Source: @vikkichu

stay positive! @luxjii

Centering, Grounding, and Shielding

- From my Grimoire

A Preface

Something that I don’t think enough people cover when it comes to The Craft, is how to keep yourself protected when doing spells and rituals, or communicating with spirits. This is a very basic aspect of witchcraft, so I’d like to take a moment to go in depth on the topic to make sure that as many people as possible, can find something that will work for them! Of course though, there will be some methods that I either don’t have experience with or may have simply forgot to mention. Find what works best for you and your practice, and look at some other articles or books as well!

Centering

First off, what is centering? This is basically you preparing yourself and getting in the mindset of doing a spell/ritual. This is taking a moment to yourself to make sure you’re intentions are in the right place, and everything is set up and ready to go. Centering isn’t too difficult to do, so there’s honestly not too much to say on the topic.

Method I like to begin centering with meditation. Relax yourself and get into the “witch headspace”, if you will. Cleanse yourself, and maybe even take a shower or a bath. Next thing is to gather your thoughts, write some questions down on a piece of paper or on your computer and answer them. Things like “What is my motivation?” “What outcome do I want” “How do I want to do this?” If you really take a moment to understand what you’re doing and where your heart lies, your spell will be at it’s most effective.

Grounding

Grounding is an important thing to do after any spell you perform. While it doesn’t necessarily hurt to do before a spell, it can limit your meta-physical performance. Grounding is connecting you back to the earth and bringing you back to your physical body, getting your head out of the clouds if you will, and sometimes when performing a spell that’s where you want your head to be. If you’re working with any earth based magick though, this can greatly help, so just figure out what works best for the kind of spell you’re doing.

Methods

Roots - This is my covens favorite method to ground. This is basically where you have a meditative moment, plant your feet on the ground, and “sink your roots in”. First thing you wanna do is get in some kind of contact with the ground or floor, just anything that is a solid foundation. Plant your hands or feet flat and start by breathing deeply. You wanna really take in the energy from the earth, pay attention to all of your surroundings and take in the moment. Next close your eyes and start focusing your energy at your hands or feet. (You may feel your hands start to tingle or even go mildly numb) Lastly, release that energy and push it into the earth. Let it soak in deep, and if visualization helps, imagine your roots growing down.

Going outside is another very good method to reconnect with the Earth. If at all possible, I like to go outside barefoot and feel the grass on my feet. Really connect to the earth, take in your surroundings and walk around as much as you feel comfortable.

A Dump Stone - Just about any stone will work, but generally stone that come from bodies of water, have holes, or are green or black tend to work the best. Basically just hold the stone in your hand and let any and all negative energy flow out from you into the stone. Stones can handle quite a bit of negative energy so don’t be afraid to let it all come out. After you’re done though, you’re immediately going to want to cleanse your crystal with whichever method works best for you. I prefer to let mine sit in salt overnight, or until the feel done.

Drinking a cold glass of water, splashing cold water on your face, or even taking a really quick cold shower is also a really good way to ground yourself. It’s all about being present in your body, and nothing can bring you back into the now like some cold water can.

Shielding and Wards

Shielding yourself is important when it comes to any kind of magick, because there truly are negative entities and energies out there that like to take advantage of people. It’s a sad truth, but this is why we learn to protect ourselves spiritually. Putting up a shield or ward isn’t difficult, and sometimes you do it without even realizing!

Shielding Methods

Visualization - This is my favorite method to teach beginners because it doesn’t require any tools just you, and yourself. The begin, start by getting into a calm relaxed state, maybe even meditate before hand. Next, imagine a ring of light around yourself starting at your feet. This light can look like anything, be any color, and be any shape so the only limit is your imagination. Once you have the ring of light, imagine it slowly coming up around your body, let it fill your heart with warmth and let it remind you that you are safe spiritually and no negative entity can harm you. Once it has made a complete bubble around yourself, say some affirmations and remind yourself that you’re strong and can handle anything. The more you believe in yourself, then the stronger this shield will become. 

Smoky Quartz or any other black stone, when kept on the person or placed at the feet can create a ward as well. For those less imaginative, this is a very good alternative because you have the crystal to support you as well. 

Magick Circle - There are many ways to open a magick circle, but heres a really simple method. Hold one of your hands out, palm up and focus your energy in your hand. (You may get that warm, tingly, or numb feeling, if not though thats okay!) Really let it bubble up into your fingertips, and once there, point a finger out and draw a circle around yourself and say some simple affirmations of safety and peace. Just like the visualization method, this works best the more you have faith and believe in yourself. 

Simply stating that you are, or feel safe is another way to shield yourself spiritually. You remember how when you were little and alone in your room at night and you thought you heard something scary? You covered your head up with a blanket right? Do you remember how safe you felt after doing that, like how nothing could get you? That was quite literally you putting up a shield. Remember your intentions and feelings are the most important thing in magick, always keep that in mind!

Warding Methods Wards are another variation of shields, but these are things you put on the physical plane rather than a spiritual one. 

Runes/Sigils - A really good way to set up a ward is to carve or draw some runes either into the side of a doorframe, a candle, or even on a piece of paper to burn later! If you’re going to carve them into wood or draw them, charge the tool you’re going to be doing it with. If your going to use a candle, burn the candle whenever you feel like you need it most! And as for burning paper, keep the ashed around and maybe even sprinkle them into every corner of the room.

Salt - Put lines of salt on the top of your door and window frames, and sprinkle some in every corner of the room.

Stones - Certain stones are said to be warning stones and will break if danger is near by. Malachite is one of these stones, and is fairly easy to get your hands on. Place this stone above door and window frames as well. 

Holy/Blessed Water - A drop placed in every corner of the room creates a barrier around the room.

Brooms/Staffs - Place in the corners of rooms, and said to fall over if danger is near by.

Black Candles - Burning a black candle is said to bring protection and keep a room hidden from spirits. 

the pantheon of modern witchcraft in music:

Stevie Nicks: The grand high witch, the regent of the coven. She oversees all and always will. Immortal and full of all-knowing wisdom, initially peaceful but also can (and will) kick your ass.

Florence + The Machine: Channels nature energy but isn’t afraid to dabble in the dark. Often found wandering through misty forests and open fields of goldenrod, singing lost tales of tortured spirits. Talks with Demeter from time to time.

Hozier: May be possessed by the spring goddess side of Persephone. Spends most of his time in the mossy bogs in the realm of the fae. Sometimes reappears in the human world for brief periods of time, spreading fae wisdom to the humble masses before leaving again.

Zella Day: Modern witch caught between rural and urban magic. Cavorts in the dry, desert planes of the Southwest. Frequently surrounded by crystals and succulent plants. Wears a lot of maxi dresses, wide hats, and combat boots.

AURORA: Actual dryad tree spirit. Lives deep in the woods whispering ageless melodies into waterfalls. Lives at one with nature and is friends with the deer and the wolves. Thrives off of empathy and kindness. Has plans to build a paradise haven for the exiled and rejected peoples of the world.

Zolita: Love witch, harnesses passion and desire for the forces of good. Full of sapphic energy and communicates with Aphrodite. Leader of a badass coven of LGBTQ+ witches and a slowly brewing feminist rebellion.

Elsa & Emilie: The spirits of Victorian witches reincarnated into younger forms. Literally mature beyond their years. Sing haunting harmonies of their lives and loves wrongfully lost. Reach their ultimate power when working together. Aren’t afraid to venture into the dark.

Lorde: Urban witch with untapped chaotic energy. Also mature beyond her years. Is still restless but now channels strong emotions. Uses synesthesia to literally see the spells. Kicks back with Athena from time to time.

Lana Del Rey: Fluctuates between light and dark witchcraft. Uses love magic but will also curse you. Talks to both Harmonia and Eris, also the devil. Keeps a grimoire passed down for generations in her purse.

Lola Blanc: Witch that managed to travel from an alternate jazz age steampunk timeline. Utilizes technological innovation in form mixed with traditional technique. May or may not have performed necromancy and hypnotism.

Banks: Perhaps the most chaotic dark witch of them all. Probably possessed by the queen of the dead side of Persephone, or maybe Hecate. Channels powerful energy from storms, lust, and conflict. Has a soft side she rarely lets anyone see.

That ended up a hella long. Did I miss anyone?

American Homeschool Gothic

A/N: The last time I was homeschooled was fourth grade, so someone hit me if this is all garbage. It gets weirder the further you read. Requested by @amerraka.

Everyone worries that you will have trouble socializing in the “real world”. This is true. You can only talk to your parents.

You got a new textbook today, recommended by a education magazine. You look at the copywrite page. It was published in 1876.

You’ve been doing the same math problem for what seems like days. You look up from your work for the first time and realize that it is now winter. You started in the spring.

You put in earbuds to listen to music while you work. You notice that the longer you listen, the better the sound quality becomes. It is now lunchtime. You try to take them out. You can’t. They have grown into your brain.

You have done school in your pajamas every day. You no longer know how to wear real clothes.

The word “homeschool” has become toxic. You speak the word in public, and everyone turns to stare. The government has programmed them that education without their interference is a crime. You will now hang for treason.

You take a history test. You come upon a question asking for an example of Renaissance art. The answer is communism. The answer to every question is communism.

You are told there is a girl/boy that is exactly like you at a public school. They are friends with all of your friends. You long to meet this parallel universe doppelganger. 

You are driving past a public school at the end of the school day. Students leave in droves with dull eyes, slack jaws, and withering minds. You wonder if you too will become a zombie when you go to college.

You have been reading for hours and haven’t moved an inch. You don’t remember when it got so dark or who turned on the overhead light.

Your family left one day to go get groceries. There is a sticky note from your mother on the fridge telling you your lessons. It’s the same yellow note every day, but with different lessons. You haven’t seen your family since 2009, and the sticky note is starting to fray and crumble.

You have begun to suspect that your homeschool group is not actually a homeschool group, but a cult. Whenever you bring it up, people’s eyes glaze over with a blank stare. “What homeschool group? There’s no homeschool group here.”

Your textbooks are centuries old. You can hear them scream as you crack their spines opening them every day.

College stands on the horizon. Public school kids say it’s a brilliant light, a beacon of hope. You see it for what it truly is. Bloody arms stretching, broken nails clawing at any student it can, devouring and demanding souls.

Getting To Know Plant Allies

photo source

Use It!

One of my teachers was very insistent that before I was allowed to study a plant, I had to get to know it first. Head knowledge is one thing, but when you are working as a herbalist you have to have more than that.

Before using any herb, even for these exercises it is important to look up contraindications for the herb. Herbs are medicinal, even in small doses. Personally I like to use this book. And remember to always tell your doctor if you are taking any herbs!

Based on the type of herb, make a decoction or infusion. Fragile herbs, usually dried leaves or flowers, are better suited to an infusion (let steep in nearly boiling water for 20 minutes). Hardier herbs such as roots can be simmered in the water for 20 minutes (decoction).

Sip slowly, taking notice of how the tea feels in your mouth. Does it trigger a salivary response? How does it taste? Anything your experience is worth taking note of. I’ve never been sad I took too many notes!

Take a bath with it. If a full bath isn’t possible, do a foot or hand bath. I was taught to start with water as close to room temp as possible. This can be a good way to determine if the herb has warming or cooling properties.

Again, make notes! Lots of them.

Get creative with how you experiment. Cook with them, use them for facial steams. Any way that you’re called to, and remember, take notes!

Study It - Materia Medica

It’s time to make your own herbal! We’re going to take our observations and start a Materia Medica. This is the term herbalists have been using since the 1st century AD, thanks to the Ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides. Modern science now often uses the term pharmacology but I greatly prefer the Materia Medica.

Some witches will combine this with a Materia Magica which goes into the magical correspondences for the herbs. But this post won’t be covering that.

How each herbalist organizes the Materia Medica is going to vary, but it should hit a few key points. And, of great importance, is to track your sources! Any information that you include in your MM needs to have a citation so that you can track your info.

Latin Name

My Materia Medicas always start with the Latin name for the herb. Herbs have many, many different names. Both through history and throughout the world. The best way to ensure that you’re using the correct plant is to use the latin name. But then, after that, I make not of common names and historical names.

History/Lore

If a herb has an interesting history, or appears in folk lore I make note of that next. It can be interesting and is helpful for knowing the herb. There’s a lot of knowledge to be gleaned from old stories!

Description

If you’re inclined for either wildcrafting or foraging, a section on the cultivation and appearance of the plant.

Chemicals

Now, we get into the medicine of it. Herbs work because they contain chemical compounds. A lot (all?) of modern medicine is derived from the manufacturing of these chemicals.

Make a list of the chemicals that are found in the herb. Making note, where you can, of what these chemicals actually DO. Over time you’ll want to get to know which ones are the active ingredients and how the work. Yup, it’s science!

Herbal Actions

Actions come next. Herbal actions are a whole language to learn. But as you are putting together the Materia Medicas you’ll start to get the hang of things! An action describes the way a herb works on the body.

It can seem a bit overwhelming, so here is an example.

Bitter is an herbal action, and it is aptly named. Herbs with this action typically taste… bitter! The action that they have on the body usually starts in the mouth where it stimulates saliva production as the first step of aiding in the digestive process. (they do a lot more but we’re keeping it simple for the example).

Examples of bitters are: arugula (also called rocket), dandelion greens, and black coffee.

Here’s a very simple way to experiment yourself! Take some time to sample one of the above mentioned bitters and see how your body reacts.

Christopher Hobbs is an herbalist I respect a lot. He has a handout that he uses in his classes which lists herbal actions, indications (we’ll get into that next), and lists example herbs.

http://www.christopherhobbs.com/webdocs/class-handouts/keville-hobbs-2016/Herbal-Actions.pdf

I highly suggest printing this sheet out and keeping it handy, reading it over often. Eventually it’ll become more intuitive, but it takes time and practice.

Indications

Indications are where we want to use the herb. IE: where is the herbal action of the herb indicated? This is going to be a list of conditions that the herb in question is good for treating.

For example, Corn Silk (zea mays) is an antiseptic, demulcent and a diuretic. Because of this, it’s indicated for use with a urinary tract infection. (it’s indicated for other things too, but I’m trying to keep things fairly basic!)

The demulcent soothes the irritated skin, the diuretic helps to increase urine output, and the antiseptic of course helps to prevent the growth of harmful organisms.

Medicine

The last section of my Materia Medica deals with dosing and contraindications. 

I like to include dosing for both teas and tinctures as they are my personal favorite ways for treating people.

Contraindications means anything that counteracts with the herb. St John’s Wort is a popular one for this, as it has many. It is a highly reactive herb and can interact negatively with many drugs! 

It is very important to know how the herb interacts. People think that because herbs are natural/plants that somehow this excludes them from the realm of medicine. But the very reason that herbs are effective is because they ARE medicine!

When I am working with a client, I do my best to take a detailed history, even things they don’t think is important. But I also inform them of every herb I am giving them and encourage them to do their own research. And it’s important to be aware of your body when you are taking herbs. From the practitioner to the person taking the herb, everyone needs to do their own due diligence.

If you found this post useful, or have any comments/thoughts/etc I would love to hear it. If there is interest I can do posts on salves, tinctures, etc. And perhaps examples of my own materia medicas.

me, all the time: i could just die and not have to do this

Any advice for parents wanting to home school? I'm scared people are going to advise me of being a brain washing cultist.

I’ve been SOOO excited to answer this ask because I have so many good things to say about homeschooling! Actually, if I’m honest, I have absolutely nothing bad I can possibly think of. I was homeschooled all the way through 12th grade and there is nothing I would change. I will ALWAYS be grateful to my parents for devoting themselves to me in that way, and especially my mom for sticking with it - from the rocky years of highschool, to back when I was an elementary brat. Looking back, we agree it was worth any struggles tenfold.

The first thing you need to know is this: you will be ridiculed. At some point, somewhere, someone is going to criticize you. Whether it be your teaching, your abilities, your discipline, or your morals, the world is going to try and push you down. Therefore, you need to be confident, you need to know your motivation as to why you are doing this, and know that, as the parent, only you know what is best for your child.

A good way to kindly explain that to someone is to know the benefits of homeschooling. And the list is long!

— Homeschooling gives you the freedom to specifically tailor the curriculum to your child’s needs. Whether going slower or faster, you can go at a pace that is comfortable to you and your child. For example, division was a nightmare for me as a child, but I was reading at a 12th grade level by early grade school. Therefore my algebra was slow moving and required a lot of repetition, but I blew through English.

— Homeschool students as a whole score significantly higher on standardized testing, with the low range being 15-30% improvement, and typically score above the average collage admission test. All of this is regardless of the education level of the parents and any degree of formal they may have. You don’t need to be a certified teacher or have lofty degrees to teach your children effectively.

— Building off both the other points, I would argue that homeschooling leaves you over prepared for college. I briefly mentioned math is not my strongest suit. I thought, in going to college, that I would be behind, but I actually placed significantly higher than I thought I would. Socially, homeschoolers are generally more prepared as well, for as where public schoolers function primarily with their same age group, homeschoolers tend to be more accustomed to a variety of ages - from toddlers to senior citizens - and that can allow one to adapt well into different class, work, and social settings.

— For those with illnesses, physical or mental limitations, homeschooling’ flexibility is a definite asset, as it allows you to modify your schedule as needed, even on a day-by-day basis, and you don’t have the stress and pressure of missing school days - you can do the work when it is convenient for you.

— Homeschooling encourages enjoyable learning and self-motivation. I going to the aquarium and watching the school kids have to breeze through it in two or three hours. But for us homeschoolers, we could spend all day there, and we did! Why? Because I found it fascinating! I would read every brochure on the tropical fish, ask questions of the staff as I pet sharks and sting rays. Homeschooling doesn’t limit learning, it encourages exploration and deep thinking. You don’t have to rush through.

— Homeschooling encourages family bonding. Most the time, we all did school in the same room, either at the kitchen counter or consuming the kitchen table in books and papers. We would take a break from math and mom would read to us everything from history to science to fiction. Reading was a huge part of my homeschool life, and even now that I’ve long since graduated, my family still likes to read aloud together.

— It saves time. Where my public school friends were in school for eight hours a day and then spent several hours on homework, I got my school done in an average of four hours max. I would be done by noon, and the out climbing trees with my brother for the rest of the day. Learn about the world and then go live in it! I would have missed out on so much if I hadn’t been homeschooled.

— This next point is very important when you’re talking about “brain washing”. Public schools are growing increasingly more aggressive toward adverse opinions, any mention of God, and in many cases are implementing revisionist history. Not even biology is taught correctly anymore with this distorted view of sexuality. Homeschooling allows multiple view points to be explored and allows for deep research into why such a point is incorrect, what actually happened historically, ect. Public schools expect things to be taken at face value too much of the time. Homeschooling promotes critical thinking and exploration. You don’t just slam the door on counter views, you talk about them and discuss it. Additionally, homeschooling is not just for the religious. There are many people, including atheists, that homeschool simply because they recognize the benefits to their lifestyle and, most importantly, their child.

— Homeschooling protects your child. We have all heard people talk about how “sheltered” homeschoolers are. The only thing I was ever sheltered from was bullying, profanity, sexual jokes and harassment, violence, and peer pressure. I had many social circles and events (the joke among homeschoolers is often that they’re never home), but it was always in a positive environment. I would have been so much more insecure if I had had to face the things all my public school friends did, but instead I grew up knowing I could be confident in who I was. On the same note, it is important to make sure your child has a healthy amount of social interaction. Awana, youth group, various clubs, sports, are just a few ways you can make sure your child is active.

— Homeschooling saves money. Both within your home, and in regard to tax dollars spent toward public schools. There are great monetary and economical benefits to homeschooling.

— Public schools are a fairly modern development. For thousands of years the bulk of one’s early learning was done at home or in a relatively small school where you still received that one-on-one instruction - very similar to homeschooling. The norm was not 30-40 kids with one teacher. It wasn’t the massed produced learning you see today.

Now a few more things before we go…

There is a HUGE array of curriculum out there, you can pick and choose from a virtually endless myriad of resources. Find what works for your child. Know that often what works for child #1 does not work for child #2. I went through three math books until I found what really worked for me. Don’t be afraid to try different things. (And also look for homeschool book sales to buy at! You can save lots by buying used)

FIND A SUPPORT GROUP. This is HUGE for you as a parent because when challenges arise, and I PROMISE you they will, you are going to want someplace to look for solid advice. A network of good friends, co-ops, homeschool church groups, homeschool academies - whatever it is, find a group of homeschoolers near you where you can ask questions, present your challenges, and get positive feedback. More so than that though, you need encouragement. The best people to give that to you are people who have been in the same spot.

Know your legal rights as a homeschooler. I would highly advice checking out the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). They have fantastic resources on a general basis, but it is really important to know your rights as a homeschooling parent. At the very minimum, check out the state requirements and know what you’re obligated to do. When I was homeschooled, I didn’t need to take hardly any standardized tests, but there were a lot of people saying I needed to. So even small things like that are really important to know (it saved me a lot of anxiety).

Homeschooling isn’t always easy, but I promise you that the rewards far outweigh the cost. It is worth every moment. There are few ways better than this to show your child just how very much you love them.

Last thing! I came across this nifty page with all sorts of facts and statistics on homeschooling that is an easy and enlightening read [x] and a quick shout out to my many friends that brainstormed with me on this (readers, I hope you know you’re getting the best advice out there thanks to them! ^^ )

Palmistry

Palmistry placements may indicate certain natural traits or abilities related to the person.

The fingers

Long: Very sensitive.

Short: Sharp inteligence, intuitive.

Fat: Sensual.

Thin: Analitycal, curious.

Smoth: Inspirational, artistical.

Knotty: Love of detail and analysis.

Conical: Poetic, imaginative.

Pointed: Subtle.

Square: Decisive, serious, positive.

Spatula: Realistic, positive outlook.

Round: Gifted, intuitive.

Large palm+ short fingers: Materialism predominates.

Short palm + large fingers: Cerebral activitie predominates.

Marks

Can appear in all the palm

Star shape: favorable.

Triangle shape: know-how.

Cross hatch: obstacle.

Rectangle: protection.

Cross: deception.

Circle: lack of success.

Chain lines: fatigue.

Island shape: weakness.

Aspects

Broken lines indicares change of destiny.

Parallel lines indicates a certain duality.

If some line is missing can mean that line corresponding caracteristic doesn't apply to you.

Fine lines represents sensibility and intelectual qualities.

If they are deep and red, you have more volatile nature.

If they are pink, detonates sentimentalism and reserve.

If they are pink, detonates sentimentalism and reserve.

If pale and superficial, you lack resistence.

If darke yellow or brown, they reveal resistence and firmness.

Lines

Life line: the longer your life line, the longer you will live.

Head line: if the head line starts with the life line it means you have good control. If the head line drops sharply down, it indicates that you have little power of resistance. Long, strong head line means you are inteligent.

Heart line: a strong line means you have a warm personality. A weak line means you are rather cold. Each small line attached means a moment of attraction towards someone, a flirtatious momento or an affair.

Marriage line: the number of lines means several romances. The closest to the base of the finger, the later in life those marriages will take place. A fork at the end towards the palm means separation. A fork at the begining will mean a long engagement. Little lines, don't crossing the line means children into the marriage.

Neptune line: a neptune line means you have imagination. If it starts in the life line, means a tendency of drugs and alcohol. A broken neptune line means criminal tendencies.

Shape of palms

Conical hand: a long palm with fingers that form a point. Associated with the element fire, this hand type is drawn to beauty and is imaginative by nature. This hand can also suggest a desire to be a succes. (Bottom and edges are all relatively flat, with rounded fingertips)

Oval hand: a broad palm with saucer-like fingertips. People with this hand shape are often thoughtful and introverted, with logical and analitycal nature. They have a tendecy of being loners (palm and fingertips are round)

Square hand: a square palm with blunt, broad fingertips. People with this hand shape tend to be practical, organized and persistent. Can be cynical or sceptical, and to value material goods. (Square hands tend to have very straight edges)

Pointed hand: a long, delicate hand with pointed fingers. People with this hand type tend to be dreamers and idealists, who hold strong beliefs and views. They have a tendency to be nervous or over emotional. (psychic hands are bony and delicate)

Spatulate hands: this hand is often flabby or soft, widest at the bade of the palm with broad, straight fingers. It can indicate and energetic and enthusiastic nature, always searching for answers and new stimull. (Spatulate hands tend to be very flabby and look clumpsy)

🌙

How to prepare for a new semester/year:

So as you all know I’ve been back to uni for about two weeks now and I was NOT feeling it (to say the very least). So here is what I did to get out of that crappy omg I can’t believe school’s back mood:

Clean your room: Back to school shopping is a huge deal for me but personally I like to start by cleaning my room, that includes closet, desk .. etc. Not only does this give you kind of a fresh start but also you end up figuring out exactly what you have and don’t have so you buy way less stuff (and save more money)

And while you’re at it stop hoarding: I’ve had books just sitting there for nearly four years that I haven’t touched (hello histology), same goes for clothes. Get rid of the things you know you don’t use. If you haven’t used them in a year chances are you won’t magically change your mind and start using them. You can sell them or give them away.

Don’t throw away half used notebooks: This annoys me soooo much. Cut out the pages you’ve written in and RECYCLE them. Less is more people. You don’t have to use them for school, I use those for writing down workouts or tracking what I eat, making shopping lists, goals or whatever I feel like writing (so people won’t see you with the same notebook from last year, they probably won’t notice anyway but if that’s your excuse here you go) ALSO: For clothes that you like but are too long, too big or whatever get them tailored! Don’t throw those away too.

Now that we’ve decluttered, make a list of what you need: Tailor this to your schedule as much as possible. If you have long days at uni with a significant amount of walking maybe invest in comfy shoes, if you feel like a certain notebook would work really well for a certain class get it, if you know you’ll be carrying a lot of stuff around and don’t have a proper backpack get one. Write down everything you need before you go to the store.

Figure out what you’ll do regarding your meals: Do you have enough good quality tupperware? Do you have all the groceries? Watch a few videos on meal prepping and have a set list of quick and healthy meals that suit you and your schedule and your diet.

Optimize your study space: I’m not saying make it all white and aesthetically pleasing (unless that’s your thing), just make sure it’s a good environment for you to be productive. Figure out if you need to make any changes to it before school starts.

If you can rearrange the furniture in your room: You’d be surprised at how much this affects your mood, you don’t have to buy new stuff to feel renovated for back to school.

Take a look at all of your classes and try to work out a daily (& study) routine: SUPER IMPORTANT, before school starts try to plan out what your weeks will look like, what you’ll do for certain gaps (for example do you have enough time to go study off campus or get a workout in), which resources you’ll use for every class, how are you going to commute, what kind of notes you’ll take for every class ..etc. Distribute your workload evenly throughout the week (so days when you go home early, allocate more study time and vice versa)

Lurk at studyblrs and studygrams: or even start one, this community is super motivating (pretty sure you already know that)

One last pampering session: This is very very optional and not for everyone but I personally get a hair treatment done before uni so that I don’t spend as much time doing my hair in the morning. Same goes for body hair removal, face masks …etc. It just makes me feel like a new woman 💁🏼‍♀️

Tasseography

•Tea leaf reading•

You might be wondering where this unusual form of divination came from, so here’s a short history on tasseography. Shortly after tea was introduced to Europe, tea leaf reading, as it’s now recognized, was born. Similar divination tools had been used with an assortment of other materials. The art of tea leaf reading spread through Europe, and is now practiced throughout the world.

Doing a tea leaf reading involves you indulging in a delicious cup of tea and putting your sharp intuitive skills to work. After you enjoy your warm cup of loose leaf tea, you’ll leave the loose tea leaves at the bottom, where some of these leaves will form symbols, each having their own meaning. That’s where your keen intuitive abilities come in! Anyone can see a triangle at the bottom of a teacup, but your job is to intuit what it means for you or the person you’re reading for.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR A TEA LEAF READING

Tea cup with a wide brim that’s light enough to easily see your tea leaves.

Saucer

Loose leaf green or black tea, preferably organic.

Napkins

Pen and paper

Water

HOW TO PERFORM A TEA LEAF READING

1. BREW YOUR TEA

Gather all of your materials. Boil your water. Place about a teaspoon of loose tea in your cup. Pour your water in and steep tea to your preference.

For the next 3 steps, if you’re doing a reading for someone else, have them do the following steps.

2. SIP & SWIRL

Before you take your first sip, gently swirl tea counter clockwise three times. Sip and enjoy your tea, but don’t drink it all! When there’s about 1 tablespoon of tea left in your cup, swirl it again 3 times counter clockwise and think about or speak your query aloud.

3. CREATE YOUR TEA READING CANVAS

Turn your cup upside down onto your saucer to remove the remaining water, allow it a minute or so to drain, then turn it back up right.

4. LOOK FOR SYMBOLS

Look over your loose leaf tea pieces and see if any symbols or shapes jump out to you immediately. Don’t fret if you don’t see anything immediately, similar to scrying with a crystal ball, it can take some time for imagery to form for you. Try looking at the inside of the cup from different directions to see shapes. Keep in mind the images formed are formed from tea leaves, so you will really need to use your imagination.

5. RECORD & DECIPHER YOUR FINDINGS

If you do start to see some shapes, begin writing them down on your piece of paper so you can decipher them later, note where in the cup they are too. Now you’re ready to decipher your findings! Here’s a guide for the most common symbols found during tea leaf readings:

6. UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE

Where your tea leaves are situated in your cup relate to when they will happen. This is why some of the tea leaf reading cups you find have circles inside of them. Timing is broken into thirds as follows:

Bottom third: farthest away from happening, think 3-5 years out.

Top third: will be happening in the near future, think within the next few weeks.

Middle third: will happen in about a year from now.

7. FORM YOUR READING

Like most divination tools, a honed intuition is key for success, so be sure to lean on any gut instincts as you form the story for your reading. Once you understand the meaning behind the symbols it’s time to put all of the information into a story that makes sense for you or the person you’re doing a reading for.

🌙