Orriculum’s Spell Masterpost

How to figure out what’s important during a lecture

And not waste too much time reading pages of the textbooks

1. Check the syllabus. I cannot stress this enough. In the syllabus you will find the objectives of the course you are taking. These are very important because more often than not, the exam questions are based off these objectives. So, if you know what the objectives are, you will be able to clearly identify these when the professor is examining these in the lecture.

2. Read the summary. Textbooks nowadays have a summary at the end of each chapter. I totally recommend to check this summary as it gives the most important points and it gives you an overview of the chapter. Having this overview, is essential because you will have an idea how everything connects to one another without reading the chapter. In the lecture, professors actually give you a summary of the chapter. So, when you know in advance what points the professor is likely to teach at the lecture, the easier it will be on which of the summary points the professor is focusing more.

3. Ask your professor to give you a nutshell of the lecture. Believe me, it works. Professors are willing to help you and it works well as a quick recap too. This has saved me many times and it’s more time effective, as I don’t try to learn the entire book but instead the most important points and then I fill in the gaps.

4. Write the main points down. For this, I like using the Cornell Method. I write it after the lecture is finished so the points are still fresh in my mind. And if I forget something, I still get the chance to ask the professor. This is important because we are retrieving the information from our brain, which is exactly what you do in an exam. The more concrete the points are, the better. I’ve always been an advocate of taking as little notes as possible in the class because in order to truly understand the material, it is better to actively engage with it and you’ll remember better (at least for me).

Recap: Before going to class, you want to check your syllabus and read the summary in order to get an overview and identify the main points of the subject. When the lecture is done, ask your professor for a quick recap, so you can see what the professor thinks are truly the most important parts. And last but not least, write the points down so you don’t forget.

Working with Plants

1. Start your own Herbal. There are some great books out there, but recording your own experiences/uses/collected lore for herbs is invaluable. Draw, press or take photos of the plants you include. 

2. Learn about plants by seeing them with your own eyes. Visit botanical gardens, nurseries, garden centres and parks to see the plants in situ and (hopefully) correctly labelled. The human brain has an amazing memory for plants, it is a survival skill to be able to identify them. When you walk through a park or garden, notice the plants and identify those you know to re-establish this memory.

3. Grow things. Be as ambitious as your space, money and time allow. Collect plants that are hard to find, appeal to you and suit your climate. Go beyond culinary herbs. Be aware of where you plant things in the garden, both directionally and symbolically. Plants you have grown are constantly receiving offerings of your time, energy and resources and are therefore more likely to be willing to assist you.

4. Plants will die. Even the most experienced gardener will lose plants. Accept it. Don’t just buy a few seedlings and then decide you lack a green thumb because they all died. Some herbs are annuals, that means they only live for a season, some plants are deciduous, some will simply not be suited to your climate or area and fail to thrive. Be patient and persistent and become a student of gardening as well has herbcraft.

5. Work in depth with a particular herb or tree to discover its secrets. Read everything you can about it, research folklore and planetary correspondences, consume it raw, dried, as a tea and a tincture. Prepare a spagyric essence from it. Burn it as incense. Infuse oil with it. Grow it, talk to it, dream about it. Watch how it changes through the seasons, collect its seeds, smell its flowers. Do this until you know it inside out, and then begin again with another. 

6. Substituting herbs is tricky business. No, you can not replace all flowers with lavender or all herbs with rosemary. That is lazy nonsense. Put some actual effort into getting the herbs you need for a spell, and if you genuinely can’t acquire them find something botanically related, energetically similar or at very least ruled by the same planet.

7. Treat herbs and trees as spirits, with respect and humility. Ask before your take, leave offerings, communicate, bond with them and you will be rewarded with gifts and wisdom and powerful ingredients for your spells.

8. Poisonous herbs and strong entheogens are for advanced practitioners. Don’t just start growing or using them because you want to be taken seriously. Some of these plants are tricksters, they can be very seductive. They are quite capable of controlling you. Be wary.

9. When harvesting for magical use, think not only what the plant is but where it is growing. A tree on a university campus will have different properties to the same kind found in a graveyard. A herb growing at the crossroads is different to one found by a stream. 

10. Expand your learning and awareness beyond trees and herbs. Learn the lore of mosses, lichens, fungi and seaweeds. Parasitic and carnivorous plants. Get to know the plants that grow locally, even if they are far removed from those found in your books.

11. Check your sources when it comes to lore. If a book tells you lavender is good for love spells, question it. Try to discover where the information came from, look up the older herbals, read books of plant folklore, investigate planetary and elemental correspondences based on the nature and virtues of the plant, not just what Cunningham says. 

12. Develop relationships not only with individual trees and herbs, but with particular species. Plants can be spirit guides in the way that animals can. There is an oak tree, and then there is Oak. They can teach, guide and protect. Having a handful of plant allies you know intimately and fashioning your tools from their wood, planting them around your house and visiting them in the wild will make your connection to those spirits all the stronger.

Spell to Strengthen a Romantic Relationship

Supplies

Lavender

Cinnamon

Chili Pepper

Fire-safe jar or cup

Red Taper Candle

Lighter

Representation of your lover

Instructions

Mix the herbs together (in the glass) with your finger in a clockwise motion. Visualize their powers of love and strength.

Light the red candle.

Chant:

“Our love is ever strong

By distance short or long

We made homes in each other’s hearts

Souls tied together from the start” x

Burn the symbol of your lover (over the glass) and visualize all the good times you have together: the kisses, the sex, the laughter, etc.

Add the ashes and herbs to the sachet, and place it near your bed, or wherever you interact most with your lover.

Thank any spirits or Gods that may have helped you in the spell.

Let the candle burn down. When it is finished, the spell is activated.

~H

this is so cute !!! i think faekin would love this

This spell is designed to improve your insight into an existing relationship. Given the associations most people have for the ingredients, it tends to work best for clarity within a romantic or sexual relationship, but will work for friendships as well. It is a bit more physical than many spells and has multiple mechanisms of action.

Obtain lavender, jasmine, and rose blossoms. Do not use rose or jasmine petals - the spell is impossible if you use these. Instead, you want whole flowers. These are, surprisingly, widely available at health food stores and even occult retailers, and only a small amount is required. Just make sure you’ve got the full blossoms and not the petals! Use your intuition to decide how much of each to add, but the jasmine and rose blossoms should be added in a larger combined quantity than the lavender. The roses and jasmine are associated with the beauty and glory of love, and lavender adds a Mercurial element of clarity.

Place all of these in a small bowl, and find a quiet, relaxing place to sit, where you are comfortable and able to hold the bowl in your hands and manipulate it without spilling it. You may attempt to sink into a meditative state if that is customary for you when working magick, but it is quite possible to perform this with a normal relaxed state of mind.

Gently but purposefully, crush the blossoms and lavender, mixing them with your bare fingers. Don’t use a mortar and pestle. It is important to do this with your hands. As you mix, you will find that you come across the hard central parts of the flower, which are not colorful nor quite fragrant like the petals. 

Carefully, and with no sense of haste or desperation, remove these from the mixture and set them aside, perhaps in another bowl. These represent the irrational thoughts and feelings that cloud your judgment regarding your relationships, whereas the petals represent your pure love and good intentions. Remove the perturbing cruft from your relationship in the form of these worthless little chunks, but do so carefully, purposefully, and, above all, calmly.

When all or as many as possible are removed from the mixture, continue mixing it with your fingers until it is well-mixed and homogenous. 

Then, take the mixture and pour boiling water over it to create a herbal tea, perhaps adding a small bit of rose quartz or moonstone to add a gem elixir element. Drink it slowly Do not swallow the gemstone, obviously. If you do not use an infuser and prefer your herbal tea in loose leaf form, you might read the remainder of the leaves after you’ve consumed it in order to perhaps get a glimpse of how your relationship will develop in the future.

If you dislike the taste of any of these ingredients, consider placing the mixture in a small charm bottle, perhaps with, again, a bit of rose quartz or moonstone Present it your friend or lover, and explain what you’ve done. Make sure they understand that this was not a love spell in the traditional sense and acted on your own psyche alone.

And the clunky bits? Bury or dispose of them far away.

Be sure to research these herbs before you use them and do not go near them if you are allergic! Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, or attempting to become pregnant, or have other concerns.

Charms and How to Make Them

A charm is any object, usually pocket-sized, that’s charged with energy of some kind. An example is a lucky charm that’s worn as a necklace or a lock of hair charged with energy from the person it came from.

Charms can sometimes be called talismans, totems or pendants. Regardless of the name, with slight connotations, these little items can be used the same way.

I use charms when sometimes a crystal isn’t specific enough for my Intent (spell, ritual). Sometimes I’m doing an Intent based on my job but Citrine, also known as the Merchant’s Stone, isn’t quite specific enough, I’ll include a charm I charged with a specific energy.

For example let’s say I really need a specific day off but my job needs as many employees as it can schedule so often times they deny requests for time off, I’ll do an Intent using a golf pencil I took from the scheduling office.

I also collect the charms I have so that I can reuse them whenever an Intent needs it. Or, if it’s appropriate for the day, I’ll carry the charm in my pocket all day.

How to charge Charms

The easiest way to charge any object as a charm is if it already has a personal meaning to it. Choose something that reminds you of whatever that energy is. I have two cross pendants; one is wooden that reminds me of Catholicism and the second is metal and reminds me of Protestants. (Not because one is primitive to the other but because one came before the other.)

Once you have chosen an item and it’s meaning is clear, it’s time to charge with energy.

Purify the space you’re in to rid of residue energy (e.g. burning incense)

Use crystals for meditation and visualization, utilize crystal grids (simple or complex)

Write the specific meaning/significance/value of the charm on a piece of paper so you have a clear interpretation of it (you could make a prayer/incantation)

Burn a purple candle and drop wax on the paper connecting your Third Eye/Psyche to the energy attaching itself to the charm (one or two drops per charm, don’t waste a whole candle on one)

Once you have your Charms

Cataloging them in your guild book wouldn’t hurt. Like I mentioned, you can use them in specific Intents or carry them with you. Gift them to friends so they have energies around them. I also collect mine in a box so they aren’t randomly roaming around.

I like to use Charms in my Intents because they’re reusable, less waste and I don’t have to worry about purchasing new ones as if they run out (unless you give it away or lose it). Although I’ve come to realize the best charms are the ones I find randomly on the ground or in an old drawer. They radiate an energy that’s almost communicative like when grandparents tell you a simple memory but it sticks with you forever.

Enjoy your Charms. Happy witching. Questions, comments and criticism are welcome.

Properties of Plants

I have condensed some info I’ve gathered to put into my grimoire. Below is from multiple posts that I organized for my own personal use. I’m uploading it since I already typed it and might as well. I hope this comes in handy for someone!

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Throwin’ the Bones

Of the divinatory techniques with which I am familiar, bones are my personal favorite. Yes, they have that very witchy vibe – but it’s more than that; the bones are honest. They don’t sugar coat, and while they have to be interpreted, once you know how to read them – there’s little room for interpretation. They are very direct and are much better suited to answering yes or no questions than tarot. With a little imaginative methodology, there few questions the bones can’t answer. And even fewer they won’t answer (as tarot cards can be known to do). A few examples of things I think the bones are better at answering than tarot: questions involving time, questions regarding health, sickness and maledictions; they present a broader grasp to any given situation – incorporating things outside of the question presented and how these things relate to the question or the reading, showing the interconnectedness of life – and how these things all relate back.

Our countless cultures have countless methods for collecting and reading the Bones – and I can only rightly attest to my own methodology: one in which the Bones need not necessarily consist solely of bones, but a collection of gathered trinkets and curios, all with their own meaning, their own story and their own energy. My collection consists of: bones (bare and painted), coins, stones, shells, jewelry, twigs, buttons, animal teeth and other squabbles. The only rule I implement is that the item can be easily gathered and (safely) tossed without breakage or injury (save your razor-blades and glass shards for witches’ bottles!).

Collecting the Bones and Bobbles

Most any small bones will do, though its recommended that you use bones that haven’t been cooked, as cooked bones have a tendency to get very brittle – especially in the case of chicken, which is quite common. In my collection I have a number of different animal bones: most are chicken, but I also have some raccoon and possum bones, as well as teeth and claws. I built a “base” of bones, but am continuously adding or replacing as I see fit.

A short list of “Bones” I like to include – most of which serve as my “base” bones:

Self Bone – used for the reader

Other Bone – used to represent another person or the person you are reading

Magic Bone – represents the need for or use of magic

“Evil” Bone – malicious or hateful acts, disadvantageous behavior

Love Bone – represents romantic love

Male Bone – represents male fertility, masculinity, sexuality or a man

Female Bone – represents female fertility, femininity, sexuality or a woman

Health Bone – represents physical or mental health

Wealth Bone – represents financial standing or monetary issues

Family Bone – represents familial connections or a family member

Fate Bone – represents destiny and your lifepath (I use a shell for this: open side up means an event can be altered, destiny is not set in stone; open side down, this path must be walked – prepare in lieu of fighting)

“Key” Bone – (I actually use a small key) which represents the key to any given situation, the remedy or problem at hand and its cause

This list is by no means comprehensive and I have many more bones in my collection with more menial meanings. This is simply a small list of options to be added to and adapted by whosoever casts the bones.

Reading the Bones

There is no right or wrong way to read the bones, there is simply your way and their way. Below I will dictate how it is that I do a general reading – again, this is just an example of one way, take and adapt to fit your own unique style or tradition!

Begin by collecting your bones into your hand. I keep mine in a leather pouch, but don’t like to toss them directly from the bag as it doesn’t allow for much control – i.e. the bones fall out either in a massive, unreadable pile or they fly out in such a scattered way nothing is close enough to read. Throwing them from the hand allows for a rather contained casting, and one that can be read easily. I do not include the Self or Other bone, instead, the Self Bone is placed before the caster and the Other Bones is placed either in front of the person you’re reading for or simply in the middle of the casting area. When reading for yourself, place the Self Bone in the center and discard the Other Bone.

Throw the Bones. This can be done on a square of cloth on which a circle (or any number of complex shapes) has been drawn or simply upon a flat table. If throwing in a circle, discard all bones that fall outside of it. These bones are null for the reading, though they can also be read as “far from the person’s mind/current situation.”

Interpret the Bones. This is done by noting the location and connection of the bones present. For instance, note the Love Bones proximity to the Other Bones and the Male Bone. This could be interpreted as being the male love of the querent – but if the “Evil” bones is introduced, this could symbol ulterior motives or a hostile or explosive relationship. Read based on both their proximity to the Other Bone – the closer, the higher priority the matter is – and their relation to one another. It’s very much like investigating a big puzzle, putting it together piece by piece to form a comprehensive understanding of their life or situation. Also not their relation based on the third dimension: x bone seems to be overlapping y bone – is the x issue eclipsing an underlying problem or truth represented by y? It depends. Only through practice will you find clarity.

Convey the message. I always like to spend a few moments making a variety of “hmm” noises when reading for others – it builds up their anticipation. Or you can throw in the occasional gasp or snarky smirk. Their responses are usually hilarious – even more so when yours are genuine! If you are reading on your own, it may be a good idea to sketch out a general map of the readings as opposed to taking a picture as often bones overlie others, which makes for a rather misleading photo representation. You might also find jotting down notes rewarding, especially in synthesizing a cohesive read.

Once you’ve garnered all the information you can from that particular toss, feel free to specify: take the bone/situation you wish to examine and toss the rest again over it/them, reading the others through that particular lens. I.E. Who is this person mentioned? What are their qualities? What is the nature of this love? What magic is being referenced here? Follow that rabbit hole as far as you wish, building your understanding.

Do not be afraid to adjust your style! Want to narrow down a time frame? Make a sort of timeline with the bones. Wish to determine the source of an ailment? Shape the bones into the form of a body. I find the bones allow for far more creativity and ingenuity than cards. And above all – TRUST YOUR GUT.

Photos: These are photos of my “base” bones when I first started reading; since then they have probably doubled (if not tripled) in number and do not incorporate my other animal bones, claws or teeth.