Gene Witch

I am still in high school for one more year. I am a Wiccan and often fallow Norse Mythology. I am new to the world of Wicca, I do individual magic.  I live in Oregon, USA. I love tea, books, baths and the smell of rain. 

[heatherwitch]

Mentally ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

It’s really common to find witchy mental illness/health related content that is catered towards specific illnesses (usually anxiety and depression). This is more catered to specific symptoms. This does NOT replace medication!

Anger:

Amethyst anger release spell

Easy anger release spell

A quick way to cool anger

Anger dispersion magic tea

Anger reducing bath

Bath spell to release anger

“I channel my anger in a healthy, safe and productive manner” sigil

“My anger is under control” sigil

This masterpost

Anxiety:

Anti-anxiety shower spell

Soothing bath spell

Rainy day anxiety spell

I will be okay spell

Anti-anxiety spell jar

Anti-anxiety spell charm

Anti-anxiety tea

Brain Fog + Memory:

ADHD concentration spell bottle

Brainfog lifting

“Brainfog begone” sigil

Rosemary memory spell

Finding things/ memory spell

Memory and concentration spell

Memory enhancement sachet

Memory and awareness spell bottle 

Depression:

Post-depressive-episode bath spell

Ease my depression spell bottle

“Last hope” spell for depression

Anti-depression tea

Gems for depression

Disassociation: 

Spell for disassociation 

Witch’s disassociation bracelet 

“Anti-disassociation” sigil

“I am grounded and in control of my emotions + reactions” sigil

Fatigue:

Spell for energy

Energy gain spell

Energy jar

Energy bath

Crystals for fatigue

“No fatigue” sigil

“Energy” sigil

“I am energetic” sigil

“I have the energy to take a shower” sigil

Flashbacks/trauma

Spell to release emotional blockage

Piece by piece trauma healing spell

Healing from childhood trauma spell bottle

Spell bottle for reassurance 

“My trauma does not hold me back” sigil

Insomnia + nightmares:

Restful sleep and sweet dreams sachet

Sleep crystal spell

Stuffed animal sleep spell

Sleep easy spell sachet

Sleepy witch tip

Nightmare ward charm

Nightmare repellent

Nightmare prevention - crystals and herbs

Dream witch nightmare tips

Intrusive thoughts:

OCD assistance bath

Spell to ward against intrusive thoughts

Spell to control intrusive thoughts

Banish intrusive thoughts incantation

Banishing unwanted thoughts spell

Intrusive thought banishing spell

“I am in control of my OCD” sigil 

Panic attacks:

Panic attack relief pouch

Anti-panic attack spell earrings

Rose Quartz calming spell

“Ease my panic attacks” sigil

“I have less panic attacks” sigil

Paranoia:

Crystals for paranoia

“My paranoia does not control me” sigil

“I don’t let paranoid thoughts overcome me” sigil

“My paranoia does not affect me” sigil

Picking (hair, skin, etc.):

Ease skin picking spell

“I resist the urge to pick my skin” sigil

“I keep from picking” sigil

“My trichotillomania is under control” sigil

“I don’t pull out my hair or eyelashes” sigil

“I am in control and resist the desire to pick my hair” sigil

Mood Swings/Emotional Balance: 

Increasing your emotional tolerance spell

Crystals for BPD

“I regulate my emotions well”

“I am happy and do not have mood swings” sigil

If anyone has content on a category I wasn’t able to include, or for a category that is lacking, feel free to send it my way and I’ll get a part two started for this post! Click [here] for the chronically ill symptoms masterpost. 

[elphame--bound-deactivated20181]

Ancestors Master Post : The Mighty Dead & Beloved Dead

This is a collection of articles and information pertaining to Ancestral work with both The Beloved Dead (ancestors of blood, family, familiar ancestors) & The Mighty Dead (ancestors of spirit, witchcraft). The practices that surround working with the dead, benevolent necromancy, ancestral worship, and altars, and offerings. 

Who’s Who : Ancestors (Greenstag)

Ancestral Practice, Altars & The Mighty Dead (Wildhunt)

Altars to the Beloved & Mighty Dead (Sarahannelawless)

Ancestral Altars & Rituals (Sarahannelawless)

In Search of The Mighty Dead (Pantheos)

Ancestor Altars (AFWcraft)

Honoring the Dead in the Northern Tradition (Northernpaganism)

Dem Bones (Newworldwitchery) 

Dancing with the Ancestors (Walkingthehedge)

What is Necromancy (Greenstag)

For the Ancestors (Northernpaganism)

Related Articles 

Drying & Preparing Graveyard Dirt (Unfetteredwood)

Recipe for New Flesh (Walkingthehedge)

Nature Friendly Offering Stones (Unfetteredwood)

Mullen Candles & Torches (Unfetteredwood) 

Creating an Ancestor Garden (Unfetteredwood)

Plants for the Dying & Deceased (Unfetteredwood)

[elphame--bound-deactivated20181]

Reblogging for new eyes. 

[the-wizardess-deactivated201706]

Freyja - How to honour and invoke her.

Herbs, Scents, Oils, Flavours, Foods and Drink

Strawberry (sweetness, love, desire)

Rose (love, romance, sexuality)

Florals (femininity, sweetness)

Sandalwood (sensuality, strength, desire)

Nutmeg (luck, love)

Rosemary (death, respect, passing on)

Vanilla (sensuality, sweetness, desire)

Mint (sensuality, desire)

Cinnamon (strength, warmth, assertiveness)

Thyme (magic, strength)

Ginseng (aphrodisiac)

Saffron (aphrodisiac)

Catnip and catgrass (cats)

Mugwort (magic, prophecy) [toxic in large amounts]

Wormwood (magic, prophecy) [toxic in large amounts]

Juniper (strength, power)

Charcoal (death, rebirth)

Red wine (aphrodisiac)

Mead (golden colour relates to her golden tears)

Cocoa (aphrodisiac)

Items that can be used in an altar dedicated to Freyja

Cats - statues, fur (not from cruel means!), shedded claws or whiskers, paw prints, plush toys.

Food and Drink offerings - see above list!

Weaponry - being a warrior goddess, a weapon is a great addition to an altar dedicated to her or as an offering. Letter-opener swords are perfect in size, but a kitchen knife will work just fine! Be careful of any children or other people who shouldn’t be able to access something that can be used as a weapon.

Feathers - Freyja owns a Falcon feather cloak that allows its wearer to fly.

Gold - anything golden. She likes shiny things.

Necklaces - Freyja owns the beautiful necklace, Brisingamen. Any other jewellery would work too!

Runes - Freyja is a witch (seidkona).

Other magical items - crystals, candles, tarot cards, wands etc.

Beauty products - hair brushes, makeup (warpaint!), nail polishes, etc.

Boars - Freyja (and other Norse gods) own boars. Anything relating to a pig would be suitable (often you can find crystals carved into the shape of a pig). A boar bristle hair brush would be perfect.

Things relating to feminism - There will be those who roll their eyes and get angry when they see this point, but it’s true. Deal with it.

Subtle and “secret” ways to worship

Keep altar items in a jewellery box. It signifies her magical necklace while still being able to be hidden away in case the wrong people see it. Same goes for makeup bags, handbags, other boxes, etc.

A bottle of wine can be placed somewhere in her honour. It’s a common sighting in many households, so there’s little chance of someone questioning it.

Keep a book (grimoire, book of shadows, journal, etc) with poems, songs, drawings, print-outs etc. dedicated to her. These can be easily hidden between furniture or in a drawer if need be.

Kitchen magic - use ingredients that are associated with her in your cooking. Just be careful not to include anything that can be toxic or make yourself or someone else sick.

Burn incense, oils, candles etc. in scents related to her. Many homes use these things as decoration.

Play music of a Nordic/Pagan/Medieval nature (or whatever you associate with Freyja!).

Wear perfumes in scents related to her.

Note: you are allowed to secretly worship, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Not everyone has the luxury/comfort/space to openly have an altar or place of worship in their home, and that’s okay! Your patron deity won’t mind.

Please note: mentions of Freyja being the goddess of femininity are not intended to belittle or exclude trans and non-binary people. Any one of any gender identity can worship her, and without having to explain or justify it to anyone else.

[modernwitchesdaily]

Free Fall Patterns for you guys ♥ Use it as you wish! 

Credits are very welcome!

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

Look at this cuteness!!!! I love the pumpkins and leaves!!!!

[infinityuserboxes]

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

NO TERFS

[seeking-gnosis-blog]

Magickal Skills | Enchanting

This form of magick is incredibly practical and easy to do. I believe magick is more potent when it is personal, so take what you will and make it your own!

What you’ll need:

any item you want to enchant (a ring, pendant, anything. It doesn’t have to be jewelry)

relevant magickal tools to imbue your item like herbs, or crystals

at least one candle

incense, either hand ground or store bought incense

a small bag or box

a small jar or bowl (optional)

Ritual:

create a sacred space/cast a circle

once inside your magickal space, light a candle to help amplify and cleanse the circle

once you initiate the ritual, it’s important that you stay focused on the task and the intent you are setting for the item you are enchanting

light your chandles, and tell them what their job is while you light it (I like to have a couple candles designated for specific things, like holding space, purifying, ect.)

If you grind your own herbs for incense, grind them now

light your incense

pass the item through a candle flame to clear any previous energies (I once used a really old skeleton key, so this step took a long time and various methods)

hold the item above the smoke while focusing on your enchantment

this step really depends on your method, but I like to use herbs and candle wax. Grind up a pinch of herbs and place them in the jar/bowl. You can put other things in too, but they might get ruined with wax, so it’s wise to use disposable stuff. Place your item in the ground herbs so that you will be able to pull it out after the wax dries. Focus on your intention, or spell, and carefully cover the herbs with wax from a designated candle (this candle shouldn’t be used for anything else in this ritual)

If you did the step above, let this sit for at least a full day, and when you feel its ready, create another circle with a similar set up (If you set up any sort of altar, just leave it the same way until you finish the last few steps)

if you are using any crystals, place them and anything else you want in the bag or box with the item and seal it

leave them in a safe place for several days, and every time you think about it, go to it and reinforce your enchantment

when you feel its time, remove the item and carry it with you!

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

A basic spell working for any path!!! I am just starting out, so getting some basic’s down it helps me in my craft!

[starcrystal-healing]

Study tips for herbalists

A lot of people ask me about how to start learning about herbs and which courses are good, so I decided to put this together for you guys!

Resources

Herbmentor.com

Here are a few useful herbs that are good to start out with

Check out my recommended books

Paul Bergner has excellent information and courses available here

The East West School of Planetary Herbology is a great place to take courses

The Lunar Apothecary is a great for leaning about herb magic and lunar herbology

This website will help you to find local plants (USA only)

Bear Medicine Herbals

Herbcraft.org

Herbal Remedies Advice

HANE is also a good school to check out

Tips

Check out local plant societies to see what activities they have planned. Some of them offer free plant walks that will help you to get to know your local plants

Start experimenting with your (safe) local weeds first. For many of you, this means sorrel, dandelion, plantain, violet leaf, and ground ivy.

Get your warnings and safety information from reputable books and herbalists, not social media (tumblr). There are many rumors on this site about what is and isn’t poisonous, please don’t believe everything you read!

Keep a few materia medica books on hand to check for contraindications and safety instead. My go-to books for checking whether an herb is okay with me are located in the recommended books post above

Pick 1 herb a month to really focus on. Keep in mind that you can do a lot with a few herbs, some of them have dozens of uses

Learn about your herbs by tasting and using them, not just reading! Personal experience is more important than book knowledge (except when it comes to safety)

Equipment

JARS (check the thrift store for cheap finds)

Alcohol - I usually use 80 proof vodka for tinctures but you can also use brandy depending on what you’re making

Oils- I like grapeseed oil and coconut oil

Funnels

Cheese cloth for straining herbs

Kitchen scale

French press (easy way to make loose leaf tea)

Idea of what to start making with herbs

Bruise/injury salves

Bug sprays

Calming tinctures/teas

Digestive tinctures/teas

Pain tinctures

Fomentations

Poultices

I probably forgot a lot of stuff so Ill be adding more in the future!

Read this on my website

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

I am not a Green Witch per se, but I do like the ideas it brings into my craft. 

[will-o-the-witch]

A Deep Room Cleanse

The state of my room is extremely important to me. It’s a direct reflection of my mental health, so when it’s messy, my energy levels are low and I just feel yucky. There’s no way I’m getting any kind of work done, magical or mundane. When it feels good and clean to be in, it’s a lot easier to deal with my symptoms and be productive. You don’t have to do every step every time of course, but each step has helped me so I figured a list like this might help someone. 

Change the lighting. Use natural sources of light (like pulling back the curtains and letting the sun in) over artificial ones. If you have salt lamps to turn on, those are still very nice. If you need artificial light to keep it from being too dark, try to prioritize light bulbs you like the color of, and ones that don’t whistle quietly when they’re on.

Change the airflow. Open a window, if you can. Often our rooms feel yucky because the air is stale. Get some fresh air moving. If it’s too cold, it’s okay to only keep it open for a few minutes or put on a coat while you work because you’re stubborn like me.

Change the sound. Put on your favorite cleansing music. Let it soak into the room. I tend to go or ambient spa stuff, or playlists that sound built for a rainy day. (Note: the music that helps you cleanse the best may not be the same as what you like the most. The playlist should keep you focused/uplifted while you work and reflect the vibes you want your room to have.)

Change the smell. Take out the trash, maybe refresh the sheets on your bed. Light a scented candle, some incense, heat up some oil, something to make your room smell distinctly different from the mucky-feeling room from before. (If your method of choice is something short like a room spray, I actually like doing it at the very end.)

Actually clean and organize. Nothing junks up the energy of a room more quicker than actual junk. Organize everything as much as you can (this might mean finally gutting your closet, even if you can close the door and hide it.) Wipe down any surfaces that need it, get everything fresh and functional again. Do some laundry while you work. If you have clothes or trinkets that are just collecting dust, extra points for purging them! 

 Cleanse any sacred spaces by themselves. A lot of us have altars or shrines in our rooms. A sacred space can also be just an extra important area of your room, like a reading nook.  Make sure to give them extra attention! You don’t need to wipe the board energetically (and probably shouldn’t), but taking a little extra time to clean surfaces, straighten up, and make sure everything feels okay on them goes a long way.

Cleanse in your regular way. Bust out the herb bundles, the bells, the ribbons, the broom, whatever you usually do to cleanse a space! The room is SUPER primed for it now, most of the negative energy probably already feels removed if not broken down. A good once-over with your favorite cleansing method should finish it off nicely. 

Refresh any wards or protections. Self explanatory. If you maintain energy borders in your room, now is a good time to check in on them and zhoosh them if needed. Keep the space clean for longer! 

Practice self-care. Take a shower, a nap, eat some food, whatever you need. You’ve put in a lot of work and you deserve it. 

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

Witch Care - Always important 

[lunerbean]

Witch Tips 14

Hello and welcome to the latest of my #10tips series, where I post 10 witchcraft related tips for every 100 (originally 10 and then 50 and now 100) followers that this blog gains. These happen because of how incredible all of you are so if you want to join my witchy family, know that the next 10 tips came out because you made that happen. Thank you. I appreciate you and adore you all.

1. Seal your spell jars with magick

Sealing is more than just putting a lid on something. To seal a jar (or spell or charm etc) is to put a metaphorical stamp of completion on something. This signifies that the spell is complete and the thing you are charming can no longer be influenced by undesired intentions. This easiest way to do this is to take your wand and tap it three times on the object being sealed. If you’re charming a drink or potion, you can also do this with a spoon or stirring device.

2. It’s okay to be selfish - you can’t heal others when you are hurting

I personally struggle with this a lot. I want to help others before I help myself and while that’s not always a bad thing, it can have a negative effect on your magick. For example, if you’re trying to help your friend heal from a recent heartbreak, when you’re the one who hurt them, there’s too many heavy emotions in the way. I’m going to share a very personal story, you don’t have to read it if you feel it will be upsetting or uncomfortable for you. I’m going to be a little vague about the timeline because I know some of you personally and I don’t want your opinion on the person involved to be effected by my side of the story. I was dating a fellow witch and they did something to me that some would say was unforgivable. I kind of thought it was. They took something from me that I couldn’t afford to give. But had they asked first, I probably would have worked out a deal that would make them happy. It was when I was already in a very bad situation and going through a terrible time. They stole from me and they let me panic and think it was someone else. When they eventually told me the truth, I was devastated. They tried to do a spell to make me feel happy again, but it backfired because they were also in pain from what they had done. There were negative emotions fueling a positive spell done for someone who was feeling negative emotions towards the caster. Long story short: Heal yourself first. And sometimes, that healing isn’t always going to be through witchcraft as well.

3. Put binding spells on things you often lose

Binding spells are usually associated with hexes and curses, but they dont always have to be! Bind your wallet to you so that you don’t lose it on a night out. Bind your glasses to you so that you don’t forget where you’ve placed them. Bind your socks to each other so that you always have the pair. I’ve never tried that one, because I don’t care about mismatched socks, but I figure it’d be effective for someone who does. Note: you can’t bind something that’s already lost. Keep that in mind if you’re looking for that other sock.

4. When banishing, don’t forget to also call forth

If you’re going to banish, say for example, negative energy from your home, it’s important to also call forth to positive energy to enter in it’s place. It’s a simple extra step to take in order to get the best results from your spell. Whatever you’re banishing, call something forth in exchange.

5. Make an emergency kit for when things go wrong

Sometimes, things go wrong when you’re practicing witchcraft. Think of this as an emergency first aid kit for witchcraft. You can put it in a shoebox, a wicker basket, a brief case, whatever you want. Here are some things you may want to include

Sage

Sandalwood incense

An empty jar

A lighter

Burn cream

Parchment paper (use with an iron to removed spilled candle wax from cloth)

Leave other ideas in the comments

6. Reuse your old candle wax

Sometimes, big candles don’t burn evenly or small candles leave piles of wax underneath them. There are plenty of ways to reuse and recycle this wax! When I used wax melters, I used to heat up the old wax and make wax sculptures out of it. You can make anything you want, including things for shrines or altars! Recently, I met a lovely local candle maker who gives you discounts on her already inexpensive candles in exchange for used wax. So I’m going to go to her the next time I burn out a candle. You can also stick smaller candles into the holes of old burned out candles to create some cool art.

7. Use pendulums to talk to your plants

Sometimes, it’s unclear what your plants are trying to tell you. You can use your pendulum next to your plants and ask it questions about what the plants need. You can also find out if a plant is dying to protect you from a curse by asking the pendulum about it.

8. You can use tarot cards for more than just divination

You can use tarot cards in spells and other things as well, but today I want to talk about reflection spreads. Reflection spreads are used for looking back on something and learning from it. For example, you can do a spread for reflection of the past month, day, week, year, etc. And look back on what you’ve done and what you can learn from it as well as what you can do in the future to thrive under similar circumstances.

9. Bring ‘offerings’ when visiting your fellow witches

While this totally isn’t necessary, it is quite fun and nice to do. I like to bring my fellow witches little gifts when I visit them. This can be anything; a cool rock you found on the way there, a crystal from your local shop, a stick of incense from your latest batch, a nice potion you made just for them, etc. Since I live near the coast and a lot of my witch friends live in the desert, I like to give them sea shells and things they can’t get in their area. I bring offerings to my fellow witches for many reasons. Most importantly, it’s a kind gesture and it makes them feel good to know I thought of them. It’s also for their own confidence in witchcraft. Giving a witch an offering upon entering their home is a sign of respect for them as a person and as a witch.

10. Cleanse everything after spirit work

Working with spirits can be fun and safe if done correctly. But even if you only use spirit work to communicate with dead loved ones that you miss, you should still cleanse all of your tools afterwords. Spirits can latch onto things, hide inside small places, and if you’ve invited someone through from the spirit world, chances are they didn’t come alone. The spirits that you’re working with may not even notice the others sneaking through with them. Be safe and cleanse everything that a spirit could attach themselves to.

Thank you so much for reading my latest #10tips. If you search that tag on my blog, you’ll find the previous 13 that I’ve posted. Enjoy! And have a magical day.

And as always, please send me an ask if you’ve ever got questions or need someone to talk to or share good news with! My inbox is always open 💜

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

Rain and Thunder Ritual 

Candles: Red, Black, Gray, White, Blue

Stones: Tigers Eye

Offering: Bread, Yams, Ale (it is really up to the practitioner) 

Alter: Candles (and if applicable have windows open),  Mjölnir prayer symbol, offering, tiger eye stones. 

Ritual

Create a sacred space/cast a circle, if you can do it outside do so. But it is the less important part. :)

Set up offering in front of you in a bowl (depending on what it is). 

Light candle/candles inside of your circle, let burn down some before you start. Breath in the smell of the candles and the air coming through the open windows. 

Prayer

Thor, Thunder come forth in my life. When I

would hold back, let me advance; When I

would be weak, help me be strong; When I

would shun life’s pleasures, sharpen my

will’s strength. Help me grow from

strength to strength, and teach me,

elder brother, how to throw my own hammer

and slay the giants who oppose my will.  

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

Runes

Runes have altered shape and sound over time and place, and the original name of the rune alphabet was Futharc. There are three main runic alphabets:

The Elder Futhark (150-800 AD)

The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (400-1100 AD)

The younger Futhark (800-1100 AD)

Runes were often carved in stone - runestones - many of which are still out there to be seen in and around Scandinavia.

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

Völva

A Völva was a wise woman, shaman, or priestess in Norse and Germanic paganism. Highly respected members of society, they cared for the spiritual and physical needs of their people by means of herbalism and prophecy. Some suggest that Völva became marginalized and persecuted with the advent of Christianity but they would live on in the north European concept of a witch. They are a recurring motif in Norse mythology. A völva practiced shamanism, sorcery, prophecy and other forms of indigenous magic. Historical and mythological depictions of völvas were held to possess such powers that even the father of the gods, Odin himself, consulted a völva for what the future had in store for the gods. Early accounts describe them as aged women dressed in white who sacrificed the prisoners of war and sprinkled their blood. It was believed that this practice allowed them to prophesize the future.

“All witches [völur] are descended from Widening Wolf All transsexual sorcerers [Seiðberendr] from the Tree of Intent All sorcerers [Seiðmennir] from Black Head” 

(Hyndluljóð, st. Poetic Edda)“Wed to the Wand” – the Völva, a Norse Witch.

[pumpkinpatchinglife-blog]

Paths

Alexandrian Wicca: The Alexandrian Tradition was created by Alex Sanders and his wife Maxine, who were members of the Gardnerian Tradition and initiated into one of its covens in the early 1960s. There are three degrees of coven initiation, the coven is led by a High Priestess, and there is a belief in a supreme Goddess as well as a God. However, the Alexandrian tradition brings in an additional facet to the worship of deities: the ancient archetypes of the Oak King and the Holly King, aspects of the God who take turns defeating one another as the seasons turn from warm and light to cold and dark and back again. The Alexandrian tradition isn't necessarily quite as secretive or dogmatic. While there is some emphasis on respecting tradition and following protocol, there is a greater emphasis on growth and living out your own path, allowing for many changes and adjustments as practitioners see fit.

Dianic Wicca: Dianic Wicca differs significantly from the older traditions it grew out of. Originating in the United States as opposed to the UK, this is a feminist tradition, with a cosmology that focuses solely on the supremacy of the Goddess, rather than emphasizing the gender polarity of the Gardnerian concept of deity. Dianic Wicca differs significantly from the older traditions it grew out of. Originating in the United States as opposed to the UK, this is a feminist tradition, with a cosmology that focuses solely on the supremacy of the Goddess, rather than emphasizing the gender polarity of the Gardnerian concept of deity. The original and most well-known form of the Dianic tradition was founded in the 1970s by a woman named Zsuzsanna Budapest. Another form of Wicca sharing the name “Dianic” was later started by Morgan McFarland and her husband, Mark Roberts. This latter tradition does admit men into covens, as do other traditions inspired by the original Dianic Wicca. However, those initiated through Budapest’s lineage remain female-only.

Seax Wicca: Buckland had been a High Priest in the Gardnerian Tradition and started the first Gardnerian coven after moving to New York in the early 1960s. However, he found that the hierarchical structure of Gardnerianism resulted in ego-battles among American initiates, so he founded Seax-Wicca as a way of continuing what was useful about Gardnerianism but in a fashion that was more suited to American culture. Its main deities are Woden and Freya, who represent the God and Goddess as found in the original Gardnerian Tradition. There is an emphasis on studying herbal lore and several forms of divination, including Tarot and runes. There is no oath of secrecy for coven members, so it’s not such a challenge to find out what goes on in covens, how they approach their rituals, etc. In fact, rituals and Sabbat celebrations can be open, if the coven so chooses. There is also no Book of Shadows in this tradition, and adding new material to rituals, magic, etc. is welcomed if practitioners see fit. Raymond Buckland’s Book of Saxon Witchcraft (originally called The Tree) was written to serve as a guide to the Seax-Wicca tradition for any who would like to explore it. If you’re not already fairly familiar with Wicca, however, you may want to read it in tandem with Buckland’s The Complete Book of Witchcraft for a more well-rounded picture of his form of Wicca.

Norse: A relatively new path within the Wiccan community, Norse Wicca is infused with the beliefs, practices, and deities of the ancient Norse traditions of Scandinavia. Unlike other forms, it is not an “official” tradition with a single founder, but rather an emerging trend among Wiccans who wish to work with a specific pantheon of deities and may draw inspiration from the ancient Norse sagas such as the Eddas and the Grimnismal. One chief difference between what we might call “standard” or traditional Wicca and the Norse-influenced form is the potential for a richer and more nuanced sense of the afterlife. Indeed, the Norse religious belief system has a dense complexity that can make Wicca’s cosmology seem almost two-dimensional in comparison. However, many followers of Norse Wicca adopt a syncretic approach, weaving the elements of the Norse system that resonate with them into their personal practice. Norse Wiccans tend to be solitary practitioners, with known covens being rather few and far between.

Celtic: The Druids were the priestly class of Celtic society, serving as healers, poets, and philosophers, who practiced divination and magic as part of their role. Therefore, they were part of the fabric of Celtic life and would have influenced any practices that have survived over the centuries to become part of Celtic Wicca. As implied by the name, Celtic Wiccans work with deities of the Celtic pantheon—whether Irish, Welsh, Cornish, or even Gaulish—and use Celtic names for Sabbats, such as Lughnasa instead of Lammas. The Ogham—a Gaelic writing system with a similar function to runes—may be used in magical symbolism and divination, and some practitioners adopt the Celtic classification of elements (Earth, Sky, and Water) rather than the standard Wiccan system.

Solitary: Solitary Wicca simply refers to the practice of Wicca by individuals on their own, rather than as part of a coven. Solitaries may follow a single tradition, learning through books and/or through participation in informal Wiccan circles, or they may create their own unique practices out of a sort of “patchwork” of many traditions, while also adding elements of their own invention. This second approach is known as Eclectic Wicca (see below), and is quite likely the most common form of Wicca practiced today.

Eclectic: The degree to which eclectic Wiccans “invent” their form of the religion (and not all Wiccans in this category would even necessarily agree with the term “religion”) depends on the individual. Some might create highly unique ritual structures completely from their own inspiration and imagination, while others might simply blend two or more traditions with little to no original material added in. The reasons for creating an eclectic practice are many, but it often has to do with being a solitary Wiccan with no immediate community to reach out to and learn from. Indeed, most Eclectics are solitary practitioners, though there are certainly covens and plenty of Wiccan circles that fit into this category.

Gardnerian: Gardner is known as the father of modern Wicca/Witchcraft as this was the first tradition to step out publicly.  This tradition requires initiation and works with a degree system.  Much of their information is oathbound, and cannot be shared with anyone outside of their path.  There is much debate in the Wiccan community as to whether this is the only "true" Wiccan path.  This system places an emphasis on the Goddess/female over the God/male.

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Characteristics: optimistic, energetic, aggressive

Element: fire

Modality: cardinal

Sister sign: libra

Ruled by: mars

Rules: first house

Polarity: positive

Quality: cardinal

Spirit Color: Red

Lucky Gem: Diamond

Flower: Thistle & honeysuckle

Top Love Matches: Sagittarius

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Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery. Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color. n heraldry, black is the symbol of grief. Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth, but a black background diminishes readability.

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White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection. White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation. White can represent a successful beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith and purity. It can also mean a lasting death or a pure death. Death though purity or nobility. 

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Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings. Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause frustration.