erica

writer • butterfly • main blog is raining-tulips

[dumbbbunnnyy-deactivated2021021]

“bitch, be gone” powder

ingredients:

cinnamon

cayenne pepper

black pepper or black salt

rosemary

sage

garlic salt

chamomile

instructions:

combine, grind, and sprinkle around doors and windows to banish unwanted energy and to prevent the entrance of these energies in the future

edited on 6-26-17

[fayriequeene]

🌿

[teawitch]

Candle substitutes

(This is to answer an ask but because I go on forever, I've made it its own post)

Because I've seen this become contentious in the past, I'm going to start with a little witchy secret - if you've been to a public ritual or event where there were candles burning on the altar and you didn't see them lit - they were probably battery operated and being used to adhere to the fire regulations. Sometimes witches are practical.

For me the answer to candle substitutes comes down to - why would I be using the candle? Because different reasons might have different answers.

Altar or Shrine

On an altar or shrine to represent fire or honor a deity, a battery operated candle or even small attractive lamp might be what you're looking for. Some witches do not want electrical cords or similar intruding into their magical space so lamps would be out. I figure at this point, with wifi and such flowing through air, nothing is really without interference. But if that is the case, you could even just hold up an unlit candle or a wand to signify air. (I've never had a deity object to a really cool lamp in their space.)

Cleansing

Incense and smoke cleansing substitutes. I don't think we give enough credit to the ability for sound to cleanse spaces. It could be a bell or, more popular than people realize - play really loud head-banger rock music to clear the space then something gentler to reset everything at a calmer tone.

If you want a scent-based solution, there are diffusers available but you can also just do a simmer pot of the stove. Or buy one of those mini-crockpots and use it. Or put a bit of scent in a spray bottle and spritz the space.

Fountain Foggers Misters - cheaper than you'd expect on Amazon or your local Halloween store. Put one in attractive bowl or container and add a bit of scent. It will create a wonderful mist that you can watch swirl above the bowl.

The Emergency Tea Solution. This is my hotel room trick when I check in only to find the room feels a bit off. It also works in any place that gets very restrictive about what you can do - no candles, no warmers, no diffuses, etc. Make a cup of hot water and drop a tea bag or your favorite loose herbs into it. Walk the space using your hand to waft the steam around the room. Repeat as needed. (I've used the free Earl Grey tea provided by the hotel for this and it works. Free hotel coffee is probably horrid enough to scare away anything.)

Spells

Rewrite the spell or write a different spell. The purpose of burning things in a spell is to send energy out (or up). If you burn something, you transform the energy in that thing into spell energy. You just need another way to do that.

Breath and speech are vibrations. So chanting or speaking the words of spell will send their energy out.

Write the words on something that will biodegrade and tie it to a tree. Or for something long-lasting, like protection, write it on a windchime and hanging it in the wind.

Write the words themselves in water or alcohol and let them evaporate into the air.

And there's nothing like speaking or chanting the words while pouring a libation (alcohol is good if available) on the ground. Most gods, guides and spirits appreciate a drink now and then.

(Oh, the whole candle colors thing is fairly modern because candles being easily obtainable in a wide variety of colors is fairly modern. So feel free to be creative in your color use.)

[moon-lightfaerie]

Liminal Spaces in Witchcraft

First of all, what is a liminal space? A liminal space refers to a place or time that is in a period of transition between two phases. These are usually places where reality feels altered because you are neither moving forward or backward, like a rest stop. The word liminal originates from the Latin word limens, meaning threshold. These places often give off a sense that time stands still and that you are experiencing some sort of reality shift. 

        In magic and witchcraft these spaces are considered to be the boundary between our world and the other, it is known as “the in-between”. These places are considered areas of great magic because it is believed this is where the veil is thin. These places are great for divination, spirit work, meditation and astral travel; they are ideal for hedge witchcraft.

Times & Spaces of Liminality:

crossroads manmade or natural

river, creek or lake shores/ beaches

hallway/corridor/stairwells/landings/doorways

graveyards

dawn, dusk, afternoon, midnight

valleys

forest glades

many more!

      Samhain/Halloween is considered the best time to communicate with spirits and faeries because of its liminality, it is a time of transition between autumn and winter. Irish folklore tells that this is the day faeries and ghosts come out to play because of the veil thinning. The equinoxes and sabbats like Beltane and Imbolc are also days of liminality because the time of day and night are equal (equinoxes) or it is a transition between seasons.  

       Mental states of liminality are also times of spirit communication. While being in a meditative state we are in a state of transition between our concious and sub-concious minds, this is where we sometimes experience astral projection or messages from spirits. People often experience spirit while falling asleep because this is another state of liminality. 

     In my craft I often practice in liminality in order to connect with the faerie realms.

-Moonlight 🌙

[angelical-dreams]

✨💫Lucid Dreaming: prompting reality checks💫✨

When trying to lucid dream, there are many factors to take into account if we want to make the best out of our dream work.

Reality checks or reality tests are the actions we perform in order to corroborate if we are awake or in a dream. But what should be the prompt for these reality checks? Clare P. Johnson (a magnificent author on lucid dreaming (which I highly recommend looking up!) and PhD on lucid dreaming), advices not to set an alarm to prompt reality checks, and this is why:

“A reality check should be prompted naturally; doing reality checks on autopilot, out of a sense of obligation, is never going to get the best results. We need to find ways of creating spontaneous reality checks that are unique to us, using our bodies, and our thought-patterns”

“You are unique. So invent a reality check that reflects your uniqueness. When we link our bodies, our senses and our habitual thoughts to a reality check, it grows in power and can be extremely effective. Have fun and be creative.

• If you’re a smiley person, why not recall your intention to get lucid each time you smile at someone? • Or if you have a singing gut, you could use stomach gurgles as a prompt to do a reality check. • Notice when your body is not doing its usual thing. • If you have any kind of chronic aches or pains, notice the spaces between the pains. In dreams, we are often pain-free. • Link certain thoughts to reality checks. If you’re someone who regularly experiences negative or self-critical thoughts, you could react to this by using a reality check as a springboard into a lighter state of mind. • Connect specific sensory sensations to reality checks. For example every time you smell something amazing; ask yourself seriously: “am i dreaming right now?” • Whenever you see something that strikes you as particularly beautiful, ugly or weird, ask yourself “am I dreaming?”.

Change your anchor every so often so the challenge stays fresh and surprising.

Highly personal reality checks are likely to be the most effective ones for you. You’ll find yourself so used to testing your reality that you’ll soon find yourself doing it in a dream and realizing that you are actually in a dream.”

The Art of Lucid Dreaming, Clare P. Johnson. Chapter 2: Powerful practices to help you wake up in your dreams.

[paganposting]

i want to share a super easy energy clearing practice i do throughout the day!

you will need:

a rock that can be soaked in water. i use a river rock because of its nature of having been smoothed/ eroded by water (which is what this practice is based on)

a bowl of water. or running tap water if you're in a rush!

how it works

ask the rock permission first. explain what you want to use it for and the rock will be your willing helper! make sure it knows that you will cleanse it and thank it occasionally.

throughout the day whenever you feel anxious, stressed, or negative in any way- hold the rock in your hand. focus on all of that negative energy, picture it as any color that makes sense to you. imagine that negativity flowing from everywhere in your body into your arm, down to your wrist, your palm, then through you and into the rock. squeeze it tight and focus on your breathing and imagining the energy filling up the rock. once you feel ready, loosen your grip. relax your muscles. thank the rock, and go about your day feeling hopefully much better!

when you get home, sit in front of a bowl of water. hold the rock and calmly breathe. ask the water to help cleanse this tool. when you feel ready, drop the rock in the water. watch it sink. picture that color from earlier leeching into the water, moving from the rock and swirling away like food coloring. touch the rock if youd like, shake it in the bowl, stir the water with it. imagine the water eroding the negativity from the rock, and pay attention to when you feel it's "empty". at this point remove the rock, put it somewhere safe, and thank the water. dump the water down the sink (the water is full of bad vibes so i don't recommend using it for anything else).

and done! do this anytime youd like! do it on a day you know will be rough! do it before a ritual or tarot reading! this is easy, quick, and free!

[yestaylorunger]

Auras ~ What They Mean and How To See Them

Hey, Guys!

Hope everyone is having a great day so far. Something that’s interested me a lot lately is Auras. I want to see them so badly, not just because it would be the coolest thing my eyes have ever done, but some times I can be a bad judge of character and seeing auras is a great way to protect yourself from letting in someone with bad energy.

What Do They Mean: 

An Aura is a field of colored energy that encompasses a living thing. Humans, animals, and plants all have auras and each aura is about 3 feet in width starting from the body. There are a lot of colors to go through so stay with me.

Red - Pertains to circulation of heart and physical body. Positively, red can mean healthy ego. Negatively, red can mean unforgiving, anxious, and nervous.

Shades of Red - 

Deep Red: Strong willed, grounded, survival, realistic

Muddy Red: Anger

Clear Red: Powerful, sensual, passionate, energetic, competitive

Orange Red: Confidence

Bright Pink: Sensual, artistic, affectionate, loving, can indicate clairaudience

Dark Muddy Pink: Dishonesty, immaturity

Orange - Pertains to reproductive organs and emotional feelings. Positively, orange and indicate good health, vitality, excitement. Negatively, orange can indicate stress and addictions.

Shades of Orange -

Orange Yellow: Intelligence, detail oriented, scientific, creative, perfectionist 

Brownish Orange: Low level of ambition, lazy, repressed emotions

Yellow - Pertains to the Spleen and Life. Positively, yellow can indicate Awakening, optimism, easy-going nature, inspirations, and intelligence.

Shades of Yellow - 

Pale Yellow: Psychic and spiritual awareness, optimism, hopefulness, positivity

Bright Yellow: Fear of losing control, power struggles personally and in business, respect

Dark Muddy Yellow: Fatigue and stress from studying/trying to learn everything all at once

Green - Pertains to heart and lungs. Green is a very comfortable and healthy color of nature. It indicates balance, growth, change, love of people, nature, and animals.

Shades of Green -  

Emerald Green: Healer, loving person

Yellow Green: Communicative, heartfelt, creative

Muddy Forest Green: Jealousy, victim, blaming others, insecurity, sensitive to criticism, lacking personal responsibility  

Blue - Pertains to throat and thyroid. Blue is a cool, calm, and collected color. Blue produces caring, loving, sensitive and intuitive energies.

Shades of Blue - 

Turquoise: Pertains to immune system. Sensitive, compassionate, healer, therapist

Light Blue: Peacefulness, clarity, intuitive, truthful

Royal Blue: Clairvoyance, very spiritual, generous, open to new opportunities

Muddy Blue: Fear of expression, future, and speaking the truth

Indigo: Pertains to third eye and pituitary gland. Deep feeling, intuition, and sensitivity

Violet/Purple - Pertains to the crown chakra, pineal gland, and nervous system. Most sensitive colors in the aura. Intuitive, visionary, reveals psychic power, magical, artistic.

Shades of Violet/Purple - 

Lavender: Denotes vision, imagination, daydreamer

Silver - Pertains to spiritual and physical abundance.

Shades of Silver -  

Bright Metallic Silver: Nurturing, intuitive, new ideas, could mean money or spiritual awakening

Muddy Gray: Accumulation of fear in the body, health problems when seen in certain areas of the body

Dirty Gray Overlay: Blocking of energy, skepticism, guarded

Gold - Divine protection, enlightenment, encased in divine guidance and wisdom, inner peace, intuition and spiritual thinking. Clear Metallic Gold can mean spiritually activated, inspirational awakening.

Black - Pulling, capturing and transforming energy. Indicates an unforgiving nature (to self or others), past life problems, unreleased anger, grief or health problems.

White - Reflecting other energy and protection. Can signal new energy in aura, truth, purity, angelic qualities and healthy individual. Flashes of white light means angels are near. Dirty Grayish White can mean possible illness.

Earth Tones - Colors of soil, wood, minerals, plants. Important and good grounding colors are seen in those who work outdoors like farmers.

Rainbow - Rainbow stripes emanating as beams of light from the hand, head or body can indicate a healer.

Pastels - Pertain to sensitivity. Seen as soft blends of light and color.

Brown - Greedy, self-absorbed, closed minded. Dirty Brown can indicate holding on to negative energy and insecurities.

How to see Auras: 

The easiest way to see your aura is to hold your hand against a white wall/white piece of paper and slowly move your fingers apart and together. Eventually you will be able to see a black line in your peripheral vision and, with more practice, you’ll be able to see the colors of your aura. To see the aura of someone else, practice with a friend by having them stand against a white wall and concentrate of the spot between the eyebrows. Without looking away from the spot, focus on your peripheral vision again and try to see that black line again. That is their energy, and again with practice you will be able to see the colors of their aura. Once you have mastered the white wall test, you will be able to see auras of people and yourself much more easily and without the backdrop of a white wall or white piece of paper. 

If you made it to the end of this post, I applaud you. It was very long but holds a lot of useful information. I hope all of this is helpful to you in your spiritual journey. Blessed Be, Friends!

[raven-runes-deactivated20260712]

Autumn Ritual

1. During the next few weeks, pick up things discarded by nature (fallen leaves, twigs, acorns, pine cones...)

2. Each time you pick up one of these objects, reflect on something or someone - good or bad - which happened to you during this past year. Hold that thought for a while.

3. Place the object in a bowl, dish or jar and keep it on a shelf, table, or altar.

4. At Samhain (Halloween), you will return these objects to nature (in an eco-friendly manner).

5. The past is over, the future unspoken for. In your eternal present, you shall shed what hinders your walk, you shall hold what furthers your course.

[dragoncastings]

Witchcraft: Fruits

🍓 Apple:

Protection, immortality, romance, longevity, adoration, endurance, warding, happiness, and love.

🍓 Apricot:

Admiration, compassion, cheerfulness, devotion, bliss, love, happiness, romance, and optimism.

🍓 Avocado:

Compassion, adoration, contentment, optimism, pleasure, romance, happiness, lasting love, and positivity.

🍓 Banana:

Fruitfulness, affluence, s*xuality, lustfulness, fertility, prosperity, passion, bounty, sensuality, and desire.

🍓 Cherry:

Resurgence, reawakening, prosperity, revival, rebirth, sensuality, romance, rejuvenation, and fortune.

🍓 Coconut:

Purifying, revolution, rejuvenating, reawakening, exclusion, cleansing, transformation, and banishment.

🍓 Dragon Fruit:

Conquest, opulence, strengthening, excellent luck, victory, energizing, achievement, and success.

🍓 Grape:

Extravagance, lushness, prosperity, fruitfulness, magnificence, regard, bountifulness, fertility, and luxury.

🍓 Lemon:

Cleansing, invigorating, cunning, purification, dexterity, refreshing, intelligence, and banishing.

🍓 Lime:

Regeneration, cleansing, stimulating, sustenance, reformation, revitalization, purification, energizing, and transformation.

🍓 Lychee:

Good fortune, sophistication, love, attraction, wealth, excellent treasure, elegance, romance, splendor, and abundance.

🍓 Mango:

Cheerfulness, success, happiness, delightfulness, prosperity, pleasure, abundance, and blissfulness.

🍓 Orange:

Cleansing, creativity, energizing, positivity, purification, refreshing, regeneration, Solar Energy, successfulness, and transformation.

🍓 Olive:

Camaraderie, coherence, cleansing, harmonization, restoration, purification, collaboration, synchronization, and healing.

🍓 Papaya:

Escalation, inspiration, contemplation, love, prosperity, and compassion, attraction, introspection, and romance.

🍓 Peach:

Vitality, perseverance, rejuvenation, wellbeing, spiritual rebirth, vigor, fertility, longevity, vitality, and fecundity.

🍓 Pear:

Synchronization, intelligence, wellbeing, affluence, endurance, harmonization, healthiness, prosperity, and longevity.

🍓 Pineapple:

Decadence, magnificence, affluence, knowledge, abundance, understanding, good luck, and opulence.

🍓 Pomegranate:

Fruitfulness, attraction, majesty, magnetism, lushness, fruitfulness, splendor, magnificence, and fecundity.

🍓 Tomato:

Relationships, accomplishment, dignity, reward, triumph, desire, connections, success, honor, bounty, victory, and lustfulness.

🍓 Watermelon:

Great fortune, fecundity, profusion, fertility, abundance, bounty, lushness, opulence, potency, multitude, and good luck.

[sayhoneysiren]

dark feminine habits

1. masterbate. give yourself permission to feel pleasure. it release stress from your body.

2. get naked. dance naked. sleep naked. look at you body in the mirror. soak in a bath. moisturize your skin. get a massage.

3. tell people no. if it’s not a hell yes, don’t waste your time. you have free will to do as you please. you are not a slave.

4. have pride in yourself and your achievements. set goals. accept compliments. own your confidence. shine.

5. flirt. it’s fun.

6. do shadow work. at the end of your day, take time to reflect on your mistakes and write down ways to make progress. this helps you understand your fears and guilts. journal. introspection.

7. don’t go along with anything that feels wrong to you. be assertive and don’t be afraid to cut someone off or cause a scene when your boundaries are crossed.

8. work your brain. do puzzles. reads books. learn about seduction. develop a skill. take time to daydream. visually manifest.

9. be daring. wear a sexy outfit or bold makeup look. show cleavage. follow your dreams. break routine. speak your mind. shock the people around you and ignore their judgements.

10. release timidity. stop overly apologizing, stuttering and overthinking. say exactly what you mean. feel exactly how you feel. banish all forms of guilt and shame.

[sayhoneysiren]

light feminine habits

1. speak with kindness. don’t speak harshly to yourself. speak with compassion and tenderness. you’re not dumb or stupid, you’re learning. also, be mindful of your loved ones feelings when you speak.

2. slow down. drop the plans and go with the flow. meditate. plan a getaway. take a nap.

3. let yourself feel. when you feel like crying, cry. when you feel like laughing, laugh. when you feel like screaming, scream.

4. be playful. not everything needs to be taken so seriously. spend time around babies and animals. watch cartoons and fairytale movies.

5. learn. be open. ask questions. be curious without commitment.

6. build a connection to nature. take a walk in the park. smell the flowers. cloud gaze. listen to the birds. walk barefoot in the grass. sunbathe. have. a picnic.

7. decorate. surround yourself with things that makes you feel happy. look on pinterest for creative ideas. hang pictures up in your wall. buy cute trinkets. make your space aesthetically pleasing.

8. make yourself a nourishing meal. cook/bake. learn new recipes. eat tasty foods.

9. play soothing music. listen to calming sounds or music that can put your mind at ease.

10. let stuff go. seek for a harmonious environment. stop arguing. stop worrying and let universe handle it.

[redbull-witch]

Oatmeal Bread for Lughnasadh

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (Omit this if you are at high altitudes +3,000ft)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 cup butter (unsalted)

1/2 cup nuts

3 medium chopped apples

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1-1/2 cups rolled oats

1 egg, beaten

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla or orange

Preheat oven to 350 F

Mix ALL ingredients together completely

Place in a greased 9-inch cake pan

Bake for 30 minutes, or until it pulls away from the edges

Enjoy

Source: A Victorian Grimoire

Correspondence:

Flour: Life

Salt: Purification, Protection, Grounding, Blessing

Brown Sugar: Love

Butter: Hard work, delayed gratification

Nuts: Prosperity, Love

Apples: Love, healing

Raisins: Wisdom, longevity

Cinnamon: Success, healing, purification, clairvoyance

Ginger: Aphrodisiac, love spell

Oats: Money

Eggs: Rebirth, fertility, protection

Vanilla: Love, peace, harmony

Orange: Love, joy, inspiration

[rickashay-spirit]

closet witch, low spoons, or for those otherwise unable to bake bread or do much for lammas / lughnasah:

Watch the bread episodes of great British bake off, or watch something on YouTube related to the holiday, baking bread, etc. ASMR bread baking, perhaps? And remember, you are still valid and a magickal being, even if you can't do certain things right now.

[raining-tulips]

I tried bibliomancy with my own journal - the one I began writing in at the start of my spiritual journey. I held the book, asked "what do I need to know right now," and let my fingers thumb the pages a few times until they stopped. I read the page, only four months into the meditating, the researching, the beginning to trust myself and my intuition.

It lined up perfectly with life now...held all the reminders I needed right now.

Document your journey. These will become your divination tools. Your scrapbook. Your sacred text.

[the-witchyforest]

STORMS MAGICK

Rain storm

Growth

Rebirth

Shedding old skin

Lightening storm

Potent magical power

Good for curses and hexes

Snow storm

Purification

Endings

Changing

Home and healt work

Tornado storm

Erratic but powerful energy

Good for any ritual

Unpredictable energy

[bewitched-moonlight]

✨ Witches Sabbats Masterpost ✨

For those currently preparing for Samhain, or looking for inspiration to fill up their grimoire / book of shadows, here are the links to my previous posts on the Witches’ Sabbats.

💀 Celebrating Samhain

❄️ Celebrating Yule

🕯️ Celebrating Imbolc

🐣 Celebrating Ostara

🌸 Celebrating Beltane

☀️ Celebrating Litha

🌽 Celebrating Lammas

🍂 Celebrating Mabon

[bewitched-moonlight]

📜 Sabbats Journal Prompts 📜

The Witches’ Sabbats are good moments in the year to reflect and meditate, using your journal. Here are a few prompts for each festival, to help you in your mindfulness journey. 

💀 SAMHAIN 💀

October 31

Write about dead relatives and passed loved ones.

What cycle is currently closing in your life? Is this a positive ending?

Have you noticed signs of the thinning veil this month?

What have you inherited that needs banishment?

What have you inherited that needs to be cultivated?

Write about your spiritual journey since last Samhain.

Are you scared of divination/spirits? Why or why not?

❄️ YULE ❄️

December 19-22

Write a list of everything good that has happened this year.

What deserves a fresh start in your life?

Write a happy memory from the festive season.

What are your goals and dreams for the next year?

As a witch, what meaning do you attach to Christmas?

What do you find difficult about the holiday season?

Write about the energy you can draw from the darkness.

🕯️ IMBOLC 🕯️

February 1

Write how you plan to take care of nature in the following months.

Write about what needs cleansing in your life.

Why are you in pain and what helps you heal?

What metaphorical seed do you need to plant and nurture this year?

Write your feelings on climate change.

How can you nurture yourself and others right now?

Describe the garden of your dreams.

🐣 OSTARA 🐣

March 19-22

Write about negative thoughts that you are choosing not to bring with you in the coming spring.

What area of your life feels balanced at the moment?

What does fertility and growth mean to you?

What idea in your life is ready to hatch and turn into action?

Write about spring activities that you can enjoy now that winter is over.

What do you feel is your truest purpose this spring?

As a witch, what meaning do you attach to Easter?

🌸 BELTANE 🌸

May 1

Write a list of everything about yourself that gives you self-confidence.

Is there something that is making you very happy right now?

Write about your sexuality and what gives you pleasure.

What does celebrating life mean to you?

What turns you on? What turns you off?

How can you use the spring energy to make your dreams come true?

What would you want to harvest in the coming fall?

☀️ LITHA ☀️

June 19-22

Write about a difficult topic that needs addressing in the second half of the year.

In which area of your life do you feel the strongest?

How can you use the solar energy to achieve your goals?

Write a memory from your childhood summer breaks.

How can you make this summer extra special?

Write a love-letter to your body.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

🌽 LAMMAS 🌽

August 1

Write about what you are harvesting in your life at the moment.

Make a list of everything you’ve accomplished in your life.

What will you miss most about summer once fall arrives?

Write about professional goals and plans you have for September.

How can you have a healthier lifestyle by next summer?

What is one thing you love about where you live?

What does abundance mean to you?

🍂 MABON 🍂

September 19-22

Write a list of everything you are grateful for this year.

What makes you proud in your life?

Do you feel like your life is out of balance?

Are you excited about the cold season coming up? Why or why not?* Write about welcoming darkness and becoming more magical.

Make a list of your favorite horror movies.

Write about what scares you and why.

– 

✨ Find my Witches’ Sabbats Masterpost here ✨