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A WITCH’S COZY BUTTERNUT WINTER SOUP

This soup is sooooo good! It really puts me in the spirit for yule, and the ending of fall, into the transition of winter. Stir in a clockwise motion to bring cozy vibes into your houses atmosphere and dance to some winter songs to release stagnate energy from a days hard work! P.S. Yule Log Cake recipe coming up in a few day so look out for that !

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash

1 large yellow onion

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 red pepper

2 cloves garlic

Salt and Pepper

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 sweet potato

3 cups chicken stock 

Sprigs of thyme and rosemary

2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F. Cut your butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeded part. Do the same for your red pepper and sweet potato. Brush with olive oil and season with the spices listed above. Bake for 1 ½ hours. 

2. In a deep large pot, cook your onions and garlic until fragrant and translucent. Transfer that into a large food blender and add your tomatoes, pepper, flesh of your butternut squash and the insides of your sweet potato. Blend until very smooth and transfer back into the pot.

3. Add more seasoning to taste, chicken stock, and your sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn it down to a lower heat, cover, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. 

4. Serve with grated parmesan, toasted bread, and laddle into bowls. Enjoy!

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Any of my fellow witches pouring their craft into... well.. crafts? I’ve recently taken to soap making! This is my delicious goats milk, oat and honey soap. 😊

Crafting is how I love to practice these days. Channeling intentions and mixing potions that end up as self care items. What are you working on?

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A well worded brief to new and even old witches. ♥️

Some basic things to understand about Witchcraft

I’ve started this blog to talk about - what else - witchcraft. I’ve been practicing for four years now, and have since been learning and navigating my craft. I wouldn’t say I’m a baby witch, but I am certainly less experienced when in comparison to other witches who’ve been practicing much longer than I have. 

Part of the reason I started this blog is because I wanted to educate others whilst also educating myself. I like to learn through conversation and putting ideas and thoughts out there. In this post I’m going to be talking about just a few basics of witchcraft, and what I feel is important to know if you are just getting started and still figuring your craft out. 

And just know that these are simply just my thoughts and opinions, and that I will not be claiming anything here to be fact. Without further ado, here I go.

1. No two witches are exactly alike

Every witch is different. While you may find some witches who are very similar in their practices and/or beliefs, you need to understand that every witch is unique. There are many, many different ways to practice the craft, and people from all walks of life and religions are witches. It’s important to remember that everyone’s journey through the craft is different, and that you should never criticize another witch for their beliefs or the way they practice their craft. (I will probably go over the different kinds of witches in another post).

2. There is no ‘right’ way into becoming a witch

This sort of ties into the my first point on this list. Like I said, every witch is different, meaning that they all have different ways they have navigated their witchcraft path, and how they became witches all vary. This is something I have seen a lot of debate on. I’ve seen multiple people trying to say that you have to follow a specific series of steps in order to be recognized as a witch. This is something I honestly had a really hard time with when I first got started back when I was sixteen. We need to let people understand that there is no one single way someone can become a witch. Speaking of which…

3. Anybody can be a witch

Alright, this is something that I really think needs to be said. Something I’ve seen fairly often in the witchcraft community is gatekeeping. ‘Gatekeeping’, as it is used today online, is when you have either one person or a group of people taking it upon themselves to decide who or who doesn’t deserve to be a part of a community. This is something I have unfortunately seen happening among some parts of the witchcraft community, whether it be on tumblr, Facebook, YouTube, etc. 

These are the people who seem to believe that you need to have a specific set of traits or interests in order to be a witch. Such things include; a deep interest in the moon and stars, being very emotional, loving nature, being into astrology, having an affinity for crystals, etc. You want to know what makes you a witch? Practicing witchcraft. That’s it. That’s all you have to do to be a witch. Given this, literally anybody can be a witch. 

4. Study hard and be patient

I cannot stress this enough! In order to understand anything, you need to study up on it. And with witchcraft, there is a LOT to study about. There are different kinds of witches, magickal practices, pantheons, beliefs, herbs and crystals you can use, spells, and so, so much more. And remember to take your time with studying. There is no rush, and you can’t expect to learn everything there is to know overnight. I’ve been practicing for four years, and I’m still learning more about the craft. There are witches out there who have been practicing for decades, and even they are still learning new things. 

Learning the craft takes a lot of time and patience, so don’t get frustrated when you aren’t picking up on things right away.

5. Be careful!

This is another thing I cannot stress enough. It can be really exciting when you first get stared on your path, but it’s important to approach with a sense of caution. Don’t just run into things. Especially if you are working with ghosts, spirits, deities, or hexes. There are so many things that can go wrong. Which is why I wouldn’t go trying to work with those particular practices until I’ve done plenty of studying and reading so that I know I’m doing things right. I feel like almost every negative story I’ve heard or seen in the media connected to witchcraft is more often than not the result of someone running head first into something they didn’t quite yet understand. Please, please, PLEASE be careful!

6. Have an altar (or a designated space to practice)

Okay, this is probably more of a personal idea here, but I still think it’s pretty important. A witches altar is where they do most of their spellwork and often keep their tools. And for religious/pagan witches, it’s where they worship their respective deities. Overall it is a space for you to practice your craft, hone your skills, and meditate. I think it’s important that every witch has an altar, a space for them to meditate and practice their craft. And your altar doesn’t have to be in one stationary place. Some witches have small, portable altars. And other’s who have their own altars at home have different ways to set theirs up. I personally don’t think there is any one right way to set up an altar. (And I may very well find myself making a post on altars in the future).

And there you have it. The basic things that every baby witch should know before starting witchcraft, or when they are just barely figuring out their path. If anyone else has any other ideas, please feel free to reblog and add on. 

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Rose Sugar:

I made rose sugar yesterday and it smells amazing! I am planning on using it for tea and tea spells. The sugar reflects the pink of the petals and the entire jar is almost glowing pink ^-^

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During some of my free time lately I’ve taken up beading. I started with crystal bracelets and eventually moved on to meditation/mindfulness beads aka a mala/japamala depending on your spiritual path and use.

This one is a combination of a gradient of blue crystals from sky to pale white blue that resonate with me. I also added a slide knot so when I’m wrapping it around my wrist I can lengthen it and tighten it without stretching the knots out.

Maybe I should open an Etsy one of these days. 🖤 What kinds of crafts are you finding soothing lately?

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My parsley just became big enough to look like parsley! It is amazing how much a plant can change overnight. Yesterday, they were indistinguishable little seedlings.

The-Wiccans-Glossary

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Witchy Tip: Glamours For Men

Whenever I see glamour spells, they’re usually in regards to makeup or feminine maintenance. This isn’t a bad thing - those spells are wonderful, and I love reading them (especially given the fact that I see them as being useful for myself at times). But often I find that there’s a bit of a lack of glamour spells for men.

I’m talking about glamour spells for shaving, for cologne, and the like. And while this is a tip and meant to be brief, I wanted to put a few out for my male followers who want to keep up a masculine appearance, but want to work a little magic into their daily routines!

Shaving: Depending upon your shaving method, there are plenty of ways to work in glamours. I personally use a safety razor and shaving soap (you know, the old-fashioned kind with the ceramic dish and solid soap bar inside that you froth up with water and a hog-hair brush). If you use this method, choose scents that you associate with that which you want to bring into your life (patchouli for enhancing masculine fertility, dragon’s blood for strength, et cetera). If the type of soap you buy has scented options, this is a great way to work it in. If not, be careful to check and see if it is safe to work essential oils into your lather. (It is important to use safe oils and in small amounts, as shaving causes micro-abrasions on the skin; if it is not a safe oil, or you’re using too much of it, it will cause the skin to dry out.)

A similar method can be applied to other lathers and creams, though these often come with plenty of scents.

Working sigils into makeup is a frequent form of glamour spell, and shaving can incorporate this as well. With a small amount of the lather, you can draw the sigil onto your skin before spreading it out - spread the lather out in clockwise circular motions while visualizing and focusing your intent into your skin and lather.

Shaving can also be a spell unto itself - the scraping away of negative traits or energy. As you shave away your hair, visualize the negative energies or negative traits coming up off of your skin and being removed from your body.

And I should point out that these shaving tips apply not only to the face, but to wherever you are shaving. That said, if you’re “manscaping,” I would recommend against using the oils unless you’re absolutely certain that they’re safe, and recommend choosing scents and sigils for increasing potency, male sexual energy, et cetera.

Colognes: As I get into this, I want to make a huge point here. Guys, whether you’re into other men, into women, or into the whole spectrum, scent has no gender. What can often be universally agreed is that some body sprays simply aren’t appealing. First step to scent-based glamour spells is to avoid scents that make you smell like the inside of a middle school (or even high school) locker room after PE or a football game. For the majority of ladies and men, that’s just not an appealing scent (and sprays are often more damaging to your environment than is immediately realized). 

That said, deodorants and colognes are a great way to work some glamour into your daily routine. Select scents that you associate with your goal. If you’re using a stick deodorant, you can mark a sigil on the bottom of the container, or you can take a moment to hold the deodorant in your hand and empower it with your intent. The same can be done with colognes and perfumes (yes, perfumes… again, scent has no gender). Floral and fruity scents can work wonders, so choose floral or fruity scents associated with your intention.

Skin and Hair Care: It is important to remember that while society on the whole doesn’t seem to focus much on male skin and hair care, it is still vitally important. Using moisturizers is beneficial, and sigils and the like can be worked into your skin - scents add further benefits for this. As you wash and moisturize, again use your intentions and energy to confer those intentions into your spell.

Though for the most part, shorter hairstyles are the norm for men, that isn’t to say that glamours can’t be incorporated. Sigils on your products, empowering your shampoos and pomade, rinsing your hair with essential oils. All of these can be done to further reinforce your glamours. 

Clothing and Accessories: Whether you wear jewelry or not, this is still an option for men. If you wear jewelry, you can empower your accessories with your intention. Clothing can be marked with sigils on the tags, or washed with appropriate oils. Anything that works with your appearance can be incorporated into a glamour spell!

Last point I want to make is that glamour spells unto themselves are gender neutral. If there’s any take away I want there to be with this witchy tip, it’s that everyone can be beautiful/handsome and can incorporate magic into their routine to add to that. Confidence and humility are sexy, and by embracing your personal style and adding your own magical flair, you can further empower these aspects into your life!

Blessed Be, and Hugs to All! )O(

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Hello my fellow Witches / curious lurkers. I’d like to share a little goodness to soothe the spirit during stressful times. Enjoy a cold delicious glass of *Not just for Witches, Strawberry Lemonade. Share with anyone who may need some brightening of their day.

Ingredients...

4 Lemons

3 1/2 Cups of halved strawberries

7 Cups of Water

1/2 Cup Honey

3/4 Cup Sugar (To Taste)

Basil Leaves / Mint Garnish

Directions:

Wash and Cut Strawberries, set aside. Cut lemons in half and juice.

In a medium pot mix 2 cups of water, the sugar and honey on low medium heat for until everything is well mixed (about 2-4mins).

Blend strawberries until chunky, then add sugar water mixture and lemon juice and blend until purée / desired texture.

Add mix to pitcher and stir in remaining 5 cups of water until combined.

Serve with Basil or Mint garnish if desired.

Adding some Magick:

You can add a dash of your craft to make this recipe your own. Use fresh moonwater in place of tap to set intentions into the drink. Grow your own mint or basil and work a little green witchcraft into your serving. Where possible I like to use rain moonwater - but be mindful that rain is dirty. I treat mine with a filter and a UVC light before consuming rainwater.

Please share your own photos / recipie modifications! I’d love to see!

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay strong. 🖤🌙

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How To Ease Yourself Back Into Witchcraft After Not Practicing In a While

1) Meditate every day, for at least five minutes

2) Do a daily tarot or oracle reading

3) Clean off your altar

4) Work on your Grimoire (or start one if you don’t have one yet!)

5) Connect with other witches on social media

6) Take a nature walk

7) Make some crafts

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the garden collection // colors organized neatly

emily blincoe (prints here)

august 2013

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The Magical World Of Australian Mushrooms By Steve Axford