MAGICK 101: The Principles Of Magick

Energy Work 101: Basic Shielding

"Shielding" is an energy work technique that puts a protective sphere of energy around you. This technique is basic at its core, but can be continually evolved and upgraded to become very advanced and powerful indeed.

Concepts & Theory

Most all shields are spherical or egg-shaped.

Shields are often sized to be an outstretched arm's length away from your body, plus a foot (30cm) or so extra all around. You can make them any size you like. Because they are made of energy, the bigger they are, the more energy they take.

Shields fade away. Depending on how stable they are when you make them, they may fade within hours or days.

Shields can and will affect your mood and how people perceive you.

It is a good idea to practice dismantling/undoing shields as often as you practice creating them.

While the most basic shield is a bubble of white light, they can be endlessly modified.

You can have more than one shield at once. They can be stacked concentrically. Think about which shields you want to be closer to you and which you want on the outside next to others.

One of the most useful ways to modify a shield is to specifically choose what kinds of energies you want to bet let in, and what kinds you want to keep out.

The basic technique used for energy shielding can also be used for other techniques such as glamours, energy cleansing, object charging, and some forms self-care. Because of this, shielding is a good place to start practicing practical energy work.

Shielding is a cousin of aura-imprinting. The technique I am talking about here puts a bubble of energy on the outside of your aura. Aura-imprinting/strengthening techniques refer to changing your aura itself.

Methods of Shield-Raising

There are as many methods to accomplish shielding as there are people. Here are a couple:

1. Make one hand into a fist and place it over your heart. Place your other palm on top of it. Gently push down on your chest to create pressure - not so much that it hurts. Imagine, feel, believe, or know that within your chest is a wellspring of energy. This energy pools around your fist as you create pressure there. When you are ready, move your fist away from your body (experiment with both fast and slow motions). Imagine, feel, believe, or know that an energy sphere grows from that place in your chest and expands until it surrounds you. It stops expanding about a foot away from your outstretched arms.

2. Breathe in. As you breathe in, consider that you are pulling pure energy out of the air and into your body. Hold your breath for a beat and decide that when you exhale, that pure energy is going to start forming a sphere around your body. As you exhale, imagine, feel, believe, intend, or know that this energy flows around you to start forming an energy shell. Continue breathing in and out with intent until you can easily imagine, feel, or believe that the shell has become solid and complete.

3. Consider a pop-culture method that a character uses to shield themselves. Steven Universe can do that rose quartz thing, for example. Or, imagine Captain Picard of Star Trek saying, "shields up!" and the Enterprise being surrounded by powerful protective energy. Copying a pop-culture technique can be extremely effective for shielding. Put your intent towards causing real power to flow, and let culture be your guide.

4. Consider that your body is permanently connected to your environment and there is always free energy exchange passing between you and the world around you. This process is automatic, but like your breath, you have the ability to take control of this process if you so choose. Feel the parts of you making contact with the world below (your feet, or bottoms of your legs if you are sitting). Decide, intend, choose, or will that the energy passing into your body at those points will instead rise up and surround you in a shield. You may need to actively stay with this process and continually will it to occur; with practice you may need to only check in every now and then.

A Method of Shield-Dissolving

1. Consider that you have placed energy around yourself which exists there whether or not you can feel it. Decide, intend, choose, or will that this energy breaks up and dissolves. You get to choose what to do with the energy. Options include:

Drawing it back into yourself

Pushing it down into the earth

Releasing it into the air around you

Would you like to do a fun experiment? Release the energy into the air around you in a closed room with no open doors or windows :)

Consider drawing energy back into yourself until you feel your storage containers are full, then pushing the rest of it downwards and into the earth.

Basic Shield Programming

For practice in raising and putting down energy, the form or shape your shield takes doesn't really matter. If you need to know what form it will take in order to complete the exercise, the most basic shield is considered to be a smooth bubble of white light; you can choose to practice with any form you like.

Programming a shield basically means to choose its effects. Common effects include limiting emotional intake from others, and blocking out environmental energy.

Form should follow function. If you want an energy shield to totally completely block out 100 of environmental energies, its form may take an opaque, solid black orb. If you want the shield to limit some energies but not others, it may take the form of a chain-link fence, be semi-opaque, or be like vines with gaps-inbetween them.

Experimenting with what forms work best for you is worthwhile. You do not necessarily need to choose a specific form: simply putting willpower behind your intent will also suffice.

Two Methods of Programming

I recommend trying the first technique for initially creating the shield, and the second technique for making adjustments once it exists.

1. Choose the intent of your shield before you even begin making it. As you begin gathering power, hold your intent in the forefront of your mind. Understand, believe, or know that the shield will not be created in general, but that it will be created within the specifications of your intent, like pancake batter poured into a cookie cutter mold. Hold your intent at the forefront of your mind while energy is gathered and released into the shield. (This is what you're doing automatically if you choose a pop culture technique with specific shield purpose and form)

2. Create a general/basic shield in any way you prefer. Observe, believe, feel, understand, or know that this basic shield is under your control and will respond to your intent. Select an intent. Pour your intent into the existing shield. This may be done through the vehicle of the breath, hand symbols, eye gazes, chanting, or any desired method. Observe, believe, feel, understand, or know that the shield responds to your will like a pond rippling when a rock is thrown in. Maintain your focus until you sense the work is complete, or until you're tired or bored.

Vulture culture supplies:

For anyone who’s thinking about getting into it

Collecting:

*Ziploc bags/grocery bags/boxes/buckets

**Gloves

**Hand sanitizer

Preparing for maceration:

*Knife/scalpel

**Tweezers

*Gloves

*Papertowels/newspaper

**Rubbing alcohol/alcohol wipes/lysol wipes

Maceration:

Container with lid

Water

**Hydrogen peroxide

OR

dirt

**containment area

Degreasing:

Dish soap

OR

Ammonia

Wet preservation:

Ethanol

An airtight container

Dry preservation:

*Newspaper/papertowels

X-Acto knife/box cutter/scalpel

*Wire cutters/pliers

cornmeal/rocksalt/borax

Cardboard box with lid

**Hacksaw

*Protective gloves 

Some Modifying bone tools:

Elmers/super glue

Bone saw (the SOG F11BN-CP Wood & Bone Folding Saw has been recommended)

Sandpaper

Paraloid b72 (for sealing bone)

Respirator (don’t breathe in bone dust)(the GVS SPR457 Elipse P100 Half Mask Respirator has been recommended)

Some other helpful tools to have around:

Paintbrushes

Toothbrushes

Q-tips

Toothpicks

*semi optional (definitely recommended)

**optional

Please add anything I’m missing, and I don’t know much about tanning or diaphonization, anyone can chime in if they want!

Hellenic Resources Masterpost {Last Updated 11.28.15}

Hey guys! :D I answered a bunch of questions regarding Hellenic deities, so I thought I would make a post linking to them all ^_^ 

Beginner Help

How Do I Know When A Deity is Interested in Me? What if they Aren’t?

Tips on Getting Started

How to Introduce Yourself

What’s hair wrapping/veiling, and why is it something some Hellenic Polytheists do? 

How did you personally begin worshiping your deities? Do you have any tips regarding some of them?

How can I connect to a god/goddess that I am beginning to worship?

How Can I Do Rituals When I Live in a Loud Home?

How can I worship deities if I am a secret polytheist? (includes advice specifically for Athena and Artemis as well) 

I’m having a hard time getting my words out to introduce myself to the deity I want to worship. Have any tips?

Sacred Locations for the Main Twelve Olympians

How Can I Discover My Religion/Deities?

I’m Anxious About Introducing Myself. Any Tips?

Playlists I’ve Made So Far

Offerings/Devotion

Do you know of any offerings that would work for almost any deity?

Can I throw away offerings that aren’t nature-friendly? If so, how can I do that respectfully? 

How can I learn to write poetry that I can give to the gods as offerings?

How can I give offerings without burning them? 

Types of Books to Read to the Gods

Do I have to Read Aloud When Reading to my Deities?

I Told Someone That I am a Hellenic Polytheist and They Aren’t Taking it Seriously.

What Are Some Ways I Can Show my Devotion?

How Can I pay More Attention to my Deity?

How did you know your deity asked you to do Hairbinding/veiling? 

DIY Devotional Prayer Beads

Epithets of the Gods 

General Offerings

How Do You Use Prayer Beads?

DIY Freeverse Devotional Poem

How I Make Offerings At Lunch

Shrines/Altars

I want to maintain an altar, but I don’t have a lot of space. Do you have any ideas?

How do you maintain an altar in secret?

How can I use my body as a shrine?

Autumn Shrine Decor

Receiving Sings/Communication

What Are Some Steps I Should Take to Communicate With a Deity?

How can I communicate with Deities?

How Do You Scry To Communicate With a Deity?

~Specific Deities ~

Aphrodite

I’m depressed. Can I still work with Aphrodite? & How can I know what god/goddess is trying to get my attention if I am bad at picking up on signs?

I have self-harm scars. Will Aphrodite be displeased by me? Can I still use my body as an altar?

How should I make an altar to Aphrodite/make an altar for any deity?

Offering Ideas, Shrine Ideas, and Resources for Athena and Aphrodite

Aphrodite Devotional Day Ideas

Aphrodite Walking Shrine Ideas

Aphrodite Offering Ideas

Connecting During Everyday Tasks 

Apollo

Offerings for Apollo and Selene, altar ideas, and resources

Apollo Masterpost

Apollo Walking Shrine Ideas

Apollo Worship/Tips for New Worshippers

Connecting During Everyday Tasks

Ares

Offerings for Ares and Morpheus and resources

Ares and Hermes Walking Shrine Ideas

Artemis

Is there a difference between Selene and Artemis?

Altar ideas and resources for Artemis

To Anyone Interested in Artemis, read this tip from an Anon :)

Artemis Links

Walking Shrine Ideas for Artemis

Morning Worship Ideas for Persephone and Artemis (Separated)

Small Ways to Connect

Athena

Offering Ideas, Shrine Ideas, and Resources for Athena and Aphrodite

Body Altar Ideas for Athena

Devotion Ritual

Small Ways to Connect

Ananke/Morai

Do you Have Any Ideas on How to Honour Ananke or the Moirai?

Tips for Beginning Work With the Moiria

Demeter

How can I approach Demeter?

Demeter Resources

Small Ways to Connect

Dionysus

Cheap and Discreet Shrine Ideas for Hades/Persephone and Dionysus

Eos

How should I worship Eos?

Gaia

Gaia Shrine Ideas

Resources

Hades

Secret shrine to Persephone and Hades

Hades Tea Offering Ideas

How can I introduce myself to Hades and Persephone?

How can I use my body as an altar to Hades & Persephone?

Hades/Persephone Masterpost

Do I Have to Introduce Myself to Hades Before Becoming a Devotee?

Cheap and Discreet Shrine Ideas for Hades/Persephone and Dionysus

Is Hades the Devil?

Tips for Incoming Worshipers

Shrine Ideas

Tips For New Worshipers II

Worship Dates/Festivals

Small Ways to Connect

Devotion Ritual for Hades and Persephone

Hecate

Hecate Resources

Hecate Shrine ideas and Resources

More Hecate Resources

How Can I Worship Hecate?

Hera

Hera Resources and Shrine Ideas

Small Ways to Connect

Hermes

What are some arcane-ish symbols/things Hermes is related to?

Ares and Hermes Walking Shrine Ideas

Connecting During Everyday Tasks

Hestia

Hestia Offerings, Resources, and Shrine Ideas

Hestia Worship

Resources

Connecting During Everyday Tasks

Morpheus

Offerings for Ares and Morpheus and resources

Small Ways to Connect

Nyx

Nyx Resources

Shrine Ideas for Nyx

Nyx Worship Ideas

Nyx Walking Shrine Ideas

Offering Ideas

Pan

Pan Offerings and Resources

Persephone

Can you tell me about Persephone? How should I introduce myself to her?

What should I put on my altar to Persephone?

Secret shrine to Persephone and Hades

How can I introduce myself to Hades and Persephone?

How can I use my body as an altar to Hades & Persephone?

Hades/Persephone Masterpost

Cheap and Discreet Shrine Ideas for Hades/Persephone and Dionysus

How Can I Worship Persephone in Everyday Life?

Tips for Incoming Worshipers

Morning Worship Ideas for Persephone and Artemis (Separated)

Small Ways to Connect

Devotion Ritual for Hades and Persephone

Poseidon

Poseidon resources, acts of devotion, shrine ideas, etc.

Small Way to Connect

Selene

Is there a difference between Selene and Artemis?

Offerings for Apollo and Selene, altar ideas, and resources

Zeus

I want to begin working with Zeus. How should I get started, and what are some tips or pointers you have?

Cheap and Discreet Shrine Ideas for Zeus

Devotional Acts for Zeus

I Want to Connect With Zeus. Any Advice or Tips?

Some Zeus Resources and Worship Ideas

Zeus Masterpost

Walking Shrine Ideas for Zeus

Small Ways to Connect

~ Tips for Hellenic Polytheist Who Have No Money ~ By: Me, a Hellenic Polytheist With No Money

Offerings

Shrine Decor

My Take on the Underworld/Afterlife **Opinion and Personal Research**

Elysium/Getting There

Fields of Asphodel

Resources

Recreating Hairstyles { Soloontherocks }

What’s Miasma? { Royalautumnfrost }

How Can Men Veil/How Was it Done in Ancient Greece? { songbirdspells }

Good Websites to Learn About the Gods { shipping-the-gods }

Introduction to the Underworld { Waterspeak }

Hellenic Terminology Page { baringtheaegis }

Honouring the Nymphai { Bayoread }

Sacred Animals of the Gods  { thewhisperingmountain }

What Even is Hellenic Polytheism? What are Some Good Links to Read When First Getting Started? { Royalautumnfrost }

How to Make a Libation { Bayoread }

Do the Gods Always Respond? What Does it Mean When A Bond I have Already Formed Doesn’t Seem to Be Active Suddenly? { Pomegranateandivy }

More About Getting Started { thepaganstudygrouppage }

Hellenic Veiling Ideas/Tutorials/Inspiration {Shipping-the-gods }

Fasting Tips { baringtheaegis }

Masterpost of Pagan E-Shrines { Hellenicappalachia }

Ritual in Hellenismos { @mythologyrules​ }

Pillars of Hellenismos   { @mythologyrules​ }

Pillars of Hellenismos { @soloontherocks }

Finding Your Ritual Calendar { @hearthfirehandworks​ }

How to Make an Offering { Bayoread }

Building Your Worship { @pomegranateandivy​ }

Pomegranateandivy’s Hellenic FAQ { @pomegranateandivy​ }

How to Write a Prayer { @hearthfirehandworks​ }

Basic Homesteading Skills

Crafts

quilting

embroidery

cross-stitch

knitting

crochet

sewing

Cooking and Baking

homemade bread

homemade butter

homemade extracts

dandelion jelly

Canning

26 canning recipes

canning jars 101

60 canning recipes

Gardening

edible trees to plant

what to plant to save the bees

cure and braid garlic

save seeds for next year

braid onions for long term storage

build a greenhouse

Animals

homemade chicken feed

raising mealworms for chickens

why to raise nigerian dwarf goats

Outdoors

starting a fire with sticks

trail signs

knotting

find true north without a compass

Medicine

homemade neosporin

all purpose healing salve

I don’t want to detract from that post, but like- people not learning queer history is genuinely the source of so many of our problems in the queer community today.

It’s why people don’t understand the roots of the word “queer” in the first place, or why it’s important to so many people

It’s why people think “gay” is some apolitical neutral term with zero negative connotations, ever, for anyone

It’s why people actively feed into lesbian separatism, political lesbianism, and TERF movements without even knowing it

It’s why people think “LGBT” is some True Name that has never been changed, challenged, nor shaped over the years to better represent the community

It’s why people feed “who can reclaim which slurs” discourse without giving living human beings older than 25 any real consideration

It’s why people straight-up don’t know what the “drop the T” campaign was/is, or understand the troubled history between the trans community and the rest of the queer community

It’s why people don’t understand what “trans” used to mean, or how that meaning has changed over the years, or why

It’s why people don’t understand the differences between queer communities and identities by country, or often how they’re complicated by race

It’s why people don’t understand what “butch” and “femme” actually mean, the many definitions they can have, or how those labels have intersected across communities for decades now

It’s why people don’t understand the differences between the transfemme and transmascs communitys’ histories, or the differences in struggles they have- and then feed into those struggles without even realizing it

It’s why people straight-up recycle old homophobic and transphobic rhetoric, uncritically and unironically, as if they’ve discovered cool some new bigbrain hot take for the “super smart” gay kids 

It’s why people treat these complicated, contradictory-sounding, or lesser-known identities like “trendy new ways to claim you’re oppressed”- without understanding the history behind those labels, and those communities, and that they’ve been here longer than any of these people have been alive.

Like… yes, we’re moving forward now. Things are changing, and in many ways, it’s for the better! But we seem to forget that most of our community was lost in the 80′s and 90′s, and those folks left a massive, gaping chasm behind.

We don’t have the same easy, communal roots to our history that we used to. And in order to rebuild that, we- the entire community- is going to have to do some work to learn it and teach it and move forward with it in mind.

🧚🏻‍♀️Protection From The Fae🧚🏻‍♀️

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Iron

Iron in any form or shape has always been considered the very best protection against fae – in almost all legends, the metal is like kryptonite to Superman. If you kept an iron nail in your pocket, you couldn’t be carried away by them. Sometimes iron nails were sewn into the hems of children’s clothing for that reason. A pair of iron shears hung on the wall near a baby’s bed was said to prevent the child from being swapped for an ugly fae baby.

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Steel

Steel is also effective against the faeries because it is created from processed iron. If a faery is cut by a steel or iron blade, the wound will not heal or will take a very long time. In some stories, the Fae is slowly poisoned by such a wound. Steel or iron weapons are among the few things that can actually kill a Fae being.

However, unless it was plainly self-defense (and sometimes even that wouldn’t help your case), you could expect the rest of the faeries to exact a terrible retribution!

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Horseshoes

You can put one above the main entrance of your house and it will help protect the entire home. For added protection, put iron near any opening a person could go through. If you have large windows, you may want to place some nails near it to make a barrier. You can do the same with your dog’s house to keep the fairies out.

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Bells & Chimes

Bells were also said to have frightened off evil faeries in Medieval Ireland and elsewhere in Europe. Specifically the big, deep-sounding Church bells that would ring to draw the people to Church. So this theory can be applied to your home by hanging deep-toned chimes on your front or back porch or by using deep sounding bells during magickal ritual.

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Food

Traditionally, bread and salt provided protection from the Fae. Carrying yeast-risen bread with you had a two-fold effect. It would repel some faeries. Other faeries would accept it as an offering and leave you alone.

My gramma taught me a Welsh tradition of leaving a saucer of milk and a slice of bread or some bread crusts on the back porch as an offering to the faeries, so they wouldn’t play pranks on the family or trouble the livestock. Sometimes, if you were seeking the faeries’ aid, you might add berries, honey, or cheese.

Even humble oatmeal was believed to be a fairy repellent. You could carry a handful of dry oatmeal in your pocket or sprinkle it on your clothes. As long as you didn’t mind looking flaky, you’d be safe.

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Salt

Salt’s association with purity made it an excellent tool against otherworldly beings. Spreading salt across the threshold and along the windowsills has long been the primary method of keeping faeries, demons, and spirits out of houses. If you had to carry food to the farmhands in the fields, sprinkling it with salt was said to keep the faeries from taking it – or from extracting the nourishment from it unseen!

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Offerings

Leave a pail of fresh milk, butter, or cream outside of your front door on the eight holy days to appease the fae and keep them from wreaking havoc on garden and home. Leaving faery offerings and libations dates back hundreds of years, and if you have any Celtic ancestors, you probably have ancestors who partook in this tradition. Some people in Europe still do! This is a preventative method of protection from trickster and evil fairies. Make them happy at the back door so they don’t intrude.

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Plants

Historically, garlands were often made of marsh marigolds and hung over the barn doors to protect the horses from being ridden to exhaustion by faeries in the night. Flowers, especially primroses, were spread over windowsills and hung above the door-posts of the house for safety. Your best bet, however, was a plant called St. John’s Wort. Wearing it was said to provide strong protection from fairy magic and mischief.

Fairies could vanish at will and remain invisible to mortal eyes for as long as they pleased. Carrying a four-leafed clover would allow you to see the faeries – but only once. A Celtic tradition was to sew several of the clovers into a tiny bag to be worn around the neck. You could then discern the faeries once for each clover in the bag. In some legends, the clover was said to allow you to see through fairy glamors and magical disguises.

Red berries were believed to keep fae at bay, especially if they were from rowan trees, mountain ash or holly. So did red verbena (a flower). Daisies were often tucked into children’s pockets or woven into fanciful chains to wear around their necks to prevent them from being taken away by the fae. And if you were walking through the woods, it was best to carry a walking stick or staff made of ash or rowan wood.

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Protection Charm

At this season, the Winter Court is in rule and you will want to look out for malicious, harmful beings in your interactions with the fae. You can make yourself a protection charm using:

St. John’s Wort

Sea Salt

Lemon Zest

Rosemary

Eggshells

An Iron Nail

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Ancestral & Deity Protection

One of the MOST effective forms of protection against evil faeries (and other spirits in general) is to invite your ancestors and gods into your home. Once your guides and guardians take up residence in your home, they do most of the work of keeping out negative forces like evil fairies and the like. In fact, my ancestors are SO good at protection, I have to ask their permission to allow any other spirits inside the home!

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Faery Box

Decorate a small box by painting it and gluing on glitter or plastic gems. Inside place leaves, pinecones, crystals, and plants. Add a piece of felt or fleece in the centre as a soft bed you can add essential oil to. Draw a sigil on it that will protect you from harmful fae. At night, light a fake candle by the box, and leave out some food.

Make sure to protect yourself from negative influence. Then invite those of good intention to see the place you’ve prepared for them to rest in, and stay with you through the night if they wish to. Leave the candle on, as long as it’s a fake one, and then go to bed.

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The Circle Of Light

Another effective yet simple technique of faery protection consists of using one’s mind and energy. If you are used to using visualization in your meditations, rituals, and spells, this method of fae protection should be familiar to you. It’s what I like to call the Circle of Light.

You can do this visualization exercise any time of the day, any day of the week and as often as you’d like. For me particularly, I do it every night as I’m lying in bed and before I go to sleep to continue to build the circle’s strength around my home

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Running Water

Fae folk are unable to cross streams and rivers, so in any pursuit leaping from bank to bank will be a sure escape for the hunted human. Water courses running south are said to be especially efficacious.

Oddly, nevertheless, fae seem to have no objection to still water. They actively seek it out for washing themselves and they are from time to time associated with wells. For example John Rhys in Celtic folklore (1901, p.147 & chapter 6) notes the existence of several ‘faery wells’ in Wales which demanded attention from local people, in the absence of which they would overflow or flood.

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Hag Stones

According to John Aubrey, if a person could locate stones through which natural erosion had created a hole, they could protect their horses from night-riding by fae by hanging the stones over each horse’s manger in the stables- or by tying the stone to the stable key. The fairies would not then be able to pass underneath.

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Sources : http://aminoapps.com/p/4sn2it

Kitchen Witch Masterpost

- General Posts: [The Basics Of Kitchen & Cottage Witchcraft] [Infusing and Charging your Drink] [Basic Ideas For Kitchen Witchery]  [Bedridden Witchcraft: Kitchen Witch Edition] [A Guide (Of Sorts) To Kitchen Witchcraft]  [Ethics of Enchantment of Food and Drink] [Mini Herb Packets] [On Kitchen Magic]

Correspondences:  [Fruit & Veggie Correspondences] [Useful Spices] [Taste Correspondences] [Onions In Witchcraft] [Grocery Store Alternatives for Magical Ingredients] [Food Correspondences]  [Witchcraft For The Home: Herbs & Spices] [Herbs & Witchcraft] [Herbs, Incense, Oils]  [Food Magic Correspondences]  [Magic Pies] [Herbal Correspondences] [Kitchen Magic Altar Herbs] [Cucumbers] [Magical Uses for Kitchen Tool] [Teas For Witches: The Basics] Spells:  [Charmain’s Self Love Mug] [Kitchen Charm Magnet for Fresher Food Longer] [Kitchen Cabnet Abundance Jar] [Protection Powder] [Rotten Apple Banishing]  [Abitwitchy’s Bath Bag] Recipes:  [Soups! Kitchen Witch Masterpost] [3 Spring Witchy Recipes] [Warming Autumn Soup] [Family Good Health Soup] [Honey Lavender Bread] [Pumpkin Pie Happiness Spell] [Grandma’s Pumpkin Bread] [Imbolc Poppy Seed Tea Bread] [Edible Wealth Spell] [Luck & Love Bread]  [Peace Spell] [Feel Better Charmed Soup] [Give Me Sunshine Potion for Happiness] [Healing Tea Recipe] [Soups & Broths In Magick] [Happiness & Luck Smoothie] Tips/Random: [Kitchen Witchcraft Baking Tips]  [Kitchen Witch (#10)] [Honey for sigils] [Storage tip] [Lemon Juice For Invisible Sigils] [Kitchen Witchery Tips] [Cinnamon Stick Runes] [Baby Kitchen Witch Tip]  Thank you for the suggestion @choijiae1893!  I hope this helped you! Enjoy! Have a lovely day 💖

TAROT CHEAT SHEET #1

MAJOR ARCANA

0. THE FOOL | blank slate, beginning, innocence ®* | reckless, negligence, unaware of consequences 1. THE MAGICIAN | willpower, manifestation of desires ® | trickery, illusions, lies, out of touch w/ truth 2. THE HIGH PRIESTESS | intuition, inner voice ® | repressed/unheard inner voice 3. THE EMPRESS | mother figure, nurture, earth/nature ® | smothering, dependence, needing to let go 4. THE EMPEROR | authority, structure, control, father figure ® | tyranny, too much control 5. THE HIEROPHANT | tradition, conformity, morality ® | rebellion, subversiveness, divergence 6. THE LOVERS | union, duality, choice, harmony ® | disharmony, loss of balance 7. THE CHARIOT | self-control & willpower leading to victory ® | loss of control, lack of direction 8. STRENGTH | bravery, inner understanding that radiates power ® | self-doubt, insecurity, weakness 9. THE HERMIT | solitude, contemplation, seeking inner truth ® | loneliness, isolation, disconnect w/ fellow humans 10. WHEEL OF FORTUNE | change, cycles, inevitability ® | bad luck, helplessness, series of bad events 11. JUSTICE | cause & effect, karmic retribution ® | unpunished misbehavior, unfair, turning a blind eye 12. THE HANGED MAN | willing sacrifice, release of control ® | stalling, needless sacrifice, waiting to no avail 13. DEATH | end, cyclical closure, metamorphosis ® | fear of change, stagnation, limbo, holding on 14. TEMPERANCE | moderation, balance, middle path ® | extremes, excess, lack of balance 15. THE DEVIL | materialism, destructive patterns, excess ® | freedom, release, restoring control 16. THE TOWER | sudden disaster, upheaval, collapse ® | delaying inevitable disaster, avoiding suffering that could lead to growth 17. THE STAR | hope, faith, guidance ® | faithlessness, lack of guidance, negative thoughts 18. THE MOON | unconscious, intuition, illusions, dreams ® | confusion, misinterpretation 19. THE SUN | success, clarity, positivity, conscious ® | negativity, depression, sadness, pessimism 20. JUDGEMENT | reckoning, honest evaluation of oneself ® | lack of self-awareness, self-loathing 21. THE WORLD | completion, wholeness, fulfillment ® | incompletion, no closure, nearing end of journey but something is missing

*® = reverse card meaning*® = reverse card meaning

Tarot Cheat Sheet #1 - Major Arcana

Tarot Cheat Sheet #2 - Wands

Tarot Cheat Sheet #3 - Cups

Tarot Cheat Sheet #4 - Swords

Tarot Cheat Sheet #5 - Pentacles

Add Some Oomph to Your Spells with Magical Timing

Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.

Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.

If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.

The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes

These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.

Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.

Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.

Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.

Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.

Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.

The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases

If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.

New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.

Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.

Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.

Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.

Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.

Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week

The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.

Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.

Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.

Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.

Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.

Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.

Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.

Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.

Magical Times of Day

Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.

Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.

Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.

Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.

Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]

Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]

✨Room Cleansing Spray ✨

This is perfect for those who want to cleanse the area before spellwork but can’t/don’t want to burn sage or palo santo! It’s also a great little pick me up and it’s very useful for grounding and centering if you use himalayan salt.

You Will Need:

- a spray bottle

- himalayan salt (protection, cleansing, grounding & centering) or sea salt (protection, cleansing, purification)

- preferably moon water but tap water is ok

- optional: dried rose petals (protection)

- lavender essential oil (purification)

- clary sage essential oil (protection, clarity, cleansing)

- tea tree essential oil (protection, purification and aura cleansing)

- definitely not optional: witch hazel (removing negativity, hexes and general dis-ease) - also makes the essential oils mix with the water. do not leave it out!!

sidenote - if you want to use this spray on you or your clothes, dilute the essential oils first to make sure you don’t develop a sensitivity!

How To Make:

1. mix a teaspoon or so of whichever salt you chose with your water and wait for it to dissolve before pouring it into a spray bottle.

2. add witch hazel in a 2 parts water 1 part witch hazel ratio

3. add a few drops of lavender essential oil, clary sage oil and tea tree oil depending on the strength of the scent you like

4. add a few dried rose petals if you want to!

5. put the lid on the bottle and give it a good shake before each use!

I personally use this for meditation, grounding & centering, before spellwork and to help me get to sleep.

Remember to always be safe with your essential oils!

💗

EDIT: be careful if you have cats because lavender is toxic to them! make sure not to spray too much or omit lavender oil from the ingredients if you want to be totally safe.

thanks for the reminder @rainbow-lava