styofa doing anything
Today's Document
JVL
Game of Thrones Daily
Misplaced Lens Cap
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
No title available
#extradirty
Andulka
if i look back, i am lost
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
One Nice Bug Per Day
wallacepolsom
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Peter Solarz
pixel skylines
Kiana Khansmith
⁂
祝日 / Permanent Vacation
Not today Justin
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Spain
seen from France
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from Sweden
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from T1
seen from Italy
seen from Germany
seen from Germany
seen from Italy
seen from Germany
seen from Poland
@k5witche-re
Trying out a new layout this week. I’m going to flip the pages sideways and write that way.
That wasn’t my original plan but I realized that there wasn’t enough room in the regular orientation lol. I get the feeling that I won’t be a big fan though.
I wanted to add a to do list to the side because I have a ton to get done that week that doesn’t have to be done on a specific day.
Getting things ready for the week after next!
Have to get shots for my sweet Jackson. So, that’s not going to be cheap.
Based off Amanda Rach Lee’s January 2018 fireworks theme.
Set up my altar for the start of 2021! ❤️
Oranges for abundance
Magnets for attraction
Pyrite and Tigers Eye for money
Garnet because it’s my birth month!
Hematite for protection
Rose Quartz for a bit of romantic attraction 💞
I just wanted to cover all my bases and set an energy for what I want this year. Here’s to 2021, all!!!
Made some food for my parents as thanks for buying me groceries! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ From left to right: Cinnamon apple peels Dried apples Baked cinnamon apples Granola with apples and strawberries
Expanded my collection today!
From left to right:
The Fantod Pack
Green Glyphs Lenormand
Rider-Waite
The Tarot Restless
I got the the Fantod Pack and the Green Glyphs Lenormand today from my local metaphysical shop and I’m eager to begin working with them!
Chart of common shadow traits and reversals. From Shadow Dance: Liberating the Power and Creativity of Your Dark Side by David Richo (Shambhala Books, 1999).
Getting To Know Plant Allies
photo source
Use It!
One of my teachers was very insistent that before I was allowed to study a plant, I had to get to know it first. Head knowledge is one thing, but when you are working as a herbalist you have to have more than that.
Before using any herb, even for these exercises it is important to look up contraindications for the herb. Herbs are medicinal, even in small doses. Personally I like to use this book. And remember to always tell your doctor if you are taking any herbs!
Based on the type of herb, make a decoction or infusion. Fragile herbs, usually dried leaves or flowers, are better suited to an infusion (let steep in nearly boiling water for 20 minutes). Hardier herbs such as roots can be simmered in the water for 20 minutes (decoction).
Sip slowly, taking notice of how the tea feels in your mouth. Does it trigger a salivary response? How does it taste? Anything your experience is worth taking note of. I’ve never been sad I took too many notes!
Take a bath with it. If a full bath isn’t possible, do a foot or hand bath. I was taught to start with water as close to room temp as possible. This can be a good way to determine if the herb has warming or cooling properties.
Again, make notes! Lots of them.
Get creative with how you experiment. Cook with them, use them for facial steams. Any way that you’re called to, and remember, take notes!
Study It - Materia Medica
It’s time to make your own herbal! We’re going to take our observations and start a Materia Medica. This is the term herbalists have been using since the 1st century AD, thanks to the Ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides. Modern science now often uses the term pharmacology but I greatly prefer the Materia Medica.
Some witches will combine this with a Materia Magica which goes into the magical correspondences for the herbs. But this post won’t be covering that.
How each herbalist organizes the Materia Medica is going to vary, but it should hit a few key points. And, of great importance, is to track your sources! Any information that you include in your MM needs to have a citation so that you can track your info.
Latin Name
My Materia Medicas always start with the Latin name for the herb. Herbs have many, many different names. Both through history and throughout the world. The best way to ensure that you’re using the correct plant is to use the latin name. But then, after that, I make not of common names and historical names.
History/Lore
If a herb has an interesting history, or appears in folk lore I make note of that next. It can be interesting and is helpful for knowing the herb. There’s a lot of knowledge to be gleaned from old stories!
Description
If you’re inclined for either wildcrafting or foraging, a section on the cultivation and appearance of the plant.
Chemicals
Now, we get into the medicine of it. Herbs work because they contain chemical compounds. A lot (all?) of modern medicine is derived from the manufacturing of these chemicals.
Make a list of the chemicals that are found in the herb. Making note, where you can, of what these chemicals actually DO. Over time you’ll want to get to know which ones are the active ingredients and how the work. Yup, it’s science!
Herbal Actions
Actions come next. Herbal actions are a whole language to learn. But as you are putting together the Materia Medicas you’ll start to get the hang of things! An action describes the way a herb works on the body.
It can seem a bit overwhelming, so here is an example.
Bitter is an herbal action, and it is aptly named. Herbs with this action typically taste… bitter! The action that they have on the body usually starts in the mouth where it stimulates saliva production as the first step of aiding in the digestive process. (they do a lot more but we’re keeping it simple for the example).
Examples of bitters are: arugula (also called rocket), dandelion greens, and black coffee.
Here’s a very simple way to experiment yourself! Take some time to sample one of the above mentioned bitters and see how your body reacts.
Christopher Hobbs is an herbalist I respect a lot. He has a handout that he uses in his classes which lists herbal actions, indications (we’ll get into that next), and lists example herbs.
http://www.christopherhobbs.com/webdocs/class-handouts/keville-hobbs-2016/Herbal-Actions.pdf
I highly suggest printing this sheet out and keeping it handy, reading it over often. Eventually it’ll become more intuitive, but it takes time and practice.
Indications
Indications are where we want to use the herb. IE: where is the herbal action of the herb indicated? This is going to be a list of conditions that the herb in question is good for treating.
For example, Corn Silk (zea mays) is an antiseptic, demulcent and a diuretic. Because of this, it’s indicated for use with a urinary tract infection. (it’s indicated for other things too, but I’m trying to keep things fairly basic!)
The demulcent soothes the irritated skin, the diuretic helps to increase urine output, and the antiseptic of course helps to prevent the growth of harmful organisms.
Medicine
The last section of my Materia Medica deals with dosing and contraindications.
I like to include dosing for both teas and tinctures as they are my personal favorite ways for treating people.
Contraindications means anything that counteracts with the herb. St John’s Wort is a popular one for this, as it has many. It is a highly reactive herb and can interact negatively with many drugs!
It is very important to know how the herb interacts. People think that because herbs are natural/plants that somehow this excludes them from the realm of medicine. But the very reason that herbs are effective is because they ARE medicine!
When I am working with a client, I do my best to take a detailed history, even things they don’t think is important. But I also inform them of every herb I am giving them and encourage them to do their own research. And it’s important to be aware of your body when you are taking herbs. From the practitioner to the person taking the herb, everyone needs to do their own due diligence.
If you found this post useful, or have any comments/thoughts/etc I would love to hear it. If there is interest I can do posts on salves, tinctures, etc. And perhaps examples of my own materia medicas.
Decorated my altar for Yule. I kept it pretty minimal this year so that my workspace doesn’t get too crowded.
I cannot wait until the new year!
As an agnostic modern witch, sometimes very old holiday traditions are hard to follow. I don’t have a patron deity or anything but I do still celebrate Christmas. So I put together a modern 12 day holiday guide so I can still celebrate the 12 days of Yule without having to try to cram everything in around my and my family’s work schedule. Now there are tons of ways to celebrate and tons of different traditions out there, so you can adapt this guide however you want.
Add Some Oomph to Your Spells with Magical Timing
Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.
Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.
If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.
The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes
These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.
Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.
Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.
Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.
Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.
Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.
The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases
If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.
New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.
Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.
Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.
Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.
Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.
Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week
The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.
Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.
Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.
Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.
Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.
Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.
Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.
Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.
Magical Times of Day
Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.
Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.
Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.
Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.
Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.
Resources:
You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst
Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck
Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]
Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]
My Sigil Making Process 💕
Wee! Lets find out how I make my extraordinarily unique sigils. So first things first, I have to come up with an intent. I get writer’s block often and it’s a pain so I’ll go with “I will overcome my writer’s block” for now. So first things first, I check in the back of my book of shadows to see if I have symbols for any of those words.
If you’re confused now, I’ll explain. The reason my process is unique is because I take my intent and come up with a symbol for each word in that intent. Once I’ve created a symbol for a word, I add it to this page so that way if I reuse a word, I won’t need to try and create another symbol. Think of this page like a key chart.
Anyway, I have most of the words for this specific intent on this page. “Writer’s” is pretty similar to “write” so I just used that symbol. Now I break it down in my cute lil’ sigil making book.
So now that that’s done, my process is pretty similar to other sigil making processes; I abstract the symbols I have. I do this step by step because it’s just easier for me that way.
So now I’ve reached a symbol I really love. I was lucky this time. Sometimes I’ll abstract in different way until I get a result that I feel a strong attachment to. When I reach that point, I usually clean it up and re-draw it on the next page. This is like me confirming that this sigil is ready to be charged and used with the corresponding intent. After that’s done, I’ll write the symbols I’ve come up with on my key chart and re-write the sigil on the sigil page in my bos.
Well! That’s all folks! 💕
Just a small reminder that if my method is too complex or ya just don’t like/agree with it, you can create your sigils through countless other methods and still get the same results. Magick is what you make of it. Hence, anything can happen, if ya believe.
DIY Witchy Supplies
- Need runes? Go on a walk and collect stones, write the runic alphabet on them and use for divination and in spells.
- Need herbs? Cut open tea bags and use!
- Need a wand? Pencils, sticks, rods, and other long-oblong objects can be used. You don’t need to go all out.
- Need a pentagram necklace? Use wires made out of safety pins, clothes hangers, etc. shape and then use a chain or string to thread through the necklace.
-Need a regular pentagram? Like the picture shown above, weighted pentagrams can be drawn on flat stones, slabs of woods, plates, even pieces of cardboard.
- Don’t have a cauldron but need one to cast spells? You can use- and I know this isn’t very dignified or aesthetic- but frying pans were made for a reason; preferably ones that are stainless steal. Set your charcoal/ spell products/etc inside. Most frying pans will not be damaged by fire.
- need poppets? You can make and sew poppets out of felt, scraps of old fabric, etc. and stuffed with pillow stuffing, cut up string, etc. Just remember to think before hexing.
- need an altar cloth? Something is better then nothing. Pillowcases, napkins, towels, etc. can be used. You can dress them up with tie-dye, embroidery, fabric paint, real paint, etc.
- need tarot cards but cant for some reason purchase a set? Use regular playing cards. Yes you heard that right. You can use the cards for correspondences.
- want to do scrying? use hand mirror / any other type of mirror and paint over with black paint. You can use this for scrying.
-want a pendulum? all you really need is a weight and a string/ chain/ etc. You can use anything for these weights, however I highly encourage you to use stones as they have a higher vibration then other objects.
-Got anymore ideas? Let me know!!!
happy crafting witches!
Ring Magick
Rings have always been used in magick, whether as a form of talisman, amulet, or enhancement in your magick.
One’s hands both have different meanings and attributes, they are not identical nor are they twins, they are sister and work with each other like yin and yang.
Metals also have a large influence on how the energy flowing from your hands are directed, especially when it comes to your intention.
Fingers & Hands
Right Hand
Gender~ Masculine
Attributes~ The Right hand is seen as the hand of assertive action. Destruction and creation, this makes the right hand more preferable. This makes it a good partner for Gold
Left Hand
Gender~Feminine
Attributes~The Left hand is seen as intuitive and wise. Which makes it a good partner for Silver.
Thumb
Planet(s)~Mars & Venus
Attributes~Willpower and Logic
Pointer/Index Finger
Planet~Jupiter
Attributes~Influence, Money, Decision Making
Middle Finger
Planet~Saturn
Attributes~Success, Focus, Intellect
Ring Finger
Planet~Sun
Attributes~Ambition, Commitment, Power
Pinky Finger
Planet~Mercury
Attributes~Dreams, Communications, Memory
Metals and Alloys
Gold
The Sun
Gender~Masculinity
Element~Fire
Sign~Leo
Attributes~Success,Power,Wealth,
Silver
The Moon
Gender~Female
Element~Water
Sign~Cancer/Aquarius
Attributes~Truth,Loyalty,Dreamwork,Purity,Wisdom
Copper
Venus
Gender~Feminine
Element~Water
Sign~Taurus
Attributes~Luck,Love,Wealth, Exchange of powers
I Love Yall ❤️🧿
Witches Ladders
So, today we’re going to talk about a slightly more obscure tool: the witch’s ladder. There’s some debate as to whether or not this was a commonly used tool in older European traditions of witchcraft. In the late 1870’s a witch’s ladder, along with a collection of brooms, was found in the attic of a recently deceased woman in Somerset, sparking suspicions of witchcraft. Unfortunately, it’s not actually known whether or not this object was really used in witchcraft or how widespread the use may have been if it was. More on the history of these tools can be found here.
Now, what is a witch’s ladder? It’s a type of knot talisman made by inserting small objects into a length of cord, traditionally rooster feathers and sometimes small bones were used but you can use locks of hair, teeth, beads, sticks, leaves, seashells or pretty much anything that works for your practice.
Originally, it’s thought that they were used to curse but their uses in modern practices are endless. I’ll be making one to protect my house and create easier communication with the Other Realms.
How to Make a Witches Ladder
Ok, to start us off we need a few supplies. There are three main things that I’m using.
First is the cord, feel free to use whatever material you like. When I’m doing work like this I prefer to use regular old kitchen twine. It’s sturdy and not overly processed. You could use yarn, thread, rope, sinew or ribbon as well though.
The second thing that I’ll be using is a couple of small bones, I’m using six because I like working with multiples of three.
Finally, the feathers. These are brown mourning dove feathers; I’m using these as opposed to another type of feather because they’re good for communicating with Spirit and for fostering awareness.
I would like to mention here that while handy in the craft, collecting bones and feathers that you find can be illegal. Most birds are protected species and regardless of whether you found the feathers or ripped them off of the bird yourself, possessing them is illegal. Be sure to check the laws in your area. This problem can usually be solved by writing a letter to the appropriate wildlife officials asking for permission to pick up specific types of bird feathers for a collection. Once written permission is obtained it only has to be kept with the feathers to avoid any ramifications. Of course, if you’re not going to be waving about rare bird feathers in the town square this is probably unnecessary.
As I said, you can replace bones or feathers with whatever you like. Use Barbie arms if that’s what floats your boat. I usually use nine items in mine and the traditional number would be thirteen but feel free to adjust this to fit your needs.
Another optional material would be a metal ring, you can tie the ladder to this and use that to hang it from a hook on the ceiling or something if you like. I’ll just be using a thumbtack.
As always prep yourself and your workspace however you prefer. Cast a circle, take a ritual bath, light some incense, maybe put on some music. Consecrate your supplies and get to work.
The creation of a witch’s ladder is surprisingly simple and quick. Take your cord and cut three equal lengths. How long you make it is up to you, for example, I like each length to be from the fingertips of my left hand to my heart in length. Tie the ends together, if you are using a metal ring, tie it to the ring; otherwise just an overhand knot on the end does the trick.
Start braiding, for this one I used your typical three-strand braid but you could add and subtract cords and use rope braids, fishtail braids or five strand braids as well. As you braid begin adding in your objects. I don’t do anything special, I just keep braiding as usual while adding my feathers and stuff in between two strands. Here’s a close-up of my ladder partially finished.
I spread mine out semi-evenly along the length of the cord, if you’re a stickler about getting things even then make sure you remember that you’ll lose about a third of the cord length in the process of braiding.
As you add each item to the ladder spend a few moments to state your intention or meditate on the purpose of your spell. I kind of just spend the entire time I’m making the ladder talking to it and telling it what I would like of it. You could also use the traditional nine knot spell if incantations are your thing. I find them too constricting for my practice but for those of you who prefer more ritualized working here it is
“By knot of one, the spell is begun
By knot of two, it cometh true
By knot of three, so mote it be
By knot of four, the open door
By knot of five, it comes alive
By knot of six, the spell is fixed
By knot of seven, it has the power of heaven
By knot of eight, the open gate
By knot of nine, it is mine”
After all of your items are in place you need to finish your cord. You can just tie a knot in it and either trim the excess cord or let it hang there, or you can add something to the end as a sort of weight, bells are a common choice. Feel free to let it charge in the light of the moon or sun if you like.
Once it’s completely done take it and hang it somewhere, I like to have them on my porch but hanging it in your room or kitchen works as well. If the spell is more malicious I’d suggest hiding it away somewhere close to your target instead of hanging it.
Here’s my finished ladder, hanging out on my porch.
A few ideas for uses of these lovely tools:
Warding magic - Use to create a “Do Not Enter” sign for unfriendly energies. The ladder conveys the meaning that those who would harm are unwelcome.
Attraction magic - Use it to attract people, familiars, ideas, mindsets, jobs, circumstances, luck, etc. into your life
Binding the thirteen moons of the year - This is a method used to harness the power of the thirteen full moons of the year, allowing you to perform weather magic and nature magic more easily and opening the doorway to the Other Realms.
Traveling - Ladders can be used as a gate into the Other Realms. An actual “ladder” for your spirit to climb up into various planes
Natural magic - You can use items related to the branch of nature that you work with. For me it’s trees but perhaps you work with the ocean, mountains, forests, animals, insects, and so on.
Wish magic - You can use rolled up slips of paper or pressed leaves and make a ladder with them, writing your wish on each one. As the ladder is slowly destroyed by the elements, your wish comes true.
Divination - I’ll need to make a full post about this if anyone is interested, it’s a tad complicated
Worship - You could use a witches ladder as an offering to a deity, perhaps as a nine day devotional where you tie in an offering every day and ending with hanging it on the last day
Curses - and of course, witches ladders can be used to curse.
As usual, if anyone has any questions or would like me to make a follow up post on anything I’ve mentioned here, let me know!
Hiii Diana ,do you have any advice to remember better the major arcana ? I struggle a lot with them but surprisingly not with the minor arcana but when I saw the emperess and the high priestess I start to panic . Thank you
How to Memorize the Major Arcana
Follow The Fool’s journey, so you can keep in mind the arcana’s meanings and remember their order altogether.
0 - The Fool
Imagine that he is a new student at a university. He is foolish at the beginning of his journey. Because in many ways, he is still clueless, no matter how smart he actually is.
1 - The Magician
The Fool uses magic to adapt to his new environment. The magic of the intellect to do well in his classes. And the magic of extroversion to make some new friends.
2 - The High Priestess
College is challenging. More than making friends and passing classes, you have to be on the right path. Like a priestess, The Fool consults his higher self to ensure just that.
3 - The Empress
Having passed his classes and made friends, as well as changed his major from Engineering to Architecture, The Fool now feels abundant and secure, just like an empress.
4 - The Emperor
Eventually, he makes a name for himself. The Fool gains recognition. Like an emperor, he is acknowledged as the leader of some projects and an authority in certain subjects.
5 - The Hierophant
No longer a clueless freshman, The Fool is now someone that the confused, younger students approach for advice and guidance. Just as they would a hierophant.
6 - The Lovers
He has the grades, the friends, the belief in himself, the abundance and the authority. And still, The Fool feels lonely. Because he needs a lover to truly be happy.
7 - The Chariot
Having found a kind and caring partner to share his burdens, thoughts and emotions, The Fool can now move forward, on his chariot, to gain even more triumphs.
8 - Strength
Through his acquired knowledge and experiences, along with self-love and the constant support of his lover and friends, The Fool has grown to feel truly strong.
9 - The Hermit
A leader for many and a favorite of all, The Fool is very happy but gets tired too. Every now and then, he would spend some needed time alone, like a hermit would do.
10 - Wheel of Fortune
Life is like a wheel. Sometimes we are on top. Other times, we are not. Until now, The Fool has been consistently climbing up. But now, he is about to be knocked down.
11 - Justice
It seems The Fool’s mother is facing financial difficulties. She did not make the deadline for this semester’s rent at the dormitory. The rules of justice dictate that he gets kicked out of the campus.
12 - The Hanged Man
So now The Fool has to commute from home every day. His schedule is disturbed. His studies are affected. His social life is put on hold. Everything hangs in the balance.
13 - Death
The Fool decides to take a loan and find a job so he can help himself and his mother. His happy-go-lucky life has suffered a death, but as a responsible adult, he has been rebirthed.
14 - Temperance
With his newfound maturity, The Fool is now at peace. His burdensome duties have been tempered by his acceptance of reality and his willingness to overcome obstacles.
15 - The Devil
But too much of a good thing can be devilish. Having experienced the high of earning his own money, The Fool acquired another job. He is now working endless shifts.
16 - The Tower
But The Fool can only take so much. A dozen classes and a dozen shifts a week do not a healthy body make. And so it collapses. And his life falls apart like a burning tower.
17 - The Star
His friends all visit him, bringing fruits and telling jokes. His girlfriend cheers him up with his favorite Netflix shows. The Fool feels like a star and hopeful about tomorrow.
18 - The Moon
Life’s lessons are not lost on him. The Fool meditates, looking up at the moon, reflecting on where he went wrong… feeling his pain but telling himself he will move on.
19 - The Sun
By sunrise, his fever is gone and his muscles are no longer aching. The Fool is ecstatic that he can live his life again. He really missed how it felt to be healthy and well.
20 - Judgement
Having learned the importance of balance, The Fool sets out into the world again, armed with better judgment. He now knows his priorities and stands by them.
21 - The World
As the year ends, The Fool feels on top of the world, grateful that he has gained his health back, along with a worthy romance, academic achievements, and faithful friends.
Good Day, Lady D! I come to you with kinda a big problem. :( I.. tend to blank when I'm reading tarot. I think it's.. half nervousness and half lack of inate ability. Do you think there's hope for someone like me? I really wanna learn tarot but I don't wanna force it if maybe I'm not meant for it. :(
TAROT TRICKS: How to Avoid Blanking When Reading
To truly master tarot, you have to put in the time to learn the cards’ traditional and evolved meanings. You cannot rely on your intuition alone. That would be cheating. But, when you are a total beginner, your intuition could be your tutor.
1) Use common sense.
Read the room, so to speak. Observe the mood of the card or the spread. Look at the facial expressions. The colors. The setting. The atmosphere.
This way, if the question is, “Does he love me?” and you get the Nine of Swords, you do not have to remember that card’s meanings.
You only have to look at the card and see that the figure in it is stressed, not happy. The color of it is black – a shade of negativity. The background has a bunch of swords hanging on someone’s head, like a threat.
Does this card look like someone who is in love? Not at all. You have your answer.
2) Refer to the name.
The Major Arcana is a cheat sheet in itself. The cards’ names contain their meanings.
What is a magician? Someone who can do magic. Therefore, in most cases, The Magician means having magic in your life, such as a wish come true or a last-minute miracle. Anything wonderful.
Who is the devil? Someone bad and evil. Therefore, The Devil is usually someone who has sinister plans. You are being warned against a toxic person, a dangerous situation, or self-sabotage.
When it comes to the Minor Arcana, all you have to do is remember what each suit means. Wands are passion. Cups are emotions. Swords are thoughts. Pentacles are foundations. When looking at a card, replace the suit names with the above. Suddenly, the Ten of Pentacles becomes the Ten of Foundations. That is, someone incredibly stable.
3) Form a sentence.
Remember this basic sentence structure: Subject-verb-object. Jason drank juice. Andy bought books. Stefan punishes bullies. Read a spread as such.
Queen of Pentacles + The Star + Two of Cups. “A woman (subject) wishes (verb) for love (object).”
The Empress + Six of Cups + The Lovers. “She (subject) will receive (verb) it (object).”
Knight of Wands + Six of Pentacles + Ace of Cups. “A Fire sign (subject) will give (verb) it (object).”
This way, you do not need to spend ages on interpreting one card. Instead, you are allowing them to interact and give you one coherent message.
4) Turn to basic math.
If you do not know anything yet about tarot numerology, remember your lessons in kindergarten. The bigger the number, the better. Would you rather have five chocolate bars or ten?
It is the same with tarot. Bigger often means better. The Nine of Cups is the card of satisfaction. But satisfaction fades. The Ten of Cups is the card of fulfilment. Something full takes longer to be drained.
When it comes to negative cards, the same is still true, except “better” becomes “worse”. The Nine of Swords is ridden with anxiety. But the Ten of Swords is reeking of death. Anxiety can get better, but death is final.
This even applies to the Major Arcana. But for that to make sense, you will need a deeper understanding of The Fool’s Journey – how the cards, even the negative ones, progress in wisdom and maturity.
5) Zero in on a detail.
When you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of cards and their meanings, focus on just one detail to get rid of your confusion.
If the question is, “How will my finances be for 2021?” and you pull the Queen of Wands, focus on the throne, for example.
Do poor people sit on thrones? No. Only royals do. Royals are rich. They own jewels, land and castles. Therefore, the querent’s finances in 2021 are looking positive.
Direct your thoughts towards one object within a card, and start speaking about what that object generally represents. Simply voice out your thoughts and you will arrive at the message.
