witch-priestess

[witch-priestess]

I don't know if you've come across the discussion already, but do you know where the trope (to quote op of the discussion i found)

"a deity's power directly corresponds to the number of their believers / the strength of their believers' faith?"

comes from?

(I think that's in American Gods, if I read the book right)

It's in American Gods. I ran into it in lots of places, from Harlan Ellison's Deathbird Stories to Richard Garnett's Twilight of the Gods (1888).

It's also an accurate observation about the power of specific religions.

[witch-priestess]

My Pronouns

Hi so in some of my previous posts from a few years ago I identified as a cis-woman. Over the last few years and coming to terms with myself and in a place where I can really explore my gender and expression I have come to realize that I am on the non-binary spectrum. I tend to trend between feminine and androgyny, and would describe myself as fluid. My pronouns currently are She/They and so if reading my past posts please note that I am not cis, but thought I was at the time.

Thanks!

[witch-priestess]

We are here as stewards of the earth. It is our duty to live with it and care for it. The existence of other beings is the only way that we all survive, and we don't get to decide who lives. Balance and harmony mean that we follow the rhythms as they are set, and we do not purposely mess with them.

Many people are scared of insects, but you know what's scarier than insects...?

No insects

[witch-priestess]

From Simena, an image of snowdrops a white bell shaped flower with thin green stems blooming through a crust of snow.

Snowdrops are a symbol of Imbolc as it is one of the early signs of the Spring to come.

[witch-priestess]

I was actually just talking about this yesterday with a friend. We were discussing conservation.

One of the things important to it is the need for culling. Removing invasive trees and dead trees from forests to help them be healthy and prevent giant devastating forest fires like we have been seeing. Some fire is good (some trees don't reproduce without the extreme heat of fire), but it needs to be properly managed.

Hunting is important. When we kill or remove the natural predators of a population we must cull the herd for their safety and ours. For example deer. If we do not hunt them they will die of disease and starvation due to overpopulation.

Ag animals are the same. Conserve and raise our endangered farm species to create large genetic diversity to support their health and population. Do small farming practices that are sustainable. It is ok to cull your herd. It is ok to raise and shear sheep. Sheep and other wooly animals *have* to be sheared to survive!

So many people focus on the growing life cycle side that they do not see the need for the culling, the death, and need for the whole of survival. You can do this respectfully. Knowing the price. Thanking the animal. Using as much of it as you possibly can. Thanking the trees you have to cut, using it as much as you possibly can. We are a part of nature and we have to take care of it.

We also have to remember that nature is a balance that we also need to maintain in our own lives. There are cycles and times for growth. There is also time to rest. There is time to harvest, and to separate wheat from chaff, and to cull our herds as we prepare for the dark.

This is what the harvest holidays are about.

I just think that 'animals are living intelligent creatures that have feelings and deserve to be respected' and 'when done properly farming is beneficial to both people and animals and there's nothing wrong with raising and killing animals for food, clothing, and other products' are concepts that very much can and should coexist

[witch-priestess]

Friendly reminder that it’s okay for your beliefs to change over time! Spirituality is a journey and different things will feel right at different points in your life. Where you are is not the same as where you were, or where you’re going. Do what feels right for you now ♥

[witch-priestess]

Just a reminder to folks when doing research on identifying a reliable source.

1. Is the source curated or edited by a reliable entity? (Encyclopedia, Scholarly Journal, College, Library, or Museum, some newspapers or news sources (PBS, NPR, The Hill, NYT))

Or does the source specialize in the topic? (Patheos, Learn Religions, The Wild Hunt)

2. Is there an author(s) listed? (Sometimes a curated piece like an encyclopedia article will only have the editors for the publication listed)

3. Do the author(s) have a background or expertise in the subject? (Is this described anywhere?)

4. Do they link their sources to their article, or have a bibliography or references listed?

5. Does their bibliography contain sources other than Wikipedia?

6. Does the Wikipedia article have a good bibliography?

7. Is the information presented consistent across multiple sources?

8. How recent is the source? / When was it published?

9. Has the information presented been refuted or debunked from a different reliable source or more recent information presented? (Is there more reliable evidence that supports differing information?)

10. Are any of their sources primary documents?

11. Who benefits from the information? (If applicable)

12. What are your biases?

Hopefully, this list of questions can help you discern information that is presented to you or that you come across. Learning is one of our tenets, and with a variety of sources and information (some false), it is important to know where it is coming from and if it is reliable.

While there may be good information in places like Tik Tok, Tumblr, and Blogs ALWAYS check the sources and verify it in other places BEFORE sharing it as a fact.

Use this chart to help determine accuracy and spin on major publications and is updated annually.

https://adfontesmedia.com/product/media-bias-chart-free-flagship-chart/

This is a list of fact checking sites you can use to help verify statements.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/true-5-factchecking-websites/

[witch-priestess]

We usually have a place to carefully set offerings that are environmentally safe outside. Or burn them in our sacred fire. We also pour wine and saltwater as libations on our front steps. The blessings on them are offered to the gods and add to the protections of our covenstead.

Probably a stupid question, how exactly do you dispose of offerings? Not just food, but in general. Sorry, I'm still a baby when it comes to this! ^^"

Hey, Nonny, thanks for the ask!

*bonks you* There are no stupid questions!

There are a couple of different ways to dispose of offerings. For Ouranic deities (deities who aren't directly connected with death and The Underworld; those who reside in Olympus), you can burn offerings (if it is SAFE to do so) or consume them (again, if it is SAFE)! Personally, when I give Ouranic deities edible offerings, I consume them to dispose of them. If you do consume them, though, I'd give the deity a heads-up first! You can also throw away offerings, if you must, but if you do this, I would make it clear to the deity that you mean no disrespect and that it's the only way you can dispose of said offering safely.

For Chthonic deities (deities directly connected to death and The Underworld; those who reside in Hades), you can return the offering to the earth by burying it (if it is eco-friendly ONLY) or dispose of it in the trash. If you dispose of it in the trash, I recommend letting the deity know you mean no offense by this and that it's simply the only way you can safely dispose of the offering. DO NOT CONSUME OFFERINGS TO CHTHONIC DEITIES!!!

I hope this helps! Have a wonderful day/night! ☺️🧡

Anyone can feel free to add on if they have other methods or tips!

[witch-priestess]

This is a post for disabled people. For mentally ill people. For low energy people.

This is a post for people who work three jobs and look after their kids.

This is a post for people who are TIRED. sick. Struggling.

The Gods will not abandon you.

Even if you don’t worship every day, the Gods will not abandon you.

Even if you can’t pray regularly, the Gods will not abandon you.

Even if you can’t put together offerings, the Gods will not abandon you.

Even if you stumble,

The Gods will not abandon you.

They will not punish you for the crime of being human. They know you are not divine. They know you are imperfect. They do not expect greatness and perfection, they just expect respect and humility.

Stay humble. Stay consistent. Show your reverence in whatever way you can. Keep them in your thoughts before you go to sleep at night.

The Gods know you.

DISCLAIMER: this is my personal interpretation. Obviously beliefs differ and the ancients would have thought very differently. This has just been my experience.

[witch-priestess]

This is some solid advice.

The Kitchen Table Tarot is a great resource as is the Biddy Tarot website.

some tarot tips i've collected over the years

- when shuffling, pay attention to the cards that fall out of the deck. sometimes they have a special message for you.

- questions aren't always necessary when reading. letting the cards tell you what they need to helps to develop your intuition, and the relationship between you and your deck (or the spirit you are working with, depending on how you divine information).

- when reading with multiple cards (i.e. as a spread), try and string the cards together rather than interpreting them by their individual meanings:

recurring suits, themes, symbols, and numbers

proportions of suits and uprights vs. reversals

position of the cards (e.g. if people are present in the cards, where are they looking?)

colours of the cards (e.g. do any of the cards stand out more than the rest?)

- although each card has a core meaning, different decks with different art could emanate different "flavours" of the core meaning.

- draw a clarifying card if something confuses you, but try not to draw any more than two cards per reading.

[witch-priestess]

In my practice we bless our cakes and wine by the gods, and make sure there is a portion saved for then and the ancestors that are then put out as an offering. Giving am offering in thanks and with honor is all that truly matters.

Don't give the gods rotting food. But giving them a portion from the meal that you had that night is perfectly fine.

“Don’t give Gods leftovers this is disrespectful” since when is leftover food, the food you would eat yourself, bad?

It’s not rotten, it hasn’t gone bad, it’s not from a trashcan, it’s not food for animals. Like… this argument that all offerings have to be brand new and freshly bought has always bothered and worried me. How privileged and rich do you need to be to impose this on people?

Gods don’t care if your food is freshly bought/made/harvested or not. We have records of Romans and Greeks sharing their home meals with Deities as well as cooking for Deities. Rustic worship existed, which sort of implies that Gods were accessible to people regardless of their income. It has never, ever been stated anywhere, unless you somehow magically provide a reliable source against it, that leftovers are bad as an offering.

You are gifting something you could have eaten yourself. You are sharing food. I don’t know what world this is disrespectful in.

[witch-priestess]

Not all Witches are Wiccans, but when we talk about spell work there is always a price. Doing magic and spells without considering the consequences of your actions is not being ethical or responsible. It is our duty as Witches to make sure we take care of the earth and live in harmony with it. What you do does come back so be considerate. As for Wiccans this falls under the Harm none but do as ye will". We have an ethical code that we agree to and it is up to us to uphold that. How we do magic and the materials that we use.

Always understand the materials that you are using and the purpose for them in your spell. Try to avoid using plastic for multiple reasons, but one is that it is an energy suck and can nullify your workings. So plastic glitter is unwise to use at all.

Salt is best used in water and pour it in places that it isn't going to kill the soil. I pour salt water over my front step to water the stone and boost my wards. Understand if you use a jar to bring you something breaking it isn't going to help you. Having it on your alter to gather energy and then burying the contents, pouring it onto your altar, or burning it is going to be more effective. Keeping things in a jar is for protective spell work.

It really disturbs me as a Priestess in an older tradition to see people not deeply understanding the practice they are getting into. This isn't something you should do willy nilly. Also spells shouldn't be your first go to. Try everything you can on the mundane side before working your will upon the world with magic.

Be aware of where your information is coming from. Double check a source. Tumblr, Instagram, and tiktok have some good people, but they are few and far between these folks who are selling you snake oil for likes and support from sponsors.

Take the time to read and learn your history. Even if there are some not so great folks there, there are some pretty good ones. Take the time to learn from current practitioners locally. Attend a Festival, Pagan Pride Event, a local public ritual, or ask your pagan store for good book recommendations. I have a whole list for new pagans on my blog. Understanding the practice in depth and the conscientious practice will go much further in getting you results.

PS

Also, can you please stop with the emoji spells? It's cute you want to put positive energy into the world, but that "spell" isn't effective, isn't a spell, and ignores the practical sides of doing magic.

Some witch: * fills a glass jar with crystals, herbs, salt, and glitter, then chucks it in a bush in their local park *

The jar: * breaks *

The salt and glitter: * spills into the soil *

The soil: * becomes infertile *

Plant: * dies *

Some animal: * gets hurt on the broken glass *

Another animal: *chokes on the lid ring *

The nature spirits: "what the actual fuck"

The witch: "why isnt my spell working :(((("

[witch-priestess]

We support trans and queer pagans in this cottage

[witch-priestess]

In this course, I will talk about the influences on black herbalism along with remedies commonly used in the black community. The importance of certain herbs within the black community and how they can be used today. I've actually learned a lot since the last time I did this webinar, so I'm excited to share. This is open to everyone of all cultural backgrounds.

[witch-priestess]

I am always looking for more books and resources!

Reading list for Afro-Herbalism:

A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for the Body and Spirit by Stephanie Rose Bird

Affrilachia: Poems by Frank X Walker

African American Medicine in Washington, D.C.: Healing the Capital During the Civil War Era by Heather Butts

African American Midwifery in the South: Dialogues of Birth, Race, and Memory by Gertrude Jacinta Fraser

African American Slave Medicine: Herbal and Non-Herbal Treatments by Herbert Covey

African Ethnobotany in the Americas edited by Robert Voeks and John Rashford

Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect by Lorenzo Dow Turner

Africans and Native Americans: The Language of Race and the Evolution of Red-Black Peoples by Jack Forbes

African Medicine: A Complete Guide to Yoruba Healing Science and African Herbal Remedies by Dr. Tariq M. Sawandi, PhD

Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh, African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed by Bryant Terry

Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” by Zora Neale Hurston

Big Mama’s Back in the Kitchen by Charlene Johnson

Big Mama’s Old Black Pot by Ethel Dixon

Black Belief: Folk Beliefs of Blacks in America and West Africa by Henry H. Mitchell

Black Diamonds, Vol. 1 No. 1 and Vol. 1 Nos. 2–3 edited by Edward J. Cabbell

Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors by Carolyn Finney

Black Food Geographies: Race, Self-Reliance, and Food Access in Washington, D.C. by Ashanté M. Reese

Black Indian Slave Narratives edited by Patrick Minges

Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition by Yvonne P. Chireau

Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry edited by Camille T. Dungy

Blacks in Appalachia edited by William Turner and Edward J. Cabbell

Caribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Authentic Island Cuisine for Every Occasion by Taymer Mason

Dreams of Africa in Alabama: The Slave Ship Clotilda and the Story of the Last Africans Brought to America by Sylviane Diouf

Faith, Health, and Healing in African American Life by Emilie Townes and Stephanie Y. Mitchem

Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman

Folk Wisdom and Mother Wit: John Lee – An African American Herbal Healer by John Lee and Arvilla Payne-Jackson

Four Seasons of Mojo: An Herbal Guide to Natural Living by Stephanie Rose Bird

Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement by Monica White

Fruits of the Harvest: Recipes to Celebrate Kwanzaa and Other Holidays by Eric Copage

George Washington Carver by Tonya Bolden

George Washington Carver: In His Own Words edited by Gary Kremer

God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man: A Saltwater Geechee Talks About Life on Sapelo Island, Georgia by Cornelia Bailey

Gone Home: Race and Roots through Appalachia by Karida Brown

Ethno-Botany of the Black Americans by William Ed Grime

Gullah Cuisine: By Land and by Sea by Charlotte Jenkins and William Baldwin

Gullah Culture in America by Emory Shaw Campbell and Wilbur Cross

Gullah/Geechee: Africa’s Seeds in the Winds of the Diaspora-St. Helena’s Serenity by Queen Quet Marquetta Goodwine

High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America by Jessica Harris and Maya Angelou

Homecoming: The Story of African-American Farmers by Charlene Gilbert

Hoodoo Medicine: Gullah Herbal Remedies by Faith Mitchell

Jambalaya: The Natural Woman’s Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals by Luisah Teish

Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care by Dayna Bowen Matthew

Leaves of Green: A Handbook of Herbal Remedies by Maude E. Scott

Like a Weaving: References and Resources on Black Appalachians by Edward J. Cabbell

Listen to Me Good: The Story of an Alabama Midwife by Margaret Charles Smith and Linda Janet Holmes

Making Gullah: A History of Sapelo Islanders, Race, and the American Imagination by Melissa Cooper

Mandy’s Favorite Louisiana Recipes by Natalie V. Scott

Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet Washington

Mojo Workin’: The Old African American Hoodoo System by Katrina Hazzard-Donald

Motherwit: An Alabama Midwife’s Story by Onnie Lee Logan as told to Katherine Clark

My Bag Was Always Packed: The Life and Times of a Virginia Midwife by Claudine Curry Smith and Mildred Hopkins Baker Roberson

My Face Is Black Is True: Callie House and the Struggle for Ex-Slave Reparations by Mary Frances Berry

My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem

On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by A'Lelia Bundles

Papa Jim’s Herbal Magic Workbook by Papa Jim

Places for the Spirit: Traditional African American Gardens by Vaughn Sills (Photographer), Hilton Als (Foreword), Lowry Pei (Introduction)

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome by Dr. Joy DeGruy

Rooted in the Earth: Reclaiming the African American Environmental Heritage by Diane Glave

Rufus Estes’ Good Things to Eat: The First Cookbook by an African-American Chef by Rufus Estes

Secret Doctors: Ethnomedicine of African Americans by Wonda Fontenot

Sex, Sickness, and Slavery: Illness in the Antebellum South by Marli Weiner with Mayzie Hough

Slavery’s Exiles: The Story of the American Maroons by Sylviane Diouf

Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time by Adrian Miller

Spirituality and the Black Helping Tradition in Social Work by Elmer P. Martin Jr. and Joanne Mitchell Martin

Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo & Conjuring with Herbs by Stephanie Rose Bird

The African-American Heritage Cookbook: Traditional Recipes and Fond Remembrances from Alabama’s Renowned Tuskegee Institute by Carolyn Quick Tillery

The Black Family Reunion Cookbook (Recipes and Food Memories from the National Council of Negro Women) edited by Libby Clark

The Conjure Woman and Other Conjure Tales by Charles Chesnutt

The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature by J. Drew Lanham

The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin

The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas by Adrian Miller

The Taste of Country Cooking: The 30th Anniversary Edition of a Great Classic Southern Cookbook by Edna Lewis

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: An Insiders’ Account of the Shocking Medical Experiment Conducted by Government Doctors Against African American Men by Fred D. Gray

Trace: Memory, History, Race, and the American Landscape by Lauret E. Savoy

Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine by Bryant Terry

Vibration Cooking: Or, The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl by Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor

Voodoo and Hoodoo: The Craft as Revealed by Traditional Practitioners by Jim Haskins

When Roots Die: Endangered Traditions on the Sea Islands by Patricia Jones-Jackson

Working Conjure: A Guide to Hoodoo Folk Magic by Hoodoo Sen Moise

Working the Roots: Over 400 Years of Traditional African American Healing by Michelle Lee

Wurkn Dem Rootz: Ancestral Hoodoo by Medicine Man

Zora Neale Hurston: Folklore, Memoirs, and Other Writings: Mules and Men, Tell My Horse, Dust Tracks on a Road, Selected Articles by Zora Neale Hurston

The Ways of Herbalism in the African World with Olatokunboh Obasi MSc, RH (webinar via The American Herbalists Guild)

[witch-priestess]

Environmental Witchery

I would truly love to think it’s at the top of our to do lists to be good people. I would love to think that and also see it put into place. We can pray to our gods for others, we can (consensually) do a kind spell or sigil for them too, and it’s all well and good. But what can we do for the environment? I got you covered, let’s take a look at my many ideas on how you can be a conscious witch for nature’s sake!

But, Ariel, don’t you usually use a million links in your posts? This is true, but I’m writing this based on everything my amazing teacher taught me back in my Environmental Science class in college. Except without all the big science words because I didn’t do great at that part, however, I did great at solutions and human theory, which is exactly what we want here. So, I encourage you so much to be inspired by this and look for more sources online! Never stop reading on what you can do to help the environment!

And without further ado, this is a quick stop of A-level Environmental Science by someone who cannot for the life of them remember terminology, woo!

Devote An Activity

Whether this be an organised beach clean up, picking up trash on a footpath, helping a charity store or a petition sign up, or any other environmental activity, devote it to your deity/ies! Just some examples would be going to a beach clean up and praying or just speaking in your mind to, say, Poseidon about how you honour him with this action.

Side note, it’s also a good meditative practice as you clean something up or fulfil a list/sheet.

Pick Organic

You guys thought this was just about shopping, didn’t you? Well, it isn’t, but I do want to say that if you can buy organic you should consider it because it means no artificial chemicals and fertilisers have touched the food. Farmers have to leave previously chemically-touched land to rinse itself and be scientifically declared ‘natural’ again before using it for organics, so when you buy organic, it’s a sign to farmers that it’s worth their time and money!

But no, this is about how you can make sure your plants are organic. Put down the chemical pest control and pick up your phone to research! Something as simple as a two foot board can keep out carrot flies, or planting marigolds and keeping coin or egg shell barriers can stop slugs. There’s alternatives and they’re usually fun to learn about, interesting to undertake, cheaper for your wallet, and better on your little plants and environmental microcosm you have going on there.

Plant Cloning

So plant cloning can be easy or difficult depending on the species at hand, but for the most part all you do is take a cutting, snip it diagonally, and put it in water until it sprouts roots and can be planted. This is called micropropagation, but it’s also some pretty awesome green witchery if you ask me!

You can do this for your herbs so you don’t have to buy more, which is good for your purse, but I also thought that if you consider yourself a good gardener with abundant native wildflowers nearby, or some in your garden, why not try your hand at cloning one? Native wildflowers are the absolute best thing for your native pollinators (did you know some wasp and fly species are also pollinators? It’s not just bees!) Not only that but also native plants are a really good thing to encourage right now because in our current era we’re seeing the negative effects of invasive species. Rhodendrons are a famous invasive plant around the world because it just grows… All year… All the time… Swallowing anything in its path. It also happens with fauna species: Harlequin ladybirds, cane toads, west african giant killer snails (which I’m sure wasn’t the actual name, or was it?), european rabbits, and so on and so forth. Now, we can’t fix the fauna part, but we can do our own little bit for the flora part. Also, if you manage to grow wildflowers, you’ve beat my environmental science professor because he could never get them to survive in his garden, so props to you!

Create Habitats

This is a really great one you probably see people do all the time but never considered to be witchy. Buy birdboxes (or make some!), set up bee-friendly hives (have you see the nests you can get? Google!), but also consider actually leaving dead wood around. I can see the confusion you have right now, but here’s the thing: a fallen tree is an ecosystem for all manners of insects. It creates another level of ecosystem within the bigger environment. For instance, if you go to a nature reserve, ever notice they don’t cut the trees down at the same times? Forgive me, Richard (my enviro teacher), for I have sinned and forgotten the name of the method, but it’s done because it creates different types of environment. Where the trees are pollarded and light hits the floor, flowers may grow and that encourages certain types of fauna. Where the trees create a canopy overhead and the ground is left to be darker and cooler, it again attracts different species. In this same way, a fallen tree is great for certain species. Give it a little research and see what you could attract by leaving that log out a little longer!

Act Consciously

I’m not even kidding with you: trampling is actually a really serious issue with environmental protection and reserves. It straight up makes it onto the Legal Quantative Sheet Thing that people have to fill out when trying to assess if the plans for the land are going to be a gain or loss. It’s why you see designated footpaths and raised walkboards in SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and various other areas of designated protection. It’s really important we think more about how our visit reflects the visit of many. To throw some Kantian Ethics in here, using one of the three maxims, we should think universally. This means we should assume when we do an action, it permits everyone else in the world to do it and they have also done it. When you walk off the boards which are clearly labelled not to, so does everyone else. When you litter, so does everyone else. Honestly Kant’s maxims are a really good way to encourage yourself to be a more ethical person. Just don’t read too much into his whole ethical theory. It’ll hurt your brain. Anyway! Here’s things to try to be more conscious of actively doing:

Pick up litter

Stay on designated paths

Use walkboards when provided

Step around flora where possible

If it says keep your dog on a lead it’ll be because of the wildlife there - usually for safety both ways - so do so until you get to the lead-free zone

Visit the visitors centre to learn more about helping the site or what native plants they have

Don’t practice activities banned in the area, as in fires or driving, because it’s probably because the environment can’t take it

Just don’t invade nature’s space, friendsssss

Donate A Little

Sometimes, nature runs low on funds. If you’ve got £2 for the charity bin to help your local reserve build a visitors centre, why not chip in? Visitors centres allow for education of the public and also visiting school groups. It’s places like that that teach you information like this.

Pray

Simple one here, folks. In between the prayers to deities and thanks and wants or whatever you happen to pray for, pray for the environment. Yours or globally. Also pray for general world atrocities, but that’s another post.

Compost

Literally everything made of some natural material is compostable somehow if you do your research on what conditions and so on, but at the very least all your vegetable peels and fruit slices can be left to one side to decompose into dead organic matter. Dead organic matter is like gold to plants because its natural nutrients which seep back into the soil which originated from the earth anyway! You get to decrease what you send to landfill whilst also giving a little home brewed offering to your plant babies.

Reuse and Recycle

Collect your candle wax to fashion into new candles, collect the ash when you burn things to put into your soil, when you’re done working with magic water, pour it into your plants, turn an old shirt into a braided witches ladder, and so on and so on. There is magic in putting time into fashioning a disused item into something entirely new, or in giving away what you no longer need. I’m going to start calling this The Phoenix Rule and it’s going to be my new witch code as of now (15th June 2019, you read it here first, folks). This is about doing what you can to grow from your own ashes or plant something good out of something old.

Paper? Leaves

Do you find yourself using a silly amount of brand new paper for sigils or intent in spells? Start collecting leaves (or old newspapers and things!) and use these instead of brand new paper. In fact, you could match the folklore of the plant to your spell and sigil. Bay leaves for accomplishing dreams, oak leaves for wisdom and knowledge, there is endless possibilities. Start picking up those fallen leaves! They’re free and they’re not using lots of water and chemicals to make them. Okay water, but water from the sky and ground that isn’t excessively farmed and pumped from nature for the paper bleaching industry.

And I think that’s where I’ll stop for now, but this is definitely not the end of all the things you could do to incorporate environmentalism into your witchcraft. And also, since it wouldn’t be written by me without them, I found some articles to get you started on researching this all further if (hopefully) the eco flame burns on in you~

None of them are witchy because when you Google ‘Environmental Witchcraft’ it’s all some very angry blog posts about who even knows what. Zealots in one. Such strange people. Anyway:

Organic Gardening Tips

82 Tips for Sustainable Gardening

10 Organic Gardening Tips

10 Reasons People Buy Organic

23 Ways to Reuse Plastic Bottles

51 Ways to Reuse your Waste

Why Is It Important to Preserve Nature

Composting Tips

How to Reuse your Candle Wax

How to Reuse your Candle Jars and Wax

Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden

Creating Habitats in your Garden

How to Grow a Wildflower Garden

Growing Wildflowers

[witch-priestess]

My only quibble with this list is the statement "rosemary can be used to substitute for virtually any other herb". No. Rosemary can be used to substitute herbs with similar properties. Each plant has properties that are specific to them. Check out Scott Cunningham's herb guides as they do great at giving more detail.

Building a Magical Home

One of my favorite quotes about the magic of homemaking comes from Cory Hutcheson, host of the New World Witchery podcast. He says, “Home is a transformational act. It is the thing you do to turn a space into a space… that is full of ritual and significance and meaning. So there is sort of this ongoing relationship you have with the space that makes it a home.”

The act of creating a home, of making a space your own, is inherently magical. But if you want to make your space feel a little more witchy, here are some ideas to get you started.

Charms and Talismans

Making your own magical objects can be a powerful way to bring magic into your space. The best thing about making your own charms is that you can make them look however you want, so it’s easy to disguise them as ordinary household objects. You can make a charm for any intention by combining objects based on their magical correspondences.

I’ve talked about protective charms in previous posts, so I’m not gonna spend a lot of time on it here. The simplest protective charm is keeping a large piece of iron under your bed to keep away nightmares, evil spirits, and negative energy. You could also make your own protection charm, like a witch bottle.

You can create a “happy home” charm to bring peace, harmony, and happiness into your home. This charm could include herbs like basil, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and/or bay leaves, as well as other items that you associate with peace and good fortune, like lucky coins, crystals, or black cat fur. Write your desires for a harmonious and happy home on a piece of paper, fold it up, and add it to the charm. You could store these items in a green bag, bury them in your backyard (in this case, make sure you’re only using biodegradable plant matter — leave out the coins and crystals), or place it inside a household object like a lamp or an end table.

If you suffer from insomnia or other sleep issues, try making a dream charm to help you sleep well and have sweet dreams. To make a simple dream charm, fill a blue or purple bag with lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and any other objects that you associate with peace, restfulness, and sleep. If you want to have lucid dreams or receive psychic messages in your dreams, include a bit of mugwort. Place the charm in your pillow or under your mattress. (I personally swear by this one, as it’s helped a lot with my insomnia.)

Charms are great for homemaking magic because you’re actually creating a magical object, which can then become a permanent fixture of the space.

Magical Decor

You can use magical items to decorate your home to bring certain qualities into that space.

Hanging or displaying a broom is said to bring good fortune, protection from evil, and good hospitality. Cauldrons are used to represent the Goddess, rebirth, and raw potential. Horseshoes hung above door frames bring safety and luck to all who cross under them, and keep unwanted guests away. If you can get them legally and ethically, animal bones, teeth, claws, and feathers can represent the spirit and energy of that animal. You can also put up images of spiritual and occult symbols — I have an image of the Sun tarot card hanging in my bedroom to promote positivity and growth.

If you need to be a little more subtle with your witchy decorations, working with the magic of color is a great way to do that. Gathering a lot of items of a single color in one room changes the energy of that room. Here’s a quick guide to give you some ideas:

Yellow is associated with divination, mental clarity, the element of air, success, communication, and inspiration.

Purple is associated with divine power, spiritual awareness, mystery, astral travel, magic, and authority.

Blue is associated with healing, psychic abilities, the element of water, peace, truth, and patience.

Red is associated with protection, the fire element, sex, power, vitality, and love.

Orange is associated with ambition, creativity, breaking through blockages, and career success.

Pink is associated with romantic love, friendship, self love, compassion, and emotional well-being.

Green is associated with nature, herbalism, the earth element, money, wealth, prosperity, and luck.

Brown is associated with grounding, animal magic, stability, and balance.

White is associated with purification, cleansing, the full moon, new beginnings, healing, and spiritual growth.

Black is associated with protection, truth, outer space, banishing, and transition.

Decorating your home with colors that are meaningful to you can create a powerful magical space. You may also have your own color associations (for example, yellow is a very “happy” color for me), so feel free to incorporate those into your decor as well!

Growing Magical Houseplants

Most witches feel a very deep connection to nature and draw power from the natural world, but we can’t all live in a cottage in the heart of the forest. Even if you live in a tiny apartment in the city, you can still bring nature into your space by keeping houseplants. Many popular houseplants have magical uses, and many popular magic herbs can be grown inside. Here are a few to get you started.

Aloe. This is one of my favorite plants. Aloe brings luck and protection, especially protection on an energetic/spiritual level. I like to keep aloe in my bedroom to protect me while I sleep, as well as to bring luck and inspiration while I’m working at my desk.

Basil. Basil is very popular in money spells, and will attract prosperity and luck to your home. However, it also has protective properties — both spiritual protection and protection from bugs, since basil is a natural insect repellent! Basil can also be used in love spells, and is just generally a good plant to have around for good vibes.

African Violet. This flowering plant attracts positive spiritual energy into your space. It has associations with the moon and the water element, and is very good for promoting spirituality and psychic power.

Rosemary. Rosemary is one of those herbs that every witch should have on hand. It’s so darn versatile, it can be used as a substitute for virtually any other herb, and can be used for almost any intention. Some of the most common magical associations for rosemary include: cleansing, purification, protection, healing, mental activity, and enhancing memory. According to author Deborah J. Martin, there’s an old English saying that, “Where rosemary grows, the woman rules the house.” Like basil, rosemary is a natural insect repellent.

Lavender. Lavender brings peace, love, and gentleness, which makes it a perfect addition to any home. It can be used in spells for cleansing and purification, enhancing psychic abilities, and stress relief. Lavender is also a powerful addition to love spells. Keeping lavender in the bedroom can aid in restful sleep, while lavender in the kitchen will bring harmony to the home.

Sage. Sage is the most talked about cleansing herb, and with good reason. Unfortunately, a lot of the sage bundles you can buy at metaphysical stores are made with white sage (Salvia apiana), which is sacred to Native American peoples and is endangered due to overharvesting. Instead of buying those, why not grow your own garden sage (Salvia officinalis), which has a lot of the same magical properties? Growing sage in your home will purify the space and protect those who live there. Sage also has an association with wisdom and mental prowess.

Hoya. Hoya is a common houseplant that you’ve probably seen even if you don’t know it by name. It has a distinctive appearance with waxy, dark green leaves and clusters of white, star-shaped flowers. Hoya aligns and balances the energy centers within your body, as well as in the surrounding space. It’s associated both with grounding and with spiritual openness, so it can be great for balancing the two.

Peppermint. Peppermint has a variety of magical uses, but my favorite way to use it is for gently opening up blockages and getting things moving. It’s great for cleansing, but is more gentle than rosemary or sage. Place it in any room where you tend to do a lot of healing work, or where you could use some peace and love. Peppermint is also used in dream magic, so growing it in the bedroom may bring on vivid or lucid dreams.

Orchid. Orchids are used in magic for love and lust. Historically, orchid has been used in folk medicine to promote male virility and “Jezebel root,” used in American folk magic to attract wealthy male lovers, is a type of orchid root. If you live with a significant other, try growing an orchid in the bedroom to promote passion in your sex life. Otherwise, grow orchids in your home to promote love or to attract romance.

Catnip. If you have cats, they’ll love this one. Catnip is actually a type of mint, and has strong lunar associations. It’s said to make one more charming and attractive, and is especially useful for attracting women. At the same time, catnip promotes courage and fierceness. It is also, of course, associated with cats and feline deities, so this is definitely a plant you’ll want to keep around if the cat is one of your animal guides.

If you have a yard space that you can turn into an outdoor garden, your magical plant options are limited only by your local ecosystem. Some outdoor plants that have magical uses include roses, sunflowers, rue, lemon balm, and strawberries.

Creating an Altar

Altars are focal points of magical and spiritual energy. Many people, both witches and non-witches, find that having a designated space for their spiritual practice creates a deeper sense of sacredness and purpose.

An altar can serve lots of different purposes. Many witches use their altar as a magical work space to prepare spells, meditate, and do divination. You may choose to dedicate your altar to a deity, your ancestors, or some other spirit(s) you work with. You can also build altars for specific intentions, such as a money altar or a love altar — performing rituals at this altar everyday is a powerful method for manifestation. You altar may be some or all of these things, or it may just be a place to sit and connect with the spiritual.

You can set up an altar on any flat surface, like a shelf or table, or inside a container like a jewelry box. Your setup can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. An altar can be huge and complex, with statues and candles and flowers, or it can be as simple as a tealight and an incense burner. It’s all about what appeals to you.

Resources:

New World Witchery pocast, “Episode 143 — The Magical Home”

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

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

“Candle colors and their meanings” by Michelle Gruben on the Grove and Grotto blog

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin

“The Magic of Orchids in Wiccan Love Spells & Rituals” on the Art of the Root blog