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@crystal13moon
Witchcraft is a Skill
From the perspective of a Traditional Witch, witchcraft is not necessarily a religion. (This can break down into a conversation about what is and is not considered a religion, but let’s not go there.)
Witchcraft is a craft. It’s right there in the name. Weaving, woodworking, witchcraft - all skills that can be taught. And like all the crafts of old, it has its patron saints and deities. Saint Anthony for butchers, Saint Honoratus for bakers, Saint Ambrose for candlestick makers.
And witches, of course, have the Man in Black, the King and Queen of Faerie, Hecate, and a whole canon of powerful spiritual forces.
And like a craft, witchcraft can be taught. Some people come by it naturally, to be sure, just as some people are naturally skilled at drawing, singing, or dancing. But even those who are naturally skilled can improve their craft through hard work.
Most witches do have to work very hard. If you feel down about your craft, remember that it is just that - a craft that must be honed - so keep working at it!
(Some) Ways to Celebrate Samhain 🌙🍂🦇💫
Whether you’re still in the broom closet or known to your craft, I thought I’d list some small and big activities that I plan on partaking in to celebrate Samhain! Hope you all enjoy 🖤
To honor loved ones/those who have passed:
🍂Leave photos of your ancestors at your altar! I think this is a beautiful way to honor them throughout the holiday.
🍂Visit the cemetery you’re loved ones reside at. Do it not only to see your own family/friends, but to pay respect to all the others who don’t have anyone to remember them.
🍂Leave single candles on your windowsills to let your ancestors know they’re welcome to visit you!
🍂Prepare a feast and set a place at your table for loved ones that are no longer with us! Share stories of them, listen to their favorites songs, honor them in any way you see fit.
🍂The veil is at its thinnest on Samhain. Just like old traditions, carve a jack-o-lantern and leave it at your door step to ward of negative spirits. Carve a sigil in the back for added protection!
🍂Leave food/offerings outside for those who have passed and will be walking around tonight. Burying apples is another way to give!
Other ways to celebrate:
🍂Take nature walk! Its the time where winter will soon set in, take this opportunity to enjoy what little bit of the harvest season is left.
🍂Like listed above, carve a sigil into a jack-o-lantern. Not only to protect your home, but the possible trick or treaters that may be wandering this night! Everyone can use a bit more protection.
🍂Decorate your home! Simple things like autumnal colors, gourds, skulls, candles etc are not only traditional to Halloween and won’t be questioned, but are also great ways to welcome Samhain.
🍂SELF!! LOVE!! SHIT!! As the wheel of the year comes to an end, its time for new beginnings. Make Samhain a day of reflecting on your past year and focus on how you plan to grow, renew and progress.
🍂Going with that, create face masks, teas/potions, sigils, spells, etc that are tailored to YOU and what you need a bit more of this year! For example, I’m lookin to go on a journey for a bit more self love and plan on working with some rose quartz, lavender and rose petals. There are countless posts with items and their correspondents, look around and find something that speaks to you!
🍂D I V I N A T I O N. This is the absolute best time of the year to work with any form of divination, tarot cards, a pendulum, tasseography, palmistry. I’ve heard scrying its particularly fabulous this time of year as well.
🍂Get 2 jars, bowls, etc. In one, write down things on small pieces of paper that you want to leave behind, and in the other write things down that you want more of in your life. Take one of the negatives ones at a time and SAFELY burn (or bury) them, vision them disappearing before your eyes. Read the positives ones out loud and vision them coming to you and becoming a part of you this upcoming year. Leave them at your altar for as long as you see fit.
Familiars
What is a familiar? A familiar is an animal whom you have a spiritual connection with. A witches companion. You call upon them to help you with your practices. They can be physical or spiritual beings. They are healers and guardians but above all, a loyal companion. Provides the witch with psychic protection as well as negative energy. They do not have to be your ‘pet,’ any animal that you use symbols of can also be your familiar but on a more spiritual level. Animals are chosen as a familiar because of their connection with nature and innocence. They protect on many spiritual levels as well as the home and property of the witch. They become able to communicate together in dreams and during meditation.
History of Familiars In Europe during the witch hunts familiars were thought of at demon like entities sent to do a witches bidding. It was believed that they were cats, dogs, and toads possessed by demons. Thus, during the witch hunt era many animals were hunted and slaughtered because of their connection with witches. Familiars were supposedly given to the Witches from by the Devil. It was believed that they were fed from the witches blood.
In some Scandinavian countries familiars were thought of as fearies, elves, pixies, dwarves, sprites, and elements of nature.
In shamanistic practices the familiar is in fact not a physical being rather it is a spiritual entity. It protects in the astral plane and from any psychic attacks.
In England and Scotland familiars took form of toads.
Familiar Misconceptions:
Not every witch has a familiar. In fact some are quite happy working alone. Some witches may even be allergic.
Cats are not the only animal used as a familiar.
No familiars are not possessed by demons or the devil.
Not all pets are familiars!
Types of animals to used as familiars:
Any animal can be used as a familiar! The most common are cats (especially black) and dogs.
How you know it is your familiar and not just a pet:
It chose you.
You have a bond on a spiritual level.
You put more trust in it then anyone/anything else.
Takes an active role in your rituals.
Sits politely while you are casting being sure not to be a bother.
Loves to lounge in your magick work space.
You feel a boost of energy whenever they are near you.
Watches the window constantly watching for any unwelcome beings.
Trails you like a shadow.
Hates to be separated from you
How to find your Familiar:
Cast a spell to bring clarity on your familiar.
Meditate on it.
Ask a form of divination about finding you familiar.
Ways to bond with your Familiar:
Provide it with a collar, halter, leash, etc that has protective crystals and herb sachets sewn into it.
Carry a piece of a NATURALLY shed item from your familiar in a sachet or tied together with ribbon.
Provide them with the best food and housing you can afford.
Always place them before yourself.
Spend lots of time together.
Provide them with their own protection.
Speak to it.
Brush or stoke it.
Treat them and reward them for their help.
Treat them with the kindness they deserve.
Honor them.
Provide them with an altar.
Give them offerings.
Familiar uses:
Provide you with physical and spiritual protection.
Provide you the uttermost loyalty and respect
Benefits your emotional well being.
Helps you connect with nature.
Enhances are physical and psychic abilities.
Protects home and property.
When to work with a Familiar:
When you want to attune with nature
Meditation
Healing magick
Dreamwork
Astral travelling
Divination
Scrying
Spirit communication
Welcome them to join you when power is being raised and spells are cast.
Respect a Familiar deserves:
Let it accompany you on its own accord and make sure it is willing to participate, NEVER force them to join in on a ritual. They are very sensitive to psychic power and vibrations. Treat them with kindness and the same respect you would give to a human being. Be sure to treat them as an equal and not something you own. This is very important if you want to create and maintain a connection with your familiar. Familiars are living beings and should never be treated like an athame, candle or an object for spell casting. Make sure to be cautious with the type of tools you are using during your casting with a familiar. Be cautious of candles or any toxic herbs!
Names for familiars:
Instead of you choosing a name for them, ask them what their true name is.
References: Paganwiccan.about.com, pagancentric.org
What type of Familiar do you have?
I have a horse and a cat as my familiar!
May the moon light your path!
☾ Moonlight Academy☽
References: Paganwiccan.about.com, pagancentric.org
In Memoriam Graveyard Candle / Nevermore Cauldron Candle
Of Alchemy on Etsy
See our #Etsy or #Candles tags
This is actually my coven-mates Etsy! Let me tell you - her product is. AMAZING.
Just a reminder - my coven mate’s products all smell amazing, and she’s one of the wisest alchemists I know. If you’re looking for gifts for Samahin, offerings or even just a goodie to feed your witchy self, these are great.
Pretty Autumn leaves
Beautiful new baby.
🌹Hereditary empath tips
The gift of empathy has been in my family for generations. My mother is one, her father, and so on. Here are some tips that my family has used throughout the years to make life as a feeler a little easier. There’s also a list of correspondences all the way at the bottom.
Rose quartz is your best friend!
If your child is an empath, protect them by putting chunks of rose quartz throughout the house (my mother swears by this)
Any body of natural water is healing to empaths, especially the ocean. When you feel overwhelmed bring your heart to the water.
Moonlight is also extremely healing
Don’t wait till you’re too overwhelmed with emotion before you cleanse and ground.
Sometimes periods of isolation are necessary for empaths, set some time aside as often as you want, to be alone, preferably at a peaceful and calming place (beach, forest, your bathtub)
Remember you can’t lose your gift, but it can become blocked or suppressed. It’s likely to happen after a trauma or if you become too overwhelmed with the emotion you constantly feel. If it happens be patient, it’s more important to deal with your own emotions and take care of yourself first. It doesn’t make you a bad empath, I promise.
Shielding is super important! My mother had a cats eye necklace made for me as an infant for this exact reason. Shield however you see fit, even an quick energy sheild before you leave your house will help.
Try to connect to your element. Not every empath is gonna be a water element, althought water will still be healing for them. If you’re an empath who’s a fire element, light a bonfire to ground, and so on.
Spirit work might be challenging and can get extremely overwhelming for empaths. Be careful around any haunted places or antique stores. Although some empaths are extremely talented at spirit work and use their gift to help spirits pass on, this isn’t always the case, especially in younger empaths. An empaths ability to do that safely has everything to do with their comfort level, if you’re extremely sensitive to emotion, the wrong kind from a spirit can do a lot of damage. I don’t recommend any empaths go to places where violent deaths occurred (especially not empathic children, my mother learned this the hard way with me). It’s almost 100% of the time too overwhelming and pushing yourself only makes it worse in the long run.
You may find cannabis to be helpful during times when you need to ground and relax. It also might help unblock your gift if it get repressed. I recommend an indica or hybrid since empaths are prone to anxiety.
Aromatherapy, meditation, and self-care can make a world of difference for an empath. Remember to take care of yourself first. If you’ve had a hard day and your friend is upset too and you can’t handle both, it’s okay. It doesn’t make you a bad person or empath. You need to come first, try to set boundaries to protect yourself.
**quick correspondences page
Lavender witch aesthetic requested by @lavender-fleur
not mine Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tsukiyomo/
To me, being a witch is:
Making rose salt on my bedroom floor at ten o’clock
Rewriting my grimoires index nine million times because I’m an indecisive perfectionist
Buying way to many things that I want but don’t actually need
Cleansing my tools weekly
Researching my craft but also not researching because I’m a human that lives to procrastinate
Eating lavender macaroons and thinking to myself “witchcraft”
Wanting a garden but working full time and living in an apartment that’s not mine
Staying up too late because I’m hanging out with the moon
Thinking of all the witchy things I did before I knew they were witchy
Reading tarot at work while on lunch
Being in the broom closet but being happy that way
Sleeping with my pendulum under my pillow
Watching Labyrinth and Kiki’s Delivery Service when I need any energy boost
Making my nightstand my secret altar
Collecting my little crystals and keeping them in what I lovingly call my bags of rocks
Being apart of a community
Bringing my own style to that community
I know I’ve left a bunch out but I wanted to make this fun little post! Please add your own things too I would love to know what being a witch means to you!! 🕯🕊🌿
“My mother boils seawater. It sits all afternoon simmering on the stovetop, almost two gallons in a big soup pot. The windows steam up and the house smells like a storm. In the evening, a crust of salt is all that’s left at the bottom of the pot. My mother scrapes it out with a spoon. We each lick a fingertip and dip them in the salt and it’s softer than you’d think, less like sand and more like snow. We lay our fingertips on our tongues, right in the middle. It tastes like salt but like something else, too—wide, and dark. It tastes like drowning, or like falling asleep on the shore and only waking up when the tide has come up to your feet and you wonder if you’d gone on sleeping, would you have sunk?”
The Alchemy: Salt from Water
71 days until Fall! 🖤
1961, Hollywood, California. Following a newspaper casting call, black cats are auditioning for the feline role in Roger Corman’s Tales of Terror (1962). Photos taken by Ralph Crane for Time magazine.
@nick-nocturn
🐱Crystals & Cats🐈
This is a list of crystals to pet your cat with.
I chose the crystals to enhance these correspondences and by color/energy correspondences.
Cats in general- cats eye, any quartz
Black cats- labadorite, onyx, garnet, smokey quartz, obsidian, hematite, lava stone, snowflake obsidian, lodestone, serpentine, lapis lazuli
Red/ginger/orange cats- orange calcite, carnelian, red jasper, tigers eye, cherry quartz, strawberry quartz, sunstone, citrine, yellow obsidian
Blue/Grey cats- aquamarine, aqua aura, blue calcite, blue lace agate, flourite, amethyst, adventurine, sodalite, celestite
White cats- clear quartz, selenite, moonstone, white quartz, howlite, opal, rose quartz, angelite, lemon chyroprase
Colorpoint/Siamese cats- jade, black moonstone, brown flourite, smokey quartz, banded agate, feldspar, dendrite
Calico cats- picture jasper, onyx (any color), shungite, Botswana agate, mookite, carnelian, any jasper
2 tone cats- zebra agate, herkimer diamond, dalmation jasper, snowflake obsidian, rhodonite, writing stone, cloudy quartz
Tortoiseshell cats- citrine, amber, black quartz, tourmaline, coral agate, crazy lace agate, topaz, bloodstone
Brown/golden cats- Shiva lingam, pyrite, goldstone, smokey aura, tiger iron, peach quartz, tigers eye, brown quartz
Tabby cats- any agate, geodes, rutilated quartz, tigers eye, aragonite (brown), agatized/ petrified wood, tree agate, moss agate
Went in for more sage, but couldn't resist the necklace.