#literarywitchcraft

[theliterarywitch]

An Introduction to Divination

   What is Divination? Who can practice it? What should it be used for? Whether you're a fledgeling witch just starting out or a tenured practitioner well versed in the different types of magic, one way or another you're more than likely going to find yourself coming across the term "Divination." For some of you, you're trying to deep-dive into the theory and practice of Divination, trying to reach out and grasp the knowledge that will allow you to strengthen and exercise your psychic ability and intuitiveness. For others, you may just be wishing to touch up on some magical knowledge. Either way, here's a collection of some thorough information I've gathered on Divination, and different facets of the craft. Some of the information is borrowed from online resources I've combed, so enjoy!

What is it?

   Essentially, Divination is a practice of magic in which someone attempts to get an insight into a question or situation they have, by using ritual work and application. Although a lot of people who practice Divination have different ideas and follow different traditions in regards to the craft, the basic general understanding is that with Divination someone can interpret messages gathered from either their own collective unconscious or from communication with the natural/spiritual world.

    While a lot of people practice Divination by using tools such as a Scrying Glass, Tarot Cards, etc, Divination can also be done without the implementation of physical substances. For example, instead of relying on a Tarot Deck specifically, someone can get a bit of insight by going through some deep meditation and connecting to a spiritual guide of sorts. Either way, the base-divinatory skill that's the most important is the ability to still your mind, so that you can open up the gateway for information and notions to pass through without your judgement or anything clouding it.

Psychic Ability and You

   For some people, whether they follow Pagan/spiritual traditions or not, the innate psychic ability that we're all born with is fairly pronounced and evident. In truth, everyone possesses some form of latent psychic talent, it's just that for some it's more obvious, where with others it's more like a well within their body, waiting to be tapped into. Some of us are able to completely divine the future or whatever we're looking for, while others get mere grasps and messages from the spiritual/natural world. With knowledge of what Pschic Ability is, most consider there to be a few different types of Pschic Talent.

         *Precognition, which is when you have the ability to know the future, or see glimpses into it. Some people with precognition abilities are able to get very definite messages, while others get more vague ideas of stuff that's gonna happen.

          *Intuition, which is that gut feeling you get when you just KNOW something without being shown or told. Intuitive people make awesome Tarot readers, and another word for intuition is "clairsentience."

           *Clairvoyance, the ability to see or know things that are hidden. Locating lost objects, finding hidden paths, things like that.

           *Empathy, wich is the ability to sense feelings, thoughts and emotions from another person. People with a great deal of empathy are known as Empaths, and they can be so strongly influenced by someone elses energies that they often need to develop methods of shielding themselves from it.

            *Another form of psychic ability can  be found in that of a Medium, which is someone who gets direct or indirect contact from the Spirit World. Some can hear or see actual spirits, while other people get messages through dreams or visions. A few people can actually allow the spirit they're communicating with/through to use them as a vessel of sorts, the spirit writing or speaking through the Medium.

Flexing your Psychic Muscle

   Ultimately, the all-time best method of honing your psychic talent is through meditation, because it allows us to sort of comb through our subconscious and sort through everything that's there. However, there are other little tidbits and whatnot that you can do that will help as well.

       *Acheive deliberate clarity. To do this, you need to train yourself and work torwards being aware of everything around you. Pick up on and take note of everything that's happening in the world around you; Changes in the sunlight, shifts in the shadows. Consider the change in direction and intensity of the wind, etc. This will help you out later on, help you interpret what's real and what's not in regards to the messages you're going to be getting through your craft.

       *Listen to what's being said, and what's not. A lot of times, someone might say one thing, but mean or be leaving out another. If you ask someone how they're doing, they may say "Fine. The kids are good..." but there's no mention of their spouse, so perhaps there's a reason for that. Understand that omission is still a form of communication.

      *Meditate regularly. One of the best ways to strengthen your flexible ability is to meditate.

      *Learn to trust your gut.

      *Write everything down. If you ever have a dream about someone, or a particular situation, write it down. If you get an intense feeling that something's gonna happen, write it down. By keeping a journal of the times you experience these feelings/dreams and whatnot, you can go back and look through them to see if they hold any validity. Did the thing you thought was gonna happen come to pass? Bear in mind, sometimes we get messages that we can never confirm, because there's just no way of knowing.

      *Test yourself. If you ever get a hunch or feeling about something, try to confirm if you're right or if that hunch is valid. If you're gonna meet with your friend later, try and guess what kind of music she's listening to in her car, or what you guys might talk about when she gets there. When she arrives, ask her, or wait to see if it happens. When your phone rings, before you look at the Caller ID try and guess who's calling. Visualize it, imagine it. When you answer the phone, see if you're correct. Little exercises like this will help you develop your innate abilities.

       *Practice helps. If I could double-bold that, I would. Practice with things like Divination is NOT going to make you perfect, but it will allow you to sharpen your intuitive talent so that you can proceed down the path that suits you.

Tip for Divination

   Some people like to perform spellwork or rituals will do some form of Divination prior to magical application, to help them decide how they should go about their spellcasting. Alternatively, some like to perform Divination AFTER spellwork to see get a feel for the general success of what they've done.

  All in all, Divination is a very fulfilling and spiritually expansive practice, that can really open our minds to a world of possibilities, allowing us to have an idea of what we're dealing with before it hits us in the face. A lot of people write Divination off as just guesswork and scams, but those people don't realize that when we practice Divination, we're not simply predicting someone's future. OK...Maybe we are, but that's not all we're doing. When we do readings and predictions, we're giving ourselves a brief look into different situations and ideas that we have. Starting a new job? Getting married? Want to know how to connect better with loved ones? Divination allows us to look at these challenges and possible things we're gonna face, and determine the right way to go about them, or what to expect.

    Maybe you don't feel right practicing Divination, maybe it's not something you support or hold validity in. That's perfectly fine, it's still something that I feel everyone should at least have an idea about or read up on, and I hope the information I've gathered guides your way somehow down your magical or spiritual path.

***NOTE, I am a Literary Witch, meaning that the majority of my spellwork/ritual cleansing and whatnot consists of study and research. The information gathered here has been collected from various sites, blogs, and other means of study. Sites like ThoughtCo have been used. I've added my own personal twist to the wording and whatnot, but I do not claim credit for work recognized or found in other forms of media.

[amandayatesgarcia]

Writing Is Magic. . @FrancescaLiaBlock and I are teaching a workshop on how to craft and perfect your personal own personal spell. . May 13, 2017 3-5pm - $50. . You'll leave with a strong understanding of what a spell is, how magic works, and how to use literary devices relating to rhythm, imagery and action to make a powerful spell of your own. . PM me with your email address to RSVP. . #writingasmagic #literarywitchcraft #spells #magic #witchesofinstagram #writersofinstagram #weetziebat #losangeles #oracle #spellcraft #writingtips #writingworkshop #dreams #feedyoursoul #makingmagic #oracleofla #francescaliablock (at Culver City, California)

[theliterarywitch]

Just a heads up, I’m creating a new Tumblr account for...Reasons lol. I’ll be reblogging my stuff to my new Literary Witch blog.

[theliterarywitch]

Magical Literature: The Grimoire

If any of you are like me, you’ll know that when you begin practicing/studying Witchcraft, you’ll come to find that there are many different bits and bobs one can use in their practice depending on the paths/studies they’ve chosen. For example, if you’re undertaking a sit-down ritual complete with an altar, it’s always handy to have a wand or an athame handy to use as a focus to direct/conduct energy. Depending on how you feel, you may keep a bell handy at your altar just to help cleanse the area before beginning your ritual. Either way, a Witch always has certain tools available to them that help them along in their craft. However, in my opinion, there’s one specific tool that is absolutely crucial to a Witch as he/she follows their chosen path; Knowledge. 

Like I said, in my own opinion, knowledge is perhaps a Witch’s most powerful aid in regards to implementing magical practice. I’m sure it seems like that should go without saying, I mean duh, of course you need knowledge if you’re going to practice Witchcraft. What I mean is, I think it’s not only healthy, but incredibly lucrative in terms of experience and broadening your horizons to expand your insight to different magical cultures/practices. I don’t necessarily mean you have to bog yourself down with tireless reading and heavy books, because not everyone’s an avid reader. However, even something as simple as swiping through Witchblr or another Witch’s blog can really enlighten you in different spells/rituals/prayers, etc. However, following extensive research brings about the question; Where to put it all? I’m glad you asked, hypothetical voice in my head. Let me explain.

See, your average Witch usually carries about three to four types of books with him/her at all times when practicing, or they at least have copies at home in their practice area: A Grimoire/Book of Shadows, a collection of certain herbs/herbal remedies, possibly a dream journal, and maybe even a separate journal where they just jot down different things they’ve experienced/wanted to practice with Witchcraft. Some Witches gather two or three-if not all-of those texts into smaller condensed versions, but each gathering of text can be a Witch’s greatest asset in her craft. However, in my opinion, a Witch’s Grimoire is their absolute best friend, especially those implementing Literary Magic. 

To put it simply, a Grimoire (also known as a Book of Shadows, to the Wiccan) is a collection of different spells/prayers/rituals that a Witch has practiced or implemented at one point. It can also include different practices that a Witch wants to try in the future, but ultimately a Grimoire is sort of like a Witch’s magical thumbprint, if you ask me. If you were to skim through it, you’d find the private annotations and quirks of the creator, basically giving you a big idea of who they are as a Witch. See, one of the biggest principles of magic and Witchcraft is that even though there’s a few shared guidelines and concepts that all Witches share, you can pretty much make whatever adjustments and changes that fit your need and accommodate you. Some Witches may feel like one incense works better in that cleansing ritual than other Witches, so she’s gonna grab her Grimoire and jot down that when she does that prayer, it’s going to have a slight deviation. Basically, a Grimoire is sort of like a Witch’s diary of the different practices and approaches they take in their craft, and below I’ll be touching up on what sort of things are generally found in one.

I. Your coven’s laws/rules/guidelines, or if you’re a solitary practitioner, the basic concepts that you personally follow. (The Law of Threefold Return, The Seven Hermetic Principles, etc.)

II. Different correspondences, topics and ideals that will be helpful for your practice. I personally input a Wheel of the Year and different planet correspondences around this section of my personal Grimoire, but generally this area is going to be used for correspondences like symbol meanings, special dates in your practice, etc.

III. Guides to certain practices. A brief excerpt on charging and using crystals maybe, possibly different tools and uses for them. Basically I would use this section to be like a guide for different little activities you do, like preparing herbs or a quick blurb on Tarot reading. DEFINITELY INCLUDE A PAGE OR TWO ON CIRCLE CASTING AND GENERAL RITUALS. 

IV. Any prayers or chants you may have. THESE DO NOT HAVE TO BE FOUND ONLINE OR IN BOOKS. If you have a prayer or a chant that you’ve written or borrowed from another Witch’s work, feel absolutely free to jot it down in your Grimoire. Of course if you’re borrowing it from someone else, please try to get consent from them to include it in your Grimoire if you’re going to share it with others. If you don’t answer to/associate yourself with a deity/deities, then you don’t have to use this section for prayers, just jot down a few chants or basic verbal spells you may know.

V. Actual spells and rituals. This section would be where you actually map out full on spells, their ingredients, executing them, etc. This section only need be as thorough and detailed as you need it. 

VI. If you wish, you can include a section on herbs and uses for them, possibly a section on different herbal/cooking recipes, if you’d rather not have a separate herbal Grimoire. If you’d rather not implement herbal stuff in your Grimoire, you can also use this section as an Astrology guide or something like that, something specific to your craft perhaps. It’s your Grimoire, go nuts. :)

VII. Personally, at the end of your Grimoire, I would definitely include a glossary of some sorts for certain terms, especially if you abbreviated anything in your book or if you plan on sharing it with others. 

All in all, like I said a Grimoire is basically like a Witch’s diary for their spells and practices. A lot of Witch’s find it easier to keep their Grimoire strictly digital or online, but like I said before, it’s your Grimoire. Go nuts! If anyone has questions or ideas for this post, or just want to discuss different additions or whatnot, feel free to message. Merry meet, and merry part!

[theliterarywitch]

Literary Witchcraft: A Personal Story

Honestly, when I first started practicing and studying witchcraft, the first thing I became painfully aware of is that there weren’t a lot of guides and books on practicing it. I mean, there’s books and posts and whatnot, but when you first start out and you’re a new witch, honestly you kind of worry about what information you can trust. One article says this, but this website says that. It can be really overwhelming.

But the thing is, what I’ve found to be universally correct throughout every textbook and post I’ve read through, is that literally there are so many different practices and traditions that witches of various cultures and lifestyles practice, that it doesn’t matter which path you take. Yes, there are some basic guidelines and concepts that all witches follow and share, but there is no Bible for witchcraft. No set-in-stone set of commandments that we have to follow as practitioners. Basically, what we put into the world around us in terms of magic and energy comes back to us. What you put in, comes back. If you find a ritual online for bringing love into your life, yeah it might give a bit more oomph if you use home-grown apple blossoms or whatever, but if you can’t get apple blossoms or if you want to use something else, that’s totally cool. As long as you know the intentions behind your craft and make sure you keep a healthy balance of mental, physical, and spiritual energy, you’ll be OK. No one’s looking at you critically and saying, “You didn’t use Sage that was grown in your window below the full moon when Mercury was at it’s Zenith?” (Whatever that means.) 

With some of us though, it’s not a means of having limited resources or simply wanting to put our own personal spin on things; It’s a matter of our living situation, and having to practice in secret. I’d rather not get into the details, but some of us are forced to keep our practice hidden, in order to prevent jeopardy to our living situation. And that’s absolutely OK, secret witches are just as valid as witches who are out of the Broom Closet. But because of this, obviously some of us can’t you know, sit in our living rooms naked with Sage burning on our coffee table sitting in the Goddess Position. Awkward for everyone involved, believe me. 

Because of this, I’ve found a way to practice my witchcraft, strengthen my connection with the magical/natural world, and even broaden my horizons: Literary Witchcraft. See, there are quite a few different types of witches. Sea Witches, Swamp Witches, Techno Witches, etc. Different ways to incorporate the world/materials around us into our craft, different practices and traditions that we feel more comfortable with. Being someone that’s known as a sort of bookworm, I’ve decided to take up a lesser known practice, literary witchcraft, a practice involving researching/books/writing. Instead of performing certain rituals that involve compiling obvious ingredients and whatnot, I’ve become adept at incorporating literature and knowledge into my practice. However, when I first picked up Literary Witchcraft, I noticed that there’s not really any guides or information online about it, so I thought I’d start this blog to get it going a bit. For those of you who’ve read, I sincerely hope you take a look at some of my posts, and if you have any questions or comments that would be helpful, please feel free to shoot a message. Merry meet, and merry part!

[theliterarywitch]

Methods of Divination

Tarot Cards

Popularly believed as someone predicting the future through the use of a Tarot Deck, Tarot readings offer a general guideline to a question it's presented with. Tarot cards do not give a "yes or no" answer, but more of a probably outcome or general insight as to how a situation/phase can be taken on. Generally, anyone can learn to read Tarot cards, it does involve a lot of intuition when doing a reading. While having charts and guildelines and whatnot can be helpful, the best way to actually learn what your cards are telling you is to work with them yourself.

  Ogham Staves

Named for Ogma or Ogmos, the Celtic god of eloquence and literacy, the Ogham alphabet has become known as a tool of Divination for many who follow a Celtic based spiritual path. When using Ogham staves to perform Divination, the user will find themselves working with the Ogham alphabet, a series of 25 letters with each symbol corresponding to a letter or sound, as well as a tree or wood. In addition, each of these symbols has come to be associated with various meanings and elements of the human experience.

Essentially, the user will inscribe 25 sticks of even length with a letter of the Ogham alphabet, store them in a pouch or bag, and when they are presented with a question they'll pull as many staves out as they want to determine the divinatory meaning.

  Norse Runes

Believed to be a gift from Odin to mankind, Norse Runes are considered to be especially sacred and holy by a lot of Diviners, and are typically carved into stone. There are 16 letters in all, each with a metaphorical and divinatory meaning. Although their meanings can sometimes be a bit obscure, most people who work with runes find that the best way to incorporate them into Divination is to ask a specific question based upon their current situation. Although you don't have to be of Norse ancestry to use the runes, it helps if you have knowledge of the mythology and history of the Germanic peoples; This way you can interpret the runes in the context in which they were meant to be read.

  Tea Leaves

One of the most iconic methods of Divination, reading tea leaves is also referred to as "tasseography" or "tasseomancy." Some readers use cups that are specifically designed for reading tea leaves, cups that have patterns or symbols outlined around the rim or saucer for easier interpretation.

Basically, when reading tea leaves you should make a cup of tea using a blend that has larger loose-leaves. Make sure you don't use a strainer, because you'll get rid of the leaves. After the tea has been consumed, all that's left in the cup are the leaves. Swirl the leaves around a little so you don't end up with wet tea leaves everywhere and they'll settle into a pattern. Once you've done this, look into the cup and see if the leaves present you with images. It helps to have like a guide of some sort.

  Pendulum Divination

Considered to be the easiest method of Divination by most, Pendulum Divination involves using a simple weight on a string or chain to obtain a Yes/No answer. People who perform this type of Divination would charge and calibrate their pendulum overnight in water or salt, and to calibrate it they would hold the string and allow the pendulum to hang loosely. Make sure you keep the string perfectly still, and ask it a question that you know the answer to. The direction it moves determines the Yes and No direction based on the answer to your question.

  Osteomancy

The use of bones in Divination. In some societies, bones are burned so that seers and Diviners can use the results for scrying. This method is known as pryo-osteomancy, and old traditions performed this using the bones of a freshly slaughtered animal. Questions would be inscribed into the bone somehow, and the bone would then be thrown into a fire, the cracks forming on the bones giving seers the answers to their questions. In some cases, people boil the bones beforehand to soften them up.

Another means of reading bones is to mark them with symbols, placing them in a bag or bowl, and withdrawing one at a time so that the symbols can be analyzed.

  Lithomancy

A practice involving reading stones, some cultures believed the casting of stones to be fairly common. After gathering and inscribing a set of stones with different symbols, the user places the stones within a cloth and ties the cloth shut, forming a bag. To interpret messages from the stones, the simplest way is to draw three stones at random, place them in front of you, and determine the messages they send. Like reading Tarot cards, much of Lithomancy is intuitive, rather than specific.

  Numerology

The basic principle of numerology is that numbers hold a great deal of spiritual and magical significance. Some numbers are more potent and powerful than others, and combinations of numbers can be developed for magical use. In addition to magical correspondences, numbers also tie into planetary significance. In most traditions, each number has a different interpretation of what each number means, most practices focusing on the numbers 0-9

***NOTE, I am a Literary Witch, meaning that the majority of my spellwork/ritual cleansing and whatnot consists of study and research. The information gathered here has been collected from various sites, blogs, and other means of study. Sites like ThoughtCo have been used. I've added my own personal twist to the wording and whatnot, but I do not claim credit for work recognized or found in other forms of media.

[amandayatesgarcia]

Perfect gift from a friend. Selah Saterstrom's "Essays in Divinatory Poetics": . "Choose the [tarot] reader with the forked tongue, a reader able to straddle the border between inside and outside, who is able to move, unburdened, through the ouroboros, dissolving the stitches holding in tension the binary, and who can, instead, give way to the realms of uncertainty, simultaneity, contradiction, paradox, and parable." . Yes. . If you're ready for a reading like that, call me. Book me. Come here. (link in bio) . Or, if you're ready to learn to give one yourself, I will be holding a workshop on divination on January 6th @LightOnLotus -- come straddle the border with us. . #Divination #Tarot #Magic #LiteraryWitchcraft #Reading #Witchcraft #Ouroboros #Witch #Astrology #Bones #Augers #Tantra #Revelation #Celebration #Workshop (at Stories BooksandCafe)

[amandayatesgarcia]

Morrissey wasn't wrong when he said, "We hate it when our friends become successful." . I don't think there's a creative person alive who hasn't felt that pang when one of their friends lands some big show, or some grant, or some great publishing deal. . Jealousy double hurts because a) you want something you don't have, and b) you feel guilty for envying a friend who finally got something THEY wanted. . If this experience sounds familiar, you need to read this short piece (up now on The Millions) written by one of my (super talented) clients Mary Pauline Lowry about how we used witchcraft to cast out her green eyed monster. . And it's all true! . Link in bio. Or check out The Millions Website. . #BestJobEver #JealousyBeGone #MagicWorks #literarywitchcraft #TheMillions @marypaulinelowry (at Los Angeles, California)