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10 Daily Witchy Things

Cleanse your bed in the morning when you make it- to remove the stress and negativity of the previous night and have a peaceful sleep the next night. 

Make a cup of tea and charge it with positive energy to get you through the day. 

Clean your desk/workspace/wherever you do creative things and draw productivity sigils on it in cleaner or keep a clear quartz nearby to focus energy. 

Bless your keys before you get in your car for protection on the road. 

Use a special scrub or face mask in the shower for a glamour spell. 

Spend time outside, or keep your blinds open to allow sunlight in. 

Take a walk outside, if you can, and ground yourself with each step. 

Use wax melters, incense, or other scented items to fill your space with an intended scent. 

Cleanse your phone/other electronic devices- clean out the old apps and photos, clean out the negative people from your contact list, and reset your ringtones and wallpaper to increase positive energy. 

Before you go to bed, take ten minutes and thank your deities (if you have any) and reflect on your day. Before you fall asleep, think of one thing that was good about the day, no matter how small, and be grateful. 

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How to Write a Spell

Part of my witchcraft 101 series

Step 1: Decide what you want your spell to do

I’d argue that this is probably one of your most important parts to spell writing. If you don’t really know what kind of spell to cast, you’re not going to cast an effective spell. When I personally started out on my journey, I looked up spells on tumblr tags or Google to get an idea of what I wanted my spell to be and adapted them to fit my vision. You can do it this way, too, but if you want to do it entirely from scratch, decide on what your focus is.

Step 2: Refine your intent.

In online witch communities, you’re going to hear a lot about something called intent. Intent is what makes a spell a spell. It’s what you want your spell to do. For example, let’s say I want to do a love spell. What kind of love spell do I want to create? One to attract a new lover? To make myself more attractive to others? Be careful when thinking about this, though, especially with love magic because certain intentions can breach the whole free will thing and casting a spell on others without their consent is never a good thing. Intent is moving beyond what kind of spell you want to do and moving towards what your spell is. It’s the whole heart of your spell.

Step 3: Decide what kind of spell you want to do.

This can be anything from a baking, cooking, bath, tea, etc. spell. What kind of spell you decide to create will require you to be careful with your components since if you’re going to create a potion that you ingest, you absolutely should not use essential oils in that potion since they are not meant to be consumed. There’s also things like jar spells that are very popular in the witchblr community but they’re not always good for the environment so if your spell is supposed to be buried, you’ll want to perhaps consider a different type of spell. The world is your oyster.

Step 4: Decide on your components.

Components are the parts that make up your spell. So things like herbs, crystals, vinegars, oils, essential oils, etc. Each component will have different associations so if you’re wanting to create a spell for waking up, you won’t want to put lavender in it since lavender is often used for sleeping spells. Witchipedia I find has a good comprehensive list of correspondences but for more obscure herbs, I find just a rudimentary Google search often does the trick. If you find a correspondence that doesn’t feel right in your gut, then you don’t have to use that correspondence for the herb or you can just find a different herb altogether. For example. when I was creating a protection spell bag last summer, I used mistletoe in my bag and mistletoe is often associated with sexual love, fertility, male potency etc., but I find it has more protective qualities because it is a poisonous herb. This is also where I’ll remind you to be mindful of what kind of spell you’re making. If you’re making protection muffins, you’re not going to want to throw mistletoe into that bad boy since it is poisonous.

Step 4a: Research your components.

This! Is! Important! Especially for herbs that you use. Be extra careful with ingesting herbs, especially ones like St. John’s Wort, since SJW does interact with a lot of medicines, like beta blockers, and it can reduce the effectiveness. tl;dr just be careful of what you’re putting in your body and if Google isn’t giving you a solid answer, always talk to your doctor beforehand.

Step 4b: Taglocks

Taglocks are things that tie your spell to a target. For example, in my protection spells, I tend to put my hair in it. You can also use a personal sigil, a bindrune that represents you, a photo, blood/other bodily fluids, etc. to represent your target. If your target is not yourself, ensure that you get bodily fluids from the third party ethically. Basically, don’t go around cutting people’s hair off or sticking them with a needle to get their blood. Just … be considerate and also get individuals’ consent.

Step 5: Put your spell together!

This is the fun part! This is where you get to throw all your ingredients together! I find that listening to music when I curate my spells helps me focus my intent. This is where you’ll do the actual baking part of your spell if you’re doing a baking spell or putting components into the spell bag and so forth.

Step 6: Seal your spell.

I often seal my spell with wax, if it’s a jar spell, or runes, if it’s a baking spell, or stirring clockwise if it’s a cooking spell. With bag spells, I tend to just sew the bag up and hang it where the intent will be magnified. For example, my protection spell last summer was to protect me at school so I hung it in my locker. If your protection spell is for your home, you’re going to want to have your spell somewhere near your home, and so forth. You can also seal your spells with a kiss.

Step 7: Charging your spell.

Charging your spell isn’t always necessary. With protection spells, I tend to let them just do their thing but if your spell isn’t really manifesting, I’d go back and recharge it with some intent. To do that, you can use crystals (pyramid stones I find are really good generator stones. So is selenite), or you can charge your spell in the moonlight or sunlight, with an orgasm, etc.

Optional: Incantations.

A lot of people opt to use incantations in their spell work. That’s not something that I really tend to do unless I’m casting a circle, but if it’s something you’re interested in doing, have at it! A lot of people say that your incantations need to rhyme, but I find that’s not really true since when you’re creating your incantation, you’re carefully selecting the words and imbuing them with your own power.

Optional: Casting circles.

A lot of sources will also state that in order to “properly” cast a spell, you’ll need to cast a circle. The way I cast my circles is like this:

1) Face the North and point or hold your wand or a crystal etc.. “Hail to the watchtower of the North, the element of Earth. I call upon you to watch over and protect this space.”

2) Face the East. “Hail to the watchtower of the East, the element of Air. I call upon you to watch over and protect this space.”

3) Face the South. “Hail to the watchtower of the South, the element of Fire. I call upon you to watch over and protect this space.”

4) Face the West. “Hail to the watchtower of the West, the element of Water. I call upon you to watch over and protect this space.”

I then turn in a circle clockwise three times (not too quickly). To uncast the circle, go the opposite of what I’ve written and thank the watchtowers for protecting your space.

There you go! Your spell is set. You can dispose of your spell however you feel is right (i.e. curses tend to get buried away from your home, protection jar spells will stay in a dark corner, etc.) but congratulations! You’ve created a spell! Write it down in your grimoire! Be proud of your spell! You did amazing work! If you still have any questions or need me to clarify things, my ask box is open! 🍑

Beginners Tag

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Basic Charging / Casting Circle

I recently got a few messages from witches wondering how to charge items using the elements. Most of them were familiar with how to charge items with moonlight or sunlight but were a little confused as to how they should go about charging items using the elements. Overall, charging items using the elements is pretty easy. Here are a few methods:

To charge something with the element of fire either bathe it in the light of a fire, smoke or flames.

To charge something with the element of water either drop a few drops of water on the item, fully submerge the item in water (sink/bathtub/lake/pond/stream/ocean) or leave the item out in the rain.

To charge something with the element of earth either sprinkle some dirt on the item, bury it or charge it using rocks/stones/crystals.

To charge something with the element of air either blow air onto the item, leave the item out in the wind or bathe the item in smoke from incense.

If you wanted to you could charge something using all five elements (water, fire, earth, air and spirit) using a basic charging/casting circle. All you have to do is draw the circle above, put the item you want to charge in the centre of the pentacle, put representations of each element in their appropriate circle and then place your palm in the circle which represents spirit/self. Then, if you have a chant/incantation etc. say it and charge your item.

And there you go. I wish you all the best with your charging.

-          Marci

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Charging an Object

I often mention the action of charging or empowering an object with your intent. Every time I use it in an answer to an ask, I feel like I should explain exactly what charging is.

I want to point out that this is simply my way of charging an object. Some witches will do it differently, and some witches don’t even charge objects at all.

WHAT IS CHARGING? Charging is, in my opinion, filling up an object with energy. Charging an object with your intent means to fill it up with a certain type of energy that relates to what you’re doing or what you’ll use the object for (i.e. taking an amulet that you want to help attract love and filling it with “romantic energy”). It is also known as empowering.

Think of it as giving an object a purpose. The object itself has its own energy, but this energy can be changed and added to (i.e. a piece of string has energy like a blank slate, and charging it will engrave something onto it; however, remember that it isn’t as permanent as engraving). Some objects already have purposes, such as gemstones (i.e. rose quartz is used for love). When charging these objects, you are basically specifying exactly what you want them to do (i.e. rose quartz can be used for friendship, romance, lust, family relationships, etc.).

I like to think of the object being blank and aura-less when I start. But after I charge it, it has a glow around it. The colour changes depending on my intent (i.e. pink for love, red for lust, black for cursing, etc.).

WHAT OBJECTS CAN BE CHARGED? Literally speaking, every and any object can be charged. Stones, boxes, cups, even people. Usually, people only charge things that will a) be used as a ritual or witchcraft tool, such as a wand or an athame, or b) be carried around as a charm. The most commonly charged objects are:

witch bottles

jars

sachets

amulets

charms

candles

water

Like I said earlier, you are giving objects a purpose. If I need a candle for luck, I’ll charge it with green light and the feeling of success and good luck. This, in addition to dressing it with luck-drawing herbs and oils, will cause it to promote and draw in good luck whenever I light it. The same goes for wearing amulets, using water (i.e. purifying water, to me, is sort of like reverse-charging, where you’re cleansing it of all purpose so it’s sort of a blank slate again), and especially carrying sachets or charms.

WHAT DOES ENERGY LOOK/FEEL LIKE? That’s an opinion question. It all depends on your experiences. Here’s what I’ve experienced.

I see energy as light. The image above is a good example of the “energy bubble” I talk about in the next section. However, I see it as a little more solid than light. I often imagine it as something from a video game. If you’ve played Skyrim or World of Warcraft, you’ll know that spellcasters can conjure up different spells (such as fireballs and lightning bolts) in their hands. It sort of springs from their palms as a bolt or string, very solid and opaque as opposed to loose and transparent. That is how I see energy.

Some people see energy as the image above. Smokey yet coloured with their intent. Some people also see it as electricity or as strings. All of these are correct. Nobody is wrong when it comes to how they see and feel energy.

To understand how energy feels, rub your hands together quickly and for a long time. Your hands will get hot and tingly. Spread your hands apart slowly. You will feel a bubble of energy form. That is what energy feels like.

HOW TO I CHARGE AN OBJECT? Charging isn’t difficult if you have good visualization skills and a good grip on energy. Here is how I charge objects:

Before you begin, you may want to cleanse the object in question of any other energies that are clinging to it. This is optional.

Ground and centre. Breathe deeply, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Let all of your muscles relax. Try to be seated on a solid surface, the ground being the best option.

Have the object in front of you. If you’re on the ground, have it on the ground too. If you’re seated somewhere else, place the object on a flat surface.

There are three ways of going about charging, all of which are great:

This way is great for beginners. Rub your hands together quickly. They’ll get hot and tingly, but that’s what you want to happen. Close your eyes and keep rubbing. After a moment, slowly spread your hands apart. You should feel a bubble form between them. This is the energy you’ve just produced. While it feels stretchy (and it is), don’t suddenly fling your hands far apart, especially if it’s your first time doing this. You’ll have to start over. In your mind, see this as a simple transparent bubble between your hands. Now, begin to concentrate on your intent. Murmur what you want the object to do, focus on what you want the outcome to be. You may want to move your hands while doing this, feeling the bubble. As you focus, the bubble changes colour. You can decide the colour (i.e. pink for love spells, green for money spells, gold for protection spells). Once you have this image clearly in your mind, push that energy bubble into the object. Holding your hands over the object, visualize the energy entering it. Feel it leaving your fingers. When finished, imagine the object glowing with its light.

This way isn’t for beginners, but for people who are familiar with charging. Close your eyes and concentrate on your intent. See the desired outcome in your mind. Now hold your hands around your solar plexus area as if you’re saying, “The fish I caught was this big!” Your inner wrists should almost be touching your ribs. Now, begin to move your hands as if you’re feeling a bubble form in between them. As you focus on your intent, the energy begins to manifest itself in your hands. Its colour depends on your intent. You can feel the energy, and it starts to take bubble form. Keep going until you feel like you’re holding a ball. Next, hold your hands over the object and visualize the energy entering it. Feel it leaving your fingers. When finished, imagine the object glowing with its light.

This way is more for people who have good visualization skills. Take the object into your hands and close your eyes. Concentrate on your intent. Visualize your desired results. Let yourself feel the emotion closest related to your intent (i.e. if you’re cursing, let yourself be filled with hate; if you’re creating protection, let yourself become shielded and feel safe). Breathe in deeply, and as you do so, visualize energy being created either in your solar plexus area or your forehead area. This energy glows with whatever light you imagine. As you concentrate on your intent, visualize this energy travelling slowly to your hands. Next, imagine that energy going into the object through your hands (i.e. strings of energy flowing through your palms to the object). Once this is done, visualize the object glowing. The light streams through your closed fingers, and when you open up your hands the light shines in your face. Open your eyes. The object is now charged.

Grounding and centring afterwards is recommended. This can take a lot of energy to do, and is especially draining for beginners. The more you do it, the easier it will become. The smaller the object the faster and easier it will be. I still have trouble charging objects bigger than my fist.

I hope this answered your questions about charging. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me. Happy charging! :)

(1st Image Credit) (2nd Image Credit) (3rd Image Credit) (4th Image Credit)

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Sabbat Altar and Celebration Ideas for the Solitary Witch

YULE Altar ideas: Put mistletoe and pine on your altar; put a candle up there to represent the Sun; keep your Yule log on your altar; use symbols of the Sun; decorate with red, green, white, blue, and yellow (red and green for holly, white and blue for snow and wintery colors, yellow for the Sun). Celebration ideas: Kiss a consenting person under the mistletoe for luck; give gifts; have a feast; make magickal wreaths with herbs corresponding to the spell intent (you might use lilac, lavender, and camomile for a wreath that brings peace into your home).

IMBOLC Altar ideas: Use candles to represent the return of spring; make a cute little corn dolly; put a Brigid’s cross on there to honor her; decorate with yellow and green to represent the Sun and return of spring. Celebration ideas: Clean your house; have a self-dedication ritual (to a particular path, deity, philosophy, standard of life, etc.); clean off your working altar and redo it; cleanse and charge any tools or crystals you need to.

OSTARA Altar ideas: Use fake eggs, rabbits, and other symbols of fertility or spring; put some potted plants on the altar; place some packets of seeds you might be planning on growing; decorate with purple, yellow, green, white, and other spring, pastel colors. Celebration ideas: Paint and blow eggs (take proper precautions when handling raw eggs, obviously, especially if you’re putting your mouth on them); if you have a greenhouse, want a potted plant, or it’s warm enough where you live to plant outside, plant some seeds; buy a potted plant; organize your herb shelf.

BELTAINE Altar ideas: Make a mini Maypole for your centerpiece; smack some candles up in there, especially beeswax, if that’s in your budget; put some faery symbols, like little statues or bells or something like that; a jar of honey or some beeswax is always dope; if you’re comfortable with it, some people like to put representations of genatalia on their altar. Celebration ideas: Light an awesome bonfire (also be very cautious with this because fire can quickly turn dangerous); leave offerings to the faeries; have a dance outside; this is a good time to plan to have a handfasting ceremony or wedding; cast any love workings you’ve been meaning to do; if you’re an adult and have a person/people who consent to it, you could choose to have sex during this time (but do be safe!); many people try to conceive children during Beltaine.

LITHA Altar ideas: Symbols of the Sun and the Moon, feminine and masculine symbols if that’s a thing in your tradition; decorate with black and white to symbolize the night and day. Celebration ideas: Get up before the Sun rises and go to sleep after it sets, so you can experience the day and night; have a bonfire (again, safety is important); have a picnic; just spend a lot of time outside.

LUGHNASADH Altar ideas: Put bread and grain on the altar; maybe some apples and other autumn fruits; pinecones and leaves are fall symbols; decorate with red, orange, yellow, brown, and other colors of the season. Celebration ideas: Bake (especially make the cute little bread men); give an offering to the Earth; go to an apple orchard and pick some apples; share a feast with the family or your friends.

MABON Altar ideas: Wine, or grape juice if alcohol is unavailable for any reason; leaves and pinecones; apples; a money jar (see first celebration suggestion below). Celebration ideas: For a week or two before Mabon, put money you can afford to give up in a jar, and donate it to charity or a cause you support on Mabon; have another apple harvest; have another feast; do a ritual to honor the Earth.

SAMHAIN Altar ideas: Pop a few gourds in there, more apples if you want; pictures of the deceased; tools for divination and spirit contact; decorate with black, white, and orange. Celebration ideas: Divination, spirit communication (obviously only if you know what you’re doing); hold a seance or a dumb supper if that’s more comfortable for you; light a candle in the window for spirits (use a fake one if you want it lit all night); leave some milk and honey for the Fair Folk; give offerings to the dead; put up wards and shields if you’re one of the people who would prefer to avoid spirit activity.

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Quick Guide to Celebrating the Sabbats 🌻

LITHA

🧀Fruit & veg, herbed bread, cheese, honey cakes, chicken, pork, sunflower seeds, lemonade, ice tea.

🍋Lemon, orange, cinnamon, rose oils.

🔮Moonstone, tigers eye, amethyst, flourite, agate. {Or any crystals in warm colours}.

🌞See the sun rise & set, eat outdoors, make or buy a sun catcher, bake a sweet cake, let sunlight cleanse your rooms, clear cobwebs, wear a flower crown, make honey/sugar scrub, wear warm tones.

🎬Peter Pan, Fairy Tale, Ferngully, Stardust, Tinkerbell, Maleficent.

LAMMAS

🌽Multi grain bread, corn on the cob, bbq meats, fried chicken, potatoes, soup, rice, nuts, black current juice, beer, peppermint tea.

🌹Rose, chamomile, passion fruit, all spice oils/scents.

🔮Citrine, clear quartz, tigers eye.

📖Finish a project, make a bread to share, enjoy nature, take care of plants, decorate or craft, acknowledge what you are grateful for, journal future hopes.

🎬Parent Trap, Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, Cheaper by the Dozen.

MABON

🍇Pies, nuts, smoked or roast poultry [bbq chicken with smoky bbq sauce], soup, corn, apples, plums, grapes, cinnamon donuts, caramel popcorn, peanut butter, butterscotch.

🌲Sage, pine, cinnamon oils/scents.

🔮Amethyst, clear quartz, citrine, yellow agate.

🌾Make scented pinecones, spend time under the stars, donate food or goods [RSPCA], burn bad habits, visit the deceased, harvest take care of plants, bask in nature, meditate.

🎬Open Season, Brother Bear, Spirit, Pocahontas, Brave.

SAMHAIN

🎃Pumpkins, toffee apples, ginger bread, chai, nutmeg or cinnamon spiced foods, hazelnuts, sweets.

🌰Nutmeg, cinnamon scents.

🔮Obsidian, onyx, bloodstone, amber, fossils.

🕯Cook a family recipe, light a fire, remember & honour the deceased.

🎬Hocus Pocus, Addams Family, Monsters Inc, Little Vampire, Corpse Bride, Casper, Hansel Gretel Witch Hunters, Underworld, Van Helsing.

YULE

🍪Cookies, fruit cake, turkey, eggnog, ginger tea.

🕎Cedar, frankincense, myrrh oils.

🔮Bloodstone, citrine, clear quartz.

❄Give or volunteer, bake shortbread or sugar cookies, share a meal with loved ones.

🎬Santa Clause, Rise of the Guardians, 101 Dalmatians, Frozen, Snow White Winters War, Narnia.

IMBOLC

🍩Poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, bread butter pudding, scones, muffins, garlic, onions.

��Vanilla, cinnamon oil.

🔮Amethyst, bloodstone, onyx.

🕯Light white candles, plant seeds, bless your pets, declutter & clean your living space, bake orange and poppy seed muffins or cake.

🎬Mr Poppers Penguins, Happy Feet, Balto, Ice Age, Mirror Mirror.

OSTARA

🍌Roast ham & pineapple, eggs, milk, seeds & nuts, banana bread, chocolate milk, green vegetables.

🌹Jasmine, light florals, sweet garden, wild flowers.

🔮Amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone.

🌹Light candles, plant seeds, share a roast ham with loved ones, bake banana bread, finish spring cleaning, lay tumbled stones in your garden bed, take deep breaths [inhale new energy & exhale old energies], wear spring colours whites & florals, collect wildflowers or buy flowers that call to you & research what they mean, walk through nature.

🎬Epic, Strange Magic, The Secret Garden, Spiderwick, A Bugs Life, Barbie Fairies.

BELTANE

🍞Breads, cakes, honey, leafy greens, fruit & veg, seafood, iced tea, lemonade, milk.

🌼Florals, sweet garden, honeysuckle, jasmine, rose.

🔮Amber, citrine, moonstone, red jasper, rose quartz.

🌼Wear a flower crown or flowers in your hair, dress in red or white, make a bonfire & roast marshmallows, garden, take a walk, spend time in nature, pick fresh flowers to decorate.

🎬Moana, Arthur Trilogy, Avatar, Jungle Book, Tinkerbell, Barbie.

HOW I CELEBRATE ALL SABBATS OR ESBATS

☾Sage cleanse the house, light candles, diffuse oils.

☾Clean sheets/bedding/pillowcases/towels.

☾Eat at least one traditional food.

☾Watch a relevant movie.

☾Take notes in my BOS of how I celebrated the Sabbat to look back on next year.

☾Charge my crystals & tarot decks in the full moonlight.

☾Do a tarot reading relevant to the Sabbat.

☾Spend time outside with my dogs 🐶

🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙

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Book Review: Fizz Boom Bath! by Isabel and Caroline Bercaw

Fizz Boom Bath! is an adorable book written by two young sisters, the creators and founders of Da Bomb Fizzers bath bomb company. The book opens with the story of their success – they started making the bath bombs in 2011, when they were 10 and 11 years old, and selling them at craft fairs. By the time they graduated high school the whole family was participating in the business (both parents quit their day jobs! They are now the CEO and CFO of the company) and they had contracts with Ulta, Hot Topic, and Target as well as a thriving online shop. And now a book! 

After the introduction, they don’t waste any time getting right to the point. A short explanation of the ingredients needed (including a resource list of where to buy things like citric acid online, in case you can’t find it locally) is followed by dozens of recipes for bath bombs. They use fragrance oils but do mention that essential oils can be used instead. I’m not sure where you’d get banana or grape essential oils (they are big on fruit flavors, it seems!) but you could certainly use EOs for some of the other scents. The bath bomb recipes are divided into sections such as ‘Fruity,’ ‘Nutty & Spicy,’ and ‘Floral,’ but really all are variations on the same recipe. They do give instructions on how to make multicolored bombs and how to paint with eco glitter for different aesthetics, but the base recipe appears to be the same across all of the bath bombs. 

About half the book is dedicated to the bath bombs – they are the foundation of their success, after all– but to be honest, my favorite part was in the second half of the book where they give recipes for face masks, lip scrubs, and hair products. Perhaps it’s my love of instant gratification, or simply that the ingredient lists are shorter and made up predominantly of things I keep in my kitchen (avocado, strawberries, yogurt, even Emergen-C vitamin supplement!), but I got pretty excited about this section. Some of the recipes are uber-simple such as the recipe for rose water (literally just rose petals and water) but others, such as the Curly Q Conditioning Spray, containing water, witch hazel, fractionated coconut oil, and vitamin E oil as well as fragrance (they suggest coconut but I imagine you could use anything!), are less obvious and a bit more intriguing to me personally. There’s even a bug repellent bar that uses lemon and eucalyptus EO in addition to fresh thyme and lemon zest and has the added benefit of moisturizing your skin while deterring the bugs! 

I do have a few small critiques of the book, like the fact that they mention how customizable the bath bombs can be but then go on to change only the color and scent in the recipes they give. They mention using things like kaolin clay, different kinds of butters (shea, cocoa, etc), but they really stick to one basic recipe throughout. This is fine in itself – there’s nothing wrong with sticking with what works – but they don’t even change the language from one recipe to another so it seems repetitive to the point that maybe they didn’t need to list the whole recipe every time. They could have put the base recipe and then just followed up with ideas for color and scent combinations. On the other hand, most people probably don’t read a book like this cover to cover like I just did – the average reader will probably pick the recipe they want to make and focus on just that– so maybe it’s not really a problem. Further, writing the whole recipe out every time means more pages which translates to more room for pictures. I love this, because they feature perfect spheres as well as novelty shapes like hearts, stars, and even skulls – but these are also intermingled with simpler shapes like cubes that could be cut out of a cake pan, or cylinders that look like maybe they were made in a sippy cup (or at least, they could have been). This makes it all feel more accessible, and a reminder that aesthetic is only one part of the process. The only other critique I have is that there are names like “Tiki Time” and “Witch Doctor,” which rub me the wrong way, and an over-emphasis on gendered scents and colors which is really unnecessary. 

Overall, I thought this was an impressive book to come from such young authors, but after reading the story of how they built their company it’s hardly surprising. Ironically, I probably wouldn’t buy it for the bath bomb recipes (though I do plan to try their basic formula, with my own scent combos) but I might consider it for the other body care potions and tips. For now, I’ll leave you with their recipe for a bath milk, which is something I’ve wanted to try for ages anyway. If you want to know how to make a bath bomb… well, you’ll have to get the book. ;) It was officially released today, August 7, so you should be able to find it online or ask for it at your local bookstore. 

Bottom line, 4/5 stars. Might not buy for myself, but would probably get as a gift for a friend! Many of my critiques are personal style/taste rather than objective criticisms. 

Milky Way Bath Milk from Fizz Boom Bath! page 103

5 drops fragrance (your choice)  ½ tsp vanilla extract 10 drops Vitamin E oil ¾ c powdered whole milk ¼ c baking soda

If using right away, add each element to the tub under warm running water. If you’re making it ahead of time, mix well and store in an airtight container.  Makes enough for 1 bath.

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Для новых Ведьмочек: стартовый гайд

Оригинал данной статьи вы можете найти здесь.

Мы получаем много вопросов от совершенно новых ведьм, запрашивающих ресурсы или рекомендации о том, с чего начать, и, наконец, решили написать одно сообщение, которое конденсирует наши идеи и советы в одном удобном месте. Это не все или конец всех колдовских ресурсов, но это место для начала!

Но прежде всего, главный вопрос:

Кто Может Быть Ведьмой?

Мы часто сталкиваемся с этим вопросом. И абсолютной ответ от Госпожи Hearth Witch и EstFortice, насколько нам известно, это

КТО УГОДНО.

Ведьма это ведьма, несмотря на пол, этническую принадлежность (расу), способности, сексуальную ориентацию и прочие критерии, которые люди пытаются установить в любом ремесле. Это практика, СОЗДАНИЕ магии, не религия. Это не воротник (верёвка на шее), как многие религии.

Тем не менее, у многих народов религия и духовность - это часть их жиз��и. Важно отметить, что определенные традиции и культуры в рамках колдовства будут иметь руководящие принципы, и нужно уважать это.

Но это не обязательное требование, и многие ведьмы - атеисты и агностики.

Вы на 100% в праве решать, что вы ведьма. Как уже говорилось, колдовство - не религия, и, в отличие от традиций, требующих инициации (Викка и Друидизм сразу приходят в голову), если вы хотите быть ведьмой - будьте!

Здесь нет особых полномочий, право первородства или требований к семейной линии.

Хорошо, так что теперь, когда мы разобрались ... Наши советы.

1. Читайте всё. Хорошее, плохое и чёрт знает что.

Читая только то, с чем вы соглашаетесь, вы не читаете с проницательным умом. Вы доверяете автору или источнику и впитываете всё как губка. И если сейчас место и время для обучения, то сейчас же и время для проницательности, что и приводит нас к плохому и непонятному материалу.

Сохранение открываемых возможностей чтения означает, что вы будете подвергать себя различным способам мышления. Я не могу придумать никакого более широкого подхода к практике колдовства, чем это. Вы узнаете, какие вещи не резонируют с вами, и как выбрать нужные знания из материала второго порядка. И все это время вы будете точно определять, что значит для вас быть ведьмой.

2. Научитесь очищать.

Мы не имеем в виду душ, хотя и это тоже неплохо и вы можете творить магию в душе, но мы говорим сейчас о магическом аспекте.

Вы когда-нибудь заходили в комнату и чувствовали, что ваше настроение и эмоции давят на вас? Например, напряжение, стресс и мрак почти физически ощутимы? С другой стороны, вы когда-нибудь входили в пространство и сразу чувствовали себя расслабленным? Эти две ситуации демонстрируют некоторые из самых мирских магии, которые мы можем себе представить. В то время как последнее желательно, и цель очаговых ведьм, таких как Г-жа HW и EstFortis (и другие виды ведьм тоже, но ваши колдуны-мамы ​​- большие поклонники hearthcraft, lol), первое - это то, с чем мы хотим иметь дело.

Даже если энергетические уровни дости��ли пиковой гибели и уныния, мы все еще можем решить эту проблему. И желательно иметь дело с ними рано и часто, вместо того, чтобы позволить им так или иначе разрастаться!

Есть много разных способов сделать это, но мы рассмотрим несколько. Это ни в коем случае не исчерпывающий список, а часть того, чтобы быть ведьмой, - это выяснить, что работает для вас :)

Физическая чистка

В принципе невозможно магически очистить пространство, которое физически грязно и захламлено. В то время как волшебная очистка может помочь очистить некоторую отрицательную энергию и дать нам толчок к приведению в порядок, «правильная» очистка требует пространства, свободного от паутины и беспорядка.

Очистка дымом или восстановление

Вы можете столкнуться с этой практикой под термином smudging, однако  smudging - это термин из закрытой практики, принадлежащей только коренным американским людям. Изучая и практикуя, будьте осторожны с культурными ассигнованиями и, когда сомневаетесь, изучайте.

Очищение дымом часто делается с помощью мудреца, однако нет необходимости ограничивать себя. Некоторые альтернативы:

Пало Санто

Розмарин

Тимьян

Лаванда

Кедр

Базилик

Погремушки

Погремушки могут помочь, когда энергия в этой области заставляет вас чувствовать мучения. Или энергия сильно застоялась. Сделать такую погремушку очень просто: просто засыпьте семена кукурузы или бобы в стеклянную банку, или вы можете пофантазировать и сделать что-то особенное. Колокола работают во многом также, как и погремушки!

Если вам нужен один пример того, как именно очистить область, здесь описан метод EstFortis.

3. Научитесь ставить защиту.

Опять же, это область, где есть так много разных способов сделать это. Но вот любимая техника Г-жи Hearth:

Начиная с вашего ядра, визуализируйте энергию, исходящую от земли и обернутую вокруг вас.

Поднимите руку вверх по вашему телу, как будто вы зажимаете себя. Эта энергия все еще течет вокруг вас, закрывая вас от «снаружи». Продолжайте, пока энергия не переместится к вашей голове. Я немного покачиваю рукой, чтобы высвободить лишнюю энергию и продолжить свой день, завернутой в мой маленький аккуратный кокон энергии.

4. Культивируйте ежедневные практики.

Колдовство не существует исключительно в больших сложных ритуалах или жизни, которая похожа на #witcheesthetic пост из instragram. Действительно, это редко выглядит так. Есть время и место, чтобы сотворить подобное, но мы здесь, в Witch Mums, обнаружили, что ежедневная, содержательная практика, которая включает колдовство в нашу повседневную жизнь, а не «другая», была лучшим способом создать долгосрочную практику. Причудливый гримуар и алтарь - все хорошо и прекрасно, но нет, если вы никогда к ним не привыкните, потому что это требует слишком больших усилий.

Маленькие вещи, такие как ежедневная магия душа, упомянутая выше, или украшение дома и попытка усвоить сезонные или местные блюда, могут многое сделать, чтобы помочь человеку почувствовать себя более «колдующим».

Оставьте утром минутку, чтобы установить намерения на день. Подумайте о энергии прошедшего дня, прежде чем заснёте. Обратите внимание на фазы Луны и учитывайте их, чтобы выполнять списки и задания в соответствии с лунным циклом.

5. Задавайте вопросы ко всему.

Даже к этому пост. Скептицизм - краеугольный камень любой солидной практики. Прежде чем включить что-то в свою практику, подумайте. Проведите время, учитывая, ПОЧЕМУ вы хотите включить это, и что это значит для вас. Не просто добавляйте вещи, потому что вы читали об этом, и они звучали как что-то крутое. Хотя это легко сделать, особенно в ранние, легкомысленные дни, это не отличный способ разработать значимую практику в долгосрочной перспективе.

И здесь стоит упомянуть, будьте осторожны с культурными ассигнованиями. Просто потому, что вы читаете о практике где-то или видите это ... не означает, что вам нужно адаптировать эту практику к своим убеждениям. Там есть эклектичная ведьма, а затем есть часть угнетения по всему миру. Будьте первым, а не вторым.

Мы надеемся, что это поможет. Мы всегда готовы ответить на конкретные вопросы, конечно, или углубиться в любой аспект этого. Но как общий ответ на вопрос «Где мне начать учиться быть ведьмой?», он покрывает большую часть информации.

[wheatfox-blog]

Everyday Secret Witchcraft:

Hey all, sorry I’ve been pretty inactive but I’m starting a nursing course at university very soon so I’ve had a lot of stuff to organise!

Anyway, this is pretty related because it’s a list of discreet little practices that you can do every day to help you connect with your craft in an easy and lowkey way. Many of these come from my own practice and work for me in the busy, mundane aspects of my life, but feel free to adapt and bend them to suit your own needs. Feel free to use this list as inspiration and also to add on to it! Let’s get heaps of ideas for all the witches (secret or not) out there!

EATING AND DRINKING:

- Say (either whispered out loud or spoken mentally) a quick thank you before you eat or drink. This can be to nature, a deity or divinity, to the hands that prepared the meal etc.

- Take 5 minutes to focus and put intent into food or drink as you prepare and / or eat it. This is also a good way to unwind and no-one will suspect a thing (the most anyone may say is that you’re a slow eater :P)

- If you have a meal using witchy correspondences, then great! If not, just enjoy it as sustenance from the earth.

- You can use colour magic when choosing a bowl/cup/plate etc to eat or drink from.

- Place a crystal in your water bottle or fav mug and sit it in the moonlight to cleanse and charge overnight. This will help eliminate any negativity that has accumulated in there, and I find it important to keep my water bottle cleansed since it’s my main source of hydration through the day. Don’t wanna be carrying around and drinking from a bottle with negative energy!

- Charge drinking water in sunlight or moonlight. This can be as simple as placing a glass of water on a table that’s in sunlight - nothing suspicious about that.

- If you like, you can infuse your water with mint, lemon etc to bring cleansing, protection or whatever else you like. Plus, it tastes good and freshens your breath.

- Drink coffee or tea if you like it. It’s beyond normal and each kind has its own magical properties.

SLEEP:

- Use colour magic when choosing blankets and pillows for your bed and focus your intent on them as you make your bed.

- Slip a crystal or two under your pillow or perhaps inside your pillowcase if you want to be even more discreet.

- Observe the patterns of the sun and moon if you can, and attune to your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

- Say good morning and goodnight to the sun, moon, any deities etc. Ask and thank them for protection while you sleep and blessings and guidance throughout the day.

- Sleep with your witchy tools near you: under or beside the bed, under your pillow or mattress, on your person. This may help you bond with them and connect with their energies in your daily life.

CLEANING:

- Open the windows and light a candle or some incense before cleansing. If anyone asks, say you’re freshening the room and letting in some good scents.

- Physically clean an area before you spiritually cleanse it. When physically cleaning, use your intent to banish any negativity as you go. Doing this regularly will make it less draining and you’ll have less to clean and cleanse in the long run.

- Cleansing your tools can be tricky, especially if you have a bunch of crystals and a stray tarot deck lined up on your windowsill in the moonlight. Instead, you can cleanse and charge them with your intent. This can be difficult and draining, but I find that carrying tools with me and mentally checking in with them to see if they need a cleanse can help me bond with them.

- Strategically place objects in sunlight or moonlight to get a quick boost. I like to do this with my bedsheets before I put them on my bed or with my water bottle. get into the habit of positioning items in sunny and/or moonlit areas to let them charge there without suspicion, or better yet, when you introduce a witchy object to your home, make that it’s designated place. For example, make a normal thing out of having crystals on your windowsill - they can charge there and if anyone asks, you can pass them off as decorative. Make sure whatever you place in the sun is heat safe and do your research with crystals as some fade in the sunlight.

- Sing or play music out loud. This helps raise the vibration of the area and drive out negativity. You may like to make this part of your cleansing method - opening the window, lighting a candle or incense and turning up the music as you work.

- Add some moonwater or sunwater to the sink when you wash your dishes to energetically cleanse and charge them.

OUTDOORS:

- Make a conscious effort to be mindful of nature. Notice the position of the moon or sun, the moon phase, temperature, weather, plants in season, animal encounters etc. I find that doing this strengthens my connection with nature and picks me up if I’m feeling down, as it’s very grounding for me to do.

- Ask the wind or rain to cleanse you of negativity. Close your eyes and slow your breathing if you can / want to. Let the elements cleanse and bless you, and remember to thank them.

- If you want to spend more time in nature, start by taking mundane things outside. Read, walk, run, play with pets, water plants, cloud watch, garden, sip your morning drink as you sit outside - there are plenty of ways to get out in nature without people thinking of you as a witch.

RESEARCH:

- Carry a little notebook or use the notes in your phone to scribble down any little ideas or thoughts you have. Be it a sigil or spell idea, a reminder that the full moon is coming up or a reminder to look up magical recipes using a certain ingredient you have lots of.

- Draw or write in a shorthand code or adapt a sort of ‘language‘ that you can write witchy notes in.

OTHER:

- Sigils! Sigils have a multitude of uses so making your own or using ones that people have given you permission to use can be a fantastic way to bring a touch of magic into your day.

- Clockwise motion: This motion is synonymous with the movement of the sun and therefore linked to luck, positivity, health, success, increase, manifestation and joy. It can be used as a gesture to draw things to you. Examples of when to use a clockwise motion: stirring drinks or food, after cleansing a space and then wanting to welcome in positivity.

- Anti-clockwise (counter-clockwise) motion: This motion is used to banish and rid negativity. I love to use this gesture when cleansing for this reason. Examples of when to use: when wiping down a surface, smoothing out blankets when making a bed, scrubbing yourself clean.

- Keep witchy objects close to you if they can pass as aesthetic or common, everyday items. If they can be perceived as decorative, there is no need to hide them! The more you have it around, the more likely others will be to accept it as your normal aesthetic, and if they see that’s what you’re into, you may be more likely to be gifted similar objects in the future. And who doesn’t love presents that can be used in their craft?

- Incantations: These are as versatile and personal as sigils, and can be said to the wind, spoken in your mind or whispered as you blow on a hot drink. They can be used for any number of things and can help to focus your intent, so get creative!

The more you do these activities, the less likely people around you will be to think that what you’re doing is witchcraft and they’ll come to accept it as part of your everyday routine. Not only that, but they’ll become strong habits to you - part of your everyday life. If you can achieve this, it’ll be easier for you to practice regularly as you get into a routine, and you may feel a better connection with your craft and yourself too :)

Feel free to add more ideas, this is merely my own practice!

[wheatfox-blog]

For New Witches: A Guide to Starting Out

We get a lot of asks from brand new witches requesting resources or guidance on ‘where to start,’ and finally decided to write a single post that condenses our ideas and advice in one convenient place. This isn’t the be all/ end all of witchy resources, but it’s a place to start!

First off, the big question:

Who Can Be A Witch?

We run into this one a lot. And the absolute final answer from both Mme Hearth Witch and EstFortis is that as far as we are concerned… 

EVERYONE

A witch is a witch regardless of gender, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation or any other limit that people try and place on the craft. It is a practice, witchCRAFT, and not a religion. Therefore it should not be gatekept like many religions can be.

That said, many folks include spirituality and religion as a part of their path. It’s important to note that certain traditions and cultures within the umbrella of witchcraft will have guidelines and it is important to be respectful of that. 

But it is not required, and many witches are firmly in the atheist or agnostic categories.

You are also 100% allowed to just decide you are a witch. As said, witchcraft is not a religion, so unlike initiatory traditions (Wicca and Druidism come to mind) you want to be a witch, be a witch!

There are no special powers, no birthright, no requirement of a family lineage.

Alright, so now that we have that sorted out… Our advice.

1. Read it all. The good, the bad, and the wtf?!

Reading only things you’re inclined to agree with means you often aren’t reading with a discerning mind. You trust the author/source and you take it all in like a sponge. Now, there’s a time and a place for that kind of teaching, but there is always space for discernment,

Which brings us to the bad and the wtf. Keeping your reading options open means you’re going to expose yourself to many different ways of thinking. I can think of no greater approach to a witchcraft practice than this. You’ll learn what sort of things don’t resonate with you, and how to pick gems out of otherwise second-rate material. And all the while, you’ll be defining exactly what it means to you to be a witch.

2. Learn to cleanse

We don’t just mean showers, although those are great, and you can totally do magic in the shower. We mean from a magical standpoint. 

Ever walk into a room and just feel your mood/emotions take a nose dive? Like, the tension, stress and gloom is almost physically palpable? On the flip side, have you ever entered a space and immediately felt relaxed? These two situations demonstrate some of the most mundane magic we can imagine. While the latter is desirable, and the goal of hearth witches like MmeHW and EstFortis (and other kinds of witches too, but your witch mums are big fans of hearthcraft, lol), the first is a something we want to deal with.

Even if the energy levels haven’t reached peak doom and gloom we can still address it. And it’s preferable to deal with it early and often, instead of letting it build anyway!

There are a few different ways to go about this, but we’ll cover a few. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and part of being a witch is to figure out what works for you :)

Physical Cleaning

It’s basically impossible to magically clean a space that is physically dirty and cluttered. While magical cleaning can help clear some negative energy and give us a push to tidy up, a “proper” cleansing requires a space free from cobwebs and clutter.

Smoke Cleansing or Recaning

You may come across this practice under the term smudging however smudging is term from a closed practice belonging only to Native American people. When studying and practicing, be wary of cultural appropriation, and when it doubt, do your research.

Smoke cleansing is often done using sage, however there’s no need to limit yourself. Some alternatives are:

palo santo

cedar

basil

lavender

thyme

rosemary

Rattles

Rattles can be great when the energy of an area is making you feel antsy. Or if the energy feels very stuck. A lot can be used as a rattle: some popcorn seeds, beans, etc in a glass jar makes a simple one. Or you can get more elaborate and make something special. Bells also work in much the same way as rattles! 

If you want one example of how exactly to cleanse an area, EstFortis’ method is outlined here. 

3. Learn to shield/protect

Again, this is an area where there are so many different ways to go about it. But here is Mme Hearth’s favorite technique:

Starting at your core, visualize energy coming from the earth and wrapping around you.

Move your hand up your body, as if you were zipping yourself up. That energy still flowing around you, sealing yourself off from “outside”. Continue until the energy has moved over your head. I shake my hand a bit, to release the extra energy, and proceed with my day, wrapped in my little snug cocoon of energy.

4. Cultivate a daily practice

Witchcraft doesn’t exist solely in the big elaborate rituals, or a life which resembles a #witchaesthetic post on instragram. Indeed, it rarely looks like that. There’s a time and a place to bust out the big guns, but both of us here at Witch Mums have found that a daily, meaningful practice that incorporates witchcraft into our daily lives rather than being “other” has been the best way to establish a long term practice. A fancy grimoire and altar are all well and good, but not if they never get used because it takes too much effort.

Little things like the daily shower magic mentioned above, or decorating the house seasonally and making an effort to eat seasonal/local food can do a lot to help a person feel more “witchy”. 

Take a moment in the morning to set an intention for the day. Reflect on the energy of the day before you sleep. Make note of the phases of the moon and align to do lists and tasks to match the energy of the lunar cycle.

5. Question everything

Even this post. Skepticism is the corner stone of any solid practice. Before you include something in your practice, give it a think. Spend time considering WHY you want to include it, and what it means to you. Don’t just add things because you read about it and they sound cool. While this is easy to do, especially in the early, excitable days, it’s not a great way to develop a meaningful practice in the long run.

And it’s worth mentioning here again, be wary of cultural appropriation. Just because you read about a practice somewhere, or see it… doesn’t mean it’s right for you to adapt that practice into your beliefs. There’s being an eclectic witch, and then there’s being part of the oppression of poc around the globe. Be the first, not the second.

We hope this helps. We’re always willing to answer specific questions of course, or go deeper into any aspect of this. But as a general “Where do I start learning to be a witch?” this covers most of it.

[wheatfox-blog]

🔥☀️ Litha for Lazy Witches ☀️🔥

Litha, also known as the Summer Solstice and Midsummer, marks the official start of summer. It’s also the longest day of the year, meaning the most amount of daylight. The sun is central in summer solstice celebrations.

Crystals: 

Fire opal.

Carnelian. 

Citrine. 

Pyrite. 

Sunstone. 

All green stones (esp. jade and emerald). 

Diamond. 

Quartz.

Fluorite.

Tiger’s eye. 

Pearl.

Activities: 

Light a candle, incense, or start a bonfire. 

Take a bath with gold/yellow bath bombs or corresponding herbs and flowers. 

Sunbathe.

Watch the sunrise or sunset. 

Meditate. 

Leave offerings for the Fae. 

Try divination using fire scrying. 

Create a flower crown.

Herbs/Flowers/Scents: 

Daisies. 

Marigolds. 

Carnations. 

Roses. 

Sunflowers. 

Chamomile. 

Parsley. 

Frankincense. 

Lemon. 

Lily. 

Hydrangea. 

Orchids. 

Sandalwood. 

Thyme. 

Sage. 

Peonies.

Mint.

Myrrh.

Colors: 

Gold.

Yellow.

Orange.

Red.

Green.

Blue.

Trees: 

Oak.

Decorations: 

Candles.

Sea shells.

Herbs.

Flowers.

Crystals.

Feathers.

Oak leaves.

Symbols of the sun.

[wheatfox-blog]

Small Candle Spells

Not every witch has the means to collect tons of exotic ingredients.   Sometimes, all you have is a candle and a wish.  So, I have put together 10 small candle spells.  (The types of candles I am talking about are tea lights or small, tapered little fellas.  Relatively cheap and easy to use!)  Hope this becomes a resource for you all!  Let’s get started!  <3 Salt

BLACK CANDLE:  Protection

You will need:

One Black Candle

Sheet of Paper

Pen/Pencil

Spellwork:

Write down what it is you wish to protect, be it your home, your family, yourself, etc.

Light the candle.

Chant the following ten times:

By the time this black candle has waned, the blessing of protection be gained by all that fall beneath its wax be safely guarded from attack. Until the next waxing moon appears, protect all that I have written here.

Allow the candle to burn completely down and the wax to spread across the paper. 

Fold it and keep it until the next waxing moon.

Repeat as often as needed.

WHITE CANDLE:  Spirit Communication

You will need:

One White Candle

Photo of the Person you wish to speak to

Spellwork:

Before bed, light the white candle and focus on the flame.  Let’s its warmth ignite the love you feel for the person you wish to communicate with.

Say their name allowed.  Speak of the memories you have with them.  Let the memory of them come to life in your mind.

When you are ready, recite the following spell:

Before I rest my head for the night, I ask that my heart’s call to you, (say their name), be answered. In dreams, let us be together again and share the embrace of love. I await your visit and, for it, you have my deepest thanks.

Blow out the candle and visualize their face in your mind’s eye.

Once the wax has cooled, place it and the picture together near your bed.  You are free to sleep.  Enjoy the visit!

PINK CANDLE:  Self-Love

You will need:

One Pink Candle

Piece of paper (cut into a heart shape)

Pencil or pen

Spellwork:

On the heart paper, write down the positive aspects and assets you have.  It can be anything (from pretty eyes to being compassionate.)  Fill up the paper and fold it into a half heart.

Hold it in your hands and shut your eyes.  Deeply breathe, and focus on your pulse and the things you wrote.  Focus on yourself.

Recite the following incantation:

I am who I am flawed, challenging, human I am who I am soulful, in communion with the universe I am who I will be ever-changing and growing And I bow to the purpose that resides in me.

Light the heart paper on fire, allow it to turn to ash, and blow out the candle.

Anoint your forehead and the center of your chest with hearts made of ash.  Meditate on the self and what your purpose might me.

Anytime you feel the need to revisit self-love, use the ashes and light the candle again.

PURPLE CANDLE:  Accessing Gifts and Talents

You will need:

One Purple Candle

Spellwork:

On the night of the New Moon, sit in a quiet, dark room.  Light your candle and concentrate on expelling all the static energy from your mind.  

Focus on your the gifts you would like to explore.  An example?  If you are drawn to Tarot, have your deck nearby and envision yourself shuffling the cards.

Repeat the following chant 13 times:

My mind is clear, my heart is too Reveal my gifts, deep and true

Open your eyes and stare into the flame.  Let the fire of inspiration illuminate the talent you want to access.

Invoke the gift by whispering:

On this night, and all nights to come, I will open myself to this ancient power and allow discovery of my true potential.

Blow out the candle and keep by your bedside.  When you practice a gift or talent, light it until there is no more wax.

ORANGE CANDLE:  Calling Your Inner Child

You will need:

One Orange Candle

Divinatory Tool (Suggest: Tarot or Oracle cards)

Spellwork:

Light the orange candle and begin shuffling your cards.

When you feel that you have shuffled enough, hold the cards in your hand and focus on the flames.

Say the following spell:

Bring future to past with this candle’s light and provide for me childish insight. One card to tell me of my woes, another about the child within, a third cast to bring us together so that we may begin again.

Draw three cards.  The first will represent your position right now (who you are and what you have been going through); the second will represent your inner child and what insights they can provide through their innocence.  The third and final card will show you what will happen if you allow the present you and your inner child join together.

Light the candle whenever you need guidance from your inner child again.

LIGHT BLUE CANDLE:  Fortune and Glory

You will need:

One Light Blue Candle

Money (coins or paper money)

An Award or piece of Recognition (trophy, certificate, etc.)

Spellwork:

Anytime on a Sunday (the day where workings for wealth, achievement, goals, and promotions correspond), place your candle between your representations of fortune and glory.

Put one hand on each item, and say:

I humbly ask for the Universe and all the powers within it to look upon these representations of fortune and glory.  I light this candle to honor you and ask for the following blessings…

Light your candle and return your hands to rest on your items.  Recite:  

By the light of this flame, sweet fortune I do claim.   Wealth and wisdom I do gain. By warmth of this flame, glory granted to my name. Recognition I do gain.

Allow the candle to burn until there is no more wax.  Collect what is left, store in a jar, and keep in a place you conduct business.

YELLOW CANDLE:  Invoking the Spirit of Air

You will need:

One Yellow Candle

Spellwork:

At 3 PM, go outside and bathe in the light of the middle of the day.  Light your candle and place it in front of you.

Fisting your hands, place them on either side of the candle and say the following incantation:

Here and now, I call the element of Air.  Summer breeze and roaring wind, echoing melody and lifting wings, ever-dancing.  I call you forth to infuse my intention with your swirling fits of both song and silence.  Carry my will on your back and raise my purpose into your sky.  Breath and cloud, sound and song.  Air, I call you to me.

Open your fists and allow for the spirit of Air to translate through your palms and into your center.

Let the candle burn for five minutes and then blow it out, keeping it when you need it again.

GREEN CANDLE:  Invoking the Spirit of Earth

You will need:

One Green Candle

Spellwork:

At night, go outside and bathe in the light of the moon.  Light your candle and place it in front of you.

Fisting your hands, place them on either side of the candle and say the following incantation:

Here and now, I call the element of Earth.  Soil of fertility and growth, fecund source of stability, stillness and health.  I call you forth to filter away all that is impure, and to stand rooted in this world.  Mountain and dust, footstep and stone.  Earth, I call you to me.

Open your fists and allow for the spirit of Earth to translate through your palms and into your center.

Let the candle burn for five minutes and then blow it out, keeping it when you need it again.

DARK BLUE CANDLE:  Invoking the Spirit of Water

You will need:

One Blue Candle

Spellwork:

At twilight, go outside and bathe in the light of the fading sun.  Light your candle and place it in front of you.

Fisting your hands, place them on either side of the candle and say the following incantation:

Here and now, I call the element of Water.  Tranquil and powerful, rippling and deep, abundant resource of life.  I call you here to infuse my intention.  Wash my will in your flow, carry my purpose on your current.  Dewdrop and lake, clarity and storm.  Water, I call you to me.

Open your fists and allow for the spirit of Water to translate through your palms and into your center.

Let the candle burn for five minutes and then blow it out, keeping it when you need it again.

RED CANDLE:  Invoking the Spirit of Fire

You will need:

One Red Candle

Spellwork:

At sunrise, go outside and bathe in the light of the new dawn.  Light your candle and place it in front of you.

Fisting your hands, place them on either side of the candle and say the following incantation:

Here and now, I call the element of Fire.  Heat and flame, passion and love, anger and wildfire.  I call you forth to burn away all that impedes my highest vision and to enact change in the world.  Lightning and hearth, heart and forge.  Fire, I call you to me.

Open your fists and allow for the spirit of fire to translate through your palms and into your center.

Let the candle burn for five minutes and then blow it out, keeping it when you need it again.

[wheatfox-blog]

Ways to get Closer to Your Craft

Open your curtains in the morning and look outside

Always try to stay grounded. Observe life around you

Make a list of the correspondences of certain soaps or other products that you have. Use a product with intent

Draw sigils

Chant in your head

Walk, sit, or lie down outside. Watch the plants dance in the wind and listen to your surroundings

Carry crystals or objects that mean a certain thing to you

Take time for yourself

Smile at strangers and visualize sending positive energy their way

Listen to music that represents your intent

Pick your outfits using colour magic

Light a candle

Do something for your community. By putting good things out, the universe will repay you

Try interpreting a tarot card for each day

Be creative. Find the magic in every day objects

Practice energy work

Meditate

Schedule days to go to the library and research plants, herbs, your religion, etc

Say thank you more often. Even when no one is there

Try to grow some plants

Have tea more often

Go outside!! I cannot stress this enough. Connect to nature. Go barefoot. Dance in the rain. Anything. Just go out

When hiking pick up things that call to you

Pick up trash. Give back to the planet

Take care and time for yourself

Be patient

Remember, its your craft. Do what feels right 🌱

[wheatfox-blog]

💜How to make a lavender wand 💜

These can be used in rituals and on your altar, and they make a great gift. :)

1) first collect an odd number (15) of lavender stocks and try make the length of the flowers match.

2) remove all excess leaves and flowers from the lower part of the stock to create uniformity.

3) get two yards of thin ribbon in any color. Fold the ribbon in half, so that when you tie it onto the flowers at the half way point. Then pinch the bunch under the flowers and tie a slip knot or any knot would work as long as its tight.

4) next hold the bundle upside down pinching the knot. Then make a cage like structure around the flowers by twisting each stock and folding them down gently over the bundle.

5) now that you have it set up you first move one of the stands of ribbon inside the flower bundle under The cage and pull the other out over the top of the cage. With the ribbon that is above the cage you will begin weaving the ribbon over and under each stalk, and continue until you reach the end of the flower cage.

6) now that you reached the end of the cage you will pull out the other ribbon that was under the cage and pull it aside for now. Then with the weaving ribbon you will tie another knot at the bottom keeping the tension of the bundle tight. Now you can wrap the handle of the stalk and once you reached the bottom tie another knot at the bottom of the handle then twist the extra ribbon back up the handle creating a lattice pattern.

7) once you reached the top of the handle again you will use the other half of the ribbon to tie one last knot then a bow at the base of the flower head.

8) now that you have finished making your first lavender wand you can roll the head of the wand between your palms to release the lavender fragrance.

Happy crafting!

Photos by Samantha Piña

[wheatfox-blog]

Litha: A Midsummer Night

Litha, also referred to as Midsummer, occurs at the summer solstice generally around the dates of June 21st and the 22nd. This day marks the longest day of the year where the sun reigns at its peak strength. From here, the power of the sun and therefore the God, begin to wane until his death according to the Wheel of the Year. The Goddess, on the other hand, is full and pregnant with child, her strength building before the harvest of the Earth. With this climax of the strength of the sun, the God as the Oak King is defeated by the Holly King as the world begins to descend into darkness with the last half of the year.

Many people choose to awake before dawn to greet the sun upon this day while lavish and expensive celebrations last until sundown. In ancient times, the Solstice was held to a high esteem where people led torchlight processions and rolled flaming wheels down hillsides. Large bonfires were lit in order to symbolically strengthen the power of the sun. Fire was the chosen element of Midsummer, rightfully so based on the importance of the sun at this time. This element represents transformation and can be attributed to the transformation that occurs at Litha of the Sun God to the Sacrificing God and the Maiden Goddess to her Mother aspect.

The use of fire in the ritual bonfires was very similar to how they were used at Beltane. Farmers would take torches and carry them around their herds or drive their herds between bonfires to prevent disease. People would dance around the bonfires or leap through them as a purification and strengthening process. The wood of choice for these fires was the mighty oak for its strength, will, and steadfastness. It was also symbolic of the defeat of the Oak King by the Holly King for the throne for the latter half of the year. It was said that traditionally, depending on how many bonfires you can see from the hills on this night, you can use these sights for divining events for the future.

Around this point of the year, crops are reaching their full stage of maturity. Wild herbs are also in full bloom as well making it a great time to take out your boline and gather herbs for magickal and medicinal uses. My personal favorite is wild mountain mint! Other traditions include lighting a candle for the entire day of midsummer and performing rituals and spells that are charged by the power of the sun. The best time to conduct these spells and blessings would be at noon at the peak of the sun. Many witches like to create amulets and charms for protection and abundance at this time to be charged for the latter half of the year. This would also be a great time for a witch to conduct the ceremony of Drawing Down the Sun.

Couples at this time are encouraged to renew their vows to each other. Those who were handfasted at Beltane and have endured the trial of a year and a day may wish to make their handfasting permanent. It’s a great time to build relationships and to solidify their status.

Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing,

William Blake, circa 1786

Midsummer is also popularly known as a night where the faeries dance. Many engage in faery magick and provide offerings of milk and honey as friendly gestures of acknowledgement and to garner friendship. However, not all these faeries are considered benign. It is encouraged that before trying to engage with faeries that one do substantial research before this attempt. Some faeries are more malevolent and can be easily offended by the mere fact of trying to view them without their permission. One should use caution when trying to establish a relationship with faeries. Even Tinkerbell tried to kill Wendy.

Midsummer Protection Charm:

What you’ll need:

One Cinnamon Stick

Rosemary Sprig

Basil Sprig

Mugwort Sprig

Gold Ribbon

What to do:

All materials should be present. You may cast a full ritual circle if so desired or a simple salt circle. This charm may be created and charged on the day of Midsummer or created prior and then charged on the day of Midsummer. Take the cinnamon stick and place the rosemary, basil, and mugwort with it. Take as much ribbon as you need (at least a foot in length) and wrap it around the herbs in a spiral pattern to bind the herbs together. As you wrap the ribbon around the charm, you may want to meditate on your desired intent of protection and/or prosperity or you may want to create a chant that resonates with you and your desired goal.

What the herbs represent:

Cinnamon: An herb strongly associated with the sun and masculine properties represents energy, willpower, success, money, prosperity, action, healing, protection, and purification.

Basil: This herb strives on sunlight and shares a close connection to the sun. It represents protection, success, abundance, prosperity, happiness, and love.

Mugwort: Associated with the Fae, this herb represents protection, divination, relaxation, and consecration.

Rosemary: This herb is very versatile and represents many properties such as protection, healing, wisdom, and health.

Litha Correspondences:

Colors: Yellow, Gold, Orange, Green, Blue, Red

Decorations: Honey, Summer Flowers, Herbs, Oak Bark, Candles, Ivy

Foods: Red Wine, Vegetables, Fruits, Cheese, Bread, Pastries, Salads

Animals: Butterfly, Bear, Cattle, Horse, Raven

Stones: Jade, Agate, Pearl, Moonstone, Tiger’s Eye, Amber, Fluorite, Emerald, Lapis Lazuli, Diamond

Herbs & Incense: Lemon, Rose, Pine, Cedar, Frankincense, Myrrh, Oak, Mugwort, Chamomile, Lavender, Sage, Heather, Yarrow, Thyme, Elder Flowers, Basil, Mint, Rowan

Gods: Thor, Zeus, Ra, Apollo, Cernunnos, Baldur, Jupiter, Lugh, Sol

Goddesses: Brighid, Freya, Hera, Hestia, Vesta, Venus, Gaia, Danu, Isis, Ishtar, Astarte, Bast, Flora

Spellwork: Romance, Love, Protection, Divination, Faery Magick, Transformation, Strength, Confidence, Desire, Willpower, Fertility

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stoenr’s VEHICLE PROTECTION sachet

 a sachet to protect the car and driver during travel.

stoenr’s spells

you need:

a light blue or yellow sachet or drawstring bag

rock salt - general protection

coffee grounds - concentration & protection

herbs:

rosemary - protection

mint (i used a teabag because i didn’t have any dried) - luck while driving & protection

crystals:

moonstone - “traveller’s stone”

chalcedony - accident protection

black tourmaline - general protection

amethyst - repel accidents, calm nerves, aid motion sickness

carnelian - aid driver’s concentration

jasper - protection/concentration

process

1. layer the coffee grounds, salt, and dried herbs in the sachet

2. add the stones one by one, focusing on their induvidual purpose

3. tie off the bag and hang/hide in vehicle