#Magical Correspondences of Basil

[wickedherbgrimoire]

✨ BASIL ✨

Basil is a powerful protection herb, perfect for banishing.

Element: Fire Deities: Aries, Saturn, Neptune Zodiacs: Aries, Scorpio, Pisces Planet: Mars Crystals: Pyrite, Bloodstone, Red Jasper, Quartz Good For: Abundance, banishment, motivation, peace, & more! Protects Against: Negativity

For more tips, tricks, tonics, and tintures check out the Wicked Witch's Web! 🌛🖤🌜

Source: The Wicked Witch of the Web

[thewitchywitch]

Resourcefulness in the Craft

You can divine by throwing twigs and pebbles onto a graph you made with a sharpie and some printer paper, or use said printer paper to make your own cartomancy deck.

Use cool stuff you find outside as offerings if you want.

My mom taught me how to make wreaths out of porcelain vine or wild grape vines when I was a child, try it. Or teach yourself how to weave a basket.

Use dried "kindling" twigs to make a small besom in the fall.

Find interesting places outdoors, mark them on maps. Create your own correspondences for components you find while out and about.

Raid your own art or office supply storage boxes.

Use twine or tape for binding spells, use staples for curses, fold origami for attracting abundance, use paperclips for memory spells.

And sticky notes for sigils. And felt for poppets.

And a binder with loose leaf notebook paper for your grimoire! Spice it up with dividers for different topics!

Spending money on the tools and ingredients to make a money bowl is incredibly counter-intuitive. Grab stuff from the kitchen like rice, cinnamon, and basil, and stuff from outside like broadleaf plantain, blades of grass, and a cool rock. Scribble some sigils on yellow or green sticky notes, gather some loose change, and toss it all in a bowl you already have with your intention layered between your ingredients and components.

Magical practitioners have always used what was around them. Being resourceful is part of the practice :)

[thespectralcottage]

Money Bowl Tips ✨💸

I absolutely adore doing money bowls. They serve as an amazing way to build up abundant energy and help with layering your workings. They’re a fairly straightforward working that you tend to by continually feeding it energy or “working” the spell. Let’s jump into some tips.

1.) Have a schedule with it. I recommend feeding your bowl energy fairly often, ideally weekly on Thursdays, but at least once a month. Thursdays are connected to Jupiter which is the planet connected to wealth and abundance. 🪐

2.) Add a candle. A fairly low energy way to keep up with tending to your bowl is to spell a candle for it. After it’s prepped and ready, place it in the bowl. Lighting the candle will feed the bowl energy. 🕯️

3.) The base is just as important as the rest of the bowl. Commonly you use salt or rice for the base. I recommend going a little extra with it. Recently I’ve been into making spell crafted cinnamon salt and using that as my bowl base. Put energy and intention behind making your bowl’s base. It’s literally the foundation of this spell!

3.) *some* herbs you can use in money workings: Alfalfa, dill, basil, chamomile, bay leaves, catnip, oranges, cloves, lemongrass, jasmine, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, mints, star anise, cats claw, and oregano. There are a bunch of options. These ones just have direct correspondence to money drawing.

4.) Set goals for your bowl. Whenever you feed your bowl, focus on this goal you’re driving towards. With money magic you ideally want to be as specific as you can be. These can be long term or short term goals. I usually focus on long term and building stability and sustainable energy flowing to that goal.

I hope these tips bring some ideas for making your own money bowls. 🖤🌱

[breelandwalker]

Witchcraft Exercise - Creating Correspondences

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Witching! 💚🌿

(If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. You can also check out my show Hex Positive wherever fine podcasts are heard. 😊)

More witchcraft exercises here:

[2024-grimoire-challenge]

January Week 1

Welcome welcome to the 2024 Grimoire Challenge! Time to really get started everyone! This week will have a lot of stuff all jammed in. So buckle up, grab your grimoire and your supplies, and let’s get to work!

Monday

Name your book - this may seem silly and you definitely don’t need to name your book. Not properly at least. Other than “my grimoire” or “book of shadows” or what have you, which is totally fine. But some of us might feel the need to give it a proper title. “The Basil Grimoire” or “Hazel’s Handwritten Workings” something, anything, that ties the book to you and your craft. Make a title page! If you feel so inclined. If not, that’s fine too.

Definitions (New Page) - ritual and spell. Let’s define a few things. Make a page specifically for definitions, that we’ll add to through the challenge. Let’s start with a couple simple definitions. Define spell. And define ritual. Within the confines of magic, witchcraft and your practice. What is a spell? What is a ritual? What are the differences?

Study (herb) - Pick another herb from that list we made, and dig into the details. Make a page for it on its own, or add its info to another page! Whatever works for your craft. The questions to ask for these study prompts are going to continue to remain the same. Where did it come from, where does it grow, how does it grow, what are its mundane and practical uses. What are the myths and legends and stories surrounding the herb? What are its magical properties and why/ how do you think the other information you've learned about it have influenced its magical associations?

Tuesday

Outline/ index (New Page!) - it helped me a great deal to have an index or outline to my grimoire. I started this as a file on my computer as my grimoire grew and changed I could more easily manage it and rearrange it as I saw fit. Then eventually I could make it into a handwritten copy.

Study (gem) - Like our herb prompt, the gem prompts are going to always use the same outline and questions. Where does the gem come from? What is it used for in a practical and mundane sense? What are its physical properties? What are any myths, legends or stories? Where and how does it form? How does all of that relate to its magical correspondences and what does the herb mean to and for you in your craft?

Spellwriting 101 (New Page!) - make a new page dedicated to spellwriting. This is going to be one of those prompts that is focused on you and your craft. How do you write spells? How do you set them up? What components do you use? What is the format? How is it done? What does it require? From materials to timing and circumstances? Write it all out in your lab notebook. Make it a work in progress. Not all spells are going to work out the same or function the same as you perform them, but having a general layout and method helps to focus your practice.

Wednesday

Common tools - What are the common tools in your craft? That is, you don't need to have a list of every single tool ever used in witchcraft, just the tools that you use in yours. Both regularly and less regularly. What are they used for specifically? What purposes do they serve in the magical and practical sense? Are they ceremonial and symbolic or do they serve an actual physical purpose? (i.e. a wand used to direct energy serves many purposes, while an incense burner could literally just be that, an incense burner)

Year outline/ calendar - not everyone celebrates the same days, holidays or even the same holidays the same way. What are the special occasions and days in your calendar? Mark them and when the proper season/ holiday comes around, we can make pages dedicated to those days. This week this will simply be a list of these days, while later we will actually make pages for them individually. Think of it like the Wheel of the Year, Yule to Midsummer and so on. What days are important to you and your practice? Are they actual holidays? Or simply days of power like the full moon? Or is it simply days that are significant for other reasons, like the anniversary of the day you began practicing witchcraft?

Practical - tool usage - practice using your tools. For example if you use a wand. Practice using it to direct energies or whatever it is you utilize it for.

Thursday

Altar design/ work space (New Page!) - make a page dedicated to your altar and its setup. Why are things where they are? The reasoning can be simple as “that’s where it fits” or you can give it a more meaningful reason. Candles in front of or behind something to represent some purpose. Do you have items that represent the elements? Deities? Different sources of power or directionality? Different colors for different meanings? Why is your altar the way it is?

Practical - cleansing space - practice cleansing your space and tools. This is of course a physical and 'energetic' cleansing. Tidy it up, redecorate your space, clean the tools if they have dust or ash or anything on them. Sometimes it is good to have a clean start.

Friday

Personal practices - this is just a thought provoking prompt tied in with the Journal prompt below. What are some of your personal practices that you've brought into your witchcraft? Anything from little habits from your every day life to things brought from religion or family traditions. No matter how hard we try, we carry within us echoes of things not related to our practices into it. And that is totally okay. Recognizing them, acknowledging them, and truly incorporating them can be a huge step toward understanding ourselves, our beliefs and our practices all around.

Journal/ introspective/ meditations - Think about the above and write any of it down that you come to terms with. Self understanding is important in and outside of witchcraft.

Thank you all and I hope this week's prompts aren't too overwhelming! Stay tuned next week for the next set of prompts!

-Mod Hazel

[themanicnami]

💖Witchcraft Correspondence: Love💖

Love is one of the parts of life humans chase after in many ways. Not just in ways of romantic desire and sexual interactions but the love of family, friends and love of oneself. It is a common topic when it comes to magic and divination so with that - may this be an easy reference for all of you looking to incorporate love of any kind into your craft. Please note: this isn't every possible correspondence out there - this is more a quick reference guide. Happy witching~

💖Herbs for Love: Anise, Basil, Bay, Catnip, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Coriander/Cilantro, Clove, Damiana, Dill, Fennel, Ginger, Hawthorne, Hibiscus, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Meadowsweet, Myrrh, Parsley, Rose, Rose Hip, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Spearmint, Thyme, Vanilla, Valerian, Yarrow

💖 Flowers for Love: Aster, Baby's-Breath, Bleeding Heart, Carnation, Cherry Blossom, Daffodil, Geranium, Hyacinth, Iris, Jasmine, Lavender, Lilac, Orchid, Rose, Sunflower, Tulip

💖 Fruit for Love: Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana, Cherry, Cranberry, Fig, Guava, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Nectarine, Orange, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Pomegranate, Peach, Pear, Plum, Raspberry, Strawberry

💖 Vegetables for Love: Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Endive, Leek, Lettuce, Onion, Peas, Pumpkin, Radish, Sweet Pea, Tomato, Zucchini

💖 Foods for Love: Chocolate, Pistachio, Rye Bread, Sugar (sweets), Wine

💖 Crystals for Love: Agate, Amber, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Carnelian, Emerald, Garnet, Green Aventurine, Kunzite, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Moonstone, Obsidian, Onyx, Pink Topaz, Pink Tourmaline, Pink Quartz (dyed), Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Tiger's Eye, Rose Quartz, Ruby

💖 Oils for Love: Anise, Basil, Bay, Birch, Cardamom, Clove, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Juniper, Lemongrass, Lemon, Lime, Marjoram, Mints, Myrrh, Rose, Rosemary, Vanilla

💖 Incense/Scents for Love: Amber, Bamboo, Catnip, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Dragon's Blood, Ginger, Jasmine, Lavender, Patchouli, Rose, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Ylang-ylang

💖 Colors for Love: Pink, Red, White, Orange, Purple, Gold, Silver

💖 Moon Phase for Love: New Moon, Waxing, Full Moon

💖 Day of Week for Love: Friday

💖 Elements for Love: Fire, Water

💖 Zodiac for Love Virgo, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Gemini, Pisces

💖 Planets for Love: Venus, Moon

💖 Animals for Love: Beaver, Butterfly, Cow, Crane, Dolphin, Dove, Elephant, Flamingo, Hare, Horse, Ladybug, Lion, Lovebird, Owl, Penguin, Starfish, Swan

~~~~~

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[coinandcandle]

Paradigm Time! - What is a Paradigm?

TL;DR: Paradigms are how you make sense of magic and how it fits into the world in your experiences. They aren't right or wrong and they often change!

Paradigm: a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind

Note: There are a few different definitions of paradigm depending on the field you're talking about. In the case of magic, we are using the definition above.

Paradigms are essentially how you make sense of the world around you. In magic, these paradigms are ways in which someone understands magic, how it works, and how it is used in the world.

Other people have used words like “framework”, or “beliefs/belief system”. Whatever you call it is fine!

Paradigms can and often do change over time, maybe you used to believe “xyz”, but now you’re thinking more “abc”. This doesn't make everything that you did while you believed in “xyz” invalid, it just means you understand it differently now.

Since paradigms are basically belief systems, they are not factual and are not “right” or “wrong” they simply are. One person may disagree with another, who may disagree with someone else, who may have similar but slightly different experiences than another. More than anything else, paradigms are fluid.

Furthermore, paradigms are fluid not just within ourselves but within communities too!

Here’s an example:

Say everyone in x community generally agrees that crystals hold power. However, some may believe that crystals only hold power once charged, like how a cup can only hold water once filled. While others may believe there is an inherent power within the crystal. Others in turn might believe that some crystals hold power and others don’t. Yet they all still believe the paradigm that crystals hold power.

Now let’s take a few paradigms about correspondences as another example.

In one witch’s paradigm, they might be used as ingredients that hold inherent power. -> “I am using the magical properties inherent to basil to power my money jar.” In another, the correspondences are spirits that you petition to help power the magical working. -> “I am working with the spirit of basil and asking them to help with my money jar.” In another, the correspondences are offerings that you give to a spirit that you’re petitioning. -> “I am using basil as an offering to a spirit to help with my money jar.” In yet another the correspondences are spirits that you don’t even need to petition, their very presence influences the spell. -> “I’m using basil in this spell because the spirit of basil will help influence my money jar.”

Here are some other examples of paradigms:

Spirit-Working sorcery, where spirits are petitioned for aid, and the strength of workings tends to depend on the depth of the relationship developed with the spirit, and/or success in evoking them in that instance.

Thinking or focusing on your intent in your head is fine, writing it down is better, but speaking it aloud is best.

Energy is the battery of magic. Magic is the change caused by whatever you’re doing but energy is what powers that change, be it a spell, prayer, whatever.

Gods can be called upon and petitioned for help with a spell, but the relationship between the caster and the god will determine the strength of the spell or their willingness to help. Otherwise, you can try to appeal to them with offerings to make up for the lack of a relationship, though their help will still not be as strong as if there were a pre-existing relationship.

Inanimate objects do not have spirits, but animals, plants, fungi, and humans do.

Again, these are not universal paradigms, they are just examples. I honestly don't think there even is a universal paradigm when it comes to magic and witchcraft.

Thank you to @windvexer @friend-crow @stagkingswife and @rose-colored-tarot for your help in writing this post!

[greenwitchcrafts]

April 2024 witch guide

Full moon: April 23rd

New moon: April 8th

Solar eclipse: April 8th

Sabbats: None

April Pink Moon

Known as: Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon of Plants & shrubs, Budding Tree Moon, Eastermonath, Frog Moon, Green Grass Moon, Growing Moon, Hare Moon, Moon of the Red Grass appearing, Moon When Geese Lay Egss, Moon When thd Ducks Come Back, Ostarmanoth, Planters Moon, Seed Moon, Sucker Moon & Wind Moon

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Aries & Taurus

Nature spirits: Plant Faeries

Deities: Anahita, Bast, Ceres, Cernunnos, Hathor, Herne, Ishtar, Kali, Tawaret & Venus

Animals: Bear & wolf

Birds:  Hawk & magpie

Trees: Bay, forsythia, hazel, lilac, pine & willow

Herbs:  Basil, chives, dandelion, dill, dogwood, dragon's blood, fennel, geranium, milkweed & thistle

Flowers: Daisy & sweetpea

Scents: Bay, bergamot, patchouli & pine

Stones: Angelite, beryl, diamond, garnet, malachite, quartz, ruby, sapphire, sard, selenite & zircon

Colors: Blue, brown, crimson, gold & green

Energy: Authority, balance, beginnings, change, fertility, growth, leadership, opportunities, overcoming obstacles, personal skill development, re-birth, self-evaluation, self-reliance, spirituality, temper control & willpower

April’s full Moon often corresponded with the early springtime blooms of a certain wildflower native to eastern North America: Phlox subulata—commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox—which also went by the name “moss pink.” Thanks to this seasonal association, this full Moon came to be called the “Pink” Moon.

Other celebrations:

• Walpurgis Night - April 30th

Also known as: May Eve

The origins of the holiday date back to pagan celebrations of fertility rites & the coming of spring. After the Norse were Christianized, the pagan celebration became combined with the legend of St. Walburga, an English-born nun who lived at Heidenheim monastery in Germany & later became the abbess there. Saint Walpurga was hailed by the Christians of Germany for battling "pest, rabies, & whooping cough as well as against witchcraft". Christians prayed to God through the intercession of Saint Walpurga in order to protect themselves from witchcraft, as Saint Walpurga was successful in converting the local populace to Christianity. Although it is likely that the date of her canonization is purely coincidental to the date of the pagan celebrations of spring, people were able to celebrate both events under church law without fear of reprisal.

Walpurgis Night is still a traditional holiday celebrated on April 30th in northern Europe & Scandinavia. In Sweden typical holiday activities include the singing of traditional spring folk songs & the lighting of bonfires. In Germany the holiday is celebrated by dressing in costumes, playing pranks on people & creating loud noises meant to keep evil at bay. Many people also hang blessed sprigs of foliage from houses & barns to ward off evil spirits, or they leave pieces of bread spread with butter & honey, called ankenschnitt, as offerings for phantom hounds.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[river-in-the-woods]

i have a similar situation - i'm struggling to make my own correspondences, and i'm trying to draw from my pagan practices as well as my ancestral asian practice. i'm having a bit of difficulty with systematically going through a small dictionary, but maybe this can provide some ideas (and of course, if you have any critiques, i'm totally open to that as well!)

I usually just pick up any reference book and choose whatever I like the sound of and can get my hands on. I have a copy of The Encyclopedia of Natural Magic by J.M. Greer which I use a lot because it has minimal tangential waffle and is neatly laid out. I like Llewellyn's Charms, Spells and Formulas for the same reason.

For culturally relevant things, I like chinasage which has a symbol index of various flora and fauna. I'm not aware of similar resources for other parts of East Asia, apologies.

While I do think that different materials are endowed with particular virtues, I also think this is another area of magic where people get a little obsessed with categorisation.

It's not like Pokemon where lavender has +10 sleep magic points and chamomile has +12, or roses are exclusively for love and attraction and black pepper is only for cursing and banishing, and so on... It's a little more like cooking where there are many possibilities of creating a satisfying meal and yet it still depends on the individual tastes of who's partaking in it.

Cypress, yew and asphodel are strongly associated with the underworld; mugwort and wormwood are associated with night-time and dreams, but these plants will still die without the light of day. Sunflowers and oranges are very solar, but they still have roots that reach into the earth to anchor them. Chilli peppers are incredibly fiery, but they still die without water. Yarrow is for youth, love and beauty, except when you're allergic to it.

Every herb is a herb for protection, and wealth, and attraction, and fertility, and banishing – and so on, because every plant has its own strategy to survive, thrive and proliferate.

(And that's just plants, not even touching on the properties of minerals, animals, elements, colours and so on.)

They do have their specialisations, yes, and I wouldn't use mint to call on the element of fire, nor would I use coffee beans in a sleep spell... What I'm trying to say is: they're all multi-faceted, so set aside the reference books now and then, and just observe and make connections intuitively.

Reference books might tell you that basil or cinnamon or citrus (or whatever) have wealth-drawing properties.

But grass, plain old common grass, completely dominates the greenery of the earth. Crops like rice, wheat, barley and corn are staple foods that support the world's population. And dandelions, with their solar and ouranic qualities and how quickly they proliferate across an open field, are oft overlooked.

These never get listed in books, yet their literal and symbolic powers are undeniable.

Put these – grass seeds, rice grains and dandelion seeds – into a wealth working with a simple prayer. "Bless me with as much wealth as there are blades of grass on this earth, as there are grains of rice that sustain humanity, as there are dandelion seeds that fill the air in spring."

Correspondences are only part of what makes magic work. There's also your own ability and experience, the spirits you call and the relationship you have with them... I strongly favour the relationship part because reference books become less and less important, when you can just ask and the spirits will tell you what to use. Or even better when you don't have to do a spell at all, because you have spirits to take care of it in exchange for some cake.

It took me a long time to open myself up to receiving that kind of inspiration, but... honestly, don't overthink it. You know a lot of correspondences already because you interact with the world every day.

Good luck 🌿

[galacticnikki]

100 Witchcraft Tips in 100 Days!

Day 5 - Fresh vs. Dry Herbs

Mabon is right around the corner and that means fall is upon us. It's time to harvest your gardens and restock and resupply on your herbs and plants. It's time to give thanks and to thank the earth for it's bountiful harvest. I wanted to take this time to say thank you to each and every one of you. This platform is a wonderful place and I'm overjoyed to be here sharing it with all of you. Thank you for following and supporting this blog.

What's the Differences?

Fresh herbs carry the same correspondences as it's dried counterpart; that much will never change. Dried is the standard, easy method of using herbs in a general sense. This could be in cooking, spell jars, sachets, incense, etc. Fresh herbs are typically harder to obtain, require patience, and have fewer uses. So why do some witches use fresh herbs you may ask? I've found through my own practice that using fresh herbs typically resulted in faster results while dried works better for long lasting spells. This may just be association though.

Spells for Fresh Herbs

Healing & Restoration - Bay Leaves, Rosemary, Thyme

Love & Attraction - Rose Petals, Lavender, Jasmine

Cleansing & Purification - Rosemary, Thyme, Lemongrass

Prosperity & Abundance - Basil, Mint, Parsley

Protection - Rosemary, Garlic, Basil

Luck & Good Fortune - Rose, Basil, Dill

Success & Achievement - Bay Leaves, Rosemary, Clover

Grounding & Balance - Cedar, Sage, Pine

Banishing - Garlic, Onion, Clove

How to Use Dried Herbs

In Kitchen Magic: You can use fresh herbs as well, however, dried herbs are on average much more potent and effective then fresh herbs.

To Anoint Candles: I've found using dried herbs typically sticks better to the candle when compared to using fresh herbs.

In Tea Blends: While fresh works for certain teas dry is ultimately your best bet when making an herbal tea.

In Bath Sachets: You could use fresh herbs, however I found dried herbs to soak up the water and release more of it's natural oils then fresh.

In Spell Jars: For long term spell jars dried herbs can minimize the risk for molding when compared to fresh herbs.

If you want to find more of these entries use the hashtag #100 Witchcraft Tips in 100 Days! If you want to join a group of witches feel free to join our 18+ coven on Discord.

[sappy-witch]

January Magick 🌬️

Hello darlings 🥰

As we start the new year, it's a great time to refresh your magical practice and set your intentions for the months to come. Here are some herbs, crystals, and other tools that you can incorporate into your magic this January and their corresponding properties:

🌿HERBS & SPICES: 

Sage: cleansing, protection, and wisdom. 

Juniper: purification, healing, and protection. 

Basil: abundance, love, and luck. 

Cinnamon: prosperity, warmth, and love. 

Peppermint: purification, energy, and clarity. 

Thyme: courage, strength, and purification.

💎CRYSTALS: 

Garnet: passion, creativity, and grounding. 

Clear Quartz: clarity, amplification, and healing. 

Black Onyx: protection, grounding, and transformation. 

Amethyst: intuition, spiritual connection, and relaxation. 

Rose Quartz: love, harmony, and peace.

🕯️CANDLES: 

White: represents purity and new beginnings. 

Silver: represents the moon and the feminine energy. 

Gold: represents the sun and masculine energy. 

Black: protection and banishing. 

Blue: peace, communication, and healing.

🔥INCENSE: 

Frankincense: purification and spiritual growth. 

Myrrh: healing and grounding. 

Cedarwood: protection and purification. 

Peppermint: energy, clarity, and focus.

🔮OTHER TOOLS: 

Tarot cards: divination, self-discovery, and guidance. 

Runes: divination and communication with ancestors and deities. 

Meditation: relaxation, grounding, and connection with the inner self.

🎉CELEBRATIONS: 

January 1st - New Year's Day: A great time for setting intentions, cleansing your space, and starting new projects. 

Remember, the magic is within you, and these tools are here to support and enhance your practice. Use them with intention, gratitude, and respect.

____

🌞 If you enjoy my posts, please consider donating to my energies 🌞

✨🔮 Request a Tarot Reading Here 🔮✨

____

With love, from a Sappy Witch 🔮💕

Blessed be. 🕊✨

[ad-caelestia]

black salt

black salt is used for cursing, protection, banishing, cleansing, breaking spells or hexes, and repelling negative energy. black salt is made by combining either activated charcoal or ashes from burned herbs or incense with sea salt. 

using activated charcoal will actually make your salt a dark black color, whereas using ashes will turn it into a lighter grey color. 

depending on what you plan to use black salt for, you can add different types of ash or other ingredients that correspond with your intent.

here's my disclaimer to tell you to use basic common sense and safety when dealing with plant matter that you aren't familiar with, don't burn toxic herbs to get ashes, and don't throw salt on your grass.

ashes from various herbs and incenses for black salt: 

basil - banishing, protection, spell-breaking

cedarwood - cleansing, protection

cypress - protection

dragon’s blood - cleansing, protection, cursing, banishing

frankincense - cleansing, protection, spell-breaking

mullein - protection (especially for acts of magic involving spirit work)

rosemary - cleansing, banishing

rue - banishing, cursing, protection, spell-breaking

sage - cleansing, protection, banishing

sandalwood - cleansing, protection

thyme - cleansing, banishing

tobacco - banishing, cursing

valerian - protection

wormwood - cursing, protection, spell-breaking

other ingredients you can add to black salt: 

black pepper - cleansing, banishing, cursing, protection

cayenne pepper - banishing, cursing, protection

chili powder - banishing, cursing, spell-breaking

garlic salt - banishing, cleansing, spell-breaking

iron shavings (like from the bottom of your cauldron or a cast-iron pot or pan) - protection

nutmeg - protection, spell-breaking

onion salt - banishing, spell-breaking

making black salt: 

combine the ingredients and grind together using a mortar and pestle, coffee grinder, or herb grinder

store in a glass jar or vial for later use

using black salt:

add to spell jars or sachets

sprinkle in areas around your home to create a barrier

create a circle of protection before performing spells

keep a container of black salt under your bed or pillow to prevent nightmares or bad dreams

add to a jar to create a negativity trap

if using skin-safe components and ingredients, make a facial scrub or mask for cleansing

anoint objects with black salt

add to a container of war water (especially if your black salt contains iron shavings)

sprinkle a small amount on a neighbor’s lawn to make them want to move

add some to a hollow pendant and wear to deflect negativity 

sprinkle on items that hold bad or negative memories to cleanse them

add a thin line of black salt in front of doorways and windows to keep out negative energy and spirits or entities 

add a pinch to homemade floor washes for cleansing

use to symbolize the waning, new, and dark moon; or saturn and pluto

© 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝙰𝙳-𝙲𝙰𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙰

[magickkate]

🌿✨ Correspondences of Kitchen Herbs and Spices 🌿✨

Ever wonder about the magical properties of the herbs and spices in your kitchen? Dive into the world of culinary witchcraft with these correspondences:

Basil: Love, prosperity, protection

Rosemary: Purification, memory, protection

Thyme: Courage, healing, purification

Cinnamon: Prosperity, success, spirituality

Ginger: Energy, passion, prosperity

Sage: Wisdom, purification, healing

Mint: Cleansing, clarity, abundance

Parsley: Protection, fertility, purification

Oregano: Joy, vitality, protection

Garlic: Protection, healing, banishing negativity

Infuse your cooking with intention by incorporating these herbs and spices into your culinary creations! 🍽️🔮

My favorite in cooking are garlic, oregano, and thyme. I also love using cinnamon and rosemary in everyday quick spells especially since rosemary is a cover-all herb, kind of like a white candle. Intention and focus is the main key, not the ingredients, but they can be a huge boost! Be safe and kind!

Sources:

A List of Herbs and Their Magickal Uses

Top Five Herbs I Keep In My Kitchen For Spellwork

[elminx]

Numerology, Part 3: Elminx's 3x3 Spell Creation Format

Note: This is by no means solely my own creation and many people have done 3x3 spell formats before me. What I am going to talk about here is why I use this spell format and some specifics on how I use this spell format.

So you want to cast a spell but you're not sure what or how to do it - this spell format works extremely well for me as a basis for the design of the spell. It can be used for spell bags and spell jars of all kinds as well as any other type of container magic, or simply as an adjunct to a candle spell.

The Numerology

The idea behind this is based on numerology and the meaning of the numbers 3 and 9.

The number 3 is associated both with Jupiter in astrology and the Empress card in the tarot - as you think about these associations, you may begin to understand why the number 3 is considered so powerful magically. In essence - it is the number of manifestations - or, at least, quick manifestations. This can be seen in the magic of human creation - it takes two people to make a third. Three is the number of birth of all kinds, not just gestational.

Likewise, the number 9 is the last of the core numbers in numerology - it represents the completion of a cycle. It is also the result of multiplying our power number of 3 by itself. So by combining the quick power of manifestations from the number 3 thrice over, we reach the total manifestation power of the number 9.

How To Put It Together to Make A Spell

This is where the fun and creativity (number 3 also rules creativity!) of this process come in. Once you have chosen your idea for the spell, you now need to separate that main concept into three parts. This can be done in a lot of ways: it could be past/present/future in a spell that really needs to move forward, three aspects of your final manifestation that you want to come to pass, or really anything that comes to mind.

For a general money spell, it might be money drawing (1), protection for your finances (2), and luck in money (3).

For a spell to protect you from the effects of Mercury's upcoming retrograde, you could base it on the three planets of yours that are going to be most impacted by the retrograde. Alternatively, you could do Keep My Thoughts Collected (1), I Can Write With Ease (2), and My Internet Signal is Strong (3) for a project that needs to be worked on during the retrograde.

The options here are endless just keep in mind that your three objectives should be interrelated in some way. And they should all feed the main objective of your spell.

Now that you have chosen three micro-objectives that support your main objective, you want to come up with three correspondences that feed your micro-objective. These can be as varied as you can imagine: sigils, herbs, rocks, feathers, individual petitions - the sky is really the limit here. You just want each set of three to be unique to one another.

To use the money spell example above: perhaps you might use a loadstone, catnip, and alfalfa for money drawing; bank dirt, a canceled check, and nettles for money protection; and basil, cinnamon, and tiger's eyes for luck in money.

In this way, we could see that we are casting three spells within one or three micro enchantments to support our larger goal. Depending on the complexity of the spell and the energies required, each micro enchantment can be cast on a separate occasion (say on the day of the week that supports each) but in close succession or cast all at once time.

The Details

This may seem like a lot, especially if you are a beginning caster. Remember here that although you are using 9 different ingredients for this spell, they do not need to be expensive nor do you need to use a lot of each item. When I craft a spell bag or spell jar in this type of fashion, I am often using a pinch of any particular herb.

There are a lot of ways to individualize this spell format.

If you use candle magic, I would suggest utilizing a main larger candle for the spell as a whole with three additional supporting candles (chimes work well here) to support the individual elements of this work. You can also choose to burn the candle in increments of three - for three hours at a time or for three or nine days. You can use color correspondences to support each individual goal or the whole.

Rather than being correspondences, you can create individualized goals for yourself - three physical actions that you need to take in the real world to enhance the magic of your working.

Looked at from a different perspective, each set of parts of the whole could be entirely different from one another. The first could be cleansing to rid yourself of the negativity associated with this work, the second could be creating a talisman of some sort to enhance that work, and the third could be the empowerment of this talisman.

The goal here isn't to create a rigid format with which you are forced to follow but to give you ideas about how to incorporate the power of 3x3 and its manifestation potential into your spellwork. The details, as always, are up to you.

--------------------------------------

This is part of an ongoing series about Numerology:

Part One: Combining Numerology and Astrology Part Two: Numerology Applications in Spellwork

Do you like my work? You can support me by tipping me on here or on Kofi, or commissioning me to write an astrology natal birth chart or transit chart just for you.

[the-paganwitch]

Tips for beginner witches who are in the broom closet.

I have been seeing an increase in posts of beginner witches looking for ways to discreetly practice witchcraft. I have been very active with my witchcraft online, but I have more of a secret, hidden practice in real life. This is primarily due to living in a Christian household. I am here to give some tips for those who want to practice, but may not live in a supportive household.

First off, it is completely valid if your practice doesn't look like those you see online. Especially if you have to practice in private, just take it slow and easy, and you'll be okay. You've got this.

Second, I am a female. Because of this, many of my discreet twitchy tips are a bit more catered to women and female presenting people. Nothing against men and male practitioners, I have been able to adapt my practice in this way because of being a woman. There will be tips that will suit everyone, but some are more geared towards women and female presenting.

The first tip I can offer is to utilize nail polish! Nail polish is a perfect way to use colour magic discreetly. You can even make designs that match your intentions. For example, if you want to bring change, pick a colour that corresponds with that and add a butterfly nail sticker to it. It's beautiful and has a magical intention behind it.

If you are wanting to veil to help protect your energy, use a scrunchie that has been given that intention. Veils don't always have to cover your entire head. Be creative.

If you like to paint, incorporate hidden sigils into your art. If you're drawing a character and you want them to have a tattoo, make it a sigil. If you're painting trees, make it look like it's a carving in the tree.

Look into kitchen witchcraft. Kitchen witchcraft can be done very discreetly, as even the most simple ingredients can be used for spells. For example, tomato soup with cloves, basil, oregano, paprika, and black pepper makes a wonderful protection spell which you can eat (this is one of my personal favourite protection spells). You can add in veggies that also match your intentions to make it even better! Make a lemonade to help bring joy and to cleanse your energy. Add a bit of orange to it and you've not only got a joy bringing spell, but a creativity spell as well.

Use walking as a form of meditation. Nothing beats getting out and breathing in the fresh air to help ground yourself. It's even better when music is involved, so don't forget to bring your headphones! You can even listen to audiobooks or podcasts during this time as well. If you are someone that can't always go on walks, just being outside and getting fresh air is more than enough to help meditate or ground yourself.

Enchant your jewelry. This is huge for hidden and discreet witchery! You don't need a fancy ritual or any fancy jewelry to do this. It can be whatever you have that you want to enchant. Hold that piece of jewelry in your hands and envision a bright, white engulfing that item. While feeling this energy, set your intentions into the jewelry. It can be anything you wish! Once you feel your intention is in the jewelry, envision the white light fading and the energy calming. Once this happens, gently blow on the jewelry to remove any excess energy that may be lingering. Now you have enchanted your jewelry without needing any other spell ingredients or rituals!

These are the best tips I can think of at the moment. If anyone else has other tips, feel free to add onto this post! I hope this helps!

[talonabraxas]

Planet Mars: Astrology, Associations, Healing & Magick -Talon Abraxas

Mars and Magick

The energy of Mars may be invoked in magical workings dealing with warriors, war or battles, attack or defense, increasing or preserving physical strength, courage, or sexual potency.

It can also be invoked to break binding spells and love spells and to counter or protect against any spells using Venus energy. Mars energy lends itself well to spells to induce lust and passion, but not love and devotion.

Herbs Associated with the Planet Mars

Thorny and/or red plants are often associated with Mars as are those with a strong, spicy flavor and the ability to warm and stimulate or energize the body.

A list of 50+ herbs associated with the planet Mars:

Acacia,

Agapanthus,

Aloes,

All-Heal,

Asafoetida,

Asarabacca,

Ashwagandha,

Barberry,

Basil,

Belladonna,

Betony,

Black cherry,

Black gum,

Blue cohosh,

Broomrape,

Bryony,

Buckbush,

Butterbur,

Butcher’s broom,

Cacti,

Calamus,

Caper,

Cardamom,

Cardoon,

Cassava,

Catnip,

Chicalote,

Chickweed,

Chives,

Coneflower,

Coriander,

Corn salad,

Cow Parsnip,

Cypress,

Dandelion leaf,

Devil’s claw root,

Dragonhead flower,

Dragon tree,

Field horsetail,

Flax lily,

Garlic,

Gentian,

ginger,

Gobo,

Gorse,

Guanique,

Hawthorn,

Holly,

Horseradish,

Hyacinth,

Japanese knotweed,

Kola nut,

Lamium,

Maca,

Madder Root,

Madwoman’s Milk,

Masterwort,

Mistletoe,

Mugwort,

Mullein,

Mustard,

nettles,

Onion,

Pepper,

Pepperwort,

Pennyroyal,

Pigweed,

Radish,

Red cedar,

Red clover,

Red-hot poker,

Reed,

Resurrection lily,

Rowan,

Rue,

Safflower,

Sarsaparilla,

Solandra,

Tea,

Tarragon,

Thistle,

Thyme,

Toadflax,

Tomatillo,

Turmeric,

Wild ginger,

Wild tobacco,

Wormwood,

Yohimbe

Crystals Associated with Mars

Any red stone can be used to represent Mars including ruby and garnet. Bloodstone also contains Mars energy.

Other Correspondences

Mars is associated with Tuesday, and in Romance languages, the word for Tuesday often resembles Mars (in Spanish, Martes, and in French, Mardi). Dante Alighieri associated Mars with the liberal art of arithmetic.

The color red, the-tower tarot card, the sword, and the pentagram are all symbols of Mars.

The horse, the bear, and the wolf are also associated with Mars.