I can't do incense due to my lung issues, so I wanted to make a spray for cleansing my spaces instead. Named "sunshower" cuz the smell reminds me of a spring rain where the sun is still shining!
For a screen reader friendly version, click here.
🌦️ Ingredients 🌦️
25 drops total of essential oil:
- 3 drops sweetgrass (for cleansing)
- 15 drops lemongrass (for cleansing and opening)
- 7 drops lavender (for cleansing)
0.5 oz unscented witch hazel
0.5 oz alcohol (vodka/ethanol)
Distilled water
🌦️ Instructions 🌦️
Mix oils in a small container.
> I used a dropper tool I had lying about, it made it easier to control how much I was putting in. The correspondences of the oils is more important than the amount of drop ratio. Just make sure it totals out to between 20–30 drops. 25 fit the 4 oz container I am using. :>
Add the witch hazel and alcohol to the container and mix, then pour it in the spray bottle.
> Some people prefer using either witch hazel or alcohol instead of both. I personally find that adding alcohol helps the spray evaporate faster and I also use it's cleansing properties as a correspondence for this spray!
Top it off with distilled water. Shake to combine.
> The distilled water helps dilute the mix without diluting the scent, be mindful of how much you add. Distilled water is preferred for clearer sprays and longer shelf life.
Shake before each use.
✍️ Bonus tips ✍️
✍️ When adding the label, write a sigil on the back that corresponds with your spray's purpose to amplify it. You can also draw it directly on the bottle
✍️ Some folks may want to add herbs or flowers, make sure to use dried ones to prevent any mold, fungi, or bacteria from growing.
✍️ Don't have distilled water? That's fine, boil tap water and allow it to cool before adding it.
✍️ Speaking of water, consider charging your water by setting a sealed container of it outside during a rain sh
⚠️WARNINGS⚠️
❗Do not spray on or in areas where there are tiny lungs such as pets or children!
❗Essential oils can be allergens, be mindful of those you live with or have over often.
❗Before spraying fabric or other surfaces, spray a small portion on a hidden portion of the fabric to check if it stains or discolors.
❗Important addendum! I have been informed that these particular oils are NOT SAFE for areas where pets will be, even after they dry! ❗
Find ways to practice daily. Start small with more energy manageable spellwork, like daily tea/kitchen magic. Try out planetary magic to help plan spells and rituals ahead of time. Daily practice helps novice witches to grow their abilities to handle and manipulate energy in greater capacities.
Daily prayer. Remember, praying doesn’t always have to be directed towards spirits or deities. Praying for your own personal power is extremely empowering. Here’s a great video from one of my favorite magical mentors on the topic.
Wear a crystal or oil programed as a magical enhancer to help amplify your will while casting. This was a game changer for me.
Discover & follow your path. Many witches are encouraged to learn many casting methods and types of magic when they are beginning their journey. I considered myself an eclectic witch for eight years before realizing what speciality of witchcraft fit best with me. Once a practitioner focuses on their most suitable path, things feel like they unlock naturally and magic feels more intense.
Read witchcraft adjacent nonfiction. As you dive deeper into most practices, what’s useful won’t be a correspondence cheat sheet or a spell book, but actual history and science. Reading books on quantum physics has helped me develop my own magical theory. Historical & geological references can help witches connect with their ancestral magic. When witches open their view of magic to include everything around them, any topic can become magical exploration and information for the grimoire. Correspondences can be discovered the old fashioned way, through discernment and for yourself.
Routine spell management. Reinforce wards or cast spells routinely in whatever manner works best for you. That could be weekly, monthly, or seasonally. Are you routinely cleansing under the New Moon? Maybe your wards are cast seasonally.
Write your own spells. Everyone loves a good spell book, but if all your casting are other people’s spells, you may not be reaching your full potential.
Meditate. Fifteen minutes a day will unlock more than you ever dreamed possible. I read in a mindfulness book once that meditating eliminates resistance, allowing what you’ve been asking for to flow into your life uninhibited. It also enhances your intuition and recalibrates your mind and body.
Master a method of divination. Tarot, runes, anything! Divination allows the witch to answer their own questions regarding spellwork, better plan, and communicate with allied spirits. It’s the first thing I would tell a young witch to learn.
Here are some simple yet unusual curses for beginners. These curses are low-energy, easy to perform, and require minimal tools. They are subtle and perfect for those just starting their baneful practice, but still pack a punch. Always be mindful of your intentions—curses can carry karmic or energetic consequences. Always start the curse process by protecting yourself and end it by cleansing yourself. Remember to do your own research before using baneful magick.
The Rotting Fruit Curse
Causes a person’s luck, relationships, or finances to decay over time.
Needed:
• A piece of fruit (apple, orange, etc.)
• A slip of paper
• A black pen
• A dark place (cupboard, drawer, or under the bed)
Instructions:
Write the target’s name on the paper. Place the paper inside or beneath the fruit. Hold the fruit and focus on your intent—imagine the person’s life slowly rotting just like the fruit will. Place the fruit in a hidden, dark place and leave it to decay. Once fully rotted, dispose of it far from your home.
The Knotted Thread Curse
Traps a person in misfortune, confusion, or stagnation. The target experiences obstacles, delays, and problems that keep them from progressing in life.
Needed:
• A piece of black thread or string (12 inches long)
• Your voice and breath
Instructions:
Hold the string in your hands and focus on the target. With each knot you tie, say a phrase like:
• "With this knot, I trap your fate."
• "With this tie, your plans fall apart."
Tie nine knots while envisioning the person becoming stuck, unable to move forward in life. Hide or bury the thread somewhere secret.
The Echo Curse
Makes a person’s words return to them, causing gossipers or liars to suffer their own consequences. Their own words work against them—exposing their lies, making people distrust them, or causing them to face social backlash.
Needed:
• A mirror (small handheld one works best)
• A marker or lipstick
• The person’s name (or just "liar," "gossip," etc.)
Instructions:
Write their name (or a word representing their offense) on the mirror. Hold the mirror and say:
"What you say returns to you, every lie and every word untrue."
Place the mirror facing a wall or inside a dark drawer, so their energy is reflected back to them.
The Cracked Egg Curse
Causes a person’s stability to fall apart—relationships, money, confidence, or mental clarity. The target experiences instability, whether emotional, financial, or personal.
Needed:
• A raw egg
• A marker
• A place to smash the egg (outside, near their path, or a trash bin)
Instructions:
Write the person’s name on the egg. Hold it and whisper your curse into it, such as:
"May your life crack like this shell."
Imagine their stability shattering like the egg will. Smash it on the ground or in a trash bin.
The Slipping Shadow Curse
Causes a person to lose focus, forget things, or make mistakes. They struggle with their memory, lose track of things, and make more mistakes.
Needed:
• A black candle
• A piece of paper
• A pencil
Instructions:
Write the target’s name on the paper. Light the black candle and hold the paper over the flame (don’t burn it yet). Whisper:
"Like a shadow slipping through the cracks, your mind stumbles, your focus lacks."
Let a few drops of wax fall on the name, then crumple the paper. Blow out the candle and throw the paper in a busy place (so their energy is scattered).
The Splitting Roads Curse
Causes confusion, indecision, and emotional instability. The target struggles to understand what's happening and make the right choices.
Needed:
• Two twigs or sticks
• A piece of string
• A crossroads or a place where two paths split
Instructions:
Tie the two sticks together at one end, so they form a V shape (symbolizing a forked path). Hold them in your hands and say:
"Your choices split, your path unclear, may confusion follow near."
Leave the sticks at a crossroads or place where two paths meet.
The Ink Spill Curse
Causes a person’s words (spoken or written) to be misunderstood, ignored, or turned against them. Everything they say becomes misinterpreted, loses power, or backfires.
Needed:
• A pen
• A piece of paper
• A cup of water or ink
Instructions:
Write the person’s name and a word representing their harmful speech (ie: “lies,” “gossip,” “manipulation”). Hold the paper and whisper:
"Your words twist, your message lost, what you say will bear the cost."
Drop the paper into the water or ink and let the words dissolve. Dispose of the soaked paper in running water (sink, river, or toilet).
The Cold Shoulder Curse
The person experiences social isolation—people ignore them, avoid them, or lose interest in them. This will eventually lead to profound loneliness.
Needed:
• A small ice cube
• A photo of the person (or just their name written on paper)
• A freezer
Instructions:
Place the ice cube on top of their name or photo. Whisper:
"Like ice, you freeze in place. No warmth, no friends, no welcome space."
Wrap the paper/photo in a piece of cloth or plastic and place it in the freezer.
The Crumbling Foundation Curse
Causes a collapse in a person’s relationships, home life, or work environment. The target experiences instability in their personal life making it harder for them to maintain relationships or stability.
Needed:
• A small handful of graveyard dirt
• A piece of paper
• A black pen
Instructions:
Write the person’s name on the paper. Hold the dirt in your hand and whisper:
"Your foundation weakens, your roots unsteady. That which holds you crumbles already."
Sprinkle the dirt over the paper and then fold it, with the dirt inside, like a little packet. Throw into running water or the rubble of a collapsed building.
When I built my first altar, it looked like a sad thrift store shelf, mismatched candles, half-melted incense sticks, a chipped mug standing in for a chalice. I was so desperate for it to look witchy, like the glossy photos in books.
But it didn’t feel like mine. It felt like a stranger’s stage.
It took me years, and many messy, candle-wax-soaked attempts, to realize: your altar isn’t an Instagram post. It’s a heartbeat. It’s your magic’s nest. It should feel like home, because it is one.
Here’s how I’ve learned to build an altar that breathes with you, one that feels like warm floors, familiar shadows, and the exact right hush of your spirit.
🕯️ 1. Know What An Altar Really Is
Strip away the fancy words: an altar is just a sacred spot. It’s where you gather your power and your gratitude in one place.
It can be as humble as a windowsill or as grand as a dedicated room. A shelf, a table, a box, all that matters is intention.
Think of it as a tiny crossroads: your body, your spirit, and your magic meet there. The rest is just trimmings.
🌿 2. Start With What Calls You
Forget the shopping list that says you must have a pentacle, a wand, a chalice, this and that.
Ask: what do you reach for when you feel witchiest? A candle that smells like your grandmother’s kitchen? A stone you found at the river? A jar of salt?
Your altar is not a museum. It’s a nest of meaning. Let it be ugly at first. Let it be real.
🔮 3. Give It a Heartbeat
I always tell baby witches: your altar’s alive if it changes with you.
Maybe you set it up on the floor for a spell, then move it to a shelf when you get a cat who loves knocking things over. Maybe you swap the flowers every season. Maybe you leave offerings that rot a little, because magic is not sterile.
Mine has bits of charred candle wicks, a cracked seashell, and a scrap of cloth from my mother’s apron. I clean it, but I don’t bleach it of history.
🗝️ 4. Make It a Conversation
An altar is not a monologue. You don’t just speak at it. You speak with it.
When you light a candle, linger. When you place a new object, ask it, “What do you bring here?” Listen.
Maybe you rearrange things when they feel stale. Maybe you sleep with a stone under your pillow before giving it a spot on your altar, so it knows your dreams.
This is the bit the books forget to tell you: your altar listens back.
🌙 5. Protect It, But Don’t Police It
It’s good to cleanse your altar, blow off dust, pass smoke over it, ring a bell if it feels heavy.
But don’t let perfectionism be your deity. I once wasted hours agonizing over where to put a feather. It’s a feather, Nyra. Spirits don’t care if it’s center-left or right.
Your hands are sacred. Trust them.
🕸️ A Few Simple Ideas To Try
Place something that represents each element, but only if it feels real to you. A rock, a candle, a cup of water, a pinch of salt.
Add one thing that smells good. Scent ties your spirit to memory.
Leave an offering to your guides or ancestors, even if it’s just a whisper of thanks.
Keep a tiny cloth or broom nearby to sweep off old energy when needed.
🌒 A Final Whisper
Your altar is not a shrine to aesthetics, it’s a mirror for your spirit.
Build it slow. Let it shift. Let it hold your tears, your giggles, your burnt matches and hopeful wishes.
One day you’ll sit at that sacred little corner, a mug of tea in hand, and think: This is mine.
And it will hum back: Yes. And I am yours.
Critical Thinking in Witchcraft and Spirituality: Some Logical Fallacies You Might Find
Ad Hominem: Asserting that something is true or false depending on its source. If someone claimed that gravity obviously isn't real because it came from Isaac Newton, an occultist, that would be an Ad Hominem attack.
Appeal to Anecdotal Evidence: It's not that anecdotes can't contain meaningful information, per se. It's that anecdotes don't always tell the whole story, and they aren't inherently trustworthy - consider all of the people who said they were beaten as kids and grew up just fine. Likewise, if someone tells you that they recovered from cancer after filling their room with crystals and meditating regularly, it doesn't inherently suggest that crystals and meditation cured their cancer. This person might have experienced spontaneous remission.
Appeal to Common Belief: When someone claims that a thing must be true (or is especially likely to be true) because many people believe in it. For example, "many people believe Earth has been visited by extraterrestrials in ancient times, there must be something to it." In reality, the reason many people believe this is because there is a proliferation of media that claims it happened.
Appeal to Emotion: When someone argues that the way a thing makes you feel is essentially evidence for or against it. An example of this are spiritual leaders/guides who tell you that you can discern truth by asking yourself whether it makes you feel good and uplifted, or whether it makes you feel fearful or angry. In reality, cult leaders often engage in practices that manipulate people's emotions, effectively conditioning them to associate certain feelings with whatever they want. This isn't to say that your feelings are unimportant and you should never listen to them, but you should always apply critical thinking before making any big decisions or deciding what you should believe.
Another form of this fallacy is assuming that if someone is passionate, then they must be right. "He was really passionate about what he said, he spoke with a lot of conviction, therefore there must be truth in what he said" - again, this is how a lot of cult leaders getcha.
It can include thinking that feeling bad must mean you're on the right track. "When the pastor talked about sin, I felt so guilty and knew I needed God's divine grace" - lots of people can make you feel guilty, it doesn't mean they're right.
This fallacy can include the absence of feelings, too. "He spoke so calmly, I knew he had to be completely rational." That's how a lot of pseudointellectuals getcha.
Appeal to Irrelevant Authority: When someone claims that a thing must be true because a famous and respected person believed in it. For example, "Isaac Newton believed in God, therefore God must exist." Rather than examining Newton's particular reasons for believing in God, the person making this argument just expects you to assume that Newton's (allegedly) superior intellect made him incapable of error, and that you should just outsource your own thinking to him.
Appeal to Nature: When someone claims something must be good because it's (at least supposedly) natural. For example, "herbal remedies are superior because they're all natural." While it's true that herbal remedies can be useful, it doesn't follow that they're inherently better - much less safer. Kava, which has been used to treat anxiety and depression, has caused severe liver damage in some cases. Lead and UV rays are also 100% natural.
Appeal to Tradition: Asserting that something must be correct or better because it's traditional. For example, "the ancients believed the earth was flat, so it must have been true." Also, "people have believed in Hell for thousands of years, so it must exist."
Genetic Fallacy: Asserting that something must be good/bad or true/false depending on where it came from. While it's true that claims that come from known bad faith actors should be given extra scrutiny, it doesn't follow that everything they say must be wrong. The world doesn't spontaneously turn flat just because the worst person you know said it was round. A visualization exercise isn't inherently bad for you just because a New Ager came up with it.
Misleading Vividness: Constant exposure to certain types of information or certain types of people can create a false impression about the world at large. An well-known example of this is when people on Tumblr assume that the average person out there in the world has an opinion on (insert topic of Tumblr discourse here).
Here's another example: when you go through Law of Assumption success stories and see numerous people claiming they manifested all of this amazing stuff, it's easy to think that this practice must be working really well for everyone. But if you're on a blog or tag where success stories are curated, there's going to be a huge selection bias here. And with how many people are shamed and bullied into silence when they come forward and say that the LOA didn't work for them, and with Living in the End providing an incentive for people to claim success they might not actually have, it's difficult to be sure what the actual success to failure ratio actually is.
Post Hoc: When someone claims that if X happened after Y then X caused Y without providing any supporting evidence, that's the Post Hoc fallacy. For example, "I knew a girl who cast a money spell, and one week later her grandpa died! This is proof that magic calls on evil forces and always comes with a price!" is this fallacy.
Critical questions to avoid falling for these fallacies:
Is this the whole picture, or is something being left out?
Has this been repeatedly tested to see if the same results happen each time?
Is this really how things always work, or are there counterexamples?
｡+*✧ The Basics of Spiritual Safety & Wellbeing✧*+｡
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When asked the most important place to begin as a newcomer to the craft, to energy work, or even to simply walking a more spiritual path, more experienced practitioners will often share the basics of their magickal tool cabinet, suggest a bouquet of book titles and YouTube channels, or state plainly that the only correct answer is to let your heart and soul guide you. Only occasionally do I see or hear these types of questions answered with the recommendation to familiarize oneself with spiritual safety and wellbeing prior to diving head-first. But matters of protection, I feel, are one of the most important things to study up on when starting out, and today, I’d like to share my own thoughts and advice on the topic.
Cleansing, Purification, & Banishing
As I define them in my practice: To cleanse is to rid a person, place, or thing of stagnant, unwanted, draining, counterproductive, or otherwise negative energies or entities (though positive energies will often accompany them), to purify is to return a person, place, or thing to its original energetic state, and to banish is to cleanse by authoritative expulsion or removal using an outward-pushing energy. You may find others who define these terms differently or use these words interchangeably, but this is how I have come to define them, each offering their own unique function in my workings. If you are looking at correspondences in my digital grimoire, these energetic properties can be found in items marked as cleansing, restoration, and banishment respectively.
A cleansing may be performed when you find that energies are stagnant, stuffy, or negative. Unpleasant energies like these can be responsible for inviting in equally unpleasant entities, hindering the results of energetic workings, creating a state of mental or emotional discomfort, brewing a heavy tension in the air, or even causing feelings of sickness in those who are particularly sensitive. As such, it is usually recommended that cleansings be performed on a regular basis – especially if you live in a space that is regularly exposed to more negative energies. Some common methods of cleansing utilize the smoke of cleansing herbs (alternatively, a spray), water infused with cleansing herbs, or simply a visualization of brilliant white light – and this is just barely scratching the surface. As with many rituals, there are hundreds of methods of cleansing out there for you to explore, and it is paramount to choose one – or even create one – that works for you. Let your intention – your goal – be your guiding force. As a general rule, if you are putting your intention into it and you are going about it in a way that feels intuitively compatible, you will more than likely see the results you are looking for.
Often, cleansing – similarly to banishing – will result in a feeling of emptiness. You are essentially scrubbing the present energies “clean”, including energies that may be more positive. On the other hand, you may wish to perform a purification, or restoration, of a person, place, or thing if the goal is to reverse any energetic damage that may have been done while still retaining those unique individual energies. For this, you would utilize restorative herbs instead of cleansing ones and focus your intention accordingly. It seems it is common for practitioners to opt for cleansing over purification – and even more common for the terms to be defined as one and the same – but I enjoy having this as a separate option when it is needed. In my practice, this process typically comes into play when I want to remove any absorbed energies from a crystal, charm, or tool but would like to preserve its core energies as much as possible.
Finally, banishment is used when you want to push an energy or entity out of a particular space, and in this case, the original energies seem to remain wholly unchanged. For this reason, some practitioners choose to also perform a cleansing beforehand. Like cleansing, there are many methods of banishment out there that you can give a try, though the most commonly passed-around is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (or LBRP) of ceremonial magick, sometimes given different flavors for different systems.
Enchanting & Blessing
The emptiness of a cleansing or banishing can feel pleasant enough, but I find that this sometimes allows unwanted energies to creep back in more easily. A blank slate becomes anyone’s game, so to speak. To mitigate this, you may choose to preemptively imbue the space with more intentionally – and typically positive – energies. For this, we use enchantment or blessings. To enchant is to fill a person, place, or thing with intentional (but not necessarily positive) energies, and to bless is to enchant with fresh, positive, and often divine energies.
Enchantment is one of those foundational things that is pretty crucial to get the hang of when first starting out in a magickal practice, and all it entails is focusing on an intention and willing the energy of that intention to fill the person, place, or thing being enchanted. To a beginner, this can be more difficult, which is why it is also important to learn what these subtle energies can feel like to you. Skipping this step can sometimes deter people away from magick altogether. Lady Gravedancer, one of my favorite witches on YouTube, has an excellent video on learning to work with and sense these subtle energies. If this is all new to you, I highly recommend it.
Typically, though, a blessing is more what we’re looking for post-cleansing – positive, even divine, energies that inspire a sense of wellbeing. If you work with deities, you may also like to ask them to bestow their own blessings in your stead or beside you. Otherwise, it’s just enchantment with a wholly positive intention, but if the idea of a blessing feels too religious for your comfort, stick with “enchantment” and don’t let semantics bog you down.
Warding, Shielding, & Cloaking
In all cases, I tend to feel that the energies we’re working through are not being totally destroyed, but are rather either transmuted, deterred, or even just fragmented. In my opinion, it is usually a good idea to follow up your cleansings or banishments with the re-energizing of your wards. To ward is to create an energetic protective barrier around a person, place, or thing as a semi-passive and long-term protective measure, to shield is to create a more short-term ward that surrounds a personal, place, or thing entirely and is envisioned as a bubble, and to cloak is to make a person, place, or thing energetically “invisible” or “irrelevant” to wandering energies or entities so that interests are directed elsewhere. You can find relevant correspondences in my digital grimoire marked as protection, security, and invisibility.
Warding can be thought of as the closing and locking of your spiritual entryway, though it is often done with the intention to protect from more than just matters of the spiritual. I’ve known people to create physical barriers around properties using salt and/or eggshells with protective herbs as a base and visualizing their wards rising from that barrier. You might also like to bury protective crystals at the four corners of the property for that additional kick. But once again, there are so many methods out there that it really comes down to personal preference.
I tend to think of shielding – or bubbling, as some call it – as a more short-term and active form of warding. Shielding is especially useful as an emergency layer of protection when out and about or as an additional layer over your personal wards in outings that you suspect will be energetically taxing. Where wards are thought of as great and powerful walls, shields are typically thought of as entire bubbles surrounding a person, place, or thing on all sides. If you’re an empath like me – which is a sometimes-misrepresented term I’ll get into in a future article – shielding is a good practice to have in your pocket for going out into crowded environments, whether that crowd is physical, as in a theme park, or spiritual, as in a hospital. Whatever visualization you choose to use for warding, your shielding process can tend to be similar, and much of it, again, comes down to the intention. It is often the case, though, that this process takes more energy to conduct, and thus, if you choose to keep up a more permanent shield, it may require more care and more frequent energetic charging than your wards do.
Cloaking is something I don’t see discussed very often, but it can be very useful to consider when you are trying to be energetically off the radar. And obviously, I am not suggesting you go about doing sneaky, unsavory things. Instead, cloaking may be more beneficial for avoiding unnecessary conflict with nosy neighbors, finding peace to work in a coffee shop, or subduing the attention that can come from large-scale energetic workings. And as always, you may choose to hand-pick some herbs, crystals, or other mystical tools for this purpose, but the recommended visualization varies a bit from that typical bright light you may be used to working with. In the case of invisibility, you may choose to envision the person, place, or thing fading out of view or to mentally play the situation at hand out exactly as you wish it to transpire.
Safety Tips for Spirit Work
Certainly, if you plan to do spirit work – a line of spiritual work in which will regularly involve energies and entities completely independent of you – these concepts may be more important to familiarize yourself with than with someone whose only spiritual endeavor is manifesting a little extra spending money every once in a while. Aspiring spirit worker, the following tips are for you:
• As per the point of this article, it’s a good idea to have your preferred protective methods at the ready prior to actively working with spirits. This, of course, does not mean that your methods cannot change over time – but when starting out, you should find a method that is compatible with you and gets you the results you need. Once chosen, try to become familiar enough with it that you can cast it off-book in the event of some sort of spiritual emergency.
• As a spirit worker, you’ll want to cleanse your tools, your space, and yourself very regularly. My preference in my practice is at least once a month and more frequently if I feel it is necessary. Even if you aren’t involved with spirit work, regular cleansings are a good habit to get into, but it is especially important for those inviting a large number of outside influences into their home.
• Get to know your spirit guide(s), and keep them close during any sort of spirit work. I’ve heard from many people who feel that the connection you have with your guide(s) has a sort of solidity to it that can override other communications the moment you ask for it, and I myself have not yet seen evidence to the contrary. If you ever feel uneasy about a communication and are in need of a second opinion on who or what you may be speaking to, ask your guide(s) to come through and communicate with you. Still, as we communicate between realms, discernment is a necessary skill to develop, and having protections in place is always a good idea, regardless of whether you choose to involve your guide(s) or work on your own. If you are completely new to the idea of spirit guides, I do plan to write an article on the topic in the future – but in the meantime, if you’re interested in meeting yours, Lady Gravedancer also has a wonderful video featuring a ritual for communicating with your guides for the first time.
• You may also want to look into the idea of casting a circle (another topic I’ll likely be discussing here in the future). While an entire ritual may not be in the cards for your practice, it may help you to develop some alternative ideas for shielding the space around you during active spirit work. In doing so, you maintain greater control over what is permitted to enter. Afterwards, be sure to say your goodbyes and to close up your circle and any portals you may have opened to avoid uninvited visitors outside of working hours. If you are someone who chooses to always leave your space open to visitation – and some people do – be aware that anything can enter and be prepared for the circumstances that could stem from this.
• If you are someone who allows certain spirits to reside in your home – what I refer to as my “spirit family” – I think it is a hospitable gesture to let those spirits know when you are going to be performing a cleansing or banishing. I can’t imagine that having your energy forcefully transmuted or shoved out the door would be a terribly comfortable thing to experience, so I think of it as a sort of courtesy that exhibits the respect I have for them. This will give them a chance to temporarily leave the space of their own volition while you go through your routine. Alternatively, if you have a special space set up for your spirit family like I do, you may choose to shield that space with the intention for their energies to remain unaffected by the cleansing. I’m not sure that it’s the most perfect method, but it’s one that I’ve found to work well for my spirit family thus far. In both cases, there are those who would argue that this gives unwanted entities a chance to temporarily leave or take shelter within the shield, as well, but I tend to feel that my spirit family would act accordingly to keep our home safe. It is their home, too, after all.
Despite popular Hollywood tropes, working with spirits doesn’t necessarily equate to “terrifying and dangerous” – but this does not mean it is without its risks. And just as you wouldn’t find your way into a dark alley in the middle of the night without some pepper spray, it’s likely not a good idea to invite spirits into your home without compatible defense measures in place.
Safety Tips for Energy Work
Energy work, in general, tends to have the odd side effect of making you a sort of beacon in the realm of the spiritual – and the more you do, the more your energy builds, the more your awareness expands, and the brighter your whole being shines. No matter the level you find yourself at spiritually, the following tips are for you (though feel absolutely free to read through the previous section, as well; the additional knowledge can only benefit you):
• Whether it be through tarot, runes, pendulums, spirit boards, prayer, or some other form of divination you find useful, it is wonderfully wise to seek guidance regarding any workings you do. This practice can help you to avoid unwanted outcomes, to avoid manifesting something you may not truly want, and to uncover exactly what it is you need to add or take away from your workings to bring you the results that you are looking for.
• Keep a journal of what works and what doesn’t in your practice and of any intuitive insights you receive that you feel may be important. Your spiritual path is a deeply personal one, and one person’s experience will likely never be perfectly identical to another’s. There is an abundance of wonderful advice out there. There are many methods out there that work very well for many as-is. But at the end of the day, you must discover what works best for you, even if that is different from the teachings of the majority. Be sure to keep track of it.
• Be mindful of loopholes, especially in manifestation workings. Being too specific can sometimes be ineffective, but not being specific enough has the potential to cause even bigger issues. Manifestation, I find, tends to take the path of least resistance, so when putting your energies out there, you want to be sure your intentions don’t put anyone in harm’s way. Again, divination can be a wonderful source of guidance prior to your workings.
• If you are going to be working with negative intentions of any kind – which is something I don’t advise for a number of reasons, and especially not for beginners – be sure to deep-cleanse yourself and the space the spell or ritual took place in. In addition, it’s generally a good idea to not keep any items used in the working on or near your property. Also know that there are other options, like justice workings, that can be done in place of this. Sometimes when we feel very upset or very angry, we speak or act irrationally and come to regret it later. This can also be true for spellwork, but the results can sometimes be a lot more devastating. Ultimately, I cannot stop you from doing what you feel you must, but at the very least, I hope you’ll think things through.
• Finally, this may seem like common-sense, but don’t let your spiritual practice throw off balance in your life. The realm of the physical has its own value and importance, and that certainly includes your health and wellbeing. If you find yourself neglecting your health, your hygiene, your friends and family, your responsibilities, or your other hobbies, it may be necessary to take a break or dial it back until you’re able to find a good balance.
A Regular Cleansing Practice
You may have already seen this in my article on making the home more magickal, but I thought it would be good to include, here as well. The following are my two most often-used cleansing rituals – one which I perform monthly, and the other as-needed:
My Monthly Cleansing Ritual: I perform this ritual on the first of each month. Any cleansing tools to be charged on the altar should be set at least a day before performing the cleansing. The morning of, weather permitting, open windows and play uplifting music or cleansing affirmations, frequencies, or subliminals of choice. Take a cleansing shower. Clean the home as you normally would. When physical cleaning is complete, use a smoke or spray cleansing blend of choice, walking with intention from room-to-room. Pay special mind to corners and doorways. I like to use sound cleansing – bells, drums, or even snapping your fingers will do – in these spaces to really ensure the breaking up of any “stuck” energies. If you are someone who performs banishing rituals, you may choose to do so now. At this point, I also take a moment to cleanse myself, particularly as an empath. I then tend to my wards by first taking a blessed salt blend around the perimeter of the property, followed by sitting at the center of the property and funneling my own energy into the ward. If you would prefer to instead bless first and ward after, feel free to do so. It is your ritual, after all. Regardless of which order you perform the ritual in, the blessing process may be a deeply personal one, so this is a step I suggest thinking on a bit rather than following to the letter. In my ritual, I use a spray with positive energy-promoting herbs (as well as herbs that may promote the intention I wish to set for the month) and follow up with prayer to my deities. If you’re interested in a more in-depth look at my Monthly Cleansing Ritual, I do have detailed instructions available on my Monthly Blessings Patreon.
My As-Needed Cleansing Ritual: This is essentially a truncated version of my monthly ritual. If the energies are something I’ve tracked in or absorbed too much of, I will take a cleansing shower first. Following this, perform your usual smoke or spray cleansing, focusing especially on any room(s) that may be the most abundant in the energy that brought about this need for an emergency cleanse. You may also like to perform a shorter version of your regular blessing ritual. Unless the situation is really dire, I will generally stick to my spray in this case.
Just to reiterate, all of the information, including these rituals, are from my own practice and my own experience. You must do what works for you if you want to get the absolute best results and the most fulfilling experience. Take what serves you, and leave the rest. Much love and many blessings to you on your journey. Take care of yourself.
If you haven’t already, check out my lessons on visualisation for the basic knowledge you’ll need to begin practicing shielding.
So what is shielding?
Shielding is a manipulation of energy, used to create a barrier between yourself and unwanted, usually negative or malicious energies. It’s a basic aspect of spellwork that everyone, beginner or experienced, should use to keep themselves safe.
What can I use shielding for?
Some beginner-level uses for shielding are drawing a circle, or casting a spell. A more experienced individual might use shielding in astral travel or spirit work, where there are a lot more malicious energies involved. Personally, I use shielding as often as possible, for instance when I do tarot readings, spells, spirit work, shadow work, and especially cursing. It gives that extra guarantee that you won't flood your personal space with unwanted energies.
Other uses include shielding against real-life dangers, to a certain degree. I often shield when I am walking through town at night for extra protection. But please remember to take other measures too! Call someone, pretend to be on the phone, plan your route, and even carry pepper spray if it's legal where you are.
An easy shielding method:
The easiest way to explain this is to think of your energy as a physical manifestation. Think how power attacks are shown in anime or cartoons - a streak of colour or light, or an element. Make it personable to you: fire signs (Leo/Aries/Sagittarius) might visualise fire, or a red energy or light etc.
Firstly, some people prefer to cleanse before shielding. I don't think its all that necessary but the choice is yours.
Begin by easing yourself into meditation. Get comfortable, and use whichever technique works for you. I have various methods for this in my visualisation lessons if you are struggling.
Attempt to visualise the energies surrounding you in your mind. It might be a swirling colour of light, almost like a cloud of dust. It could be flames, it could be water. Maybe try to see it held within your hand.
Now, attempt to shape this energy around your entire body. You might want to start with a bubble or a cube surrounding you. Feel this shape surrounding and protecting you. Visualise negative and unwanted energies being held back by it.
You can also layer shields, so if you are working with a particularly malicious energy you might want to have multiple shapes surrounding you, all within each other. You can also work with deities or spirits to ask them to shield you too.
Shielding Incantation
When I am shielding, I recite a spell as well as using visualisation techniques.
The shield of protection, I carry it strong,
No ill wishes or trouble shall come along,
You cannot harm me, or weaken my soul,
My light is my weapon, and peace is my goal.
Try it out for yourself and let me know in the comments how it went! Thank you as always for reading. Please message for requests.
Hang a safe travels, protection, or swift travels amulets in the car.
After every car wash and vacuum, sprinkle protection powder/black salt underneath the car mats.
When your car is dirty, draw sigils on it with your finger on the dirt and grime.
Draw sigils after every car with a cloth as you wipe the water off.
Feathers in the glove compartment or door pockets for swift travels.
Anoint seatbelts with travles, protection, and success oils.
I'd avoid oil on the steering wheels and pedals as you can slip.
For long travels, brush your car outside with mugwort, especially the wheels.
Hag stones in your left car door to receive protection and luck.
Bath in feverfew (or spray some on you) before a long journey. Keep feverfew in the car too. It prevents paranoia of accidents, at least it eases my mind.
General lucky amulets, like four leaf clover, should be kept in the car.
Deities of travels and swiftness could have a small dedicated altar in your glove compartment. It can be the whole compartment or just a pocket altar kept in there.
Have an Eight of Wands Tarot card on you as you travel for speed and progress.
Prevent accidents by having wormwood in the car.
Obtain a small car toy or carve one yourself. Obtain something of your real car, be it dirt that's been there for months, mat shavings, etc. Combine your real car piece with your toy car. Anything you anoint this toy car with, will happen to your car. Useful for when it's at the mechanic and you can dress the toy car in healing oils.
Music in the car to scare malevolant spirits away.
Sunglasses in the car is a good idea for those bright days, especially after it has rained. Enchant them with clearer sight.
Decided to make a sigil for the new year. May only good vibes find you, and any bad ones sent your way slide off like water. Added a little star for luck. ⭐
Good Evening! 🌙✨ Are you ready to infuse a dash of magic into your daily culinary adventures? Welcome to the whimsical world of Kitchen Witchery—a delightful blend of spell work, herbalism, and culinary enchantment! 🌿🧙♀️✨
🍲 Basic Ingredients for Your Magical Pantry:
Herbs: Rosemary for protection, basil for love, and mint for healing. Experiment with your favorites!
Spices: Cinnamon for prosperity, ginger for energy, and nutmeg for luck. Let your taste buds guide your magical choices!
Crystals: Place a few on your kitchen windowsill for added energy. Clear quartz, amethyst, and rose quartz are popular choices.
🌈 Setting Up Your Kitchen Altar:
Choose a Sacred Space: Designate a corner of your kitchen for magical workings. A windowsill, shelf, or small table works wonders!
Magical Tools: Incorporate a cauldron, candles, and small bowls for herbs and crystals. Personalize it with items close to your heart.
🕯️ Candle Magic in the Kitchen:
Color Magic: Choose candle colors aligning with your intentions. Green for abundance, white for purification, and red for passion.
Enchant While Cooking: Stir your intentions into soups, sauces, and stews. Feel the magic in every motion!
🍵 Brewing Magical Teas:
Create Tea Blends: Mix herbs like chamomile, lavender, and mint for relaxation or energy. Sip with intention and let the magic steep into your soul.
🌕 Harvesting Moon Energies:
Full Moon Feasts: Plan magical meals during the full moon for amplifying energy. Charge crystals and herbs under the moonlight for added potency.
📚 Witchy Wisdom:
Start a Grimoire: Record your magical experiences, recipes, and discoveries. It’s your personal book of kitchen enchantments!
Experiment & Trust Intuition: There are no strict rules in kitchen witchery. Trust your instincts, and let your intuition guide your magical creations.
🌻 Infusing Love into Every Bite:
Cook Mindfully: Turn cooking into a meditation. Infuse your dishes with gratitude, love, and positive energy.
Share the Magic: Share your enchanted meals with loved ones. The joy of kitchen witchery multiplies when shared!
🌿 Nature’s Bounty:
Grow Your Own: Cultivate a small herb garden or keep potted plants in your kitchen. Nothing beats the magic of using homegrown herbs!
Remember, dear beginner kitchen witch, your journey is as unique as the flavors you create. Embrace the magic in simplicity, trust your instincts, and let the cauldron of your heart stir up spells of nourishment and enchantment! 🌈🌟💖 ✨🌿🔮
In witchcraft, sigils are symbols or designs often created with a specific intention or purpose.
Practitioners may design them to represent their desires, goals, or magical intentions.
The process of creating a sigil usually involves condensing a written statement of intent into a unique symbol, which is then charged with energy to manifest the desired outcome.
Sigil magic is a common practice in various magical traditions.
Are you perpetually busy? Never have any spoons? This might be the post for you. Note that not everything here may be considered low energy or low effort to everyone, and that's okay :)
Carry a crystal around based on what you need. I have a black tourmaline bracelet that absorbs negative vibes throughout the day. I stick it on a selenite slab when I get home to cleanse overnight, then rinse and repeat in the morning.
Put a bay leaf in your wallet to attract money. If you have time, draw a sigil or a $/£/€ on it.
Dedicate anything you drink to your deities if you have any. I dedicate water and black tea to everyone and my favourite raspberry tea to Hathor. Coffee is for Caim.
Enchant your pill case so you remember to take them on time. Enchant your pills to work efficiently. ("Anxiety begone. Ye be banished" on all of my anxiety pills ✌️)
Draw a sigil on your body wash bottle to remove bad vibes or carve a sigil in a bar of soap.
Enchant your moisturizer to repel the evil eye. I fucking love this one.
Incorporate colour magic into the socks you wear (Goths who wear hot pink socks, I'm looking at you).
Enchant your charger so it doesn't break and so you don't lose it. Enchant your phone too while you're at it.
Sorry, I love enchantments--
Uhhhhh
Match those big ol jar candles to different intentions. Burn a cedar candle to cleanse/banish. Burn a cinnamon candle to draw in prosperity. Burn a citrus candle to uplift mood. This one is fantastic for broom closet witches.
Got a humidifier? Fill it up with moon water. You're welcome ;D
Politely ask the spirits of your plants to ward your space. Feed two birds with one scone this way.
Witchy social media. Scrolling on Tumblr and learning something new about witchcraft counts as witchcraft imo. Saving tarot spreads from Instagram for later counts too. Making Pinterest boards for literally anything also counts.
Keep a digital grimoire if doing it on paper costs too many spoons. I have used Google docs & drive in the past but I currently use Notion (You can copy and paste this way!)
If you still want a physical grimoire, print your stuff out and stick it in a binder or glue it in your journal. Boom. Physical grimoire
Listen to witchcraft related videos in the background while you do other tasks or chores in your home
Preparing a meal? Toss in spices that correspond with good health and drawing in positivity, or any other intention you have
Enchant your glasses to help you focus and "read between the lines" or see what wants to remain hidden (this one is a lifesaver at my job)
The Life Of A Baby Witch @audaciousbabywitch - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
