Water Nymph | Lake Witch

Just a broke college witch trying to figure shit out 🔮🖤🎨

[magicamongthestars]

Grimoire Ideas📖✨

   since i’m starting to work on getting my own Grimoire better organized and figuring out what i think fits best in it for me, i feel like i should log some ideas that have helped me in my journey in hopes that it could help someone else just starting out. but just remember that your Grimoire is your own and personal to you and you alone so you don’t need to put everything in if it doesn’t vibe well with you or doesn’t fit into your craft. your book should hold things that are personal to you and your craft and what you believe and you don’t need to have every bit of knowledge in your book.

✏️ an index/table of contents ✏️ a blessing ✏️ a protection sigil and/or spell to keep from wondering eyes ✏️ your personal creed or rede/the wiccan rede(if you’re wiccan) ✏️ personal goals/13 goals of a witch ✏️ personal correspondences/things personal to you ✏️ your beliefs ✏️ your daily rituals ✏️ the different types of magic ✏️ the different types of divination ✏️ any gods, goddesses, deities, or spirits you worship/follow  ✏️ information on any gods, goddesses, deities, or spirits ✏️ crystals 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ plants/tress/flowers 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ herbs 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ essential oils 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ incense 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ candles 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ chakras 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ auras 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ elements(earth, fire, air, water) 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ runes 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ magical symbols 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ feathers 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ crystal grid ✏️ pendulum board ✏️ sigils 》how to make them 》how they work 》how to charge ✏️ moon phases 》correspondences 》what they’re good 》what the mean  ✏️ moon phase calendar(preferable something that can be removed or changed easily)   ✏️ magical times 》hour 》day 》week 》month ✏️ moon water ✏️ sun water ✏️ zodiac 》correspondences 》dates 》characteristics  ✏️ mythology of your heritage/culture and/or area ✏️ mythologies of interest ✏️ mythological creatures ✏️ star chart ✏️ constellations ✏️ celestial events ✏️ planets/celestial bodies 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences 》mythology 》relation to magic ✏️ cheat sheets ✏️ tips/reminders ✏️ spirit works ✏️ basic concepts 》banishing 》binding 》cleansing 》grounding 》ect. ✏️ altars 》what they are 》what they’re used for 》what you need 》basic set up 》plans ✏️ familiars ✏️ tools in your practice ✏️ spirit work ✏️ spirits ✏️ personal/family traditions ✏️ animals 》which animals you connect with 》spiritual powers of animals ✏️ spirits guides ✏️ sabbats 》solstice 》equinox ✏️ recipes 》spells 》potions 》teas 》cleaning products 》natural remedies 》powders 》oils 》beauty 》 body scrubs 》ect. ✏️ spells 》self love 》curses 》hexes 》protection 》banishing 》ect. ✏️ tea 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences 》spells 》recipes ✏️ rituals ✏️ visuals 》drawings 》pressed flowers/herbs/plants 》photos ✏️ meditation ✏️ a secret code or alphabet  ✏️ gardening ✏️ list of words and phrases ✏️ books 》ones you reference & find helpful ✏️ experiences 》spell work 》divination 》spirit work 》banishing 》tarot readings 》ect. ✏️ spiritual diary ✏️ magical diary ✏️ dream log ✏️ spell log ✏️ anything else you want! literally! it’s your book and its always good to customize it to you! if you feel like it should be in your book, then go ahead and put it in your book because that’s what makes it special!

            ***correspondences =things such as 》elements, colors, symbolism, planets, astrology, anatomy, ect. really anything else important tied to something.

   obviously you can pick and choose whatever works best for yourself and your craft, and i don’t even have some of these in my own book but still thought they would be helpful to include for witches like me who are just starting out who need ideas of what their books can hold! i’ll probably start posting more about my grimorire and how i keep it organized as well!

   if you think i’ve missed anything feel free to add on more ideas to pass on to your fellow baby witches!

[ruinsmami]

2020 is almost over and all I gotta say is what the fuck was that

[suddenrundown]

YOU

[bewaretheidesofmarchyall]

ANOTHER TIME TRAVELER

GET THEM

[amuklaios]

Being bad at things is an offering, too.

Trying things for the first time. Singing off key. Baking bread that never actually rises. Dancing like nobody’s watching, even though all you’re doing is waving your arms around. It’s all an offering. It can all be an offering.

Apollo will listen to your squeaky music. Dionysus will watch you perform bad Shakespeare. Demeter will smile at your bread, and Persephone will welcome your wilted flowers.

The gods do not care about perfection. They only care about your effort, and your enjoyment, in a task. So devote your orchestra to Apollo. Give Athena the blanket you wove that’s not quite right. Give that failed candle to Aphrodite. They’ll love it, just as they love you.

[laughtermagick]

Learning Tarot With Memes

Keywords: Journey, seeking, purity, innocence.

Key concept: “Life is about the journey, not the destination, man.”

The Fool can signify someone exploring life with utter freedom and enthusiasm. In a reading, this could indicate many lessons the individual must still learn. Everyone must go through a whole variety of human experiences in order to grow and develop.

Key Symbols

Young man: This youthful wanderer represents the soul - the protagonist in every single mythic story.

Clothes: The tunic is richly decorated as if he’s got a wealth of history, but trying to leave all that behind now. Experiences are but a garment to the soul - protective perhaps, but not the actual soul itself.

Wreath & Feather: On the crown of the head is a laurel with a red feather. Many cultures throughout history have used feathers to symbolize fierce courageousness. The wreath represents inner strength that triumphs over adversity. For ancient Greeks, the laurel was sacred to the sun god Apollo and symbolized victory.

White Rose: Pure romance, utter infatuation, best intentions. This hints at the Latin phrase sub rosa (”under the rose”) meaning confidentiality. Aphrodite is said to have given a rose to her son Eros who then entrusted the flower to Harpocrates, the god of silence (AKA the Egyptian god Horus, god of the sun who each day overcomes darkness) to protect her from slander.

Staff: The pole represents an authentic life and staying true to purpose, carrying no regrets or confusion, only the essential things needed to carry on. Staffs can also be used as “wands” for conducting and directing magic energies.

Bag: The classic vagabond trope absolutely must have a kerchief bag on a stick. You can’t run from the past without bringing something along with you, no matter how much of a fresh start was intended.

Sun: There is a divine point from which everything emanates and to which everything returns. No matter how far out you travel from your first origin, you’ll always end up at an origin point.

Ledge: The next unseen step may lead to a fall, but this too is only the beginning of yet another story.

Yellow: Mostly unnoticed in the background is the color yellow, which is full of bright energy and also warning.

Small dog: The dog represents hope - a guardian and faithful companion. We all have escorts on our journey whether or not we recognize those friendly souls.

Waite-Smith Fun Fact

The artist personally knew a little boy who loved to play dress-up in a robe with a similar pattern as the tunic on the tarot card. The boy also had a small dog who (as documented in many old black-and-white photographs) jumped constantly with excitement.

[archives-backup]

witchy resources !!

want access to a ton of witchy resources? want to talk to experienced practitioners with decades of time in the craft?

come join the ARCHIVES, the biggest and highest quality collection of resources - with summaries and helpful notes for all resources posted

we are baby / new witch friendly and have special guides and beginners sections for those who aren't sure how to begin!

join here!

[will-o-the-witch]

Was It A Sign?

Well, maybe. Maybe not. Here are some little things that may help you figure out if it was really a grand message or not! The more of these you have, the more likely it is.

🦉It’s unusual. Let’s say you saw a deer. Sweet! That’s cool, but if you live in a wooded area and deer are really common, it’s really not that profound. It could be a message, or it could just be a deer.

🦉You asked for a sign. If you asked the universe or a certain deity for a sign, perhaps this is the follow through! For this type of thing, it’s usually good to ask for something specific enough that you couldn’t expect it every day, but not so much that it’s impossible. (My go to is a rose or a purple feather.) That way, you know that X thing is your sign without worrying too hard about it!

🦉It felt… different. Maybe the event isn’t terribly wild on its own, but it just really hit you, or the feeling was incredibly profound. Especially after doing research, and seeing how many things are symbols, your brain will make connections really quickly. That means sometimes we make something out of nothing. A strong emotional response is a good sign of a sign.

🦉It immediately felt like a sign. Let’s say you see a rainbow, and it’s really pretty. You enjoy it for a few minutes then go back inside. Later, you think, “Hm, that could have been a sign.” Maybe. But it also could be your brain going hey, I know things associated with rainbows! (In my opinion, this is the most important one. I feel like if you have to wonder if it was a sign, it wasn’t a sign. You might not know what it’s a sign of, but you will know it’s a sign. That’s just my UPG, though.)

🦉Any post-research lines up. If you get a neat vision and run the details through Google, you may find details that line up with certain lore. Maybe you knew this before, maybe not. If you didn’t, and connections keep happening with surprising accuracy, it’s a pretty good indicator!

🦉Think of why you want it to be a sign, if you do. There’s a big narrative that everybody involved in magic, Paganism, etc. is constantly having these profound religious experiences. This simply isn’t true. There’s no shame in wanting a story to share, or to feel special, or to “fit in” by getting signs from the universe. Sometimes we want signs for the sake of receiving signs, so if you’re trying to manufacture them by pulling on every little thing, you’re distracting yourself from enjoying the world exactly how it is. Don’t worry about signs and enjoy yourself. Animals and rainbows and all that are still pretty great even if every little thing doesn’t have a personal meaning.

[doomtribble73]

A woman wearing the traditional clothes of a "cholita" skates during a skate festival in La Paz, Bolivia, on September 30, 2020. These young women wear this traditional clothing as a statement of their pride in indigenous culture. #

Gaston Brito / Getty

[xxspookywitchxx]

Happy October Witches 👻 let the spooky vibes take over your soul:

🎃 read some spooky novels

🎃 start planning your Samhain

🎃 pet all the black cats

🎃 do some autumnal baking

🎃 do a dedication of Samhain in your grimoire

🎃 go for a walk in the woods

🎃 say hello to a spirit or leave an offering

🎃 cleanse your space for the 1st day of October

🎃 do a tarot read for October

🎃 visit your local witch store

🎃 watch some spooky movies

[anexperimentallife]

I feel seen and I'm not sure I like it

[samwisethewitch]

Cultural Appropriation in Modern Witchcraft

Cultural appropriation occurs when cultural practices are taken out of their original context and misused by outsiders. Cultural appropriation is different from cultural sharing, which occurs naturally in any multicultural society. Eating at an Indian restaurant is not cultural appropriation. Wearing a bindi when you don’t understand its significance in Indian culture is.

Cultural appropriation is a huge issue in modern witchcraft. When you have witches using white sage to “smudge” their altars, doing meditations to balance their chakras, and calling on Santa Muerte in spells, all without making any effort to understand the cultural roots of those practices, you have a serious problem.

When trying to understand cultural appropriation in witchcraft, it’s important to understand the difference between open and closed magic systems. An open system is one that is open to exchange with outsiders — both sharing ideas/practices and taking in new ones. In terms of religion, spirituality, and witchcraft, a completely open system has no restrictions on who can practice its teachings. A closed system is one that is isolated from outside influences — usually, there is some kind of restriction on who can practice within these systems.

There are different reasons a system might be closed. Some systems require a formal training and/or initiation, but there is no restriction on who can be initiated. Reiki and some forms of Wicca operate this way. (All other forms of Wicca are completely open.) Some systems are closely tied to a complex set of cultural beliefs that may not be fully understood by outsiders, so they are closed to people outside of that culture. Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) is an example of this. Some systems require a family lineage, so you must have been born into the system to practice within it. Zoroastrianism and some forms of traditional witchcraft fall into this category. And finally, some systems are closed as a kind of self defense, usually because they have been the target of persecution from outsiders — keeping the system closed is a way to preserve beliefs and practices that might otherwise be lost. African Diaspora Religions fall into this last category.

If a belief or practice is part of a closed system, outsiders should not take part in it. It really is that simple. If you aren’t Native American, you should not be performing smudging ceremonies. If you aren’t Jewish, you should not be practicing Kabbalah or working with Lilith as your “goddess.” If you aren’t Black, you should not be practicing Hoodoo. You get the idea.

On a similar note, just because a system is open does not mean you can do whatever you want with its teachings. You should still make a point of educating yourself on the system you are practicing and take care not to take things out of their original context. Some forms of Shinto are open, but you wouldn’t involve the kami in a Wiccan- or pagan-style ritual — Shinto has its own rules for ritual, which are very different from Western paganism. If you feel called to work with a cultural system you are not already part of, you need to be willing to put in the work of respectfully learning about and preserving that system.

It is impossible to appropriate a dominant culture. For example, in the United States, white American culture is treated as the default. There is tremendous pressure on all other cultural groups to speak English, dress like white Americans, and act like white Americans. White American culture has deep roots in Protestant Christianity, and these religious influences are enforced through social norms and sometimes through laws. Many businesses are closed on Christmas and Easter, and I live in an area where it is illegal to sell alcohol on Sunday mornings. White (Christian) American culture is literally being shoved down everyone’s throats all the time. A non-Christian immigrant wearing a cable-knit sweater, taking Sundays off work, or celebrating Christmas isn’t cultural appropriation, because they are expected to adopt these elements of the dominant culture.

It is also impossible to appropriate your own culture, even if you weren’t raised in it. For example, a Latinx person who decides to learn brujeria does not need anyone’s permission to do so. That practice is a part of their cultural heritage.

Dead cultures are a gray area, but the general consensus is that you cannot appropriate a system that isn’t connected to a living culture. For example, Hellenic polytheism is very different from modern Greek culture. A non-Greek person practicing Hellenic polytheism isn’t appropriating Greek culture, because that religion hasn’t been openly practiced in Greece for thousands of years. The same goes for many other types of reconstructionist paganism (paganism based on recreating ancient beliefs and practices) such as Kemetic (Egyptian) polytheism, Celtic paganism, Norse paganism, etc.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t still make an effort to be respectful of the cultural origins of these religions. If you worship the Kemetic gods, you should probably educate yourself on at least the basic history and philosophy of Ancient Egypt. You should probably try to be faithful to the ancient beliefs in your practice. But you don’t need any sort of initiation, because there is no direct connection between the ancient religion and modern reconstruction.

So How Do We Avoid Appropriation?

Know the difference between open and closed systems, and respect if a system is closed.

If a system is open or only partially closed, try to find a teacher or mentor who is already a part of that system. If an in-person mentor isn’t possible, try to find books and other resources created by people who are actually part of that culture.

Only use items or practices in your witchcraft if you have a good understanding of their cultural, religious, and/or spiritual significance.

If a member of a culture or magic system tells you their system is closed and asks you to stop using it, listen to them.

Educate yourself on how cultural appropriation contributes to systemic racism and other social issues.

Don’t try to sneak around culture appropriation. If you burn white sage to cleanse your space, you are still appropriating Native American spiritual practices (and contributing to the overharvesting of an endangered plant), even if you don’t use the term “smudging” or appropriate the entire smudge ceremony. If something is not yours to practice, leave it alone.

Learning about other cultures is not the same as cultural appropriation. Here’s a personal example: I live fairly close to New Orleans, and I think New Orleans Voodoo is a fascinating tradition. When I visit, I like to speak to local Voodoo practitioners and learn from them about their practice. That being said, I recognize that I am not a part of that practice, and I’m not about to start incorporating elements of Voodoo into my personal practice.

As a white woman, my track record is not perfect when it comes to cultural appropriation. When I first started my witchcraft journey, I burned white sage and worked with the chakra system. I didn’t know any better, and these things were presented to me as if they were open to anyone. But now I do know better, and I’m making a conscious effort to avoid appropriation in my practice.

I’m also trying to do better for new witches just entering the world of alternative spirituality. It’s important for us to talk about things like cultural appropriation so that baby witches know from the beginning what the issues are and why they matter.

[xxspookywitchxx]

Happy Mabon Witches! Take a moment to celebrate the beautiful transformation happening, such as the leaves 🍂

[scoutsmoocrew]

Saw a peta ad that was like “sheep farmers have lambs born in the winter and that renders the lambs too weak to defend themselves from predators” and like... do lambs usually defend themselves from predators...

[asundergrowth]

Their venom sacs don't develop until the summer months

[chaoticnaive]

How I Rephrase Questions for Divination

Instead of…

Am I going to get the job?

Try…

What can I do to be the best candidate for the job?

Instead of…

Will I ever be happy?

Try…

What can I do to be happy with my life as it is?

Instead of…

When will they call me?

Try…

How can I attract people to my life who will respect my time and put effort into being with me?

Instead of…

Should I dump/leave them? <imo, if you’re asking, the answer is yes>

Try…

What do I need to do in order to have a healthy, happy relationship?

Instead of…

Will I have a good day today?

Try…

What can I do to make today a good day?

The questions you ask should empower you to make a difference in your life, because the future is what you make of it.

[perse-phoneee-deactivated202007]

Racism, Spirituality, and Witchblr

As a Black witch, it first made me relieved to see so many people in the community band together for Black Lives Matter. Over the past 5 years as a member of the Witchblr community, I have been subjected to numerous acts of racist microaggressions and attacks ranging from slurs being thrown at me, death threats, insults to my cultural practices because they’re different from European witchcraft and folk magic, attempted doxxing, and more because I was outspoken about anti-racist action. And that doesn’t include the many accounts of racism and bigotry that I witnessed secondhand. So seeing the community come together to support BLM made me hopeful that there would be a cultural shift within the community. 

But, as time went on, the amount of support for BLM that I saw in the tags slowly began to dwindle as if the movement had some hidden expiration date for allies, as if all the work was done after the mass spells performed on the eclipse.

The work is far from over, witchblr. We still need to protest, sign petitions, donate, and do our part to end police brutality, defund/disband the police and abolish prisons, and address the systemic racism that exists in all facets of society.

To look “locally,” the same problems in our community still exist. And while we alone cannot eradicate racism from the whole of society, we can absolutely prevent its spread on witchblr and in other spiritual/occult communities. 

Being an ally means more than posting a black square on your Instagram page or changing your profile picture to “heathens against racism.” Being an ally means actively being anti-racist and doing your part to ensure the community is truly inclusive and safe for people of color.

So, how can we begin to address the problem of racism in the spiritual communities both online and offline? Here are a few tips. I’ve focused largely on how white allies can address racism as it impacts Black practitioners, as I can only speak from my own experience as a Black person. Other people of color of all races are welcome to add onto this.

Stop supporting cultural appropriation. I don’t care if they’re your favorite blogger, your favorite diviner, your favorite occult supply store, etc, but if they’re posting about hoodoo sweetening/honey jars and they’re not Black, it’s time to block and unfollow. If they claim they speak for the Orisha or the Lwa and they aren’t initiated, it’s time to block and unfollow. If you don’t respect our cultural practices, you don’t really respect us.

Educate yourself on non-European practices. Did you know that there are more ATRs than just Lucumi, Vodou, and hoodoo? Can you explain the difference between Voodoo/Vodou and hoodoo? What is the difference between hoodoo and witchcraft? If you can’t answer these questions, time to do some reading! Educating yourself prevents you from appropriating or saying/spreading ignorant misinformation.

Stop supporting spiritual/occult organizations that act as performative allies and/or refuse to explicitly support practitioners of color. That means covens, fraternal organizations, Discord servers, pagan temples, conventions, and other spiritual organizations (large and small.) Don’t donate to these groups and don’t attend these groups or their events.

Amplify the voices of Black practitioners. How many Black spiritual/occult authors, diviners, bloggers, podcasters, astrologers, priest/priestesses, and/or vloggers can you name? How many African or Black philosophers can you name? Our voices and contributions to religion, spirituality, and the occult matter. Listen to us.

Deplatform racists. If you are a moderator or leader of a spiritual/occult community, delete/ban/kick out anyone who expresses racist or bigoted ideologies. Defending racists under the guise of “freedom of speech” just allows them to spread their hate and potentially harm or traumatize POC. Even if you’re not in a position of power, refuse to engage with bigots to prevent their message from spreading. Don’t reblog their posts, watch their videos, buy their products, etc. If you can, spread receipts of their racist acts instead.

Stop speaking over practitioners of color. If we say that something is racist/appropriation/insensitive, listen to us instead of arguing in an attempt to “save face.” We all make mistakes. Just own up to it and do what you can to fix the situation. Attacking us just because we demand equal respect is an act of racism in and of itself.

Support Black-owned businesses. Instead of buying your herbs from Amazon, go to a botanica. Get readings or other metaphysical services from Black diviners. We deserve to be compensated for our labor. It’s the least you can do considering a large chunk of modern folk magic is inspired by, influenced by, or straight up stolen from Black spiritual practices.

De-center yourself from the conversation. Cool, you’re an empath or a “sensitive”, but venting all day about how much pain you’re in is honestly insulting. And, if you want to rant about all the racist things your family has done, maybe go to one of your other white friends instead of forcing us to listen to you repeat their racist garbage.

Acknowledge your own biases and privileges. There are tons of resources out there on white privilege, white fragility, and unconscious forms of racism. Educate yourself.

Keep up the work outside of witchblr and spiritual communities. Keep donating, keep signing petitions, and keep using your platform for anti-racist action.

These points are only the tip of the iceberg. Racism is so deeply embedded in our society that it won’t be removed overnight. But if you want to claim the title of “ally,” you need to join in and continue doing the work. Unlike you, we don’t get to “opt out” of caring for the movement as racism impacts us every single day of our lives. Don’t opt out on us now.

[theia-the-creator]

[tea-and-antlers]

🔮✨ Friendly Reminder ✨🔮

[hiddenportal]