cottage witch

harper ♡ she/her ♡ definitely a witch who lives in a cottage in the middle of the woods

[toadschooled]

Sometimes toads, are so tiny, that they’re very small. This is the reality for many

[mabonkoraki]

Book review #1

The witch’s journal- Selene Silverwind

This book is good for baby witches, it has information on a little bit of everything, like correspondences, divination, and even deities

And the illustrations are beautiful 🌻

[perse-phoneee-deactivated202007]

The Most Important Skill in Witchcraft

Before you bust out the herbs, the grimoires, or the crystals, there is one skill that you absolutely need to master before you begin practicing witchcraft. Without this skill, you are essentially setting yourself up for confusion, failure, or possibly even something worse.

That skill is discernment.

What is Discernment?

Discernment is defined by Dictionary.com as “the ability to judge well.” Discernment is the skill that you use to to decide if you’re actually cursed or if you’re just experiencing a string of random bad luck. It is the skill you use to decide if the spirit you’ve contacted is actually an all-powerful god or if they’re just a trickster hoping to mess with you. It is, essentially, the skill you use to determine if your supernatural experiences are genuine or not.

When a beginner first embarks on their Witchcraft journey, it can be easy to see omens everywhere or see anything that’s slightly out of the ordinary as something otherworldly. It’s totally normal to go through a “frenzy” period where everything seems to be magical, even if it isn’t, until you learn how to evaluate a situation or experience.

Discernment is a bit like a muscle; the more you approach each potentially-magical situation with a critical eye, the easier it’ll be to see what’s real and what’s just a coincidence, a trick, or a trick of the mind.

And, conversely, without discernment you may not be able to identify actual phenomena and end up ignoring important

How Do You Practice Discernment?

To determine if an experience is genuine or otherwise, the following questions can be helpful in breaking down a situation so you can judge it on a deeper level without being overwhelmed. Once you build your skills of discernment, you likely won’t have to go through each of these steps in depth, but when you’re just starting, you may find it helpful to ask yourself these questions.

☆ Does it seem too good to be true?

If a spirit approaches you offering unimaginable power if you make a deal with them, that’s a bit of a red flag. While deals with spirits can and do occur, it would be extremely unlikely that a spirit would offer that much power to a person without an existing relationship and without asking for something equally valuable in return.

☆ Do your experiences seem to mimic or copy what you see or read online (or offline)?

Sometimes when we first step into the community, we can see so many other people talking about their amazing spiritual experiences. You might read someone experienced numerous omens or signs. After that, you may notice your own “omens.” Sometimes, once an idea is put in your head, you may be primed to see something similar in your own life. If you find that all of your experiences occur after reading about something similar happening to someone else, your mind may be playing tricks on you.

☆ Do you notice any patterns in the phenomena?

Genuine supernatural phenomena such as omens or the signs of a curse appear in patterns or alongside other synchronicities.  Of course, a pattern doesn’t always indicate that something spiritual is occurring, but repeating phenomena is worth investigating.

For example, if you notice that every time you leave an elaborate offering for a specific god, you see a rabbit in your yard, that could be significant sign that the offering was well-received and should be investigated further to confirm it. If the rabbit is a sacred animal to that deity, it could make the sign even more significant. However, that sign would seem less significant if see rabbits every single day with no connection to giving offerings or performing any devotional activities because they happen to burrow nearby.

☆ Can an experience be explained away with mundane means?

Say you suddenly catch the flu. Days after that, you accidentally drop your favorite crystal and break it. Is that a sign of a curse or just coincidence? Chances are, unless you’ve recently upset a witch, it’s probably just a coincidence. If you have the flu, you may be more prone to clumsiness, so dropping your crystal could just have been an unfortunate accident that can be explained away through mundane means.

Similarly, if you live in an older home, it is common to hear creaking or other noises at night. Exhaust all mundane explanations before assuming that it must be something supernatural.

☆ Can you confirm the experience through divination?

Divination is one of the best skills you can have in your toolkit. Sometimes, it can be difficult to discern something ambiguous without it, so learning at least one system of divination will make your life a lot easier. If you think you’re seeing omens, feeling like you might be cursed, or might have a spirit buzzing around your house, divination can help clarify things.

There is a bit of a “danger” when using divination, however. Our minds our primed for confirmation bias, so we may ignore readings that go against what we might expect or interpret readings in ways that favor our point of view. As long as you are conscious of this, you can at least actively work against it. And if you feel that you can’t silence your own internal bias, having a trusted diviner perform a reading for you may also be helpful.

Conclusion

Take your time when building your skills of discernment. No Witch is born with the ability to immediately sense energies and detect genuine phenomena. However, if you approach each new experience with a sense of skepticism, you’ll eventually begin to notice “tells” which reveal the validity of an experience.

While it can be exciting to learn that all things magical and mystical exist, real life magic isn’t like the movies. Discernment is what helps us determine fact from fiction.

If you enjoy my posts, please consider supporting me on Patreon (patreon.com/nightshadeandroses) or on Ko-Fi (ko-fi.com/nightshadeandroses).

This post was originally published on nightshadeandroses.wordpress.com.

[shadyufo]

BONE COLLECTING FOR BEGINNERS

This is by no means a be-all end-all guide but I just pulled a few of the highlights from the guide I’m working on to share for the anon that asked earlier.

Everyone has their own way of cleaning dead things and I always encourage experimenting with various methods to find what works best for you. These are methods and things I’ve found personally useful.

First off, respect the law! Conservation laws are in place for a reason and it is our duty as responsible collectors and nature enthusiasts to respect them. In the US all songbirds, birds of prey, and pretty much all native bird species are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and you cannot legally possess any part of them. Same goes for all sea mammals which are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. And then there is CITES which covers all endangered species like great apes, pandas, tigers, great white sharks and so on. It’s a good idea to familiarized yourself with the species on their list.

The US also has very strict laws about exporting and importing wildlife to and from other countries. You need a license and permits to export wildlife parts and you also need to go through a USDA approved import facility and fill out the proper paper work with US Fish & Wildlife to import it legally, otherwise you could be prosecuted for illegal smuggling. So that awesome deal you see on eBay for that skull in Indonesia or Africa? Purchasing it legally is not as easy as clicking But It Now. And unfortunately most of those skulls—especially from Indonesia and China—are from poached and protected species.

Individual states have their own laws too so either check out The Green Wolf’s fantastically helpful site here or contact your local wildlife resource agency. For example, in some states possessing black bear and cougar parts is illegal. And some states allow collecting roadkill while in others you need a permit to do so and in others still it is completely illegal and will get you fined if you attempt it.

If you live in a state where collecting roadkill is legal then you will want to keep a roadkill collecting kit in your car. I always have mine stocked with gloves, trash bags and other smaller plastic bags, a bucket with a lid for anything especially gross I might encounter, alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer, and good sharp knives.

Practice basic road safety when stopping to collect roadkill. Put your flashers on so other drivers can see you, don’t stop in an area with heavy traffic or in any area that you don’t feel safe, don’t accidentally lock yourself out of your car, and so on.

Lonely country roads are excellent places to find roadkill to collect and I also enjoy scavenging in woods, pastures, ravines, and around any body of water, especially creeks and rivers where things can wash in from miles around with flood waters.

If you plan on exploring and hunting for bones in nature practice basic outdoor safety. Wear bright colored clothing so you won’t be mistaken for wild game by hunters, respect Private Property and No Trespassing signs, take a friend with you especially if you are going into unfamiliar territory, keep your phone with you, make sure someone knows where you are going and how long you plan to stay, use bug spray (Deep Woods OFF is my favorite), wear good shoes/boots, and I always wear jeans to keep from being mauled by briars and barbed wire.

Use all your senses when scavenging. Look for disturbances in the leaf litter or blood or fur and you might find the remains of a predator’s kill. Watch for buzzards too! They can lead you to some cool finds! Listen for the buzz of flies and follow your nose if you catch of whiff of decay on the breeze. And hunt around for quiet, tucked away places where an animal might feel safe eating a meal or crawling off to die.

Once you find an awesome dead thing then you want to clean it! Most diseases carried by wild animals die off shortly after the animal’s death but it is still important to wear gloves and wash your hand thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling any part of a dead animal.

Check out my skull cleaning or bone cleaning tags for loads of bone cleaning tips! I’d add it here but this is turning into a novel already.

Supplies I always have on hand for cleaning:

Hydrogen Peroxide (for whitening bones; 3% solution is what I use) Baking Soda (I’ll make a paste with this and peroxide to use for whitening larger skulls some times) Dawn Dish Soap (for degreasing) Latex or Vinyl Disposable Gloves Plastic buckets, totes, coffee cans, and various other containers Knives Pliers Tweezers Wire Scalpels and or X-acto knives Old Toothbrush Various other scrubber brushes Protective Eyewear (if you plan on drilling bone) Face Mask or Ventilator (also if you plan on drilling bone; face mask is a good idea if there is a risk of inhaling hair or dirt while cleaning) Fish Tank Heater or other heat source for buckets (for maceration and degreasing)

If the smell of decay turns your stomach keep some vapor rub on hand to dab under your nose while you work.

Be extremely careful while working with knives and dead things. Even professionals that have been doing this for years have accidents so you really can’t be too careful. If you do cut yourself clean it immediately and watch it closely for signs of infections (redness, inflammation, hot to touch, ooziness, etc). If you see of any of these signs seek medical attention immediately and don’t be afraid to tell them what happened. You know they’ve encountered stranger things than a taxidermist/bone cleaner cutting themselves with a gunky knife.

So yeah. There you go. Hope that was helpful! Keep an eye out for my bone collecting and cleaning guide that I’ll hopefully ready to sell soon! It will be even more comprehensive and cover cleaning and such in greater detail. :)

[haunthearted]

How To Visit A Graveyard

I have at long last found an amazing local graveyard, and as I walked around it, I wanted to write some encouragement for you to go graveyard hunting!

It’s one of my fave hobbies. Its not only a great way to feel ghosty, but also to connect with your local area, learn some history, get out doors, and be immanent. I especially want to encourage my copingkin followers, or ghosts with mental health troubles, to go visit your local graveyard. They are such peaceful places, and a great excuse to go for a walk.

1. Respect the living The dead don’t care, as far as I can tell. Graveyards are for the living, and the living get pissed. Dress down - leave the black lace parasol at home. No pagan stuff or rituals unless what you are doing is indistinguishable from “a nice walk”. No make-outs. If you see another person - or as often happens, a funeral - simply make yourself scarce. Finally, if you are taking photos, avoid any graves from the 1940s or later - as they may have living relatives.

2. Good things to bring: good shoes, graveyards can be uneven to walk on. A camera. I like to bring plastic bags and gardening gloves. Appropriate weather gear. Some tissues - many yards will have toilets, but they aren’t always kept regularly.

3. Take care of your graveyard, and it will take care of you. I like to litter-pick as I go, as a way of saying thank you; I often stand planters back upright or clear away stones and debris obscuring a name (never do this at Jewish cemetaries, as leaving a rock each time you visit is a custom - it’s normal to see small piles of stones on their flat stones)

4. Photos look best with high contrast between light and shade. Overcast days and midday sun are only really good if you want a personal record of a cool stone you’ve found. For the dramatic, I-can’t-believe-how-easy-this-is photography, the long magic hours as the sun comes up and down gift you gold light, intense contrasts and deep black shadows. Even if you plan to make finished stills B&W, they will look better taken on a sun&shade day.

5. Cool things to look out for: * People from different eras. * People from different cultures, representing waves of immigration to your area. * terrible poems * symbols on gravestones, such as the anchor or Mason’s compass * people who died in unusual ways, including War graves * new features such as crematoria, ash gardens, children’s areas, chapels of memory, crypts etc * nature - trees, birds, etc. Yew trees are traditional.

Every graveyard I go to now, I spot something new. Last week, I found a graveyard with a sign up about their “grave reclaimation” program, the rules they follow to reuse old graves for new people. You can see as you walk around graves with “chosen for reclamation” signs on them; if no family member challenges them in over a year, the graves will be taken down.

There is always something new to discover.

[unkindestpastel]

Lets talk elements

We have 5 elements in witchcraft

Earth, fire, water, air and spirit

In the past decade (due to movies, TV shows and books) there is a rise in belief that somehow we can control elements

That is not only a bold statement but narcissistic to believe that the elements can be controlled by humans

Its almost as farfetched to believe that merely praising Gods and Goddesses will make them favor you and do as you command

The previous purpose of the elements, before this wild misconception was born, was to find a balance between them to become better as people and practitioners

So, in these regards we should seek to find balance within all elemental virtues

Earths virtues are being centered, patience, it is truth and dependablity while its counters are laziness and being inconsiderate

Fires virtues are courage, enthusiasm and force of will while its counters are anger and hatred.

Airs virtues are intelliect, optimistism while its counters are impulsivness or being easily fooled.

Waters virtues are love, compassion, and forgiveness while their counters are indifference and instability.

So do not limit yourself to a single element seek out all of them and become better practitioners whenever you can

Thanks

-Unkindest

[mossywizard]

My grandma told me every time you move the clasp of a necklace from the front of your neck to the back, you should make a wish. I’m now using this as a small day to day spell

[cottagemore]

earthly activities

1. plant herbs. it’s not very difficult and doesn’t take up much space.

2. learn to embroider.

3. walk barefoot on grass.

4. bake bread! there a plenty of recipes online. you don’t even need yeast for some of them.

5. brew sun tea on a sunny day.

6. go for a picnic on an old, soft blanket.

7. make birdseed ornaments for the yard.

8. sunbathe (just be sure to wear sunscreen!!)

9. do some light cleaning or organizing around the house. sweep dust and cobwebs away.

10. scrapbook, or print and keep a little box of photos for memories.

11. write a handwritten letter with your favorite pen.

12. sign up for a local gardening class.

13. raise chickens.

14. build a bird house.

15. press flowers and put them in a journal or frame them.

[cottagemoss]

witchy cottage

▪there's a peaceful cottage tucked neatly in the woods where wanderers can find it

▪nearby there's the sound of a babbling brook, full of smooth rocks and cool water

▪ sometimes if you're lucky you can find a crystal in between the stones - the faeries leave them there

▪ there's a small herb garden full of rosemary, thyme, sage, mint, dill, and basil

▪ if you go around the back you can find blackberry and strawberry bushes planted by careful hands into the soil

▪ a cat with soft fur and a bell around his neck lays on the windowsill soaking in the sunshine

▪the fireplace has been recently burning, and if you step close enough you can hear the wood crackling and smell its smoke

▪ dried herbs and plants hang on the kitchen walls and sit in jars

▪ a mug of now lukewarm tea sits on the counter, the tea bag still left in

▪ a bookshelf sits nearly full in the living room, stacked with worn books and grimoires. most have cracked spines and dog eared pages, each well loved and used

▪ next to the shelf is a faded couch to curl up on

▪ sometimes a robin sits on the windowsill to sing thanks to the left out blackberries

▪ crystals lie scattered on tables and in hanging satchels

▪ sigils and runes are carved delicately into the wooden furniture

▪candles are lit upstairs, their soft glow gently lighting the way

▪ if you walk through the long grass you'll reach a small pond, home to an abundance of frogs and a family of ducks

▪ at night a lone fox creeps through the grass to the cool night air, unseen

▪moonlight shines through the trees and lights the cottage with a soft blue glow

▪as a wanderer, you can't stay long, but the cottage wills itself to be found to those who will see it

- harper