newfoundwitchery

[newfoundwitchery]

I haven't had many spoons lately to worship and I feel I'm letting my practice and particularly Lady Hekate down. How to get back into it after a time being out of the practice, even if it is just a few weeks?

[newfoundwitchery]

Hekate's Blessing Deity Oil

"HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy." - Theoi

I work with Mother Hekate to heal generational trauma, dream work, introspection, and my clairsenses. I venerate her on Saturdays as the planetary correspondences of Saturn fit her well.

She's been with me for over a decade, since the start of my practice. She took on the mother figure role when I personally did not have anyone.

This blog is actually dedicated to her for helping others learn about witchcraft and the occult.

She's a stern teacher, who will take off your training wheels on your bike and push you. However, she'll help you up when you fall. She's kind and nurturing when you need it.

I made an oil for her to call upon her. I use it to carry her with me, to wear for certain purposes and as a candle-dressing. It helps me with my intuition, clairsenses, protection, spiritual communication and divination.

You will need

A clean and cleansed jar

Myrrh - The moon, introspection, protection, spiritual connection, she just loves myrrh (UPG)

Cypress - Historical herb, strength, protection, enhances spirit connection, grief

Lavender - Dreamwork, enhances spirit connections, peace

Thyme - Clairsenses

Carrier Olive Oil - Traditional offering

You can either do the folk method or the hot method. You can find my post on infused oils here to learn how to make infused spell oils. I suggest if you are an animist or someone who wants more power from your oils. Speak to the herbs kindly, treat them less like an ingredient and ask them respectfully for their aid and the purpose they'll have in your oil. Use intention. The same goes for the Olive oil.

You can sub any of these, however, Cypress is historical for her. So is Olive Oil among the Greeks. Try to keep within the theme of the underworld, death, spiritual connection and psychic work.

Blessings!

Looking for all of my posts in one place? Check out the Masterpost

[newfoundwitchery]

Safety in Witchcraft

What’s not talked about enough in the spiritual community is mundane safety along with spiritual. Critical thinking is vital. I wanted to share a lot of my personal rules for myself that I have adapted into my craft.

Fire safety, never leave an open flame unattended. Ever. Always burn in an open enough area with a fire safe dish or on ceramic tile away from animals and children. If you leave the room extinguish the flame. Do not sleep with fire going. I know we want to keep that spell going even during a nap but sometimes we don’t wake up in time for danger. This is absolutely vital to keep you safe. It won’t ruin a spell I promise or anger anything. Please do not add those herbs to that candle. I know it’s nice and pretty but that is a fire hazard. Stay safe.

On that note always have an open window or a well ventilated area when burning items. That goes for herbs, incense, or candle. Smoke inhalation can ruin your lungs.

Rodents, reptiles, birds, any animal is sensitive to scents and have small respiratory systems. Be careful using anything around them. Research what can be used around them. I mean research! Cross reference. Use veterinarian hospital guides, not pro essential oil blogs. Please don’t put any essential oils on your pets. They can be seriously harmed.

Moon water actually molds, very easily. So can herbal blends if not stored correctly. Check frequently and use before end of date. Distilled water is your friend to prolongs shelf-life along is storing in a cold dark place.

Witchcraft and magic is not a replacement for medical treatment and medically prescribed medication. It absolutely can aid your treatment but it is never a replacement.

Do not ingest any herbal remedies without consultation with your doctor and/or Herbalist. Especially if you have pre-existing conditions and need to take medications for it. Things can conflict and are deadly.

Also forage responsibly. Unless you are 100% certain what you have foraged is the correct plant. Don’t even chance it. It’s not worth sickness or in worst cases death.

Do NOT ingest essential oils. I don’t care what you have heard from pro essential oil pages. The distillery methods are not safe for ingestion. It can tear up your stomach lining and throat. Cause extreme nausea and vomiting. Seizures and in worst cases death.

Some covens and practitioners are not your friends. Be cautious and use stranger danger. Be cautious and never give out all of your personal information online. There are predatory people everywhere, including in this community. Please be safe. Always use your gut instinct.

Please feel free in the comments and tags to add important safety pointers you have.

[newfoundwitchery]

How do witches get all their herbs, how do they know which ones they need, or do they just get them as they need them?

I feel like I should have a huge herb library and I have like 5 *flops*

[newfoundwitchery]

Hekate Reading List

The Goddess Hekate by Stephen Ronan (1992)

Hekate in Ancient Greek Religion by Robert Von Rudloff (1999)

Hekate Liminal Rites by Sorita d'Este and David Rankine (2009)

Circle for Hekate by Sorita d'Este (2017)

An Introduction to Hekate’s Modern Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen (2019)

Hekate: Goddess of Witches by Courteney Weber (2021)

Notes:

Books 1-4 focus on Hekate’s history and mythology

Books 5 and 6 while also providing information, have a more practical side to them including spells and rituals

[newfoundwitchery]

10 Shadow Work Prompts

This set of prompts are all in the form of questions. You may not resonate with all of these, but that's okay—everyone is on their own path of healing.

You can answer these prompts in your head, journal and write out all your answers, make art to represent how these prompts make you feel, or anything else you feel comfortable with that works for you.

When was the first time you apologized to keep the peace? Why?

Who told you that you weren't enough? Why did you believe them?

Why did you give that person so many chances? Was it worth it?

Why do you keep blaming yourself for what happened? If someone else were in your shoes, would you still blame them?

If you could speak to yourself from 5 years ago, what would you say?

Do you believe in "white lies"? Why or why not?

Why do you always stop yourself in the middle of talking about your hobbies or interests?

If you used to be a giving person, what happened to change that? If you still are, why?

What is the first thing that you think about when you think of "anger"? Vent about it, let it all out.

What is your relationship with shadow work? Do you think this helps? Why or why not?

[newfoundwitchery]

Low Energy/Effort Witchcraft

Are you perpetually busy? Never have any spoons? This might be the post for you. Note that not everything here may be considered low energy or low effort to everyone, and that's okay :)

Carry a crystal around based on what you need. I have a black tourmaline bracelet that absorbs negative vibes throughout the day. I stick it on a selenite slab when I get home to cleanse overnight, then rinse and repeat in the morning.

Put a bay leaf in your wallet to attract money. If you have time, draw a sigil or a $/£/€ on it.

Dedicate anything you drink to your deities if you have any. I dedicate water and black tea to everyone and my favourite raspberry tea to Hathor. Coffee is for Caim.

Enchant your pill case so you remember to take them on time. Enchant your pills to work efficiently. ("Anxiety begone. Ye be banished" on all of my anxiety pills ✌️)

Draw a sigil on your body wash bottle to remove bad vibes or carve a sigil in a bar of soap.

Enchant your moisturizer to repel the evil eye. I fucking love this one.

Incorporate colour magic into the socks you wear (Goths who wear hot pink socks, I'm looking at you).

Enchant your charger so it doesn't break and so you don't lose it. Enchant your phone too while you're at it.

Sorry, I love enchantments--

Uhhhhh

Match those big ol jar candles to different intentions. Burn a cedar candle to cleanse/banish. Burn a cinnamon candle to draw in prosperity. Burn a citrus candle to uplift mood. This one is fantastic for broom closet witches.

Got a humidifier? Fill it up with moon water. You're welcome ;D

Politely ask the spirits of your plants to ward your space. Feed two birds with one scone this way.

Witchy social media. Scrolling on Tumblr and learning something new about witchcraft counts as witchcraft imo. Saving tarot spreads from Instagram for later counts too. Making Pinterest boards for literally anything also counts.

Keep a digital grimoire if doing it on paper costs too many spoons. I have used Google docs & drive in the past but I currently use Notion (You can copy and paste this way!)

If you still want a physical grimoire, print your stuff out and stick it in a binder or glue it in your journal. Boom. Physical grimoire

Listen to witchcraft related videos in the background while you do other tasks or chores in your home

Preparing a meal? Toss in spices that correspond with good health and drawing in positivity, or any other intention you have

Enchant your glasses to help you focus and "read between the lines" or see what wants to remain hidden (this one is a lifesaver at my job)

[newfoundwitchery]

Learning is hard.

It's gonna take time.

And, if you're like me, that most likely isn't what you want to hear.

Or it can even seem scary to hear that.

But, beginning something new is always going to take a while to get a grasp of.

And good things are always worth waiting for, worth practicing for.

You don't need to learn everything instantly.

You don't need to master every single skill or trick out there.

You don't need to do everything by the book.

You don't need to follow every single rule people put out.

You don't need to be scared of time, because ultimately your journey is weaved for you specifically. Not your friend, not your idols, you. So embrace it, experience it.

It's gonna get bad, it's gonna get really good, and you're going to have mundane times too.

You're going to get frustrated, confused, feel "stuck", and everything in between.

You're going to feel euphoric, safe, and adventurous.

All of it is apart of the process to shape you out into the best you for the journey you're on.

You're doing fine, everything's okay.

[newfoundwitchery]

Hekate Divination Oil

Divination oil is a great way to connect with Hekate and attune yourself to her energies. You can use them to anoint yourself, your deck, your candle, your spellwork, or whatever feels right to you. It can help you connect with her when you are trying to face difficult decisions and receive insight from multiple realms.

3 drops Mugwort essential oil

2 drops Wormwood essential oil

1 drop Patchouli essential oil

1 drop Cypress essential oil

Per 10ml of Carrier Oil Base (hemp, sweet almond, jojoba)

Sprinkle of Black Peppercorns

Sprinkle of Juniper Berries

Small black obsidian

I was thinking I can also substitute for herbs as long as there is enough oil to make up for it.

Source: https://backyardbanshee.com/tarot/spreads/hekate-tarot-spread/

[newfoundwitchery]

Source: https://backyardbanshee.com/tarot/spreads/hekate-tarot-spread/

[newfoundwitchery]

Beginner Friendly Witchraft Books

With a plethora of information available, it's essential to find the right resources to guide you through your magical path. Here are some books I would recommend to any beginner that offer a solid foundation into various paths and topics.

Witchery by Juliet Diaz

The book is a mix of personal experiences, practical instruction, and spiritual guidance, making it suitable for both beginners and people with more experience in the craft.

The Crooked Path by Kelden

This book has been an invaluable resource in my personal craft. It explores various aspects of traditional witchcraft, which if you're interested in I would definitely recommend.

Psychic Witch by Matt Auryn

This book is for anyone curious about the unseen world and their own untapped potential.

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

This is a guide to practicing green witchery, harnessing the natural world's magic for growth, healing, and living in harmony with nature.

Witchcraft for Beginners by Lisa Chamberlain

A pretty informative guide to witchcraft with brief but thorough descriptions of different paths.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

A classic book on magickal herbs

Sigil Witchery by Laura Tempest Zakroff

A comprehensive guide to sigil magick, focusing on helping you develop your own powerful sigil magick practice.

The Witch's Altar by Jason Mankey and Laura Tempest Zakroff

The witch's altar history, creation, and magical power to elevate rituals and connect with the sacred.

These are just ones I've personally found helpful when I first got into the craft, if you want any recommendations for specific topics feel free to ask :).

[newfoundwitchery]

I'm a new witch, only been really practicing for a couple of months maybe, but I've been reading about it for years and wanting to practice. I worship Hekate and Bast, although Hekate is my primary goddess.