Page ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

Pets, plants, witchcraft, LGBTQ+

[bluebabypage]

Imagine looking at the color spectrum like how people look at the autism spectrum as low and high functioning.

Labelling something as low and high functioning is making it a *scale* not a spectrum.

Each color has its own saturation, shade and pigment on a scale.

All of the colors together, is a spectrum. Autism, like colors, is not a scale.

Each symptom has a scale and all together it makes up a spectrum.

[psychic-waffles]

Some house plant parent tips:

If ur plant has been in the same pot for a while and the soil has become compacted you need to aerate it. Get a kebab skewer and poke it through the soil to the bottom of the pot in a bunch of places. This will help with drainage etc.

If you have cacti/succulents you should water the plant, completely soaking the soil, then wait til it has completely dried out before watering again. This replicates the storm/drought conditions it would usually live in.

Do not let your plant sit in water, if you notice standing water empty it out as otherwise it can contribute to root rot.

Before you water your plants stick ur finger in the soil to test the moisture level below the surface, as this is a true indicator of if ur plant actually needs watering.

The only success I have had with growing avocado plants has been leaving the stone in the water filled jar setup until the roots have fully established and the stem has started to grow (rather than potting up as soon as the roots start growing as often suggested)

Disclaimer: these are just my personal observations, and the only way I’ve got to the point where I know what I’m doing is by killing a lot of plants by accident and learning from my mistakes, so don’t get discouraged if you kill ur plants when you’re starting out.

Also feel free to reblogged and add your own thoughts!

[samwisethewitch]

Pathworking and Astral Travel

In spirit work, we often connect with the spirits that have crossed over and are present in the physical world. However, there are also ways to cross over into the spirit world and connect with spirits in their home environment.

Pathworking

As I mentioned in a previous post, a pathworking is a specific type of meditation where you go on a psychic journey, but are still anchored to your physical body. It’s sort of like dipping your toes into the spirit world.

There are two important elements to a pathworking: a clear entrance/exit point and a way to retrace your steps. Pathworking journeys are typically cyclical — there is both a journey out and a return where you go back the way you came. This makes it easier to fully return your consciousness to your body, and failing to do so can cause you to feel disoriented upon the return.

Your entry/exit point can be absolutely anything, but common examples include a door, a gateway, a tree (or sometimes The World Tree), a cave/tunnel, or a natural landmark like a beach or mountaintop. What’s important is that it’s recognizable and easy to find your way back to.

If you want to try pathworking, make a rough “road map” of your journey beforehand. This doesn’t have to be super specific, but it should contain the following: a goal for the pathworking (such as to connect with a certain spirit), an entry/exit point, and a general idea for the route you’re going to take. If you’re worried about getting lost, author Thea Sabin recommends using “the Theseus trick.” Like in the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, you can tie a golden thread or rope to your entry point and the other end to your astral body. If you get lost, you can follow the thread back.

Pathworking is fairly beginner friendly, and I highly, highly, highly recommend starting with pathworking and becoming comfortable with this method before trying astral travel. Even for more advanced witches, pathworking is often a better option than astral travel because it’s less involved and requires a little bit less effort. I personally prefer pathworking for most situations.

Performing a Pathworking

Before you begin, establish a clear goal for your pathworking and write out a rough “road map.” At the very least, you should know what your purpose is, where your entry point is, and how to find your way back.

Begin in a dark, quiet room. Cleanse the room by burning incense, diffusing or spraying essential oils, or using a ritual broom to sweep out old energy.

Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and begin meditating. You may want to play meditation music, practice breathing techniques, or use some other method to help you reach a meditative state.

Once you reach a meditative state (you should know what this feels like if you have experience with meditation), see yourself standing at your entry point. This is your entrance to the astral realm.

Set out on your pathworking.

When you are ready to leave the astral realm, you will need to find your way back to your entry point. Once you reach your entry point, it should be fairly easy to return to your body.

Once you’re fully present in your physical body, use your favorite method to ground yourself.

Write down everything you experienced during your pathworking in a journal.

Astral Travel

If pathworking is dipping your toes into the spirit world, astral travel is diving in the deep end. Also called spirit flight and hedge riding, astral travel includes actually sending your soul/consciousness out of your body and into the spirit world. As you might guess, this is more complicated and requires more effort than pathworking. For this reason, astral travel is not beginner-friendly. If you are completely new to meditation, witchcraft, and spirit work, it’s best to learn to pathwork before you attempt astral travel.

A word of warning: you may want to avoid astral travel at times when you’re in a very vulnerable or volatile emotional state. Some days you just aren’t up for it, and that’s okay. On those days, a pathworking or another form of spirit work may be a better option.

Triggering Spirit Flight

In astral travel, a trigger of some kind is used to help disconnect the soul from the physical body. Common triggers include drumming, special music, shaking a rattle, chanting, and dancing.

You can find shamanic drumming tracks on YouTube that can help you achieve astral travel. If you find that repetitive motion helps you trance out, you may look into getting a small drum or rattle to play.

Animal Guides

In many cultures, those who travel into the spirit world do so with the guidance and protection of an animal spirit. From the Norse fylgja, to the shamanic power animal, to the witch’s familiar, history is full of examples of these types of guides.

Before you begin astral travel, do a pathworking to meet your animal guide. It’s important to note that you aren’t choosing an animal guide — only meeting one that has always been with you. Your guide may be an animal that you like or identify with, or it may not. When I first began experimenting with astral travel, my guide was a coyote — an animal I had never identified with before, but who I learned was deeply connected to my inner self.

It’s important to always have your animal guide with you when going on astral journeys, as they are an important source of protection and power. They may also literally guide you to the things you need to see and the spirits you need to meet.

Flying Ointments

Historical accounts describe witches using “flying ointment” to help them achieve spirit flight. These traditional flying ointments contained toxic and/or hallucinogenic plants like belladonna, datura, henbane, mandrake, and opium poppies. For obvious reasons, most modern witches do not use these herbs.

Please do not try to create your own flying ointment with poisonous plants. If you’re a true traditionalist and feel like you just have to try a historically accurate flying ointment, Bane Folk Apothecary sells several. Bane Folk is run by Sarah Anne Lawless, a kickass witch who knows her stuff and produces safe, medicinal products inspired by traditional flying ointment formulas. I am usually very pro-DIY, especially when it comes to witchcraft, but this is one case where it really is best to defer to a professional.

To create a modern, non-toxic flying ointment: heat eight ounces (or one cup) of poppy seed oil over low heat on the stove. Once the oil is warm, add 2 ounces (or ¼ cup) of beeswax into the oil. (Use carnauba wax for a vegan alternative.) Take the mixture off the heat, and allow it to cool off a bit. Once it has cooled (but before it’s begun to solidify), add nine drops each of mugwort essential oil, star anise essential oil, and peppermint essential oil. Pour the mixture into a mason jar and seal tightly. To extend your ointment’s shelf life, add a few drops of Vitamin E oil and store in the refrigerator. If you don’t have access to essential oils or prefer a more traditional method, you can buy dry herbs and infuse them into your oil instead — to do this, crush up 2.5 ounces (or 1/3 cup) each of dried mugwort, star anise, and peppermint and add them to a mason jar; add enough oil to the jar to cover the herbs completely, with about an inch of oil above them; seal the jar and place it in a sunny window for 2-3 weeks to infuse; and finally, strain the herbs out of the oil with a mesh sieve or a cheesecloth. You can then add your Vitamin E oil and beeswax to create an ointment.

This modern recipe does not contain hallucinogens, but it does contain plants that are commonly used in magic to increase psychic abilities and aid in astral travel. You can say an incantation over this ointment while making it to add some extra magical potency. Applying the flying ointment can also become a sort of ritual that prepares you for spirit flight by helping you slip into a more spiritual head space.

Performing Astral Travel/Spirit Flight

Before you begin, know why you are journeying to the spirit world. You should always have a clear goal for your astral journeys.

Begin in a dark, quiet room. Cleanse the room by burning incense (mugwort incense aids in astral travel), diffusing or spraying essential oils, or using a ritual broom to sweep out old energy.

Use your favorite method to ground yourself.

If you are choosing to use a flying ointment, rub it on your skin now.

Hold a protective item in one of your hands. I like physical items for protection during spirit flight, because they can ground you and help you find your way back to your body. Examples of protective items include a sprig of rue, a piece of iron, or a protective crystal like black tourmaline. If you ever feel scared or uncomfortable during your journey, you can bring this object into the astral realm to protect you. It will also keep your body safe while your consciousness is occupied.

Start up your trigger, whether this is drumming, rattling, dancing, etc.

Allow yourself to drift into a trance state, and then to disconnect from your body.

Call your animal guide to you.

Set out on your journey in the spirit world.

When you are ready, feel yourself returning to your physical body. Allow yourself to come back slowly — don’t rush it.

Ground yourself. One good way to ground after astral travel is by eating a snack.

Write down your experiences in a journal.

Resources:

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

Hedge Riding by Harmonia Saille

“How to Make Herb-Infused Oils for Culinary & Body Care Use” and “How to Make Herbal Salves” from the Mountain Rose Herbs blog

[samwisethewitch]

Working with Spirits

In my last post, I talked about different types of spirits that witches may work with. Today, we’re going to discuss how to approach spirits and establish a working relationship.

Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and every spirit is different. I encourage you to do your own research beyond this post, especially if you plan to work with powerful entities like deities, angels, or fairies.

Remember the Four R’s

It’s important to keep these things in mind when working with spirits:

Respect. The spirits are powerful, and you need to have a healthy respect for that power when working with them. It’s also important to respect them as individual, autonomous beings.

I’m not saying that every interaction you have with the spirits needs to be a full blown ritual with incense and chanting. (In fact, some spirits don’t care for those types of rituals.) But every interaction you have with them should be conducted with an air of respect and reverence.

What this mostly boils down to is good manners. Being polite will get you better results — and it will also keep you from being on the receiving end of spirit mischief. Proper etiquette depends on the type of spirit you’re working with, which is one reason it’s important to do your research. In general, it’s polite to make an offering, use respectful language, and thank the spirits before you leave (unless you’re dealing with fairies — some traditions say you should never thank the fae).

Respecting spirits also means respecting their desires — even if that means respecting their wish not to work with you. Not every spirit you reach out to will want to form a relationship with you, just like not every person you meet in your life will want to be your friend. When a spirit turns you down, respect their decision, politely bid them farewell, and move on.

Reciprocity. The goal of spirit work is to establish a mutually-beneficial partnership — not for one partner to serve the other. On one hand, this means that you can’t just command spirits to do your bidding without giving anything in return. On the other hand, it also means that you won’t be worshiping/honoring them without receiving some kind of boon.

This is why it’s important to make offerings to the spirits you work with. These offerings “feed” the spirits by giving them power, and a good offering will likely make a spirit more willing to work with you. Offerings are not payment for favors from spirits (it’s not quite that simple), but they are a sign that you intent to practice reciprocity in your relationship.

In general, it’s important to make an offering when you first introduce yourself to a spirit and again before you ask them for anything. But you shouldn’t only make offerings when you’re about to ask for something! How would you feel if you had a friend who only did nice things for you when they were about to ask for a favor? You’d probably start avoiding them, right? You might even get angry. To avoid this kind of dynamic in your spirit work, make regular offerings to the spirits you work with. If you’re especially close with a spirit, you may want to offer to them every day.

Relationship. The spirits are not vending machines where you put offerings in and blessings fall out. They are living, sentient beings with feelings, and deserve to be treated as such. Your relationship with the spirits you choose to work with is just that: a relationship. And like any relationship, it requires time, energy, and emotional labor.

If that sounds like more effort than you want to make, there are plenty of ways to do magic without ever working with spirits. You don’t need to do spirit work to be a witch. It may not be your thing, and that’s okay!

But if you choose to work with spirits, it’s important to remember that you are working with them as an equal partner — you’re not their boss, and they are not obligated to like you, help you, or even tolerate you. Relationships with spirits are built over time, through mutual respect and trust.

You wouldn’t drive up to your friend’s house, throw a fast-food burger at them, and then demand a special favor. Likewise, you shouldn’t just dump an offering on your altar and demand something of the spirits. Take the time to sit down with them. Talk to them. Get to know them. Put some thought into your offerings, instead of just offering the same thing every time. Spirit work is, at its core, about building an authentic relationship with the spirits we choose to include in our practice. Enjoy it.

Research. When it comes to spirits, it’s important to know exactly who (and what) you’re dealing with. As previously mentioned, the etiquette for dealing with fairies is very different from other land spirits. Different deities have different standards for their worshipers, which vary from one pantheon to the next. The way you interact with your ancestors will probably be shaped by their personalities, cultures, and values. All this is to say it’s important to know who you’re reaching out to, preferably before you reach out to them.

With deities, this is easy. Most witches who choose to work with deities will feel drawn to a certain pantheon, or even a specific god or goddess. There’s a lot of information out there about most historical pantheons, so researching them is easy. The same goes for angels, saints, demons, and even fairies.

It can be a little more difficult to do your research when you’re dealing with land spirits, spirits of place, or other less well-known figures. In these cases, it’s best to take three steps: 1.) figure out what type of spirit you’re dealing with (land spirit, animal spirit, ancestor, etc.), 2.) find out what this type of spirit is like generally, and 3.) find out how that applies to your specific spirit.

For example: you want to connect with your local land spirits. You do some research to find out how land spirits have been treated in various cultures — you find out that they’re typically benevolent, are closely tied to the natural landscape, and were often given food offerings. Then, you do some research into your local plants and animals — what form might a nature spirit take in your local environment? Would it be a huge moose with snow-covered antlers, or a magnolia tree in full bloom? Is there any local folklore in your area that could be describing a land spirit? Once you have answers to these questions, you’ll have a much better idea of how to approach the spirits and start up a relationship.

Initiating a Relationship with a Spirit

Begin by identifying who this spirit is. For example, let’s say you choose to reach out to a specific ancestor spirit — maybe a deceased grandparent. Make sure you’re familiar with the etiquette for interacting with this type of spirit so you don’t accidentally do something disrespectful. (If your Grandma hated cussing, try not to drop any f-bombs while communing with her.)

Create a special space to communicate with the spirit. This can be as simple as lighting a candle or as elaborate as setting up a special altar. If you’re reaching out to a grandparent, you might set up a small ritual space with a photo of them, any of their belongings that you have access to, and some things that they enjoyed while they were alive. These items may make the connection easier, but you don’t need them to communicate. What matters is that you’ve taken the time to create a special space for this moment. (Like all ritual spaces, it should be clean and tidy, and it’s a good idea to do an energetic cleanse beforehand.)

Make an offering. Make sure your offering is appropriate for the spirit you’re connecting to. Offerings should be made with an air of reverence — don’t just toss a bag of Doritos on your altar and expect it to be well-received.

Introduce yourself. Speak out loud. State your intention and who you are hoping to connect with.

Wait and listen. You may feel a presence or receive some kind of sign — or you may not. Just because you didn’t get a sign doesn’t mean that your offering wasn’t noticed or that you’re being ignored. You may also receive a sign several hours, days, or weeks after you first reach out. Be patient.

Say your farewells. Express your gratitude for the spirit’s presence, and let them know that you are ending your little ritual. It’s up to you whether to invite them to stick around or politely tell them to leave, but if you’re going to give a spirit permission to linger in your home you better be 1000% sure you know who they are and what their intentions with you are.

Moving Forward

As you work with this spirit, it is important to establish clear boundaries for the relationship. Be clear about what you want to accomplish by working with them, and make sure you understand what they expect from you in return.

You might want to establish a time limit: for example, maybe you’re choosing to work closely with the goddess Brigid from Imbolc to Samhain, at which point you can choose to continue the relationship or to take a step back. Or, you may choose to work with a spirit on a specific task — for example, working with the goddess Aphrodite to get back on your feet and rebuild your self esteem after a breakup. Once this task is accomplished, you may choose to form a more long-term relationship or to take a step back.

Forming a permanent or long-term working relationship with a spirit is a very big, very serious commitment, and should not be taken lightly. This goes double for anything involving a ritual commitment, such as dedication to a deity. When you make these commitments, you are choosing to make a spirit and their energy a permanent part of your life. This decision requires some very serious introspection and consideration, and should not be made impulsively.

Resources:

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

A Practical Heathen’s Guide to Asatru by Patricia M. Lafayllve

Where the Hawthorn Grows and The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens by Morgan Daimler

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael’s A Jock: An Insider’s Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like and The Angel Code by Chantel Lysette

New World Witchery podcast (several episodes, including “Episode 164 — Irish Folklore and Magic,” “Episode 161 — Practicing Safe Hex,” and “Episode 152 — Honoring Ancestors”)

[bluebabypage]

I myself, as a baby witch, have never celebrated a sabbat. The most upcoming sabbat though... Is Mabon! So I would like to share some festive knowledge with some other baby witches...

Mabon

A celebration of the autumnal equinox and the Welsh God (who it is named after)

Mabon the child of light.

The sabbat is the second harvest and basically Thanksgiving

Colors:

Green

Red

Orange

Yellow

Brown

Gold

Foods to eat:

Bread

Apples

Pumpkins and squash

Cider

Cinnamon flavored

Corn

Root veggies

Ways to celebrate:

Celebrate your abundance and gratitude by making a gratitude list and having feasts

Clean your home of things that you no longer want or need and let go

Baking with bread, cinnamon and apples

Protect and cleanse your home

Take walks and experience the seasonal changes

If you grow food or garden, harvest!

Spells that are best around this time

Cleansing

Protection

Prosperity

Shadow work

Releasing negativity

Timing

Check your timing of when this sabbat takes place. It varies every year. This year it takes place

September 21

To

September 29

But check each year for the time it takes place

[leafy-birb]

adventures with Elf pt.2

[bluebabypage]

what breed of dog is Elf?

[the-hearth-witchery]

Good Harvest Loaf

OR Basic Bitch Banana Pumpkin Bread ($$$)

Okay. Strap in. This is a complicated recipe, but totally worth it. Make this bread for a nice Autumn prosperity spell, abundance spell, or even as a shareable for Mabon. This is full of spices with money/prosperity correspondences, and never forget that banana and pumpkin are great for attracting prosperity, too. As this is the harvest season, I like to add a splash of whisky to represent grain. 

Meditate, set your intentions, and prep your ingredients. I like having everything set out in bowls/cups. This cuts down on how often you (if you’re like me) have to scramble around and breaking your concentration.

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs*

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 can pumpkin puree

½ cup honey**

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour***

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground clove

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

Optional Ingredients

¼ teaspoon allspice

2 teaspoon espresso

½ shot grain-based alcohol, preferably whisky/bourbon - to represent the grain harvest

Walnuts for topping

Raisins

ALTERNATIVE DIET OPTIONS

*To make vegan, add 6 tbsp aquafaba (garbanzo bean juice)

Please note that this will add a slightly nuttier taste to the mixture, but with the banana and pumpkin, there isn’t much of a noticeable difference

**For a vegan alternative to honey, try agave syrup

***To make gluten free, replace all-purpose flour with almond flour. This WILL change the texture of your loaf. It will be a bit denser. Also, to keep the recipe gluten free, DO NOT add any grain-based alcohol

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan (you may sprinkle it with almond flour to make it even less likely to stick).

Stir together the banana, eggs, oil, pumpkin, honey, and sugar. Add espresso and alcohol, if desired

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices

Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. Add walnuts/raisins, if desired.

Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. To check loaf, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If done, the toothpick should come out clean

Allow to cool before serving

Ingredient correspondences below break

Keep reading

[greenwitchofwonderland]

Just made this re a and heres how they turned out!! Oh my they are so yummy!

[greenwitchofwonderland]

Familiars

Familiars are spirits drawn to a witch by a strong connection

Familiars can be gifted to a witch during an impactful time in their life

Familiars can be found by a witch or find the witch themselves

Familiars can also be called upon by a witch

They are neither benevolent or malevolent beings

They are there to help the witch in whatever way needed

Any witch can have a familiar

A familiar should be asked first if they want to be your familiar

Familiars should never be sacrificed

Typically have “human” names 

*These are my person beliefs on familiars made from research on the subject and what feels right to me. If your views differ, share them in the comments I’d love to hear them!

[arachnophilliac]

🌱adventurecore things to do while quarentined🌱

being self isolated/quarentined an not being able to go outside or go exploring can be rlly hard an a bitch during the plauge, so these are some things you can do at home to keep ya spirits up

daytime things

1.learn morse code or another language

2.design a travelling outfit (or if you have the materials) make one

3.draw maps of lands that dont exist

4.if you have a backyard, go lay in the grass or at night build a tent out of whatever you can find and sleep underneath the stars

5.watch youtube videos of people exploring abandoned places

nighttime things

1. go out on midnight walks

2.do all the exploring your heart desires

3.hangout with friends in the woods

4. watch the stars

5. appreciate the emptiness of the streets during these times

these are just some things ive been doing to keep me somewhat sane, hope some of yall get some use from this

remember, wash your hands, dont touch ya face

[dreamysunrise-deactivated202004]

I really wanna try embroidery!!

[bluebabypage]

I'd like to embroider everything I own now

[a-fools-feels]

the reason why we all ache for nature, for woods and gardens and warm sunlight, is that we feel so trapped in today's expectations. they want us to dream big, and put us down for impossible goals. they want us to become someone and leave a legacy, yet whenever we try, we're told it's not enough.

then, some of us realise it's a trap. it's turning us into small cogs in a bigger machine, shaping us however they want. we realise this capitalist system won't let us breathe, won't let us be free.

so we run away to places where its grasp hasn't reached yet. we care for small gardens, tend to our plants, we find joy in simple things, where everyone else told us to not bother looking.

we crave peace, and rest, and most of all, we want to dream without being belittled. we want that warmth, that serenity. we want to be ourselves, without apologising for it.

[thebluebeansblog]

Social media witches! Part 1

TIKTOK

Jay_the_genderqueer, it's my witchtok! I post facts, tips, and tricks there!

Thedevilsadvocate415. Left hand magic, stuff on demons, deities, and sigils.

Bluj420. Chaos witch, dark magic, and scrying.

Pagan_omen. Deities

Witch.camp . Astral projecting, casting circles, divination, herbs, hexs, and warding.

Witch_what_the_fk. Deities and offerings for deities.

Astra..rose . Deities and mental health.

Crystalvisionzbyemz. Tarot, readings, and tips.

Connorthebroken. Norse pagan

Bigfootsoup. Divination, crystals, and tips.

More witches: Velvetpooka, taurianwitch, anawitchpolythiest2, the.green.witch.97, baby.green.witch, and kirstinetheartist.

[pearlescent-divination]

Shout-out to one of my besties, @hyntai , for creating this AWESOME moodboard cover picture for me 🥺🥰😍

[bluebabypage]

This is gorgeous

[thestrawberrynight]

living in the cottage with a large kitchen where I can bake bread with herbs and muffins, having a little café and selling my bakery products, growing roses in my big garden and enjoying the sunshine

[bluebabypage]

This reminds me of the bakery from Kiki's Delivery Service.

[someplacegreen]

Are you afraid little wanderer? You need not be. Look up at the stars. Watch them twinkle and shine into the vast nothingness in hopes of illuminating the path for some lost wanderer such as you. They are much greater than you could ever dream to be, yet they shine for you to follow. Trust in them.

[bluebabypage]

Real exploration hours

[crrowchild]

anyone wanna go build a fort in the woods while snacking on sandwiches and berries? we could befriend some woodland creatures and write songs about our adventures

[bluebabypage]

:)

[ofdirtandbones]

Humans were made to art and laugh not capitalism and cry

[bluebabypage]

Capitalism is no no, keep positive folks