Kary

Personal blog about my path. Eclectic pagan learning to navigate my mental and spiritual landscape.

[craftwitches]

reblog if it's okay for random people to talk to you about witchcraft

it’s not always safe to be open about our craft and sometimes we all just need someone to gush to about that new crystal we got and that spell that worked surprisingly well

[witchy-oates]

Getting Started

99% of questions I get seem to be “I think witchcraft is cool but I dunno where to start!”

The craft and all the ideologies and methodologies and subcategories and history is so immense, so I can understand being overwhelmed. If you’re overwhelmed, you can see why this is a hard question for me to answer over and over lmao. 

I will start by getting you to ask yourself why you are interested in the craft. What draws you to it? Is it power? Is it religious aspects? Is it an interest in the otherworldly? 

If you are drawn to the occult, chances are it was meant to happen. Anyone can pick up witchcraft. Anyone can research the metaphysical. When you figure out why you are interested in witchcraft, use that to follow your passions. 

Maybe you want power and the ability to manifest intent into reality - the art of spellcasting. That can lead you down many avenues, from chaos magic to sigils to herbs and crystals to working with spirits, perhaps building relationships with pantheons.

Maybe you want to build intuition and natural instincts, throwing you into the world of divination, scrying, tarot, etc. 

Maybe you want to tie religion into it, bolstering your relationship with your god or worshiping a pantheon. 

So yes, I can tell you to research the basics - meditation, intent, manifestation, correspondences, etc. But you already have every tool at your disposal to get started without asking me or other experienced witches. You don’t need me to give you a step by step process in getting into the craft. Just figure out what you want and go after it. The world is your oyster. 

[furtivefae]

This relates to me very deeply. I come from a very conservative background rooted in Catholicism and social mannerisms. Being drawn to paganism (even as an interesting topic to study) was extremely controversial and made me anxious as I questioned what I'm supposed to do or what my purpose is. But staying true to my impulsive emotions and passion has brought me so much joy. It's caused countless fights and bad situations but it all seems worth the pain when I live thrue to myself.

[witchy-oates]

Interpreting Scrying and Visions

Ever had a meditation session and got some compelling visions, but had no idea what it meant? Or stared into water until you saw images, but googling significance isn’t panning out? In my opinion, the best way to interpret meaning in divination is to go with your gut, building intuition and confidence in your practice along the way! 

Before we begin…

• This takes practice and time! If you are having trouble getting solid interpretations, do not give up. • Recording your scrying results and visions, along with a preliminary interpretation, is essential. If scrying for the future, you can go back and look at your notes at a later time to help improve your interpretation abilities.  • Sometimes visions and images are scary, predict the worst case scenario, etc. There is no need to stress over these experiences. The future is fluid and can be changed, and most of the time visions are metaphorical. 

The Method

• Scry or meditate in whatever method is easiest for you. Examples include closed eye scrying, scrying in patterns, fire scrying, smoke scrying, crystal scrying, black mirror scrying, water scrying, etc. • Once finished with your session, write down any elements of images you saw, colors you saw, scenes you saw, ect. • Next write down what each of those elements means to you. Not the internet, not some dream interpretation book, it should be your own gut feeling. • Compose the meaning of the elements into a cohesive interpretation. 

Examples

Let’s say I was black mirror scrying for insight into a friend’s well being. Maybe I saw a fire. To me, fire represents both destruction and passion. This is where gut feeling comes into play! If I had a negative vibe when I saw the fire image, I would then interpret this to mean that the friend is headed down a self-destructive path. 

Next, let’s interpret a vision. A scene. Say I saw a scene where a bulldozer was destroying my family home. Black birds were flying overhead. It was foggy. I would break this into those very elements: destruction of family home, corvids, and fog. The family home to me represents security, so destruction could mean an abrupt loss of self assurance and feeling insecure. Fog means something is obscured, so the threat to security is something hidden, either in the subconscious or is something playing out behind the scenes. It also can mean secrecy. Corvids represent wisdom and are known to be a warning.  For the entire interpretation, I would say that this scene is a warning of unknown forces, perhaps in secrecy, working to undermine security and the family unit. 

Not all interpretations are so bleak! Even if you see a vision of a loved one getting hurt, this could represent something causing them emotional pain that you should reach out to them about. 

Keep Track of Motifs 

Sometimes we see reoccurring themes in our divination. Make sure you go through your records to look for symbols that pop up over and over again. It will make future interpretations easier. Like, for example, seeing a heart or rose could mean love. Seeing a cat could mean spirital intuition. 

With that, I wish you guys luck in interpreting your visions and scries! This can even apply to dreams, if you’re into dreamwork! :)

[feministism]

[minuty]

“Always help someone. you might be the only one that does.”

— Remember this (via amargedom)

[vampireapologist-archive-deacti]

Honestly something that bothers me more than most things is having my compassion mistaken for naivety.

I know that another fish might eat this bullfrog right after I spend months rehabilitating it.

I know that turning a beetle back onto its legs won’t save it from falling over again when I walk away.

I know that there is no cosmic reward waiting for my soul based on how many worms I pick off a hot sidewalk to put into the mud, or how many times I’ve helped a a raccoon climb out of a too-deep trashcan. 

I know things suffer, and things struggle, and things die uselessly all day long. I’m young and idealistic, but I’m not literally a child. I would never judge another person for walking by an injured bird, for ignoring a worm, or for not really caring about the fate of a frog in a pond full of, y’know, plenty of other frogs.

There is nothing wrong with that.

But I cannot cannot cannot look at something struggling and ignore it if I may have the power to help.

There is so much bad stuff in this world so far beyond my control, that I take comfort in the smallest, most thankless tasks. It’s a relief to say “I can help you in this moment,” even though they don’t understand.

I don’t need a devil’s advocate to tell me another fish probably ate that frog when I let it go, or that the raccoon probably ended up trapped in another dumpster the next night.

I know!!!! I know!!!!!!! But today I had the power to help! So I did! And it made me happy!

So just leave me alone alright thank u!!!!

[shrineart]

THIS.

[the-rain-monster]

I heard a story about this, a parable I guess.

There was a big storm and a ton of starfish were washed onto the beach, stranded much further up than they could get back and beginning to bake in the post-storm sunshine. A little girl was walking down the beach, picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea. Some guy comes up and asks her what she’s doing. “Saving the starfish,” she says.

He looks around at the huge beach and the hundreds of starfish, and says “You can’t possibly save them all. I’m afraid you’re not gonna make much of a difference.”

She throws another starfish back into the ocean, and replies “It made a difference to that one.”

[the-real-seebs]

Yeah, I mean, we know we can’t change all the things. But have you ever noticed how much better life is when you’re around people who change things when they can?

[theangriestlittleunicorn]

Kindness is a choice. Even if it’s small, it’s worth it.

[itsladykit]

This is what I’m talking about, when I say that kindness and compassion do not equate with ignorance, stupidity, or naivety. Being cynical does not make someone more intelligent or more worldly. 

Kindness is not weakness.

Kindness is brave. Especially when you also know that your kindness might not be returned, may even be met with anger or cruelty. It’s reaching out with an open hand, knowing that it’s just as likely to be bitten as it is to be held. 

Kindness is hard. If you can’t find it in yourself to be kind, then fine. But don’t make it more difficult for those that can.

[tsukishine]

Reminds me so much of mini-prinz and his tales of picking up snails off the sidewalk 😊

[greenrosemary]

wheel of the year 

[furtivefae]

These are a few symbols I was debating for tattoo ideas. All my ‘traditional’ tattoos are hand-done stick and poke (like the rows of runes I have along the side of my feet). These are Norse and Slavic. And I reeaallyy want this version of the symbol of Mokosz in my palm.

[furtivefae]

This is a little spring ritual setup I did a few years ago. In highschool, I didn't have much money or freedom to go buy witchy items so I painted a little pendulum board, used bracelets made of different earthstones, used home grown fruits and herbs for offerings, etc. I had very basic materials but there's always a way to get creative and make your practice work for you.

[furtivefae]

Amethyst pendulums 💜

[hekateanwitchcraft]

Deities

Gods and goddesses are NOT correspondences. They are NOT spell ingredients. Gods and goddesses are not just called on for spells. They are to be respected and honored. I’ve seen this trend of Neo-Pagans to say “oh this god or goddess is good for such and such”. They are not “good for something” like an herb or a stone. They are the divine ruler of that thing. Building relationships with deities requires work. They don’t just do everything you ask them. Have respect for deities, don’t just list them as correspondences and use them for their associations.

[dailywitchlings]

Are you a new Witch who doesn’t know why do you need to have a B.O.S? 

Or you might just be confused and lost about what exactly should you be writing on you magical book. 

Truth is: You don`t really NEED one for your witchcraft practice, BUT it can really help you to “level up” your magical skills by taking notes of your past magical experiences or simply writing correspondences for future rituals and spells.

When I started my magical practices I just kept one old high school notebooks and sort of wrote everything I did and read on the internet, books, etc… I just mixed everything. But it turns out for me, it wasn’t really working because I could never find what I wanted LOL. 

So maybe it’s easier for you to have one book for each subject, and that will help you A LOT on your studies.

So anyway, if you`re wondering what kind of things you could be writing I’ve came up with 5 most important and ESSENCIAL things for your Book of Shadows.

1. WRITE DOWN YOUR DREAMS:

I know, this one seems stupid, but a lot of people underestimate dreams and think they are not really that big of a deal. IT IS. Specially if you are working on a spell, or working with deities. They could be talking to you with symbols and secret messages in your dreams. So write before you go to sleep say it to yourself: “I am going to remember everything I dream tonight and afterwards I will write this down on my grimoire.” This helps your brain retain information about what you dreamed that night. 

2. TAKE NOTES ON YOUR MAGICAL EXPERIENCES:

Ok, this one is the most important for me. It is CRUCIAL that you write everything when performing a spell, ESPECIALLY one which you’ve created from scratch. Write down the phase of the moon at the time, the exact time you performed it, the day of the week, the stars, the color of the candles you used, herbs, etc… 

Take notes on how you felt before and after a banishing ritual. Take daily notes on how your personal energy is going.

3. MAKE LISTS AND BULLET POINTS:

I like to make magical shopping lists on my grimoire. It’s important for me to keep a section filled with simple and essencial spells and herbs that I might use every month, for example: Herbs for protection, for banishing, for chakra cleansing, incenses, candles and etc…

I also make lists of spells I wanna be performing on the Full Moon in advance. WHY? Because I can get lazy with magic sometimes, and I know you can too. So when the full moon comes I already have my ritual written down along with all my ingredients for it. 

4. SEPARATE ONE SECTION FOR DIVINATION:

Yes, divination is important. Wether it is to try and guess what is going to happen in your life this year, or using it for self-knowledge purposes, or to just talk to your gods… Divination is a big part of magic and I think that learning how it works is crucial for your magic. 

Choose one type of divination: Tarot or Runes, or another one that you think is easier for you. Learn about it, write down the meanings and associations and then practice every single day. Sleep with a tarot card or rune under your pillow and write down your feelings and dreams the next day. Carry one with you during your day and write down everything that happen so that later on you can compare with the “official meaning” of that card or rune. Medidate and don’t forget to keep taking notes.

5. LAST BUT NOT LEAST” CONSECRATE AND PURIFY IT.

This is not obligatory, but it’s necessary in case you wanna protect it from ending up in the hands of people you don’t want to read it. It is a magic book, guys! And even more personal than a journal or a diary. So I would protect it and keep it very safe.

So here is a very cute and short blessing prayer for your B.o.S :

Elements of fire, water, wind and earth please protect this book

From wondering eyes and prying looks

Fill it with strong and Ancient power.

In this right and ready hour.

Of course you can use this one as a base and modify it to your will. There are tons of other blessing you could find on the internet. You could also consecrate it to your Mother Goddess and Father God, and then decorate it as you want.

I bought mine on Amazon, it’s cheaper than trying to find one here where I live so that’s where I would buy it. 

Here are my favorites:

1. Obsidian Journal: 

2.Antique Leather Handmade Journal

3. Big Leather Journal (Handmade)

4.Leather Journal with a stone on the cover: (I am IN LOVE with this one.I guess I’m ordering a new journal)

5. Leather Journal with Gem Stones. This is my absolute favorite.It’s not that cheap, but LOOK at it. So gorgeous.

6. Classic Book of Shadows with a pentagram on the cover. This one is perfect! 

I could spend hours and hours on this website looking at new journals to create a new B.O.S. I’m obsessed by them. But how it looks it is not always important. You could just use an old high school notebook if you want!

Just remember to have fun with it! Cut out spells, put some dried herbs, make some beautiful drawings…

All of this can help you understand magic even more than just reading books. 

Magic is not just theory, it is PRACTICE, TRIAL AND ERROR.

[furtivefae]

Wearable witch beads I made with various stones so I can wear them as a bracelet but also use them for medication wherever I go.

[furtivefae]

One of the most difficult lessons to learn.

Without realizing it, one day you hung out with a friend for the last time, left a place without having been there since, stopped doing something you love, or said “see you later” to someone you’d never see again.

A lot of these things seem like a sort of loss, a failure. It radically simplifies life which makes it seem empty sometimes.

Something I’ve been contemplating a lot is that being alone doesn’t equal loss just like “change”, in the motivational sense, doesn’t necessarily mean you gain things. It’s a matter of learning to exist in a different way. Idk, or making up theories for things I can’t comprehend ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[furtivefae]

Sun ring of Swaróg.

[furtivefae]

My first tarot deck which I actually found at a thrift store after really wanting one for the past while. Perfect timing. I hope I can learn to read them.

[furtivefae]

As a short introduction, I made this blog to talk about and explore things that I can’t in real life, whether it be becuase of being from a conservative family, or just the fact that I’ve never been able to really make friends ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’m hoping to change that here. Anyways, this is the silver pentacle necklace that wear; I never take it off. It took me a while to collect all the pieces from different places to build my ideal piece but it’s my prized possession.