#astraeaboann

[astraeaboann]

Magical Spring Cleaning Tips

Hello everyone! Spring is here, so it’s time to shake the dust and stagnant energy off of ourselves, and prepare for the new season coming up. I’m here to bring you some tips on how to clean your house the witchy way. I’ve also added some links to other Tumblr blogs who have posts about it!

Step 1: Open the windows

Let some fresh air in and open the window for all the negative and stagnant energy to move out, it will allow the energy to flow and make the cleaning easier. Move around the room clockwise and demand the energies to get out.

Pro tip: Start cleaning from the top downwards, from the furthest point of the room to the nearest main door. Once the target area or room is clean, you can say a protection/blessing, chant, cleanse, visualize, play some music, spray, ring bells, burn incense and don’t forget to put your wards up again!

Step 2: Have a plan

Take your time to think this through, come up with a detailed plan (if you can) on how you want to do your spring cleaning. Is it a few hours every day? Every day for a week? Every weekend? Long term project? How detailed do you want the cleaning to be? It’s totally up to you and yes, it can get overwhelming. If you want to do a quick refresh or move furniture, it’s your choice. Just make sure you know what you’re doing and that your intention is clear.

The same thing applies if you're moving! Have a look at this post by @songsparrowwitch

Step 3: Simmer pot (optional)

I like to set up a big pot with my herbs of choice, with the intention of cleansing, purifying, protecting the house or creating a welcoming environment. I will stir it clockwise until it boils, whilst focusing on my intent, turn it down to a simmer and then start cleaning. The house will smell amazing and such potion can be used for other practices too! Here's an amazing recipe from @aesethewitch

Step 4: Cleaning products

Do a little research and decide what products you would like to use, you can make your own, use popular chemical cleaners or choose eco-friendly options. Keep in mind that some common chemicals have magical properties (vinegar, anyone?) and there’s no judgment here, just make sure you don’t mix harmful substances without looking into it, and keep the air flowing!

On the magical side, you can charge the cleaning products, visualize the negative energy in the room getting wiped or washed away. You can draw sigils as you wipe the surfaces, say a simple chant, add moon water to the cleaning solution.

Cleaning recipes by@leodrune

Step 5: The actual cleaning

Get to work, start from one room, separate things into piles, decide what to keep, to donate and to throw away. When you go about cleaning, you can take your time and focus on the task, almost as if it was a form of meditation. You can thank the environment for sheltering you, your belongings for serving their purpose, yourself for the time and effort you’re putting into this. It will take as long as it needs to, and it’s ok.

Do not forget your garden, if you have one, or your balcony. And the thresholds, windows and doors.

Bonus step: Virtual decluttering

Consider taking time to tackle your virtual spaces too, your blog, social media, computer, phone, emails, payment subscriptions. Virtual clutter affects us just as much as the physical one does, as we spend a big chunk of our day online.

Look at your books, your grimoire, your ingredients. What needs to go? What should be carried onto the new season? What needs to be moved, restocked, fixed?

Step 6: Protection & Warding

You made it! We’re not quite done yet, but take some time to rest and celebrate, you have made it this far. Now it’s time to wash your windows, seal your doors, clean the floors, burn your favourite incense, update your wards and check your protection spells. Use your favourite methods to keep unwanted energies and entities outside of your space.

Protection masterpost - by @auricwitch

Doorstep Cleansing - by @bunnybambi1

Step 7: Closing thoughts & Cleansing

Once everything is done, take a bath, a shower, wash your clothes, do what you need to do to make sure that the energy you have removed doesn’t linger on you. Take some time to walk around barefoot to ground yourself and reconnect with your home. Consider a ritual to bring positivity and good cozy energy back into your home, make yourself a nice meal and rest.

@leodrune created this amazing post, please have a look!

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Please feel free to add anything to this post! Open to all sorts of suggestions, I hope it helped! (edit: I am aware some of the links are broken, some tumblr are now closed or have changed URL and I can't find them)

[astraeaboann]

Magical numbers

1 - ONE

One, e pluribus unum, all life united, the universe and everything in it, the unique individual. Absolute distinction, favourite, one among many, the rebel, the saint, the spark of change. Self, first, best. One can be singular or all encompassing. One is the first whole number, the one from which others spring, the most important thing. Is treated as a symbol of unity, God, if one is added to an even number (female) it becomes odd (male) and vice versa.

In Witchcraft, one is the intention, is casting a single circle surrounding your for protection, it represents potential in the Tarot Cards.Use the number one in magic to emphasize the importance of your intention, or during magic focused on the self or on one group, one symbol for each member. Perform spells on Monday, during the New Moon, on the first day of the month.  The possibilities are endless!

One: Creation, the beginning, the power of will, courage, rebel with a cause, self-awareness, independence, pioneering.

2 - TWO

Lovers, friendship, a bond. Opposites, but also balance. It symbolizes many of the basic dualities: me/you, male/female, yes/no, alive/dead, left/right, yin/yang, night/day, sun/moon, light/dark. Is often associated with the opposite the ‘one’ deity, the evil mirror image. The reflection is the second “you”, a false image, or a more true one, the side you hide. It’s a partnership or a conflict of 2 opposite forces coming together.

Invoke number two when you need to bond two things together, mental or physical. Perform on Tuesday, when the moon is in its second cycle. If you centre the spell on yourself and bring peace within during a tumultuous time, use a mirror so every action is doubled by your own reflection. Find a representation of what you’d like to bond, burn a candle for 2 hours and pour the wax over 2 separate pieces, covering them under a unifying layer of wax. You can bond people, emotions, calm conflicting thoughts. Devote the spell to harmony, do all things twice. 

Two: Knowledge, harmony, diplomacy, nurturing energy, loving, enduring, kind. Balance, partnership, contrast, polarity.

3 - THREE

Three different aspects of a deity makes the whole, the trinity. In ancient Babylon, the 3 primary gods were Anu, Bel, Ea, representing Heaven, Earth and the Abyss. The 3 aspects of the Egyptian Sun god Thepri (rising), Ra (midday) and Athum, the Trinity in Christianity, Father, Son, Spirit, these correspondences can be found in the Triple Goddess, (Maiden, Mother, Crone) and so on. Three is the triangle, the simplest spacial shape, is the past, present, future, beginning, middle and end. You get offered 3 wishes, spells can be recited 3 times, there are 3 primary colours. Veni, vidi, vici.

In magic, it symbolizes the cycle of the spell. If you have a goal and are a little confused on how to get to the end, use the number three. Work backwards from the end to figure out how to get through the middle and imagine the goal as a story. Find spots that might give you problems, divide them into 3.

Three: youth, the inner child, imagination, happiness, communication, upbeat energy, humour, dynamic movement, self-expression, destiny, fate.

4 - FOUR

The cardinal points, the seasons, the elements. Is the number of order, the 4 phases of the moon, the 4 noble truths in Buddhism, the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the Cross. Four 'humours' in the Medieval times (phlegm, blood, choler, black-bile - phlegmatic, sanguine, choleric, melancholic). Is a practical, material number, in Tarot The Emperor represents control over your life, all 4 corners of it.

Four is the number to incorporate when using the elements or the seasons. Find recipes for 'Four thieves vinegar', sprinkle the protective concoction 4 times in front of your doors, at the start of each week or each quarter of the month, it doubles as disinfectant!

Four: reliability, the dependable friend, earthy, grounded, meticulous, honest, careful. Material reality, problem solving, travel, healing, protection.

5 - FIVE

Heavily associated with marriage, also a symbol of humanity. We have five main appendages, when spread they resemble a star, five fingers and toes, we give 'high fives', five senses, five continents, five petals in the traditional rose. Is the sum of the first even and odd numbers, there's five regular solids (platonic solids). Five is associated with Ishtar and Venus, with a pentagram as a symbol, a lover's knot. There are five virtues, five vices, is a sacred number in Islam, with the five virtues, prayers are said five times a day, etc. Five acknowledges the human as being divinely influenced and capable of extraordinary things. The 5th element is the soul, the witch performing the spell.

You are the most important element of any spell. On your palms, on the top of your feet, draw the symbol of each element. Lay down, stretch out and create the shape of a star. Call power to yourself and envision entering your body through each symbol, filling you with strength.

Five: adventure, possibilities, daring dynamic, challenge, innovation, humanity, freedom.

6 - SIX

Is both the sum and the product of the first three numbers. Is therefore considered perfect, it equals to the sum of its divisors (the next one is 28). It's the six days of creation, related to the Sun energy, often connected with security and responsibility.

The downward pointing triangle is a chalice or womb, therefore a feminine vessel for life or magic, penetrating deep into the ground, the sacred home of mother Earth. The upward pointing triangle is a phallus, a pyramid, a masculine pointer towards the stars, home of the sky father deities.

Six: the advocate & healer, service, understanding and emphatic, love, fertility, healing.

7 - SEVEN

The sum of the spiritual three and the material four. Trivium and quadrivium, the liberal arts taught in medieval times. The seven notes in music, a prime number considered to be lucky. Seven days of the week, the days of the menstrual cycle, the lunar calendar with the moon phases lasting a week (7x4 =28) the seven ages of men, the seven planets, the seven candles burned by Jewish, the seven deadly sins, seven wonders, seven years of bad luck when you break a mirror, is a number full of symbolism.

Seven: spirituality, intelligence, focus, to break with difficult situations, hexing, sexual impotence, create discord, death.

8 - EIGHT

It's considered an auspicious number, the square of any odd number less one is always a multiple of 8. Eight is often associated with Heaven, eight as the lotus petals, eight Sabbaths, the infinite symbol, the number of karma, the spider's legs, the octaves in music. Is a source of power and strength, linked with money and prosperity, represents balance, the flow of energy, rationality and hard work. The number eight is considered to be a lucky number in Chinese and other Asian cultures.

Eight: leadership, prosperity, money, symmetry, judgement, talent, business goals, manifestation.

9 - NINE

This number represents change and growth, the completion of a process. It's three times three, triple powerful number. In the Bible, the 9th Psalm predicts the coming of the Antichrist, "cloud dine", the cat has nine lives, the river Styx has nine twists, the nine muses, nine months of gestation. Is a number related to patience, meditation, it represents the inspiration and the perfection of the ideas, the divine consciousness and according to the Cabal, the number of achievement.

Nine: Cooperation, wisdom, manifestation, closure, meditation.

[astraeaboann]

Thyme - Magical Uses

Gender: Feminine Planet: Venus Element: Water Deities: N/A Plant type: Perennial bush

Uses: help sleep, give courage, purify, attract love, strenghten will

When burned it attracts good health, purifies the area, filling it with love and peace

Worn it attracts love, a woman wearing a sprig in her hair is said to be irresistible

Worn to bring courage and enhance psychic powers

Placed under the pillow helps with nightmares

Added to your bath water helps you release the past, fills you with a sense of love and peace. Add Marjoram to ensure all the sorrow and ills of the past are removed

[astraeaboann]

Lavender - Magical Uses

Gender: Masculine Planet: Mercury Element: Air Deities: N/A Plant type: Perennial

Uses: Infuse with peace, joy and a sense of connection, control anger, repel negativity, deepen spiritual awareness

Used in love sachets and spells, on clothes it attracts love

Paper rubbed with it is used for love letters, the perfume is said to attract men

Burned to induce sleep, aid with resting

Scattered around the house to mantain peacefulness

Used in healing mixtures, carried to see ghosts, worn to protect against the evil eye, added to purification baths

Place under the pillow to make a wish, if your dreams are related to it, it will come true

[astraeaboann]

Rosemary - Magical Uses

Gender: Masculine Planet: Sun Element: Fire Deities: N/A Plant type: Perennial bush

Uses: Cleansing, protection, good sleep, attract love, safe substitute for other herbs

When burned, gets rid of negativity, used for cleansing, purification, protection, is one of the oldest incenses

Under the pillow helps with sleep, drives away nightmares. Under the bed protects the sleeper from all harm

In the bath it purifies, an infusion added to it preserves youthfulness

Healing poppets have rosemary in it, its infusion is used to wash hands before healing

Burned with Juniper berries promotes healing

Powdered leaves, wrapped in linen cloth, carried around the right arm dispels depression, lightenes the mood, makes you merry and light

[astraeaboann]

Plants & Herbs Magical Uses - Masterlist

Here you'll find a list of herbs and plants and their magical uses, including some tips and superstitions. The list will be updated, if you have any suggestions or want a specific herb to be added, let me know.

Basil Bay Leaf Catnip Cedar Cinnamon Cloves Heather Ivy Lavender Rosemary Poppy Saffron Sage Star Anise Thyme Turmeric Wormwood Yarrow

[astraeaboann]

Cinnamon - Magical Uses

Gender: Masculine Planet: Sun Element: Fire Deities: Venus, Aphrodite Plant type: Evergreen tree

Uses: Deepen your spiritual connection, invite success, give you the power to change anything, make your life easier

When burned as incense it raises high spiritual vibrations, aids in healing, draws money, stimulates psychic powers, produces protective vibrations

Used in sachets and infusions

Enhances the magical properties of other herbs used with, when used with Sandalwood it deepens your insights

Can be worn as a love charm (especially the oil)

Sprinkle in your room for protection

Add a few drops of Cinnamon oil to your bath to empower you and invite success in your life

[astraeaboann]

Ask yourself the right questions.

What am I trying to achieve? What is my deepest desire? What could go wrong? Who am I? Is this real?

Is it worth it? Us witches are curious and inquisitive by nature, we are trained to question ourselves and the reality around us. Our minds are taught to find the faults, the unpolished details, the miniscule factors that show us that there is more to consider.

This unique feature forces us to look into everything, to consider, ponder, reassess and wonder, but it can be a double-edged knife. Once these questions are turned inwards, they can lead us to doubting ourselves, to asking ourselves if it's the right path, if it's going to work. Am I a real witch? Is it pointless? Did I do it right? This what-if mindset is the enemy of every spell, the nightmare of every practitioner. Doubting your methods, questioning your motive, asking for guidance is normal and useful, but we must differentiate the effects of such helpful and necessary hesitation and the uncertainty that paralyzes us and stops us from growing.

We must learn to ask ourselves the right questions, if we seek the right answers and only by looking into our own insecurities we can free ourselves and allow ourselves to dig deeper, to emerge with new found knowledge.