The Curious Journey of Archer Sims

☆ Occult Voyager ☆ Lore Seeker ☆ Witch ☆ ☆ Bigender (he/him) ☆ "Your matter recalls cosmic explosions and you tasted oblivion before you learned your own name."

[huntingorbits]

☆ A Curious Catalogue ☆

Welcome to my cozy corner of the internet.

This blog welcomes all LGBTQ+ members, races, cultures, spiritual paths, disabled individuals, and neurodivergent individuals. DNI if you're a TERF, SWERF, or Pedo/MAP.

I welcome those who seek to learn and improve their knowledge regarding any of the above topics in addition to those below, and highly encourage questions and civil discussions. If I don't know something, we'll find out together.

I will not accept hateful or abusive behavior of any kind, including gatekeeping, proselytizing, and cultural appropriation.

This post documents the study and resources of my journey into the occult, witchcraft, chaos, and so much more. This catalogue will be updated regularly as I gather more information on each subject and resource. I'll include links to anything and everything as I go, including my own posts and tags, and cite sources where I can.

Common Tags:

#ArchersArchive

#ArcherSpeaks

#ArcherAnswers

#Research Tips

Who Is Archer Sims?

I chose this name for myself rather specifically, as it reminds me of my goals regarding my research and practices. I'm a bigender witch living in Midwest America (ope) with a background in anthropology and some educational exposure to non-Christian religious studies.

Meet the Witch.

Here's My Story if you want to learn more about what specifically brought me here.

The Archive:

My Library

Currently Reading + Queue

Works I've Read

Other Sources

Recurring Festivals in America

BIPOC Metaphysical Shops & Support

My Tarot & Oracle Collection

Research Topics

Classic Occultism

History & Types of Witchcraft

History & Types of Paganism

Covens Past & Present

Famous Practitioners

Witches of Color

History of Queer Practitioners

Cultural Studies

Open & Closed Practices

Pantheons Around the World

Myths, Legends, & Lore

Chaos Magic

Word & Art Magics

History & Types of Divination

Shadow Work & Psychology

Astronomy & Astrology

Botany & Herbalism

Geology, Crystals, & Ethical Harvesting

Environmentalism & Conservation

A Grimoire of Sorts

Magickal Tools

Sabbats, Esbats, & Other Sacred Events

Common Magickal Correspondences

Spellwork, Sigils, & Ritualcraft

Wordwork

Divination & Scrying

Do you have resources or recommendations? Visit my Ask Box and shoot your shot! I'm open to learning about pretty much everything. Does something seem wrong? Politely let me know, and I'll look into it some more.

~Archer

[kebriones]

If you're using gen AI because "you want to make art but don't know how/can't learn/it's easier/whatever"

You don't want to make art.

You want someone to make art for you, but you don't want to pay or exchange anything of equal value for it, and also you want it right now, in whatever style you fancy that moment, and in whatever quantity you want. You're greedy and entitled and it is just that simple. You don't want to make anything.

[illinicoise]

“But if you forget to reblog Madame Zeroni, you and your family will be cursed for always and eternity.”

[spn-fandom-breathing-heavily]

not even risking that shit

[codyslipring-deactivated2015060]

scrolled past this, re-evaluated my life, then SCROOOLLLED back up and hit the damn reblog button. 

[isamaegreenleaf]

Last comment same thing. Sorry to the next person who sees this. I just can’t risk it. I have things I need to do before my life becomes hell. Lol

[nnfirnid]

man i fucking hate yall who tf put this up knowing damn well we all gonna reblog it im heated im really sick af bout this 

[modelinterrupted]

I don’t play that shit lol sorry

[latenightsugar]

WHyyyy

[badgyal-k-deactivated20190901]

Sorry everyone

[just-jay25]

If only if only the woodpecker sighs the bark on the tree was as soft as the sky why the wolf waits below hungry and lonely he cries to the moon if only if only

[kixgbear]

Shiddd

[angiebkxo-deactivated20180626]

this post followed me to Facebook and im sooo annoyed!

[manynamedshe]

It’s been a MINUTE since I’ve seen Madame Zeroni, fr fr

[glamhoeour-deactivated20251207]

I HATE TUMBLR FKKKK SAKES

LMAOOOO

[venusians]

Not tryna fuck up any of my planetary Returns~

[edge-of-great]

One time I didn’t and I was broke for like a month but the next time I seen it I rebloged it and a bitch just got 500 out the blue and a 20 gift card

[spacelion-loveshermulletson]

I fucking hate this!!! I can’t NOT!!

[almostourgalaxy]

*siiiiggghhhh* not risking it.

[da-saturn-system]

this post is like a prison and i just got arrested..

(｡-_-｡)

[witches-bottle-deactivated20241]

I’m not that superstitious

This Post:

[ai-art-thieves]

It's Time To Investigate SevenArt.ai

sevenart.ai is a website that uses ai to generate images.

Except, that's not all it can do.

It can also overlay ai filters onto images to create the illusion that the algorithm created these images.

And its primary image source is Tumblr.

It scrapes through the site for recent images that are at least 10 days old and has some notes attached to it, as well as copying the tags to make the unsuspecting user think that the post was from a genuine user.

No image is safe. Art, photography, screenshots, you name it.

Initially I thought that these are bots that just repost images from their site as well as bastardizations of pictures across tumblr, until a user by the name of @nataliedecorsair discovered that these "bots" can also block users and restrict replies.

Not only that, but these bots do not procreate and multiply like most bots do. Or at least, they have.

The following are the list of bots that have been found on this very site. Brace yourself. It's gonna be a long one:

@giannaaziz1998blog

@kennedyvietor1978blog

@nikb0mh6bl

@z4uu8shm37

@xguniedhmn

@katherinrubino1958blog

@3neonnightlifenostalgiablog

@cyberneticcreations58blog

@neomasteinbrink1971blog

@etharetherford1958blog

@punxajfqz1

@camicranfill1967blog

@1stellarluminousechoblog

@whwsd1wrof

@bnlvi0rsmj

@steampunkstarshipsafari90blog

@surrealistictechtales17blog

@2steampunksavvysiren37blog

@krispycrowntree

@voucwjryey

@luciaaleem1961blog

@qcmpdwv9ts

@2mplexltw6

@sz1uwxthzi

@laurenesmock1972blog

@rosalinetritsch1992blog

@chereesteinkirchner1950blog

@malindamadaras1996blog

@1cyberneticdreamscapehubblog

@neomasteinbrink1971blog

@neonfuturecityblog

@olindagunner1986blog

@neonnomadnirvanablog

@digitalcyborgquestblog

@freespiritfusionblog

@piacarriveau1990blog

@3technoartisticvisionsblog

@wanderlustwineblissblog

@oyqjfwb9nz

@maryannamarkus1983blog

@lashelldowhower2000blog

@ovibigrqrw

@3neonnightlifenostalgiablog

@ywldujyr6b

@giannaaziz1998blog

@yudacquel1961blog

@neotechcreationsblog

@wildernesswonderquest87blog

@cybertroncosmicflow93blog

@emeldaplessner1996blog

@neuralnetworkgallery78blog

@dunstanrohrich1957blog

@juanitazunino1965blog

@natoshaereaux1970blog

@aienhancedaestheticsblog

@techtrendytreks48blog

@cgvlrktikf

@digitaldimensiondioramablog

@pixelpaintedpanorama91blog

@futuristiccowboyshark

@digitaldreamscapevisionsblog

@janishoppin1950blog

The oldest ones have been created in March, started scraping in June/July, and later additions to the family have been created in July.

So, I have come to the conclusion that these accounts might be run by a combination of bot and human. Cyborg, if you will.

But it still doesn't answer my main question:

Who is running the whole operation?

The site itself gave us zero answers to work with.

No copyright, no link to the engine where the site is being used on, except for the sign in thingy (which I did.)

I gave the site a fake email and a shitty password.

Turns out it doesn't function like most sites that ask for an email and password.

Didn't check the burner email, the password isn't fully dotted and available for the whole world to see, and, and this is the important thing...

My browser didn't detect that this was an email and password thingy.

And there was no log off feature.

This could mean two things.

Either we have a site that doesn't have a functioning email and password database, or that we have a bunch of gullible people throwing their email and password in for people to potentially steal.

I can't confirm or deny these facts, because, again, the site has little to work with.

The code? Generic as all hell.

Tried searching for more information about this site, like the server it's on, or who owned the site, or something. ANYTHING.

Multiple sites pulled me in different directions. One site said it originates in Iceland. Others say its in California or Canada.

Luckily, the server it used was the same. Its powered by Cloudflare.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what to do with any of this information.

If you have any further information about this site, let me know.

Until there is a clear answer, we need to keep doing what we are doing.

Spread the word and report about these cretins.

If they want attention, then they are gonna get the worst attention.

[niuniente]

Also, to spot these out there in the wild, pay attention to their most common usernames:

Gibberish (like; vhrjatikh)

Something-something-blog (like; autocurrentboisssblog)

Something-something-numbers-blog (like; autocurrentboisss1985blog)

Name-blog (like jasminezyrrikkkkblog)

For now, it is the safest to block, report and remove any followers you gain with such username as there is a high chance for it to be one of these bots.

[huntingorbits]

What is your favorite natural phenomenon?

In the warm months when it rains. The air is hot but the rain is cold and refreshing and falls in fat drops over everything. It's the kind of rain made for dancing and playing, giving us those precious moments to take a break from responsibilities and obligations and just be kids again. Life pauses in those moments and we're free.

It feels like the sky quenching the earth's thirst, and there's something intensely beautiful about that to me. The rainbows that follow those rains are usually the brightest, too.

[huntingorbits]

Me: *Gets my reading list up to date* "Ah, yes. Perfect. Now I can finish the books I'm currently reading and then start fresh."

Also Me: *Starts reading two more books almost right away*

[depsidase]

[thecarvingwitch]

Stay safe, guys

[gendernewtral]

24/7 Suicide Hotline for LGBTQ Youth - Get Help Now

Get immediate help 24/7/365. The Trevor Project's crisis counselors are just a text, chat, or phone call away. Completely confidential and f

it’s three taps anywhere on the screen on a smartphone!

[crippledpunks]

my heart goes out to you if you're a disabled person who has a complicated or negative relationship with sleep. if you need to sleep a lot but can't due to life circumstances, or sleeping extra causing other symptoms to flare up. if you can't sleep enough due to pain, or nightmares, or psychosis, or bipolar, or depression. if you sleep way too much and find it hard to stay awake. if you can't fall or stay asleep. if you need medication in order to be able to sleep. if you don't feel rested from sleep. if you wake up a lot in the night. if you have bladder or bowel accidents while asleep. if you twitch or convulse or move too or get injured in your sleep. if you can't control your sleep schedule no matter what. if you can't sleep during "normal" sleeping hours. if you can't sleep for 8+ hours straight but can sleep for shorter amounts of time. if sleep is what you need but for one reason or another you just can't or refuse to do it.

i care about you. your disabilities deserve to be seen and acknowledged

[huntingorbits]

Already, I find myself needing to update my book lists again... OOPS. 😅 On the plus side, I feel like my studies are going very well, so that's exciting.

I've started a small circle with some friends so we can all learn together, and I'm pretty pleased with it so far as well. Right now, it's more like a book club, but I like that.

-> Archer

[huntingorbits]

As I'm updating my reading lists and finished reading, I'm contemplating reorganizing my blog to an extent. I don't know just yet what that would entail, but it's an idea that's still percolating.

[huntingorbits]

Favorite memory so far from this week. Go!

Just today, the vet's face when she came into the room and said, "I don't know what God you prayed to, but I want her number," by way of delivering crucial test results for my cat. That's one I'll cherish forever. 💖

[huntingorbits]

What do you find most exhausting about your practice? Conversely, what is the most fulfilling to you?

Right now, I think research and reading up on different aspects of witchcraft and occult study are both exhausting and fulfilling. I always feel great when I make time to read, especially when I finish something, but getting through my TBR list can be both daunting and tedious at times.

Aside from study, I get easily overwhelmed by the prospect of making my practice wholly my own, though I know once I get there, it will be the most fulfilling of all. :)

[ittybittywitchling]

to anyone who practices witchcraft... any tips for fact-checking your sources??

[breelandwalker]

First and foremost - check it against something mundane. Especially when it's a claim about history or religion or anthropology or science.

There's a lot that gets skewed or glossed over in witchcraft literature, and the authors with a more New-Age bent (which is its' own kind of problem) tend to do a lot of free association between disparate ideas with only passing surface similarity, or ascribe antiquity to things created in the modern era in order to lend them more credibility.

So if I see a claim that strikes me as odd or doesn't jive with previously-held knowledge, I go looking for a reputable academic text on the topic. The writings of Ronald Hutton, Michael Bailey, Owen Davies, and Margot Adler have been very helpful in this regard when it comes to the history of pagan practices in the western world and the modern witchcraft movement.

I also keep a go-to trove of resources handy on things like minerology, botany, and medicine, just in case I run into any odd claims about the properties of certain plants or stones. I also have books on folklore, mythology, and comparative religion that I keep around for similar purposes.

Beyond this, I also supplement any magical study I'm engaged in with practical learning, so that I have a broader context and frame of reference to work from. And so that things like ingesting essential oils or dumping belladonna into one's tea in order to see visions immediately ring a bell as a Bad Idea.

I credit my finely-tuned bullshit detector to a developed habit of immediately fact-checking claims about witchcraft in history or modern pagan practices and occult philosophies against mundane sources. (You'd be surprised how much you can find just on Wikipedia.)

There's always going to be some variation in practice and belief within the community, but if someone brings up a claim that should be supported by historical evidence (i.e. "Tarot originated with the Roma people" ....no it did not), it's helpful to be able to debunk misinformation and make sure I'm not unknowingly helping it to spread further.

[breelandwalker]

2024 Witches' Calendar

For all my witches out there, here's a handy list of the 2024 dates for the solstices, quarter days, full and new moons, and special events. I've listed my sources at the bottom.

Dates and times for all events are calculated for Eastern Standard Time, USA, Northern Hemisphere. Adjust for your location as needed and check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what special events will be visible in your area. Enjoy!

Solstices, Harvests, and Quarter Days

February 1-2 - Imbolc / Candlemas

March 19 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

April 30-May 1 - Beltane / May Day

June 20 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer / Litha

August 1 - Lughnasadh / Lammas / Summer Harvest

September 22 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon / Fall Harvest

October 31 - Samhain / Halloween / Final Harvest

December 21 - Winter Solstice / Yule

Full Moons

January 25 - Wolf Moon ♌

February 24 - Snow Moon ♍

March 25 - Worm Moon ♎

April 23 - Pink Moon ♏

May 23 - Flower Moon ♐

June 21 - Strawberry Moon ♑

July 21 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♑

August 19 - Sturgeon Moon* ♒

September 17 - Harvest Moon* ♓

October 17 - Hunter's Moon (aka Blood Moon)* ♈

November 15 - Frost Moon (or Beaver Moon)* ♉

December 15 - Cold Moon ♊

*- Supermoon

Fun Fact: The title of Harvest Moon is given to either the September or October full moon, whichever falls closest to the autumn equinox. Once again this year, that month will be September.

New Moons

January 11 ♑

February 9 ♒

March 10 ♓

April 8 ♈

May 7 ♉

June 6 ♊

July 5 ♋

August 4 ♌

September 2 ♍

October 2 ♎

November 1 ♏

December 1 ♐

December 30 (black moon) ♑

Special Celestial Events

January 3-4 - Quadrantids meteor shower peak

March 25 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

April 8 - Total solar eclipse

April 22-23 - Lyrids meteor shower peak

May 6-7 - Eta Aquarids meteor shower peak

August 11-13 - Perseids meteor shower peak

August 19 - Sturgeon Supermoon / Seasonal Blue Moon

September 17 - Harvest Supermoon / Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

October 2 - "Ring of Fire" solar eclipse

October 17 - Hunter's Supermoon

October 21-22 - Orionids meteor shower peak

November 15 - Frost Supermoon

November 16-17 - Leonids meteor shower peak

December 13-14 - Geminids meteor shower peak

December 30 - Black Moon

(Check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what will be visible in your area!)

Mercury Retrogrades (in case you need them)

April 1 - April 24

August 4 - August 27

November 25 - December 15

Happy Witching!

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

Bree's Lunar Calendar Series

Bree's Secular Celebrations Series

Moon Info - Full Moon Dates for 2024

Calendar-12 - 2024 Moon Phases

Full Moonology - 2024 Full Moon Calendar

AstroStyle - All the 2024 Full Moons

Your Zodiac Sign - Astrology Calendar 2024

Old Farmer's Almanac - Mercury Retrograde Dates 2023-2024

Lonely Planet - Best Star-gazing Events of 2024

Sea and Sky - Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events 2024

DarkSky International - Dark Sky Placefinder for Stargazing

Pagan Grimoire - Wheel of the Year: The 8 Festivals in the Wiccan Calendar (2024 Edition)

=

If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊

EDIT: Mercury is stationed direct on Jan 1st, 2024. The source I used which stated it was in retrograde until the 18th had a typo.

EDIT: Fixed the zodiac signs for the full moons using a new source.

[themori-witch]

Witchcraft 101: Uncrossing

“Uncrossing is the removal of a type of curse or ‘cross’ that has been laid upon an individual that makes a certain area of their lives difficult because of negative energy that is attached to them, causing them to see and experience only difficulties in that area. Uncrossing removes this negativity, allowing the person to move forward.” —Silvio Guerrinha.

Simply put: uncrossing is the act of undoing any baneful magic(s) that have been cast upon oneself. 

Before you attempt an uncrossing, you must first determine whether your run of bad luck or the spate of negative occurrences has a mundane or magical origin. You can do this in a number of ways, but the general consensus is to look for the sudden onset of issues such as: nightmares, sleeping trouble, loss of energy (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual), bad luck, financial and relationship trouble.  *Of course it is possible that all of these have routes in non-magical things, but these are said to be signs of a curse, hex, or jinx of some kind. 

If you work with entities or deities, you may ask them for clarification or confirmation on this issue. 

The term uncrossing is used widely, but a lot of the magics you see will have their origins in Hoodoo and Voodoo, so be cautious (Hoodoo is not a closed cultural practise, but a restrictive one. Voodoo/Vodou is not closed, but it is restrictive and requires a legitimate initiated teacher).

• TYPES OF UNCROSSING MAGICS

Uncrossing magics come in myraid forms—practically every form of magic can be utilised in an uncrossing. Common examples are:

Floor/house/body washes.

Anointing oils.

Powders.

Sachets.

Charms/Enchantments.

Talismans.

Examples of Uncrossing Magics

Mild & Spicy Curse Breaking Powders.

Curse Removing Wash.

Uncrossing Powder.

Lemon Uncrossing Spell [sachet].

• COMMON INGREDIENTS IN UNCROSSING MAGICS

You will notice that there are a few recurring ingredients in uncrossing magics. This is because of their notable strength and power in undoing baneful magic by repelling negativity, purification, cleansing, and protection.

Lemon.

Lime.

Orange.

Eucalyptus.

Chamomile.

Salt.

Mint.

Rosemary.

Sage.

Basil.

Patchouli.

Sandalwood.

Verbena.

Rue.

Garlic.

Vetiver.

Broken chain.

Ribbon.

String.

Black Tourmaline.

Clear Quartz.

Lemongrass.

St. John’s Wort.

Dragon’s Blood [resin]. 

[huntingorbits]

What's something you miss doing, that you'd love to have the opportunity to do again?

Good question!

The big thing I miss is creating for myself. I usually make gifts or sell things I create, but making things for myself has been very difficult, whether it's art, knitted projects, or anything else. I used to draw a *lot* back in school, but it's been much more sporadic lately, and almost none of it is for me.

This is something I've been working on, though. I've been dedicating time weekly to create for myself and no one else, and that's helped. I have yet to have finished anything for myself, but I'm getting there.

If I had to pick a second thing, it would be watching anime and other imported media. I'm extremely behind (my watch list is overgrown) and I don't watch it nearly as much as I used to. Fingers crossed I get to that one soon!

-> Archer

[huntingorbits]

Review: The Door to Witchcraft, by Tonya Brown

I just finished reading this book earlier this year, and thought I'd write a review on it. This is also going to help me determine how I want to review other texts going forward. So without further ado, let's get started.

TL;DR:

I highly recommend this book for both beginners and more experienced witches who are looking to expand their practices or gain additional resources. Brown takes a practical approach and breaks things down beautifully in a way that's easy to understand and follow. (Such as steps to creating a spell, steps to spellcasting, etc.) The second half is spells that may take a different approach to what we're used to seeing in other books, which in and of itself is very useful.

What's Inside (Contents)

PART I: Witchcraft and Practical Magic

1. Understanding Witchcraft 2. Core Beliefs and Values 3. How to Tap into Your Powers 4. How to Practice Witchcraft

PART II: Spells (Begins on page 87)

5. Love 6. Health and Healing (in Yourself and Others) 7. Career 8. Friends and Family Matters 9. Spiritual Work 10. Protection

Glossary Resources References Index

Summary

Part I: Witchcraft and Practical Magic spans 86 pages and includes a lot of information.

"Understanding Witchcraft" is your fairly standard introductory chapter, addressing questions such as, "What is Witchcraft?" and, "Are you a Witch?", before diving into a brief history of witchcraft.

"Core Beliefs and Values" is a high-level tour of the most common tenets of witchcraft among witches of all varieties, not just Wiccans.

"How to Tap into Your Powers" and "How to Practice Witchcraft" are more instructional than educational, but Brown includes a lot of education in those chapters nonetheless, including a handy breakdown of the structures of rituals and spells, sabbats, and some basic correspondences.

Part II: Spells is approximately 90 pages in length (some pages are just illustrations). Brown prefaces these pages with a few notes, including:

"Some of these spells may not align with the stereotype of spellcasting that you've seen in the media. They may seem too simple or they may seem too complicated. I implore you to come to these spells with an open mind..." (pg.89)

The spells that follow offer a variety of complexities, though most of them take less than half an hour to cast.

Provided Resources & References

Following the Spells section of the book is 3 pages of Glossary, 2 pages of Resources that appear to be reading recommendations, and 3 pages of References - titles cited or referenced throughout the book. Going over these materials, the book appears to have been written using carefully curated resources, which is very encouraging.

About the Author

From Amazon:

TONYA A. BROWN is a current resident of Florida, where she is the editor-in-chief of Witch Way Magazine as well as writer and host of the podcast The Witch Daily Show.* Tonya is a Lenormand reader, medium, and magical guide for other witches.

*Formerly The Daily Witch.

Her other titles include Evolution of a Witch: 150 Journal Prompts for Witches; (Witch Way's Book of) 100 Love Spells; a children's book titled Tutty Learns About Witches; and The Hectic Witch's Planner (currently only for 2022 and 2023).

I'm already a fan of both her magazine and podcast (which I started listening to last year), though I have yet to check out her other works. It's encouraging to see a witch-positive children's book in the lineup, though.

As for the podcast, Brown does briefly recommend Lilith as a goddess that could be followed in the "Badass Goddesses" episode on January 17, 2023. This is, of course, problematic, but I haven't listened to each episode since then to see if she has recanted that statement or revised her perspective on the subject.

My Overall Review

I really enjoyed reading this book. Though it was designed as an introduction to witchcraft, I learned several new things and gained resources I didn't have before. The breakdown of spell structure is especially appealing to me, as at the time of this writing, I've just started writing my own spells.

The language Brown uses is conversational and easy to follow, using accessible vocabulary and staying on track through each subject. I greatly appreciated this aspect because we've all read enough books that meander and tangent into unrelated thoughts and information. We don't see that with Brown; her writing stays on task and only "wanders" to provide necessary context.

Additionally, where she makes claims or presents facts, she always cites her sources in a way that isn't distracting. It was quite refreshing to see in an area of study where sources are often an afterthought.

Final Word: I will definitely be keeping this on my bookshelf and I look forward to seeing more from Brown in the future. I do sincerely hope she'll be more thoughtful on the subject of Lilith in her podcast going forward, as well.

Thank you for staying with me throughout this review. I hope it helps you to make an informed decision if you've been pondering this title.