It Should Be Fall

Hi I’m Hal

[blackingzz]

[cross-leggeddefiance]

You NEEDED Mermen of color on your dash, you just didn’t know it.

[glam-pire]

no I did

[chubbycartwheels]

Now my tumblr is perfect.

[heartsnmagic]

[thefoxandspice]

🎬 October Kiss

[will-o-the-witch]

Worshipping With Executive Dysfunction

Ironically, I’m writing this to avoid doing my Work Job. Let’s get into it.

Set an alarm so you remember. Pick a specific time you’re going to worship, because “later” never comes and “sometime this evening” rarely does either. Instead, set an alarm so that you already have that time set aside in your mind, and so that you don’t mentally blow past it when that time arrives.

Keep everything in one place. Keep the offerings near where you would offer them, as well as anything you might need to do it, like matches or lighters. Make it so there’s as little travel time as possible between you and what you want to do. 

Think through the ritual setup beforehand. Sometimes the offering part is easy but getting to that point is overwhelming, especially if your tradition involves ritual purification or invocation rituals. Boil it down to the bare essentials and capture the essence in a way that doesn’t have so many steps, if you can. (Ex: Is that personal purification rite just an ancient way of washing away germs, and if so can we just mindfully wash our hands and fulfull the rite’s function?)

Start with something little. Getting started can be the hardest part. If you don’t have the energy for an entire offering ritual, break it into pieces. Just do the setup and approach the rest later if you need. Or just put on a playlist to get into the mood for now. Or take a couple deep breaths to refocus your brain. Ease into it as slowly as you need. 

Think ahead with your offerings. Will you have the spoons to clean up after? If you’re like me and run the risk of not removing an offering for days (or weeks…) then think ahead to what can stay there a long time, just in case. Nobody likes cleaning up the altar and finding mold in the offering dish. Incense, water, and dried plants tend to work well, as do nonphysical things like music and poetry.

“While I’m at it…” If you catch yourself in a spot with good momentum, try to get a rite done while you have the energy instead of putting it off. It can be something simple, but use the energy and the drive while you’re on top of it since we can’t always guarantee it will be there in even an hour. 

Keep things similar so that you don’t have to rethink every step, every time. A rock solid routine with what a ritual looks like helps it become a lot more automatic, and therefore a lot easier to actually do. Routine becomes habit.

Remember that something is better than nothing. Anything that helps you touch base with your Divine and keep them close is a good thing, and most people don’t give an offering every single day. Don’t waste time beating yourself up for not performing at the level you wish you could. Instead, celebrate the love it takes to do something at all for them through your Executive Dysfunction; you’re already pushing yourself and striving to do your best for them, and that’s incredible. Hang onto that. 

[bellaswanswife]

twilight au where the cullens leave town in new moon but they leave Emmett behind so the depression scene is just

[joy-the-vamp]

this is how the scene went

[scared-aquarius]

signs as witches

Cosmic Witch Libra, Aquarius, Leo

Green Witch Gemini, Virgo

Divination Witch Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius

Kitchen Witch Taurus, Capricorn

Sea Witch Cancer, Pisces

[littlewitchyluna]

I made a quick reference for color magick! I decided to make it a photo post of it so you could save it to your phone/tablet/computer for easy reference later! :) I also included the source so I could flip back to the book if I needed to. Any topics I should photo post next? Let me know! :)

[iolitewitchcraft]

Crystal Safety, Revisited

There’s an awesome post going around by @prettycitywitch that discusses crystal care and toxicity. I noticed a few errors in it, just due to the source that was used, so I contacted her and got permission to rewrite it to ensure the most accurate information possible is spread around in the witchy community. I’ve gone through every crystal in her list and added a few others. 

Everything in this list has been confirmed by the Gemological Institute of America Laboratory (one of the foremost in gemological research), multiple published mineralogical sources, and/or at least two online mineralogical databases. Crystals of particular concern in each category have been bolded; the other listed crystals have a bit of wiggle room.

Crystals affected by sunlight or heat Most crystals (including nearly all in this list) are safe to expose to sunlight temporarily - you can wear them in jewelry during the day, for example, but don’t leave them in your windowsill for weeks. In general, colorless crystals may be left in the sun indefinitely, while colored (especially pink) crystals should be stored in a place that doesn’t get direct sun all day. Heat, on the other hand, can easily affect many crystals, but usually only at high temperatures (steam or a jeweler’s torch), so I’ve only included the ones that could be damaged by relatively low temperatures.

Amber - may crack in heat

Amethyst - may fade over time; safe to expose to sun temporarily

Apophyllite - heat can cause flaking; sunlight is fine as long as the specimen is kept cool

Maxixe (dark blue beryl) - fades extremely quickly to pale brown in sunlight; color can only be restored through irradiation

Azurite - will fade over time with exposure to sunlight; store in a dark, cool environment

Celestine - fades in long exposure to sunlight

Chrysoprase - may fade in sunlight; restoration of color sometimes possible through prolonged storage in water

Fluorite - occasionally can fade in sunlight

Hackmanite - exhibits tenebrescence, a temporary change in color due to sun exposure; will return to original color if kept in a dark area

Hiddenite - unstable in sunlight and heat to a lesser degree than kunzite; however, some darker green hiddenite is much more unstable than kunzite and great care should be taken, as it can fade in a matter of minutes

Kunzite - will fade drastically in sunlight; indoor incandescent light can also slowly affect this stone

Larimar - fades over time when exposed to sunlight and heat

Morganite - deeper colors or more lilac hues can fade in sunlight

Opal - fading is minimal, but sunlight, heat, and changes in air pressure can cause internal fracturing called “crazing”

Pearl (& mother-of-pearl) - may lose color or turn dull in sunlight or heat

Sulfur - extremely heat-sensitive; crystals may fracture or burst if left in the sun or held in your hand

Topaz - irradiated stones may fade in direct sunlight

Tugtupite - exhibits tenebrescence, a temporary change in color due to sun exposure; will return to original color if kept in a dark area

Vanadinite - may darken and lose transparency in sunlight

Zircon - heat-treated stones may revert to original color over time in sunlight; avoid exposure to UV lights (tanning beds, nail salons, etc)

Water-soluble crystals Though many crystals will eventually be worn away by water mostly due to tiny particles of other substances suspended in the water, there are very few that will dissolve in water in any significant way. Contrary to what some believe, most crystals with the suffix ‘-ite’ aren’t water-soluble; ‘-ite’ simply means ‘stone’ and is part of most mineralogical names. 

Anhydrite - not water-soluble, but instead will absorb water and convert to gypsum; store in a dry environment and do not submerge

Boji stone - not water-soluble, but may rust due to iron component

Calcite - somewhat soluble in slightly acidic water; neutral or slightly alkaline water is usually safe; negligible dissolution in air due to gaseous carbon dioxide

Celestine - very slightly soluble

Chalcanthite - easily soluble in water, but must be stored in a humid environment

Chalcopyrite - not soluble, but may rust due to iron content

Fluorite - very slightly soluble

Gypsum - somewhat soluble; solubility decreases in warmer water

Halite - easily dissolves in water; moisture from your skin or humidity in the air can eat away at crystals

Hematite - not water-soluble, but exposed rough areas may rust

Magnesite - slightly soluble; solubility increases with presence of salt

Magnetite - not water-soluble, but may rust due to iron content

Malachite - slightly soluble in water containing carbon dioxide

Marcasite - water may trigger decomposition into melanterite, which contains sulfuric acid

Mica (muscovite, fuchsite, lepidolite, etc) - plate or sheet-like specimens may absorb water into cleavage planes and begin to break apart; aggregated crystals are safe in water

Pyrite - exposure to water, including high-humidity environments, can trigger breakdown

Rhodochrosite - slightly soluble in water containing carbon dioxide

Selenite - somewhat soluble; solubility decreases in warmer water

Sulfur - soluble in warm water; may form sulfuric acid over time if left in a wet or humid environment

Ulexite - dissolves in hot water; slightly soluble in cold water

Acid-soluble crystals A large number of crystals will dissolve in acid. Many only dissolve in strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid - I won’t list those here because it generally won’t be a concern. There is very little information on mineral solubility in weak acids, such as vinegar, so this list is incomplete. But really, why are you soaking any of your crystals in acid?

Amber - “young amber” is soluble in a large number of chemicals

Aragonite - easily soluble, even in dilute acids; effervesces

Atacamite - readily soluble in acids

Azurite - may be slightly soluble

Calcite - easily soluble; effervesces

Lapis lazuli - composed of a number of minerals, including calcite, which may be acid-soluble; acetone and other substances may remove dye

Magnesite - slightly soluble in acids

Malachite - readily soluble in acids; color may also be affected

Pearl (& mother-of-pearl) - soluble in acids; surface will become dull and pitted

Rhodochrosite - slightly soluble in warm acids; effervesces

Smithsonite - effervesces and dissolves in acids

All water-soluble crystals

Crystals affected by salt Salt is a dehydrator, so any hydrated crystal may be damaged by it. Salt has a hardness of 2 to 2.5 and may scratch any mineral softer than this. It is safe to put non-hydrated crystals of a hardness between 2.5 and 7 in salt, but very fine scratches may occur due to impurities; don’t put cabochons or faceted stones in this hardness range in salt.

Apophyllite - may dehydrate in salt, resulting in flaking; usually not an issue unless combined with heat

Cavansite - may dehydrate

Chalcanthite - dehydrates easily, forming potentially dangerous powder; store in a humid environment

Gypsum (including selenite) - hardness of 2; may be scratched by salt; may dehydrate to anhydrite

Opal - will dehydrate and develop internal fractures called “crazing”; store in a wet or humid environment

Pearl (& mother-of-pearl) - may become dull and pitted

Stilbite - may dehydrate

Potentially dangerous crystals

In general, crystals are pretty safe - handling them is usually okay. Many crystals do have somewhat dangerous elements, such as aluminum-bearing garnets, but they’re “locked” in the crystal structure in a way that prevents them from harming us unless the crystal is powdered or dissolved and inhaled/ingested. The occasional garnet or moonstone gem water won’t hurt you in the slightest.

Because there’s no way for this list to be ‘complete’ - I don’t know what unusual stones you might have - I advise you to never make gem waters with or otherwise ingest

powdery, very fine, or fibrous crystals;

crystals which you have not identified;

metal ores;

metals, with the exceptions of gold, platinum, tungsten, and titanium; and

stones composed of a variety of minerals.

Don’t use these crystals for gem water, elixir, massage oil, etc. Don’t put these crystals in your mouth or otherwise insert them into your body.

Adamite - contains arsenic

Amazonite - generally safe, but the color is usually caused by traces of lead; don’t use flaky or powdery specimens in gem waters

Atacamite - contains copper

Aurichalcite - contains copper and zinc

Azurite - contains copper

Boji stone - composition can vary, so some stones may have dangerous components

Brochantite - contains copper

Cerussite - ore of lead; wash hands after handling; do not inhale dust

Chalcanthite - contains copper; wash hands after handling; do not rub eyes after handling; do not inhale; do not ingest

Chalcopyrite - ore of copper

Chrysocolla - contains copper

Cinnabar - ore of mercury; always wash hands after handling; do not inhale dust; never ingest in any form; do not heat; massive (aggregate) cinnabar can contain elemental mercury which is very easily absorbed by the body

Conichalcite - contains copper and arsenic

Cuprite - contains copper; do not ingest

Dioptase - delicate, may break or crumble into powder; contains copper

Eilat stone - contains copper

Galena - ore of lead; wash hands after handling; flaky/crumbly specimens are common, be careful not to inhale dust

Malachite - contains copper

Marcasite - decomposes to melanterite, which contains sulfuric acid; do not ingest; wash hands after handling; do not inhale

Mohawkite - contains copper and arsenic; may contain other toxins

Psilomelane - contains barium

Pyrite - broken-down pyrite can contain sulfuric acid; do not ingest; if pyrite appears blackish or crumbly, wash hands after handling

Realgar - contains arsenic; wash hands after handling; never ingest

Serpentine (sp. chrysotile) - safe unless fibrous; do not inhale; asbestos

Stibnite - very soft; contains antimony

Sulfur - can form sulfuric acid when in contact with moisture

Turquoise - usually safe unless powdery; contains copper

Vanadinite - contains lead; may have traces of arsenic

Wulfenite - ore of lead and molybdenum; do not ingest or inhale

A few final safety reminders

⚠️ Never swallow any crystals, because some otherwise safe crystals can interact with your stomach acids and produce dangerous chemicals.

⚠️ Never crush, powder, or dissolve crystals with the intention of inhaling or ingesting them - fine powders and solutions make elements more accessible to the body.

⚠️ Wash your crystals in water and gentle soap before making any gem waters, elixirs, etc. with them. Even if the crystal itself is safe, it may have been in contact with other dangerous crystals or chemicals.

⚠️ Never make gem water, elixirs, etc. with crystals that are on/in matrix (the base rock the crystals grew from). You don’t know what the matrix is composed of, and it may contain dangerous minerals or elements.

⚠️ Never burn, hold in a candle flame, or intentionally heat your crystals. Intentional heating should only be performed by a jewelry or gemstone professional in a controlled environment. The sole exception to this is anhydrite without matrix, which may be carefully raised to 200°C (~400°F), dry heat, to dehydrate it and change any gypsum components back to anhydrite. Be aware that this process can occasionally result in fractures, breakage, or internal damage to the stone.

Keep yourself and your crystals safe, everyone! There’s no way for this list to be complete, because there are thousands of minerals out there, so please feel free to contact me if you have questions about any particular stones!

[sagittariuspellcaster]

Thank you for this post and the time and wisdom you put into it!! These points are all SO incredibly important. Do not put anything into or on your body unless you are 1000% or more sure that it is safe! Tell people you trust when you work with stones in a way that they are exposed to your body’s systems!!

[the-witch-named-wesa]

Self-Love Ritual

What you’ll need:

1 Pink candle

1 Rose quartz

A small hand mirror

Optional additions:

Rose oil

Blue marker

Any sigils for self-love or confidence

A song that makes you feel strong, powerful, or beautiful

What to do:

Cast your circle (if you do that thing)

Anoint the candle with the oil, draw the sigil on yourself with the blue marker (around the heart chakra is best).

Play the music at a low volume, so as not to be distracting from your intent

Light the candle.

Hold the rose quartz in your receiving hand (left if you’re a righty). Hold the quartz near your heart chakra.

Lift the mirror with your projecting hand so that you can see the reflection of the flame in the mirror. [Alternatively, do this during a full moon and reflect the moonlight off of the mirror.]

Feel the warm, both physical and psychically, from the flame as the energy it produces bounces from the mirror’s surface onto your skin.

Envision your intent. Look yourself in the eye in the mirror and as earnestly as you can, tell yourself the affirmations you need to hear*. “I am beautiful. I am strong. I love myself and there is not a damn thing that anyone can say or do to change that. I myself, as much as anyone else, deserve my love and affection. I will no longer put myself down, say negative things about my person, nor allow those harsh automatic thoughts to have any room for rent in my mind.” 

Repeat your affirmations as many times as you feel is needed, but at minimum three times while making eye contact with yourself in the mirror. Imagine the rose quartz absorbing some of this positive energy, holding on to these feelings of love and acceptance. 

After stating your affirmations and channeling some of the loving energy into your quartz you may set the mirror back down on your altar, making sure that the light from the candle [or moon] can still be seen from its reflective surface. 

Allow the candle to burn down. Keep holding onto the quartz and focusing your energy on both it and the sigils you’ve drawn on yourself. 

Once the candle is spent, close your circle, ground yourself, and place the rose quartz on the mirror to absorb any remaining energy it can gain.

Carry the quartz with you whenever you feel you need an extra boost in confidence or self-love. This spell can be repeated whenever is needed. And bonus, each time you do perform this ritual, the easier it gets and the more powerfully it works for your benefit. (If ever in a pinch, I suggest small tealight or even birthday candles, because honestly, sometimes votives or larger candles take forever to burn down and some of us are witches on the go.)

*If you have been dealing with strong self-hating thoughts for a while, be gentle with yourself and start small if you need it. Sometimes, going from thoughts of “I’m ugly, stupid, and/or hate myself” to the exact opposite of “I’m pretty, smart, and love myself” can almost seem silly and self-defeatist. If this is where you’re at, no shame, but start small with self-acceptance of “I have positive traits. I am knowledgeable about some topics. I accept myself for who I am.”

I really hope this is useful to you in some way. As cliche and repetitive as it is, once you learn to truly love yourself, a whole second part of your life begins.

[iolitewitchcraft]

Crystal Safety, Revisited

There’s an awesome post going around by @prettycitywitch that discusses crystal care and toxicity. I noticed a few errors in it, just due to the source that was used, so I contacted her and got permission to rewrite it to ensure the most accurate information possible is spread around in the witchy community. I’ve gone through every crystal in her list and added a few others. 

Everything in this list has been confirmed by the Gemological Institute of America Laboratory (one of the foremost in gemological research), multiple published mineralogical sources, and/or at least two online mineralogical databases. Crystals of particular concern in each category have been bolded; the other listed crystals have a bit of wiggle room.

Crystals affected by sunlight or heat Most crystals (including nearly all in this list) are safe to expose to sunlight temporarily - you can wear them in jewelry during the day, for example, but don’t leave them in your windowsill for weeks. In general, colorless crystals may be left in the sun indefinitely, while colored (especially pink) crystals should be stored in a place that doesn’t get direct sun all day. Heat, on the other hand, can easily affect many crystals, but usually only at high temperatures (steam or a jeweler’s torch), so I’ve only included the ones that could be damaged by relatively low temperatures.

Amber - may crack in heat

Amethyst - may fade over time; safe to expose to sun temporarily

Apophyllite - heat can cause flaking; sunlight is fine as long as the specimen is kept cool

Maxixe (dark blue beryl) - fades extremely quickly to pale brown in sunlight; color can only be restored through irradiation

Azurite - will fade over time with exposure to sunlight; store in a dark, cool environment

Celestine - fades in long exposure to sunlight

Chrysoprase - may fade in sunlight; restoration of color sometimes possible through prolonged storage in water

Fluorite - occasionally can fade in sunlight

Hackmanite - exhibits tenebrescence, a temporary change in color due to sun exposure; will return to original color if kept in a dark area

Hiddenite - unstable in sunlight and heat to a lesser degree than kunzite; however, some darker green hiddenite is much more unstable than kunzite and great care should be taken, as it can fade in a matter of minutes

Kunzite - will fade drastically in sunlight; indoor incandescent light can also slowly affect this stone

Larimar - fades over time when exposed to sunlight and heat

Morganite - deeper colors or more lilac hues can fade in sunlight

Opal - fading is minimal, but sunlight, heat, and changes in air pressure can cause internal fracturing called “crazing”

Pearl (& mother-of-pearl) - may lose color or turn dull in sunlight or heat

Sulfur - extremely heat-sensitive; crystals may fracture or burst if left in the sun or held in your hand

Topaz - irradiated stones may fade in direct sunlight

Tugtupite - exhibits tenebrescence, a temporary change in color due to sun exposure; will return to original color if kept in a dark area

Vanadinite - may darken and lose transparency in sunlight

Zircon - heat-treated stones may revert to original color over time in sunlight; avoid exposure to UV lights (tanning beds, nail salons, etc)

Water-soluble crystals Though many crystals will eventually be worn away by water mostly due to tiny particles of other substances suspended in the water, there are very few that will dissolve in water in any significant way. Contrary to what some believe, most crystals with the suffix ‘-ite’ aren’t water-soluble; ‘-ite’ simply means ‘stone’ and is part of most mineralogical names. 

Anhydrite - not water-soluble, but instead will absorb water and convert to gypsum; store in a dry environment and do not submerge

Boji stone - not water-soluble, but may rust due to iron component

Calcite - somewhat soluble in slightly acidic water; neutral or slightly alkaline water is usually safe; negligible dissolution in air due to gaseous carbon dioxide

Celestine - very slightly soluble

Chalcanthite - easily soluble in water, but must be stored in a humid environment

Chalcopyrite - not soluble, but may rust due to iron content

Fluorite - very slightly soluble

Gypsum - somewhat soluble; solubility decreases in warmer water

Halite - easily dissolves in water; moisture from your skin or humidity in the air can eat away at crystals

Hematite - not water-soluble, but exposed rough areas may rust

Magnesite - slightly soluble; solubility increases with presence of salt

Magnetite - not water-soluble, but may rust due to iron content

Malachite - slightly soluble in water containing carbon dioxide

Marcasite - water may trigger decomposition into melanterite, which contains sulfuric acid

Mica (muscovite, fuchsite, lepidolite, etc) - plate or sheet-like specimens may absorb water into cleavage planes and begin to break apart; aggregated crystals are safe in water

Pyrite - exposure to water, including high-humidity environments, can trigger breakdown

Rhodochrosite - slightly soluble in water containing carbon dioxide

Selenite - somewhat soluble; solubility decreases in warmer water

Sulfur - soluble in warm water; may form sulfuric acid over time if left in a wet or humid environment

Ulexite - dissolves in hot water; slightly soluble in cold water

Acid-soluble crystals A large number of crystals will dissolve in acid. Many only dissolve in strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid - I won’t list those here because it generally won’t be a concern. There is very little information on mineral solubility in weak acids, such as vinegar, so this list is incomplete. But really, why are you soaking any of your crystals in acid?

Amber - “young amber” is soluble in a large number of chemicals

Aragonite - easily soluble, even in dilute acids; effervesces

Atacamite - readily soluble in acids

Azurite - may be slightly soluble

Calcite - easily soluble; effervesces

Lapis lazuli - composed of a number of minerals, including calcite, which may be acid-soluble; acetone and other substances may remove dye

Magnesite - slightly soluble in acids

Malachite - readily soluble in acids; color may also be affected

Pearl (& mother-of-pearl) - soluble in acids; surface will become dull and pitted

Rhodochrosite - slightly soluble in warm acids; effervesces

Smithsonite - effervesces and dissolves in acids

All water-soluble crystals

Crystals affected by salt Salt is a dehydrator, so any hydrated crystal may be damaged by it. Salt has a hardness of 2 to 2.5 and may scratch any mineral softer than this. It is safe to put non-hydrated crystals of a hardness between 2.5 and 7 in salt, but very fine scratches may occur due to impurities; don’t put cabochons or faceted stones in this hardness range in salt.

Apophyllite - may dehydrate in salt, resulting in flaking; usually not an issue unless combined with heat

Cavansite - may dehydrate

Chalcanthite - dehydrates easily, forming potentially dangerous powder; store in a humid environment

Gypsum (including selenite) - hardness of 2; may be scratched by salt; may dehydrate to anhydrite

Opal - will dehydrate and develop internal fractures called “crazing”; store in a wet or humid environment

Pearl (& mother-of-pearl) - may become dull and pitted

Stilbite - may dehydrate

Potentially dangerous crystals

In general, crystals are pretty safe - handling them is usually okay. Many crystals do have somewhat dangerous elements, such as aluminum-bearing garnets, but they’re “locked” in the crystal structure in a way that prevents them from harming us unless the crystal is powdered or dissolved and inhaled/ingested. The occasional garnet or moonstone gem water won’t hurt you in the slightest.

Because there’s no way for this list to be ‘complete’ - I don’t know what unusual stones you might have - I advise you to never make gem waters with or otherwise ingest

powdery, very fine, or fibrous crystals;

crystals which you have not identified;

metal ores;

metals, with the exceptions of gold, platinum, tungsten, and titanium; and

stones composed of a variety of minerals.

Don’t use these crystals for gem water, elixir, massage oil, etc. Don’t put these crystals in your mouth or otherwise insert them into your body.

Adamite - contains arsenic

Amazonite - generally safe, but the color is usually caused by traces of lead; don’t use flaky or powdery specimens in gem waters

Atacamite - contains copper

Aurichalcite - contains copper and zinc

Azurite - contains copper

Boji stone - composition can vary, so some stones may have dangerous components

Brochantite - contains copper

Cerussite - ore of lead; wash hands after handling; do not inhale dust

Chalcanthite - contains copper; wash hands after handling; do not rub eyes after handling; do not inhale; do not ingest

Chalcopyrite - ore of copper

Chrysocolla - contains copper

Cinnabar - ore of mercury; always wash hands after handling; do not inhale dust; never ingest in any form; do not heat; massive (aggregate) cinnabar can contain elemental mercury which is very easily absorbed by the body

Conichalcite - contains copper and arsenic

Cuprite - contains copper; do not ingest

Dioptase - delicate, may break or crumble into powder; contains copper

Eilat stone - contains copper

Galena - ore of lead; wash hands after handling; flaky/crumbly specimens are common, be careful not to inhale dust

Malachite - contains copper

Marcasite - decomposes to melanterite, which contains sulfuric acid; do not ingest; wash hands after handling; do not inhale

Mohawkite - contains copper and arsenic; may contain other toxins

Psilomelane - contains barium

Pyrite - broken-down pyrite can contain sulfuric acid; do not ingest; if pyrite appears blackish or crumbly, wash hands after handling

Realgar - contains arsenic; wash hands after handling; never ingest

Serpentine (sp. chrysotile) - safe unless fibrous; do not inhale; asbestos

Stibnite - very soft; contains antimony

Sulfur - can form sulfuric acid when in contact with moisture

Turquoise - usually safe unless powdery; contains copper

Vanadinite - contains lead; may have traces of arsenic

Wulfenite - ore of lead and molybdenum; do not ingest or inhale

A few final safety reminders

⚠️ Never swallow any crystals, because some otherwise safe crystals can interact with your stomach acids and produce dangerous chemicals.

⚠️ Never crush, powder, or dissolve crystals with the intention of inhaling or ingesting them - fine powders and solutions make elements more accessible to the body.

⚠️ Wash your crystals in water and gentle soap before making any gem waters, elixirs, etc. with them. Even if the crystal itself is safe, it may have been in contact with other dangerous crystals or chemicals.

⚠️ Never make gem water, elixirs, etc. with crystals that are on/in matrix (the base rock the crystals grew from). You don’t know what the matrix is composed of, and it may contain dangerous minerals or elements.

⚠️ Never burn, hold in a candle flame, or intentionally heat your crystals. Intentional heating should only be performed by a jewelry or gemstone professional in a controlled environment. The sole exception to this is anhydrite without matrix, which may be carefully raised to 200°C (~400°F), dry heat, to dehydrate it and change any gypsum components back to anhydrite. Be aware that this process can occasionally result in fractures, breakage, or internal damage to the stone.

Keep yourself and your crystals safe, everyone! There’s no way for this list to be complete, because there are thousands of minerals out there, so please feel free to contact me if you have questions about any particular stones!

[sagittariuspellcaster]

Thank you for this post and the time and wisdom you put into it!! These points are all SO incredibly important. Do not put anything into or on your body unless you are 1000% or more sure that it is safe! Tell people you trust when you work with stones in a way that they are exposed to your body’s systems!!

[pinkishpositive]

it’s okay. 

[over60butnotdead-deactivated202]

[lainhe]

[sexhaver]

what if magic was real but it was treated the way music is now with different genres and like “oh youre still into conjuring? thats cool I guess. recently ive been getting into third-wave post-necromancy, it’s some pretty heavy stuff”

[chorusofravenousangels]

“what do you mean you’ve never learned FIREBALL, it’s a CLASSIC” “idk I’m not really into evocations.” “how can you not be into ANY evocations?” “well, it’s kind of dad magic, isn’t it?”

[perse-phoneee-deactivated202007]

I can assure you, this is actually how some magic practitioners speak to each other

[arathergrimreaper]

“you still do big, fancy rituals? try talking to me again when you improve your quick ‘n’ dirty jar spells, grandma.”

“fuck, who even has a physical familiar anymore? my familiar is a three-eyed doe from the astral plane named Leafstar”

“you young witches these days and your tech this, pop that. back in my day, we chanted and slapped each other with oil-soaked reeds under a new moon, buck nekkid, with only a tea light to see by. now, all ya gotta do is hop on the internet to commune with the old gods. you just don’t don’t know how good you have it.”

@thegrimmlovely

[therootwitch]

Witchy Things To Do on A Rainy Day

collect rainwater, of course

do some self-reflection and introspection

make some magical tea or other warm drinks

any spells for washing things away, banishing, forgetting, or moving on

thank the sky for its gift

let the rain nourish you as it does the plants

cleaning and cleansing of the home

[soracities]

our house will be such quiet laughter, the mat mud-streaked as we come and go from the garden. when the sun hits the kitchen windows, the light is tinged green from herbs on the sill. summer nights, all windows open. the smell of jasmine in the widening blue, the blossoms glowing like beacons, errant little stars. we drive to the woods, the beach, we drink warm wine and bathe in the river. we learn to cook each other’s dishes, like our mothers used to make them (we get it disastrously wrong; we get it almost right). at night, the radio plays softly, like a murmured secret. even on the bad days, we try to love each other, oh so softly.