milk cauldron

magical & minimalist living

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Cover Story: Rosalía’s Real Magic

Rosalía is transforming what it means to be a pop star. As she reaches global stardom, she faces the history of her craft and the future she's creating.

También puedes leerlo en español ;3

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How 12 Mystics Blend Cannabis + Spirituality

We spoke to witches of varying spiritual paths to see how they use cannabis as a spiritual tool.

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Yes, Witches Are Real. I Know Because I Am One

'Magic is made in the margins'

Your recommended reading. ♡

[greenhedge]

Reblog if you’re an adult in witchcraft. (20+)

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Litha/Midsummer Lust List

This year Litha or Midsummer, which is also the summer solstice, is tomorrow, June 21.

While I consider myself a minimalist, a lifestyle that carries over into my practice, I can’t help but lust over these pieces that can be used in spell work and rituals for Midsummer. All of these items can be purchased from independent sellers on Etsy. I’m not affiliated with any of these sellers, but their items and shops are absolutely lovely.

↠ Woodland Crown by ScarletHarlow on Etsy.

↠ Litha Ritual Set by CnCApothecary on Etsy.

↠ Wheel of the Year by PandoraWitchShop on Etsy.

↠ Orange Roses Healing Love Wand by topangawindowoils on Etsy.

↠ Litha Midsummer Solstice Print by RuSnearious on Etsy.

↠ Moonstone & Amazonite Mala by VibeJewelryAnnaK on Etsy.

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For everyone wondering which app I use to track the moon phases and receive celestial notifications (especially @spiritual-journey-of-the-kokoon @uchihajuggala & @lunar-ariies ). The app also gives the daily times for golden hour and blue hour, which (I think) are extra magical times of the day since they’re in those lovely twilight hours. No, I’m not sponsored, but I highly recommend!

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It’s starting! Happy Midsummer, babes! 🌞🌺🍃

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Summer 2018 Bucket List: Witch Edition

Celebrate the Full Moons: Strawberry (June), Buck (July), Sturgeon (August)

Celebrate Midsummer/Litha

Celebrate Lughnasadh

Draw Down the Moon

Learn to read tea leaves

Learn smoke and fire ember scrying

Have cards read by another tarot reader

Become a more confident tarot reader

Make a witch’s ladder

Go berry picking

Watch the sun rise

Go on a hike

Leave an offering to a tree

Have a bonfire

Collect water during a thunderstorm

Remove litter from a local river or forest

What are you planning for a magical summer?

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My philosophy: Keep good karma so you can be reincarnated as a house cat, and spend a life sunning yourself by an open window.

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June 13, 2018: Super New Moon in Gemini

You might want to brew another cup of coffee or tea: you might be feeling a little tired for the next few days with this new moon hanging about. If moon gardening is your jam, remember that it’s better to wait until the moon is waxing to plant seeds and take cuttings. 

Here’s a list of the celestial and spellwork details to help you plan a new moon ritual. Have a good new moon, witchy babes.

Date: June 13, 2018

Time: 3:42 pm (EST)

Moon sign: Gemini

Sun sign: Gemini

Elemental association: Air

Ritual themes: Divination, self reflection, planning for growth

Spellwork: Defense, return-to-sender, underworld, ward evil

Incense: Jasmine, frankincense, sandalwood, sage, clove, dragonblood

Color: Red, blue

Optional (but recommended!) listening to get you in the moon mood during this dark time of the lunar cycle: Gemini Feed by Banks and (of course) Goddess by Banks.

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I GEEKED when this popped up on my phone just now. And a post about spellwork details for this special new moon will be posted this afternoon! Happy new moon, witchy babes.

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If you could only take 3 things with you...: What magical items would you take in an emergency?

On Sunday night my community experienced a devastating flood and the town has been declared a disaster area. My boyfriend and I, as well as our friends and neighbors, escaped the flood safely. He and I got back into town around midnight last night, and were escorted by fire and rescue to our apartment to retrieve my boyfriend’s ball python and my medications.

While inside we were given a few moments to secure the snake and gather her tank supplies. We don’t know when we’ll be able to return to retrieve the rest of our belongings. After throwing the bare essentials into a big plastic IKEA bag, I looked around the dark apartment, littered with broken glass and ceiling tiles, and realized this was the hypothetical moment we’ve all discussed at some point. If you were in a crumbling building and could only grab a few things, what would you take?

With essentials in the bag I had a second to think of any craft items I could take before leaving my apartment. I didn’t know when the building will be cleared for us to return for our belongings, so I thought: What do I need for the next few days? What will help get me through this and keep me grounded?

My tarot deck. This was the first thing I grabbed. It was sitting on a table beside a window that overlooks the alley. A shard of rose quartz was still sitting on top of the deck, just as I had left it, as though nothing had happened, as though the town hadn’t been taken away and the apartment hadn’t been damaged by the storm.

Beside the deck was my small Bast figurine I had picked up from my favorite witchy-crystal shop a few weeks ago. I threw it into my bag without a second thought. I just knew I’d want something familiar and comforting to look at and hold during the foreseeable future of uncertainty.

I didn’t think it would be this difficult to be separated from my collection of tools and supplies. I love being a minimalist and being free from a dependency on stuff, but I can’t help but miss my cast iron teapot and tarot books (I’m a double Virgo, and a creature of comfort and habit). I’ll be reunited with everything soon, as everything inside the apartment is still intact, but the current question is just when.

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May 29, 2018: Flower Moon in Sagittarius, 10:20 am

We got a full moon coming up on Tuesday, witchy babes. The moon enters Sagittarius on 2:29 (Eastern Standard Time) on Monday, May 28, 2018, and is expected to hit the peak of her full moon cycle at 10:20 am on Tuesday, meaning that both Monday and Tuesday nights are the ideal times for spellwork.

Monday and Tuesday will be excellent for spells and divination regarding growth and improving communication. Full moons are also a time for spellwork regarding completions, healing, and empowerment.

For green or hedge witches who will be gardening during this time, a moon in Sagittarius is an excellent time to prune to stop growth (particularly useful if you have a beautiful but pesky plant that has its eyes on taking over the garden -- I’m looking at YOU, MINT.) The waxing-to-full cycle (so days leading up to Monday) are a time for planting crops with seeds inside (berries, drupes, legumes, pomes). The following cycle, full-to-waning, is a time to plant root crops, bulbs, and perennials.

Here are the celestial and spellwork details to help you plan your night(s):

Date: May 29, 2018

Time: 10:20 am (EST)

Moon sign: Sagittarius ♐

Moon enters Sagittarius 2:29 pm (EST) on May 28, 2018

Distance from Earth: 398,452 km

Sun sign: Gemini ♊

Moon names: Flower Moon, Milk Moon, Grass Moon, Hare Moon, Corn Planting Moon

Lunar elemental association: Fire

Ritual themes: Growth, improving communication (either in general or pertaining to a specific situation)

Incense: Cinnamon

Color: Scarlet

Sources: Llewellyn’s 2018 Magical Almanac, NASA, Green Witchcraft (Ann Moura)

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Just some of my succulent babies. They’ll spend the summer on the windowsills, and I want to document their growth over the next few months. They’re all young and in need of a good sun soak, and I’m hoping they flourish this summer. ♡

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It hasn’t stopped raining in seven days. This morning’s newspaper said it’s one of the rainiest Mays ever, and I think we can also say that makes it ones of the most depressing Mays ever. With the new leaves the world is nothing but grey skies above and lush green and earth below. I escaped the dreary weather yesterday to my favorite bookstore, where I was lost in the shelves for a few hours while rain and wind stirred outside.

For $20 I walked out with a lovely stack. I picked up a few books I adored as a kid -- Charmed Life, The Amulet of Samarkand, Children of the Lamp, and R. L. Stine’s Halloween Night. I also grabbed The Da Vinci Code. A few nights ago I rewatched As Above, So Below and since then I’ve been in one of those National Treasure type moods. 

The bookstore’s witchcraft and spirituality shelf in the back corner of the shop also had an occult classic I’ve been wanting to explore: Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft. For months I’ve read it’s mixed reviews, but I still wanted to give it a try, given its weight in the witchcraft community. It’s also an older edition of the book which which (apparently) has edits that are no longer in current editions. I’ll post a review of it sometime this summer.

I’ve also been busy compiling a summer reading list. I haven’t finished a novel since before this semester (the shame), and with three months off until the fall semester, I’m hoping to put a dent in the ever-growing to-read pile (that might one day swallow the whole apartment). 

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May 15, 2018: New Moon in Taurus

Feeling a little drained? Tomorrow night’s new moon might have something to do with it. Here are the celestial and spellwork details to help you plan your evening:

Date: May 15, 2018

Time: 7:48 am (EST)

Moon sign: Taurus

Moon enters Gemini at 4:43 pm (EST)

Moon names: Flower Moon, Grass Moon, Milk Moon, Hare Moon, Corn Planting Moon

Lunar element association: Earth

Ritual themes: Stability, peace, affection, responsiveness, saving, artistic ability, devotion, harmony

Spellwork: Prosperity, saving money, building and keeping harmony in the home, long-term goal planning, long-term healing, meditations for peace

Incense: Bayberry

Color: White (Zodiac color association is red-orange)

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The indoor and outdoor gardens of a hedge witch. 🌞🍃🌵