South Dakota Witch

~Just a friendly witch on their learning journey~

[anarchenjoyer]

Pre-Yule / December New Moon Simmer Pot

Ingredients:

Several Orange slices

A few Green Apple slices

Several Pine Branches

3 tblsp of Whole Cloves

3 Cinnamon Sticks

1/3 tblsp of Cinnamon Powder

Handful of Bay Leaves

Gonna do another one on Yule but with cranberries and star anise. This one is for the new moon tonight!

[thewitchesspellbook]

Yule 21- 23rd December Celebration

Yule is a celebration of rebirth and the renewing of the old. It is the start of the longer, lighter days as the lord of the sun arises from his sojourn with the Goddess. Here light becomes important as we use sympathetic magic to ensure the return of the Sun. The ancient Egyptians also watched and waited for the star Sirius to announce yet another birth, that of Horus as the son of Osiris from the womb of Isis at this time.

The yule log symbolizes the continuous of light and this ritual honors that tradition, Before performing this ritual, you might want to decorate your home with evergreens although mistletoe, which is sacred to both the Druids and Scandinavians, is still banned from christian churches as being unholy. For the purpose of this celebration, consider that the yule log is your altar. The celebration is designed for a group, but can be altered for solitary practice.

Wish Branch

You will need a wish branch to indicate your desires and wishes for the coming year. Prepare this before your attend the celebration. You can spray the branch with silver or gold paint, but do not forget to ask permission of the nature spirits before you do so.

You will need,.

Yule Incense

Ribbons and cords in various colors.

Small representations such as cake or Christmas tree decorations or children’s toys, of your most important aims and desires (you might use one item for each month: be as creative as you like) Small wrapped sweets tied with colored thread. Branch of your chosen sacred wood.

Method:

Light the incense, Mediate on coming year and what you would like to see happen, You might also include your wishes for your family & friends, or for your larger world. When you have decided on your intentions, choose decorations or toys appropriate to your wishes. Decorate the branch according to your own creativity, (This is an intensely personal object and will be used in the celebration.). Take the branch to the celebration. 

Preparation of the Yule Log

So often nowadays there is nowhere to burn the Yule log properly but its quite in order to substitute this method. The prepared log can then be used year after year and, of course, becomes increasingly powerful. It should be done by the leaders of the group (or by yourself if your working alone) and strictly should be consecrated afresh each year with a simple prayer to the God & Goddess.

You will need,

Red & Green Candles (one candle for each member of the group, plus an extra one for the leader)

Suitable log larger enough to accommodate the candles.

Silver foil

Method

In the long bore a hole large enough  for each candle, plus two extra. Line each candle hole with silver foil or a metal cake cup for safety so that the yule log does not catch fire. (Alternatively, you could wrap the candle of each candle in silver foil.) As you do so, ask for a blessing from the God & Goddess for the work you do.

Now on to the fun part the celebration

You will need

Prepared Yule Log

2 White Candles.

Black Candle (To represent the God)

Prepared Red & Green Candles as above.

Groups wish branches

A Wreath (symbolic of the wheel of year and of the goddess)

Yule Incense 

Method. Cast your circle, and light the incense. Place the yule log in a prominent position. Light the white candles at either end of the yule log. Place the God candle in front of the log and say

“Here this candle symbolize the Sun God, Its final flicker. His passing and here its flame once again lights His return.”

Light the god candle from one of the altar candles, The leader should then light their green candle and say

“Blessed be the Maiden Goddess, May this world be forever young in her presence”

From that candle a second is then lit, the worlds now used are

“Blessed be the mother goddess, fresh and rosy with babe. And so shall all that springs her be strong, adventures and bountiful.”

Then light a third candle from the second & say

“Blessed b e the deep-rooted Goddess, Wise, powerful and temperate, the keeper of wisdom, and the ever-turning wheel. “

Each member then steps up lights their candle from the last places in securely in the yule log.

Finally the leader lights a last candle to complete the ritual and while facing towards East says

“Tonight the lord of the sun is born again, The Goddess and the god are together in harmony. The Sun reaffirms as the wheel is turning once again, We praise the Goddess and the newly born  Gods, Our father and Mother.”

Now if liked each participant may talk about their wishes for the next year whilst placing their wish branch around the  Yule log, or in a larger vase nearby.

The ritual is now complete Many blessings to all and a Happy Yule tide :)

(If you like you may follow this by one of our full moon rituals. As we have a full moon this Winter Solstice)

[carlyidk]

[theladymorganlefay]

Gratitude Spell

Those of us who live in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving later this month, but the truth is, the "giving thanks" part of the holiday often gets lost in the commotion of the day.

So why not take a minute to do this simple spell for gratitude, no matter where you live. No matter how difficult life might be, no matter what struggles you face, there are always things to be grateful for.

Light a candle and sit quietly for a moment, thinking about all the parts of your life that are worthy of appreciation.

Then say:

God and Goddess, I thank you

For the good things, which lift me up

And the bad things, which teach me and make me strong

Thank you for ( list the things you are grateful for)

And for all the gifts that you give me

I am grateful

*************************************************

Found in Llewellyn's 2019 Witches Spell-a-Day Almanac

[greenfinchandlinnetbird]

A Gratitude Spell

Thanks to @iodiony and @herbwicc for some ideas!

You will need:

A white candle, dressed with olive oil and rosemary

A few items to represent things you are grateful for

Optional: a sigil (mine is for “I am grateful for all I receive”)

1. Light the candle and take a few moments to reflect on your items and what they represent

2. Say aloud what you are thankful for. I wrote a poem.

[lilbat]

♡31 Days of Self Love Journal Prompts ♡

My mental and physical health have been in the dumps lately. I had to let go of a lot of things that I love(my business included) that mean the world to me because I couldn’t keep up with the physical and emotional demands.. I haven’t loved myself much lately but I’ve found journaling helps a lot!! So, I hope these prompts can help you learn to love yourself too!

Day One: What’s your biggest struggle with loving yourself? For example; I feel like I can never finish anything, even the things I’m good at and enjoy. I don’t love myself b/c I see myself as a failure).

Day Two: Get rid of a limiting belief that you have about yourself or your abilities.

Day Three: What’s a positive habit you want to begin this month?(i.e. washing your face every morning, starting a gratitude journal, this? would probably count lol)

Day Four: Do you struggle to accept compliments? Why do you think that is? Is there a specific one you struggle with the most?

Day Five: What is something you are proud of doing this past week?

Day Six: What do you need to forgive yourself fore?

Day Seven: Name something that you love about your personality and something you love about your body! ♡

Day Eight: When or where in your life do you need to slow down and take your time?

Day Nine: What is something in your life that you need to let go off in order to heal?

Day Ten: What can you do to set better boundaries in your life?

Day Eleven: How would you describe yourself in a loving way to a stranger?(Think about how your loved ones might talk about you!)

Day Twelve: What things make you feel happy to be alive?

Day Thirteen: What is something your younger self would be proud of you for today?

Day Fourteen: What are you afraid to ask for(in work, relationships, etc.)? What do you need to do to learn to speak up about it?

Day Fifteen: What is the most loving thing you have ever done for yourself?

Day Sixteen: Plan something loving to do for yourself when you finish these journal prompts! It could be going to Build-a-Bear, taking a bubble bath, playing your fave video game, however you express self love!

Day Seventeen: Set three short term goals for yourself and three long term goals for yourself.

Day Eighteen: What is one change you can make to increase your happiness?

Day Nineteen: In what ways are you making the world a better place?

Day Twenty: How can you give yourself a break today(mentally, physically, or emotionally?).

Day Twenty-One: What’s something you’re working on believing that you deserve?

Day Twenty-Two: What things or habits make you feel bad but you find yourself doing them anyways?

Day Twenty-Three: What does your support system look like? How can you make it stronger?

Day Twenty-Four: What’s something you wish someone would say to you?

Day Twenty-Five: What are some things you are really good at?

Day Twenty-Six: What parts of yourself do you feel you are ashamed of? How would you describe your shadow self?

Day Twenty-Seven: What’s one choice you can make right now that you future self will be grateful for?

Day Twenty-Eight: Who do you look up too or who inspires you? What qualities do you share with them?

Day Twenty-Nine: What words or beliefs do you want to live your life by?

Day Thirty: What labels(negative, positive, and neutral) do you assign yourself?

Day Thirty-One: Going forward what can you do to commit to loving yourself everyday?

[gensgrimoire]

Your Negativity Does Not Affect Me

This is a spell for @witchinggerman to help protect her from negative interactions from a certain someone. Feel free to use!

What You Will Need:

marker

black tea (banishing negativity)

Steps

1. Brew some black tea and put it in a travel mug to bring with you.

2. Draw a positivity sigil on yourself with a marker (preferably in a place that isn’t visible).

3. When you encounter a negative interaction throughout your day, take a small break and sip your tea. Visualize it washing positive energies over you.

4. Whisper or say in your head:

“No harm my way, good things shall stay”

[classywitchbitch]

"I produce positive energy"

Mid Summer Sigils Day 4: Positivity

The inspiration for this one is a bit more simple, but I have just been wanting to put more positivity into everything I do so for this sigil I want it to help me produce positive energy.

[httpcottagewitch]

🧘🏼‍♀️

[samwisethewitch]

Add Some Oomph to Your Spells with Magical Timing

Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.

Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.

If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.

The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes

These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.

Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.

Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.

Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.

Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.

Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.

The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases

If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.

New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.

Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.

Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.

Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.

Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.

Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week

The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.

Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.

Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.

Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.

Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.

Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.

Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.

Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.

Magical Times of Day

Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.

Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.

Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.

Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.

Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]

Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]

[guiltyidealist]

Wanted to share this

[solarpunk-aesthetic]

Pro tip: include some bay leaves and it’ll smell nice too

[the-witch-in-hr-deactivated2022]

Apple Feeders for Winter Birds

Easy crafts for Yule

This is my first Yule as a practicing witch and I’ve made a few crafts that I’d like to share that probably anyone can do.

First up: apple feeders for birds.

You’ll need:

Apples

Birdseed (I used a cardinal blend because I like cardinals)

Peanut butter - make sure you only use natural peanut butter, without a lot of salt and sugar, and no xylitol which is toxic to a lot of animals. 

Twine

A wooden skewer

A knife

Scissors

A spoon or a melon baller

1. Cut the apple in half. Use the skewer to pierce a channel through the top of one of the halves. Then cut a short length of twine and use the skewer again to thread the twine through the channel. Tie the ends to make a loop so your apple feeders can hang.

2. Use the spoon or melon baller to scoop out the middle of the apple half. I like using a melon baller because it slices the apple easier and it’s easier to control the scoop depth. I snack on the insides while I’m working so nothing is wasted.

3. Spread a little peanut butter in the hollowed apple half and sprinkle in some seeds. Don’t go too crazy at this step because you’ll add more later.

4. Add more peanut butter over the top of the seeds and spread until it reaches the edges of the apple half. Then press more seeds into the peanut butter to coat it completely.

5. Hang your feeder(s) from trees around your yard. Make sure to hang them a safe distance from the ground to prevent stray cats from hunting the birds while they’re distracted.

Easy peasy!

[rosemarywaterwitch]

Blakes Element salts

Hello there! Salt - the Witches best friend. There is black salt, purple salt, pink Himalayan salt etc etc.. I’m quite sure that there are posts similar to this floating around, but I wanted to share my element salts.

Of course you can change every ingredient and exchange it with another one, but for me these were available and not really expensive. Most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen or easy to access.

🔥 Fire salt Ingredients: cinnamon, chilli, coffee + red food dye Charge with sunlight

💧 Water salt Ingredients: leafes from a growing bush, rosemary, moss + blue food dye Charge with moonlight

🌳 Earth salt Ingredients: nuts, cacao, oats + brown food dye Charge with moonlight

🌪 Air salt Ingredients: tangerine, peppermint, lavender + yellow food dye Charge with sunlight

What´s the use of element salts? Well, I use them for almost everything. For spell jars you maybe associate with a special element (e.g air for creativity), small altar jars that are supposed to represent each element or even if you want to cast a circle. If you use them, feel free to tag me in your posts! I´d love to know what you did with them or what ideas you have. Have a lovely and blessed day!

[witchinthewildwoods]

peaceful/dreamless sleep spell jar

my girlfriend has been having really bad nightmares and restless sleep so decided to make this little spell jar to go under her pillow/next to our bed to try and help 😌

✨ sea salt (protection) ✨ chamomile (sleep, calming) ✨ thyme (dreamless, restful sleep) ✨ sage (protection, purity) ✨ eucalyptus (protection, comfort, healing) ✨ rosemary (sleep, protection) ✨ lavender  (peaceful sleep, protection)

with each ingredient added charge it with its intent and purpose

🌸 pink for love ☁️ white for protection and purity 🌊 blue for calm and peace

braid the thread and each time you pick up a colour think of its meaning then tie the plait around the jar thinking about the purpose of the jar (for me it was “S will get a peaceful and dreamless sleep and will wake feeling rested”)

you can really use any herbs you want for protection/peace/comfort but this is what felt right for me and my love

[witcheyez]

my first spell jar!! i made this to help my sister sleep, because she often has trouble with nightmares and such.

gather: -sage -sea salt -thyme -lavender {i used the leaves, not the flowers} -rosemary {i used both fresh and dried} -bay leaves -amethyst -quartz -small piece of paper + pen

optional: -blue thread {to bind the paper + decorate jar} -blue wax to seal -lavender oil

i layered the ingredients, with each layer i focused on my intent to help sophie. i drew a sigil for a peaceful sleep on the paper in blue pen, and then rolled it up and tied it with the blue thread. i also carved the sigil in the wax i sealed the jar with, and then rubbed some lavender oil on it to bless it, and create a soothing scent. hope you like.

this is my very first spell jar and i hope it helps my sister!💙

[lavenderbroomsticks-blog]

Hullo everyone! 🌙 

Here is an illustrated set of instructions I made on how to make a Positivity Spell Jar for my illustration class this past quarter. 

What you’ll need:

A Jar

Lighter

Salt- for protection

Glitter-for fun

Candle- light and let melt around edges of jar to Cast Spell

Rosemary- for mental strength

Lavender- to keep calm

Citrine- for abundance

Rose Quartz- for love

Blue Thread- for harmony

—–

As you set each item into the jar focus on what they represent to you. Your magick and energy melding with each, coming from inside you and around you. Close off the jar and wrap the thread round the top of the jar. Light the candle, visualizing the flame as the energy casting the spell.  

This can be modified to make absolutely any type of spell jar. Use different ingredients and colors to symbolize different things.

Enjoy!

-Harpy✨

*Please do not delete caption or take credit for illustrations* 

[stupidkaty]

🍄banish bad trips🍄

spell bottle 💘

hey guys ! so i recently had a terrible experience with pot, so i decided to conjure up a lil protection jar and share the recipe . enjoy, and remember to be safe when doing any sort of drugs !

youll need:

✨a cannabis stem, you can get one from any nug pretty much (protection from bad trips)

✨thyme (health)

✨basil (protection)

✨black pepper (banishing)

✨rosemary (protection)

✨sage (protection and cleansing)

✨black salt (banishing and protection)

✨a small , pocket sized bottle

✨you can fill the rest of the bottle with lavender essential oil for a calming effect! or rosemary essential oil for health and cleansing

✨seal with white or green wax

carry it with you when you smoke, remember to keep any negative thoughts away, and if you feel yourself drifting, ground yourself so you know youre in reality. if youre hallucinating, keep in mind, its all in your head. you will be okay.