madam-florence

[madam-florence]

I spent my whole life believing I was the Harry Potter,mixed with a bit of Ronald Weasley and Hermoine Granger, of my story. Come to find out, I'm really a Neville Longbottom mixed with a healthy portion of Luna Lovegood. And .... quite honestly, I'm okay with that.

[madam-florence]

What is everyone doing for Mabon this coming week? I am just now getting into it. I know. I am slow to the start but we are doing this. So, I am thinking some good spells for Protection, and prosperity, balance, harmony. I am excited, next week will be one for this years life pages. 

Autumn Equinox / Mabon 🍁🍂🎃🍄🍁🍂🎃🍄🍁🍂🎃

The Autumn Equinox is sometimes called ‘the witch’s thanksgiving’, it’s a time of harvesting and preparation. It’s a time to reflect on your life and to start making plans for the future - it’s also a time to appreciate and give thanks to the Goddess for her bounty.

Autumn Equinox, also know as ‘Mabon’ is the midpoint between the Summer and Winter Solstices. As at Spring Equinox, days and nights are of equal length, but from then on the days get shorter and the nights get longer. The main agriculteral harvest has been gathered and all that is left are the late fruits, berries and nuts.

The norse believed that your fate for the coming year was sealed at this time, they would perform divination, such as tarot cards or runes on the evening of Mabon to see whether their life had pleased the deities so far It’s a time of equilibrium, as plants wither their energy goes into the hidden roots and nourishes the Earth. The leaves of trees turn from green to red, brown and gold - symbolic of te sinking sun as nature prepares for winter. This is a time of balance between the outer and inner worlds. From now on, we should turn towards nurturing our own roots, pondering our innter lives and planning for the long-term. Thoughts can be seeded, gradually growing in the unconscious until they can emerge in the Spring.

Mabon is a great time to cast spells for balance, harmony, protection, wealth and prosperity. During the Autumn Equinox stones ruled by the sun, such as Ruby, Rhodolite, Clear Quartz, Peridot, Citrine, Red Tourmaline, Yellow Topaz, cat’s-eye and Aventurine bring really good energy.

[madam-florence]

Witchy Ingredient: Cicada Shells

Ah, cicadas. We tend to associate these little guys with the sounds of summertime, but have you ever considered that they could play a role in your witchcraft? These shells can be an incredibly useful component in spells and rituals, and best of all: they’re easy to find and absolutely free! As pictured, after collecting a few shells, I tend to keep the shells in a small sealed jar and grind up them into a fine powder for periodic use.  Correspondences / Meanings:

‘shedding your old skin’ 

rebirth / renewal

transformation 

personal change 

death of the old

How to Obtain Cicada Shells: During the warmer months of your area, cicada shells can be commonly found outside on surfaces such as: 

the base of a tree trunk

branches

sidewalks

fencing

wooden decks

Cicada shells would be extremely useful for spells and rituals that deal with the following: starting over, leaving the past behind, changing your habits, personal transformation, and initiating desired change. 

[madam-florence]

shadow work

If you want to choose the pleasure of growth, prepare yourself for some pain.

— Irvin D. Yalom

[madam-florence]

I think this is an excellent way to the progress or changes that were made over time. I would probably do this as a weekly thing and spend the week writing out my response as well as posting things related to the question all week long. I may even reach out and ask some friends their perspective. 

Write your Witchcraft

The thing is, we change. We are not the same person we were five years ago. Hel, a lot of us are not even the same people we were last week. We change, and our beliefs, favourites, thoughts and the way we see ourselves changes with it. 

The same is true for our witchraft, religion and spiritual beliefs. This is why I have a list of question that I like to answer for myself every couple of years. I first started this when I came across a list of questions by Juniper from Walking the Hedge (site no longer in use) in 2008, yes, over ten years ago. Every few years I filled in the questions and looked back at the answers I gave before. Some never changed, some changed quite a lot. 

When our coven started a new lesson plan, I gave out the list of questions as well. We sealed our answers in envelopes and plan to fill them in again, once we finish our lessons. Then open the envelopes and look at the answers side by side. To see how we have changed. 

I looked at the list last week and found it actually lacking a bit. The questions were very deity- and spiritual based, so I was missing some more questions about my personality and witchcraft. So I decided to make my own list of questions! 

Since I wanted to make this more a weekly journaling/grimoire prompt for myself I put together 52 questions. These can be answered weekly (maybe every year) or you can work through the list in one go and repeat that every few years or so. 

Some notes on the wording: I consider myself both a witch and a pagan, but to keep it easier to read I only used wording like “witch” and “witchcraft”, they can however be substituted for “pagan”, “paganism” or even “my path”, should that fit you better. When I talk about “sacred space” this can both mean a ritual space like a temple or casting of a circle, but also just your home or outdoors witchy environment.

I’d love it if you would tag anything you feel comfortable with posting online with the tag #writeyourwitchcraft!

What draws me to witchcraft?

How do I see the divine?

What in witchcraft makes me happy?

Do I want to follow a path that has to do with a little nature, or a lot of nature?

What areas of witchcraft would I like to learn more about?

Where do my witchy talents lie?

What kind of deities, if any, do I want to honor?

How do I believe magic works?

Simple or elaborate spells/rituals? Why?

What are my views on cursing/hexing?

Do I want to practice something similar to my ancestors?

What are the basic morals and ethics I feel I should live by?

What in nature am I drawn to; the ocean, animals, the trees, etc?

Which (witchy) holidays, if any, would I like to celebrate and how?

How do I believe divination works?

Would I like to work with a group some of the time, all of the time or not at all?

Which aspects of witchcraft appeal to me most, which the least?

What do I believe happens to us when we die?

How do I see mythological creatures?

When do I feel most magical?

How much is witchcraft woven into my daily life; is this too much, too little or just enough?

What kind of witch do I feel I am?

Which texts/quotes best describe my current path?

Do I like research and gathering info, or do I like things handed to me?

Which things about witchcraft worry or scare me?

What is my favourite element?

How do I see gender (roles) in witchcraft?

Am I interested more in magic, or spirituality?

Do I like to be told how to do things, or would I rather figure it out on my own?

What rules, if any, do I live by when it comes to witchcraft and magic?

What do I gain from witchcraft and magic?

Formal or informal rituals/spells? Why?

What subject do I love to study?

What is my favourite type of magic; candle, sympathetic, sigils, etc?

What would my perfect witchy day be like?

Would I want to be dedicated/initiated?

Who do I honor (ex: deities, ancestors, myself, etc), and how do I, or would I like to, honor them?

How do I create a sacred/witchy space?

What do I believe is needed for a succesful spell/ritual?

Which cultures do I draw from in my witchcraft?

What is my learning style; books, websites, videos, more hands-on?

What, if anything, in my mundane life influences my witchcraft?

What are my hobbys, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

Where do my non-witchy talents lie, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

What would my dream witchy life look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What would my dream sacred space/witchy home look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What symbols correspond with me; runes, animals, flowers, gemstones, etc?

Am I an open and proud witch, or do I (need to) hide my craft?

What are my favourite witchy items/tools; divination tool, ritual tool, décor, clothing, etc?

What is holding me back in my craft?

What is my pre-spell/ritual routine?

What are my ultimate witchy goals and how can I work towards them?

[madam-florence]

Lets talk about Witches and Plants, Flowers and Herbs. 

Flowers for types of witches🌺🌻🌼🌹🌷🌸

I decided to cataglorize some of my flower correapondeces for different types of witches. Enjoy! 🌼

💧Water/sea/lunar/love witches- lotus, lily, jasmine, gardenia, magnolia, violet, rose, peony, geranium, orchids, hydrangea, lilac, passion flower, petunia

☁️Air/storm/cosmic witches- (any aromatic/light flower) lavender, babys breath, dandelion, daisy, heather, freesia, daffodil, chrysanthemum, forget-me-nots, st John’s wort, primrose, bluebell, linden

🔥Fire/solar/desert witches- sunflower, hibiscus, poppy, chamomile, chrysanthemum, aster, marigold, calendula, snapdragon, cactus flower, prickly pear blossom, carnations, poinsettia, st John’s wort

🌲Green/earth/ forest witches-(any bulb/foraging/herbal flower) tulips, feverfew, echinacea, passionflower, comfrey, amaryllis, hyacinth, dahlia, iris, catnip flower, sage flower, basil flower

🏠Kitchen/cottage witches- (any edible/fruit/vegetable flower) such as elder flower, honeysuckle, passionflower, apple blossom, strawberry blossom, orange blossom, rose, pansy, squash flower, marigold

🌼Healing/garden/tea witches- (any healing/edible/aromatic flower) such as calendula, chamomile, helitrope, lavender, milk thistle, beebalm, yarrow, red clover, rosehip, passionflower, elderflower, lilac, violets, and orchids

**please do research on the flower before you ingest it in any way

[madam-florence]

Mine is coming up. I definitely will be doing this spread this year. Who knows, if all goes well, I may do it next year too.

Here’s a spread to do on your birthday!

1. Present 2. Past year 3. Future year 4. Negative influences next year 5. Positive influences next year 6. Lesson learned last year 7. Lesson to be learned 8. Achievement from last year 9. Achievement from next year 10. Relationships 11. Work/school 12. Health 13. Spirituality 14. Deck’s reflection 15. Advice 16. Birthday blessing! 17. Overall next year will be…

[madam-florence]

Totally worth doing. 

This is the spread I used to interview my new deck. I based it off some other writings I’ve seen, so it isn’t the most original, but hopefully still useful. I hope you find it helpful when trying to understand more about a deck’s personality!

1. What’s your main characteristic? This is what is fundamental about your deck, what will always be true about it.

2. What element do you align with? Different decks align with different elements. It breaks down something like this: Major Arcana = spirit (good at spiritual matters and introspection) Wands = fire (potentially “sassy”, good at matters of passion) Swords = air (detached, intellectual, and introspective) Cups = water (good at matters of the heart and being kind) Pentacles/Coins = earth (grounded, contemplative, good at real life stuff) Furthermore, the card you draw might also hint at a characteristic. For ex., the eight of wands would show that your deck is good at future-telling, especially of what your dreams and passions will be

3. How do you see yourself? This is really a personality question. It is less “honest” than the first position, because it is more subjective.

4. How do you see me? This is how the deck currently views you. That is subject to change.

5. How do you view life? This way you can tell if your deck is optimistic, pessimistic, or realistic.

6. What can you teach me? The lessons your deck has to give.

7. What do you find easy? The sorts of questions your deck excels at.

8. What do you struggle with? The sorts of questions your deck finds more difficult to answer.

9. What do I need to know? This could be general, or it could be what you need to know about the deck.

10. What do you want from me? What the deck wants out of your relationship.

11. How can I improve our relationship? What you can do to bond more with your deck.

12. Outcome of our relationship Not so much a fixed outcome as a mutable one, one that shifts with how you approach the deck and use it.

[madam-florence]

I am on a Tarot kick this week. I do not know if I will stop but here we goooo. More info. 

Tarot Tricks

1 - Nervous about a situation? Shuffle and look for The Fool. The two cards on either side will advise you on how to approach it.

2 - Are you looking for a new romance? Shuffle and look for The Lovers and the Ace of Cups. The cards in between will help guide you to finding love.

3 - Looking for a new beginning? Are you ready to start a new venture? Shuffle and find The Magician. The cards on either side will guide you in the right direction.

4 - Doing some soul searching? Find The Hermit. The cards around him will shed some light on your introspection.

5 - Going through some major life changes? Shuffle and find The World. The cards around it will give you the advice you need for this new chapter. 

6 - Had a confusing dream? Shuffle and look for The Moon. The cards on either side will help you interpret the meaning of it.

[madam-florence]

The Twin Cards in Tarot

Every major has a twin in the minor. And while the latter are lesser in the bigger picture, their power can still make a king shiver.

The Fool & The Aces

An all-encompassing new beginning vs. A beginning in one aspect of life

The Magician & The Two of Wands

The ability to manifest effortlessly vs. Manifestation that requires planning and hard work

The High Priestess & The Queen of Cups

Mastery of one’s intuition vs. Familiarity with one’s intuition

The Empress & The Nine of Pentacles

Abundance in every sense vs. Material abundance

The Emperor & The Kings

Complete authority over one’s own life vs. Authority in an aspect of one’s own life

The Hierophant & The Four of Wands

Stability of the heart, mind and soul vs. Stability in relationships and connections

The Lovers & The Two of Cups

The culmination of true love vs. The budding of a new love

The Chariot & The Six of Wands

Lasting victory vs. Fleeting victory

Strength & The Seven of Wands

Overcoming one’s inner darkness vs. Overcoming the darkness of everyday life

The Hermit & The Queen of Swords

Happiness in being alone vs. Acceptance of aloneness

Wheel of Fortune & The Ten of Pentacles

Luck in life vs. Luck in finances

Justice & The Six of Pentacles

The Universe giving you what you deserve vs. Your fellowmen giving you what they think you deserve

The Hanged Man & The Seven of Pentacles

Patiently waiting for the ultimate harvest vs. Restlessly waiting for this year’s harvest

Death & The Ten of Swords

Ending that transforms one’s entire life vs. Ending that transforms an aspect of one’s life

Temperance & The Two of Pentacles

Achieving inner balance vs. Achieving balance in one’s day-to-day tasks

The Devil & The Four of Pentacles

Being a slave to the soul’s desires vs. Being a slave to the body’s appetite

The Tower & The Knight of Swords

The Divine shaking your foundations vs. An enemy shaking your foundations

The Star & The Nine of Cups

Your greatest dream come true vs. One of your wishes granted

The Moon & The Nine of Swords

Lack of clarity that leads to purposelessness vs. Lack of clarity that results in anxiety

The Sun & The Three of Cups

Absolute happiness vs. Momentary happiness

Judgement & The Three of Pentacles

Living your soul’s true calling vs. Having your dream career

The World & The Ten of Cups

Being admired by the whole world around you vs. Being admired by your loved ones

[madam-florence]

How to Uncover Your Past Life with Tarot

THE SPREAD

Childhood

Three leftmost cards (King of Cups, The Tower, The Chariot)

Young Adulthood

Three cards below (The Emperor, Five of Cups, Page of Swords)

Adulthood

Three rightmost cards (Six of Pentacles, Four of Pentacles, Queen of Pentacles)

Mature Age

Three cards on top (Three of Cups, Nine of Swords, Knight of Swords)

Past Life Essence

Card in the middle (The Star)

READING THE SPREAD

Childhood

This trio reveals your sex in your past life, your temperament as a child, and your family’s financial situation in your early years.

Young Adulthood

These cards unveil your personality and perspective from the age of 13 to 28 — the rite of passage into astrological adulthood, your first Saturn Return.

Adulthood

These cards speak of your psyche, status and life story for most of your adult years, until your mid-50s.

Mature Age

The last trio discloses your physical, emotional and psychological states from the age of 56, your second Saturn Return.

Past Life Essence

The card at the bottom of the deck is the rope that ties together all previous cards into a final answer.

Important Notes:

All trios are to be read individually, then together, as a scene.

The last card is to be read literally in conjunction with other key cards.

If The Tower and Death appear beside each other in any of the first three trios, it means you died within that age range. Any succeeding trios of cards should therefore be disregarded.

SAMPLE INTERPRETATION

Childhood

King of Cups, The Tower, The Chariot

You were male in your past life (Male-dominated: King of Cups, the man in The Tower, the charioteer in The Chariot).

You were a bad-tempered child (The Tower).

You were spoiled and privileged (Presence of a King and The Chariot, mixed with The Tower’s implications).

Young Adulthood

The Emperor, Five of Cups, Page of Swords

You had a tendency to be sad and solitary (Five of Cups).

But you always did your best to fend off darkness and depression (Page of Swords facing the Five of Cups, culminating in The Emperor).

Nobody even had a clue what you were going through (The Emperor).

Adulthood

Six of Pentacles, Four of Pentacles, Queen of Pentacles

You were wealthy (All cards are Pentacles, emphasized by the Queen and the rich man in the Six).

You were someone important (The Six and the Queen).

You were very protective of your reputation (The Four and the Six), which means you were a public figure (The Queen).

Mature Age

Three of Cups, Nine of Swords, Knight of Swords

You found your soulmate late in life (Knight of Swords rushing in; the lack of an opposite sex court card in the preceding trio). This person was younger than you (Knight vs. Queen [of Pentacles] and King [of Cups]).

The previous lack of romance in your life caused you sadness and frustration (Nine of Swords).

But in the end, your other half made it in time (Knight of Swords), and your wedding was glamorous (Three of Cups), befitting your status.

Past Life Essence

The Star

You were a rich and famous actor (The Star read literally, with The Emperor and the Queen of Pentacles).

[madam-florence]

This is a great wait to gather up a full reading.

How to Close a Reading, as My Grandma Taught Me

“Interpreting the last card does not mean you are done. You have ten more things to do before the reading is through.”

1. Count the major arcana.

The more there are, the stronger the reading’s predictions will impact the querent’s life. If there are none or just one, almost none of it will matter in the long run.

2. Note the sequence of the major arcana.

If the querent is asking about someone, and the major arcana are between 0 and 16, that person is not meant to stay in their life. If the question is about a dream or an opportunity, and the cards fall between 17 and 21, it will manifest completely.

3. Count the cards from each suit.

The presence of all suits predicts a balanced outcome. More Wands means strong passion. More Swords means anxiety or manipulation. More Cups means the heart is running the show. More Pentacles means wealth is about to diminish or grow.

4. Mind the aces and the tens.

Two or more aces means the situation is only just beginning. Two or more tens means it is now coming to a good or bad ending.

5. Note the multiples between two and nine.

Twos mean clever thinking is of paramount importance. Threes speak of infidelity or the need for cooperation. Fours guarantee stability, just as sixes do harmony. Fives and sevens spell difficult challenges, but eights and nines promise that the labor is almost over.

6. Regard the ruling colors.

A dominant black predicts burdens and hindrances. Red and yellow combined ensure passion, clarity and manifestation. Blue and white together advise that the solution can be found through spirituality and intuition.

7. Count the court cards.

Nine times out of ten, court cards are people, not influences. They are doing the manipulation or they need to be manipulated.

8. Notice the suits of the courts.

Wands and Swords are friendly. So are Cups and Pentacles. Any other combination spells rivalry and obstacles.

9. Watch where the cards are facing.

“Is the woman in The World looking at The Tower? A tragedy has to occur before success can take over. Is the King of Cups facing away from his Queen? Their relationship is suffering. His love for her has begun fading.”

10. Look at the bottom of the deck.

If the outcome is good, embodying this energy will make it even better. If the outcome is bad, this is the hidden connection that needs to be severed.

[madam-florence]

Great reference for beginners

🌟Tips for interpreting Tarot🌟

1. The most important clues may be in the background! 

In the Rider Waite Smith deck, many cards show a figure with a number of significant items behind his or her back. What happens behind one’s back is, for oneself, something unseen, shadowy, something to which one has no conscious access. This could point to the idea that the figure in the foreground is unaware of the nature or scope of their issues. You can’t grasp what you cannot see, and that can reveal a lot about the nature of the card’s meaning.

2. The color of the sky reveals a lot!

Again referencing the Rider Waite Smith deck, the color of the sky on a given card often leads to a simple but important clue for its interpretation.

3. Pay close attention to proportions!

In the image of the Four of Wands, the figures are depicted much smaller than is the case in other images; they fall short. Or perhaps they are of normal height and are painted so small in order to emphasize the comparatively huge size of the wands. This sort of thing can be found in many other cards. 

4. Court cards represent developed personalities or facets of oneself!

The Queen: impulsive, an initiator, an investigator (water type)

The King: thorough, intensive, consolidating (fire type)

The Knight: magnifying, expanding, a drawer of consequences (air type)

The Page: makes something tangible out of or with the element in question (earth type)

4. Pay attention to numbers!

Numerology can play a big role in your interpretations of the cards, especially in the Minor Arcana:

Ones (Aces): Something new with vast potential is indicated when you have many aces in your readings. They are pure energy without form - and it depends on you to shape it and bring the opportunities that they represent into fruition. Because they are raw, they are also unstable, and can very quickly overwhelm if not taking care.

Twos: Coming together in pairs is the theme of the twos, and all the complexities that this union represents. We leave the individuality of the ones, and the twos are a taste of union. 

Threes: Group dynamics rule the threes in the tarot, and they depict different outcomes that can occur when a group comes together - whether they are groups of individuals, or groups of ideas. Because it is also symbolically thought of as completion (the first polygon, the holy trinity, etc) it also indicates an initial completion of a first phase of some sort.

Fours: The fours usually indicate that some foundation has been created and is ready to grow and evolve. To grow and evolve is the key here, because though the foundation is created, there is some disappointment indicated sometimes because things may not have progressed entirely as hoped for - thus, the fours are also the universe’s way of pushing us to grow and move forward.

Fives: Change, fluctuations and conflict are represented by the fives. After the fours, the fives are amplifications of that same energy. When that energy explodes, the fives ask us to look within ourselves for a deeper reason of why to progress. To move forward and beyond these instabilities, we have to push forward.

Sixes: While the fives represent conflict, the sixes represent the movement away from that conflict into a solution, whether they are internal or external, whether that means reconciliation or letting go. They are the cards of overcoming suffering, light after the dark.

Sevens: When seeing many sevens in a reading it usually indicates that it is a time to step back and introspect. The sevens ask us to assess, and reevaluate whether the path that you are taking is what is best for you. Sometimes this is a lonely pursuit, but this period is needed to go forward with your authentic desires.

Eights: A completion of a second phase is indicated with the eights, and usually corresponds to some sort of achievement, whether in the worldly sense, or in an emotional sense. Growth either way is indicated here, and sometimes it can take place in a form where we least expected it.

Nines: Nearing completion is indicated by the nines, and this can take the form of entering a plateau of some sort. What looks like the finish line, may actually be just a transitory stage. While the feeling of completion is here, it is usually just a pause before the final part of the cycle comes.

Tens: In the tens, we see the actual completion of the cycle, that something has come to a full circle - it indicates that from this point forward, we can move towards a new beginning.  ✨🔮✨ Sources: Biddytarot, The Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot by Johannes Fiebig and Evelin Burger, Understanding Tarot by Liz Dean

[madam-florence]

Ward against ill intent, but not all harmful things are intentionally malicious (and not all unwanted things are harmful). Ward against wandering eyes, ward against accidental intrusion and harmful accidents against you. Ward against unknown persons and entities, ward against those who have not been invited into your home and your space. Wards are for more than just shutting out a nebulous idea of evil.

[madam-florence]

Warding In Witchcraft

Introduction:

Wards are constructs, or entities that go through the process of wording a specific area that you set them up to watch over. This form of warding magick is also referred to some times as apotropaic magick, and our ways in which practitioners can turn away negative, or unwanted energies from an area, or space. Wards are like energetic guards that watch over an area. These wards will target whatever you intend them to, and will turn them away, force it out, or banish them from that area. Wards act as a form of protection to keep that space, or area safe from what is not wanted. Any space, object, or entity can be worded if you take the time to place one upon it. These Wards can be very complicated, or very simple depending upon what they are needed for. Wards can be set up for a period, but are primarily used when a construct, space, or entity needs to be protected for an extended period of time. Wards can also be cast whenever protection is needed, and will be able to provide protection for whatever they are warding. This is a very useful skill to learn, and get under your belt so that you can defend yourself, and the spaces around you with the power that you conjure forth with your magick.

Difference between warding, and shielding:

Warding, and shielding are two different things. Warding being the act of pushing away specific unwanted energies, and entities, so that they will not be able to enter the perimeter, or be in the area. Where the active shielding is simply setting up a wall in order to stop unwanted energies, and entities from penetrating the perimeter. Shielding is like building a wall between you, and the outside world and warding is like putting guards at that wall. These processes are usually done together, but do not have to be, and are completely exclusive to their practices.

Maintaining wards:

These wards will have to be maintained through the act of checking over them, recharging them, and/or reconstructing them when they have been in use for a long time, or have been used constantly. These wards will need energy in order to continue doing their job, so finding a source of energy to connect to the wards will allow them to recharge, and continue to work. This is because they will have an energy source to draw energy from when they get low. Try using an energy source that is renewable, and comes from a process that inherently exists. This will allow your ward to continue on working even when you are not there to give it energy. Using only your own energy to power your wards can leave you fatigued, and allow you to fall into energetic burnout, so remember to know your limits, and to not simply rely on your energy. Find other energy sources that you can use in order to power your wards. In order to connect these other energy sources all you must do is go to the ward in question, and take them in your hand, or place your hand on to them, and relay your intentions through your energy, so that the ward knows where to draw from. You could also go through the act of drawing an energetic line of energy between the source of energy, and the ward in order to allow that source of energy to power the ward. Good energy sources would be such things as quartz crystals, selenite, or any other high energy vibrational stone, along with candles, energy sigils, sunlight, moonlight, and storm energy, among many other things. It is important that your wards are maintained, and get the energy that they need or else they will not be able to work properly, and will eventually go down.

What to ward against, and ward placement:

Keep reading

[madam-florence]

mmm. I haven’t felt right all year.

Is Everyone Okay??

This may sound crazy but considering that most of my followers here are witches I think this will be semi normal….

I am having a very unsettling feeling. Like something bad is about to or is happening. The last time I ever felt this way the neighboring town caught fire and burned, so much so that I could see the smoke from my bedroom window.

I’ve checked my wards and they are still up, but at one if the points it felt like something or someone was watching.

Maybe I’m over thinking this, but I just need to know…

Something is off and it’s freaking me out.

[madam-florence]

This is a great little tidbit here. 

The Witch Ball

This is a rewrite of one of my first posts.

One of my favorite ways of warding the home is with a traditional glass witch ball. There are many kinds of witch balls, but here I am referring to the blown glass variety. Many witches will fill an empty Christmas ornament with herbs or nails or something and use it as a spell. Very crafty. But my preferred variety of witch ball is the blown glass sort with threads of glass in the middle.

These were traditionally made by glassblowers as a way of ending their work day. They were historically made from scraps of glass, which is why so many of them are multicolored. They’re simple blown glass balls with threads of glass in the center, made by sticking metal objects (such as knitting needles) in the still-molten glass ball. The witch ball is placed near a window or a door, usually on a cord made of knotted rope or leather. The wise homemaker cleans her witch ball regularly, as this cleans it of dark spirits.

The witch ball may be descended from glass fishing floats, which are often sold in seaside tourist towns as decorative gifts. The first glass witch balls were most likely developed in England in the 17th or 18th Century and were inspired by these glass buoys.

According to popular belief, the witch ball represents the witch who has been tried and hanged. A witch ball will float in water, like a witch thrown in a body of water during a trial. It was believed that witches were rejected by bodies of water because they were too impure. By this logic, witches, like the glass fishing floats of yore, were unable to sink. Glass fishing floats, and later witch balls, were tied up in nets or left to dangle from ropes, not unlike a witch sentenced to die at the gallows. For these reasons, the witch ball serves as a symbolic warning to all witches who dare enter one’s home.

The ball’s inner threads work by means of fascination. Witches and dark spirits are drawn into the ball because they cannot resist playing with its threads. They are entranced (or “fascinated”) by them. They wind themselves through the ball’s threads until the ball is cleaned by its owner. When the owner cleans it and wipes away the dust, she also wipes it free of evil spirits. Many other spirit traps work by a similar principle - the witch bottle, the dream catcher, even a handful of rice thrown toward a malevolent entity - they all work by fascination.

Many older witch balls have a mirror glaze. Some believe the large gazing balls that decorate gardens throughout the country may have their origin in the smaller, more magical witch ball. The mirror glaze is yet another fascinating thing about the witch ball.

No matter their origin or how they work, the witch ball is at the very least a delightful and rustic objet d’art. I find witch balls to be very effective, however. They can last for generations and are, in my opinion, one of the most aesthetic ways to ward a home.