All About Divination

Yule Resource Masterpost

A collection of categorized links for your Yule needs! What is Yule? [X] Yule is celebrated on slightly different days depending on who you ask, but the broad spectrum is: December 20th to January 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and around June 20th (give or take a few days) in the Southern Hemisphere.

 The basics:

Yule correspondences

Celebrating Yule

Yule: A very merry sabbat

Guide to Yuletide plants + herbs

Yule - ‘tis the season

Yule practices

A Yule ritual

50 Yuleisms

Yule Crafts:

Yule potpourri recipe

Witch balls / more witch balls

A twelve-herb sachet for Yule

Mini herb wreaths

Yule log

Yule craft ideas

Pine protection balm

Dried orange slices

Yule Recipes:

Herbal shortbread

Bread dipping oil

Chocolate Yule log

Yuletide muesli

Yule tea

Yule Punch

Non-alcoholic mulled wine

Winter sabbat wine

Yule Spells:

Merry Yule spell jar / Season of peace spell jar

Holiday ornament snow spell

Yule bath spell

Blessed Yule - for a positive holiday season

Winter solstice spell

Spell for a happy family gathering

Yule energy sun spell

Winter stasis spell sachet

Holiday home blessings

Safe delivery envelope spell

Yule Tarot Spreads:

The return (2 card)

Yule spread (3 card)

Tarot spread for Yule (3 card)

Winter inspired spread (5 card)

Yule reflection + advice spread (5 card)

A Yuletime tarot spread (6 card)

Other:

Music ideas / Winter witch playlist

Altar/celebration ideas / Yule altar guide

Yule plants / Mistletoe Lore

Yule oils/incense / Yule incense

Emoji spell for luck during Yule and Solstice

Spell ideas for the holidays

Updated June, 2020. Please inform me (via askbox) of broken links!

✨ Some Herbs, Flowers and Plants in Witchcraft - REVERSED VERSION-✨

Resources: Wicca Herbal Magic by Lisa ChamberlainCharms, Spells and Herbs by Esteban PortelaThe Green Witch by Arin Murphy-HiscockGrimoire of a Kitchen Witch by Rachel PattersonOne of you requested a reversed version of this list, so it’s here!. 

ABUNDANCE: tulip, violet

AFFECTION: thyme

CALIRVOYANCE: artemisa, lavender

CALM NIGHTMARES: thyme, violet

COMMUNICATION: pansy

CONCENTRATION: lilly of valley

CONFIDENCE: yarrow

COSMIC ENERGY: carnation

COURAGE: black pepper, geranium, lilly of valley, marjoram, thyme, yarrow

DESIRE: sandalwood

DISEASE: carnation

DIVINATION: artemisa, bay, dandelion, hibiscus, jasmin, mimosa, mugwort, pansy, rose, verbena, yarrow

DREAM: artemisa, hibiscus, jasmine, mimosa, mint, mugwort

ELIMINATION OF HEXES: lily

ENERGY: carnation, cinnamon, jasmine, sunflower

FERTILITY: daffodil, geranium, mint, mugwort, poppy, sunflower, voilet

FIDELITY: caraway

GLORY: laurel

GOOD FORTUNE: bay leaf, dill

HAPPINESS: basil, calendula, chamomile, geranium, hyacinth, levander, lemon, lilly of valley, manzano, marjoram, nutmeg, pansy, sunflower, tulip, water lily

HARMONY: calendula, chamomile, gardenia, iris, jasmine, lavender, rose, violet

HEALING: allspice, bay leaf, carnation (white carnation), chamomile, cinnamon, clove, comfrey, eucalyptus, fennel, gardenia, geranium, ivy, lavender, lemon balm, nettle, pine, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, yarrow

HEALTH: caraway, comfrey, eucalyptus, marjoram, nutmeg, pine, sage, sunflower, thyme

HOPE: daisy, violet

IMMORTALITY: sage,

INCREASE ENERGY: allspice,

INNOCENCE: daisy

INTELLIGENCE: caraway (yellow caraway), coffee,

INTIMACY: cardamom

INVISIBILITY: poppy

JOY: marjoram, mint

LONGEVITY: fennel, lavender, romero, sage

LOVE: allspice, basil, calendula (red calendula), chamomile, cinnamon, daffodil, daisy, gardenia, geranium, hibiscus, hyacinth, iris, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lilas, lily, magnolia, mimosa, mint, narciso, nardo, nutmeg, pansy, poppy, rose (white rose), rosemary, tulip, violet, yarrow

LOYALTY: thyme

LUCK: allspice, carnation, cinnamon, daffoil, elecampane, nutmeg, poppy, rose, star anise, violet

LUST: dill, hibiscus, mint, mugwort, nettle, parsley, rosemary

MAGIC: carnation, star anise

MEDITATION: jasmine, lavender

MEMORY: lily, rosemary

MENTAL ABILITIES: caraway, clove, lilly of valley, rosemary

MONEY: basil, bay leaf, herbabuena, lavender, manzano, nutmeg, patchouli, poppy, saffron, salvia

OVERCOMING OLD PAINS: jacinto (love pain)

PASSION: cardamom, carnation (red carnation), cinnamon, lavender, rose(red rose)

PEACE: azucena, basil, carnation (white carnation), chamomile, gardenia, iris, lavender, rose (red rose), star anise, violet,

PROGRESS: azucena

PROSPERITY: basil, calendula, chamomile, cinnamon, comfrey, dill, herbabuena, jasmine, mint, nutmeg, parsley, poppy, romero, tulip, verbena

PROTECTION AGAINST NEGATIVITY: caraway, elecampane, lilac, sage, snapdragon, valerian, verbena

PROTECTION: angelica, basil, bay, bay leaf, birch, black pepper, carnation, cinnamon, clove, comfrey, cumin, dill, elecampane, fennel, garlic, geranium, hyachinth, ivy, lavender, lilac, lily, majoram, mint, mugwort, nail, nettle, nutmeg, parsley, rose, rosemary, sage, snapdragon, tulip, valerian, violet

PSYCHIC POWER: calendula, mugwort, nutmeg, rose, saffron, star anise, thyme

PURIFICATION: angelica, basil, bay leaf, birch, cinnamon, clove, fennel, lavender, lemon verbena, lilas, mint parsley, peppermint, romero, rosemary, sage, valerian

RELAXATION: lemon balm, mugwort

SEDUCTION: jasmine

SENSUALITY: jasmine

SENTIMENTAL IMPROVEMENT: azucena

SEX: cardamom, carnation (red carnation), jasmine, parsley, sandalwood, vanilla

SLEEP: lavender, poppy, violet, rosemary

SPIRITUALITY: cinnamon, dandelion, elecampane, incense, jasmine, rose (white rose), salvia, star anise

STRENGTH: bay leaf, carnation, parsley

SUCCESS:  bay

SUCCESS: basil, bay, bay leaf, cinnamon, laurel, lemon balm, mint, sunflower

TANQUILLITY: basil, dill, lavender, mugwort, poppy, rose, salvia, star anise, violet

VALOUR: iris

WELFARE: rose (red rose)

WISDOM: bay, iris, rosemary, sage

WISHES: dandelion, sage

ANTI INFLAMMATORY: calendula, meadowsweet, poppy

ANTIDEPRESSANT: lemon balm

ANTIMICROBIAL: cinnamon, sage

ANTIOXIDANT: hawthorn, poppy, sage,

ANTI-RHEUMATIC: meadowsweet

ANTISEPTIC: mimosa

ANTIVIRAL: lemon balm

ASTRINGENT: chichweed, cinnamon, meadowsweet, sage

BLOOD PRESSURE: hawthorn (lowers)

CALM ANXIETY: sage

CALM HEADACHE: chamomile, mimosa, poppy, verbena

CALM NERVES: chamomile, poppy

DEMULCENT: chichweed, mimosa (mild)

GOOD FOR COLD: ginger

GOOD FOR HEARTH: hawthorn

GOOD FOR LIVER:  dandelion

IMPROVE DIGESTION: angelica, dandelion (mild laxative), mimosa, poppy, sage

RELIEVE STRESS: chamomile, lavender, verbena

RELIEVE WIND: cinnamon, lemon balm, mimosa

SKIN IRRITATION: calendula (like eczema, bruises, scars, scrapes), chichweed ( relieve itchiness, cooling)

SOOTH STOMACH PROBLEMS: chamomile, ginger, lemon balm (antispasmodic), mimosa (antispasmodic),  meadowseet (antacid),  poppy (antispasmodic)  

STIMULATE CIRCULATORY: poppy

Resources:

Wicca Herbal Magic by Lisa Chamberlain

Charms, Spells and Herbs by Esteban Portela

The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Grimoire of a Kitchen Witch by Rachel Patterson

beginner witch etiquette guide

- 💫🕊🌿

with the rise of chatter about whatever the hell is going on over there on tik-tok, i figured it might help to throw together an etiquette list for baby witches who may be struggling to navigate through deities/energies/spirits/etc

[ spirit work ]

- ouija boards are only dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing! and they’re very dangerous if you don’t. these can safely be used for divination after you’ve properly cleansed your space and board & warded yourself up good; and just source a good board. make sure you say goodbye, cleanse and banish when you’re done, be respectful, don’t press their boundaries. i mean really spirit work is so tricky just you really need to do your own research here i could just keep going on and on. there’s so much that goes into spirit work so please read up plenty on it before trying to talk to anything in any way. really really heavily recommend picking up a mentor here before getting into spirit work.

- graveyard visits. honestly as a baby witch i used to walk along the paths in graveyards and leave trinkets and little flowers for headstones that felt particularly ‘heavy’ to me, i don’t know why after a while that started not to sit right with me but.. if anyone has input on that comment below. anyway, don’t step over graves, always be respectful, don’t be loud and don’t f*ck in here, don’t get drunk and litter your f*cking cigarette butts or whatever, this is a resting place. i’m personally a magnet for spirits and have a tendency to take things home with me so i always cleanse after a visit, i strongly advise the same! when collecting graveyard dirt always always always ALWAYS stay away from the actual. grave. sites. let me say this one more time. do not. ever take dirt from above someone’s resting place. under any circumstances. not even for a hex/curse. this isn’t something to debate, it’s disrespectful, it’s distasteful, and it’s gonna bite you in the ass. take from the sides areas or just wherever there isn’t a grave right there. still ask permission, and always give thanks & leave something behind. remember to still be mindful of c*ps, please don’t get arrested or worse for your craft.

[ fae ]

- to touch on.. hexing.. the fae. i don’t. i don’t really know what to say here. if you hex the fae you’re going to d*e or literally be cursed the rest of your life i mean you’re just asking to be screwed over in the most dangerous and ruthless way possible i don’t understand the purpose i don’t understand the motivation or mindset behind this but please for the love of everything do not? do not f*cking do this. don’t hex the fae, don’t cross the fae, don’t neglect the fae if you choose to work with them, it’s not hard to understand a basic level of respect and give/take to be able to create a safe and enjoyable relationship with the fae. ofc there’s plenty of other research to be had before working with fae but, anyways

- commanding fae? again, these beautiful beings are so.. so much stronger than us? they’re not of this realm, you trying to ‘command’ fae will get you into deep sh*t and again just don’t be a j*ckass why do i even have to make this post right now. they’re not your pets or playthings to toss and boss around, wtf? there’s no ‘leashing’ fae and while i’m here; you can’t f*ck fae either??? i’ve seen two posts saying tik-tok witches claim to, and no. you cannot. no.

[ taglocks ]

- burning taglocks, and burning your own.. taglocks. so, understand that burning a photo/chunk of hair/whatever of someone’s is a big deal, it’s serious juice so really make sure you know what you’re up to and that this person deserves what’s coming to them. that being said it’s also the perfect explanation why you should absolutely never ever burn your own f*cking taglocks. i think i saw that this was recommended for dysphoria and growth spells or something? whatever, it doesn’t matter just please don’t burn your own taglocks. it’s only outcome will be destruction and chaos.

- know that what i’m about to say absolutely doesn’t apply if you’re hexing/cursing an abuser or something along these lines; always get consent before collecting and using a taglock for the subject at hand, nothing really more to add here just don’t cast non-consent love spells for example or whatever else you’re using the taglock for, let them know what’s up and make sure they’re cool with it.

[ deities ]

- deities can call upon you and show interest in working with you- absolutely! what they will absolutely never do is scoop you up and force you into offerings and devotion. they don’t choose you and suddenly you have to do “x, y, x” and certainly if these instructions are coming to you “through another witch”. they’re scamming you, or it’s a demon. get out.

- you don’t have to do an offering every single day to work with deities, communicate well however you can, leave what you can when you can and just do your best, they see your intentions and as long as youre not greedy, hold your own, and you’re respectful, you’ll have a great relationship with really any deities youre working with :) closed practice deities are ofc off limits so please make sure you’re researching well before trying to delve into something that isn’t yours to reach out to!

-

i’m sure there’s so much more to say but this is just off the top of my head here, please stay safe witches, always do research on new areas of your craft!

Ways to Use Crystals

From Crystal Cure

Put them around your home!

Place a protective stone, such as black onyx, hematite, or black obsidian, outside by your front door to prevent negative energies, including burglars, from entering your home.

Place a rose quartz on a table or shelf in a frequently used room, such as a living room, family room, or den, to fill your home with love and harmony.

Decorate with seasonal stone colors.

Put them in your car!

Placing a golden tiger-eye in your car will help to protect you and your car against accidents.  Place the stone in a secure place where it will not roll around or get lost.  I suggest wrapping it in wire, attaching it to a cord or chain, and then hanging it from the rearview mirror.

Bring them to work!

Place a quartz cluster or purple fluorite cluster next to your computer to help protect you from its electromagnetic field.

Place a smoky quartz on your desk or in your work space to protect yourself against the stress and frustration of your coworkers or clients.

Keep a rose quartz or amethyst with you.  When work is stressful, hold it in your hand or rub it with your fingers.

Bring them with you on your next vacation or business trip!

Carry an aquamarine or moonstone with you for protection while traveling.

Clear the air!

To disperse negative energy, use a black or dark stone, such as onyx, obsidian, tourmaline, jet, apache tear, smoky quartz, or hematite.  These stones, when placed about a room, home, or other area, work as environmental cleansers that purify the area and protect it from negative energies.

Fight pain!

Lapis, malachite, and bloodstone are good pain relievers.   Place them on the affected body part or area of the body until the pain lessens.

Tape a carnelian to your lower abdomen to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps.

For a headache, place an amethyst, amber, or turquoise stone on your forehead, or, if you have multiple stones, place them around your head.

In the case of a migraine, lapis has been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians, if not longer.

Get a good night’s sleep!

Place an azurite, amethyst, or sugilite on your forehead or under your pillow to increase your dreams.

A garnet or amethyst under your pillow will help you to remember your dreams.

A black tourmaline, smoky quartz, or amethyst will chase away any nightmares.

Can’t sleep?  Place a rose quartz or amethyst by your bed or under your pillow to combat insomnia.

Get in control of your emotions!

Moonstone, chrysocolla, aventurine, rose quartz, and blue lace agate are all stones that help to balance emotions.  You can wear them in jewelry, keep them on your person, or take a bath with them.

Use a rose quartz for emotional healing.

Aquamarine, aventurine, moonstone, rhodonite, and rose quartz are calming stones.  Lie down and place one over your heart, or bathe with them, or massage yourself with them.

To relieve stress, worry, fear, and anxiety, use one of the following: aventurine, black tourmaline, black onyx, lapis, sodalite, chrysocolla, rose quartz, citrine, or snowflake obsidian.  Use one as a “worry stone”.  A worry stone is a stone that you keep with you, and whenever you feel worried, stressed, or anxious, you take it out and rub it with your fingers.  You can also wear it in jewelry, bathe with it, or massage with it.  

For depression, use amber, smoky quartz or citrine in any of the aforementioned ways.

To help control anger, keep a red garnet, amethyst, snowflake obsidian, or sodalite with you.  Take it out, hold it, and rub it whenever you feel the need.

Increase your brain power!

Use citrine, fluorite, lapis, pyrite, or sodalite to stimulate the intellect.

For focusing thoughts and concentration, use citrine, hematite, lapis, black tourmaline, or fluorite.

To bring mental clarity, use sapphire, peridot, or gold (Imperial) topaz.

To increase memory, use citrine, amber, black tourmaline, hematite, or fluorite.

Use amethyst, bloodstone, hematite, or lapis to relieve mental stress.

For help with problem-solving, use green tourmaline, or citrine.

To help with decision-making, use azurite, fluorite, or sodalite.

To use any of these “thinking” stones, wear them as earrings or a pendant, or place them on your desk or workspace.

Spark your creativity!

Carry or wear an amazonite, azurite, carnelian, chrysocolla, or citrine to get your creativity flowing.

Improve your communication skills!

Sodalite, sapphire, aquamarine, blue topaz, and chrysocolla are all great stones for communication.  Use them to bring self-confidence when public speaking, to help you to speak up for yourself, to be able to explain things in an easy to understand way, to overcome shyness, to be able to speak more clearly and freely , to be able to express yourself better emotionally, and to improve your relationships by keeping communication lines open.  These stones work best when worn as a pendant that hangs close to the throat, but they can also be worn as earrings, or held, or carried in your pocket.

Strengthen your intuition!

To do this, hold a moonstone, chrysocolla, or amazonite to your third eye (brow).

Meditate!

Meditation crystals can be held, placed on the third eye, or placed before you as a visual focal point.  These crystals include: clear quartz, amethyst, celestite, apophyllite, charoite, sugilite, azurite, labradorite, and yellow calcite.

To get in touch with your spirituality, use amethyst or charoite.

To gain wisdom, use amethyst, charoite, lapis, sodalite, or sugilite.

To ground yourself (bring yourself back to Earth) after meditating, hold a grounding stone such as, smoky quartz, black obsidian, snowflake obsidian, black onyx, hematite, or jet.

Feel better about yourself!

To increase your self-confidence and feelings of self-worth, use azurite, chrysocolla, aquamarine, ruby, moonstone, or rose quartz.

To raise your self-esteem, use hematite or rose quartz.

To improve your self-image, use moonstone, rose quartz, or pink kunzite.

To learn to love yourself, use rose quartz, rhodochrosite, or pink kunzite.

All of these stones can be held, worn, or carried.

Spread the love!

Rose quartz is THE love stone.  Use it to attract love; to increase romance; to strengthen love between friends, lovers, and family members; to make a friendship blossom; to mend a broken heart; and to keep any relationship balanced, peaceful, and loving.  No matter what the situation, if it has to do with love, rose quartz is the stone that does it all.   But there are, of course, other stones of love.

 Here are just a few examples:

To attract love, use magnetite or a tantric twin.  A tantric twin (also called a soulmate stone) is a stone in which two crystals, such as clear quartz, amethyst, or citrine, of about the same size are joined together side by side.

To heal the heart, place pink agate, pink kunzite, or pink tourmaline over the heart, or wear as a pendant that hangs close to the heart.

To balance relationships, use peridot or rhodonite.

To increase or enhance loving feelings, use emerald, ruby, garnet, or diamond.

Love stones can be worn, carried, held, or bathed with.  Place them throughout a room or home to create a more loving atmosphere.  Put one next to your bed to increase romance and intimacy.

Add some spice to your sex life!

Use carnelian, garnet, or red tiger-eye to increase passion, sensuality, and eroticism.

To increase sexual energy and stamina, use carnelian, bloodstone, ruby, red garnet, or pink tourmaline.

Use carnelian to stimulate sexuality.

Use red jasper to prolong sexual pleasure.

Pink tourmaline will release inhibitions.

For lack of libido, use fluorite or red garnet.

Place them next to, on, or around the bed, or wear them as jewelry.

Bring abundance, prosperity, wealth, and success into your life!

For prosperity, place a citrine in the “wealth corner” of your home.  This is the corner to the left of and furthest away from the front door.  If this is where your bathroom is, do not put the stone in there, otherwise any wealth that you acquire will go right down the toilet!

Wealth comes in many forms other than money and material things.  Being surrounded by a loving family can make someone feel wealthy.  To bring wealth of any kind, wear or carry green aventurine, peridot, bloodstone, emerald, jade, or pyrite (fool’s gold).

Keep a green aventurine in your wallet or purse to make your money multiply.

Bring good luck!

Wear or carry a green aventurine or golden tiger-eye with you.

Bring a green aventurine with you to the casino.  Wear it in a pouch around your neck, keep it in your pocket, or hold it while you are playing.

The BBC is releasing over 16,000 sound effects for free download

Happy Mag

The BBC is releasing over 16,000 sound effects for free download

The BBC have released their incredible, expansive library of bizarre and obscure sound effects, all available for free download.

Housewarming Magic

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)

Lavender “elf leaf”

•Latin Name: Lavandula (Feminine)

keep in mind there are many different types of lavender out there :)

Signs: Pisces, Virgo

Chakras: Third eye 👁

Planets: Mercury, Neptune

Deities: Selene

Lavender Magickal Attributes:

aids with anxiety, insomnia, depression, protection, visions, bug bites, clarity, attracting men, purification, stress, minor burns, calm conflicts

Common Magickal Usages:

Drink tea or eat food incorporated with lavender to increase your brain power/ function

Put lavender into your pillow cases to aid in a restful sleep throughout the night

Carry lavender or use it in your every day beauty routine to promote and long and healthy life

Sprinkle lavender in your business or home to ward away evil spirits / bad energy

Wear lavender perfume or incorporate lavender into your love spells to attract men

Burn lavender during meditation to promote physic awareness and insight

Boil it in the home to drive out negative energy and turmoil forces

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.]

Cowboys kissing. you agree. reblog

Tasseomancy

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What is tasseomancy?

Also known as tasseography or tassology, it’s an intuitive divination technique of reading tea leaves or coffee grounds. Images changes when viewed differently so depends on reader’s perceptions. Good tool to access subconscious.

Techniques

There are different ways to interpret which area of the cup corresponds with what. There are also special cups for divination with symbols painted on its inner surface. Check diagrams: 1. Rim to bottom layout where rim area is for present, sides for near future and bottom for far future. 2. 12 month layout where you divide cup into 12 areas, from left to right each is a further future. 3. Past/future layout where left side represents past and the right side future. 4. Importance layout - rim: most important; sides: relevant; close to bottom: rival, bottom: unlucky, right from handle: lucky. Those are not all possibilities!

Reading

Get mentally prepared. Meditate, focus on the preparation of the tea and the reading. Find calm place to perform.

You’ll need a cup with a light surface, loose tea or coffee ground, stove, kettle/pot and water. Place 1 teaspoon of tea leaves in a cup, bring water to a boil and pour over your tea. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir and let to settle. If you’re using coffee grounds first heat them in a pot, pour into your cup and let to settle.

Focus on your question while enjoying the drink. Leave a small sip of drink in the bottom of cup. Swirl the leaves three times and turn the cup upside down on the saucer to drain the liquid. Turn the cup back and examine. What do you see?