#when i need to remember how to write in anglo-saxon runes

[samwisethewitch]

Divination Basics

From the Roman priest reading auguries to interpret the will of the gods to the modern fortune teller reading with a deck of playing cards, divination has been a part of human spirituality for thousands of years. Today, divination is an important part of many witches’ practices, and can be an important tool for self-reflection and analysis.

Merriam-Webster defines divination as, “the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers.” Divination can be used for many things, not just to predict the future. It can be used to understand the past, identify patterns at work in your present, or as a tool for working through trauma.

In the book You Are Magical, author Tess Whitehurst describes divination as, “a way of bypassing your linear, thinking mind and accessing the current of divine wisdom and your own inner knowing.” As I’ve discussed in a previous post, all of us are receiving psychic information all the time, though many of us don’t realize it. Divination tools like tarot cards or rune stones act as triggers to help kickstart our natural psychic gifts.

Divination relies on the use of our intuition. Intuition is defined my Merriam-Webster as, “the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference.” These are the things you know without needing to be told. Another way of thinking of it is this: your intuition is the way you interpret the information you receive through your psychic senses.

The most important thing to remember when doing divination is that the tool you are using isn’t giving you information — it’s simply helping you to access information you already know. The revelations come from you, not from the cards or whatever other tool you may be using.

When using divination to foresee the future, it’s important to remember that the future is never set in stone. These tools can only show you the most likely outcome based on your current direction.

 Beginner-Friendly Divination Tools

These are the divination methods I would recommend for beginners. For one thing, most of these systems are fairly easy to learn and use. For another, these are some of the most popular divination methods among modern witches, so it’s easy to find information about them and/or talk to other practitioners about their experience.

As you’ll see, each divination method has its own strengths and weaknesses, so you may choose to learn several methods that you can combine to get stronger readings. Or you may find that you can get all the information you need from a single method, which is also okay.

Tarot. This is my personal favorite divination method, but it’s also the one with the most misconceptions surrounding it. Tarot cards do not open a portal to the spirit world, and they probably didn’t originate in Ancient Egypt. In fact, evidence suggests that the tarot comes from a medieval Italian card game called Tarocchi, although the modern tarot deck as we know it didn’t come around until the 20th century. Tarot cards are not any more or less supernatural than ordinary playing cards. (Which, incidentally, can also be used for divination.)

Tarot makes use of archetypes, and many readers interpret the cards as a map of an archetypal spiritual journey. For this reason, tarot cards are especially useful for identifying the underlying patterns and hidden influences in any given situation.

Most tarot decks follow the same set of basic symbolism. Unfortunately, this does mean that new readers will need to study the accepted meanings. This isn’t to say that your readings will always match up 100% with the standard meanings of the cards — you may receive intuitive messages that deviate from tradition. Still, it’s helpful to know a little of the history and traditional symbolism behind this powerful divination tool. The good news is that, since most decks use similar symbolism, once you learn the traditional meanings you can successfully read with almost any tarot deck.

I’m planning to post a more in-depth introduction to tarot very soon, but in the meantime, if you want to learn this divination method I recommend starting with the book Tarot For Beginners by Lisa Chamberlain and/or with the website Biddy Tarot.

Oracle Cards. Oracle cards have been rapidly gaining popularity in the witchcraft and New Age communities in the last few years, and it’s easy to see why. One major appeal of oracle cards is how diverse they are — there are countless different oracle decks out there, each with its own theme and symbolism. Another big plus is how beginner-friendly they are; Oracle cards are usually read intuitively, so most decks won’t require you to learn a complex system of symbolism. (Of course, the fact that every oracle deck uses different symbolism can be frustrating for some readers, because they have to learn a new set of symbols for every deck.)

Some readers (myself included) also find that oracle cards usually give more surface level information. Tess Whitehurst says that, “While oracle cards can help us answer the questions ‘What direction should I take?’ and ‘What is the lesson here?’ tarot cards are more suited to helping us answer the questions ‘What is going on?’ and ‘What is the underlying pattern at work here?'” For this reason, many readers choose to use tarot and oracle cards together to get a more well-rounded look at the situation.

Another common complaint about oracle cards is that many decks are overwhelmingly positive and shy away from dark themes or imagery, which creates an imbalanced reading experience. I think this is best summed up by one Amazon review for the Work Your Light Oracle, which says: “Basically, this is very much a deck for Nice White Ladies(TM) who like crystals and candles but aren’t ‘super into all that witchy stuff.'”

There ARE oracle decks out there that address darker themes, but many of the most popular decks on the market are overwhelmingly positive. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes a little positive encouragement is more helpful than brutal honesty. However, too much focus on the positive can lead you to ignore your problems, which only makes things worse in the long run. For this reason, finding balanced decks is important — if you’re going to use a very shiny happy deck, my advice would be to alternate it with more grounded decks, or with a deck specifically designed for shadow work.

That being said, oracle cards are a great divination tool if you can find a good deck, especially for beginners who are intimidated by more structured systems like tarot and the runes. If you’re interested in working with oracle cards, the best way to start is to find a deck that 1.) you feel a strong attraction to, and 2.) has a good guidebook. (My favorite oracle deck is the Halloween Oracle by Stacey Demarco, which I use for readings all year.)

Runes. The Elder Futhark alphabet is a runic alphabet that originated in ancient Scandinavia around 200 AD. While this was an actual writing system, it also had magical and mythological associations in the cultures that originally used it. While using the runes for divination is a modern practice, it is based on the historical sense of magic surrounding these symbols.

Like tarot, the runes have a traditional set of meanings. However, because there are only twenty-four runes, there aren’t as many meanings to learn as there are with tarot. Some rune sets also contain a blank stone, which has its own special meaning. I have personally found the runes to be a great source of wisdom and insight, although they do tend towards “big picture” messages rather than small details.

However, there is one major stain on the runes’ history; they were studied and used by Nazi occultists before and during World War II. Like many symbols associated with historical Germanic paganism, the runes were appropriated as part of Nazi propaganda — for example, the Sowilo rune was incorporated into the SS logo. This isn’t to say that you can’t reclaim the Elder Futhark alphabet, but I do think it’s important to know the history going in. Because of their association with Nazism, it’s best to avoid wearing or publicly displaying the runes.

There are other ancient alphabets that are used for divination, like the Anglo-Saxon runes or the Irish Ogham, but the Elder Futhark is the most popular.

If you’re interested in learning divination with runes, I recommend the book Pagan Portals: Runes by Kylie Holmes.

Pendulums. Pendulums are interesting because, unlike tarot, oracle cards, and runes, they can be used to answer yes or no questions. For this reason, many readers use pendulums to get clarification on readings they’ve done with other divination methods, but you can also use pendulums on their own.

A pendulum is any small, weighted object hanging from a chain or string. You can buy a pendulum made specifically for divination from a metaphysical shop or an Etsy seller, but you can just as easily use something you already have: a necklace, your housekey, or a small rock or crystal tied to a string.

Pendulums may be the easiest divination method to learn. The only thing you need to do to learn how to interpret a pendulum is ask it what its “yes” and “no” motions look like. To do this, simply hold your pendulum in your hands and focus on your connection to it. Then, let the pendulum hang from its chain or string so it can swing freely. Say or think, “Show me ‘yes’.” Allow the pendulum to swing, and pay attention to its movements. “Yes” is often a forwards-and-backwards swing or a clockwise circle, but your “yes” may look different. (Some witches even notice that different pendulums in their collection have different “yes” and “no” movements!) Once you’ve gotten the pendulum to show you its “yes,” ask it to show you its “no.” For many readers, “no” is a side-to-side swing or a counterclockwise circle, but again, yours may be different.

The biggest downside to pendulums is that because they typically only answer “yes” or “no,” you have to be very specific with your questions. Pendulums aren’t the best tool for general energy readings or open-ended advice. However, that specificity makes them great for validating your gut feelings, interpreting your dreams, identifying a deity or spirit that you think may be reaching out to you, or any other situation that requires a little clarification.

[midnightartemis]

Chapter Two

Rated M - SFW - Read on AO3 - Chapter One - Chapter Three - Masterlist

It had been long said that the Fourth Year was the hardest year at Hogwarts. Ben learned quickly the truth of this statement. His professors dumped assignment after assignment in his lap as if they had realized how little they had taught him over the past three years. Hardly a class went by without a professor mentioning O.W.L.s, still over a year and a half away.

Ben had no time to contemplate anything outside of his studies and soon all thoughts of Vader and darkness were in the back of his mind. While his dreams were dark, he never remembered them after what little sleep he managed.

When he was not in class, he was studying. When he was not studying, he was sleeping. The weekends proved no better and he found himself quite alone on Sunday nights, trying not to think of Rey and the way her nose scrunched up as she tried to jinx him. He missed their time in the Room of Requirement. He missed having a true friend.

Ben shook his head to clear his thoughts and brought his focus back to his half-finished parchment on cursed object detection. While he loved to dive into the theoretical when it came to magic, Luke had the annoying habit of keeping Defense Against the Dark Arts as hands-off as possible. It was highly unlikely his uncle would bring in any cursed objects for the class to view, even though Ben knew for a fact his uncle owned several. This only brought up memories of India that Ben wished to forget and he scowled at his parchment.

“Forget how to read, Solo?” Hux’s voice came from across the common room. This time of night it was filled with students, some studying, some talking quietly around one of the many fires that warmed the perpetually chilly dorms. Hux sat on a plush emerald chair across from his usual cohorts, Phasma and Mitaka, who were giving him questioning looks. Despite being two years younger, Hux was one of the few Slytherins who had never been afraid of Ben or smart enough to leave him alone. Their parents were rivals; that was all the cause Hux needed.

“Forget your place, Huxley?” Ben muttered, not lifting his eyes from his parchment.

Hux frowned. He pushed himself from his chair and sauntered over to the empty table where Ben was working. With one hand, he slammed Ben’s D.A.D.A. book shut. Ben stopped his writing and sat back. Like this, they were the same height. Hux sneered, “Think you’re better than me, half-blood?”

Ben itched to turn Hux’s legs to jelly. Hux was only trying to get a rise out of him, to give his mother ammunition for her articles again. He was saved by a steady voice over his shoulder.

“Watch your tongue, Hux. I seem to remember a muggle-born putting you on your arse last year. Or did you forget? Blood isn’t everything.” Voe Elphrona raised her brow, amused. Her Head Girl badge flashed in the firelight on her robes. A talented witch and a fierce opponent both on and off the Quidditch pitch, Voe was widely respected, even by the likes of Armitage Hux.

Hux’s face turned bright red and he stiffly walked back to his chair. He snapped at Phasma and Mitaka who quickly found something else to look at.

Ben put his head back down though he could still feel Voe and her friends standing behind him. Only a moment passed before Voe took a seat across from him. Her friends - namely, the other Prefects - Tai, Hennix, Bazine, and Grummgar, made for the largest, most central couch in the common room, scaring off a flock of First Years.  

What did she want?

“Mind if I join you?” Voe’s silvery eyes flashed. It wasn’t a question. “We’ve just gotten back from our meeting with Professor Tarkin. Seems you’ve made the shortlist for Prefect next year. Maybe even Head Boy, one day.”

Ben sat up a little straighter. Head Boy. He’d dreamed of it even as a child. If they made him Head Boy, maybe then they would see him as something other than an enemy. “And?”

“I agree.” Voe tilted her head toward the rest of the group. “We think you’re really the only Fourth Year qualified enough. Best if we mentor you properly.”

“Why?” Everyone wanted something from him. Slytherins rarely ever did anything from the goodness of their hearts. Not when there was something to be gained. It was a fact of life now. Even Rey had wanted things from him. Knowledge. Training. He had gladly given it, even for just a sliver of her friendship. “What do you want?”

Voe grinned, revealing sharp incisors as white and luminous as her hair. Every year to scare the first years, there was a rumor spread that Voe’s grandmother was part vampire. How someone could only be part vampire, Ben had no clue. “Your mother will not be Minister of Magic forever. All I ask is your support for when I take her place.”

A political move then. “I’m not exactly a person you want on your side.”

The young witch only shrugged. “We will see.”

Ben glanced at the cohort sitting around the fireplace. Tai and Hennix sat across from each other in high-backed chairs, each carefully studying a game of Wizard’s Chess. Beside them on the couch, Grummgar sat like he owned the common room with Bazine lounging at his side. She flicked through radio stations with her wand, a bored look on her face. He’d be hard-pressed to call them friends, but what Voe was offering wasn’t friendship.

“They will make you stronger. And one day, they will bow before you.” The voice in his mind whispered.

“Doubts?”

“No.” Ben met her eye. “I fail to see how this is worth my time. Support for Minister of Magic comes at a high cost.”

There was no doubt in Ben’s mind that Voe could take that position if she wanted to. The Elphronas were an old pureblood family, powerful and wealthy. They had long held seats in the ministry, both before and after the war. Her father was currently Ambassador to the United States.

“I can offer you mentorship, a favor, and access.” Voe’s steady eyes studied him as if she had come to realize that Ben would not be anyone’s prey. This fact only drew her in more.

“Access to what?”

Voe leaned across the table and took Ben’s quill from his inkwell. On a scratch piece of parchment, she wrote out something in thin, spidery letters. Once she was finished, she drew her aspen wand and tapped the parchment. Her charm work settled over the parchment in a silver haze. She stood and offered it to him. Her fingers brushed against his as he took it. “Midnight. Don’t be late. Or don’t come at all.”

Ben looked down at the blank piece of parchment.

☽◯☾

It had taken him longer than he would like to admit to deconstruct Voe’s spell work. The most basic charm to reveal hidden things, Revelio, had no effect on the parchment whatsoever except to make a mark on the corner like a small tally. An attempt at Aparecium, a similar but far more powerful charm made to reveal hidden text, produced nothing but a second tally.

Voe had revealed nothing, so Ben erred on the side of caution and worked with the idea that he had one attempt remaining to reveal the text. His next attempt had to be the right one. One hour 'til midnight, Ben hadn't moved from the common room table. The enchanted parchment and textbooks floated in front of him at eye level. The common room had cleared of First through Third Years for their 11 pm curfew. All who remained were upperclassmen studying, playing wizard’s chess, or quietly speaking to one another.

At eleven, the Prefects sitting at the couch stood to start their nightly rounds. Voe winked at him as she passed with Bazine, Grummgar, Tai and Hennix trailing behind her. Ben stared hard at his books as they passed. He only looked up when Tai paused by the table. The sixth-year stood at an average height and looked skinny in his robes, but Ben knew better. The wizard had a controlled and dexterous strength that made him an excellent Seeker. His mind was just as sharp when it came to potions. His dark hair was closely shaven, nearly bald.

“Don’t overthink it, Solo.”

Ben gave him a short nod and the boy walked off.

Don’t overthink it. Voe Elphrona was not one to play tricks. She could be devious, yes, but she never hid what she truly desired. Power. Prestige. Voe had dealt him a secret and this was her test. Though Voe excelled in all areas of magic she put her talent, it was not Charms but Transfiguration she excelled at. Revealing charms would not work to reveal the text on the parchment because she had transfigured the marked parchment to a blank one.

Ben swept the tip of his wand across the parchment. “Reparifage.”

The untransfiguration spell took effect immediately as Voe’s script reappeared on the page. Any elation at solving Voe’s puzzle vanished as Ben looked down at the runes.

ᛁᚳ ᛒᚢᛖ ᛒᛖᚾᛁᛞᚻᚪᚾ ᛋᛖ ᛚᛁᚠᛏ, ᛋᛖ ᛖᚩᚱᚦᛖ, ᛋᛖ ᛚ, ᚷᛖᚾ,

ᛁᚳ ᛒᚢᛖ ᚩᚠᛖᚱ ᛋᛖ ᚪᛚ

ᛘᛁᚾ ᚷᛖᛋᛏᛠᛚ ᚪᚾᚻᛠᛚᛞᛖ ᚻᚹᛁᛚᚳ ᛚᛖᚩᚱᚾᛖᛋᛏᚱᚪᚾ ᚪᛋᛖᚳᛖᛋᛏ

ᛋᚳᚩᛚᛞᛖ ᚦᚢ ᚪᚾᚻᛁᛖᛚᛋᛏ ᛖᚠᛖᚾᛘᛖᛞᚢᛘᛘᛖ, ᚪᛋᚳᚪ, ᛁᚳ ᚪᚳᚹᛇᚦ

“Accio rune book.” The book flew from his book bag and floated in front of him. He worked quickly as there was less than an hour to translate and solve the message. It was easy enough to translate the Anglo-Saxon Runes to their Latin counterparts. From there, however, things grew more tedious. Words varied from region to region. There were a few words he recognized, however. Lyft often referred to air. Eorthe to earth, as in soil or ground.

Quarter to midnight, Ben grabbed his cloak of Invisibility from his bag and hurried out the common room door.

I live beneath the air, the earth, the water...

Assuming the entrance was in the castle, only a few dungeon halls that ran beneath the lake. The first, of course, being the common room and dormitory halls. The halls beneath the lake were some of the oldest in the castle and rumored to have been there before even the four founders arrived. They were dimly lit by the same green light found in the potions classroom and Slytherin house.

Yet, I live above the fire…

My frame holds what all students seek…

He had never seen a fireplace or torch in the halls beneath the lake. Not in all his time at Hogwarts. Nor did he recollect any paintings. Most paintings preferred to be in the warmer, dryer halls. Ones where they could be seen.  In truth, he had never paid much attention. Ben hurried, not bothering to stick to the shadows. The halls were empty this time of night. Not a witch or wizard in sight. Most students and staff avoided this part of the castle.

The air grew colder and colder as he walked deeper and deeper into mostly forgotten halls beneath the lake. He came to a staircase that took him further still. The cold, musty smell in the air was the only sign of how far beneath the lake he was now. It was nearing midnight now, any minute.

“Further still, young Skywalker,”  The voice whispered.

Up ahead, came a soft glow of firelight, one he had never noticed before.

He hurried towards it and found that it came from a short hall - really it was more of a small chamber - with no doors, no windows. Just dark stone that curved into an arched ceiling. Five brightly burning flames sat in low stone pillars near the walls. Two on each side and one at the head of the chamber. Above them hung five large paintings, taller than he was.

If ye be worthy, ask, and I shall answer.

None of the paintings were the same but for the fact that they all depicted different items held in ghostly hands. To his left, a sword and a wand. To his right, a key and a book. And in the fifth frame at the head of the room, the ghostly hands stirred a bubbling cauldron.

Sword. Wand. Key. Book. Cauldron.

A sword could represent power- same as a wand. Sought by students, yes. Voe certainly would be one of them. Yet, this was no longer Voe’s puzzle. This was something older.

A bubbling cauldron lived above flame, but did students seek it? What did it represent?

A key. Access. A way to open locked and forbidden items. Doors.

Knowledge.

The book.

Students sought knowledge held within the frame of a book. One could ask and a book would answer.

In the distance, the midnight bells rang throughout Hogwarts’ halls. He was out of time.

If ye be worthy, ask, and I shall answer.

Ben turned to the painting of the book. The ghostly hands held it closed in their grasp. Ben took a deep breath. “What knowledge do you hide?”

For a moment, nothing happened. Ben held his breath. The final toll of the midnight bells rang out. Had he failed? Was he too late?

Before his eyes, the hands parted, letting the book fall open in their palms. The painting began to shimmer as if it were a pool of rippling water. A portal.

Ben stepped through to the other side.

☽◯☾

A curtain of warmth passed over him as he stepped through the portal. The feeling of this magic was not unlike the entrance to Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station. Though, t his portal did not lead to a train platform on the other side.

Ben found himself standing on the top step of an amphitheater made of stone similar to the halls he had come from. Four sets of stairs descended towards the arena floor, sectioning off low stone seating. There was no portal behind him, only stone and an arch marked with runes. The arches surrounded the amphitheater and gave support to the room’s domed roof. At first, Ben thought the ceiling was made of obsidian, but a closer look revealed that he was still beneath the Black Lake. Deep beneath. Strange shadowy shapes rippled through the water behind the glass.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to make it.” Voe’s voice echoed through the amphitheater. She stood on the other side of the pit beneath a similarly marked arch. She glanced up at the arch above him and made an amused sound. The corners of her lips curled up in a smile. “Interesting choice.”

“Choice?”

Voe stepped away from her arch and down the stairs into the pit. The low heels of her shoes clicked with every step. Ben stayed at his arch, though there was no longer a portal there. No way to get out.

“Everyone must solve the riddle to pass through a portal. How you solve the riddle… That is the choice. Any of the paintings will reveal a portal if you ask it to.”

He’d chosen the book. Knowledge. Why?

“I’d say you have questions unanswered. Hidden from you. Knowledge you desire to obtain. Yet, everyone is a closed book to you.” Voe stepped onto the floor of the arena. She looked around the arena before turning her gaze back to Ben. “Am I correct?”

Ben said nothing.

Voe took his silence as answer enough. She drew her wand and turned around the firelit arena. “Have you figured it out yet?”

He looked at the stone closer, seeing the cracks and burns that covered the dark stone. The floor where Voe stood, the center of the arena, was painted in fading golden runes and protective sacred geometry.

“Dueling.” Ben stepped away from the arch and started down the stairs into the pit. “Who knows about this?”

“A select few. Those who aren’t given the secret cannot find this place.”

“A Fidelius Charm?” Ben had only read of the charm. It was an incredibly difficult spell that only very powerful witches and wizards could manage. The spell concealed a secret in a primary keeper’s very soul. A place protected by the Fidelius Charm was completely hidden from the world. Unplottable. Not even the most powerful revealing magic could make the place known. The only way for someone to find a hidden place was for the primary keeper to reveal the information of their own will. Whoever gained that information would then be able to find the hidden place. But they had no power to reveal the secret themselves. Now that Ben knew, he would not be able to tell of this place to another soul, even if he wished to.

Voe nodded. “Some of the greatest duels in history were fought in this very room. When dueling was banned, this place was forgotten by almost everyone, except for two Prefects. They created the riddle and hid it all with the Fidelius charm. It’s been passed down ever since to those who… Craved knowledge as you do. Now more than ever, knowledge is power. And if Professor Skywalker refuses to teach us properly...”

“We have to teach ourselves.” Ben finished.

Voe grinned. “Precisely.”

“Where are the others?”

“They’ll be here any moment.” Voe flicked her wand and the amphitheater chamber filled with blue light. The markings beneath Ben’s feet began to glow. Voe stepped out of the circle formed by the runes and flicked her wand once more. From the circle, a wall of blue light formed, cracking with protective blue energy.

Ben bared his wand. It seemed as the new initiate, he would be going first tonight. Soft wooshes filled the room as students appeared in the arches. Tai and Hennix came first. Followed closely by Bazine and Grummgar. Grummgar immediately placed a galleon in Bazine’s hand at the sight of Ben. Next came Cal Kestis, Gryffindor Head Boy, and Merrin Nightsister, Head Girl. Jyn Erso, a Fourth Year Hufflepuff, stumbled in from the opposite portal. Not long after her came the only other one from Hufflepuff, Dorra, a Prefect, through the same portal. From Ravenclaw, Tam Ryvora, Pammich Goode, Mira Syntel.

The ten students filed in quietly. Tense anticipation hung in the air. Ben paced the edge of the ring, heart pounding. No one had yet approached the ring. Each house took a seat in their own quarter of the arena, though there was nothing to designate who sat where. Voe stood on the steps between Slytherin and Ravenclaw, arms crossed. She tapped her wand impatiently against her arm.

“Is he coming or not, Kestis?” Voe turned her steely eyes to Cal.

“Give him a minute.” The redheaded seventh year looked unbothered as he lounged next to Merrin. “He’s got time.”

One last whoosh echoed in the amphitheater announcing the arrival of the final participant. Poe Dameron stepped through the arch. Ben felt his blood heat. Dameron looked around the amphitheater with a smirk.

“Waiting for me?”

“The first and the last.” Voe gestured to the ring. Dameron’s eyes landed on Ben and Ben fought back a small smile as Dameron hesitated. “Unless you’d like to leave?”

Dameron swallowed and descended the steps. He stepped through the ring of blue energy, wand drawn.

“Let the rules be known.” Voe raised her wand to the arena. “No contact. No unforgivable curses. No magic which will cause permanent harm. The duel will begin with a bow and end when one duelist is rendered incapacitated or house heads call for a cease fire. I wish you both best of luck. You may begin.”

Cheers rang from the dozen and a half students filling the stone seats of the amphitheater. From the Gryffindor section came shouts of, “Dam-er-on! Dam-er-on!” Not unlike those chanted on the Quidditch pitch. Dameron ate every ounce of it, lifting his hands to egg it on.

How he’d like to put Dameron on his arse. How he’d like to see the cocky bastard get taken down a peg. Ben raised his wand, pointed to the ceiling as Dameron pulled his redwood wand from his back pocket. Poe bowed first, low and mocking, playing to his crowd of supporters. It seemed that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had taken his side. The Slytherins, on the other hand, seemed somewhat uninterested. Voe watched with a domineering gaze. Ben dipped his head in a shallow bow to Dameron.

“Focus. Feel the anger, the hate inside of you. Let it fuel you. Control it, young Skywalker.”

Ben stepped into his dueling position, breathing deeply. Poe raised his wand, but neither student moved to fire the first shot. Poe grinned, “So, who goes first? You go first? I go fir-”

Ben flicked his wand, shooting off a nonverbal jinx. Poe leaped out of the way, throwing up a weak protego. Shock crossed the boy’s face, but quickly morphed into focused anger. They weren’t required to start nonverbal spells until Sixth Year, a fact that Dameron very well knew.

Ben was not here to go easy on the Gryffindor Fourth Year. He fired off spell after spell, each slamming into Dameron’s shields. A memory of Rey practicing protego, her grin as she managed the smallest shield, popped unbidden into his head. It was enough to throw him off, to give Dameron a chance to hit back.

“Aguamenti!” A jet stream of water barrelled towards Ben from Poe’s wand. The water hit Ben hard in the gut and knocked him to the floor. All the air in his lungs rushed out of him. Whoops and shouts and laughter echoed through the stone room.

Poe looked towards Voe in the stands. The witch shrugged as Ben stood. “He can still cast. He’s not done yet.”

He was soaking wet now, blood pounding in his ears. Poe shot a disarming spell at him and Ben deflected it. The wall crackled with energy. There was nowhere to go. Poe shifted to his left and the dance began. They circled each other, waiting for the right moment. Blood rushing, Ben pounced first. Poe jumped away from the impediment jinx and fired back a red bolt. Ben pointed his wand at the spell, not even thinking. The red beam hung in the air, frozen in time.

A gasp rippled through the amphitheater.  

How?

How was he doing this?

Before he could comprehend, his spell wavered and Poe’s stunning spell hit him square in the chest. Ben flew back and hit the wall of light surrounding them. He fell to the floor, limp. Uproarious cheers of victory filled the arena at the fall of Ben Solo.

He woke as the blue wall surrounding the dueling ring lowered. He pushed himself up off the stone, an ache in his chest. Come morning, he would feel as if he had been hit by one of his father’s muggle cars. Or by the Hogwarts Express.

Poe had already climbed the stairs of the arena to the rest of the Gryffindors, who met him with high fives and congratulations. Ben crossed over to the Slytherin seats, passing Voe as she came down the stairs. She gave him a cold, appraising look.

Ben took his seat near the other Slytherins. Tai was the only one to turn to him. “How did you do that?”

“I don’t know.” Ben shrugged and winced. “It just happened.”

“It couldn’t have been the Freezing Charm, could it? Something similar. Perhaps the Slowing Charm. But you didn’t slow it, not really. I didn’t even know you could slow or stop spells, not like that. Are you sure you didn’t use a spell?”

“I’m sure.” Ben couldn’t help but glare at Poe. From the dueling ring, Voe announced the next contenders- the new initiates from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. There was no doubt in his mind that Rey would be chosen to join the club in her Fourth Year. Would he still be here? He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t been for a while. It wasn’t a future he could imagine. He hoped that he would be, just to see the poor sod who had to face her. He hoped it would be Hux.

“-could try a prior incantation charm to take a closer look at it.” Tai hadn’t stopped talking. “Surely, Professor Kuiil would know something about it.”

“No.” The last thing he needed was for word to get back to Luke or Kenobi or his parents of his wand doing strange things.

“Right. Can’t talk about this outside of this room. Still, very interesting.” Tai noted.

“Very impressive.” Bazine eyed Ben. Her gaze desired to devour him. “Most entertaining initiation duel I’ve seen. Usually, everyone is so meek and timid. Voe always tries to pair up rivals, but,” Bazine sighed, “once they step into the ring… poof. Scared little kittens.”

Grummgar grunted in agreement.

Below them in the dueling circle, Jyn Erso faced off against Myra Syntel. It lasted all of two seconds as Jyn hit Myra with a perfect Full Body-Bind Curse. The young Ravenclaw, who had been trying to perfect her attack stance, fell face first on the stone with legs glued together and arms stuck to her sides. Jyn ran over to her and quickly undid the curse, helping Myra sit up. Blood from a broken nose ran down the girl’s face. A simple utterance of ‘ Episkey’ had her back on her feet.

Memories of the Trophy Room were quick to resurface. He’d been sitting in the common room late that night studying for a test in A History of Magic when Hux barged through the common room door, loudly bragging to anyone who would listen of how he ‘showed that mudblood a lesson’ and left her in the trophy room. Ben had gone to help her without a second thought.

Ben pushed the memory deeper into the dark recesses of his mind. She had been his one and only friend and now he wishes they had never met. She was a distraction now. One that could prove destructive. He wished he could bottle up all the memories of her and toss them away. He wished he could forget.

Rated M - SFW - Read on AO3 - Chapter One - Chapter Three - Masterlist

[practicalmagicgodcodes]

New Post has been published on https://godcodes.guru/runes-meanings/runes-how-to-read-runes-part-1/

Runes How to Read - Advanced Runes Free Part 1

Runes How to Read  Runes

  This is a video on how to simplify runes, how to read. There are a lot of great books out there on runes.

Back to Runes Meanings

I actually ended up writing all the runes, their names and what page they can be found on there’s actually two separate pages. They can be found on here. Coming back, I would just add those in there so that you can look them up quick. So if you pick up this one and you’re wondering what it means it’s Gifu go to this page or this page, the first page. For me is usually the best, but the second one to back up.

Tag: Runes how to read

So that’s a good one, the other one, that’s excellent for understanding and remembering them is ruins for transformation by kids or Coulson. He was on beyond worlds. This is a really excellent book that breaks down the runes into some simple meanings, and he gives some great true life examples so that you can kind of make applications to their meaning a little bit easier. Runes how to read

Tag: Runes how to read

So those are the two books runes how to read I reckon so here we go so we’re going to take them out of order you’re going to usually see runes and in books arranged the same way, I’m going to arrange it in such a way that will help you remember. So I have similar looking and similar meaning runes, grouped together to help you remember. Runes how to read

Tag: Runes how to read

As usual, we usually have flashcards and we have a flashcard for this you’re just going to take index card you’re going to cut it in half with scissors and making little flashcards like this. So that’s ISA and then the meanings on the back and I’ll show you how to do it and my blog, which I will put the link under this video.

It’S going to list all these meanings so that you can write them right on your own index cards. But I do recommend you: do them I’ll be doing some memory triggers for you to help. You remember these and learn how to read runes. Runes how to read

Tag: Runes how to read free

I am NOT going to be worried about you remembering each of the runes named, but I do want you to know their basic meanings, because I want you, after these videos to be able to pick up a room and know it at me. I want you to put them right to work so we’ll get started, so you can kind of get your your kick start with runes.

First of all, I have this room you’ll notice. It looks like an F. That’S because that actually is what it represents and F is for finances.

Tags: Tag: Runes how to read Online

Think of worth this actually is based on an old meaning of cattle and, if you think of it and may actually look like their antlers a little bit. But when you look at the meanings of this think of f financial worth, but the value of something prosperity, when you had cattle, that was how you traded things that you had a dowry you might want to trade, a few cows for that future wife.

Tag: Runes how to read

So the F is going to be money value. How much is something worth so if we look at that in terms of the runes, how much these runes worth to you, you might buy this for a set of runes for maybe twenty five dollars. But what is it worth to you in terms of how you use it?

Tags: runes how to read rune stones

Maybe it’s worth more so think of worth next you’ll notice. This one looks very similar notice how the prongs go down. Think of financial value is up. This is down and think of this. As an antenna, because this is how we transmit knowledge communication wisdom – you might even think of things flying over the internet with this one.

So this is our thoughts and our words and that’s how we learn. We learn from each other and gain wisdom. These are signals so think of this as an antenna, so we’ve got finances and worth we’ve got antenna now this one looks different, but it has a similar meaning to the worth of financial worth.

This one has to do with property, inheritance and home. I want you to think of as standing up like this is this is a diamond and it’s standing up on something is propped up, might be passed on down to like a ring.

If you think this is a diamond ring on a band, but this is basically inheritance your legacy, what you leave behind, how things are passed on what you come with so in terms of the runes they come to us with a meaning that is based on something Before it so, for example, when we talked about this, the finances, this is fate who this is based on cattle and cattles worth so that’s its legacy. Its inheritance inherited the meaning through that. Okay.

Tag: Runes how to read

So when we think of this, it could be land buildings, things we pass on inheritance possessions traits that we that are carried on, perhaps your families or from earth. If you asked how did they get this medical condition – and this came up, it might be something inherited.

Tag: Runes how to read

I also can be somebody that’s consumed by their ideals. That’S a little bit of a different meaning, but we’ll just base this right now on legacy, so the stable value of something how it continues to be used generation after generation how it’s developed based on its history.

So three cards of ward, so I want you to think again, which one is this: that’s our antenna and communication learning and wisdom, which one is this up with finances worth cattle. What’S with this, that’s what’s being passed down inheritance, if we think of this is how it applies to the runes, it’s, how did the runes communicate with us? How do what is their voice?

Tag: Runes how to read runes

What is shared between you and your runes when you throw them down on the casting line, that’s their voice, thoughts and words that you obtain to them. Okay, so those are our first three now I’m going to give you some a little different, I’m going to give you two of stasis, so we have. First of all, this looks like the letter. I doesn’t it well, it is. This is for ice.

It looks like an icicle up and down frozen, it does mean frozen, it can mean a cooling relationship, but basically it means you’re stuck frozen. Think of something in the ice. It’S rigid it’s there. So that’s an easy one to remember, because it’s just ice and it’s just started. This looks similar but you’ll notice.

Tag: Runes how to read

It has a slash through it and this is about needs. So what are the needs of something? So if we think about the needs of the room, what what are the needs for runes well, you’ve got to have some people might need a spread with spread positions. Some people might need another Oracle to use in combination with some people might need a bit more study than other people. Some people might need to know the history of them to really understand them.

You might need a book, so this is about needs. It’S about constraints. The ice is kind of cut through this is about what’s necessary, to do something. It can be about delays, because when you need something you have to stop and pack it or stop and get it, and that just needs to have some patience. Those needs have to be fulfilled before we get somewhere.

Tag: Runes how to read

So even though they’re constraints you’re still on your way somewhere. So we’ve got our icicle and being frozen little slasher we’ve now gotten needs a little bit different. So, let’s take what we know in this video. I’M just going to shuffle up the cards, I’m going to give you a little quiz and see if you can guess what these are. Okay, so here’s a quiz for you see if you can guess what the meanings of these cards are.

Back to Practical Magic

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More about runes at Wikipedia

[aonrivers]

Elder-Futhark Runes

Runes are closely related to Norse Mythology; specifically, Odin – the King of the Gods. Odin had become jealous of the Norns and their great knowledge. The Norns are known as the fates and, most of the time, used the Well of Urd to gain their wisdom. And if there's one thing you should know about Odin is he loves wisdom. Odin had even given his eye away in order to gain knowledge, so when he learned that the runes only showed themselves to the worthy – he went to the extreme.

Odin went to a branch of Yggdrasil (pronounced: Ing-Dra-Sell) and hung himself upside down over the Well of Urd, then pierced himself with a spear. As he hung there, he called to the runes, but they did not show. As Odin dangled over the well, the other Gods would stop by and offer him help with food or water, but he refused the help. Which eventually was in his favor because on the ninth night of hanging, the runes appeared to him in the well. The runes accepted his sacrifice and revealed their true forms to him, providing him with their knowledge and secrets.

Because of Odin's actions, he was not only able to learn the meaning of the runes, but was able to learn their magickal aspect as well; such as: healing, making charms, using the symbols on weapons, making friends stronger and safe while making his enemies weaker.

This story also feeds into the theory of 'The Hanged Man' in the Rider-Waite tarot deck. This man is depicted as Odin.

In the Elder-Futhark, there are 24 runes; 25 if you count the blank rune. Each rune has a meaning and a letter associated with them. Runes have been around since 150AD and is actually a Germanic Language. These symbols were used as a form of writing before the Latin alphabet was adapted.

An example of using runes to spell the word "RUNES":

Often, you'll hear runes associated with the word "Futhark" (pronounced Foo-Thark), which is Scandinavian and is the first six letters of the runic alphabet.

Besides the Elder-Futhark, which this booklet will be using, there are three other types:

Anglo-Saxon which has 29 symbols and over the years have gained 4 more; making it a total of 33.

Marcomannic Runes which is a mixture of the Elder Futhark and Anglo-Saxon.

Younger Futhark which is a reduced form of the Elder Futhark, but only have 16 symbols. They are also curvier and missing "arms" and "legs".

There are many things you can do with runes. You can ask yes or no questions, lay them out the same way you read tarot, throw them on a table and read the ones facing up. You can also use runes for magickal purposes; for example, when creating a charm for protection, you can write Algiz to enhance the magickal properties.

Before using your runes, the first thing you need to know is runes hold energy; and this is why you need to put your energy in them. You can do this by constantly holding them when you can, carry them with you, sleep with them under your pillow.

Remember to do this if you have bought your runes. Creating your own runes already has your energy in them, but store bought runes made by machines or another person has a different form of energy in them.

It's also important to take care of your runes. Remember that wood runes can soak in water and stone runes can break so be gentle with them. To keep them together, use a pouch or a box. And no matter what material they are, always remember to cleanse them!

You can cleanse your runes by:

Laying them in the morning sun or under the moon.

Burying them in soil for a few days and dig them back up.

Let natural water run over them – not tap water, there's too many chemicals.

Pass them through smoke of incense or sage.

Blow on them

There are multiple ways to cast your runes, but before we go into this, don't forget to call in protection. It is always a good idea to call in your guides when performing any time of divination. Then when you're finished, thank whoever you asked to help and protect you. (Spirit loves to be thanked.)

First, we will start with structured readings, or casting runes like they're tarot cards. When you do this, you may run into the issue where you pull a rune and it's sitting in your hand at a weird angle. To correct this, just turn the rune at a 90-degree angle so they're in your hand or in its placement vertically. If you place your runes facing down, turn them over like a page (right to left). Then begin to read them.

Here are some examples of structured readings:

Pull 1 for the day

Lay three runes in a row for past, present, future.

Pull 5 runes and place three runes in a row for past, present, and future; one above for what influences you, and one below for what's beneath you or holding you back.

Read the runes in a Celtic-Cross layout like you would with tarot.

Next, we will go over unstructured readings AKA tossing the runes. You may cast your runes on either the floor or a table; or even into a circle. In the back of this booklet, I created a "runes map" for myself when casting, it's just to give it a little structure while still letting the runes do what they need to do.

You can cast all the runes at once or take a handful and toss them. When they land, make note of where they land and how they land. This will give you a more in-depth reading. Any runes that have falling face down can be removed from the reading – the runes don't want you to know these secrets or they're not affecting your situation or question at the moment. The runes facing up are the ones you want to be conscious of – they have meaning in your life at this moment.

When you toss your runes, here is what needs to be taken in account (view screenshot below):

The runes closest to you are related to your situation.

The runes farther away is further into your future.

Runes that are closer to each other affect one another.

Closer to the center means the sooner the event.

Runes turned to the left (3) are saying that something is being forced, or it's too aggressive – or you're living in the future.

Runes turned to the right (5) are telling you that not enough effort is being put into something. Maybe you're too passive or living in the past.

Reversed, or facing the wrong way, (7) means there's a strong influence, or a negative force involved. There's also opposition which means the symbol is reversed horizontally.

Upright means there's a strong influence as well but it's a positive force involved.

Rune face down (1) means you're not meant to know.

Overlapping (6) means the runes are related so read them as a pair.

If there are three in a row (3, 4, 5), read them as past, present, and future.

Yes or no questions can also be answered by the runes. Ask your question then pull a rune. If the rune is pulled angled, rotate at a 90-degree angle then place down on the desk. If the rune is face down, turn right to left to see what it says.

If the rune is upside down – the answer is NO

If the rune is right side up – the answer is YES

Because some runes like Gebo or Isa are the same either way you look at it, go by your best judgement. There are also runes like Kenaz where the symbol normally opens to the right (<), if it's looking to the left (>), then the answer is NO. Because of these neutral runes, you can pull 3 runes – 2 out of 3 is your answer.

How I read my runes:

I hold my runes in my hand and breathe into them three times.

As I move the runes in my hand, I have the person place their hands underneath in a cupping formation.

I then drop the runes into their hands and ask them to ask their question, setting their intention, then when they're done, I place my hands underneath theirs and they drop the runes back into my possession.

I toss the runes and begin to read.

If I don't use the map I have added to the back of the booklet, I use the same idea when casting into a circle.

If there are runes with symbols faced down, I remove them from the reading area.

When I finish, I collect the Runes and blow into them again three times. I say thank you and place them back in my bag I carry them in.

RUNES MEANINGS:

As I said before, there are 25 runes (including Wyrd (pronounced "weird" or "word") and each have a meaning and letter associated. Below you will find these runes' names, how to pronounce them, the associated letters, the God or Goddess the rune is sacred to, the upright meanings (just think opposite when reversed); and in some cases the magickal purpose of that rune. (We will not be using Wyrd, just remember it means "leave it up to fate".)

1st Rune - FEHU

Pronounced: "fay-who"

Associated Letter: F

Sacred to: Freya the Goddess of fertility and love

Meaning: fortune, money, happiness.

2nd Rune - URUZ

Pronounced: "oo-rooj"

Associated Letter: U

Sacred to: Thor the God of Thunder and Lightning

Meaning: luck, sudden changes.

Magickal Uses: enhance healing.

3rd Rune - THURISAZ

Pronounced: "thur-ri-saz"

Associated Letter(s): TH

Sacred to: Loki the God of Trickery and Shape-Shifting; Thor the God of Thunder and Lightning

Meaning: protection, faith, right time at right place.

Magickal Uses: protection and defense against adversary.

4th Rune - Ansuz

Pronounced: "aan-sooz"

Associated Letter: A

Sacred to: Odin the Ruler of Gods and the God of Wind and Spirit

Meaning: stability, order, changes, blessings.

5th Rune - RAIDHO

Pronounced: "rrye-doe"

Associated Letter: R

Sacred to: Thor the God of Thunder and Lightning

Meaning: movement, travel, end of conflict.

6th Rune - KENAZ

Pronounced: "kay-naz"

Associated Letters: C, K, Q

Sacred to: Heimdall the Underworld Watcher

Meaning: creativity, knowledge, quest, sheds light on issues.

7th Rune - GEBO

Pronounced: "gay-bo"

Associated Letter: G

Sacred to: All Gods and Goddesses as it is a gift to them.

Meaning: good fortune, gift, union.

8th Rune - WUNJO

Pronounced: "wun-yo"

Associated Letter: W and V

Sacred to: Odin the Ruler of Gods and the God of Wind and Spirit

Meaning: happiness, wishes granted, success.

9th Rune - HAGALAZ

Pronounced: "ha-ga-laz"

Associated Letter: H

Sacred to: Heimdall the Underworld Watcher and Mordgud the Keep of the Underworld's Icy Bridge

Meaning: destruction, disruption, controlled crisis.

10th Rune - Nauthiz

Pronounced: "now-theez"

Associated Letter: N

Sacred to: Norns the Weavers of Fate and Nort the Goddess of Night that Gives Birth to Day

Meaning: desire and demands, hardship coming

11th Rune - ISA

Pronounced: "e-sa"

Associated Letter: I

Sacred to: "intensity" as it intensifies any rune associated with it.

Meaning: frozen in place, standstill

12th Rune - JERA

Pronounced: "yay-rra"

Associated Letter: J and Y

Sacred to: Freya and Freyr the Bountiful Couple

Meaning: continuity, time and change, conception and success.

13th Rune - EIHWAZ

Pronounced: "eye-hwaz"

Associated Letter: Ê

Sacred to: Odin the King of the Gods who gathered the dead souls for their journey to Valhalla or the Underworld.

Meaning: death and rebirth, defense and protection, reliability and strength

14th Rune - PERTHRO

Pronounced: "perth-row"

Associated Letter: P

Sacred to: Frigg the All Mother.

Meaning: follow your intuition, luck, unknown results, revelation

15th Rune - ALGIZ

Pronounced: "all-yeese"

Associated Letter: Z

Sacred to: Heimdall the Underworld Watcher

Meaning: defense, shelter, and protection, victory and success, no news is good news.

Magickal Uses: add to charms and talismans for protection; you can also use it to protect yourself and your property.

16th Rune - SOWILO

Pronounced: "so-wee-lo"

Associated Letter: S

Sacred to: Baldur the Beautiful God of Joy and the Solar Wheel

Meaning: success and victory, positive changes are coming.

17th Rune - TIWAZ

Pronounced: "tee-waz"

Associated Letter: T

Sacred to: Tyr the God of Heavens and War

Meaning: victory, achievements, compassion, courageousness.

18th Rune - BERKANA

Pronounced: "bear-ka-na"

Associated Letter: B

Sacred to: the Earth Goddess

Meaning: new beginnings, personal transformations, birth of an idea or child.

19th Rune - EHWAZ

Pronounced: "aye-hwaz"

Associated Letter: E

Sacred to: Freyr the God of Fertility, the Summer Sun, and Erected Men

Meaning: momentum, moving locations, teamwork, loyalty.

20th Rune - MANNAZ

Pronounced: "ma-naz"

Associated Letter: M

Sacred to: Odin the All Father and Heimdall the Underworld Watcher

Meaning: devotion, willingness to change, unselfishness, find the middle ground.

21st Rune - LAGAZ

Pronounced: "la-gooz"

Associated Letter: L

Sacred to: Njord the God of Wealth at Sea

Meaning: reflect and consult the heart, follow instincts.

22nd Rune - INGWAZ

Pronounced: "ing-hwaz"

Associated Letter: Ng

Sacred to: Ing the Earth God and Freyr the God of Fertility

Meaning: harmony, unity, love, listen to yourself and live in the now.

23rd Rune - DAGAZ

Pronounced: "da-gaz"

Associated Letter: D

Sacred to: Heimdall the Underworld Watcher

Meaning: transformations, breakthroughs, new day, major changes, balance.

24th Rune - OTHALA

Pronounced: "oo-thee-la"

Associated Letter: O

Sacred to: "heritage"

Meaning: home, stability, inheritance, family.

Recommended books:

"A Practical Guide to the Runes: Their Uses in Divination and Magic" by Lisa Peschel

"Runes in Ten Minutes" by Richard T. Kaser

"Runes: The Ancient Magical Secret to Diving Your Future" by Shamira K. Leigh

"Runes: Theory & Practice" by Galina Krasskova

"The Runes Workshop: A You Know Intuition Workbook" by Jennifer Halls

Recommended sites:

http://norse-mythology.org/runes/

http://sunnyway.com/runes/

http://www.crystalinks.com/runes.html

http://www.runes.info/artindex.shtml

[lokeansuz]

Ease Skin Picking Spell

Made a simple bath/shower soak spell to help those who obsessively pick as I couldn’t find any that quite suited my needs. This can be done to help try to prevent picking, or after picking to soothe your insecurity and help not only to feel better but to keep the fingers off later. Hope this will help you guys as well!

(Note: This spell will work best paired with conventional therapy like CBT to help ease your picking, however if you don’t have access it’ll still help. Remember, witchcraft is never a substitute for medical care!)

Ingredients:

Pink salt (or any salt if in a pinch) to help cleanse one’s habits and headspace. I only mention pink due to the correspondence with love, in this case self love. It isn’t required.

Fresh or dried rosemary to protect your skin from your fingers.

Lavender (plant or oil) to act as a calming agent to help cope with nervous picking.

Basil to help steady the mind.

A small chunk of rose quartz to promote self love and acceptance of how your skin is.

The sigil below written on a scrap of paper. It’s the Anglo-Saxon rune Kenaz that helps one to take control of a situation and signals a moment of change. 

A bag that water can run through.

(Optional) Epsom salt to help relieve physical and mental tension and soften skin. (Works better for baths).

(Optional) Music that brings you joy and will help you relax.

The Spell Itself:

Mix together in a bowl/ mortar and pestle the salt, rosemary, lavender and basil. While stirring, focus your intent on recovering from a relapse and preventing future ones. If it’s hard for you to keep mental focus, you can verbally chant:

“May these herbs and salt help me cope, keep my fingers from my skin, and learn to love myself for how I am. I will recover and like my skin, I will thrive.”

Repeat as many times as needed. Once you feel satisfied that your intent is imbued, take the scrap of paper and write Kenaz onto it and drop it into your bag. Then put a cleansed quartz crystal or chips into the bag. Finally pour the rest of your salt mixture into the bag (along with epsom salt if you choose to add it). Once you have everything in the bag, close it up and hang it on your showerhead so water flows through it onto you while you shower, or in your bathtub. The goal is to get the energies onto you via the water, so do whatever works best for you.

After you get the water running you can start playing your music if you choose. When bathing, spend a little while focusing on the intent to stop picking. Once you feel content with the energy you’ve put in, just relax and enjoy yourself.

This spell can be repeated as often as you feel necessary. It’s not realistic to say it will immediately end all of the picking, but I hope it will help over time. To help heal picked spots, make sure to use antibacterial cream like Neosporin to ward off infection. Also, if you pick, be gentle with yourself. You might lose the battle but eventually you will win the war. Most of all though, remember that these sores on your skin don’t define your worth. You are so much more than a mental disorder or bad habit. You can get through this and I hope this helps. Take care you guys. <3