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So, I've been considering getting into deities and what not but I'm finding myself at a loss and overwhelmed on where to even start. At the very least, does anyone have just a list of names I can read through? That's the most basic starting point that I can't even seem to find. Maybe it's just because there are so many. If anyone cam direct me on where to look myself that would also be really helpful

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Beginner’s Guide to Hellenic Polytheism

I KNOW this is a really long post but my intention was to just note down everything that I think is important for beginners and that’s A LOT. It took me forever to learn some of these things but they’re so important, so buckle in. I hope this helps some people.

If I’ve missed anything, please feel free to let me know what you’d like me to add. I’ve been working on this for two days, so if there are typos, I’m so sorry.

The sections I cover here are key terms, mythic literalism, deity work vs deity worship, FAQs and General Advice.

Some Key Terms

Hellenic Polytheism: Hellenic means Greek, and Polytheism means worshipping multiple gods. So, Hellenic Polytheism is the worship of the Greek Pantheon which is also referred to as the Theoi. The people who practice could be referred to as Hellenic Polytheists. Some also call themselves Hellenic Pagans, but not all people who practice Hellenic Polytheism consider themselves pagan.

Hellenistic: you may see the term ‘Hellenistic Polytheism���, but this is my PSA to ask people not to use that, as it’s incorrect. Hellenistic refers to a specific period of Andient Greece, from 323-32 BC, and your worship is almost definitely not specifically focused on that period. Additionally, here is a post by a Greek person on why ‘Hellenism’ and ‘hellenismos’ are disrespectful.

Ouranic: this is the term for the heavenly gods. Be aware that there is some overlap between Ouranic and Chthonic deities. Whether a deity is Ouranic or Chthonic will effect things like prayer position (palms up for Ouranic) and whether offerings can be eaten or drank (yes for Ouranic)

Chthonic: this is the term for the underworld gods. Be aware that there is some overlap between Ouranic and Chthonic deities. Whether a deity is Ouranic or Chthonic will effect things like prayer position (palms down for Chthonic) and whether offerings can be eaten or drank (no for Chthonic) side note - when it comes to hero worship, I personally treat them as if they’re chthonic.

Kharis: this means reciprocity, and also refers to the relationship formed between us and the gods. Arguably the most important aspect of Hellenic Polytheism is that when you ask something of a deity, you must give an offering in return. Size of what you’re asking for should correspond to size of the offering, or if you’ve given many little offerings without asking for anything you can use that as why you should be given the Big Thing.

Xenia: guest-friendship, hospitality. The idea that any stranger could be a God in disguise, so treat everyone respectfully. It’s an Ancient Greek social custom that a lot of Hellenic Polytheists see as important today. Simply put, in modern times this most often just means being kind to strangers. There’s a lot more to it than that though, so look here. Know that Xenia is a two-way thing, so you have to be generous to your guests but they must also respect your home.

Eusebeia: basically, piety. Respecting the Gods. This is really the only ‘rule’ of Hellenic polytheism. There’ll be different ideas of what is considered respectful, but as long as you have good intentions and don’t do anything you KNOW would be offensive, you’re okay. Don’t insult the gods (any of them), don’t ask for anything without offering something else, and don’t treat yourself as equal to or higher than the theoi.

Hubris: excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence, often the fatal flaw of a lot of Greek heroes in mythology. Specifically, this is when you act better than or equal to the gods. You are not.

Libations: a type of offering, in the form of a liquid. Usually poured on the ground but can be drank (unless it’s to a chthonic deity) if you’re a closeted Hellenic polytheist who can’t just pour some liquid on the floor every time you want to offer it. My advice for food offerings/libations to chthonic deities if you’re not openly a hellenist is to offer leftovers, rotting food, or something you otherwise know will go to waste.

Altar: traditionally a place used to put physical offerings and food offerings for deities. Some people have an altar to each deity, some people have one altar for all their deities. These can be as big or as small as you want. People may use shelves, drawers, boxes, windowsills, etc, and I don’t even use mine for food offerings, only for physical ones because I usually eat the food offering (I don’t like the idea of wasting food). My altars also just serve as a dedicated space for that deity in my life.

Hero worship: this is the worship of ‘heroes’ in Greek mythology, which includes literally any mortal. For example, I worship Odysseus of Ithaca, Penelope of Ithaca, Helen of Sparta, and Tiresias of Thebes. I’ve been asked a lot about how hero worship differs from deity worship, and you can find that answer here.

Devotee: there is a lot of disagreement on what the difference between a devotee and worshipper is, but for me, I’m devoted to Athena as I feel I have the closest bond with Her of all my deities and I honour Her the most. This partly comes from my feeling that She has been with me for much longer than I’ve been aware of Her presence, and that also so much of who I am and what I value comes under Her domains.

Patron: this basically means that if part of your identity comes under the domain of a deity, then that deity is your patron. There can be occupational patrons (like Hermes is the patron of merchants) or to do with things like gender (Hera is a patron for women. Yes this includes trans women, transphobes are not welcome here.) You can have more than one patron, and you don’t need to worship all of the deities who would be considered your patron.

Epithets: these are titles given to deities. There are two types - cult epithets, which describe the aspect of a deity you’re focusing on (like Athena Ageleia, meaning ‘Protector of the People’) since they have a lot of domains and it’s important in prayers to specify what you want. Then there’s poetic epithets, which are adjectives, often used to compliment a deity. I like using these to make my prayers seem more sophisticated to be honest (example: white-armed Hera)

Unverified Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. If it’s unverified, that means that it has no basis in historical sources as far as the person is aware, and they don’t know anybody else who has the same experience. You will often see this abbreviated as UPG. Personally, I think UPG is really valid, considering a lot of things are unknown to us due to the loss of sources overtime.

Shared Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. Like UPG, Shared Personal Gnosis (often abbreviated as SPG) doesn’t have any historical backing as far as the people who believe it are aware, but it is shared by multiple different people and therefore seen by some as more valid than UPG (though I’d argue that all SPG is UPG before you know that other people agree)

Verified Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. It being verified means that there are historical sources to back up the belief, and this is commonly abbreviated to VPG. You are more likely to come across the terms UPG than SPG or VPG, and most of what Helpol people on tumblr discuss is UPG, even if they don’t state that directly.

Reconstructionist: these are people who try to ‘reconstruct’ the ancient religion, recreating ancient rituals as best they can and doing things as close as they can get to how the ancient Greeks did based on our historical sources. An important note here is that we will never be able to do this perfectly and that’s okay. For example, I would hope none of us are making animal sacrifices.

Revivalist: these are people who try to recreate the ‘spirit’ of the religion, though not with the exact practices that the Ancient Greeks used. Revivalists are more concerned with the values and beliefs of the ancient religion than they necessarily are with how it was practiced. I personally feel like I fall somewhere between the two, but I also think both are really valid!

Mythic Literalism

Mythic Literalism is the idea that the stories we see in any mythology actually occurred. In Hellenic Polytheism, this is not how we tend to look at the Greek myths. And it’s not how the ancients saw them either.

Greek mythology has always been interpreted as symbolic. For example, Hades kidnapping Persephone is mostly accepted to be about mothers in Ancient Greece being separated from their daughters once they marry. It does not mean that Hades, the God, kidnapped Persephone, the Goddess, and that people who worship Hades are evil because Hades is a kidnapper. This myth can also be interpreted through the lens that death separates families.

This is important because the Gods all do things that are, by today’s standards, incredibly immoral - and a lot of them were even immoral in antiquity. It is important to not take the myths literally to avoid feelings of guilt over worshipping something horrific.

And yes, this applies to Zeus. He is not a rapist, He’s a male fertility god. In myths he does bad things because he represents kings and kings can abuse their power. Things like that.

But it’s still good to research the myths! It’s good to learn the ways in which these deities were understood and what their domains can represent. Myths also help us to feel more familiar with our deities. Additionally the myths tell us not to be hubristic, and things like the Iliad tell us about Oaths and Offerings and Xenia. These are important parts of helpol.

Deity Work vs Deity Worship

I’m going to preface this section by saying that I worship deities, I don’t work with them, so even though I’m doing research on this please take everything I say about deity work with a grain of salt and note that the rest of this post might apply more to worship, because that’s what I’m familiar with. Lastly, my intention here is not to place a value judgement on either type, I just want to try and make a full explanation for anyone out there looking for one, since I’ve found it to be kind of difficult to find.

From my understanding, deity work is common among witches, and usually involves asking a deity to help with your spells or other forms of magick. When you work with a deity, you are asking them to mentor you in a sense, and there’s often a specific goal in mind that they’re hoping to achieve with help of the deity. Additionally, because of that goal-oriented relationship, deity work has deadlines(?). Like, once you’ve achieved the goal you had, the deity will stop working with you

There are similarities, as both seem to involve reciprocity and offerings, and both involve cultivating a relationship with deities, even if the nature of that relationship and the reason for offering is different.

Deity worship doesn’t have a set end-goal. You CAN stop actively worshipping a deity, but this doesn’t usually come after a specific goal is achieved because there isn’t a goal in mind. Worship is more about honouring the deity. Khakis is built out of admiration, respect and love for the deity. This is why we pray, make offerings, etc. it’s all to honour the gods. We do ask for things in deity worship, but that’s not the entire point like it is for deity work.

FAQs

Do I need to be called to worship/work with a deity?

Nope! You are 100% allowed to reach out first. You can do that by praying or making an offering. Remember to research the deity first, so you know what epithets to use, know what symbols they’re associated with, have ideas for offerings, etc. Also, if a deity calls to you, you are not obligated to worship them. Acknowledge them and move on if you don’t have time, energy, or interest in worshipping them at that time.

Where can I find information on deities?

The main site that I think everyone uses is theoi.com, which has really in-depth pages on a lot of deities, with their myths, lists of epithets, family trees, etc. it’s a really useful resource!

Do I need an altar?

No. They’re nice to have but you don’t need one straight away. It took me two years of worshipping to get any altars, and even now I don’t really use them how you’re ‘supposed’ to.

Are there any sins in Hellenic Polytheism?

No, just don’t disrespect a god (don’t disrespect any of them, even the ones you don’t worship should be respected). Also don’t show hubris.

Deity X and Deity Y don’t get along, but I want to worship both, what do I do?

Disregard mythic literalism and remember this is a polytheistic religion. The gods know they are not the only god you will be worshipping, and they are chill with that. If you really want, you can separate their altars if you have an altar per deity, but it’s up to you completely.

Other General Advices

This post is a starting point, nothing here is very in-depth. Do more research if anything on here is still confusing to you. Feel free to ask people here on tumblr, I’m sure most of us would be happy to help.

Don’t believe everything you see on tiktok/tumblr. We’re all still learning, a lot of us are wrong about stuff. Do other research and let yourself form your own beliefs. As I’ve said, even parts of this post should be taken with a grain of salt. I’m no expert, I just want to try to help.

If you’re going to make your own posts about helpol stuff, advice I’ve seen before that really stuck with me is ‘keep some things scared’. You don’t have to post everything. I, at the moment, don’t post my prayers or photos of my altars. Those things are what I keep scared, you should have your own things. They don’t have to be the same as mine.

You have nothing to be afraid of. The gods can be intimidating when you’re starting out, but they know we don’t have as much readily available information about this stuff as the ancient greeks did. They also know you’re new, and they will be patient with you. Don’t be scared.

You can offer anything. Digital offerings are as valid as physical offerings. Devotional acts are valid too.

Know that you will never be done learning. Accept this and commit to trying to learn anyway.

Know how to tell signs from the gods apart from just General Happenings of the world. Here is a good post on that. I have a series on my blog tagged #signs from deities, to show the kinds of things I personally recognise to be signs and to show how frequently/infrequently those can occur. I would suggest keeping your own record of those, whether or not you share it is up to you. The reason is to reflect on your journey and, if you ever doubt your gods, you can look at those lists to remind yourself of how they’ve been there for you previously.

Doubt is healthy, it’s okay to doubt things. Don’t feel bad for this, the gods understand. Let yourself question everything you feel the need to question.

Similarly, anger is healthy. It’s okay to be angry at the gods, but don’t disrespect them because you’re upset. Handle your anger well. You won’t get punished for being upset.

The Hellenic Gods aren’t generally believed to be all-knowing, however it is believed that they can hear us when we call their names, which is why prayers start with invocation of a deity’s name and an epithet.

[etherealcards]

had already sent this to a mutual of mine but i thought this might be helpful for anyone else who may need it

it’s a tarot spread on how to know what deities are trying to reach out with you and why, works like a charm i swear

have a good night everyone!

-star <3

[etherealcards]

Forward & Onward Spread

Having a hard time finding direction? Or maybe you need help moving on from something, a person, a place, or a situation.

Either way, this spread can help you out!

The Forward & Onward spread focuses on various parts of the self, both physical and non-physical, and asks how you can best take care of these aspects of yourself in order to move forward or move on (perhaps both)!

Note: This spread can be done using any form of cartomancy, or really any type of divination.

What does my mind need? It’s easier to tell when your physical self is struggling, the signs are less obvious for mental strain, though. What is it that you need for the sake of your mind? This will likely be a more straightforward, logical answer.

What does my body need? Our bodies know when we’re going through a hard time, what do you need to do for your body to help move forward?

What does my spirit need? Spirituality and your spiritual beliefs can play a big role in your life ventures. What do you need to nurture in your spirit in order to move forward?

What does my heart need? This is the feelings side of the reading. Perhaps there are feelings you’re repressing, or maybe you don’t know how to label the things you’re feeling, to begin with. What is it that you need in order for your heart to be on the same page as everything else moving forward?

Next step/action to take. This is more self-explanatory, what action (or even actions) should you take in order to move forward?

If you do this spread let me know how it went!

Enjoy my posts? Consider leaving me a tip on my ko-fi!~

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IT IS OK TO NOT HAVE DEITIES IN YOUR CRAFT

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Things witches keep under their pilllows

Traditionally, witches may keep various items under their pillows for different purposes. Some common examples include herbs or botanicals associated with specific intentions, such as lavender for relaxation or mugwort for enhancing dreams.

Other items could include crystals, charms, written spells, or personal items with symbolic significance. It ultimately depends on the witch's individual practices, beliefs, and intentions.

1. Tarot Cards: Some witches keep a tarot deck under their pillow to enhance their intuition and promote vivid dreams. They believe it can facilitate messages from the subconscious or spiritual realm.

2. Dream Journal: Witches who are interested in dream work might keep a journal under their pillow to record their dreams as soon as they wake up. This practice helps with dream recall and analyzing the symbolism within dreams.

3. Protective Talismans: Witches may place protective talismans or amulets under their pillows to ward off negative energy, nightmares, or unwanted spiritual influences. These could include symbols like the evil eye, pentagram, or specific charms chosen for their protective properties.

4. Magickal Tools: Depending on their craft, witches might keep small magickal tools under their pillows, such as a wand, pendulum, or small ritual knife. They believe these tools can absorb and amplify energy while they sleep.

5. Sacred symbols: Witches may choose to place sacred symbols that hold personal meaning or significance under their pillows. This could be anything from sigils to religious or spiritual symbols associated with their belief system.

It's important to note that the items witches keep under their pillows vary greatly and are highly individualized. Practices can differ depending on personal preferences, cultural backgrounds, and specific branches of witchcraft.

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Stop Memorizing Your Tarot Cards

Stop memorizing your Tarot cards. Burn the little white book. Learn to read images.

I beat this drum incessantly in the Tarot community. In the past I’ve emphasized the ease of this approach, and it is, actually, much easier and much less tedious than memorizing descriptions. If you sit with a card and allow your mind to wander freely, you will come up with dozens of associations for each card that are just as valid as anything Waite or Crowley came up with. Probably more valid. Nothing I’ve read by any occultist has helped me heal a broken heart, but sitting with the emotions that bubble up when I’m hurting and looking at the 3 of Swords certainly has.

The hardest part of learning to read images is unshackling yourself from the tyranny of words. There are schools of thought that teach a thought doesn’t exist until it’s formed itself into words, but art proves the lie of that, dripping through the spaces between the letters, reaching the places words can’t reach. Who was the ballerina who said, “If I could tell you what the dance was saying, I wouldn’t have had to dance it?”

Tarot is art. You can’t just call the High Priestess “introversion” and call it a day. That’s like trying to reduce Hamlet to the word “indecisive.”

Tarot cards aren’t words. They aren’t even sentences. They are libraries.

And your mind already knows how to read them.

Choose a card. Any card. Sit with it for five minutes and watch where your mind goes.

That’s all you have to do.

This post was originally published on adapembroke.com in November 2020.

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#tarot #alphabeth #occult #favourite

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Colors Meanings

Red: love, passion, strength, bravery, pleasure, action, resoluteness.

Orange: fertility, creativity, self-esteem, safety, abundance, energy.

Yellow: safety, wisdom, happiness, memory, concentration, logic, intellectual work.

Green: money, luck, fertility, healing, growth, prosperity.

Blue: health, calm, safety, truth, success, protection, depression.

Purple: power, psychic abilities, divination, dreams, memory.

Pink: love, honor, romanticism, frendship, affection, trust, attraction.

Brown: doubt, stabilization, protection, ideas, finding lost objects.

White: purification, protection, truth, purity, healing, clarity.

Grey: neutrality, emotional balancing, invisibility, compromises.

Black: negativity, inversion, banishing, protection, forgive, regret, end of a relationship.

Gold: success, wealth, recognition.

Silver: divination, goals, awakening of psychic abilities, visions.

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basic color correspondences in witchcraft

red- passion, love, power, sex, good health

orange- creativity, luck, positivity, inspiration

yellow- energy, communication, clarity

green- growth, healing, health, money, abundance

blue- healing, protection, peace, meditation, calm

purple- magick, psychic ability, dream

pink- friendship, peace, love

white- protection, purification, anything

black- protection, absorbing negativity, banishing

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My witchy bookshelf/mini alter is coming along.

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The best crystals for... Part 1 🤍

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

@lovebyluna on instagram

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Witchy reminder that you don’t have to memorize a million different herb/colour/moon phase corespondents to be a good witch. That’s what writing them down is for!!

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The Best Ace in Tarot

…if you are looking for affection

The Ace of Cups heralds new love — romantic, platonic or familial. It could mean entering a new relationship, meeting a new friend or reconciling with a sibling or a parent. Either way, if your heart is feeling homeless, this is your Ace.

…if you are looking for stability

The Ace of Pentacles promises a fountain of it — material, mental or emotional. It could mean a new job, a newfound trust in your abilities, or a realization that someone has your back. If life feels unsteady, this is the Ace you need.

…if you are looking for a purpose

The Ace of Wands guarantees a new passion — something that gives your life meaning. It could be in the form of a person, an object, or a situation. Whatever it is, if your life seems hollow and pointless, this Ace will fill that emptiness.

…if you are looking for clarity

The Ace of Swords vows to deliver it — to your mind, to your heart or to your environment, through physical or spiritual correspondence. If you are confused about love, your health or finances, this Ace offers healing realizations.

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your practise is fully valid, even if :

- you are poor and cant afford anything fancy

- you are physically disabled and are unable to do anything that is too physically taxing

- you struggle with mental illness and cannot stay positive

- you go days, weeks, or months without practicing due to poor mental health

- you cant focus or get distracted easily during meditation, spellwork etc, especially if you have adhd

- you find it from hard to borderline impossible to do research alone

- you have to hide your practise from other people

- you put on a front of another religion around others

- you cant use certain things within your craft because you have texture issues

- if you use things from the dollarstore, grocery stores, thrift stores etc

- yet again, you are poor and cant afford anything fancy

blessed be 💜

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Designing Spells, a how-to guide for every level of experience and discretion: Threshold Theory

Basic spell components:

All spells have a few components that are absolutely necessary for potent results. It is going to be assumed that physical and/or energetic work was done to actually prepare and cast the spell.

In order to cast a spell, one needs to be in a space of mind that facilitates the spell working. We often refer to this as ‘Headspace”, this assists one to be more focused. This can be the most difficult aspect of spellworking for some practitioners. The mind needs to be honed in on the spell, the energies, spirits, and intentions involved.

Secondly, one would need to have passion, an emotional state that is used to fuel the spell.

Lastly, one needs to have an Intention for a spell. This is the most discussed aspect of spell casting, but is also the most misunderstood. Intention is not to be confused with desire. Intent is a personal truth, something that cannot be lied to.

It is possible to cast a spell without one of these three components, however the spell most likely will not be as potent as if one did. You totally can cast spells based on desire and not intent, but validating the spell may be difficult or it may have varied results.

Correspondences, Tools, & External resources:

When looking through the internet or other informational resources and/or guides on witchcraft, you’ll probably notice that a few things tend to be regularly occurring:

1. That though a lot of practitioners may say that tools and correspondences aren’t necessary, a vast majority of sources and guides include and/or require correspondences and/or physical tools.

2. The correspondences used in each source are only as common as the dominant source for those correspondences within that specific tradition. For some, those sources are books, and for others they are the first result on a Google search.

When it comes to Tools used to perform magic, there are a few things that must be kept in mind. Some tools are culture/tradition specific and it would be disrespectful for you to use them, which may or may not have spiritual consequences. Many tools are used to accomplish the same ends. For example, wands and athames are used for very similar purposes, the casting and/or projection of energies within a specific space- typically when sanctifying an object or opening/closing a space for a working. If you decide to use a tool for your practice, please be sure that you understand the cultural ramifications of doing so within a spiritual space.

When it comes to Correspondences, there are a plethora of sources that may appear to have contradicting data. This is because they stem from various traditions and sources. This occurs because correspondences are 100% subjective. However, if you practice within a specific tradition or culture, then you are expected to follow the correspondences of that practice. This can be incredibly powerful because people have been building on those ideas and connections for lifetimes.

IF you aren’t a part of a preexisting tradition ask yourself what you feel you should use. Magic can be a very personal and intimate experience. Don’t be afraid to create your own correspondences. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to invent your own tools- but be sure to do so as if it were a sacred act. Magical tools aren’t something that should be thrown together thoughtlessly and then treated like pencils or hair ties, they should be created and treated as what they are: a medium for your magic. They should be planned and made with materials that you deem appropriate. The should be stored as if they were fragile or put on display on an altar. If you’re not open about your practice, this aspect may be challenging to hide.

Types of spells:

In my experience, there are seven types of spells. Please bear in mind that these are by no means finite boundaries for spellwork to exist within, just an acknowledgement of trends.

Altar Spells: Spells that require not only tools and correspondences, but also require a ritual or ceremony in order to cast it. Often, these spells utilize candles and crystals, prayers and symbology, and may even go as far to actually require an altar.

Glamours: These spells more often than not, require only symbols and energy. They are use to altar the perceptions of whatever they’re placed on, whether targeting other or yourself.

Divination: Spells used to heighten your intuition. A lot of practitioners don’t view divinations as being spellwork, but a good diviner uses all three of the basic components of spellwork for their readings.

Psychological Spells: These are spells put on yourself to altar your own mind by manipulating your own subconscious. These spells are performed often through repetitive action and subliminal messaging through turn of phrase of symbology.

Energetic Spells: These spells require only the energies of yourself and/or beings and objects around you. Most energetic spells that are easy to find on the internet are very small spells, typically aimed at small scale manifestation. However, with enough practice and intuition, Energetic Spells can do anything that any other spell type can achieve.

Astral Spells: These are spells that require being in an Astral form or even on the Astral Plane. They are very similar to Energetic spells but they require even less. However, due to the nature of the Astral, maintaining the basic components of spellwork while in this form can be very challenging.

Spirit Spells: These are spells that either use spirits as the medium for the spell to travel through, or employ a spirit to do the spell work for you entirely. Like energetic spells, this type of spell can achieve anything that all the others can if given enough experience and practice.

Spell dictation: Whether it be for recording a spell that you have already cast or recording how to perform a spell you have only just thought of, the way you choose to record your spellwork with have a massive impact on your craft as a whole.

The importance of record keeping:

When performing spells, it is imperative to keep a record of the exact spell process and results. By doing this you’ll be able to keep track of successful spells and those that aren’t. Then it becomes easy to home in on effective spell processes.keeping a record also makes it a lot easier to undo spells that take an undesired turn. I recommend having a dedicated book or Google drive folder to record your spells.

Spell Design Process:

All spells can be thought of as a combination of Thresholds, Nodes, Intent, Focus, and Passion. (And an action)

Without any of these a spell will not function as intended or would not work at all.

Nodes are things like correspondences. They are individual concepts that are connected to form a complete web, or Threshold, for the spell to travel through. Correspondences need not be only for the physical objects involved. They can be as simple as word association or a memory.

Start creating a spell:

1: Decide on a goal, what you wish the spell to accomplish. It is important that your spell takes the path of least resistance in order to have the highest chance at success

2: Create or find correspondences and concepts to create your nodes from and then find how they can be connected. This can be done mentally or by using nodes that are associated with each other.

3: Get all your tools and sympathetic representations together, if you decide to use them. If not, skip to 4.

4: Decide what is the best headspace to be in for casting the spell. It is important to record this as well.

5: Find what is the best emotion to fuel the spell and record that as well.

6: Figure out what energetic programming you wish to use and record that. Do this as best you can, I do realize that the current energetic model definitely leaves a ton to be desired.

7: If you wish to involve spirits, be sure to commune with them beforehand if necessary. And be sure to keep record of the conditions that are reached and which entities you involve.

8: Compile your spell into a single process.

9: Cast and record results.

Be sure to do as much research into your target as possible. Like if you’re casting a spell onto the brain of another person, it would be wise to know their medical history or there could be unwanted side effects.

Discrete Spells and Practices:

The best way to keep your spell work private is to forgo your physical tools and sympathetic representations. This can be achieved by relying on spirit work or energy work.

If you wish to keep the physical aspects of the craft and the way you keep records, I recommend having a small discrete bag to hold your tools and such and coming up with a transcription orthography to write with. This can be either a personal alphabet or a simple encryption like a caesar cipher. A lot of discrete practitioners cannot use candles or burn, in order to get around this you can have ashes as your fire representation and draw things you would burn in water soluble inks. You can also draw Sigils using invisible inks as well.

Networking and How to Talk About Spells:

When discussing witchcraft, it is of the utmost importance to first establish personal semantic meaning. Since witchcraft is a multicultural and multilingual phenomenon, the words used to discuss it vary wildly. This is why I take the time to define my terms.

Once the baseline of semantics has been discussed, it is safe to proceed with discussions about magic. It would be easier to start with practitioners who have a similar practice. But I recommend connecting with anyone who is willing to have fair, free and, open discussions. Remain aware of the nuances of culture as to avoid taking and using what is not meant for you.

Validating Spells:

when recording spells, be sure to note the date and time of casting and have a timeframe in which you would expect a given result. Once the timeline runs its course take any notes of what might be pertinent.

If the spell is continuous, be sure to make note of the situation beforehand so that as time passes you can make notes of relative change.

Sometimes spells don’t work and that’s okay. That just means you need to reassess the working and try again.

Troubleshooting Spells:

If a spell effects more than what was desired, you likely weren’t focused enough or your nodes weren’t connected thoroughly.

If a spell worked but wasn’t to the desired intensity, you likely didn’t fuel it with enough passion during the casting.

If a spell didn’t work at all, it could be that it didn’t take the path of least resistance or you were missing a crucial element. As an example, it is more effective to cast a spell for your employer/client to notice your hard work than it would be to cast one to get a raise.

As you adjust aspects of your working, you’ll be honing it to perfection. Keep track of your changes and overall processes.

If you have any further questions, click here.