🌱🌞✨🔮

[school-of-roses]

✶*✧Introduction to Spell Sealing✧*✶

Everything must come to an end.

This is an area of spellcraft that doesn’t get a lot of publicity because for most people it just becomes a natural part of the process.  However, if you want to mix up how you do it, try something new, or otherwise let go of the way you were originally taught, this might be a good resource for performing rituals!

What are Sealed Spells?

In the context of magic you usually hear about sealing and binding like binding a person or something from being able to do something.  Here we're talking more like a binding contract.  This is a binding or seal locks in an action or intent.  It is binding in the way an agreement is binding.  You have given it firm parameters that it must follow and you have endeavored to finalize the action.  You have provided certainty, locked in your answer, sealed the deal.  

The benefits of this are inherent in the finality.  You have a set thing that now is much harder to alter and is much harder to waver in its purpose.  This is no longer some multi-purpose object.  It has varitably been christened for this and this alone.  The work to undo it will be just as rigorous as the work to do it in the first place.  A light cleansing of your materials afterwards might not be enough.  You're gonna need the spiritual bleach.

To some extent you might just feel that something needs to be finalized.  If you feel it in your gut like you need something to formally end the working, these are what you might be looking for.

More Common Than You Think

This might be more familiar to you than you would initially think.  Signing your name on something at the end is a common one, but even in a ritual sphere there are many examples.  This is going to be your “so mote it be”, your “Amen”, and your other declarations of finality.  Even purely secular situations often have rituals of finality.  I think you’ll find that when these things are left out, there is sometimes a feeling of the energy hanging in the air.  In a lot of ways it does not feel right.  Whether this is the social convention of signaling to everything and everyone present that the ritual has come to a conclusion, or just to announce you’re finished, there is some power to it.

Types of Seals

There are several different ways to express finality in your workings.  Here are just a few examples.

Shutting the Door and Sealing the Envelope

If your work involves some kind of lid or package, you can physically seal it.  Whether this is corking a jar, sealing with wax, tying a string around something etc.  If this is a possibility it is a good way to finalize a spell.

Written and Spoken Seals

Whether this is through signing something like you might finalize a formal contract or expressing that it is finalized verbally.  A few examples of this are listed above that you may have heard before, but there is really nothing stopping you from making your own.

Kiss Seals

Sealing with a kiss.  Kissing something to finalize has historical precedent and takes no extra tools to complete besides your lips.  Whether this is physically using your lips or the other means, this is one option for a quick seal.  Just don’t kiss poison.

Burning, Burying, and Bestrewing

Few things are more final than destruction.  Once you’ve set the flame, you’ve pretty much confined what you’ve set on fire to that purpose forever.  Burying something in the ground would be another example of this.  Whether you feel the finality is from returning it to the earth, or because you are sealing it in a tomb of soul, this will certainly signal that it is done.  Some feel like things are not complete until they’ve scattered the ashes, in which case throwing something to the wind could be your version of finality.

Whether this is through signing something like you might finalize a formal contract or expressing that it is finalized verbally.  A few examples of this are listed above that you may have heard before, but there is really nothing stopping you from making your own.

Sigil Seals

An extension of the written or spoken seals are sigil seals.  It accomplishes much the same thing, but can be a little more formal.  Some might think this is kind of a stretch, but wax seals, like what might go on a letter, could fall into this category, technically.

[the-witchyforest]

HOW TO WRITE SIGILS

WHAT IS A SIGIL?

A broad definition of a sigil is a two-dimensional design that has particular magical effects.

A sigil can be compared to an encrypted message.

The idea that a sigil is designed to represent is its magical purpose.

Every sigil is a visual manifestation of an intention that it works to fufill.

Sigils might also be referred to as seals.

HOW TO MAKE A SIGIL

To start the process of designing a sigil，think of a current dilemma or goal you are facing.

Imagine how the situation might be if everything were perfect.

Your sigil can not make that happen on its own. Instead of trying to make a sigil to tackle a giant concept, think about one obstacle that is keeping your current situation from being your ideal one.

By choosing a single element for your sigil to target，you have given it a better chance of actually doing something to help you.

TYPES OF SIGILS

Once you've finished your design，consider these ways you can use your sigil.

There are three forms that sigils can take:

Permanent Sigils are made to last for a long time, so that it is constantly working. Permanent sigils should to be recharged if need be. Best for spells that work on a subconscious level，like protection spells.

Destructible Sigils, this sigil is destroyed in some way in order to activate it. The destruction is the burst of energy the spell needs to work. Best for spells that call for a certain event to take place，with energy and action.

Temporary Sigils are created in a form that will naturally wear away over time or a form that is removable. Best for spells that are time based，like a temporary increase of luck or a surge of creativity.

[grimoireofacrystalwitch-deactiv]

Personal Protections

What are personal protections?

Personal protections are an object the user carries, or a symbol drawn on them or another object, that has been spelled to protect them and their energy. Personal protections can also be done for another person.

How do you create them?

There are many ways to create personal protections. Through visualization, by asking a deity to bless the object with protection, by charging the object with words, and still more. I'm going to explain how I, personally, set up protections. I would also like to note that I use a lot of visualization during this process. If you are someone who can't visualize, I do include a second version without the visualization later in the post.

Protections for yourself:

First, determine the object that will be used. I typically use a piece of jewelry, usually a necklace pendant, but this can be any object. The object I've used for the past 6 years is a pentacle necklace.

If you are using a piece of jewelry, put it on. If you are using an object that is not wearable, hold it in your hands.

Next, visualize a light of energy coming from you where the object touches your skin. Visualize this energy light surrounding the object. At this point, I can also usually feel the object getting warm.

Visualize that energy growing. It's slowly surrounding all of you, creating a bubble shaped around you.

Protections for yourself, minus visualization:

When doing workings without visualization, my go to replacement is words. Words hold power, though I guess this belief comes from my experience with manifestation. If anyone reading has other alternate ways of creating spells without visualization, I'd love to hear them!

Again, start off by determining what object you will be using. It can be any object. I typically use necklace pendants. Jewelry is a common personal protection object because it's easy to carry around, and for people in the broom closet it doesn't raise questions.

Create statements you will use later in the working, things such as: "This (object) protects me", "Nothing can harm me", "My energy is protected". Statements that describe what you are creating this spell for. 3 is a good number of statements to have, but you can use any number you want.

If you are using jewelry, put it on. If your object is not a wearable object, hold it in your hands.

Repeat your statements 10 times, this can be in your head or out loud. 10 represents completion.

Protections for others:

This process is going to be pretty much exactly the same as the personal protection process, except instead of you, you will be visualizing the other person.

Determine what object you will be using.

Next, hold the object in your hands and visualize the other person holding or wearing it.

Visualize a light of energy coming from the object, surrounding the object.

Visualize this energy growing, surrounding the other person in a bubble of light.

Give the person in question the object you spelled so that they may carry it.

Protections for others, minus visualization:

Again, this is going to be exactly the same, except instead of creating statements for yourself, you will be creating statements for the other person.

Determine the object you will be using.

Create statements for the other person you will use in this working. Things such as: "(Name) is protected", "Nothing can harm (name)", "This (object) protects (name)", etc.

Hold the object in your hands.

Repeat your statements 10 times.

Finally, give the object to the person it was spelled for so that they may carry it.

I'd love to hear how anyone reading creates their protections! Also, if you have alternative methods for spellcasting without visualization that doesn't involve just replacing it with statements, I'd love to hear that as well!

[grimoireofacrystalwitch-deactiv]

Lucifer

Lucifer is a Latin word coming from the words lux, meaning light, and fero, meaning to bear or to carry. Literally translating to light-bearer.

Lucifer as a Roman Deity

Lucifer has had many faces throughout history. One of these being the ROman deity of the morning star, or Venus, considered the male equivalent of the goddess Venus. He is attributed to being the god of enlightenment and illumination. Lucifer is often depicted carrying a torch, and said to be equal in beauty to the goddess Venus. Due to being the morning star, I can also see Lucifer being associated with war as well. Especially considering his association with learning and knowledge, as well as that Venus also historically had war epithets. 

In the Greek pantheon, they separate the morning star and the evening star into two seperate deities, being Phosphorus/Eosphorus and Hesperos. Eosphorus meaning “dawn-bringer”, and Phosphorus meaning “The bearer of light”. Phosphorus and Hesperos are the sons of Eos, Goddess of dawn, and Astraios, God of dusk. Phosphorus is the father of the Hesperides, nymphs of the evening time and light of the sunset.

Lucifer in Abrahamic Religions

Historically, Lucifer was never mentioned in the Bible at all. His name being associated to Christianity nowadays is due to a mistranslation of a poem about a fallen king. However, he is a big part of Christian culture now, and there are myths associated with him. 

Lucifer was said to be the most beautiful and intelligent of God’s angels. He was God’s right hand. Until he defied God. There are many different versions of the fall of Lucifer. 

One version of this story says that Lucifer became overly prideful of himself, his beauty, intelligence, power, that he thought himself worthy of being worshipped equal to God. Because of this, God cast him out of heaven.

Another version is that Lucifer was jealous of Jesus Christ. He gathered the angels and brought forward the idea of worshipping him instead of Jesus. Some of the angels sided with Lucifer, while others did not. There was a meeting between God, Lucifer, and all of the angels in which God said that their rebellion was unforgivable. There was a war between the two sides, but ultimately God and his angels won. Lucifer and the angels who followed him were banished from heaven.

Lucifer in Modern Witchcraft

In more modern witchcraft, there is a tradition which states that Diana, queen of witches, created Lucifer when she split herself into two pieces, darkness and light. She kept the darkness for herself, and Lucifer kept the light. Lucifer and Diana also have a child, Aradia. In this tradition, Lucifer is seen as the god of light, and masculine energy. One of the most influential sources for this tradition is The Gospel of the Witches by Charles Godfrey Leland.

Lucifer in Demonolatry

In demonolatry, Lucifer has many titles. Prince, King, Emperor, Lord. Lucifer is a demon of transformation, enlightenment, awakening, self-discovery, self-empowerment, and more. He is usually attributed to the element of air, and also pride.

Lucifer’s Associations

Anything with the * symbol next to it means that it is my own UPG.

Animals:

Snakes

Rams

Peacocks

Corvids (crows, ravens)

Cats

Spiders

Moths

Colors:

Black

Grey

Gold

Red

Teal

Blue, especially pale blue*

Purple* 

Crystals:

Obsidian

Onyx

Hematite

Celestite

Seraphinite

Garnet

Sunstone

Clear quartz

Carnelian

Ruby

Copper 

I am aware that copper isn’t a crystal. 

Plants:

Apples

Pomegranates

Roses

Cinnamon

Cloves

Lavender

Blackberries

Sage

Black pepper

Garlic

Lilac

Hot peppers*

Other:

Stars

The number 7*

Spring equinox

Autumn equinox*

Offerings

Anything with the * symbol next to it is my own UPG.

Food and drink:

Strawberries

Blackberries

Chocolate

Apples

Pomegranates

Honey

Spicy foods*

Sweet things, especially baked goods

Juices, especially apple or grape

Coffee

Plants:

Roses

Other:

Feathers

Devotional Acts

Shadow work

Learn about the sciences or the arts

Create art of any kind

Face your fears

Learn about any of his associated animals

Magical workings, especially those that fall under his sphere of influence

Learning in general

Developing  your psychic abilities and spiritual senses (the clairs)

Spiritual progression

My Experience With Lucifer

I started working with Lucifer about a month ago. I work with the demonic aspect of Lucifer. I work with him on matters of self improvement, self discovery, and self acceptance. In the short time I've worked with him, I've noticed a huge improvement in these areas of my life, and my overall mindset and mood. I have a schedule that I work with him on: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. My shadow work is also dedicated to him.

Lucifer's energy, to me, feels very strong/powerful but also comforting. Also like a close friend, and someone who will you tell you what you need to hear whether you want to hear it or not. He is very patient and understanding with me as well.

My main forms of communication with Lucifer are pendulum, clairaudience, and feelings. I connect with him most through meditation.

[grimoireofacrystalwitch-deactiv]

Wards

What are wards?

Wards are energetic barriers around a space, such as a room or a house. They are barriers that you set the perimeters and rules of. You decide what can cross those barriers, and what cannot. They also use energy to sustain them, which is very draining if you're only using your energy.

How do you create wards?

Two very important details when creating wards are: What can cross the barrier, or the rules, and what will power the wards. In my most recent wards, I have a very simple set up for the rules. No uninvited spirit or energy can enter, once invited they are welcome any time, and if I tell them to leave they cannot enter unless invited again. I use crystals to help provide energy for the wards, and I recharge them every full moon.

Below are 2 different methods for creating wards, and a recharging method for both of them.

Method 1 - Crystals and Visualization

First, decide the rules of your wards. Who and what is allowed to cross the barrier? Is this just to keep beings with negative intentions out? If there are specific spirits or energies you are trying to keep out, make note of that. Be as specific as you can. Write your rules down on a piece of paper.

Next, place a small piece of hematite in each corner of the room.

Sit down on the floor anywhere in the room. Hold another crystal in your hands. Clear quartz or some type of calcite are good for this because they are easy to find, and also act as an energy filter.

Visualize a light of energy coming from your hands and going in to the crystal. Then, visualize that energy connecting to the 4 smaller crystals, creating a sort of pyramid shape of energy lines.

Visualize those energy lines expanding and forming a bubble around the room, above and below it.

Say the rules you created for your wards while still visualizing the energy bubble. You can say these out loud or in your head.

Finally, place the paper you wrote with the rules of your wards underneath the crystal you held in your hands. This can be anywhere in the room.

Method 2 - Without Visualization

This is very similar to the first method, just replacing the visualization with feeling energy. I actually like to mix these two methods together when I create my wards.

First, decide the rules of your wards. Be as specific as you can. Write these down on a piece of paper.

Next, place a small piece of hematite in each corner of the room.

Then, sit down on the floor anywhere in the room. Hold another crystal in your hands. Clear quartz or some type of calcite are good for this because they are easy to find, and also act as an energy filter.

Imagine that your hands and the crystal between them are getting warm.

Feel the energy expanding, and the warmth surrounding you now.

Say the rules you created for your wards. You can say them out loud or in your head.

Finally, place the piece of paper you wrote the rules on under the crystal you held in your hands

Recharging Wards with The Full Moon - Visualization

Since wards need energy to sustain them, they also need recharged occasionally. The full moon is a great time todo this. Another good time is on the event of any celestial occurrences, such as eclipses, planetary alignments, etc.

Have a seat on the floor anywhere inside the room, holding the same crystal you used to create the wards originally.

Visualize the full moon in the sky above you. See the energy of the moon flowing into the crystal in your hands.

Visualize energy lines connecting the crystals, and then expanding into an energy bubble surrounding the room once again.

Say the rules of your wards.

Finally, place the crystal back where you had it.

Recharging Wards with The Full Moon - Without Visualization

Sit on the floor, anywhere in the room, and hold the crystal you used originally in your hands.

Feel the cool energy of the moon reaching the crystal, making both the crystal and your hands cold.

Feel that energy expanding, surrounding you and the room.

Say the rules of your wards.

Finally, place the crystal back where you had it.

[creature-wizard]

If generations of practitioners got on just fine without crystals and candles, so can you. Don’t feel discouraged if getting the shiniest, prettiest “witch tools” isn’t feasible for you.

[will-o-the-witch]

“I’m a baby witch! What do I start learning?”

Here’s a quick-and-dirty list of things that I think sets up a good foundation for someone moving forward with magic work and why. They’re also in order of what I think is best approached first. (For a time reference, I recommend the whole thing taking at LEAST a year, but individual steps and overall length will vary in each person.)

Learn basic magical theory. What is happening when you cast a spell? What is grounding? How do correspondences work? Why is X step or tool important? Learn about what it is you’re doing before diving into actual casting. Have a basic grip on how it works. 

Some form of divination, even if it’s something as simple as a pendulum. Other people won’t always be there to help you answer questions, validate your interpretation of something, or offer direction. Having some form of divination under your belt helps you avoid dependency on other people. You can more easily answer your own questions, check your own intuition, and take matters into your own hands.

Protection and Cleansing. No matter what path you go down or what type of magic you end up doing, these are two things that every magic worker needs to know how to do, and know how to do it well. They also tend to be fairly straightforward to learn. Cleanse your space, cleanse yourself, cleanse that object, cleanse your grandma. Then protect them. Learn how to set up wards and shields, which brings us to….

Basic energy work. You’ve probably already run into it a lot by this point and it’s fine if you’ve already picked up some things. But now is the time to really focus on it and get comfortable with it. Learn how to confidently sense what’s around you and interact with it, fix gaps in your wards and shields, project your intent into things, you get the idea. Energy work will always be there in a pinch and requires no materials besides your body, and is extremely versatile. Plus, most paths really require at least a base-level understanding of it these days. Can’t hurt.

Start honing your specific path. Here’s where the cookbooks, the old graveyards, the skulls on the shelf, the fairy figurines start really coming into play. If you have an idea of what sort of path you’d like to follow, start really getting into the meat of it! What does it look like? What are the first steps to that type of magic? If for now you’re still eclectic or aren’t sure, then just read what interests you or try more advanced general spells than you have so far.

Go back and do it all again. That’s right. You can also put time into your path or your regular research, but go back and pick up those old books from step one. Read the old articles. Return to the basics and see how your views have become more nuanced, or how you disagree. What details flew over your head the first time? Can you pick up a new form of divination or try something new with your main form? Could those wards and shields be stronger? You get the idea. Once you’ve revisited it, you should have a really solid foundation that will help you no matter what direction you take next!

Other stuff to study on the side: Local folklore, mythology, and types of spirits. You may not want to work with spirits, but sometimes spirits want to work with you! So it’s good to have an idea of what to do if they pop up.  What plants grow in your area? What‘s edible? What is used in healing?  What plants are NOT edible in your area? What’s poisonous?

If you think there’s another important step that you recommend that I didn’t include, feel free to add it! :)

[solfoxes]

☽ moon calender 2022 ☾

january 17th - full wolf moon

23:48 GMT (6:48 p.m. EST)

febuary 16th - full snow moon

16:56 GMT (11:56 a.m. EST)

march 18th - full worm moon

07:18 GMT (3:18 a.m. EDT)

april 16th - full pink moon

18:55 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)

may 16th - full flower moon

04:14 GMT (12:14 a.m. EDT)

june 14th - full strawberry moon

11:52 GMT (7:52 a.m. EDT)

july 13th - full buck moon

18:38 GMT (2:38 p.m. EDT)

august 11th - full sturgeon moon

august 12th at 01:36 GMT (9:36 p.m. EDT)

september 10th - full harvest moon

09:59 GMT (5:59 a.m. EDT)

october 9th - full hunter’s moon

20:55 GMT (4:55 p.m. EDT)

november 8th - full beaver moon

11:02 GMT (6:02 a.m. EST)

december 7th - full cold moon

december 8th at 04:08 GMT (11:08 p.m. EST)

[solfoxes]

candle magic ˚*✧˚*•̩̩͙✧•̩̩͙*˚✮

black

protection, self defence, breaking bad habits, banishing, strength,

white

healing, cleansing, truth, purification, meditation, innocence,

brown

abundance, animals, family, friendships, grounding, stability, earth magic, balance,

silver

lunar energy, improves psychic abilities, intuition, dreams, reflection,

gold

wisdom, fortune, confidence, personal strength, enlightenment, brings financial gain and wealth, attracts happiness,

red

assertiveness, passion, energy, sex, creativity, courage, charm, maximises vitality, personal power, lust, health, sexual love, strong energy, balance, harmony, protection,

orange

ambition, success, pursuits, concentration, happiness, justice, creativity, flexibility, fast action, profound change, positive energy,

yellow

abundance, intelligence, memory, confidence, mental health, charm, studying, beauty, clarity, persuasiveness,

green

growth, fertility, wealth, harmony, prosperity, health, luck, financial abundance, nature,

blue

dreams, spirituality, intuition, healing, peace, loyalty, wisdom, sleep, clarity, patience, understanding, travel, communication, calm, forgiveness,

purple

manifestation, wisdom, divination, intuition, healing, meditation, spiritual enlightenment, midden knowledge & secrets, connecting with higher self,

pink

beauty, feminine power, romance, innocence, partnerships, joy, generosity, unconditional love, self-compassion, empathy, kindness, understanding, friendship,

[leodrune]

make your perfect magick coffee

the coffee bean has a surprisingly wide array of magickal properties, including:

❤  breaking curses, bad habits, and negative influences

❤  cultivating clarity of mind, focus, and motivation

❤  divination (you can read coffee grounds like tea leaves)

❤  protection from nightmares and negative thoughts

❤  as an offering for ancestors and deities

❤  emotional grounding

magickal flavors for your coffee

♥  cinnamon: spirituality, success, healing

♥  cardamom: energy, love and lust

♥  vanilla: love, lust, passion

♥  chocolate: prosperity, self-love, friendship

♥  hazelnut: creativity and inspiration

♥  almond: good luck, beauty, wealth

♥  caramel: balance, strength

♥  honey: replenishing magickal energy

♥  pumpkin: money drawing, connection to the earth

♥  peppermint: cleansing and purification

the magick of milks and creamers

♥  cow milk: nurturing, self-care (note: cow milk only retains its full-power magickal effects when the milk is ethically sourced)

♥  almond milk: good luck, beauty, wealth

♥  soy milk: protection, psychic awareness, spirituality

♥  hemp milk: happiness, positivity, peace

♥  oat milk: grounding, focus

♥  cashew milk: strong money drawing

[gr33n-w1tch]

Yule 🤍

@eclecticcharge on instagram

[thewitchoftheforest]

❄️Y𝕦𝕝𝕖 & L𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕒🔥 Yule (for those in the northern hemisphere) and Litha (for those in the Southern hemisphere) is just around the corner.

These Sabbats are also known as the Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice respectively and it’s a time when the length of the night and dark are equal for just a short period.

Have you got anything planned for the Sabbats?

Lindsay 💜 —————————————————————————- #yule #litha #solstice #wintersolstice #summersolstice #greenmagick #nature #moon #moonphase #divination #astrology #greenwitchcraft #energy #tarot #intuition #wicca #pagan #witch #witchcraft #witches #esoteric #witchesofinstagram #witchy #witchyvibes #occult #witchythings #witchystuff #bruja #witchywoman #witchesofinstagram #witchythings #witchytips https://www.instagram.com/p/CXjawlztjg0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[gr33n-w1tch]

The best crystals for… Part 4 🤍

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

@lovebyluna on instagram

[gr33n-w1tch]

updated 🌸

[gr33n-w1tch]

Little witchy activities 🤍

@craftingwitch on instagram

[marigoldwitch]

Why Witchcraft Might Not Be Working For You

There’s so many different reasons a spell or ritual might not be working for you. So I thought I’d share some common reasons why some new witches might be struggling with witchcraft.

✨ You’re not connecting to the ingredients, tools or supplies needed for the spell

What works for me, might not work for you, and that’s okay. This doesn’t mean the spell you’re using is a dud or that you’re not doing it right. It just means that you haven’t formed those connections with the ingredients or tools yet, or your connection with them is different. 

A great example is blueberries lol. In witchcraft blueberries are most commonly associated with protection BUT for me I associate them with creativity and astral travel. There’s a personal reason for this and through out my many many years practicing and studying witchcraft I’ve come to build this relationship with blueberries.

✨ You’re energy is too low

I know the feeling of just really really wanting to get into the magick of it all. But witchcraft is energy draining. If you’re low on energy (edited) then you’re gonna be putting out low energy and that can affect the effectiveness of your spells.

Give yourself time and practice low energy magick like smoke cleansing your space, charging your crystals under the full moon or rearranging your altar (or creating an altar).  

✨ You have been given a false idea of what witchcraft is and how it should feel or how it should work

Real witchcraft isn’t measurable nor is it able to be defined in one true way. Witchcraft is different for every single witch. Even witches in covens have given different descriptions of the feelings they’ve had while performing the same spell or ritual. That’s because we all experience magick a different way.

Don’t be too hard on yourself because you didn’t feel a hot light burning inside of you, like one witch may describe. And don’t feel bad if you don’t literally see colors radiating from your spell jar like another witch described. Personally I’ve never experienced either of those things but that doesn’t mean that what I was doing wasn’t working, it just worked differently and felt differently for me. I may not have had those exact same experiences but I had my own, and they were/are just as special. 

Next time you do a spell or ritual, write how it made you feel in your journal. Don’t just write the spell down but write all the things you felt, saw, smelled, heard and even tasted. This way you can get a better understand of how magick works and feels for you.

✨ Your space, body, mind or spirit needs to be cleansed

The biggest reason I’ve found for my spells just completely flopping is I didn’t bother cleansing before doing it. Negative energy is like white cat hair stuck to your favorite black leggings, it ain’t going nowhere until you clean it lol.

The great thing about cleansing is it can be done with just your hands! Yeah, bet a witch has never told you that before LOL. Sound is a great way to cleanse a space. Snapping, clapping and rubbing our hands together makes sounds. You can tab on a table, or use EFT (usually done as a meditative practice but could be utilized in cleansing the mind, body and spirit as well).

You can cleanse with incense, candles, oils, and water too.

✨ Your spells have too many ingredients

I find the more stuff you use for a spell the more unpredictable the outcome is, this is because each ingredient can have multiple properties. Even if you have personal correspondences with them they still usually have multiple uses. Like the blueberry example I gave, for me I associate blueberries more with astral travel and creativity but I also associate it with platonic relationships, happiness and protection. Even though I still associate it with protection it wouldn’t be necessary for me to use it in a protection spell if I’m already using something else that I more strongly associate with protection.

In witchcraft, often times, less really is more. I’ve created the 5 elements “rule” for myself and it’s worked out really well for me. I use 1 ingredient to represent each of the 5 different elements (earth, air, fire, water and spirit) in most of my spells and rituals. If it’s a spell jar, pouch, tea. elixr (or something like that) I like to try and keep my ingredients to a 3 - 5 limit. It prevents me from using up my stash so quickly and prevents my ingredients from completely canceling each other out.

✨ You’re scared

This is sooooooooo normal, don’t even think you’re weird or something because  you’ve got some fears or concerns about practicing witchcraft. It’s common for someone from a religious (especially an abrahamic one) background to hold onto the teachings of their religion and to be fearful of the unknown. Especially if it’s been drilled into your head that it’s evil and you’ll burn in an eternity of fire for burning a sage bundle lol.

If this is you, ease into witchcraft. Learn more about the different traditions and take your time studying. This isn’t a race. Witchcraft ain’t going nowhere lol. You’re not obligated to just dive in head first. It’s okay to take your time and really get comfortable.

✨ Lastly, you’re taking on too much at once

You ever see those witch blogs that seem to pop up out of nowhere and they’re just blasted into popularity, only for the witch to later denounce their practice in the craft claiming that it wasn’t really working for them or that it all turned out to be bs? This is usually because they watched 1 or 2 youtube videos about witchcraft and decided to buy a $300 witch starter kit, 10 books about witchcraft and 3 tarot decks all before even doing any research into witchcraft at all.

They took on too much, too fast. They’ve also taken on things they lack an understanding of and because of this lack of understanding (and a natural desire to want to be good at something instantly), when it doesn’t work for them they claim it’s bullshit and fake.

You need to be patient. Just like any skill or talent, it takes time to master and to see the results we want. So if you’re someone whose invested a lot of money upfront into your craft and now it just doesn’t seem to be working for you, take your time. You’re not going to learn everything about witchcraft overnight (chances are you’ll never learn everything about witchcraft lol). The amount of money you spend won’t make you a better witch or make you better at witchcraft. So don’t fall for those beginner witch starter kits that start at $100.

You don’t need to do everything at once.

I hope this is helpful. If you have anything to add to this list please do so. And remember, witchcraft is a craft. Crafts take time, patiences and skill. These are not things that you just develop overnight. Take your time, cleanse your space, grow relationships with your ingredients, tools and supplies, and allow yourself to experience your magick and don’t try to replicate someone else’s. 

[songsparrowwitch]

🔥Witchy Mistakes to Avoid💥

We’ve all been there. These seem obvious until you do them.

💥 Burned hair and fingers. Practice fire safety! If you have long hair, TIE YOUR HAIR BACK if you’re doing spells with an open flame and do NOT touch incense burners without oven mitts. It really hurts. 💥 Clogged sinks. Be smart with how you dispose spells! Do NOT put a bunch of herbs or other spell ingredients down a sink that has no garbage disposal. It’s gonna get clogged and you’re not going to want that bill from the plumber because of a clump of bay leaves. 💥 Coughing fits. Ventilate your area before you burn stuff! Inhaling a bunch of smoke from a bundle of cleansing herbs is not going to be fun. 💥 Faded and destroyed crystals. Don’t set your crystals in the sunlight unless you are 100% sure it won’t fade the colors, and make sure how to safely cleanse and use crystals so you don’t damage them. You don’t want to put your crystal in some water for a cleansing and see it get damaged. 💥 Bent, torn, and damaged tarot cards. Don’t shuffle them like a playing deck all the time and don’t cleanse them in water. Also, don’t go outside with your cards if it’s a windy day. Seems obvious until one of your cards gets carried away by the wind and lands in some mud. 💥 Spells that take 5000000 years to manifest. Try grounding and centering before doing spells! It helps so, so much with speeding up the spells’ manifestations. 💥 You do a spell for money and the spell decides to manifest by having your car damaged so you get money from the insurance money. Close or make loopholes in your spells! Adding little tidbits to a spell can make a better outcome of the spell’s manifestation, such as casting a wealth spell and adding, “This money shall be given to me without a negative cause.”  💥 The house smells like weed. Research what a herb smells like before you burn a bunch of it. Sometimes burned sage smells like weed. Plus, sometimes if you a burn a herb or plant, the smoke from it can kill or hurt you, like yew. 💥 You just drank some aloe vera juice and now your stomach is hurting and you’re sick. Research the possible side effects of herbs and plants before ingesting them. Some herbs can endanger your health, so research them before you decide to chomp on them.

[obscurexodd]

Please read this if you practice witchcraft, especially if you're a baby witch

Everyone says "do your research!" and absolutely, but this does not just apply to making sure you're using the right crystals in the right places or not being disrespectful towards whatever forces you're working with. Do your research in the most logical, practical, basic sense so that you don't accidentally hurt (or kill - yes, some of these mistakes can be literally deadly) yourself, your pets or children, your plants, the environment you're working in, etc.. I don't just want to scream at baby witches but use some common sense. You're working with chemicals here, not just energy.

- Salt is one of the most popular things to use for cleansing rituals. Putting it on soil will destroy it. Drinking it won't kill you, but there's a reason they say not to drink salt water no matter how thirsty you are. In small amounts you'll become dehydrated. In large amounts you'll get sick and likely start vomiting.

- Not all essential oils are safe for skin use, or for inhalation in terms of children or pets.

- Not everything is safe to burn. Again, remember that you are inhaling this when you burn it.

- Not safety related, but water can harm certain crystals. And sunlight. And salt. Research your crystals.

- Herbs can and do have side effects. We often talk about the medicinal benefits, but just like there's medicine you shouldn't combine, don't combine certain herbs or medications.

- Know what chemicals you're working with and what shouldn't mix. I recently saw someone create a hex jar with bleach and urine and go "Why is it doing that?" Because that's chloramine gas and it can kill you.

- Don't attempt to bring anything into nature that could risk the safety of what lives there. Something as simple as a lit piece of paper can start a forest fire. Leaving an offering? Make sure it won't kill any animals that eat it.

(This isn't chemistry related, but I also recently, as in today, saw someone ask about cleansing a route they regularly hike on. Let's reframe this: Would you consider it rude to go into someone's home as a guest, decide you enjoy being there, and then attempt to cleanse it of the owners? Yes. Because it is rude. And you're sure to really piss off anything that's living there. And aside from that, it's useless to attempt. Whatever is living there is a lot more powerful than your smoke - you're outnumbered and overpowered.)

- All this goes to say, if you do not know for damn sure that something is safe for you and everything around you to burn, ingest, inhale, or in any way combine, don't do it.