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Saining is the Scottish Folk magic act of purification. It’s similar to the idea of smudging but very different. Importantly it’s a cultural relevant practice and is one available for folks who work within the Scottish folk magic diaspora — The Cailleach’s Herbarium

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Full Moon January 18th 2022 Affirmations

I release what no longer serves me

I open up to receive my highest good

I surrender all fear and doubts

I release all lower vibrational frequencies

All obstacles on my path effortlessly removed with ease and grace

I release pain and suffering as a means to grow

I am open to receiving the abundance of opportunities that are flowing to me

I release beliefs, relationships, people that are no longer serve my highest good

I let go of all that is not in alignment with my purpose

I allow myself to receive all that I desire

I activate the river of joy that flows through me

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2022 is full of promises and success.

Speak it into existence.

Talk about it as if it cannot fail.

This year, is your year.

Check my Etsy shop, OnTheGoWitchery

We'll be back from vacation next week!!

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Full Moon in Cancer

🌙 17th January 2022

The first Full Moon of the year! And I can see it being an emotional rollercoaster for many of us.

Moon is at its strongest in Cancer. It is the Moon’s home sign, the sign where it can show its true colors. Being nurturing, motherly but also emotional and sensitive - that’s all connected to Cancer.

At the time of the Full Moon, the Sun will conjunct Pluto which amplifies any emotions and feelings. Pluto makes everything so much more intense and heavy. With the close opposition to the Moon, expect emotional outbursts and possibly overwhelming feelings.

Mercury and Venus will both be Retrograde, adding quite a bit of confusion and disruption. Difficulties in relationships and with communication could come up. Also, people being impatient and acting a bit crazy can be expected during this full moon.

This is a very powerful moon, so I absolutely recommend using its energy for any spellwork or manifestation!! While working with the Cancer Full Moon, use your emotions to bring your desires to life. Visualize and get deep into your feelings. Bring them to life and watch your desires come to you.

✨What to focus on:

Manifesting using your emotions

Let yourself actually feel the emotions you’ve been surpressing and release them!!

Being kind and nurturing to yourself and your loved ones

Watch out for getting overly emotional over small things

I wish you a lovely full moon💘

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Worry Water 💧

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I pray that whatever fears you currently have cease to exist. I pray for you to be courageous. Remember who you are and don't let this life drag you down. You are blessed, prosperous, and protected by the Universe. 🧿🧿🧿

And so it is.

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The Witchy Apps I Use:

Seen a few of these posts so I figured I'd share as well! I use these for reference mostly, and personally prefer to do my practice irl. All are free!

Labyrinthos- this is a tarot app mostly, though it also has some astronomy info. I wouldn't recommend it if you're just starting with tarot, because the descriptions are over simplified and lacking. It does have a "learn" feature that can help you memorize/learn the basics though and for that it's pretty good! I use this to save tarot spread layouts that I use with my cards irl. It let's you create your own custom spreads and save them.

Co-Star- an astronomy/horoscope app. I love it because it does your birth chart for you in an easy to understand format and you can go back and reference it quick if you need it! But the descriptions of what everything in the chart means is also lacking and waay oversimplified here too, and none of the "aspects" are included. It'll do "daily horoscopes" but it won't have info on why/how it concluded that information based on your birth chart.

Moon phase calendar- a must for me! Always gotta know what the moon is doin. It has a lot of detail, including the percentage of visibility and rise/set times.

Make it rain- rain/thunderstorm sounds for meditation and practice

PictureThis- this is my favorite free plant identification app, and I'm pretty picky lol

Herbs dictionary- this is purely scientific information on an insane number of herbs, with medical uses as well. No magical uses listed. Again, this is for quick reference!!. If I'M personally using an herb for medicinal purposes it's because I'm familiar with it and know which are safe for me, don't just use whatever random herb some phone app says may help... Be safe.

Herbalist Grimoire- I think this one has about 70 herbs? And their magical correspondences. I love it for quick reference! It also explains how to use herbs (like making tinctures, oils, satchets, etc), a glossary of medical terms related to herbs, basics on how to grow herbs, and a brief history of herbs in witchcraft.

LunaDiary- a password protected night-mode diary with adjustable font and formatting and calming music. I use it for note taking, spells, ideas, some of which later goes into my grimoire. It has a back-up feature that uploads it to my Google drive. Plus the more notes you make, the more lunar phases and stars you get in the home page, so that's cute.

The occult library- exactly what it sounds like, it's got different witchcraft related books you can read for free.

Play Books- the basic Google play book app, I go to the android play store and download free books of interest related to my craft and philosophies I follow and read them here.

Improve intuition (called "intuition test" in the playstore for some reason tho)- this one has several choice-related activities that challenge your intuition skills! Big recommend.

Respire- a meditation app with different breathing exercises. I'm not a fan of hearing someone talk me through a guided meditation, so following a breathing exercise works much better for me. You can close your eyes and it'll make a ding sound to let you know when to breathe in, hold, and breathe out.

Down dog- an AMAZING free yoga app! It has restorative yoga, hatha, quick flow, and sun salutations in the free version. With different music genre to choose from that plays what seems like a genre radio. You can adjust the difficulty level, speed, and length. The instructors are great at guiding and the video to follow is aesthetically nice and it's all very easy to understand. Truly can't recommend this one enough.

I'm hoping to find an app that has a sheet to fill out for saving spells, like it would be great if it has the day/time, lunar phase, title, intent, tools, instructions, and outcomes to fill out. If you know of one, please let me know!

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Here are the witchy apps I use (Android)

📆 Wicca Calendar (for Sabbaths)

✋Palmistry (it helps when combined with books for more visual)

📖 Black Grimoire (I use it for ideas I have on the go and for planning what I'm gonna put in my actual BOS)

🧪 My EO (essential oils guide)

✨ Nebula (astrology)

💎 Crystals guide (very complete crystal guide)

🌙 Deluxe Moon Premium (moon phases, astrology, wallpaper, etc.)

💤 Dreamboard (to track dreams)

🌸 Wicca oils (essential oils guide)

🧿 Chakras (meditation app)

♐ Upastro (natal chart, astrology, etc.)

🖋️ Runes and runic formulas (readings and guide)

💡Are you Psychic (intuition app)

🔋Crystal Charger (when I feel like they could use a boost but I am unable to charge them properly, you have sun, moon and quartz grid)

🧭 Compass (for casting circles)

🪔 The Aroma App (essential oils guide)

🌿 Herbalist Grimoire (herbs guide)

🕯️Wiccan and witchcraft spells (when inspiration is low)

🎴 Labyrinthos (Golden Thread Tarot Guide)

🌕 Moon (another solar phases app)

🤸 Fitify Yoga ( i like doing yoga for meditation and grounding purposes)

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Samhain Bay Leaf Intentions Ritual 🍃

Yesterday to celebrate Halloween/Samhain, as well as the blue moon, I did a bay leaf intentions ritual! I took some photos before and after the spell, and videotaped the whole spell.

Grimoire Pages:

The leaves say “love,” “prosperity,” “success,” and “abundance.” I used a silver sharpie to write on them.

After burning each leaf, I added rosemary oil (3 drops) and some dried rose petals to my cauldron, and I put in some incense sticks for kindling. I also dripped a bit of wax from both the green and black candles. I then lit the mixture to properly burn the leaves’ ashes.

Since my candles were small, I let them both burn out completely, and meditated while focusing on my intentions while they continued to burn.

Here’s a clip of the video I took of the ritual. 💚

I still have the ashes/remains from the ritual in my cauldron. I think my plan is to go outside and bury the remaining ashes in the dirt to help my intentions “grow.”

Blessed Samhain everyone!

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Samhain is coming up!! At sunset on October 31st, to sunrise on November 1st, the veil separating the living and the departed will be at its thinnest. It is a great time to honor ancestors, count your blessings, and divination work. Here are some ideas of things to place on your Samhain alter:

• Tarot cards (I use these same 4 each year, but it’s entirely up to you. I would recommend picking the death card as one)

• Offerings. These are a must, but that doesn’t mean they have to include expensive wine and a gourmet meal (though I’m sure the spirits would appreciate that). I simply went to my local farmer’s market and bought my offerings. I spent $8 in total. Some good ideas for affordable offerings:

- Pumpkins

- Vegetables (squash, corn, apples, and other seasonal produce)

- Wine (prefferably red wine. Sparkling water can also be used if you’re under age)

- A “dead dinner” or “dumb supper”. This consists of a home cooked meal (again, doesn’t have to be expensive) some friends and family, or even just yourself. You can set up photos of loved ones now passed, and take your time eating in complete silence. It invites spirits to dine with you. I’ve provided a link down below on how to host your own dead dinner!

• Candles. Orange, black, white, red, and purple work nicely. Tea light candles are a great touch, they give a nice homey feel.

• Crystals. Tigers eye, bloodstone, lapis lazuli, garnet, amber, and onyx are a few examples of good Samhain crystals.

• Herbs. I don’t have any herbs on my alter just yet, but they are a great thing to add. Rosemary, bay leaves, lavender, Star anise, and mugwort are some good ones.

• Heirlooms or personal objects. This can include belongings of lost loved ones, gifts they gave you, jewelry, or simply just their pictures. I personally write a letter to each of my deceased family members, then burn it after the sunrise of November 1st, when Samhain comes to an end.

Lastly, here are some links to sites explaining the full history of Samhain and unique rituals if you’re planning on making it a special night. October 31st is a full moon, so this will be the perfect night to manifest, activate your sigils, scry, or try something new. Hope everyone has a great holiday!

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A very easy Samhain ritual

You will need:

- A fruit of some kind (ideally a berry)

- A nut of some kind (if all you have is peanut butter, that will work. If you can't eat nuts, use a seed/popcorn/grain of rice)

- Something to burn (I recommend a match, a lighter will do)

- Something to sip (I go for wine/cider, but you can use water/juice)

Method:

As you recite, eat. When you reach the end, light your match and drink. A splash to the ground/out the window for the earth is the offering. Snub the match.

For all that the earth gives me, I ingest gratefully. For her fruits and seasons, I am thankful. At the closing of the doors I am the bridge inside. Together with her harmonies I drink.

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💀 November 1st ─ After Samhain 💀

Hope you all had a wonderful, blessed Samhain! 

A quick list of rituals / self-care prompts to practice on November 1st to recover from the most magical night of the year: 

🍂 Take a walk outside, in nature, or visit a cemetery

🤫 Practice silence to honor the spirits leaving 

🔮 Meditate on your sabbat practice: what could be improved next time?

🎃 Clean-up your pumpkins to avoid attracting rot

🖤 Dress in a full-black outfit to pay respect to the dead

💐 Place flowers on the grave of your loved ones

💧 Take a shower or ritual bath to cleanse your energy

Mostly, REST! Especially if you practiced divination, spoke with spirits, cast spells on the night of Samhain, you need to recover, as these can often drain a lot of your energy. 

So lie down, listen to peaceful music, and enjoy the day! 

–

💀 Find more information on Samhain meaning, correspondences and rituals in my Samhain masterpost here 💀

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Celebrating Samhain Without Ancestors

If you’re like me, and the coming Samhain celebration is stressing you out because you have no deceased ancestors that you know (or ancestors you don’t feel like contacting), don’t worry friend! You aren’t alone in this feeling at all. Sometimes we don’t know our families, don’t wish to contact them, or just genuinely have no interest in contacting those who have passed, and all of the above are totally valid reasons for not wanting to celebrate in the traditional neo-pagan way this year! Instead here’s some ways to celebrate, focusing more on the self instead of familial bonds:

Celebrate the past “you”‘s that you have grow from

 Bury the old versions of yourself that you wish to leave behind

 Dig a grave for your past grievances. This is a perfect time to let the older parts of you die off from the witch you are becoming.

Spend some time in self reflection, taking notes on the parts of you that you feel are holding you back from growth

Spend time with yourself figuring out what this time of death and rebirth means for you

I hope this helps any witch out there struggling this time of year, especially those of us with no idea of our ancestors and who they were, I see you and I’m with you <3

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💀 Celebrating Samhain 💀

HALLOWS’ EVE | October 31

🕯️ Decorations: skulls, bones, candles, cauldron, pumpkins, dark crystals

🌿 Incense: patchouli, rosemary, cloves, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg

🥧 Food: pumpkin, dark wine, cider, soups, root vegetables, potatoes, beer, hazelnut, pomegranates

Often known as the witches’ new year, Samhain is the pagan festival marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter. It is said that the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. The celebration usually features a bonfire, and rituals of communion with the dead.

Rituals to celebrate:

🥳 With people, tell ghost stories or watch scary movies.

🍽️ In the kitchen, make a pumpkin soup.

🎨 Get crafty, by carving a pumpkin and lighting it at night.

💃 Dress up, as a witch and let people believe that it’s just a costume.

📜 Write in your journal, about dead relatives and loved ones.

🔮 Meditate, about the concept of death, your family tree and your ancestors.

Other ideas to celebrate:

Give offerings to the spirits by adding a plate at your table.

Harvest the last of your herbs before winter.

Use the night for spell casting, divination, and reading tarot.

Take a walk in nature, preferably near or inside a cemetery.

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For free weekly. tarot spreads follow me on IG & Pinterest @emeraldlotusdivination

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Seasons of the Witch: Samhain

It is that time of year again and Samhain is upon us bringing with him the colder weather. This is a very important time in the witches calendar and I am excited to share some things you can do to prepare. These things are form the 'Witchery' by Juliet Diaz if you want to do some further reading on your own.

Samhain

Also known as: All Hallows' Eve, Halloween

When: northern hemisphere October; southern hemisphere May

Celebrates: ancestors, spirits, those who have passed

Energies: death, rebirth, wisdom, essence of the night, communication, release, return

Ideal Spell for this Time: Star Anise Psychic-Amplifies and Protection Incense

Correspondences

Magickal Workings

Communion with the dead, protection, candle magick, past life, ancestors, psychic powers, release of bad habits, banishing, self, uncrossing (removing hexes)

Altar Changes

Symbols: pumpkins, jack o' lanterns, apples, corn, gourds, fall flowers, dried leaves, crows, ghosts, cobwebs, broomsticks, cauldrons, bones, lanterns, candles, the Moon

Colors: black, orange, red, white, gold

Herbs and Other Plants: mugwort, garlic, sandalwood, amber, wormwood, mugwort, patchouli

Crystals and Gems: black obsidian, bloodstone, jet, hematite, onyx, smoky quartz, carnelian

Ways To Celebrate

Honor the Dead: Honor the departed by setting up a special altar on which you place food, drink, pictures, and other items that have belonged to the departed, or that hold meaning associated with them. Some witches honor the dead by leaving offerings, such as food, outside their door for any spirits who may come by. Lighting candles and leaving them outside your door or window will invite departed loved ones into the home.

Silent Supper: The Silent Supper, or Dumb Supper, is a popular tradition around the world to celebrate Samhain. The meal honors the dead by being taken in silence, with the diners taking care to eat and drink quietly as well as refraining from speaking. It's even important to clear the dishes without making any noise. I've known Silent Suppers to include table setting, complete with food, for all those who have departed. Remember that this is a sacred dinner, so light candles and set a peaceful atmosphere for the event.

I will be posting the above spell after this post as well. I hope this information finds you well and have a wonderful day.

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