#occult tips

[koscheys-skull]

People forget that there is an art to keeping your mouth shut.

There is a power in secrecy and being a keeper of covenant and a holder of the mantle that is important.

And some people pretend to be this and they run their mouth.

[witchboxco]

2024 Witch's Calendar

January

11th: New Moon

25th: Full Moon (Cold Moon)

February

2nd: Imbolc

9th: New Moon

24th: Full Moon (Quickening Moon)

March

10th: New Moon

19th: Ostara / Spring Equinox

25th: Full Moon (Storm Moon) / Lunar Eclipse

April

1st: Mercury Retrograde

8th: New Moon / Solar Eclipse

22nd: Earth Day

23rd: Full Moon (Wind Moon)

25th: Mercury Direct

May

1st: Beltane/May Day

7th: New Moon

23rd: Full Moon (Flower Moon)

June

6th: New Moon

20th: Litha / Summer Solstice

21st: Full Moon (Strong Sun Moon)

July

2nd: New Moon

21st: Full Moon (Blessing Moon)

August

1st: Lammas/Lughnasadh

4th: New Moon

5th: Mercury Retrograde

19th: Full Moon (Corn Moon)

28th: Mercury Direct

September

2nd: New Moon

17th: Full Moon (Harvest Moon) / Lunar Eclipse

22nd: Mabon / Fall Equinox

October

2nd: New Moon / Solar Eclipse

17th: Full Moon (Blood Moon)

31st: Samhain

November

1st: New Moon

15th: Full Moon (Mourning Moon)

25th: Mercury Retrograde

December

1st: New Moon

15th: Full Moon (Long Nights Moon) / Mercury Direct

21st: Yule / Winter Solstice

30th: New Moon

[ts-witchy-archive]

Witchy Self-Care

*pulls out draft from over a year ago* ENJOY

Hi! this is a list of witchy self-care things you can do. Most of these are pretty basic on account that i wrote this ages ago but they definitely still work. Anyways, I hope these help :)

Do the dishes and dedicate it to your house spirit (if you have one) or a deity (if you're religious)

sweep/mop your floor in the shape of sigils

add rosemary (or rosemary water/essential oils) to the water you mop with to set an intention of cleansing

taking ritual a bath/shower

cleansing your energy. it's so basic but I forget more than i'd like to admit

dedicating time to yourself. it's just as important as dedicating time to your deities/other spirits

light shadow work or going to therapy. bettering your mental health also betters your spiritual.

go outside and ground yourself

take a nap (less witchy, more, I love naps. rest is important)

work out/stretch and dedicate it to an entity

do some gratitude

take 5 minutes to just sit and turn off your devices. you can use this time for anything, just take a second to get off screens and connect with the world around you

meditate. if you can't sit still long enough to meditate, just focus on taking 3 deep breathes

when you wash your face, draw sigils on your face with the cleanser and moisturiser

^do the same as above but with your body wash and when you wash your hair

say some affirmations/manifestations while brushing your teeth

just check in with yourself and see how you're feeling spiritually, psychically and emotionally. sometimes we don't actually know how we're feeling until we sit down and actually ask ourselves.

If anyone has any more to add please comment. I'll add them to the list (with credit of course)

[swirley1618]

[casualwitchbitch]

🌙 13 Tips for Powerful Witchery

1. Focus on your intention more than your tools

2. Pay attention

3. No matter how long you’ve been practicing, maintain a “beginner’s mind”

4. KISS! (Keep It Simple, Stupid!)

5. Practice discernment

6. Notice when some thing/place/method resonates with you and use it often

7. Learn to quiet your mind

8. Befriend your shadow self

9. Have boundaries

10. Develop your intuition/inner voice

11. Never practice when you’re shaken up like a snow globe

12. Know when to do nothing

13. Craft your own rituals

[witchyandbitchyandgay]

Carry rosemary in your pocket when you need help remembering something.

Chew mint or mint gum to help you focus.

Tie a green ribbon in your hair for good luck and fortune. Tie a red one for confidence and fiery energy.

Put some dirt from work in a bottle with a penny to get more money.

Offer morning dew to your spirits/deities/fae.

Add honey in your coffee or tea to sweeten and clean your day.

Sweep with salt to refresh your energy.

[creature-wizard]

Hey folks, as you're exploring your various paths of spirituality and magic, it's important that you're mentally prepared to find out that you're really, really wrong about something somewhere down the the line. You might discover that a practice you take for granted is appropriative and misrepresented from its original form and intent. You might find out that something you thought was real history was actually made up by somebody fairly recently. You might find out you've been subscribing to an idea that has its origins in a hate movement.

It's not a matter of if this kind of thing will happen, but when. Even if you're doing your very best to research reliable sources as exhaustively as you possibly can, you can be certain that somewhere along the way, you'll absorb something like this. No one is immune. This won't make you a bad person. It's not like you misinformed yourself on purpose, much less went out there with the intention of harming someone or misrepresenting their practices. It's not like the people giving you bad information told you "hey, guess what, I'm a hateful shithead and I'm lying to you." You just didn't know, that's all. Nobody can know everything, not even the most well-read scholars. While being wrong isn't good, it's also not a moral failing. What's important is that you acknowledge that you were wrong, and accept this as an opportunity to learn and grow. It's the most anyone can do, and if someone tries to make you feel bad about being wrong in the first place, don't listen to them. (Being right doesn't inherently make someone morally superior!)

Ultimately, what's really going to speak to your moral character is your ability to admit that you've fucked up and your willingness to do better. You will fuck up one day, so have a healthy plan in mind for dealing with that.

[xnoctifers-eveningx]

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼 Wild Plant Lore 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼

Some notes from my BOS of weeds / local plants that can be used in one's craft. Includes magickal correspondences, traditional uses (medicinal and culinary), and some of their folklore.

Disclaimer at the end !!

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Acorns- the nuts of oak trees. They're made of one seed covered by a tough shell with a cap on top. These nuts can be eaten and are turned into flour to make breads and pastas. Much about acorns are unknown as they are mainly unused in everyday life, but we do know that they contain a high fiber content which has been used to treat bloating, diarrhea, stomach pains, and other digestive issues. Because these nuts come from oak trees they’ve been a symbol of great wisdom and longevity in many cultures such as Celtic and Nordic. Many people have worn necklaces with acorn charms on them to bring protection

• Protection, prosperity, growth, wisdom 

Bull nettle- Thick stock and toothed leaves with stiff prickly stinging hairs, the flowers are small, white, and covered in hispid. The seed pods are lightly coloured and cylindrical, containing ~3 seeds. Touching this plant will cause a stinging, burning, or itching sensation that will last for hours. The seeds from the seed pods are edible and taste nutty but need to be harvested with extreme care as to not sting yourself. The seeds can be roasted or ground into a "cornmeal." The root of bull nettle is edible, it's similar to a potato but tougher and the core is so tough it should be discarded.

Binding, banishing, warding, baneful (to cause pain)

Cattails- Cattails are semi-aquatic plants that consist of multiple long spiked leaves with one center spike holding a sausage-shaped head that is filled with cottony seeds. Their rhizomes can be turned into a flour with a high protein content and the shoots can be cooked and eaten. The stems and leaves can be turned into paper. A poultice from the roots can be used as an antiseptic, for burns/cuts, and to reduce inflammation. When harvesting this plant please do not overharvest, it’s a very important part of a wetland’s ecosystem ! Also, always make sure the water near the cattails is clean because cattails filter pollutants out of the water so if you plan on consuming the plant, you could also be consuming those pollutants. 

Fertility, growth, prosperity, peace, water-associated magick, cleansing

Catchweed- Also known as cleavers, hitchhikers, goosegrass, or sticky weed. Catchweeds are branchy, square stems that latch onto other plants and buildings with small hooked hairs on their leaves and stems. They have tiny, star-shaped, green or white-ish flowers with four petals. They also have small burrs that contain a few seeds that are covered in hooked hairs so they can latch on to animals to disperse seeds. For those who want to risk getting pricked, catchweed is edible. Young leaves and stems can be cooked and eaten like spinach. This plant is also in the same family as coffee, meaning that you can dry and roast the seeds in their burrs to make a lower-caffeine coffee substitute and teas. Poultices have been made with the whole plant, as with tea washes from dried leaves, in many cultures for light burns, small wounds, and eczema. It has a cooling effect so it’s also used in infusions for bug bites, stings, and poison ivy. 

Energy, binding, commitment, protection during travel 

Chickweed- Also called chickenwort/weed, winterweed, and simply ground cover as that’s its primary use in modern society. Long stems with pointed, oval-shaped leaves and tiny white star-shaped flowers that resemble carnations. Its star-shaped flowers earned it the botanical name “Stellaria media”. Its flowers and leaves are both edible and are very popular in salads, soups, and stir-fries. It has a taste similar to sprouts that you’d use in a salad. Chickweed salves are used for skincare, poultices for poison ivy, and teas for digestion. Historically, it's been used for skin ailments like itching, dry skin, and even bruises or bug bites from a tisane/tea of the stems applied to the affected area. In European folklore, it was said to help promote a happy, balanced family and love life. This is believed to come from how chickweed grows so closely with all its stems intertwined but in a way that promotes each part to grow healthy, so it promotes everyone in a household getting along with one another while having their own sense of individuality. It’s also associated with perseverance (like most weeds I’ll admit), this is because chickweed is seen growing everywhere, in yards, in forests, on piles of dirt. If it sees an opportunity, it’ll take it and thrive year-round. 

Love, stability, loyalty, communication, lunar-associated magick 

Clovers- white, balled flowers with three to four small, round leaves. Every part of this plant is edible, the leaves and flowers are sweet and vanilla-y so they are good in teas and sweets. Clover has been used to ward off fevers and used in tisanes/teas for inflammation. Clover has been associated with good fortune for centuries, especially four-leaved clovers. A shamrock is a symbol of a three-leafed clover representative of the Christian Holy Trinity, it’s also believed that the Celtic druids thought shamrocks to be significant because they had three leaves possibly representing the underground, earth, and sky. 

Luck, prosperity, happiness, faith

Creeping Speedwell- Teeny tiny violet/baby blue flowers with light yellow middles, it is incredibly fast-growing and can be found in most yards. Speedwell is edible and good in salads, pestos, and smoothies. Tea is made from the leaves and flowers to help clear congestion, allergies, and coughs. Some add it to their baths to help with their allergies and inflammation, inflammation is also helped by a poultice. In some folklore, it’s said that a tea or ointment from speedwell could help one with psychic visions and faerie sight. Before I truly knew the folklore behind speedwell I had this sense that it would help with your clairsenses. 

Abundance, divination, psychic/clairsense work

Creeping buttercup- Buttercups are toxic and will leave blisters when raw so they must be cooked or dried before being consumed, even then it's not recommended to eat. A poultice of the (boiled) leaves is used for inflammation and wounds and a tea from the plant is used for its analgesic properties, but be wary of the blisters that may occur. Buttercups used to be used to ward off faeries, many farmers would plant these around their cows to prevent them from being stolen from the fae. There are a lot of stories relating buttercups to cows which is very very cute but ironic because buttercups are actually toxic to many animals! For its many associations with children, fairies, and coyotes across various cultures it can also be related to mischief  

Youth, happiness, love, protection from fae, mischief (jinxes/hexes/glamours) 

Creeping charlie- Also known as ground ivy. Creeping charlie has square stems with dark, rounded or fan-shaped, toothed leaves. It has small blue or lavender, funnel-shaped flowers that grow in clusters of two or three in the spring. Creeping charlie is edible and has a long history of being used in beer and cheese, it tastes subtly minty as it's in the mint family. Young leaves are good in salads to freshen them up and it's also really good in teas and sweets. There is a risk of it being toxic if consumed in large quantities though. For centuries now it's been used in teas to calm a cough, been said to help with headaches, and has been used on the skin to reduce pain and soothe inflammation. Some have turned it into a snuff and used it for congestion, kind of like Vaporub. It was actually brought over from Britain to the Americas for its medicinal uses, now it’s one of those weeds people will spend tons of money trying to get rid of. Alike creeping buttercup, it’s said that some may have used this to ward magick from their livestock and themselves. Some say it’s good to use to find out who has cursed you or sent the evil eye your way and in some stories, people would drink it as a tea to get rid of their shyness. 

Protection from magick and spirits, divination, clarity, courage

Deadnettle- My favourite weed :) Square stem, fuzzy leaves that occasionally are red/purple at the top, with tiny tube-shaped light pink flowers. Despite technically being a nettle, it’s not a true nettle so very few people will have a reaction when touching this plant. Deadnettle is part of the mint family and every part of it is edible, despite that though it's not very minty and is floral and sweet. My favourite parts are the tiny pink flowers which have sweet nectar in them and are good in teas, syrups, sweets, and jams. The leaves are good in teas, smoothies, pestos, and salads. A poultice or salve can be made from the leaves for wounds and teas can help with allergies. This plant is sometimes called purple archangel because it pops up around the Feast of the Apparition when it was said St. Micheal appeared. It’s associated with determination because this lil dude will grow anywhere, even in spots with the worst quality soil. 

happiness, determination, peace, healing

Dandelion- Dandelions are bright layered yellow flowers with toothed leaves that grow pretty much anywhere there is enough dirt to get their roots in. The entire plant is edible, the flowers are slightly sweet making them good for salads, syrups, and sweet. The leaves are slightly bitter but that can be lessened when harvested young or boiled, they're good as spinach replacements and can be dried for teas. The flowers can also be turned into dyes. The plant's name can be literally translated to 'healing herb' as it has been used in many cultures for it's gut health and detoxifying properties. Teas and tinctures from leaves are made for a diuretic and flowers are made into salves or beauty products to treat acne/eczema and to reduce inflammation. About dandelions being diuretics - the name dandelion comes from the french name dentdelion (tooth of the lion) but there’s actually a second French name, “pissenlit”, which means piss the bed !!

luck/wishes, communication, balance, courage, youth

Daisy- Daisies are low-growing flowers with thin, long, white petals and yellow disc florets (middles). Common daisies are edible, these are really found growing anywhere even in your lawn. Leaves can be used in salads or stir-fries and flower heads can be pickled or used in salads. Wines, soups, and teas are also commonly made from daisies. The flowers have a slightly bitter taste but look pretty in dishes. Daisies have been used in teas for coughs, bronchitis, and common colds. It's also been used to "stimulate the digestive system" to promote appetite. Daisies have been into lotions and other skincare products to treat rashes, eczema, and other skin issues. Daisies came to be associated with love and motherhood through it being the flower of Freya, innocence/purity through the story of Vertumnus and Belides where the flower gets its scientific name, and purity the popular phrases like “fresh/clean as daisies”.

Happiness, cleansing, love, purity (cleansing), motherhood/childbirth

Feverfew- Feverfew are daisy-like flowers with bright yellow middles and white petals, with yellow-green leaves in a feathered arrangement, that grow in small bushes together. Feverfew is edible but many will steer clear of it as it has a very bitter taste. It’s often made into teas and used in pastries. Although feverfew isn’t used to reduce fevers anymore, there are still many health benefits and medicinal uses of the plant, some people even calling it ‘medieval aspirin’. People will take feverfew pills or apply a poultice to relieve pain from arthritis and inflammation. A poultice can also be applied to minor cuts, scrapes, and bug bites. Teas can be made for headaches and some use it to help with menstrual pain. Feverfew is also known to show some skin benefits by reducing redness and inflammation. Feverfew may increase bleeding as it acts similar to an anticoagulant, because of this it is advised that if you are taking a blood thinner like aspirin, Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Heparin (Innohep), or others, you talk to your doctor before taking feverfew. This plant has more medicinal uses than references in mythology but I did find a few references to it being believed to be able to save the life of someone that had fallen from the Parthenon, a temple to Athena, which gave it the scientific name parthenium.

Healing, curse-breaking, love

Lesser celandine- Also known as pilewort or sometimes fig buttercup. Pilewort is a plant on the buttercup family that has dark, heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers with glossy petals. Despite its pretty exterior, touching the plant could cause rashes or blistering especially when the plant is crushed. Ingesting the plant can cause dizziness, vomiting, and worse. While there may be ways to cook out the toxins, I cannot advise anyone to consume this plant without proper experience. This plant is also known as the spring messenger as it's one of the first plants to bloom in the spring. Lesser celandine was referenced a lot in literature, most being about love and foreshadowing happiness alike how it signals spring. 

Joy, love, Spring associated magick

Maple seed pods- Maple seeds, also known as helicopters or samaras, are the seed of maple trees, as one would assume. These are winged pods consisting of a papery tissue surrounding a single seed that is usually joined together in pairs of two. The seeds are edible once the outer covering has been removed and taste better while young, becoming bitter as they mature. Some say that smaller pods taste sweeter and larger ones taste more bitter. They're good in roasts, stir-fries, and salads. They can also be dried and pounded into flour ! Much of what we know about maple seeds are simply culinary and there's not much information on their medicinal uses. The majority of the correspondences of maple seed pods come from maple trees which represent balance and longevity. They also are associated with childhood after the many many years of children playing with these helicopter-like seeds. 

Longevity, growth, balance, youth

Mulberries- Mulberries come in three different colours which are red, white, and black. Different mulberries grow on different mulberry trees. Black mulberry trees have an orange-y-toned bark with toothed, heart-shaped leaves. White/red mulberry trees have a greyish bark with large, deeply lobed, oval-shaped leaves. Mulberries look very similar to blackberries but longer with each cluster of fruit containing a seed. Mulberries are edible, black ones taste the best and can be both sour and sweet and the white/red ones are duller in flavour but sweet. These are made into jams, syrups, wines, sweets, sorbets, really anything sweet and it tastes great ! These berries are more known for their culinary uses but some studies suggest that they can help reduce cholesterol and improve digestion. In Greek/Babylonian mythology, red mulberries came from white mulberries that were stained red from the deaths of the star-crossed lovers Pyramus and Thisbe which gave them the association of love and death.

Love, death, faith, wisdom

Osage oranges- Also known as horse apples or hedge apples. Osage oranges are a yellow-green fruit with a very rough and bumpy peel. These oranges grow on trees called Maclura pomifera. The wood of these trees are used for very good firewood and yellow-green dyes. The Osage natives would use the wood from the tree for many things like bows and boats as it’s very flexible. The roots of the trees are sometimes made into water infusions to help with eye conditions. People have also used the wood, or even sat out the fruit, to deter insects. Osage oranges are edible but most people, and even animals, will avoid eating them due to their dry and bitter taste. They taste like very bitter and citrus-y cucumbers. These oranges can cause skin irritation to some. 

Warding, protection, strength

Pinecones- Pinecones are geometric cones that come from conifer pine trees that produce pollen or seeds depending on their sex. Pinecones symbolize fertility and life in many cultures and have been used in artwork for centuries. The pineal gland in the brain was named after pinecones because of its shape, this gland is sometimes referred to as the “third eye” and some believe that it acts as a witch’s eye would; this is how pinecones were tied to the idea of enlightenment and rebirth as well as the fact that they have been around for so long. Some conifer cones are edible (some aren't!) but they are very tough to chew so you must boil them before eating, pinecone jam has been commonly made from young cones. Pine has been used in teas, tinctures, resins, and many other things to treat coughs, allergies, and help with sinus infections. 

Fertility, creativity, prosperity, enlightenment, rebirth

Prickly lettuce- a quite tall, red stem that contains latex with large tooth-shaped leaves that have prominent veins and spikes lining its edges and main vein on its underside. When it blooms it has small, pale yellow flowers. This plant is edible and is pretty much used like normal lettuce while having a slightly bitter taste, as usual, this gets less noticeable as it matures. Leaves can be eaten in salads or cooked/steamed and the root can be made into a tea. The latex substance that comes out of the leaves and stem when injured is called lactucarium which is known as lettuce opium due to its sedative and pain-relieving properties; the process of harvesting this substance is tedious. This can be used to help people sleep, relax, and relieve pain. Lettuce in general has a great amount of significant historical usage. Lettuce came to be associated with sex because an Egyptian fertility god, Min, was associated with lettuce as it was known as an aphrodisiac that was ritualistically ingested before sex. These effects were due to the lactucarium. In Hellenism, when Adonis died he was laid on a bed of lettuce along with other fast-growing plants. In festivals for him, they would burn withered lettuce and mourn his death, this related lettuce to death. 

Necromancy, offerings for the deceased, fertility, sex

Queen Anne's Lace- Also known as wild carrot. A tall flowering weed with a thin, stiff stem and tiny white, clustered flowers. The flowerhead consists of a bunch of separate flowers, some plants may have a singular purple/pink flower.  Queen Anne's lace's root is edible which is actually where it gets the names wild carrot and Daucus Carota, it's good steamed and boiled. It is pretty stringy and if you wait too long to harvest it can become very hard and woody. This plant is NOT safe to consume for those who are pregnant ! The stem is known to cause skin irritation and rashes to people with sensitive skin. Despite being edible, most wouldn't suggest eating it because it looks almost identical to poison hemlock which if consumed could be fatal. It also looks a ton like wild celery but that's less of an issue. Historically, the seeds of wild carrot were used as an abortant in a "morning after pill" type of way. Wild carrot was named Queen Anne's Lace after Queen Anne of England who was a great lace maker, there is a legend that when making lace one day she pricked her finger then a single drop of blood fell on it and that's why the flower has a single purple flower. Because of the association to Queen Anne, some would use it to try to attract love or make themselves look more beautiful. Wild carrot is also called bird's nest or the bishop's flower which ties it to themes of safety and sanctuary.

Beauty, love, glamours

Rosebay willowherb- Also commonly known as fireweed for its appearance or bombweed because it began to heavily grow in bomb craters/sites in WWII around the UK. The rosebay willowherb has tall reddish stems and willow-like leaves with long magenta flowers. Traditionally it's been used in teas, jellies, and salads. It has a pretty bitter taste so you need to harvest it young and cook it before eating. It's used in teas for its demulcent properties, to treat certain stomach conditions, and has been used in skincare because of its astringent properties. There’s not much folklore about this plant but it’s well known for appearing after events that devastated an area, it was one of the first plants to start growing after Mt. St. Helens, after colonizers burnt down forests, and after bombs dropped in WWII. I’ve also heard it’s bad luck to pick its flowers, either stating that a storm will occur or your mother will fall ill.

Courage, perseverance, change, bad luck

Stinging nettle- tall, heart-shaped, toothed leaves. The leaves are covered in small stinging hairs that when touched will inject chemicals into one's skin and cause slight stinging sensations. Young stinging nettle has widely been used in dishes as soaking/cooking it takes away the sting. It is very similar to spinach in taste, texture, and nutrients. Ointments are made to treat arthritis and inflammation, teas are made from dried leaves and flowers to treat allergies and hayfever. Poultices of the leaves were used for stiff joints and muscle pain by helping blood circulation in that area. Be wary of using stinging nettle on your skin as it can cause rashes and blisters. Some Native American groups used it in teas as a stomach tonic. In Celtic folklore, it was said to keep evil spirits and illness at bay, it also says that when you see thick strands of nettle it means that faeries are nearby. 

Binding, protection from baneful magick and evil spirits, strength, curse breaking

Sweetgum seed pods- Also known as witch’s burrs or witch balls. Sweetgum seed pods are hard, spikey seed pods with small holes where the seeds once were. These fall from sweetgum trees after they mature and disperse their seeds. These aren’t edible nor really used for any medicinal purpose. They’re often placed around plants to protect them from animals. Magickally, you can place them around your space to ward off unwanted energies and entities or even grind them into a powder for banishing or protection. These things hurt like hell to step on so they’re also good to use in baneful protection magick, like baneful wards or return to senders. 

Protection, warding, binding, baneful protection

Violet- There are many species of violets so I'm going to cover them in a broad sense. Violets are usually small, light purple flowers with short stems, little shrubbery, and heart/kidney/scalloped leaves. In many species of violet both the leaves and flowers are edible and contain high levels of vitamins A and C, but make sure to properly identify your plant before consuming. These can be made into teas, sweets, salads, etc. Violet syrup is my favourite ! Some leaves in wild violets will taste quite soapy, so try them out before cooking them into anything. Violet leaves have cooling and anti-inflammatory properties so they are used in poultices, salves, compresses, and oils for scrapes, burns, and bug bites. Violets have traditionally been used in teas or tonics for coughs and swollen lymph nodes. There is a lot of folklore and mythology that this flower is a part of. Violets are largely associated with modesty and innocence and this stems from two main stories; Persephone was said to be picking violets when Hades kidnapped her to live in the underworld and in Greek mythology when Apollo pursued a nymph, Artemis/Diana turned her into a violet to protect her. There are also stories in The Bible that associate violets with modesty like when Archangel Gabriel tells Mary she is pregnant, violets bloom around her. This is why sometimes when a child dies, violets are put on their grave as a representation of their innocence. There are many other popular stories of violets turning to tears when someone is crying. They’re also associated with love from a story of Venus and Cupid and were believed to be an aphrodisiac in the Middle Ages. 

Femininity, respect, wisdom, modesty, divination, love 

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Disclaimer !!: Before you consume or use a plant medicinally, make sure you are 100% sure on the ID. Speak with a doctor before using a plant, especially if you’re pregnant, and make sure you aren’t allergic and that it won’t interact with any of your medications. Do not substitute legitimate medications with herbal remedies, this is not medical advice. Always do your own research before consuming or using a plant medicinally. Some of the plants, while generally safe for humans, are not safe for animals and children. As a general rule of thumb, younger greens will taste better. As the plant matures and bears fruit it will typically become more bitter, so the best time to harvest most of these is before it bears fruit. Make sure to avoid areas treated with pesticides and always wash your takings before use. And make sure you're never over-harvesting, always make sure there's another 'patch' of the plant your taking !!

[the-trans-folk-witch]

A Warning to new witches

Reading makes you smarter. But reading does not mean you are smart. This applies to those who read occult texts as well. Just because it is about magic and witchcraft, does not mean you are smart to read it. Be discerning of authors, publishers, and wording. You should not judge a book by its cover but you SHOULD judge a book by its title. be cautious of books using words like ____ Magic(k). The overuse of adjectives to describe types of witchcraft are purely used to make books attract crowds who follow trends. An example would be "Lunar Magick" which is a title to over 200+ books on amazon. They use these names to get your money for very little information. Most of these self published books are plagiarized or just watered down versions of actual grimoires with a historical basis. Be perceptive. And if you struggle to discern if a book will be good or not, ask me! I try to read the shitty throw away books just so I can help educate my mentees on what to NOT do. Know your enemies including bad authors. (Matt auryn is one of these bad authors. No matter how popular "psychic witch" is.

[bitter-bats-cult-of-the-moon]

Six Grounding Exercises

1. Tree Yourself.

Being ungrounded happens when you are out-of-balance. When energy is blocked, you are unable to access the support of the earth and the higher awareness of your spirit.

A simple grounding exercise involves the visualization of yourself as a tree. First, close your eyes. Next, visualize roots growing out from your feet. “Extend” these roots through the ground and going all the way down. Anchor them at the center of the earth.

2. Meditation.

Meditation helps bring about awareness. You notice the subtle energy changes within your body. You know if you are out-of-sync or if you have become ungrounded.

Practicing body awareness or moving meditations is helpful.

You bring your awareness into the now, rather than the past or the future.

You are aware of your physical existence even while increasing your spirituality.

If you are grounded, you are conscious of yourself and your current surroundings.

You don’t have to spend hours doing meditation. In fact, just half an hour a day is enough to expand your awareness.

3. Get Physical.

Physical activity helps to remove any accumulated toxic energy in your aura. When you shift your energy from an overloaded mental focus to a physical one, you can clear away any mental debris. Getting connected through physical activity does not necessarily mean that you must join a gym. All it means is to allow your mind a chance to take a break.

4. Nature.

Going out by the ocean or just being in nature is a wonderful way to revitalize. Working with soil or clay helps in grounding. Simply touching the earth helps. Gardening is a wonderful grounding activity as it reconnects you with nature.

5. Grounding Foods.

According to Ayurvedic Medicine, there are grounding foods that you can eat, and it suggests Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Ginger, Avocado, Mango, Papaya, Grapes, Olives, Berries, Coconuts, Figs, Melons, Green Beans, Egg Plant, or Yams.

For flavoring your food, use warming spices such as ginger, nutmeg, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and cloves. A dash or two of fennel and/or sea salt also works.

6. Grounding Crystals.

Obsidian

Black Tourmaline

Smoky Quartz

Jet

Blue Kyanite

Simply hold the crystal in your hands, and visualize any unwanted energies flowing outward, and into the crystal itself. Occasionally, you will need to cleanse the crystal by putting it on the soil of the earth to drain and clear it of any negative charges.

[brujamala-aka-gigi]

my personal everyday "witchy" habits

drinking green tea with herbs and such depending on how moody i am: chamomile, mint, ginger, cinnamon, rosemary, honey, lavender... based on spiritual and ¿medical? correspondences. i also try to eat as healthy as possible during the weekdays and do some kitchen witchcraft on time to time.

on that sort of same line (and don't take this advice if you're not already a smoker) making my own herbal cigarettes, rolling like 40 cigarettes by hand is a whole meditative process i swear. i do have access to ethically buy some tobacco straight from natives in my area but that and the herbals are not my main smoking choice.

cleaning before going to bed, not even cleansing just cleaning the mess I've made during the day.

lighting candles or incense on my altar: candles are expensive tho so its more common i light different incense sticks during the day. (yes i reek of tobacco and incense).

at least shuffle my comfort tarot deck. i think this is relatable but some of my decks have super strong cut throat energies (we love a no bullshit straight to the point reading but maybe not everyday), but my first tarot deck is always comforting idk.

journal the shit out of my feelings because some days i have a lot of them and I can't even keep up with my own brain being annoying like that. also my therapist appreciates it.

i do wear some protective jewelry but i make sure that the pieces are not easily seen. same with crystals around the house, they are concealed just in case. on time to time i do also stain my skin with protective symbols, but again always concealed.

and shout out to self care, keeping up with my schedule and my mundane tasks. i swear i get so weirded out by free time, like i started this blog because i got a few extra hours to do something other than my job and studying.

[koscheys-skull]

your blog has singlehandedly inspired me to get back into developing my practice again after lots of mental hardship, thank you :,-) it’s so reassuring to see someone with a very similar belief system to my own and your writing is so charming, so I hope it’s okay to ask, but do you have any recommendations for some little things you would consider helpful for getting back into the swing of things? if not, thank you for the inspiration regardless. may your morning coffee/tea be the perfect temperature always and the new day sunlight fall gently upon your face.

Hello! And Welcome! It's so good to have you and to see you! This is a wonderful question, actually! I am so happy I could facilitate a revitalisation in your Practise and Faith. What an incredible experience for me to be able to inspire someone else! I am so happy you have come my way. This is an incredible important question. And it covers a subject / concern that I feel isn't spoken about enough. It's understandable for fallow times to occur. It is even important at times to go on a hiatus. Below the cut is a somewhat long bit of advice and suggestion for you. I hope it helps you on your path!

It's daunting, sometimes, innit? Jumping back into something. Well, you know, I like to compare a lot of Spiritual practises a bit like farming or gardening. It's cyclical. Whether or not you incorporate cycles into your working isn't necessarily a necessity. But I am a Necromancer, so naturally cycles and those similar themes play large roles in my work. Death. Birth. Life. Death. Rebirth. So when someone is starting to come back into their traditions and practise, I always like to encourage that person to begin with weeding. I like simple "pound stores / dollar stores" because they often sell cheap little journal / notebooks. If you have one already? Incredible! Give it a task! Take time to go over everything you once knew. Everything you thought you knew. Everything you studied. Everything you understood. Go through it. Is that information still accurate? Is it up to date? Have you learned anything different? What previous attracted your attention? Why? Is that information also up to date? What is drawing you now? Why? All of these are good thought exercises. If you'd like, you can throw some bones or draw cards for some divination to help guide the subjects and how these thought exercises help you move forwards. I would not give any of these subjects or focuses any more merit. Just that. Acknowledge what your field looks like. What it has in it. What your skills and practise might have looked like previously. Just take stock. Then, collect all of that up, and set it aside. Set all of that information and previous experiences aside. And then begin from the ground up. Begin with your core basics: Banishment, Cleansing, Grounding, Discernment, Energy Perception, Shielding, Mental Skills (focus, meditation, study skills), Warding, Opening and Closing circles, Centering, Invocation (calling forth spirits and entities), Evocation (calling up your own inner power and energy), and familiarise yourself with commonplace ritual and magical tools. Things like: Prayer Cords, Beads, Chimes, Bells, Bowls, Athames, Besoms, Bolines, Offering Bowls, Censers, Cloths, Divination Tools - you know the list, I'm sure. Treat yourself like you are a neophyte just starting out. Let yourself be eased gently back into the waters. Don't rush it. Allow yourself to grow your work back from the ground up. As you become more comfortable and more at ease with the beginning materials, let yourself explore and expand into avenues that previously had been a facet of your work. But do not feel pressured to force them into your practise either. Sometimes things change. That is okay. Maybe your new path has different focuses and studies now. Perhaps you are better suited for something new in this new stage of your life. As an individual, you are dynamic. You grow and you explore. Facets of your individual are not going to be the same as they once were. Allow that which has died to be lain to rest with comfort and dignity and move forwards with grace with your new and fertile field. The world and your heart is your oyster. Let yourself be lead by the thrill of exploration or revitalise old energies if that is your joy! There is no wrong answer so long as your practise both fits, suits, and makes you happy. Make adjustments if you feel something isn't fitting right. It's okay. Just take it slow. And enjoy the process above all else. I hope this has provided you with not only ideas but further inspiration. May every corner of your mind blossom with eager energy and whimsical delight in your future to come, my friend!

[arcane-trail]

🔮 Witchy Goth & Pagan Shop 🔮

[ts-witchy-archive]

ADHD Witch Tips

We need more adhd witch tips so here, have these. These are the things I have learned and seen done over the past 3 and a bit years of practicing witchcraft. As always, if you have anything to add, please comment them and I'll add them to the list with credit to you and a link to your blog!

Make witchy playlists with intention. Music is the most accessible way of doing magic in my opinion, especially if you're using spells that already exist. You can listen to these while working, traveling or just doing things around the house. If you sing along then you're adding to the manifesting power of the playlist!

Use really large spell candles so that you don't have to make a new one everytime you want to do a spell. I used to have 1 really big protection spell candle that I would light daily. Not having to make a new candle every time made me so much more likely to practice

Learn to meditate. I know, I know, hear me out. This is less of a witch tip and more of a mental health thing. You can meditate while colouring in, listening to music, cleaning, going for a walk. You don't have to sit down with your legs crossed. Mediation is an important skill that none of us do regularly enough.

stop caring about aesthetics. Are they nice? yes! absolutely! but unless it makes you more likely to practice then it's not worth it. caring too much about how your craft looks can also lead to burn out.

Be aware of your energy levels. Burn out is a serious issue among the neurodivergent witch community. Rest and pacing yourself is just as important as actually practicing.

Audio books <3333333

Try to combine your hyperfixation and witchcraft practice. This could mean using sigils in fanart or dedicate your writing to a deity.

Use hearth craft as a way to motivate you to clean your home or to cook meals/eat.

Have affirmations on your phones home screen so whenever you unlock your phone you reminded of your intentions

[ome-magical-ramblings]

Review: Spiritual Cleansing by Draja Mickaharic

If there's one book I would always go back to or always look back to or recommend to others it is this book! Seriously, that's how good this book is. To start with, this book is the best because it is direct, to the point, and only 100ish pages. I honestly have to put the following "warning" that the author himself puts in the start of the book:

Because some of these things sound simple and interesting, don't get an idea to “do a variation.” When you try to work “magic” using only your own enthusiasm you are treading in dangerous waters.

How do I sell you on this book? that's a funny way of me saying that this is the best book you will have in your library as a starting beginner. First let me mention some stuff from the book, which is evil eye being the first chapter and get dealt with so swiftly with a beer bath and there's no extra mystification or complicated procedure being given. As this whole book the procedures are simple but application of them consistently will proves their benefits. In the Arbatel itself we find the following:

God and Nature have ordained all things to a certain and appointed end: so that for examples sake, they who perform cures with the most simple herbs and roots, do cure the most happily of all. And in this manner, in Constellations, Words and Characters, Stones, and such like, do lie hid the greatest influences or vertues in deed, which are in stead of a miracle.

Protection while asleep, psychic, attacks, and stuff related to sleep and protecting your loved ones can be seen here where you can help someone who can't help themselves like a child or someone who's too weak to protect themselves at night.

My Favorite Chapter(4) is the bath/spiritual baths chapter. Every part of the bath from beginning to end is filled with gems and wisdom that you will not regret. 4 Cleansing baths, 12 herbal bath, 6 household items baths, 2 love baths, and 4 nut baths, like what's MORE I can say except mention the bath he got the most testimony out of! To add ¼ cup bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to the regular bath water is an amazing cleansing bath both physically and spiritually :) of course praying, doing it with the instructions and so on is the best you can do!

Special mentions go to chapter 6 for teaching how to cleanse with an egg and not making it some tiktokized or 30 seconds or 2 minutes version of it. What can I say more is that it is a VERY amazing chapter, for all kind of cleansing emotional or spiritual, for eyestrain, for protection while asleep, cleansing your home, cleansing the sick, and cleansing your pet!

I will jump over chapter 7 and 8 despite them being EXTREMELY good and mention that chapter 9 is a MUST READ. Mainly these methods of washing the head or feeding the head are used to work with the non-physical part of the human mentation, not exactly a replacement for psychology or psychiatry or medical treatment of mental illnesses but it is an AMAZING addition to anyone who's healthy but feel slightly "off".

The last chapter and appendix is about finding spiritual practitioner to help you, and what Draja describe as "Recommended System of Treatment for General Therapy", I am honestly just going to say good read the book, it isn't that long and the weight of it is in gold with how much jam-packed it is with technique you would pick up from here or there. Go buy it, pirate it, I don't know just get it and see for yourself!

[casualwitchbitch]

Things crystals can do: be an object of focus for a meditation, visualisation or ritual ~ be a visual reminder of your goals/intentions ~ have meaning SPECIFIC TO YOU that strengthens over time and with repeated use ~ be a psychological ‘anchor’ ~ look pretty ~ hurt worse than Lego when stepped on

Things crystals cannot do: heal illness ~ stand in for medical treatments or vaccinations ~ purify water ~ heal dogs or children ~ deflect bad vibes ~ have inherent magickal powers ~ replace therapy or psych meds

Witchcraft is about discernment, not believing in everything. Wisdom is a balance of intuition, learning, experience and critical thinking.