#grimoire challenge

[2024-grimoire-challenge]

Bonus Prompt: Witchy Calendar

This prompt is fairly self explanatory. Though 2024 and the challenge are over, plan out your year with events, holidays and even moon phases or other astrological events for the year ahead! Having these in your phone or on a paper calendar can help you to plan spells and rituals accordingly, especially if you prescribe to doing certain spells during certain moon phases.

So what things are on a witchy calendar?

Moon phases

Astrological occurrences

Holidays (wheel of the year or otherwise)

Regular life events

Rituals and spell timing

Any important dates to your life or practice

Anything you see fit for your practice!

So plan it out! In your phone with reminders, on your computer or even on a paper calendar hanging on the wall! Work the magic into your year!

-Mod Hazel

[thatdruidgal]

New Year's 2024 Grimoire Challenge!

Let's start off 2024 with a month-long grimoire challenge!

I know that I love to always gather new information for my grimoire, and so I wanted to share this challenge with you.

For the entire month of January, complete one of these activities every day in your grimoire. If you have already completed the question, expand on the information you already have!

There is a beginner level and an advanced level for witches of all stages. If you'd like to, post your responses to the questions here and tag it with #branwens grimoire challenge! I'd love to read all of the wonderful information you find, so tag me too, if you'd like.

Farewell and good tides!

January 2024 Grimoire Challenge

by Branwen (@thatdruidgal)

Plants - Beginner: What are the correspondences of five plants that grow in your local area? Advanced: Come up with a new combination of plants to burn in your next ritual.

Heritage - Beginner: Where do you come from? What types of magick did your ancestors possibly practice in their homeland? Advanced: What were common for your ancestors (eg. food, clothing, daily life)?

Practices - Beginner: What is the difference between closed and open practice? Are you permitted to learn about any closed practices? Advanced: What are 2 open practices that you don't follow? What are some similarities with your practice?

Energy - Beginner: What is energy work? How would you begin this practice? Advanced: What are the four energy types, and how can you connect to each one?

Water - Beginner: What are the uses of moon water? How can you make it? Advanced: How would adding moon water affect your favorite potion recipe?

Altars - Beginner: How could you represent each of the elements on your altar? Advanced: What colors are you not currently using in your altar? Which elements do those colors correspond with?

Salts - Beginner: What benefits do you get from moon salt? How do you make it? Advanced: Research cleansing salts and add the recipes to your grimoire.

Omens - Beginner: What are five ways to bring yourself good luck? Advanced: What are recurring signs you've noticed recently? What sort of message do they bring?

Animals - Beginner: What is an animal(s) that you have always felt a strong emotional bond with? What are their traits? Advanced: How has your spirit animal helped you in the past? How have you communicated with them?

Astrology - Beginner: What are the correspondences of the planets? Advanced: In what ways have you been affected by the planets recently? How can you better their influence in your life?

Crystals - Beginner: What are the correspondences of your 5 favorite crystals? Advanced: What other crystals could have improved your last spell? What are some of the substitutes that could have been used instead?

Cleansing - Beginner: What cleansing methods can you use for your crystals and tools? What methods can you NOT use for certain crystals or tools? Advanced: What crystals require extra cleansing? What crystals cleanse other items?

Recipes - Beginner: Find a recipe that helps you with a problem you've been experiencing recently. Advanced: Find a recipe for you to use during the next moon phase.

Spirits - Beginner: What are the five types of spirit guides? Advanced: How can you better connect to the spirits around you?

Motivation - Beginner: What are some easy witchy tasks that you can do when you have low energy/motivation? Advanced: What are easy-to-perform spells or rituals that help boost your energy? Are there any common ingredients? Create a new spell with these.

Divination - Beginner: What are 5 types of divination that you find interesting? Advanced: What type of divination have you used most often? How can you improve your practices by adding crystals/items?

Healing - Beginner: What plants are used in your favorite medicinal tea? What are their correspondences? Advanced: What is a local plant that has medicinal properties? How would you use these in a spell or potion? What other correspondences does this plant have?

Candles - Beginner: What is your favorite scent of candle? What correspondences does that scent have? Advanced: What colors of candles do you burn most often? How would burning a different color of candle affect your atmosphere or your next ritual?

Sigils - Beginner: What are active ways to activate a sigil? What are passive ways? Advanced: What symbols (eg. celtic knots) work as sigils? What are their uses?

Offerings - Beginner: What are suggested offerings for spirits during the next Sabat holiday? Advanced: What things do you normally offer the spirits as offering? What is their favorite offering?

Sabats - Beginner: What are the eight Sabats? Advanced: What are some of the correspondences of the Sabats? What rituals are best done during these times?

Plants - Beginner: What are the bloom times for your plants? Advanced: What other plants can you grow in your climate? What are their correspondences?

Recipes - Beginner: Find a recipe for a tea/potion you'd like to make. Advanced: Find a recipe for a Sabat-specific item.

Warding - Beginner: What are 3 easy ways to ward an area? Why would you want to do that? Advanced: What are ways to refresh your wards? What are ways of warding that you haven't tried yet?

Enchanting - Beginner: What is enchanting? Advanced: What are the easiest materials to enchant? What are the hardest? (eg. iron doesn't stick to magick)

Fae - Beginner: What are things you need to be wary of when interacting with Fae? Advanced: What are signs that Fae are near? Describe 5 different kinds of Fae.

Zodiac - Beginner: What are your zodiac signs? (sun, moon, ascendant, etc) Advanced: How do each of your zodiac signs affect you? What is another type of zodiac (eg. Chinese, Celtic), and what is your sign there?

Personal Beliefs - Beginner: State 5 things that you believe to be true about the universe. Advanced: What are your beliefs on creation? On karma? On dieties? On planes of existence? Be detailed.

Practices - Beginner: What are 5 different spells or rituals that you've been looking forward to try? What are the ingredients? Advanced: How did your last 5 spells go? Did you get the results that you wanted? How can you improve your practices in the future?

Types of witchcraft - Beginner: What are 10 different types of witchcraft? Which of those appeal the most to you? Advanced: What types of witchcraft do you not follow? Are there any that you haven't researched?

Crafts - Beginner: What is knot magick? What is something you could make with this magick? Advanced: How can you incorporate knot magick into your everyday life? (eg. doing hair, bed routine, fiddling)

[thehazeldruid]

2024 Grimoire Challenge

One Month!

At the start of December I'll be posting the first prompts for the @2024-grimoire-challenge !!

Give the blog a follow! Feel free to send in prompt ideas either to this blog or to the Grimoire Challenge blog itself! There will be links to all of the prompts from the previous two challenges I've run, as well as a list of all the prompts for the current one, updated with each new prompt as they're posted!

I am excited to begin this challenge and to help inspire all of you!

/|\

M.G.

The Hazel Druid

[lexstellaris]

I started doing this grimoire challenge over on @persebek (feel free to follow along if interested), which got me in the mood to watch book of shadows tours on youtube again, which also got me thinking about mistakes and perfection and how I have, like, over twenty at least different books I've used as grimoires over the years I've been practicing, and some people just have one or two. And the people who like, keep all the old stuff even if it doesn't resonate anymore, and those who feel the need to erase it or paint over it or switch it out for something else like.

idk. I feel like my books all show my progression and path over the years, and I can't imagine just deciding to paint over a page because it doesn't resonate with me anymore. Or to use a binder or post-bound book so I can take out the pages that don't fit my practice anymore.

To me, that feels... It feels a lil cheaty tbh. Like my BoS must be this one perfect encapsulation of my path at every moment, no matter how much it changes. And that's just not me. That's why I have so many books. If things change, start a new one.

Obviously this isn't going to resonate with everyone in the same way that their practices don't resonate with me. These books are incredibly personal and there's no one way to do it. My way might not work for someone who doesn't wan't to search dozens of notebooks for information, or to have many that have the same information that's been copied down.

But, hey, what's one more grimoire to add to the collection lmao.

I guess, for me, this challenge is a way to deepen my connection and learning to my own practice, and actually make notes on things I might have just glossed over or not bothered to study very deeply.

I do plan to make a grimoire out of it, a physical one, as well as adding to my discord grimoire as well when I have some polished notes to show for it. Because I think half the struggle is taking the time to get the words down, and giving time to these things that I might not have bothered to do otherwise. So I'm looking forward to that.

It's certainly a different approach to a grimoire than I'm used to. Normally I just grab a book and start writing, but by daily writing and research and reflection, and collating everything together for editing and reworking later, I'm creating the pages as I go, ready to be written down when the time's right and I have a book picked out.

And of course finally getting an excuse to look into constellations is definitely a bonus. The Book of Stars I've wanted to write for years now will finally come to fruition. It's going to be an interesting year, and hopefully a very productive one.

[farmboyprince]

My introspective- week 1 of @2024-grimoire-challenge

Tuesday, 2.1. It's only been a few days, but I already feel like I've done something good for myself. Writing definitions on the first day felt like a great start, especially since I'm writing in my native language and spell/ritual don't translate perfectly- I've chosen the words that I think most fit and expanded on that. It will be helpful to have a kind of dictionary and I already have some ideas on what to add to it when I have time:)

I'm also a bit surprised that I recognise the english words for the plant and spice I chose to research, but I wouldn't have ever connected them with ours- I just thought it was something we don't have here xD I feel a little silly about it, but interested in finding more connections like that!

Wednesday, 3.1. I've found today's prompt pretty difficult on the account of the yearly celebrations outline. A couple were quite easy to list- the summer and winter solstices, the spring equinox, pust,.. but for some others it's hard to find credible sources for even approximate dates of celebrations (on account of my ancestors not having a written language and forced christianisation). As such, I wrote down the dates that appeared most often (and most well sourced!). I ended up with 10 celebrations- 6 that I know how they're celebrated and when they are, and 4 that I either saw mentioned a lot or that seemed nice, even if I can't find definite proof of them being historical (Domovoj my beloved, of course I'll have a day for you<3).

As for the tools I use, they're just there to make the whole spellcasting/ritual experience feel a little more mystical and add a bit of whimsy. I have a couple different candles and incense/wax melts, sometimes I add stones or shells I found on the beach. All of those get placed on a "vibes" basis before I do my work. I also sometimes burn herbs I've foraged or make tea with them. My most important tool is my wand; a sun-bleached conifer stick I found on a mountain once. It's just a stick with a wax coated tip (so I can use it to transfer a flame and light my candles without destroying it- very cool) that I absolutely love. It's my kind of protection- instead of casting circles, I just use my wand to start a working. I always had an affinity for trees and wood (lol), so I've never worried about saying the wrong thing or accidentally fucking the spell up as long as I had my lil piece of tree:)

Behold, the stick! It fits really nicely in my hand<3

Thursday, 4.1. Thinking about my altar- it's been trough many changes since first set it up. That was after I began doing more research into witchy stuff and it followed all the "rules"; I've had the four elements in their right places, candles, a knife, wand, cup,... In time and with practice, I've realised that's not how I work. Since setting it up my own way, it rarely changes. I have everything that I need on hand, along with my god/spirit representations and lucky things. I don't really consider it an altar as much as my personal important space where I do magic work, watch candle flames flicker and drink tea. I do want some more idols tho- I think I'll finally have to learn how to whittle.

Friday, 5.1. I don't really have any personal practices. In part, it's the reason I started this challenge- I'd like to do more research, write down my findings and make my personal practice with the help of that. The only thing I can think of is, that along with doing a yearly spread of tarot cards (I do it in january and pull one card for each month) I also pull MTG cards. It's started because divination can be fun and I really wanted to do some with my boy, who is super into magic the gathering. I usually do it with leftover cards from drafts and while I don't know about accuracy (forgot to write down what I pulled lol), it's definitively a fun bonding activity:)

all in all, I quite liked the prompts and filling up the indexes feels very rewarding! Looking forward to the next week:)

[thecorvidcoven]

Week Two

Journal Activity - Research superstitions from your culture. Optional: write down ones that you could interoperate into your craft and how.

Mundane Activity - Go outside and find one to five objects that interest you. You must be able to pick the object up and bring it to your home. Make up and write down how you could use this object in your craft. Optional: Write down the different cultural and historical uses for this object if there is any.

Correspondence Activity - Research the moon phases and its correspondences. Optional: Record your energy on the corresponding moon phase, for example "on the full moon I feel pretty tired, so I don't do any big spell work and just take some time to myself and rest."

Journal Activity - Research the basic mechanics of curses and other baneful magic, even if you don't intend on casting any. It is important to be able to recognize it if it happens and to better counteract the working.

[tencrowns]

So I’m way behind on the @2024-grimoire-challenge, but I’m working on it! Kind of bullet journal style.

If you noticed I struggled with my pen and happen to be a fountain pen aficionado, I’m using a Kaweco Student and Jacques Herbin Garnet Rouge ink. I switched inks and refilled with a different red to see if that was the issue, but I would LOVE for someone to tell me why this nib dries up at the slightest provocation. None of the other pens I’ve tried do this, but I haven’t tried this ink in a different pen so I’m wondering if it’s just got a dry character or I need the nib tuned or SOMETHING.

[kentnaturaltribrid]

Made over 5 pages so far on the subject of Alchemy. Very little is known about the early Alchemy process, which brings us to once again back to that one must use elements to make what is known as Advanced Elements. The process takes 12 days at most. Both of them lived in 1213, which brings Alchemy to have been discovered by both only a year after the king died of unknown causes during 1214, they discovered in 1215 the study of Alchemy, to which they devoted their entire lives.

[dualcosmog]

0655 Delphox

[starforged-witch]

I've been trying to get better at actually writing things down in my grimoire, I thought it was kinda cute and maybe it could be useful to someone :)

[jasper-pagan-witch]

Guess who didn't do any December prep for the 2024 grimoire challenge and is now rushing to do it after a full day of work halfway through January week one? Procrastinating practitioners, let's fucking goooo!

[2024-grimoire-challenge]

Bonus Prompt - Seasonal Magic

Okay everyone, with the changing of the seasons and an eclipse on the way, let’s take a look at the different seasons and how they influence our practices. If you feel so inclined, make a page for each individual season, or if you can fit all you’re going to put on the page on a single page, just do one.

What does each individual season mean to you on a personal level? What does each one represent?

Do the seasons influence the kind of magic you can/ do perform?

Do you have certain rituals that only happen in each season?

What associations does each season have? Animals, tools, plants, feelings, everything!

What months/ days encompass these seasons?

How do the transitional periods between the seasons influence you and your practice? When are the transitional periods? What marks the transitions between them?

What kinds of activities do you do, both magical and mundane, that pertain to each season and how do these influence your perception of each season?

Are there myths, legends or deities that you associate with each season?

Any information you can find about the seasons, anything you feel or know about the seasons, add it to your grimoire, your repository of knowledge!

Good luck and happy crafting!

-Mod Hazel

[witcherus-57]

Grimoire

New Year's 2024 Grimoire Challenge!

Let's start off 2024 with a month-long grimoire challenge!

I know that I love to always gather new information for my grimoire, and so I wanted to share this challenge with you.

For the entire month of January, complete one of these activities every day in your grimoire. If you have already completed the question, expand on the information you already have!

There is a beginner level and an advanced level for witches of all stages. If you'd like to, post your responses to the questions here and tag it with #branwens grimoire challenge! I'd love to read all of the wonderful information you find, so tag me too, if you'd like.

Farewell and good tides!

January 2024 Grimoire Challenge

by Branwen (@thatdruidgal)

Plants - Beginner: What are the correspondences of five plants that grow in your local area? Advanced: Come up with a new combination of plants to burn in your next ritual.

Heritage - Beginner: Where do you come from? What types of magick did your ancestors possibly practice in their homeland? Advanced: What were common for your ancestors (eg. food, clothing, daily life)?

Practices - Beginner: What is the difference between closed and open practice? Are you permitted to learn about any closed practices? Advanced: What are 2 open practices that you don't follow? What are some similarities with your practice?

Energy - Beginner: What is energy work? How would you begin this practice? Advanced: What are the four energy types, and how can you connect to each one?

Water - Beginner: What are the uses of moon water? How can you make it? Advanced: How would adding moon water affect your favorite potion recipe?

Altars - Beginner: How could you represent each of the elements on your altar? Advanced: What colors are you not currently using in your altar? Which elements do those colors correspond with?

Salts - Beginner: What benefits do you get from moon salt? How do you make it? Advanced: Research cleansing salts and add the recipes to your grimoire.

Omens - Beginner: What are five ways to bring yourself good luck? Advanced: What are recurring signs you've noticed recently? What sort of message do they bring?

Animals - Beginner: What is an animal(s) that you have always felt a strong emotional bond with? What are their traits? Advanced: How has your spirit animal helped you in the past? How have you communicated with them?

Astrology - Beginner: What are the correspondences of the planets? Advanced: In what ways have you been affected by the planets recently? How can you better their influence in your life?

Crystals - Beginner: What are the correspondences of your 5 favorite crystals? Advanced: What other crystals could have improved your last spell? What are some of the substitutes that could have been used instead?

Cleansing - Beginner: What cleansing methods can you use for your crystals and tools? What methods can you NOT use for certain crystals or tools? Advanced: What crystals require extra cleansing? What crystals cleanse other items?

Recipes - Beginner: Find a recipe that helps you with a problem you've been experiencing recently. Advanced: Find a recipe for you to use during the next moon phase.

Spirits - Beginner: What are the five types of spirit guides? Advanced: How can you better connect to the spirits around you?

Motivation - Beginner: What are some easy witchy tasks that you can do when you have low energy/motivation? Advanced: What are easy-to-perform spells or rituals that help boost your energy? Are there any common ingredients? Create a new spell with these.

Divination - Beginner: What are 5 types of divination that you find interesting? Advanced: What type of divination have you used most often? How can you improve your practices by adding crystals/items?

Healing - Beginner: What plants are used in your favorite medicinal tea? What are their correspondences? Advanced: What is a local plant that has medicinal properties? How would you use these in a spell or potion? What other correspondences does this plant have?

Candles - Beginner: What is your favorite scent of candle? What correspondences does that scent have? Advanced: What colors of candles do you burn most often? How would burning a different color of candle affect your atmosphere or your next ritual?

Sigils - Beginner: What are active ways to activate a sigil? What are passive ways? Advanced: What symbols (eg. celtic knots) work as sigils? What are their uses?

Offerings - Beginner: What are suggested offerings for spirits during the next Sabat holiday? Advanced: What things do you normally offer the spirits as offering? What is their favorite offering?

Sabats - Beginner: What are the eight Sabats? Advanced: What are some of the correspondences of the Sabats? What rituals are best done during these times?

Plants - Beginner: What are the bloom times for your plants? Advanced: What other plants can you grow in your climate? What are their correspondences?

Recipes - Beginner: Find a recipe for a tea/potion you'd like to make. Advanced: Find a recipe for a Sabat-specific item.

Warding - Beginner: What are 3 easy ways to ward an area? Why would you want to do that? Advanced: What are ways to refresh your wards? What are ways of warding that you haven't tried yet?

Enchanting - Beginner: What is enchanting? Advanced: What are the easiest materials to enchant? What are the hardest? (eg. iron doesn't stick to magick)

Fae - Beginner: What are things you need to be wary of when interacting with Fae? Advanced: What are signs that Fae are near? Describe 5 different kinds of Fae.

Zodiac - Beginner: What are your zodiac signs? (sun, moon, ascendant, etc) Advanced: How do each of your zodiac signs affect you? What is another type of zodiac (eg. Chinese, Celtic), and what is your sign there?

Personal Beliefs - Beginner: State 5 things that you believe to be true about the universe. Advanced: What are your beliefs on creation? On karma? On dieties? On planes of existence? Be detailed.

Practices - Beginner: What are 5 different spells or rituals that you've been looking forward to try? What are the ingredients? Advanced: How did your last 5 spells go? Did you get the results that you wanted? How can you improve your practices in the future?

Types of witchcraft - Beginner: What are 10 different types of witchcraft? Which of those appeal the most to you? Advanced: What types of witchcraft do you not follow? Are there any that you haven't researched?

Crafts - Beginner: What is knot magick? What is something you could make with this magick? Advanced: How can you incorporate knot magick into your everyday life? (eg. doing hair, bed routine, fiddling)

[thehazeldruid]

Also! I’m getting started on the 2024 Grimoire Challenge blog this weekend! I’ll be pulling inspiration from the other two that I ran and adding in even more stuff to these. If anyone has suggestions for links or books I can add to the page as a resource guide for studying, feel free to message them to me here!!

[ofthecrowsandcranes]

52 herbs/plants for the @2024-grimoire-challenge

including: some of my favourites, some local plants, and some i know are in my cabinet

bay

echinacea

crape myrtle

sorrel

nettle/deadnettle

sunflower

lemongrass

mullein

mugwort

star anise

olive leaf

hibiscus petals

hawthorn berry

st. john's wort

dandelion root

eucalyptus

calamus root

anise seed

angelica root

hyssop

orange peel

cedar

calendula

lemon peel

jasmine

chamomile

rosemary

thyme

sumac

basil

sesame

garlic

oak

dogwood

magnolia

juniper

sage

dandelion

willow

ginger

cinnamon

maple

clove

ragwort

salvia

hackberry

rose

violet

ironweed

cattails

sweetgum

lemon balm

what i'll be looking for while researching/how i'll be structuring my research entries under the cut

name of plant: scientific and most common names

location: current locale, origin, climate it prefers, invasive status

identifying characteristics: leaves, flowers, stem, smell, colour, all that

method of acquisition: how easy is it to get/where to get it

use: medical, agricultural, industrial, culinary, cultural, magical

personal notes: my experiences with this plant + any salient UPG

image: best artistic rendition i can manage

[farmboyprince]

My introspective- week 2/3 of @2024-grimoire-challenge

Finally got some time to write up my review! Joining two weeks together:)

Second week of the challenge, the prompts have been much more personal opinion/belief focused. I don't mind them, but it was a lot more work- especially since I've been super busy lately (exam season is starting+two concerts this week>_<). Thing is, since I'm on my own path and don't really follow one way of thinking/believing, my answer to a lot of the questions was "I don't know". For example, "where does magic come from"? I don't know that. Honestly, I don't even know what magic really is, and I use it all the time! My notes ended up being mostly about my experiences and thoughts instead of belief. I actually like that; I'm hoping that those will change somewhat during this year and I'll be able to do the topic "Magic 2" and reflect on all the new viewpoints I'll acquire.

Saturday, 13.1. The week's almost over, but I'm just about halfway done with the prompts- I did monday (magic), tuesday (witch) and wednesday (personal practice) journal prompts and started on my plant research (chamomille). I knew I'd fall behind for exams, but I didn't know it would be this soon >_<

Wednesday, 17.1. I've skimmed trough the prompts for week 3 and they seem like they'd take me a long time, so off I go to study genetics instead xD

Wednesday, 24.1. Finally getting some time! I'm taking today off before I go back to studying. Week 3 is all about energy (something I sorely lack right now lol). In my own practice, I most connect to nature/it's energy. Not only for energy in my spells, but also for my own. I garden and take care of a small orchard; my room has plants wherever there's enough sunlight, and my furniture is a bunch of mismatched wood types. It's a small room, but I've still found some space for my 200 and 45 l aquariums (~53 and 12 gallons) that are also full of plants. Honestly, they really help me with burnout, anxiety and managing my energy levels- I can relax and watch the fishies, get happy whenever I see a new leaf on my hoyas and after a hard day of work in the garden I usually have more spoons than I've started with:)

(plant/fish tax)

I adore the Sun for its light and warmth, but don't care as much for the other celestial bodies. I admire water, air and fire but mostly in the context of nurturing, feeding and renewing the life around them. I have a special reverence for earth, which, given my line of studies and interests, is pretty self explanatory. Gods and spirits are, in my opinion, personifications/avatars/etc. of nature and human traits. As such, when working with deities, I prefer to go straight to the source- their domains. I have a spot in the forest where I give Veles my offerings; I bring leafed branches and flowers to my altar for Jarilo and I prune grapevines while asking Dionysus for his blessings.

With it being winter right now, I don't go outside as much as I should. For some reason, I get more anxious in cold weather and taking a walk alone becomes quite a challenge and thus leads to me not having enough energy/brain power to get my work done.

With that in mind, I think taking a long walk should count for my energy work this week!