Seb @poseidons-seabass - Tumblr Blog

Witches in History - Podcast Recs

If you prefer your history lessons in podcast form, here’s a list of audio treats about witches, witch trials, and witch panics, from antiquity to the modern day. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!

I will update this list as I find new examples. Feel free to add your own!

(Last Updated August 27, 2024 - Full post under Read More)

For more witchcraft and occult-related podcast recs, check out my other masterpost, Debunking and Fact-Checking for Witches & Witchcraft Spaces.

Witches & Witch Trials in History

Hex Positive

Ep. 3 - Hex Positive June 1, 2020 Bree delves into what it means to be Hex Positive, as well as discussing and dismantling some of the confusion surrounding the use of hexes and curses. Just what IS the Threefold Law, anyway? The answer may surprise you.

Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope. This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!

Ep. 20 - Witchcraft and the Law September 1, 2021 A discussion of the history of witchcraft-related laws and how changing views on magic, religion, and superstition first denied the existence of witches, then panicked over their alleged activities, and finally settled into something resembling common sense. This is a long slog, encompassing over 3000 years of history from a broomstick-height view, and I get off on a few tangents where history crosses paths with modern issues. But if you’re a history buff, you’re gonna love this episode!

Ep. 21 - Witchcraft and Modern Law September 21, 2021 A follow-up to Ep. 20, this time dealing with modern legal codes that may affect our practices even if they don’t deal with witchcraft directly. There is also some discussion of 20th-century events missed in the previous episode, as well as a brief overview of witch hunts still occurring in some parts of the world today.

Ep. 22 - Bree and Lozzie vs the Witch Hunters October 1, 2021 Bree NicGarran and guest host Lozzie Stardust run down the history and many misdeeds of notorious witch hunters Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne.

Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.

Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Bree puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first – the bunny or the egg?

Ep. 036 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921…which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement. Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins me in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray’s various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.

BS-Free Witchcraft

Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)

Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.

Ep. 33: The Wheel of the Year March 27, 2021 After two fairly depressing episodes, it’s time to move on to something a little less bleak. This time around we’re talking about the Wheel of the Year! Well, at least the basic idea. Where did it come from, who slapped these eight holidays together, and are they really something every witch needs to give a crap about? (Minor spoiler, the answer to that last question is a firm “no.”)

Ep. 39. - Mabon and Aidan Kelly Sept. 25, 2021 In the last few years there has been some minor push back against using the name “Mabon” for the Autumnal Equinox. In this episode we’re going to talk about how Mabon got its name, who came up with the name, and why exactly a small group of British Traditional Wiccans are so mad about it. (Spoiler: it’s because a bunch of Gardnerian Wiccans are mad at Aidan Kelly.)

Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 As long as I can remember, people have been debating whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in new age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. Like I’ve run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and I’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – I don’t think you should.

Ep. 53 - Modern Witchcraft History Nov. 26, 2022 This episode of BS-Free Witchcraft is actually a panel from CritWitchCon 2022 this last October. Spend an hour with Alex Wrekk, Bree NicGarran, Lozzie Stardust, and Trae Dorn as they talk about the history of modern witchcraft. Also you get to list to Trae speed run like 130 years of history in under five minutes. [It was epic.]

Ep. 54 - A Conversation with Aidan Kelly Dec. 31, 2022 Trae sits down with Aidan Kelly (yes THE Aidan Kelly) to discuss the September 2021 episode listed above and set the record straight about Kelly’s new Wheel of the Year.

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thatdruidgal

Favorite Recipes

Witchcraft Recipe Book Masterpost

Here are all of my favorite witchy recipes compiled from all corners of Tumblr 🤗

thecupidwitch

Herb's Properties

Basil: money, luck, prosperity, happiness

Bay Leaf: energy, cleansing, can be charged with almost any intention

Camomile: Caring, kindness, luck, growth, self-love growth, confidence, avoiding negativity, happiness

Cinnamon: passion, quick success, fire magick

Chia seeds: Growth, health, kindness, Property

Chilli flakes: Pride, confidence, power, strength, Passion

Cumin: Courage, bravery, protection, loyalty

Dandelion: wishes, charisma, success, good luck

Dill: sexual love, luck, protection

Eucalyptus: cleansing, healing, purifying, relaxing, comfort

Fennel: hate, anger

Flax seeds: Prosperity, growth, new beginnings

Ginger: fiery passion, success, and personal power

Jasmine: love, dreams, sensuality, luxury and kindness

Lavender: love and attraction, purification, relaxation, restful sleep

Nutmeg: luck, Health, Fidelity, Love, Prosperity, comfort, loyalty

Oregano: comfort, love, warmth

Paprika: Pride, confidence, power, strength

Parsley: Cleansing. purification

Peppermint: healing, purification, love and energy, cleansing, prosperity

Poppy seeds: protection, intuition, self-assurance, hexing and cursing

Rose: love, beauty, harmony, romance, attraction

Rosemary: cleansing, purification, wisdom, protection

Sesame seeds: Prosperity, growth, health, nurturing

Spearmint: love, cleansing, renewal, blessing

Sunflower seeds: happiness, growth, joy

Thyme: beauty, strength, courage

Turmeric: confidence, creativity, energy

Vanilla: love and sexuality

tip jar

thecupidwitch

Different types of water and their magickal uses:

Sea water: good for curse/hex breaking, cleansing, healing, banishing and protection spells.

Dew water: beauty, love and fertility spells, as well as delicate magick. Also Good for Fae work.

Storm water: is great for spells and rituals that has to do with emotional strength, confidence, charge, motivation and force. It’s known for strengthening spells. Also good for curses.

Snow water: Spells and rituals that focus on purity, endings and change, as well as slow working spells.

River water: Good for creating changes, moving on and letting go of negativity, warding and focusing energy.

Rain water: Very multi-purpose, but specifically great for growth and rebirth spells. Great for spells that you want to keep gaining power over time.

Spring water: Growth, holy water, cleansing, protection, prosperity

Moon water: Depending on the moon phase it was created in, it can have different properties.

Sun Water: protection, healing, clairvoyance, courage, strength, prosperity, luck, self-love, cleansing and creativity.

Swamp Water: Used for banishing and binding.

tip-jar

mint-in-the-moonlight

getting back into your practice after a break

Life is life and sometimes you take a break from or lose touch with your practice for a time. Once that moment passes and you want to get back into it, it can feel different from was before and can be really daunting. So, what to do you to get back into the swing of things? These are just a few of my ideas and tips that I personally use as an ADHDer who constantly swings ona spectrum between hyperfixation and total apathy.

Step 1 - Cleaning up

Usually when I grow distant from my practice I just kind of drop and leave things as they are and don't touch them for a while. That means that the first thing that I do is clean all of that up to pick up where I left off. In this step you can do things like:

Clean up your altar(s)

Cleanse your space

Refresh/reapply protections

Get new supplies

Step 2 - Clarifying intentions

In this step, I like to clarify why I'm getting back into my practice. I like to look at the issues that I'm facing and how my practice can help me overcome them and in what ways. Sometimes I also like to plan what I want to research in the future so I know what to go for once I get to that point. In this step, you can:

Write a list of issues in your life that you can tackle through your practice

Write a list of research topics you're interested in

Write a list of things you want to do such as spells and rituals

Check the date for any upcoming astrological events, moon phases or celebrations

Step 3 - Do it!

In this step, I look at the lists written in step 2 and figure out what to do. Sometimes I get stuck here so I would suggest doing whatever seems the simplest or what you're most excited to do. This helps you stay motivated and stops you from getting overwhelmed with complicated and intricate spells and rituals. Once you've done the first thing, it's easier to keep going and you're no longer as intimidated.

The list in step 2 can also help you with further research topics and stuff to focus on, so if you struggle with keeping up with your practice in general, I would suggest keeping that one up to date and using it regularly.

Good luck! I believe in you!

geopsych

Here’s a video so you can hear the water and the thrushes. I took it for you because you couldn’t be there. <3

geopsych

In case anyone could use this right now.

rosslynpaladin

I've said it before but thank you so much for this, OP. Since I became physically disabled I can't hike to anywhere a wheelchair cannot roll and I miss this. Thank you for letting me see it again.

thatdruidgal

How to organize your grimoire [upg]

Putting Together Your Grimoire/Book of Shadows

Over my time putting together my grimoire, I’ve seen a lot of different people put together their lists of “everything you need in your grimoire”. While I don’t believe that everyone needs to write a world-renowned magical encyclopedia (see the linked post below by @queer-tech-seer), I do want everyone to have a good idea of where to put the information that they do put in their grimoire.

I'm rebuilding/reworking my own grimoire atm and, in poking around for inspiration here and there, I've seen a bit of a trend regarding inde

ad-caelestia

crystals for the signs

aries - bloodstone, carnelian, clear quartz, garnet, lavastone, moldavite, red jasper, ruby, sardonyx

taurus - amethyst, emerald, jade, lapis lazuli, malachite, pyrite, rhodonite, rose quartz, sapphire

gemini - blue lace agate, citrine, clear quartz, howlite, kyanite, orange calcite, serpentine, tiger's eye

cancer - angelite, celestite, labradorite, milky quartz, moonstone, pearl, selenite

leo - amber, carnelian, citrine, dumortierite, honey calcite, peridot, pyrite, ruby, sunstone, tiger's eye

virgo - amazonite, amethyst, citrine, clear quartz, fluorite, moss agate, peridot, rhodochrosite, unakite, yellow topaz

libra - aquamarine, green aventurine, lapis lazuli, opal, pink tourmaline, rose quartz, sapphire, sodalite

scorpio - black tourmaline, citrine, garnet, labradorite, obsidian, red jasper, smoky quartz

sagittarius - blue lace agate, blue topaz, chrysocolla, lapis lazuli, sunstone, turquoise

capricorn - amethyst, black tourmaline, clear quartz, garnet, hematite, obsidian, onyx, rainbow fluorite, smoky quartz, tiger's eye

aquarius - amethyst, amazonite, aquamarine, azurite, blue lace agate, fluorite, garnet, labradorite, sodalite

pisces - apatite, aquamarine, blue lace agate, celestite, fluorite, labradorite, moonstone, sugilite, turquoise

beautifulvalleywitch

Ultimate Grimoire or book of shadows checklist✨📓✒️🔮

Hey beautifuls,

I’ve compiled a checklist in booklet format of pretty much anything I could think of or find online that you could include in your Grimoire/book of shadows. Please note that this is a very very broad list and you do not need to include absolutely everything listed. Pick and choose what matches your craft!

also if you would like a non-watermarked PDF print version (digital file) I’m offering this for just $3 AUD. You can direct message me here on tumblr or on my Insta account “@beautifulvalleywitch”.

Otherwise enjoy this free version lovely’s 🥰🥰

*copyrighted, please do not share without credit or claim as your own*

green-witch-archives

Pages about color correspondences from my Grimoire.

themanicnami

A Witch’s Ingredients: Charcoal

Charcoal is what is left over after burning wood in a fire or other plant material that has been used in not only witchcraft but medicine and art for centuries. This ingredient is often a well forgotten or overlooked one, but it is truly an easy obtainable ingredient to harness for your craft.

The Basics

Elements: Charcoal is often related to 3 main elements- Fire, Earth and Air. Often it is related to earth due to the charcoal being created from wood, air due to the porous light nature and its relation to smoke and to fire due to fire being the energy that creates and transforms it. Though often most associate charcoal with fire.

Correspondences: Unity, Purification, Banishing, Cleansing, Protection, Warding, Concentration

Colors: Black, Gray, Ashen White

The History of Charcoal Use

In Witchcraft

In witchcraft charcoal was often used for ink making to write in grimoires by mixing the charcoal (or ash) with water and vinegar. Sticks of charcoal were used for drawing, inscribing and warding. Crushed charcoal would be mixed into salt to create black salt and casted about the home or property to absorb negative energies and ward against negative entities. Lining windows or doorways with charcoal dust was said to keep away illness and misfortune and cleanse those who entered the home.

In Medicine

Charcoal has been used in medicine for centuries, some of the latest uses dating to the times of Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt. In ancient times it was often used to prevent wounds from festering by pressing charcoal into the wound and wrapping it with clothe. Egyptians and Native Americans both have history of grinding up charcoal into dust to mix with water (or milk) to drink to cure a number of ailments including food poisoning, influenza, stomach cramping and other digestive issues.

Throughout Europe charcoal was used as a ‘cure all’ for numerous ailments including epilepsy, seizures, contraception and infection. Though charcoal definitely isn’t a cure all, it was popularly used to help settle upset stomachs, calm vomiting and aid in digestion. Later several doctors discovered the use of charcoal to counteract poisons by ingesting it with a poison, greatly nullifying the effects of the poison making them minimal in nature. During the 1800s was when activated charcoal became the main type of charcoal used for medical purposes.

Modern Uses of Charcoal

In Witchcraft

Modernly, charcoal is still used for many of the same things. Witches of all kinds use charcoal for sigil drawing and for circle casting and a sorted few still use charcoal to create ink and paint for their grimoires and spell writing.

Black Salt is still popularly made by witches by mixing salt with charcoal (1:1). Black salt is used to absorb negative energy, banish out negative entities and to ward against unwanted guests entering your home. Black salt is often used to line entry points of the home or the outlines of the property to ward and to cleanse a room or home spreading it about the home then sweeping or vacuuming it up after about an hour is the popular technique. Often charcoal is used in sachet spells to help boost their energy and prevent them from getting ‘dirtied’ by negative energy too quickly similar to adding salt to a spell sachet or even jar spells. It can also be placed or used in a spell to represent the element of fire or upon an altar for the same purpose.

In Cosmic Witchcraft it is common to use charcoal to align with the planet Saturn and sometimes Jupiter. Often it is used in spells related to justice, cleansing and ridding oneself of negativity. The blackness of charcoal can also be used to represent the blackness of the night sky itself or to represent black holes in negativity removal spells.

In Bath magick it is popular to use charcoal face masks, charcoal soap or charcoal bath salts to help cleanse oneself and remove negative energies tied to them. Glamor spells using charcoal often are for concealment and to vanish from the gaze of those who you wish not to see you such as protection at night or protection from judgement. In these cases charcoal is often added to sachets or small travel jar spells for invisibility or used for drawn sigils held on the person.

Artist’s charcoal can be used to replace standard charcoal in spells such as making black salt or for the purpose of sigil making. Though artist’s charcoal should never be used in cases of bath magick or to be ingested due to safety reasons. Grilling charcoal should never be used in place of natural charcoal due to it being often mixed with gasoline or other lighting fluids. It is not safe to get onto the skin and certainly not to ingest under any circumstances.

Medical Purposes

Charcoal is still used today for medical uses of calming stomachs and easing digestive issues though mostly activated charcoal is used now. One should not ingest wood charcoal straight from a fire! Especially not if lighter fluid or kerosine was used in the fire. If one wishes to use charcoal for medical use at home purchase it properly from a pharmacy. Charcoal is still used in hospitals for its properties of absorbing toxins ingested such as when a person has alcohol poisoning or believed to have ingested poisons, this again tends to be a mix of activated charcoal.

Health and Beauty

In skin care charcoal is used to replenish and cleanse the skin, often used for clearing out pores of bacteria, dirt and sweat to help fight and prevent blackheads and acne. It is often used in facial masks of varying kinds due to its properties of clearing out the skin, these types of masks include but are not limited to: charcoal peeling masks, charcoal mud masks, charcoal cotton masks, charcoal bubbling masks and more. This is also why charcoal soap is quite popular for those wishing to cleanse their skin. The charcoal used in these beauty masks is a type of activated charcoal though it is often mixed with several other ingredients to fight acne and blackheads.

stormbornwitch

" Magic works through the practitioner, not around him. This means that anything I call forth tends to pass through me on its way out into the world. Sending a curse, in my experience, is a little like spitting poison from your own mouth. It can be rinsed out... but it changes your spirit ever so slightly."

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

andiamjustsoul

Not a judgement just a thought I had quickly reading this very short quote from a book I’ve never read so I am very aware of how out of context this could be.

But whenever I see a sentiment like this, my brain immediately thinks - the person who wrote this is probably white and probably someone of privilege.

I was raised very Christian and knew after i finally escaped that I had so much work to undo all that I learned if I ever wanted to be completely free from ii. It was from there that started peeling the layers of Christianity but also of patriarchy, sexism, and capitalism. How Christianity paved the way for colonialism and white supremacy.

I’ve always been attracted to witchcraft, the occult and other religions so that’s where my spirituality has grown. I am grateful to have such a rich spiritual life again after escaping Christianity. (My craft is tied deeply to nature and daoism)

But whenever I see this idea that curses are like poison to the practitioner just makes me roll my eyes. Good magic versus bad magic. Magic is nature and nature is neutral. Witchcraft is the practice of those who are marginalized, especially in the West.

When those in power, those in privilege continue to exploit and manipulate the world to their favor at the expense of nature and people, should we not act? Use whatever tools we have available to us? Have you not cursed under your breath at those who continue to allow women to die because they could not get access to medical care they needed? To the trans kids who are denied healthcare and basic human rights? To the black kids who keep dying and being sent to prison? To any kid and teacher in any school? To every poor person, no matter how hard they try to get out of poverty?

So to all my dear witches, curses are not things to be feared. This idea to me feels strongly of a holdover of christian morality and a splash of racism. Curses are to be respected and understood and to be used wisely, like fire or a sharp knife.

Whenever someone makes a statement inferring something is an absolute evil sounds like someone who’s never had their existence challenged or their needs denied, have never felt the need to protect themselves. A life that is accepted in the status quo.

Someone who’s never felt the need to curse, to restore balance, to use all the tools given to them.

stormbornwitch

I 100% agree with you. Horne does appear to come from a place of privilege, but his book is personal gnosis mixed with insight from folkloric traditions.

After the first quote, he follows it by saying: "This can mean an amplification of the dark or sinister parts of your personality or the attraction of dark entities, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's good practice to be sure the curse is worth it, though, and personally, I don't make a habit of using them."

I can see his standpoint and agree that if you focus on vengeance and getting people back all the time, it can harm your psyche/mental health/spirit. So it's more about judging the appropriate time and place for it; sometimes, cursing is an appropriate response and is the only form of justice you are likely to get in an unjust system that favours the rich and privileged.

Does that make sense?

stormbornwitch

@warm-like-fire you can't just leave golden commentary like this in the tags!

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.

educationbybeauty

maybe if you bundled yourself up and went for a walk out in the cold then came back inside with rosy cheeks and cool skin and warmed yourself up with a nice warm cup of herbal tea with honey maybe then you'd calm down

servantofthefates

The Best and Worst Thing About 10 Divination Methods

TAROT

BEST: It has the richest vocabulary and emotional capacity to answer any and every question.

WORST: Years of studying it might prove entirely useless if your intuition is not naturally strong.

ASTROLOGY

BEST: It hands you a clear map of your destiny throughout your current, past and future lives.

WORST: Most available sources for it do not recognize its sanctity, rendering it useless for many.

RUNECASTING

BEST: It lets you confront yourself with the most difficult questions to help you thrive in life.

WORST: It cannot answer very specific queries, such as those about someone’s age and appearance.

SCRYING

BEST: It empowers you to see into the minds of deities, entities and mortals – dead and alive.

WORST: Unless your will is very strong, you will only ever see random, meaningless visions.

ONEIROMANCY

BEST: It not only shows you a glimpse of the past or the future. It actually takes you there.

WORST: It is impossible for most to differentiate between psychological and prophetic dreams.

PALMISTRY

BEST: It is like astrology and tarot combined. A map of your destiny told creatively.

WORST: Actual practice, not just generalized lessons and diagrams, is required to truly learn it.

TASSEOGRAPHY

BEST: It is a lot like scrying. It allows you to see and hear beyond what your eyes and ears can.

WORST: It makes it easy for you to fool yourself. As the saying goes, “We see what we want to see.”

PYROMANCY

BEST: As the earliest method of fortunetelling, it is among the most sacred forms of divination.

WORST: Since fire is involved, it can be very dangerous for yourself and your surroundings.

CHARMCASTING

BEST: It is the simplest and easiest form of divination. Anyone can throw and read random trinkets.

WORST: It is arguably so far removed from its true origins that it is closer to a game than to actual divination.

LENORMAND

BEST: It causes minimal to zero confusion, since it is the most straightforward method of divination.

WORST: It requires a logical state of mind, yet heavy emotions are inherent in most questions.

emeraldlotusdivination-deactiva

A simple 4 card tarot spread to help you get in the spirit of Samhain.

This Celtic holiday is one of the four major holidays. Samhain happens during the mid-way point between the Autumn and Winter Equinox. It is said that the veil to the spirit world is thin on the day of Samhain (October 31 to November 1)… so it is the perfect day to connect with spirit & ancestors.

Samhain was a time of harvesting summer crops and it is alleged that the Celtics may have spent the week leading up to October 31 indulging in their summer bounty (aka binge drinking and having huge feasts).

witches-ofcolor

Personal Narrative: Communing with spirits.

A while ago (let’s be real three days ago) I asked if you’d all be interested in a personal narrative detailing how I do spirit work! I decided to jot down my process, a bit vague in a few steps below. It started out as a narrative, but ended up also being a instruction manual.

That said, this is all based on MY experience, and what i’ve seen and encountered so, understand that if you choose to reference my method. And as usual, I encourage you all to do your own research in addition to this!

GIF description: The below GIF is of a small white animated ghost chasing a candy corn. The background is a dark purple.

Step one: When I begin I create my makeshift altar. I do not have an actual altar, rather its my table after I eat. I put my items on my table, two candles (white and another white one), a bowl, my wand, and my crystals. If it calls for it, I’ll put a bottle of moon water on my altar, as well as my tarot deck.

Step two: After that, the first thing I do is protect my space. There are various ways I do this. But with my wand I usually call for protection from the “four corners of the earth”, and ask certain spirits and deities to help me. I took it from the wiccan tradition of calling the quarters, and made the incantation my own and the spirits I called upon were ones i’ve worked with. There are also different ways to protect your space (if you want a detailed list let me know) if you don’t want to go through the trouble of casting a circle.

Step three: Since I’m communicating with spirits, I immediately center and ground myself. In my beginning incantation I’ve already invited them in, and given my “permission” for them to be in my space. Reminder, I’ve only allowed safe spirits to be around me and protect me. But now is the time I will call out to whoever I’m working with and whoever needs to partake in my spell.

I mainly work with three groups of spirits, and depending on my ritual, It can be one of those spirits, two of them, are all three.

(Be polite when you ask them to speak and work with you, PLEASE. There’s such a casualness i’ve seen spread around when talking to deities. And I get that where that’s coming from, partly. But your deities won’t always be your friends, and that’s not to discourage you or be condescending to you. But they’re your teachers. So please grant them and other spirits that respect).

Step four: I have grounded myself, centered myself, and have humbly and politely asked for the spirits I’m working with to speak and communicate with me. Now I am looking for a sign of communication. Not all communication will be clear, like someone is talking to you. But look out for certain smells, look out for sensations that weren’t there before, as well as things you hadn’t previously heard. Sometimes when they’re near you, there’s a tension in the air as if someone is sitting by you or in your same area. You may even hear bells, as this is said to be a sign of spirits near you.

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Seb