C R O S S R O A D S

• 25+ || Queer || Canadian || Eclectic || Side Blog • url inspired by the Greek goddess Hekate!

[evilpenguinrika]

I thought I dealt with the entity but apparently not because what do you mean I felt someone hugging/constricting me several times while I was asleep and alone in the apartment

[evilpenguinrika]

okay i did an oracle reading with a deck I absolutely trust and put my faith into and it was basically saying whatever happened this morning was actually a good thing and not a bad thing? that it's supposed to be like some sort of safety/protection from malevolent stuff. And then I pulled more cards to get like more clarification and it still reiterated that what happened was protection and that there's gonna be something or someone who will help

so

idk. i trust this deck bc it's pretty honest but like in a very beautiful and poetic way. i'll see what happens in the next few days

[moirasgrimoire]

Graveyard Etiquette

for witches, wanderers, and the quietly curious

Speak softly. The dead do not sleep, but they listen.

Never walk directly over a grave. Circle around with respect.

Leave offerings only if they are natural: flowers, stones, a whispered prayer.

Ask for permission before taking anything — even a leaf, even a photograph.

Do not bring loud music, disrespect, or ego. You are a guest.

Coins on tombstones are for the dead, not souvenirs.

If you cry, do it freely. Spirits understand grief.

Do not perform magic on a grave unless explicitly invited — by the spirit or by blood.

Never disturb animal life. Cats and crows are guardians here.

When you leave, turn back once and thank the cemetery for having you.

Some places remember. Some places respond. Walk gently.

[coven-of-genesis]

Liminal Spaces: Where Magic Waits in the In-Between

Witches don’t just work with nature, we work with transitions. Liminal spaces are places (or moments) that exist between states. They’re powerful, slippery, and ideal for spellwork, spirit contact, or time-bending magic.

🗝️ Examples of Liminal Places:

• Doorways

• Crossroads

• Bridges

• Shorelines (between land & sea)

• Abandoned or overgrown places

• Thresholds of homes (yes, your front step counts)

🕯️ Liminal Times:

• Dawn & dusk

• Midnight

• The moment before sleep

• Samhain / Beltane / Equinoxes

• New Moons & Dark Moons

These moments are when the veil is thinnest, and your intentions can travel further — to ancestors, spirits, the subconscious, the unknown.

The magic is in the spaces no one thinks to look at.

🔮 Witch Tip: Try placing offerings or performing spells at the threshold of a door or window. Let the spell sit in that in-between, gathering power.

[honeysucklebramble]

⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊

🫧✨Room Spray Spell ✨🫧

⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊

Need to cleanse & bless your space in a pinch? Maybe you’re doing a quick spell before you leave the house? Had a not so friendly guests just leave? Or maybe the vibes just feel a little stale??

Then this spell is the perfect thing for you! 🫧🌿

Tools:

• clean & empty spray bottle of any size

• 80% alcohol (rubbing alcohol is perfect)

• water (moon water is even better)

• essential oils that correspond with your intent (for this spell I will focus on cleanse and bless)

Oils:

- Lemon: Cleanse the space

- Lavender: Peace of mind and calmness

- Rosemary: Protection (& just about anything)

- Orange: Happiness & Vitality

- Lemongrass: Purify

- Eucalyptus: Cleanse & Purify

- Patchouli: Draw money in

- Rose: Love & Healing

- Honeysuckle: Success & Joy

- Peppermint: Good Luck & Banish bad vibes

- Frankincense: Cleanse & Bless (by raising the vibrations as it cleanses)

Steps:

1. Add your chosen oils to the bottle ~ for cleansing and blessing I like to use lemon or lemongrass with lavender for a fresh floral scent

2. Add 1 parts alcohol water to 2 parts alcohol until the bottle is full

3. Close up and give it a shake!

4. Optional but you can choose to enchant this spray bottle for extra power by smudging it in incense smoke like dragons blood or frankincense! You can even charge it in the Full Moon with your crystals 🌙✨

⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊ ⊹˚₊

[space-queen]

the scientific method in magic 🧪✨

employing the scientific method for spellwork and witchcraft in general can be super helpful for a variety of reasons. namely, it involves critical thinking to formulate and cast spells, and to assist in reflecting on your practice and methodology.

the steps involved:

observation & theory

question

form a hypothesis / make predictions

experiment

analyze the data & draw conclusions

communicate

let's use a glamour spell (in celestial magic fashion) as an example for the following bit:

✧✧ observation and coming up with a theory: i believe that i can use magic to cast a successful glamour spell that will earn me compliments on my outfit, but without being catcalled or anything of that nature.

✧✧ question: how can i reach my desired goal? how can i cast this spell in order to make it successful? what items would i need in order to do so? what day of the week or time of day would be best?

✧✧ hypothesis: if i enchant my favorite perfume with venusian energy and use it on myself and my clothes, i will reach my desired goal. if i anoint this obsidian pendant with full moon water, i can program it to add a protective shield over myself against unwanted attention from unsavory people.

✩ with the hypothesis, i think it's important to also include the timing for the spell - how long do you want the effects to last? are you doing the spell in one day or spread out over many days? maybe you just want the effects to last while you are wearing that perfume and pendant. does the perfume work without the pendant and vice versa?

✧✧ experiment: this part is kinda self explanatory - the way you perform the spell or enchantment is totally up to you.

✧✧ analyze: what went well? what didn't? what might you like to change? how did you feel during this time period? did you reach your goal in the end?

✧✧ communicate: in this case, record your findings in whatever way you see fit but you're not obligated to share them with anyone. recording your results will help you gain perspective and ultimately help you to better formulate spells in the future.

© 2025 space-queen

[space-queen]

types of spells and ideas for methods of casting [long post]

attracting

fill a small jar with honey and add a written statement of intent to the jar - seal and set the jar in direct sunlight to manifest your intent

stir your morning coffee or tea in a clockwise motion while focusing on the intent of what energies you wish to attract for the day

fill a jar with herbs and crystals that represent what you want to attract and add a statement of intent

charge a crystal and wear on your person to attract certain energies

create a sigil and either draw it on yourself or on paper and keep in your pocket

create a talisman, charge it, and wear it to attract various energies

banishing

take an item that represents what you wish to banish and: throw it in the trash, flush it down the toilet, burn it, bury it, drown it

burn the item and sweep the ashes out the back door or bury them

carve the name of what you want to banish into a black candle and let it burn down completely - bonus points if the candle is anointed with herbs or a binding oil

transmute negative energy into a stone (preferably a black stone like onyx) and throw it over the fence in your backyard (or whichever direction is south in reference to your home)

stir your morning coffee or tea in a counter-clockwise motion while focusing on the intent of what energies you wish to banish for the day

using incense that is associated with banishing negative energy, walk around your space in a counter-clockwise motion with the lit incense in your hand

binding and sealing

wrap a string around a poppet or other representation of the target or item you wish to bind

put the poppet or other representation in a plastic bag filled with water and freeze it

place the item in a black box and seal it - store in a dark place or bury the box in your backyard

write the item you want to bind on paper and seal with wax - keep safe until the bond is broken

perform a tie-breaking spell

blessing and consecrating

anoint an object with holy or blessed water/oil

use spring water to bless objects

place the object in a dry bath of herbs or flowers that are known for blessing

pass the object through incense smoke that is associated with blessing

use a censer to consecrate a place or a room

cleansing

leave the item in the path of direct moon, sun, or starlight

place in a dry bath or herbs or flowers that are associated with cleansing

place the item in a bowl of sea salt

pass the item through incense smoke that is associated with cleansing

pass the item through running water

anoint the item with a cleansing oil or charged water

bury the item in soil for 3 days so it may be “reborn” when unearthed

place a cleansing crystal on top of or next to the item

hang a wind chime outside of your home to negate negative energies before they have the chance to enter your home

physically clean and freshen your space - dust, mop, open the windows and let some fresh air inside (you can view this as an "out with the old and in with the new" situation)

cursing

fill a poppet with baneful herbs and crystals, seal it, and store in a black box

add baneful herbs and crystals to a jar with a piece of paper that states the target’s name or a description of them and seal it

create a poppet or other representation of the target and destroy it (commonly by burning)

utilize martian or saturnian energy for baneful magic

stab the poppet with pins and needles

curse an item and "gift" it to the target

dreams and sleep

fill a sachet with herbs associated with restful sleep and peaceful dreams and hang above your bed

place the sachet under your pillow

wash your bedsheets and sleep clothes with a few drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil

alternately, choose fabric softener that is lavender scented to wash your sheets or sleep clothes with

create a sigil for peaceful dreams or dream recall, charge under the light of the moon, and place it under your pillow before you go to sleep

utilize lunar or neptunian energy in dreamwork

mugwort, peppermint, or valerian root tea before bed for vivid, lucid dreams

chamomile tea before bed for restful sleep

lemon verbena (vervain) tea before bed for dreamless sleep

when bathing at night, create a sachet that matches your intent and place in the bath or shower

glamours

utilize energy from venus and pluto for beauty and transformation but also neptune for illusions, mysticism, and confusion

anoint the containers of beauty and hair products with venus (beauty) or pluto (transformation/metamorphosis) water/oils/herbs

leave the item you wish to cast a glamour on under the full moon

charge a talisman with the effect you wish to have on others and wear when you go out for the day

add pluto water/oils/herbs and moon water to a bath for a full body glamour (write your intent with bath crayons on the tub or shower wall for an extra boost)

create an energetic shield over yourself in which the outside mirrors what you want others to perceive of you

goal and wish manifestation

write your intent on a bay leaf and burn it

turn your intent into a sigil and store it in a jar filled with herbs or other items that represent said intent

place a written description of your goal or wish in the center of a crystal grid using stones that are associated with manifestation and power

place a coin in moon water while focusing on your wish or goal (leave container under direct moonlight overnight so that it may charge)

light a candle whose color matches your intent and while focusing on your goal or wish, blow out the candle

add a catalyst to your spell

use energy from mars (power) or jupiter (luck)

personal power and effects

create or enchant a talisman that represents your intent, charge it, and wear it on your person

add herbs that are associated with personal power to a ritual bath

create a potion from herbs associated with power and drink in the morning for a boost during the day (think caffeine)

use a catalyst in the aforementioned activities

utilize whichever planetary/cosmic energy you see fit

warding

sprinkle a mixture of protective herbs around the perimeter of your home while walking clockwise

leave protective crystals at each corner of your space

hang a protective amulet above the door to your space; wear a protective amulet for personal protection

create a protective witch bottle and bury near your front door

plant herbs or flowers that are associated with protection outside at each corner of your home

draw a protective sigil or symbol on the outside of your front and back door with saturn or protective water/oils

hang witch balls or a witch’s ladder near your front door

create an energetic shield and place over yourself, your loved ones, or your entire home

wealth, prosperity, and luck

craft a money bowl and place it at the farthest left point away from the entrance of your home

involve mercury or jupiter in your spellwork (luck, money)

anoint candles with mercurial or jovian oils and/or herbs and burn on wednesdays or thursdays (ruled by mercury and jupiter)

use prosperity/luck runes or craft sigils to carve into candles

on the first of the month, you can do the following: say "rabbit rabbit" for good luck all month and let that be the first thing you say when you wake up; blow powdered cinnamon into your front door from the outside or place a cinnamon stick above your front door for prosperity

craft a crystal grid using prosperity/lucky crystals - where you place it is up to you

please be wary:- of putting essential oils directly on the skin or on items that your skin may come in contact with- of leaving crystals in prolonged sunlight (might fade) or exposed to liquid (might dissolve, might become toxic when dissolved)- of blowing cinnamon into a home or using incense that has pets, or humans with respiratory issues- ingesting/burning/touching herbs/plants/etc. that you are not familiar with (could be toxic, could affect the efficacy of your prescribed medications, could be harmful for pets or other members of your household)

compiled from my personal grimoire & based on my personal associations & research

© 2025 bunny-claws

[will-o-the-witch]

Honing Your Tarot Questions

Tarot is a fantastic tool for reflection and insight, but it's not meant to answer every type of question with equal clarity. Some questions are just more helpful than others once you really get into the medium. Here are some simple suggestions on how to get the most out of your more basic questions in a way that's more helpful.

How will X go for me? -> What do I need to get the most success out of X?

What does X think of me? -> What is the energy like between us currently? What can I do to improve it, should I want to?

Should I choose X or Y? -> What will X and Y each ask of me? What rewards and challenges will I face in either direction?

Past/Present/Future -> What aspect of my past is most relevant to my present? What energy am I currently exuding? Where is that leading me?

Basically, you want questions that put the power back in the querent's hands to act upon the reading. Things that help you make a more informed decision rather than just being told the answer.

I also like adding at least one card in every spread I do which answers the question, "What do I need to focus on right now? What is the very next step?" Just to add some practical advice.

[will-o-the-witch]

Making Your Own Divination Methods

I'm a firm believer in the idea that divination is an extremely flexible tool, and anybody can develop their own unique methods for practicing it. There are a few common elements to all divination types which make them reliable, and they feel pretty obvious but it's still good to make it explicit. As long as your new method has these, you should be good to go.

A way to receive a message/response. Simple enough. Whether it be pictures, the movements of birds, overheard bits of conversation, or the way different symbols fall on a mat, you need to receive something to interpret. Simply asking a question to the Universe with no established way to get an answer wouldn't really be divination. It can be as abstract or nebulous as you want, but you should know what it is.

An established method of interpretation before you start. Depending on your method of choice this could be really broad, but you should have a general idea of how you'd interpret different messages going in. Deciding how to interpret the message after the fact opens itself up to bias since you can just decide what the answer means. Granted, when you're developing new methods you're inevitably going to run into messages you didn't consider, but even if it's just "good symbols=good outcome, bad symbols=bad outcome," that gives you the ability to accept messages you might not want, and that's important. If it only tells you what you want to hear, that's not reliable.

An element of randomness/something out of your control. In my opinion, this is what makes something divination to begin with. You can't control which card you draw from a blindly-shuffled deck, which plant grows faster when you treat them the same, which number a die lands on. If you have complete control over the message, then it's not going to be effective or reliable because it's too easy to manipulate.

Some random examples to show what I'm talking about:

Once I used a simple method of divination when a food company catered the summer camp I worked at for a day. The food boxes each came either an M&M cookie, regular chocolate chip cookie, or oatmeal raisin cookie. It was random which one you got because you couldn't see inside the boxes. I decided that each of these cookies meant yes/good, neutral, and no/bad respectively, then would ask a question before I selected my box.

I also really enjoy using Rory's Story Cubes for divination. You cast them on a mat and use the abstract symbols as different hints toward the message, especially how they worked together in concert with eachother to develop more complex ideas.

A local bar I enjoy has a lot of graffiti in the bathroom stall. When I go there, I let my eyes fall wherever they lay and interpret the first piece of graffiti I see as my message for whatever question is on my mind. That said, I go to this bar a lot and am getting pretty familiar with what messages are where, so I may retire this method soon.

I also collect TY Beanie Babies and have a chest full of them. Sometimes I'll mix them around, then reach in and draw one, using the poem on its tag as my message for the day.

[croxxroads]

alright. I made two new hexes/curses (idk, i keep writing down that it's a hex but truthfully it feels more like a curse) for Both Of Them Individually after getting their Other Names from my mother. Cleansed my space after and myself (after setting up quick protection wards beforehand)

Come Sunday, well--

Fingers crossed.

[evilpenguinrika]

i'm going to have to seriously comb through my witchcraft sideblog and find a curse or hex spell to use on asshole uncle and asshole uncle's wife because i'm now dreading the early lunar new year celebration this coming sunday even more

[fernthewhimsical]

Fern's Nehalennia Deep Dive: pt 1

Titles:

Stuurvrouw (Steerswoman), Vrouwe van de Noordzee (Lady of the North Sea), Wildmother

Meaning name Nehalennia

We're not really sure what the name Nehalennia means. She was honoured in an area that covers Roman, Briton, and Germanic tribes and peoples, so even her origin is unknown. Several theories of meaning are:

"recently caught" or "recently salted" - from "Net hael inne". (Huygens)

"new market" - from "ne halle" (Claude de Saumaise)

"new moon" - from "Nea Selene" (Olivier Vredius)

"Neel brings in" - from "Neel (personal name) hael inne" (Jacobus Lydius)

"to give food", "to provide" - from "Naera-Laena" (Laurens Pieter van de Spiegel)

"Goddess of the sea" - from "Neach Lenn" "exalted sea" (Marquis Du Chasteler)

"Virgin of sorrow/sadness" - from "Neh al Léan" (Eloi Johanneau)

"night, friendly moon-Goddess" - from "Neha-Lennia" (D. Buddingh)

"spinning Goddess" - from "Nera" or "Nere" meaning spinning (Grimm)

"pouring, gifting" - from "Neihen" or "Neehan" (H. Kern)

"Lady/Mother who envelopes/enrobes" - from "Neha Lenn" (H. Hardenberg)

"mist/fog" - from Proto Indo-European (PIE) *nebʰ- (wikipedia)

"spirits of the dead" - from Greek "nekués" and the PIE "nek-e/o" "to bring death" (wikipedia)

"leader", "steerswoman", or "She who leads a ship safely over sea" (Gijsseling) This interpretation is considered most likely, new information and spellings literally surfaced, helping Gijsseling come to this conclusion.

The Surfacing of Nehalennia

In 1647 in Domburg, Zeeland, the remains of a temple were found. Inside it, they discovered votive stones dedicated to a local Goddess: Nehalennia. Back then there wasn't really a historical society, and preserving the cultus of a pagan Goddess was not a priority. Some of the stones were moved to a church, where they were displayed underneath the stairs, with a leaky roof. Other stones were used as lawn ornaments for a rich proprietor. After a lightning strike the church burnt down, and the stones were lost. Many of the stones who had been on the lawn were irrevocably damaged.

But Nehalennia was not ready to be forgotten. On the 14th of April 1970 fisherman K.J. Bout found some strange stones in his fishing nets. He could have tossed them back, but instead he realized the value of these stones. He contacted the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden who sent a representative. While waiting, Bout fished up more stones, and part of what looked like a temple. Bout made his ship available for several diving trips, and over 240 votive stones surfaced.

Many of the stones depict a woman, sitting on a throne, or standing with one foot on the bow of a ship. She wears a very distinct pereline (a short shoulder cape), and holds a basket filled with apples, pears, and breads. Standing next to her sits her loyal dog companion. Most of the stones also hold an inscription, thanking Deae Nehalleniae for safe travel over sea. From the inscriptions we also learn that many of the people who made an offering were traders, hailing from Italy, Cologne, Brittain, Trier, and southern France. Through this magnificent find, we have learned a lot more about our "local" Goddess Nehalennia.

Over the years, more votive stones surfaced. Found in Trier, Cologne, Tongeren, and even some that might be Nehalennia in Brittain. All stones and remains have been dated to be between 150-250CE, and worshipers all come from a large area that encompasses Gallia Belgica, Germania Inferior, Germania Superior en Britannia. Even though Nehalennia is clearly also found outside the Netherlands, us Dutch people have laid a claim on her. Especially since two of her temples have both been found in Zeeland, she is seen as a local Goddess, and one we are very proud of. [Link to the Masterpost]

[satsuti]

”Of the folklore I’ve studied, what initiation into witchery often boils down to are some simple components in the European model: The calling, the acceptance, the contract and the gift. […] There were steps to be taken in terms of the initiatory process with a devil/spirit and it all came down to some fundamental components:

- Calling by the spirits: in most regards, the craft is initiatory - even when the initiation is brought about in private by the spirits. Common folklore provides examples of callings in the forms of visitations from the spirits in dreams or in person, or, being spirited away (like Jack and the Witches of Southern lore), or, the sudden revelation of power. This may be a holdover from the time of the witch trial records, but it has since joined the broader folklore of witchcraft. What calls the witch varies from place to place, person to person, culture to culture: in many cases a witch is called by her own ambitions and desires, in other cases he is called by the spirits or demons or wee-folk without much of a choice. The calling is a very personal thing, but once it is heard, it is the first step in pursuing witchcraft.

- Acceptance, or, the renunciation of old oaths: acceptance of the terms and conditions set forth by whatever spirits or gods or coven has called you to the craft. In order to accept the terms of the spirits, traditionally one would then be expected to renounce all former allegiances (washing away the grace, saying the lord’s prayer backwards, the like). After one has rid themselves of old oaths, they are free to promise their soul elsewhere - to spirits, devils, demons or gods.

- Contract, or oath to the spirits/gods: a contract of give-and-take between you and whatever entity has called to you. In folklore, there is a distinct understanding that whoever takes up witchcraft is doing so with the aid of unseen allies and familiars, and these entities have their own demands for the power they give; whether it is to suckle from the witch’s teat or be fed of butter and cream. The contract with the Devil takes the shape of a ritual at sunrise or the signing of one’s name in his book or some other symbolic action of dedication.”

- Folkloric American Witchcraft and the Multicultural Experience, Via Hedera

[fernthewhimsical]

No but seriously if you want to work with the Fair Folk please also look at local legends, myths and folklore. The "rules" often stated for working with the Fair Folk: things like "don't say thank you", "offerings should be of milk and honey", "don't tell them your name, for it gives them power over you". Are not universal concepts. Actually, they mostly come from Irish and Scottish lore.

And that's logical because they have the most written about the Fair Folk.

However, those might not be the "rules" of your local Fair Folk. For example, Dutch Fae were given offerings of pancakes. Gnomes apparently love boiled potatoes. And any Fair Folk that love to help humans will disappear forever when seen. Different rules for different Folk.

[thecultoflexithewulf]

Basic Understanding Of Conjuring Spiritual Entities

Disclaimer:

This is simply a basic view on the understanding of summoning forth spiritual entities, and is by no means an extensive overview of the practice, and I am also not responsible for how you choose to use this information, or what comes forth from it’s execution.

In order to do this practice effectively you are going to need to understand, or have a method of

Cleansing

Centering

Grounding

Banishing

Protection through shielding

Binding

Divination, or spiritual communication

SIgil

Introduction:

Conjuring spiritual entities is a process in which you summon forth an entity to your location in order to communicate, and interact with them. In order to conjure an entity to you all one must do is call for them. this can be done in many different ways but will usually include some form of connecting with them, so that you can ask them to appear to you. There are many different ins-and-outs to this practice, and practitioners do it differently based upon their tradition, and understandings, but in this post I will be going over my understanding of the practice, and how one would go about allowing these entities to appear to them in a basic effective, and safe manner.

Protection, and banishment:

All entities that you run into may not be friendly, so before you attempt to bring forth an entity you should be ready to protect yourself. You should take some time to learn some protection, and banishing methods so that you will be able to defend yourself if needed. You should also try not to bring forth anything you will not be able to banish, or protect against, so that you do not put yourself in any position where you will not be able to be safe. Practices that I would recommend that you should learn before attempting this practice are things such as the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram, and the practice of casting a circle, or some other variant of these two things.

Keep reading

[ofwoodandbone]

The Language of Spell Crafting

Spell creation is one of the most personal and individualized part of a magician’s craft.  Between each kind of magician, there are different methods of magic and spell-work. Then, between those kinds, there are sections and lineages who draw their inspirations from different places. Within those lineages, there are individuals who pull from their own life and sense of the world to craft their spells. There can be a lot said about a witch when looking at their spells. The different cultures, the subtle differences in elements or components, the incantation, the ritual action, etc. It’s all very telling of who they are as a practitioner. 

Solely relying on others’ spells can take away the identity of the practitioner. Don’t get me wrong; taking spells from books, blogs, websites, etc is not a bad thing. It helps a great deal, especially when you need something specific and they have it when you’re not sure how to get there. I think that’s why I get spell requests so often. I’ll tell you a secret though; not even half of those spells are in the Black Book. They were created there and then for the person who requested them.

But how? How do you connect the ends? I think it’s important that you reread that last line, but in a different light. There is no definite way of creating spells. There are common factors in spells to make them successful, but they do not limit individuality. It’s all individualized and up to the practitioner. The way they make spells, the way they cast spells, and the way they approach spells can help them understand who they are as a practitioner. So I’ll pose the question again. “How do you connect the ends?”

Factors

I mentioned before that in most spells, there are common factors. Many witches and magicians use these as guidelines for crafting spells. There are three factors that are the most often encountered in age old spells. 

1. Intention/Willpower/Want

2. Incantation (whether spoken aloud or internally)

3. Ritual action 

While the last two components may be interchanged in order, the first must be spread out through the entire operation. To cease the intent is to deprive the fire of oxygen, and thus end the spell before it starts. 

These three things are fairly self explanatory.

Before you do a spell, you have to want it. You have to want it badly enough that you’d bend the world to get it. That desire fuels your will, your intent, and seeps into the words you say and the actions you perform. When focused and harnessed, it sets your work ablaze and makes it come true. This want can also be replaced with need, which can quicken a spell faster than almost any other power. 

The spoken part of a spell is often what many people mistake for the spell itself. Incantations are only words. When power is put behind them, then they have the chance to make magic. Rhyming has been a popular method of incantation for a very long time, but incantations simply speaking the caster’s intention have been just as popular. Many people like to create their incantations before creating the rest of their spell, some after. Some also speak theirs intuitively in the midst of casting the spell. 

The ritual action is often what drags the spell into fruition. The act of ritual mimicry has been used for millennia across every culture in nearly every magical tradition as a way to create change in the world. That which is mimicked is created. Skins and pelts are worn for shapeshifting, stabbing and smashing have been used for curses, wrapping and tying have been used for binding, etc. The ritual action mimics what the creator wishes to bring into the world. For the practitioner, their ritual action should speak to whatever the goal is to them symbolically. 

Components and Ingredients

I like to use cooking as a metaphor for spell-work. Why? Because everything has to be cohesive and harmonious. Otherwise, the spell will be haywire or shite.  When you create a spell, you have to take everything into account. Remember, specifics are important. I’m not just talking about incantations. I’m talking about knowing what you want, down to the nitty gritty.  Let’s say that we’re cooking up a love spell. Except, this isn’t your run of the mill love spell. Let’s say that this love spell isn’t looking to inspire lust, or at least not to a large degree, rather strong affections.  One of the first things I think of is what elements or ingredients speak to my goal, based on previously earned knowledge and old folklore. If we’re talking about gentle love, I’ve got a few go-to elements; a small amount of vanilla bean, dried apple flesh, and a pinch of coriander. These components will be bound together and put into a doll or a pouch. The name of the one who is to be charmed is whispered over it and kissed.  What do these components have in common? Sweet things. Vanilla is sweet and warm, and so are apples. They make me think of home and a warm oven, a hearth (or in this case a heart). Coriander is that touch of spice needed to move things along, but it doesn’t overpower the other two. Whispers to a lover’s ear and a soft kiss I also see as sweet things. This is a charm of romance. It’s a delicate thing, though with a simple spell.  It’s incredibly easy to upset it. Adding more things like cinnamon, clove, or allspice, though used in making sweet things and baking, could have turned that lover into a lust addled fool. Using saliva instead of a kiss could’ve also done the same.  What could’ve also harmed the spell is if wildly different ingredients are mixed together. Bleeding hearts, vanilla bean, and orris root would make for a rather unruly, or confused, spell. They are all associated heavily with love and love magic, but each constitutes different subtleties about what love is or what love means, thus each warrants a different use in a different situation. Is there a time when one of those two are married, or maybe even all three? Perhaps. This will be a very specific case, though.  The goal of the spell must be spoken in the actual components of the spell just as much as in the words and the actions. The ingredients are not to be thrown together with general (and sometimes sloppy) associations found in Barnes and Noble witch books. They are to be carefully chosen, handled, and married to produce the most fluent, successful spell. What is done with those components is just as important as the components itself.  Actions and Deeds Cursing for one person might be pricking a wax image with hot needles, but for another it might be lighting that wax image on fire and watching it burn. Different circumstances, styles, and magicians will make for different approaches. A bone that is crushed and blown on the wind will conjure spirits, but the crushing of the bone itself could also remove influence from spirits in the area. It is the intention, as well as the other factors of the spell, that will decide this.  The physical nature of spells if often written off in New Age methods and modern ways. Traditional spell-casting is tethered to some sort of action that serves as a symbol and a doorway through which the spell enters the world. Are these actions incredibly complex? Absolutely not.  Witches have been calling up winds and storms with nothing but whistling for a long time. Witches also have been reputed to cast spells simply by staring or touching things. This lore is as old as anything and exists alongside witches in many cultures.  An action, no matter how minute, is an intention put forth and succeeded. It breaks the barrier of the mental and causes something to become real. Actions are results.  As with all of the other part of a spell, this needs to be unified with everything else. Harsh, quick motions won’t do for a spell that is to inspire gentle love. It needs a soft hand. What that looks like depends on the magician. It’s important to remember that when choosing actions for spellwork they must resonate with the practitioner. A protection spell might involve waving a rod of oak over the boundaries of one’s home. It might also be slapping the stick off of the ground around the boundaries of the home. Whatever the intention and style of the practitioner will influence how a spell is cast. It tells a story about who they are, what they’ve done, where they’ve learned, and the nature of their magic. Though the differences might be slight, it shows the individuality of the practitioner.  Bonus: Sacrifices

Most modern practitioners have no idea what this word truly means, let alone how to use it in magic. The word conjures up images of animals being cut open, bloody knives, and killing. Though this is a form of sacrifice, it is not all sacrifice. Simply put, sacrifice is the giving up of something in exchange for something else. That thing you give up, though, has to be something of value to you. It’s not sacrifice unless it stings.  The use of sacrifice in spellwork causes the magic to burn hotter and brighter. It works faster and it becomes stronger. It also tends to make magic a bit more permanent.  It can look like a pin prick on the finger, but it can also be someone destroying gifts from someone to set a spell on them. It can be offerings, taken from yourself, and given to spirits or deities in exchange for favors. It can be burning a treasured photograph of a lover to make them love you back.  This aspect of spellwork has become increasingly less popular over time, with people not wanting to pay for what they ask. It is not always a necessary part of magic, but the strongest spells have some form of sacrifice behind them. As artists bleed for their passions, so must the magicians for their magic. It makes it real, especially in the practitioner’s eyes. You wouldn’t give something you cherished unless you truly believed in the goal looking to be accomplished.  Individualizing 

If there is one thing that I’ve tried to stress in spellcrafting, it’s individualization. A witch’s spells are not their own until they’ve individualized them. Just as all of witchcraft is very personal, so must the spells be. They should speak to your goal, but they should be using your voice to do it.  Read from the folklore, follow the legends, listen to past uses, but make everything your own. Maybe you’ll figure out how to apply the folklore of birch bark in a different way than most witches would. Maybe you’ll figure out how to be-spell a new working tool to do something that most witches don’t know of. Who knows?  The world is quite wide. Methods of spellcasting vary between lands. What lands do you descend from? What can they inform you of spellcasting? Can you join the knowledge of one and the other? Can you make a method that is entirely for you?  Spellcrafting is a trying thing. It is a subtle art and not an easy task to master. It’s also incredibly personal.  It’s a language with thousands of different dialects, and millions of different accents.  How will you speak it? 

[spiritvexer]

House Rules

No spirit may act to harm or unsettle myself, my family members, my pets, or my guests.

No spirit may play pranks or tricks on anyone in my home, including myself.

No spirits may feed off of me ever/without my permission/unless it is an emergency.

All spirits must remain open to me regarding their needs, wants, and desires. I will do my best to facilitate these things.

You may not exploit loopholes in my rules.

If you discover any loopholes in my rules, bring them to my attention so they may be corrected.

No spirit is allowed to interfere with my magic workings, unless it is to protect myself or another member of my household, including my spirit household.

A spirit must tell me if they interfere with my magic for the good of my household.

No spirits of a sexual nature may have any sexual contact with any member of my household, including me, unless it is specifically requested.

No spirit may pretend to be something/someone they are not. Remain true to your real identity.

No spirit may start conflict with another spirit that lives here.

No spirit may interfere with my communications with other spirits. You may not interrupt or alter the messages sent between me and another spirit.

No spirit may interfere with my personal relationships, including my relationships with other spirits.

All spirits should help me judge the character of new spirits entering in to the household.

All spirits are allowed to disarm malicious magics sent my way.

All spirits are encouraged to inform me of malicious magics sent my way.

No spirit may manipulate myself or the members of my household in order to get something that they (the spirit) wants.

No spirits may enter in to [specific room of the house].

No spirits may speak to me or bother me when I am talking to [specific person]/doing [specific activity].

Any spirit may give me advice or their opinions as they see fit.

Any spirit may request additional gifts/offerings but I will give them at my discretion.

All spirits may expect food to be given every week on Wednesdays.

No spirits may invite other unknown spirits in to my home.

I will never act in any way to harm or hurt one of the spirits living in my home.

I will always give spirits a chance to leave of their own free will before I consider banishment.

I will never ignore the pressing needs of a spirit.

I will always make time for each individual spirit in my home at least twice a week.

I will never prevent a spirit from carrying out their individual lives and taking care of their own concerns.

I recognize a spirit’s needs in their personal life are above my needs for their companionship.

I will never force a spirit to do something they are uninterested in doing.

I will always allow any spirit in my home to leave of their own free will, whenever they desire.

I will respect my spirit’s preferences and wishes.

This is a list of house rules I have *so far* for the spirit keeper handbook project I am working on. These rules are meant to inspire so you can think of your own house rules! More will come on how to set up house rules and what to do if a spirit doesn’t want to follow your rules.

[merkavahpartyvan]

Tarot Grammar: from noun to verb

Having trouble figuring out what a card is doing? Try nouning the verb! Here’s some suggestions to start with. Like grammar, your usage can be flexible, and you should always feel free to make up new language rules to suit your style.

0. The Fool - Fooling I. The Magician - Ensorcelling II. The High Priestess - Scrying III. The Empress - Impressing IV. The Emperor - Impelling V. The Hierophant - Sanctifying VI. The Lovers - Loving VII. The Chariot - Charging VIII. Strength - Empowering IX. The Hermit - Hermiting X. The Wheel of Fortune - Wheeling and Dealing XI. Justice - Adjusting XII. The Hanged Man - Enduring XIII. Death - Dying XIV. Temperance - Tempering XV. The Devil - Bedeviling XVI. The Tower - Falling XVII. The Star - Fusing XVIII. The Moon - Phasing XIX. The Sun - Announcing XX. Judgement - Committing XXI. The World - Revolutionizing

[badpsychicadvice]

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