lemonywitch

[lemonywitch]

5 Witchcraft tools and how to cleanse them

Good snowy day to you, Witches. If you are reading this as of today, February 16, 2021, I hope that you are doing well in whatever weather you are in and that you and your family come out safely. If you are reading this after this date, I hope and assume that you made it out okay.  

Today’s post is something simple that anyone could benefit from. We’re going to talk about some of the tools of witchcraft. But before I begin speaking about 5 common tools that you can use, there’s a couple things I think we should go over.

First, many witches believe that tools should be cleansed before use. Now, you don’t have to do this, but many feel like it is an essential practice.

Cleansing is making sure that any negative energies that may be in your tool are taken out. Witchcraft involves much energy after all. Let’s just go through an example of how energies can be transferred: You found that fancy wand from that really cool Etsy shop, and they finally have it back in stock. You place your order and wait. Now the seller has to craft that wand, if they haven’t already. But the crafting process itself still transfers a lot of energies. They have to buy all their materials from somewhere, which were all handled by other people. They put your wand together, and ship it out. Now, depending on where this wand is shipping from, it could come in contact with a lot of different hands between the shop and your home. All the mail carriers have to handle this package. If one of them is having a bad day, some negative energies could be transferred. And by the time it actually gets to your mailbox, someone in your household could get the package from the mail and keep it for you until you get home. So you see how easily this can spread. Kind of like germs. Except they’re not.  

Cleansing energies is something that is done very easily, and you don’t have to follow a certain ritual. This process can be unique to you. A very simple way to cleanse is setting your tool in the light of a new moon overnight. The new moon symbolizes new beginnings, and its light can help to cleanse of any negative energies so it’s fresh for use when you pick it up. You can also use incense. Simply light your incense, and let the smoke surround the item and let it carry off the bad vibes. Using stick incense is the easiest way to do this. You can even chant a short spell. Hold the item in your hand, and you can say something like “I command any and all energies be banished from this item (or tool).” You can even wave your hand in the opposite direction, essentially telling the bad energies where they can go, if you want to.

There is one more method of cleansing I have heard of but think it is very wasteful, so I don’t use this method: Burying your tool in salt. Now, depending on the tool, you may not want to bury this in a salt keg overnight. The salt essentially absorbs the energies, but then once you’re done using it, you have to throw the salt away or get rid of it somehow. You don’t want to eat negative energies, after all.  

Okay, so now your tool is cleansed. Wasn’t that easy? Now, at this point, you want to try to keep anyone else from touching your tools. Even if they’re close friends or family. The reason for this is because, like in our previous example, these people can transfer energies into your item. If someone had a really bad day, you wouldn’t want their energies flowing from your tool while you’re trying to perform a good luck spell, would you?

Now, let’s talk about some popular tools of the trade. We’ll just go over 5 of them for now. We can always go back and talk about some other ones later.  

Athame – An athame is like a small knife or other type of blade used in spells. Now I know what you’re probably thinking. You’re probably thinking this is the sacred blade which is used for drawing blood for spells. Sorry to disappoint, but it’s not. This blade is very rarely used for cutting. You can use it for things like a cord cutting spell, but most of the time it’s used for mixing potions, making inscriptions, drawing runes or lines, things of that nature.  

Broomstick – The broomstick is a classic symbol of witches. While witches never actually rode broomsticks (that’s another story for mature audiences), the broom itself is a symbol of “sweeping” things away. One old wives tale says that sweeping towards the back door will give you good luck, because you’re sweeping all the bad luck out of your house. The same principle can be applied in witchcraft. Some witches even leave mini replicas of brooms on or near their altar to symbolize the “sweeping away.”

Crystals and/or crystal ball – We talked in length about crystals a while back. These are great to carry with you for a multitude of reasons, whether it be protection, good luck, or even wealth. And they’re so versatile, you can carry them in your purse or pocket, or as jewelry, and no one thinks anything suspicious if you have your room decorated with them. They may think you’re a little weird, but they probably won’t call you a witch. Crystal balls are great too. They can be used for scrying, and you can usually get these in different sizes and made from different types of crystals. These are *very* important to cleanse whenever you get them.  

Pentacles – The pentacle is one thing that makes many unknowing people connect witchcraft with devil worship. And hey, if you combine those things, go ahead, but as we’ve said before, witchcraft is a lifestyle, not a religion. The pentacle actually represents the 5 elements: water, air, earth, fire, and spirit, sometimes called ether. The circle around the pentagram represents the connection of all those elements, and some people see it as the circle of life as well. There is no evil or bad things about it, it’s just a widely misunderstood symbol.  

Wands – Our favorites! While wands are popular among many in the witchcraft community, there is actually no big benefit that it gives to anyone. The wand is simply an extension of ourselves. And yes, while they’re really fun to wave around, they’re not something that is needed for our craft. 

And there are five things that we can use in our witchy lives, and how to cleanse them if we want to. Please let me know if you have any certain topics you’d like to learn more about, and I’m always happy to receive any feedback or tips!

[lemonywitch]

Tips for the Closeted Witch

Welcome, ladies and gents. I want to extend my sincere apologies for not doing the things I said I would do. The past year has been tough for all of us. My job situation changed multiple times over the past year. I thought I would be able to post on a regular basis, but not so much anymore. I am working multiple jobs right now and I’m also trying to get my business started. So things have been pretty crazy, and I haven’t had as much time as I have hoped. If I can get my business going, or at least catch up with finances, I promise I’ll do my best to start posting on a regular basis again.  

Last time I meant to post about Yule. I managed to get a part of the post finished, but Yule has come and gone, so I don’t see the point in me making a large post about it now. Maybe next time. Until I can get a regular posting schedule going, I will post things that will be useful to anyone at any time of the year. Today, I’m just going to give some tips for witches who are still “in the broom closet.”

Being a witch in secret can sometimes be difficult. You can’t really do the things you want to do. I am still somewhat a secret witch myself. I grew up in a very religious household, and when I married and moved out I began to research and live my life the way I want to. I think my husband is suspicious, which is why I say somewhat secret, but I have not outright told him because he, like me, also grew up in a very religious family.  

In my own experience, many religious people don’t understand witchcraft. It’s not a religion, although you could make it one if you wanted. It’s more of a lifestyle. I don’t fault anyone for not knowing these things, because they simply believe whatever the priest or preacher has told them without doing research of their own. And most of the time, they were raised to believe them and not question them. And so it has been throughout the generations.

Now, let’s talk about some more subtle things that you could do that likely will not be seen as witchcraft. One thing many witches like are crystals of all kinds. You could just set them out for display, and if someone asks, just tell them that you like them and that you like to collect them. They may think you’re a little weird, but probably will not think you’re a witch.

In an earlier post, we talked about sigils. You can draw sigils on your skin with soap or lotion. You can make the shapes of sigils while stirring food. I even know someone who draws sigils into thawed out pie shells, then fills and bakes the pie. No one would ever know! This is a great way to have protection over your family as well. Stir protective sigils into the food you make for dinner one night. You’re good to go!

We have talked about intentions before as well. As cool as it is to write a petition and bury it, this may not be the most convenient thing to do for multiple reasons. Maybe you don’t want to get caught burying some paper in the ground. Or maybe you don’t really have a yard, but it would still be weird to get caught burying some paper in a plant pot. This is another thing I like to use with food. You will want to manifest your intention in your mind. Depending on the situation, you will stir your food clockwise to bring things in, and counterclockwise to keep things out.  

There are lots of plants that can help with your witchcraft as well. Lavendar can be used for protection. Roses can help increase love and desire. Basil banishes negativity. Chamomile attracts money. Mint can be used for courage. These are all plants that have other uses, so likely no one would question you for growing these inside or outside of your house.  

We have also talked about candles and corresponding colors. This is another situation where intentions would be important, and you could light a colored candle that most closely matches your intention. You could also scratch a sigil into the wax close to the wick, that way it’s sure to melt off quickly. And if anyone asks, well maybe you are just addicted to Bath and Body Works!

I know this post is much shorter than usual, but it’s going to stay this way until I can find more time to focus on this blog. Again I want to apologize, I really am sorry that I have not done the things I said I would do. Life happens to all of us, but I don’t want it to be an excuse for me going forward.  

And as always, please let me know if there is anything special you would like for me to cover, or if you have any questions or advice. Have a great day!

[lemonywitch]

How to Make Sigils

Hello again, all you lovely witches. It is that time of year when I must put the lemonade away because it’s too cold and it’s time to start drinking hot chocolate. (Or is it?)

Anyway, sorry it’s taken me so long to post. It’s been a rough past few months. I was working two jobs at one point, then I was promoted at one which allowed me to afford to quit the other one. Unfortunately, that didn’t work for long and now I’m working not two jobs, but three. But I still want to be able to make these posts for the newer witches out there, or to get some tips and insights from more experienced witches that can help me and others learn.  

In any case, let’s get on with today’s post. Today we will talk about sigils! I expect this post to be short, but we’ll see.  

So, what are sigils? Simply put, sigils are symbols that are created by you (not by other people, but we’ll get to that) that can be used like a spell. For example, let’s say you wanted to create a good luck sigil. You can draw this sigil on a piece of paper and carry it with you whenever you feel like you need an extra boost of luck, like for a job interview.

We’ll get to different ways you can use sigils in a moment. For now, let’s talk about how to make one. Let’s use our example above again. You’ve got this job interview coming up that promises great pay and benefits. Maybe it’s even one of those cool work-from-home jobs that let you create your own schedule so you can focus on your family. You’re feeling a bit nervous and feel like some good luck would help. So let’s think of a quick sigil. These can be very effective and are like little mini spells that you can use whenever you need them.  

So let’s create that spell. You can use a single word, such as “luck,” but that, to me, leaves your intentions open. What kind of luck are you asking for? Good luck or bad luck? Single words are better for things like “courage” or “protection.” In this case, we can use “good luck.” You could even make an entire phrase if you feel it would help you more, such as “I will have good luck in all my endeavors.” But for the sake of simplicity, let’s just use “good luck.”

So let’s break our spell down and see what we have:  

G O O D L U C K

The first thing we will want to do is take out the vowels and any double consonants. There are no double consonants here, so let’s just take out our vowels:

G D L C K

The next part is easy: draw a symbol based on the letters you have left. You can use the letters as they are, or you can break them down. So instead of using the letter K as a whole, you could “break it up” and just use three straight lines. Our good luck sigil could look something like this: 

(I know it’s a little off center but we’re going to ignore that) 

It is, quite literally, that simple. If you look, we used the curves from the letters G, D, and C, and the straight lines from G, D, L, and K. You are free to overlap letters if you wish. But don’t feel like you have to. You could have drawn two full circles separately or even a figure-8 if you want to. You don’t even have to make your lines cross, or you could have drawn them through or outside of the circle if you wanted to. It’s really up to you!

So how can you use sigils? Really, you can use them almost anywhere and everywhere! Some ways to use sigils include:

Drawing them with soap or lotion on your skin

Painting them on your wall when painting your house, then covering it when you use your regular coat of paint. You can also do this when painting your nails.  

Stir your sigil into your food before serving. You can even draw them on the bottom of pie shells.

Draw your sigil on paper and put it in your pocket, purse, wallet or shoe before going out. Money and/or prosperity sigils work great in your wallet.  

Draw your sigil on paper and put it at the bottom of your plant pot.  

A new tattoo in a place you won’t be seeing it all the time, such as the back of your neck or behind your arm or leg. (PLEASE don’t do this unless it’s something you will need to use the rest of your life)

Draw it on the back of a pendant or other piece of jewelry.  

Draw it either on the cover or on the front page of a diary or journal to keep from prying eyes.  

Carve your sigil on a candle and burn it. If you do this, at least burn the candle down until you can’t see the sigil anymore. But like we discussed in our candles post, make sure you only reuse this candle for the same (or at least a very similar) reason as the first time.  

Draw it on a piece of paper and put it in a jar spell for some extra strength.

These are just a few ways, but there are many more if you think about it.  

So now I want to talk about a couple of things, but these just come down to personal preference. You are probably asking, why do we need to take vowels and double consonants out of our phrases before creating them? The answer is, you don’t. This is a traditional way of creating sigils, but it is certainly not the only way. You can keep them all in if you want. You can even add numbers or other symbols. The process of taking out vowels and double consonants is just a faster, more simple way to create a sigil. Just do whatever you feel like you should.

You may have also noticed that most of the sigil ideas we talked about are in places you won’t normally see them, like with lotion after it dries. Why? Again, that is personal preference. Some people feel their spells work better when they can’t see them. They feel that “out of sight, out of mind” makes the spell work better. For me personally, I feel that if I put my sigils where I can’t see them, I don’t think about them too much. I’m a bit of an overthinker, and if I think about something too much I start to worry about it. Remember before, when we talked about intentions? We have to make sure that when we cast a spell, or create a sigil, or whatever we do, we don’t think negatively about it, otherwise it will cause our spell to have negative effects. The Law of Attraction works in weird ways, doesn’t it? But if you feel that seeing your sigil makes if more effective, then put it in a place where you can see it.  

Finally, let’s talk about why it’s important that you make your own sigils. If you search the internet for something like “love sigil,” you will get lots of images, and even some you can purchase online. I’m not saying that you can’t ever use someone else’s sigil, but it’s not recommended. The reason being that it was not created for your specific intention. I’m sure that those who create these sigils do have good intentions, but they don’t have your intentions. Because of this, it will not be as effective, or it could possibly bring the wrong effects into play. You may want a love sigil to help your spouse appreciate you more, but let’s be honest here. The person drawing that sigil will likely be thinking “I’m getting paid for this, so I need to do a good job.” They know that you need a sigil for your love life, but that may not be their most dominant intention. This is why it’s very important that you draw and create your own.  

Now, normally I would tell you my next post is about a type of spell, but since my schedule is very scattered, I will be creating a post to help us get ready for Yule next. This is one of the more popular Sabbats of the year as it is usually about the same time as Christmas (It usually hits around December 20 – 23 every year). We’ll talk about it the same way we did Samhain, getting to know the story behind this Sabbat and the things we can do to celebrate it. See you next time!

[lemonywitch]

Happy day, witches! I hope you are all staying positive during these troubled times. If you need someone to talk to, just know that you can talk to me. Send me a message here, or you can dm me on Instagram @lemonywitch anytime. These are lonely times for a lot of people, and I think everyone should have someone to talk to. I know we’d be total strangers to each other, but that’s ok for me. Please do be aware that this is not an invitation for any inappropriate messaging. You will be blocked without warning. Anything else is good. Just want you guys to keep that in mind.

Moving on, since we didn’t talk about candles last time, let’s talk about candles today! Don’t worry, this post should be shorter than last time. Or at least I’m gonna try...

The first thing that I want to talk about is candle colors. In your spells, different colors can mean different things, whether it’s a candle, a string, or the color of pen ink you use. Here’s a list of colors and what each one represents, along with some spell ideas:

Red 🍎: Love, passion, desire, energy, determination. Can be used if you want more love or intimacy in an already-existing relationship, or if you’re in need of some energy for a new project, or for determination to start your new business.

Pink 💖: Happiness, self love, self esteem, grace, compassion, tenderness, understanding. As you can see, pink is used in situations where you want to help yourself in areas of self love and self esteem, or in areas you want to improve, such as in happiness, grace, compassion, tenderness, and understanding of others. In other words, pink is for YOU, baby.

Orange 🍊: Strength, success, encouragement, attraction, joy, confidence. Orange is used for spells where you need some kind of extra boost for yourself. This could be helpful if, for instance, you need some extra courage and confidence to ask for that promotion at work.

Yellow 🌼: Happiness, success, eliminate obstacles, balance, creativity. Yellow is good for spells for more happiness, balance or creativity for yourself, or to help you succeed and eliminate the obstacles blocking you when working on a new project.

Green 🌱: Healing, growth, good luck, wealth, prosperity, fertility, new beginnings. Green is one of my favorites. Not only does it represent the earth and nature, but it’s so versatile. It can be used for healing in any aspect, personal growth, or, like a seed that’s been planted, new beginnings. It’s the color of money, so if you need some extra funds, green is the color to use. It’s also helpful if you are trying to conceive and want to cast a fertility spell for yourself or for someone else.

Blue 💧: Peace, tranquility, flexibility, meditation, balance, inner peace, calmness. This color is good more for spiritual applications. It can be used when you meditate, or if you’re trying to make peace with yourself, and sometimes if you need help making peace in your mind about something that involved another person. When I say flexibility, I mean the ability to “go with the flow, man.” As Bruce Lee said, “Be water, my friend.”

Purple 🔮: Power, wisdom, spirituality, psychic connection, intuition, dreams, enchantment. Historically, purple was used as a color that royals and high-ranking nobles wore to show their status. This color can be used if you wanted to give yourself more power. I don’t mean power over other people like royals, but power over yourself and to have a stronger will. It could be useful in just having the ability to say no to some people. Purple is kind of just a general “magical” color too. If you want to hone your skills and be able to learn more magics, you could cast something like a mind-opening spell, and you could use purple to help yourself get more in touch with your magical side and gain more abilities.

Gold ✨: Prosperity, wealth, abundance, enlightenment. As you can see, gold works in much of the same way green can, but it has an extra trait: Enlightenment. You can use gold to help you gain more spiritual insight to help you on your journey.

Silver 🖇: Illumination, reflects energy. Silver isn’t used much, but you can see it’s similar to a mirror. Silver can be used to send bad energy back to the person that sent it, and it can help you to reflect on your own life and decisions.

Black🕷: Banishment, binding, absorbing negative energies. Black doesn’t have as many uses as some other colors, but its uses can be extremely powerful. Black is used if you wanted to banish a person from your life, or if you wanted to bind your soul with someone else’s. I personally carry black crystals with me if I know I’m going somewhere or meeting someone that I my have a negative experience with, so I don’t carry those energies back home with me. You could enchant a black piece of clothing if you wanted or something similar.

White 🥚: Clarification, positive energies, healing. Opposite of black, white is for inviting positive energies. It can also be used for clarification of your mind, and healing of your spirit.

As you can see, some colors can cross over and have the same meanings as a different color, so in some cases, if you needed an extra boost, you can use two of these colors instead of just one.

But let’s say you need to perform a certain spell, but you either don’t have the color you need or you don’t know which color your situation is for. In that case, always use white. White is universal and can be used for any purpose. Sometimes colored candles are hard to find too, but white candles are usually sold just about anywhere.

But candles aren’t about just the colors. The shape of the flame can also be important. You can use this information during regular spells if you like, but reading your flame is mostly used during communication spells. Communication spells are when you try to get a message from an ancestor, your spirit guide or deity, the Universe, etc. Maybe you’re looking for guidance about a new job or relationship, for example. Here are some ways that flames can look and how you can read them:

Small but bright: Success is coming

Large and bright: Good luck

Dim: Disappointment in store

Leaning heavily to one side: Change is coming

Small flame that looks like it’s about to go out but it endures: Excellent luck (much better than just good luck), but could come with troubles or effort on your side. But it would work out in the end.

Sputtering: Romance is coming

Flickering: Depending on your questions or your situations, it could mean wavering fortune or luck, or that enemies are coming

Sparking: Danger is around or on its way

Twisting: Unseen enemies or danger is around you

No flame: No success is coming, but no bad things are coming either. Things are staying the same.

Sometimes we need to be careful about our flames. Sometimes if we’re in a room with an open window, or sitting close enough to the candle that your breath can reach it, it can make the flame act differently than it’s supposed to. So make sure you’re in a room or environment where there’s no air currents (this can include air conditioners as well) and make sure you’re sitting close enough to see the candle clearly, but not so close that your breath could affect the flame. Otherwise you could get a wrong reading.

There are differing opinions on how to let the flame of your candle die out when your spell is finished. Do whatever feels right to you, but there are pretty much 3 different ways you can do it.

This first method really only works if you’re using a jar candle or something similar, so this wouldn’t work with a taper candle. You would use a tool (an old kitchen knife works great for this) to dip the wick down into the melted wax to put out the flame. By doing this, it’s like the candle is putting itself out, so there was no “outside influence.” This outside influence is thought to affect the outcome of your work, so some people prefer to do it this way.

The second method is to just let the candle burn out by itself. Like the last method, some believe that by you or someone else extinguishing the flame at all is an outside influence, so you need to let the candle burn itself out. My opinion on this: If you have kids or pets, or just generally are busy most of the time, letting a candle burn out by itself isn’t always smart or safe. Sometimes we don’t have time to sit and wait for a candle to burn out, and leaving it unattended is just dumb. If you are able to do this, go for it. It’s just usually not very convenient for a lot of people.

The third way (and my preferred way) is the easiest. Just blow the candle out. Some people believe that by blowing out the flame, the smoke carries your wishes or intentions to whoever or whatever you intend it to, such as the Universe or your deity. This is also helpful because, like the first method, you can still save and use this candle for later.

On that note, what should we do with a candle that we’ve already used for a spell? Let’s say you burned a green candle for a prosperity spell, and you still have half of your taper candle left. If your spell doesn’t work, you can still use this candle if you need to do the spell again. The outcome of your spell is dependent upon your intentions, not the tools you use. If your spell works, great! But don’t use that candle for any other type of spell. If you used this candle for prosperity, only use it for prosperity or something related, such as for a new job. Because that would still fall under a “prosperity” umbrella. You wouldn’t t want to it for something like healing or fertility. One rule you need to follow is never, ever, EVER use a candle for another spell that you’ve used during a curse or banishment. Only use it for those same purposes if you have part of a candle leftover. If you happen to use a candle you previously used to curse someone for another spell, those energies could spill over into your new spell. Just a warning.

As always, please make sure that when burning candles, you do it safely. Make sure you’re in a controlled environment and that you burn your candles on heat- and/or flame- proof surfaces. Always monitor your candles so your kid or your cat won’t mess with it. I know this is common sense stuff, but sometimes people need extra reminders.

You can use candles in specific spells, but sometimes you can use just a candle for a spell. To use a candle for a spell is super easy. All you really need is a candle with the color of your choice, and either a knife of some sort or a pen that doesn’t have any ink left. The reason I say a pen with no ink is because some inks are flammable, so if you have a dead pen lying around, now’s the time to put it to use. If you use a knife, make sure you’re careful, and don’t cut yourself. Unless you just want to use your blood in a spell, and if you do, go for it. Just know that that’s on you. I do plan to do a separate post just for blood magic, so we’ll cover that later.

To use a candle for a spell, just carve the words you want to use for the spell into your candle using the tool of your choice. This can sometimes be difficult if you’re using a jar candle, but in that case you can use a sigil. Once you’ve finished carving, you can chant the words of your spell, light your candle, and continue to focus your intentions until your candle is burned out, or whenever you’re finished. I will tell you that you don’t have to carve up the whole candle, and that’s totally fine. But you want your candle to burn at least until your carving is gone. If you’re using a taper candle, let it burn down until all the carving have melted off. If you’re using a jar candle, burn the candle at least until the wax the carving was made into has completely melted and you can’t see any signs of your carving anymore.

When it comes to the kinds of candles you can use, the sky’s the limit! You can literally use whatever type of candle you want. It can be a jar candle or a taper candle, it can be scented or unscented, the only condition you need to worry about is if it’s the color you need. I wouldn’t use the flameless candles, but if you want to learn about that I’d be glad to research it and see what ideas we can come up with.

That’s all about candles that we’re going to talk about today. There are a lot of other spells you can do with candles, but this blog is like a beginner’s handbook. We will talk about dressing candles and other candle spells like the needle spells at a later time when we get most of the basics down. That being said, you can’t say you’ve completed the basics without learning about sigils! I mentioned using sigils to carve into your candles, but sigils can be used for almost anything. So next time we’ll talk about what a sigil is and why it’s important, how to make them, and how to apply them in everyday life. Until then, stay healthy and safe!

[lemonywitch]

Hello my dear brothers and sister of the Craft. I know last time I said we were going to talk about candles, but Halloween is getting close (just a few more weeks!), and I wanted to talk a bit about Samhain.

Actually, I’m going to take a lot. This is going to be a long post, so make sure you’ve got some free time for yourself. Now go grab that pumpkin spice latte and let’s get going!

(I’m actually not ready to give up my ice cold lemonade yet. But y’know, you do you.)

If you’d rather skip to the spells and other Samhain ideas, they’re going to be at the end. Scroll until you see the Beetlejuice gif, and start reading right after that.

So. Halloween. Or, as it’s called by its old name, the Sabbat of Samhain, pronounced like SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SOW-een. I know, kinda wierd. Before we get into anything, I just want to remind you that whatever you decide to do this year, please be careful. There’s a lot of things going on this year, so make sure that you and your family are safe and well throughout the season

I first want to talk about the history of Samhain a bit. I researched as much as I could, but I could always be wrong or have gotten my information from the wrong source, so if you think I’ve got something wrong, please let me know! The goal here is for us to all learn and grow together, in an evironment in which no one else is judged or looked down on for the things they may or may not know, or how they practice. Going on that, feel free to ask questions if you still are confused about something!

There is still a lot of things about the history of Samhain that we don’t know or aren’t sure about yet. Most historians think that it came from the Celts. According to the old Celtic calendar, the end of the year fell on Samhain. The days were getting colder and shorter, and it was now time to harvest the last of your root crops and dry the last of your herbs before winter set in. It is known that the Celts were polytheistic, meaning they worshipped many gods. During Samhain, they believed that the Sun God (I wasn’t able to find out exactly what the Sun God’s name was, or if he had one) essentially died. He would rise again to bring forth spring, another Sabbat called Beltane. They also believed that this was the time of year when the veil between this world and the next, the Otherworld, or Netherworld, was the thinnest. This meant that there would be more faery activity, and that you could attempt communicating with loved ones who have passed. Let’s break some of these things down a bit.

The Sun God died at the end of each Celtic year. We all know how winter is, everything is all gloomy. The trees have no leaves, your flowers have died back, the grass in your yard turns yellow and brown, everything just looks dead. But we know that the Sun God will return in spring to bless the earth and give life once more. Because of this, the Celts really didn’t believe in dying in the literal sense. Much like pulling the Death tarot card from your deck, it doesn’t mean that you’re actually going to die. It means that this is the time of year to “lay to rest” a bad habit, an old relationship, anything that isn’t doing you any good, and start anew. Just an example, if your bad habit is smoking, this is the time of year to lay that old habit to rest, and rise again as a new person, much like the Sun God. If you’re still trying to get over an ex, now is the time to get rid of anything that you have, whether it be a physical item or maybe memories with them. Lay those things to rest, and come forth as a new creature with a new beginning. The old You has died, now you have to rise again and live as the new and improved You.

The faeries were called the Aos Sí. The Aos Sí were said to be very mischievous during this time, and would play awful pranks on unknowing people. Not the time to accidentally step into a faery ring, that’s for sure! Some people were so afraid, they wouldn’t even leave their homes! If they had to go out, they would carry either salt or iron with them for protection. Even today, witches all around the world throw salt in their homes or carry it with them for protection against evil spirits. It was believed that the Aos Sí had to be fed this time of year, or they might curse you. They may curse your next year’s crop, your cattle, or someone in your family. Food and drink were often left outside to appease the Aos Sí. I wasn’t able to find out what kind of food they left out for them, but let the rest of us know if you happen to know!

This was also a time to communicate with lost loved ones. But as everyone knows, there are bad spirits as well as good ones. For this reason, the people would dress up in all white to blend in with ghosts, or they would stuff their clothes with straw so the spirits would confuse them with a scarecrow and leave them alone. Like the Aos Sí, it was believed that you had to appease the spirits so that your livestock would survive the winter, you would get a good yield from next year’s crops, your family would be safe, all that jazz. Families would light a single candle in each window of their home as an invitiation for their deceased loved one to enter into their home. This is also where the Dumb Supper comes from, as families would leave an empty seat at the table for each loved one that had passed. Food and drink would still be in their place, just as you would do for someone who would be alive. Apples were left by the side of the road for spirits who had no living relatives. There is one difference in the deceased and the Aos Sí, and that is the belief that the deceased would bless your home if you treated them well. This was very important to the Celts, as they believed that this may sway some of the factors that determined if their crops would yield, or if they could survive the winter.

Children celebrated Samhain very much the same way children celebrate Halloween now. They dressed up as noted above, and would travel from house to house, collecting apples, nuts and other goodies for the Samhain feast. In Scotland in particular, children would often play pranks on other families in an attempt to trick the faeries and evil spirits into thinking that they were one of them, which is where the “trick or treat” eventually came from. They would also carry hollowed-out turnips with scary faces carved into them to ward off the evil spirits. These ancient “jack-o-lanterns” would also be placed outside the home at night on Samhain Eve, to keep the evil spirits from entering.

The skull and skeleton also came from the Celts. They revered the head as the most important part of the body. The skull was revered as the seat of your power and the house of your soul. It is believed that skulls may have also been used as a sort of oracle.

Despite this time of year being themed around death, it was also time for a great feast. It is believed that during this time, a cow (or multiple cows, depending on how many people you had) would be killed and the whole cow would be roasted over a bonfire. Once the whole cow was cooked, cuts were given to people to take home for their own feast. (Fun fact: The bones of the cow were left in the fire, so it was called a bone fire, which is where the word bonfire came from.) However, before the people left to go back to their own homes, they would mark their name on a stone and cast it in the fire. They would then take some of the still burning coal back to their own home and build a fire in their hearth with it, and leave a place at the hearth for each of their deceased loved ones. The next morning, they would dig the stone with their name from the ashes and “read” it, as an oracle of sorts. I tried to find out how these stones were read, but couldn’t find anything. My assumption is that if the stone was still in good shape, you would have a good year, and if it wasn’t, you would have a bad year. But I don’t know.

So let’s talk about how we can celebrate Samhain in today’s modern world. And because of the pandemic, this may be a great year to stay home and try some new things out! Let’s come up with some new ideas!

This is the time of year where there is an abundance of pumpkins and other types of squash, apples, and all kinds of root vegetables. Nuts are falling from the trees. The days are getting shorter, and the leaves are turning colors of bright red, orange and yellow. We need to harvest the last of the food from our gardens and cut and dry our herbs now before they die back for winter. The veil is thin, so maybe we could try some ways to communicate with some loved ones who are still dear to us. Let’s lay down the old versions of ourselves, and rise anew to be even better, and settle down with a fine feast with our families.

I’m sure a lot of you came for the Samhain spells, and I promise I will not disappoint! Samhain is about laying down and old and picking up the new, so now is the best time of year if you want to cast a spell for self love, or to help you drop a bad habit, or to help break your relationship with someone who is not good for you. Let’s start with a basic spell for new beginnings. You can tweak this to have it suit your needs, but if you want to just go for some general new beginnings, this will work just fine on its own. And you only need 2 things: a bell and a crystal quartz. If you don’t have a crystal quartz, any gemstone you have will do.

Here are the basic words to the spell:

Out with the old, in with the new.

Winds of change, I welcome you.

I ask you please blow through my door

To rearrange my life with more.

After this, you’re kind of on your own. The next parts of the spell are up to you to add, so if you need to quit a bad habit, or if you want a more fulfilling career, you’ll have to make up the rest of the spell to suit your own purpose. But don’t worry, you don’t have to make it rhyme like this if you don’t want to. It’s your spell, so you can do anything with it! Just make sure your words and intentions are clear and to the point. While you perform this spell, hold the crystal quartz in your dominant hand, and the bell in the other. It’s believed that the sound of bells can carry your voice through the air, and to your deity, if you have one. So recite your spell, and ring the bell at the end. Do this tree times, keeping your mind clear and focusing on what you’re trying to accomplish. When you’re done, keep the crystal with you at all times. When you’re tempted to go back to that bad habit, hold your crystal and remember your spell. Write it down or memorize it so that you can recite it to yourself if you struggle. You are in full control of your life and choices, and this will help you to stick to your decisions and be a better You.

Fall is the time of year that people are eating and drinkin pumpkin spice everything and going apple picking. If you want an excuse to eat pumpkin pie before Thanksgiving, now’s your chance! Or maybe you could try some apple recipes with all those apples you just picked:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a28224491/homemade-apple-cider-drink-recipe/

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/apple-crumb-cake/

How about some slow cooker roast beef with the veggies from your garden? These recipes are so easy, you can add anything you want! That thyme you just picked looks like it would add some good flavor...

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/slow-cooker-pot-roast/

Mom, can I help you make the pumpkin pie?

2 15-ounce cans of pumpkin

6 eggs

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

1 1/2 cups of milk

3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp of vanilla extract

2 tbsp of flour

Throw all ingredients into a bowl and mix. Bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour. If using Pets-Ritz pie shells, will make 4 pies. If using deep dish, it will make 2.

(My dear mother’s recipe 😊)

Disclaimer: I am not being supported or sponsored by any of the above websites or their respective owners or companies. I just want to be able to share some ideas with you.

If you have an altar at home, this is a great time of year for some new decoration. You can lay it with some candles, cloths or gemstones of fall colors, or just use fallen leaves. Since the nights are getting longer, you could use some decorations that are darker in color, like onyx gemstones or a black candle. If you worship a deity, you can use some of the seasonal foods, like maybe a small portion of your feast, or a vegetable from your garden, as a sacrifice to your deity as thanks for helping you get through this year, and to help you along the next.

Now, how do we get to talk with our dearly deceased ? There is an easy way we can accomplish this: spirit guided writing. You can also host a Dumb Supper, like I mentioned before when talking about the Celts, if you just want to take some time to honor a loved one who has passed on.

Spirit guided writing is fairly easy to do. You will need:

1 candle (white is preferred but any color will do)

Pen (or pencil) and paper

Mugwort

Sage bundle

Make sure that you have cleared your mind and are in a space that you won’t be disturbed. I would say that about 30 minutes is long enough, but you decide for yourself. Light your candle so that your ancestor(s) can find their way. Use the flame of the candle to light your sage, and smudge your space with it. You can leave the sage smoking if you like, just make sure it’s on a heat-safe surface. Take your mugwort and rub it on the front and back of your paper. Mugwort is known as a dream herb. Drinking mugwort tea can invoke dreams or visions, so using it on the paper which you will be writing on can help you contact someone.

Take a few deep breaths and get ready. Put the pen in your hand and get ready like you’re going to write. Recite these words:

I surround myself in love and light,

And seek my spirits’ guidance tonight.

Guardians wise and helpers sage,

Speak truth to me through pen and page.

Close your eyes and let the spirits guide your hand. It may take a few minutes for you to let your mind take over. Let yourself go and let the words come to you. You will write subconsciously, and when you’re done, see if you can make anything out of what you had just written. This will take practice, so don’t worry if you don’t get much the first time. This is a technique that takes years to master. I’ve been doing it for a few years now and still don’t really have anything legible, so don’t worry if you don’t think it’s right. I would advise you to always save your papers, you may look back on them and realize what your ancestors were trying to tell you. Working with the dead takes a lot of work, but you have to start sometime, right?

Remember, you can always ask a specific loved one if you want. It may take a few tries for them to hear you, but they will eventually answer.

I also want to quickly say something about hexes and curses, because there seems to be a lot of this going on around Halloween every year. Contrary to Hollywood movies, this is NOT the time. At least, not in my opinion. Sure, go ahead and do a spell to separate yourself from someone if it would make yourself a better person and if you have to, but don’t cast a spell with the sole intention of cursing someone else. This is a time to focus on yourself. Karen that spreads rumors about you at work isn’t your fault or something you can help right now, so it shouldn’t be dealt with on Samhain day. We can wait another day to do that. This day is for you, and you only.

This year, I think I will make a roast beef (although not like the way the Celts did) with the vegetables I’ve grown from my garden this year. I’ll make some fresh bread to go with it, and maybe a pumpkin pie for desert! Afterwards I think I will cast a spell of new beginnings for myself, and charge some water by the moon of Samhain night for use in future spells. I also want to try to get in touch with a certain person this year, who has been passed away for five years now, who I would really like to have a conversation with. Before I go to bed, I will leave some of my bread outside for the Universe as thanks for her protection this year. Then I will wake up on a new day, in a new month, in a new week. Seriously, in what better time to start new beginnings?

I really hope everyone learned something and I hope that you have some ideas for your Samhain celebration too. I would love to hear of your ideas, so please share them if you feel comfortable doing so! I am no longer working two jobs, and will now just be working one! I want to be able to post more often, and I hope I can develop a schedule soon.

Now, next time we will finally talk about candles! See you then, witches! Happy Samhain!

[lemonywitch]

Good morning, my fair witches! Today, we’re going to talk about why it’s important to cast a circle before casting a spell.

So what does it mean to cast a circle? In short, it means to create a space in which its sole purpose is for you to cast a spell in, and when you are finished you can “dismantle” or “dismiss” your circle. It’s not exactly required to cast a circle for each spell you cast, but it is recommended. By casting a circle, it shows the Universe or your deity that you are serious in what you’re about to do, so you made a space for that purpose only. It also protects you from negative energies as you cast your spell, so no outside forces can influence your results.

Before we get into how to cast a circle, it’s very important to remember to have everything you need to cast a spell before you even start. If you realize that you’ve forgotten something when you’re already in your circle and working your magic, you will have to “open” your circle in order to leave and get what you need. This can lead to negative energies entering your circle as you open it. Also it’s just very distracting to try to keep focusing on your spell when you’re trying to get what you need. So always triple check!

Casting a circle is actually very easy. And you really don’t need anything to do it! Here are a few simple ways to cast a circle (just a side note, I will be using the Universe in my example just to keep it short, but please feel free to replace this with your god, goddess, deity, etc.):

1. Point at the ground in four directions (north, east, south and west) until you come back to where you started. Ask the Universe to bless and protect you while you perform your spell. This can be done inside or outside.

2. Go outside and use a stick to draw a circle in the dirt large enough for you to perform your work. Ask the Universe for her help as above.

3. Go outside and gather some rocks. Make a circle large enough for you to perform your work. Ask the Universe to help and bless you as above. This can also be done with string, a rope, gemstones, etc.

When asking the Universe for her help, you don’t have to chant anything special or particular. It can be anything you feel like, and you can speak it out loud or just in your mind if you want to. You can say something like “I ask the Universe to bless this circle, and to protect and empower me to cast this spell.” Remember, as with anything in witchcraft, there is no right or wrong way to do any of this. You can cast your circle however you like, and you can chant whatever blessing you please.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU CAST YOUR CIRCLE. But just in case you don’t, here’s how you can open and close your circle long enough to get that lavender sprig. Once you realize you’ve forgotten something, stop your spell right there. If you pointed at the ground in the four directions to cast your spell, point in whichever direction you please and ask for an opening. Walk through the opening, and ask that direction to please close itself until you get back. When you come back, do the same thing going into your circle, opening and closing it again. If you made a circle out of string or rocks or similar, create an opening for you to walk through, then close it back. Do the same thing when you get back. But remember, this can leave an opening for some negative energies or spirits to invade your circle, so always ALWAYS make sure you have what you need before starting.

When you have finished your spell, it is now time to dismantle, or dismiss, your circle. Whichever method you chose to cast your circle, make sure to thank the Universe for her assistance to you. If you pointed in the four directions to cast your circle, there is some controversy on how to dismantle this one. Some people advise that you point in the four directions again, but in backwards order, to release the four points of the earth from helping you. Others say that you should start with the north and go in a clockwise circle, which would be north, east, south and west, to symbolize bringing things in, which is believed would help your spell to get a better result. The same can be said if you used a rope, rocks, etc. Some people think you should pick it up in the backwards direction that you put it down, others think you should pick it up in a clockwise direction. It’s really up to you.

Another note, once I heard that if you use rocks that you have gathered in nature to use as a circle, you should put them all back exactly where you put them. I understand where this person was coming from, that you should leave nature just as you found it. Normally this is great advice that is used to help people to remember not to litter or spill trash in nature. But let’s be real. Unless you have a really great memory, you likely will not remember every single spot you picked up a certain rock, especially if you got them all from different places. You may find 3 near a stream, 5 near a stree stump and 1 near your driveway. And honestly, once you remove them from the ground, they’re never going to go back exactly the same. My advice is to just put them somewhere you think they would feel at home. If you want to put them all in a stream, do it. If you want to put some in the forest and some in the lake, go for it. Just don’t leave them in an unattended circle. This could cause negative energies to interfere with your energies that have been left and could interfere with the results of your spell.

And that’s really all there is to it! We’re almost ready to cast a spell! But we still need to learn some basics. Next time we will talk shortly about:

Candles!

[lemonywitch]

Hello hello, and welcome! Let's talk about lavender today!

When I first began my journey is witchcraft, the first thing I noticed was lavender was everywhere. And it seemed like every spell I looked up had to have lavender in it. I even tried to grow my own lavender!

... Well, I'm still trying.

Anyway, let's first look at the magical properties of lavender. There are many different ways you can use lavender. It's sort of an all-arounder. I really don't think there's anything you couldn't use lavender in.

Anyone who's ever been around lavender or used lavender oil knows how wonderful it smells. We're told it's a great herb to relieve stress, so it's great to use in spells for calming, or for self-love spells. On that note, it's also useful for love and/or attraction spells, and fertility spells too. It's also good for protection, if that also interests you.

Let me know if you would like to know how lavender works in any of these spells. I don't mind explaining but I think one post is too long to list all the spells and specific uses for that spell. But I don't wanna leave you hanging, so here are some easy starters for lavender:

Use a drop (just one drop!) of lavender essential oil with your detergent when you do your laundry for protection.

Burn lavender like you would burn sage to promote mental clarity while studying/praying/meditating.

Lavender is edible, but mostly for a spice, seasoning or as a cake decoration. Just be aware that only specific kinds of lavender are edible. The easiest kind to find is English lavender. You can make some lavender cookies for yourself, or maybe for someone you know that needs a mental pick me up.

Here's a recipe: https://thebeachhousekitchen.com/2017/03/20/lemon-lavender-shortbread-cookies/

Burn a lavender candle in your bedroom to promote some extra love from your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse.

As you probably already know, lavender also has some good medicinal properties. Here are some of them:

Use lavender tea to help with digestive issues, and to help calm PMS symptoms.

Lavender oil (diluted, of course) can be used as an antiseptic. It's good for minor cuts and scrapes, and can even be used for minor external fungal infections.

Lavender oil in a humidifier can be used to help insomnia and to help you calm down after a long day. Those lavender cookies we just talked about can help as well!

These a just a few of the uses for lavender. You could write a whole book on lavender, but that's way too long for just a blog post! If you ever want to dive deeper into a specific use, just let me know and we'll look into it!

I'm really excited to get into some spells, but we need to learn basics first! Next post we'll talk about casting a circle! Hope to see you there!

[lemonywitch]

Hello there, my fellow brothers and sisters! Today we will talk about: the Quartz crystal!

This is going to be a long post, so get comfy!

So, crystals are used a lot in witchcraft. Not every witch you run into uses them, but they're a great way to amplify your spells! Plus, crystals are good for witches that haven't "come out" about their new path in life yet. They can be worn as a necklace or bracelet, and who's ever going to know the difference? (In a later post I plan to talk about ways to practice witchcraft in secret. Stay tuned!)

Before we talk about the different crystals and what they can do, let's talk about cleansing and charging crystals first. You may think, Why is this important? Can't I just carry the crystal and be done with it? The truth is: Yes. You can. But you won't get to use the Crystal's full potential, which means you may miss out on certain benefits it brings.

Let's talk about cleansing first. Crystals hold energy. Not just your energy, but the energy of everything around them. Think about it: If you go to a store to buy a crystal, what if the cashier that rang it up for you was having a bad day? Their emotions and energies will be transferred to the crystal you just bought. You don't want to be carrying around someone else's negative emotions, do you? So that's why you cleanse your crystal when you get home. There are 3 main ways to do this:

By the New Moon

This is the easiest and most convenient way to cleanse your crystal. Set your crystal in a window (in your home, in your car, anywhere with a window) or outside (just make sure it's protected from the weather). Let the crystal sit out all night in the new moon. Don't worry if it's a cloudy night, the moon's energy will still reach the crystal. The reason we cleanse under a new moon is to represent new beginnings. The reason most people think it's the best method is some crystals deteriorate under water or if left outside, and the moon gladly does the work for you! You can also use other cleansing methods under the new moon to add some extra oomph to your cleansing if you feel like it.

Next up: Cleansing by Water

Warning about this method: some crystals (like fluorite, opal or turquoise) are not water safe. You should only water cleanse crystals and minerals that rate as a 6 or higher on the Moh's Hardness Scale. But there are still some exceptions, so do your research before trying this method! Some crystals may be water safe but only for an hour, for example, so it wouldn't be something you would want to try to cleanse overnight! In our current case of studying the crystal quartz, it rates a 7, so it should be safe.

Make sure the water you use is clear and clean. Try to take the water from the outdoors, such as from a stream, but if you're unable to, tap water is fine (if you use salt water, there will still be some exceptions to some crystals, so, again, do your research!). Place the water in a place where it will not be disturbed. Kindly ask the water to cleanse your crystal so you can use it to (insert your cause here. It can be to protect you, give you good luck, help you love yourself, anything). You don't have to say it out loud, you can do this in your head. You also don't need to say any specific sentence, you can say anything you like as long as you are portraying what you need. Place your crystal in the water and leave as long as needed. When finished, you can simply take out the crystal, thank the water for it's help, and give it back to Earth. Don't pour it down the drain, some think this is disrespectful after it helped you, so pour it outside, or give it to your plants. But you probably don't want to drink it, just to be safe.

Finally: Cleansing by Visualization

One thing I gotta tell you a out witchcraft: visualization is easy and it's super convenient. You can literally use it for anything. Even if you don't have any tools, you can visualize. It's pretty great. To cleanse a crystal by visualization, take the crystal in your hands, and close your eyes. Imagine that you are cleansing the crystal with you mind. You might imagine a white light glowing around the crystal and sending the dark energies away. You can blow on the crystal and imagine that the negative feelings attached to it are being blown away. Just use your imagination! You don't have to speak any words if you don't want to, but it doesn't hurt! Then BAM: crystal cleansed!

We will probably talk about other ways to cleanse in the future, or you can do your own research, but these 3 are the ones that are the easiest to perform and understand. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about charging.

Charging your crystals is easy. Charging just means that you are giving the crystal a job. If for some reason you want to give a crystal a new job down the road, just cleanse it again and give it a new charge! To cleanse, hold the crystal in your hands for a few minutes. Remember, it's clean now, so it will absorb the energy of whoever is holding it. Try to connect with your crystal emotionally. When you feel like you have established a connection, ask the crystal for what you would like it to do. Maybe something like, "Give me some extra protection against my coworker's negative attitude," or "I need some extra good luck to help pass my college exam." Just know that some crystals are better suited for some jobs than others, and while you may want to charge your opal for good luck, you may want to get a topaz instead since it's better suited, and will hold more "good luck energy" than your opal.

Ok, so that's out of the way, now let's actually get down to talking about the Quartz crystal!

Quartz crystals come in all shapes, sizes and colors, but we'll just talk about the clear quartz for now. The clear quartz is kind of a "catch-all," if you will. There is no color, so you don't have to worry about a color coordination in your spells, so if you needed a green crystal for a spell but didn't have one, you can use your clear quartz as a substitute! It can be useful for all zodiac signs, and represents all elements. It can be used to help physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It helps to promote calmness, clarity and harmony in all those areas. It is also said to enhance your psychic abilities! It can also balance out your physical body, and to help cleanse your immune system.

So, the clear quartz is great for beginners because it's so versatile, but remember, the clear quartz is kind of a "jack of all trades, but a master of none." So if you are able to, it's best to have at least a small range of crystals, because some crystals are masters in some situations. But the clear quartz is still a good choice if you're starting out, or don't know which crystal to use!

That's all for today! Make sure to come back next time when we talk about another popular ingredient in witchcraft: Lavender!

[lemonywitch]

Hope you witches have had a wonderful week so far! As promised, in this post we will talk about intentions, and why they're so important.

So first off, let's find out what an intention is. The definition of an intention is a plan or idea that you plan to perform or carry out. But in witchcraft, there are some extra points. Intention is knowing what you want to get out of your spell. It's communicating to the Universe that this is what you want your end result to be.

(Just a side note, I will probably be using the Universe as the being we are co-creating our magic with a lot, but feel free to communicate with your deities, higher self, or whoever/whatever you feel.)

So, why are intentions so important? When manifesting our magic, it's extremely important that your intention is clear down to the last detail. Remember when we tried the petition spell to get a new job? What if you just said, "I want a different job?" Well, that's a pretty broad intention and could be interpreted multiple ways. Sure, you may still end up with that dream job where your schedule is flexible, but chances are you'll get just... a different job. One that you likely will not want or enjoy, because you got fired for no good reason and you have to take what you can get, and you will end up like this:

So let's try that again. Think about that dream job. Maybe you want to work from home. Or maybe you want to work with children. Do you love dogs? Let's find someone that needs a dog walker! You have to narrow it down. The Universe wants to help you, she doesn't want to see you suffering in your cubicle day in and day out, working for a boss that wants you to constantly work overtime! So let's take one of these ideas and break it down.

Let's say you want to work from home. You know the schedule that you want, and you know the type of work you want to do. Remember our petition spell? Let's write one of those!

First, let's write "I will obtain a job that will allow me to permanently work from home." Make sure to speak as if you know that this spell will happen by using phrases such as "I will" or "I shall." Next, let's write "The job will offer a schedule that I can work while my children are at school, and no more working weekends." Again, be specific. Saying "I want better hours" is probably not going to get you the exact hours you want. Let's finish this up with "This job will be flexible with my schedule in that I can take vacations, or take my kids to the doctor or dentist when needed. It will also pay at least $20 per hour so I can build up my savings account.*

There's a pretty big difference in those two spells!

But intention is not just what you write on paper. You have to keep it in your mind as well! YOU are the magic! If you write down that you want this job but don't actually believe it will happen, guess what? It won't. Your intention is something to be believed. That's why it's the center of every single spell, and every witch you ever speak with will tell you the same exact thing. It's natural to have doubts, but just keep telling yourself that you WILL have your dream job. It's all in the Law of Attraction, right?

I hope I was able to help you learn a little more today. I think next time we will talk about a popular magical item:

That's right, a crystal! A very versatile crystal is the clear quartz. Next post we'll be breaking down the uses of this crystal, so get ready to learn!

Also, did anyone happen to bring the lemons? I'm fresh out of lemonade here...

#witchcraft #intentions #lemonywitch

[lemonywitch]

Hey hey, witches! Hope everyone is well!

For our first spell post, let's talk about one of the simplest and most customizable (and effective!) spells out there: the Petition.

Petitions are quite easy. All you really need is a paper and a pen! Brown paper is usually used, but whatever you have will work. One important thing to remember about witchcraft is your intentions. We'll talk about the importance of intentions in a later post.

There are 2 basic kinds of petitions you can write: petitions that bring things to you, and petitions that send things away. Let's talk about bringing good things to you first. I'll give examples with instructions to help you get the idea.

Let's say that you're job hunting. Your current job isn't terrible, but you're ready to move on. Let's make a petition to find a new job!

Once you have your pen and paper, all you really have to do is write down your thoughts. But be careful: petitions need to be specific in order to work. If you just write down "I'd like a better job," it may take years to get there, or you might find a better job, but not one that you want or enjoy going to. The Universe and your spirit guides (or your diety, or whatever or whoever) are quite interested in your success, so you need to write down exactly what you want. Another helpful to do is to write things down as if they will or already have happened. For example, let's write "I will get the veterinarian assistant job at my local vet's office before the end of 2020 (don't be afraid to write a specific date, remember this is just an example). I will be paid enough to take vacations and my schedule will allow me to spend more time with my family. There will be mutual respect between me and my co-workers." See what I mean? Make sure to write down every little thing you desire, and be specific about it.

When ending a petition, make sure to write something at the bottom of the paper like "So mote it be," or "And so it is," or something to that effect. This tells the Universe that this is what you want, you've done your part, so it's like you're kindly asking for help on the last step, which is getting the job.

Now turn your paper 90 degrees in a clockwise direction. Write your name and your birthday three times down the paper. This spell is for you, so putting your name on it is kind of like making it official.

Finally turn it 90 degrees in a clockwise direction one more time. Sign your name three times. This is like "sealing" the spell.

Once you're done writing, we need to fold up your petition.

Folding, stirring, and even cleaning can be important in witchcraft. If you want something to come to you, work in a clockwise direction or bring towards you. If you want to send something away, work in a counterclockwise direction or push away.

Since this petition is bringing something in, fold it in half, bringing the top part towards you, like folding down an envelope. Turn it 90 degrees in a clockwise direction, and fold it towards you again. Keep doing this until you have a small packet of paper.

Since this is a spell to bring things to you, we can do a few different things with this packet to activate the spell. Traditionally witches would bury their petitions, and a lot of witches today still do this, so you can bury it near your front door or driveway to show bringing things in. If you like in an apartment or don't own the land you live on, you can bury the petition in a pot with a plant and place it near your front door. You could tape it to the back of a clock to show that this opportunity is coming in time. Be creative! This is YOUR spell, do what you want with it!

Now let's talk about a petition that sends things away. For an example, let's say John at work is SUPER annoying and frustrating. He always leaves his workload for you to finish, blames everyone else for his mistakes, and is just an all around terrible person to work with. So let's try a banishing petition.

I know what you're thinking: "But banishing is bad! That's only for truly terrible people!" Well John makes our life miserable. And besides, we don't have to write bad things like "you'll lose your job" or "your family will hate you." We can banish John and still be nice about it. Let's try something like this: "You will find happiness in a different job before October 2020. After moving jobs you will never cause problems for the people that work at my workplace again. So mote it be." Again, this is just an example. You can add any details or dates that you want.

Since we're sending John away, we will turn our paper counterclockwise 90 degrees, and write down John's name and birthday three times. If you don't know the exact year, just a month and day will be fine. Or if you don't know his birthday at all and don't want to ask, just his name will work. Then turn counterclockwise 90 degrees again and sign your name three times.

Now we will fold. Fold your petition away from you, then turn counterclockwise and fold again until you have a small packet like before.

Activating a banishing petition is a bit different than a petition for ourselves. Since we're getting rid of something, you can bury it in your backyard, or in a houseplant towards your back door or in a room that is the farthest back in your house, to show that you're putting this situation behind you. You can also burn it and throw the ashes to the wind, but PLEASE BE CAREFUL if you choose this way. Make sure to burn the petition in a place where the environment is controlled and in something that will not be hurt if burned, like in a cast iron kettle. Traditionally, you would bury this in John's yard, but nowadays this isn't recommended because of trespassing laws, so if you go this way, don't say you weren't warned if you get caught.

So there you have it! Quick, customizable spells that anyone can do! Hopefully this has helped some of you to grasp an idea of what a spell is like. You can also try some other things to help with your petitions. For example, if you're petitioning for a raise or earning extra money, you can seal your petition with green wax. Or if it's a petition to help you love yourself more, you can write with red ink. There are literally endless possibilities!

Next time we will talk about the importance of intentions in witchcraft. Intention would literally be considered the center of witchcraft. Hope to see you then, with a glass of lemonade in your hand!

In the meantime, please let me know if there is a certain kind of spell that you're interested in. I'd be more than happy to explain it in a later post!

#witch #witchcraft #spells #petitionspell #lemonywitch

[lemonywitch]

Welcome to the LemonyWitch. We're witches who love lemonade. But witches who don't are welcome too.

This is a safe place for beginners to learn some basics, but we welcome the witchcraft veterans here too. This is a place where we all can learn new things from each other, so any and all questions are not only welcomed, but encouraged.

Each post, we will look at something new. Maybe we'll study a certain spell in depth, maybe we'll look to see what we can use cinnamon for, or maybe we'll find out why the color yellow is important.

Let's do this. Get the lemonade stand ready!

#witch #witchcraft #lemonywitch