The Trees You Grew Up With Have Not Forgotten You. Their Branches Still Whisper Your Name In The Breeze

Herbs and Flowers Magic Properties(tbc)

Rosemary - memory, anxiety, sleep, cleansing, purifying, learning, healing, love, lust, protection, wisdom, mental power

Turmeric - healing, strength, vitality, purification, abundance, joy, prosperity

allspice - healing, energy, love, luck

pepper - courage, protection

sage - health, immortality, longevity, protection against negativity, protection, purification, wisdom, wishes, anxiety

bay - divination, good fortune, healing, anxiety, money, prosperity, peace, protection, happiness, purification, love, tranquility

oregano - peace, love

parsley - protection, power, strength, lust, purification, prosperity

garlic - protection against evil eye

cinnamon - aphrodisiac, passion, love, luck, prosperity, success, spiritual vibrations, energy, purification, healing, protection

cayenne - healing, removing blockages, protection, strength, motivation, courage

clover - fidelity, protection, love, money, success, animal protection, luck

pine - health, healing

nutmeg - money, prosperity, good luck, protection, psychic abilities, happiness, love, health

cloves - healing, love, friendship, cleansing, protection, abundance

thyme - health, courage, eliminates nightmares, attracts loyalty, affection, psychic abilities

ginger - energy, speeding things up, love, prosperity, success, power, healing

mint - avoid jealousy, dreams, protecting, prosperity, joy, fertility, purification, love, success, lust, travel, money, luck

chamomile - love, healing, stress-relief, calming, sleep

lavender - purification, concentration, love, healing, sleep, dreams

jasmine - divination, innovation, attraction, dreams, love, beauty

mugwort - psychic powers, protection, lust, fertility, prophetic dreams, divination, relaxing, tranquility, banishing, consecration

peach blossoms - luck, prosperity, romance, love, passion, affection, harmony, peace, health, longevity

peony - protection from hexes, luck, prosperity, business success, attracts fairies

rose - divine love, self-love, friendship, healing, domestic happiness, lasting relationships, closeness with nature, divination, tranquility, harmony, psychic ability, spirituality, protection, luck

lemon grass - openness, communication, clear mind, love, luck, libido, psychic abilities, calming

chrysanthemum - longevity, mental clarity, optimism, protection, solving mysteries, soothing grief

pink Himalayan salt - purification, grounding, abundance, prosperity, self-love, cleaning, growth, protection, peace, calming

palo santo - cleansing, positivity, good fortune, creativity, love

sweet orange - optimism, charisma, confidence, restoring aura, attracting love, fertility, abundance

bergamot - protection, purification, calming

ylang ylang - sexual attraction, persuasiveness, peace, love, anxiety and depression relief, fairy magic

geranium - prosperity, happiness, healthy pregnancy and fertility

eucalyptus - purifying, cleansing, good health, protection, negativity

sandalwood - calming, anxiety, purification, protection, healing

anise - peace, tranquility, awakening of psychic awareness, luck, spiritual connection, psychic and magic power

jojoba - healing, protection, purification, grounding, meditation, love

frankincense - cleansing, energy, uplifting, inner peace, balance

peppermint - mental clarity, prophetic visions, success, prosperity,

cedarwood - love, growth, longevity, psychic powers, healing, money

tea tree - cleansing, protection, uplifting, energy, memory, love

vanilla - sex, calming, good luck, love, empowerment, happiness, growth

catnip - beauty, happiness, attraction, love, friendship

book recommendations pt. 1

i read,,, a lot of books. and with a special interest in this shit that means i have a considerable amount of books that are just witchcraft/paganism related. ofc, not all of these are going to be the Best options out there, i know that it's much better to get your information from a primary/secondary source or academic study, but i'm working with what i have and what i know how to get access to. if you have any recommendations or addendums to these, let me know! i'd love to hear what yall have to say.

THE WITCHY BOOKS

sigil craft: teaches you the basics of creating your own sigils using existing imagery, alphabets, and your own creativity

encyclopedia of magical herbs: honestly just a great resource to have for any witch. i'd say any herbal magic book is a must have for a witch

don't wanna buy the book? here's a great alternative!

crystal, gem and metal magic: another must have imo!! i prefer this book to the crystal bible because that book/those books spend a long time on chakras, whereas this book is more concerned with things like astrological associations and cultural contexts

don't wanna buy the book? here's a post i made that has some basics

enchanted tea time: love this book, it was honestly such a good find. tbh though, i wish there was more clear warnings about some of the ingredients, and some of the recipes like the lucid dreaming ones could have a more thought out presentation

don't wanna buy the book? here's a post i made that's similar

the complete book of incense, oils and brews: another great book by scott cunningham (honestly i had no idea how much of a shill i was for him until now), but it's probably not a must-have, especially if you're not very crafty or already have an herbal grimoire and a good youtube tutorial

guided tarot: it is so important to me to have a book like this, because no matter how many little guidebooks and online guides i looked through, NONE were as detailed and accurate as this. i personally prefer this book the most out of all that i've seen, although it could have more information on reversed cards tbh. i prefer this book to seventy-eight degrees of wisdom cause that book has some weird overlapping ideas of qabbalah, although i do recognize it's very well written and thought provoking

just some good spellbooks!

I had the fortunate experience of working in a tea cafe for over 8 years while finding my footing in my craft. Tea has become such an integral part of my practice, and it'd be super rad to open my own witchy cafe and metaphysical shop someday 🖤

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.

Devotee vs Worshipper vs Deity Work

Hello, I am a Devotee of Inanna, a worshipper of the Mesopotamian Pantheon, and am working with Lady Ereshkigal.

This is my opinion on the differences between the three, but ultimately, it is up to the practitioner how they wish to describe their relationship with their deities.

The point of this post is not to tell anyone what they can or cannot do, it is to give newcomers a general idea of the differences between these titles.

I am not going to talk about Godspousal as I know the barest of minimums about this relationship, it is 100% valid, and I respect this relationship, but I am not going to discuss something I know nothing about, that's how misinformation spreads. If you are Godspoused feel free to share your definition in the reblogs/replies and I will add them with credit!

Devotee

You are devoted to this deity. You perform acts of devotion to them daily (or near daily). Think of this similar (not exact) to having a life partner/significant other(s). You can have more than one, and you can be a Devotee and still worship/work with others. As a devotee of Inanna, I talk to her daily, give offerings, and do devotional acts as often as I can.

Worshipper

You honor this deity/group of deities frequently. Not necessarily every day, but frequently. This is more of a friend relationship, you see each other often, but talk frequently, but they're not your spouse. As a worshipper of the Mesopotamian pantheon (and the Forgotten) I leave offerings on a regular basis and say prayers to them about once a week.

Deity Work

This deity is helping you in your practice. They are providing you guidance in an area of your life. This is your teacher/mentor relationship. As someone working with Lady Ereshkigal, she is aiding me on my journey to reconnect with my ancestors and helping me with the transitional periods I'm currently going through. I give her offerings often to thank her for her help, and I talk to her daily, but not nearly as much as I talk to Inanna.

Thank you. Again, this is my definition and understanding of these relationships. By no means is this to say that if your relationship is defined differently that it is invalid, but when I was first seeing these terms I was very confused.

I hope this helps anyone out there who was also confused.

Okay now that I got the bitchiness out of my system a bit, let's see if I can write a bit on """"rules"""" of witchcraft as I would like to see them.

Stop bitching about other people's practices and focus on your own. If you spent a lot of time worrying or raging about how other people practice, how will you ever grow your own? Focus on yourself and your own power and let other people do their thing.

Other people's practices are inspiration, not goals. On the flip side, if there is someone who you look up to, or someone's practice you love seeing, take it as inspiration for your own, but don't look it at as a goal to achieve. Firstly, what people share online is not the whole of their practice, and secondly you're not them and their path is not yours.

Be curious. Why are people harping on "black and white magic"? Why are Starseeds bad, but Alienkin and Starkin are fine? Why is cultural appropriation such a bad thing? (If you answered "because racism" on all three of these, have a cookie!) And not just curiosity about these concepts, but also about correspondences (Why are red roses a symbol for love?) or ingredients you have in your home (will this basil work as well as rosemary for this spell?) or other paths and techniques, or spirits, or -- you get the point. Once you know the "why" you can use your own discernment. Does this work for me? Do I agree with the why? Etc. etc.

Be respectful -. To other people, to other practices and cultures, to spirits and deities. Find out their customs and cultures if you can, and act accordingly. Did you know that not saying "thank you" to the Fair Folk is only a custom in Irish and Scottish folk tales? Yeah, exactly.

-But don't be terrified. You're a witch/wizard/warlock/unicorn/whatever dammit! Act like one! Witchcraft is about empowerment, so be fucking empowered! An anarchy saying is "no gods, no kings, no masters". As a polytheist witch who works with the Fair Folk for me it's more "lots of Gods, some Kings, no masters!" I meet them with respect, but on equal footing. I experiment because if I screw up, well, I'll have learned something, and I've learned a lot about getting myself out of weird stuff.

Have fun. For fuck's sake, your practice is supposed to bring you joy. If it doesn't bring you joy or make you feel fizzy with inspiration and energy, try something else. If you need to, toss the whole thing out and start over. Trust me, it helps.

How to Write Your Own Spells

There are lots of ways to create spells, from planning everything to the minutest detail ahead of time to absolutely flying by the seat of your pants in the moment. If you'd like to write your own spells, either for use in your craft or as a creative exercise, here are some suggested steps that I use in my own practice:

1) Determine the intent or goal of your spell. Decide, first and foremost, what you want the spell to do. Refine your goal if necessary and try not to be too nebulous. Your intent tells the spell what it's meant to do. A more focused goal may increase the chances of success.

2) Determine how you want the spell to manifest. Decide how the spell should work and what the result should look like. This is a good time to build in a sign of success, especially for spells that may not work in an obvious or visible way.

3) Determine what or whom the spell will affect. If the spell is to have a target, be it a person or a place or an animal or an object, decide what that should be and how they or it will be represented in the casting.

4) Determine how long the spell is meant to work. If your spell is timebound or has a deadline, decide what that will be. If the spell is meant to work long-term, you may want to check in and refresh it from time to time. (Not every spell will be timebound. Many spells will simply expire when they have fulfilled their purpose or if they are blocked or circumstances are not favorable.)

5) Determine the timing of the spell, if applicable. Not everyone uses celestial or astrological timing for their spells, but if you do, look into the prevailing conditions and decide on an advantageous time for your casting. (Please note that magical timing can only enhance your spell and casting something on the "wrong" day will not necessarily cause it to fail.)

6) Determine what methods and materials you want to use to cast the spell. Decide how you're going to go about performing the casting, whether you're doing a ritual or making a charm or just using energy. If you're going to need a ritual space or physical components, plan that out and make sure it fits with what you want to do.

7) Determine the words, if any, which will empower the spell. If you want to include a prayer or a petition or a song or an incantation with your spell, decide what that should be. This is not strictly necessary and the words need not be spoken aloud. (Rhyming incantations are not required, but if you prefer them that way, you can certainly do so.)

8) Prepare the materials for casting the spell. Get all your necessaries together ahead of time. Make sure you have everything you need, that tools and components are in good and useable condition, prepare your workspace, and make sure everything is within easy reach so you don't have to stop and search for things in the middle of your casting. (And for goodness sake, if you're working with open flame, observe fire safety and tie your hair and sleeves back.)

9) Finalize details and perform the casting. When you're ready to begin, try to eliminate as many possibilities for distraction or interruption as possible. Go over your spell and components one more time, then proceed with casting the spell.

10) Record the particulars for future reference and to determine how well the spell worked. Make a record of the spell, including your goal, how it should manifest, the words and components used, the date of the casting, the casting method and procedure, and how the casting went. If there are any additional details or observations that seem important, include those as well. This will serve as a useful learning tool in the future and will allow you to check your work if the results make themselves known.

It's useful to write spells from time to time if the inspiration strikes you, in order to better understand how they fit together and how they work. Plus it's a fun and creative journaling exercise and recording the spells you cast a great way to measure your progress later on.

For additional tips on writing your own spells and helpful tricks for using timing and available materials to your advantage, check out my podcast, Hex Positive, Eps. 006-007, "Come In For A Spell, pt 1 & 2."

More Witchcraft Exercises Here

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Happy Witching! 🔮✨

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. :/

Hi! Fellow werewolf p-shifter here. I have a few questions if you don’t mind!

Have you ever heard of a user named Sheangel before?

Do you believe in multiple awakenings and further development of being a shifter/were? As in what’s called a “growth phase”?

Thanks!!

hello!

that name sounds familiar, but I don't personally know them or know anything about them. I might've heard that name before from somewhere, but I can't recall from where! sorry about that!

also, I think to some extent, yes, I think that "growth phases" or further development in someone's journey is expected, no matter if you are nonhuman or not. we're always figuring out who we are as individuals and I don't see why it would be impossible to have different phases or sudden personal growth spurts. I think I'm even going through it myself currently! I'm relearning a lot about my nonhumanity and what I feel connected to.

you're welcome, and if you (or anyone else) has any other questions or comments, feel free to add on ^^

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.