a hint of magic

Witchy aesthetic and reference blog.

[love--witch]

Chaos witch? No, you misheard, I‘m a chaotic witch, I have to look up everything I‘ve known for years again and again. I have a tarot deck in my purse and three at home, two of which I can’t find. I will come up with spells on the fly but only half of them work because I forget something crucial while doing it for example actually speaking my intentions into my ingredients, I am lazy and I forget to practice my craft for weeks on end…

[borgia-bastard-deactivated20131]

For the record, taking other, mundane possibilities into account does not make you any less magical or any less faithful. Keeping an eye on your mental health and analyzing shit while experimenting with dream work and spirit walking doesn’t invalidate your experiences. In fact, the more you learn about the scientific theories, psychology, and mathematical concepts that can support your experiences, the more interesting the practice becomes.

And it doesn’t make you close minded. On the contrary, believing in the spiritual side and refusing to believe the mundane side is just as close-minded as the reverse option. I think it’s actually really healthy to have one foot in each world. It lessens the chance of falling in with a bad crowd and getting brainwashed. (You think I’m fucking kidding, but I’m actually not.)

In circles wholly based on spirituality and such, there are a lot of predators and a lot of danger. Hive mind, which happens a lot in these kinds of communities, is a pretty dangerous thing. So, yes, have your experiences. Believe in them. Share them if you want to. But also analyze them. Analyze them privately. And do so enough to come to your own firm understandings of your brain and what it is and is not doing, what it’s telling you, etc. Because understanding your brain and yourself as well as possible will help protect you from predatory people in your community. 

[ei-len]

It’ll also protect you from unnecessary fear – if you believe every intense dream you have is A Premonition or somehow Significant, no matter what… how are you going to react when you’ve been sleep deprived for a week and then get a REM-rebound, three-layers-deep monstrosity of an otherwise bog-standard anxiety dream where you’re at work but All The Shit Goes Wrong, over & over again? (it sounds absurd but I have had exactly this dream experience and it would definitely drive one bonkers trying to figure out what it “meant” if one refused to look objectively at the mundane explanation, and if you’re prone to anxiety dreams in general the last thing you need is to compound your general anxiety by worrying that they’re actually going to come true in real life). 

[breelandwalker]

hi! ive been getting back into the craft recently and i was wondering if you have any book reccomendations that i could learn more from! (i know youve published your own, which i will be checking out soon!!)

I have a book recs tag that contains most of the titles that I regularly recommend for witchcraft studies, but there are a few I could mention by name:

History:

Drawing Down The Moon (Margot Adler)

Triumph of the Moon (Ronald Hutton)

The Witch: A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present (Ronald Hutton)

The Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic (Owen Davies)

Witchcraft, magic and culture 1736–1951 (Owen Davies)

Witchcraft:

The Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft: Seeking an Intentional Magical Path Seeking an Intentional Magical Path (Fire Lyte aka Don Martin)

New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic (Cory Thomas Hutcheson)

By Rust of Nail & Prick of Thorn: The Theory & Practice of Effective Home Warding (Althaea Sebastiani)

Sacred Actions: Living the Wheel of the Year through Earth-Centered Sustainable Practices (Dana O'Driscoll)

Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration (Mallorie Vaudoise)

Spellcrafting: Strengthen the Power of Your Craft by Creating and Casting Your Own Unique Spells (Arin Murphy-Hiscock)

The Magical Writing Grimoire: Use the Word as Your Wand for Magic, Manifestation & Ritual (Lisa Marie Basile)

Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100 Spells, Rituals, and Practices for Coping in a Crisis (Lisa Marie Basile)

Sigil Witchery: A Witch's Guide to Crafting Magick Symbols (Laura Tempest Zakroff)

The Hearth Witch's Year: Rituals, Recipes & Remedies Through the Seasons (Anna Franklin)

Previous Posts:

Here are the Top Ten foundational texts that I started out with.

Here are the books I recommend if you want to work with plants.

Here are the three titles I have on the market.

Here is the Dropbox I made with free (legal) historical texts on witchcraft and magic.

And here is my personal library (slightly out of date) which might give you some more ideas!

[breelandwalker]

(For anyone who's curious, here are some updated pics of my personal library! Not all of the titles are appropriate for beginners, as some of them require a certain amount of other research to be understood in context, but they've all served me well. 😊)

[breelandwalker]

Adding to this the list I compiled of articles available on JSTOR that focus on witchcraft, folk magic, superstitions, occultism, folklore, fairy lore, witch trials, and related history.

Check with your local library or university to see if you can borrow their access! Articles are free to download and save for personal use.

[agnosticlokean]

“You are the laugh I hear from the bar down the street. You are the stranger who gives a wicked smile when we meet. You are the fire in the sky when the sun starts to set. You are the answers to the questions I haven’t asked yet. You are twenty million questions and not a straight answer. You’re the graceful bow of the back of a dancer. You are the whisper of soft protection as I sleep. You are the guardian of all the dreams that I keep.”

— a quick devotional poem to Loki (via thefireandtheraven)

[loki-freyjason]

“The Norse gods had a different relationship with mortals. To the average Norse person, the gods were like distant family members, powerful, of course, but approachable by someone willing to speak [their] mind. Gods were not to be propitiated so much as bargained with, and it was not unknown for a Norseman to more or less threaten his gods. Aid might be demanded, or else the Norseman would have a major falling-out with his god. This was not disrespect so much as a different form of respect to that found in many religions. Gods were powerful, but the relationship between them and mortals was a two-way street and humans had a right to expect fair treatment – or at least to be angry with the gods for not giving it.”

— Norse Myths: Viking Legends of Heroes and Gods

[they-scream]

Glad to see wanting to fistfight your gods is an age old practice

[fyeahmyths]

“He [Loki] was beautiful, that was always affirmed, but his beauty was hard to fix or to see, for he was always glimmering, flickering, melting, mixing, he was the shape of a shapeless flame, he was the eddying thread of needle-shapes in the shapeless mass of the waterfall. He was the invisible wind that hurried the clouds in billows and ribbons. You could see a bare tree on the skyline bent by the wind, holding up twisted branches and bent twigs, and suddenly its formless form would resolve itself into that of the trickster.”

— ~ A. S. Byatt, Ragnarok: The End of the Gods (via magpiemason)

[en-theos]

just found out about an online database powered by the university of Liège (and others) fully focused on Greek ritual norms (either leges sacrae or ritual calendars, but technically all normative inscriptions with ritual purpose) which is SO SEXY because now i can just search for particular gods in particular regions or centuries or with particular epithets or festivals and it will only give me documentation from that actual time and place instead of also textual sources which tend to distort the rites practiced or the capacity or identity of the deity worshipped. DOCUMENCE

it's the Collection of Greek Ritual Norms, and i highly recommend taking a look! It's not comprehensive (as a living publication it's always a work-in-progress) but it's super helpful. it follows modern editions of the inscriptions and presents translations and commentary as well.

[aesethewitch]

Witches will be like "my spell candle did something weird!!! Is this a sign????" And they'll show you the before and after pics for reference and.

By god in the first picture, the candle is loaded with plastic glitter and too many herbs all around the wick and a thick sheen of vegetable oil and essential oils. And the second picture is a shattered glass plate and wax absolutely everywhere and scorch marks on the table and.

Babes that isn't "weird" and the only "sign" here is that you have no concept of candle safety!!!!

[breelandwalker]

General Advice for Beginner Witches

A brief masterpost of some of my advice posts for beginner witches and the episodes of my podcast dealing with the same. (There is UPG here, particularly where marked, as I base a good deal of my advice on my own experience and observations of other witches.)

Hex Positive Podcast Episodes

Hex Positive, Ep. 04 - Advice for Beginner Witches (July 2020)

Hex Positive, Eps. 6-7 - Come In For A Spell 1 & 2 (Sept 2020)

Hex Positive, Ep. 12 - Witching From The Broom Closet (Jan 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 24 - Warding A Witchy Home (Dec 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 27 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday (March 2022)

General Tips & Advice

I Feel Like I Might Be A Witch...But I Don't Know

I Have Mental Health Issues - Can I Still Be A Witch?

Can I Still Be A Witch And Use Magic If I Take Medication?

How Do I Teach Myself To Believe In Magic?

How Does Magic Work? (upg ahoy)

Will I Be Possessed Or Haunted If I Try Witchcraft?

What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?

How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?

How Do I Organize My Study Materials?

How Do I Contact A Deity?

How Do I Worship My Deity If I Can't Have An Altar?

Tips On Working With Deities And Spirits (here be upg)

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I'm In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I've Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

My Candle Is Flickering - Does It Mean Something Bad?

How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?

What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?

Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?

What Should I Do If I REALLY Want To Hex Someone?

How Do I Know / What Do I Do If I've Been Hexed?

How Do I Become More Skilled And More Powerful?

How Do I Know When I'm Ready For The Next Step In My Practice?

Additional Tips For Developing Your Practice

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Tips on How to Visualize and Construct Basic Wards

Practicing Your Warding Technique

Cleansing Before Warding / Warding A Shared Space

Refreshing / Patching Existing Wards

Non-Appropriative Herbs for Smoke-Cleansing

Smokeless Cleansing / Other Methods

Recommended Reading & Book Suggestions

[breelandwalker]

UPDATES:

"Witch" Is A Gender Neutral Term (Yes, It Is. Shut Up.)

Critical Thinking Should Play A Role Building In Your Craft

Learn About Baneful Magic...Even If You Never Intend To Use It

Tips for Fact-Checking Your Witchcraft Sources

PSA - Will It Summon Demons?

The Toad Talk on Curse-Shaming

Friendly Reminder - Your Tools Don't Hate You

How Do I Know If I've Been Cursed And What Can I Do About It?

I'm Not Sure Where To Start. Is It Okay To Dabble?

I Feel Tired After Spellwork. Is This Normal? How Do I Deal With It?

How Can I Use Local Plants In My Practice If I Can't Find Magical Correspondences For Them?

Additional Resources

2024 Witches' Calendar

Full Moon Info Post Series

How To Write Your Own Spells

Witchcraft Exercises for Building Your Craft

Additional Book Recommendations

JSTOR Articles on the History of Witchcraft, Witch Trials, and Folk Magic Beliefs

Podcast Recs - Witches and Witchcraft in History

Podcast Recs - Debunking and Fact-Checking for Witchcraft Spaces

Creature-Wizard's Guide To Recognizing and Avoiding Conspiracy Theories and New Age Cult Scams In Witchcraft and Pagan Spaces

Additional Episodes of Hex Positive

Ep. 034 - Building Your Witchcraft Library (May 2023)

Ep. 035 - Money Magic (or Why I'm Not A Rich Witch) (June 2023)

Ep. 037 - Cleaning, Cleansing, and Magical Germophobia (August 2023)

Ep. 038 - Creating Your Personal Grimoire (September 2023)

[breelandwalker]

I'm starting to question how much the "old" pagan costumes and festivities were indeed about fertility, sex, etc.

Ronald Hutton claims that there is no evidence in history that the maypole was saw as a phallic symbol, for example. And there are other possible meanings. But you usually just read in books as a matter of fact that it was a phalic representation and the dance around was about fertility etc

I recently read the witche's bible because I was curious about traditional wicca rituals and there is suuch a high focus on how every single costume or holiday was about fertility and sex that honestly it makes me wonder, how much it was indeed about those things and how much is just the interpretation of modern people like Gardner making it about those things

You're hitting the nail on the head without even realizing it, Anon.

SO much of what we think we know about "old pagan customs" comes from books written by Victorian-era occultists. And if there is one thing to be said about Victorian-era occultists, it was that they were horny as FUCK. (And the Edwardians weren't any better.)

These people went around rubber-stamping FERTILITY in big red letters on anything to do with goddesses or springtime or even the most passing reference to pregnancy, childbirth, midwifery, or babies. Literally any excuse for ritual nudity or a sacred orgy. And no, that is not satire. Or a euphemism.

The other thing that can be said about Victorian-era occultists is that quite a lot of them were history buffs and very prolific writers. (If you look at the roster of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and their regular guests, it reads like a Who's Who of the writers of fantastical fiction and poetry at the time.) So the result of that is a whole lot of literature about folklore and "ancient pagan customs" written by people who were filtering what little historical information they had at the time through the lens of their own opinions and those of their colleagues.

(It's worth noting that that "lens" often consisted quite heavily of free-associated ideas not supported by history or things they completely pulled out of their own asses. Leland's "Aradia" is a good example of the "Ancient Sacred Text Given To Me By A Real Witch Who Totally Exists And I Definitely Didn't Write This Myself And Make Up This Claim For Clout" genre.)

Quite unsurprisingly, a lot of these beliefs got absorbed into the roots of the modern witchcraft movement a few decades later, since those were the popular resources available at the time and the same generally-prevailing opinions and biases were still present. So this started WELL before Gardner and his coven were on the scene. They just picked up the thread.

And as we all know, once there's a generation or so of removal from the founding beliefs of a movement, people tend to take the older texts as gospel, regardless of how flawed they might be.

See Also: We Still Have To Talk About The Witch-Cult Hypothesis Because Margaret Murray Wrote The Encyclopedia Britannica Entry On Witchcraft And It Wasn't Updated Until The 1960s.

See Also: We Still Have To Explain The Difference Between Historical Fiction And The Historical Record Because Of The White Goddess And The Mists Of Avalon.

See Also: We Still Have To Talk About The Burning Times Myth Because Raymond Buckland Made That Stupid Fucking Documentary.

See Also: Why The Hell Is Anyone Still Recommending Silver Ravenwolf.

Anyway, the short answer is that yes, your impression is correct, and I'm glad you're reading Hutton and forming that practical context for the witchcraft/pagan literature and media that you encounter.

Keep honing that bullshit detector and best of luck!

[honeyandhestia]

Sharing a cup of tea with Hestia today and pouring an extra cup for anyone who needs it. Take a moment and share in the warmth, no matter where you are or when you see this 🧡

[stormbornwitch]

After many requests, I’ve made a rebloggable version of my ‘Weather Magic’ page. Here you will find heaps of resources to help you with weather/storm craft. If you’ve read some of my previous posts about weather magic you will notice some similarities - that is because this is a collection of every weather witching post that I’ve ever posted compiled into handy resources post.

Weather Magic

The term “weather magic” or “weather witching” has been used to mean anything from divination and forecasting of weather to actual control and manipulation of the weather itself. From calling up treacherous storms to destroy another’s crops or providing fair winds for those at sea, witches (and even those who do not consider themselves to be such) have always been involved with weather magic. When you consider that most forms of magic are based around an agricultural past, the ability to affect and predict the weather was considered an invaluable skill. After all, if your family’s livelihood depended on the success of your crops (or the ability to find water as it did in my family’s case), weather magic would be an extremely handy thing to know.

Why the url Storm Born Witch?

I am quite fortunate, as the gift for weather related magic comes easily to my family. For generations, the men in my family have been dowsers or water diviners. However, it wasn’t until after I displayed an aptitude to weather related magic that I was told about my family’s history with it. My grandfather was the last water diviner in the family and he died when I was very young so I was never taught how to divine for water. My grandmother was the one to teach me what little she knew about weather magic - the rest either occurred naturally or I picked up along the way.

Calling Up A Wind - Whistling Up A Wind

This is the most common form of weather magic and has been practiced for hundreds of years. Depending on the pitch and tone of the whistle a witch can create a gentle breeze or a sharp gust of wind. Traditionally, if the skill of whistling up a wind does not come naturally to you the option of making a ‘wind whistle’ out of willow or alder wood is available.

Here in Australia, whistling up a wind is probably the most common form of magic I do. I honestly do not go a day without whistling up a cool breeze. It’s bloody hot here and sometimes a cool breeze is just what you need.

Resources for Calling Winds:

How to Whistle Up a Wind by stormbornwitch​

Other Methods of Calling Up a Wind by stormbornwitch​

Traditional Sailor’s Wind Knots (Untie the Wind) by ioqayin​

Storm Casting

Storm casting is the art of creating storms. There are many different methods to creating storms and bringing rain. The method used by my family is to fill a jug with water and while sitting outside (or facing a window) pour the water into a basin or bowl. Dip the tip of your pointer finger into the water and slowly make five clockwise circles in the water (if you have a pendant necklace this can be used instead - just above the water in the bowl). As you are making the circles call the wind to bring in a storm by blowing (or whistling a continuous low note - the sound of wind over the mouth of a glass bottle) over the water in the basin.

Resources for Storm Casting

My Method of Calling Storms by stormbornwitch​

Traditional Methods of Calling Storms by stormbornwitch​

Ways to Stop a Storm (Dispersing, Binding & Preventing)

There are multiple ways to stop a storm. The most common are dispersing or binding storms. However there are also ways to prevent storms from coming by directing them away from where you are. This is great if you’re holding an event outside and you need good weather.

Dispersing

This method involves spreading the storm out over a large area thereby minimising its effects. You can disperse a storm by calling winds to blow it away (or in a certain direction) or if you favour using weather maps you can draw the low pressure system moving away and gradually dissipating.

Binding (Storm Catching)

This method is also called ‘storm catching’ and involves catching a storm and binding it within an object (usually a bottle or knots) so it can be released gradually at a later date by pulling out the cork or undoing the braid/knots.

Resources for Binding Storms

How to bind a storm in your hair by stormbornwitch​

How to bind the wind in rope by ioqayin​

Storm catching or “reeling in a storm” is even more difficult than storm casting so it’s always wise to think before you cast. Too much energy put into a storm and it will go on for weeks (and cause some flooding - basement incident) or it will be extremely violent and knock down power lines and tree branches. Too little energy and all you will get is a 5 minute shower of rain.

Other ways to stop a storm (Cutting a Storm) by witchuptheroad​

Preventing a Storm (Weather Maps)

However, if you wish to prevent a storm from forming, you’re going to have to pull out the weather maps. To make a weather map all you need to do is to print out a map of your local area or the area you’re trying to keep a storm away from.

Just use google maps and don’t make the area too big or you might seriously strain yourself magically. Then laminate the map - now you have your own ‘whiteboard’ to draw weather symbols on to generate certain types of localised weather.

To practice this kind of magic you really do need to know how weather systems work and how they’re likely to move; knowing a little bit about meteorology goes a long way.

Once you’re ready, find out what the weather is predicted to be and draw it on your map. Now draw the high/low pressure systems moving so that the area you’re trying to protect doesn’t get rain. This method can also be used to bring rain to a certain area.

List of Resources for Storm/Weather Witches

What is a Storm/Weather Witch by rainy-day-witchcraft – This post details what it means to be a witch that uses weather magic / storm craft in their practice; a good definition.

Tips for Starting Storm Craft by stormsorceress – This post gives some really great tips for those interested in starting storm craft; a really good beginner post.

The trouble with weather magic by skychild1989 – This post outlines some of the things you should think about before performing weather magic (i.e. think about the possible consequences of your actions and evaluate you capabilities before messing with things you don’t know that much about). This is a really good reminder.

The Difference between Storm Water and Rain Water by stormbornwitch – This post highlights the symbolic differences between storm water and rain water and also discusses the properties the water can take on when it is collected at certain times of the year (i.e. particular lunar phases/holidays/sabbats/esbats/solstices etc).

Storm Water by stormsorceress – This post is great and outlines the associations and uses of storm water in witchcraft.

Rain Water by stormsorceress – This post outlines the different types of rain water, their associations and uses in witchcraft.

Storm Water by fumbletongue – This post highlights and gives ideas for the many uses storm water can have in one’s craft; from protection to cursing.

Combining Knot Craft & Storm Craft by stormsorceress – This post gives some really great ideas for combining storm craft with knot craft.

How to Draw Energy from Storms by stormbornwitch – This post outlines how to draw energy from storms and how to direct it.

Storm Witch’s Power Bath by brynja-storm – This post gives the ingredients of a power bath which is designed to give you the energy of a storm; great for when you’re in need of a recharge or before you perform a big spell.

The Storm Witch’s Hurricane Curse by brynja-storm – This curse traps its target in an eternal storm with all the gale force winds, rain, lightning and debris associated with a hurricane.

The Tools of a Storm/Weather Witch by stormsorceress – This post outlines the tools of storm/weather witches in different regions (i.e. near the ocean, in a desert, forest, mountain ect).

Tips for Refining Weather Manipulation by stormbornwitch – This post gives some tips for witches who want to get better at weather magic and manipulating the weather.

A Light in the Storm by stormsorceress – This spell is meant to be used to aid in the healing of seasonal depression. Other uses of this spell include aiding in the healing of sadness, grief, and anxiety as well as providing a ‘guiding light’ to people you wish to protect while travelling.

And as always my ‘weather witching’ tag will have links to every single post that I’ve posted which has anything to do with weather magic.

- Marci

[kennedyfassauer-blog]

This lady is amazing :3

[stormbornwitch]

Wow, thank you :D Oh and I might as well add these

The Importance of Understanding Your Environment by stormbornwitch – This post talks about why it is so important that people who practice weather magic have a deep understanding of meteorology and of the effects that weather magic can have.

Cloud Symbols by hestianworld – This post outlines the many cloud symbols used within meteorology and gives ideas as to how they can be applied in weather magic (i.e. sigils and weather maps)

- Marci

[stormbornwitch]

"Modern folk witches don't strictly adhere to the eight-spoked 'wheel of the year' used by other neopagans. We prefer to watch our local landscapes and identify days that correspond to the shifting of the seasons where we live. The wheel of the year is a modern invention, and no pagan societies can be said to have observed all of these dates. It's best to look to the lore for specific rituals for seasonal celebrations. Witches who live in Australia or Iceland may prefer different dates for their seasonal rites. What's important is that the days be governed by the tides of nature, not the shackles of convention."

- Roger J Horne's Folk Witchcraft: A Guide to Lore, Land, & the Familiar Spirit for the Solitary Practitioner

I appreciate this perspective as here in Australia, our seasons are just not the same. I'm up in Queensland, and I would say that our seasons are nowhere near as distinct as the classic spring, summer, autumn, and winter that you get in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm currently working on making a seasonal calendar by conferring with Gubbi Gubbi elders about traditional song lines that dictate the changing seasons. Here is a seasonal calendar that the The Wakka Wakka, Jarowair and Barrumgum tribes follow who are the traditional owners of the Bunya Mountains.

Many witches follow an inverted wheel of the year to 'match our seasons' but neither the traditions nor the actual seasons match and it just feels wrong... like sure the solstices (longest and shortest days of the year) can be celebrated but... our celebrations should match up with our regional seasons.

[breelandwalker]

"What's important is that the days be governed by the tides of nature, not the shackles of convention."

THIS! This is precisely why I have little seasonal markers apart from marking the solstices and equinoxes. The Wheel and the seasons don't always line up, and it's rather silly to expect everyone everywhere to adhere to a system that was created for...well, basically the weather in England.

This is why we need systems that exist outside the Wheel and why we need to learn about and connect with our own local biomes and seasonal schedules, rather than trying to squeeze things into one single model that hasn't even existed for a full century.

[stormbornwitch]

GRIMTALK - Week 8

GRIMTALK is a weekly snapshot of my personal Grimoire as it progresses each week and this week on GRIMTALK is Healing Poppets.

A poppet is a physical representation of a person and is used in both baneful and beneficial witchcraft. Historically, poppets have been made out of roots carved into the shape of a human, grain or corn shafts, paper, wax, potatoes, clay, branches, and cloth figures stuffed with herbs.

Poppets also usually contain a taglock from the person they are to represent such as hair, finger/toenail clippings, blood, spit, tears, sweat, mucus, semen or urine. This taglock ensures that the poppet will only work on the person they represent.

Healing poppets are especially useful because you can target them towards a person’s specific needs. Cloth poppets are perfect for assisting with healing because they can easily be placed under the pillow or mattress of someone who is sick or injured.

Cloth poppets are quite easy to make. Simply, draw a humanoid figure on a piece of paper. Cut out the figure and transfer the outline to a folded-over piece of cloth. Cut the cloth around the paper outline so that you have two humanoid cloth shapes.

Now you can sew, draw or paint sigils, words or symbols onto the poppet to assist with healing. You can also sew on a little heart, yarn hair and button eyes if you wish.

Pin the two sides together and begin to stitch them around the edges. When three quarters of the poppet is stitched, fill it with the appropriate herbs and a taglock. Then finish sewing up the poppet and place it under the pillow or mattress of your target.

*(Note: Around the world, serpents have been to symbolise life, death and rebirth for thousands of years. Because snakes can heal as well as hurt – add shed snake skin to the poppet to speed the healing process.)

To see any of the previous weekly photos, check out the GRIMTALK page!

[stormbornwitch]

@archaeojoyful

The best way to dispose of a poppet really depends on how it was used.

If I have used a poppet for healing, I normally remove any taglocks from the poppet and then burn it to symbolically “burn away/kill the sickness which was drawn into the poppet”. I know that I’m going to burn it when I first make it so I make it with materials which are not toxic or release harmful fumes when burnt.

You can also bury them, chop them up, disassemble them, throw them in the attic or a shoe box to be forgotten… it really depends on how you used the poppet in the first place because your disposal of the poppet should be equally as symbolic.

[recreationalwitchcraft]

So You Think You’ve been Cursed

You probably haven’t. Honestly. Being cursed requires a lot, most notably someone to curse you (there’s just not that many magical practitioners in the world, fewer even that curse, least of whom care about cursing you). But you’re probably in someone’s inbox insisting that you’ve definitely been curse, so lets begin this journey. 

Before you do anything check if you’ve actually been cursed. I recommend these links. If you still think you’re cursed, keep reading. 

Now start by cleansing yourself. You’ll be little use magically if you have a curse bogging down your body and mind. I find that spells which physically cleanse the body work the best.

Shower Disks for Cleansing and Purifying

Curse Removal Body Scrub

Purification and Protection Scrub 

Self-Cleansing through Ritual Bathing

Detoxifying Bath Spell 

Next cleanse others you think may have been cursed. People are often concerned that their whole family has been cursed. If Grandma’s down for a magical ritual bath that’s ideal, but often not the case. Here are some way to slip in cleansing magic under the radar. 

Key Lime Personal Cleansing Cupcakes

Basic Purification Potion

Magic Herbal Teas

Securi-Tea 

Plant this soap into your soap dish 

Continue with the cleansing theme and cleanse your physical space. Doing a smoke cleansing is typically the most effective, but these are suggestions if you are unable to go that route.

Anti-Curse Powder

Curseturner Powder

Hexbreaker Powder

Purifying Lemon Bay Salt

Cleansing Mist Recipes 

Liquid Sage Cleanser 

Now it time to switch over to protecting yourself. Don’t wipe your slate clean only to leave yourself open to another attack. Do one of these on a regular basis to keep your bases covered.

Shower Disks for Protection

LUSH Protection Bath

Simple Protective Cleansing Bath

Armor of Love Protection Bath

Protection Tea 

Finally protect your space, and this can incapsulate the people in it. Along the same line as protecting yourself, make sure to maintain these on a regular basis.

Home Protection Sachet

Protection Powder

Protection Amulet for a Loved One

Folk Charms for Home Protection

Magically Protecting Your Home

Witch Bottle

Bonus: If you’re not really the “forgive and forget” kind of person (and you know decisively who cursed you) we have a post to help you get your revenge. 

Note: This post is geared towards beginner witches or those otherwise not magically inclined. If there’s truly been an extensive curse put on you, try these suggestions and if their effect is minimal then go seek out a magical practitioner in your area that can help you further. 

[mollybeenoel]

Source: poeticalphotos

[hagoftheholler]

Something I feel like people getting into folk magic need to understand, for many people of many backgrounds, is folk magic started as a means of survival. It was struggle magic, and it is still struggle magic.

Where I'm living now and where I'm from, people planted by the signs to ensure their crops wouldn't go bad before harvesting. People used ocean water to soothe joint and muscle pains when they got old. People studied the native plants for medicine and were mindful to only take what was needed. People did little rituals and minded their grannies' words to keep their good luck. If they didn't know how to do something (or couldn't), they went to people who did.

Learning folk magic to reconnect with ancestral traditions from before your time is valid. Learning folk magic to connect with and work with the land is valid. There are many valid reasons to take up folk magic. Still, understand that folk magic is survival, and folk magic is community.