moon child

maddie; aries sun - libra moon - leo rising hello im a green and kitchen witch! im going to use this blog for future references on witchcraft. my follow will come from '2403m', since it's a sideblog.

[therootandbone]

There’s a quiet kind of magic in stepping back from the endless buzz, the doom-scroll, the urgency theater, and remembering that not every message deserves immediate access to your nervous system.

Build your little wild sanctuary. The world will continue spinning without your constant supervision. 🕯️🍃🐦

[druidinvirginia]

[sheydmade]

Simple Methods of Magical Protection

by Keziah

There is a misconception that the more steps involved in one's magical work or the more one pays to have it performed, the more effective, more powerful that work surely is. This, plainly put, isn't the case. Some of the simplest forms of magical work have been found to be incredibly powerful and effective.

Protecting ourselves from negative energy, malicious magic, evil eye, gossip, and other such (unfortunately) everyday occurrences shouldn't be inaccessible - it shouldn't be locked away behind a paywall, doled out by practitioners convincing others that magic can only be accessed via a pay-to-play system that benefits only those practitioners charging (often exorbitant amounts) for work that they've convinced others can't be carried out any other way; it shouldn't require financial strain or dedication of time that some people simply don't have to spare; and it shouldn't have to involve intricate ritual or spell work with dozens of steps and a reliance on magical systems that don't always align with the practices of those in need of protection.

In this post, we'll explore some very simple and versatile methods of taking magical protection with you wherever you go. These are measures ideal for any practitioner in need of magical protection, regardless of experience level, tax bracket, or creed. May it serve all those in need of it.

By the Hair

There are various methods of protection involving hair, be it by dressing the hair with substances, covering the hair, or wearing the hair in particular styles.

Dressing the Hair

Dressing the hair or scalp with oils or rinses believed to have protective properties is one method of taking added magical protection with you everywhere you go.

A practitioner can apply a small amount of oil to their scalp, their hair, or to a specific section of their hair to invoke the oil's protective aid. Using a rinse instead of an oil is always an option and can be a better alternative for those with sensitive skin.

[ *Note: It is wise to perform a patch test before applying any oils or rinses to the skin. This will help you determine which ingredients you may have allergies or sensitives to. ]

A few ingredients for oils and rinses commonly associated with protection (and also commonly used on hair) are rosemary, clove*, lavender*, and cedarwood.

*When using these as oils they should be diluted with a carrier oil - such as jojoba, sweet almond, coconut, or olive oils (research which is best to use with whichever herb or ingredient you prefer) - before being applied directly to the scalp or skin.

Braiding

Braiding hair, like braiding and knotting cords, thread, and other materials in some magical customs, can provide magical protection against harmful spirits or entities by means of confusion or distraction. Knot and braid magic as a means of protection is said to confuse spirits or distract them, as they become focused on the braid or knot and trying to undo or understand them, distracting them from carrying out any malicious acts. Knot and braid magic has also been said to be a trap for spirits, that the works entangle the spirits and their energy, rendering them unable to move against the worker.

Braiding one's hair or wearing a braided or knotted cord or ornament in one's hair can, then, offer similar protection. This can be made all the more potent by dressing the braid or ornament with an oil associated with protection.

Veiling & Covering

Veiling, as it's commonly called amongst the broader witchcraft community (though some religions and cultures have their own terms for this practice), is the custom of covering one's head or hair for spiritual, religious, cultural, or, yes, magical reasons. This has been in practice across many cultures and belief systems and throughout a vast number of regions, particularly across African, Asian, and European societies, for, at least, thousands of years.

Within the witchcraft community, some practitioners veil or cover as an overlap of their religious customs (forms of veiling are/have been prominent within Judaism, Islam, Christianity, and within some Pagan religious traditions) and their personal magical practice, and many folk witches have taken to covering their hair as a means of feeling better connected to the cultural history of their practices and their ancestors.

Eil Molei Rachamiem (Commemorative Prayer); Maurice Minkowski, 1922.

Veiling and covering, though, is also used as a means of protection. Within some schools of belief, covering one's head or hair (whether partially or wholly) serves as a ward between the person and negative, harmful, or malicious energy sent their way.

Some cover their hair with scarves, shawls, or veils of specific colors, patterns, or materials associated with protection in their personal practices - white is a color commonly associated with protection and purification, red has been used to empower protection work in some customs, and black is another commonly used color in protection work.

Some wear veils only whilst performing prayer or magical work, some veil when leaving the security of their home, and some veil all the time.

Veiling or covering one's head/hair with a scarf, cloth, or hat can, you'll find, be a versatile means of protecting oneself from undesirable energies.

By the Eyes

Line the Eyes

Across many cultures, there is the belief that wearing black around the eyes can protect the wearer from evil eye and attacks from harmful spirits or entities.

In some traditions, the customs around lining the eyes for magical or 'superstitious' reasons are more specific - for instance, there is a Hindu custom that calls for wearing kohl or kajal liner around the eyes or a kohl dot on one's neck (especially for children and babies) to combat evil eye; similarly, the Yemeni practice of applying kohl around an infant's eyes not long after their birth stems from the belief that it would prevent the child from being cursed by evil eye; ancient Egyptians wore kohl around their eyes as a marker of status, as added protection against the brightness of the sun, and also as a means of magical protection against illness and bad luck. *

The tradition of wearing kohl around the eyes has existed since at least as early as the Naqada III era (3200 - 3000 BC) Egypt and originated then as a means of protection against 'eye ailments'. The custom of lining one's eyes, whether for cosmetic, spiritual, or social reasons, has been found in countless regions and cultures around the world throughout history. From many of these customs comes the modern belief that wearing black eyeliner offers protection from negative energy, the effects of malicious spirits, evil eye, and other curses.

[ *NOTE: The modern use of kohl has been linked to toxic lead poisoning in children. ]

Eye Shadow

As eyeliner can be used as a simple means of protecting oneself magically, so, too, can eyeshadow. Using colors from one's cultural or religious beliefs that bear association with protection can be a great way to incorporate protective measures in one's cosmetic habits.

Common colors associated with various form of protection are red, black, blue, gold, and green.

By the Ornament

Charms, amulets, talismans, and other forms of apotropaic items have long been used as a magical means of protecting the wearer/carrier.

Some charms for protection, their origins, and their uses:

Blue clothing, jewelry, and accessories (Carribean / West Indies) - wearing blue clothing, jewelry, and/or accessories is believed to ward against maljo, bad eye, and najar. Bright shades of blue are sometimes referred to maljo blue due to this association.

Brigid's Cross (Irish) - the Brigid's Cross or St. Brigid's Cross is used to protect against evil spirits and illness.

Coins (Ancient Near East) - flattened discs of gold, copper, siler, and lead were worn, often around the neck, to distract the evil eye and confuse evil spirits. Coins of the same materials, so long as they are shiny enough, can be used to those same ends in modern practice.

Cornicello (Italian) - the little horn is worn, often made of silver, gold, or red coral, to protect the wearer from evil eye and bad luck, but also as an amulet of strength, good fortune, general protection, and fertility. It's also called cornetto and corno portafortuna ('horn that brings luck').

Cowrie Shells (Senegalese) - cowrie shell bracelets and necklaces are worn to absorb the negative effects of the thiat or evil eye, as well as other negative and evil energies.

Crucifix (Christian) - has been used to ward against evil since the early days of the Church.

Eye of Horus (Egyptian) - a symbol associated with the god Horus and believed to offer protection and healing.

Grasshopper (Roman) - a grasshopper charm was placed by Pisistratus at the Acropolis of Athens as a means of protection.

Hamsa (Mesopotamian) - though it is believed to have originated in Mesopotamia, the symbol of the open hand has also been found in ancient North African, Phoenician, Iberian, and Levantine regions and has sense spread to be commonly found in North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and diasporic groups from these regions all throughout the world. It's used (in many variative styles) within a number of religious traditions, including Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, and folk religious customs. It is also called the Hand of Fatima, the Hand of Miriam, and the Hand of Mary (and may have been what Aristotle referred to as the Tool of Tools). It is considered a symbol of divine protection, protection against fascination (or magical workings against you) and sometimes features added protection with the incorporation of an open eye symbol in the hand's palm, believed to ward off evil, evil eye, and curses.

Nazar (Turkish) - this glass ornament or bead depicting the image of an eye, most commonly seen in blue hues but also in reds, blacks, greens, and other colors, is believed to offer protection from evil eye, evil spirits, demons, and other negative energies. It possibly hails from Turkey, but is also commonly found in traditions in Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palestine, Romania, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and within Jewish diasporic groups throughout the world, as well as in some Christian and Muslim practices.

Red String (Judaism) - wearing a red or crimson thread, string, or cord, usually as a bracelet, is a Jewish custom believed to ward against evil eye.

Snake/serpent (Albanian) - charms and amulets featuring the likeness of a serpent or snake serve as a means of protecting against evil, evil eye, and bad luck.

Snakeskin (Albanian) - amulets made from or bearing a piece of snakeskin are also used to ward off evil eye.

St. Benedict Medal (Christian) - is used to ward against the effects of the devil and demons.

Phalluses (Roman / Ancient Greek) - believed to be a symbol that attracted good luck and fortune, the phallus was used to counteract the effects of any evil eye or bad luck sent one's way. Such amulets were also called fascinus and fascinum in Ancient Rome.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

-'A Cultural History of Hair in the Middle Ages' - Milliken, Roberta -'Angels & Demons' - Rubin, Norman A. -'the Book of Talismans' - Pavitt, Kate & Thomas, William -'Childhood in Ancient Athens: Iconography and Social History' - Beaumont, Lesley A. -'the Complete Book of Amulets & talismans' - González-Wippler, Migene -'Cleopatra's Eye Makeup Warded Off Infections?' - National Geographic -'the Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols' - Frankel, Ellen & Platkin Teutsch, Betsy -'the Evil Eye in the Bible and in Rabbinic Literature' - Ulmer, Rivka -'From Sacred Symbol to Key Ring: the Hamsa in Sacred Jewish & Israeli Societies' - Sabar, Shalom -'Jewish Cultural Studies Vol. 1 - Jewishness: Expression, Identity, and Representation' - Bronner, Simon J. -'Makeup in Ancient Egypt' - Natural History Museum of Utah -'Opthamology of the Pharaohs: Antimicrobial Kohl Eyeliner in Ancient Egypt' - Kreston, Rebecca -'Ritual in Early Modern Europe' - Muir, Edward -'the World of Roman Costume' - Sebesta, Judith Lynn & Bonfante, Larissa -'Women in the Ancient Near East' - Stol, Marten -'the Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs' - Danaher, Kevin

[ofcedarandbone]

With permission I harvested a small cedar leaf from one of many trees on the border of the cemetery to add to my vial of grounding oil (cedarwood essential oil diluted heavily with coconut oil)🌲

[bolaneno]

[landsccape]

[muddyswirls]

[breelandwalker]

Clean House Powder

Intent: To cleanse a dwelling of negativity, “heaviness,” stale energy, bad atmosphere, etc.

Ingredients:

Lemon Peel

Solomon’s Seal Root

Cayenne Pepper

 Arrow Root

Blue Vervain

White Oak

Sage (any color)

Salt (both black & white)

Materials:

Mortar & Pestle (or spice grinder)

Funnel

Mesh Strainer

Collection Dish

Container

Note: Powdered versions of most herbs are available online. I recommend such sites as Starwest Botanicals and Penn Herbs for the quality products at reasonable prices. Also, if you can get your hands on a good spice grinder, you can make your own powder from dried herb products. Grind each ingredient separately to produce fine powder. Sieve the material through the mesh strainer into the collection dish; this removes the larger unground pieces and gives you cleaner powdered herb. (Pro-Tip: Putting a funnel under the mesh strainer reduces lost material and makes collection much easier.) Combine the component powders in the collection dish, mix well, and bottle immediately. For volume, go heavier on the less expensive or more easily available materials like Lemon Peel, Cayenne, and Salt. Otherwise, combine in more or less even amounts. Sprinkle a pinch in the corner of each room to dispel heaviness and clear the air, so to speak. Useful for spring cleaning and touch-up jobs throughout the year. Add to floor washes, incenses, or charms for general cleansing and purification of the home.

For more recipes to fill out your potion kit, you can check out Pestlework: A Book of Magical Powders & Oils. (Available on Amazon and in my shop!)

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. You may also enjoy my show, Hex Positive - available wherever fine podcasts are heard. 😊

[breelandwalker]

Witchcraft Exercise - Spring Cleaning

There’s a marked tradition of cleaning and airing out the house in the springtime when the weather warms. As you’re dusting and tidying and getting rid of winter stagnation, take some time to do the same with your craft.

Clean and organize your workspace. If you have an altar space or a shelf where you keep bottles and jars and the like, remove everything from the surface and give it a good dusting. Take the opportunity to rearrange things or swap out pieces if it suits you. If you have ritual tools that don’t often get cleaned, check them for signs or rust or wear and give them a bit of love. Repair things that need fixing, if you can. If you have an iron cauldron that you use for fire magic, get a wire brush or some steel wool and gently remove any burnt residue left inside.

Sort through your supplies. If you have lots of candles and crystals and small items laying about, consider getting some small totes or craft organizers to keep things tidy. Divided storage boxes for beads or scrapbooking supplies are great for small items, and shoebox-sized caddies are perfect for taper, chime, and votive candles. Organizing things will make your space easier to navigate and also gives you a proper idea of what you have on hand. Which might help you resist impulse purchases the next time you’re out shopping for witchcraft supplies. While you’re tidying, be sure to discard any rubbish, candle stubs, wax blobs, herb scraps, bits of string, incense bases, and so forth that might be cluttering up the place. 

Discard things that are too old or worn to be useful. Dried plants and seasonings can usually be kept for 1-3 years if they remain in sealed containers. If they have no scent anymore or smell musty or mildewy, discard them and sanitize the container. If you’re using supermarket spices, you can use the expiration date on the container as a guide. Powdered material will likely last longer than whole herbs or cut-and-sifted material. One helpful tip is to put a purchase date on packets or bags of herbs when you buy them, or to put a little date sticker on your jars of herbs when you refill them. (Anyone who’s worked in food service will probably be familiar with the concept of container dating or day-dotting.)

If you make oils or tinctures or suchlike in your practice, check on these as well. Make sure nothing has gone off or lost its’ potency. Day-dotting your potion containers will help with this as well. A simple sticker with the name of the brew and the date it was bottled will help you keep track of your supplies and know when something needs to be tossed and replaced. (You can also print labels with the ingredients and purpose of the brew if you’re feeling super organized.)

Reorganize your books and resources. Review what's there and see if there are any materials that need to be weeded out, donated, or discarded. Remember that as you grow and progress, some things will become obsolete or may show themselves to be unhelpful or inaccurate. It's okay to remove things from your resource library that no longer serve you if you want to make some space on the shelves.

You can also cleanse your workspace and/or components while you’re tidying if you wish. It doesn’t have to be a full clean-slate-everything-must-go cleansing, but it can be helpful to just clear out stagnation or bring in some freshness and vitality.

Happy Witching! 🧼

Want more witchcraft exercises? Check out the masterpost here and visit my shop for spell kits, books, magical powders, and more!

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[sapphic-nature-witch]

🔮💖Witchy Aesthetic💖🔮

[wholeheartedsuggestions]

dear march,

please be as peaceful as possible

[breelandwalker]

The Flower In The Hedge - A Baneful Protection Spell

Then the maiden and her dear Roland took again their natural shapes, and traveled on the whole night through until daybreak. Then the maiden changed herself into a beautiful flower, standing in the middle of a hedge of thorns, and her dear Roland into a fiddle-player. It was not long before the witch came striding up, and she said to the musician, "Dear musician, will you be so kind as to reach that pretty flower for me?” "Oh yes," said he, "I will strike up a tune to it." Then as she crept quickly up to the hedge to break off the flower, for she knew well who it was, he began to play, and whether she liked it or not, she was obliged to dance, for there was magic in the tune. The faster he played, the higher she had to jump, and the thorns tore her clothes, and scratched and wounded her, and he did not cease playing until she was spent, and lay dead.

-Sweetheart Roland, Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales

Intent: To protect yourself or a loved one from someone who means to do you harm.

Ideal Timing: Waning Moon

Materials:

Jar with Screw-top Lid

Pins, Needles, & Tacks

Palmful of Salt*

Poppet

To begin with, yes, this is a spell of protection. And yes, it is also a baneful spell. Two things can be true, and they are not incongruous. This particular model is a target-triggered spell, meaning that the effect of the spell will not activate unless the target of the spell completes a designated action. Thus, the activation of the spell is the consequence of their own actions.

Take your poppet and stuff the material focus, if there is one, into the chest cavity. If a focus is not available, you can use a name slip or name the poppet thus:

Poppet, I name you [Name]. Your limbs are their limbs, your flesh is their flesh. As you suffer, so shall they suffer, according to my will.

If the target is an unknown person, the poppet can be named Danger or Threat, but this spell generally works best with a proper name. You can also specify the actions which will trigger the activation of the spell, as well as the consequences that will arise when it does, or the harm to be undone by the spell.

In the jar, combine half of the pins with the salt.* Put the poppet inside on top of the pins, then pour the rest of the pins on top to form a loose cage. Whisper into the jar:

On your feet, it's time to dance; With the music, jump and prance.

Cap the jar and seal the lid tightly. Select a song with a good dancing beat and shake the jar to the beat for as long as you can. If you can make it through the whole song, do so; if not, shake for as long as you can. The idea is that as the poppet "dances," it is pierced by the pins in the jar.

Set the jar aside somewhere that it won't be disturbed. Whenever the target gives you trouble, take the jar out, turn on the music, and shake the poppet full of pins. If at any point you feel the target has learned their lesson, retrieve the poppet from the jar, take out any pins stuck into it, and remove the focus or dunk the poppet in saltwater overnight to neutralize the spell.

*Yes, I know that salt is generally used to protect, or to neutralize a spell. In this case, it's there to make the pinpricks hurt more. Feel free to substitute your favorite noxious herb or stinging spice if you don't wish to use salt in your jar.

-Adapted from The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells and Charms for Your Happily Ever After, (2nd ed) © 2017 Bree NicGarran

Want more fairy tale spells? Check out the masterpost here.

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, subscribe to my monthly show Hex Positive, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊

[breelandwalker]

Get Thee To A Library!

Need something to do this summer? Or anytime? Visit your local public library! These institutions are pillars of education and accessibility to free resources for our communities and now more than ever, we need to protect them. The best thing you can do is VISIT. Get a free library card, borrow some books, attend a free event, or just go there and chill for a while. The more traffic and use these spaces see, the easier it is for them to maintain their funding.

Want a book? Ask a librarian! Need information or public resources? Ask a librarian! Can't find your local library? Try these helpful locators!

Find Your Library (National Library Service, USA)

Libraries.org (World Library Directory)

Little Free Library (World)

Library Finder (U.S. Dept of Labor)

Library Landscape (Latin America & the Caribbean)

Canadian Library Directory (Canada)

Lighthouse Libraries (EU)

Library Resources Outside the U.S. (Brown University Library resource)

Want something you can check out at home or on the go? Try these online resources for free or low-cost media!

Project Gutenberg (free public domain digital books)

Global Grey Ebooks (free public domain ebooks supported by donations)

Librivox (free volunteer-read public domain audiobooks)

Open Culture (online archive of free media)

Libby (app)

Scribd (subscription app)

Everand (subscription app)

Feel free to comment or reblog with your own suggestions!

[breelandwalker]

For the change of seasons - libraries are warm and cozy in wintertime too!

[stcrlghts]

i think what’s on a person’s nightstand is very telling so reblog this and put in the tags the things you have on your nightstand

[mnaturegif]

[slipng]

[ryebreadgf]

march sunlight… coming soon to a window near you