⚘ gentle spirit ⚘ @sunflwrwitch - Tumblr Blog

welcome to my blog! 🌻

this blog is intended to serve as a collection of resources and inspiration to develop my spirituality and personal practice as a witch- while most of the content will be reblogs, i’ll occasionally post snippets of my own practice and create original posts related to witchy content! i hope you enjoy your stay ❤️

about me:

my name is alex, i am non-binary + queer, and i use they/them pronouns!

i have been practicing witchcraft for over six years now! (though i still consider myself a beginner since i’ve been practicing on and off and have so much to continue learning)

i identify as a beginner solitary, eclectic witch, and i draw from green, kitchen, lunar, and hearth witchcraft 🌿

i am particularly drawn to tarot, sigil work, spell crafting, shadow work, and manifesting!

i love vulture culture and have a wide collection of animal bones, specifically skulls!

my current goals as a witch are to further expand on the contents of my grimoire; explore methods of using magic for protection and personal growth; and learn more about the land, plants, and spirits of my hometown!

#pinned #blog intro #tag system

enchantedwitchling-deactivated2

Casting Your First Spell: A Step-by-Step Guide

Casting your first spell is an enchanting and empowering moment on your witchcraft journey. It's an act of manifesting your intentions and connecting with the magic that resides within and around you. Whether you're a beginner or simply looking for a refresher, this step-by-step guide will help you cast your first spell with safety, intention, and ethical considerations in mind.

🕯️🌟✨

Step 1: Set Your Intention 🌌🔮

Begin by clarifying your intention. What do you wish to achieve with your spell? Be specific and ensure your intention aligns with your highest good and the greater good of all involved. Remember the ethical guideline: "An it harm none, do what ye will."

Step 2: Choose Your Tools 🌿🕯️

Select tools that correspond to your intention. For a simple spell, a colored candle, crystals, and herbs that match your purpose are often sufficient. For example, a green candle for prosperity or rose quartz for love.

Step 3: Create Sacred Space 🌟🏞️

Find a quiet and undisturbed space for your spell. You can cast your spell indoors or outdoors, but ensure you feel safe and comfortable. Light the candle and, if desired, cast a protective circle to create a sacred space.

Step 4: Ground and Center 🌳🌠

Ground yourself by visualizing roots extending from your body into the Earth. Center your energy by focusing on your breath and releasing any tension or distraction. Feel connected to the Earth and the universe.

Step 5: State Your Intention Aloud 🗣️📜

Speak your intention aloud with confidence and sincerity. You can use a chant, a rhyme, or simply state your intention clearly and concisely. This vocalization empowers your intention with your voice and energy.

Step 6: Visualization 🌈🌌

Close your eyes and visualize your intention manifesting. Feel the emotions associated with your desire as if it's happening right now. See it clearly in your mind's eye and believe that it's already on its way to you.

Step 7: Focus Your Energy 🧙‍♀️💫

Hold your chosen tools and focus your energy on your intention. Imagine the energy flowing from your body into the tools, charging them with your purpose. Feel the power within you.

Step 8: Release the Energy 🌬️🔥

When you sense that the energy is at its peak, release it into the universe. Blow out the candle if you've used one, or simply release your energy into the cosmos, trusting that it will work on your behalf.

Step 9: Express Gratitude 🙏🌸

Thank the universe, your deities, or any spiritual guides you work with for their assistance. Gratitude enhances the flow of positive energy in your life.

Step 10: Close the Circle (if applicable) 🌀🌕

If you cast a circle, release it by thanking the elements and spirits for their presence and assistance. Imagine the energy of the circle dissipating.

Step 11: Release Attachment and Trust 🕊️🌠

Release any attachment to the outcome of your spell. Trust that the universe is working to manifest your intention in the right way and at the right time.

🕯️🌟✨

Remember that spellwork is a practice, and like any skill, it improves with time and dedication. Approach your craft with respect for yourself and the world around you, and may your spells be a source of positive transformation in your life.

Casting your first spell is a beautiful milestone on your magical journey. Embrace the magic within you, and may it bring you growth, joy, and a deeper connection to the mysteries of the universe.

#spells #guides #beginner witch

holy-ring

"do i have to meditate to practice witchcraft effectively?" "do i have to use this herb to practice this spell?" "do i have to cleanse/protect/ward?" "do i need to work with a deity?" you can do whatever you want forever

#commentary

generationexorcist

The Woman Behind The World’s Most Famous Tarot Deck Was Nearly Lost In History

For centuries, people of all walks of life have turned to tarot to divine what may lay ahead and reach a higher level of self-understanding.

The cards’ enigmatic symbols have become culturally ingrained in music, art and film, but the woman who inked and painted the illustrations of the most widely used set of cards today – the Rider-Waite deck from 1909, originally published by Rider & Co. – fell into obscurity, overshadowed by the man who commissioned her, Arthur Edward Waite.

Now, over 70 years after her death, the creator Pamela Colman Smith has been included in a new exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York highlighting many underappreciated artists of early 20th-century American modernism in addition to famous names like Georgia O’Keeffe and Louise Nevelson.

CNN

#tarot

coinandcandle

Which Witch? - Let's Talk Labels!

Are you a green witch? Perhaps you’re a crystal witch or a sea witch? Maybe you're a kitchen witch? Let’s talk about these labels, what they are, and if you need them!

First and foremost let's discuss:

Do I need a label?

Nope! While you’re more than welcome to use one--many even--they aren’t required!

I won’t give you an exhaustive list of witch types, as you’ll learn there are as many labels as there are witches. Instead, I want to give you an idea about how these labels come to be and how you can decide on them if you’d like.

Labels for witches come from a variety of paces but a label almost always denotes a certain specification of their craft.

The tools they prefer (crystals, tarot, herbs, runes etc)

The biome or domestic area they thrive most in (sea, forest, swamp, mountains, urban, suburban, garden, kitchen etc)

The path they choose to follow (traditional, pop-culture, hedge, folk, poison, ceremonial, etc)

Their involvement with other witches (solitary, coven, hereditary, etc)

The type of magic they prefer (glamour, curse, healing, etc)

An over-arching concept or theme (death witch, love witch, divination witch, cosmic witch, etc)

Some labels are more specific than others and some can even encompass other labels!

For example: a green witch could be a witch who deals with all of nature whereas a plant witch would focus on just plants and a garden witch would focus on garden-specific plants.

You’ll also hear the term eclectic witch. What this label means is someone who uses a little bit of everything, or doesn't follow one specific path.

Unfortunately, there are those who use this label as a shield to hide their appropriation, assuming they can take what they want from any culture, closed or open, without doing proper research or initiation.

That said, many of those who use this term are not like that! They are simply witches who are just as likely to do magic in the forest as they are in the city, or to use tarot as much as they use pendulums, or perhaps they use herbs as much as they do crystals!

Not every witch needs a label, some don't ever use them, or they may use them only when chatting with others about their preferences in magic. Labels may even come and go as you move forward on your path. Choose whichever labels work for you, even if that means no labels!

#beginner witch

deathwitchh

Please keep Harry Potter out of the witchcraft tags on Tumblr

Look I know it's about the "school of witchcraft and wizardy" but I don't want JK Rowling's disgusting vile hatred for transgender/nonbinary people anywere near the witchcraft community. This fictional world is forever tainted by Rowling, despite it being a childhood loved piece of material. We can't separate the art from the artist when the artist s using the royalties to actively fund their hatred towards transgender people.

#commentary

teawiththegods

THIS instagram post from Kelly Ann Maddox while simple was a huge game changer for me in regards to getting my butt to the altar. Your altar shouldn’t just be a place you go to when you have energy. It should also be a place for you to recharge and receive energy. That mind shift she talks about where instead of saying “I don’t have energy to go to altar” you say “I have no energy I should go to the altar” really blew my mind tbh. It’s truly reshaped the relationship I have with my altar so I wanted to share in case that wee bit of wisdom could help someone else. ✌🏻💕

corupriesthood

When I was still doing direct service, my shrine became the first place I went to when coming home from work. It was where I did some basic cleansing of anything I might've brought home with me but also became an opportunity for me to ritually "take off" my Service Provider Persona and put on the Chilling At Home Persona, which helped me manage things like work/life balance, giving myself permission to not think about work while not on the clock, and intentionally recentering myself with my gods and spirits.

Reframing how we conceptualize our relationships to shrines and altars can make SUCH a difference, even if the physical actions themselves don't change.

~ mc

teawiththegods

I really like the idea of using the altar as a way to shift from work mode to home mode! I’m going to try adding that to my routine! Thank you so much for sharing!!

#witch tip

weebwitchcraft-deactivated20250

simple mabon rituals 🍂

a list of some little things you can do to celebrate mabon and the autumn equinox 🍂 —

— relax and reflect on the year so far

— count your blessings and take a moment to be grateful for everything you achieved or manifested this year

— harvest your herbs or crops and leave small biodegradable offerings in their place (or in a nearby harvested field if you don’t grow your own)

— adorn yourself in autumn colors, like red, orange, brown, and burgundy

— go for a hike through the woods and appreciate the changing colors of the leaves

— let go of things that no longer serve you to make room for more opportunities

— light some candles, set some intentions, and meditate on them

— make an altar and some offerings for your deities / any other beings or energies you work with to acknowledge them and show gratitude

— drink spiced wine, tea, or warm apple cider

— eat spice cakes, breads, nuts, and autumn fruits and vegetables

— wear a warm cozy sweater or light jacket

— clean up your house or sacred space a bit to bring in new energy

#mabon

amoraadonia-deactivated20220227

Ok ykw I'm gonna yell about another thing that I've seen a lot of and give my perspective on it.

The concept of daily practice.

Having a daily routine for practice is important for growth and development, but I see so many going the exact opposite way of what works in the long run.

Pushing in daily practice like a God damn one hour class in a school schedule isn't going to work for a majority of people, it's gonna lead to feelings of dread and anxiety. And even worse guilt and regret if you can't keep up. See how it's a fragile system that's on top of being difficult to maintain also leads to burnouts?

Go the opposite direction, find what parts of your daily life you enjoy doing and turn them into magic.

A daily walk? Now it's a way to bond with spirits and find altar decorations.

Baking? Teas? Making breakfast? Kitchen magic baby.

Sitting in silence for an hour to fully wake up and realize you still exist? ✨ Meditation ✨

And no you don't need to do a daily divination session, or daily journaling, or daily anything that stressed you out and gives you performance anxiety. Do what works for you and build on that.

windvexer

"don't make your daily practice something that gives you performance anxiety" is probably the single best thing anyone has ever said on this topic.

#witch tip

a-not-so-beginner-witch

There's something I've been thinking quite a lot since i saw a post here on tumblr (can't find the link tho)

And maybe I've been approaching witchcraft all wrong.

I want to be good at everything and learn everything at the same time

But obviously that's not possible, to know every correspondence, every herb, every astral thing, mercury gatorade in a square with the sun and whatever planet, every day of the week correspondence.

And it's this thought is what has been making me feel overwhelmed and makes me drop things everytime

And i dont need to know everything. I can focus only on what i want and feel inclined to, like potions, herbs and divination and thats fine.

Of course i need to know basics of somethings, like protection a banishments but not an expert in everything.

And that realization has taken a lot off of my shoulders, and i hope this insight helps someone with similar issues.

#commentary #hell yeah!

someweirdfucker-deactivated2024

question how do you be a mage/witch without any money or motivation

breelandwalker

Use what you DO have. Resourcefulness is a useful habit to develop, both in life and in your craft.

It's very possible to work magic with everyday objects you already own, or with no components at all. You can also work little magical rituals into your daily routine, like cleansing when you shower or setting your home wards when you lock your door.

You can also spark your motivation by journaling about your craft, studying from free resources, or revisiting things that gave you inspiration in the past.

I've written some posts about low-budget / no-budget magic and rediscovering one's motivation in the past. You can check out the links below or visit the tags on this post for more information.

What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?

How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I’m In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I’ve Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Witchcraft Exercise - Music To Witch By

Hope this helps!

#witch tip #beginner witch

maceofpentacles

i’ve noticed a recent uptick in practitioners feeling like they have to choose a specific “path” when it comes to their practice and i just wanted to remind my mutuals or anyone that stumbles upon this post that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC PATH.

paths are helpful sometimes but they’re never straightforward. they wind and bend and sometimes they just abruptly end.

you don’t need to scramble to find the path that’s perfect for you, because there might not even be one. and that’s okay! you aren’t abnormal or anything like that for not finding a particular path that fits you perfectly. that’s why i just call myself an eclectic practitioner. trying to fit myself into a neat and tidy label didn’t feel right to me so it wasn’t!

you can just be you. your “path” can just be your own personal practice. at the end of the day, no one needs to understand it but you.

#commentary

madamlaydebug

Amid the hustle and bustle of life, there's a sanctuary within us that craves stillness and reflection. 🌿✨ Taking a moment to step away, to breathe, and to simply be, is a gift we owe ourselves. Embrace the art of solitude and let its gentle whispers guide you to the depths of your own heart. In this space, you'll find the universe waiting to share its secrets. 🌌💫

#witch tip

will-o-the-witch

I’ve been reading tarot for over a decade now and I’m a really firm believer that no matter how experienced you are with divination, it is still so valuable to get readings from other people now and then.

It gets you out of your own head. There is such a thing as too much context, and sometimes we’re too close to the situation to break our own thought cycles about it and explore all valid interpretations. It helps you hear things from a fresh perspective.

It can be therapeutic. Not that we should treat readers like therapists, but having to put something that’s been weighing on you into words and talk about it with someone neutral can be very beneficial.

It helps improve your own practice. I can’t tell you how many little tips, tricks, and insightful nuances about various cards I’ve picked up just from watching other people do their thing.

Learning to read and reading for yourself and others can be very fulfilling and empowering, but it’s also good to remember that receiving a reading is also valuable in its own right!

#tarot

creature-wizard

Reminder that trying to decide what other people's spiritual boundaries should be makes you the asshole.

"But I think it's nice to wish blessings upon someone, I don't mind when someone asks their god to bless me!"

Well fine, that's all right for you. But you can't just assume it should be that way for everyone. Someone might have religious trauma associated with a particular deity or religion. Someone's religion might prohibit interaction with your god(s). And quite frankly, people are allowed to just not want you to bless them/ask your god(s) to bless them for any reason or no reason at all.

If you want to say something "nice," just wish them a nice day/afternoon/evening/night and leave it at that.

#commentary

grey-sorcery

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