The Atypical Pagan

A blog to provide advice, support, and resources for Pagans, witches, and others who are neuro-atypical/ neurodivergent. Please note that there will be discussion of mental illness and some subjects may be upsetting or triggering. Everything is tagged.

[thornystorm]

Breathe. Your anxiety does not change your circumstances. You can get as anxious as you want, the world will stay the same.

Alice Isn’t Dead, Part 2, Chapter 2, Mouth of the Water

Sigil for overcoming anxiety

I’ve wanted to start making and posting sigils for a while! Still a beginner, but got inspired to make some today based on quotes that really inspire me from some of my favorite works of fiction 

[grimnirs-child]

Is there a difference between the astral and maladaptive daydreaming disorder? I'm scared one is the other...

This is a very good question. 

I wrote about how I distinguish between my woo stuff and my mental health stuff here. It’s an ongoing process, it’s not an easy question that can be answered once and forgotten about, for those of us with histories with serious mental health problems in such areas - it’s a question I return to over and over and over. A bruise I’m always pressing.

Is this real, or am I just delusional? Is this real?

It’s good to keep asking the question. The question keeps us sceptical, keeps us from being manipulated, from being taken in. The question is where discernment comes from.

But how to answer the question?

For me, the astral is distinguishable by:

being something I access only by altered states of consciousness and/or ritual

being unexpected, weird in ways that do not align with my own imagination, my id, etc. I can control a dream, a daydream, a pretence. I can’t control the astral

verifiable and corroborated by divination, third-party divination, others’ upg, omens, and coincidences on this side of the hedge

my interactions, experiences and relationships within it enhancing and improving my life and my mental health

not carrying with it the sense of inner fear and sickness I felt when I was in denial and lying to myself about my delusions and “alter egos”

Ultimately, only you can answer this. But walking in the astral, working with the occult, is one of those enterprises you can’t embark on [or at least it’s dangerous to do so] without being deeply honest with yourself. And indeed learning to be honest with yourself on such a level is a great deal of work, I still am learning, but that is the most important thing. Be honest with yourself, trust yourself, and if you cannot at this time in your life, know that deeply risking your mental health is not worth it. The other side will always be there.

[catadromously]

mysterious stim toy shop pops up in random places around town. proprietor is friendly but hisses when exposed to iron. 10/10 would recommend. 

[hylianshrinemaiden]

Please, please be careful with the gifs you choose for witchy posts.

I have epilepsy. Some of these gifs that are so popular with pagan and witch blogs make it impossible for me to interact with a post, either because they’re flashing, swirling, or have rapid movement. THEY ARE A HEALTH HAZARD. They can trigger seizures, migraines, and dizzy spells. I literally just came across this nice post about daily witchy things you can do, and then right as I get to the bottom, bam, a gif that i can’t look at. How am I supposed to safely view this? Not everyone has access to gif blockers, and most of them turn off all gifs, which then makes it difficult to ascertain whether it’s a safe gif or not. It’s not effective. Like please, just be a little more considerate about the gifs you use. I like gifs, they’re fun, but some make it harder for me to enjoy things.

[hylianshrinemaiden]

This is absolutely okay to reblog btw

[hylianshrinemaiden]

Bringing this back with the addition of blacklist on mobile. Please tag your flashing, fast moving, swirling, and optical illusion gifs! The blacklist is useless if people don’t tag them properly! Tag posts that use those gifs in the post too!

[hylianshrinemaiden]

Okay, so since I literally just ran head first into a post with a fast swirling gif that was not tagged, I’m bringing this back up. PLEASE TAG YOUR POSTS WITH GIF WARNINGS. Please. I want to be able to read your posts! I want to be able to reblog them! But I can’t do that when I can’t even look at the post. And blacklist is useless without tags!

[asheninks]

What tags do you usually use / recommend? I generally just tag anything with a GIF in it as “#GIF”, but is there a specific tag you / other people tend to blacklist / filter? I’m sorry if I’m bothering you with the question at all! No need to answer if you don’t feel like it.

[hylianshrinemaiden]

Common tags would be “flashing gif”, “moving gif”, “swirling gif”, “optical illusion”, and similar things like that. Not every gif needs to be tagged, like a gif of a kitten or an otter don’t need tags, because they aren’t usually flashing or have rapid movement. But a lot of gifs that get used in witchy posts can be an issue because they use a lot of flashing colors or have moving patterns. Those are the ones to tag.

[asheninks]

Thank you very much for the information! I’ll keep that in mind in the future! c:

[hylianshrinemaiden]

You’re welcome! I’m glad that everyone who’s reblogged this has taken it seriously :)

[revivalish]

Coping With Harmful Intrusive Thoughts as a Pagan

This is an issue I’ve had for some time, and I really wished there’d been an informational post about it when I was just starting out with Paganism, so I’m going to do my best to help out anyone else who’s having similar problems. It’ll get fairly long and personal, so it’s under a cut.

Keep reading

[mulberry-moons]

Self-love sigil 

I love myself

[ritualstephen]

✨⚔️☕️ Done-Fucking-Around Coffee Charm ☕️⚔️✨

This is a simple little charm I use to enchant my morning coffee to help me defeat the day, be productive and kick ass. 

YOU’LL NEED:

☕️ a beverage 

💎a crystal connected to your goal for the day (I use blue goldstone or substitute my mini blue glitter jar for creativity)

DO THE CHARM

⚪️ set the crystal down next to the cup to charge the brew

⚪️ pour or stir clockwise while brewing to attract productive energies

⚪️ repeat an incantation a few times while brewing. This is mine:

“I am a writer & I am done fucking around. I am a writer & I get shit done.” 

⚪️ make sure the incantation is short, simple, and makes you feel like a badass (this is why so many of mine include swearing). It could just be “Today I’m going to [goal or task] and I’m done fucking around.”

⚪️ that’s it! drink up and have a productive day.

TAKEAWAY TWEAKS for when you’re buying rather than brewing.

⚪️ slip the crystal under the edge of the saucer

⚪️ or hold the crystal in your hand under the take away cup

⚪️ if there’s a place to stir, do. You can run your finger clockwise around the rim, or skip it altogether.

⚪️ say the incantation under your breath (if it’s noisy) or in your head (if it’s quiet)

On Twitter here

[thehangedthing]

My Depression Activities (that are also secretly witchcraft)

Hey guys…sorry I’ve been MIA. I’m very low energy and down in the dumps right now. However, I’ve been doing my best to practice. Here’s some activities that tend to help my depression, and also double as witchcraft.

1. Open a shade (or a window even). Let the sunlight cleanse your space for you! Sitting in darkness is my favorite thing to do when I’m sad, but sunlight and fresh air will cleanse your mind and soul. It’s also very easy to do when you’re low energy.

2. Shower When I get sad I don’t shower as much but then I get nasty!! Washing your bod with water is an amazing way to rejuvenate. Also, different smells of different soaps have different intents. When you wash, try to envision your problems going down the train with the water. Maybe even bring some crystals in with you and let them cleanse too. Draw sigils in the steam, if you know any.

3. Light a candle, any candle Good for relaxation and also very witchy. Also very easy. Focus on the flame and feel the heat and light. You don’t even have to do a specific spell, just use the fire as a cleansing agent.

4. Go on a walk or even just go outside for a while. It’s really hard to get out of the house when you’re sad, but fresh air (like I said before) can really help. As you walk, feel your feet touch the earth and ground. Soak up the earths energy and let it fill you. Maybe you’ll find a cool rock on the ground too.

5. If you really really can’t even handle moving, just lay as still as you can and meditate. Try to let your mind go blank. Meditation will clear your mind and dispel negative thoughts.

…in general, try and take things that you do anyway and focus your intent while you do them. INTENT is the key to witchcraft, and also the key to getting rid of depression (for me anyway). Hope this is relevant to people other than me, and that everyone is having a happy day.

[heatherwitch]

Bedridden witch: Elements edition

Little ways to connect to the elements while you’re bedridden or stuck inside.

Earth:

Keep jars of dirt from special places.

Grow cacti or succulents.

Make a mini sand garden.

Hang macrame with crystals or stones.

Keep a bouquet of flowers.

Hang herbs from your walls/ceiling.

Get a little plant starter kit, keep seedlings by your window.

Keep some books on plants and geology around.

Watch nature documentaries.

Keep pebbles and crystals under your pillow.

Make a miniature garden/landscape using fake or real plants!

Reach down and feel the energy of the earth below you. Sometimes this is easier on the floor.

Burn candles that smell like the earth/forest/your favorite place.

Drink herbal tea.

Water:

Get a mini waterfall or fountain.

Keep plants that grow in water.

Get a water essential oil diffuser.

Make a spray from infused water.

Open windows when it rains.

Set up a bird fountain outside.

Fully savor your next glass of water.

Keep blues and sea green colors around.

Watch videos or documentaries on aquatic/marine life.

Watch the raindrops or condensation on your window.

Keep a bowl of water around. 

Listen to water/rain ambiance.

Burn candles that smell like the ocean or the rain.

Use a washcloth to wipe down your face/body.

Keep jars of water from your favorite places.

Air:

Open your window.

Use room spray/mist.

Burn candles that smell like the wind.

Hang wind chimes.

Listen to air/wind ambiance.

Get a small fan for some air flow.

Burn incense and watch the smoke move through the air.

Use your breath.

Hang feathers in your room.

Hang scarves and cloths around your room, watch the breeze sway them around.

Get some air plants.

Use an app that lets you see the sky/night sky.

Watch the clouds from your window.

Meditate, allow your senses to explore the air around you.

Fire:

Burn candles/incense.

Hang red or orange curtains.

Get a Himalayan salt lamp.

Use a wax melter.

Get an electric candle.

Use a heating pad or electric blanket.

Listen to fire ambiance. 

Use the heat of your body.

Watch gifs/videos of fire.

Keep a lighter nearby when you need a little flame. 

Place a little tealight in a fireproof vessel near your bed.

Feel the warmth and strength of the sun.

Build up energy with your hands, imagine it’s fire.

Drink tea with warming spices (cinnamon, cloves, etc.)

Other bedridden witch posts:

Nature edition

General edition

Divination edition

Worship edition

Stale energy edition

Thanks to @healing-water-witch for giving me the idea and contributing!

[bringing-myself-joy]

How to make and use a Coping Board

A coping board is used to help you keep yourself “on schedule” throughout your day.  It can be used by people who have trouble doing “daily” tasks like showering, eating, or taking medication. It’s also beneficial to people who have trouble keeping track of what they’ve done that day due to mental health related memory problems. This is also beneficial to people who (like me) don’t have the energy to make daily to do lists because that task alone is pretty exhausting and depending on my mental state can be overwhelming. By having a set list of things already prepared, it makes my tasks less draining. 

This is what a Coping Board is, a piece of cork board with short lists of things you want to or should be doing. I made my lists out of index cards, and I continue to add them as I have the energy or remember things I want to do.  First, start with tasks you want to complete each morning 

This is what my “morning” list looks like.  As I complete each task, I move the pin from To Do to Done.  This helps me keep track of what I have already done this morning and what I still would like to accomplish. You don’t have to do them in any particular order, it just so happens I did my first four in order today. 

Next, make a list of things you’d like to do each night before you go to bed.

This is what my  “nighttime” list looks like. I also reset my morning list as I complete my nighttime list, so its ready for me the next day. 

You can also add other lists that pertain to you. For example, I have a very hard time keeping track of what day of the week it is, so I added a “day of the week” list.

Each morning when I wake up, I move the pin to the next day.  I also added a list of things I’d like to make sure I do at least once a week.

Personally this list is more of a “wish list” of things I don’t want to forget about, but definitely don’t always have the energy for.  I reset this list every Sunday.

Finally, you can also add things that you use as self care tactics or coping skills. For me, since I practice energy work, this list is mostly about changing the energy of my personal space in my room. 

I try to do these daily, but sometimes weekly is more realistic. 

The great thing about a Coping Board is that its so easy to add or remove things from your schedule.  If you have a medication change, you can make a sheet to help you remember what dosage to take each day as you transition.  This is my summer board, but during the semester I would probably add different lists for each of my classes or things I need to complete like a paper or an art assignment. The possibilities are endless, and it’s easy to customize to what you need most. 

I hope this has been helpful for all of you! Good luck, and stay safe everyone. 

[strangesigils]

“Their Words Hold No Weight Over Me”

Keep this sigil on yourself in some way when you’re around somebody who’s verbally abusive.  Figured this might be relevant with Thanksgiving season upon us in Canada, and just around the corner for the USA

[themanicnami]

Simple Paper Clip Focus Spell

A very simple paper clip charm for focus and concentration. Great for low-key witchcraft and dorm witchcraft!

You Will Need:

📎 A Paper Clip 📎 A place you can concentrate and work

Steps:

📎 Once you are in a place you feel comfortable to work, hold your paper clip of choice cupped in your hands.

📎 Image your energy charging the paper clip with your intent: to be able to better concentrate. If you have issues envisioning this, you may instead chant “I will be able to focus” over and over again.

📎 Once you feel satisfied carry it on your person. You may also choose to make makes sure you don’t lose it by tying a brown or blue string to it.

📎 Regularly cleanse it in the moonlight each night, and around every week or two re-charge it with your intent.

Note: to give it a little boost, choose a blue or brown colored paper clip for those colors represent focus and concentration. You may also paint your paper clip this color if you wish.

[bpd-hex]

“My mind is liberated from intrusive thoughts.” (Ironically enough, I had to battle some off quite intensely while working on this sigil.)

[appleglimmer-during-moonlight]

Appleglimmer’s Spell to soothe someone’s Depression

Purpose: Spell to ease the depression of a loved one or your own. Ingredients: ° 2 candles - 1 white candle [all purposes, peace, balance] - 1 black candle [banish negative energy] ° 1 crystal (Hematite [dispels negativity and stress, calms nerves], Obsidian [dispels & absorbs negative energy], Tourmaline [dispels negative energy, balancing], Onyx [eliminates negative thinking, reduces stress] or Clear Quartz [all purposes, clears mind]) ° incense (Pine [strengthens, reverses negative energy], Clove [dispels negative energy], Frankincense [soothes negativity, attracts good luck], Sage [healing, banishes negative energy], Benzoin [clears negative energy, balance, eases sadness & depression] or sandalwood [all purposes])

Point in time: Always when needed! Procedure: 1. Light the white candle and ignite the incense (if you work with incense). 2. Concentrate on the candle’s flame for a while. Close your eyes afterwards. Imagine the flame grows greater and greater until it enwrapped you completely in a circle of the light and warmth of the flame. 3. Light the black candle when you open your eyes and take the crystal into your hand. 4. After you have closed your eyes again, think of the person you want to heal. Distance doesn’t matter. 5. Take a deep breath in. As you do so, imagine that dark and negative energy flows out of the person and into the crystal. When you breathe out, the negative energy flows out of the crystal into the dark candle’s flame and burns. At your next breath in; pure and healing energy flows into the crystal and into the person when you breathe out. While you breathe out for the second time, say or think of one positive thing you wish for the person (for example: happiness, courage, strength, optimism, luck, motivation, peace, hope…). Repeat this procedure and send a new positive thing to the person. Do that as long as it feels right to you. 7. Put the crystal down afterwards and keep the image of your person. But now imagine that the person is wrapped up in pure and protective light and gleams. 8. Open your eyes now and extinguish the black candle. 9. Concentrate on the white candle and its flame for a moment again. Close your eyes and see the protective flame around you again. But this time, let it shrink until it reached its normal size. 10. Thank the candle for its protection and the given energy. Extinguish the white candle now. 11. Don’t forget to cleanse your crystal after this ritual. Besides: Depression is a serious issue and this spell doesn’t replace physical and mental support, a therapist or medication!

[You don’t need to follow each step exactly. Do what feels natural to you, so your energy may flow constantly. Own Spell]

[nightshadeleaf]

✾Ivysaur Self-Acceptance Tea✾

Hi everyone, I’m back with another herbal tea recipe.

You may wonder why I chose Ivysaur of all Pokemon. I did it because Ivysaur is a middle evolution, and also has a pink flower to represent self love!

This infusion was created with the intent of bringing peace to those who suffer from self-loathing/low self worth.

☘☘☘

Recipe:

❉ 1 Bay Leaf

❉ ½ teaspoon dried Chrysanthemum flowers

❉ Small pinch of dried Lavender

❉ Pinch/dash of Orange Peel/Extract

❉ 1 teaspoon dried Rose Hips

❉ Lemon juice

Preparation:

Place all dry ingredients in a tea strainer/filter. Pour boiling water over the strainer and let dry herbs steep for 10 minutes. If you’re using Orange extract instead of peel then now is the time to add it. Then add Lemon juice to taste.

Correspondences:

The Lavender and Rose Hips are for healing and inner peace. The Bay Leaf and Chrysanthemum flowers are for grounding. The Orange is for joy. The Lemon Juice is for purification/removing mental blockages.

As always, make sure you are not sensitive to any of these ingredients before trying this. Enjoy~ 

[magicalcutzi]

I made a spell jar for energy because I’m constantly exhausted. The ingredients I used are:

Allspice - Provides added determination and energy to any spells and charms Angelica - attracts positive energy Astragalus Root - energy Balsam Fir - strength Bay Leaf - strength Blessed Thistle - strength Cinnamon - power, strength Echinacea - Adds powerful strength to charms, sachets, and herb mixes Fennel Seed - strength, vitality Ginger - Adds to the strength and speed of any mixture of which it is a part Horehound - stimulates creativity/inspiration; balances personal energies Jasmine - Helps to promote new, innovative ideas Mint - energy Oregano - energy Paprika - Use to add energy to any spell or mixture Sage - improve mental ability and bring wisdom Vanilla Bean - restoring lost energy. Carried to increase energy & strengthen mental abilities.

[gainux]

Witchy Hygiene Tips

🛁 Switch to crystal deodorant

🛁 Use oat flour to exfoliate, it invites money and good luck and scrubs away misfortune

🛁 Use a black brush or comb to ground and protect yourself 🛁 Use cinnamon dental floss for good luck 🛁 Add tumbled amethyst to your body wash for spiritual health 🛁 Enchant your shampoo and conditioner to ward off unwanted attention 🛁 Make sure your toothbrush color corresponds with your intent 🛁 Add mint to your foot wash for safe travels 🛁 Pluck out bad vibes as you tweeze your eyebrows 🛁 With every pass of the razor, shave away negative energy 🛁 Use an acne or wrinkle cream to cleanse and protect yourself 🛁 Use cocoa butter on stretch marks and discoloration, it acts as a glamor for perfecting skin 🛁 Use bath products with natural scents and ingredients to draw on the power of earth 🛁 Use orange flavored mouthwash to energize and brighten your mood 🛁 Shower at night to draw in the moon’s energy 🛁 Use an unscented moisturizer to start out your days with a clean slate 🛁 When you clip your nails or get a haircut, dispose of the cuttings in a safe and secretive manner  

🛁 Cleaning out your ears can act as an enchantment for accurate hearing and to stop gossip  

🛁 Cleanse ya damn genitals, it acts as an attraction spell for prosperity 🛁 Use a toner corresponding with your intent (witch hazel, rosewater, and green tea toners are some great options)

🛁 Change into fresh clothing after a negative encounter to invite positive energy back into your life

These are just my personal tips, feel free to use these or add your own. Negativity will not be tolerated.