#ritual magick 101

[hadit93]

Hey there! Me again (sorry), with a follow up question to your last answer (thank you so much btw, I managed to find a PDF of a couple of the books you mentioned).

I'm a little confused as to where I should start in terms of practices such as the Middle Pillar and the LB/IRP? I've noticed that the books all advise the beginner to start with one of them before moving onto the next but they're inconsistent as to which one it should be.

Do you have any advice on this please?

Signed,

Slightly more confused but less overwhelmed Brit

One thing you are going to notice is that every person will recommend a different set of exercises in a different order. Even within magical orders there isn't really a standardised curriculum- every branch varies according to the experience of the people at the top.

I recommend beginning with the lesser ritual of the pentagram, in its banishing form primarily. Twice a day, sunrise and sunset preferably, but first thing in the morning and last thing at night will suffice. Do this for about a month, or until you feel you have gotten it memorised and can perform it fluidly.

After this I would then move on to the Middle Pillar ritual- make sure you also circulate the energy or ground it or use it in some way afterwards. Not all sources will include that information, but depending how sensitive you are you may not want to walk around with energy vibrating through the central channel. It can be used to fortify the aura/body of light.

To circulate I tend to move the energy clockwise with the breath, so down the right hand side with an out breath to the malkuth centre, then with the inhalation back to the crown centre. I do this 3-5 times. I then cycle it down the front and up the back. Then I wrap it around the body clockwise like a mummy to the top and see it explode back down to malkuth with the exhalation, then back up again. Then finally I drive it through the body directly up the central channel, into kether, explode (fortifying the aura as it travels back down to malkuth). After this I focus on the Tiphareth centre for a few deep breaths and end the exercise. Tiphareth is the balanced sephiroth and sphere in the body- the idea is balance with these rituals.

After this move on to experimenting with the lesser ritual of the pentagram in its invoking form. I personally think invoking really opens up the practitioner to awakening their psychic senses. You may find banishing falls to the way side a little. Most people recommend invoking in the morning and banishing at night. I say experiment and see what happens in your own case- this brings me to the last point.

Keeping a magical journal is imperative. You need to be recording how well you are performing these rituals, what effects you notice. both within the ritual and within your every day life. Then you can track trends and see what is working for you.

I have also written some blog posts that might help you:

This one is my post on the qabalistic cross section of the pentagram ritual.

This one is the pentagram ritual in theory.

This one is the pentagram ritual in practice.

[freckledfortuneteller]

who wants to go find a stream to sit at and practice witchcraft with me?

[ome-magical-ramblings]

(Practical) Making Holy Oil with Psalm 23 and χ

If you want to hear my rambling version of this, go here. This is not a normal holy oil or an oil I recommend using daily if you don't want an initiation, there's a current attached to this procedure and it is a lot less of a magical lodge and more alongside the thought of "soul of the world" sort of initiation. I recommend taking the time to think if you want to follow with this procedure or not. There's layers to it and you're welcome to explore it yourself. I recommend for this:

A white bowl.

Two white cloth(one for table and one to cover the bowl)

Four (tealight) candles and one yellow candle.

(Olive)Oil

Psalter or a Bible.

Note: You will be doing this whole procedure(for 7 days) on a strict vegetarian diet or vegan diet. Where you won't anything that have a soul or came out of a soul. This will start from Sunday to Saturday.

Procedure:

Light up the yellow candle on a separate table(altar for jesus is better if you have one) asking help and praying to be guided toward the light and proper way to approach this. A sincere prayer from the heart of your choice. (NOTE: this step can only be done once at the start, it doesn't need to be repeated for the rest of the period)

Set up the main table/altar for this working it will not be disturbed for next seven days with white cloth, 4 candles, and bowl of olive oil in the middle covered by a white cloth. Make sure that the direction is east.

Don't light up the candle now!, recite psalm 23 on the bowl filled with olive oil and then cover it carefully with a white cloth.

After covering the bowl with a white cloth light up the candle in clockwise manner starting from top, right, bottom, left.

Let it burn completely and repeat the procedure again daily until the period end.

Once you're done with the week of consecrating that oil with psalm 23 then you can pour it in a bottle with a funnel and bottle it in smaller containers and use it for yourself anointing yourself daily with it day and night slowly you will start to see stuff shifting and your spiritual practice to have a definite refinement to it.

Before I end this, olive oil could be expensive for you. I recommend to use whatever oil you found suitable for you and within your means because the original word for the oil in the psalm wasn't exactly "olive oil", it just said oil. Look into coconut, Sesame, or other good oils that you can use.

May the peace of the lord be with you .

[thejournallo]

Explain the basic: The Tools

and here we are again with some basics!

Disclaimer: All the information I have is from books and reviews I did on each topic that I'm going to talk about in this series of "Explain the Basics." I invite you to have multiple sources of knowledge when it comes to learning witchcraft and non-witchcraft. At the end, you will find the books from which I gained information.

Today we are going to talk about the many tools that a witch can use and the variety of functions that they have. (You are not forced to have any of this tool in a specific way; anything you have in handy can become THAT tool; don't waste your money, honey!)

The clothes and accessories: there is no specific dress code what so ever when you practice witchcraft, but it can come to your own advantage when you use your own closet as a tool, even just for fun. I specifically use colors and accessories to present myself in a certain way, or simply because I give those clothes an important role. (ex: I wear yellow when I want to feel adventurous; I have a perfume that I use when I want to make new friends; and I use a choker to feel powerful and confident.)

The book of shadows and/or the grimoire: The book of shadow and the grimoire are often seen as the same thing because they have something in common. The book of shadow is more wiccan, and the grimoire is more for everyone outside of the religion itself. They are both used to write personal practices, rituals, information that can be used, etc., but the grimoire is more of a book already written. You can write your own grimoire, just as you can write your own book of shadows, and they both are good.

Altar bowl: It is not a fundamental object for your altar, but it can be used to make mixtures or squash some ingredients that you may need in a certain way. This is an object that is easily replaceable by a container big and deep enough to contain the ingredients (like crystals, erbs, salt, water, ashes, etc.).

Candles: When it comes to spells and rituals, the color of the candles matters just as much as the candle's durability. Some spells will require a short-term candle, and others will require an hour-long candle. MAKE SURE THE LIGHTED CANDLE IS AS FAR AWAY FROM ANY INFLAMABLE MATERIAL, LIQUID, OR GAS AS POSSIBLE.

Crystals: They hold power and energy that are crucial for witchcraft. Every crystal has a different meaning and effect. For a crystal to start functioning, you have to give it a purpose. Do this by meditating with the crystal, setting your purpose, and connecting it with it. Every crystal has different care and ways of clensing, but this is a discussion for another "explain the basics".

Incense: It is often used as a way to purify objects or environments that may be polluded by bad energy or feelings, even to purify our mind and body. There are two types of incense: fuel and non-fuel. We all know the fuel type of incense, which is the one in a cone or a stick. and the non-fuel type of incense must be lit only by a carbon disc placed on a heat-proof plate; generally,  we can find it in dust, a smudge stick, or a bundle of dried herbs.

Witches broom: is used to clean up the sacred space and wander off evil or residual energy from any spell or ritual.

wands and athame: an instrument used to channel and direct the energy. I know it sounds like Harry Potter shit, but it is used this way. The athame and the planchette are used in the same ways. The athame is a witch's knife and was used to cut herbs, etc.; the planchette is the little thing we found on the Ouija board that lets us see which letter is used. (Do not use the Ouija board as a game; it is no game.) be careful. 

books for informations: [ambrosia hawthorn-the book of spells] [davide marrè-conoscere la wicca]

As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). and have a wonderful day or night!

[andromedasdomain]

Ways to Cleanse Crystals:

════ ⋆★⋆ ════ ✦Hold under running cold water ✦Bury in the ground or a bowl of sand ✦Set out in sunlight or moonlight ✦Use smoke cleansing ✦Place them on top of a selenite plate or bowl ════ ⋆★⋆ ════ ✦IMPORTANT:✦ Crystals that are NOT safe in water: Fluorite Selenite Apophyllite Tangerine Quartz Gypsum Lepidolite Opal Azurite Apatite Halite Malachite Turquoise Ulexite Labradorite Celestite Pyrite Hematite ════ ⋆★⋆ ════

[emeraldlotusdivination]

Did you know each day of the week has a planetary correspondence? This makes any given day particularly receptive to certain types of spells and rituals.

IG: @emeraldlotusmystic

[iamwinklebottom]

Restoring Beauty For My Client | Reversing Ugly Spells

[this-is-me19]

Salt Bowl

If you want the spell for my particular bowl, look below the cut (read more or keep reading); otherwise, feel free to read my little commentary and check out the video.

Witchlings,

I am a huge fan of her work. She works it right there in the video explaining why she does and chooses the items. It's very easy to understand. I also love her voice, so calming.

Gold nail polish (Gold is a form of color magick with Intention of prosperity, abundance, and personal power)

Gold nail polish (Gold is a form of color magick with Intention of prosperity, abundance, and personal power)

Gold nail polish (Gold is a form of color magick with Intention of prosperity, abundance, and personal power)

Pink Himalayan Salt* (Salt is a form of purification and protective magick; Pink is a form of color magick with Intention of unity, intimacy, and healing)

Kosher Salt* (Salt is a form of purification and protection magick; white is a form of color magick with intentions of protection, purity, and calming the mind)

Black Sharpie (in this spell is used as a focus; however, black is a form of color magick with the intentions of protection, repelling or absorbing negative intentions/hexes, putting an end to unhealthy relationships, and banishment)

Meteorite Stone (Intention of luck in the unknown)

Agate (crystal/stone with intention of balance emotions and courage)

Lapis lazuli (crystal/stone with intention of creativity and happiness)

Jasper (crystal/stone with intention of grounding, healing, and insight)

Quartz, Milky (crystal/stone with intention of raise energy, growth, and protection)

Aventurine (crystal/stone with intention of prosperity, wealth, and motivation)

Hematite (crystal/stone with intention of calm emotions, centering, and grounding)

Citrine (crystal/stone with intention of happiness, positivity, and self-esteem)

Tigerseye (crystal/stone with intention of control emotions)

Chalcedony (crystal/stone with intention of stabilize luck, mental growth, and strengthen relationships)

Quartzite, Purple (crystal/stone with intention of emotions, lessen anxiety, and emotional healing; purple is a form of color magick with intention of wisdom and deepening spiritual awareness and knowledge)

Amethyst (crystal/stone with intention of emotional support and balance, and wisdom)

Serpentine (crystal/stone with intention of motivation and transformation)

Rose Quartz (crystal/stone with intention of self-love, stabilize and strengthen relationships)

Dried Orange Peel (Orange peel is considered an herb with the intention of wealth, love, and purity)

"Be positive, like a proton" charm (intention of positivity)

Evil eye charm (click link for more)

Hamsa Charm (click link for more)

NaCl, chemical symbol (salt is a form of protection and purification)

Ring symbol (click link for more)

Instructions

Cleanse the bowl and ingredients as needed. NOTE: Be aware of which stones can be in sunlight versus water. There are multiple ways to cleanse.

If your bowl allows it, decorate your bowl using symbols, sigils, colors, or similar to enhance its qualities and your intention.

Pour the salt(s) into your bowl and make sure it covers the entire bottom of your bowl, a thin layer is completely fine.

Place ingredients on salt and advise each object of your intention for it. NOTE: I advised what each of mine was in the ingredients list; however, each object has additional uses than what I put. I do not do more than 1-3 requested intentions for each item as it can become difficult to concentrate (for me at least) when you work them.

Place the bowl where you want it to be in your home or room.

To use the bowl

Dip your fingers into items and touch the salt concentrating on the removal of energies or negative emotions from you.

[ome-magical-ramblings]

I definitely agree haha, I would be mistaken if when I was at first I was all about "oh people are clutching pearls and hiding the truth from people", but the more I practice the more the truth of this fact appear to me. Lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you I guess I am surprised at myself! seeing the turn from 11 years ago where I was intent on "jailbreaking" technique and finding shortcuts but it turned out that I was the fool for trying that! lol

Importance of Silence in Ritual Magick

Every time I return to Agrippa, I am amazed by what I have forgotten and the knowledge which he provides in the Three Books of Occult Philosophy.

Having grown up with a Christocentric worldview from which I make sense of the mundane and magickal world, the idea of silence has always been prevalent. Note Matthew 7:6 specifically, which says: “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." The word occult comes from the Latin verb celara meaning "to hide" or the adjective occultus meaning "hidden, concealed, or secret." In antiquity, the secrets provided to practitioners of the occult were considered valuable so much so that they were often disguised, shrouded in ways that only those holding a metaphorical key could understand the original meaning. To prevent the casting of this sacred spiritual knowledge before swine.

Agrippa expands on this idea in Ch. II of Book III where he notes five reasons for silence or circumspection.

Sharing holy matters with profane minds pollutes them. We see this even today when trying to share sacred, but secret truths granted to us by spirits with those who don't understand. Sayings like "mundane over magical" or a push for critical thought are used to lessen its influence or impact on our understanding. When we share these experiences, sometimes it can be to the detriment of the work the spirits are calling us to do. The shine of pearls is sullied by their environment.

Profane minds cannot grasp holy doctrine. Understanding is a gift to give a deeper insight and penetration of divine truths held by faith, not as a transitory enlightenment but as a permanent intuition. In Catholic dogma, this gift of understanding is granted by the Holy Spirit during Confirmation and assists in penetrating revealed truths, but also natural truths in so far as they related to a supernatural end. As St. Thomas Aquinas said, "In this very life, when the eye of the spirit is purified by the gift of understanding, one can ina a certain way see God." (Summa theologicae II-II, q. 69 a.2, ad.3).

The importance of understanding is further echoed in the Stobaei Hermetica: "But avoid converse with the many. Not that I wish you to grudge a benefit to others; my reason for this warning is rather that the many will think you one to be laughed at if you speak to them as I have spoken to you. Like welcomes like; but men that are unlike are never friends..."

3. It allows the divine enlightenment of the doctrine to occur. Everybody has experiences whereby slowing down and listening we are given directions, instructions, or encouragement from the spirits. But by keeping silent about our work, we ensure our motivations are pure and that the intention is to commune with the divine. Too often I think we miss critical personal truths in favor of using magic for public success. As noted in the Corpus Hermeticum 13.8a, "And now, my son, speak not, but keep a solemn silence; so will the mercy come down on us from God."

4. The futility of attempting to express the inexpressible. Sometimes words are incapable of describing our supernatural experiences with spirits and when we do it comes out much less life-changing than it was. There is a reason occultists gather together in communities - just as any common worldview is the base of a religion, so to do our experiences bring us together and set us apart. Only those who have worked with the spirits can fully understand your own experiences.

5. Silence involves a proscription against translation of the doctrines into other languages because the words themselves are holy and embody power. Although this may be my least favorite reason as a grimoire magician eager to find translations of French and German transcripts, I think it holds true. This idea is noted in the Corpus Hermeticum 16.1b-2 as well: "Translation will greatly distort the sense of the writings, and cause much obscurity. Expressed in our native language, the teaching conveys its meaning clearly; for the very quality of sounds...; and when the Egyptian words are spoken, the force of the things signified works in them."

Furthermore, in academic publications such as Invoking Angels by Penn State University Press, there are entire discussions around how the illiterate laity copying down instructions from holy books led to mistakes in translations, a problem noted by translators such as Joseph Peterson, David Rankine, and Stephen Skinner in their meticulous grimoire translations. Exasperated by the enhanced access to manuscripts in the 16th and 17th centuries, you see books such as the Grimoire of Arthur Gauntlet or Book of Oberon with Greek, Latin, and Hebrew translation corrections along with corrections in figures of circles or talismans.

Outside of magick, even, biblical scholars note the loss of Scriptural understanding when reading the Bible in English compared to Greek or even Hebrew, noting minute differences that entirely change the meaning of a text or provide additional context.

Taken together, I think Agrippa makes a solid argument for why keeping silent is important. Do you agree?

[jasper-pagan-witch]

Jasper's Servitor/Thoughtform Resource Post

last updated: December 23, 2024

Please note: The biggest difference between a servitor and thoughtform is the level of sentience (or perceived sentience). A servitor is not sentient, while a thoughtform is. Determine it as you will.

Also, a disclaimer! Even if I don't find a source particularly helpful, you might get more out of it than I did! I just like to categorize and sub-categorize things.

Tumblr Posts I Find Helpful

How to Make a Servitor by viadescioism: A rather straightforward guide on servitor creation.

Creating a Thoughtform by windvexer: A decently lengthy guide on thoughtform creation.

When Creating Thoughtforms by witchesalleyway: A little reminder about picking the shapes of your thoughtforms.

Technowitchcraft - Thoughtforms by aceswitch: A post with the idea of using a USB drive as the "body" of a servitor/thoughtform to allow for future edits.

Egregore by trustmepink: An extremely short post defining what an egregore is. Great for being introduced to the word and concept, though there's not much meat in the post and the sources/helpful links are a bit questionable.

Sigils: Scribbles to Forget or Spirits to Remember by witchofsouthernlight: While not about servitor creation, this is about reusing sigils for specific goals and how those can be spirits in an animist perspective. A really neat post overall and useful here because of the way that servitors are often tied to sigils.

Entity Creation Worksheet by jasper-pagan-witch: Adapted from Creating Magickal Entities, but altered to a decent extent so it's more helpful to me personally.

Servitor Design Template by ritual-and-chaos: Adapted from Servitor Magick, extremely straightforward with an explanation. A great alternative to my adaptation of the template from Creating Magickal Entities.

Chaos Magic: Servitors, Thoughtforms, and Godforms by trollkunnig: Incredibly in-depth and detailed when it comes to servitor creation, but since OP deactivated, the links in reference to the godform parts are broken. Damn the loss of information on the Internet!!!

Destroying Your Thoughtforms: by viadescioism: A fairly detailed (if a little wall-of-text-y) post on the destruction of the thoughtform, with a guide in case you didn't build a kill switch/phrase into your thoughtform to begin with.

Thoughtforms: Theory & Ethics by spiritvexer: A good companion post to the thoughtform destruction one above, giving a few alternatives to total destruction for the thoughtforms when you no longer need them.

Thoughts on Thoughtforms by spellsandwoo-woostuff: An insightful read into another approach to thoughtforms as OCs or writing muses given life rather than spells given sentience.

Basics of Servitor Creation and Implementation by majokkid: Part of majokkid's Magi Praxis series, this goes over the basic steps of servitor creation in a way that is straightforward, easy to understand, and works well even beyond magical girl-aligned practices.

Easy Ways to Charge Energyforms by windvexer: Goes over a bunch of different energy feeding and charging methods for servitors and provides resources for making this shit easier. And gods know we need to make this shit easier.

Books And Websites I Find Helpful

Condensed Chaos: An Introduction To Chaos Magic by Phil Hine: While this is a chaos magic 101 type book, it has an incredibly robust chapter on servitor/thoughtform creation. It also has the benefit of talking about chaos magic more broadly to give you more context for servitor/thoughtform creation. You can find my initial thoughts on it here. APPLICABLE PAGES: 106 to 125, under the chapter name "Chaos Servitors"

The Forty Servants, The Four Devils, and The Grimoire of The Forty Servants by Tommie Kelly: Two pre-made servitor systems that are incredibly in-depth and, in my opinion, quite fun to use. There's a little bit of plug-and-play applicable here.

Magickal Servitors: Create Your Own Spirits to Attract Pleasure, Power and Prosperity by Damon Brand: It is effective, straight to the point, and actionable. But interestingly, it's incredibly combative towards chaos magic, which is where servitor/thoughtform creation sprung up to begin with. You can find my initial thoughts about it here.

Tumblr Posts I Find Less Helpful

Creating a Servitor and Creating a Thoughtform by witchy-oates: These guides aren't bad, but they really seem to focus on the fear that a servitor will spontaneously develop sentience, which I generally disagree with.

Is Your Spirit A Thoughtform? by elysiumconjures: A lengthy questionnaire and list of red flags that an entity you're interacting with might be a thoughtform. Personally I found it frustrating to read, but the list can at least guide beginners who are still learning discernment techniques to figure out what to look for.

On Telling The Difference Between A Thoughtform And A "Real" Spirit by creature-wizard: The counter-post to the above one, though you kind of need to see both perspectives to fully appreciate creature-wizard's wonderful counterpoints.

Distinguishing Imaginary Friends, Thoughtforms, and Spirits by spiritconnect: Another post about deciphering whether what you're talking to is a thoughtform or some other kind of entity.

A Short Guide to Thoughtforms by thewitchofbucktown: Longer than it promises, and I personally don't feel like referring to all deities as thoughtforms is something that works with my understanding of things at this time, but not a bad post considering it was written 11 years ago. Plus, OP hasn't deactivated, which is really hard to find in servitor/thoughtform resources.

Servitors: A Basic Guide to Artificial Entities by tinyrosemarysparrows: While this is a very detailed guide with some interesting and unique approaches to servitor creation, the author dropping back to "destroy if it even blinks wrong" (not that much of an exaggeration) makes me hesitant to recommend it fully, hence its placement down here. The post even says you can reprogram servitors but still recommends immediate destruction for every little thing, so…it's not really how I roll.

Books And Websites I Find Less Helpful

Creating Magickal Entities: A Complete Guide to Entity Creation by David Michael Cunningham, Taylor Ellwood, and T Amanda R Wagener: I hated this book so much. Out of everything in here, I found only four things that were actionable and that I could use. Every single author here was pretentious as fuck and took forever to make their damn point. This could have been an email. You can read more of my complaints here. The three parts that I found most interesting can be read in these Tumblr posts of mine: Servitors as Links; Energy Store-House Entities (ESHEs); and Servitor Biographies.

Protection & Reversal Magick: A Witch's Defense Manual by Jason Miller: I can't fucking believe I'm putting a Jason Miller book here. And look, I can't say this entire book is helpful because I haven't yet finished it, but the section on artificial spirits created for magical offense and defense? Probably one of the best sections on servitors/thoughtforms I've read in a non-dedicated book in a while. Just be aware that his tone of speech is deeply annoying, and this book of his leans more Hekatean. But because I have not finished reading this book, I cannot recommend this book fully. APPLICABLE PAGES: 119 to 146, under the chapter name "Spirit Guardians and Servitors"

Hands-On Chaos Magic: Reality Manipulation through the Ovayki Current by Andrieh Vitimus: I hated this book. I hate this book. I will hate this book. It's deeply frustrating and there's only so many times I can keep writing "stop citing a white woman on hoodoo" in the book itself before I just start eating the pages. That, and many similar problems, are why I do not find this book helpful on the whole despite how in-depth it goes in its three chapters on servitor creation. The author also refers heavily back to Condensed Chaos by Phil Hine, so that's required reading before you even pick this up. Personally, I'm just not impressed. APPLICABLE PAGES: 287 to 339, under the chapter names "Creating Entities with Energy and Information", "Giving Form to Concepts and Ideas", and "Advanced Practicum on Entity Creation"

Jasper's Miscellaneous Bullshit

Jasper's Energyform Zine by jasper-pagan-witch: I suffered for two months to write this damn thing and by the gods I shall shill it.

Jasper's Guide To Energyforms by jasper-pagan-witch: A little glossary of how I, personally, use the terms you've seen speckled throughout this post.

The Modal Commander Servitor by jasper-pagan-witch: A Magic: The Gathering Commander format approach to creating a kickass servitor that can change and adapt as easily as swapping out cards.

Atronachs, Ash Guardians, and Quick Notes on the Less Common Atronachs on @the-college-of-whispers: Want a quick look at how Jasper from 3 years ago approached the idea of elemental Daedra as entities, both created and summoned? These three posts are for you.

@jasper-and-the-forty-servants: Remember how I was talking about the plug-and-play part of the Forty Servants above? Yeah, that's what I do over on this blog. My favorite two are, hands down, Falco Spara, Pactweaver as the Protector and Dina, Soul Steeper as the Healer.

GOFLOWOLFOG and Fotamecus: Two servitors/egregores that I and people close to me have had incredible experiences with. Hell yeah to both of them.

Mesperyian: Tumblr's very own Greek goddess egregore. An excellent study in the power of multiple people taking something and running with it. (Her original story can be found here, by the way!)

[lilianasgrimoire]

Witchcraft 101: An Introductory Post

What is Witchcraft?

Witchcraft is the practice of magick. It's a series of techniques one uses to harness and/or manipulate energies externally or internally to change one's surroundings of circumstances as well as themselves. This can be done through using herbs, stones, crystals, and other materials.

Witchcraft can, and is, performed in a plethora of ways. It can be done through meditation, spell work, rituals or even baking and cooking. Witchcraft is as unique as you are. To practice witchcraft you do not need a religion, however most people practice witchcraft to feel more connected to their chosen religion. Witchcraft is as unique as the individual demonstrating it.

What makes someone a witch?

A witch is a person who practices magick. Witches can come from any background, any age, race or gender and religion. The term 'witch' is a gender-neutral, universal name. A being who claims the title may do what they desire with the craft. There are many types of witches, all of which are nature based. Not all witches are interested in the same type practise, however. One may prefer the study and use of crystals, and another being drawn to divination or even one of the elements.

A witch is neither good or bad, as they are only human.

There aren't any rules to being a witch (unless your religion states otherwise). Whilst you don't have to be religious to be a witch, most witches who practise, are most commonly Wiccan.

What is Paganism?

Pagan is an umbrella term for the many non-Abrahamic religions. This included Hinduism, Wicca, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc. However, not a lot of people fall into a specific type of religion that comes under paganism but still believe in & worship more than one God/Goddess or Greater being such as the elements, for example. Many, if not most, witches, fall under the Wiccan religion.

Paganism, across all sub-genres, follow holidays/festivals, and in many religions, many they follow The Eight Sabbats, or Wheel of the Year. The Sabbats, depending on the religion, have slight variations in terms of rituals, timing and practicing of the holidays i.e. which God/Goddess is associated, traditional colours or foods. It also is up to the individual as to what they do and don't want to celebrate.

"All Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are wiccan. All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Witches."

Religion VS. Spirituality

Religion and spirituality are often meshed together and difficult to differentiate the two. Some people believe there is a blurred line between them, whereas another may believe they are two completely different topics.

So, how can we tell the two apart?

Religion is an institutionalised system of certain attitudes, practises and beliefs; often the service or worship of a greater being than ones self or the supernatural. A religion is often based upon life lessons and teachings of a historical or archetypal figure. Typically, there is a place of worship, such as churches, temples, mosques and cathedrals. Religion is a structured organised system that is heavily rule based with it's main focus on the faith of the religion (scriptures of being infallible and ultimate or truth. Acceptance and the surrender to the Divine are taught as the path to complete and ultimate salvation. Religion is one path for all to follow.

Spirituality is a connection that one has to something that is much larger than yourself. Spirituality is an aspect of humanity where an individual seeks and expresses meaning and purpose through the connection they experience to a moment. People who are spiritually awakened liv4e life in a reverent and sacred manner. Yoga, meditation and contemplation all help a person to start, progress and explore their journey. Many use these practices to reach out to their spirit guides, past lives and even advice from outside forces. Each journey is unique. Spirituality is often referred to as a "pathless path". Spirituality is about following your own path and learning, growing, loving and acceptance on a more personal level. Unlike religion, spiritualists do not follow a set of rules n regards to their inward journey but, faith is not dismissed and entirely acceptable to incorporate with spirituality.

[windvexer]

disappointment anon, i didnt actually know you could create spirit doors i thought i just had to hope that the spirits heard me after i called them to me because i dont have clairsenses or good divination.. LOL but thank you for that post that was extremely helpful :)

Hi! In Traditional Witchcraft and other related practices, I think I especially want to say Fairy Faith, the idea that the practitioner has the ability to find, capitalize on, or simply create portals, gateways, and roads into the spirit world is a dominant theme.

The only time I ever see this referenced in 101 stuff is casting a circle! The concept in Traditional Witchcraft is more or less the same as a Wiccan circle, but we call it a compass. If a lot of your education is coming from online sources, you may be unaware that a primary function of a magic circle is to "join the worlds" and, as Kelden puts it,

On a deeper level, though, and most central to Traditional Witchcraft, the compass is a liminal place, a doorway through which we can enter into the Otherworld.

On one hand, the word compass is synonymous with the word circle, but it also denotes the well-known navigational tool used in travel. This second meaning makes a lot of sense in the context that Traditional Witches use the compass round to navigate and traverse the different realms.

Kelden, The Crooked Path, 2020 (emphasis my own)

For a spirit-working witch, the skill of learning where to find spirits and how to reliably call them is a skill which I believe is separate from brokering deals. I also believe that working with these gateways is probably a fundamental skill of witchcraft.

The witch has many tools at their disposal for creating gateways into the spirit world and walking back and forth between this world and the next, with new knowledge, allies, and powers.

Some of these gateways are physical locations, each of which may lead to a different place in the otherworld, or make it easier or more difficult to access certain powers.

A small, secluded cave half-filled with water at the bottom of a steep riverbank may be the ideal location to enter the Underworld, or commune with chthonic powers.

A tiny thicket formed by the arch of a rosemary bush where it tangles with the branches of a thorny rose may be an excellent location to leave tiny gifts for the Greenwood and commune with the green folk.

Much more accessible for many of us is indeed just the concept of crossroads, either a 4-way X or a 3-way T. These locations are long famed for being the meeting places of spirits, or ideal locations to leave offerings or broker spirit deals. The Devil Himself is often said to be haunting just such remote crossroads.

But these gateways don't just have to be found. The witch has the power to create them.

Exhibit A - casting a circle (or more accurately to say, laying a compass).

Also, I believe the creation of a spellcasting altar, if properly magicked and tended to, begins to become liminal in and of itself - it literally becomes a doorway to the otherworlds.

Certain human-made locations, like gas stations and grocery stores, are often considered to be gateways and have been used by some practitioners to fulfill spellwork.

Various charms and talismans can assist with creating doorways navigating the liminal, most famously the Holey or Hag stone.

Robin Artisson details several methods of understanding, discovering, creating, and working with such doorways, I believe in Witching Way of Hollow Hill, but especially in An Carow Gwyn, in the section called The Breaching Charms: The Gateways into Sorcerous Experience.

Daniel Schulke, at least in Viridarium Umbris, provides several sigils and charms for obtaining entrance into the otherworld.

Roger J Horne, in A Broom at Midnight, details thirteen "gateways" to spirit flight. While these are specifically methods of entering astral travel, any student of the concept of gateways and doors within witchcraft I think would benefit from studying the rituals within.

Speaking of astral travel, many common methods espoused include imagining that a person is climbing down the roots of a tree, or inside of the trunk of a tree and floating down like an elevator; or going down a well. All of these things are analogous to (or, the same thing as) mentally seeking out a gateway to the otherworld, searching in mental constructs of places in nature where gateways are commonly found or believed to be found.

Indeed, the concept of roads, gates, thresholds, and doors, is (I think) a vital contemplation to the understanding of Witchcraft itself, and it is upon these bedrocks that a great deal of witchcraft has been built.

[ome-magical-ramblings]

My method of working the grimoire of sixfold star(For now)

it was given to me in a dream!

Am joking... Honestly my method is somewhat based on the grimoire, and some parts I wanted to do incorporate in my original shrine/practice that I would use. Again this whole process I am just trying to learn the mysteries of the tarot through working with them. So the relationship you have with these entities could be A LOT different from me! take mine as inspiration and starting point.

prayer to God

prayer to Jesus(Solar)

Prayer to St Cyprian(Psychopomp-mercurial role)

Facing the direction and prayer to Rulers (Hierarchy)

Calling forth the entity

That's it in a nutshell! (1 and 2)Going into daily I start with a prayer to god and Jesus through Aphorism 14 of Arbatel. 3.The prayer of St Cyprian I use this one: https://strategicsorcery.net/the-call-of-st-cyprian/ Now this part is when we get to the action part of the grimoire, you will face the direction relating to the spirit, as the grimoire itself says:

these Genii, they are simply classified under planetary headings for convenience. It is the four quarters of the day that empower them, and they can be accessed through the adorations frotn Liber Resh.

What this means is that the genii itself are related to the Stele of Revealing, I think it's 4th line, "I have made way to the place in which are Ra, Atum, Khepri and Hathor.” AR-KNEE WHA-T AHR-BET NET-ET RA ATOOM (phlegm)HE-PERI HHUT HAT EEM

(4 and 5). Practically speaking, I put the sigil square of the ruler on my altar, with a tealight candle on it. face the direction of the ruler and afterward proceed to call forth the spirit that I want to contact. "Come forth, Come forth Elnafi, by the intercession of Jesus Christ, St Cyprian, by the authority of your ruler, come forth so that I may learn your wisdom and praise you in my writings, come forth, come forth, quickly quickly." Again you don't have to be very strict about the wording or how to approach them. Which is funny how the steps mirror the elements, step 1 and 2 are parallel to Spirit and Fire, step 3 is Air, Step 4 and 5 is water and earth. A LOT of the stuff in the book I didn't use(I will be incorporating them slowly) and I am gradually trying to form a spirit-based approach to these entities, slowly modifying my approach until I get a clear and suitable spot where both I and them can reach a conjuration that's suitable for them and me.

A lot of the forces, entities, and things. In the Stele of Revealing is pre-Thelemite, or Pre-Crowley so the entities here are definitely less adulterated than the stuff that comes from something new or plugged to another current. To cap the process of this, is to say that this whole process end with this. Our relationship with these entities change overtime and I will most likely change it again ending my work with the grimoire of sixfold star.

[sovaghoul]

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[theoccultmoon]

Moon Water 101|Harnessing Lunar Energy|

Moon Water is one of the simplest yet most versatile tools in witchcraft. It’s a powerful way to harness the moon’s energy and infuse it into your practice. Whether you’re looking for a boost in spellwork, a tool for cleansing, or a way to deepen your connection with the lunar cycles, Moon Water has got you covered. Today, I’ll guide you through the essentials of creating, storing, and using it 

What Is Moon Water? ² ² ²

⟡ Moon Water is water that has been charged under the moonlight, absorbing the moon’s energy and intention. 

⟡ It’s a practice that dates back to ancient times when water was seen as a sacred medium for holding and transmitting energy. 

How to Make Moon Water ⚱

What You’ll Need: 

⟡ A container (any jar, bowl, or bottle will do). 

⟡ Water (tap, bottled, rainwater whatever you have access to). 

Steps: 

⟡ Place your container of water under the moonlight. You can leave it outdoors, on a windowsill, or anywhere the moon’s light can reach. 

⟡ Set your intention. Speak or think about what you want the water to be charged with peace, clarity, protection, etc. 

⟡ Leave it out overnight, then collect it before sunrise. 

Optional Touches: 

⟡ Add crystals like clear quartz (for amplification) or rose quartz (for love) to your water but make sure the crystals are water-safe! 

⟡ Write your intention on a piece of paper and place it under the container. 

Working with the Moon Phases ☁︎

Aligning your Moon Water with the lunar phases can amplify its energy. Here’s a little overview of which phase is best for what (and if you’re curious to dive deeper, I have a few in-depth posts about lunar phases on my Patreon!). 

✦ New Moon: Perfect for setting intentions, manifesting new beginnings, and self-reflection. 

✦ Waxing Moon: Use for growth, abundance, and progress. 

✦ Full Moon: Ideal for charging water with powerful, radiant energy great for protection and completion spells. 

✦ Waning Moon: Charge water for banishing, releasing, and clearing negative energy. 

✦ Eclipses: A more advanced use be cautious, as the energy of eclipses can be chaotic and transformative. 

How to Use Moon Water ✧₊⁺

⟡ Cleansing: Use it to cleanse your altar, tools, or crystals. 

⟡ Drinking: If safe to consume, drink it with the intention of internal magick. 

⟡ Bathing: Add it to your bath for a spiritual cleanse or relaxation ritual. 

⟡ Spellwork: Use it in potions, anointing candles, or watering plants as part of a spell. 

⟡ Offerings: Present it as an offering to deities, spirits, or ancestors. 

⟡ Protection: Sprinkle it around your home for protection or peace. 

Storing Moon Water ִֶָ࣪☾.

⟡ Keep it in a sealed container, ideally out of direct sunlight to preserve its energy. 

⟡ Label your jars with the moon phase and date to keep track of their energy. 

⟡ Use within a few weeks for maximum potency, though some practitioners use Moon Water for months. 

Moon Water is a perfect example of how magick can be both simple and deeply powerful. With just a jar and some intention, you can channel the moon’s energy into your practice in countless ways. Have you made Moon Water before? Share your favorite ways to use it, I’d love to hear how you incorporate this into your craft! 

🌟 Exclusive Content on Patreon: 🌟 

If you’re looking for more in-depth posts check out my Patreon where I share content and connect with you guys. 🌙🖤 

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[iamwinklebottom]

Protecting The Physical and Energetic Heart Space