ZHE

hellenic | he/him | 18 | bisexual

[will-o-the-witch]

Are You Overcomplicating Things?

We all do it. Here are some common pitfalls we run into when practicing witchcraft (and how to stop making things more difficult for ourselves!)

No Standards for Signs

"I saw a ____. Could that be a sign?" Nobody knows for sure, we weren't there and we're not you. Even if you've asked for a sign and are waiting for a response, now you're spending brainpower trying to assess every little thing around you. Smooth out the process by asking for specific signs so you know what you're looking for. Color + Noun, such as "a green feather" tends to work well. If you're not expecting a sign about a specific thing, let the Universe know what your standards are. "I will read things as a sign only if ____."

Too Many Spell Factors

More spell factors, generally, helps hone and amplify a spell. You can also go overboard. If you're exhausting yourself trying to find the exact moment the astrological hour, moon phase, and relevant constellations all line up with you having specific rare ingredients, memorizing a chant in another language, blah blah blah, you usually don't need to go that hard. Just pick two or three you can reasonably achieve and do what you need to do.

Being Lost in the Research

"I'm not ready to cast this spell until I ____." Research and prepping yourself properly are important, but it takes years to become a true ""expert."" At some point, we need to be confident in ourselves and actually take action. You're ready. It's fine.

Waiting for the Perfect Moment

Part of this can be astrological (see Spell Factors) but it's also just life. There's never a perfect moment to do anything... the Universe doesn't put those moments on a platter for us. Waiting for the exact perfect time can become an excuse to stall very easily! To quote Shia LaBeouf, "JUST DO IT!!!"

Needing a Second Opinion... on Everything

Second opinions aren't always bad; they can be very useful! But you don't need external validation for every move or interpretation you make. Remember that your craft is your own, not theirs. You have a good head on your shoulders! If you're still feeling unsure, write it down somewhere and come back to it later to see how you feel.

Overprotection

Wards, shields, and circles oh my! On top of that, there are protection methods galore with amulets, house charms, guardian spirits, reciting scripture, hand motions, and more. These are largely preventative measures that aren't under constant attack unless you are Up To Some Shit. No need to feel scared or vulnerable for not having every single one, just like you don't need to guard your house with triple locks, motion sensors, high-tech camera feeds, an electric fence, a guard dog, and a moat.

Materialism

There are so many beautiful tools out there. I do think liking the way our craft looks, to a point, is helpful because it gets you in the mindset. You can easily work with whatever you have around you, though. It's easy to fall into the trap of feeling like we need some specific ritual item that we've been doing just fine without before. Or that a functioning tool works okay, but it would be even better to shell out for the fancy one. Or that we have to have a statue of our deities. It's not necessary and it hurts your wallet, too.

Forgetting the Mundane

Not everything requires magical solutions. You don't need to perform a banishing spell when blocking their social media will have the same effect. Being firm about boundaries and telling someone directly their actions bother you (and tell them to stop) can usually prevent the need for a binding spell. The best clear-the-air/resolve conflict spell is an honest conversation. Figuring out if someone likes you romantically can be a question for the cards, or you can just ask them. (Yes, that's super nerve-wracking. You can do it, I promise.)

[lilybird]

cherry blossom shower 🌸

click for quality. also - happy birthday, @sleeptowns !!! i'm blowing u so many kisses!!

[lilh0bbit]

Waves

Orlando Museum of Art, July 05,2016//ig: g.hsu07

[killerbeesting]

Serge N. Kozintsev, Morning Tea

[samwisethewitch]

Building a Magical Home

One of my favorite quotes about the magic of homemaking comes from Cory Hutcheson, host of the New World Witchery podcast. He says, “Home is a transformational act. It is the thing you do to turn a space into a space… that is full of ritual and significance and meaning. So there is sort of this ongoing relationship you have with the space that makes it a home.”

The act of creating a home, of making a space your own, is inherently magical. But if you want to make your space feel a little more witchy, here are some ideas to get you started.

Charms and Talismans

Making your own magical objects can be a powerful way to bring magic into your space. The best thing about making your own charms is that you can make them look however you want, so it’s easy to disguise them as ordinary household objects. You can make a charm for any intention by combining objects based on their magical correspondences.

I’ve talked about protective charms in previous posts, so I’m not gonna spend a lot of time on it here. The simplest protective charm is keeping a large piece of iron under your bed to keep away nightmares, evil spirits, and negative energy. You could also make your own protection charm, like a witch bottle.

You can create a “happy home” charm to bring peace, harmony, and happiness into your home. This charm could include herbs like basil, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and/or bay leaves, as well as other items that you associate with peace and good fortune, like lucky coins, crystals, or black cat fur. Write your desires for a harmonious and happy home on a piece of paper, fold it up, and add it to the charm. You could store these items in a green bag, bury them in your backyard (in this case, make sure you’re only using biodegradable plant matter — leave out the coins and crystals), or place it inside a household object like a lamp or an end table.

If you suffer from insomnia or other sleep issues, try making a dream charm to help you sleep well and have sweet dreams. To make a simple dream charm, fill a blue or purple bag with lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and any other objects that you associate with peace, restfulness, and sleep. If you want to have lucid dreams or receive psychic messages in your dreams, include a bit of mugwort. Place the charm in your pillow or under your mattress. (I personally swear by this one, as it’s helped a lot with my insomnia.)

Charms are great for homemaking magic because you’re actually creating a magical object, which can then become a permanent fixture of the space.

Magical Decor

You can use magical items to decorate your home to bring certain qualities into that space.

Hanging or displaying a broom is said to bring good fortune, protection from evil, and good hospitality. Cauldrons are used to represent the Goddess, rebirth, and raw potential. Horseshoes hung above door frames bring safety and luck to all who cross under them, and keep unwanted guests away. If you can get them legally and ethically, animal bones, teeth, claws, and feathers can represent the spirit and energy of that animal. You can also put up images of spiritual and occult symbols — I have an image of the Sun tarot card hanging in my bedroom to promote positivity and growth.

If you need to be a little more subtle with your witchy decorations, working with the magic of color is a great way to do that. Gathering a lot of items of a single color in one room changes the energy of that room. Here’s a quick guide to give you some ideas:

Yellow is associated with divination, mental clarity, the element of air, success, communication, and inspiration.

Purple is associated with divine power, spiritual awareness, mystery, astral travel, magic, and authority.

Blue is associated with healing, psychic abilities, the element of water, peace, truth, and patience.

Red is associated with protection, the fire element, sex, power, vitality, and love.

Orange is associated with ambition, creativity, breaking through blockages, and career success.

Pink is associated with romantic love, friendship, self love, compassion, and emotional well-being.

Green is associated with nature, herbalism, the earth element, money, wealth, prosperity, and luck.

Brown is associated with grounding, animal magic, stability, and balance.

White is associated with purification, cleansing, the full moon, new beginnings, healing, and spiritual growth.

Black is associated with protection, truth, outer space, banishing, and transition.

Decorating your home with colors that are meaningful to you can create a powerful magical space. You may also have your own color associations (for example, yellow is a very “happy” color for me), so feel free to incorporate those into your decor as well!

Growing Magical Houseplants

Most witches feel a very deep connection to nature and draw power from the natural world, but we can’t all live in a cottage in the heart of the forest. Even if you live in a tiny apartment in the city, you can still bring nature into your space by keeping houseplants. Many popular houseplants have magical uses, and many popular magic herbs can be grown inside. Here are a few to get you started.

Aloe. This is one of my favorite plants. Aloe brings luck and protection, especially protection on an energetic/spiritual level. I like to keep aloe in my bedroom to protect me while I sleep, as well as to bring luck and inspiration while I’m working at my desk.

Basil. Basil is very popular in money spells, and will attract prosperity and luck to your home. However, it also has protective properties — both spiritual protection and protection from bugs, since basil is a natural insect repellent! Basil can also be used in love spells, and is just generally a good plant to have around for good vibes.

African Violet. This flowering plant attracts positive spiritual energy into your space. It has associations with the moon and the water element, and is very good for promoting spirituality and psychic power.

Rosemary. Rosemary is one of those herbs that every witch should have on hand. It’s so darn versatile, it can be used as a substitute for virtually any other herb, and can be used for almost any intention. Some of the most common magical associations for rosemary include: cleansing, purification, protection, healing, mental activity, and enhancing memory. According to author Deborah J. Martin, there’s an old English saying that, “Where rosemary grows, the woman rules the house.” Like basil, rosemary is a natural insect repellent.

Lavender. Lavender brings peace, love, and gentleness, which makes it a perfect addition to any home. It can be used in spells for cleansing and purification, enhancing psychic abilities, and stress relief. Lavender is also a powerful addition to love spells. Keeping lavender in the bedroom can aid in restful sleep, while lavender in the kitchen will bring harmony to the home.

Sage. Sage is the most talked about cleansing herb, and with good reason. Unfortunately, a lot of the sage bundles you can buy at metaphysical stores are made with white sage (Salvia apiana), which is sacred to Native American peoples and is endangered due to overharvesting. Instead of buying those, why not grow your own garden sage (Salvia officinalis), which has a lot of the same magical properties? Growing sage in your home will purify the space and protect those who live there. Sage also has an association with wisdom and mental prowess.

Hoya. Hoya is a common houseplant that you’ve probably seen even if you don’t know it by name. It has a distinctive appearance with waxy, dark green leaves and clusters of white, star-shaped flowers. Hoya aligns and balances the energy centers within your body, as well as in the surrounding space. It’s associated both with grounding and with spiritual openness, so it can be great for balancing the two.

Peppermint. Peppermint has a variety of magical uses, but my favorite way to use it is for gently opening up blockages and getting things moving. It’s great for cleansing, but is more gentle than rosemary or sage. Place it in any room where you tend to do a lot of healing work, or where you could use some peace and love. Peppermint is also used in dream magic, so growing it in the bedroom may bring on vivid or lucid dreams.

Orchid. Orchids are used in magic for love and lust. Historically, orchid has been used in folk medicine to promote male virility and “Jezebel root,” used in American folk magic to attract wealthy male lovers, is a type of orchid root. If you live with a significant other, try growing an orchid in the bedroom to promote passion in your sex life. Otherwise, grow orchids in your home to promote love or to attract romance.

Catnip. If you have cats, they’ll love this one. Catnip is actually a type of mint, and has strong lunar associations. It’s said to make one more charming and attractive, and is especially useful for attracting women. At the same time, catnip promotes courage and fierceness. It is also, of course, associated with cats and feline deities, so this is definitely a plant you’ll want to keep around if the cat is one of your animal guides.

If you have a yard space that you can turn into an outdoor garden, your magical plant options are limited only by your local ecosystem. Some outdoor plants that have magical uses include roses, sunflowers, rue, lemon balm, and strawberries.

Creating an Altar

Altars are focal points of magical and spiritual energy. Many people, both witches and non-witches, find that having a designated space for their spiritual practice creates a deeper sense of sacredness and purpose.

An altar can serve lots of different purposes. Many witches use their altar as a magical work space to prepare spells, meditate, and do divination. You may choose to dedicate your altar to a deity, your ancestors, or some other spirit(s) you work with. You can also build altars for specific intentions, such as a money altar or a love altar — performing rituals at this altar everyday is a powerful method for manifestation. You altar may be some or all of these things, or it may just be a place to sit and connect with the spiritual.

You can set up an altar on any flat surface, like a shelf or table, or inside a container like a jewelry box. Your setup can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. An altar can be huge and complex, with statues and candles and flowers, or it can be as simple as a tealight and an incense burner. It’s all about what appeals to you.

Resources:

New World Witchery pocast, “Episode 143 — The Magical Home”

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

“Candle colors and their meanings” by Michelle Gruben on the Grove and Grotto blog

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin

“The Magic of Orchids in Wiccan Love Spells & Rituals” on the Art of the Root blog

[castox]

☀️Bright Bath for Apollo🛁

Needed:

☀️Epsom salts (Eucalyptus optional)

🌻Sunflowers and other yellow flowers

🕯Candles (4 at least)

🍋Lemons

✨Crystals (Yellow or not, your choice)

Directions:

1. Start the water to draw the bath. While waiting, cut the flowers off from their stems and slice the lemons.

2. As the bath is filling, shake in (at least) two cups of the Epsom salts.

3. Place the crystals you have around the water on the edge of the bath.

4. When the bath is done filling, turn off the water and gently place the flowers and the lemon slices into the water.

5. Light each of the candlesand place in one of the four corners each (PLEASE be careful not to light the curtain on fire if there is a curtain).

6. Turn off the lights (optional) before getting into the bath.

7. (Optional) Think of His bright sunlight shining on your skin, purifying and cleansing your body and soul.

When done, put the lemons and flowers into a bowl. You can either use these as an offering to Apollo or throw them away or bury them outside, whatever feels best for you. Blow out all four candles to end the spell and drain the bath to rid of the negative energies that you washed off of you.

Enjoy!

[celestineskyy]

witchy things to do while in self-isolation🌿

i think we all need a little inspiration during this time!

make sun water. the vernal equinox has marked spring’s arrival (in the northern hemisphere). with the days growing longer and the weather improving each day, it’s the perfect time to leave some water in the sun’s rays to be blessed.

sun water has correspondences of protection, healing, comfort, luck and courage which may be useful to all of us. in addition, it’s a great offering for Apollo or any other sun god. i often use sun water to water my houseplants and they seem to really appreciate it!

perform kitchen magick. you really don’t have to be a master chef, nor do you need a lot of fancy ingredients on hand. using kitchen magick you can bless any food you prepare and eat it with the loved ones you may be self-isolating with.

i love to bake when i get bored at the moment. there are many recipes online with as little as three ingredients: my personal favourite are peanut butter cookies, made with just a cup of caster sugar, a cup of peanut butter and one large egg. again, whatever you make can double as an offering! the fae will almost always accept gifts of baked goods.

Keep reading

[scarletarosa]

Apollo

Greek god of music, art, light, prophecy, oracles, knowledge, science, healing, diseases, plague, poetry, dance, herds and flocks, and archery

Apollo has a complex role as a deity for he is both the healer and the destroyer. He is known to be warm at heart and is fond of delighting others with music, namely by playing a lyre. Apollo is also deeply connected with all forms of art for he is a lover of beauty and emotion, and in fact, he is so deeply connected with the arts that the Muses are his attendees. He is a very ancient god whose origins extend beyond the Greek pantheon, being known as Apol in Egypt where he was moreso a god of war. Apollo was among one of the most feared Greek gods, and was terrifying to even the gods themselves.  

As a healer, Apollo is known to visit humans suffering from plagues and epidemics so he can heal them. Though as destroyer, he is given the name “the god who punishes and destroys (oulios) the wicked and overbearing”. All sudden deaths of men, whether they were regarded as a punishment or a reward, were believed to be the effect of the arrows of Apollo; and with the same arrows, he would send out plagues. In mythology, a story tells that four days after his birth, Apollo went to mount Parnassus, and there killed the dragon Python, who had pursued his mother during her wanderings. The circumstance of Apollo being the destroyer of the wicked was believed by some of the ancients to have given rise to his name Apollo, which they connected with apollumi, “to destroy.“   

In myth, Apollo is a son of Zeus, King of the Gods, and the Titaness Leto. His mother was hounded by Zeus’ wife Hera throughout her pregnancy and thus was forced to wander the world in search of safe refuge. In one legend, his twin-sister Artemis was born one day before Apollo. His mother gave birth to Artemis on the island of Ortygia, then, almost immediately after her birth, Artemis helped her mother to cross the straits over to Delos, where she then delivered Apollo with Artemis’ help.  

Along with Artemis, Apollo was a protector of children (Artemis protecting females and Apollo the males). But paradoxically, they could also be the cause for their deaths through shooting them with their arrows and raining disease upon them. In one mythical story, Artemis with her twin brother, Apollo, put to death the children of Niobe. The reason being that Niobe, a mere mortal, had boasted to Leto, the mother of the divine twins, that she had bore more children than her, which must make her superior to Leto. Apollo being outraged at such an insult on his mother, informed Artemis. The twin gods then hunted Niobe’s children down and shot them with their arrows; Apollo killed the male children and Artemis the girls. 

In my personal experiences with this god, Apollo is an elegant, charming, intelligent, refined, wise, and sophisticated gentleman whose eloquent words reflect his role as a god of the arts. He is deeply compassionate and protective of those he cares for, making his heart golden like the sun itself. Though he does in fact get wrathful towards injustices and is not afraid to seek the destruction of the cruel. Apollo values courage, kindness, generosity, independence, and wisdom. He is incredibly sweet and helpful, giving wonderful advice to those who need it. He is also very calm and patient as well. When people are suffering, his heart goes out for them and he does whatever he can to heal them- both physically and mentally. Apollo also greatly loves to learn and teach, making him an outstanding deity for all sorts of areas of life. Appearance-wise, Apollo appears as a tall and very handsome gentleman with tanned skin, blue eyes, very long golden hair, and gentle facial features.   

| Symbolism of Apollo |

Lyres

Bow and arrows

Laurel wreaths

Hyacinth 

Pythons

Ravens

Dolphins

Swans

Wolves

Bees

The Sun

| Personal Associations |

Harps

Sunflowers

Marigolds

Hawks

Griffins 

| Some of his epithets |

Loimios (The deliverer from plague)

Epikourios (The helper of warriors)

Aphetor (Archer)

Chrusaôr (The god with the golden sword)

Akestôr (Averter of evil)

Hekatos (He who kills many {with plague})

Hekatebolos (He who strikes from afar)

Eleleus (He who utters a war-cry)

Erasmius (The lovely)

Aegletes (The radiant one)

Stratagios (The general)

Nikephoros (Bringer of victory)

Acesius (Healing)

Boedromios (Savior on battlefield) 

| Offerings |

White wine, clear gin, chamomile tea, apples, figs, olives, honey, honeycomb, fancy sweets, pastries, chocolate, river fish (like trout), lamb meat, sunflowers, marigolds, hyacinth, yellow roses, bay leaves, musical instruments, bow & arrows, daggers, cologne, hair pomade, round mirrors, music sheets, hand-made crafts, pottery, chamomile, sunstone, citrine, divination tools, yellow or gold candles, raven feathers, swan feathers, bathing salts, white salt, lamb wool, a bowl for lecanomancy, frankincense, lyres (mini or full-scale), images of his sacred animals, classical music, artwork, poetry, and prose.

[coastal-witch-deactivated202308]

☀️Sun oil recipe☀️

🌞Use to connect to the suns energy, anoint solar or healing objects, bless a solar altar, to anoint a candle, various spells (protection, healing, truth, happiness, self love, strength, courage, positivity, warmth, creativity, fertility, prosperity, cleansing, and confidence spells), and it makes a great offering to solar deities🌞

☀️Ingredients:

☀️Carrier oil (sunflower oil or olive oil correspondes with solar magic, but any oil is fine)

☀️Orange essential oil

☀️Lemon essential oil

☀️Grapefruit essential oil

☀️Frankincense essential oil

☀️Black pepper essential oil

☀️Rosemary essential oil

☀️Cinnamon essential oil

☀️Juniper essential oil

[thatwaterwitch]

Simple offerings to the Greek Gods (for broke witches)

Zeus: play storm sounds in your room.

Poseidon: take good care of your fish children. Talk to them.

Hades: visit graves. Don’t let the dead be forgotten.

Apollo: stand in the sun. Sing an off key tune.

Hermes: write a letter to a friend. Pull a prank.

Hepheastus: make something! Light a fire!

Dionysus: pour it up pour it up! (Only grape juice kiddos!)

Hera: take your siblings out for lunch. Hug your mom.

Athena: read a book. Do some brain teasers.

Aphrodite: love thyself! Admire that mirror!

Demeter: eat cereal. Praise the bread!

Artemis: support your local aroace. Wave hello to any deer you see.

Persephone: keep some pretty flowers on your desk.

Hestia: cuddle up by the fire. Drink some nice tea.

Hecate: acknowledge the magic within you. Praise it.

Nike: rock some kickass Nike’s. Go struttin.

Hypnos: take a nap. Or two. Or three…

Iris: say hi to the little rainbows you find on your walls.

Part two- https://thatwaterwitch.tumblr.com/post/169156294044/offerings-to-the-greek-gods-for-broke-witches

[westcoaststrega]

Deity Jars

Having a small living space can cause lots of witchy problems. One thing that I struggled finding space for was an altar for the deities I follow. I’ve seen lots of posts about making travel sized altars in mint tins for the busy or closeted witch and that’s where I got the inspiration to make my deity jars!

What you can do is get a wide mouth jar (there are loads available at places like the Dollar Store for a witch on a budget) and fill it with plants, crystals, and other items that are sacred or are of some significance to the deity you’re making it for.

For example, my Aphrodite jar is filled with dried rose petals, pearl-like beads on a necklace, rose quartz, clear quartz, sea shells, and coral.

You can use the jars for worship, prayers, meditation, harnessing the energy of the deity for spells, or for amplifying your own energy for spells that would fall into the deities domain.

I’ve used my Aphrodite jar for all sorts of love spells! I’ve used it focus my intent during spells and if a love spell requires writing your intent on paper, I just put the finished writings inside the jar for a period of time based on lunar phases or until the spell is completed and accomplished.

The Deity Jars can be used for any pantheon and are relatively cheap and easy to make! If you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask!

[all-things-witchcraft]

🌱The Basics of Witchcraft🌱

This is a small excerpt from my coven’s lessons. I’ll continue to post these so witchlings, or witches, can have this information! I hope it helps.

Witchcraft is, in my opinion, the practice of manipulating energy forces into your intent. This can also be simplified as the practice of magick. You can aid it by tools and materials, but no matter what, you are manipulating energy. That is why energy work can be very important.

The Craft started wayy back, from the start of human civilization. Before we started to get scientifically advanced and didn’t know that much, we would believe in the supernatural, that a god or spirit did this and that. Witches were the mediators between humans and the higher powers. Religion and Witchcraft may have gone hand to hand back then, but it isn’t always the case. You can practice witchcraft without believing in a higher power or deity. Here are just some things to know before stepping into the Craft:

Witchcraft ≠ Religion

It isn’t a game(To specify, don’t half-ass a spell. It either might not work, or worse, create chaos. We can learn about this next lesson when we learn about Energy work).

Witchcraft can be used for anything and everything you want it to be, It’s really flexible.

There are morals and ethics to learn about in the craft you should pay attention to

It is an enhancement, not a replacement to your life.

To elaborate on the last point, here is a document by Brian Windvexer that should be looked at:

Don’t Let Witchcraft Erase Who You Are:

Don’t become dependent on Tarot readings to make decisions

Don’t feel like the day is ruined if you left the house without drawing your card for the day

Don’t feel helpless if you can’t figure out a spell to help

Don’t rely on witchcraft alone to improve your relationships

Don’t forget how to speak out because you can hex at home

Don’t forget how to be confident without a candle spell

Don’t forget to discover for yourself because there are so many free resources online

Don’t get panicky if you can’t explain it with your new beliefs

Don’t lose your friends because they don’t understand the new you

Don’t avoid going out with friends so you can buy more herbs and candles instead

Don’t give up your other hobbies to practice endless energy work or Divination

Don’t neglect your job or studies to read witchcraft books instead

Don’t ask yourself ‘what would a witch do’. Ask yourself, ‘What would I do.’

Witchcraft is an enhancement to life, not a replacement for life.

There are different types of witchcraft and I’d say they are all valid. But with every practice, there are certain basics to them.

They are:

Protection

Grounding

Centering

Meditation

Visualization

Protection - To guard and prevent harmful energies to an area/being, especially in Magick practice.

There are 3 types:

Wards: protection of an area (ie. House or room)

Shields: protection of a being (ie. You, someone else, maybe a pet)

Circles: Temporary protection ground for rituals

Here’s the best part of protection, you can think of protection in so many ways, may it be a ring of fire, a giant bubble, a castle wall, whatever your heart desires! You can even more than But, I suggest putting up protection that is similar to a membrane, so things still flow freely, letting the good things in and the bad things out.

There are plenty of techniques to set up protection, starting with visualization. Imagination is a powerful tool, and is very important in practicing energy work and the craft. Some added protection is made by adding protection-associated materials, like Salt for example.

Grounding - To stabilize your energies and stay down to earth

Grounding is a great recommendation to keeping your energies in control and staying connected to the earth. It can help recharge you with energies.

One technique to help ground yourself is to visualize a root shooting from the bottom of your spine and digging into the earth like a Tree. Gather the energies from the earth, and give off all of the negative energies you feel. Cycle the energies until you feel refreshed. You can make 2 roots and have one give the good energy and the other giving to the earth the negative energies.

It can also be as simple as shaking off and stretching!

Centering - Getting your shit together (shit as in energy).

Centering is great as it can help make a state of mindfulness and gets you to stay present in the present. It’s great mentally. It helps get scattered energy into one. Literally, getting your shit together. Centering can help as well in controlling your energies and gathering yourself up so you stay together. How energy works is that you tend to throw bits and pieces of your energy all around different areas(sometimes you may not even know it), and sometimes you just need to recharge. Most of the time you should ground after a centering.

Here’s one technique to practice centering: visualize scattered energy, making you less bright and more dull, very dim as a person. Then, imagine the pieces of energy flying back at you, morphing around you into one bubble, like a puzzle piece. You start to glow brightly again.

Meditation - Being one with the thoughts/self, calming yourself down and staying mindful and aware.

Meditation can do soooo much. It helps you mentally, physically, and spiritually. It can help your energies stay in check, and It can do so much more than that. Before you astral travel, you must fall into a state of meditation. There are two types of meditation, Concentrated and Mindful. Concentrated is when you focus on one object, sound, or mantra. Mindful doesn’t focus on anything specific, just being aware of everything that passes by in your mind. In witchcraft, if it used to help discover who you are, as well as communicate to others(spirits/deities/etc).

Now, the number one thing to focus on when meditating is to breathe. Long, regular breaths help calm down. Get into a quiet area. Now get into a comfortable position, either cross-legged or laying down. Breathe. 4 counts in, 4 counts out. Clear your mind. Now, be aware of your mind.

Disclaimer: Now not everyone has to follow these things, It’s just a suggestion. Experiences vastly differ from mine.

[witch-bitc]

things that are guaranteed to make a witch happy

buttons

flowers

herbs

shiny rocks

keys that go to nothing

tiny replicas of normal sized things

dollar store candles

cool candle holders

too many sticks of cinnamon

L A V E N D E R

teas of all kinds

fabric

tiny bags

pieces of cool rope or thread

fun shaped sticks

smooth rocks

old old old books

pretty latin phrases

[thoodleoo]

all these stories about how the modern day dionysian ritual is going out and murdering someone in the woods…the true modern day dionysian ritual is drunkenly going to taco bell at 3 am and i dare anyone to tell me otherwise

[thoodleoo]

like. ive never seen dionysus in the woods but i’ve DEFINITELY seen him at taco bell

[uncahier]

[flowerais-deactivated20211031]

the moon says: I know you’re tired. get some rest. everything will be okay.

[vampireapologist-archive-deacti]

Death Culture in a lot of the US is so depressing and isolating. I know this doesn’t speak to every culture’s tradition and experience bc there are so many people and cultures in the country, but largely this is what I see.

People afraid of death. Not of dying, but of the concept and precense of death.

When someone dies, it’s spoken about very quietly and very privately, almost like it should be a secret.

Viewings and funerals have sanitized atmospheres, where you walk into a funeral home and very quietly tell the nearest family member that you’re sorry, and they say thank you, and you leave quickly, just as quietly.

People don’t explain death to their children, or they even hide it (replacing dead pets with identical ones, usually with fish or hamsters).

Worst of all, when the process is all over, when the body is in the ground or an urn, people stop talking about the person as if their memory is a taboo.

It has been eight years since my dad died. Eight. And people still avoid bringing him up around me. Sometimes they’ll even apologize if they mention him. If I meet someone new and mention he died, eight years ago, they say “oh I’m so sorry” and avoid saying anything ever again that may reference me having a dad.

It’s like when someone dies here, people want to pretend they never lived.

I’ve never understood this sort of culture, because on my mom’s side, we’ve always been super open about death. When a family member dies, we stand up by their body at the wake and tell lively stories about them. People laugh loudly and cry freely and share the most noble and most hilariously embarrassing moments they hold dear to them with the person we lost.

At the house we eat all day, but we can never eat enough, because more and more people bring more and cook more. We drink, and we even play instruments and sing, and we tell more stories.

And we tell the children what death means. And we don’t stop talking about the person once they’re in the ground.

If I miss them, I can message a family member and share a memory and feel better again.

So it always astounds me when someone asks me about my parents, and the way I watch them absolutely clam up when I say my dad died when I was in high school. I see in their eyes the way they silently make a note to never bring him up again.

Of course, if I ASKED them not to, that’d be one thing.

But I can’t ignore that we live largely in a society where death is a secret thing. A scary and inappropriate topic that happens behind closed doors. A dirty fact of life that we deal with as quickly as possible and can’t wait to wash our hands of.

I think it makes it harder for everyone. I hate that I feel I can’t bring up my own father, who raised me for seventeen years, without making Polite Company visibly uncomfortable.

Death is part of life. It’s going to happen to all of us, and I’m grateful to know that when it eventually happens to me, my family will laugh and cry and sing and eat my favorite food and drink my favorite drinks and tell embarrassing stories about me and my memory will stay with them because they’ll never lock it away in some secret little drawer deemed impolite and scary and dark.

There are so many cultures that process death in much healthier ways, and I’m not saying we should take heir traditions, but I think we should follow their example.

As it is, death is an isolating experience. We need to start talking about it.

Death isn’t evil, or inherently bad, or mysterious. It just happens. And it hurts. And it’s hard and sad and difficult to navigate. But all of those things are better managed when we talk and remember.

[flowerais-deactivated20211031]

Things you don’t believe yet but are true:

- you will make it through this

- your struggles are very real

- your pain is real

- you’re worth the trouble of getting help

- you’re worth the effort

- you’re not a burden

- you deserve to be here

- anxiety lies to you

- depression lies to you

- anger lies to you

- loneliness lies to you

- disorders lie to you

- insecurities lie to you

- you are not a failure

- you are not a bad person

- you are not meant to be alone

- you are not ugly

- you’re not useless 

- you are not worthless

- you are loved

- you are good enough

- you are valuable

- you are beautiful

- nothing can replace you

- no one can replace you

- you make people happy

- you make people smile

- you give great hugs

- you changed people for the better

- you brighten someone’s day

- dogs love you too

- you are cute

- you are intelligent

- you are appreciated

- you deserve so many warm hugs

- you deserve affection

- you deserve to be a priority

- you deserve new beginnings

- you deserve to stop hurting yourself

- you deserve to forgive yourself

- you deserve things that are too good to be true

- you deserve lasting happiness

- you deserve a life worth living

- you will meet new people

- you will go to new places

- you will find your way again

- you will find a new home

- you will find belonging

- you will find meaning 

- you will find new things to obsess over

- you will find new passions

- you will fall in love again

- you will learn from mistakes

- you will have realizations

- you will grow

- your best is yet to come

- your problems will lose 

- you will love yourself

- you will accept things you can’t change 

- you will care about yourself again

- you will be happy 

- you will achieve great things

- every part of you will heal

- love will come back

- happiness will come back

- peace will come back

- excitement will come back

- good things and blue skies will come back

- you will get another chance

- your future is bright

- you will reach your goals

- you will pass that test

- you will overcome your fears

- you will get better

- you will heal completely

- you will be stronger

- you will find a way

- this will pass

- things will get easier

- keep trying

- you’re growing from this

- you’re doing amazing 💛