justalittleb-witchy

[justalittleb-witchy]

Regarding this topic, Aphrodite worshipers may be interested to know about this niche* poem: https://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/the-aetia

In this poem, The Aetia by Callimachus, Queen Bernice offers a lock of her hair at a temple to Aphrodite in exchange for her husband’s safe return.

“dedication of Berenice’s lock in the recently built temple of Aphrodite-Arsinoe”

“dedication of the lock of hair for her husband’s safe return from battle.”

*niche as in I haven’t seen people talk about it, but maybe I’m just in the wrong circles. I only learned about this poem through an article about an Edgar Allen Poe character (who shares the name Bernice).

Braiding or adding ornaments to one’s hair can be used for protection or other workings. Knot magic can be performed with hair, including the hair still on your head (which circles back to braids, buns, accessories, etc.)

Veiling (covering one’s hair) is also a fairly common form of protection magic, often with the intention of protecting yourself from other’s energies and influence. While veiling is typically done with things like scarfs, items like hats and beanies can also serve the same purpose.

Hair binding/ hair covering may (?) have been in thing in Hellenic practices, but I have not been able to find a valid, academic source on this— most of what comes up when searching about this topic are unsourced Reddit and tumblr posts.

You can also use hair treatments, such as hair masks, as ways to conduct spells. If I recall correctly, there are some DIY hair masks that use eggs, which are associated with protection (and other things, several of which are culture dependent). A similar concept to kitchen witchery applies when it comes to diy cosmetics.

Dying one’s hair is a good way to incorporate color magic. Temporary options (hair wax, hair chalk, etc) work for this matter as well. Wigs would also work for this purpose, and could be incorporated as a veiling practice, depending on one’s beliefs.

One could also dedicate aspects of their hair, such as its style, cut, color, maintenance, etc. to a deity. (Which OP talked about, I’m just circling back to that point because I like what they wrote)

Overall, hair is a great material to work with, because it’s something that’s always on you, and something that is innately connected to you. It’s not like a necklace, that you could forget and leave at home. Hair is also changeable, and comes and goes (cut and grown).

The Power in Witches' Hair

Throughout eras and across cultures, hair is seen as a symbol of strength. In an occult sense, our hair is an extension of our spirit. That is why long beautiful hair is associated with strong inner power. In a material sense, long beautiful hair requires maintenance, which often costs time and money, making it a status symbol. Whichever way you look at it, healthy hair shows power.

Hair as Sacrifice

“Cut three inches of your hair, and make him suffer for three years.” A simple but ancient vengeance spell that even non-witches know about in my community. Of course it only works if you fuel it with fury, and if your hair is actually beautiful. Because to sacrifice means to give up something precious. If your hair is damaged, its power is non-existent, rendering your curse useless.

Hair as a Conduit

“Dry your hair, and dry up someone’s harvest along with it.” As with the first one, this is a simple, well-known curse among traditional families. Different witches use different ancient words to power it, but its main engine is made up of faith and righteous anger. As you dry your hair with a fan, a dryer, or under the sun, imagine your enemy losing their joy and abundance.

Hair as Offering

“Renounce possession of your hair and give it to the Lord." Something Catholic witches do. Take care of their hair as if it is a plant offered to their god. When their hair is healthy, their Father is happy. When it is not, it means they have sinned. There are also others who hide their hair because they see it as a weapon of seduction that they must carry in secret when unneeded. 

Hair as a Declaration

“Witches have long hair. Like our divinities. Like the roots of trees.” Growing up, even before I knew of my family’s true faith, whenever I thought of a witch, I thought of someone with long hair. It was to me a witch’s mark. And now, it is to me a badge of honor. As an adult, in my society, wearing our hair long is an expression of pride in our identity.

[justalittleb-witchy]

Understand PYROLISYS and stop your house from burning down!!

Pyrolisis: the chemical change that occurs in wood and other materials, lowering the material combustion point in response to repeated heating at even relatively low temperatures such as around 200F.

aka,

the chemical or thermal decomposition of a material when it is exposed to heat

THIS MEANS that if you repeatedly heat something up to pretty high temperatures - like, stuff that's stored near offering candles that repeatedly get hot to the touch -

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THOSE OBJECTS DEGRADES, AND LOWERS THE COMBUSTION POINT.

The chemical change of pyrolysis lowers the temperature at which a substance will catch fire. What may be surprising is that wood exposed to temperatures as low as 200 degF. can over time be changed such that its ignition point or combustion point is significantly lowered.

Repeated exposure to high temperatures changes the composition of things!!

Just because your mason jar candle holder didn't explode the first time a little fire got out of control, does not mean it will never explode.

It may explode the 5th, 10th, or 15th time you let a fire get out of control.

As things are repeatedly introduced to high temperatures they are not designed to handle, the little bits inside degrade.

When you burn candles or small fires, nothing in the vicinity should be getting hot. No figurines, no altar cloths, no curtains, no shelves, not the surface the fire-holder is sitting on.

If your candle holder is not fire-safe (which you should never use), never allow it to get hot. Maybe you have to put it in a bigger basin with water to dissipate heat, idk.

IF YOU ARE AWARE YOU ARE USING A CANDLE HOLDER OR FIRE BOWL THAT IS NOT FIRE SAFE (WHICH YOU SHOULD NEVER USE), ONLY USE IT IN A FIRE-SAFER AREA, LIKE IN A BATHTUB, OUTSIDE ON CONCRETE, OR IN A TALL METAL POT WITH A LID TO SUFFOCATE FLAMES. This is the same concept as assuming a gun is loaded and never pointing it at anyone.

You can use many random objects to contain fire that will not catch on fire or explode the first times you use them.

The problem is DOWN THE LINE, when you have exposed non-fire-safe materials to heat they were not designed to handle over and over again.

Definition & Explanation of Pyrolysis

[justalittleb-witchy]

[justalittleb-witchy]

After many requests, I’ve made a rebloggable version of my ‘Weather Magic’ page. Here you will find heaps of resources to help you with weather/storm craft. If you’ve read some of my previous posts about weather magic you will notice some similarities - that is because this is a collection of every weather witching post that I’ve ever posted compiled into handy resources post.

Weather Magic

The term “weather magic” or “weather witching” has been used to mean anything from divination and forecasting of weather to actual control and manipulation of the weather itself. From calling up treacherous storms to destroy another’s crops or providing fair winds for those at sea, witches (and even those who do not consider themselves to be such) have always been involved with weather magic. When you consider that most forms of magic are based around an agricultural past, the ability to affect and predict the weather was considered an invaluable skill. After all, if your family’s livelihood depended on the success of your crops (or the ability to find water as it did in my family’s case), weather magic would be an extremely handy thing to know.

Why the url Storm Born Witch?

I am quite fortunate, as the gift for weather related magic comes easily to my family. For generations, the men in my family have been dowsers or water diviners. However, it wasn’t until after I displayed an aptitude to weather related magic that I was told about my family’s history with it. My grandfather was the last water diviner in the family and he died when I was very young so I was never taught how to divine for water. My grandmother was the one to teach me what little she knew about weather magic - the rest either occurred naturally or I picked up along the way.

Calling Up A Wind - Whistling Up A Wind

This is the most common form of weather magic and has been practiced for hundreds of years. Depending on the pitch and tone of the whistle a witch can create a gentle breeze or a sharp gust of wind. Traditionally, if the skill of whistling up a wind does not come naturally to you the option of making a ‘wind whistle’ out of willow or alder wood is available.

Here in Australia, whistling up a wind is probably the most common form of magic I do. I honestly do not go a day without whistling up a cool breeze. It’s bloody hot here and sometimes a cool breeze is just what you need.

Resources for Calling Winds:

How to Whistle Up a Wind by stormbornwitch​

Other Methods of Calling Up a Wind by stormbornwitch​

Traditional Sailor’s Wind Knots (Untie the Wind) by ioqayin​

Storm Casting

Storm casting is the art of creating storms. There are many different methods to creating storms and bringing rain. The method used by my family is to fill a jug with water and while sitting outside (or facing a window) pour the water into a basin or bowl. Dip the tip of your pointer finger into the water and slowly make five clockwise circles in the water (if you have a pendant necklace this can be used instead - just above the water in the bowl). As you are making the circles call the wind to bring in a storm by blowing (or whistling a continuous low note - the sound of wind over the mouth of a glass bottle) over the water in the basin.

Resources for Storm Casting

My Method of Calling Storms by stormbornwitch​

Traditional Methods of Calling Storms by stormbornwitch​

Ways to Stop a Storm (Dispersing, Binding & Preventing)

There are multiple ways to stop a storm. The most common are dispersing or binding storms. However there are also ways to prevent storms from coming by directing them away from where you are. This is great if you’re holding an event outside and you need good weather.

Dispersing

This method involves spreading the storm out over a large area thereby minimising its effects. You can disperse a storm by calling winds to blow it away (or in a certain direction) or if you favour using weather maps you can draw the low pressure system moving away and gradually dissipating.

Binding (Storm Catching)

This method is also called ‘storm catching’ and involves catching a storm and binding it within an object (usually a bottle or knots) so it can be released gradually at a later date by pulling out the cork or undoing the braid/knots.

Resources for Binding Storms

How to bind a storm in your hair by stormbornwitch​

How to bind the wind in rope by ioqayin​

Storm catching or “reeling in a storm” is even more difficult than storm casting so it’s always wise to think before you cast. Too much energy put into a storm and it will go on for weeks (and cause some flooding - basement incident) or it will be extremely violent and knock down power lines and tree branches. Too little energy and all you will get is a 5 minute shower of rain.

Other ways to stop a storm (Cutting a Storm) by witchuptheroad​

Preventing a Storm (Weather Maps)

However, if you wish to prevent a storm from forming, you’re going to have to pull out the weather maps. To make a weather map all you need to do is to print out a map of your local area or the area you’re trying to keep a storm away from.

Just use google maps and don’t make the area too big or you might seriously strain yourself magically. Then laminate the map - now you have your own ‘whiteboard’ to draw weather symbols on to generate certain types of localised weather.

To practice this kind of magic you really do need to know how weather systems work and how they’re likely to move; knowing a little bit about meteorology goes a long way.

Once you’re ready, find out what the weather is predicted to be and draw it on your map. Now draw the high/low pressure systems moving so that the area you’re trying to protect doesn’t get rain. This method can also be used to bring rain to a certain area.

List of Resources for Storm/Weather Witches

What is a Storm/Weather Witch by rainy-day-witchcraft – This post details what it means to be a witch that uses weather magic / storm craft in their practice; a good definition.

Tips for Starting Storm Craft by stormsorceress – This post gives some really great tips for those interested in starting storm craft; a really good beginner post.

The trouble with weather magic by skychild1989 – This post outlines some of the things you should think about before performing weather magic (i.e. think about the possible consequences of your actions and evaluate you capabilities before messing with things you don’t know that much about). This is a really good reminder.

The Difference between Storm Water and Rain Water by stormbornwitch – This post highlights the symbolic differences between storm water and rain water and also discusses the properties the water can take on when it is collected at certain times of the year (i.e. particular lunar phases/holidays/sabbats/esbats/solstices etc).

Storm Water by stormsorceress – This post is great and outlines the associations and uses of storm water in witchcraft.

Rain Water by stormsorceress – This post outlines the different types of rain water, their associations and uses in witchcraft.

Storm Water by fumbletongue – This post highlights and gives ideas for the many uses storm water can have in one’s craft; from protection to cursing.

Combining Knot Craft & Storm Craft by stormsorceress – This post gives some really great ideas for combining storm craft with knot craft.

How to Draw Energy from Storms by stormbornwitch – This post outlines how to draw energy from storms and how to direct it.

Storm Witch’s Power Bath by brynja-storm – This post gives the ingredients of a power bath which is designed to give you the energy of a storm; great for when you’re in need of a recharge or before you perform a big spell.

The Storm Witch’s Hurricane Curse by brynja-storm – This curse traps its target in an eternal storm with all the gale force winds, rain, lightning and debris associated with a hurricane.

The Tools of a Storm/Weather Witch by stormsorceress – This post outlines the tools of storm/weather witches in different regions (i.e. near the ocean, in a desert, forest, mountain ect).

Tips for Refining Weather Manipulation by stormbornwitch – This post gives some tips for witches who want to get better at weather magic and manipulating the weather.

A Light in the Storm by stormsorceress – This spell is meant to be used to aid in the healing of seasonal depression. Other uses of this spell include aiding in the healing of sadness, grief, and anxiety as well as providing a ‘guiding light’ to people you wish to protect while travelling.

And as always my ‘weather witching’ tag will have links to every single post that I’ve posted which has anything to do with weather magic.

- Marci

[justalittleb-witchy]

*Pulls Tarot card from deck for the first time in literal months* Me: Okay Deck, what the fuck is going on *pulls Tower card* Me: Yeah tell me something I don’t know buddy

[justalittleb-witchy]

Writing this a bit frantic because I just had a scare, but here’s your reminder to mind your spell candles. Whether you see the reason that a flame grows or gets violent as a sign or not, please be careful of any unruly candles!! I nearly set my apartment on fire. Stay safe, do your research, and watch your candles.

[justalittleb-witchy]

The practise of witchcraft is just that; a practise. As much as I love the acceptance that accompanies the modern discourse of 'if you call yourself a witch, you're a witch' it rings hollow to me.

You actually have to do witchcraft to be a witch. This then causes some practitioners to debate: 'Well, what qualifies as witchcraft?'

A quote I really resonated with is from Roger J. Horne's 'Folk Witchcraft: A Guide to Lore, Land & the Familiar Spirit for the Solitary Practitioner' and it discusses the almost scientific approach folk witches must use in order to personalise and develop their practise.

"Get used to experimenting, revising, then experimenting again. This is part of our craft. When you find something that works particularly well for you, write down an outline of the process you used."

This very act of researching and learning from folklore and history, creating your own correspondences, connecting to the spirits of the land, crafting your own spells and rituals - that is the work of a witch.

[justalittleb-witchy]

A "return to sender" spell is just Uno Reverse for witches

[justalittleb-witchy]

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing wrong (and then learning from that experience) A metaphor about witchcraft and deity worship

A little bit of background as to what brought this on (bear with me):

Tonight, I was cleaning my sink. I wanted it to look shiny and pristine, but I was never really... taught how to clean things correctly. I was always just expected to get things done, and wasn't taught some fundamental skills, including things as small as how to hold a broom. I've had time as an adult to pick up on the skills I lack, especially through the grace of the internet, but sometimes I just had to try until I "succeeded" and found something that worked for me.

Tonight I wasn't very successful. The way I tried to clean the sink made a mess, splashing water everywhere. There was no harm done, no scratches made, and the faucet was still intact-- but I felt bad about myself. And I had to stop and think for a minute-- why? There was no harm done, no scratches made, and the faucet was still intact. All I had to do was just clean up some water.

But there was still this intrinsic sense of shame of not being able to do something perfectly the "first" time. But it had to be done, I got it done, and no harm happened. If I don't continue to try, and use this as an excuse to quit, my house and health would become unmanageable. So what can I learn from this?

How this relates to witchcraft (a metaphor):

When first starting, its very easy to bury yourself in instructional texts. It is GOOD to do your research. You can watch 100 videos on how to safely use cleaning supplies, so that you don't accidentally create chlorine gas.

But eventually, you're going to have to clean your bathroom. You might not get things perfect the first time-- but if you never try, you are never going to have a clean bathroom. You can learn to live with it-- maybe you have the disposable income to hire cleaning services. Maybe you learn to do the bare minimum and subsist off of that. But eventually, for your pockets and sanity, you'll need to learn to clean your bathroom. A clean bathroom is a really nice thing to have.

And maybe the first time you do it, you make a mess. You get water everywhere. It doesn't go well. Maybe you can't notice any difference between before and after you cleaned, but you are cleaning for the first time! Cut yourself some slack! Take stock-- what actual damage occurred, if any. None? Well that's to be expected! Just because it didn't go as planned doesn't mean that its not reversible, or that it won't go better next time.

The Lesson

Something I run into a fair amount are people who know their theory, have a few books or creators that they really cling to. They know how witchcraft *should* work, but they've just... never tried it themselves. They're afraid of doing it wrong.

But how are you going to learn if you never even try? Start small. Start with the "sinks". Don't feel discouraged if you don't immediately notice a difference-- its a skill. Over time, you'll get better at it. And besides, even if you can't see it, it may be that the sinks really are shinier after you cleaned them.

Choose a small spell or a task to try. Preferably something with measurable results. Take notes, whether or not it works. Then try again, and again, and again. Switch things up a little. Learn from your mistakes. If you don't really connect with a practice, maybe dabble in another.

If something is worth doing, its worth doing "poorly", over and over again until you can do it. No one becomes a promising witch overnight. Do your research first, but at some point you need to take that first step. You owe it to yourself.

[justalittleb-witchy]

I’m pretty intrigued by this question— there’s a ton of different cards that could represent healing in a ton of different ways. Most recently, for me, the “healing” card was The Hanged Man— I need a new perspective on this issue in order to move forward. I’ve pulled “The Tower” in the past for volatile lessons, that I would regard as (eventually) healing. Something like the three of swords— “heartbreak”— could even be conceived as a “healing” card if you’re the kind of person who never allows yourself to grieve or experience negative emotions. It’s all about the journey you’re on and how you’re going to get there.

[justalittleb-witchy]

"Why should the gods care about us?" Why is there a video of a water buffalo rescuing a turtle stuck on it's back. Things love each other, next question.

[justalittleb-witchy]

Getting Dirty

According to stone tape theory the soil, stone, and wood around us preserve an imprint of our history, a record of sorts. Soil is important, it holds the residual energy of a place and preserves it forever. Practitioners can tap into the qualities of various types of dirt to integrate those energies into their work. The different types of magickal soil are as follows:

Crossroads Dirt: Decision making, road opening, luck, success, opportunity, opens doors to other realms, offering to Hekate and other crossroads deities

Highway/Railroad Dirt: Movement, relocation, travel, speeds up any working

Cemetery/Graveyard Dirt: Healing, protection, prosperity,luck, love, baneful workings, assistance from the dead, offering to death deities

Backyard Dirt: Purification, protection, peace, workings with/for the home/family, traditionally collected from the four corners of the yard

Enemies House Dirt: Hatred, animosity, revenge, conflict, used in baneful casting

Bank Dirt: Drawing money, prosperity, good fortune, good luck, security, used in mojo bags

Hospital Dirt: Healing, health, and  recovery as well as sickness, injury, and illness. Intent is everything.

Casino Dirt: Good luck, chance, change in circumstances, chaos, loss, ruin, intent matters

Bar/Pub Dirt: Confusion, delirium, accidents, distraction, fun, chaos, seduction, short term

Schoolyard/Playground Dirt: New beginnings, joy, optimism, playfulness, protection of children

University Campus Dirt: Knowledge, memory, intellect, intelligence, wisdom, higher consciousness

Market Dirt: Business, income, networking, wealth, community, communication, commerce

Banquet Hall Dirt: Celebration, love, communication, togetherness

Forest Dirt: Nature, balance, abundance, peace, serenity, the element of Earth, offering to nature deities like Cernunnos or Pan

Courthouse Dirt: Justice, legal issues, cases resolve in your favor, binding, banishing, punishment

Prison/Jail Dirt: Imprisonment, entrapment, restraint, binding, banishing, punishment

Murder Scene Dirt: Death, destruction, devastation, used in the most potent and wicked curses and baneful workings

[justalittleb-witchy]

Spell Bags

What Are Spell Bags?

Spell Bags are usually small bags that contain a range of ingredients linked to the intention of your spell. They can sometimes be known as different names, or have slight cultural differences. For the purpose of this post I will refer to a spell bag, but they may also be called spell sachets, charm bags, and in some cultures, mojo bags (please do your own research). You can also make spell jars, which are pretty much the same, only you use a jar and not a bag.

Bag Colors

Gold - wealth, protection, the God Silver - prosperity, the moon, the Goddess Yellow - healing Orange - travel, communication, messages Green - nature, growth, prosperity, abundance, friendship Blue - peace, calm, wisdom, benevolence Purple - wisdom, wealth, grandeur, mysteries, justice Red - success, romance, strength, protection Pink - love, healing, friendship Black - absorbs negative energy

How to Make a Spell Bag

Think about your intention for making the spell bag… Why are you making it?… What do you want to get from it?

Think about ingredients you want to put into the spell bag and their correspondences… What ingredients will fit into your spell bag?… What specific ingredients are associated with your intentions (for example, what herbs are used for protection)

Collect your bag and ingredients, and focus your intent on each of them. You may also want to write a magickal chant. This can be simply read out, or written down to leave inside the spell bag.

Assemble your spell bag.

Spend time either meditating on your intention, or reciting your magickal chant.

Find a place to put your spell bag. This may simply be on your altar, or in your pocket. Alternatively, there may be a specific place you want to put it (such as by your bed for a sleep spell bag, or in the corner of your room for protection).

Tip-Jar

[justalittleb-witchy]

Sigil Crafting

Sigils were the first magic I ever learned. As an artist, symbolism and aesthetic are things that are incredibly important to me. I have used multiple ways of crafting sigils, but I have created my own personal way of creating sigils using a method writers have used in poetry- the stream of consciousness technique.

I put my pen to paper, call upon what I wish to make a sigil about, and let the pen create what I need.

These are the sigils that I use the most frequently (you may use them if you wish).

You may notice that my sigils in the form of arrows. Arrows are a symbolic representation of aiming and shooting for something, and I love the vertically long look because I like to draw these sigils on my forearms.

I created all of these with stream of consciousness drawing.

It is almost like a form of meditation for me. Allowing myself to simply create what I think “focus” or “protection” looks like visually makes the end results beautiful and meaningful for me.

I do have a few running themes. Here are a few symbols I love to throw in.

These are used a ton in my art.

So here is a step by step of what to do-

1. Clear your mind for meditation. (Tip- if you have crystals that symbolize your intent, surround yourself with them. And example would be having a rose quartz for love on you or near you.)

2. Put your writing utensil to your paper. (I recommend using paper before digital.) Have your energy flow from your body to the focus of the tip of the pen/pencil, repeating the intent you wish the sigil to have.

3. Make a first draft of your sigil by allowing your hand to simply move as you think of your intent.

4. Make as many reiterations you wish until you have something you feel satisfied with. (Editing is a big part of writing as well.)

5. After a few tries making different sigils, make a list of your own common symbols you see popping up in your sigils.

And there you have it. If you are not comfortable, try mixing this technique with others to find what works best for you, or simply only use other techniques and make sigil arrows. I think using the look of an abstract arrow helps with directing intentions.

You can also request a sigil from me if you so choose in my inbox, for I shall be making them for anyone who asks for free.

I hope you find yourself using this technique of stream of consciousness to create wonderful sigils.

[justalittleb-witchy]

Clairempathy: Advice & Exercises

Advice

Empathy (in the psychic sense) is the ability to pick up on emotions and similar things. It can be expanded past emotions into territory like picking up on physical pain. For this and other reasons, I strongly recommend having a strong base education in shielding and cleansing for individuals interested in developing their clairempathy. This applies doubly-so for individuals with a natural talent in it. You're going to want to be able to "turn off" your clairempathy at will, especially in deeply stressful situations. Shielding and cleansing can help with that by cutting you off from outside influences and removing any affect they may have had on you.

Shadow work is also fairly key-- you'll need to be able to understand your own emotions, what is and isn't coming from you, as well as how your personal biases may be causing you to filter external information.

The ability to self-reflect and self-soothe in a healthy manner are fairly important in general, but can also be extra important in regards to clairempathy. You may find yourself emotionally overwhelmed at times-- including with positive emotions, and you'll need mundane coping techniques to be able to handle it.

Anecdotally, and not directly related to clairempathy, but when dealing with overwhelming energy, upon completion of your working, alongside regular grounding practices, having things that help you focus on the here and now and being human, like food, are helpful.

Generic energy work is also generally helpful to know and learn.

Exercises

These will be written in the order I recommend starting them. Start slowly, and make sure you have a handle of "letting go" of your clairempathy when you're finished using it, for lack of better terms. It'll always be there, but you don't always want it to be at the forefront.

Find an item that would have a lot of emotions attached to/associated with it, such as a family heirloom or childhood stuffed toy. For beginners, I strongly, strongly, recommend something with positive or at least neutral associations. Start with something you know about, and slowly graduate towards objects that are freely given to you, that aren't your own, and try to guess what energies are tied to them. By starting with familiar objects, you will be able to tell x sensation is related to y specific feeling.

Optional: You can also do this with places, but I recommend starting on a physically smaller scale first, i.e. objects.

Sit with a volunteer. When first beginning, people sometimes find that maintaining physical touch is a useful conduit. Close your eyes, so that you are not biased by visual stimulus, and ask them to think of a particularly potent memory or emotion. Try to identify what they are feeling.

Over time, get used to doing the above step without physical touch. Physical touch, because of bodily ques such as temperature, can bias you and give you unconscious clues. Slowly increase distance, try this exercise in separate rooms, or when you are even further apart. Doing these exercises with a person is useful because they are directly able to give you feedback.

If you work with spirits or deities, you can ask them to help you practice your clairempathy, by sending you emotions and sensations.

Over time, and with an absurd amount of practice, you can try to guess what your volunteer is thinking. I am not suggesting that you will become a mind reader. But sometimes, I have witnessed, particularly talented people can pick up on words, concepts, and phrases. Don't beat yourself up if you can't do this-- this is not what people can normally do.

If you have a friend that is a witch, it can be helpful to have them intentionally enchant objects for you to guess what their purpose is/what energy has been attached to them. You could also have a non-witchy volunteer hold an object, concentrate really hard on an emotion, and hope for the best.

[justalittleb-witchy]

Witchcraft Exercise - Creating Correspondences

There are dozens of plant species in the arsenal of the green witch. Commonly-used varieties and usage varies somewhat between traditions, but most of us are fairly familiar with industry standards like basil, bay, rosemary, sage, and so on.

But what do you do when faced with a plant that has no listed magical correspondences anywhere that you can find in your witchcraft library? Simple - you create some.

Allow me to demonstrate with a little plant I found in my own backyard. It's a common weed called Virginia copperleaf (Acalypha virginica). But despite it's widespread range and abundant growth as a field weed, there are surprisingly few references to the plant in regional folk medicine and none at all that I could find in contemporary witchcraft.

So in order to incorporate this hardy little weed into my practice, I set about creating some correspondences for it.

First, I researched the physical properties of the plant. It is a small annual spurge with long taproots, a resistance to drought and many herbicides, and a reputation for fast growth and being difficult to eradicate from fields due to prolific seeding. The leaves turn coppery-red in the fall and small spiky flowers bloom among the foliage. It is also mildly poisonous. The juice of the plant may cause contact dermatitis or a mild rash in some people and if ingested, it may cause GI symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Next, I researched references to the plant in folk medicine. I could only find a single reference that cited copperleaf as a possible diuretic and expectorant. That does track with the previous mention of GI symptoms, but it doesn't mean the plant is safe to use. I did discover that an alternate name for the plant is three-seeded mercury or mercury weed, likely because of its' tendency for fast growth and the fact that it is propagated by the wind.

So now comes the business of creating the correspondences, using the physical properties of the plant as a basis.

The first and most obvious association is strength. Any weed that is resistant to drought and herbicide and uprooting is bound to be useful for spells involving tenacity and fortitude. Prosperity is also a likely use, both because of the name copperleaf and the way in which the plant grows and spreads quickly. Because of the alternate name mercury weed and the wind propagation, it could be used for wind magic or communication spells. (I often associate the element of air with communication and the name of a messenger god is right there as well, but your mileage may vary.)

The plant could also be used as an ingredient for baneful magic, either to bind and frustrate someone's efforts by consuming available ground where their ambitions might grow, or in its' capacity as a mild poison, to cause physical discomfort and stomach trouble.

So in the end, I have a handful of copperleaf and a listing in my witchbook that details the properties of the plant and notes that it could be useful for spells involving strength, tenacity, prosperity, wind, or communication, as well as possible baneful uses including binding, discomfort, and sickness.

This is my system for assigning correspondences to previously-unknown plants, and I encourage readers to use it as a template for their own practices or to create their own system. Either way, I recommend the use of a field guide or plant identification app like PlantNet to properly identify plants as you find them. Remember to forage and harvest responsibly, be a good steward of the land around you, and always label your plant cuttings.

Happy Witching! 💚🌿

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More witchcraft exercises here:

[justalittleb-witchy]

Hi! Firstly, happy new year!! I was wondering if I may have a free tarot reading please? Can I ask what my 2025 year will be like?

Thank you!! I appreciate your time and energy🫶🏼

Best wishes🤍

I feel like my own biases may be coming into play with this reading. To begin with, I saw a “golden” bowl (a bowl made of wood, painted a golden yellow), a black bird wing (presumably a crow), and felt a slithering feeling, like a snake. My best guess is: Does Apollo mean anything to you?

Edit 1/6/2025: for the record, I was entirely unaware of this at the point of the reading. But the bowl I saw was this one— https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylix_of_Apollo It was distinctly a shallow bowl. I was also entirely unaware of this myth https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(mythology) And previously did not think Apollo was associated with snakes. This has strengthened my belief that this has something to do with Apollo, but I do not personally work with him, so I’m entirely unsure as to why.

As for the cards, to start off with I pulled:

40: The Stand (Courage, Determination, Fearlessness)(upright)

And

27: Cage (Freedom, Release, Reclaiming Power) (reversed)

As cards to represent an overarching theme for the coming year. “The Stand” feels like the guiding card. It features a roaring tiger and a white haired woman facing eachother. There’s not this sense of uncertainty, but there is this sense of somber “I know this.” “I can do this.” This sense of sterling oneself.

Quote from the guidebook:

The Stand: “You are entitled and worthy, so give yourself permission to speak up, to ask questions. These tiny judges from the spirit world are a gentle reminder that you are not powerless in life. You have free will, and you are entitled to the greatest amount of abundance and fulfillment. Your spirit allies indicate that they can only give you the lessons and skills you need to take action, but it is up to you to manifest and create.

Keep in mind that you are a force to be reckoned with. You have the ability to conquer any barriers that are thrown in your path. You are empowering yourself. Have faith in yourself and trust that opportunities will come your way to help you achieve your goals. Vulnerability will help you build confidence. In your truth, you will find power and courage. You can begin to recognize how spirit’s lessons have helped you adapt and grow in order to help you deal with upcoming events and occurrences. You always have the opportunity to improve your physical and emotional well-being. Make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to boundaries. Ensure you clarify yourself if someone misunderstands you. By ensuring that your intentions are accurately heard, you may be assured that you are not the one who is causing conflict.” “ it’s OK for me to make mistakes. I honor myself. I am exactly who I need to be at this very moment. “

My mind is drawn back to the image of the bowl and the sound of wings flapping.

Cage: “Release and let go of the past. Make conscious actions to live your life from a place of love and joy. Trust what’s coming and accept what is here for you now. This is your message of transformation. You may be experiencing a tower moment, in that the universe is clearing away, stagnant or past energy. You’re being stripped bear from everyone and everything that does not serve the new you.

The time has come for your cleansing and release. It is time to leave any old energy behind that is not aligned with you. You may need to go through a cleansing process in order to cross over into this new life and new cycle. You are being encouraged to clear out your past and old vibrations, especially emotionally, and cleanse your frequencies so that impressions of the past do not engage the abundance that is hurtling toward you. everything arrives when you are ready. If opportunities arrive at your doorstep, the universe says that you are ready, even if you have yet to completely heal from the past, just as long as you are making strides forward.”

I feel like the fact that Cage was pulled in reverse is significant, despite the fact that this deck does not include reversed meanings. It stands in opposition to the stand. It feels like a continuous background pattern that is less significant than the loud The Stand. Cage takes up more space on the card, but is muted in its color. The Stand is extremely colorful by comparison, but is centered around one comparatively smaller image. The cage reminds me of the ticking of a clock, of Old Father Time— a figure from New Years celebrations. This sense of old, building energies that hasn’t “crumbled” yet that’s being brought into the new year. “The Stand” is the new year— in the sense of this feeling of standing up for oneself, of strength.

Eight of cups, five of swords, six of pentacles, the star

The star, for me, is always a card of significant hope. Of wistful dreams. This particular deck combines it with another card, the veil. This feels like pushing past what you can even *think* to know. Like something utterly not on your radar. Not out of the ordinary, not extraordinary, but something that wouldn’t normally occur to you, as the first segment of 2025. This doesn’t feel like career, this doesn’t feel like relationship— this feels like something personal, something in your personal life. Like a hobby. It feels crafty, and like a walk to the library. For lack of better terms. Something new that brings enjoyment through learning, but not the academic sort of learning. Skill learning.

That transitions into the six of pentacles, which feels like fall weather, colder weather. Feels like quite a time skip between the two cards. This is generally a card of abundance, but it doesn’t feel exciting for some reason. It feels mundane. Perhaps this just represents a period of routine work, or work-focused time. “Harvest” comes to mind, specifically in regards to the hard work it takes to get a fruitful harvest.

That quickly transitions into Five of Swords, with cold weather. A change of pace. It feels like something going on around you, rather than something happening *to* you, but it affects you because it’s around you. “ a win at all costs mentality might make you successful at the start, but in the long run, you will find fewer companions by your side.” Is what the guidebook says. The win at all costs mentality seems to be something you may find yourself encountering in others, in a way that feels like someone taking their work or studies too seriously. It livens up the experiences of the six of pentacles, but the sense of routine still bleeds through. This card just overall feels like a cocky person, but not necessarily undeserved cockiness, or cockiness that affects you negatively.

Eight of chalices feels like an overarching lesson for the year. The card feels and looks a bit like The Hermit, so this feels like an internal lesson. One that is important and healthy to learn, but somber and stemming from strength. Learning to deal with confusion and uncertainty through your strength may be a core lesson for this year. It doesn’t feel like a hard one to learn, but might not feel emotionally the greatest in the midst of it. Part of it feels like learning to “show up” for yourself in the face of uncertainty, because you’re worth it— even when things don’t go according to plan. This feels like starting to walk away from old habits, but that part of the lesson won’t be learned in only a year. Tbh I wouldn’t worry too much about this card, because it doesn’t feel BAD, it just feels… strange. There’s really no other word for it. Uncertain.

Also, importantly, I didn’t pull any cards like the Tower, Wheel of Fortune, Death, etc. so I don’t think this lesson is something that comes from sudden and dramatic shifts, despite its “weirdness” vibes.

Happy new year