occasionally subtle
⁂
NASA
cherry valley forever
Today's Document
Mike Driver
❣ Chile in a Photography ❣
we're not kids anymore.
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Xuebing Du
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
JVL
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
Claire Keane
will byers stan first human second
styofa doing anything
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titsay
Monterey Bay Aquarium
PR's Tumblrdome
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@bbywitcxh
Purity in witchcraft is overrated in my opinion.
"Make sure you're in a good state of mind" this, and "Don't be afraid" that.
Anger, fear, grief, exhaustion... are all emotions that can be used in witchcraft. Learn how to wield them properly, and see just how much power they hold in your craft. Just like a weapon.
The knowledge of some common plants
Since many people don't know most of the plants around them, this is information on some plants that are commonly seen in many places throughout the world
This is Lamium purpureum, also called Purple Deadnettle.
It's called deadnettle because it looks like a nettle but it doesn't sting you
This plant is a winter annual—it grows its leaves in the fall, lasts through the winter, and blooms and dies in the spring
Its pollen is reddish orange. If you see bees with their heads stained reddish orange, it is likely because they have visited Purple Deadnettle
This is Trifolium repens, white clover
It is a legume (belongs to the bean family) and fixes nitrogen using symbiosis with bacteria that live in little nodules on its roots, fertilizing the soil
It is a good companion plant for the other members of a lawn or garden since it is tough, adaptable, and improves soil quality. According to my professor it used to be in lawn mixes, until chemical companies wanted to sell a new herbicide that would kill broadleaved plants and spare grass, and it was slandered as a weed :(
It is native only to Europe and Central Asia, but in the lawns they are doing more good than harm most places
Honeybees love to visit clover
Four-leaf clovers are said to be lucky
This is Achillea millefolium, Common Yarrow
It has had a relationship with humans since Neanderthals were around, at least 60,000 years, since Neanderthals have been found buried with Yarrow
Its leaves have been used to stop bleeding throughout history, and its scientific name comes from how Achilles was said to have used Yarrow to stop the blood from the wounds of his soldiers. A leaf rolled into a ball has been used to stop nosebleeds
It is a native species all throughout Eurasia and North America
This is Cichorium intybus, known as Chicory
The leaves look a lot like dandelion leaves, until in mid-spring when it begins growing a woody green stem straight up into the air
Like many other weeds, it has a symbiotic relationship with humans, existing in a mix of domesticated or partially domesticated and wild populations
It is native to Eurasia, but widespread in North America on roadsides and disturbed places, where it descended from cultivated plants
Its root contains large amounts of inulin, which is used as a sweetener and fiber supplement (if you look at the ingredients on the granola bars that have extra fiber, they usually are partly made of chicory root) and has also been used as a coffee substitute
A large variety of bees like to feed upon it
This is Phytolacca americana, known as Pokeweed
It is easily identified by its huge leaves and its waxy, bright magenta stem
It can grow more than nine feet tall from a sprout in a single summer!
If you squish the berries, the juice inside is a shocking magenta that is so bright it almost burns your eyes. For this reason many Native American people used it for pink and purple dye.
It is a heavy metal hyperaccumulator, particularly good for removing cadmium from the soil
All parts of the plant are poisonous and will make you very sick if you eat them, however if the leaves are picked when very young and boiled 3 times, changing out the water each time, they can be eaten, and this is a traditional food in the rural American Southeast, but I don't want to chance it
British people have introduced it as a pretty, exotic ornamental plant. I think that is very funny considering that here it is a weed associated with places where poor people live, but maybe they're right and I need to look closer to see the beauty.
If you see magenta stains in bird poop it is because they ate pokeweed berries- birds can safely eat the berries whereas humans cannot
This is Plantago lanceolata, Ribwort Plantain
It grows in heavily disturbed soils, in fact it is considered an indicator of agricultural activity. It is successful in the poorest, heaviest and most compacted soil.
The leaves, seeds, and flower heads are said to be edible but the leaves are really stringy unless they are very young. Of course, it is important to be careful when eating wild plants, and make sure you have identified the plant correctly and the soil is not contaminated
I have also heard the strings in the leaves can be extracted and used for textile purposes
and that's some common plants you might often see throughout the world
Things to Consider in a Tarot Reading (Other Than Card Meanings)
It’s important to look at the meanings of tarot cards, but it’s very possible to pull even more out of a reading that individual card meanings. Here’s some other stuff you might consider bringing into your interpretation when it feels right:
🍄The position of the cards. This is why spread design can be so important! I’ve had instances where all the cards, in their positions, had the subjects looking or pointing towards one specific card. It was wild. What did it mean? Maybe nothing, but maybe something very significant, depending on the question!
🍄The visual element of the cards. Sometimes what’s depicted on the card can give more specific insight than the actual book meanings. The pictures were done that way for a reason, so don’t be afraid to give them their own weight! Also, sometimes the spread as a whole will have a flow of design (like when one half is much brighter than the other) or a specific card is WAY more colorful than the other cards on the table. Any of these could potentially carry meaning.
🍄Jumper cards. This is when a card pops out while you’re shuffling! I usually just put them back… UNLESS the question has already been presented, and I’m shuffling with that question in mind. Then, I keep them as extra advice, bonus cards.
🍄Reoccurring numbers. Maybe you do a four card spread for a friend, and you get the four of cups, four of swords, four of wands, and the Emperor! (IV.) What does that mean? What does the number four symbolize? Well, a lot of things, potentially, depending on what you study. Some tarot designs incorporate the Kabbalah’s numbered paths in the tree of life, others go with numerology. Maybe, the number four just means something special to you or the querent in particular.
🍄A bunch of cards in order. I’m not talking about when you forget to shuffle. I’m talking about when you give it a really good shuffle and you still get the ace, two, and three of Pentacles all in a row. This can be seen as a sign of progression, or that the events are all much more closely connected than anticipated. It can also mean it happens over a shorter period of time than normal. It’s up to you, your cards, and the contexts.
🍄Proportions of different features. Maybe you’re doing an obstacle spread, and your obstacle is something like the nine of swords. That’s pretty nasty, but if all the other cards in the spread are Major Arcana, then it’s probably not going to be that difficult to surmount. The reverse can also be true. Additionally, a high number of reversed cards in a spread typically signifies a lot of confusion, conflict, and turmoil.
🍄Reoccurring symbols. Beyond just the four suits, because that’s a given! But maybe your spread shows a lot of cards with images of fire, people dancing, or birds. Do these mean anything to you or the querent? What do they typically symbolize?
🍄Any hiccups or unusual events during the reading. Once I had a querent pick up a card to examine it, drop it, then pick it up and put it back reversed. Since it was the overall outcome card, I interpreted that as a heightened ability to change her own fate in this given situation, since she had turned the card from quite a bad omen to a good one. Sometimes little accidents like dropping cards, accidentally shifting them, or laying out the spread wrong are meant to be there and add to the meaning!
I hope this gives you some ideas! Feel free to add more. What do you interpret alongside the cards in a reading?
Cicada Oil 💀 For Death Magic
“ The cicada is an animal replete with symbolism: recurring themes are resurrection, immortality, spiritual realization and spiritual ecstasy. For the Ancient Greeks and Romans they sang ecstatically, were sacred to Apollo and related to the dionysiac bacchae and maenads.”
I’ve used many different types of insects in my work, but the cicada is one of my favorites. For those of us on the east coast of the USA, Brood X is crawling up from the ground soon. Use this opportunity to gather the shells of cicadas to use for this potent oil.
You may also use whole, dried cicada, but please only collect cicada from natural dead fall. Do not kill the cicada in order to use it.
This oil is used for magic involving transformation, transitions, death, spiritual awakening, connecting with ancestors, and offerings to gods/goddesses/spirits that are aligned with these themes. You can dress candles or anoint yourself with it.
You can use as much or as little of each ingredient for your oil. I personally use ¼ dry ingredients to ¾ carrier oil for my ratio.
Ingredients:
Dried cicada or cicada sheds
Rosemary
Carrier Oil
Amber glass bottle
Gather your ingredients.
When gathering the dead cicada and sheds, thank the spirit of the cicada for offering its earthly body for your work.
On the night of the new moon, grind up the cicadas, shells and rosemary with a mortar and pestle into a powder. Imbue the intent of your work into the powder.
Combine with carrier oil in the bottle, shake, and store away to infuse for a week before use.
The oil should have a shelf stability of at least 6 months.
Women in STEM (sorcery, thaumaturgy, enchantment, magic)
Disability in witchcraft
Occasionally I’ll see a post encouraging spoony witches. You’re still valid, as the kids like to remind each other. I admit, I’m a generation too old for this validity schtick. Personally, I always wanted to read as quasi-fictional.
I disagree. Disabled witches aren’t valid. Disabled witches are so traditional, it should practically be mandatory.
Think of Odin, one eyed. Think of Gandalf and his walking stick. Think of bent and elderly crones. Remember Merlin when he fled to the forest, terrified and haunted by memories of war.
I’m hard of hearing; I hear ghosts and gods better than people, some days. My spine is crooked and broken; the pain roots me to the earth. There are days that I cannot walk, but there aren’t any days that I can’t fly.
I’m stubborn and hardworking, and there are days that I try to fight through my pain as if it weren’t there. So I don’t always remember this, but your ailments are your teachers. Your practice isn’t acceptable despite your disability. Your disability is part of your practice. You know things that people who are merely healthy won’t know until they’re old. You know yourself in ways the healthy don’t and can’t. That’s something more wild and more true than validity. It’s power.
some of my favorite flowers
Quite the photogenic little gremlin. 🖤
Filipino artist, Gregory Halili, carves intricate skulls into mother of pearl shells.
“Tarot helps you tap into your unconscious knowledge, raise it to the surface of your conscious mind, and access otherwise latent information—in either the subconscious, personal unconscious, or even collective unconscious—to help provide insight into the most probable outcomes of your contemplated actions.”
From Holistic Tarot, by Benebell Wen.
Tarot, Nicolas Bruno
3.9.21
My draw today was 1) “where am I at today?” & 2) “what’s guiding me?”
I’m interested by this combo - just yesterday I was thinking about how these two relate.
🗡️ VI of Swords is a passage from pain or danger.
☕ VIII of cups is letting go/leaving things (or a situation) behind.
I’m in the middle of a big life transition, after putting a job behind me. I’ve cut a lot out of my life since 2018. I have no idea where I’m going or what the outcome will be - I just needed to drastically break with some things to get to a safe place in the short-term. It’s what’s been driving me, but I also don’t know where I’m going except “away from”.
I’ve been kicking myself wondering if I made a terrible move (& I’ve been feeling very adrift / directionless in the meantime), but I’m trying to afford the process a teensy bit of faith.
(Deck is Mystic Mondays)
Putting things under your pillow
By putting certain things underneath your pillow, you will allow those metaphysical properties to interact with your dreams, and your person all throughout the night, when you sleep upon that pillow. Here is a small list of constructs you can put underneath your pillow, that will provide to you certain energies, minds states, and physical stimulus throughout the night based on what they are:
Lapis lazuli under your pillow for awareness of your dreams, and vividness of those dreams.
Clear quartz under your pillow to wake up with more energy, after you awake from your sleep.
Bayleaf under your pillow in order to have more prophetic dreams.
Chamomile under your pillow in order to promote relaxation, and good dreams.
Rose petals under your pillow in order to bring love into your waking life.
Peppermint under your pillow in order to promote relaxation, and vivid dreams.
Lavender under your pillow in order to promote calm, and in order for you to sleep well.
Anise under your pillow in order to prevent nightmares.
Rosemary under your pillow in order to prevent nightmares, and to bring deep sleep.
Garlic under your pillow in order to promote sleep well.
You can put a blade of grass, or a leaf underneath your pillow to promote growth, and change in your waking life.
Money under your pillow for wealth, and prosperity in your waking life.
You can put a picture of someone underneath your pillow in order to connect with them better.
You can put the name of someone underneath your pillow in order to connect with them better.
You can put all manner of sigil underneath your pillow in order to get the effect of that Sigil into your dreams, and waking life.
Lapis Lazuli seriously works like magic when it comes to dream recall! ✨
St. John’s Wort | Chamomile | Echinacea
The last of floral patterns for a little while. Thanks for sticking around! I’ll be doing more patterns, just with a different theme. I posted a few color variations on my Insta.
Wax Seal Charms
From simple love spells to glamours and hexes, wax seal charms are a powerful and versatile tool for any witch’s arsenal. Small, completely customizable, inconspicuous, and easy to hide, these simple charms are useful for nearly any type of magick.
First, you will need a smooth, relatively flat work surface that can withstand heat (I used the bottom of a ceramic bowl). Fold a small envelope from a square of paper. You want the envelope to be the same size as or smaller than the wax seal to ensure complete wax coverage.
Next, write your intent (or draw a sigil) on the inside of the envelope. Keep it simple or write very small.
You can add a small pinch of herbs (or a taglock) if you like, but try not to use too much or the charm won’t flatten and may not seal correctly.
Once you’ve added your herbs, fold the envelope shut. You may need to squish it a little to keep it closed.
Pour your wax over the envelope, making sure to cover any open edges, and place your stamp in the molten wax. Apply light pressure for a few moments and then allow to cool.
Once completely cool, remove your stamp and peel the charm off your work surface.
And voila! A small, portable charm that can easily be slipped into a purse or wallet unnoticed.
Know What You Have Done
Requested by @glithch
This is neither a curse, nor a hex, as it does not return the pain caused (though it can easily be reformatted to do so), but simply makes the aggressor aware of it. More than that, it is to force them to understand the pain caused. Do not be wary of its simplicity, for its effects are tried and true.
Gather
A large bowl – the darker in color the better **
Water **
(Optional, though highly recommended): a personal affect of your aggressor)
(Optional: a Candle, black or white)
** Alternately, you can replace the bowl and water for a mirror or other scrying surface of your choosing
Instructions
Take with you your items to a dark room. Light the candle (or another dull light source) and pour your water into the bowl. The goal is to arrange it so that you cannot see through the water, but can only see the reflection on its surface.
When you have found the perfect lighting, take the personal affect in your left hand and “find” them in the water. You want to use the affect to attune to their spirit/energy so that you can “see” them. Keep working until you have a definitive link. You will know it when you have it.
Once the link has been made, using your right hand, dip your fingers into the water (hence why the bowl of water is preferred) – this represents their subconsciousness. Bring forth the incident in which you were wrong and “place alongside” it, your own pain. Not in such a way as to inflict the pain, but to make them aware of your own. If you find it easier, feel free to speak what they have done aloud and the results of their actions. “This is what you have done.”
When you have said your peace and shown them what they need to see, break the link by flicking the water from your fingers onto the surface and releasing the personal affect from your hand. Pour out the water wherever convenient and do with the personal affect whatever you feel is appropriate. There is no need to destroy or get rid of it – in fact, you may wish to hold onto it for any further work.
photo source
