fall in love with yourself again

Onyx, they/he, black, queer, ND hoodoo, witchcraft and tarot a diary of my journey main: currents-c0nvuls1ve

[poetic-scenery]

How I Write Spells

This is my personal method for writing spells; this is not set in stone or the only way to do so. Take this advice with a grain of salt and do what works best for you.

What is a Spell?

A spell is a form of manifesting magick through focusing on your intention and performing an act or series of acts to represent that.

Why Would I Write My Own?

This comes down to personal preference and convenience. You will often find that you need a more specific spell tailored to your needs, and that writing your own holds more power and meaning.

Steps

1. Figure out the goal/purpose/intent.

Brainstorm- What do you want to happen? What fields of your life do you want to affect?

Condense- Cross out the repetitive/redundant points.

Revise- Ensure that the statement is clear and easy to read.

2. Determine what material components are needed (if any).

This can be any mixture of herbs, candles, stones, other objects; anything that assists in the symbolism of your working.

3. Decide if timing is important.

You may choose to do the spell during a specific moon phase, time of day, day of the week, etc.

4. Figure out the wording.

You could call on a spirit or deity, or just speak your intent aloud. Will an incantation be necessary? If so, write it out.

[manifestmoons]

Hello fellow witches, here are some magical water properties for your reference. More info on manifestmoons

[libbyframe]

Roses and snapdragon commish

[coinandcandle]

Broke Witch Tips - Magic on a Budget

As capitalism sets its sights on the witchcraft community, it’s easy to get caught up in all the stuff that companies try to sell you.

Alas, not all of us have the money to spend on expensive items. If we're being honest, you probably don't need such items to begin with.

For those that are curious, however, let's talk about how to do magic on a budget.

First things first, reframe what you think magic is.

Magic is not what you buy.

It’s not pricey crystals, expensive altar tools, and pretty bottles. As fun as those are, they aren't necessary to practice magic.

All you need to create magic is yourself, your intentions, and your actions.

Still, I said I would talk about how to do magic on a budget, so here are some tips that I have picked up along the way as a broke witch.

Broke Witch Tips

Upcycle what you already have into magical tools. Plenty of the stuff you already own can be used for magic. Make a simmer pot in that old cooking pot. Use the kitchen spices as your herbs in spells.

Thrift stores are great for finding cool bottles and boxes to put your herbs and other magical items in. Also great for spell bottles/jars!

You don’t need every herb under the sun, many of the most accessible (and cheapest) herbs have similar, if not the same, correspondences as the expensive ones.

Buy herbs from the grocery store or farmers market, if possible.

If you have a green thumb, grow the herbs yourself!

Tarot cards can be expensive, but you can use a deck of regular playing cards for cartomancy if needed! There are also options such as tarot apps and websites that allow you to use their digital tarot decks for free.

Make your own tarot or oracle deck if you're artistic and have the time/energy to do so!

You don’t need to have an expensive cast-iron cauldron, just find a fire safe bowl or container. For me, I use a handmade bowl that I got at a fair in my hometown! Works like a charm.

The dollar store is a great place to find inexpensive candles, usually they’re tea lights but you might get lucky and even find some chime candles.

If you're working with deities: plenty of them like hand-made items for offerings! So you don’t need to go out and break the bank just to buy an expensive statue.

This is not a post to shame the folks who own expensive things for witchcraft. I’m sure most of us would agree that if we had the money to go all out, we certainly would! This is just a post for those of us that can’t afford costly goods but would still like to have physical items when practicing magic.

Feel free to add your tips for practicing low-cost magic!

Have a lovely day <3

[whanderlost]

kevin hense

[sosuperawesome]

chel_faust on Instagram

[teawiththegods]

I decided to throw away the pressure to celebrate every New Moon and Full Moon. Honestly, I don’t even know why we as witches have that expectation. Why are we forcing ourselves to make use of the moon’s energy as if those phases aren’t going to repeat every month? Why not just use the energy when you need it and when you don’t just admire her beauty like we used to when we were kids??

[typicalabdullah]

i don't get how ppl can hate the rain ? like.....the ocean came all this way to give the world tiny kisses & u treat her like this ???

[lostinphases]

Tarot 101: Bonding with Your Deck(s)

A deck of tarot cards is a useful divination tool, but that doesn’t mean we have to be all stuff about it! Tools can have personality, and we can attach ourselves too them in meaningful ways. (Of course, you probably don’t have a special relationship with all of your tools magical or otherwise, but a tarot deck is a bit different from your microwave.) 

Once you’ve started to develop your tarot practice a bit, you will begin to find which routines work best for starting, building, and maintaining deck “relationships.” Until then, these methods can be a good jumping off point.

The Tried and True

These methods are ones you’ve probably seen floating around the internet or even heard mentioned by tarot-obsessed friends. That’s because they’re effective! But, don’t think that these are prescriptive. Since these are so basic, there is a lot of room to adapt them to what feels right for you. Use your intuition!

Sleeping with Your Deck Under Your Pillow

One of the reasons this is so popular is because it is a passive way to start working on that reader/deck relationship. Part of bonding with a tarot deck is getting your energy into the cards. Keeping them close to you for long periods of time, like when your asleep, is great for this.

Carrying Your Deck Around

Is there anything easier that putting something in your backpack or pocket? Like sleeping with your deck, keeping the cards on your person while you go about your day introduce the deck to your energy. The major difference here is that you are awake to take them out and interact with them.

Daily Readings

Your main goal is to get to a point where you and your deck have a nice back and forth and an easy reading relationship (unless your deck is a real spitfire, then things might be a bit more interesting), so doing light readings with a new deck is always useful. This gets your hands on the cards and, if you ask some simple questions, can give you a feel for how your deck likes to respond.

Deck Maintenance

I’ll talk more about deck maintenance in another post, but small tasks like cleansing and charging and otherwise maintaining your deck are a great way to strengthen your bond.

Shuffling

You might be thinking, “Hold on! I’m not ready to read yet!” Don’t worry. I’m not asking you to. One of my favorite methods of bonding with a deck (or even maintaining a bond with a deck I’ve had for a while) is shuffling. You don’t have to pull out and wild card tricks or high roller shuffling skills for this. Just passively shuffle the deck while you watch Netflix or read a book. This shuffling has no motive other than closeness. It’s like cuddling!

Deck “Interviews”

The name “Deck Interview” is a little misleading because by this point your deck already has the job, but that doesn’t mean you two don’t need to get to know each other. Using the questions below as a guide, shuffle and pull six cards from your deck. Read each card as the deck’s response to your question.

A general introduction

What are your strengths?

What are your limitations?

What can I learn from reading with you specifically?

What are some challenges of working with you?

Outcomes of this relationship

You can flip all of your cards, read, and be done with the interview if you’re trying to be quick, but I’ve had a lot of success flipping one card at a time and considering it as an expansive answer to the corresponding interview question. When I’m doing a deck interview, you’re likely to hear me say things like, “Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be?” or “Well, I look forward to seeing how that works out for us.” Have a conversation! You can even pull clarifying cards if you need to.

Fun Spreads

This was not something I did for bonding until I got my Mystic Monday deck. Not long after getting that deck, I sat down with a friend who had also recently gotten Mystic Monday, and we did “meme” spreads back and forth. My two favorites for this are “Expectation vs. Reality” (you provide the scenario and the deck responds) and “What ___ Thinks of You” (you know the old Facebook meme?) readings.

I’ve found that fun spreads and “meme” readings are similar to shuffling in that the typically don’t require a lot of energy while still getting you engaged with your deck. (They’re also good practice! See my “Practice Makes Perfect” post.) Plus, all of the joy and laughter that comes with these readings really sets a positive tone for your relationship.

Bonding with your deck is an ongoing process, and depending on how many of the above practices and exercises you do and how often, it can take time. You can sleep with your deck, but you really can’t bond with it over night. Don’t rush. You can still work with a deck as your bond strengthens (in fact, that will probably help). Just be patient and follow your intuition.

More Tarot 101: Welcome to Tarot / The Story of the Major Arcana / Card Keywords / Choosing a Deck /  Practice Makes Perfect / Bonding with Your Deck(s)  / An Introduction to Court Cards / Methods of Reading Court Cards / Using Personality Types to Understand Court Cards / Tarot Journaling

[lousydrawingsforgoodpeople]

[kolacheco]

Black folks looking for some books on spirituality,root work ,herbal medicine ,ancestor working and candle work here are some good book suggestions:

[coinandcandle]

Witches of Color, I have a favor to ask! :D

This blog is a digital grimoire for myself but it’s also a place where I hope to educate people about topics involving witchcraft.

However, I’m white so there are topics that I can’t educate people on nearly as well—if at all—as POC themselves.

One such topic has been brought up to me more recently and I’m sure many other people are curious about it: closed practices and closed religions.

I have touched base on this a little, mostly just advocating that you do research before practicing any religion, closed or not. I’ve steered clear of trying to explain it or go into too much detail about this topic since I can’t really give you a good explanation. All I can confidently offer is “Hey you! Do your research!”

But research can be hard when you don’t know where to start. So I’m asking for POC witches to please send some links and resources my way so that I can make a list of them for a post.

The resources would need to be either written or verified by witches of color.

I’ll be doing research for resources on my own of course (aka looking for POC written resources) but it’s honestly best to get information straight from people who live it.

Thank you so much for your understanding and for your help!!

[crazycatsiren]

Here are some posts I have personally written:

Advice to witches and Pagans who wish to be allies Regarding white witches working with non Western deities “What is/is not cultural appropriation” “When it comes to what is ‘closed’, what is 'open’, and why” “How you can 'help’ when it comes to cultural appropriation” Karma, what exactly is it? The “Third Eye” - It’s not what you might think it is

Some good posts I have saved in my grimoire pages:

Accidental Appropriation Everything You Want To Know About Lilith Making Magic More Inclusive Racism, Spirituality, and Witchblr Depth and Cultural Appropriation in Witchcraft Chakras What you mean to say: Karma Edition Racist Stereotypes About Magic “Witchcraft” and “Pagan” Aren’t Accurate Terms to Apply to Asian Traditions Cultural Appropriation in the Wiccan Wheel of the Year

[poetic-scenery]

Small Dollar Tree Haul!

Here’s what I got and what I intend to use them for:

20 white tea light candles for quick workings

White prayer candle to put by the door to cleanse energies that enter my room

Red prayer candle for health- and OSFED recovery-related workings

Storage containers for small jar spells

White pillar candle for altar

Vanilla jar candle for comfort and self love

Cherry blossom room spray for new beginnings and renewal

Everything totaled up to be $12.38 USD!

[servantofthefates]

Reasons You Draw the “Wrong” Tarot Cards

Some people claim they get the wrong tarot cards. That never actually happens to anyone. The real culprit is one or two of these.

1) You have a limited grasp of the cards in question.

No card in tarot has one meaning alone. Almost each time, a card will have a different message depending on your question and where it falls in the spread. The Seven of Swords could warn you of a thief. Or it could simply mean someone wants to sweep you off your feet. I would suggest further enriching your arsenal of meanings.

2) You put reversed cards upright.

Tarot is simply best read with reversals. The Devil upright speaks of addiction. Reversed, it means overcoming said addiction. How could one possibly ignore such a major contradiction? I would suggest learning to read reversed cards if you wish to truly strengthen your interpretations.

3) You do not fully understand your chosen spread.

A card’s meaning changes based on where it landed in a spread. So make sure that before you draw your cards, you understand every single position clearly. It does not mean you need to memorize a spread before you use it. But have a clear understanding of how every card in it should connect.

4) You are being dishonest with yourself.

It happens more often than one would expect. A reader cannot accept a harsh message. So instead, he or she chooses to believe the reading is simply not resonating. Because of this very reason, some tarotists refuse to read for themselves. An extreme solution, I believe. One can always learn to be more honest with oneself.

5) You were not focused when you asked the question.

When your energy is too weak or too scattered, your cards are unable to connect with you. The result is what is called a mute reading. The cards are simply not speaking. In such cases, you really are just playing with cardboard paper. The occult is not present. Thankfully, there are ways to bolster your bond with your deck. Here is one way to begin.

[poetic-scenery]

Crystal Work 101

Note: This is the information I have in my spiritual journal/ grimoire that I plan to pass on. This is not an all-inclusive list. I simply put the information that is useful to me.

How They Work

There are many theories as to how crystals work. Here are a few:

They absorb negative energy and release positive energy

They are a comfort item

They are a physical manifestation of our intentions, serving as a reminder

How to Use Crystals

Hold during meditation

Carry in your pocket throughout the day

Wear as jewelry

Place them in a room/ decorate with them

Create a crystal grid

Place them on top of a written intention or list of goals

Physical Maintenance

Certain crystals are sensitive to direct sunlight, water, salt, and more. Always research your crystals before choosing a cleansing method so you don’t accidentally damage them.

Energy Maintenance

Cleansing clears the crystal of all unwanted or negative energies. It can be done weekly, monthly, or at whatever time you feel that the crystal’s energy is off. You may need to cleanse sooner if you used the crystal for an important task.

Some Ways to Cleanse:

Smoke (ex: incense or herb bundles)

Soil or salt

Sunlight or moonlight

Clear quartz or selenite/satin spar

Visualization/meditation

Blowing air on them

Charging amplifies the crystal’s natural energy. It is usually done during or after cleansing. However, sometimes a crystal’s natural energy is enough.

Some Ways to Charge:

Sunlight or moonlight

Clear quartz or selenite/satin spar

Visualization/meditation

[windvexer]

Ways to Sort Spells: Application of Power

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

This series kicked off with two categories of spellwork - one-shot and continuous magic. That post divided magic into two categories based on their permanency. This post is going to attempt to describe a variety of ways to apply your magical force :)

This post is a part of a series on practical spellwork and is only meant to try and describe the specific type of practical magic promoted in this series.

Spells work bad if you're applying force in the wrong direction

A conjuration of wealth is not the same thing as banishment of poverty.

A banishment of enemies is not the same thing as a warding spell.

Warding against illness isn’t the same thing as pacifying spirits who might be causing illness.

Pacifying spirits isn’t the same thing as cleansing their old energies away.

Cleansing unwanted energies isn’t the same thing as banishing what causes those energies.

And petitioning Divinity isn’t the same thing as a mortal crafting and casting spells on their own.

If you haven't been successful in practical magic, that doesn't mean you lack power - it could just be that you're applying your power in ineffective ways.

How do you know what kind of force to apply?

Think about what the real problem is (is the real problem not getting enough money, or spending it too fast? Etc.)

Divine on it for extra insight

Choose something and get started

Setting off a firework inside your house is a generally unenjoyable event.

Spells are a positive-pressure front, even spells which seek to banish or cleanse. They are going to increase magical pressure, and if they can’t find an outlet, weird stuff might start to happen as the pressure overflows and vents off wherever it can.

It is wise to not cast too many spells on one issue at a time. However, not all works of magic involve raising energy directly towards a target.

Petitioning Divinity is a magical act which is not the same as casting a spell. You don’t have to be religious – secular terms include petitioning your Higher Self or the Universe. Petitions aren’t the same thing as worship or devotion. You're just expressing your needs and asking for empowerment and that the way to accomplishing your goal be made clear - on intellectual, intuitive, and metaphysical levels.

Pacifying and paying spirits are other acts of magic which do not create pressure towards your actual goal. You don’t have to have spirit “enemies” or malefic spirits around before you benefit from taking this step. This is conceptually the same thing as inviting the neighborhood over for a BBQ and asking them if they’d all mind parking off the street next Tuesday because you’ve arranged for a guy to come in and re-pave the street. (And if necessary, baking Tony’s favorite pineapple cake because he’s still pissed from when you accidentally knocked over his garbage cans last spring.)

Here are some great combo moves:

No, not all of these actions are required for every little spell you need to sling. Once again, these steps are not for people who are already effectively manifesting spells! I’m not telling you to quit what’s already working for you! I’m trying to give ideas to people who are still struggling!

Begin tackling a situation with petitions to the divine and enlisting the goodwill of spirits through general offerings. (General offerings are going to stack up and work well for you in the long run. Spirits like when you give more than you take).

Cast a conjuring/bringing spell concurrently with banishing/pushing spell – this works really, really well.

Include way-clearing or unblocking spells to untangle the complex, even knotted, strands of a situation. If your earlier spells have not manifested, this may suddenly cause them to start working.

Store all spell remnants on your spellcasting altar and continuously empower them through energetic offerings. (1, 2)

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

[jennyjoanxo-deactivated20161124]

ocean ask

pearl: if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

sails: describe your perfect partner.

lighthouse: how much makeup do you wear?

shells: would you prefer to be a vampire or a werewolf?

mermaid: most embarrassing moment?

turquoise: weirdest dream you’ve ever had?

waves: favourite season and why?

breakers: would you ever consider getting married?

seafoam: describe your ideal summer vacation.

rain: if it were possible, what exotic animal would you keep as a pet?

sunlight: least favourite song?

marine: would you ever consider plastic surgery?

sea glass: what do you consider to be your best physical feature?

storm: do you like piercings and tattoos? Why or why not?

boardwalk: who is your favourite fictional couple?

coral: if you had to describe your personality as a food, what would you be and why?

nymph: old-fashioned or modern decor? 

seawater: scariest movie you’ve ever watched?

siren: in a fantasy setting, would you be a warrior, rogue or mage?

tempest: your favourite Pokemon?

tropic: what is your least favourite thing about your appearance?

aquamarine: describe your dream date.

brine: gold or silver?

tidal: what is a colour that best describes your personality?

azure: what is something that you do that makes you happy?

fog: describe where you think you’ll be in five years.

coastline: what is your favourite flower?

shallows: what is your typical Starbucks order?

voyage: what are your favourite names?

shipwreck: do you have an OC? If so, describe them.

cerulean: do you believe in true love?

shoreline: if you could become fluent in another language, which would you pick and why?

tsunami: describe a dream outfit of yours.

riptide: are you introverted or extroverted? Are you happy with this?

hurricane: describe a strange habit of yours.