Hey guys! :D I answered a bunch of questions regarding Hellenic deities, so I thought I would make a post linking to them all ^_^
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
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
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
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?
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
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
Offerings for Ares and Morpheus and resources
Ares and Hermes Walking Shrine Ideas
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
Offering Ideas, Shrine Ideas, and Resources for Athena and Aphrodite
Body Altar Ideas for Athena
Devotion Ritual
Small Ways to Connect
Do you Have Any Ideas on How to Honour Ananke or the Moirai?
Tips for Beginning Work With the Moiria
How can I approach Demeter?
Demeter Resources
Small Ways to Connect
Cheap and Discreet Shrine Ideas for Hades/Persephone and Dionysus
How should I worship Eos?
Gaia Shrine Ideas
Resources
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 Resources
Hecate Shrine ideas and Resources
More Hecate Resources
How Can I Worship Hecate?
Hera Resources and Shrine Ideas
Small Ways to Connect
What are some arcane-ish symbols/things Hermes is related to?
Ares and Hermes Walking Shrine Ideas
Connecting During Everyday Tasks
Hestia Offerings, Resources, and Shrine Ideas
Hestia Worship
Resources
Connecting During Everyday Tasks
Offerings for Ares and Morpheus and resources
Small Ways to Connect
Nyx Resources
Shrine Ideas for Nyx
Nyx Worship Ideas
Nyx Walking Shrine Ideas
Offering Ideas
Pan Offerings and Resources
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 resources, acts of devotion, shrine ideas, etc.
Small Way to Connect
Is there a difference between Selene and Artemis?
Offerings for Apollo and Selene, altar ideas, and resources
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
Offerings
Shrine Decor
Elysium/Getting There
Fields of Asphodel
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 }
Fatigue looks at things such as tiredness, drowsiness, exhaustion, weakness, lethargy and memory issues and says “I can do all that and more!”. It leaves you feeling utterly trapped in your own body; unable to move, or even think at times. It fluctuates, but is always looming.
While this post is open for all, it is written for those who truly relate to this all-consuming feeling (due to ME/CFS, other chronic illnesses, mental illness, or undiagnosed causes). Not all of these may work for you, but hopefully they inspire something that will. For general low energy witchcraft, check out my Bedridden Witch Series!
As always: witchcraft is to be used in addition to proper medical care, treatment and medication; not as a sole alternative.
If you cannot produce your own, magically created will be just fine!
Crystals.
I tend to use clear quartz for an energy boost, but trust your intuition; if something calls to you, it’s for a reason.
Keep it near your bedside table, under your pillow, hold it in your hand or place it on your body where you feel the fatigue most strongly centered.
When on the go, carry it in your pocket or wear as jewelry. If it is larger, carry in a bag and hold it when you need it.
Charge using a charging board or the elements.
Crystals for fatigue
Waters.
Physically touching water brings me energy. I keep jars of snow, rain, storm, river, stream (etc, etc.) water and will dip my fingers in it and mark that parts of my body where the fatigue feels strongest. Be aware of pollutants and do not ingest!
The same method can be done with tap water (or water charged under the sun or moon)
Drink sun water or sun tea (start with drinking safe water and let it absorb the energies of the sun).
Some people find moon water to be energizing (same process as above, just with the moon).
See also: Bedridden witch: Bath edition.
Other elements.
Note what is energizing to you and what is draining to you. Consider: the sun, moon (and it’s phases), weather (rain, overcast, snow, storm, wind), cold vs. hot, the earth, fire, air, etc.
Once you find which elements are energizing to you, find ways to incorporate them into your life. Examples: jars of different waters or soils, rocks collected from places, candles, and more.
I usually draw energy up from the earth by placing my palms flat towards the earth by the sides of my body. So if I was lying down, my arms would be at my sides with my palms facing down.
Expose yourself or protect yourself. I’ll use my personal experiences as an example here… Rain often energizes me. When it rains, I’ll open my windows, and if I’m able I’ll step outside or collect some water. On the flipside, full moons often drain me. I’ll close my windows and curtains, hang an extra blanket over my bedroom window, use water to paint protective sigils on the window and increase my wards.
See also: Bedridden witch: Elements edition and Bedridden witch: Weather edition
Brain fog:
Brainfog lifting
“Brainfog begone” sigil
Fatigue:
Spoonie spell for energy
Energy gain spell
Energy boost spell
Energy bath
Fatigue recovery spell jar
Headaches (and migraines):
Headache healing
To banish a headache
Anti-migraine spell
Anti-migraine spell bottle
Migraine relief bath
Joint pain:
Arthritis pain relief oil
Joint pain spell
Healing spell for joints
Memory:
Memory masterpost
Memory and concentration spell
Mental reboost tea spell
Muscle pain:
Muscle pain sachet
Warming salve for sore muscles
Crystals for muscle pain (external site)
For more categories of symptoms please see my posts for symptoms relating to chronic illness and mental illness!
Tips and tricks:
I highly recommend preparing things when your energy allows, so it’s always ready to go when you need it (and isn’t dependent on current energy levels).
Cleansing: Let other things do your work for you. Open your windows/get fresh air, steam or smoke, sound, etc. Bedridden energy cleansing.
Divination: Use apps when physical movement is hard. One card spreads, shorten your pendulum so you don’t need to lift your arm, divine using the elements, etc. Bedridden divination.
Spells: Make your own spell kits. Spell jars and sachets are also an excellent way to already have the spell prepared, set it up so you can simply shake it to re/activate the spell.
Warding: Create physical ties for your wards that aren’t reliant on consistent upkeep (as a failsafe), and reinforce your other ward layers when you have the energy. I create far more layers than I need so when I am unable to reinforce them, they still protect me.
Worship: Compile prayers and devotions somewhere you can easily find and read them, have a wall altar for easy maintenance, keep offerings simple (a glass of water, for example). Bedridden worship.
Many more tips and tricks in these posts:
Bedridden witch series (masterpost of all my current bedridden witch posts, including some that weren’t linked here!)
Limited hand mobility + witchcraft (divination, spells, working with flames, recording information and more)
Nonverbal witchcraft
Magic to replenish energy
Spoonie witch masterpost
Chronically ill witchcraft: For your symptoms
Mentally ill witchcraft: For your symptoms
Witchcraft & Meds
Sigils: (pain + symptoms) (mental illness + energy) (healing + misc.)
Drink magic masterpost
Rejuvenating witchcraft
Do none of these posts fit your needs? Let me know, I’m always looking for more ways to make witchcraft accessible!
**Do not repost or share on other platforms - reblogging is okay!**
Last updated May of 2020. Please check for updates and inform me of broken links via askbox!
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
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!
Post originates from my website. Headstone is from Julian Pioneer Cemetery.
In the death work community, most people emphasize gathering graveyard dirt and bones. Yes, these tools are significant: they connect us with the deceased when we’re outside of a cemetery. But in my practice, I rarely collect graveyard dirt when I visit the dead’s resting place. Instead, I practice other forms of devotion, spirit communication, and magic.
I don’t recommend packing up grave dirt during your first trip to the cemetery for a couple of reasons:
you don’t know the cemetery yet;
you need to be absolutely sure that you want to work with a certain spirit, because once you collect the dirt, you’re responsible for dealing with that spirit afterward.
I’ve received a lot of questions about how to contact the dead in a cemetery without using a divination vessel. Like any method of spirit work, this connection with the deceased develops through practice. The best way that I can answer this question is to respond with what I, personally, do in graveyards. Every death witch practices differently. Hence, this post is just here to give you ideas about how to advance your death witchcraft.
When I enter a new cemetery, here’s what I’ll do.
I explore. I can already hear the chorus of “duh” echoing from across the computer screen, but allow to explain what I’m looking for. Most cemeteries have sections that may or may not be clearly labeled. Older headstones tend to huddle together; babies and young children often get buried in one area. Depending on your path, you may want to focus on one specific section.
I am silent. I listen. If you’re familiar with energy work, this is the time where you want to focus on your own energy and senses. Sometimes, a particular soul or plot will jump out at you, or even call you towards it. To catch these signals, you must concentrate. This is not the time to chat or take pictures (although I understand how tempting picture-taking is).
I may meditate within the cemetery. If you have a hard time connecting to the graveyard’s energy, you’ll want to practice a meditation technique. I usually do this under a tree, because these spirits understand their graveyard well, and may inform me on where to go. In my experience, the best technique is to enter a meditative state, and connect your energy to the earth. Once you have a feel for the earth, sense the wind. Both elements are strongly tied to ghosts and will link you to the graveyard.
I donate offerings and tidy the area. Because we can’t take every grave’s dirt home, we need to communicate with the dead in other ways. This is a great way to communication with the deceased. For offerings, I usually give coins, small candles, and herbs. But you can also offer flowers and stones as well. Personally, I like granting offerings to effaced or destroyed grave sites: the Forgotten Dead. I also throw away trash and brush off dusty or mud-covered headstones (WITHOUT moving any offerings already present). The deceased usually appreciate the sacrifice and inform me about their lives.
I may sit with one grave for a long time. Once you explore the cemetery exhaustively, you’ll likely locate a grave or two that peaks your interest. I usually remain by these graves for the bulk of my cemetery time–listening, cleaning, gifting, honoring.
Even if I don’t bring home graveyard dirt, I may perform magic for the spirit once I get home. Depending on my interaction, I may give the spirit further offerings, or perform more magic to help the soul heal or move on. Later on, I’ll return the cemetery to confirm whether my spell worked.
While we’re talking about cemetery trips, here are some etiquette/safety tips to keep in mind:
DO NOT sit on top of headstones. It’s rude and unsafe.
If you see a fallen headstone, DO NOT try to upright it yourself. These stones are incredibly heavy and require several people to repair. Instead, contact the cemetery’s staff members.
DO NOT throw away offerings that are already on graves, including dead flowers. Leave that to the cemetery caretakers. However, you may upright a flower pot if it has fallen over.
If a staff member asks you to move or leave, do as they say.
DO NOT burn candles or incense inside the cemetery. It may start a fire.
DO NOT interrupt other peoples’ mourning time.
I hope this post inspires you to view cemetery visits as more than a way to gather tools. These visits allow us to communicate with the dead, advance our abilities, and build a reliable reputation with the spirits. I wish you best of luck in your path.
As a witch who’s always on the go it can sometimes be hard to focus on magical self care. I’m traveling and moving and working with lots of people and life is kind of a whirlwind and I love it but sometimes it all gets to be a little… much. In all of the hustle and bustle my ability to take care of myself and my ability to take care of my magical practice can start to go south. I forget to practice good magical hygiene (such as cleansing and banishing) and I start to feel a little disconnected from the whole thing.
When this happens I like to turn to magical self care! Now, there are two types of magical self care: there’s magic that is used as self care and there’s self care for your magic. The methods I’m about to discuss happen to be useful for both!
Grounding is a vital part of learning to practice magic in a safe and healthy way. The term comes from the process of grounding an electrical circuit. Essentially if an object is negatively charged, grounding allows excess electrons to flow from the object into the earth, and if an object is positively charged, electrons flow from the earth into the object. It’s a method of balancing and equalizing the flow of energy.
Similarly, in witchcraft grounding is the practice of balancing personal energies. Many things can pull us out of balance, emotional turmoil (for empaths it doesn’t even have to be our own emotional turmoil, often we pick up other people’s emotions far too readily!), illness, performing rituals or spells, astral travel, even simple things from our day to day lives can create a state of too much personal energy or too little personal energy.
This can be an incredibly uncomfortable experience.
Symptoms of unbalanced energy:
Dizziness, feeling spaced out, light headed or a floaty feeling
Headaches
Forgetfulness
Misplacing or losing things
Feeling generally unwell or exhausted
Daydreaming and an inability to focus
Sensitivity to light and noise
Feeling over stimulated and nervy
Bumping into things or other general feelings of clumsiness
An uncomfortable sensation of buzzing under the skin
Nausea and vomiting
Pain
Irritability
Insomnia
These symptoms typically become more severe the further out of alignment you are.
It is essential that you learn to ground properly before beginning to practice magic. Often I see newer witches who have yet to learn this skill experiencing unnecessarily strong backlash from their spell work.
Magic is energy! When you move and manipulate energy in such powerful ways it can and will pull your own energy out of balance. Grounding allows you to avoid the unpleasant side effects of spell casting which means a you’ll be a happier witch and have more time and space to practice your craft!
There are many ways of grounding yourself, I suggest you try a variety of methods and find the one that is most effective for you.
Rooting Yourself
This method works best if you are barefoot and standing on grass or dirt. Imagine your energy extending down through your legs and sinking into the earth, becoming roots and burrowing into the soil to trade energy with the earth. Feel the earth’s energy flow up into your body, filling you all the way to your head and then back down and out through your roots. This energy will cycle through you and clear away any excess energy as well as solving any energy deficiencies you might have. Continue this until you feel calm and comfortable.
Laugh
Laughter is an amazing way to release pent up energy as well as building our personal energy from within! Give yourself time and space to have a good laugh, put on your favorite comedian and enjoy yourself.
Food
Nourishing your body can help to reconnect you to your physical self and refuel depleted energy. Sit down for a hearty meal and give it your full attention, this helps to pull you back into your body fully after astral work or other intense spiritual experiences and gives you a moment to rest and relax.
Water
Water is a wonderful conductor of energy, sitting with your feet in a stream, your hands under a running faucet, or drawing yourself a bath can equalize your energy very quickly. Playing in the rain can also equalize your energy but if it’s sunny out visualizing rain washing your energy clean will work just as well.
Go for a walk
Getting out in nature, especially if you can walk barefoot, will allow your body to trade energy with the earth and equalize your energy levels. Walking in nature also helps to build mindfulness and create a sense of ease in your life!
Wind Visualization
Sit comfortably and begin to visualize your energy body. When you have a solid image of it in your mind imagine a strong gust of wind blowing your energy around you, removing blockages, carrying away excesses and refueling any energetic deficiencies.
Exercise
Gentle exercise can help to release any excess energies. Do not ground this way if you feel lethargic, exhausted or in any kind of pain. This method is ONLY to be used when you have an energy excess!
Body Awareness
Simply giving your body attention can encourage your energy to equalize on its own. Take a few minutes to consciously take stock of every inch of your body. Begin at your head, feel your scalp, then move to focusing on each part of your face. Move downward and feel your neck, your chest, then your arms, your elbows, your wrists, your fingertips. Focus on your torso again, now placing your energy on your stomach, feel it move with your breath. Continue this all the way down to your toes. Try to remain relaxed throughout this process.
Let Yourself Cry
Crying or screaming will release excess emotional energy very quickly. If you’re the sort of person who loves a good cleansing cry then this one is for you.
Stones and Crystals
Certain stones and crystals can be grounding. Hematite is particularly good for this purpose.
Play in the dirt
Getting in contact with the earth through gardening or rolling around in the dirt like you did when you were a kid allows your body to exchange energy with the earth. So let go of your adulthood for a few minutes and get in the dirt!
Grounding is a wonderful tool to use but it isn’t a cure all. It’s also not always desirable to be completely grounded! There are certain types of magic that can be hindered by grounding and other types of magic that are simply not energy based and won’t require grounding to be effective.
When working with spirits being too grounded can make it more difficult to connect to the entity
If you’re fueling magic with emotions or excitement grounding beforehand will not help. You want your emotions and energy high in order to perform that sort of magic.
Sigils generally do not require grounding
Any kind of astral or out of body practice will be made much more difficult if you’re grounded beforehand. Ground after this sort of practice, not before
Dream work will be hindered by grounding
Grounding is most often used for post-spell backlash but it can also be utilized in your day to day life to enhance focus and happiness, lessen anxiety and protect you from emotional runoff.
If you struggle with any of the symptoms of being ungrounded regularly you might benefit from adding a few minutes of grounding into your daily practice!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.]
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.
For when you’ve moved into a new living situation or are ready for a new start <3
Finding your home/moving:
House hunting crystals
Spell jar to find a house
Spell for your dream house
The witch’s moving checklist
Cleansing:
A deep room cleanse
To absorb negative energy from a room
Doorway cleansing
Summer house cleansing
Herbal wall/floor wash + witchy cleaners
Home cleansing tips
Home cleansing brew
Thoroughly clearing spaces
Crystals to cleanse the home
Cleansing your space without smoke
Cleansing your space: a how-to guide
Energy cleansing
Low energy cleaning + cleansing
Warding + Protection:
A crash course on warding
To ward the home
Threshold magic 101
Protect my home spell
Home protection steam spell
Simple home protection jar spell
“Little lurkers” home protection spell
Room/home protection
Sharehouse peace witch’s ladder
Wall of fire property & house protection spell
Protection (wind) chimes
The Rowan cross
Protecting the property
Check out the sigils below!
Sigils:
For a magical and happy home
Sospidonum
This space is full of life, light, and bright energy
No fighting in this home
My home is safe
This home is safe for all
This home is a safe and healthy environment
My house is protected from unwanted influences
My home is protected
Witchin’ it up:
Happy home spell jar
Home sweet home spell jar
House to home spell
Laundry magic
Pleasing household spirits
When a bad guest leaves
Building a magical home
The magical home
Odds and ends:
Magic, and power, in homemaking
The history and creation of witch bottles
Bringing nature inside
Cottage witch tips
Hearth witch tips
The basics of kitchen and cottage witchcraft
You may also like:
Bedridden witch: garden / stale energy / kitchen edition
Spells for job seekers
Travel witchery
Links updated May, 2021 (please inform me of broken links via askbox)
[credit: @risingwoman on Instagram]
- 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 💖