I actually really love that. It also sounds helpful for just keeping the associations for various materials in one place while still moving forward with other categories. Like just add the new herb into the herb file instead of adding a whole new page apart from the herb section in between the crystals and planets or whatever
We need more adhd witch tips so here, have these. These are the things I have learned and seen done over the past 3 and a bit years of practicing witchcraft. As always, if you have anything to add, please comment them and I'll add them to the list with credit to you and a link to your blog!
Make witchy playlists with intention. Music is the most accessible way of doing magic in my opinion, especially if you're using spells that already exist. You can listen to these while working, traveling or just doing things around the house. If you sing along then you're adding to the manifesting power of the playlist!
Use really large spell candles so that you don't have to make a new one everytime you want to do a spell. I used to have 1 really big protection spell candle that I would light daily. Not having to make a new candle every time made me so much more likely to practice
Learn to meditate. I know, I know, hear me out. This is less of a witch tip and more of a mental health thing. You can meditate while colouring in, listening to music, cleaning, going for a walk. You don't have to sit down with your legs crossed. Mediation is an important skill that none of us do regularly enough.
stop caring about aesthetics. Are they nice? yes! absolutely! but unless it makes you more likely to practice then it's not worth it. caring too much about how your craft looks can also lead to burn out.
Be aware of your energy levels. Burn out is a serious issue among the neurodivergent witch community. Rest and pacing yourself is just as important as actually practicing.
Audio books <3333333
Try to combine your hyperfixation and witchcraft practice. This could mean using sigils in fanart or dedicate your writing to a deity.
Use hearth craft as a way to motivate you to clean your home or to cook meals/eat.
Have affirmations on your phones home screen so whenever you unlock your phone you reminded of your intentions
destroy the physical representation of the spell i.e. if your spell was contained within a jar, break the jar and dispose of the pieces
disassemble the spell and cleanse each component individually
place item in a bath of sea salt and dried herbs that are associated with cleansing and banishing - leave overnight and disassemble the spell when finished
cleanse the item with moon or rain water and disassemble if applicable
place the item in a black box to negate its effects
bury the item for 3 days, retrieve it, then dispose of it
bury the item on the night of the full moon and retrieve it at the next new moon
create a sigil or written incantation with the intent of breaking the spell and place the item on top of the paper - leave in place overnight
create a written incantation that includes the details of the spell - bury, burn, drown, rip apart, or throw it away
light a black candle that is surrounded by sea salt while focusing on the intent of negating the spell - recite an incantation if you wish, and allow the candle to burn down; sweep the sea salt out your back door
breaking spells others have cast upon you and protecting yourself:
perform a “return to sender” spell - find a black taper candle; turn it upside down; cut the tip off and leave the wick in place; carve “return to sender” and the target’s name (or a description of them) into the candle; light the candle upside down and let it burn down completely
leave a witch bottle outside of your home - it should contain items like: pins, needles, broken glass (to shred their negative intentions towards you); your name and the names of those who may be affected by this negative energy plus an incantation for protection (e.g. your loved ones, pets, anyone who lives in your home); and lemon juice, lime juice, or sea salt (to purify their negative energy so that it may not get to you)
create a mixture of charcoal, chili powder, and garlic powder - sprinkle around the perimeter of your home to stop a spell in its tracks
alternately, you may combine these ingredients, add to a hollow pendant, and wear on your person to protect you from the effects of a spell
if you know the details of the spell that has been placed on you, write them down on paper; while focusing on breaking the spell, hold the paper in your hand, and then rip it to shreds; throw the pieces in the trash, or bury in your backyard
if you don’t know the exact details, write down the effects you have been feeling if you think they have been caused by a spell or malintent directed at you; follow the steps above
submerge yourself in a bath of sea salt and light frankincense incense - place the incense on the edge of the tub or somewhere safe in your bathroom - to cleanse yourself of any negative energy that has been directed at you
place an energetic shield over yourself or your home that is designed to negate negative energy
tips:
close all loopholes
when crafting a spell, remember to create a fail safe (e.g. “this spell will be broken if X occurs”)
add timed conditions to your spells (e.g. “this spell will be broken on the night of the next full moon” and include a specific date)
be specific when describing the target that will be affected by the spell (whether it’s you or someone else, be sure to include taglocks whether it be their name written or spoken aloud, DNA such as hair, fingernail clippings, etc., or a photo of the target)
use ingredients, supplies, and tools that match your intent
employ a method of protection before casting spells, whether the intent is malefic or not
cleanse your space and tools before and after performing a spell to “wipe the slate clean”
Here are some simple yet unusual curses for beginners. These curses are low-energy, easy to perform, and require minimal tools. They are subtle and perfect for those just starting their baneful practice, but still pack a punch. Always be mindful of your intentions—curses can carry karmic or energetic consequences. Always start the curse process by protecting yourself and end it by cleansing yourself. Remember to do your own research before using baneful magick.
The Rotting Fruit Curse
Causes a person’s luck, relationships, or finances to decay over time.
Needed:
• A piece of fruit (apple, orange, etc.)
• A slip of paper
• A black pen
• A dark place (cupboard, drawer, or under the bed)
Instructions:
Write the target’s name on the paper. Place the paper inside or beneath the fruit. Hold the fruit and focus on your intent—imagine the person’s life slowly rotting just like the fruit will. Place the fruit in a hidden, dark place and leave it to decay. Once fully rotted, dispose of it far from your home.
The Knotted Thread Curse
Traps a person in misfortune, confusion, or stagnation. The target experiences obstacles, delays, and problems that keep them from progressing in life.
Needed:
• A piece of black thread or string (12 inches long)
• Your voice and breath
Instructions:
Hold the string in your hands and focus on the target. With each knot you tie, say a phrase like:
• "With this knot, I trap your fate."
• "With this tie, your plans fall apart."
Tie nine knots while envisioning the person becoming stuck, unable to move forward in life. Hide or bury the thread somewhere secret.
The Echo Curse
Makes a person’s words return to them, causing gossipers or liars to suffer their own consequences. Their own words work against them—exposing their lies, making people distrust them, or causing them to face social backlash.
Needed:
• A mirror (small handheld one works best)
• A marker or lipstick
• The person’s name (or just "liar," "gossip," etc.)
Instructions:
Write their name (or a word representing their offense) on the mirror. Hold the mirror and say:
"What you say returns to you, every lie and every word untrue."
Place the mirror facing a wall or inside a dark drawer, so their energy is reflected back to them.
The Cracked Egg Curse
Causes a person’s stability to fall apart—relationships, money, confidence, or mental clarity. The target experiences instability, whether emotional, financial, or personal.
Needed:
• A raw egg
• A marker
• A place to smash the egg (outside, near their path, or a trash bin)
Instructions:
Write the person’s name on the egg. Hold it and whisper your curse into it, such as:
"May your life crack like this shell."
Imagine their stability shattering like the egg will. Smash it on the ground or in a trash bin.
The Slipping Shadow Curse
Causes a person to lose focus, forget things, or make mistakes. They struggle with their memory, lose track of things, and make more mistakes.
Needed:
• A black candle
• A piece of paper
• A pencil
Instructions:
Write the target’s name on the paper. Light the black candle and hold the paper over the flame (don’t burn it yet). Whisper:
"Like a shadow slipping through the cracks, your mind stumbles, your focus lacks."
Let a few drops of wax fall on the name, then crumple the paper. Blow out the candle and throw the paper in a busy place (so their energy is scattered).
The Splitting Roads Curse
Causes confusion, indecision, and emotional instability. The target struggles to understand what's happening and make the right choices.
Needed:
• Two twigs or sticks
• A piece of string
• A crossroads or a place where two paths split
Instructions:
Tie the two sticks together at one end, so they form a V shape (symbolizing a forked path). Hold them in your hands and say:
"Your choices split, your path unclear, may confusion follow near."
Leave the sticks at a crossroads or place where two paths meet.
The Ink Spill Curse
Causes a person’s words (spoken or written) to be misunderstood, ignored, or turned against them. Everything they say becomes misinterpreted, loses power, or backfires.
Needed:
• A pen
• A piece of paper
• A cup of water or ink
Instructions:
Write the person’s name and a word representing their harmful speech (ie: “lies,” “gossip,” “manipulation”). Hold the paper and whisper:
"Your words twist, your message lost, what you say will bear the cost."
Drop the paper into the water or ink and let the words dissolve. Dispose of the soaked paper in running water (sink, river, or toilet).
The Cold Shoulder Curse
The person experiences social isolation—people ignore them, avoid them, or lose interest in them. This will eventually lead to profound loneliness.
Needed:
• A small ice cube
• A photo of the person (or just their name written on paper)
• A freezer
Instructions:
Place the ice cube on top of their name or photo. Whisper:
"Like ice, you freeze in place. No warmth, no friends, no welcome space."
Wrap the paper/photo in a piece of cloth or plastic and place it in the freezer.
The Crumbling Foundation Curse
Causes a collapse in a person’s relationships, home life, or work environment. The target experiences instability in their personal life making it harder for them to maintain relationships or stability.
Needed:
• A small handful of graveyard dirt
• A piece of paper
• A black pen
Instructions:
Write the person’s name on the paper. Hold the dirt in your hand and whisper:
"Your foundation weakens, your roots unsteady. That which holds you crumbles already."
Sprinkle the dirt over the paper and then fold it, with the dirt inside, like a little packet. Throw into running water or the rubble of a collapsed building.
When I built my first altar, it looked like a sad thrift store shelf, mismatched candles, half-melted incense sticks, a chipped mug standing in for a chalice. I was so desperate for it to look witchy, like the glossy photos in books.
But it didn’t feel like mine. It felt like a stranger’s stage.
It took me years, and many messy, candle-wax-soaked attempts, to realize: your altar isn’t an Instagram post. It’s a heartbeat. It’s your magic’s nest. It should feel like home, because it is one.
Here’s how I’ve learned to build an altar that breathes with you, one that feels like warm floors, familiar shadows, and the exact right hush of your spirit.
🕯️ 1. Know What An Altar Really Is
Strip away the fancy words: an altar is just a sacred spot. It’s where you gather your power and your gratitude in one place.
It can be as humble as a windowsill or as grand as a dedicated room. A shelf, a table, a box, all that matters is intention.
Think of it as a tiny crossroads: your body, your spirit, and your magic meet there. The rest is just trimmings.
🌿 2. Start With What Calls You
Forget the shopping list that says you must have a pentacle, a wand, a chalice, this and that.
Ask: what do you reach for when you feel witchiest? A candle that smells like your grandmother’s kitchen? A stone you found at the river? A jar of salt?
Your altar is not a museum. It’s a nest of meaning. Let it be ugly at first. Let it be real.
🔮 3. Give It a Heartbeat
I always tell baby witches: your altar’s alive if it changes with you.
Maybe you set it up on the floor for a spell, then move it to a shelf when you get a cat who loves knocking things over. Maybe you swap the flowers every season. Maybe you leave offerings that rot a little, because magic is not sterile.
Mine has bits of charred candle wicks, a cracked seashell, and a scrap of cloth from my mother’s apron. I clean it, but I don’t bleach it of history.
🗝️ 4. Make It a Conversation
An altar is not a monologue. You don’t just speak at it. You speak with it.
When you light a candle, linger. When you place a new object, ask it, “What do you bring here?” Listen.
Maybe you rearrange things when they feel stale. Maybe you sleep with a stone under your pillow before giving it a spot on your altar, so it knows your dreams.
This is the bit the books forget to tell you: your altar listens back.
🌙 5. Protect It, But Don’t Police It
It’s good to cleanse your altar, blow off dust, pass smoke over it, ring a bell if it feels heavy.
But don’t let perfectionism be your deity. I once wasted hours agonizing over where to put a feather. It’s a feather, Nyra. Spirits don’t care if it’s center-left or right.
Your hands are sacred. Trust them.
🕸️ A Few Simple Ideas To Try
Place something that represents each element, but only if it feels real to you. A rock, a candle, a cup of water, a pinch of salt.
Add one thing that smells good. Scent ties your spirit to memory.
Leave an offering to your guides or ancestors, even if it’s just a whisper of thanks.
Keep a tiny cloth or broom nearby to sweep off old energy when needed.
🌒 A Final Whisper
Your altar is not a shrine to aesthetics, it’s a mirror for your spirit.
Build it slow. Let it shift. Let it hold your tears, your giggles, your burnt matches and hopeful wishes.
One day you’ll sit at that sacred little corner, a mug of tea in hand, and think: This is mine.
And it will hum back: Yes. And I am yours.
I don’t normally make posts like this, but I needed to say something.
I keep seeing posts about how things like flamin hot cheetos are a lazy offering, but honestly, if I was still able to eat them, that would be a perfect offering for Lord Hephaestus.
I specifically wouldn’t offer them currently, because I can’t eat them, don’t have them around, and it wouldn’t be much of a sacrifice for me to give up something I couldn’t have anyway.
I don’t offer my tap water to the Gods because my tap water isn’t safe to drink, it has to be boiled to be safe. I do offer the safe drinking water I have through. Because that is a sacrifice for me. I don’t offer fresh fruits/veggies because I physically can’t eat them. There’s no sacrifice. I do offer from snacks and meals I can eat. Because that is a sacrifice for me.
I’m physically disabled, specifically, I’m bedridden, use mobility aids full time if I’m out of bed, and often go weeks without leaving my apartment, especially through the long winters here. I physically cannot get to the outdoors, even if I wanted to, many days. I have in home care attendants for over 40 hours a week (not including additional respite). I have high physical care support needs, and need assistance with every one of my activities of daily living (showering, dressing, cleaning, meal prep, transfers, etc).
Many of my conditions are made worse with movement, some of them cause irreparable damage to my body literally any time I move. So when I physically do something, literally every muscle movement, it is a sacrifice. Digital offerings included (to be clear, I never have and never will include AI in any part of my life— I’m talking about my digital drawings, poems, and collages). I can’t even sit up in bed most days, so yeah, a poem I had to use speech to text to write IS sacrifice for me.
So much of how my practice used to look, and ideally how I wish it could look, is completely inaccessible to me at this point in my life. But I’m still just as devoted to the Gods. I’m not being lazy, I’m doing everything I physically can do. I feel like people might not understand the feeling of not only losing the ways in which you connected spiritually for well over a decade and having to try to find ways to adapt for your body’s limitations; but also the feeling of being put down by others in your community, even unintentionally, for you doing the best you can.
You might say “well of course disabled people don’t count!” But when you specifically say that specific ways in which I practice are “wrong”, it does hurt, it does ostracize me from my community, and it does make me feel ashamed to be disabled. It also dismisses how real the sacrifices I do make are.
How I practice my faith is between me and the Gods. If you don’t like that, you don’t need to be on my blog and can block or unfollow.
I also want to explicitly say: I don't hate folks who practice in a reconstructive way, I don't think their personal practice is ableist, and I understand how important preserving the history of the culture of our faith is. I greatly appreciate the perspectives of recon pagans, and I incorporate as much of that practice into my life as I can!
Some of my mutuals/friends shared/authored posts that have been a part of this current round of discussions, and I don't want folks to ever think my posts or stances make it okay to treat them poorly or with any disrespect. I care about my community, I want to hear their side and learn from them, I want my side to be heard and learned from.
Even the posts I've disagreed with, still have given me things to think about, and helps me better understand how others in the community are practicing. And almost every post I saw that was of a different opinion than mine DID include some sort of disclaimer like "Do what you want, here's my personal practice and what I believe".
I also think this conversation is incredibly nuanced and I hadn't seen many perspectives talking about the ways in which our practices can differ particularly for those with high disability support needs/specific considerations.
Please, be kind to each other. There's humans on the other side of the screen
For the witches and pagans who need to hear it, connecting with nature is supposed to be about like, actually observing nature over long periods of time, not doing stuff like hoarding endangered bird feathers and beach sand, or just meditating out in aesthetically-pleasing locations. Can you tell me exactly when your wildflowers and weeds start blooming? When do your bugs come out of hibernation? When do migratory birds come and go? How does the air feel during different times of year? If you can't do stuff like that, you aren't connecting with nature.
Though I will say it's not Witch Homework (or at least, it shouldn't feel like homework the same way being a witch isn't assigned reading). Reading about birds on the internet for fun counts. Learning about soil pH for your garden counts. Both 100% free, at-home activities that don't require any scientific research skills or experience with the natural world. Keeping a pet? Counts too. The stuff you're interested in, the stuff that matters to you- that's the best stepping stone for getting excited about something. You can act like you're five again and learn 10 Cool Facts About Dinosaurs. That's the kind of thing that builds a good foundation for enduring and sustainable appreciation for nature.
The best first step to connecting with nature imo is picking your favorite animal
I have made a perpetual calendar I still need to add an arrow at the top to point at the current moon phase, there are days for the days of the week as well as days for when the moon phases are
Because lots of people have asked I’m planning on doing a tutorial on how to make one, it won’t look as fancy as I’ll probably just use scrap paper but it’s to get the idea across; if you do end up making one please tag me so I can see 😊
A red candle on your stove stands in for the hearth.
A lime cut and put in a bowl of salt water for a few hours will absorb negative energies.
Sweep 2 inches off the ground, from the furthest point from your door, to the door and out.
Blow cinnamon through your front door the first of every month.
Witch's bells on your exterior doors, witch's balls over your windows. They can be used not just to keep out the bad but invite in the good. Add some rose petals and orange rind there, some mint and basil. Bring in what you want to live in your home.
Macrame is excellent for complex knot spells and you can hang it as decoration. Add crystal beads aligned with the intent of the spell for extra juice.
Get river rocks (the flat ones.) Draw sigils or runes on them for protection or to invite blessing. (I use baneful runes on the back of them in case anything disregards it.) If you have kids it can be camouflaged by painting on the rock anywhere the rune is not visible.
Ward your windows. Protective oils, draw on a sigil or rune just like the stones.
Line your window sill (between the glass and screen) with a mix of black salt, red brick dust, and ground black tourmaline.
Place that same mix under a mat at your doors -- do NOT us a "Welcome" mat, you never know what will take that as an invitation.
In your entryway, have a pretty bowl with onyx, obsidian, black tourmaline, red jasper, and smoky quartz. Also a plant -- jade plants are very nice for that -- and a white candle. Light the candle before you open the door. It'll keep people from tracking their negative energies in.
Bedroom, similar bowl with a favorite of love stone, passion stones, and heart chakra stones. There are so many that you can take your pick. Make sure there's at least a bit of green, a bit of pink, a bit of red, and a bit of white in your room, even if it's just a painting. I also go with some blue for calming sleep. You can use a bit of purple if you're looking for prophetic dreams as well.
I know everyone recommends a sea theme for your bathroom because there's water, but honestly, the element is already there so only use it if you like it. Do however have water safe crystals and a good eucalyptus arrangement on your shower head, and sigil your hair and body products for the effect you want.
If, like me, you live where nature is trying to kill you 350 days a year, bring nature indoors. Yes it does lack the chaos and wild energy of the outdoors, but plants all over, desktop fountains, crystals or rocks, celining fans, candles galore.... those elements will help you find balance and keep you connected.
｡+*✧ 5 Witchy Ways To Make Your Home More Magickal ✧*+｡
This is an article from my website, The Witchy Housewife. You can read it at the source here or look under the cut to read it here on Tumblr. If you enjoy my work, please consider subscribing (at the bottom of this page) to receive articles as they're posted via e-mail, exploring the shop, leaving a tip, or reblogging this post. I run this all myself, so all support is greatly appreciated. 💜🔮✨
Most practicing witches, whether just starting out or involved for decades, have carved out a sacred space for themselves. It is rare, however, that I see that same level of attention given to the rest of the home. In doing so, we risk the stagnation of energies in just about every other room of the house and miss out on this beautiful flow dancing about room to room. Today, I would like to share five simple ways to make your entire home a more magickal place to live in.
1. Regularly cleanse, bless, and ward.
It is so important – both for the success of workings and the overall energetic wellbeing of the household – to have a regular routine of cleansing the home, refilling it with positive energies, and charging the wards that surround it. This habit breaks up energetic stagnation, deters lingering negative energies, and promotes a sacred feeling of warmth that permeates throughout the entire home. In addition, I think you will find that this sort of energetic housekeeping will improve the results of any future magickal workings performed within it. Not to mention, making a habit out of any sort of magickal working – cleansings included – will naturally “exercise” and improve your own magickal abilities overall.
For those new to the ideas of cleansing, blessing, and warding, this is how I generally define it: To cleanse is to rid a person, place, or thing (in this case, the home) of stagnant, unwanted, draining, counterproductive, or otherwise negative energies. After a cleansing is performed, a blessing may follow. In my opinion, blessing a space with more productive energies serves two purposes: To set the tone for desired future outcomes and to further deter negative energies from re-entering the space. With that said, to bless – again, as I define it – is to invite in and refill the recently-cleansed person, place, or thing with fresh, positive, intentional energies. And finally, to ward is to create an energetic protective barrier around the person, place, or thing as a more passive and longer-lasting preventative measure. Some people may also refer to this as bubbling or shielding, though different people may have different definitions for each.
Now personally, there are different cleansing rituals I use for different circumstances, but my most often used rituals take place monthly or as-needed when energies get too muddied.
My Monthly Cleansing Ritual: I perform this ritual on the first of each month. Any cleansing tools to be charged on the altar should be set at least a day before performing the cleansing. The morning of, weather permitting, open windows and play uplifting music or cleansing affirmations, frequencies, or subliminals of choice. Take a cleansing shower. Clean the home as you normally would. When physical cleaning is complete, use a smoke or spray cleansing blend of choice, walking with intention from room-to-room. Pay special mind to corners and doorways. I like to use sound cleansing – bells, drums, or even snapping your fingers will do – in these spaces to really ensure the breaking up of any “stuck” energies. If you are someone who performs banishing rituals, you may choose to do so now. At this point, I also take a moment to cleanse myself, particularly as an empath. I then tend to my wards by first taking a blessed salt blend around the perimeter of the property, followed by sitting at the center of the property and funneling my own energy into the ward. If you would prefer to instead bless first and ward after, feel free to do so. It is your ritual, after all. Regardless of which order you perform the ritual in, the blessing process may be a deeply personal one, so this is a step I suggest thinking on a bit rather than following to the letter. In my ritual, I use a spray with positive energy-promoting herbs (as well as herbs that may promote the intention I wish to set for the month) and follow up with prayer to my deities. If you’re interested in a more in-depth look at my Monthly Cleansing Ritual, I do have detailed instructions available on my Monthly Blessings Patreon.
My As-Needed Cleansing Ritual: This is essentially a truncated version of my monthly ritual. If the energies are something I’ve tracked in or absorbed too much of, I will take a cleansing shower first. Following this, perform your usual smoke or spray cleansing, focusing especially on any room(s) that may be the most abundant in the energy that brought about this need for an emergency cleanse. You may also like to perform a shorter version of your regular blessing ritual. Unless the situation is really dire, I will generally stick to my spray in this case.
In regards to the physical cleaning portion of this, I do have to recommend Grove Collaborative for cultivating a more natural-based cleaning cabinet. In the future, I’ll be looking into more do-it-yourself methods for cleaning essentials, as is part of the focus of this blog, but in the meantime – and for anything that may be too tedious to make – I really do love Grove.
And one final thought on the cleansing process before we move on: If nothing else, it would at least be worth it to regularly cleanse yourself. I’m afraid your floors (and your home overall) will never be clean if you are consistently tracking in the (energetic) mud.
2. Arrange altars around the home.
To some, an altar may just be some simple magickal workspace, but I tend to view an altar as a sort of energetic nexus – a point of focus in (or out of) the home enchanted with a specific intention. Having a variety of these energetic points all across the home can promote different energies in different places and act as a sort of battery for the mood you wish to set in any room you wish to set it. Here are just a few ideas for altars around your home:
• The Shrine Altar: A space dressed with statuary, artwork, trinkets, and offerings honoring the deity or deities you are devoted to in your practice. This is your place of divine worship.
• The Working Altar: A space with all the tools and dressings to make magick happen. This, combined with a Shrine, is what most people traditionally think of when referring to an altar.
• The Divination Altar: A space with all the tools and dressings for divination, spirit communication, and other sorts of communion that take place beyond the veil. You may wish to set aside a space here for your spirit guides and teachers to provide their own guidance.
• The Ancestor Altar: A space for maintaining connection with your ancestors. When decorating and leaving offerings, keep in mind the things that your ancestors would enjoy.
• The Protection Altar: A space for gathering protective energies to keep yourself, your loved ones, and your home safe from harm. Think of it as a battery specifically for your wards.
• The Hearth Altar: A space for inviting warm, positive energies into the home and transmuting any negative energies that may enter. Even better if you can get your family involved.
• The Prosperity Altar: A space for inviting wealth, prosperity, and abundance into the home. Similarly to the Hearth Altar, It’s a good idea to have this altar face the front door to act as a “greeter” to these energies, and you may even choose to combine them.
• The Creativity Altar: A space for encouraging a steady flow of inspiration. This is ideal if you have any sort of creative pursuits and/or are subject to frequent creative blockages.
• The Study Altar: A space for encouraging focus and memory retention. Perfect for a library or an office where lots of learning takes place. Rosemary would be an excellent addition here.
• The Garden Altar: A space in your garden for promoting the growth of your plants and bonding with the fae and genius loci native to your area.
3. Celebrate with the changing seasons.
When I was younger, much of the year was quite boring to me, and I found myself always pining for Hallowthanksmas to roll back around before returning yet again to “business as usual” come January 1st. I think an unfortunate amount of people operate this way, as well. It was only when I started observing and appreciating the year in full that my life turned around in a big way, and I began to realize there is always something to look forward to.
Whether this means celebrating the sabbats, the seasonal shifts, or your own set of scattered observations – you can make holiday magick a year-round experience just by opening your eyes to Gaia’s natural cycles. In addition, I think you’ll find that matching the energetic ebb and flow of the Earth will serve to optimize your success with spellwork overall. Very simply:
During the spring… New beginnings are abundant. Appreciate the budding flowers, the baby animals, and the fresh spring air. Start new projects and/or take on new endeavors.
During the summer… Passions are at their highest. Host bonfires and barbecues and let yourself live life. Soak up the energy of the sun and transmute it into raw motivation.
During the autumn… Our efforts may be harvested. Bathe in gratitude for the abundance of this beautiful planet. Review and appreciate all that you have done for yourself.
During the winter… The world is at rest. The cold decelerates the very flow of time. Take a much-needed break, and plan to return or renew come the first signs of spring.
Consider also bringing the outdoors in – particularly during the colder months when it is too difficult to spend a significant amount of time outside. Foraging with the local flora in your area and using your findings for food, medicine, and decor is an excellent way to become familiar with the cycle of the seasons as it functions in your very own neighborhood.
4. Ritualize your everyday routines.
We often don’t realize just how many rituals we perform each and every day – repetitive, but necessary, processes that lull us into a meditative state. There is opportunity here. In our day-to-day life, there are so many little pockets within our routines to tuck intention and purpose into. And why shouldn’t we? Here are just a few suggestions for enchanting your daily routine:
In the Morning: Do affirmation work upon waking or in the mirror. Alternatively, listen to affirmations or subliminal audio on your ride to work or while getting ready in the morning. Incorporate color and shape magick into your wardrobe – including any accessories, makeup, or nail care that you may do.
Throughout the Day: Enhance your meals with carefully chosen herbs to improve wellbeing or attract specific energies. After workouts, take a moment to meditate on advancing muscular growth or expelling fat from troublesome areas. Use showers as mini cleansing rituals or put oils/herbs in a bath to attract energies.
During the Night: Do affirmation work just before falling asleep. Keep a small (non-fragile) stone under your pillow to regularly fill with energies of gratitude. Set an intention for your dreams. Keep a dream sachet under your pillow to help with achieving lucidity. Diffuse oil for a specific intention to set the tone for your dreams or even to set the tone for the next day.
However you spend your days, consider altering your home’s decor room-by-room to cultivate a specific tone and energy depending on the daily rituals you perform there.
5. Build a garden you can bond with.
One of the things I love most about being a witch is the awareness that magick really is all around us. In my opinion, cultivating a garden is the best way to go about experiencing this, and it offers so much versatility. On a very basic level, a garden offers a wide variety of personally-selected plants that can be used for cooking, medicine, magick, decor, aroma, and so much more. On a deeper level, a garden offers the space to get to know the spirits of these plants as they thrive and flourish prior to receiving their gifts – and this, in turn, will improve upon many of your more subtle spiritual abilities.
And for those of you who don’t have much of a yard to work with at this time, keep in mind that plants in any pot – that require any amount of sun and attention – are still living beings. Lavender, for example, is one commonly-used plant in the craft that can be grown indoors.
Pinterest, for the record, is a great place to collect gardening information tailored to your tastes (among other things like recipes and crafting tutorials). And for the more daring, you may choose to expand your horizons by looking into things like food forests or guerrilla gardening (bonus points if it yields something edible).
Regardless of what endeavors you decide to take on, darling, I wish you the best of luck in making your home, your community, and your life more magickal. Many blessings to you.
You don’t have to have fancy crystals and herbs for spell jars btw. You can use sugar, coffee grounds, leaves, acorns, etc. Don’t fall victim to witchcraft consumerism.
You don't even have to use jars. I still make spell pouches from old clothes, sheets, etc. But I'm an old witch and started back before the jar phenomena began. (We still saved old jars but that was mainly for storage.)
Just a reminder: Heathenry does have a term for smoke-cleansing.
Recaning. To recan. (Or reocan, in Old West Saxon.) This is cleansing via smoke, whether through incense or a bundle of herbs put together for a particular type of cleansing. Juniper and mugwort are both favorites for this.
In case you’re wondering how to pronounce it, it sounds like reekening. The word “reeks” is actually derived from it, signifying a potent smell.
For Old Norse fans, this seems to be related to the work reykr. In case you were wondering, Reykjavik in Iceland translates to “Smoky Bay”.
*dances around the entire pagan community waving this post like a fucking banner* THANK YOU.
Just a little addendum: Mugwort can be dangerous due to mildly psychoactive properties in the herb. Use with caution and avail yourself of the following list of free-use alternatives:
Basil (any kind, noting that Sweet Basil smells the best)
Sage (any type, but keep in mind that White Sage is becoming endangered)
This literally makes me delightfully happy but it also wants to make me smack every person who didn’t take the time to learn this and instead just took something from Native Americans. (then proceeded to whine about not having alternatives when you were told NO)
The ancient Greek term is θυμιατεύω or thumiateuo which is usually translated as “fumigate”. The Latin is suffire, which is usually translated the same. Both mean to cleanse with incense smoke.
Let's talk about "woo-woo" people red flags, shall we?
If you've been in the occult, mystical, witchcraft game for long enough, you've probably seen your fair share of weirdos.
You know.
The ones who think the antisemitic conspiracies are real. The essential oils can cure cancer types. The guy who seems cool at first then seems convinced that the hand of God is in the Sahara desert.
There's more to being grounded in this community than avoided the racist norsepagans.
You are intelligent. You are wise. You have a world of resources and knowledge at your fingertips. And yet!
YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO CULTS
It never starts out feeling crazy. It never feels crazy in the moment. Believing aliens built massive structures to channel energy around the world DOESN'T SEEM WEIRD. And it sure doesn't change when the entire group's thoughts collectively devolve into situations like Heaven's Gate.
No one who cut their hair and had their last meal at Marie Calendar's thought they were wrong.
YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO CULTISH THOUGHT. YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO MISINFORMATION.
Be so careful peeps. It's human nature to want to belong, to want to learn more. Speaking as a 3 time cult joined, it is so fucking easy to lose yourself in online forums, threads, group chats...
You know what I love about Witchcraft, is that as soon as you realize Witches of old used what they had to do what they need, things just start to click into place. They used cauldron’s because that’s what was in their kitchen, they made a great deal of things, because that was cheaper then buying ready made, they wrote in those big ole leather bound books because that’s what they had. And if you ever stressed about not being a real Witch because you don’t have any of these things that goes right away. (I mean it still would be nice to own a nice cauldron but i don’t need to have one!)
It’s just beautiful everything is beautiful and nothing is wrong, your path, your tools, your methods are valid.
thrift stores have probably been more beneficial for finding items for my practice then any metaphysical shop and with a lot less cultural appropriation
the houseware section at my favorite thrift store had basically a whole altar that you could have bought for less than 15 dollars. I could see thrift stores working especially well for you if you practice Christian witchcraft or folk Catholicism, because there's no shortage of Christian imagery in small statues and wall art. I've bought literal bags of candles at thrift stores for just a few bucks, and the selection of items like beads, candle holders, jars and trays is something you're never going to find that reasonably priced anywhere else. not to mention the scarves! nearly my entire collection of veils (about a dozen scarves and a dozen bandanas) was thrifted. my advice to anyone starting off in their craft who wants to use common items like spoons and jars in their practice is to find them at thrift stores. obviously, always cleanse the hell out of them. there's gonna be all sorts of unwanted energy in and around them that you're not gonna wanna fuck with, but personally I also love the strong energy coming off a once loved, no longer needed item. thrift stores and charity shops are amazing ways to find new and interesting items to involve in your craft.
