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common outdoor items & their uses

a guide to common outdoor items and their magickal uses.

acorns- luck, protection, wisdom, power

walnuts- healing, protection, self care

pinecones- fertility, masculinity, growth, nature

pine needles- cleansing, healing, strength, banishment

pecans- employment, protection, success, abundance, prosperity

grass- growth, learning, healing, new beginning, grief, recovery

maple leaves- feminine, travel, change, decisions, healing

oak leaves- truth, justice, knowledge, steadfastness, protection, guidance

birch leaves- protection, cleansing, fertility, purification

dandelions- calling spirits, divination, healing

dandelion seeds- divination, wishes, manifestation, dreams, luck

dandelion leaves- defeating negativity, steadfastness, growth, purification

2 leaf clovers- love, luck, courage, cleansing

3 leaf clovers- protection, luck, fidelity, divination

4 leaf clovers- spirit work, luck, psychic ability, attraction

5+ leaf clovers- wealth, luck, attracting money, sanity

wild clover flowers- animal magick, blessings, breaking curses, luck, love

apple seeds- love, secrets, knowledge, gateways, divination, prosperity

tree bark- protection, binding, banishment, cleansing, purification

rocks- many rocks have crystals hidden inside, the most common is quartz types. if unsure, rockcs can represent strength, stability, protection and banishing. if you suspect its a crystal, look it up and discover the correspondences that matter to you!

will add more as i can, feel free to add your own!!

Orriculum’s Spell Masterpost

updated 10/4/2017 - a masterpost of several smaller masterposts, of nearly 300 different spells organized by type / intent / occasion, plus other resources

all links under the cut because holy fuck this post is still very long

Keep reading

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

Low Effort Witchcraft 💤

one of the largest misconceptions in witchcraft is that you constantly have to be doing huge elaborate rituals and spells that take lots of preparation

💤 emoji spells. they might feel ridiculous, but posting them somewhere safe or texting them to yourself or a friend can be a nice little boost

💤 don’t have the energy to create a sigil? sigilscribe.me creates them when you type in your intent

💤 music. perhaps you don’t have the energy or time to dedicate to writing your own chants for a spell. music can both add energy to a spell for you, and have the words you wish to use.

💤 your daily rituals have power to cleanse. from brushing your teeth to washing your hair, even clipping toenails. little moments of self care can be magical if you do them with intent

💤 scented soaps can be used in place of herbal baths if you have neither the time nor energy to do a full on bath. 

💤 stir drinks in clockwise to increase a quality, and counterclockwise to decrease something. 

💤 choose drinks or food with correspondences, and each bite has intention. 

💤 sleep with your tarot deck, shuffle the cards. doing so will help bond you with the cards, even if you don’t have the energy to do a full reading. 

💤 hold onto your favorite crystal, whether its wearing it or keeping it in your pocket. a little energy work can go a long way to keeping you magic in shape

💤 if you enchant your makeup on a good energy day, you can use those enchanted objects every day after. 

💤 if you need a curse but don’t have the energy to perform anything elaborate, the evil eye works in a pinch.

💤 cleansing an area can be a heavy task, setting up the herbs to burn or spritzing salt water can be more effort to prepare than it should be. ringing bells to cleanse and area works just as well. 

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. 

Spell for good grades

What you’ll need:

orange candle

mint (leaf or oil)

green piece of jewelry or clothing (to keep on you)

needle (or something to carve the candle

Carve your name into the top of the orange candle, and an “A” on the side. Rub some mint oil on the sides of the candle, or rub the leaves on the candle. Put on your green piece of jewelry, or clothing, or a green stone can work too. 

The color orange, when burned is to help bring about desired results. Mint brings good luck, and help to make you more alert because of the sharp smell. 

Burn the candle until your name is melted off the candle and get the image of you holding an “A” paper in your hand while it melts. Put some mint oil on the clothes, or jewelry, or stone. Wear these on test days, or quiz days. 

How to Enchant Items

To enchant an item is to infuse it with magickal energy. This energy can come from a variety of sources, including planets, crystals, herbs, or even yourself. 

Some individuals use the words “enchant” and “charm” synonymously as a way to describe the process of infusing something with energy, but for the sake of this post and due to my own beliefs, you enchant something and it then becomes a charm. Alternately, a charm can be something with its own innate energy, like a crystal or herbal amulet. 

The process of enchanting is extremely versatile and there are many ways to do it successfully, so long as you keep your intent clear in your mind. My personal preference when it comes to enchanting items is to allow 12-24 hours (overnight or a full day) for the item to be infused with energy and become a charm - although, this is completely left up to the individual spell-caster. 

Here are a few ideas on how to enchant items, in no particular order:

Surround the item with crystals of corresponding intent

Surround the item with herbs of corresponding intent 

Place the item in a jar filled with herbs that represent your intent

Place the item in front of a candle and meditate on your intent 

Anoint the item with an oil, charged water, or crystal elixir of corresponding intent 

Hold the item in your hand(s) and visualize it filling with the appropriate energy 

Hold the item in your hand(s) and speak your intent aloud

Craft a sigil or symbol to keep near the item in an envelope or sachet

Write your intention on paper and keep in an envelope with the item 

Pair the item with a corresponding runestone or tarot / oracle card in an envelope 

Take the item and put it in a box with other items that represent your intent such as crystals, herbs, talismans, amulets, etc. 

Bury the item in soil with herbs and/or crystals that match your intent (please don’t put salt on your lawn though, unless you want dead grass)

Pass the item through incense smoke that matches your intent 

Spirit Work 101:

I wanted to do a quick safety guide to spirit work (been wanting to do this for a long time, tb). 

Around Halloween, it becomes a favorite hobby of everyone, and while I think spirit work is an awesome way to enhance your craft, I also think you need to take it incredibly slow. Here’s some tips that I use, and I would advise for those of you who’re delving into spirit work to use as well:

-Protection: This applies to yourself and your space. Often I wear protective jewelry and meditate before I begin spirit work. I put myself in a mindset where I’m in control of what’s going on, so that I know who I’m talking to or who I want to talk to.

-Be specific: Don’t just call out to random spirits. If you don’t have a name in mind—that’s find. But specify that you want good spirits entering your space—and only good spirits. If you’re not used to spirit work, asking for any spirit to come through the veil can attract negative spirits.

-Say goodbye: You must say goodbye to the spirits. This is something I practice daily, because they do and will linger around if you don’t! even if they are good, maybe it’s not something you want. Good can also be scary.  And thank them for their time as well.

-Banishment: This is essentially telling a clingy spirit to leave if they haven’t already.  There is a variety of different ways to tell a spirit

-Cleanse: Cleanse your space afterwards just to ward off any remaining energy. This isn’t quite the same concept as banishment, as with banishment you’re dealing with an entire entity. But, with every ritual you do and every entity you invite into your space, left over energy can stay and build up. So, you’ll want to cleanse it. this too can be done a variety of ways (I have cleansing crystals with me, so I usually skip this step).

-Choose a safe means of communication: Basically, if you are a beginner DO NOT use the Ouija board. I might be biased against it, but I also know that the tool can be used correctly and yield amazing results. However, because many beginners using it don’t do so correctly (and there’s a terrible culture attached to it), I advise you to try safer methods. Consider a pendulum, dice, and automatic writing. Or even the safest form (imo), mediation.

any means of communication can turn out badly if you don’t know what you’re doing though. 

-Ask for the intercession of other spirits: In general, before you begin spirit work, look for a spirit that might help you. this can be your guide, your ancestors, or a religious deity. Now if you’re all trying to do spirit work on Halloween, you probably going to skip this part because it can take a very long time. but perhaps instead of reaching out to random spirits on Halloween, use it as a time to find a spirit companion.

-Use things to safely enhance your experience: My go to is selenite! Others have different things, just stay safe and healthy!

Also just do your research! Feel free to ask around. Tumblr is one of the largest collections of witches I’ve ever seen on the internet so please, please take advantage of that!

If I have anything else to add, I’ll do so later on! These—again—are all based on personal experience, but if you have any questions about anything ask me. I also invite others to add their own opinions and suggestions! Being rude won’t be tolerated!

Actual everyday "witchy" habits

I've seen some lists around the website, but they're too fancy for me. Here are things I actually do everyday.

🌱First thing, open all the blinds for the plants.

☕Put cinnamon in my coffee filter (not in the cup itself, it blends better this way).

📿Wear 2 charms currently. One for general soothing & protection, the second to find a new job.

🃏Bring some magical item with me, like cards, potion, crystals, herbs, book. Even if I don't use it, it keeps my mind at a better place.

🌳Take the path with the most trees. I try to take the path that will provide me with more nature & sunshine, to & from work.

📜Try to learn one thing. Either I scroll witchy media or read a page or two. It's usually one small new fact.

📔Easy journaling. Journal entries of only a few lines, multiple times a day. One thought, one entry.

No pressure. Also drink water 🥤

tip jar

Before and after-spell checklist

I remember being a baby rat that would ddrive her head into spells on the first sign of the house being empty. Hint: the aftermath of spellcasting knocked me out of balance for a couple of days. Don’t do as I do, do as I say, kids. I am a chaotic creature, but you don’t have to be one as well!

Before spellcasting:

Ground yo ass

Cleanse the space

Gather things for your circle

Prepare everything you need

Check in with your energy levels - if you feel a bit tired, chances are that the spellwork will leave you drained

After spellcasting:

Close your circle

Put everything away

Cleanse your space AND yourself

Ground if you want to

Practice self-care (drink water, eat food, contact a friend, take a nap and relax)

Things above will help you not waste unnecessary energy. Grounding might even give you a tiny boost! However, these things work for me and my craft. If yours is different (which I firmly believe it is), that’s great! You shouldn’t feel like you need to emply everything I’ve said into it!

This was a short post, but alas, it is a done post. Happy casting, yall. I love you

-Mama SwoonSwoon