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[mintyghostbreath]

Cartomancy ABC Guide

What is Cartomancy?

Cartomancy is divining with playing cards.  Each card has a meaning and are interpreted by the reader who organizes them into certain spreads.  Spreads are the way that the playing cards are set onto the table and I’ll be talking about them more later.  Some readers integrate their spirituality into their readings, calling upon deities or spirit guides or connecting with their higher self.  Others may use their beliefs to explain how cartomancy works.

Card Meanings

Hearts

Regarding emotions and home

Ace: New friendship or romance

Two: Deepening attractions

Three: Joy in company, friendship, or celebration

Four: Turning inwards, apathy

Five: Despair, loss

Six: Childhood, nostalgia, good memories, old frienship

Seven: Daydreaming, wishful thinking, choices

Eight: Emotional detachment, leaving love behind, making a hard choice

Nine: Satisfaction, sensual pleasure, spiritual growth

Ten: Contentment, fulfillment, joy, family

Jack: Falls in love easily, romantic, talkative

Queen: Emotionally dependent, empathetic

King: Wise, tolerant, diplomatic, feeling, patient

Diamonds

Regarding work and out-of-house affairs

Ace: New projects, home, or success

Two: Juggling resources, waiting for results

Three: Teamwork, improving skills

Four: Possessiveness

Five: Loss of items, job, or money

Six: Giving or receiving money, a pay raise, obtaining resources

Seven: Reassessment, turning point, mild dissatisfaction

Eight: Paying attention to details, focus, practice

Nine: Independence, self-reliance, increasing wealth

Ten: Great wealth, family, property, or inheritance

Jack: Reliable, hard working, quiet, hidden depth

Queen: Practical, warm, dependent, motherhood

King: Self-made, business, encouraging

Clubs

Regarding finances

Ace: New ideas, business action

Two: Planning, preparation

Three: Leadership, exploration

Four: A goal achieved, rest from action

Five: Competition, disagreement, irritation

Six: Victory, achievements, passing exams

Seven: Defense, conviction, strong belief

Eight: Organization, moving quickly, pregnancy

Nine: Continuing a balance, endurance

Ten: Carrying burdens, doubt

Jack: Unreliable, hot headed, risk taker, athletic

Queen: Energetic, career minded, untidy

King: Creative, forceful, hot-tempered

Spades

Regarding road blocks and difficulties

Ace: New insights, realizations

Two: Failure to communicate

Three: Miscommunication, misunderstanding

Four: Recuperation, recovery, contemplation

Five: Discord, dishonor, hollow victory

Six: Moving on, travel, mentally getting to a better place

Seven: Lying, deceit, theft, irresponsibility

Eight: Illusion of being trapped, powerlessness

Nine: Nightmares, problems, worry, guilt

Ten: Giving up, victim, martyrdom

Jack: Rebel, fights for a cause, intellectual, political

Queen: sharp intelligence, ruthless, insight, organization

King: Introspective, ethical, communication, stern

I use the joker to represent unlimited potential but I’ve seen various meanings.

Spreads

Here’s an example of a cartomancy spread:

A reader places a card on every rectangle pictured above.  They would then apply the meaning of the card to the situation it stands for.  A spread sets up the situation you are looking to divine about.   Here is a spread focusing on a person’s whole life but a reader could lay out a spread that’s centered on a person’s love, job opportunities, or present struggles.  

Cartomancy tips

If doing a face-to-face reading, it’s a good idea to ask the receiver to shuffle the cards.  This allows them to connect to the cards and engage in the reading.  

When you draw the cards, you can choose from the top of the deck or spread them out and choose whichever call to you. 

There is more to consider in cartomancy than the set card meanings.  A group of certain colored cards can be significant as can a group of court cards (kings, queens, jacks)

The more you know about the cards, the easier readings become.

[mintyghostbreath]

PLAYING CARD TAROT/ CARTOMANCY!!

You’re welcome 🖤

▪️Ace

- hearts: new friendship, romance

- Spades: new insight, realizations

- Diamonds: new project, job, home, win

- Clubs: new idea, business, action

▪️Two

- hearts: deepening attraction

- Spades: failure to communicate

- Diamonds: juggling resources, waiting on results

- Clubs: planning and preparation

▪️Three

- hearts: joy in company, friendship, celebration

- spades: miscommunication, misunderstanding

- Diamonds: teamwork, improving skills

- Clubs: leadership, exploration

▪️Four

- hearts: turning inwards, apathy

- Spades: recuperation, recovery, contemplation

- Diamonds: miserliness, possessiveness

- Clubs: goal achieved, rest from action

▪️Five

- hearts: loss, despair

- Spades: discord, dishonor, hollow victory

- Diamonds: loss of possessions/job/money

- Clubs: competition, disagreement, irritation

▪️Six

- hearts: childhood nostalgia, good memories, old friendship resumes

- Spades: moving on, travel, mentally going to a better place

- Diamonds: giving/receiving money, pay raise

- Clubs: victory, achievement

▪️Seven

- hearts: day dreaming, wishful thinking, choices

- Spades: lying, theft, irresponsibility, deceitfulness

- Diamonds: reassessment, turning point

- Clubs: defense, conviction, strong belief

▪️Eight

- hearts: emotional detachment, leaving love behind, making a hard choice

- Spades: illusion of being trapped, powerless

- Diamonds: paying attention to detail, focus, practice

- Clubs: defense, conviction, strong belief

▪️Nine

- hearts: satisfaction, sensual pleasure, spiritual growth

- spades: nightmares, problems, worry, guilt

- diamonds: independence, increasing wealth, self reliance

- clubs: endurance, physical strength, continuing a battle

▪️Ten

- hearts: joy, family, contentment, fulfillment

- spades: giving up, victim

- diamonds: great wealth, family, property

- clubs: carrying burdens, debt, responsibility

▪️Jack

- hearts: falls in love easily, romantic, chatter box

- spades: rebel, fights for a cause, intellectual, political

- Diamonds: reliable, hard working, hidden debts, quiet

- Clubs: unreliable, hot headed, risk taker, athletic

▪️Queen

- hearts: emotional, dependent, empathetic

- Spades: sharp, intelligent, ruthless, organized, insightful

- Diamonds: practical, warm, dependable, motherhood

- Clubs: energetic, career minded, untidy, disorganized

▪️King

- hearts: wise, tolerant, diplomatic, feeling, patient

- Spades: ethical, introspective, communication, stern

- Diamonds: self made, business owner, jolly, encouraging, enjoys fruit of labor

- Clubs: creative, forceful, hot tempered, charismatic

▪️Joker

- there is a surprise in store for the questioner, situation that was thought to be stable may become suddenly unstable

Heart ♥️ spade ♠️ diamond♦️ Club♣️

Feel free at add what meanjng you use or ones that you know of this is just what I go by

[mintyghostbreath]

Tarot 101~

Major Arcana XI-XXI

Remember to keep note of how you feel about the cards (i.e. if you like them or not).

Please only scroll down once you’ve done this!

Major Arcana XI – Justice

This is one of the most complicated cards to understand emotionally. Once understood, however, it changes your life. (It was after finally connecting with this card that my teacher stopped working as a surgeon and dedicated her life to metaphysical work.)

Most people think of justice as “being blind”, because then justice is fair… You will see that she doesn’t wear a blindfold – because nothing is fair. Things simply are.

~This is what is represented by the tapestry hung behind her. We humans are in front of that tapestry, begging to be let to the other side, where we will know and understand and see the big picture… But if we cannot accept that nothing is fair… We can never move past her and go beyond the tapestry.~

This is the card of understanding.

Major Arcana XII – The Hanged Man

If you remember from what we said about the Fool, Tarot is a journey – now that you have moved beyond the veil and accept that things simply are, you see the world differently… 

Welcome to the realm of the Hanged Man.

Notice that his clothes aren’t following gravity. That he seems at peace with the moment. Even beyond seeming peaceful… He is serene. He is happy.

It hurts. Things being does not mean that they will not cause pain. Pain is real and pain will befall. But there is a reason. Rejoice in that.

This is the card of new perspectives.

~Try to see other people’s viewpoints… Changing your world view also changes the way you look at people.~

Major Arcana XIII – Death

With this acquiring of a new perspective, there is a clear break. You BEFORE, and you AFTER – a piece of you has got to go to move on. Remember – this isn’t a bad thing; it just is.

It’s hard to let go, and that’s okay. But to move on, you have to – rid yourself of this “woe is me” energy that you’ve been carrying for thirteen cards. You will be so used to it that you will be afraid and that you won’t know what is left beyond that. 

And that’s scary.

~But it’s better to let it go than to hold on and to drown in it.~

This is the card of moving on.

Major Arcana XIV – Temperance

NOTE: Despite temperance usually meaning moderation, the word is used more in the sense of transformation.

Observe the angel. The water is doing something that should be impossible. And yet, the angel is making it happen anyway. 

Observe the angel’s feet too – water signifies emotion, and earth being grounded. The angel is finding the balance between both… And look at them. They are glowing. Their wings are spread – they’re at the best.

This is the card of transforming your pain.

Everything that has hurt you? There is nothing you can do about it now. 

But it has transformed you – you are never the same after pain. Use that. 

Take your emotional pain and ground yourself in it. Channel it. Choose HOW it transforms you. Grow into a bigger, better person. 

Not despite your pain, but because of it.

Major Arcana XV – The Devil

NOTE: Do the two figures seem familiar? This card is numbered 15 (1+5 = 6… And VI is the Lovers card. You guessed it! It’s thelovers.v2)

The Lovers are immobile, stuck in the Devil’s realm. (addiction? vice? self-loathing? etc.)

But look at how loosely they are chained. Their heads could easily fit through the loop of chain and walk away. 

It is up to them to leave. 

You can always choose to move on – it’s not easy, that’s true! Because despite the chains being loose, you are at the Devil’s feet, and the Devil will do anything and everything to make you feel alone, seperate, isolated, ostracized. Look at how the lovers are placed indentically, and yet feel worlds apart…

But again, they aren’t. It’s a lie. You are never completely alone – and you can ALWAYS break the cycle.

This is the card of looking at your self-destructive beahviours.

~Develop the courage to admit that you have them, and learn to move on.~

Major Arcana XVI – The Tower

NOTE: Notice the “squiggles” of flames? They are actually the Hebrew letter “yod”, which represents the first letter of “God” (it also means “breath of God”). This does not solely correlate to the Jewish interpretation of a singular god: it is the concept of something beyond us humans, of the universe, etc. Take that as you will.

The yods are everywhere in this card because it is showing you that despite you falling out of this tower, the universe is right there holding you, supporting you. It might be terrifying a process, but you will be alright.

This is the card that reminds you that you have nothing to fear.

Major Arcana XVII – The Star

Notice the woman’s foot and knee… They aren’t touching the ground or the water: she is hovering – she is beyond being controlled by her emotions and material things. It is also why she is naked… She has nothing to hide, she has nothing to fear.

Look at how the water flows so freely around her – she lets herself feel all of her emotions, but they have no control over her anymore. She is serene and hopeful.

This is the card of wishes and hope.

Major Arcana XVIII – The Moon

NOTE: Do the towers in the background seem familiar? They are the same as in the Death card.

Observe our little friend at the bottom of this card: this is a crayfish, which is a bottom-feeder. It is telling you to dig deep, to dig up those things that are hard and scary to look at.

The yods appear again to remind you that again, there is nothing to fear about doing so. It is important for growth.

This is the card of looking deep within oneself.

Major Arcana XIX – The Sun

Once one has had the time, the patience, and the courage to truly look at oneself and work on those things that are less than great… There is a pure joy that fills one’s soul – hence the small smiling child, who seems to be radiating nothing but happiness.

This is the card of innocence, awe, humility, and joy.

Major Arcana XX – Judgement

Observe the brightly coloured angel playing its trumpet down to the almost zombie-like people below. 

~It is crying out: “You have done all of this work on yourself, it’s time to reemerge, to come back to the world. Go! Awaken!”~

This is the card of urgency.

Major Arcana XXI – The World

This is a complex card, but to shorten it for a 101 course…?

Things have come full circle.

Notice that it is a woman, the opposite of the male Magician (circle). She is holding wands (just like the Magician, circle – but holding two, because you not only know that first superficial side of you… You now know the second side of yourself). She is flying, completely in control (opposite of the Magician, not only standing grounded, but was also hiding behind his clothes and his desk.

This is the card of everything being as it should, of things being complete.

All is well that ends well.

If you have a deck on hand, I would suggest doing your first pull with the first twenty-one (21) cards – ask the cards what you should be paying attention to as you shuffle, and pull. If it’s reversed, flip it back upright for now: again, this is Tarot 101.

[beginning | next: minor arcana ace-x of wands]

[mintyghostbreath]

hello! do you have any tips regarding lenormand?

Where is Lenormand Better than Tarot?

Shallow but essential questions — “Should I stay at home tonight? If I attend this party, will I have fun?” “Should I bring an umbrella? Will rain overpower the sun?” Tarot knows the answers too, but it prefers questions of a profound nature over little things like the weather.

Mindless gambling and betting — When there’s a sports match I want to bet on but I’m not a fan of either players or teams, tarot will never answer me correctly, because it will feel that I’m not invested emotionally. Lenormand won’t care. It will tell the truth fair and square.

Quick yes or no — When tarot answers a yes or no question, it sometimes attaches a thesis as to why it is so. But people’s intentions, a situation’s history and my own motivations do not always interest me. So I ask Lenormand instead for a snappy decree.

How to Predict Timing with Lenormand

January - Fish

February - Snake

March - Stork

April - Paths

May - Woman

June - Ring

July - Man

August - Child

September - Rod

October - Heart

November - Clouds

December - House

Soon - Rider

Temporarily - Birds

Quickly - Clover

Suddenly - Scythe

A long time from now - Anchor

About a year from today - Tree

Yes or No with Lenormand

Hearts - Yes

Clubs - No

Diamonds - Could Be

Spades - Unlikely

How to Do a Line of Five

STEP 1: Lay out the cards.

Get the first 4 cards from the top of the deck.

Use the card at the bottom of the deck as the 5th card.

Note that the middle card is the theme.

STEP 2: Read the cards.

Read them like a sentence, from left to right.

Then read them as a string, with the leftmost card as the subject, and the succeeding ones as adjectives.

Mirror them: 1 + 5, 2 + 4.

Note any possible date predictions. (See above.)

STEP 3: Read the playing card inserts.

Note the suits for yes or no. (See above.)

Add the playing card pips to get the Lenormand card number. (Ace to 10 is 1 to 10, Jack is 11, Queen is 12, King is 13.) If the sum is more than 36, add the two digits.

Then read the Lenormand card that your calculation led you to as the one message you need to remember, if you forget everything else.

When to Do a Grand Tableau

1) On December 31st, or on your birthday, to ask about your whole year ahead.

2) At the beginning of every quarter, to ask about your next three months.

But just choose one or the other. Don’t do them both together.

Recommended Lenormand Decks

The Blue Owl — This classic deck is the equivalent of a blue box vintage Rider-Waite. It is complete with playing card inserts and has no-nonsense images.

Pixie’s — As a Rider-Waite reader, I find this one great to use side by side a tarot spread. It has Pamela Colman Smith’s art, so together, they’re nice and seamless to look at.

Seventh Sphere — The perfect crossbreed between modern and classic. In look and design, it is no doubt new. But just like the older decks, it speaks clear and true.

How to Master Lenormand by Yourself

If you are the type who deeply values tradition and prefers to read almost purely through intuition, buy Andy Boroveshengra’s book, “Lenormand Thirty Six Cards”. It teaches the Near and Far method — perhaps the oldest and most valid way of reading this system.

If you are a technical learner and reader who is a stickler for the rules, look to Caitlín Matthews’ masterpiece instead: “The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook”. It treats Lenormand as Linguistics. You would feel like you are taking a college course.

But… if you do not wish to take Lenormand so seriously, that is, if you do not care to learn everything about it entirely, simply download the “Seventh Sphere Lenormand” by Labyrinthos from the App Store. It will teach you all the basics, though perhaps nothing historical and classic.

Have fun with Lenormand!

[mintyghostbreath]

How to REALLY Learn Tarot in One Day

Years into your tarot journey, you will still find more insights to enrich your craft. But the basics should not take longer than a day to cover. Start in the morning, and by evening, you will be a tarot reader.

THE DAY BEFORE

Get a deck and a resource.

Acquire a Rider-Waite deck or a clone of it. You may opt for something else, but be forewarned that you could lose out on a multitude of symbolism. The Rider-Waite may not be the prettiest, but there is nothing more complete.

Find a reliable resource. The Ultimate Guide to Tarot by Liz Dean is a perfect book for beginners. So is Labyrinthos’ website, if you prefer something free.

THE DAY ITSELF

9–10 AM

Pick one keyword for each card.

With a belly full of breakfast, quickly skim through your resource and pick just one keyword per card. For example, “destruction” for The Tower, “happiness” for The Sun, and “wealth” for the Ten of Pentacles. Note it all down on paper or on your phone.

10–11 AM

Associate the word with the image.

Look at your keyword side by side the card. Make an undeniable connection. Why is The Tower “destruction”? Because the tower has been “destroyed”. Why is The Sun “happiness”? Because the child is “happy”. Why is the Ten of Pentacles “wealth”? Because the family looks “wealthy”. Memorization becomes much easier when based on visual correlation.

Keep reading

[mintyghostbreath]

Tarot Tip: Timing Events 🕒

If you’re about to do a tarot reading, and you’re asking a question about the timing of an event or a goal (the future card, for three card readings), you can use use the court cards to determine how quickly or slowly it will happen, and the people and energy surrounding it.

Before the reading, pull the court cards from the deck to create a ‘mini deck’.

Shuffle your deck, pull the cards for the reading from your main deck, and then, dip into your ‘mini deck’. Pull one card to determine how quickly the events foretold in this reading will happen.

Lengthy amount of time (6+ months)

Pentacles/Disks: Slowest, will take a while, but the end result will be very stable. 

Cups: Fairly slow, gradually, will flow in like a river, but it will be an emotional journey.

Shorter amount of time (Under 6 months)

Swords: Fairly quickly, beginning like a breeze and then pushing through like wind. The end results may cause some damage in the process however.

Wands: Quickest, rapidly, almost all at once like a sudden fire, will require discipline for the result to be stable.

If you pull a Page, your end result will involve children/teenagers or youthful energy.

If you pull a Knight, your end result will involve young adults or ambitious energy.

If you pull a Queen or King, your end result will involve mature/older adults or energy full of wisdom and mastery.

[mintyghostbreath]

reminder:

tarot cards have set meanings, yes, but each deck has different depictions that change the meaning slightly (colors, images, directions, etc. can change the way it is interpreted), and your intuition should influence the reading. your first interpretation of the cards is what your gut is telling you. trust it. there are many ways to interpret any set of cards you draw, so listen to that little voice in your head. it knows best.

[mintyghostbreath]

Tapping Into Your Psychic Senses

Every single person on the planet has psychic abilities, but most people never realize that they’re using them. As Tess Whitehurst says in her book You Are Magical, “There is almost certainly something you assume that everyone can perceive that is actually a perception that is relatively unique to you.”

For example: you may be a gifted artist. Drawing and painting come naturally to you, and you have an intuitive sense of form and color. You probably know people who claim that they “don’t have an artistic bone in their body” or “can’t even draw a stick figure,” but you can’t bring yourself to believe it. Surely, those people are just psyching themselves out, because if art comes so easily to you, everyone must be able to do it to some extent, right?

Psychic abilities are similar. You’ve probably been tapping into at least one psychic sense all your life, but it feels so normal to you that you assume everyone experiences the world this way.

Once you become aware of your innate psychic abilities, you can start to harness them. For this reason, I think it’s a good idea to become familiar with (and comfortable using!) your natural psychic gifts before you try to learn any kind of divination.

Read over the following list of common psychic senses. Does one or more of them sound familiar? Once you recognize which of these you resonate with, focus on strengthening that gift over the next couple of weeks. You’ll be amazed by how easily you’re able to tap into it once you know how!

Clairvoyance: Clear Seeing

Contrary to popular opinion, the word “clairvoyance” does not describe any and all psychic abilities. Someone with clairvoyance receives psychic messages through their sense of sight. They may see these messages with their physical eyes, or see images in their mind’s eye. Seeing auras is an example of clairvoyance in action.

You may be clairvoyant if…

You often see flashes of light, blurred figures, or other visual phenomena that others do not see. [Note: This is NOT the same as visual hallucinations. Clairvoyants typically see things with their mind’s eye, not their physical eyes, and can differentiate between their visions and what is physically in front of them.]

You often experience random mental images that seem to have nothing to do with what’s going on around you.

Your meditations are primarily visual — for example, if you meditate on the element of water, you may see a bubbling fountain in your mind’s eye.

You are a visual learner.

Ways to Strengthen Clairvoyance

Keep a journal of the mental images you receive “out of nowhere.” Do these images mean anything to you? Do individual visions fit into a larger pattern?

Meditate on your chakras, and visualize each chakra in your mind’s eye, starting from the root and working up to the crown. What do your chakras look like? Are the colors bright and clear, or more faded and muddy? Are some spinning faster or slower than others? How does their appearance correspond to your life? For example, a muddy or faded sacral chakra may indicate issues around sexuality.

Do research into auras and what the different aura colors mean. Do you always seem to see or think of a certain color when you’re around a certain person? How does that color represent that person’s energy and personality? Write down your findings.

Clairaudience: Clear Hearing

Someone with clairaudience receives psychic messages through their sense of hearing. They may hear messages with their physical ears or “hear” them in their mind. A medium who hears spirits is an example of someone using clairaudience.

You may be clairaudient if…

You sometimes “hear” things in your mind, as if someone else was talking to you from inside your head. [Note: This is NOT the same as “hearing voices” or auditory hallucinations. Clairaudients usually “hear” messages with their mind, not their physical ears, and they can distinguish between psychic messages and physical, “real world” sounds.]

Sometimes, when you listen to music or watch a movie, a specific lyric or line of dialogue seems to jump out at you, as if it were a special message.

Your meditations are primarily auditory — for example, if you meditate on the element of water, you may hear a babbling brook.

You are an auditory learner.

Ways to Strengthen Clairaudience

Keep a journal of the messages you “hear” out of nowhere. Are they consistent, forming a larger pattern? Do they all seem to be “in the same voice,” or coming from the same source? (If so, this could be a deity or spirit guide reaching out to you.)

Do a meditation with the intention of holding a conversation with a helpful spirit guide. (If you are not comfortable working with spirits, you can set the intention of speaking to your inner self.) What does their voice sound like? Is it different from or similar to your own? Do they speak with an accent or have a unique inflection? Write down your thoughts.

Experiment with shufflemancy. This is a modern form of divination where you put a playlist on shuffle and receive a psychic message from the song that plays first. (You can find playlists specifically made for shufflemancy online, or make your own.) How does the song make you feel? Are there certain lyrics that jump out to you? Write down your thoughts.

Clairsentience: Clear Feeling

Someone with clairsentience feels psychic messages, either through their body or through their emotions. They may feel physical sensations, like an upset stomach, or may be very sensitive to emotional energies. Intuitively picking up on someone’s emotions without needing to ask is an example of clairsentience.

You may be clairsentient if…

You often feel physical sensations, like a hot flash or a cold chill, out of nowhere.

You are able to feel other people’s emotions — you can always tell when someone has had a bad day, even if they’re trying to hide it.

You can sense the “vibe” of a room as soon as you walk in. Do certain buildings feel “angry” or “sad” to you? Can you always tell the energy of a party even if you just arrived?

Your meditations primarily focus on tactile sensations — for example, if you meditate on the element of water, you may feel waves lapping at your feet.

Ways to Strengthen Clairsentience

Pay attention to your “gut feelings.” Do you feel a sinking sensation when thinking about something, only for it to go badly later? Do you feel a warm, fuzzy sensation thinking about something, only for it to go really well? Write down your experiences — and be honest. It’s okay if your gut feeling doesn’t always match the outcome.

Do a pathworking meditation (this is just a type of meditation that focuses on taking a mental journey) to a forest, or a beach, or some other location that appeals to you. Try to feel as many tactile sensations as possible, as if you were really there. Feel the grass or sand under your feet, feel the wind in your hair, feel the sun on your skin. Write down your experience.

Practice feeling the energy of a plant or crystal. Reach out and touch the plant/crystal, and try to feel it out. Does it have a calm, stable energy, or is it more bright and zingy? Try feeling a different plant/crystal and see how it feels different. Write down your experience.

Note: Some (but not all) clairsentients are also empaths, people who take on the emotions of others as if they were their own. All empaths are clairsentient, but not all clairsentient people are empaths. You may be an empath if you often find yourself matching the emotions of the people you’re around — you cry when they cry, laugh when they laugh, etc.

Claircognizance: Clear Knowing

Claircognizence is the gift of psychic knowing — people with this ability often “just know” things, even if they should have no way of knowing. They may know what someone is about to say before they say it, or know personal information about someone they just met.

You may be claircognizant if…

You “just know” what’s going on with your friends and family, even if they haven’t told you. For example, you may suddenly feel like you need to call your sister, only to find out after you call that she just broke up with her boyfriend.

You always know who a text is from as soon as your phone dings, or always know what song is going to play next on shuffle.

You often know things about new people as soon as you meet them, only for them to confirm it later. Did you know your friend was a vegetarian before he told you, even though you’d never shared a meal with him?

Your meditations often include “downloads” of information, where you feel like the answer to your question or some other revelation has just been dropped into your brain.

Ways to Strengthen Claircognizance

Every time your phone goes off, try to guess who the message is from. Keep a tally of how often you’re right vs. wrong.

Do a meditation with the intention of receiving the answer to a specific question. Retreat to a place of stillness and focus on your breath until the answer to the question “just comes to you.” Write down your experience.

This is a game I used to play with my sister before I knew what claircognizance was: have a friend show you a picture of someone they know, but whom you have never met before. Focus on the picture, and see if you get any info about the person — are they a jock? Do they like rock music? What’s their personality like? Get your friend to confirm or deny the info you got from the picture, and keep a tally of how often you’re right vs. wrong.

The Other Clairs

There are two other “clair” senses that are less common, so I’m not going to talk about them at length here. Clairalience, or “clear smelling,” refers to receiving psychic messages through smell. (If you smell roses out of nowhere, with no roses in sight, you may be using clairalience.) Clairgustance, or “clear tasting,” refers to receiving psychic messages through taste. (If you taste chocolate out of nowhere, you may be using claigustance.)

In my experience, these psychic senses are less common than the ones listed above. Most people I know who have clairalience or clairgustance seem to use it as a secondary sense, in addition to a primary sense like clairvoyance or clairsentience.

Conclusion

You are probably using at least one of these psychic senses every day, without even knowing it. Most people have two to three “main” psychic senses, but some may regularly and easily use all of them. For example, my primary psychic senses are clairsentience and claircognizance, but I also find myself receiving messages through clairaudience fairly often. It’s rare for me to receive clairvoyant messages, but it has happened.

Once you’ve identified the psychic senses that you naturally lean towards, you can begin to develop and strengthen them.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst [Specifically the chapter, “Reading the Signs.”]

The Fat Feminist Witch Podcast, Episode 68: “Clear Knowing”

The Angel Code by Chantel Lysette [Specifically the section on the psychic senses.]

[mintyghostbreath]

How to Cast Spells That Work

In her book Wicca for Beginners Thea Sabin says, “When you do a spell, you are telling the universe that you intend to bring about a certain change and you are putting the energy in motion to achieve that end.”

A spell is sort of an energetic shove to get things moving in the way you want them to, and we do this by creating a ritual to build and then release the energy to get things going.

Most spells are based on a principle called imitative magic.

In his book Backwoods Shamanism, Ray Hess says, “Imitative magic means that making a symbolic gesture, when combined with intent and will… can affect the intended change on a grander scale.” [Note: I don’t actually recommend this book, but I like Hess’s definition of imitative magic.]

So, for example, you may have heard of a “cord cutting” ritual, where you symbolically cut your spiritual ties to a person you no longer want to have a relationship with. You’re symbolically creating a separation between yourself and that person, which creates physical separation in real life.

There are four basic components to any spell: your will, your intention, focused energy, and a ritual action. Some magical traditions add extra steps, like casting a circle, but from what I’ve read and been taught, these four basic components are constant no matter which tradition you’re following.

Let’s start with the most important bit: your will. Your will isn’t just what you want: it’s the desire and drive that is in alignment with your highest good. But in this case we’re also talking about will in the sense of willpower — Basically, your will is your personal spiritual authority and the source of your magical power.

Any spell that is not in alignment with your will won’t work. This is why it’s important to be clear about what you want and why you want it before you attempt a spell.

There’s also an element of belief here. Because magic only works when your spells are in alignment with your will, if you don’t believe your spell can work, it won’t. This is because you, yourself are blocking it from working.

The second important component of a  spell is your intention. When you do a spell, it’s important to clearly state what you want to happen. Some traditions will write the intention down on a piece of paper, which is called a petition. Other traditions will use a spoken statement of intention in the form of an incantation. Some witches use both.

You need to be clear about your intention before you begin your spell. Magic will always follow the path of least resistance, so it’s important to be specific. However, I find that magic works better when your intention leaves a little bit of wiggle room. It’s about finding that happy medium.

You also want to keep your petitions and incantations simple. If it’s more than a couple of sentences, you probably need to trim it down a little.

The next important part of a spell is focused energy. Magic is a way of directing energy, and this means that your own energy needs to be focused for it to work.

Don’t get too stressed out about focus. Your spell isn’t going to fail if your mind wanders for a few seconds. But you should set aside some time where you’ll be able to fully dedicate yourself to your spell. Try to find a private place where you won’t be interrupted. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, and try to avoid distractions. You might find that playing meditation music or burning incense helps you focus.

While you cast your spell, keep focusing on what it is you want to manifest. Again, don’t overthink this and don’t worry if your thoughts wander a little, but try to stay in the moment. Repeating your incantation can help with maintaining focus.

The last important part of a spell is your ritual action. This just means doing a specific set of things, in a specific order, with a specific intent behind them. If we go back to our definition of imitative magic, your ritual actions are symbolic of the change you want to manifest.

Your ritual actions do not have to be complex. A very common ritual for spells is anointing and lighting a candle. Making a charm or poppet is also popular. But any action can be a magical ritual if it is done with intent and focus, in alignment with your will. Making a cup of tea or coffee can be a ritual. Running a bath can be a ritual. Cooking food can be a ritual. The only limit is your imagination.

These four things are literally all you need to cast a spell. A spell doesn’t have to be complicated or include a bunch of crystals and herbs to work. You can do an effective spell with nothing but your own mind and body.

[mintyghostbreath]

Add Some Oomph to Your Spells with Magical Timing

Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.

Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.

If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.

The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes

These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.

Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.

Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.

Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.

Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.

Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.

The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases

If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.

New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.

Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.

Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.

Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.

Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.

Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week

The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.

Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.

Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.

Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.

Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.

Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.

Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.

Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.

Magical Times of Day

Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.

Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.

Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.

Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.

Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]

Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]

[mintyghostbreath]

Online Grimoires

A quick list of free grimoires you can use and access online: If you want your grimoire added, message me with a link 

Book of Shadows

Cornell Witchcraft Collection

Dark Books

Exemplore

Free Occult Books

Grandpa’s Learn Stuff

Herbal Grimoire

Hermetics

Luna’s Grimoire

Magickal Connections

Museum of Witchcraft

Pagan Lore

The Book of Shadows

The Magick Cabinet

Sacred-Magick

The Witch’s Master Gimoire

Ultimate Encyclopedia of Spells

Violet Witchcraft

Witchcraft Archive

Witchology

World of Wicca - directed more towards Wicca beliefs but can still be used 

[mintyghostbreath]

Common Animal Associations in Witchcraft

Ants - Patience, stamina, planning, perseverance, organization, self-discipline, teamwork, energy, and patience.

Bats - Rebirth, accessing past lives, new ideas, transition, initiation, changes for the better, moon magic, understanding grief, and the ability to observe unseen.

Bears - Introspection, healing and inner knowledge, wisdom, defense, revenge, change, death and rebirth, communication with spirit, solitude, power, mother cunning, healer, gentle strength, transformation, astral travel, strength, unconscious mind, grounding, inner energy of the soul, earth magic, and facing fears.

Beavers - Building, gathering, persistence, shaping, and structure. Bees - Female warrior energy, reincarnation, communication with the dead, service, gathering, community, connection to the Goddess Diana, helping earth-bound spirits move on to their proper place, concentration, and prosperity.

Birds - Associated with death and transitions, unity, freedom, and individuality.

Butterflies/Caterpillars - Transformation, reincarnation, balance, grace.

Cats - Wholeness, guardians, independence, seeing the unseen, cleverness, a balancing of energies, moon magic, mystic powers, grace, understanding mystery, cleansing, and purification.

Chickens - Power of voice, language, seeking answers, sunrise magick, Protection of family and community, Hearing your inner voice.

Chipmunks - Gathering, mobility, frugal living, and the ability to see both light and shadow.

Cows - Economy, connection to the earth, wealth and prosperity, and patience.

Deer - Gentleness, body awareness, kindness, gracefulness, sensitivity, peace, unconditional love, alertness, recognition of outside influences, innocence and earth magic.

Dogs - Family, wisdom, loyalty, protection, companionship, faithfulness, warnings, and earth and moon magic.

Donkeys - Stubbornness, ability to make decisions, intuition.

Ducks - Water energy and logic.

Elks - Stamina, strength, pride, power, majesty, agility, freedom, and nobility.

Ferrets - Information, seeing truth behind the facade.

Fish - Abundance, fertility, children, harmony, regeneration, love, and mind/emotion balance.

Foxes - Elusiveness, cleverness, feminine courage, subtlety, discretion, agility, cunning, slyness, fire magic, and intelligence.

Frogs - Healing, transformation, cleansing, understanding emotions, and connection with water element.

Goats - Independence, confidence, tenacity, diligence, flexibility, healing and sun magic, abundance, and agility.

Horses - Power, stability and courage, Astral travel, protection, freedom, power, travel, and earth and moon magic.

Mice - Scrutiny, innocence, faith, trust, shyness, quietness, details, and earth magic.

Owls - Deception, wisdom, truth, patience, insight, darkness, and air magic.

Pigs - Truth, earth magick, past life knowledge, intelligence, and cunning.

Rabbits - Fear, faith, alertness, nurturing, conquering fear, safety, innocence, fertility, movement, sensitivity, luck, and moon magic.

Rats - Abundant reproduction, shrewdness, adaptability, success, social, restlessness, earth magic, stealth, and defense.

Sheep - Balance, confidence, fertility, courage, new beginnings, abundance, and assurance.

Snails - Perseverance and Determination.

Snakes - Transmutation, primitive or elemental energy, power, sexual potency. sensuality, shrewdness, and transformation.

Spiders - Shape-shifting, wisdom, creativity, divine inspiration, fate, illusion, feminine energy, and industry.

Squirrels - Discovery, change, trust, resourcefulness, balance in giving and receiving, awareness, sociability, playfulness, preparation, activity, energy, and earth magic.

Wolves - Wisdom, protection, shadow work, guidance, instinct, intelligence, success, perseverance, stability, loyalty, independence, spirit, freedom, guardianship, and earth and moon magic.

[mintyghostbreath]

Resources for Spirit Work

Please note - though I myself am not a spirit worker, I’ve done enough research and seen enough of other people’s personal stories to say this: spirit work is not always light and fluffy and happy (obviously it can be, but not all the time). Spirits are not all willing to work with you peacefully - some are even downright rude or aggressive. It can be dangerous, and there are risks of getting involved with other entities not of this world. Make sure you know what you are getting into completely and are well prepared before engaging. Read and practice at your own discretion.

Updated: August 18th, 2016

General

[A Beginner’s Guide to Spirit Companionship]

[All the Spirits, All the Places] (tw: gif)

[Are You Overcomplicating Spirit Companionship for Yourself?]

[Bonding 101] (tw: gif)

[Boundaries - The First Component of Constructive Spirit Work]

[Branches of Spirit Work]

[Caution: Calling/Attaching Spirits]

[Common Spirit ‘Scams’]

[Considerate Spirit Offerings]

[Dealing with Spirit Anxiety]

[Dealing with Spirit-Induced Trauma and Injuries]

[Dealing with Spirits You Don’t Want to Deal With]

[Discernment and You]

[Guardian/Protective Spirits]

[House Rules]

[How to Make Your Home More Inviting For Spirits]

[I Have No Time for My Spirit Companions]

[If an “Unbound” Spirit Approaches You]

[A More In-Depth Guide to Dealing with House Spirits]

[On Large Spirit Families]

[Settling In: Getting to Know Your House Spirits]

[Spirit-Caused Wounds]

[Spirit Companions: DIY]

[Spirit Companionship]

Spirit Companionship: [What Is It?]; [Why Choose Companionship?]; [Misconceptions]; [It’s a Commitment]

[Spirit Companionship and Insecurity vs. Trust in Yourself]

Spirit Companionship FAQ: [Part 1]; [Part 2]

[Spirit Defense]

[Spirit Do’s And Don’ts]

[Spirit Etiquette]

[Spirit Guides vs. Companions]

[Spirit Work]

[Spirit Work Basics]

[Spirit Work: The Importance of Putting Yourself First] (tw: gif)

[Spirit Worker Reminders]

[Spirits And Astral Walking]

[Spirits and Demons and Where to Start]

[Spirits and the Danger of Spirit Work, FAQ]

[Thoughts on Spirit Work]

[Working with Spirits]

[Working with Spirits: Contracts]

Communication

[Communicating with House Spirits]

[Contacting Spirit Guides and Other Entities]

[Contacting Your Spirit Guides]

[Guide: How to Communicate with Spirits, Gods, and Other Unseen]

[How I Communicate with Spirits]

How to Communicate With Your Spirit Companion: [Part 1]; [Part 2]

[In-Depth Psychic Communication Guide for Spirit Contact]

[So You Want to Talk to Spirits?]

[Spirit Communication: Tips]

[Spirits: Communications And Customs]

[Ten Things to Avoid When Communicating with Spirits]

[Tuning to the Dead]

Channeling

[Channel a Spirit] (an ask)

[Tips on Channeling Spirits] (an ask)

Possession

[How to Avoid Getting Possessed] (an ask)

[On the Topic of Possession, Attacks, and Other Spirit Problems]

[Spirit Vessels]

[What Exactly is Horsing] (an ask)

Banishing / Exorcism

[Dealing With Dead People - Banishing & Exorcism]

[Exorcism 101]

[How to Banish a Spirit]

[Kicking Them Out - An Intro to Banishings, Cleaning House, and Astral Relationship Intervention]

Spells and Magic

[Banishment Spell, Spirits Begone] (tw: sigil)

[Bottle of Spirit Be-Gone]

[Candle Spell to Banish Negative Energies or Spirits]

[Creating a Spirit Trap Stone]

[For Pleasing Household Spirits]

[“Get the Fuck Out!” Spell - Dead People Verison]

[Quick Protection Ward]

[Ritual to Invite Spirit Contact]

[Samhain Spirit Spell]

[Séance Water]

[Selective Spirit Door-Bar]

[The Soul Alchemists Trap Box]

[Spirit Drive-Out]

[Spirit Poppets]

[The Spirit Vessel]

[Spirit Working Powder]

Sigils

[A variety of spirit companion sigils]

[“Get out of my house, you wispy motherfuckers”]

[“I am not fearful of otherworldly entities”]

[“I am protected from malicious spirits”]

[“I am protected from negative spirits”]

[“I can easily channel spirits without negative impact”]

[“I can see spirits and ghosts”]

[“I communicate easily and quickly with spirits around me”]

[“I communicate with spirits with ease”]

[“I easily communicate with ghosts”]

[“I see and communicate with spirits with ease”]

[“I will have success in spirit work”]

[“Nice, positive spirits are attracted to me and communicate with me”]

[“No malicious beings may enter”]

[“Only kind spirits may enter and stay here”]

[“Protect this dwelling from all negative and evil spirits”]

[“Spirits bring me knowledge not harm”]

[“Spirits cannot enter through these portals without being invited”]

[“Spirits will not and cannot enter through this portal without being invited first”]

Blogs

[blackbearmagic​]

[spiritconnect​]

[spirithighway]

[spiritvexer]

[thedragonslibrary]

[thiscrookedcrown]

[urbanspellcraft]

[mintyghostbreath]

After many requests, I’ve made a rebloggable version of my ‘Weather Magic’ page. Here you will find heaps of resources to help you with weather/storm craft. If you’ve read some of my previous posts about weather magic you will notice some similarities - that is because this is a collection of every weather witching post that I’ve ever posted compiled into handy resources post.

Weather Magic

The term “weather magic” or “weather witching” has been used to mean anything from divination and forecasting of weather to actual control and manipulation of the weather itself. From calling up treacherous storms to destroy another’s crops or providing fair winds for those at sea, witches (and even those who do not consider themselves to be such) have always been involved with weather magic. When you consider that most forms of magic are based around an agricultural past, the ability to affect and predict the weather was considered an invaluable skill. After all, if your family’s livelihood depended on the success of your crops (or the ability to find water as it did in my family’s case), weather magic would be an extremely handy thing to know.

Why the url Storm Born Witch?

I am quite fortunate, as the gift for weather related magic comes easily to my family. For generations, the men in my family have been dowsers or water diviners. However, it wasn’t until after I displayed an aptitude to weather related magic that I was told about my family’s history with it. My grandfather was the last water diviner in the family and he died when I was very young so I was never taught how to divine for water. My grandmother was the one to teach me what little she knew about weather magic - the rest either occurred naturally or I picked up along the way.

Calling Up A Wind - Whistling Up A Wind

This is the most common form of weather magic and has been practiced for hundreds of years. Depending on the pitch and tone of the whistle a witch can create a gentle breeze or a sharp gust of wind. Traditionally, if the skill of whistling up a wind does not come naturally to you the option of making a ‘wind whistle’ out of willow or alder wood is available.

Here in Australia, whistling up a wind is probably the most common form of magic I do. I honestly do not go a day without whistling up a cool breeze. It’s bloody hot here and sometimes a cool breeze is just what you need.

Resources for Calling Winds:

How to Whistle Up a Wind by stormbornwitch​

Other Methods of Calling Up a Wind by stormbornwitch​

Traditional Sailor’s Wind Knots (Untie the Wind) by ioqayin​

Storm Casting

Storm casting is the art of creating storms. There are many different methods to creating storms and bringing rain. The method used by my family is to fill a jug with water and while sitting outside (or facing a window) pour the water into a basin or bowl. Dip the tip of your pointer finger into the water and slowly make five clockwise circles in the water (if you have a pendant necklace this can be used instead - just above the water in the bowl). As you are making the circles call the wind to bring in a storm by blowing (or whistling a continuous low note - the sound of wind over the mouth of a glass bottle) over the water in the basin.

Resources for Storm Casting

My Method of Calling Storms by stormbornwitch​

Traditional Methods of Calling Storms by stormbornwitch​

Ways to Stop a Storm (Dispersing, Binding & Preventing)

There are multiple ways to stop a storm. The most common are dispersing or binding storms. However there are also ways to prevent storms from coming by directing them away from where you are. This is great if you’re holding an event outside and you need good weather.

Dispersing

This method involves spreading the storm out over a large area thereby minimising its effects. You can disperse a storm by calling winds to blow it away (or in a certain direction) or if you favour using weather maps you can draw the low pressure system moving away and gradually dissipating.

Binding (Storm Catching)

This method is also called ‘storm catching’ and involves catching a storm and binding it within an object (usually a bottle or knots) so it can be released gradually at a later date by pulling out the cork or undoing the braid/knots.

Resources for Binding Storms

How to bind a storm in your hair by stormbornwitch​

How to bind the wind in rope by ioqayin​

Storm catching or “reeling in a storm” is even more difficult than storm casting so it’s always wise to think before you cast. Too much energy put into a storm and it will go on for weeks (and cause some flooding - basement incident) or it will be extremely violent and knock down power lines and tree branches. Too little energy and all you will get is a 5 minute shower of rain.

Other ways to stop a storm (Cutting a Storm) by witchuptheroad​

Preventing a Storm (Weather Maps)

However, if you wish to prevent a storm from forming, you’re going to have to pull out the weather maps. To make a weather map all you need to do is to print out a map of your local area or the area you’re trying to keep a storm away from.

Just use google maps and don’t make the area too big or you might seriously strain yourself magically. Then laminate the map - now you have your own ‘whiteboard’ to draw weather symbols on to generate certain types of localised weather.

To practice this kind of magic you really do need to know how weather systems work and how they’re likely to move; knowing a little bit about meteorology goes a long way.

Once you’re ready, find out what the weather is predicted to be and draw it on your map. Now draw the high/low pressure systems moving so that the area you’re trying to protect doesn’t get rain. This method can also be used to bring rain to a certain area.

List of Resources for Storm/Weather Witches

What is a Storm/Weather Witch by rainy-day-witchcraft – This post details what it means to be a witch that uses weather magic / storm craft in their practice; a good definition.

Tips for Starting Storm Craft by stormsorceress – This post gives some really great tips for those interested in starting storm craft; a really good beginner post.

The trouble with weather magic by skychild1989 – This post outlines some of the things you should think about before performing weather magic (i.e. think about the possible consequences of your actions and evaluate you capabilities before messing with things you don’t know that much about). This is a really good reminder.

The Difference between Storm Water and Rain Water by stormbornwitch – This post highlights the symbolic differences between storm water and rain water and also discusses the properties the water can take on when it is collected at certain times of the year (i.e. particular lunar phases/holidays/sabbats/esbats/solstices etc).

Storm Water by stormsorceress – This post is great and outlines the associations and uses of storm water in witchcraft.

Rain Water by stormsorceress – This post outlines the different types of rain water, their associations and uses in witchcraft.

Storm Water by fumbletongue – This post highlights and gives ideas for the many uses storm water can have in one’s craft; from protection to cursing.

Combining Knot Craft & Storm Craft by stormsorceress – This post gives some really great ideas for combining storm craft with knot craft.

How to Draw Energy from Storms by stormbornwitch – This post outlines how to draw energy from storms and how to direct it.

Storm Witch’s Power Bath by brynja-storm – This post gives the ingredients of a power bath which is designed to give you the energy of a storm; great for when you’re in need of a recharge or before you perform a big spell.

The Storm Witch’s Hurricane Curse by brynja-storm – This curse traps its target in an eternal storm with all the gale force winds, rain, lightning and debris associated with a hurricane.

The Tools of a Storm/Weather Witch by stormsorceress – This post outlines the tools of storm/weather witches in different regions (i.e. near the ocean, in a desert, forest, mountain ect).

Tips for Refining Weather Manipulation by stormbornwitch – This post gives some tips for witches who want to get better at weather magic and manipulating the weather.

A Light in the Storm by stormsorceress – This spell is meant to be used to aid in the healing of seasonal depression. Other uses of this spell include aiding in the healing of sadness, grief, and anxiety as well as providing a ‘guiding light’ to people you wish to protect while travelling.

And as always my ‘weather witching’ tag will have links to every single post that I’ve posted which has anything to do with weather magic.

- Marci

[mintyghostbreath]

Forget-me-Not - Mouse Ear

"Blue as the sky were the simple flowers we gathered together that day."

Magical Attributes:

The two main correspondences for Forget-me-Not are (romantic and platonic) love and memory. Other correspondences are connection, healing, growth, helping with loneliness and pain, loyalty, clarity, focus, and psychic development.

Planet: Moon

Element: Earth

Common Uses:

Forget-me-Nots can be worn or carried to keep someone in mind.

Placing them on the grave of someone who has passed will keep their memory alive for as long as you live.

They can be used to symbolize favorite memories and time spent together with another person.

Destroying the flower (pref. burning) can symbolize the release of something troublesome that has been on your mind.

[mintyghostbreath]

A Guide To: Graveyard Snow

I had a thought the other day speculating the concept of graveyard snow, and after thinking about it for a few days, I’ve finally come up with a proper post on it !

What is graveyard snow?

Graveyard snow is, well, snow that’s gathered from a graveyard.

What makes graveyard snow different from graveyard dirt?

While graveyard dirt holds the essence of the dead, graveyard snow also holds the properties of snow water.

Graveyard dirt is used for cursing, luck, and protection. Snow is used for transformative magic, cleansing, purification, and protection.

So essentially, graveyard snow is a mix of that.

So what’s more powerful?

Here’s is a list from least to greatest gaging the power of graveyard dirt and graveyard snow.

- Graveyard snow (gathered from the ground or from nearby stones/trees).

- Graveyard dirt (not gathered from a gravesite).

- Graveyard snow (gathered from a headstone or gravesite); is just a bit more powerful than regular graveyard dirt.

- Graveyard dirt (gathered from a gravesite).

The reason that dirt is generally more powerful than snow is because dirt has been sitting there longer. It has gathered up more of the energy and essence of the dead than graveyard snow.

Think of it like this, if you pour water into snow, it melts away and doesn’t hold that well, but if you pour water into dirt it holds the water a lot better. The same can be applied with energy!

How to gather graveyard snow:

Graveyard snow can be gathered from the ground, or from nearby trees and rocks. Snow that has been sitting longer will hold more power, so try to gather older snow if possible.

If gathering graveyard snow from headstones or gravesites, you should provide an offering to the spirit like flowers, coins, etc. Please be considerate and respectful to the spirits there!

[mintyghostbreath]

FAMOUS AUTHORS

Classic Bookshelf: This site has put classic novels online, from Charles Dickens to Charlotte Bronte.

The Online Books Page: The University of Pennsylvania hosts this book search and database.

Project Gutenberg: This famous site has over 27,000 free books online.

Page by Page Books: Find books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.G. Wells, as well as speeches from George W. Bush on this site.

Classic Book Library: Genres here include historical fiction, history, science fiction, mystery, romance and children’s literature, but they’re all classics.

Classic Reader: Here you can read Shakespeare, young adult fiction and more.

Read Print: From George Orwell to Alexandre Dumas to George Eliot to Charles Darwin, this online library is stocked with the best classics.

Planet eBook: Download free classic literature titles here, from Dostoevsky to D.H. Lawrence to Joseph Conrad.

The Spectator Project: Montclair State University’s project features full-text, online versions of The Spectator and The Tatler.

Bibliomania: This site has more than 2,000 classic texts, plus study guides and reference books.

Online Library of Literature: Find full and unabridged texts of classic literature, including the Bronte sisters, Mark Twain and more.

Bartleby: Bartleby has much more than just the classics, but its collection of anthologies and other important novels made it famous.

Fiction.us: Fiction.us has a huge selection of novels, including works by Lewis Carroll, Willa Cather, Sherwood Anderson, Flaubert, George Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald and others.

Free Classic Literature: Find British authors like Shakespeare and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, plus other authors like Jules Verne, Mark Twain, and more.

TEXTBOOKS

Textbook Revolution: Find biology, business, engineering, mathematics and world history textbooks here.

Wikibooks: From cookbooks to the computing department, find instructional and educational materials here.

KnowThis Free Online Textbooks: Get directed to stats textbooks and more.

Online Medical Textbooks: Find books about plastic surgery, anatomy and more here.

Online Science and Math Textbooks: Access biochemistry, chemistry, aeronautics, medical manuals and other textbooks here.

MIT Open Courseware Supplemental Resources: Find free videos, textbooks and more on the subjects of mechanical engineering, mathematics, chemistry and more.

Flat World Knowledge: This innovative site has created an open college textbooks platform that will launch in January 2009.

Free Business Textbooks: Find free books to go along with accounting, economics and other business classes.

Light and Matter: Here you can access open source physics textbooks.

eMedicine: This project from WebMD is continuously updated and has articles and references on surgery, pediatrics and more.

MATH AND SCIENCE

FullBooks.com: This site has “thousands of full-text free books,” including a large amount of scientific essays and books.

Free online textbooks, lecture notes, tutorials and videos on mathematics: NYU links to several free resources for math students.

Online Mathematics Texts: Here you can find online textbooks likeElementary Linear Algebra and Complex Variables.

Science and Engineering Books for free download: These books range in topics from nanotechnology to compressible flow.

FreeScience.info: Find over 1800 math, engineering and science books here.

Free Tech Books: Computer programmers and computer science enthusiasts can find helpful books here.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

byGosh: Find free illustrated children’s books and stories here.

Munseys: Munseys has nearly 2,000 children’s titles, plus books about religion, biographies and more.

International Children’s Digital Library: Find award-winning books and search by categories like age group, make believe books, true books or picture books.

Lookybook: Access children’s picture books here.

PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION

Bored.com: Bored.com has music ebooks, cooking ebooks, and over 150 philosophy titles and over 1,000 religion titles.

Ideology.us: Here you’ll find works by Rene Descartes, Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, David Hume and others.

Free Books on Yoga, Religion and Philosophy: Recent uploads to this site include Practical Lessons in Yoga and Philosophy of Dreams.

The Sociology of Religion: Read this book by Max Weber, here.

Religion eBooks: Read books about the Bible, Christian books, and more.

PLAYS

ReadBookOnline.net: Here you can read plays by Chekhov, Thomas Hardy, Ben Jonson, Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe and others.

Plays: Read Pygmalion, Uncle Vanya or The Playboy of the Western World here.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: MIT has made available all of Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies, and histories.

Plays Online: This site catalogs “all the plays [they] know about that are available in full text versions online for free.”

ProPlay: This site has children’s plays, comedies, dramas and musicals.

MODERN FICTION, FANTASY AND ROMANCE

Public Bookshelf: Find romance novels, mysteries and more.

The Internet Book Database of Fiction: This forum features fantasy and graphic novels, anime, J.K. Rowling and more.

Free Online Novels: Here you can find Christian novels, fantasy and graphic novels, adventure books, horror books and more.

Foxglove: This British site has free novels, satire and short stories.

Baen Free Library: Find books by Scott Gier, Keith Laumer and others.

The Road to Romance: This website has books by Patricia Cornwell and other romance novelists.

Get Free Ebooks: This site’s largest collection includes fiction books.

John T. Cullen: Read short stories from John T. Cullen here.

SF and Fantasy Books Online: Books here include Arabian Nights,Aesop’s Fables and more.

Free Novels Online and Free Online Cyber-Books: This list contains mostly fantasy books.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Project Laurens Jz Coster: Find Dutch literature here.

ATHENA Textes Francais: Search by author’s name, French books, or books written by other authors but translated into French.

Liber Liber: Download Italian books here. Browse by author, title, or subject.

Biblioteca romaneasca: Find Romanian books on this site.

Bibliolteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes: Look up authors to find a catalog of their available works on this Spanish site.

KEIMENA: This page is entirely in Greek, but if you’re looking for modern Greek literature, this is the place to access books online.

Proyecto Cervantes: Texas A&M’s Proyecto Cervantes has cataloged Cervantes’ work online.

Corpus Scriptorum Latinorum: Access many Latin texts here.

Project Runeberg: Find Scandinavian literature online here.

Italian Women Writers: This site provides information about Italian women authors and features full-text titles too.

Biblioteca Valenciana: Register to use this database of Catalan and Valencian books.

Ketab Farsi: Access literature and publications in Farsi from this site.

Afghanistan Digital Library: Powered by NYU, the Afghanistan Digital Library has works published between 1870 and 1930.

CELT: CELT stands for “the Corpus of Electronic Texts” features important historical literature and documents.

Projekt Gutenberg-DE: This easy-to-use database of German language texts lets you search by genres and author.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

LibriVox: LibriVox has a good selection of historical fiction.

The Perseus Project: Tufts’ Perseus Digital Library features titles from Ancient Rome and Greece, published in English and original languages.

Access Genealogy: Find literature about Native American history, the Scotch-Irish immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, and more.

Free History Books: This collection features U.S. history books, including works by Paul Jennings, Sarah Morgan Dawson, Josiah Quincy and others.

Most Popular History Books: Free titles include Seven Days and Seven Nights by Alexander Szegedy and Autobiography of a Female Slave by Martha G. Browne.

RARE BOOKS

Questia: Questia has 5,000 books available for free, including rare books and classics.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Books-On-Line: This large collection includes movie scripts, newer works, cookbooks and more.

Chest of Books: This site has a wide range of free books, including gardening and cooking books, home improvement books, craft and hobby books, art books and more.

Free e-Books: Find titles related to beauty and fashion, games, health, drama and more.

2020ok: Categories here include art, graphic design, performing arts, ethnic and national, careers, business and a lot more.

Free Art Books: Find artist books and art books in PDF format here.

Free Web design books: OnlineComputerBooks.com directs you to free web design books.

Free Music Books: Find sheet music, lyrics and books about music here.

Free Fashion Books: Costume and fashion books are linked to the Google Books page.

MYSTERY

MysteryNet: Read free short mystery stories on this site.

TopMystery.com: Read books by Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, GK Chesterton and other mystery writers here.

Mystery Books: Read books by Sue Grafton and others.

POETRY

The Literature Network: This site features forums, a copy of The King James Bible, and over 3,000 short stories and poems.

Poetry: This list includes “The Raven,” “O Captain! My Captain!” and “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde.”

Poem Hunter: Find free poems, lyrics and quotations on this site.

Famous Poetry Online: Read limericks, love poetry, and poems by Robert Browning, Emily Dickinson, John Donne, Lord Byron and others.

Google Poetry: Google Books has a large selection of poetry, fromThe Canterbury Tales to Beowulf to Walt Whitman.

QuotesandPoem.com: Read poems by Maya Angelou, William Blake, Sylvia Plath and more.

CompleteClassics.com: Rudyard Kipling, Allen Ginsberg and Alfred Lord Tennyson are all featured here.

PinkPoem.com: On this site, you can download free poetry ebooks.

MISC

Banned Books: Here you can follow links of banned books to their full text online.

World eBook Library: This monstrous collection includes classics, encyclopedias, children’s books and a lot more.

DailyLit: DailyLit has everything from Moby Dick to the recent phenomenon, Skinny Bitch.

A Celebration of Women Writers: The University of Pennsylvania’s page for women writers includes Newbery winners.

Free Online Novels: These novels are fully online and range from romance to religious fiction to historical fiction.

ManyBooks.net: Download mysteries and other books for your iPhone or eBook reader here.

Authorama: Books here are pulled from Google Books and more. You’ll find history books, novels and more.

Prize-winning books online: Use this directory to connect to full-text copies of Newbery winners, Nobel Prize winners and Pulitzer winners.