witch-by-the-trees

[witch-by-the-trees]

— "The Dionysian Fifth House" by Maeg Keane (emphasis added)

[witch-by-the-trees]

Good Practices for Grieving Witches

Grief sucks. It’s weird, it’s exhausting, and it never looks the way you expect. One minute, you’re crying into your tea, and the next, you’re furious at the universe. It could be anticipatory grief (I see you), grief over death, grief over a society we're losing, or anything else. Someone/something doesn't have to die for you to grieve. If you're a witch dealing with grief (or just a person, honestly), here are some things that might help:

🔮 For the “I have no energy” grief – Light a candle. That’s it. No elaborate rituals, no full moon graveyard walks. Just light a candle, maybe whisper their name, and let that be enough. If even that’s too much? Sleep. Spirits know how to wait.

🔥 For the “I’m so fucking mad” grief – Channel it. Burn shit (safely). Scream at the sky. Write down every angry thought, then tear it up or toss it into running water. Grief is messy, and magic doesn’t have to be polite.

🌿 For the “I just wanna feel close to them” grief – Make a little spot for them, if that feels right. A photo, a trinket, their favorite snack. Talk to them, even if it feels weird. Signs can be subtle, but sometimes they’re loud as hell.

🌊 For the “everything hurts and I need comfort” grief – Water is your best friend. Drink it, bathe in it, cry in it, leave an offering in it. Emotions move like water—let them flow instead of bottling them up.

Grief is a long, stupid road, but you’re walking it. However you get through it—whether you’re lighting a candle, throwing hands at the sky, or just taking a deep breath—it’s enough.

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beginning my new moon rituals on the bus because I stayed at my boyfriend's house three hours longer than intended.... chaos something.

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Little ways to connect with your Tarot cards 🔮✨

When you have a new deck or are trying to reconnect with the craft, your tarot deck might feel a bit off. This could be because you haven’t formed a strong connection with it yet. So here’s a lil list of things you can do to bond with your cards—these have helped me a lot!

Place them under your pillow at night

Carry them with you in your bag - i like taking it with me everytime i go out, even if it's a short walk around the neighbourhood

Draw a card every morning asking them about the energy for the day

Pick a card that resonates with what you want to manifest and keep it with you. I personally like to put mine in my phone case, where I can see it often.

Meditate with the deck in your hands

Cleanse them regularly

Give it a special place - store it in a pouch, box or your altar to show it respect

Do a “get to know your deck” spread – ask questions like: "what kind of energy do you have?" or "how can we work best together?"

Pair your deck with music - try shuffling while listening your favorite songs

Hope this helps 🍃

[witch-by-the-trees]

One of the big breakthroughs that both Lord Lucifer and Lord Hermes have really helped me understand is the idea of sensing energy in objects.

So often we talk about sensing and observing energy, but to beginners, our vague descriptions can be confusing or miss the point entirely.

When we talk about sensing energy in objects, people, crystals for example, remember that we’re not searching for some hypothetical mystical thing that “only REAL witches can see”. Every single person is capable of observing energy.

Lord Lucifer really helped me understand that energy is not just this mystical imaginary thing that we’re trying to tap into. You are very used to observing energy, you are already a pro at it.

Light, sound, touch, texture, solidity, surface tension, color, yes, all of these things are also energy, information. So many times I have seen practitioners in crystal shops waving their hands around the rocks, feeling them in their hands, staring into them deeply, even putting them to their ears, and I always thought “WHAT is it that they are sensing that I am not sensing?”

It wasn’t until I found myself in a crystal shop waving my hands above the crystals to feel which ones felt like they were radiating heat that it clicked for me. When Lord Hermes tells me to feel the crystal in my hand, he’s being very literal. When he asks me why this crystal is reflective, he is asking me why light interacts with this object the way it does. What does this tell me about the structure of this object? This feedback that my body is telling me is not just mundane, it is inherently telling me vital information about the object and it’s composition. These are universal truths.

Why do I see pink inside the quartz structure of a rose quartz? Why does angel aura reflect rainbows the way it does, why is obsidian shiny and onyx matte? Why is Sapphire a different shade than Opal and why is Opal different than Opallite? What makes all of these things different than lavender and water? Why are these things different from fire and sand?

What you are seeing in the mundane is not just an object. You are seeing a reflection of its attributes, quite literally. You are also hearing, feeling, even tasting these things as well. Sensing energy, feeling the vibration of a crystal, is not this talent that some people just have. You have it too, you just have to learn how to make sense of the information you’re already receiving. Those witches that seem so experienced aren’t waving their hands around the crystals because it looks aesthetically pleasing. They are actively trying to understand the structure of the object and how that relates to its energy.

Good magic takes root from good observation. I can feel that my friend is troubled, perhaps because of the vibes their ethereal aura is emitting, sure. But also because their quietness can be observed across multiple spectrums, through their appearance, through the rhythm of their breathing. My subconscious brain understands all of the billion subtle cues a body can produce before I can. I trust it.

When I approach my friend and say “hey, your hair actually looks great” and they go “wow! really? How did you know I was nervous about that?” , I might reply saying that I sensed it. What I actually mean is that I saw it, I heard it, I felt it on my skin, all at the same time. And before I even understood all of these things individually, I knew that her vibe was somewhat off. I don’t need mystical powers to understand that. Everything from the sweat on your brow to the sound of your voice is an energy and vibration. The way your hair falls tells me how damp your scalp is. The way your face looks indicates to me how you tongue is sitting in your mouth. All of these things I can sense, not through super powers, but through the basic information that is also available to you.

My friends constantly tease me and say that I can “read minds” because I constantly finish people’s sentences or know what they want to tell me before they can even form the words.

“how did you even know to ask me that?”

“woah wait I haven’t even told you that yet”

Im a terrible person to buy gifts for because I know what everyone is going to get me before they can buy it. Am I a mind reader? Do I have superpowers? Probably not. I have simply gotten so used to interpreting subconscious information that I’m just a little bit quicker than usual. I see someone’s gaze shift, I see their forehead wrinkle which implies that they are about to speak. I see their arm subtly move in a direction, I see in their eyes that they want something. We’re standing in the hallway. Yes I can close the door, no problem. How did I know you were gonna ask me that? For the same reason I know that amethyst heals. Energy reveals itself through context.

edit: Lucifer gets real quantum with this idea. There’s a concept that dark matter- which is matter that does not interact with light- still affects matter, and therefore what cannot be seen can still be revealed in what can be seen. Coming to intuitive insights means access the ability to see what is hidden, to have prophecies and all that jazz. These effects are subtle, so you have to focus, but they can be seen.

Obsidian is not just protection because it has some innate fantasy quality that is only found in obsidian. Your brain understands black obsidian as black and sharp for a reason. That translates both literally and symbolically.

You’re reading right now, right? You see squiggles on a screen and yet you completely understand these concepts I’m presenting. A whole message has been communicated to you through nothing more than lines and squiggles. This form of transferring information is not limited to words. This thing that you’re doing right now occurs every single time you observe anything. A whole message, understanding and idea is communicated through the texture of Labradorite in the same way that it is in this post.

The next time you try to feel a vibe or energy, don’t just try to feel with your soul. That is a super important step, yes, but also make sense of the information your brain is already great at interpreting. In fact, I’d argue that as soon as you stop thinking of magic as this fantasy thing that some people just have, your abilities will absolutely explode.

[witch-by-the-trees]

[witch-by-the-trees]

the trees you grew up with have not forgotten you. their branches still whisper your name in the breeze and their roots remember the paths your feet once traced through their shade.

[witch-by-the-trees]

*whispers* (I’m whispering because it’s very important that we keep this very low key)

hey, you know that ancient grimoire you’ve been searching for but can’t get shipped to your country, is probably on Anna’s Archives. Yeah… you could download it for free… pretty much any text you can think of regardless of how old it is, it’s probably on there… give it a little searchy search and you’ll probably find the entire book for free… just saying.

Having a hard copy is always nice. But when I’m trying to figure out if a grimoire is worth dumping money on… it’s always nice to have a little free trial,…

just saying ….

[witch-by-the-trees]

Some little things I've learned over a decade of witchcraft:

If you are feel called to work but are tired/drained, sit outside. Take in all the energies around you. Nature can help charge you

Every witch does a little bit of a bunch of types of magic but sticks mainly to one or two in general. You usually won't be eclectic forever. You'll find what magics work best with you.

Never be lazy or cut corners with spirits. Always be respectful and always tell them to leave when you're done

When you see a plant or ingredient with a long list of properties, there are different things at play. Season of collection, the part of the plant, the health of the plant, etc all play a role in impacting which properties it will carry.

Don't call on spirits unless you have confidence and control

Be careful with sea/water magic. Get into it gently and slowly until you have the energy figured out because it can get out of hand quickly.

Adding a little pinch of magic into your breakfast can make a major difference in your day.

Your personal emotions/feelings over something will impact a work

Planting some plants is good, not only to have a garden, but the dirt helps cleanse you too. Get all dirty and muddy. It's good for ya

Not all trees are nice

The more you listen to your intuition, the easier it will be to tell it apart from your anxieties and worries

Incense is very easy to make which is why it's usually cheap to buy. But you can find a million tutorials online on how to make your own personal incense which is great if you want a spell to take effect over a while but also want to infuse the fire energy in it.

The more you work with something the better feel you get for it. Cinnamon goes in almost everything i cook and most of my spells because me and cinnamon just get right along

Your path is yours and no one else's. It will look like yours and no one else's

[witch-by-the-trees]

embroidered a protective sigil onto my schoolbag tonight and I have a newfound confidence for surviving these rough upcoming weeks now. hells yeahs

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my practice anniversary is coming up and that means my yearly magickal awakening that will last until my next burnout

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Please, spread this for those who might need it right now

U.S. suicide hotline: call or text 988 (available 24 hours)

U.S. trans lifeline: (877) 565-8860 (when you call, you’ll speak to a trans/nonbinary peer operator. full anonymity and confidentiality)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) – provides 24/7 confidential support and referrals for individuals and families facing mental health and substance use disorders, including panic attacks and anxiety.

LGBT National Help Center: (888) 843-4564

Trevor Project: Call (866) 488-7386, text START to 678-678, or chat online.

Take care of yourself and each other. Please stay safe ♡

[witch-by-the-trees]

😭😭

[witch-by-the-trees]

When people say, “nature is my religion” are they talking about flies that feed on shit, maggots in decomposing corpses, lionesses with stained teeth and mouths full of blood? Are they talking about floods and fires and things from which we should always run? Are they talking about carcasses, rot, death?

Or do they just mean “this particular copse of benign trees is my religion”

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"photoshop/makeup culture is giving people unrealistic ideas about what normal skin looks like" yes i agree BUT: no one is doing it worse than the dark far side of the moon