#Blessings and Rituals

[computerjagat]

आज का पंचांग : आश्विन शुक्ल पक्ष द्वितिया व नवरात्रि के दूसरे दिन माता ब्रह्मचारिणी की पूजा के साथ ही करें ये शुभ काम

आज का पंचांग : आज 16 अक्टूबर 2023 सोमवार, के दिन आश्विन महीने की शुक्ल पक्ष द्वितिया तिथि है. इस दिन चंद्रमा का दर्शन शुभ माना जाता है. शादी, वेडिंग रिंग की खरीदी और देवताओं की स्थापना के लिए यह तिथि शुभ होती है. किसी भी तरह के तकरार या विवाद के लिए यह तिथि अच्छी नहीं मानी जाती है. आज माता ब्रह्मचारिणी की पूजा का दिन है. आप माता से आशीर्वाद जरूर लें. 16 October 2023 . Navratri second day . maa…

[happypeachsludgeflower]

Feng Xin and Mu Qing have a fighting schedule. It has rules and a schedule and penalties for missing fights and petty retaliation schedules for when they miss a penalty match and even color-coded charts they both keep in their offices to organize the events.

They have never discussed any of this out loud. It was built entirely through trial and error over centuries of being bitchy when the other would miss a match. In fact, the color-coded charts were born because Feng Xin thought Mu Qing surely had one already and he wrote one up to make sure he could try to keep up with the other man's convoluted harem brain, and Mu Qing realized Feng Xin had one while snooping through Feng Xin's office one day, so he had to make one too, because that's the obvious solution, obviously.

From the outside looking in, it just looks like the two are fighting randomly every few days, but actually it's an elaborate courting ritual neither man will ever admit to. And if they did admit to it, well, the bystander would be honestly baffled at how these two are somehow functional adults at all, let alone martial gods.

[enchantedwitchling]

Celebrating the Summer Solstice: A Witch's Guide to Litha

🌞🔥🌿

As the wheel of the year turns to the height of summer, we embrace the vibrant energy of Litha, also known as the Summer Solstice. This magical festival marks the longest day and shortest night of the year, a time when the sun stands still and the Earth is bathed in its fullest light. Let's dive into the essence of Litha, explore how witches celebrate this sun-drenched festival, and discover rituals, spells, and traditions to honor this radiant time.

What is Litha?

Litha, celebrated on or around June 21st, is a festival of light, abundance, and the peak of the sun's power. It symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and is a time of joy, growth, and the bountiful gifts of the Earth.

How Do Witches Celebrate Litha?

Witches celebrate Litha with outdoor rituals, bonfires, feasts, and a deep connection to nature. It’s a time to honor the sun, embrace its energy, and celebrate the fertility of the Earth.

Rituals and Spells for Litha

🔥 Bonfire Rituals: Lighting bonfires or candles symbolizes the sun’s energy and power. Jump over the fire (safely) or a candle to bring good luck and cleanse yourself of negative energies.

🌿 Flower Crowns and Herb Gatherings: Create flower crowns and gather herbs like St. John’s Wort, lavender, and rosemary, which are potent at this time.

💧 Sun Water: Collect water in a clear jar and leave it in the sun to absorb its energy. Use this sun-charged water in rituals and spells for vitality and empowerment.

✨ Sun Meditation: Meditate outdoors, focusing on the warmth and light of the sun. Visualize its energy filling you with strength and positivity.

Litha and Sacred Symbols

🌞 The Sun: The central symbol of Litha, representing life, energy, and power. Honor the sun with sun-shaped symbols, colors like gold, yellow, and orange, and sunflowers.

🔥 Fire: Symbolizing transformation and purification. Incorporate fire into your rituals through candles, bonfires, or even a simple flame.

🌸 Flowers and Herbs: Representing the Earth’s abundance and fertility. Decorate your altar with fresh flowers and use herbs in your spells and rituals.

Other Litha Traditions

�� Feasting: Celebrate with a feast of summer fruits, vegetables, and dishes cooked on an open fire. Share your bounty with loved ones, embracing the spirit of abundance.

🎁 Gift-Giving: Exchange small, sun-themed tokens of appreciation and blessings with friends and family.

🏞️ Nature Walks and Outdoor Activities: Spend time in nature, appreciating the beauty and energy of the season. Collect natural items for your altar or as offerings.

Litha is a time to celebrate the peak of solar energy, embrace the fullness of life, and set intentions for growth and abundance. Whether through rituals, spells, or simply basking in the sun’s glory, Litha offers a moment to connect deeply with the natural world and its rhythms. As we honor the longest day of the year, may the light of the sun fill your heart with joy, your mind with clarity, and your spirit with boundless energy.

Blessed Litha to all!

🌞🔥🌿

[cattewife]

thinking about,,, drunk sneezes

not only the possibility of sensitivity to wine/etc itself but just. the alcohol fuzziness meaning maybe they let a sneeze creep up on them without noticing, and the lack of inhibitions meaning they let it out without any shame they may usually have..... maybe even being more dramatic than usual, louder, bending at the waist, dazed after.... accepting care they may usually deny because they are drunk and happy and vulnerable

[ratatatastic]

the things ekky has done or said that i cant stop thinking about. the 4 minute cut.

[bored-knight]

⚠️Omega FX & Alpha MQ dynamics⚠️

FengQing Week 2024 - Day 3: Courtship [Final Part]

For a bit of context a common courting practice in Xianle was for either an Alpha or Omega to gift another their hair ribbon and the other accepts the courtship by wearing the ribbon. However, FX wasn't raised in a traditional sense to understand popular courtship practices. Which is very unfortunate for MQ trying to express his feelings. Atleast now they can court properly without any misunderstandings well into their relationship.

🏹⚔️

The first part can be found here

[sleepanonymous]

I don't know if this has been talked about on here yet but this is very important to my US peeps looking to buy tickets.

TLDR: Tickets for the Teeth of God tour will be mobile only and non-transferrable. Aka Sleep Token said "Fuck Scalpers😡🤬" like the absolute kings they are.

[queerprayers]

actually third base is saying the rosary in your partner's room while they shower

[pagan-stitches]

Morana holy water bottled after melting snow and icicles for four days (one for each season) — consecrating water from the first snow of the season as a step in a 3 month ritual (from Koleda to the Spring Equinox) that will end with the drowning of Morana/Smrtka.

Note: when working with nandina berries please be aware that they are toxic to pets. I have chosen them for their deadly beauty in this ritual, but will make sure they are removed from Marcy’s presence before she returns to this room.

[sherlockianscholar]

look at the fastidious sherlock holmes just casually reading a hundreds of years old document while smoking a cigarette in the same hand

[ruraljew]

finally digging into kashrut and man it's such a beautiful thing

[semisolidmind]

happy Friday the 13th everybody

in 🎃🎃OCTOBER🎃🎃

[enchantedwitchling]

Embracing New Beginnings: A Witch's Guide to New Moon Magic

🌑🌟🔮

Tonight, the moon retreats into darkness, marking the beginning of a new lunar cycle. The new moon is a powerful time for setting intentions, initiating new projects, and planting the seeds of your dreams. As the sky is cloaked in darkness, we are given a blank canvas to start fresh and embrace new beginnings. Let's explore the essence of the new moon, how witches can celebrate this mystical phase, and discover rituals, spells, and practices to harness its transformative energy.

The Significance of the New Moon

The new moon symbolizes new beginnings, potential, and the power of intention. It's a time to reflect on your desires, set goals, and align your energy with the universe to manifest your dreams. The absence of moonlight offers a moment of introspection and renewal, making it the perfect time for planting the seeds of future growth.

New Moon Rituals and Practices

🌑 Setting Intentions

Use the new moon's energy to set clear and powerful intentions for the coming month.

1. Find a quiet, sacred space where you can focus without distractions.

2. Light a white or silver candle to represent the new moon's potential.

3. Write down your intentions and goals for the new lunar cycle. Be specific and positive in your wording.

4. Hold the paper in your hands, close your eyes, and visualize your intentions coming to fruition. Feel the emotions associated with achieving your goals.

5. Place the paper on your altar or under the candle, letting the universe know your desires.

🔮 New Moon Meditation

Meditate to connect with your inner self and the new moon's energy.

1. Find a comfortable position and close your eyes.

2. Take deep breaths, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.

3. Visualize a dark, starry sky, feeling the calm and potential of the new moon.

4. Focus on your intentions, allowing them to take root in your mind and heart.

5. End the meditation by thanking the universe for its support and guidance.

✨ Creating a Vision Board

Manifest your dreams by creating a visual representation of your intentions.

1. Gather magazines, scissors, glue, and a large piece of paper or poster board.

2. Cut out images, words, and symbols that represent your goals and desires.

3. Arrange and glue them onto the board, creating a visual collage of your intentions.

4. Place your vision board somewhere you can see it daily, as a constant reminder of your dreams.

New Moon Spells

🌑 Manifestation Jar Spell

Create a manifestation jar to hold your intentions and attract positive energy.

1. Gather a small jar, paper, pen, and any small items that represent your intentions (e.g., crystals, herbs, charms).

2. Write your intentions on small pieces of paper and fold them.

3. Place the papers and items into the jar, visualizing your intentions manifesting.

4. Seal the jar and place it on your altar or in a special place.

5. Shake the jar whenever you need a reminder of your goals and the new moon's power.

🔮 Cleansing and Renewal Spell

Use the new moon's energy to cleanse and renew your space.

1. Gather a white candle, sage or palo santo, and a bowl of water.

2. Light the candle and the sage or palo santo.

3. Walk around your space, wafting the smoke and visualizing negative energy being cleared away.

4. Sprinkle a few drops of water in each room, symbolizing renewal and fresh beginnings.

5. Close the ritual by thanking the new moon for its cleansing energy.

🌟 Prosperity Spell

Attract abundance and prosperity with a new moon spell.

1. Gather a green candle, a coin, and a piece of paper.

2. Write your financial goals and desires on the paper.

3. Place the coin on top of the paper and light the green candle.

4. Visualize abundance flowing into your life, feeling gratitude for the prosperity already on its way.

5. Let the candle burn down safely, keeping the coin and paper on your altar.

The new moon offers a powerful opportunity to reset, reflect, and initiate new beginnings. By engaging in these rituals, practices, and spells, you can align with the new moon's energy and set the stage for manifesting your deepest desires. As we embrace the darkness of tonight's new moon, may your intentions be clear, your dreams take root, and your spirit be renewed.

Blessed New Moon!

🌑🌟🔮

[sylviesoothsayer22]

Lured Deep Beneath The Waves (Teaser)

He Xuan x Wei Ying

Premise: Mortal Fisherman!WWX is used as his village’s sacrificial bride in order to appease Water Demon Xuan. It was originally supposed to be Jiang Yanli, but the wife of the village head, Madame Yu, decided that WWX should switch with her beloved daughter (without his input, of course).

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a teaser for the main fic (which is about 80% done). I'll be posting the HeXian work once it's edited and complete.

He would’ve done it had she just asked. Madame Yu really didn’t need to go through all the trouble.

By the heavens, if this backfires, he’ll haunt Madame Yu for the rest of her miserable life.

Wei Ying just hoped that jiejie was alright.

Ignoring the pins and needles running up and down his legs, Wei Ying shifted into a more comfortable position and decided to pass the time by squinting through his bridal veil, counting the stars. 

He was on star number thirteen when it suddenly disappeared, like a candle flame swiftly blown out. One by one, the stars winked out of existence, the shadows shaping the moon into a crescent drew back like soundless curtains, until it resembled a great, lone pearl stitched upon endless black cloth. The crashing waves slowly fell into a murmur and Wei Ying was left with his own blood pounding into his eardrums.

SPLAT!

He startled. Back going ramrod straight. 

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!

Wei Ying felt his body break out in cold sweat. Adam’s apple painfully bobbing as he swallowed.

Someone or some thing was climbing up the cliff.

Wei Ying slammed his eyes shut and started doing what he hadn’t done in years. Pray.

Who should he be praying to?! The Flower Crowned Martial God? No. That doesn’t make any sense. He could hardly call himself a cultivator let alone a warrior.

Should he pray to Crimson Rain for luck? Best not. The Ghost King was pretty finicky and he might end up displeasing Black Water if he started praying to a rival Calamity.

Water Master Shi Wudu? Oh, now Wei Ying was asking for eternal torture. It’s no secret that Water Master and Demon Xuan had a rivalry as tumultuous as a ship caught in a malstrom. 

Which of the thousands of negligent, apathetic gods is more likely to show Wei Ying a shred of pity? Maybe-

An overwhelming coldness washed over Wei Ying, as if he had just been doused with seawater, the wetness seeping into his skin. Whatever breath he had in his lungs was viciously expelled.

He didn’t need to open his eyes to know that the figure had stopped just a foot away from him. 

…….

Thanks for reading.

Stay tuned for the full work~

[daguerreotyping]

Tintype of two men sharing a mysteriously charged moment of contention—or benediction?—over a pocket watch, c. 1870s

[the-witchy-housewife]

｡+*✧ The Basics of Spiritual Safety & Wellbeing✧*+｡

This is an article from my website, The Witchy Housewife. You can read it at the source here or look under the cut to read it here on Tumblr. If you enjoy my work, please consider subscribing (at the bottom of this page) to receive articles as they're posted via e-mail, exploring the shop, leaving a tip, or reblogging this post. I run this all myself, so all support is greatly appreciated. 💜🔮✨

When asked the most important place to begin as a newcomer to the craft, to energy work, or even to simply walking a more spiritual path, more experienced practitioners will often share the basics of their magickal tool cabinet, suggest a bouquet of book titles and YouTube channels, or state plainly that the only correct answer is to let your heart and soul guide you. Only occasionally do I see or hear these types of questions answered with the recommendation to familiarize oneself with spiritual safety and wellbeing prior to diving head-first. But matters of protection, I feel, are one of the most important things to study up on when starting out, and today, I’d like to share my own thoughts and advice on the topic.

Cleansing, Purification, & Banishing

As I define them in my practice: To cleanse is to rid a person, place, or thing of stagnant, unwanted, draining, counterproductive, or otherwise negative energies or entities (though positive energies will often accompany them), to purify is to return a person, place, or thing to its original energetic state, and to banish is to cleanse by authoritative expulsion or removal using an outward-pushing energy. You may find others who define these terms differently or use these words interchangeably, but this is how I have come to define them, each offering their own unique function in my workings. If you are looking at correspondences in my digital grimoire, these energetic properties can be found in items marked as cleansing, restoration, and banishment respectively.

A cleansing may be performed when you find that energies are stagnant, stuffy, or negative. Unpleasant energies like these can be responsible for inviting in equally unpleasant entities, hindering the results of energetic workings, creating a state of mental or emotional discomfort, brewing a heavy tension in the air, or even causing feelings of sickness in those who are particularly sensitive. As such, it is usually recommended that cleansings be performed on a regular basis – especially if you live in a space that is regularly exposed to more negative energies. Some common methods of cleansing utilize the smoke of cleansing herbs (alternatively, a spray), water infused with cleansing herbs, or simply a visualization of brilliant white light – and this is just barely scratching the surface. As with many rituals, there are hundreds of methods of cleansing out there for you to explore, and it is paramount to choose one – or even create one – that works for you. Let your intention – your goal – be your guiding force. As a general rule, if you are putting your intention into it and you are going about it in a way that feels intuitively compatible, you will more than likely see the results you are looking for.

Often, cleansing – similarly to banishing – will result in a feeling of emptiness. You are essentially scrubbing the present energies “clean”, including energies that may be more positive. On the other hand, you may wish to perform a purification, or restoration, of a person, place, or thing if the goal is to reverse any energetic damage that may have been done while still retaining those unique individual energies. For this, you would utilize restorative herbs instead of cleansing ones and focus your intention accordingly. It seems it is common for practitioners to opt for cleansing over purification – and even more common for the terms to be defined as one and the same – but I enjoy having this as a separate option when it is needed. In my practice, this process typically comes into play when I want to remove any absorbed energies from a crystal, charm, or tool but would like to preserve its core energies as much as possible.

Finally, banishment is used when you want to push an energy or entity out of a particular space, and in this case, the original energies seem to remain wholly unchanged. For this reason, some practitioners choose to also perform a cleansing beforehand. Like cleansing, there are many methods of banishment out there that you can give a try, though the most commonly passed-around is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (or LBRP) of ceremonial magick, sometimes given different flavors for different systems.

Enchanting & Blessing

The emptiness of a cleansing or banishing can feel pleasant enough, but I find that this sometimes allows unwanted energies to creep back in more easily. A blank slate becomes anyone’s game, so to speak. To mitigate this, you may choose to preemptively imbue the space with more intentionally – and typically positive – energies. For this, we use enchantment or blessings. To enchant is to fill a person, place, or thing with intentional (but not necessarily positive) energies, and to bless is to enchant with fresh, positive, and often divine energies.

Enchantment is one of those foundational things that is pretty crucial to get the hang of when first starting out in a magickal practice, and all it entails is focusing on an intention and willing the energy of that intention to fill the person, place, or thing being enchanted. To a beginner, this can be more difficult, which is why it is also important to learn what these subtle energies can feel like to you. Skipping this step can sometimes deter people away from magick altogether. Lady Gravedancer, one of my favorite witches on YouTube, has an excellent video on learning to work with and sense these subtle energies. If this is all new to you, I highly recommend it.

Typically, though, a blessing is more what we’re looking for post-cleansing – positive, even divine, energies that inspire a sense of wellbeing. If you work with deities, you may also like to ask them to bestow their own blessings in your stead or beside you. Otherwise, it’s just enchantment with a wholly positive intention, but if the idea of a blessing feels too religious for your comfort, stick with “enchantment” and don’t let semantics bog you down.

Warding, Shielding, & Cloaking

In all cases, I tend to feel that the energies we’re working through are not being totally destroyed, but are rather either transmuted, deterred, or even just fragmented. In my opinion, it is usually a good idea to follow up your cleansings or banishments with the re-energizing of your wards. To ward is to create an energetic protective barrier around a person, place, or thing as a semi-passive and long-term protective measure, to shield is to create a more short-term ward that surrounds a personal, place, or thing entirely and is envisioned as a bubble, and to cloak is to make a person, place, or thing energetically “invisible” or “irrelevant” to wandering energies or entities so that interests are directed elsewhere. You can find relevant correspondences in my digital grimoire marked as protection, security, and invisibility.

Warding can be thought of as the closing and locking of your spiritual entryway, though it is often done with the intention to protect from more than just matters of the spiritual. I’ve known people to create physical barriers around properties using salt and/or eggshells with protective herbs as a base and visualizing their wards rising from that barrier. You might also like to bury protective crystals at the four corners of the property for that additional kick. But once again, there are so many methods out there that it really comes down to personal preference.

I tend to think of shielding – or bubbling, as some call it – as a more short-term and active form of warding. Shielding is especially useful as an emergency layer of protection when out and about or as an additional layer over your personal wards in outings that you suspect will be energetically taxing. Where wards are thought of as great and powerful walls, shields are typically thought of as entire bubbles surrounding a person, place, or thing on all sides. If you’re an empath like me – which is a sometimes-misrepresented term I’ll get into in a future article – shielding is a good practice to have in your pocket for going out into crowded environments, whether that crowd is physical, as in a theme park, or spiritual, as in a hospital. Whatever visualization you choose to use for warding, your shielding process can tend to be similar, and much of it, again, comes down to the intention. It is often the case, though, that this process takes more energy to conduct, and thus, if you choose to keep up a more permanent shield, it may require more care and more frequent energetic charging than your wards do.

Cloaking is something I don’t see discussed very often, but it can be very useful to consider when you are trying to be energetically off the radar. And obviously, I am not suggesting you go about doing sneaky, unsavory things. Instead, cloaking may be more beneficial for avoiding unnecessary conflict with nosy neighbors, finding peace to work in a coffee shop, or subduing the attention that can come from large-scale energetic workings. And as always, you may choose to hand-pick some herbs, crystals, or other mystical tools for this purpose, but the recommended visualization varies a bit from that typical bright light you may be used to working with. In the case of invisibility, you may choose to envision the person, place, or thing fading out of view or to mentally play the situation at hand out exactly as you wish it to transpire.

Safety Tips for Spirit Work

Certainly, if you plan to do spirit work – a line of spiritual work in which will regularly involve energies and entities completely independent of you – these concepts may be more important to familiarize yourself with than with someone whose only spiritual endeavor is manifesting a little extra spending money every once in a while. Aspiring spirit worker, the following tips are for you:

• As per the point of this article, it’s a good idea to have your preferred protective methods at the ready prior to actively working with spirits. This, of course, does not mean that your methods cannot change over time – but when starting out, you should find a method that is compatible with you and gets you the results you need. Once chosen, try to become familiar enough with it that you can cast it off-book in the event of some sort of spiritual emergency.

• As a spirit worker, you’ll want to cleanse your tools, your space, and yourself very regularly. My preference in my practice is at least once a month and more frequently if I feel it is necessary. Even if you aren’t involved with spirit work, regular cleansings are a good habit to get into, but it is especially important for those inviting a large number of outside influences into their home.

• Get to know your spirit guide(s), and keep them close during any sort of spirit work. I’ve heard from many people who feel that the connection you have with your guide(s) has a sort of solidity to it that can override other communications the moment you ask for it, and I myself have not yet seen evidence to the contrary. If you ever feel uneasy about a communication and are in need of a second opinion on who or what you may be speaking to, ask your guide(s) to come through and communicate with you. Still, as we communicate between realms, discernment is a necessary skill to develop, and having protections in place is always a good idea, regardless of whether you choose to involve your guide(s) or work on your own. If you are completely new to the idea of spirit guides, I do plan to write an article on the topic in the future – but in the meantime, if you’re interested in meeting yours, Lady Gravedancer also has a wonderful video featuring a ritual for communicating with your guides for the first time.

• You may also want to look into the idea of casting a circle (another topic I’ll likely be discussing here in the future). While an entire ritual may not be in the cards for your practice, it may help you to develop some alternative ideas for shielding the space around you during active spirit work. In doing so, you maintain greater control over what is permitted to enter. Afterwards, be sure to say your goodbyes and to close up your circle and any portals you may have opened to avoid uninvited visitors outside of working hours. If you are someone who chooses to always leave your space open to visitation – and some people do – be aware that anything can enter and be prepared for the circumstances that could stem from this.

• If you are someone who allows certain spirits to reside in your home – what I refer to as my “spirit family” – I think it is a hospitable gesture to let those spirits know when you are going to be performing a cleansing or banishing. I can’t imagine that having your energy forcefully transmuted or shoved out the door would be a terribly comfortable thing to experience, so I think of it as a sort of courtesy that exhibits the respect I have for them. This will give them a chance to temporarily leave the space of their own volition while you go through your routine. Alternatively, if you have a special space set up for your spirit family like I do, you may choose to shield that space with the intention for their energies to remain unaffected by the cleansing. I’m not sure that it’s the most perfect method, but it’s one that I’ve found to work well for my spirit family thus far. In both cases, there are those who would argue that this gives unwanted entities a chance to temporarily leave or take shelter within the shield, as well, but I tend to feel that my spirit family would act accordingly to keep our home safe. It is their home, too, after all.

Despite popular Hollywood tropes, working with spirits doesn’t necessarily equate to “terrifying and dangerous” – but this does not mean it is without its risks. And just as you wouldn’t find your way into a dark alley in the middle of the night without some pepper spray, it’s likely not a good idea to invite spirits into your home without compatible defense measures in place.

Safety Tips for Energy Work

Energy work, in general, tends to have the odd side effect of making you a sort of beacon in the realm of the spiritual – and the more you do, the more your energy builds, the more your awareness expands, and the brighter your whole being shines. No matter the level you find yourself at spiritually, the following tips are for you (though feel absolutely free to read through the previous section, as well; the additional knowledge can only benefit you):

• Whether it be through tarot, runes, pendulums, spirit boards, prayer, or some other form of divination you find useful, it is wonderfully wise to seek guidance regarding any workings you do. This practice can help you to avoid unwanted outcomes, to avoid manifesting something you may not truly want, and to uncover exactly what it is you need to add or take away from your workings to bring you the results that you are looking for.

• Keep a journal of what works and what doesn’t in your practice and of any intuitive insights you receive that you feel may be important. Your spiritual path is a deeply personal one, and one person’s experience will likely never be perfectly identical to another’s. There is an abundance of wonderful advice out there. There are many methods out there that work very well for many as-is. But at the end of the day, you must discover what works best for you, even if that is different from the teachings of the majority. Be sure to keep track of it.

• Be mindful of loopholes, especially in manifestation workings. Being too specific can sometimes be ineffective, but not being specific enough has the potential to cause even bigger issues. Manifestation, I find, tends to take the path of least resistance, so when putting your energies out there, you want to be sure your intentions don’t put anyone in harm’s way. Again, divination can be a wonderful source of guidance prior to your workings.

• If you are going to be working with negative intentions of any kind – which is something I don’t advise for a number of reasons, and especially not for beginners – be sure to deep-cleanse yourself and the space the spell or ritual took place in. In addition, it’s generally a good idea to not keep any items used in the working on or near your property. Also know that there are other options, like justice workings, that can be done in place of this. Sometimes when we feel very upset or very angry, we speak or act irrationally and come to regret it later. This can also be true for spellwork, but the results can sometimes be a lot more devastating. Ultimately, I cannot stop you from doing what you feel you must, but at the very least, I hope you’ll think things through.

• Finally, this may seem like common-sense, but don’t let your spiritual practice throw off balance in your life. The realm of the physical has its own value and importance, and that certainly includes your health and wellbeing. If you find yourself neglecting your health, your hygiene, your friends and family, your responsibilities, or your other hobbies, it may be necessary to take a break or dial it back until you’re able to find a good balance.

A Regular Cleansing Practice

You may have already seen this in my article on making the home more magickal, but I thought it would be good to include, here as well. The following are my two most often-used cleansing rituals – one which I perform monthly, and the other as-needed:

My Monthly Cleansing Ritual: I perform this ritual on the first of each month. Any cleansing tools to be charged on the altar should be set at least a day before performing the cleansing. The morning of, weather permitting, open windows and play uplifting music or cleansing affirmations, frequencies, or subliminals of choice. Take a cleansing shower. Clean the home as you normally would. When physical cleaning is complete, use a smoke or spray cleansing blend of choice, walking with intention from room-to-room. Pay special mind to corners and doorways. I like to use sound cleansing – bells, drums, or even snapping your fingers will do – in these spaces to really ensure the breaking up of any “stuck” energies. If you are someone who performs banishing rituals, you may choose to do so now. At this point, I also take a moment to cleanse myself, particularly as an empath. I then tend to my wards by first taking a blessed salt blend around the perimeter of the property, followed by sitting at the center of the property and funneling my own energy into the ward. If you would prefer to instead bless first and ward after, feel free to do so. It is your ritual, after all. Regardless of which order you perform the ritual in, the blessing process may be a deeply personal one, so this is a step I suggest thinking on a bit rather than following to the letter. In my ritual, I use a spray with positive energy-promoting herbs (as well as herbs that may promote the intention I wish to set for the month) and follow up with prayer to my deities. If you’re interested in a more in-depth look at my Monthly Cleansing Ritual, I do have detailed instructions available on my Monthly Blessings Patreon.

My As-Needed Cleansing Ritual: This is essentially a truncated version of my monthly ritual. If the energies are something I’ve tracked in or absorbed too much of, I will take a cleansing shower first. Following this, perform your usual smoke or spray cleansing, focusing especially on any room(s) that may be the most abundant in the energy that brought about this need for an emergency cleanse. You may also like to perform a shorter version of your regular blessing ritual. Unless the situation is really dire, I will generally stick to my spray in this case.

Just to reiterate, all of the information, including these rituals, are from my own practice and my own experience. You must do what works for you if you want to get the absolute best results and the most fulfilling experience. Take what serves you, and leave the rest. Much love and many blessings to you on your journey. Take care of yourself.