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I didn't realize this needed to be said, but uhh

If you are a Nazi, you have no place in paganism.

(Or anywhere, actually 🙂)

And to clarify (since ya'll need that, apparently), that includes people who are transphobic, homophobic, pro-eugenics (i.e. social darwinism anti-vaxxer people), anti-immigrant, racist, etc.

Ya'll don't belong here, paganism is not a safe place for you, and I don't want you interacting with my blog.

No TERFS, no conservatives, none of it. Freedom and equality for all.

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Witchcraft Exercises

Just a quick compilation of the posts I've made about exercises to help improve your craft. These can be used as journaling prompts, inspiration for activities, or as methods for pulling yourself out of a slump and recharging your witchy inspiration.

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Prompt - Music to Witch By

Most of these are also available in the May 2021 bonus episode of Hex Positive (check your favorite podcatcher).

Happy Witching!

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Egg cleanse. How to & their meaning!

Have you heard about egg cleanses? If you believe evil or someone is out to get you, this is a sure way to tell.

It's pretty simple!

Start by running your egg under water and setting your intention. Be specific with your intent.

Burn an incense or some herbs (frankincense :)) and let your egg run through the smoke.

Rub your egg on your body from your head to your toes. Focus on the egg absorbing the negative energy in your body.

Crack the egg into a glass of water.

Next, it's time to read your results.

Here are the meanings of an egg cleanse:

Bubble rising - Negativity

Figures in the yolk - Envy

Nails/Needles shapes - someone does not want you to succeed, you have an enemy

Coating on the yolk - someone is angering you

Red or black spots on the yolk - Illness/disease

Cloudy/Black/Gray yolk - Evil is near you

White halos around the yolk - making decisions too quickly

Clouds/swirls in yolk - people want you to fail

Bubbles around the yolk - good spirits are watching over you

Cobwebs - someone is jealous of you

Follow me for more witchy tips!

Enchanting Nova

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Grimoire ideas

About you:

How you got started in the craft

Your spiritual journey

Things you connect to (animals, elements, plants, ect)

Types of magic you do

Your natal chart

Your deities (if you have any)

Correspondences:

Remember, you don't need to write down correspondences you will never need! So instead, write about...

Crystals you have/want

Plants you can grow yourself/already have around you. Check your spice cabinet

And list things to use those for! So that would be herb bundles to burn, salves, recipes, and so on.

Other things you can use in magic that you already have

This would be things like sea shells, snail shells, grass, dirt, candles. Get creative!

Other witchcraft stuff:

Your sigils

Planets

The sun/moon +moon phases

Zodiac signs

The elements

Symbolism (animals, shapes, and whatever else you wish to add)

Spells:

What makes a spell that works!!! This should help with making your own spells

What NOT to do

Different types of spells

Spells you will actually use

Divination:

A section on tarot cards and their meanings

How to use a pendulum

Meanings of oracle cards

Rune meanings and how to cast them

Lesser known forms of divination!!!

Mental health:

Grounding and centering

Burn out care and being energy efficient

A list of what motivates you to do your craft

Small spells for self care

Astral work:

Your astral space (a map, a description, drawings of important locations)

Your astral body, if it's any different than your physical one

A list of spirits and important information about them

Protection, sheilding, banishing, and safety

Manners when interacting with spirits and what NOT to do

Methods of projection/travel that work for you

Post-astral grounding methods

General spirit work:

How to interact with spirits and how NOT to interact with spirits

Protection, banishing, shielding, and other safety things

How to give offerings (there's more than one way!)

Methods of communicating with spirits

Signs of spirits

Ways spirits can send signs and messages (animals, dreams, and so on)

A list of different kinds of spirits you work with/have encountered

A section for research, especially if you're doing deity work.

Grounding, if it helps you afterwards

A log of interaction with spirits. This can be like a divination journal but with spirits, if that's what you do.

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Home Warding

I recently moved into a new flat, so now seems a good time to share my personal methods of warding!✨

DISCLAIMER - warding is a deeply personal thing - although these are my preferred methods there is no single ‘right’ way to ward - do whatever works best for you!✨

✨CLEANSE✨

Always a good idea, particularly if you’re moving into rented or shared accommodation. Normally I would have used incense smoke but as I didn’t have any to hand I did an energy cleanse.

✨The First Layer✨

My first layer of warding is an energy ward designed to Shield My Space From Unwelcome Eyes - to create this I gathered my energy and focused it on constructing a barrier (I visualise it as solid white glow) which follows the contours of my room.

✨Side note - when creating your wards, don’t forget to cover all bases - you don’t want to put all your energy into a ward that leaves gaps such as corners or the floor and ceiling ✨

✨The Second Layer✨

My second layer of warding is another, more powerful energy ward, constructed the same way but imbued with much more energy (PLEASE be very careful not to exhaust yourself) designed to Rebound Physical or Emotional Pain Aimed At Me Onto Those Who Would Cause It - this is a slightly more offensive ward and should deter malicious entities by reflecting their negative intentions back into themselves.

✨The Third Layer✨

Instead of creating a third energy ward, I reinforce my protection using a protective ‘potion’ (the ingredients can be found below) with which I annointed the doors and windows, added a range of specific sigils for protection to various spots and sprayed the perimeter.

I may add further layers of energy warding in the future but I find it best not to expend too much strength in any single session.

✨Home Protection Water✨

Rose Water

Witch hazel

Cinnamon

Salt

Rosemary

Dill

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Why you should lock your mirrors and how to do it

Taken from my BOS, inspired by a viral tiktok, adapted to my own practice

In Mesoamerican culture, mirrors were seen as portals. Some say that these portals are from one dimension to another, and others say it is a portal to the realm of the dead. This is why many witches suggest covering your mirrors at night or if they are facing your bed. However, some may want to have the full convenience of not covering their mirrors at all, during any time of day. This is where locking mirrors come in. Not only is it convenient, but it adds another layer of protection to your home. Wards mean nothing if you have an open portal to the dead in your bathroom.

How to lock a mirror:

Gather full moon water, florida water, or another protective liquid that won’t leave a stain on the mirror.

Wash (physically clean) and cleanse (spiritually clean) your hands. You can do this by running them under water or passing them through incense smoke.

Dip your fingers into the moon water, or whatever liquid you are using, and draw a pentacle or protective sigil on the mirror. Imagine the mirror closing (you can visualize this as a light behind the mirror fading, or metal bars locking in front of the mirror--whatever your mind’s eye sees the portal as).

Let the water on the mirror air-dry on its own.

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Aries, and, well... Ares

reblog with your sign and your godly parent

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Reblog if you’re part of the LGBTQ+ witch squad

🍄🎃🌙🌿🌊🔮

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🌙 deity devotion journals

if you’re anything like me, the desire to meet and communicate with a new deity might be stunted by the idea of actually, ya know, communicating. whatever the reason (you don’t use divination, cant speak aloud, are afraid of being overheard, can’t meditate easily, etc.), initiating contact with deities can seem intimidating, and might even deter you from following the god or pantheon at all. but rest assured, there are easier and more discreet methods of talking, other than whipping out a dozen tarot decks and chanting pagan prayers

💫Why a Devotional Journal? What Is It?

devotional journals are journals dedicated to a specific deity or pantheon, where you can write messages, prayers, questions, or anything else you’d like to speak with Them about. i like to think of these journals like writing letters to a good friend- except your good friend is also a god!

☀️Beginning a Devotional Journal

depending on personal preference, this can be as intricate or as simple as you please. if you feel inclined to introduce yourself, explain what you’re doing or why you’re keeping a journal, or anything else, then feel free to! when i started mine i kept it as easy as writing “dear Apollo,” in a composition notebook, then explained my reasons and goals for keeping a journal specifically for Him. so honestly? go wild

⚡️What To Put in a Devotional Journal

prayers

Their name written in its orignal language

stories about your day

your relationship goals

tarot spreads for/to Them

song lyrics

poetry

hymns

Their family tree

things like the delphic maxims (hellenic) or 10 commandments (christian)

pressed flowers

printed pictures of what They look like to you

artwork

a list of things you associate with Them

gratitudes

what your altar to Them looks like (or what you wish it could look like)

messages you’ve received from Them

devotional acts

sigils/runes/etc

Their symbols

Their myths and lore

offering ideas

Their sacred animals, plants, cities, etc

famous works about Them

if you can think of anything else to put in a devotion journal, please feel free to add on! no matter how crazily beautiful or inconspicuously simple you make yours, the important thing to remember is your gods appreciate all efforts to strengthen your relationship with Them

-Mason Lane

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This looks interesting. My only question is: do we do both, or pick one?

I've been seeing a lot of people talk about shadow work and thought I'd try it out. So from the 1st of October we're doing this

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I pray that September, October, November, & December are all months full of growth, blessings, productivity, new doors open & opportunities.

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I've started reading Liber Null. I even bought a notebook to dedicate any practical exercises in it. I'm halfway through the first chapter aaaaand...

I'm worried about the mental exercises. My ADHD is BAD. I do have medication but considering I OFTEN FORGET to take my "remembering pills", these exercises are going to be hard. On the other hand, they might actaully HELP MANAGE my ADHD: keeping still, quieting the mind, intent focus, and so on.

I haven't the slightest idea for how long I should practice these - indefinately is probably ideal - and I also have no idea if, once I've finished the first chapter, I should read the second chapter and attempt anything written in there.

I'm kinda confused, but we'll see.

This is honestly exciting.

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PBW Witch Shop & Zine Distro

The PBW Witch Shop is a curated selection of witchcraft and magic related zines, books, pin-back buttons, tarot cards and more.

We focus on traditional and folkloric witchcraft, animism, chaos magic, secular witchcraft, magical herbs and plants, queer witchcraft, tarot & Divination, witchcraft & magic in politics, history, culture, and social & racial justice,  and aspects of non-Wiccan forms of witchcraft, magic, and paganism.

Pre-Covid the Portland Button Works primarily made custom pinback button. Selling zines and books was secondary and more of a hobby for me to share things I’d like to read. Right now our business is pivoting to focus on books and zines that people can read in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Some items are from well known witchcraft and occult publisher and some are titles from small publishers with interesting items I don’t see in other shops but I’m excited to elevate.

Not everyone has income to buy books right now, we totally understand that, but I would love it if you were able to reblog this post or share Portland Button Works and PBW Witch Shop with your friends.

If you have been looking for a book about something specific, or if you think something would be a good fit for our catalog, get in touch. We can order almost any book in print, even if it isn’t witchcraft or magic related.

With that being said, here are some categories of items we carry:

Some good books to get you started studying witchcraft:

Grovedaughter Witchery by Bree NicGarran

Making Magic by Briana Saussy

Magical Power for Beginners- How to Raise & Send Energy for Spells That Work by Deborah Lipp

Weave The Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff

Some creative books to help build your witch craft practice:

Spellcrafting- Strengthen the Power of your Craft by Creating and Casting Your Own Unique Spells by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

D.I.Y. Magic -a Strange & Whimsical Guide to Creativity by Anthony Alvarado

Psychic Witch- a Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, & Manifestation by Mat Auryn

Urban Magick by Diana Rajchel

Standing and Not Falling - a Sorcerous Primer in Thirteen Moons by Lee Morgan

Tarot Books

Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow

Tarot for Troubled Times by Shaheen Miro & Theresa Reed

Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea

Tarot Decks

Next World Tarot (regular and pocket sized)

Science Tarot

Rider-Waite-Coleman Smith Regular sized and Mini sized

Crow Tarot

Modern Witch Tarot

Cat Tarot

Check out the tarot and divination books in our catalog and also check out tarot and divination decks in our catalog here.

Condensed Chaos by Phil Hine

Advanced Magick for Beginners by Alan Chapman

Chaos Protocols by Gordon White

Hands on Chaos Magic by Andrieh Vitimus 

Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter Carroll

Other books in the Chaos Magic section

Anthologies: Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers, and Magical Rebels, Bringing Race to the Table: Exploring Racism in the Pagan Community, Shades of Ritual: Minority Voices in Practice

Magical Resistance: Witchcraft Activism by David Salisbury, Magic for the Resistance by Michael Hughes, Revolutionary Witchcraft by Sarah Lyons

Witches and Feminist Perspectives: Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici, Witches, Midwives and Nurses by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English , Witches Sluts Feminists by Kristen J. Sollee

Pagan Anti-Capitalism: Pagan Anarchism True to the Earth: Pagain Political Thology by Kadmus, All That is Sacred is Profaned: A Pagan Guide to Marxism by Ryhd Wildermuth, A Pagan Anti-Capitalist Primer

Queer Witchcraft: Witchcraft and the Gay Counter Culture, Sapphomanteion a Lesbian Oracle, Queering the Tarot

Check out the Witchcraft Culture and History and Witchcraft Politics and Resistance sections of our website.

Green Witchcraft: The Green Witch by Arin Murray-Hiscock, Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

Plants and Herbs: Under the Witching Tree by Corinne Boyer, Under the Bramble Arch by Corinne Boyer

The Poison Path: Veneficuim: Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path by Daniel Schulke, Pharmo/Gnonsis: Plant Teachers and the Poison Path by Dale Pendell , Plants of the Devil by Corinne Boyer

Witchy Crafts: Pestlework: a Book of Magical Powders and Oils by Bree NicGarran, Sew Witchy by Rachel Henderson, Sigil Witchery by Lara Tempest Zakroff

Other books in our Plants, Herbs, and Magical Crafts section

Books on Atheopaganism

Godless Paganism (anthology)

Atheopaganism by Mark Green

Other Pagan Perspectives

Jailbreaking the Goddess: A Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality by Lasara Firefix Allen

The Wakeful World: Anismism, Mind, and the Self in Nature by Emma Restall Orr

Circling the Star by Anthony Rella

All That Is Sacred is Profaned: A Pagan Guide to Marxism by Rhyd Wildermuth

All Other Pagan books

Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary

A Deed Without A Name: Unearthing the Legacy of Traditional Witchcraft by Lee Morgan

Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft by Keldon

Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards

Besom Stand and Sword A Guide to Traditional Witchcraft the Six-Fold Path the Hidden Landscape by Christopher Orapello & Tara Love Maguire

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

Folk Witchcraft by

The Flame in the Cauldron by Orion Foxwood

Craft of the Untamed by Roger Horne

Check out the rest of the books in our Traditional & Folkloric Witchcraft Section

What are zines? Small independently made magazine and pamphlets filled with stories and unique ideas that you won’t find from major publishers!

Some topics you will find in zines we carry are Secular Witchcraft, the fantastic Fiddler’s Green Pamphlets and lots of zine on the places where Politics, Paganism, and Witchcraft intersect.

Check out all of our witchy zines here.

Other Stuff

witchy buttons

 magnets and hand mirrors

We carry more than just witchy books.

Here are some of the other titles we carry:

You Were Born For This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance by Chani Nicholas

When Language Runs Dry: An Anthology for People with Chronic Pain and their Allies

What is Gender Nihilism?

Be Gay Do Crime by The Mary Nardini Gang

Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher

You Black Friend by Ben Passmore

Learning Good Consent an Anthology edited by Cindy Crabb

How To Talk To Your Cat about Gun Safety and Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism and Other Dangers that Threaten Their Nine Lives

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Honoring your Ancestors by Mallorie Vaudoise

Do-it-Your Self Guide to Fighting the Big Motherfucking Sad by Adam Gnade

Yes, I’m Flagging: Queer Flagging 101 by Archie Bongiovanni

Full online catalog of books, zines, buttons and more can be found at PortlandButtonWorks.com and the PBW Witch Shop can be found here.

All items are shipped from Portland, Oregon in plain packaging or United States Postal Service Flat Rate envelopes or boxes with the return address as Portland Button Works. We ship daily and most order come with small fun gifts of buttons or magnets.

Thank you so much for supporting your local witch!

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What's this nonsense that I've read on Facebook about a group of witchlings hexing THE FREAKIN FAE AND THE MOON??? Someone's gonna find themselves eyeballs deep in whole lot of hurt.

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Origami Magic: Manifesting your desires

Origami is a simple method that you can use to manifest desires in your spells, and there is many symbolic shapes that you can choose to incorporate into your spell work. Origami paper is inexpensive, and origami is a fun, decorative, and a really simple type of spell with the potential to really move huge amounts of energy should you will it so.  If you are a closeted witch, this is a really good way to do spell work without it getting noticed, as it will appear that you have a simple hobby. The concept of this is that the act of folding can act as a simple binding ritual, cementing the energy into place. The color or design of the paper can represent your intention, and the final shape can manifest the desire into fruition. Numerology could also be incorporated into this to tie further intentions into the spell.

Please keep in mind that cutting origami paper is generally considered taboo, so please do not cut it with scissors. A simple origami spell: - Write a wish, prayer, or desire on the wrong side of the paper. - Fold into a symbolic shape that represents your intended outcome.   Color symbolism: Red: Love, Energy, instinct, desire, passion Orange: Creativity, motivation, emotion, sexuality Yellow: Happiness, joy, mental clarity, strength Green: Growth, love, health, well being Blue: Awareness, truth, knowing, wholeness Purple: Spirituality, inner knowing, the sight Black: Protection/Oppression White: Protection, healing, purity Pattern symbols: Old and Modern symbols Cherry blossom: Rebirth, life Plum blossom: Perseverance, hope Cranes: Longevity, luck Koi: Luck, prosperity Fans: Protection from evil, restorative to the soul Bamboo: Growth, abundance, endurance Pine: Comfort, endurance, breaking ties Flax: Success and growth Birds: Freedom, movement Birds in pairs: Couples, negotiation, harmony Black birds: Evil Stripes: Sexuality, discouragement, imprisonment, attraction Spots: Sickness, ominous signs, fear, joy, bliss, playfulness Paisley: Wealth, abundance, plenty Animal symbols: Butterflies: Souls of those departed, moving forward from something Cranes: Luck, longevity, monogamy, strength Frogs: Safe travel, returning what was lost Turtles: Wisdom, protection, represents the will of Heaven and Earth Cat: Wealth, luck, feminine wisdom, intuition The list is endless! With origami patterns really taking off, there is animals, fruit, flowers, etc all waiting for you to use their intentions in your spells. I’ve written an example spell below:

Simple origami spell for returning lost love: Write the name of the one you love on the wrong side of the paper. Fold into a frog. Write what you want the outcome to be on the wrong side of a second sheet of paper. Fold into a rose. Sew them together with a thread of symbolic color, and hang them above your bed to return your lost lover.

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Also Im sorry but chemical, vegetable, and mineral alchemy is valid and all y'all

"AlcHemY Is EntiRelY PsYchOlOgiCaL MetApHoR for PosItIvItY DoCtrInE"

Can drink quicksilver and chase it with strontium salts.

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