of your journey beforehand. This doesn’t have to be super specific, but it should contain the following: a goal for the pathworking (such as to connect with a certain spirit), an entry/exit point, and a general idea for the route you’re going to take. If you’re worried about getting lost, author Thea Sabin recommends using “the Theseus trick.” Like in the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, you can tie a golden thread or rope to your entry point and the other end to your astral body. If you get lost, you can follow the thread back.

Pathworking is fairly beginner friendly, and I highly, highly, highly recommend starting with pathworking and becoming comfortable with this method before trying astral travel. Even for more advanced witches, pathworking is often a better option than astral travel because it’s less involved and requires a little bit less effort. I personally prefer pathworking for most situations.

Performing a Pathworking

Before you begin, establish a clear goal for your pathworking and write out a rough “road map.” At the very least, you should know what your purpose is, where your entry point is, and how to find your way back.

Begin in a dark, quiet room. Cleanse the room by burning incense, diffusing or spraying essential oils, or using a ritual broom to sweep out old energy.

Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and begin meditating. You may want to play meditation music, practice breathing techniques, or use some other method to help you reach a meditative state.

Once you reach a meditative state (you should know what this feels like if you have experience with meditation), see yourself standing at your entry point. This is your entrance to the astral realm.

Set out on your pathworking.

When you are ready to leave the astral realm, you will need to find your way back to your entry point. Once you reach your entry point, it should be fairly easy to return to your body.

Once you’re fully present in your physical body, use your favorite method to ground yourself.

Write down everything you experienced during your pathworking in a journal.

Astral Travel

If pathworking is dipping your toes into the spirit world, astral travel is diving in the deep end. Also called spirit flight and hedge riding, astral travel includes actually sending your soul/consciousness out of your body and into the spirit world. As you might guess, this is more complicated and requires more effort than pathworking. For this reason, astral travel is not beginner-friendly. If you are completely new to meditation, witchcraft, and spirit work, it’s best to learn to pathwork before you attempt astral travel.

A word of warning: you may want to avoid astral travel at times when you’re in a very vulnerable or volatile emotional state. Some days you just aren’t up for it, and that’s okay. On those days, a pathworking or another form of spirit work may be a better option.

Triggering Spirit Flight

In astral travel, a trigger of some kind is used to help disconnect the soul from the physical body. Common triggers include drumming, special music, shaking a rattle, chanting, and dancing.

You can find shamanic drumming tracks on YouTube that can help you achieve astral travel. If you find that repetitive motion helps you trance out, you may look into getting a small drum or rattle to play.

Animal Guides

In many cultures, those who travel into the spirit world do so with the guidance and protection of an animal spirit. From the Norse fylgja, to the shamanic power animal, to the witch’s familiar, history is full of examples of these types of guides.

Before you begin astral travel, do a pathworking to meet your animal guide. It’s important to note that you aren’t choosing an animal guide — only meeting one that has always been with you. Your guide may be an animal that you like or identify with, or it may not. When I first began experimenting with astral travel, my guide was a coyote — an animal I had never identified with before, but who I learned was deeply connected to my inner self.

It’s important to always have your animal guide with you when going on astral journeys, as they are an important source of protection and power. They may also literally guide you to the things you need to see and the spirits you need to meet.

Flying Ointments

Historical accounts describe witches using “flying ointment” to help them achieve spirit flight. These traditional flying ointments contained toxic and/or hallucinogenic plants like belladonna, datura, henbane, mandrake, and opium poppies. For obvious reasons, most modern witches do not use these herbs.

Please do not try to create your own flying ointment with poisonous plants. If you’re a true traditionalist and feel like you just have to try a historically accurate flying ointment, Bane Folk Apothecary sells several. Bane Folk is run by Sarah Anne Lawless, a kickass witch who knows her stuff and produces safe, medicinal products inspired by traditional flying ointment formulas. I am usually very pro-DIY, especially when it comes to witchcraft, but this is one case where it really is best to defer to a professional.

To create a modern, non-toxic flying ointment: heat eight ounces (or one cup) of poppy seed oil over low heat on the stove. Once the oil is warm, add 2 ounces (or ¼ cup) of beeswax into the oil. (Use carnauba wax for a vegan alternative.) Take the mixture off the heat, and allow it to cool off a bit. Once it has cooled (but before it’s begun to solidify), add nine drops each of mugwort essential oil, star anise essential oil, and peppermint essential oil. Pour the mixture into a mason jar and seal tightly. To extend your ointment’s shelf life, add a few drops of Vitamin E oil and store in the refrigerator. If you don’t have access to essential oils or prefer a more traditional method, you can buy dry herbs and infuse them into your oil instead — to do this, crush up 2.5 ounces (or 1/3 cup) each of dried mugwort, star anise, and peppermint and add them to a mason jar; add enough oil to the jar to cover the herbs completely, with about an inch of oil above them; seal the jar and place it in a sunny window for 2-3 weeks to infuse; and finally, strain the herbs out of the oil with a mesh sieve or a cheesecloth. You can then add your Vitamin E oil and beeswax to create an ointment.

This modern recipe does not contain hallucinogens, but it does contain plants that are commonly used in magic to increase psychic abilities and aid in astral travel. You can say an incantation over this ointment while making it to add some extra magical potency. Applying the flying ointment can also become a sort of ritual that prepares you for spirit flight by helping you slip into a more spiritual head space.

Performing Astral Travel/Spirit Flight

Before you begin, know why you are journeying to the spirit world. You should always have a clear goal for your astral journeys.

Begin in a dark, quiet room. Cleanse the room by burning incense (mugwort incense aids in astral travel), diffusing or spraying essential oils, or using a ritual broom to sweep out old energy.

Use your favorite method to ground yourself.

If you are choosing to use a flying ointment, rub it on your skin now.

Hold a protective item in one of your hands. I like physical items for protection during spirit flight, because they can ground you and help you find your way back to your body. Examples of protective items include a sprig of rue, a piece of iron, or a protective crystal like black tourmaline. If you ever feel scared or uncomfortable during your journey, you can bring this object into the astral realm to protect you. It will also keep your body safe while your consciousness is occupied.

Start up your trigger, whether this is drumming, rattling, dancing, etc.

Allow yourself to drift into a trance state, and then to disconnect from your body.

Call your animal guide to you.

Set out on your journey in the spirit world.

When you are ready, feel yourself returning to your physical body. Allow yourself to come back slowly — don’t rush it.

Ground yourself. One good way to ground after astral travel is by eating a snack.

Write down your experiences in a journal.

Resources:

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

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

Hedge Riding by Harmonia Saille

“How to Make Herb-Infused Oils for Culinary & Body Care Use” and “How to Make Herbal Salves” from the Mountain Rose Herbs blog

[fae-wicca]

Banishing Nasty Spirits

If you’ve been following this series of posts, you know why a witch might work with spirits, how to establish a relationship with a spirit, and how to communicate with spirits. What we haven’t yet discussed is how to get rid of spirits that are bothersome, annoying, or malevolent.

I was planning to talk about pathworking and astral travel before getting into banishing, but in light of some asks I recently received on Tumblr, I think it’s important that we take a moment to discuss how to get rid of spirits that, for whatever reason, you don’t want around.

There are lots of reasons you might not want a spirit in your space. Just like with people, some spirits just aren’t a good fit for you and your practice. Part of being a spirit worker is cultivating a “spirit team” of beings that you can have healthy and beneficial relationships with.

Some spirits are mischievous and like to cause trouble. If you find yourself on the receiving end of lots of spirit pranks, you may want to gently encourage them to move along. And there are some spirits out there who just genuinely hate humans and will go out of their way to cause mental, emotional, and even physical harm.

Don’t get me wrong — malevolent spirits aren’t common. In my experience, the vast majority of unwanted spirits are more annoying than dangerous. I’m not saying this to scare you or make you paranoid. But these things do exist, and it would be negligent of me not to mention them in a series on spirit work.

There’s a reason that one of the most common truisms in witchcraft is, “Never conjure something you can’t banish.” If you’re going to be working with spirits, it’s a good idea to know how to banish them just in case. With that being said, here’s how you can clear out any nasties that may be lingering in your space.

Cleansing

The first step is to kick those unwanted spirits out of your space. There are lots of ways to do this, so choose the one that is the best fit for you.

Cleansing with fire and smoke is a very old and very simple method. If this is the way you decide to go, there are several magical substances you can burn to banish spirits. Burning sulfur or asafetida will clear out just about anything, but they both smell awful and are potentially toxic, so you’ll want to get an okay from the other people living in your home, burn a little at a time, and make sure you have lots of windows open. (Some people say sulfur and asafetida will banish all spirits, not just the unfriendly ones, so you may have to invite your spirit team back in later.) For something that smells a little more pleasant, you can try a mix of frankincense and myrrh resin, or burn a mix of dried rosemary, sage (garden sage, not endangered white sage, please!), and bay leaves — but again, make sure you have windows open, because these get smoky. Plus, you want the windows and/or doors open so the spirits have somewhere to go when the smoke chases them out.

If smoking up your living space isn’t an option for you, you can manually clean your space with a wash or powder. If you have hardwoods, you can make a floor wash with water, salt, lemon juice, rosewater, lavender essential oil, and either bay laurel or rosemary essential oil. (This is adapted from an uncrossing bath in the book Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison.) Use this mixture to mop your floors, as well as to wipe down your walls and furniture. If you have a humidifier or essential oil diffuser, diffusing some of this mix would also be a good idea.

If you have carpet, you can make a powder by combining salt, dried lemon peel, dried roses, lavender flowers, and bay leaves. You’ll need to ground this really fine, so I recommend using a coffee grinder or food processor. Sprinkle the powder on your carpet, let it sit for a few minutes, and then vacuum it up. I would supplement this by also diffusing a mix of saltwater with rosewater, lemon juice, and lavender and/or bay laurel essential oil. If you don’t have a diffuser, at least sprinkle some saltwater around the room and on your belongings.

No matter which form of cleansing you decide to use, it’s important to verbally state your intention to banish these unwanted spirits from your space. Tell them out loud that they are no longer welcome here and that they need to leave. Don’t be rude about it, but be firm and speak clearly and with confidence.

After you cleanse your space, it’s a good idea to cleanse yourself as well to remove any psychic ties to the spirits you’ve just banished. The easiest way to do this is with a ritual bath. The floor wash recipe mentioned earlier can also be used as a psychic cleansing bath. Other options include a bath with salt, frankincense, and myrrh or a bath with salt, rosemary, sage, and bay laurel. You can use essential oils for your bath, or add the resins and herbs to a cheesecloth bag and drop it into the tub for easy diffusing and cleanup.

If you don’t have a bathtub, you can cleanse yourself in the shower. Place two cups of salt in a bowl. Add lemon juice, rosewater, lavender essential oil, and either bay laurel or rosemary essential oil. If you don’t have essential oils, you can add dried lavender and crushed bay leaves. Add some of your favorite body wash to create a scrub (if you don’t have body wash, use olive oil). While in the shower, use this mixture to scrub your skin — visualize yourself scrubbing away any psychic gunk you might have picked up.

Protection

Once you’ve removed any unwanted spirits from your space, you want to lay down some protection to keep them from coming back. There are as many ways to ward off spirits as there are witches, but here are a few ideas to get you started.

One option is to create a ward. You can do this by anointing the door frames, door knobs, and window frames of your home with a protective oil blend and/or by creating lines of salt across your doorways and just inside your windows. You can use other protective substances if you prefer. As you lay down these protections, visualize a protective shield around your home, and speak aloud your intention to keep harmful spirits out.

Iron is said to repel spirits. Keep a railroad spike or other large piece of iron under your bed to prevent nightmares and to keep spirits from messing with you while you sleep. There’s an old superstition that says that hammering iron nails into the four corners of your home protects it from spirits — this may not be possible if you’re renting, but you can create a similar effect by displaying a piece of iron in each of the four corners of your home. Hematite is a crystal that is high in iron, so it can be used in a similar way to ward off spirits.

Aloe is said to protect from negative spirits, and to bring protection and good luck more generally. It’s also a common house plant that is easy to care for, so this method of protection is especially great for witches who need to keep their practice a secret. Keep several aloe plants in your home to protect those who live there.

For witches with a crafty side, making a witch bottle is another option for protection. There are lots of different recipes for witch bottles, but the basic method is to fill a bottle with sharp objects, add something from your body, and hide it somewhere outside your home (traditionally buried on the property, but leaving it in an outbuilding works just as well). The idea is that any nasty spirit that comes looking for you will be attracted to the bottle (because it contains part of your body), get caught by the sharp objects, and be trapped. To create a simple witch bottle, fill a mason jar about halfway with sewing pins, then add a bit of your hair and some of your fingernail clippings, and finally fill it with liquid (traditionally, this liquid is your own urine, but if that makes you uncomfortable vinegar will also work). If you want, you can also include some of your favorite banishing herbs, resins, or crystals.

Religious symbols can also keep nasty spirits away. If you identify strongly with a religion, display protective symbols from that faith in your living space. For example: a Christian witch might hang up a crucifix or set out a statue of Archangel Michael, a Norse pagan witch might hang up an image of Mjolnir, a Hindu witch might display a statue of Durga, etc. Sometimes the most effective way to keep nasty spirits away is to let them know that you’re under the protection of someone more powerful.

When dealing with unwanted spirits, the most important thing to remember is that you do not need to be afraid. You are a powerful witch, and you are more than capable of getting rid of them. Be confident in your abilities and know that whatever happens, you can handle it.

Resources:

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

A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin

Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison

Where the Hawthorn Grows by Morgan Daimler