surpentsladder

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Wholesome ❤️

Wholesome.

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i don’t know who needs to hear this but the only way through is to go inward. there is no magic fix to all of your problems because without the necessary healing you will never evolve mentally, emotionally, and spiritually from where you are now. work on the things outside of you, of course, don’t neglect any aspect of your life. but prioritize your inner work, your healing, your growth, your evolution, because without that foundation, nothing can really stand.

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“Forget About Me” Spell

A spell for someone to forget about you, for them to stop thinking about you, for them to stop missing you, and for them to move on with their life.

What you’ll need:

★ a white candle - for a fresh start

★ black paper - for grieving and moving on

★ pink fabric - for self love

★ ground cinnamon - for health in love in the future

★ bay leaf - for your wish

★ black pen/marker

Optional:

★a sigil for moving on and/or for forgetting

Steps:

1) Write your name and your chosen’s name in the middle of the black paper with some distance between them. If you have a sigil, draw it between the names. Write your wish (e.i. “for them to forget about me” ) on the bay leaf and set aside.

2) Arrange the black paper and pink fabric with corners offset and with the black paper on top.

3) Make a small circle out of cinnamon in the middle of the black paper covering the names.

4) Light the candle and tip it so wax drips into the middle of the cinnamon circle.

5) Once the first drop hits the paper, say the following:

“To forget. To forgive. To forget about me.

To let your heart be burdened by the thought of me no longer.

To forget me. Tor forgive me.

To forgive and forget.”

Set the candle off to the side and keep lit.

6) Press the bay leaf into the wax.

7) Carefully fold the black paper into an envelope. Fold the pink fabric in a similar manner around the black paper.

8) Throw it away and blow out the candle.

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My Method and Tips for Astral Travel

I’ve read a lot about people who astral travel by leaving their bodies after vigorous practice, patience, and lots of energy. I’ve also read about people who it comes naturally to. And I have read about the middle ground where I fall, in which we meditate until we are in a loose trance and then travel via visions and such.

I prefer to travel this way, and to explore my home or area for spiritual disruptions and spots where I should focus my protection on. Here’s a basic ritual type method of how I get into the trance-like state, and how I do things in the astral realm.

First, I sit or lie down. Typically, I do this at night, in bed, when everything is quiet and no one will disturb me and make me come back to quickly (because that can really throw you for a loop, and definitely makes me disassociate). I anoint my temples with lavender essential oils, and hold a clear quartz in one hand, and an amethyst in the other. I use my energy projecting hand to hold the quartz to help my energy to project and be magnified outside of my body, and I put the amethyst in my energy taking hand to help me be open to the spiritual realm.

Then, I close my eyes. I start by thinking of my “happy place” which is basically just a little area I have built over time in my mind. Some people call it your mind-temple or something similar, but I’ve always called it my “happy place” or my “spiritual oasis”. Typically, this is a water fall. It has a hidden cave behind it, and within the cave, there is a fire that somehow burns despite the water in the air. I have crystals all around the fire, and incense burning (I like the opium incense I once had).

Then, once I am deeply relaxed and completely in a calm state, I begin to immerse myself in energy.

I begin by drawing in the amethyst energy, and projecting it into my environment through the clear quartz. I create a little bubble around my body so I am protected, and have enough energy to move around and affect the energies around me.

After that, I focus on the area I want to go to, or explore. Usually, this is just my home. I will visualize the space as best as I can and then try to move around in a different perspective than I normally would (ex: bird’s eye view). I try to see or feel any abnormalities in the energy in the area, and try to fix anything if it has been messed up. Sometimes I strengthen my protection system, or dissipate any stagnant energy I find. Other times I bless certain areas, like my living room, or just do a routine check for any entities.

If I do find entities, I try to talk with them and find out why they’re there if I don’t already know. Sometimes I try to contact deities and the like.

When I’m finished, I go back to my Oasis, and then, from there, I take a walk through many landscapes that all blend together until I see my home, and eventually my body. I enter it, and stretch my fingers, progressively wiggling the rest of my body. Then I open my eyes if I want to be awake, or drift off to sleep.

Some tips I have from my experiences:

Come prepared to face entities. If you are afraid, they will feed off of that. If you are calm, they will feel that. Some people create astral weapons to use if they have to, but I find my energy is just as powerful.

Rest afterwards. It can drain you, so err on the side of caution and take a short rest.

Practice energy work before doing this. It helps to know how to use your energy in the astral, especially if you want to set up protection or speak with entities.

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So You Wanna Astral Project!

I’ve been astral projecting for a long time now, and I do it at least 4 times a week, probably more. I think I have a problem. Anyway. Here are a few tips on what to do, what not to do, etc for all ya’ll trying to get into astral travel. A few of the things have links for places to find more information, ideas, and stuff.

1. You’re Captain America- get yoself a shield. I use 2 shields when I project, both protective spirals. Basically, when you’re projecting your body is left unprotected by your spirit so you need something else to protect you. Use any shield you like. I use one that protects my body from anything harmful (visualised as rose petals swirling around me- it just seemed right) and another that repels anything harmful away from me (visualised as bright lights, almost painful to look at). Sometimes, when I get bad vibes, I’ll use more and more until I feel safe. LAYER LAYER LAYER. A shield can only do one thing at a time, so if you want multiple protective actions then use more than one. You’ll know when you’ve got enough, as when you try to project you’ll feel safer.

2. Failure is ok. Honestly, I couldn’t project last night. It was hard and my brain just couldn’t get the focus and I couldn’t visualise anything. It just didn’t work, and that’s ok. Sometimes it’ll be too much for you, don’t force anything or beat yourself up over it. Stop what you’re doing, stretch your muscles and try again later. I usually wait at least until the next night (I always project at night) when I’ve found something a little too difficult. It gives me time to rest and to do some grounding. 

3. You’re going into Narnia. What does that mean??- imagine a door! I spent a long time trying and trying to project into the astral realm until I realised that I simply had to open a door!! When I project, I visualise a white void full of different doors to different places on the astral realm, I walk around and find my own door or draw it to me. I turn the handle, walk through and BOOM astral realm. This can take a while and it’s hard at first, when I first tried this method I found the door, put my hand on the handle and got thrown out back into my body again. Take your time, practice and you’ll get there. 

4. FFS DON’T GET LOST. When you first manage to get through the door, don’t go too far. Take your time exploring what’s around you, and anyway, it’s more fun to find every little thing that’s in the astral than just barrelling through at 100000mph and missing it. I found one of my spirit companions, A, while slowly going through this tiny patch of forest that exists in my plane. If you do go a little far, which I have done before, I looked at my wrist and found a red string wrapped around it. I followed the string back to the door. Simple.

5. Block out everything. I use white noise of a thunder storm for this, but anything will do. ‘8 Hours of’ is a good youtube channel with lots of different options for white noise. Don’t astral project for the 8 hours, but the sounds are awesome and there’s no ads that’ll interupt you. 

6. Find a mirror. Not because you’re the bloody evil queen in Snow White, but because you’ll want to know what you’re astral form looks like. Go searching, use your mind’s “eye” and listen for it, you’ll know where it is. Stand in front of it and look. Don’t be afraid of what you see, your astral form might be quite different from your physical one. As someone who’s agender, my astral form is completely androgynous, but also has giant horns and 6 ENORMOUS black wings that can wrap around me and form some sort of cloak-dress-robe-thing. Yuup, it was a surprise. Just accept that this is your form, and as it’s based on your spirit, you’ll probably like it no matter what.

7. Have any deities?? You might meet them here. I worship the gaelic goddess Brighid, as well as Persephone and Hades and I’ve met them when astral projecting a few times. You can spend time with them in the astral, get to know them and even give them offerings. There is a huge area of my astral plane that is completely dead- like Pride Rock under Scar dead- and I’m currently trying to regrow it. I’ve so far grown a huge oak tree in the centre and made a pasture for Brighid as she likes to keep cattle. Hades, for some reason, wants a massive waterfall and Persephone just wants flowers- which I’ll be doing for them soon. I’ve also seen Mac Lir and Poseidon walking together off on the horizon of the ocean. I just let them do their thing. 

8. Don’t upset Brendon Urie- CLOSE THE GODDAMN DOOR! You enter the astral through a door, close it behind you so that nothing gets out. When you leave, close the door extra carefully, don’t look back at it as you walk away. Close it and then leave. 

9. Be careful when you’re out. When you re-enter your body it may feel weird, you might get pins-and-needles or your limbs may feel heavy or numb. Just sit or lay there for a while, give yourself time to ground and get comfortable in your body again, don’t sit up or start walking about the moment you leave the astral. Let your shields come down ONLY when you’re certain you’ve completely re-entered your body. Stretch a little and then get up. Go about your day, have a nap, go to bed, whatever you want to do. 

Feel free to add your own!!!!

[surpentsladder]

Sleepy Time Potion

Lavender Latte

This mix is intended to help you relax and prepare you for a full night’s sleep. Helps with insomnia, headaches and stress.

Ingredients:

🌱 3 Tbsp freeze-dried blueberries 🌱 2 tsp dried chamomile 🌱 1 tsp dried lavender 🌱 ¾ c boiling water (moon water? rain water? make sure it’s purified!) 🌱 ½ c steamed milk (substitutes okay) 🌱 Amethyst (optional; if available)

Instructions:

🌱 Combine blueberries, chamomile and lavender into bowl/cup 🌱 Pour ¾ c boiling water over herbs and let steep for 5 minutes 🌱 Charge bowl/cup with amethyst while it steeps 🌱 Strain herbs from liquid into drinking cup 🌱 Pour ½ c warmed or steamed milk of any variety into cup and stir 🌱 Blow your intentions into cup and enjoy before bed

Metaphysical properties:

🌱 Blueberries - protection 🌱 Chamomile - sleep, calmness, healing, anxiety relief, relaxation 🌱 Lavender - love, protection, healing, sleep, purification, peace 🌱 Amethyst - clarity, cleansing, protection

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Sick Witchery

Because everyone gets sick, even witches! Witchcraft does not replace proper medical care, and please be cautious when using herbs and do proper research*

Teas and potions:

Sore throat potion

Sore throat sage tea

Cough/cold tea

Mama’s cold curing tea

Cold banishing potion

Feel better tea spell

Sick witch’s brew

Flu and cold buster

Soothing tummy tea

Vitamin C healing potion

Syrups:

Easy DIY cough syrup

Soothing lemon cough syrup

Simple elderberry syrup

Magic cold syrup

Food:

Swamp’s immunity boosting noodles

Faye’s patchwork soup

“I am not getting sick!” broth

Spells:

Simple sickness spell

Simple healing spell

All-purpose recovery spell

Christian witch healing spell

Healing/cleansing spell bottle

Bath magic:

Anti-nausea bath

Healing milk bath

Healing bath

Shower meditation

Odds and ends:

Cold and flu remedies

Lil’ witch tips for sickness

Immune system sigils

Herbs for a sick witch

Onions

Coriander seeds

Eucalyptus 

Basil

*Resources for herbal interactions:

U.S Department of Health and Human Services

AAFP

Potential Herb-Drug Interaction Chart

Checking for Possible Herb-Drug Interactions

WebMD

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[A]

Alfalfa:

Growing Alfalfa

Common Alfalfa Mistakes

Video - Growing Alfalfa

How to Grow Alfalfa Grass

Alfalfa in Magic

Allspice:

How to Grow Allspice From Seeds

Allspice Cultivation

Allspice | CCGrow

Allspice Growing

Allspice in Magic

Aloe Vera:

Growing Aloe Vera Indoors

Beginner’s Guide to Growing Aloe Vera

How to Grow and Care for Aloe Vera

How to Plant Aloe Vera

How to Grow Aloe From A Leaf

Video- Plant and Grow Aloe Vera

Aloe in Magic

Apples:

How to Grow and Harvest Apples

Growing Apples

Grow an Apple Tree From a Seed

Apples in Magic

[B]

Basil:

Growing and Harvesting Basil

Growing Basil

Everything You Need to Know About Growing Basil

3 Ways to Grow Basil

Video- How to Grow Basil

Video- How to Plant Basil in Containers

Video- How to Prune Basil

Video- How to Propagate Basil

Basil in Magic

[C]

Catnip:

Growing Catnip

How to Grow Catnip

How to Grow Catnip (with pictures)

The Benefits of Growing Catnip

Catnip in Magic

Chamomile:

Growing Chamomile

How to Grow Chamomile at Home

Chamomile Info

Growing Chamomile for Tea

Chamomile in Magic

Cloves:

Tips for Growing Clove

How to Grow Cloves

Detailed Guide to Growing Cloves

Growing Cloves

Cloves in Magic

Cilantro:

How to Grow Cilantro

Growing Cilantro

The Trick to Cilantro

Do’s and Don’ts of Cilantro

Tips for Growing Cilantro

Cilantro in Magic

Cumin:

Cumin Herb Info

How to Grow Cumin

Cumin in Magic

[D]

Dandelion:

How to Grow Dandelion in Pots

How to Grow and Harvest Dandelions

Growing Dandelions

Dandelions in Magic

Dill:

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Dill

Learn How to Grow Dill

Growing Dill

Dill in Magic

[G]

Garlic:

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Garlic

All About Growing Garlic

How to Grow Garlic in 15 Steps

The Best Way to Grow Garlic

Garlic in Magic

[J]

Junpier:

Grow Juniper

How to Grow and Care for Juniper

The Best Soil for Juniper Trees

Juniper in Magic

[K]

Kale:

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Kale

Beginner’s Guide to Kale

Growing Kale

4 Ways to Grow Kale

(I could not find anything about the magical associations for Kale, but personally I would associate it with cleansing, strength, and good luck!)

[L]

Lavender:

Your Guide to Planting, Caring, and Harvesting Lavender

Growing Lavender

3 Ways to Grow Lavender

Planting & Care

Growing Lavender in Containers

Lavender in Magic

[M]

Mint:

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Mint

Growing Mint

Do’s and Dont’s of Growing Mint

How to Grow Mint

Mint in Magic

[O]

Onions:

Planting and Growing Onions

Growing Onions

Video- Growing Onions

Onions in Magic

[R]

Rosemary:

Growing Rosemary

How to Grow Rosemary in 11 Steps

Everything You Need to Know About Growing Rosemary

Rosemary in Magic

[S]

Sage:

Planting and Growing Sage

Growing Sage

Everything You Need to Know About Growing Sage

11 Steps to Growing Sage

Know Before You Grow - Sage

Sage in Magic

[T]

Thyme:

Growing Thyme

Everything You Need to Know About Growing Thyme

Video- How to Grow Thyme in A Pot

Learn How to Grow Thyme

Thyme in Magic

Turmeric:

Video- How to Plant and Grow Turmeric

How to Grow Turmeric at Home

Growing Turmeric in Pots

Turmeric in Magic

[W]

Wheatgrass:

How to Grow Wheatgrass at Home

Video- How to Grow Wheatgrass

Growing Wheatgrass Indoors

I could not find a reference for Wheatgrass in Magic, but personally I would associate it with health, cleansing, and strength.

[Y]

Ylang Ylang:

How to Grow a Ylang Ylang Tree

Complete Growing Guide to Ylang Ylang

I could not find a specific page for this, but Ylang Ylang is usually associated with calming, employment, love, magical ability, and anti-negativity. (source)

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has a bath: witchcraft

drinks tea: witchcraft

looks at the moon: witchcraft

lights a candle: Wi t c h CR a FT

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[Revised 2/17] Books for Witches, Diviners and Spellcasters

Hi, everyone. A while back (a long time ago, actually), I started an annotated bibliography on books about witchcraft and magick, and I’ve updated it once (last November). 

Since then, I’d been keeping a list of things I need to add to it, but didn’t get around to actually reworking and updating the list a second time until today. Largely because I can’t really go outside much today because of the smog. But anyways, here it is. I’ve also included divination-related books in this version, whereas previously they were separate.

I hope you find something on here that suits your fancy! Happy reading! Also, yes, I do want to do more book reviews on this blog, so if you’d like a longer review of one of the books listed below, let me know and I can write one.

For Absolute Beginners

Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, by Judika Illes. Even better than the Weiser Field Guide to Witches - this book is huge and chock-full of information. It’ll explain in easy-to-understand language how the concept has developed throughout time, why witches do what they do, and different types of witches.

The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, by Judika Illes. This gives an excellent look at the historical lore concerning witches, from the perspective of a witch herself. It’s kind of tongue-in-cheek, but it does have some information that won’t be found elsewhere.

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, by Skye Alexander. Great book for those who’re really absolute beginners and are wondering what witchcraft is all about. Skye takes a very postmodern, utilitarian, and unfailingly honest approach, and it’s geared towards those of almost any belief system.

Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. Attractively packaged and readible for almost all ages, this is a great (mostly) non-denominational look at the foundations of magical practice. It’s extremely detailed. Some of it only applies to Zell’s own tradition, but it’s quite useful, anyways.

Basic Techniques

Protection and Reversal Magick, by Jason Miller. This gets a little woo-woo at times, but he gives good advice on how to avoid serious problems that can come up as you begin to practice. Take with a grain of salt, though - some of this has the potential to make you feel paranoid.

City Magick, by Christopher Penczak. If you’re at all interested in tech witchery, or just want to practice magick within an urban setting, do check this out. It is by far the best look at the subject I’ve seen, and his discussion of urban tutelary spirits is worth the price alone.

Power Spellcraft for Life, by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. Nicely done, quite secular book providing basic beginner information regarding writing original spells and workings. It does fall prey to the trap of just listing correspondences with little information at times, but also contains a great deal of detail about ritual timing, raising power, and other topics essential for the beginner.

Sorcerer’s Secrets, by Jason Miller. This is a decent volume that describes a lot of techniques you don’t usually see in books, such as gesture and gaze-based magick. Be warned that Miller writes extensively about manipulative techniques, but it’s useful theory regardless of how you put it into practice.

Witch’s Bag of Tricks, by Melanie Marquis. This is not recommended for beginners, because the whole point of this book is to help existing practitioners refine and improve their already-established techniques. It’s got some novel ideas in it, and I like the author’s approach to symbolism in spellcasting.

Direct Magick (Energy Work)

The Un-Spell Book, by Mya Om. This non-denominational guide to working with magical forces is filled with useful exercises that go beyond the author’s previous work. I recommend reading this after reading Energy Essentials.

Instant Magick, by Christopher Penczak. Excellent beginner’s guide for those who don’t have access to a lot of fancy tools or prefer to work without them. This book won’t instantly teach you magick, but it will help even a seasoned practitioner find quicker, less-complicated ways of achieving results.

Energy Essentials for Witches and Spellcasters, by Mya Om. Though I balk at the use of the term “energy” to describe magical forces, this book is worth a look. It’s a bit like a workbook, with various exercises. Expect a lot of pseudoscience, though, and there are many religious references, but the techniques are solid.

Hedgewitchery and Astral Travel

Ecstatic Witchcraft, by Gede Parma. This is actually probably my favorite book on this subject, even though hedgeriding is only a part of what the book discusses. The only bad thing I can really say about this book is that it’s really not recommended for beginners, and it’s helpful to have the basics of visualization already mastered (for example) before doing the exercises Parma recommends.

By Land, Sky and Sea, by Gede Parma. This book goes into even greater details regarding different ways of conceptualizing the cosmology of hedgeriding, and I find it a very refreshing book that appreciatively draws from a number of different perspectives while grounding itself, so to speak, with the overarching metaphor of land, sky, and sea as the three worlds.

The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft, by Christopher Penczak. Penczak is usually a pretty mixed bag, and this book is no exception. It gives a lot of good practical information and a very in-depth exploration of the three worlds (a useful concept), but it’s primarily framed by Wicca, so it might not resonate with those of other faiths and particularly those who aren’t pagan at all.

Ascension Magick, by Christopher Penczak. There’s a chapter or two in this that address alternate ways of conceptualizing the architecture of reality, and it’s pretty helpful for a hedgerider. Beyond that, this book is mostly about ceremonial magick, but it’s a (mostly) good book. Certain parts (such as the bit about UFOs) are a little off, in my opinion.

The Shamanic Witch, by Gail Wood. This book is really best suited for someone who practices Wicca and, besides the background info and cosmological descriptions, is really only useful in the context of that tradition. If you’re Wiccan or willing to pick around a lot of Wiccan-talk, though, this is a good foundation.

Witches, Werewolves and Fairies, by Claude Lecouteux. It can be hard to find scholarly works on these phenomena that are affordable, but here’s one I personally enjoyed. It details many accounts of journeying experienced by both pagans and Christians in earlier times, and gives a good description of the concept of the astral double, the architecture of the soul, and other topics throughout history.

Betwixt and Between, by Storm Faerywolf. This book is mostly a guide to the Feri tradition of witchcraft, but while I myself don’t practice that, those who do seem to know a lot about hedgeriding! The book has several chapters on the subject and is highly recommended for this reason.

The Psychic Energy Codex, by Michelle Belanger. A lot of people have strong opinions about this author, but this is book actually provides a lot of good information about so-called “energy work” which can be a step in the right direction for those wanting to ride the hedge.

Psychic Dreamwalking, by Michelle Belanger. In this book, Belanger discusses, essentially, how to use your non-waking life as a vehicle to for journeying, and while I myself don’t usually dreamwalk, much of what she says applies to hedgeriding in other states, too.

Hedge Riding and Hedge Witchcraft, by Harmonia Saille. I only mention these two in order to say that they’re best avoided. Saille tries to give a comprehensive look at the phenomenon, but it’s poorly-written and overly New Age. The negative reviews of them on Amazon really cover the problems with these book in more detail than I ever could.

Magical Writing, Words, and Symbols

Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells, by Claude Lecouteux. Mostly a historical text, this book isn’t exactly practical or terribly useful. It is, nevertheless, incredibly interesting. It’s a bit difficult to navigate, but worth a glance.

Composing Magick, by Elizabeth Barrette. A very general, but well-done, look at writing in a magical context. Some of the ritual templates are slightly specific to religious witchcraft traditions, but most information is widely applicable.

Crafting Magick with Pen and Ink, by Susan Pesnecker. Focuses both on the physical act of writing as a magical act, and the mental state associated with it. Highly recommended

The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire, by Skye Alexander. This book is for those who want to create their own grimoire. It gives fairly good advice for doing so, as well as providing hints and tricks for spellcasting and useful correspondences.

General Concepts

Planetary Magick, by Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips. If you want to work with the planets at all, particularly in a highly ritualized context, I recommend this book. It’s large, comprehensive and gives a good foundation beyond what you find in general astrology books.

Practical Planetary Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Shorter than I would have liked, but a useful reference to have on your shelf, with excellent tables and appendices in the back. The meditations are also quite useful.

Practical Elemental Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Should be read alongside the other book by this pair. Comprehensive guide to working with the elements in a ritualized fashion. Not as accessible to newbies as Lipp’s book, but good for seasoned practitioners.

The Way of Four, by Deborah Lipp. Though mostly geared towards Wiccans, I found this author’s in-depth treatment of the four elements highly fascinating. I will note that it’s probably best to get the print version of this book, as it contains exercises and quizzes.

Ingredients and Correspondences

The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook, by Karen Harrison. I cannot praise this book enough for its concise and well-formulated approach to astrology, herbs, and magick as a whole.

The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick, by Judith Hawkins-Tillirson. This is excellent for anyone who’s interested in any kind of magick. Yes, the focus is generally herbs, but there’s a lot to be learned here about Kabbalah and other correspondence systems, as well.

Mixing Essential Oils for Magic, by Sandra Kynes. Fills a very difficult gap in published knowledge regarding the use of essential oils by discussing, in great detail, how scents interact with each other and how to create a formula that’s not only palatable, but evocative.

Dunwich’s Guide to Gemstone Sorcery, by Gerina Dunwich. Given the New Age fascination with all things shiny, it was quite a chore to sort through the myriad crystal books to find something with good information. While far from perfect and not exactly devoid of fluff, this book does give a level of detail about the lore surrounding gemstones not seen in many other texts.

Real Alchemy, by Robert Allen Bartlett. Excellent book, lots of history and detail. There’s a strong focus on tradition within the text, yet the author is quite accommodating of his audience and describes alternate methods that work better in a modern context.

Spagyrics, by Manfred M. Junius. With a highly-developed academic tone and attention to detail, this book is a meaty look at traditional alchemy. I recommend this more for intermediate practitioners due to the sheer density of information.

Spellbooks

The Goodly Spellbook, by Dixie Deerman and Steve Rasmussen. The title sounds horribly fluffy, but this is a hidden gem. It explains obscure concepts like alternative alphabets and potential uses of musical notes, as well as plant lore and other bits and pieces. Definitely worth checking out. It’s way more than just “a book of spells.”

Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, by Judika Illes. The title sounds trite to some, but it delivers. This book has spells from almost every culture and spiritual philosophy, as well as a very detailed formulary. I read it when I’m bored sometimes, too, just because I always learn some tidbit from it.

Book of Spells, by Nicola Pulford. In most editions, this book is absolutely gorgeous and describes spellcasting traditions from a variety of perspectives and traditions. Recommended for those who already understand the basics, as this book jumps straight into spellcasting and gives only a small amount of information about how things work.

Ceremonial Magick

Modern Magick, by Donald Michael Kraig. I received this as a gift several years ago. It is essentially a workbook meant to be completed slowly, step by step, and while the format will not appeal to everyone, it’s a good easy-to-read introduction to ceremonial magick.

Familiar Spirits, by Donald Tyson. Though geared towards ceremonialists, any practitioner can likely learn a thing or two from Tyson’s interesting stroll through the whys and wherefores of spirit work and thoughtform creation. This is by far the best book I’ve seen on the topic of familiar spirits.

Secrets of High Magick, by Francis Melville. The most recent edition of this (the one I own) is lavishly-illustrated and full of rudimentary, yet useful information. He stresses the basics of ceremonial practice, and his writing style is very accessible. Highly recommended for absolute beginners.

My Life With The Spirits, by Lon Milo DuQuette. This is a memoir of a ceremonial magician, but it gives a good look at the magickal mindset in a highly developed form from someone who’s experienced quite a lot. I have major issues with DuQuette’s approach to Qabalah, but his memoirs are worth a read.

Chaos Magick

Liber Null and Psychonaut, by Peter Carroll. Classic book of chaos magick. I consider it required reading for almost anyone interested in the occult. Even if you have no love for chaos magick, do give it a read, just to understand how influential Carroll is, and why.

Hands-On Chaos Magic, by Andrieh Vitimus. Knowing some of the people involved in the creation of this book, I’m a bit biased towards it. That said, even if I didn’t know them, I would still recommend it. It’s especially interesting to read alongside Liber Null and Psychonautin order to see how the chaos “current” has developed over the years.

Pop Culture Magic 2.0 by Taylor Ellwood. There aren’t a lot of books on using pop culture symbolism in magick, but this one is nearly perfect. The author writes in a highly erudite, literate fashion, while still being accessible to newbies. Many useful resources cited, as well, so prepare to branch off a bit while reading it.

History-Related

Triumph of the Moon, by Ronald Hutton. An inside no-holds-barred look at the history of Wicca and Modern paganism. Highly recommended. This is sort of the book that fluffbunnies don’t want you to read.

Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult, by Richard Metzger. Lots of facts and history of magick in the context of Postmodernity. This is different from the Crowley text of the same name, which I wouldn’t recommend unless you want to focus on his tradition.

The Place of Enchantment, by Alex Owen. This is a purely historical text that documents the occult revival within the context of Modernity. I remember it being very good, but please realize I haven’t really picked it up much since graduating, and it might just have served my mindset at the time.

Tarot

The Book of Thoth, by Aleister Crowley. Make sure you actually own (or have access to pictures of) the Thoth deck before you dive into this. By far one of the best books on Tarot ever published. The prose is often dense and purple, but in this one book, Crowley teaches so much about Tarot and it’s connection to the Western Mystery Tradition. I can’t really say much more - it must be experienced.

The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, by Arthur Edward Waite. I recommend this book because it is a classic and was introductory for many older readers. It will teach you to read and gives insight into the methodology behind the Waite-Smith deck specifically, particularly his use of what are essentially parables and why he does this. Do not expect too much esoteric information, but read it anyways.

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, by Rachel Pollack. This is the epitome of a good modern Tarot book and is really one of the first ones I’d recommend for someone looking for an accessible book on Tarot in a modern context. Very dense in information and history, yet altogether worth it. You’ll want highlighters nearby for this one!

Tarot for a New Generation, by Janina Renée. This is essentially a book for children and teenagers, but I do recommend it for them, specifically, because it is well-written, easy to understand, and helpful to absolute beginners.

Secrets of the Waite-Smith Tarot, by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin. This book focuses just on the history, symbolism, and creative process of the Waite-Smith deck. It gives you an inside line on just what Pixie Smith was thinking when painting specific scenes, and is a great look at her life’s work, as well.

The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination, by Robert M. Place. This book will not teach you to read Tarot, but does give an actual, accurate portrait of the history of the phenomena, which is incredibly important and useful. Know your history.

Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, by Lon Milo DuQuette. I hesitate to recommend DuQuette due to issues I have with his approach to Qabalah, but many people ask me for a beginner book for the Thoth Tarot specifically, and this is the closest I’ve come to finding one. I recommend reading this alongside, and not instead of, Crowley’s Book of Thoth.

The Back in Time Tarot, by Janet Boyer. This is more for the intermediate reader, and the entire book details a single, extremely useful technique for familiarizing yourself with the cards, namely by framing past events in terms of how they might appear in a spread.

Lenormand

The Essential Lenormand, by Rana George. This was not the first Lenormand book I picked up, but it was the most influential and intense. Ms. George writes in a personable, touching fashion and brings the concepts of the system home by relating them to life experiences in a way rarely seen. She is one of those authors I literally go all “fangirl” over.

Learning Lenormand, by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin. This is one of the better beginner books on Lenormand. I’m not going to lie - it isn’t as good as Rana George’s, but it definitely is worth reading if you’re completely new to the system. It’s very accessible, where some of the books I’ll be listing later in this can seem intimidating, or so I’ve been told.

Lenormand: Thirty-Six Cards, by Andy Boroveshengra. This book is intense, but in a different way than Ms. George’s. Expect to be inundated with information and techniques. Another one of those where you really need to take notes or highlight while reading, and read it multiple times.

Secrets of the Lenormand Oracle, by Sylvie Steinbach. This book is organized in a novel and useful fashion by topic, and gives specific techniques for readings on love, money, spirituality, and other topics. Highly recommended, and I tend to use it as a reference book nowadays, looking things up as needed.

The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook, by Caitlyn Matthews. Not for the beginner, nor the faint at heart, this one details a lot of what, to me, seem to be more advanced approaches and techniques. I use this book a lot, and I think anyone else will enjoy it, too. Good information on the connection between Lenormand and traditional playing cards, too.

Cartomancy with Lenormand and the Tarot, by Patrick Dunn. This is more of a special topic book, and best read after you’ve got some familiarity with both Tarot and Lenormand. It’s all about using them in tandem and the synergy between them.

Astrology

The Luminaries, by Liz Greene. I could really recommend anything by this author, but she’s written so much, and this book is a particularly important one. It focuses entirely on the Sun and Moon in astrology, and gives a good look at why the luminaries need to have a special place in your understanding.

The Weiser Concise Guide to Practical Astrology, by Priscilla Costello. This is focused, as you might expect, on actual interpretation of charts and less on theory, but it gives a good background on that, too. Was quite helpful in my attempts to interpret @xepsurah‘s unusual natal chart.

The Complete Book of Astrology, by Kris Brandt Riske. Very beginner, and very light on intellect, heavy on intuition. A great introduction, but I would not suggest it as the only book you read if you’re really interested in the subject.

Tasseography

Tea Leaf Reading for Beginners, by Caroline Dow. There are only a few books within Llewellyn’s immensely popular “For Beginners” series that I would recommend, and this is one of them. The symbol glossary (which makes up the bulk of the book) is the most useful part.

Tea Cup Reading, by Sasha Fenton. This book goes into some detail (quite a bit, actually) about the history of tea and coffee, and, better yet, how to prepare them in the traditional fashion! A lot of traditional lore is described, as well.

Scrying, etc.

Scrying for Beginners, by Donald Tyson. This is really a surprise find, as I don’t usually expect much from this series, by Tyson knows his history and goes far beyond simple exercises for scrying. He is a bit biased towards mirror and crystal-gazing techniques, but does discuss other methods.

Psychic Development for Beginners, by William Hewitt. Readable, and offers some very practical developmental exercises for those wishing to hone extrasensory abilities. Be prepared to sort through a lot of woo, though.

[surpentsladder]

What are some simple spells you'd recommend to someone just beginning the craft and needs to build confidence in their magic?

“Simple” is largely a subjective term, but I’ll try to compile a few spells for various intents that require little or easy to acquire ingredients. They may not be perfect for everyone, but yeah.

Anger:

[Anger Release Spell]

[Place My Rage in My Hand: A Spell to Channel Your Anger]

[A Quick Way to Cool Anger]

[Match Spell for Anger]

Anxiety:

[Anti-Anxiety Candle Spell]

[Anxiety Stone]

[“Soothe the Waters” Spell] (tw: gif)

[Worry Stone Spell]

Banishing:

[Banishing Jar Spell]

[Banishing Powder]

[“Bitch. Be Gone” Powder]

[“Cut It Out, Cut Them Off”]

[Tossing the Rock Banishing]

Binding:

[Basic Binding]

[Honey Binding Spell]

[Ice Binding Spell]

[Simple Binding Spell]

[A Simple Self-Binding]

Cleansing:

[Cleansing Techniques for Low Spoon Days]

[Rain Washing Spell]

[Shower Cleansing and Renewing Spell]

[Techno Cleansing]

[Visual Cleansing]

Confidence:

[Confidence Boost/Positivity Spell]

[Confidence Boosting Perfume/Cologne Spell]

[Light My Fire]

[I’m Confident and Don’t Fuck with Me Spell]

[Quick Confidence Potion]

Creativity:

[Creativity-Enhancing Sachet Spell]

[Creativity Jar]

[Little Spell for Inspiration]

[Wind Spell for Inspiration & Creativity]

Depression:

[“Last Hope” Spell for Depression]

[A Spell for Depression] (remind me to rewrite and repost this please)

[Sun Energy Bath Spell for Depression]

Employment:

[Catching Jobs with Honey]

[Get Hired Fast Spell]

[To Get the Job You Want]

[Visualization Job Spell]

Happiness:

[Happiness Bundle]

[“Happy AF” Jar]

[A Little Piece of Happiness]

Healing:

[Easy Healing Spell]

[Heal What Has Been Hurt] (tw: gif)

[Quick and Easy Spell Pouch for Healing]

[Universal Healing Spell]

Invisibility:

[Hidden Object Charm]

[Invisibility Glamour]

Locating Items:

[Lost Something?]

[Quick Finding Spell]

[Spell to Locate a Lost Item]

Love:

[The Apple of Love: A Love Drawing Spell]

[Energy Love Spell]

[A Love-Calling Spell]

[Love Potion Recipe]

Luck:

[Break That Luck Candle Spell]

[Good Luck Spell]

[Luck & Money Powder]

[Seven Day Luck Spell]

Money:

[Money Spell]

[Prosperity Spell Bottle]

[Simple Money/Prosperity Charms]

[A Sweet Ass Money Spell]

Motivation:

[Charm to Light a Fire Under Your Ass]

[Motivation Spell]

[“Set my *ss on Fire!” Productivity and Anti-Procrastination Spell]

[Simple Motivation Spell]

Protection:

[Protection Bottle]

[Protection Jar]

[Simple Home Protection Jar Spell]

[Simple Protection Sachet]

[Spell to Give Some Protection to a Loved One] (tw: gif)

Sleep:

[Candle Spell for Sleep]

[Good Sleep Spell]

[A Spell for Getting Sleep]

Wishing:

[Jar & Candle Wish Spell]

[Manifestation Spell]

[Simple Text Message Wish Spell]

[Simple Wish Spell]

[A Two-For-One Moon Wish Jar]

Also, sigils. Seriously, sigils freaking everywhere. Don’t discount sigils.

Good luck!

[surpentsladder]

Recently, I came across a post warning against storing your herbs in glass jars. “They will mold,” it claimed. I reblogged it, with my owns comments on the subject, explaining to others that simply is not the case.

If you have done the homework on the plants you are gathering, learned how each plant needs to be dried, and followed the proper steps, storing your herbs in glass jars will not make them mold. 

*Herbs in the store can be purchased in glass jars.* 

*Herbs have been stored in glass jars for hundreds of years.*

This is a small sample of my larder, all my herbs are carefully air-dried, and stored in glass jars. (Some are in plastic bags, as I ran out of jars!) None have ever molded.

My point is, don’t believe every post you come across, but read up on the subject, and educate yourself well. It’s disappointing to see misinformation being passed around as fact, when in truth, it is not. 

Some leaves and flowers will need to be air-dried for 3-5 days.

Some leaves and plants need to be dried for 7-14 days.

Some flowers, (like lilacs) along with any member of the pine/evergreen family will require 3 weeks or more to dry.

Some plants with stems attached may need to be dried for 14-21 days, maybe even longer.

Air-drying maintains the colour, as well as essential oils/benefits of the plants the best, where oven drying can reduce them, and turns the plants brown.

Oven dry fruits like berries, at a very low setting (150°C-200°C) for anywhere from 2-4 hours, checking in between to see if they have completely dried yet. Since oven temps vary, you may have to tweek your drying times.

Do extensive reading on plants and drying/storing. You’ll have a far more rewarding and successful results!

[surpentsladder]

i love laying the FUCK down and sleeping

[surpentsladder]

if you’re reading this

a lump sum of money is on the way to you

[surpentsladder]

My biggest pet peeve is being talked to AS SOON as i wake up. I hate that shit. Stop tryin to communicate with me. Stop askin me questions. Im tryna understand the universe all over again dont talk to me yet ur gonna confuse me and piss me off.

[surpentsladder]

♡ ENERGY WORK

GROUNDING — simple visualization exercise for releasing excess or negative energy through imagination of nature surrounding you and recharging you with new energies. can be visualized with roots that grow from your body into the earth which serve as an energy channel between you and nature. concentrate on the feeling of the energy transfers, really feel them. practice this once a day.

CENTERING — meditative visualization for centering oneself and gathering lost energy bits that are detached from you, eventually after feeling extreme emotions or performing magick. find and feel your inner center. become aware of your magical existence. can also be visualized with space: planets and stars that revolve around you, the sun, the center of your own galaxy. grounding before centering is recommended.

SHIELDING — strong visualization practice for protecting your energies from draining people and their negative energies. good for empaths. can be visualized through all kind of imaginary shields. the most important thing is that in your imagination you are entirely coated with this shield, no matter if you imagine a bright reflecting light around you, or other protecting elements. no cracks, no splits, you need to be completely shielded. practice this daily and keep it up forever.

CLEANSING — energy removing practice for clearing unwanted negative energies or spirits from an object or space by doing a small ritual such as visualization, burning incense, using effective crystals or chanting cleansing mantras, etc. this type of energy work is perfect for making a place or an item spiritually new again.

ENERGY BALLS — physical and mental practice for visualizing a glowing white energy ball (or any other form of visual energy) between the palm of your hands. rub your hands together and concentrate on the friction and warmth and also on the energies which flow from your arms into your slowly forming and growing energy ball. if you feel the distance between your hands is just right and the energy ball is completed give it a last strong input of energy to seal it.

PROGRAMMING — once you’re really comfortable with making an energy ball, you can also program it with an intent. start with deciding on an intent (example: joy) and really fill your energy ball with these feelings (example: joy, happiness, delight, pleasure, fun, cheer and laughter) by literally trying to feel those things as you do it. also, imagine your white energy ball changes its color; use the color you connect the most to this feeling/intent (example: joy - yellow/else).

CHARGING — energy work practice for infusing an object (such as a crystal, water, or other things) with personal or external energies, like a certain intent. this can be achieved either through forming and programming an energy ball and willing it into the object by visualizing and/or embracing it with your hands; or it can be done by simply visualizing that the object is surrounded by bright energetic light (eventually take a color that matches your intent here as well) and will your intent into the object directly. keep up your imagination of the charging until you feel it’s complete.

SENDING ENERGY — energy work practice for sending programmed energy to someone. create and energy ball and program it with your intent (example: i want my friend to be more happy again). use the person or a representation of the person (like a picture) and visualize your energy ball forming a connection to the desired target and then, shooting straight into the person like a laser beam. as soon as the visualized energy has left your hands completely, your friend is charged with the intent.

[surpentsladder]

Haven Craft’s Beginner Witch Tips, Part Four

Something I’ve noticed about online beginner spells for witches is that a great deal of them involve herbs that are inhaled, drunk as tea or potions, or bathed in. So let’s go over the basics of herbalism as spellcraft.

First off, understand that herbalism is a very, very dangerous thing to dabble in just enough to think you know what you’re doing when you don’t. I’ve had quite a few people into Haven Craft who’ve started exhibiting very dangerous symptoms because their witchy hearthcraft friend recommended this or that for them, and they’re having allergic reactions or medication reactions or because it’s just a dangerous plant to begin with.

My favorite of these so far was someone who was on lobelia, for weight loss, because her friend recommended it. She came in exhibiting symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, constant nausea, and stomach pains. Lobelia is also called puke weed and she was close to the LD50 (lethal dose in fifty percent of the population) in the amounts she was taking.

Her herbalist friend had never bothered to Google the other names by which the plant was known, what medications it interacted with, or what the dangerous warning signs of its use were, because it was “just an herb” and “herbs are safe.”

No, they aren’t safe. 

Even external application can be dangerous. Especially bathing in something, which can give it access to mucous membranes it is absorbed through.

My favorite example of this is hyssop oil. Essential oils can be dangerous anyway, causing chemical burns and photo-sensitivity if they are not diluted properly, but some are dangerous for other reasons. Hyssop is one of them – it can cause people with epilepsy or other neurological conditions, including depression, to experience dizziness, difficulty concentrating, trouble focusing, and even cause seizures. It can be lethal to apply hyssop oil if you have a history of seizures.

And yet it is commonly listed as something to apply to the body to banish negative energies, with no warning. You hope people Google things before using the, you hope people look them up on WebMD, but if they don’t, they may hurt themselves or others severely, because they’re “just plants.”

So is atropa belladonna. It’s “just a plant.”

Ethics of Herbalism, Kitchen Witchery, Etc.

Like all magickal practice, herbal witchcraft requires that you determine your personal ethical stance. My advice is to determine what you are an are not willing to do in the real world – because magick, including herbal magick, is part of the real world and affects the real world. A practical way of looking at it is, “Don’t do anything you wouldn’t do with your own two hands.” For example, if you aren’t willing to physically assault someone who has displeased you, sending a malicious spirit after them probably isn’t for you. If you aren’t willing to roofie someone, love spells to bind a particular person to you romantically and sexually probably aren’t for you.

However, there are some specific lines of ethics that come into play with magickal herbalism, in particular. Please keep in mind that these lines come from my own tradition – I can only advise based on my own work and experience, so these guidelines may not work for you.

Working for Others

I believe an herbalist should always ask someone before you perform magick on their behalf and DEFINITELY before you cause them to ingest any kind of herbal magick. Obtain permission beforehand, even for what you consider “positive” workings. Try to remember that your idea of what’s positive for someone’s life may not be their idea of what’s positive for their life. And that you may have no notion as to someone’s allergies or intolerances. You may think a rose and strawberry potion for self-love is a great idea – until you need to rush for an EpiPen, or until it turns out you didn’t have a full grasp of why someone was struggling with self-love in the first place.

I recommend that you don’t interfere with someone’s free will – don’t presume to know their full desires on any situation, even if they’ve been forthcoming with you. As for not causing someone to ingest something without their knowledge – go back to those real world consequences. What would the real world consequences be for powdering ambien and slipping it into someone’s drink be? What would the real world consequences be for powdering viagra and putting it into someone’s food?

Just ask.

Magick is real. Herbcraft is real – and it has real world consequences, from allergic reactions to possible reactions with someone’s medication, that you might not know they are on.

Anyone you perform herbal magick for should always be advised appropriately of the possible risks and benefits of a particular herbal magick and encouraged to make an informed choice about it.

Confidentiality

When practicing herbalism and herbal magick for someone else – whether you’re making them a potion for household protection or crafting them an herbal spell to help them get over a bad breakup, it is not your place to share their personal business with anyone – not their friends; not their family.

Referrals

Sometimes people approach witches and herbal practitioners for solutions to problems that really require more help than we can give.

For example, when approached regarding a domestically abusive relationship or a stalker ex, an herbal witch can provide magickal protection, but not physical, which may be required. A witch can stop a person from feeding on someone’s energy or using magick to manipulate and control them or to bring them bad luck – but a spell won’t stop a person from assaulting someone or breaking into their house. A person who approaches you for aid in a situation like that really also needs help from the police – you can provide spells of warding, spells to help them feel strong enough to escape from that negative relationship, and spells to calm the anxiety, fear, and depression that probably come along with the situation – but you can’t provide a safe place for them or a protective order, both of which they likely need.

Also, keep in mind that all spells for anxiety, fear, and depression that require ingesting, inhaling, or bathing in something should really be thoroughly checked for whether the herbs work for the kind of struggle they’re going through – is it laconic depression? Chronic depression? Situational depression? Anxiety? PTSD? – and any contraindications for those. For example, chamomile should not be used to treat chronic laconic depression, nor should kola nut be used to treat anxiety, despite both being listed in common herb recommendations for depression and anxiety.

Another example is medical necessity. Herbal magick for depression, anxiety, stress, pain, strain, exhaustion, and etc. can only help so much before someone really needs to seek a mental health professional, physical health professional, or other alternative therapies, like massage, to deal with their difficulties. It is often the responsibility of the practitioner to refer someone to a person who can help them, when magick isn’t enough or isn’t the correct solution. Err on the side of caution – if someone is exhibiting worrying physical or mental symptoms, provide them with what help you ethically can, but please refer them to outside help as well.

It is the practitioner’s responsibility to know their own educational and magickal limitations and to refer out when specialist treatment is required to serve the best interests of the client.

Always double check herbs that are to be ingested, inhaled, or bathed in for contraindications through WebMD, Drugs.com, and Epocrates.

Seeking Medical Help

It is very important to note that there is a difference between using an herb magically and ingesting it. Be safe when using herbs in magic – some that are safe for potions that were never designed for internal use are definitely not to be ingested. Please don’t take anything in a manner that may be potentially harmful to you and please don’t give something to someone else that you aren’t sure of. The proper dosage of herbs for an internal tisane versus a bath tisane is very different – proper research is paramount.  

If you have created an herbal magickal remedy or spell, something ingested or inhaled or bathed in, and either you or the person who is using it begin exhibiting a negative response, such as an allergic reaction, medicine interaction, or increased, rapid heart palpitation or uterine contractions, and etc., be responsible. Contact emergency services, poison control, or your personal physician as soon as possible – seek Quick Care or an Emergency Medical Technician – do not disregard symptoms of something potentially dangerous to yourself or someone else.

Environmental Commitment

It is the responsibility of herbal practitioners to have some awareness of the geographic and cultural origins of the main herbs used in his/her practice. Magickal herbalists should not utilize herbs or herbal products that are derived from any wild species known to be threatened or endangered.

It is the duty of all herbalists to remain cognizant about those herbs that are endangered and threatened and adopt appropriate practices in the harvest and use of those herbs. Magickal herbalists have also a responsibility to train the next generation of herbalists not to promote the use of wildcrafted herbs whose survival is threatened or endangered. Be responsible – keep informed.

Magickal plants that are currently endangered include, but are not limited to, Red Sandalwood, Wood Aloe, Himalayan Mandrake, North American Indian Paintbrush, and Centaury. White Sage is also increasingly endangered.

When collecting and harvesting plants, please be responsible, and avoid endangered species. By the same token, when buying herbs and botanicals, please check your suppliers for ethical conduct. Herbs are big money business these days and money is unfortunately a prime consideration to many pickers and wholesalers – buy ethically sourced, Fair Trade, and non-endangered whenever possible.