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New discourse: it's actually predatory to date someone with a different star sign than you, because the differences in your personalities means you'll never be able to have exactly the same life experiences, thus leaving a knowledge and power gap between the two of you which will inevitably lead to an abusive relationship!

also if you're a Sag and you're dating a Taurus, that means you're secretly seeking a May-December relationship, which is age gap coded!

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Not every post about witchcraft needs to be tailored to the comfort of beginners.

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Solo cursework/baneful stuff is EzPz for me but partnered/group cursework always makes me nervous.

I don't always know how a client &/or partner will react.

Sometimes it ends up being a sort of crack therapy session with them banging on tables and screaming their frustrations at the representation of the target(s).

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Any spells/resources or herbs that I could use for a spell for longer and stronger nails? 🤍

I'll be honest: this is not my forte. I don't think I've ever done a working relating to nails (other than using them as taglocks), so I'm going herbalist mode for this one.

I know some with tout biotin (a B vitamin often sold as a supplement) as a way to prevent or "fix" thinning hair and brittle nails, but there's no evidence that it actually does. Biotin deficiency can lead to hair loss, brittle nails, and a rash, but the deficiency is so rare worldwide that there aren't even fortified foods to combat it, unlike something like wheat or corn products, which need to be fortified with niacin (among other things) to prevent pellagra; or salt, which is often fortified with iodine to prevent intellectual disabilities.

If you are concerned about biotin, you can take a supplement, or just eat some chicken liver, eggs, cheese, or roasted peanuts. They're all high in biotin.

If you're looking to strengthen brittle nails, you can try:

moisturizing them with something like cocoa butter, coconut oil, or shea oil/butter daily (there are products out there that are specifically made for nail/cuticle moisturizing, but I've never used any)

making sure they don't get wet too often (wearing gloves when washing dishes, taking showers instead of baths, and, again, moisturizing)

using an OTC nail strengthener

Sawces: x | x | x | x | x | x | x |

I'm not sure necessarily about a spell to bring longer nails. Maybe an enchantment of some kind? You could do a ritual where you apply the moisturizer or strengthener to your nails while you say (or think) your intention to have them grow longer and stronger.

I hope this helped, and I'm sorry if it didn't. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to add them.

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How did magicians back in the day make seals? Was there a science behind it or was it intuitive?

That's a really good question! The answer is extremely complicated!

When most people these days think of seals they think of goetic seals. But the terminology of "seals" actually comes from the idea of sealing a letter. Specifically, it refers to one of the many apocryphal versions of the story of Solomon and Ashmedai, in which king Solomon uses a signet ring with a special magical symbol on it to command demons.

Now, this is one of those biblical stories that people went absolutely nuts for. Jews, Christians, Muslims, damn near every abrahamic faith has their own take on the story, because let's be honest here it's cool as fuck.

But! The original story from the Tanakh doesn't refer to the seal at all, and focuses much more on controlling the sheyd with manacles inscribed with a secret name of God. The inherent magical power of names of God is a common trope in Jewish literature, but later versions of the tale also include greco-egyptian ideas about the inherent magical properties of language, forms, and mathematics.

So when we look at a contemporary English version of a goetic seal, we are looking at something with literally thousands of years of compiled knowledge behind it. I wouldn't necessarily call it science, or intuition, I would describe it as systematic, and narrative. Closer to how campfire stories are improved over generations as people tell and retell them.

Look at this seal of Belial:

The idea of the seal itself? That goes back to Babylonian Jewish ideas about written text having power to control supernatural entities. (Google Babylonian curse bowls if you haven't already.)

See how the letters are spaced? That's important. That goes back to neopythagorean ideas about regular polygons being fundamental building blocks of the universe.

The little crosses? Those are probably cruciforms! That's how you can tell Christians were involved at some point.

See how some of the lines of the seal end in little loops? That goes back to ptolmaic Egyptian ideas about magic. If the crosses are cruciforms, these are probably ankh-forms! You see shapes like that all over magical texts from the 2nd-6th century Mediterranean!

These symbols are the result of dozens of cultures and people and languages collectively yes-anding each other for literally thousands of years. They are DENSE with meaning.

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Minoan household shrine discovered at the archaeological site of Hagia Triada, Greece. 1600-1450 BC.

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An approach to deity/entity work for the sort of people this sort of thing would work for

So what I'm about to write down here was 1. inspired by ye olde angelic grimoire, the Arbatel, in which the author declared that angels are named after their functions, and therefore, you can call an angel by addressing it by function (EG, "Angel of Mathematics"), and 2. my own chaos magic/psychological model kind of approach to things. If you're the kind of person who's into that, or maybe into the idea of archetypes or whatever, this might work for you.

Step 1: Pick a title and function

Consider the sort of entity you want to work with, and pick an appropriate title and function; EG, "lady of healing," "queen of justice," "demon of meeting deadlines," or whatever works for you.

I recommend considering your emotional reactions to any given option; for example, if the word "demon" makes you feel empowered and brave, then it should work fine for you; but if it makes you feel anxious or brings up any religious trauma, you should probably avoid it.

Step 2: Pick some associations and stuff

Choose a few colors to associate with your figure; for example, maybe blue and green if it relates to healing, or pink and yellow if it relates to love and friendship. If it's a hearth figure, maybe make one of its symbols a wooden spoon. If it's related to protection, maybe give it a shield. Use all of this to form an image of this figure. Add any features to it you think are relevant; for example, if it relates to watchfulness, perhaps give it many eyes, or very large eyes.

You can also give it a symbol by whatever means you feel appropriate, and use this symbol anywhere you think a symbol would be appropriate.

Step 3: Work with your entity however feels appropriate

Give your entity offering, dedicate actions to your entity, ask your entity for assistance or just trust that your entity is assisting you, or whatever feels appropriate and works for you.

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Talk to Your Objects- A Guide to Light Spirit Work

This is a practice that can take a little bit to hone, but can save you a lot of time and really enrich your practice in the long run. Talk to your stuff. Like, really, talk to it. More importantly, listen to what it says back.  This idea largely stems from an animist perspective, where everything has its own soul. By that extension, even inanimate objects are something we can commune with, and through that gain a deeper understanding.

Examples of Use

Talking with a ritual tool regularly, so when you use it you’re bonded with it much more closely.

Asking a unique tool or ingredient directly how you can use it. (Hello, necklace. What kind of enchantments would you take to best?)

Asking for elaboration on a traditional correspondence (what kind of love does it attract? How strong are its protection properties? Protection from what?)

Being more mindful about everyday objects and when they need to be cleansed (such as your bed.)

Knowing when something is “up” with an object (because you’re more readily familiar with its energy)

A deeper understanding of exactly what is going into your spells and why

What You Need

Some level of comfort with discernment, energy work, personal shielding, wards, and banishing. This isn’t a guide designed for absolute beginners, so if there’s anything you don’t feel ready for yet/don’t understand, learn about that first and return to this when you do feel comfortable! 

Something to speak with (for starting, I recommend something that has meaning to you already. I don’t recommend pictures of people because that risks turning into a different kind of spirit work which isn’t what we’re here for.)

An open mind. 

And Then…

Make sure before you do any spirit work that your personal protections are up and refreshed, whatever that means for you. Find a space you can focus and sit with the object in your hands. Talk to it. Really say something out loud, directed at its essence like you would speak to another human. “Hi there. How are you feeling?”

Responses can come in a lot of different ways. You may hear a “voice” in your thoughts that sounds different from your usual thinking voice. You may have images pop into your mind’s eye. Your hands may feel energy of a certain texture, color, etc. Be open to however the message may come in. Do this regularly, and get comfortable with the way that object’s essence feels, how you receive messages, etc. Start with little, inconsequential things while you feel it out.

How Do I Know What’s Real and What’s My Imagination?

Short answer: You don’t. Do it anyway. Long answer: There’s never going to be any 100% certainty in spirit work. It’s important to remember that whether these entities even exist is up for debate in wider culture, and it’s definitely possible for a believer to delude themselves. That said, practice really really does help. Ask about things you can verify, or things you can see payoff with (aka simple signs.) Trust your gut if something feels very fake. If you’re having regular doubts, roll with a conversation in the moment and look back on it with a more critical eye later. That way, if it is real, you’re not wasting all your energy in the moment trying not to doubt yourself. Let yourself communicate comfortably, get what information you’re searching for, and review it when you’re not in the thick of it. If you make the call that something is your imagination, that’s totally fine! It still teaches you something. Now you know what that object’s energy doesn’t feel like, and can recognize that flavor of your imagination next time. 

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Please read Mountain Magic by Rebecca Beyer

I was on a break from social media when I read this one, so this isn't a full review, but I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Appalachian folk magic. This is especially relevant to Southern Appalachian lore since Beyer lives in North Carolina.

I loved Beyer's first book, Wild Witchcraft, and with this one, I think she's officially become one of my favorite authors. This is a very thorough collection of folklore and practice for how short it is, and it's organized in a way that is easier for my ADHD brain to follow than some other authors.

I also have to gush about the illustrations. Both of Beyer's books are beautifully illustrated, but I think the art in this one is especially incredible. It's worth having a physical copy for the info alone, but the gorgeous art really makes this a book I want to display in my home.

Finally, I've found Beyer really helpful as an example of combining a pagan religious worldview with a Christian folk magic tradition. Her first book is very much pagan, with info on the God and Goddess and the Wheel of the Year. In this book, she talks about how Christianity has always been at the core of Appalachian folk magic and doesn't try to "paganize" the practice, while also leaving room for readers to bring their own beliefs to the table and explore what feels comfortable for them. This book did not feel preachy in the way some books on American folk magic do.

But yeah, this is just a really fantastic book, and I absolutely think every folk witch needs a copy of it on their shelf!

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REVIEW: Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards

I feel like Jake Richards's books are pretty popular with folk witches. If you have any interest in Appalachian folk magic, or even American folk magic more generally, you've probably at least heard of this book. Part of why I put off reviewing it for so long is because I feel like there's already been plenty of attention given to it online, so I'll try to make this brief.

Pros:

Definitely authentic Appalachian folk magic. Jake Richards writes about a lot of things I've seen people do or heard people talk about but never seen written anywhere.

This book is really well researched! I'm very impressed by all the references and footnotes.

I love that Richards uses the correct Tsalagi (Cherokee), Gaelige (Irish), and Gaelic (Scottish) words when talking about the cultures that influence Southern folk magic. I also love that he includes pronunciation guides.

Cons:

I didn't finish this book on my first read. It wasn't until I revisited it recently that I actually read to the end. Something about the writing style and the way the book is organized made it a little hard to follow at times, at least for me.

The research is generally good, but there's definitely more detail given for European and Cherokee cultural influences than for African. When talking about European influences, Richards will usually specify the specific country or culture something comes from, but for African influences he just says "African." While this research is harder to do because the slave trade intentionally cut people off from their cultural traditions, other authors like Luisah Teish and Stephanie Rose Bird have shown that we can often trace these African influences back to a specific culture, or at least a region. I would have liked to see the same level of effort put into researching African practices that went into the European ones.

Other Observations:

Christianity is a big part of the author's practice. This is faithful to traditional Appalachian conjure, but just know that it may be triggering if you've experienced religious trauma in a Christian setting. I found this book harder to read than other books on conjure that incorporate Christian elements, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it sounded too similar to the Appalachian church where my abuse happened? Just something to be aware of if this is a tricky topic for you.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

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There's no better joy in this world than watching someone collapse to their own self when you agree with them:

You know witchcraft is probably the placebo, right?

Me - yeah

Them expecting a fight - wait, why do you practice it then?

I don't know whether I'm placeboing myself a new life or whether I'm manipulating the forces of change in the universe but either way, I'm becoming a better version of myself and overcoming my enemies, my own issues and living well. Is that not what the end game is?

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I really like what this physicist, Lamar Glover, has to say in Behind the Curve. 

+ this part from Spiros Michalakis:

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I do think there's a meaningful difference between "Having a trancendental religious/spiritual experience" and "lying" and that difference only becomes funnier the more petty the dispute.

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I think any inanimate thing you regularly care for becomes a little alive.

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How do you all reach out to deities? I tend to go for the yell at the sky (talk to my ceiling) method.