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mochas-being-a-big-stoopid · 5 years ago

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heeey! It's been a while that I think of becoming a witch but I don’t know where to start! do you have any tips for me ? thank uuuu🥀 (Sorry for my english, I��m French sooo)

Start with researching.

Do you wanna be witch or wiccan?

Do you want to pursue one particular kind of magic? Or do you want to do a little bit of all things? Kitchen? Crystal? Sea? Eclectic? Hedge? Chaos?

Do you want to practice a more subtle magic? Scribe Magic? Hair? Divination?

Do you feel called towards a certain tool more than others? Tarot Cards? Oracle? Crystal balls? Runes and Runic Magic? Ogham? Herbs and brewing? Stars and star charts? Divination boards? Globes? Pens? Determine this and go from here.

Do you want to practice modern magic or old magic? I personally practice a mixture of both as it suits me and make procedures up as I go.

Do you want to be in a coven or do you wanna practice solo? This one is very important. I personally hate being in a group and doing group things. You might be an opposite or fall somewhere in between. Determine this. There are of course benefits of being in a coven. The sharing of knowledge and power being at the forefront of that plethora. Decide/

I recommend keeping a dedicated notebook and researching for at least ten minutes per day and logging your finds in this book. You could also keep a folder or document on your PC.

Some topics to add in a Book of Shadows or Grimoire or just the Notebook are:

-Moon Phases and their significance. Eg New Moons are the best time to set intentions

-Zodiac Signs and their significance. You could make this the first page. Add your name. Your sun sign, moon sign, ascendant…..you could also do a whole 12 house work up

-Herbs and their general uses

-Tarot or your preferred method of divination and the symbolism in it. Write your own interpretations.

-Colors and their significance. You could also start doing this as subtle magic everyday. Wear a shirt or tee in a certain color that corresponds with your intention for the day

-Spells and basic sigilwork if you are into this

-Instruments that you wish for and why you wish for them. I want an obsidian mirror for my divination and I wrote that and illustrated it in my book along with its uses and why I preferred it over other mirrors. Speaking of mirrors. Get one. Mirrors can be used for many things. Divination, communication with spirits, caging negative vibes in your space….many things. Get one and cleanse it. It don’t have to be fancy. Just something from your local store should do.

-If you are into a certain path more than others than research about that. Druidic, Pictish, Gaulish, Greek, Latin, Norse, Germanic, Shakt, Shinto, Taoist, Shaiva, Aboriginal, Native American, Hoodoo, Voodoo, Santeria…..whatever you are into. Research it.

-Dreams and their interpretations

-Flowers and their correspondences

-Incense

-Essential Oils

-Music Magic. This is very big in my path. Ragas and Thaats and their uses in callings, spiritwork, influencing weather…..I research them and write my own music around these.

-Hallucinogens and other toxic materials. Hensbane, wolfsbane, hemlock, night shade….keep a directory of herbs that might be of use but need to be handled carefully. Same goes for irritants.

-Weather Patterns and Omens. What does a crow sighting mean? Jackal? Coyote? Black cat?

-Feathers and their uses in magic.

-Water and its correspondences depending on the source its collected from

These are just things you could do. Figure out your own curiosities and record them.

Other things that almost all witches-wiccan or otherwise-have in common are:

-Altars. They are incredibly personal and everyone customizes them.

-Circles. In my path, we make elaborate mandalas and yantras corresponding to a deity we are working with. They can also be cast with a myriad of materials. Grain, chalk, salt, water, fire, flowers, herbs and herbal pastes……figure out what you want to work with and go from there.

-An instrument for sweeping spaces. Get an instrument that you can use for sweeping your space. I like to enchant mine for certain purposes. Like banishing shades, negative vibes, tension, ailments in the air…..you could do the same.

You don’t have to do any of these things. They just help a witch focus.

Also, meditate.

Meditate. Meditate. Meditate.

It could be the sitting and thinking kind. I personally prefer moving meditation. You couldn’t pay me to sit still and do nothing. I dance or do yoga. Some other ways that you can meditate include tai chi, swimming and marital arts. Anything that can help you empty your brain of conscious thought is good.

These are just the tips I have off the top of my head. There must be a million more. I hope I could help. :-)

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mochas-being-a-big-stoopid · 5 years ago

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☘️Pagan ways to celebrate St Patrick’s Day ☘️

Merry meet! 😁

St Patrick day is somewhat know as a sour subject to most Pagans and Druid because of its backstory.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the story, St Patrick is credited with “banishing the snakes from Ireland” the snakes being a symbol used to refer to the druids who bore a tattoo of a snake on they’re arm. The Pagans were drove from the Emerald Island. Some say he slaughtered many others say he did not.

I encourage you to look into it for yourself especially if you have Irish background! You can use St Patricks as a a day like many now to simply celebrate how great Irish culture ☘️

Here’s some ideas for a witchy St Patrick’s day! Or All Snakes Day!

Celebrate the Celtic deities and give thanks especially the Thriple Goddess!

Use the shamrock in spell work, it was originally sacred to the Thriple Goddess because of its three sides but was later used by St Patrick to represent the holy trinity

Decorate your alter and area with snakes, drawing one on your arm to represent your beliefs is also good

make a feast of traditional irish foods

Be in nature

Look for four leaf clovers

Give offering and do spell work with the fae

Read up on Celtic magic. The Celtic magic book by D.J Conway is a great one!

Light candles in remembrance of the ones killed during the attacks

Make Ogham Staves out of tree branches, if you cut a branch please remember to thank the tree

Study Irish lore

Do prosperity and good luck spells

Use the Celtic cross, it was originally used to represent the elements

Celebrate with your fellow witches the failure of st Patrick! We witches are here and we always will be!

I hope you all have a beautiful holiday however you choose to celebrate, I’ll be sending a big suck a pickle to old Paddy ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️

Merry Part And Merry Meet Again~~

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mochas-being-a-big-stoopid · 5 years ago

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More grimoire pages, this time about tarot and oracle cards! (Ignore the app watermark in the bottom left corner, I can't do anything about that lmao)

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mochas-being-a-big-stoopid · 5 years ago

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Cleansing, blessing, and protection basics

If you are new to witchcraft this guide is for you, but even if you are seasoned in the craft I still think it’s a really good idea to read other witches posts for new ideas and inspiration!~ Cleansing is such an important practice for anyone, not just witches. It is very commonly seen in many different cultures and religions worldwide and is practised in many different ways depending on the tools being used. Cleansing can be done with the help of deities or spirits, or it can be done in a secular way as well with reliance on your own energy or tools. Some people have different beliefs around when cleansing should be done and what rituals should be done at different times of the year. My path is one that works with the natural flows of energy around me, and I call upon deities and spirits to help me in my workings. I cleanse as I feel it is needed, and during the new moon period as well. However, you can adjust your practices to suit your own path and what makes you feel happiest.

Reasons to cleanse and when it should be done: Cleansing is so important for many reasons. It gets rid of heavy emotional energy, it prevents us from being influenced by unwanted energies, it gets rid of negative entities, and it helps to protect us in some cases, depending on what you are doing. You might want to cleanse when there has been a fight, or when an activity has been repeated in an area (like stress in a workplace) and a residue of the emotions felt while doing that activity has been left. Another time to cleanse would be after someone has been sick. It is best to wait until the person has become well again because if you cleanse while they are resting in their sick room and you use smoke you may make them feel more unwell. Once they are better again, it is good to go into the room they were resting in and give it a good cleanse to banish evil spirits and fumigate. Overall though, it is good to give things a cleanse even if nothing negative has happened. Spiritual people don’t always feel wonderful and magical all the time, and we aren’t immune to creating bad energy. Sometimes you come home and you’ve had a bad day, or you might just be tired, or you feel angry, stressed, etc. Maybe you’ve had a party and all your friends left their energy in your house. Even if nothing happened, this everyday stuff just builds up and needs to be removed every now and then. This is why it’s often good to set a regular cleansing time, such as the monthly new moon as well. Things that can be cleansed Pretty much anything can be cleansed. Commonly though, people cleanse their homes, their bodies, other people, objects, spiritual tools, and charms. There is really no end to what can be cleansed, and there is no end to what can pick up negative energy. Even your phone could pick up negative energy, and you then carry that around everywhere and touch it non-stop, allowing it to affect you. Tarot cards and other divination tools I would actually suggest to cleanse more often than other tools because they tend to pick up negative energies faster. What you can use to cleanse Smoke- This is one of the most common methods for cleansing, and you can use bundles of dried herbs, resins, or incenses to do this. You just need to light them up and waft the smoke around whatever is being cleansed. Cleaning your house- Clutter, dirt, mould, and mess attract bad energy that likes to hang in your laundry pile. Cleaning also helps us feel a lot less stressed, making room inside of you to experience healing energies. Don’t forget that mould and other ugly things can make you sick and affect your mental health as well, so it is very important to keep yourself and your home clean. Water- In some cultures water is considered to be very sacred and purifying, and is utilized by taking cleansing baths and showers, washing the body or objects that are being cleansed, floor washes, and just by sprinkling. Be careful with this one though, because if you do not dry some surfaces they may become mouldy. Some types of crystals and natural materials like bones and wood don’t really like water and may become damaged from it. It is better to cleanse these with salt or smoke. Fire- Again, in some cultures, fire is considered very sacred and holy. You do not need to burn your house down to achieve this. Be careful with this one, because you do not want to become a crispy sausage. But fire can be represented in smoke cleansing, or it can be used to banish things by burning something that represents what it is that you wish to get rid of. I often find that speaking or praying over a flame and asking help from fire to remove something will result in massive energetic changes- especially long term. Please ensure to never leave a fire unattended- this is basic common sense but you’d be surprised how many people don’t follow this! Air- A cool breeze can work wonders to clear energy! It’s so nice to open your windows and doors and let the cool air flow through the home. Salt- We all know salt preserves things from bacteria and other nasties, but it also has a very electrical charge almost, it carries a lot of powerful energy. So it is really good for cleansing, especially when entities are around. I like to keep some by my bed to keep entities away from me while sleeping and to prevent bad dreams. Sound- Sound is really powerful, especially because we know that sound carries vibrations and can carry them far. Bells, singing bowls, drums, your voice, clapping, youtube healing frequency videos, chanting, and prayer are all really amazing at cleansing things. Heck, even pots and pans can be bashed together to clear entities. I also sometimes feel like spirits are sleeping, so I usually wake them up with gentle bells. Mists and floor washes- Again, water here, but usually, this is a good option if you can’t burn things. Beware again though, that you don’t leave things wet otherwise they can grow mould and as I said before, some types of crystals and natural materials like bones and wood don’t really like water. Usually, though, these are just water mixed with something such as essential oils, herbs, crystals or salt etc, which have been chosen to imbue the water with a certain element or property. These are then spritzed with a spray bottle around or on whatever you are cleansing. Floor washes can be mopped or thrown over the floor. Oils, alcohols, floral waters, and vinegar- Essential oils such as peppermint, myrrh, frankincense, eucalyptus, and myrtle are really good for cleansing things, especially if you cannot use smoke again. Diffusing essential oils is also a very common practice outside of the spiritual community so this might be a good option if you aren’t able to be so open about your path. Alcohols such as Florida water are often used in cleansing, but keep in mind that some people consider Florida water to belong to closed cultures. Some people, however, disagree with this. But, you can always make your own floral waters for cleansing or you can buy them from essential oil manufacturers as a byproduct of essential oil production. You do not need to use Florida water if you are concerned about appropriation here. Floral waters are often sold by essential oil wholesalers, as they are usually sold to cosmetic manufacturers for use in moisturizers and balms. You can buy rose water or orange blossom water from Middle Eastern supermarkets, or if you are lucky enough they might be available in your local supermarket as well. Vinegar is really good to cleanse and also for cleaning. You can mix lemon and tea tree essential oil into vinegar, and these together are really good for cleaning and removing unwanted energy around the home. Vinegar is also good for banishments. Some basic and good ways to cleanse a home: When cleansing a home, pay attention not only to the rooms but especially to the doors, windows and any mirrors. A lot of things are happening energetically in those spaces and they are usually hot spots for activity. Using salt and water: To cleanse a home with these, sprinkle water around the walls, and place a small sprinkle of salt in each corner of every room. You can also place salt along the front of a door, or along a windowsill. Sometimes though, salt can damage paint so don’t leave it on painted surfaces for too long. You can also paint protective symbols over the door and window frames with the water. Using smoke from herbs, resins or incense: To cleanse using these, take the smoke around to each room and move it in an anticlockwise circle three times. Also make sure to waft a lot of smoke around doors, windows and mirrors. Sound and prayer: You can go around each room with instruments, or you can sing over or speak over your home to cleanse it. If you choose to pray, make sure to state what needs to be removed, and what will happen within that space instead. Eg. “May all anger, hurt, stress, and any other unwanted energies leave this space. May this room be safe, still, and peaceful, and may we experience joy, laughter and happiness in this room.” How do I know if there are entities in the room? If you are practised enough in sensing energies you will know straight away. However, if you are a beginner please keep in mind that your fear of entities alone can mean that you might believe there is an entity in your home even when there isn’t, or your fear might even attract one. Sometimes we can also fall prey to the power of influential words, and a psychic or someone else who senses energies might claim that you have a spirit in your home and then you will start seeing signs for its existence even if nothing is there. Even if the psychic didn’t pick up on a negative entity, but just said the word “spirit”, many people have different interpretations for this word based on religious beliefs, influence from movies and pop culture, etc. You may have misunderstood. In fact, there are a lot of spirits around us all the time, ancestral spirits, household spirits, plant and animal spirits- and not all of them mean harm. But some people interpret the word spirit to instantly mean the worst. Mould can also affect your mental health and if it has made you unwell enough it can make you hallucinate and see entities or experience haunting activity. Check for things like this before worrying and stressing yourself unnecessarily. If you had an entity that meant harm, you would just know. And until you experience the sense of “just knowing” this kind of thing, you probably will not understand what I mean here. Energy flowering and blessings Once you have cleansed a space and depending on what you used to cleanse, the space or object might feel like a blank canvas. You need to do what is called energy flowering or charging to reconfigure the energy of a space or item. Energy flowering is usually done with floral waters, resins, crystals, or incense sticks. Bundles of herbs are used mostly for cleansing, but depending on the herb they can be used for flowering as well. But in my personal opinion herb bundles are best for cleansing only. Salt or soil can also be used for this- as I said before salt seems to carry a very electrical feeling energy, and soil from the earth can also be used to recharge objects. Resins are really good for raising vibrations and creating healing and beautiful emotional energies. To recharge with incenses or resins, waft the energy around the home but in clockwise circles and if possible use your dominant hand. You can also hold objects like tarot cards or crystals in the smoke or you can waft the smoke towards yourself or someone else. Cinnamon, sandal, frankincense, myrrh, and dragons blood are really good for this purpose. To recharge with floral waters, you can wash objects in them, or you can sprinkle them around the walls, doors, and windows. Altar spaces and deity images usually really like this type of cleansing. To recharge objects with soil, bury them until they feel ready. Make sure to leave yourself a marker on the ground so you know where they are buried. If you live in an apartment, you can definitely bury things in a pot of soil. If you cannot get soil you can also leave objects on a bed of salt for as long as needed. To recharge using crystals, place the crystal you want to use over the object or within the space and leave it for as long as needed. Clear quartz is a good energy conductor and will bring intense universal energies down. Copper is also really good for conducting energy, so if you have any copper items they can help recharge an item or space as well. Blessings A blessing ritual is a really lovely way to give a room, a person, or an object your goodwill, and also to call down the highest good upon something. You can make a charm to bless someone, you can pray or speak over someone or something, or you can also anoint objects, places, or people with sacred oils. This is also where some fun stuff like glitter, colourful threads, beads and other cool stuff can work its way into your magic. A basic blessing ritual for a person White, pink, and green candles Rose water Salt Rice Anointing oil Honeysuckle incense A bowl of water, soap and a towel.

Create a small mixture of salt, rice, and your anointing oil. Keep some of these ingredients separate and to the side. Wash the hands of the person you are blessing with the rose water, and rub the salt, rice, and oil mixture into their hands gently. They can rest their hands for a bit until the ritual is done. Sprinkle their head with the rose water, and offer rice and salt to them in the direction of their mouth (they don’t have to eat it so don’t shove it in their mouth lol) and also to the each side of their temples and the top of their head (you just need to hold it in your hand and point it in the directions listed above). Waft the incense around them three times clockwise, and offer the candles to them by moving them in a clockwise circle three times as well around the person. As you are doing this you can say out loud or in your heart “May you be well, may you be protected, and may you be free from suffering.” Think of everything good that you wish for this person as you are doing this ritual. Anoint their forehead at the hairline with the oil. You can then offer them the soap, water and towel for them to clean their hands once all this is done. The ritual is complete! Making charms for blessing and protection You can make charm bags and fill them with all sorts of fun stuff like colourful glitters, sequins, crytals, herbs, meaningful items, images of deities, or handwritten prayers or sigils. Colourful glitters are cool because glitter is fabulous, and all the colours have meanings associated with them so you can pick the colours based on what you want to achieve. You can also make yourself some jewellery, and if you want to you could use religious icons or images in your jewellery, or choose colourful beads that represent certain ideas, archetypes, or deities. Other charms can also be candles or herbs for example. You could hang dried herbs around the home, or you can anoint a candle with an oil of choice and it will act as a charm. You can also anoint jewellery with oils. Making a charm from jewellery Select a piece of jewellery. It is better if it is made of something like gold or silver, as fashion jewellery can become damaged from oils of whatever you might use. Beadwork should be fine. You can make this into a ritual if you like, or you can keep it simple. Personally, I like to keep things simple when it comes to making charms, but each to their own. You can remix this however you like to suit your needs. Before you start, I believe it is respectful to ask the object if it wants to become a charm. Even inanimate objects contain the spirit of the universe or contain a consciousness. You cannot force it to serve you, so please ask respectfully if it is happy to help you. You will sense the answer with your intuition, or you might experience other phenomena such as synchronicities, seeing or sensing colours or energy, or hearing something. Just listen patiently. If it says yes, wash the object in water to purify it and leave it on a bed of salt for a hot minute. Light some candles with the colour that corresponds to your intention, and burns some incense. Anoint the charm in a blessing oil, and ask it to carry this intent for you. You can pray over it or speak over it what you intend for this charm. Give the offerings of candles and incense to the charm and thank it for helping you. It is respectful to bow before the object while giving it thanks.

It is now ready to wear, but you might want to clean it off. I can’t imagine jewellery with caked-on salt looks too nice. Creating protective charms for the home Religious iconography near doorways is a really good option if you are able to openly display these. Some cultures make protective charms from certain objects like horseshoes, chilli peppers, bells, lemons, sigils, or similar items from temples and shrines. In each case, it is again respectful to ask the object if it wants to help you. You can do a similar ritual to the above, or you can make your own charms for the house. Basil charm to call down holy fire Basil is a herb I use in spiritual healing because I find it often has a very fiery energy that can really intensely open up and allow universal energy to flow. It is very simple to make, all you need to do is dry a bunch of basil. Ask if it is happy to serve as a charm for the home. If it says yes you can hang it in the home up high above the head, and preferably in the main room such as a lounge room so that everyone can be influenced.

Bay leaf doorway charm Sew some dried bay leaves together in a chain, big enough to fit the measurements of the door frame you wish to place it over. Once the length of the chain is big enough for the door, ask the object if it wants to serve you. If the answer is yes, hang it above your door frame. This will protect evil spirits from entering the home and will bring luck and abundance to those inside. Jar of holy salts for the bedside Combine sea salt in a jar with oils such as peppermint, frankincense, orange and lavender. You can mix in some of the same dried herbs if you like as well. Ask the object if it wishes to serve you, and if yes place it by the bed. This is a protective charm that will ensure a peaceful sleep without being bothered by bad dreams, negative entities, or anything else that you want to keep away. I had a friend who had a terrifying experience of having his name yelled at him by some sort of spirit just as he sat down to sleep. This charm has helped him feel calm and protected and he has not experienced the issue since.

Maintaining charms Charms do not want to be forgotten. They can often become spiritually blank or deadened and will be unable to continue their purpose if they are not cared for. They need love, they are a consciousness that wishes for its own happiness. One of the best ways to keep charms happy I find is to talk to them and build a relationship with them. In the morning when I do my regular incense burning and candle lighting I also give them offerings as well, by going around the house and waving the incense and candles towards them. I might also re-anoint them when needed. I find that if the object is respected as being holy and as being part of the family it will continue to happily serve the home. Don’t forget this step to give your charms love and treat them as if they are alive with consciousness! ♥ Building a relationship with the spirits of the home and land for protection Just as charms contain a consciousness, so do all inanimate and animate objects in the home and on the land which your home resides. It is good to honour these spirits and energies with offerings, and they can, in turn, be called upon to protect the home. I always leave incense burning in a safe place outside as an offering to the spirits of the land and home, and as I do so I ask for their protection upon the home. Over time, you will be able to sense their energies more and they will begin to surround you and protect you. You do not need to do much here except allow time and routine to do the work for you.

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mochas-being-a-big-stoopid · 5 years ago

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MAGICK 101 - Cleansing

In a lot of my posts, I say to cleanse your body and your space. What does that mean? Why and how do you do it? Hopefully I can answer those questions and clear up some misconceptions about cleansing in magical practices.

What is Cleansing?

Cleansing is a process via which the charged energy, spellwork and/or spirits on or in something is removed. Banishment is a subset of these practices (or at least I consider it to be) that forcibly drive out spirits or negative influence attached to something or someone. Cleansing, in one form or another, is a part of basically every magical practice and culture.

Cleansing does not equal removal of negative energy. It’s cleaning out what there’s, positive or negative, to make something neutral again.

Cleansing is also not the same as physically cleaning a room, but it is an tool for improving the energy. I’d recommend cleaning a room (pick up things, sweep, clear off surfaces) at least mildly before performing a cleansing on it.

Why Should I Cleanse?

The same reason you should clean anything! For daily living, it can make you feel better and more at peace. For any work with spirits or energy (including spellwork) it’s important to not mix in energy remnants, like if you cooked with unwashed pans or on a dirty countertop. And, if you got something on you that could make you ill, you need to cleanse it off!

Cleansing yourself, as in your body, before spellwork is also important to get spirits and deities to listen to you and do what you say. Especially powerful spirits. (many practices phrase this in terms of purity, but I find it helpful to also think of it like asking someone for help when you haven’t showered or brushed your teeth recently)

When Should I Cleanse?

As with cleaning anything, there are multiple degrees of intensity of cleansing. Here, I’m using “light cleansing” to mean performing something short and not requiring much preparation, while a “heavy cleansing” may take an hour or more, be done over several days, required specialized ingredients, etc.

When to do a light cleansing:

When you first buy a tool for magic or divination

Before and after spellwork (especially your tools**)

Before meditation or energywork

During a negative or unlucky day (but watch for signs of this negativity being a curse)

After being somewhere with a negative spiritual presence

After being around disease and decay

After being in a crowded area/on public transport*

After sex or masturbation*

After working with or being around the dead*

* In some cultures these acts are considered unclean but they don’t necessarily expose you to negative energy. It comes down to the beliefs of your culture and those of the spirits/deities you work with.

** Unless these tools are meant to collect energy! For example, you might have one jar that you always and only use for favor spells for yourself.

When to do a heavy cleansing:

Before performing an elaborate ritual or spell

After performing unprotected spellwork

When you and/or the people, plants, and animals around you are frequently falling ill or experiencing other unwellness (this is a clear sign of a curse or negative spirit attached to you)

During certain times of year and/or along with certain cultural ceremonies

Some Methods of Cleansing

This is not an exhaustive list! These are just some cross-cultural cleansing methods I’ve seen. Furthermore, all methods below can include (and are augmented by!) a chant, prayer, or some other form of words that correspond to the cleansing.

Salt

Put it in salt, put salt over it, throw salt around, etc. and leave it for a bit. Anime fans and Graeco-Egyptian sorcerers alike can tell you salt is cleansing. However, be mindful of not throwing a lot of salt around outside, where it can harm the environment, and ensure that whatever you’re putting in salt will not be damaged by the salt.

Washing

Of course, a natural way to cleanse something is washing it! This includes bathing to cleanse your body. Typically, the water is augmented with salt, herbs, or a prayer during washing so that it washes away spiritual dirt instead of physical dirt. Personally, I use salt water to wash just about everything. Again make sure the object/surface will not be damaged by water or whatever you’re adding to it. If you are bathing, ensure that nothing you add to the tub is unsafe for the skin or will cause an allergic reaction. Also would recommend avoiding salt baths if you have open wounds.

If you’re washing your magical tools that got stuff on them like ash, wax, etc. I’d recommend first doing a cleansing wash to get off the energy, then washing with soap and water to get off the substance.

Flinging or Spraying Salt Water

Basically the above but for clearing the air. Again, some people use herbed water or magically-charged water instead of salt water.

I’ve seen some hate in the traditional magic community for spray bottle cleansing, but, as someone who usually cleanses a space by dipping my hand in salt water and then shaking it around, I see no reason why pouring it into a spray bottle will make it less effective.

Incense and Smoke

Lighting some incense or herbs and cleansing with the smoke is a good way to cleanse rooms, objects, and people. However, whatever you’re using must burn clean. You should not be getting a black, ashy residue on what you’re cleansing. If you are trying to drive away negative things, I’d recommend using a foul-smelling, instead of sweet-smelling, incense. The negative scent, while not pleasant, drives things away instead of attracting them.

Safety-wise, remember fire safety and ensure that everything you’re burning is safe to inhale.

Using Ringing or Chiming Instruments

A bell is the easiest instrument to find for this. To clear a space, loudly make the ringing or chiming noise, usually while walking around it. Some people perform the ringing an auspicious number of times.

Drawing the Energy or Spirit Into Another Object

In banishments, this usually includes subsequent destruction of the object, like burning or smashing the object. If you plan to use this for a banishment, find a specific, reliable practice to perform. If you’re doing this for something more minor, like getting rid of your negative emotions, then it’s less risky to do something you make up on the spot.

This can also be performed without destruction of an object via channeling it into an energy sink. I’ve found that entirely black stones like black onyx make good energy sinks. However, remember that energy sinks aren’t literally black holes for energy and can get “full”. You will need to cleanse/ground the object occasionally, especially if you are trying to draw a lot of charge into it.

Prayer or Spellwork

Some prayers or spells are specifically used for cleansing, either by design or by cultural tradition. Of course, please be respectful of which culture a practice comes from and do not appropriate other cultures.

Cleansing Misconceptions

Sunlight, moonlight, and sun/moon water isn’t “naturally” cleansing. I see so many things telling people to cleanse (usually) crystals with one of these. If you are using the light of the sun or moon in cleansing, you are asking spirits of the celestial body to drive out the energy. This goes for charging too! It may be functionally the same to assume that moonlight has inherent magical properties but there are risks with trying to get a spirit to do something for you without payment.

Cleansing is not smudging. You’ve probably seen posts about this before, but if you haven’t, here’s one.

Channeling positive energy into an object isn’t cleansing it. As stated in the first section, cleansing is about the removal of energy and “resetting” things. Unlike acids and bases in chemistry, things can’t be neutralized by adding more of the opposite. You can make a room with negative energy feel better by adding positive energy, but this isn’t the same as cleaning it out.

Cleansing a space, driving out a spirit, etc. cannot be done with just visualization. You can regulate your own energy with visualization and send out positive energy into the space around you but, again, this isn’t cleansing.

You don’t need to cleanse your tarot deck often. Tarot decks are kind of like cast iron skillets: they pick up “seasoning” from use. However, this is usually a good thing! By getting more energy into a deck, it’ll give richer readings. It’s often necessary to spend a bit of time “breaking in” a deck through use. If you’re having trouble getting helpful answers from your deck, first try to center yourself, step away from your cards for a bit, and then come back to them when your energy is more stable. If that doesn’t work, then try cleansing the deck.

Do. Not. Cleanse. Or. Unenchant. With. Your. Mouth. I’ve seen more than one post saying to kiss objects to unenchant them. If you do that, you might also try licking your shoes clean sometime… Swallowing spirits during banishment isn’t entirely unheard of, but this is followed by some means of spitting them out or “disgesting” them so they become neutralized. It should only be done by a trained person.

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Cr: @scry-and-sketch

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Intro to Spirit Work

Throughout history those who practice magic have had a close connection to the spirit world, from fairy doctors who were said to learn their craft from the fae, to ceremonial magicians invoking angels and demons, to witches working with familiar spirits. To practice magic is to open yourself to this connection and to become aware of a whole new world of intelligent beings.

In modern Western culture, there’s a lot of fear around working with spirits. There are countless horror stories about malevolent hauntings, seances gone wrong, and violent possessions. It’s easy to see why many new witches are reluctant to work with spirits.

Ironically, in most other times and places, the spirit world was and is accepted as a normal part of life. All over the world, since before recorded history, people have honored their ancestors, left offerings for local land spirits, and built relationships with deities. We’re actually the weirdos for not having a healthy relationship with the spirits around us.

I personally have found working with spirits to be incredibly rewarding, and being aware of the spirits around me adds a lot of depth to my spiritual practice and my witchcraft. As long as you do your research, keep your wits about you, and are polite, you have nothing to fear and everything to gain from working with spirits.

Some Philosophy Terms

Animism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “attribution of conscious life to objects in and phenomena of nature or to inanimate objects.” An animist believes that all things have a spirit, from animals and plants to rocks and even man-made objects. Animism is a big part of many magical practices, especially in folk magic. It’s also a part of several modern religions, including Shinto and Anito. I personally am an animist, and my magic includes connecting with the spirits of the plants, crystals, and objects I work with.

Pantheism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe.” A pantheist believes that the physical world is the Divine. Whereas an animist believes that all things have their own spirit, a pantheist believes that the entire world shares a single, divine spirit. Many Wiccans are pantheists, and in some cases pantheism can coexist with animism (all things are both individual spirits and part of the divine whole).

Panentheism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “the doctrine that God includes the world as a part though not the whole of his being.” A panentheist believes that the world is a part of the divine, but that there is also a part of the divine that exists beyond the physical world. Some Christian groups are panentheists. Another example of panentheism is ancient Egyptian religion, where natural objects like the sky and the sun were seen as the bodies (but not the souls) of the gods.

Which of these philosophies you resonate with will shape how you interact with spirits and the spirit world.

Types of Spirits

This is not by any means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the types of spirits witches commonly encounter or work with:

Ancestors: deceased human spirits, especially those with a familial link to you. Ancestor veneration is a huge part of some magic systems, as well as many religions. Some witches ask their ancestors for help in every single spell or ritual, while others honor their ancestors on certain days, like on Samhain or on a deceased loved one’s birthday. Honoring the ancestors is a good place to start with spirit work because they already have a connection to you and are more likely to be willing to help you. However, working with ancestors can be difficult if you don’t know your family’s history or if you don’t feel close to your family. As author Aaron Oberon says, “Sometimes ancestor work is undoing the blocks our ancestors have built.”

To begin connecting with your ancestors, start by researching your family history. Ask your living relatives about their parents and grandparents. Try your hand at genealogy research and see how far back you can trace your family. If you feel called to do so, you can create a special altar to honor your ancestors. Light candles and leave out offerings of food that your ancestors enjoyed while they were alive.

Land Spirits: spirits that embody and are connected to a natural object or landmark. There are many, many types of land spirits, from individual tree and plant spirits to the spirits of great mountains and rivers. Some land spirits are even worshiped as gods – like Hapi, the Egyptian god of the Nile. Some modern witches even choose to recognize cryptids like Mothman or the Jersey Devil as land spirits! Working with your local land spirits can help you develop a deeper connection to your environment and can make your magic feel more localized and personal.

To begin connecting with land spirits, start by learning about the biology and folklore of your local area. Offerings for land spirits are usually left outside, so be sure to offer things that won’t harm local wildlife. Wild bird seed, fresh fruit, and unsalted peanuts are a few examples of safe offerings.

Spirits of Place: spirits tied to a specific building or location. Unlike land spirits, these beings aren’t always connected to a natural feature. Houses and other buildings can have their own spirits that embody the energy of that place. In Germanic folklore, these spirits are called house wights or husvaettir, and in English folklore they’re called brownies. For people who grew up in non-animist cultures, it can feel strange to leave offerings for the spirit of a man-made building, but there’s a long history of these types of spirits being honored all over the world. I personally see house wights as being similar to land spirits.

If you want to begin connecting with the spirits of your home, start by greeting them by name and leaving out an offering for them. Establishing a relationship with the spirits of your living space can help you create a more harmonious and productive home. Traditional offerings for house wights include dishes of cream, grain-based porridge (like oatmeal or grits), and clean water.

Animal Spirits: the spirit of a specific animal, the archetypal Spirit (with a capital “S”) of an entire species of animal, or an individual spirit that appears as an animal. The concept of animal spirits that act as protectors and guides is found in many cultures, especially those with shamanic traditions. In Norse mythology, fylgjur were protector spirits who often appeared as animals. In British Traditional Witchcraft, witches work with familiar spirits that often take on animal forms. It’s worth noting that the terms “spirit animal” and “totem animal” come from Native American spiritual traditions and should not be used by people who don’t belong to those cultures. The concept of animal guides exists in other cultures, so there’s no reason to appropriate indigenous words and ideas. In my experience, animal spirits are often friendly and easy to connect with, so this is a good place to start for witches who are new to spirit work.

If you’d like to work with animal spirits, you can begin by connecting to the animals that are local to your area. You may feel called to bring a part of the animal you’re connecting with into your sacred space – for example, I keep crow feathers on my altar. Offerings depend on the type of animal spirit you’re connecting to – some require only fresh water, while some traditions state that familiars should be fed with blood (not human). Use your intuition to choose what works for you.

Fairies: fairies are a specific kind of land spirit, and most fairy lore is based on mythology and folklore from the British Isles. Fairies have a reputation in modern pop culture as being sweet, friendly creatures – some authors even compare them to angels! However, I think it’s important to remember that historically, fairies were known for being mischievous and sometimes dangerous. In folklore, fairies are less Tinkerbell and more Spiderwick Chronicles. As author Morgan Daimler says, “They can be cruel and vicious, or generous and kind. Some of them are helpful. Some are indifferent. And some of them think we make a very tasty meal indeed.” For this reason, fairies should be approached with caution.

If you want to honor the fairies in your practice, I recommend checking out Morgan Daimler’s books – they have several on this subject that are both easy to read and well-researched. There are a lot of rules for working with fairies, such as not telling them your full name and not saying “thank you” to a fairy, so this is one type of spirit that you should definitely research before beginning to work with them.

Angels: divine messengers; spirits of love and light that come from the Divine and have no physical form. Strictly speaking, “angel” refers to a messenger of the Abrahamic God, but there are other spirits from other religious traditions that fill a similar role. Angels and similar spirits embody divine love, and as such they are both incredibly powerful and incredibly supportive. Because of their loving nature, working with angels is a good place to start spirit work. Some witches who have had negative experiences with Christianity, Judaism, or Islam may feel uncomfortable working with angels. I have personally found that angels don’t really care how you identify in terms of religion, and have had good experiences with Christian angels even though I identify as pagan. However, your experiences may be different, so please don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable!

There are a lot of bad resources floating around the Internet when it comes to angels. If you’re interested in working with them, I recommend Chantel Lysette’s books Azrael Loves Chocolate and The Angel Code. There’s also a YouTube channel called Ask Angels with Melanie Beckler – I don’t agree with 100% of her ideas, but it’s a decent free resource. Offerings to angels are typically non-physical, like the light from a candle or the smoke from incense.

Demons: spirits of mischief, strife, and/or evil with no physical form. In Western culture, we associate the word “demon” with Christianity, but demons appear in many other religions, including Hinduism and Kemetic paganism. I personally define “demon” as a spirit who: 1.) is not and never was human, and 2.) is antagonistic towards humans. Most witches only deal with demons when they’re trying to get rid of one. However, there are some magic traditions, such as Goetic Magic, that call on demons in magical rituals. Let me just say this: in my experience, there are very few reasons why someone would want to work with a demon, and doing so is as dangerous for the person doing the summoning as it is for the intended victim. I definitely recommend that new witches stay away from these spirits. (But it should be noted that demons are not the same thing as dark deities!)

If you need to get rid of a demon, sulfur is used in American traditions to banish them. (It may also banish helpful spirits, so keep that in mind.) Blessed water is used to repel demons in several cultures. You can also call on an angel or deity for protection.

Deities: powerful, divine spirits who are worshiped as gods. Deities vary a lot from culture to culture, and each deity has their own personality, moral code, and mannerisms. I have found working with deities to be very fulfilling, as deities allow us to put a human face on the Divine. It’s much easier to form a relationship with, say, Odin than it is with an abstract divine force, at least in my experience. Aside from spiritually fulfilling relationships, deities can also be powerful allies in magic. It’s worth noting that very few deities are 100% good or 100% bad – they’re more nuanced than that. Just like anyone else, deities have strengths and weaknesses. (Yes, even the Abrahamic God. Read the Old Testament sometime and tell me God doesn’t have flaws.)

If you are interested in working with deities, start by doing research into the pantheons you feel drawn to. Were you obsessed with Greek mythology as a kid? (Or Norse? Or Egyptian? Or any other culture?) Read up on it! Find out how those deities were worshiped historically, and use that as a starting point for building your own practice. Offerings for deities vary from culture to culture, but I’ve found that fresh, clean water seems to be pretty much universally accepted.

This post ended up just being a whole lot of vocab, but I wanted to get some definitions straight before I start writing about how to connect with the spirit world. In my next post, I’ll talk about how to introduce yourself to different types of spirits and etiquette for maintaining a healthy relationship!

Resources:

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

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

Where the Hawthorn Grows by Morgan Daimler

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

Temple of the Cosmos by Jeremy Naydler

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

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Tapping Into Your Psychic Senses

Every single person on the planet has psychic abilities, but most people never realize that they’re using them. As Tess Whitehurst says in her book You Are Magical, “There is almost certainly something you assume that everyone can perceive that is actually a perception that is relatively unique to you.”

For example: you may be a gifted artist. Drawing and painting come naturally to you, and you have an intuitive sense of form and color. You probably know people who claim that they “don’t have an artistic bone in their body” or “can’t even draw a stick figure,” but you can’t bring yourself to believe it. Surely, those people are just psyching themselves out, because if art comes so easily to you, everyone must be able to do it to some extent, right?

Psychic abilities are similar. You’ve probably been tapping into at least one psychic sense all your life, but it feels so normal to you that you assume everyone experiences the world this way.

Once you become aware of your innate psychic abilities, you can start to harness them. For this reason, I think it’s a good idea to become familiar with (and comfortable using!) your natural psychic gifts before you try to learn any kind of divination.

Read over the following list of common psychic senses. Does one or more of them sound familiar? Once you recognize which of these you resonate with, focus on strengthening that gift over the next couple of weeks. You’ll be amazed by how easily you’re able to tap into it once you know how!

Clairvoyance: Clear Seeing

Contrary to popular opinion, the word “clairvoyance” does not describe any and all psychic abilities. Someone with clairvoyance receives psychic messages through their sense of sight. They may see these messages with their physical eyes, or see images in their mind’s eye. Seeing auras is an example of clairvoyance in action.

You may be clairvoyant if…

You often see flashes of light, blurred figures, or other visual phenomena that others do not see. [Note: This is NOT the same as visual hallucinations. Clairvoyants typically see things with their mind’s eye, not their physical eyes, and can differentiate between their visions and what is physically in front of them.]

You often experience random mental images that seem to have nothing to do with what’s going on around you.

Your meditations are primarily visual — for example, if you meditate on the element of water, you may see a bubbling fountain in your mind’s eye.

You are a visual learner.

Ways to Strengthen Clairvoyance

Keep a journal of the mental images you receive “out of nowhere.” Do these images mean anything to you? Do individual visions fit into a larger pattern?

Meditate on your chakras, and visualize each chakra in your mind’s eye, starting from the root and working up to the crown. What do your chakras look like? Are the colors bright and clear, or more faded and muddy? Are some spinning faster or slower than others? How does their appearance correspond to your life? For example, a muddy or faded sacral chakra may indicate issues around sexuality.

Do research into auras and what the different aura colors mean. Do you always seem to see or think of a certain color when you’re around a certain person? How does that color represent that person’s energy and personality? Write down your findings.

Clairaudience: Clear Hearing

Someone with clairaudience receives psychic messages through their sense of hearing. They may hear messages with their physical ears or “hear” them in their mind. A medium who hears spirits is an example of someone using clairaudience.

You may be clairaudient if…

You sometimes “hear” things in your mind, as if someone else was talking to you from inside your head. [Note: This is NOT the same as “hearing voices” or auditory hallucinations. Clairaudients usually “hear” messages with their mind, not their physical ears, and they can distinguish between psychic messages and physical, “real world” sounds.]

Sometimes, when you listen to music or watch a movie, a specific lyric or line of dialogue seems to jump out at you, as if it were a special message.

Your meditations are primarily auditory — for example, if you meditate on the element of water, you may hear a babbling brook.

You are an auditory learner.

Ways to Strengthen Clairaudience

Keep a journal of the messages you “hear” out of nowhere. Are they consistent, forming a larger pattern? Do they all seem to be “in the same voice,” or coming from the same source? (If so, this could be a deity or spirit guide reaching out to you.)

Do a meditation with the intention of holding a conversation with a helpful spirit guide. (If you are not comfortable working with spirits, you can set the intention of speaking to your inner self.) What does their voice sound like? Is it different from or similar to your own? Do they speak with an accent or have a unique inflection? Write down your thoughts.

Experiment with shufflemancy. This is a modern form of divination where you put a playlist on shuffle and receive a psychic message from the song that plays first. (You can find playlists specifically made for shufflemancy online, or make your own.) How does the song make you feel? Are there certain lyrics that jump out to you? Write down your thoughts.

Clairsentience: Clear Feeling

Someone with clairsentience feels psychic messages, either through their body or through their emotions. They may feel physical sensations, like an upset stomach, or may be very sensitive to emotional energies. Intuitively picking up on someone’s emotions without needing to ask is an example of clairsentience.

You may be clairsentient if…

You often feel physical sensations, like a hot flash or a cold chill, out of nowhere.

You are able to feel other people’s emotions — you can always tell when someone has had a bad day, even if they’re trying to hide it.

You can sense the “vibe” of a room as soon as you walk in. Do certain buildings feel “angry” or “sad” to you? Can you always tell the energy of a party even if you just arrived?

Your meditations primarily focus on tactile sensations — for example, if you meditate on the element of water, you may feel waves lapping at your feet.

Ways to Strengthen Clairsentience

Pay attention to your “gut feelings.” Do you feel a sinking sensation when thinking about something, only for it to go badly later? Do you feel a warm, fuzzy sensation thinking about something, only for it to go really well? Write down your experiences — and be honest. It’s okay if your gut feeling doesn’t always match the outcome.

Do a pathworking meditation (this is just a type of meditation that focuses on taking a mental journey) to a forest, or a beach, or some other location that appeals to you. Try to feel as many tactile sensations as possible, as if you were really there. Feel the grass or sand under your feet, feel the wind in your hair, feel the sun on your skin. Write down your experience.

Practice feeling the energy of a plant or crystal. Reach out and touch the plant/crystal, and try to feel it out. Does it have a calm, stable energy, or is it more bright and zingy? Try feeling a different plant/crystal and see how it feels different. Write down your experience.

Note: Some (but not all) clairsentients are also empaths, people who take on the emotions of others as if they were their own. All empaths are clairsentient, but not all clairsentient people are empaths. You may be an empath if you often find yourself matching the emotions of the people you’re around — you cry when they cry, laugh when they laugh, etc.

Claircognizance: Clear Knowing

Claircognizence is the gift of psychic knowing — people with this ability often “just know” things, even if they should have no way of knowing. They may know what someone is about to say before they say it, or know personal information about someone they just met.

You may be claircognizant if…

You “just know” what’s going on with your friends and family, even if they haven’t told you. For example, you may suddenly feel like you need to call your sister, only to find out after you call that she just broke up with her boyfriend.

You always know who a text is from as soon as your phone dings, or always know what song is going to play next on shuffle.

You often know things about new people as soon as you meet them, only for them to confirm it later. Did you know your friend was a vegetarian before he told you, even though you’d never shared a meal with him?

Your meditations often include “downloads” of information, where you feel like the answer to your question or some other revelation has just been dropped into your brain.

Ways to Strengthen Claircognizance

Every time your phone goes off, try to guess who the message is from. Keep a tally of how often you’re right vs. wrong.

Do a meditation with the intention of receiving the answer to a specific question. Retreat to a place of stillness and focus on your breath until the answer to the question “just comes to you.” Write down your experience.

This is a game I used to play with my sister before I knew what claircognizance was: have a friend show you a picture of someone they know, but whom you have never met before. Focus on the picture, and see if you get any info about the person — are they a jock? Do they like rock music? What’s their personality like? Get your friend to confirm or deny the info you got from the picture, and keep a tally of how often you’re right vs. wrong.

The Other Clairs

There are two other “clair” senses that are less common, so I’m not going to talk about them at length here. Clairalience, or “clear smelling,” refers to receiving psychic messages through smell. (If you smell roses out of nowhere, with no roses in sight, you may be using clairalience.) Clairgustance, or “clear tasting,” refers to receiving psychic messages through taste. (If you taste chocolate out of nowhere, you may be using claigustance.)

In my experience, these psychic senses are less common than the ones listed above. Most people I know who have clairalience or clairgustance seem to use it as a secondary sense, in addition to a primary sense like clairvoyance or clairsentience.

Conclusion

You are probably using at least one of these psychic senses every day, without even knowing it. Most people have two to three “main” psychic senses, but some may regularly and easily use all of them. For example, my primary psychic senses are clairsentience and claircognizance, but I also find myself receiving messages through clairaudience fairly often. It’s rare for me to receive clairvoyant messages, but it has happened.

Once you’ve identified the psychic senses that you naturally lean towards, you can begin to develop and strengthen them.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst [Specifically the chapter, “Reading the Signs.”]

The Fat Feminist Witch Podcast, Episode 68: “Clear Knowing”

The Angel Code by Chantel Lysette [Specifically the section on the psychic senses.]

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10 Magic Herbs You Can Find at the Grocery Store

When you’re first getting started with witchcraft or another magical practice, it can be easy to get caught up in all of the material stuff involved. Witchy hashtags on social media are filled with pictures of huge sparkly crystals, gorgeous handmade ritual tools, and beautifully elaborate altars. Many spells in books or online call for a long list of herbs, some of which are expensive or hard to come by. For baby witches, it’s easy to feel like you can never be a “real” witch unless you have money for these expensive tools and toys.

This is not true. As we’ve talked about in previous chapters of this series, you don’t need any tools or material components to cast a spell — however, harnessing the energy of plants, crystals, and imagery can be a helpful way to add energy to your work. This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money. In fact, many of the most powerful and useful magical tools can be found on the spice aisle in your local supermarket, or even at the dollar store.

For example:

Salt. Salt is a witch’s best friend. It can be used for cleansing, banishing, protection, grounding, or to neutralize energy. Surrounding something with a circle of salt will protect it [Note: do NOT make salt circles outside, as salt will kill plant life!], and washing something with salt water will cleanse its energy. I often include salt in any spell that I feel needs an extra layer of protection.

Sugar. Just as salt banishes unwanted energy, sugar attracts the things you want into your life. Sugar can be used for any and all attraction spells, whether you’re looking to attract love, money, success, or something else. It can also be used to “sweeten” a situation, or make it more favorable.

Cinnamon. There’s pretty much no positive spell that doesn’t benefit from cinnamon. Cinnamon has associations with healing, love, success, and material wealth, but is also strongly associated with protection. I love burning cinnamon as incense — it fills the whole room with warm, cozy energy.

Cayenne. Cayenne is often used for banishing or binding spells, but a lesser known use is for getting things moving. Cayenne is a very fiery plant, so any spell dealing with passion, motivation, or drive can benefit from its inclusion. Cayenne can be used to “light a fire” under someone to motivate them to action. However, cayenne is a more harsh energy, so I often pair it with lavender or another soothing herb.

Coffee. I most often use coffee for grounding or to anchor things to the physical world. For example, I might include it in a prosperity spell to make sure the results manifest in my everyday life. Coffee is also energizing and brings mental clarity, and can enhance psychic abilities. Brewed coffee is also used in some traditions as an offering for spirits.

Bay leaves (Bay Laurel). Bay leaves are one of the most popular spell components because of their association with granting wishes. You’ve probably heard of the practice of writing a wish on a bay leaf and burning it to manifest your desire. I often include bay leaves in manifestation magic for this reason. Bay leaves can also be used for purification, cleansing, and exorcism.

Ginger. Ginger adds power to any spell it is included in. Ginger tea or gingery food can also give you a personal energy boost. I add ginger to any spell that needs some extra “oomph.” It is also associated with success.

Basil. Basil is very commonly used in money spells. Carrying a basil leaf on your person is believed to attract wealth. It also has associations with protection.

Peppermint. Peppermint is another herb that can add power to virtually any spell. It can bring healing and purification, can remove obstacles and free up stuck energy, and can enhance psychic abilities. Peppermint is a common ingredient in dream pillows. You can find peppermint tea at virtually any grocery store, and many stores also carry the essential oil.

Lavender. Lavender is my favorite herb for bringing peace to a situation. It’s very good for healing magic and for soothing difficult emotions. Lavender is also associated with love, and I especially like to use it in spells for self love. Most stores carry lavender essential oil, and you can also find herbal teas that include it as an ingredient.

With the above herbs at your side, you’ll have everything you need to cast virtually any type of spell. Honestly, even if you just have salt, sugar, and maybe some white candles, you can create powerful spells for dozens of different intentions, from protection to self love to getting a job. Remember, what matters isn’t so much what you have — it’s your intention.

These are also edible, so they can be incorporated into magical recipes for different intentions. In fact, most of the ingredients you cook with every day have magical associations and can do double duty as powerful additions to your spells. For more information about the magical uses of common household herbs and spices, I highly recommend the book A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin, which is where most of the info for this post came from.

Other useful magical items that you can pick up at the grocery store include:

Olive oil. Olive oil can be used as an all-purpose anointing oil for candles, ritual tools, or your body. It can also be used to dilute essential oil, or as a base for custom magical oils.

Tealight candles. These small candles are perfect for candle spells. White tealights can be used for any intention.

House plants. Many common houseplants have magical associations. For example, aloe brings protection and healing. You can also grow some witchy herbs, like peppermint or rosemary, indoors.

Epsom salt. Epsom salt is a great base for bath spells. You can add essential oils and herbs to make custom bath salts — just be sure to research oils and herbs ahead of time, as some can cause skin irritation. [Note: Epsom salt is not actually salt, and cannot be substituted for salt in spells.]

Notebooks. Writing things down is an important part of witchcraft. Keeping a record of your spells, divination, and magical experiences makes it easier to keep track of everything.

Again, I want to stress that you don’t need a specific set of tools to be a witch. In fact, you can do highly effective magic without ever working with herbs at all. But if you want to gather some items to add power to your spells or help you feel more witchy (after all, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to set the mood!), you can get everything you need for a few bucks at the local supermarket or dollar store. Remember, our ancestors worked magic with what they had — not with expensive crystal collections or exotic herbs.

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Witchy Self Care & Mindfulness🌻🌿

Artwork by @CraftingWitch on Instagram

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Counting Crows!

One Crow — Bad Luck, Death (Should be noted that a corvid alone is unusual as they are gregarious species)

Two Crows — Good Luck, Joy

Three Crows — Wedding, Female Birth

Four Crows — An Event, Male Birth

Five Crows — Money, Positive Business

Six Crows — Wealth Change, Loss/Gain

Seven Crows — Secret, Curse

Eight Crows — Life-Altering experience

Nine Crows — Love, Something Sensual

Ten Crows — Turnaround In Luck, Overwhelming

Eleven Crows — Surprise, Secrets (Hidden/Revealed)

Twelve Crows — Good Luck, Fulfillment

Thirteen Crows — Completion, The End

It’s been said that if the number of covids you see tallies up to something negative, then it can be countered with saying “Greetings Mr. Crow, I salute you!” as well as offering it a lil’ treat!

There are many different rhymes to help you remember! One of the longer ones goes as follows:

“One for sadness, two for mirth;

Three for marriage, four for birth;

Five for laughing, six for crying:

Seven for sickness, eight for dying;

Nine for silver, ten for gold;

Eleven a secret that will never be told.”

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mochas-being-a-big-stoopid · 5 years ago

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How to Cast Spells That Work

In her book Wicca for Beginners Thea Sabin says, “When you do a spell, you are telling the universe that you intend to bring about a certain change and you are putting the energy in motion to achieve that end.”

A spell is sort of an energetic shove to get things moving in the way you want them to, and we do this by creating a ritual to build and then release the energy to get things going.

Most spells are based on a principle called imitative magic.

In his book Backwoods Shamanism, Ray Hess says, “Imitative magic means that making a symbolic gesture, when combined with intent and will… can affect the intended change on a grander scale.” [Note: I don’t actually recommend this book, but I like Hess’s definition of imitative magic.]

So, for example, you may have heard of a “cord cutting” ritual, where you symbolically cut your spiritual ties to a person you no longer want to have a relationship with. You’re symbolically creating a separation between yourself and that person, which creates physical separation in real life.

There are four basic components to any spell: your will, your intention, focused energy, and a ritual action. Some magical traditions add extra steps, like casting a circle, but from what I’ve read and been taught, these four basic components are constant no matter which tradition you’re following.

Let’s start with the most important bit: your will. Your will isn’t just what you want: it’s the desire and drive that is in alignment with your highest good. But in this case we’re also talking about will in the sense of willpower — Basically, your will is your personal spiritual authority and the source of your magical power.

Any spell that is not in alignment with your will won’t work. This is why it’s important to be clear about what you want and why you want it before you attempt a spell.

There’s also an element of belief here. Because magic only works when your spells are in alignment with your will, if you don’t believe your spell can work, it won’t. This is because you, yourself are blocking it from working.

The second important component of a spell is your intention. When you do a spell, it’s important to clearly state what you want to happen. Some traditions will write the intention down on a piece of paper, which is called a petition. Other traditions will use a spoken statement of intention in the form of an incantation. Some witches use both.

You need to be clear about your intention before you begin your spell. Magic will always follow the path of least resistance, so it’s important to be specific. However, I find that magic works better when your intention leaves a little bit of wiggle room. It’s about finding that happy medium.

You also want to keep your petitions and incantations simple. If it’s more than a couple of sentences, you probably need to trim it down a little.

The next important part of a spell is focused energy. Magic is a way of directing energy, and this means that your own energy needs to be focused for it to work.

Don’t get too stressed out about focus. Your spell isn’t going to fail if your mind wanders for a few seconds. But you should set aside some time where you’ll be able to fully dedicate yourself to your spell. Try to find a private place where you won’t be interrupted. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, and try to avoid distractions. You might find that playing meditation music or burning incense helps you focus.

While you cast your spell, keep focusing on what it is you want to manifest. Again, don’t overthink this and don’t worry if your thoughts wander a little, but try to stay in the moment. Repeating your incantation can help with maintaining focus.

The last important part of a spell is your ritual action. This just means doing a specific set of things, in a specific order, with a specific intent behind them. If we go back to our definition of imitative magic, your ritual actions are symbolic of the change you want to manifest.

Your ritual actions do not have to be complex. A very common ritual for spells is anointing and lighting a candle. Making a charm or poppet is also popular. But any action can be a magical ritual if it is done with intent and focus, in alignment with your will. Making a cup of tea or coffee can be a ritual. Running a bath can be a ritual. Cooking food can be a ritual. The only limit is your imagination.

These four things are literally all you need to cast a spell. A spell doesn’t have to be complicated or include a bunch of crystals and herbs to work. You can do an effective spell with nothing but your own mind and body.

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