How To Write Your Own Spells

Common herbs and spices

Source - The Little Book For Modern Witches by Astrid Carvel

Basil - prosperity and inner strength

Parsley - fertility and honesty

Bay - wisdom, foresight, strength, and good fortune

Cinnamon - love, comfort, power and success

Black pepper - purification, inner strength, and protection

Sage - cleansing and protection (my own note - white sage is for specifically closed cultural practices so please bear this in mind and be respectful in your craft)

Oregano - health and happiness

Cardamom - love and friendship

Chilli - passion, virility and inspiration

Rosemary - purification, positivity and memory

Thyme - concentration, and business success

Allspice - compassion, luck and healing

bit of a rant

TW: mentions of cults/toxic behavior

the biggest thing that I see when folks bring up physical shifters/nonhumans/mythicals are cults or toxic people/behavior. yes, there will be the few that are shitty individuals or people that hurt/traumatize others. but I think that people fail to see that in or outside of this community, those shitty people exist anyways. in fandoms, clubs, groups, out on the street, etc. the demonization of individuals who are physically nonhuman is extremely harmful and unnecessary. the real problem is the individuals who actively hurt others, not the community as a whole. you take multiple bad experiences and cast it over the entire community, how is that acceptable or fair? why do you fail to see the bigger picture, the entirety of us? isn't it easier to be open minded, to realize that there will be horrible people all over in the world and not just within pshifter spaces? and yet you decide to focus and target us.

you don't have to like us, you don't have to understand us, but we were standing beside what we now know as modern therians and otherkin years ago (those who don't believe in being physically nonhuman). we were a part of therian and otherkin groups regularly. we were a part of your spaces, and I'll never let you forget it. you don't have to like us, but that doesn't give you the right to demonize or erase us.

this is why learning about history is important, this is why being able to archive things is important, this is a part of why I've made it my own personal job to make a timeline and collect information geared towards physical nonhumanity; so that we may never be erased. your hatred will never erase us, and you'll never silence our voices as long as we live.

Music Magick

Music has long been recognized as a powerful tool for evoking emotions, altering consciousness, and connecting with the divine. In the realm of witchcraft, music can be used to enhance rituals, set intentions, and amplify energy. Here are some ways to incorporate music into your magickal practice:

• Listening to specific songs to help you get in the right mood and mindset for the spell/ritual you're going to perform.

• Creating/charging sigils.

• Magickal choreography (casting spells by dancing).

• Use music to guide a meditation, or meditate on the song itself, its meaning, and what emotion it represents.

• Using beats/rhythms to induce a trance state.

• Sing your incantations.

• Keep music on in the background while doing your craft or studying magick to raise your vibration and improve your results.

• Audiomancy; divination through music (ie: specific lyrics or songs playing at synchronistic times).

• Create playlists for/with the deities and spirits you work with. This can be used as both an offering and an invocation.

• Listen to angry music while doing baneful magick to amplify your rage.

𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞

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What is Beltane?

Beltane is a fire festival celebrated on the night of April 30th into May 1st in the Northern Hemisphere, and around October 31st into November 1st in the Southern Hemisphere. It marks the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, honoring fertility, passion, and the sacred union between the divine feminine and masculine. Traditionally, it signals the beginning of the light half of the year, a time of growth, abundance, warmth, and blooming life. Beltane celebrates freedom, love, lust, creativity, and the return of life to the natural world, bringing with it new, flourishing beginnings. May 1st is a day of joy and play. After a harsh winter, it becomes a celebration of renewal, of aliveness, and of nature’s wild rebirth.

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The History of Beltane

The name Beltane comes from Old Irish Beltene, meaning "bright fire" or "The fires of Bel". Some people link it to the Celtic god Belenus, a solar and healing deity, while others have drawn comparisons to Baal, a fertility god, though that idea is debated and not widely accepted.

Historically, Beltane was celebrated in Celtic regions, most notably Ireland and Scotland, as a pastoral festival. Bonfires were lit on hilltops, and cattle were driven between two of them to protect them from disease and ensure fertility. People would jump over the flames, not just for luck, but as a way to connect with sacred fire and invoke fertility, health, and courage for the coming summer season.

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Beltane and the Fairy Realm

Beltane is a liminal time, one of the two key points in the year (along with Samhain) when the veil between our world and the Otherworld grows thin. While Samhain leans into the realm of spirits and ancestors, Beltane belongs to the fae.

It is said that on the eve of Beltane, the Fair Folk wander freely, drawn to laughter, music, and offerings left with care. In many old traditions, people avoided disturbing fairy mounds or sacred groves during this time, choosing instead to leave gifts like milk, honey, or sweet bread beneath hawthorn trees. These offerings were meant to honor the fae, invite blessings, and protect against mischief.

Wearing a crown of bluebells on Beltane Eve is said to help one see the faeries, as bluebells are sacred to them. A ring of blooming bluebells is also believed to be a favorite gathering spot for garden faeries.

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Beltane and the Hawthorn Tree

Few trees are more sacred to Beltane than the hawthorn. Often called the “fairy tree” in Irish and Scottish folklore, it is said to guard the entrances to the Otherworld. Blooming right around May 1st, its soft white-pink blossoms carry the energy of protection, love, and the unseen.

In Celtic tradition, hawthorn trees were deeply respected as portals to the realm of the fae. During Beltane, it was common to tie ribbons or small offerings to the branches while making heartfelt wishes, not demands, but gentle hopes whispered like prayers. Damaging or cutting a hawthorn tree, especially during this sacred time, was believed to bring terrible luck or stir the wrath of the Fair Folk.

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The Sacred Fire

Fire is the central symbol of Beltane. The festival’s original name literally refers to Bel’s fires, honoring the sun and invoking purification and fertility.

Traditionally, two large bonfires were lit at Beltane, and people, along with their animals, would walk, dance, or even leap between them for blessings, healing, and protection. In some regions, ashes from the sacred fire were scattered over fields to encourage fertility. Couples, especially newlyweds, often passed hand-in-hand through the smoke as a symbol of unity and renewal.

The fire wasn’t just a ritual, it was a living spirit. Lighting it the old way, through friction rather than matches or lighters, was seen as a sacred act, calling upon the raw elemental force of nature itself.

Even today, many Beltane celebrations honor this ancient custom through bonfires, candle magic, and fire rituals. You don’t need a blaze on a hilltop, even a single flame, lit with intention, can carry the sacred spark of Beltane into your home and heart. :D

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The Maypole

The maypole is one of the most central symbols of modern Beltane celebrations. Though it has roots in English May Day traditions, it’s been beautifully woven into Beltane for its rich symbolism of life, fertility, and union.

The tall, phallic pole rising from the earth represents the God, masculine energy, vitality, and the spark of creation. The colorful ribbons and flowers spiraling around it, often held by dancers weaving in circles, represent the Goddess, the womb, fertility, and abundant life. Together, they form a sacred spiral: a dance of harmony between the masculine and feminine, of earth and sky, movement and stillness.

As dancers move around the maypole, their steps create a living mandala, a spell in motion, tied with laughter and bright ribbons.

The dance itself is a celebration of harmony between forces, of weaving ourselves back into the rhythm of the land.

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Beltane x Handfasting

Beltane is also a favored time for handfasting, a traditional pagan betrothal or wedding ritual where a couple’s hands are bound together with ribbons, cords, or braided threads to symbolize their union. In ancient times, a handfasting ceremony could last for a year and a day, after which the couple had the choice to stay together or part ways. Today, many modern pagans choose Beltane as a powerful and romantic time to make such commitments, drawn to the fertile energy of the season. Handfastings are often held outdoors, in nature, near fire, under blooming trees, or surrounded by loved ones in sacred space. The vows exchanged during these rituals can be traditional or deeply personal, as the magic of the ceremony lies in the heart connection and the intention to walk beside each other, bound by love and commitment.

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Magic Correspondences

Planets: Venus

Season: Midpoint between spring and summer

Element: Fire

Time of the Day: Noon

Tarot Cards: The Strength, The Lovers, The Sun, Three of Cups

Colors: Green, Red, Pink, Yellow, Purple, White, Sky Blue, All Pastel Colors

Herbs: Mint, Rosemary, Thyme, Ivy, Nettle, Sage, Basil, Juniper, Clover, Mugwort

Fruits: Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Bananas, Lemon, Cherries

Vegetables: Cucumbers, Carrots, Garlic, Lettuce, New Potatoes

Crystals: Emerald, Bloodstone, Rose Quartz, Carnelian, Red Jasper, Green Aventurine, Moonstone, Fire Agate

Runes: Kenaz, Wunjo, Ingwaz

Trees: Hawthorn, Elder, Willow, Birch

Goddesses: Artemis, Diana, Brigid, Aphrodite, Flora, Gaia, Hera, Astarte, Venus, Juno, Freyja, Epona, Bastet

Gods: Pan, Cernunnos, Belenus, Dionysus, The Green Man, Bacchus, Priapus, Faunus, Eros, Ra

Dragons: Sairys, Fafnir

Flowers: Lilac, Bluebells, Daisy, Lilies, Foxglove, Lily of the Valley, Marigold, Tulips, Violets, Primrose, Peony, Poppy, Honeysuckle

Animals: Frogs, Swans, Cows, Deer, Squirrels, Sheep, Ducks, Cats, Bees, Rabbits, Swallows, Leopards, Lynx, Hares

Magical Powers: Love, Sex, Fertility, Protection, Cleansing, Transformation

Symbols: Maypole, Ribbons, Phallus, Bonfire, Flowers, Faeries, Sex, Floral Crowns, Frogs, Celtic Knots

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Activities to do:

🌸 Make flower-shaped biscuits

🌸 Do candle magick

🌸 Find a local hawthorn tree and make a wish to the faeries

🌸 Wear flowers in your clothes, hair, or as bracelets

🌸 Leave offerings for faeries, as this is the season when they’re most present, you can leave them honey, milk, or biscuits

🌸 Go out for a walk in nature and feel the arrival of summer

🌸 Make a fire in the yard and dance around it (only in safe circumstances, of course); if you don’t have resources, you can light candles in your room (again, be careful)

🌸 Eat anything with oats, as it’s associated with Beltane, such as oatmeal, oatcakes, or other oat-based foods

🌸 Do a tarot or rune reading in the morning of Beltane

🌸 Take care of the trees in your yard or nearby by watering them

🌸 Honor all deities associated with fertility

🌸 Practice faerie magick

🌸 On the morning of Beltane, open your windows or door to warmly welcome the energy of the sabbat.

🌸 Make a Beltane magick jar

🌸 Water your flowers

🌸 Listen to music and dance :D

🌸 Celebrate life, fertility, love, and union

🌸 Take care of your garden, plant seeds, clean dried leaves, and prepare for summer

🌸 Make special Beltane treats

🌸 Casting your circles with oats around this time of year is also a good idea, as oats are a traditional Beltane grain for good luck

🌸 Have a picnic with your loved ones, or organize a gathering with food and grilling

🌸 Honor your ancestors

🌸 Place decorations in your garden

🌸 Plant a tree with any intention you want and take care of it

🌸 Draw runes and specific symbols on paper and burn them

🌸 Do self-love activities

🌸 Practice sex or love magick

🌸 Look for hawthorns in your area and honor them with water and offerings for faeries

🌸 Make a maypole

🌸 Collect flowers

🌸 On the morning of May 1st, wash your face with May Dew or natural spring water

🌸 Connect with the fire element

🌸 Read about the fair folk

🌸 Have a bonfire with your loved ones

🌸 Place ribbons or colored thread in trees with intentions for each, you can use color magick to attract what you need in your life right now (pink for love,

🌸 Meditate

🌸 Make flower crowns and wreaths

🌸 Perform spells for fertility, purification, and love

🌸 As this is a day of love, if you are of an appropriate age, comfortable, being sexually active is part of the celebration

🌸 Buy seeds and plant them in your garden, welcoming the growth of new life

🌸 Create a Beltane altar

🌸 If you don't have a maypole you can dance around your favorite tree <3

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Food and Drinks:

Oats in all forms (oatmeal, oat cookies, oat bread, oatcakes, bannock), strawberries, blueberries, honey, whipped cream with oats, strawberry biscuits, oat and honey bread, blackberry pie, lavender cake, cheese (including Swiss), seasonal potato dishes, fresh fruit salads, tomato and cucumber salads, dairy or plant-based milks, vanilla-flavoured foods, ice cream, grilled food, BBQ, spicy dishes to honor the fire element, May Day wine, white wine, regular wine (with a strawberry placed at the bottom of the glass if you wish), tarts with cheese, mayonnaise.

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this is who youre asking to work 40hrs per week btw

Say. This. Louder. 👏👏👏

Very much wolverine today.

Li'l vent, though. Disclaimer: This is not directed towards a specific individual, blog, Discord, chatroom, or whatever, but rather to whomever it applies to.

I'm thinking about the physical nonhuman discourse. I hate how my identity is a discourse topic. I realize that a lot of non-physical nonhumans will speak about us as though we don't even exist or never directly to us.

Don't get me wrong, I really do love the supportive posts, but I feel like an afterthought that's only brought up when there's discourse or when it's convenient for someone else to use physical and nonhumans as a "gotcha".

Like, especially outside of Tumblr, our "defenders" still don't understand us. A lot of the time, there's this assumption we are all "I identify as x mentally or spiritually, so therefore I am x physically." That is not how I experience my physicality or biology because I was BORN this way. My genetic code is of my holotypes. I literally have nonhuman body parts. It's again watered down so they can digest my identity and my simple state of being. Exhausting.

If you really stood by us, you'd understand that we are all diverse. We are as diverse as any other non-physical nonhuman. If you want to support us, talk about us outside of the discourse and outside of conversations where you have to butt-in that we exist and leave it at that. We are beings, too. We exist, yes, but we are more than just. "Yeah, they exist too." We are more than discourse topics.

Because no,

P-shifters aren't the manipulative, cult-like, evil beings like some of yall make them out to be. If anything, I've only ever seen p-shifters on this site in recent times be persecuted against on this site.

Holotheres don't think they are better than you simply because they are nonhuman in every way.

Clinical zoanthropes shouldn't have to fucking double bookkeep every two seconds to make you happy. You're basically saying they should be uncomfortable in order for you to be comfortable for something they can't control. You're ableist. Full. Stop. Generally delusional nonhumans don't owe you the ability to double bookkeep either.

We are more than just a hypothetical. We are more than a topic. We are more than an afterthought. We are nonhuman. We deserve nonhuman spaces just as much as any other. I hope anyone and everyone who drives us out is proud of themselves. You want more than to drive us away. You want us gone entirely. You want us "cured".

This rant is primarily directed towards bigoted and sanist nonhumans, and especially non-physical nonhumans.

From a nonhuman with a lot of "weird" and "scary" labels. Stop excluding us. Stop backing us into a corner until we give up. Stop trying to push insecurities onto us. We are literally just living our lives. Our spaces aren't catered towards sanism and humans. It just isn't.

I hope this came out worded properly. This is NOT HATE against a specific group, but more of... resentment. I feel resentment towards non-physicals in the nonhuman community who feel the need to push us away because some of us have delusions, have more uncommon/"weird" identities, or have abilities they don't understand. I don't even interact with most therians because I feel unsafe around them. They've likely been taught to dislike p-shifters such as myself. They associate me automatically with cults, manipulation, and other messed up shit. I just have the ability to physically shift, bruh. I haven't thought about starting a cult or teaching vulnerable people how to shift just because of that. :/

Hey! Wolf shifter here.

How do you know if you’re developing at a slow or fast rate after the awakening? When does the awakening finish? Is it after p-shifting?

Thanks!!

hello again!

I think in my opinion, "awakening" just means self discovery, and it depends on each person as to how short or long the process takes regardless if you've achieved some pshifting progress, whether that be a fully complete shift or not, but I assume that once you shift completely and see/feel your true form, that this is probably when the self discovery or awakening phase of your journey starts to close bc then you can see what you are for certain. I'm sure for some folks this might not be the case though because everyone is different and has different experiences/paths to take.

as for development, I'm not sure how to answer? if you're actively working on shifting or growing extra limbs you're bound to see more progress than someone who takes a lot of breaks or doesn't put in much effort, if that's what you mean.

10 Things About Our Life as Traditional Witches That Seem Fictional

1. Our talismans disappear into thin air when we no longer charge them with incantations. Not stolen. Not misplaced. Disappeared.

2. Our tarot cards are fiercely loyal to us. When someone touches my decks without my permission, bad things happen to them.

3. We have a standing order for vengeance against people who do or say malicious things to us. We don’t need to cast a curse each time.

4. We make difficult deals all the time. That’s why manifestation is safer than sorcery. It doesn’t require you to give anything back for a wish.

5. We cannot go a week without eating native food. It would weaken our ties to our lineage. Our magic would stop working.

6. We can decide not to pass on our gifts to our children. Sometimes they have the wrong temperament, or are too weak to handle it.

7. There is a hierarchy that emerges naturally. Even if there are some who are older than me, they will call me “Ate” (elder sister) if I am more powerful than them.

8. We can try to learn a craft, but if it’s not meant for us, we will fail. Likewise, we can ignore a craft all our life, but if it’s meant for us, we will shine in it anyway. By craft, I mean divination, healing, spells and the like.

9. We recognize other people who have supernatural powers. It’s not as vulgar as seeing a light above them or seeing a shadow tailing them. We just know. So far, for me, it's never someone with Zodiac sign tattoos or moon earrings. At least in my country, magical people don't make it their personality.

10. We subtly talk about the craft to those who don’t believe, because a part of them always wonders. And that faith — no matter how faint — helps feed our magic.

just a PSA to ALWAYS RESEARCH HERBS/PLANTS BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN YOUR BODY

did you know that st john's wort can induce serotonin syndrome? which is life threatening (and very painful!!) btw

did you know that red raspberry leaf can worsen hormonal imbalances and irregular menstrual cycles?

did you know that ginger (yes!! that ginger!! the one that's in every other tea recipe out there!!) can thin your blood? which can be life threatening for people with certain conditions

and there's so much more this community as a whole should be aware of, especially when considering herbs to consume or apply to the skin

the resource i use most often is just this wikipedia article, although you should do individual research just to double check

i don't make this post to try to induce widespread fear of herbal remedies/a good ol herbal tea now and then, im just saying that not everything natural is good for you, and sometimes modern medicine is right. always consider consulting a physician before self-medicating or trying potentially harmful substances

"I can't connect to nature because I live in a city" Incorrect.

"I can't connect to nature because I can't travel" Nuh-uh.

"I can't connect to nature because I-" Wrong.

Anyone can connect to nature. Please, remove the mindset that nature is something *out there*. Nature is all around you.

The dandelions peeking through pavement cracks, the birds you don't notice on your windowsill, the brambles in the alleys, the storms and sunshine.

All of this is nature. You are surrounded by it. Notice it, learn about it. Write down when you notice the days getting longer, when more butterflies appear and when ripen blackberries ripen. Connect to the nature that lives outside your window, just past the boundary of your front door.

Watch nature documentaries, build a small windowsill garden, let the spider in your room corner stay for a while.

Connection is not determined by proximity, but by effort.