So close to magic

urban witch // divination // gemini sun, taurus moon and virgo ascendant

[time-lost-traveler]

More own photos here.

[earlyfog-deactivated20180603]

how the gentle wind beckons through the leaves, as autumn colors fall

[lesbianslovewitches]

Single Word Spells

Because I’m lazy and don’t like to monologue while I’m doing a spell, here’s a couple of the single word spells I use in my personal practice.

absum - to make something be concealed from sight

     ↳ def. to be away, be missing

advoco - summoning spell

     ↳ def. to summon

casso - destruction spell

     ↳ def. to destroy, make void

bellus - glamour spell

     ↳ def. beautiful, charming, handsome

explico - reveal information

     ↳ def. explanation, to unfold

mutare - transmutation

     ↳ def. to change

cessabit - calming spell

     ↳ def. to rest, be free of

uro - burning

     ↳ def. to burn, inflame

conturbo - invoke confusion

     ↳ def. confound, to throw into confusion

taceo - to silence

     ↳ def. shut up

[requiem-on-water]

[sixpenceee]

Kimsooja’s Room of Rainbows in Crystal Palace Buen Retiro Park, Madrid Spain. Created in 2006 by multidisciplinary artist Kimsooja, To Breathe – A Mirror Woman was an elaborate installation at the Palacio de Cristal, Parque del Retiro, in Madrid. 

Originally built in the late 1880s to house a collection of flora and fauna from the Philippines, Kimsooja transformed the Palacio de Cristal into a multisensory sound and light experience. A special translucent diffraction film was used to cover the windows to create an array of naturally occurring rainbows which were in turn reflected by a mirrored surface that covered the entire floor. (Source)

[char-zar]

Send me here.

[urbanwitchinthestreets-blog]

well, I live in Madrid and there are no rainbows or cool light diffractions in the palace nowadays. I guess it was just temporary

[thefierybiscuit-deactivated2023]

Stable Ruins, Ratgoed

[sugarandmoss]

Rainwater 

Rain from a lightening storm

this has the greatest energy

used in a bath to re-energize your being and aid in a ritual of clearing and cleansing your energies of negativity by soaking in it

used to clear and cleanse an object or area 

store in a white glass bottle

Rain from thunderstorms, tornadoes or hurricanes

Used to empower spells for moving things forward such as letting go of the past and moving forward in life

used to help move a project forward and get beyond current blocks in life

used to change a pattern or habit you don’t like

store in a blue glass bottle

Sun and Rain

Used to balance energies when feeling weighed down

helps gather your thoughts when they are flighty and scattered

store in a dark green bottle

Hail storm

collect in a metal bowl but dont let it sit in the bowl for more than 6 hours

allow the hail to melt before bottling it

store in a black or dark brown bottle

used to dispel psychic attacks or negative energies

best used for black magic to get rid of your enemies or negative forces that stand in your way

Spring Rain

used to empower new ventures such as new relationships, new business ventures, a new job

rain collected on the spring equinox or the first rain after the spring equinox is good for empowering spells for relationships

stored in a light green bottle

Summer Rain

used to encourage growth whether it be personal, spiritual growth or growth of a business venture or relationship

used to break bad habits

great to water indoor plants

rain collected on mid-summers eve and day is especially mystical

store in a sky blue bottle

Fall Rain

used for giving thanks and showing gratitude for the abundance the year has given you

store in an orange or fall colored bottle

Winter Rain

can be used for blessing a person, relationship, family or object

can be used to bless an event such as a birth, wedding or new business venture

to be able to survive the hardships of winter one is able to survive the hardships of life

Full Moon Rain

Used to honor the Goddess

a small glass can be added to a cleansing bath

add a couple of drops to your bath before an important event or ritual

used for a blessing during a full moon ritual

used for blessing a child or pet 

rain collected during the full moon according to that season will have the energies of that moon according to month and season

clean altar spaces and other things by putting an ounce of rain water into your cleaning products

also very good for divination

Waning Moon Rain

good for getting rid of things, banishings, and purging negative energies

used like a banishing oil

also can be added to your bath for relaxation, clarity or promoting self love

use to prepare for lunar rituals

anoint your money with it to increase your wealth 

anoint yourself to increase your psychic awareness

New Moon Rain

good for workings in which something needs to be brought in 

used when starting a new project

Waxing Moon Rain

used to bring in good energies and blessing

used at the start of a new project or a new beginning

Rain collected from trees or roses will have different energies depending on the type of tree or color of the rose you collect it from

Use 1 cup of rain water to 1 tub size of water

For rituals use 1oz of rain water in a glass bowl or cauldron, to add effects to the water pour over crystals energized with your intent

For a spell place all your spell items in your bowl or cauldron and add 1tablespoon of rainwater

For cleansing or anointing ritual take 1/2oz of rainwater into a glass bowl and as you recite your incantation dip your fingers or wand/athame into the water then mark your physical body, the mark can be any spiritual symbol that has meaning to you

To anoint a tool, pout 1oz of rainwater onto the tool as you state your incantation to empower the tool for its intended purpose.

@autumnwitchesx i hope this helps you some!!!

also the bottles you store in dont have to be a specific color unless you want them to be, im all for using what you have first and foremost 

[witcheshaven]

Candles ✨

[kaypier-deactivated20200518]

More often than not I’ll crack into a sprawling fantasy series and, while I appreciate the luscious descriptions of furniture, landscapes, and clothing, all I’m focused on is that I don’t actually know how this world works. I only know what it looks like.  

Including some functionality to your universe can add to immersion and give your reader a strong foundation on which to build their mental model of your universe. 

You certainly don’t need to use all of these questions! In fact, I recommend against that, as all of these certainly won’t make it into your final draft. I personally find that starting my worldbuilding off with 5 to 10 functional questions helps pave the way for glittery and elaborate aesthetic development later on.

How is the healthcare funded in your world?

How does healthcare functionally differ between the wealthy and the poor? (i.e. can only the wealthy go to hospitals? do poor families often have to rely on back-alley procedures?)

Where are health centers (i.e. hospitals, small clinics, etc.) organized in your cities?

Does it differ in smaller towns?

How does this affect people’s ability to get healthcare?

Is healthcare magical, and if it is, how does that affect the healthcare system? 

If healing is instantaneous, how does that affect people’s views on injury, illness, and chronic ailments?

If you have both magical and physical healthcare, which one is deemed superior and how does that affect society? 

What illnesses are common in your world? 

How does this affect daily life? 

What do the people in your world think illnesses are? 

Is it a miasma theory? 

Humor theory? 

Demons? 

Do they know about biological viruses and bacteria? 

How does this affect healthcare?

How do people get water? 

Is the water sanitary and if not, how do they sanitize it?

How does agriculture work? 

Is it large corporations or individual farms?

What sort of agricultural technology exists in your world and how does it affect food production?

Are farmers wealthy or poor?

What sort of natural resources does your world/country(ies) have and how are they obtained?

How does this affect the average wealth of the country?

How does this wealth affect the culture? 

What livestock or beasts of burden are most valued? Least valued? Why?

What is considered a luxury good vs. a regular good?

What forms of transportation does your world have?

What classes use what forms of transportation?

How far has the average citizen traveled, given your transportation limitations?

Which cities are the most accessible and which are the least? Why?

How do popular transportation methods change how cities/towns are laid out?

Does your world have public transportation? What is it?

Is there a coming-of-age aspect to travel?

Describe your world’s postal system or whatever equivalent there is. 

Who pays for it? 

How reliable is it? 

Are there emergency methods for transporting information?

How does your world keep time (i.e. watches, sundials, water clock, etc.)?

Does your world have a currency system, barter system, or something else? 

If you have multiple countries, do different currencies have different values across said countries?

How does this affect travel?

Do you have banks in your world and if so, how are they run?

Who owns the banks? Government? Wealthy? How does this affect the economy and/or class system?

How does credit operate in your universe?

Does your world operate more on big corporations or small business? Something in between?

How are workers/labourers treated in your world? 

Are there workers unions and if so, what are common views on unions? 

Describe your tax system. If you don’t have a tax system, explain why and how your world is affected by that. 

Can certain social classes not own property, certain livestock, certain businesses, etc.? Why?

How are business records kept? Are business records kept?

If your world has technology, does your world prioritize developing entertainment tech, communications tech, transportation tech or something else entirely?

What does this say about your world?

How does this affect your economy?

To the closest approximation, what type of government does your world have? 

How are rulers/presidents/nobles put in place? 

How much power does an individual ruler have? 

Is there a veto process? 

If you have multiple countries, do they have different types of rulers?

Describe any large-scale alliances (i.e. countries, factions, etc.) that are present in your world. 

How did they come about and how are they maintained? 

Are they strained or peaceful? 

How does it affect the greater politics of your world?

Describe how wars are fought both internationally and nationally. 

Do methods of war differ between countries/races? 

What about philosophies about war?

If there is a military, what is its hierarchy structure?

How does the military recruit?

Is the military looked upon favourably in your society?

What weapons are used by each country/type of people during warfare, and how does that affect war strategies?

Describe the sentencing system of your world. 

Is your accused innocent until proven guilty, or guilty until proven innocent?

How are lawbreakers punished? 

If you have prisons, describe how they are organized and run, and who owns them. 

Does differing ownership change how the prisons operate?

What are the major ways in which laws between countries vary? 

Do laws between cities vary? If so, how and why?

How does citizenship work in your world? What rights and privileges do citizens have that others do not? 

Can certain classes or races not become citizens?

Are there certain taboo subjects or opinions that artist/authors/musicians are not allowed to depict (i.e. portraying the official religion in a negative light, explicit sexual material, etc.)? What does this say about your society?

How do people get around these censorship laws?

What is the official hierarchy of duty in your world? (i.e. is family the most important, or patriotism? What about clan?)

How many languages are there in your world, and how many languages share a common origin? 

How many people are multilingual? 

Which language is the most common?

How is multilingualism viewed?

How are different languages viewed? (i.e. is one language ugly/barbaric while another is romantic and sensual?)

Feel free to add your own questions in reblogs or in comments!

[cathedral-core]

✨ glow like the sun: spell jar 🌞

a little spell jar to glow like the sun - being confident, positive, and to attract love ✨

🌞 what you need:

rose quartz and/or agate {rose quartz to attract love, agate for confidence}

a jar (big enough for your crystal!)

dried rose petals {for love}

dried lavender {to stay cool + calm}

a pen

a lighter + candle (i used white)

a sigil for attractiveness, love, positivity, confidence, or whatever you would like to use

🌞 what to do:

gather all your materials, and do any rituals you may do before your spells (casting a circle, cleansing, etc)

optional: call on a deity whom you honour (i called upon apollo)

on one of the rose petals, draw your sigil

place the dried rose petals, lavender, and crystal/s in the jar, focusing your intent on the person you wish to be.

as you put the lid on the jar, say (or think) the words:

i stand tall as the trees,

strong as the mountains,

and shine bright as the sun.

seal the jar with wax, and place it by a window. here, it can charge in the energy of the sun, and continue the spell over time.

this is an original spell from my grimoire. if you have any questions about the spell, feel free to ask!

** i am very aware of the ethics of love spells; this is not forcing anyone into a relationship; it is for confidence and feel comfortable in yourself.

[mahigxn-deactivated20200629]

Waters

Hello darlings! Today I really want to talk about magical waters. I’ll start with simple waters, then one ingredient waters, and then composite waters. Waters is pretty much anything like water that is used magically, so it ranges from storm water to tobacco and damiana tincture, and other stuff. Any of these can be collected whenever is convenient, but I added the time to collect them to make them more potent.

Natural Waters

Rain Water:

Rain water can be used for any spell to make it more potent, but it is a useful tool in peace magic, to quell anger, to relax, and for dream magic. Collect whenever you want.

Storm Water:

Storm water can be either protective or offensive. Use it to wash down your doors to protect you from hexes, and wash your tools with it to amplify their power. You can use it in any hexes or curses you want. To amplify it, add rusty nails to it and let turn rusty. Collect on a waxing gibbous moon.

Swamp Water:

Can be used in works for binding, hexing, or cloaking. Use when wanting to cause illness. Annoint yourself with swamp water to make yourself unnoticeable to others. Colelct on the dark moon (second new moon of the month) or on the new moon.

Marsh Water:

Marsh water is almost the same as swamp water, but it is more suitable for cloaking than other things. It can also be used for cleansing negative energies. Colelct on waning crescent moon.

Hail Water:

Hail water is melted hailstones. Use it for protection or hexing. Similar to storm water, but more aggressive. Use when you want to break sojmeone, or when you wish to cause physical harm. Collect during a full moon for best results.

Salt Water:

Salt water can be used for cleansing and protection from negativity. Simply add salt to water.

Sea Water:

Use sea water in works involving the psyche, or in hexing. It can also be used for cleansing. I use it to work with demonic forces as well. Collect on a new moon.

Lake Water:

Lake water is amazing in works concerning emotions, love, memories, or past life regressions. Boil it and drink it to enhance attempts for past life regressions. Collect on waxing moon.

Pond Water:

Use when wanting to bind someone, or to limit their horizons. Keep a flower vase with pond water in it on a table to silence a conversation to those not sitting at it. Collect on a dark moon.

Spring Water:

Spring water is super versatile. Use it instead of tap water.

Dew:

Dew can allow the witch to cast powerful glamours for beauty and youth. It is an important ingredient in love potions. Collect at sunrise during a waxing or full moon.

Self Water:

Fancy word for spit or urine. This one is a little nasty, but it is to be used whenever a spell needs to be tied to the caster.

Simples

Sun Water:

Bask any sort of water in the sun for a full day. Use it for cleansing, to bring positivity into a space, or for glamours of youth.

Moon Water:

Used to power up any spell. Let water sit in the light of a full moon for a full night.

Tobacco Water:

Steep tobacco into water for a week in the fridge. When strained, mix with 100 proof vodka, about 1.5 parts water for 1 part vodka. Use it to cleanse or to offer to spirits when working with them. Can be used to cause addiction in a person.

Saffron Water:

Steep saffron into water and mix 1 part water with 1 part vodka. Use to raise winds by sprinkling it in the air, or rub on your lips before whistling and raising storms.

Rose Water:

Use for love, glamours, and beauty. Steep fresh rose petals in vodka for a period of 4 weeks, and then extract all the liquid from the petals by pressing them until they have lost their color. Cut with 0.5 part water.

Orange Blossom Water:

Use for joy, beauty, cleansing, and sunshine. Prepare in the same way as the rose water.

Lilac Water:

Use lilac water for sleep, dream magic, spirit work, and cleansing. Prepare in the same way you would prepare the other flower waters.

Apple Blossom Water:

Create this by the same manner as the three flower waters above. Use for protection, love, and beauty.

Holly Water:

Holly water is to be used to protect your family. It will prick at intruders, or unwelcomed guests. It will also allow you to always have knoledge of the safety of your family. Simply steep holly leaves in water and mix with vodka. Do not ingest this, as it is poisonous.

Composites

All Bite no Bark Water:

A powerful water used for protection of a space. Mix together storm water, hair of a black dog, dirt of a grave, the ashes of psalm 7, rose thorns, teeth of a canidae, and three holly berries. Pour around a room which you wish to protect, or water protective plants to give their produce an aggressive kick. This water will protect a space with the ferocity of a rabid dog, and will not warn before attacking.

Fiery Wall of Protection Water:

Mix together sun water with three hot peppers, red brick dust, pottasium nitrate (saltpeter), sulfur, and blackthorn pricks. Another like the above, but more passive. Attacker might suffer a rash after encountering it.

Pitch Water:

Use pitch water to stop someone from making any progress. Mix together water from a swamp, gum arabic or acacia, charcoal dust, and chapparal. It can also be used to dissorient. Fair warning, this water is hella sticky.

Fuck Off Water:

Mix together sumac, apple seeds, thorns of a blackberry, cloves and storm water. Use it to repel unwanted people.

Goodbye Lover Water:

Mix together sea water, sumac, cloves, poppy seeds, thorns of a cactus, petals of a hibiscus flower, and saltpeter. Use it to get rid of unwanted courters or lovers, or to make two people break up.

I hope you guys find this useful! Make sure to be careful with any of the potentially dangerous ingredients listed, and put these to good use! Good luck my darlings.

[goodbyedearfriends-deactivated2]

Latin phrases to use as incantations.

This is gonna be a long list.

ab intra - from within

ab origine - from the source

absit iniuria - “let insult be absent”

absit invidia - “let envy be absent”

absit omen - “let omens be absent”

ab uno disce omnes - from one, learn all.

abyssus abyssum invocat - deep calleth unto deep

a capite ad calcem - from head to heel

acta non verba - actions not words

ad altiora tendo - “I strive to higher things”

ad astra - to the stars

ad fontes - to the sources

ad meliora - towards better things

ad oculos - to the eyes

ad undas - to the waves

ad victoriam - to victory

adsum - I am here

a fortiori - from the stronger/from strength

a mari usque ad mare - from sea to sea

audeamus - let us dare

audentes fortuna iuvat - fortune favors the bold

audi, vide, tace - hear, see, be silent

beatae memoriae - of blessed memory

bona fide - in good faith

bono malum superate - overcome evil with good

capax infiniti - holding the infinite

carpe diem - seize the day

carpe noctem - seize the night

cave - beware

ceteris paribus - all other things being equal

circa - around

citius, altius, fortius - faster, higher, stronger

clavis aurea - golden key

cogito ergo sum - I think, therefor I am

compos mentis - in control of the mind

concilio et labore - by wisdom and effort

concordia cum veritate - in harmony with truth

concordia salus - well-being through harmony

coniunctis viribus - with connected strength

consummatum est - it is complete

corruptus in extremis - corrupt to the extreme

crescit eundo - it grows as it goes

de novo - from the new

de profundis - from the depths

dies irae - day of wrath

dona nobis pacem - give us peace

ego te provoco - I challenge you

esse est percipi - to be is to be perceived  

esse quam videri - to be, rather than to seem

esto quod es - be what you are

ex animo - from the soul

ex luna scientia - from the moon, knowledge

ex scientia tridens - from knowledge, sea power

ex silentio - from silence

ex undis - from the waves of the sea

experientia docet - experience teaches

fac et spera - do and hope

fac fortia et patere - do brave deed and endure

faciam quodlibet quod necesse est - I’ll do whatever it takes

faciam ut mei memineris - I’ll make you remember me

facta, non verba - deeds, not words

fortis et liber - strong and free

fortis in arduis - strong in difficulties

gloriosus et liber - glorious and free

hic abundant leones - here lions abound

hic et nunc - here and now

hic sunt dracones - here there are dragons

hinc illae lacrimae - hence those tears

hinc itur ad astra - from here the way leads to the stars

igni ferroque - with fire and iron

in memoriam - into the memory

in nocte consilium - advice comes over night

libra - balance

littera scripta manet - the written words endure

locus standi - a right to stand

luceo non uro - I shine, not burn

luctor et emergo - I struggle and emerge

mare liberum - free sea

memento vivere - remember to live

more ferarum - like beasts

natura non contristatur - nature is not saddened

nec spe, nec metu - without hope, without fear

noli me tangere - do not touch me

ophidia in herba - a snake in the grass

pro se - for oneself

propria manu - by one’s own hand

quaere - to seek

quod abundat non obstat - what is abundant does not hinder

resurgam - I shall arise

semper ad meliora - always towards better things

semper anticus - always forward

semper apertus - always open

semper fortis - always brave

semper liber - always free

stet - let it stand

tuebor - I will protect

vera causa - true cause

[prinsomnia]

[julesville]

[simulation-swarms]

soft summer afternoon in my dream garden (photo by charlie colmer)

[aerixi]

[mayaajani]

Altar Box