hh ww xx

im learning witchy things h - 25 - nondenominational wxcrvt - herbalist, gardener, maker

[orriculum]

heavenly incantations ✩

a list of simple, single-word incantations. these spells can be cast merely by saying/thinking them with intent, or over a pink candle.

✩ roseadiance  to cast a glamour over something, so it will be seen as more lovely roseate - rose-coloured, pink // radiance - light emitted by something.

✩ crystallinthe  to impart a feeling in its entirety to an object, and crystalize it there crystalline - structured like a crystal // nepenthe - makes one forget sadness

✩ orphiscent to set sensations, nameless fears and worries to rest, until healthy to deal with orphic - beyond ordinary understanding // quiescent - inactive, dormant

✩ ichaurade to be imbued with new power in your veins in the new day ichor - fluid like blood in the veins of gods // aubade - a song greeting dawn

✩ auroralion to instill an inner glow of positivity within oneself aurora - dawn // kalon - beauty that is more than skin-deep

✩ dulsurrus to make the words one whispers sweeter and calm dulcet - sweet // susurrus - a whispering or rustling sound. 

[orriculum]

Autumn Incantations 🍁

A list of single-word incantations, spells that can be cast merely by saying/thinking them with intent, or over a white candle.

🍁 apsterus to cleanse with wind, blowing all away eurus meaning eastern wind,  apstergo meaning cleanse 

🍁 hibernge a call to transformation through dormancy.  from english, hibernate, and change. 

🍁 hivilé to banish and protect using the cold.  from french, hiver meaning winter, and exilé, meaning exile. 

🍁 aperiora to open the liminality of an area from latin, ora meaning threshold, and aperio, to open/unveil

🍁 spectarme to invite benign spirits to one’s side.  charme meaning to appeal, and spectre, meaning spirits

[marigoldwitch]

Dream Interpretation Tarot Spread - to help you understand what your mind already knows.  

[witch-of-wicca]

🔮🔮

[hhwwxx]

I fell asleep with a sigil on my hand and had the worst nightmare in ages, I woke up at 6:30 and made myself sick from crying. The sigil was for accepting the strengthening nature of fallow times, but the death of my family was a bit harsh... This is also the third day in a row I've had bad dreams, though this is by far the worst. I can't help but feel discouraged for this opening into the autumn and winter seasons, and it feels ill. I'm going to put up emotional protection and build some protective dreamless sleep charms. I hate dreams, I hate waking up feeling drained and I hate crying myself sick on waking.

[orriculum]

💤 Stuffed Animal Sleep Spell 💤

a spell for keeping negativity out of dreams, whether it’s pain, difficult subjects, or people that hurt you.

💤 gather: a pillow or stuffed animal, apple seeds, dried lavender and rosemary

💤 charge the herbs under the moonlight

💤 open up the pillow, place the herbs inside

💤 stitch the pillow back up. keep the pillow on the bed when you sleep

[hhwwxx]

Idea to do with Luigi my big stuffed dog

[sigilathenaeum]

My New Audio Sigil Method

A little while ago I tried my hand at making an audio sigil. I like how it turned out, but it was a bit too complex. The range of tones was just too great. It was great to make a track and just listen to it, but I wanted something that I could easily play on the piano, hum, or whistle. So, I rethought how I chose the tones that represented the letters of the alphabet. I decided to use just one octave of notes, no sharps or flats, just the 8 notes starting on C. After I dropped the vowels, the letters fit perfectly. Here’s what I came up with.

Note = Letter of alphabet

C = B, K, S

D = C, L, T

E = D, M, V

F = F, N, W

G = G, P, X

A = H, Q, Y

B = J, R, Z

Getting from a statement of intent to musical notes looks like this. “I sleep peacefully” get rid of vowels and repeated consonants “SLPCFY” translate into musical notes “CDGDFA.”  Now my audio sigil is quite simple and easily played/sung/hummed/whistled/etc.

Here, let me play it for you.

I am very happy with how this method turned out. It will be pretty easy to whip up a sigil in the morning for that day and whistle it as I go about my business.

[shintowitch]

🔔 BELLS IN WITCHCRAFT 🔔

Bells might just be the earliest form of superstitious practise that I remember. My baba attached three sakura-patterned suzu bells on my schoolbag as a kid, purportedly for good luck and protection from evil spirits – and Japan is far from the only place to have associated bells and bellringing with mystic practise. They’ve been used worldwide to ward off evil and carry messages – and in a more metaphysical sense, sound is the movement of energy through substance. Sounds have the potential to work powerful magic.

Here are some of the ways I’ve found utilising bells to be helpful to my craft. While I’m more likely to use traditional suzu type bells, your own background, path and culture will likely have its own types of bells – and as ever, bells can be ornate antiques or they can be a bottle cap in a tin can, as long as they’re used with intent.

GETTING STARTED

🔔 As with so much of the craft, if you’re new to the witching bell, it’s a matter of exploration and experimentation. Get a “feel” for what works for you and the specific bell you’re using.

🔔 It’s good practise to ensure that the bell itself is cleansed, warded and protected – you don’t want anything nasty tapping into that power. All witching tools can do as much harm as good, intentional or accidental.

🔔 A good way to begin incorporating bells into your craft is infuse them into any typical ritual that you’re comfortable with, or even just a prayer or moment of contemplation at your altar if you have one.

🔔 Give the bell a soft ring while focusing on the energy it’ll ripple and move, try to track the movements it creates and what it touches. The tone it’s sending out.  The most primal and versatile use of the bell – and what many of the below come down to – is simply another manner of physically channelling energy, giving it shape and direction.

PROTECTION

🔔 “Passive” bells such as windchimes or small bells attached to belongings you don’t want disturbed are a starting point. They will scare off some forms of spirit all by themselves, especially if appropriately blessed, charmed or enchanted. Or cursed.

🔔 Gently tolling can draw energy into a ward or circle you are forming and enforce its protective properties, or for a simple cleanse, letting the sound travel to every corner of the area you are protecting. It’s a little more “cutting” than a smoke or incense cleansing, which I view as more “gentle” forms of cleansing. Both have their uses.

🔔 Harder tolling is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful ways in which to enforce a banishing – however, it’s best to you know what you’re doing with the bell before you go bashing it about.

DISCERNMENT

🔔 Bells can have quite the effect on your perception and awareness. Ringing and then stopping, listening to the silence left in its wake, can bring you new perceptions or make things you’d previously missed obvious. Let it attune your mind and senses to something new, whether that’s in your thoughts or something with a little more presence. Visualise travelling with the sound, taking heed of the energies it touches and disturbs. Take note of the echoes – you’ll learn what they mean with experience.

🔔 A set of windchimes can let you know if something is passing through or if there’s some unusual energy afoot – and, yes, it may also just be letting you know that it’s a particularly breezy day, but that’s witchcraft for you.

CONJURING

🔔 This can be as simple as calling good energies to witching tools, spell jars, tarot decks, crystals, altars and shrines, your favourite teddy bar, anything at all.

🔔 With spirit work, it can truly help to magnify your “calling”. This can range from gently bringing your latest offering to the attention of your friendly neighbourhood house spirit – all the way to trying to catch the attention of something more. Be mindful, however. As I said, I consider bells pretty powerful tools and a call that’s too loud is not good spirit work practise for the spirit worker’s own sake. It can really help coax something out of hiding if you’re gentle with it, though.

COMMUNING

🔔 Some use bells to mark the beginning and end of a ritual, and I’ve read that in Wiccan practise an altar bell can be used to invoke the Goddess, although as a non-Wiccan, I’ll welcome corrections on that if I’m wrong.

🔔 In my experience, very simple forms of communication via bell work a lot better than anything too complex – “come here” and “stay away” have already been covered, and other than that they can serve as greetings or signals of a start or end of some practise or ritual, the opening or closing of a door, etc.

🔔 They can also serve as a warning or a litmus test regarding spirits, a signalling of your presence and awareness, lack of fear, or willingness to defend – but be prepared to deal with whatever responses these garner.

BINDING

🔔 Bindings are where you most often see that famous (clockwise) circular motion of the bell, embodying the meaning of the spell. This can be a simple binding to seal a spell or charm or enchantment, or a spirit-binding.

🔔 Personally, spirit-binding is something I do as little as possible simply due to my beliefs holding the autonomy of spirits in very high regard. However, sometimes situations arise that call for it, and I’m aware that not all bindings are unwilling. Far from it – and some spirits are dangerous when unbound.

🔔 As an animist (believing that all things, including inanimate objects, contain a spirit of their own), I consider gently nudging a spirit back into its physical form a sort of semi-binding, and that can be useful.

I’ll leave you all with a note that I am an urban apartment-dwelling witch through and through, so I understand that we can’t all be jangling away at all hours. I myself have a glass windchime in my front window that makes a distinct but muted sound when disturbed by passers-through, and highly recommend wooden ones also. I also only use my small and relatively quiet suzu bell for my crafting – one given to me by my baba herself.

Feel free to add any of your own findings, and happy tolling.

[lunar-witches]

WITCHES WITH DEPRESSION:

☕ TEAS ☕ 

🔹 Chamomile (helps combat insomnia, a common symptom of depression) 🔹 Green (contains an amino acid known as theanine which is known to fight depression) 🔹 St John’s Wort (contains compounds known as hypericin and hyperforin, which may affect activity of the brain’s serotonin system)   🔹 Lemon Balm (works as a mild sedative and can ease anxiety and depression) 🔹 Ginger Root (helps to increase important neurotransmitters than can regulate your mood) 🔹 Lavender (research shows that lavender can help combat depression, and has been said to rival antidepressants) 🔹 Peppermint (the menthol in peppermint leaves helps calm mood and aides sleep)

💎 CRYSTALS 💎 

🔹 Smoky Quartz (helps elevate moods, overcome negative emotions, and relieves depression)  🔹 Rose Quartz (is a known healer and can help replace negative feelings with love and compassion) 🔹 Amethyst (combats stress and releases a relaxed energy) 🔹 Citrine (emits a sunny, optimistic energy which can aide in combating depression and anxiety) 🔹 Angel Aura Quartz (is known to help with mental illness, and it’s energy can help process emotional disturbances, grief, or trauma)

🕯️ INCENSE 🕯️

🔹 Lavender (reduces stress physically and mentally, and promotes deep sleep) 🔹 Jasmine (helps with alertness, evokes an uplifting energy, and is believed to ease symptoms of depression) 🔹 Ylang Ylang (has a calming affect that elevates mood and is known to help with physical and mental symptoms of anxiety and depression) 🔹 Lemongrass (promotes emotional balance, and uplifts emotional weight) 🔹 Sandalwood (encourages calmness, serenity, and feelings of well being)

🔮 SPELLWORK 🔮

🔹 Daily Ritual To Ease Depression 🔹 Encourage Positivity Spell 🔹 Self Care Sachet! 🔹 Inner Peace Sigil 🔹 A Charm To Dispel A State Of Melancholy 🔹 Body, Mind, And Soul Purifying Spell 🔹 Motivation Charm Bag 🔹 I Am Free From Negative Energies Sigil 🔹 Bathe Me The Fuck Better Bath Spell 🔹 De-Stress, Self-Love Sugar Scrub 🔹 Insomnia Sigil 🔹 Depression Bottle Charm And Ritual 🔹 Icarus’s Self Love Powder 🔹 Soft Skin, Soft Soul Bath Ritual 🔹 Candle Spell To Help Combat Depression 🔹 Quiet Mind Sachet 🔹 Be At Peace Spell 🔹 Feel A Little Better Bath Spell 🔹 To The Sun Spell Jar

💙 TIPS 💙

🔹 Spend time in the sun, and in nature.  Even if you only go and sit in your backyard, it will help, and make you feel a bit better 🔹 Drink water!  LOTS OF WATER!  Want an extra boost?  Make a bunch of sun water and drink it on exceptionally low days to help with your energy and mood levels. 🔹 Ground yourself every night before bed to rid yourself of negative energies 🔹 Turn your sadness into creativity!  Work on pages of your grimoire or book of shadows.  Do some witchy DIY’s!  Set up a new altar!  Make some sigils!  Being productive and creative are so helpful when you’re feeling melancholic. 🔹 Have some spoonie witch tips for low energy days! 🔹 Garden.  Spending time in nature and creating something within the earth is not only rewarding, but gardening is actually a de-stressing activity and can soothe your mood.  PLUS think of all the herbs you could grow to help with your craft! 🔹 Talk to someone.  Other witches.  Friends.  A professional.  A hotline.  Anyone who is willing to listen.  Put that energy out there and it will make a world of difference, I promise. 🔹 Let yourself have at least ONE self-care day a week.  It doesn’t matter what it entails, as long as you’re taking that time for YOURSELF, magickal or not.

[rad-magick]

Servitors

Many people often are very confused on how to start working with spirits; I always recommend a servitor to start spirit work.  So, this post will hopefully explain what a servitor is and how to make one.  This post is largely made from my experiences with servitors since the process of creating and using servitors is very fluid and there is no set way to create and use them.  

Now what is a servitor?  

A servitor is a type of thoughtform.  A thoughtform itself is an umbrella term, for the purpose of this lecture I will define a thoughtform as any man-made spirit.  The definition is more complex than that but this lecture isn’t on thoughtforms it is on servitors.  

Now a servitor is an functioning creation of the practitioner meant to carry out a task or serve a purpose, because of this, knowing how to create a servitor is a very useful skill to have since they can be made for a variety of purposes, say to attract money, bring luck, protection from this or that.  If you have the skill, the sky’s the limit.  Now what sets servitor from other types of thoughtforms?

A servitor is often seen akin to an egregore.  An egregore is also a type of thoughform.  Many people debate what makes a servitor different from an egregore, but the general consensus is that a servitor is much more simple in design and not self aware; while an egregore is both self-aware and more complex in function and design then when compared to a servitor.  An egregore can also be made by multiple people, it does not have to be, but it can be.

There are also thoughtforms called “God-heads”.  These God-heads are defined as thoughtforms created by multiple people; usually a coven or a group, and viewed as a “God”.  They are also seen as more powerful than both servitors and egregores, and a lot more complex.  Many chaos magician see all deities as god-heads/thoughtforms.

“It is not unknown for powerful entities to survive the death of their creator. The more people that “create” such an entity also enhances its survival and capacity to store information. In these terms, it is easy to see how a small spirit may give time and the energy input (directed through ritual and other techniques for directing energy) by enough people, could become what we commonly assume to be “gods.”” (Phil Hine aspects of evocation)  

Now let’s get into the nitty gritty, shall we? A Servitor is an astral entity that is consciously created by the power/authority of the practitioner through the use of trance states, evocation (conjuration), and will.  

As I said before, servitors are very useful because they can be created to perform a wide range of tasks or functions on the creator's’ behalf.  The creator’s intent, if you will.  This makes them very useful, because once you learn to make servitors you will always have that skill, and you can always experiment with other ways to create servitors and other purposes to create them for.

Servitors are very varied, both in use, and in lifespan,they can be made for a specific event, say “Bring me 20 quid” and then cease to exist, or can be long term servitors that will always help you out with whatever you created them for; to aid you in divination, protection etc etc. Servitors are created by you, they are an extension of yourself, some describe them as an automated part of you because of this.  So when they stop existing they don’t really “die”, since they are an extension of you.  When they “die” their energy returns to you.

Where to house servitors. Servitors are a type of spirit, they exist not on this physical plane of existence.  They exist on the astral plane or whatever you wish to call it.  Since this is the case, something is assigned to house the servitor on this plane of existence, this is done to better your contention to them.  This something is better described as a vessel.  I usually make a servitor’s vessel a ring so I will always have them on me, the contract for the servitor could be a vessel,  or a poppet that looks like the servitor is another idea.  

How do I create a servitor?  The contract

When creating a servitor you always start with the intention, why are you creating this servitor?  So for this example I will create “Little Johnny” for protection.  Now that I have the name and intention of the servitor you can move onto more complex subjects, like how will Little Johnny recognize threats?, will he be self-aware?, will he just attack anything that tries to attack you?, etc etc.  These details are important and you will write them all down in a contract.

The contract is, in my experience, the most annoying part of creating the servitor, because of the fact that you need to write everything down and brainstorm what they can and cannot do, this is essentially the servitors “programming”.  

This contract should have everything you think what your servitor should be, what they can do, what do they look like, how long they should exist, (most importantly) a kill switch/ how to get rid of them, what is their vessel, how will you feed them, how can activate and call them to you etc etc.

When you have the contract finish I always find it best to create a seal for the servitor, this seal can be made like you would a sigil, crossing out vowels and repeating constants and making a symbol with the remaining letters, or anything that comes to mind that acts a representation for this servitor.  For this protection servitor example I would use a shield with a knight chess piece on it, because it seems fitting.

The last thing you should also include how to summon the servitor, and the kill switch should anything happen with the servitor, it is a good safety net to have.  This can be done in whatever way you choose I like saying the servitor’s name three times as the activation sequence to bring the servitor to you, then to destroy the servitor I like to say the name three times backwards and then burn the contract for the servitor.  But, again the servitor creation process is very fluid and changes person to person.

Servitor upkeep

When you create a servitor will be drained of energy because it takes energy to create them, but. over time, you will need to feed them just like you would anything else.  If they have a seal you can carve it on a candle and then burn the candle, meditate with them, give them some sort of battery to siphon energy out of (link here), you can make a psi ball and then push that into their contract or vessel (link here) It is important to regularly feed a servitor, otherwise they will starve and cease to exist or worse.

Now lastly we are going to get into the actual servitor creation.

So now that you have a contract, a seal, and all the things that make the servitor, it is time to actually make the servitor.  So, with anything, there are many ways to create servitors, through ritual, evocation, or trance.  For this I will be explaining how to create one via trance and meditation.  

Now first, do a cleansing of your space, ground and center yourself, you could burn some herbs do some meditation beforehand, the LBRP or star ruby, it is up to you.  Do whatever you usually do to get into the mindset you need to do this working.

So for this, sit in a chair, get comfortable because you are going to be there for awhile.  If you do not have a desk in front you, you can sit on the floor, you just need a place where you can put stuff down in front of you and focus.  If you can; you should get a candle or two and carve the servitor’s seal into them, this will also be very good for when you are feeding the servitor later on.  If you can’t get them, no big deal. You could also burn some incense, get some crystals, shift it into whatever you want.

So to start, read through the contract a few times, memorize it, get the feel of what you are about to create.  When ready place it in front of you on the ground or on your altar, then place the vessel on top of the contract.  Tilt your head back, and count backwards from 12 to 0, this will help collect yourself, when you are ready begin to visualize energy gathering around the vessel.  This will take several minutes, when more energy is visualized picture the energy (whatever colour you choose) to start to mold into the appearance of your servitor.  Continue this until you are sure your servitor is stable, when you are sure, you want to picture your servitor opening its eyes and staring into yours.  When you do that, pick up the contract, and the vessel.  Hold the vessel up to your head and take in a deep breath, then exhale your breath onto the servitor, you are essentially breathing life into them, do this three times in total.  When that is done pick up your contract and read it out loud, then command your servitor to do its first task.  

Some issues with servitors

With a more generalized Servitor, anyone who knows its activation sequence (such as a chant, name, seal, or visualization sequence) can employ it to work at a given task.  Which means whoever does know whatever activates said servitor can use and perhaps mess with it.  So, do not go around sharing how to use your servitor(s).  

Planets going into and out of retrograde, as well as astrological events,  can cause problems with servitors; this can be best shown if a servitor was created for communication and Mercury then goes into retrograde.  

Many people especially when they first get into working with servitors quickly becoming overwhelmed by them and make too many servitors, and cannot feed all of them or care for them all at once.  I recommend making a very general one and then get more specific.

Some people become too dependent on servitors for simple magickal acts and therefore cannot function without that servitor, and then when that crutch is eventually gone, they cannot stand without them.  

For further reading I recommend 

EGREGORES: necromancy and me (post with pdf inside) Phil Hine: aspects of evocation Creating magickal entities by David Michael Cunningham 

Videos to watch if you are to lazy to read How to Create a Servitor How To Create a Tulpa/An Intelligent Thought Form

As always

-Robin

[viaggiatricecompulsiva]

Herblore

The Basics:

Earth Based Spirituality

How to Harvest your Magical Herbs

How to Dry your Magical Herbs

How to Store your Magical Herbs

Herbal Preparations

Herbs in Magic

Herbs:

Magical Correspondences of Herbs, Roots, Flowers & Resins

Ten Magical Herb to Have on Hand

Aloe

Amaranth

Apple

Arnica

Basil

Bloodroot

Bryony

Calendula

Cardamomo

Chamomile

Chestnut

Chrysanthemum

Cinnamon

Corn

Daisy

Dandelion

Echinacea

Lavender

Mandrake

Marigold

Marsh Mallow

Mistletoe

Mugwort

Nettle

Parsley

Poppy

Rose

Rosemary

Sage

St. John’s wort

Thyme

Valerian

Vervain

Violet

Wormwood

Yarrow

Trees:

Alder

Oak

Magical Gardening:

Gardening by the Moon

Lunar Gardening

Butterfly Gardening

Faerie Gardening

Teas and Brews:

Herbs for Magical Teas

Absinthe

Chrysanthemum Tea

Dandelion Tea

Lavender Tea

Marigold Tea

Nettle Tea

Valerian Tea

DIY:

Homemade Lip Balm

Sugar Lip Scrub

St. John’s Wort Oil / The result

Lemon & Pppermint - Foot scrub

Coconut Oil - Body Butter recipe

Aloe Vera & Coffee - Home remedy for Stretch Marks

[cladinscarlet]

Crystal, Stone and Gem Master Post

A

Agate

Alexandrite

Alum

Amazonite 1 & 2

Amber 1 & 2

Amethyst 1 & 2

Ametrine

Angelite

Anhydrite

Apache Tear

Apatite

Apophyllite

Aquamarine 1 & 2

Aragonite

Atacamite

Aventurine 1 & 2

Azeztulite

Azurite 1 & 2

B

Beryl 1 & 2

Bloodstone 1 & 2

Blue Lace Agate

Boji Stone

C

Calcite 1 & 2

Carnelian 1 & 2

Cat’s-Eye

Celestite 1 & 2

Cerussite

Chalcedony 1 & 2

Charoite

Chlorite

Chrysanthemum Stone

Chrysoberyl

Chrysocolla

Chrysoproase

Citrine

Coal

Coral

Cross Stone 1 & 2

Crystal Quartz

D

Danburite

Dendritic Agate

E

Emerald

F

Fire Agate

Flint

Flourite

Fossils 1 & 2

G

Garnet

Geode

H

Hematite

Holey Stones

J

Jade

Jasper

Jet

K

Kunzite

Kyanite

L

Lapis Lazuli

Lava

Lepidolite

M

Malachite

Marble

Mica

Moonstone

Moss Agate

Mother-of-Pearl

O

Obsidian

Olivine

Onyx

Opal

P

Pearl

Peridot

Petrified Wood

Pipestone

Pumice

R

Rhondite

Ruby

S

Salt

Sapphire

Sard

Sardonyx

Selenite

Serpentine

Sodalite

Sphene

Spinel

Stalagmites/Stalacites

Staurolite

Sugalite

Sulfur

Sunstone

T

Tiger’s-Eye

Topaz

Tourmaline

Turquoise

U-Z

Ulexite

Vanadinite

Zircon

[evviemarin]

I set down three pairs of cards, mirrored over an imagined horizon line. The first pair, Life and Death, asks the two questions I hold at the core of most of my readings. What do I need to move towards and embrace? What do I need to let go of and cut from my life?

The second pair, Courage and Fear, contrasts the fears I manage well with the fears I repress and avoid. Where in life am I brave? Which fears do I openly face and manage with skill? What fears am I less skilled at navigating? What do I need to shed light on and tackle next?  

The final pair, Celebration and Contemplation, acknowledges the odd dual nature of holidays that jumble festivity and solemnity together. What do I have to celebrate? How can I let go and squeeze the most joy out of this moment? What requires more sober reflection from me? What do I have to meditate on? If you’re in a period of mourning, you could use the sixth card to reflect on what and how you grieve.

Read the full article, including a sample reading here:

http://www.interrobangtarot.com/blog/samhain-tarot-spread

[deactivated8888-deactivated2018]

pincushion keepsake inspired by christina ricci’s character in Sleepy hollow 🌙🐇🎃⛪️

| april 2016

[dumbbbunnnyy-deactivated2021021]

The best time for:

Cursing - Tuesday/Saturday, Waning/Dark Moon Protection - Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, Waxing/Full Moon Cleansing - Saturday, Waning Moon/Blue Moon Banishing - Saturday, Waning Moon/Dark Moon Binding - Tuesday/Saturday, Waning Moon/Full Moon Healing - Thursday/Sunday, Full Moon/Blue Moon Enhanced psychic power - Monday, Full Moon/Blue Moon Love/Friendship - Friday, New Moon/Waxing Moon Success - Sunday, Waxing Moon/Blue Moon Luck - Wednesday, Waxing Moon/Blue Moon Wealth - Wednesday/Thursday/Sunday, Waxing Moon Peace - Monday, Waning/New Moon Courage/Strength - Tuesday, Waxing/Full Moon Intelligence/Wisdom - Monday/Wednesday, Waxing/Full Moon

compiled from my personal collection of correspondences

[deactivated-blog]

Fire Scrying Basics

Candles are a very common magical tool, and candle magick is often the first technique for practical spellcasting that a witch learns. While some of us do find ourselves ensconced in dormitory rooms or otherwise unable to burn candles due to unsympathetic landlords, most witches have, at least once in their life, experimented with candles and the power of raw fire. And, why wouldn’t we? The books, websites, and other sources that publicly teach witchery these days reiterate over and over the beauty and usefulness of fire in the form of the simple candle.

I think it goes deeper than a mere candle fad in popular magick, though. Many authors regard fire as the “highest” of the elements. This is visible in Crowley’s Book of Thoth and the Thoth Tarot itself, which is, today, printed with the Wands (signifying fire) as the first suit, directly following the Major Arcana (which are aligned with the element of Spirit). Many seem to intimate the fire, while not necessarily the most important element (all are equally necessary constituents of reality), is perhaps the first to descend from the expanse of spirit into materialization at the moment of creation. While theologians and essentialists of all sorts would argue about this and attempt to prove or disprove it, I believe it to be a useful metaphor for the nature of fire and its place in humanity’s ascent, regardless of its relationship to more subtle phenomena.

Though humans have always interacted with all the elements to some degree, the taming of fire was, perhaps, humanity’s earliest jump forward into the throes of our modern evolution. How it happened is immaterial - through some mechanism, we as a species taught ourselves to kindle this first, most powerful and most potent element. Nothing has been the same since, and it is via our control of fire that we were able to connect with and control the other elements on a deeper level. Think about it - the discovery of fire allowed humans to reach a new plateau in terms of survival. Suddenly capable of driving away the darkness and the predators lurking therein, we as a race soon conquered new frontiers, the oceans through travel, the land through agriculture, and, ultimately, the air through flight.

It is no wonder, then, that fire deities and godforms associated with this powerful force have been worshiped in many cultures for millennia. While each culture understands fire in a different context and has a separate set of associations for it, its ubiquitous role in religion is a testament to its universal power and symbiotic relationship with humanity. That fire has always played a role in magick is a given, but it is likely true, as well, that humanity’s earliest occult experiences with this element were probably of a divinatory nature.

It is natural and quite easy for us as conscious being to gaze into the face of a roaring fire (or even a tiny flame!) and seek to discern meaningful patterns in its popping and hissing as the fire devours its fuel. This practice continues to this day, even among established religious traditions such as Catholicism and other large belief systems. The next step from this was surely full-on scrying via the fire. Insofar as fire was already something utterly inexplicable to early humans, simply being in its presence was likely enough to send our ancestors into the liminal state necessary for scrying. Approaching the element with a mixture of fear, gratitude and sheer awe, there is little doubt our early ancestors found visions waiting for them within their small campfires.

Later civilizations, such as the Egyptians and Babylonians, refined the art of scrying the flames with elaborate rituals and procedures to enhance the experience and provide extra insight. By this point in our history, urban and quasi-urban-dwelling humans had dispensed with the necessity of the campfire, and instead scried using oil lamps. The Egyptians were keenly aware of fire’s ability to ignite the visual faculty in humanity and drew a strong connection between the eyes and the flames themselves, often adorning their eyes prior to a divinatory session. Though we needn’t follow precisely in their footprints, Donald Tyson’s excellent book, Scrying for Beginners gives fairly detailed instructions for emulating and adapting the oil lamp scrying procedures of the ancients.

Prior to further discussion fire scrying methods, though, it is likely good to pause and consider the practice from the perspective of ancient peoples. Though few cultural practices can be universalized, a healthy respect for, and tacit fear of, fire seems endemic to all peoples. In today’s world, it’s most nearly child’s play to kindle a small flame, and quite safe, but in ancient times, fire could very well be the scryer’s undoing if he or she was not cautious. Thus, fear and trepidation, risk for great reward, was often part of the package when scrying with fire. Fortunately or unfortunately, (depending on whom you ask), this particular aspect of the experience is not readily reproducible by us today, though most of us still hold a universally human atavistic respect for fire and a sense of what’s safe and what isn’t.

Choosing Your Flame

If you want to scry with fire, you must first find a form of fire to use! It would be wonderful if all witches were able to kindle giant balefires into which we’d scry, but sadly, most of us cannot regularly have this experience. Like the urban-dwelling Egyptians, we must bring a small part of the flame into our homes if we wish to scry with it. Candles, though, are a much better choice for most of us than the oil lamps of ancient Egypt, which required complicated tending.

Size remains an issue, though - scrying of any sort requires a medium big enough for us to reliably fix our gaze upon,. While a single tiny tealight candle will work in a pinch, a large, bright candle or group of small candles (like several tealights resting closely together, so that their flames seem to mingle in your eyes) work best. Particularly useful are those not-uncommon pillar candles with multiple wicks. They’re a far cry from the brightness of a balefire or even an Egyptian lamp, but can simulate part of fire’s powerful vastness, something many of us forget.

In her book Scrying the Secrets of the Future, Cassandra Eason recommends candles tucked into jars or designed in such a way as to burn into the center of a large wax pillar, allowing the light to filter through the glass or wax and diffuse in a way that makes scrying easier for the beginner. Everyone differs, though, and would-be fire scryers should experiment with as many different types of flame as possible in order to find a medium that works well for them.

Tips for the Process

It’s a bit difficult to describe the process of scrying a flame or fire. Most suggestions for scrying with a crystal sphere, magic mirror, or even a vessel of water apply. I’ve gotten good results focusing and unfocusing my eyes until the muscles grow slightly weary and naturally relax, but with fire, this must be done very lightly. The Egyptian texts say one must fix one’s eyes on the flame without fear and not look away. This may be true, and is a path to results, but to gaze too deeply into fire and with too much concentration will just cause your eyes to become over-exhausted.

Perhaps the best method is to gaze, but softly, at the brightest part of the flame. Immerse yourself in its heat and light, and soon, images will appear to you. This does not happen as easily as with air scrying, mostly due to the flame being a small thing, but, with diligent practice, it will happen. The images themselves (in my experience) begin small, within the flame, then slowly expand into the less-bright parts of your vision and often into the shadows around you.

As is the case with many types of scrying, it requires a great deal of practice (or perhaps luck) to easily perceive full images, and you’re much more likely to merely see shapes and colors at first. Unlike with a crystal scrying sphere, water vessel, or mirror, though, colors won’t be as apparent initially - those tend to come later in fire scrying, owing to fire’s natural brilliant color superseding the hues of any visionary images you might receive.

You may wonder whether a particular shape that you see in the flames is really part of a vision rather than merely being a “trick of the light” or the product of tired eyes. Don’t worry about this too much - just take the impressions as they come and if they have a personal or useful meaning for you, it will rapidly become apparent. The importance of record-keeping should not be underestimated. You may see something in the flames that ultimately has a very important meaning for you, but which you will only realize at a later date and after some thought. Thus, it’s good practice to write down your impressions, no matter how vague, either at the end of every session, or pausing briefly every so often during the process.

Fire scrying, due to the brilliance of the element at hand, tends to result in eye strain and exhaustion much more easily than other elemental scrying forms. For this reason, I do recommend frequent breaks, or, at very least, pausing often to refocus your gaze. And blink often! Naturally, as well, practice proper fire safety procedures and never lean too close to the flame, no matter how riveting your visions might be. If you can physically feel the candle flame’s heat on your face, you’re likely too close!

I do hope you found this article informative or entertaining! If there’s something you’d like me to write about, do please to send me a message or ask, but please read my FAQ and master page beforehand to see if your question has already been answered. And finally, if you enjoy the content I produce, please consider donating to fund further endeavors. Thanks for reading!  

[iolitewitch]

Plants for Zodiacs

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

Fruits and Vegetables: Chinese cabbage, mustard, horseradish, onion, garlic, leeks, red pepper, rhubarb, chives, radishes

Flowers: Calendula, geranium, anise hyssop, poppies, red roses, tulips, amaryllis, hollyhock, cowslip, tiger lily, impatiens

Herbs: Nettles, burdock root, cayenne, red clover, yellow dock, yarrow, St. John’s wort, hops, marjoram, milk thistle, wormwood, gentian, sarsaparilla, tarragon, ginger, coriander

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Fruits and Vegetables: Spinach, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, gourds, artichoke, olive, grape, apple, fig, apricot, pomegranate, strawberry

Flowers: Daisies, lilac, aster, lily of the valley, sweet pea, lilies, larkspur, columbine, violet, foxglove, rose, sweet William, daisy, geranium

Herbs: Licorice, fenugreek, slippery Elm, anise hyssop (Venus), mallow, lavender, dandelion, marshmallow, sage, vervain, feverfew, thyme, angelica, yarrow

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

Fruits and Vegetables: Endive, carrots, parsnips, oats

Flowers: Orchid, chrysanthemum, lilac, azalea, daffodil, Lily-of-the-valley, honeysuckle

Herbs: Mullein, hyssop, lemon balm, lobelia, elecampane, vervain, woodbine, yarrow, meadowsweet, dill, fennel, skullcap, lavender, fenugreek, licorice, valerian

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Fruits and Vegetables: Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, kale, lettuce, watercress, kohlrabi, mushroom, turnip, sweet potato, cantaloupe, cucumber, gourds, watermelon, pumpkin, squash, seaweed, mango, banana, apple, pear

Flowers: Daisy, water lilies, jasmine, hyssop, morning glory, geranium, lily, lotus, white roses, opium poppy

Herbs: Peppermint, spearmint, papaya leaf, agrimony, lemon balm, parsley, verbena, chickweed

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)

Fruits and Vegetables: Chinese cabbage, corn, collards, mustard, Swiss chard, okra, peppers, pineapple, orange, grapefruit, olive, coconut

Flowers: Marigolds, anise hyssop, sunflower, dahlia, larkspur, aster, passion flower, heliotrope, poppy, peony, calendula, crocus

Herbs: Borage, hawthorn, motherwort, rosemary, celandine, mint, lavender, parsley, dill, fennel, chamomile, St. John’s wort, angelica, eyebright, anise, ginger, saffron

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

Fruits, Vegetables and Grains: Endive, carrots, parsnips, barley, oats, rye, wheat, millet

Flowers: Narcissus, chrysanthemum, aster, violet, all brightly colored small flowers (particularly blue or yellow)

Herbs: Dill, fennel, blackberry (leaves and root), plantain, St. John’s wort, skullcap, woodbine, valerian, lavender, marjoram, licorice, parsley, fenugreek, dill

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Fruits and Vegetables: Broccoli, eggplant, spinach, peas, sweet potato, artichoke, watercress, pomegranate, apricot, apple, fig, plum, grape, strawberry, olive

Flowers: Orchid, gardenia, tea roses, tuberose, freesia, gladiolus, aster, hydrangea, daisy, nasturtium, rose, violet, primrose, pansy, columbine

Herbs: Parsley, cleavers, juniper, corn silk, uva ursi, mint, thyme, yarrow, angelica, vervain

Scorpio the Scorpion (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

Fruits and Vegetables: Mushroom, peppers, rhubarb, leek, onions, chives, pepper, garlic, horseradish, radish, mustard

Flowers: Calendula, rhododendron, geranium, holly, black-eyed Susan, scarlet monkey flower, anemone, heather, gardenia, honey-suckle, peony, hibiscus

Herbs: Aloe vera, ginseng, pennyroyal, raspberry leaf, saw palmetto, cramp bark, basil, gentian, wormwood, ginger, coriander

Sagittarius (Nov.  22 - Dec.  21)

Fruits and Vegetables: Asparagus, endive, rhubarb, beets, tomato, turnip, watercress, olive

Flowers: Red roses, calendula, anise hyssop, pinks, carnations, clematis, peony, crocus, jasmine

Herbs: Dandelion, horsetail, Oregon grape root, wild yam, sage, feverfew, sage, anise, nutmeg, mint

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

Fruits and Vegetables: Spinach, mushroom, beets, parsnips, barley, rye

Flowers: Calendula, black poppy, henbane, nightshade, African violet, snowdrop, jasmine, love-lies-bleeding, pansy, baby’s breath

Herbs: Comfrey, sarsaparilla, rue, kava kava, mullein, thyme, horsetail, shepherd’s purse

Aquarius the Water Bearer (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

Fruits and Vegetables: Spinach, beets, rye, barley, parsnip

Flowers: Bird of paradise, orchid, gladiolus, trillium

Herbs: Chamomile, catnip, skullcap, passion flower, valerian, hops, aloe, myrrh, frankincense, spikenard, kava kava, comfrey, cinnamon, cloves

Pisces the Fish (Feb. 19 - March 20)

Fruits and Vegetables: Asparagus, endive, mushroom, rhubarb, beets, tomato, seaweed, watercress, olive

Flowers: Calendula, anise hyssop, jasmine, lilac, narcissus, water lily, poppy, clematis, wisteria, lilac, orchid

Herbs: Golden seal, Echinacea, chaparral, eyebright, mugwort, kava kava, yarrow, skullcap, oatstraw, nutmeg, anise

[source]