As I've outlined in a previous post, my intentions toward this blog are leading in a new direction â one that I'm extremely excited about, and that I feel is more authentic to myself, my witchcraft, and the readership of the blog as well.Â
I'm very eager to share these ideas and posts I have swimming around in my head, but in order to do that, some things will need to be shuffled around a bit first. Here's a few things you can expect to see in the coming weeks:
Removal of most posts not originally by me: as much as I enjoy the reblog-style formatting of tumblr, I want to make sure I'm putting more original content onto this blog than anything else. Remove the clutter, as it were.Some things will stay (eg. photos/largely helpful, informational posts) but if there's something in particular you are afraid of losing, perhaps find another way to save it just in case.
Reformatting of the theme: honestly, this is just because I want the blog to look fresh. I think it's time for a change, don't you?
Edits to a large number of pages: specifically the tagging system, the âabout meâ, various resource pages, and personal posts.
And, most importantly, renaming of the blog itself:Â
As of Sunday, March 20th, the spring equinox, âThe Living Wiccanâ will officially change its name to âThe Leveret Pathâ.
I want to give a huge amount of thanks - for all the readers who are just as excited to share this journey with me as I am to share it with you.
It's one of the first things you have to admit to yourself, when you realize you've been stuck in a rut. It's incredibly humbling. It kicks your pedestal down, points to something in front of you that you can't see, and yells into your face: âLook. Look at all the things you have to learn still.â It's challenging. It's frustrating. It is, above all things, frightening.
There are certain things in life you cannot simply take up without warning and â I've written about at length here â witchcraft is one of them. There are certain things in life that no matter how good you get, there is always more to learn.
And it goes beyond simply learning. No matter how much of a specific discipline you practice, you will always have another method to feel out. No matter how much knot magic you do, it cannot prepare you for familiars. No matter how much herb work you do, it cannot prepare you for crystals. No matter how much astrology you practice, it cannot prepare you for spirit work. You have to be well-rounded. Magic is a multi-faceted thing. You cannot simply know.
I had a very humbling ritual experience recently. Perhaps humbling isn't the right word. It was, or at least what I imaged to be, a major setback in my journey into witchcraft. Especially being so voracious in the past about learning, about always seeking new things, I had felt like I failed. But instead I just grew.
I had asked a friend of mine to lead me through a ritual that was normal for them in their practice, but something that I personally had never done before. Their response was one of surprise, and a touch of disbelief. It was an aspect of witchcraft that I'd never found was necessary in how I practiced â if not necessary, then at least avoidable.
It was emotionally exhausting, and spiritually above my level. I knew that, going in. I knew that it would be difficult, but I'd no idea how much I'd have to stretch my limits and push my (comfortable!) boundaries to get there. The next day, I felt myself doubting nearly everything I'd done before. How had I let myself practice for so long without stretching? I'd avoided certain aspects of the craft because of fear, because of lack of experience, because I didn't think I'd ever use it personally.
How unaware. How arrogant. How incredibly self-serving.Â
As if I knew more than the craft itself. As if I could stop and say âYou know what? I think Iâm good, actually.â Of course I had felt as though I'd learned enough â I had convinced myself of it.
So the next day, I went back to the beginning. I cast a circle, even doubting my own invocations as I did, and sat in it. Sat in it for a good two hours or so, just ruminating.
Witchcraft is a multi-faceted thing; and it brings out the most primal emotions that humans are capable of, often in their rawest form. You can raise Ecstacy, you can bring forth Passion, you can bathe in Happiness, you can move Disgust, and you can harness Anger.
For so long, I'd ignored Fear.
How? Fear: one of the main motivators of action, one of the barest things we as people can be stripped down to. It's the first emotion we ever feel, from the moment we're born. âHelp me, I'm scared. Â Where am I? I am afraid.â
From that emotion, maybe witches too can be reborn, stretch, and grow.
Bottles** quickly became my go-to method of spellwork when I first started practicing. They seemed like a quick and simple way to go about spells without much effort. Pretty soon I realized that shortcuts donât work as well in witchcraft as you might like.
Now thatâs not to say that simple spells canât be effective when done properly. And it certainly isnât to say that spell bottles arenât worth it, either. What Iâve discovered through some of my own good olâ trial and error is that performing larger âfull scaleâ spells, if you will, and then simply using the bottle as a vessel or charm turns out a specific kind of effectiveness, and is a nice touch for any spells needing:
charms or amulets (the bottles becoming its physical manifestation instead of a piece of jewelry or poppet)
frequent re-activation for cycles and/or repetition (by shaking or stirring the bottle)
or spells that require long periods of time (fermentation, anyone?)Â
So here is a spell I wrote that creates a courage/confidence charm, utilizing a small bottle to carry around. What you need:Â
Small bottle (usually found in dollar stores for 6/$1. This spell could easily be done with a regular sized bottle, but the point is to be able to carry the charm around with you)Â
Green clover
4 cloves
8 long thin strips of paper (about 1cm x 6 cm)Â
Red and black inkÂ
Purple candleÂ
Black candle Â
Step one: prepare the 8 strips of paper. Write one of each of the following words on each piece of paper. COURAGE, DETERMINATION, POWER, CONFIDENCE (write these 4 in red ink). Then, write their opposite counterparts: FEAR, APPREHENSION, WEAKNESS, DOUBT (write these 4 in black ink).Â
Step two: Fill the bottle with clover and clove. (Note: in this picture youâll see my bottle also included a salt mixture, but that was for a specific purpose that is purely contextual and wouldnât help you any)
Step three: Roll each of the red words into a tiny scroll and seal it in purple wax. Make sure you remember which ones are which, youâll need it later. Then, fold each of the black words in half lengthwise, as if youâre trying to fold the words themselves in half.Â
Step four: Light the black candle. This step takes some concentration - careful of the fire! Take a negative counterpart and burn it, saying this each time:Â
â______, I cast you out.â (Fear, doubt, etc)
Step five: For each negative attribute, immediately take its positive counterpart and place it into the bottle. (for Fear, place Courage in, for Doubt, put in Confidence, etc) and say:
â ______, I draw you in.âÂ
Step six: Seal the jar with purple wax, while chanting:
âMay you aid in me in all manners of success.
May you show me the ways to successâ
(optional) Step seven:Â I placed a key on this charm and left it overnight on my altar, though it could have been in use at any time.
Fun fact: I have never needed to make a charm like this for myself before. I had no idea what possessed me to do it. But, the very next day, I had the most terrifying, heart-shattering experience of my life. Due to a horrible miscommunication, I was led to believe my sibling had died. Fortunately, he had not, and all is well now. But this bottle helped me get through it. Coincidence?
Happy casting.
- - - -
**Please note that the word âbottleâ here refers simply to the actual, physical tool of a bottle in general, and not the specific, time-honored tradition of Witch Bottles.Â
(This spell is my own property - if copying or sharing, please give credit and do not remove source)
I found myself, yesterday, thinking a lot about cycles. The wheels give us many messages; they tell us: âOkay, itâs time to rest. Itâs time to work. Itâs time to reflect. Itâs time to harvest. Itâs time to drive forward.â
These patterns are constant and visit us like clockwork. They take many different forms, but in this particular instance, Iâm not talking about January 1st or November 1st. Iâm not talking about the full or new moons, nor holidays, solstices, or equinoxes.
Iâm talking about the every day occurrences that can make the beginning or the end of an era in someoneâs life. Iâm talking about anniversaries, Iâm talking about graduations, initiations, days of remembrance. And in particular, Iâm talking about birthdays.
Iâve had a few days to think. My birthday this year was not as Iâd hoped. I didnât get to see nearly anyone I wanted to, we were all too busy to meet up, and after work and education was all said and done, Iâd barely had time to eat dinner before sleeping for 5am work the next day.
But Iâve always viewed my birthday as both and end and a beginning. A point to look back at all Iâve done and still hope to accomplish. Setting priorities and drawing resolutions shows me that I am in control, regardless of my restrictions. Counting the years Iâve amassed makes me realize just how lucky I am; knowing that the time I have is borrowed, and is more than most people get.
I make goals for my witchcraft and I breed magic in every space I can. And most importantly, I use my birthday to inhabit my space as a witch, and to expand my self further and further outward.
And that is something that can be done regardless of time.
Why donât we view our birthdays as something more? As its own sort of Sabbat? For me, the message my birthday sends is:
âYes. I made it. I am still here.
And I am thriving.â
We're halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. However you celebrate, my wish today is - in between the hectic pace of daily life -that you all get a few minutes to yourselves and your practices today.
âAs witches, we have chosen this path deliberately, mindfully, and fully aware of all the work that comes with it. We must therefore make a deliberate, mindful choice as to how we approach its practice and, in turn, its growth and eventual cultivation - with diligence and with dedication.â Â
⊠The Importance of Routine to the Living, Breathing, Heart-Beating Witch
(**Altar belongs to me - please do not resource or repost**)
The Importance of Routine to the Living, Breathing, Heart-Beating Witch
I've found that every once and a while my craft dwindles.
It's not a sudden thing. It's a slow drop-off that starts with "I'll just postpone that ritual until tomorrow" and ends with "What, it's June 21st already?"
It`s not sudden, but I've found that this has been a fairly normal thing. It's human nature to get sidetracked and sometimes, things happen. Obviously, there are some things that just have to come before your witchcraft - health, family, school, work.
However, just because it's normal doesn't mean we have to just let it happen. The little things I place on higher standing than my own witchcraft? Those aren't important. I know they're not important, and yet I still choose them over the dedication I know I should have for a life I know I love.
For example:  âDear me: no, you don't need to watch that new season on Netflix; it'll still be there tomorrow. The full moon is now - and it'll be another month before you see it again, and by then you'll feel as though you wasted the time. You appreciate the moon - donât just sit there and let it shine without you.â
Routine is one of the (many) things that can keep us grounded and mentally healthy. After a great loss, it's encouraged that you just..... keep going (note: not to keep going as normal obviously. It's important to grieve). Keeping a schedule never makes you feel at a loss of what to do. Â When you're unemployed, having goals for every day can keep you from laying in bed day in and day out. Â When you're a student, having a part-time job can keep you on your toes and make sure you feel challenged enough to keep at your studies.Â
Productivity leads you to feel energized and accomplished. It helps you learn, helps you grow, and helps you find new passions and talents. With witchcraft, it is no different. No matter how much the ideas of "natural, untapped talent" âhigher level of intuitionâ and "hereditary predestination" seem to pervade, we all know better. No-one is born with a higher level of talent, just as no one is born with a higher inclination toward science, or the arts.Â
Nothing gets better without practice: piano lessons, language learning, math problems, and yes. Even witchcraft. You cannot feasibly attempt to do something that is far beyond the scope of your abilities, far beyond what youâve already done.Â
You cannot sit and play with spirits, placing bindings left and right, calling upon all manners of higher beings when you have yet to cast a simple circle. Â
You canât sit down with a Rachmaninoff piece when youâre still playing Mary Had a Little Lamb. Trust me, Iâve been on the crap end of both of these examples. It just. Doesnât. Work.Â
As witches, we have chosen this path deliberately, mindfully, and fully aware of all the work that comes with it. We must therefore make a deliberate, mindful choice as to how we approach its practice and, in turn, its growth and eventual cultivation - with diligence and with dedication.
Here's a sample of what that might look like.Â
I chose a cycle of 13 days to keep things fresh (not having the same activity every single monday and never on a friday, for example) and also because I'm a walking stereotype.Â
Here's what it looks like:
Day 1: Make something. An incense, an herb mix, a new recipe. Make anything. Try new ingredients. Get your hands dirty.
Day 2: Write something. A spell, a ritual, a small chant. A new blog post, a reflection, a journal.Â
Day 3: Herb session. Research and reflect on a herb you've never worked with before. Think of its uses to you. Alternatively: think of a herb you use all the time for one thing, over and over. What else could it be used for, when you're not stuck in a rut? Think outside the box.
Day 4: A spell for others. Ask your friends, ask your relatives if they need anything done. If that's not an option for you, think of general communnity problems and work on those. Try to stick grassroots. Don't try to overthrow the potential of a Trump government when you know, maybe your neighbor's garden isn't doing so well, and they're really bummed out about it. Maybe give those plants a hand, and your neighbor's spirits a lift.
Day 5: Trance. Meditation, astral projection, shapeshifting, whatever. The bottom line is this: get your mind out of your body for a while. This is a great time to work on any latent talents or abilities you've always wanted to stretch out.
Day 6: Research. A new tradition, a new craft, something you've not known about before. (This is a great way to learn about other cultures -- just also being mindful of cultural appropriation as you do)
Day 7: You`re mid-way through the 13 day cycle! Give yourself a tarot reading (or similar divination/reflection process) to assess the parts that resonated with you and what parts didn't. See what the rest of the week has in store for you, and check to see what you should be focusing on in the coming days. Almost like a check-up.
Day 8: Another spell for others (see day 4).
Day 9: Another out-of-body day (see day 5).
Day 10: Honest, meaningful connection. This could be a whole host of things. For some traditions, it might mean connecting to the elements - spend a day ruminating on fire, perhaps. For others, this could mean connecting to the spirits of your area, visiting a nearby sacred space. This could mean talking to your familiars, or even your ancestors. Make it count.
Day 11: More research (see day 6). Maybe inspect a new author, look into their works, maybe read a book you've been  meaning to for ages.Â
Day 12: Do a spell for yourself! Â This is a nice way to end the cycle, I think, having had 12 days previous to learn new things and expand old ones. You might have lots of ideas swimming around in there. Maybe a new herb to use for a confidence spell, maybe a new technique on knot magic you're dying to try.Â
Day 13: End-of-cycle tarot reading (or whatever you use). Reflect on the past 13 days, notice what you've achieved, celebrate all the things you've learned. And ask yourself: what would I like to learn next week? Or, more importantly: how can I improve? How can I keep expanding?
This is my personal 13 day schedule that I repeat as often as is physically possible for me, even with a full time job and a lead-up to medical exams. I take breaks in the cycle when necessary: if a new moon lands on a research day, for example, Iâll shift the cycle forward one extra day, do a new moon ritual that night and continue on with research tomorrow. Â
It might look different to others. Newer witches might want to do more 101 research and basics such as divination. Witches who specialize in spirit work might not care about doing spells for others, or spells at all. This is totally personal, and not at all a standard. There are plenty of witchy activities I havenât even mentioned yet. Feel free to mold and shape it as you will, and find a schedule that fits you. It took me quite a few tries to find mine, after all.
But I'll without a doubt say to you: if thereâs one thing I've found has helped my witchcraft grow the most, even exponentially? Itâs not any new book, any new altar decoration, or any new spell kit. Itâs this.Â
Just hard work, diligence, and the revival of the same bright passion I had for this craft over a decade ago.
I have seen your blog so many times since I started my own witchy blog, but you were always on hiatus. I am so excited to see that you back, and to see the amazing transformations you're going to go through with your path! :D
Iâm so humbled to hear that, @spellwork-in-secret, thank you so much.
First off, thank you for your patience since I last left off here. I know it's been a while but I truly appreciate every second of the time I was given to re-ground.Â
Secondly, I have more to say regarding the future of this blog.Â
A big part of the reason I felt it necessary to take a break from this tumblr was because for quite a while now, Iâve been feeling a very slow yet unyielding pull away from Wicca. I felt that it was untruthful and disingenuous to continue a blog dedicated to a religion that I no longer fully and truly ascribed to. Iâm sure it was noticed by some in the last year I was still active. To answer some questions Iâve been getting since all the way back then: there are parts of the religion I love, parts of the initiated craft that I truly do love dearly. But there are some parts of Wicca that just donât mesh with me anymore, and thatâs okay.Â
We all have our ebb and flow, and after my nearly decade-long affair with this beautiful religion I feel as though itâs time to make my peace with the wonderful things itâs given me, and move on my personal journey.Â
For a long while now Iâve been finding my calling in more traditional, non-religious forms of witchcraft. Ones that allow me a little more moving room in the areas Iâd like to explore; ones that I can create and forge, rather than simply adopt.Â
This blog will now move to reflect that.
You can expect some major upheavals in the pages and the tags, so perhaps start looking through the more Wicca-specific info you'd like to save.
TheLivingSpellbook will remain online.Â
For now, TheLivingWiccan will retain the same name until such a time that I can choose a new one. Stay tuned for updates on that.Â
It feels incredibly good to be back, and incredibly satisfying to have the support to make this sort of change in myself. Itâs exciting. Itâs new. But itâs still me.Â
To prove it, hereâs a photo of my friends and I: happy to be home, and ready to create and forge.
If you saw my last post, you'll have found out that the past few months have been a huge time of transition for me. It's been weeks upon weeks of packing, planning, bureaucracy, and emotional work.
What? I've moved - to Italy! For a frame of reference, that is completely across the world from where I used to live; good  ol' Canada.
Why? Well, Italy currently has a rich Strega population, not to mention the folk traditions that lay in these mountains. Culturally, it's an incredible well of resources for the modern witch and for anyone looking to expand their craft. By pure coincidence, outside of witchcraft, I'm incredibly fortunate to have been given the opportunity to move here. Obviously, I said yes. Not quite in a heartbeat - I'm sad to leave behind Canada and all the roots I put down there. But it's the start of a new adventure here.
But what does that mean for this blog? As of right now, I couldn't tell you. I mean, it doesn't take much to see that this blog has largely been abandoned. I've been taking questions every once and a while, popping back online every couple days to answer private asks that are sent to me.
But as for the future?  Iâll be here. I might pop in. I might answer a question or two, privately. But I can no longer place the expectations on myself that I used to. They are too much, and I no longer have the time or energy to juggle them all. The commitments that I now have here in Italy, both physical and spiritual commitments, are too many to consistently update the blog to a level that I feel it deserves - that you deserve.
Will this blog ever come back? Absolutely.Â
THIS BLOG WILL RETURN IN JANUARY 2016.
This is an incredibly huge adventure for me. And I thank each and every one of you who have stuck with me the past 5 years - has it been that long, really?!?Â
As a matter of fact, yes. It's been over 5 years to the day that I started this blog. Â
To the tens of thousands of you that spent so much time reading the words I had to say: thank you.Â
To the people who sent hundreds of messages a day: thank you.Â
To the followers who were here since August 2nd 2010: thank you.Â
To the followers who have been here since August 8th, 2015: thank you.
My words canât begin to tell you. âMy cup runneth overâ as they say, and my eyes are filling with tears, my throat goes dry, as I write this.Â
But it's not over, not yet. We still have so much growing to do - myself included. I suppose we'll all see each other, sometime soon, when things have calmed down for me and when people need this blog once more.Â
ok so i am really new at this, but i have a good friend with terrible anxiety problems and they get so bad that she claws at herself and she suffers from it so much and i really want to help her. is there some sort of protection charm or amulet or anything i could do or make for her? it means a lot to me. thank you.
please get your friendâs permission before doing a spell on her behalf. Positive Energy For a Loved One involves charming a stone that you can give to your loved one to carry with them.Â
Calm a Loved One Spell
Materials:
one light blue or white candle
paper and pen
lavender essential oil (olive oil works in a pinch)
vanilla or lavender incense
fire-proof container
Take a moment to visualize the target of the spell as being happy, relaxed and calm. Anoint the candle with the oil as you visualize your loved one, then light it. Focus on the candle and say:Â
All remaining anxiety/stress/anger/etc, will now go,from the inside to the outside, make it so.
Light the incense, then write the personâs name on the paper, and pass it through the smoke of the incense. Next, light the paper on fire with the candle and carefully place it in the jar. As you do this, say:
Peace I send from me to you.Love I send to follow through,from this anxiety/stress/anger/etc, youâll be relieved.
Blow out the candle and scatter the ashes from the paper outside. Repeat as needed. (A lavender or vanilla scented candle works just as well, if you canât find the incense.)
While I don't know about spells, A cup of hot water with honey, clove and cumin has been my grandmother's miracle cure for my frequent nightmares. My friends have tried it too, and it works wonders!
Thatâs super awesome. I love family remedies like that. I would like to point out to the person that asked that there are plenty of spells to just make bad dreams go away and trading, while a nice thing to offer, isnât necessary at all.
I havenât written a post in a while and I thought âWhat do the tumblr witches need to know? Not just the ones I like but the other ones too. What would be fun to write? What would make things more interesting? Whatâs not playing fair?â The answer to all those questions was this little gem from the back section of my familyâs book.Â
This isnât the full list. And not all this these are going to work on every protection, but itâs a start.Â
Physically Cross Them -Â Create a physical charm or spell. A poppet. A hex bag. Something like that. Hide it in the house. A ward cannot protect a person from something that was brought into the house, especially if it was created and activated there.Â
Make Them Accept It - Curse a package or a gift. Send it to them. Require signature.Â
Break Them - Associate your targetâs protections with something glass or clay. Create this connection as thoroughly as possible, over the course of several days or weeks, spending as much time as you can actively forming that connection. Before you start sending out spells, break the object youâve connected to the wards.Â
Wait Until They Leave Home -Â Wait until you know a person is out of the house and go apeshit.Â
Bind it With Something Sticky -Â Bind your spells with something that doesnât let go. Certain protections are meant to bounce things back. Donât let it leave.Â
Be Quiet -Â Some people have sound-based alarms. Donât go in with music blasting and guns blazing. Let your curse fall into your targetâs house like a feather.Â
Curse a Specific Part of Your Targetâs Life -Â Curse work. Curse their relationship with someone who doesnât live with them.Â
Take Over the Wards -Â Get control of the wards. Or build another around them. Keep out the things they want in, things that are necessary to their happiness, craft, or work.
