Latest Posts by forestwitchnika - Page 6

TAROT CHEAT SHEET #1

MAJOR ARCANA

0. THE FOOL | blank slate, beginning, innocence ®* | reckless, negligence, unaware of consequences 1. THE MAGICIAN | willpower, manifestation of desires ® | trickery, illusions, lies, out of touch w/ truth 2. THE HIGH PRIESTESS | intuition, inner voice ® | repressed/unheard inner voice 3. THE EMPRESS | mother figure, nurture, earth/nature ® | smothering, dependence, needing to let go 4. THE EMPEROR | authority, structure, control, father figure ® | tyranny, too much control 5. THE HIEROPHANT | tradition, conformity, morality ® | rebellion, subversiveness, divergence 6. THE LOVERS | union, duality, choice, harmony ® | disharmony, loss of balance 7. THE CHARIOT | self-control & willpower leading to victory ® | loss of control, lack of direction 8. STRENGTH | bravery, inner understanding that radiates power ® | self-doubt, insecurity, weakness 9. THE HERMIT | solitude, contemplation, seeking inner truth ® | loneliness, isolation, disconnect w/ fellow humans 10. WHEEL OF FORTUNE | change, cycles, inevitability ® | bad luck, helplessness, series of bad events 11. JUSTICE | cause & effect, karmic retribution ® | unpunished misbehavior, unfair, turning a blind eye 12. THE HANGED MAN | willing sacrifice, release of control ® | stalling, needless sacrifice, waiting to no avail 13. DEATH | end, cyclical closure, metamorphosis ® | fear of change, stagnation, limbo, holding on 14. TEMPERANCE | moderation, balance, middle path ® | extremes, excess, lack of balance 15. THE DEVIL | materialism, destructive patterns, excess ® | freedom, release, restoring control 16. THE TOWER | sudden disaster, upheaval, collapse ® | delaying inevitable disaster, avoiding suffering that could lead to growth 17. THE STAR | hope, faith, guidance ® | faithlessness, lack of guidance, negative thoughts 18. THE MOON | unconscious, intuition, illusions, dreams ® | confusion, misinterpretation 19. THE SUN | success, clarity, positivity, conscious ® | negativity, depression, sadness, pessimism 20. JUDGEMENT | reckoning, honest evaluation of oneself ® | lack of self-awareness, self-loathing 21. THE WORLD | completion, wholeness, fulfillment ® | incompletion, no closure, nearing end of journey but something is missing

*® = reverse card meaning*® = reverse card meaning

Tarot Cheat Sheet #1 - Major Arcana

Tarot Cheat Sheet #2 - Wands

Tarot Cheat Sheet #3 - Cups

Tarot Cheat Sheet #4 - Swords

Tarot Cheat Sheet #5 - Pentacles

Underworld Ariel’s Guide to…

Reading Pendulums

So, pendulums are a form of divination which many seem to shy away from as they cannot make them work. I won’t claim to know exactly what everyone means by that, because I’ve never really had that problem, but pendulums do take some reasoning with.

Pendulums can work through a variety of sources, again, that’s something you’ll need to ask your own pendulum for yourself, but one thing which applies to all pendulums is that they work via energy. Pendulums will use energy, from you and/or deities or spirits or however your pendulum works, and use this to divine answers. That’s an important note because if you don’t know how your pendulum is working, it may not be able to work to it’s full potential!

The first thing you need to establish is how your pendulum says yes and no because no two pendulums are the same. Simply ask! Do so twice over to really get the idea, then ask test questions. Here’s how my session with a new pendulum usually starts:

Which direction is yes

Which direction is no

Just to clarify, please swing yes

And swing no

So is my middle name G* (will swing yes)

And my dad’s name is F* (will swing no)

Am I X (yes question)

And Y (no question)

Doing a little session like this gives you the chance to see how your pendulum swings. If you use pendulum boards, this won’t be as applicable because it’ll respond via a board, but it’s still good to get an idea of how your pendulum moves freestyle.

One thing you’ll notice right off the bat is the change in direction is not abrupt. After asking a question, wait a few seconds, and you may notice your pendulum begins to swing a circle, before settling in a new direction. A circle can be “Maybe” to some pendulums, or “Can’t answer” and so on, but if it doesn’t settle on a circular motion, it is gaining momentum to swing a new direction.

I quickly made these gifs to give everyone an idea of how your pendulum may move. They’re a bit shaky because nothing was supporting my arm in these, haha!

For my pendulum, the gifs left to right show: yes, changing answer, no

(Full video for example)

In some parts of the gifs, you can see my arm shake a bit. Slight tremors and shakes doesn’t mean you can’t use pendulums, we all get them in some form! If your hand jolts, shakes, or moves, simply steady yourself again (re-ask your question) and wait on a clear answer.

Which brings me onto a big point: wait for an answer. Sometimes my pendulum is swinging a 180 degree answer at me, other times it’s practically non-moving, and some times it just means you need to wait for the energy to move it. You can also take the strength of an answer as part of the answer: mild, certain, strong.

And that basically sums up how to read a pendulum! It’s a lot of asking and checking. You can also make pendulum boards for answers which can’t be answered with just yes or no. Such board ideas include:

Number board

Letter board

Astrology wheel

Seasons wheel

Months wheel

Past, present, future triangle

The next thing is why you’re reading a pendulum. What is it you can ask a pendulum? Well, again, some don’t want to answer certain questions. You know when someone says their pendulum doesn’t like test questions? Just like that, some pendulums won’t be happy to answer certain things. Death questions, fatalistic questions, and invasive questions usually fall into that category. But there’s still so much more to ask! Some ideas include:

What species is your X past life

How many past lives have you had

Is Y a good decision

Will Z happen by H

Whatever your question may be, a pendulum can probably answer it in some way shape or form. Which brings me onto another thing: how can you use a pendulum? Plenty of ways! Here’s some methods I often find myself using:

Interrogative Pendulum

If I think I’ve been lied to or someone is trying to haze me, I grab my pendulum (and perhaps a friend also in that situation with a pendulum), I write out many questions around the topic, and I ask them all. Many will be very similar questions or slightly different wording, so that I can get as close to the truth as possible. This works best with another person also doing so, because when your answers align you know its more valid, and if they don’t, you can work out why. An example of a session may go like this:

Is E hiding something

Has E omitted the truth

Has E told 100% of the truth

Is E telling the truth about B

Is B fully accurate

Is B actually X

Is B actually Y

Is B affected by Z

And so on. Take your situation and tear it into multiple tiny chunks, then ask all your questions. Write down each answer, then once you’re done, you should have a better idea of the full story.

Estimation Pendulum

This is just using a pendulum to arrive at a number. I do this in past life readings. First, I intuitively feel a number, or I am told or see a number or an idea. Let’s say it’s how many lives you’ve had. I then do big grouped numbers, e.g. “Has D had more than 50 lives?” no, and from there I go down “40?” no, “30?” no, “20?” yes. Now I know it is over 20 but below 30. Then, try “more than 25?” no. “Has he had 24 lives?” yes. You get the idea. Big to small, finding the number by shortening the ranges as you get better answers.

Intuitive Direction

This one is very fun to do when you want a new and unique way to pull tarot or oracle cards, pick crystals, or almost anything. Let’s say it’s tarot. Lay out as many cards as you please on your surface, hold your pendulum over them, ask your question, and move your hand with its direction. It’s pulling left? Move your hand left. Follow it’s pull until it circles over a card. Simple, that’s the card answering your question! It’s nothing too serious, just like a physical intuition guide for those who may trust their own intuition a little less. I like to use this method when I’m having doubtful days.

There’s plenty of other wonderful ideas on how to use pendulums out there, like drawing out signs or letters, or carrying them into spiritually charged areas to sense spirit energy. However you wish to use your pendulum, however your pendulum works, there’s steps you can take to help center yourself and find answers more accurately or clearly:

Carry your pendulum around or put it under your pillow to help strengthen your connection

Talk to it as you ask your questions, just as you may do a friend

Take mild answers and ask questions which can clarify off of it, until you’re happy you understand the answer

Meditate and ground before a pendulum session

Draw tarot cards alongside each answer for more clarity

Spend time understanding your pendulum by writing about it in your grimoire

Be open because your energy affects your pendulum

Aaaaand that sums up my advice on reading pendulums! Your answers may not always be strong, but as long as you understand how your pendulum is working and what you can ask, your journey with it should be long and thought provoking.

Love, light, and everything bright 🌻

Spirits & Working with them

We are souls temporarily in bodies on earth. Our natural home is in the spirit world, often known as the “Other side”. Whether you realize it or not, We are constantly surrounded by spirits. They may be in human bodies (like ourselves) or “in spirit” form. Just like we have family and friends in this life, We have had other lives with relationships we have deeply cherished and nurtured. Certainly, there are other spirits we have known and loved in other lives that are “in spirit” here on earth. A spirit is nothing more or less than another person, They just don’t have a body. They really aren’t as mysterious or strange as they’re made out to be, I feel like spirits are really misunderstood. 

PROTECTION Ok guys, when i say they’re misunderstood i don’t mean every spirit out there is fluffy and sweet. Protection is absolutely the MOST IMPORTANT PART of working with spirits. Like i said, they’re nothing more or less than another person. They are beings, they have their own personalities. Just like with people, Don’t give out your information or be too trusting. Spirits can lie, Spirits can have malicious motives, Spirits can be tricksters and just yank your chain (ever gotten on a Ouija and seen ZOZO or MAMA or freaked bc it was doing something you thought was demonic or enabling the spirit to escape the board? Yeah, you were part of a big joke buddy. Spirits cannot escape the board, they aren’t in the board in the first place.). 

Ways to protect yourself:

-Wards, Physically or in the Astral Plane, where spirits typically reside or come from. Astral Projection is not something for beginners to attempt, You really need to know how to deal with and protect yourself from the beings in that plane. 

-Protection spells, amulets or talismans

-Sigils

-I have a special tea i brew for myself before spirit workings that is my blend of herbs to protect me and get me in the mindset for spirit work. I also suggest cleansing your energy, Maybe a cleansing bath and a smudge session and some meditation, Clean your energy so no spirits leech off of your negative energy or sense any mental weakness to attack.

-If you are scared, don’t do it. Spirits can smell it from 30 miles away, and will use it against you. Be mentally prepared, protect yourself. (I want to add i have never had any run ins with malicious spirits, But they DO EXIST. Most spirits are kind in my experience.)

COMMUNICATION

You are probably not gonna just be able to sit down and speak to spirits. (They can hear you, But thats listening and not communication.) I suggest picking up a form of divination, like pendulum, dice, or a ouija board to start. Do not Ouija alone if it is your first time and you are unexperienced. You will receive fragmented bits of conversation likely, and this is normal. Start out with simple yes and no questions, and eventually you will work your way up to normal conversation with spirits. It takes time to grow these skills. When i first started i was pulling out my Ouija nonstop!!! Spirits mostly communicate in tattered words, pictures and emotions. Its good to practice energy work, Sensing the kind of energy spirits are bringing in. This way you’ll eventually be able to tell the difference between a malicious spirit and a kind spirit just by the energy its giving off. PRACTICE, Keep growing your skills. 

INTERACTING WITH SPIRITS

Communicating and meeting with local spirits is the easiest way to start off. 

A lot of people start off with nature spirits, they are much more patient than other beings. I suggest sitting in a forest or by a creek and seeing who wants to talk, but sitting on your back porch with your plants can be equally as successful. I didn’t start with nature spirits specifically, but they likely were the ones who came thru. Very patient and kind, even noting that my dog (who was wanting to come outside with me, but my patios very small and she’s very big) was being loud. 

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TALK ABOUT!!

Don’t worry, Here are all the ideas. Its nice to let the spirit share experiences with you, Keep in mind spirits have been around for a very long time, some since the beginning of time, and have experienced many things. I’ve heard some very cool stories.

Let me hear a love story

Show me a song from your people

Tell me something you’ve done that you are proud of

Tell me a little about your culture

Tell me your story

Do you have any jokes you can share with me?

What is your advice for me?

Who is the your peoples leader?(this can help you distinguish a timeline on when they were alive/where as well)

Is there anything about Human Culture you have questions about?

Do you speak more than one language?

SPIRIT WORK TIPS

Don’t give out the name that is the most important to you.

The ‘color’ of an energy doesn’t mean it will align with your own color meanings.

Don’t share how you’re protecting yourself, It is not wise and can help malicious spirits find points of weakness.

Don’t expect to hear voices or see spirits clear as day. The stories told on tumblr may be embellished to add understanding, or might receive messages in a less clear way than presented

If you ever feel threatened by a spirits energy or sense a negative spirit, Tell it to leave loudly and clearly. Do not show fear, Do not back down. Repeat and increase your intensity if it doesn’t stop.

This post is all based on my opinion of spirit work, and is not fact. I love spirits and spirit work so much, and i hope you do as well. Enjoy the spirits, Make some new friends! Love & Light, @lapiscat

Grimoire/book of Shadows decoration ideas and ideas of what to put in them:

I struggle sometimes with what to write in my grimoire, so I thought I’d write a list to help myself and others :) and even though I keep my personal grimoire plain on the covers, I will include decoration ideas because not all people want theirs plain, and the decoration could also be for the inner pages :)

Decoration:

📖 paint the covers a colour or pattern that gives you energy

📖 a picture collage

📖 a pressed flower and leaf collage

📖 draw sigils, which are practical as well as pretty

📖 draw a pendulum or ouija board in your book, which is also functional as well as decorative

📖 washi tape borders, book marks and page keys!

📖 when writing in your grimoire, you can separate bits of information in boxes. Using coloured pens/pencils or patterned lines looks nice :)

📖 carefully paint the edges of the pages. I like it when this is done with metallic paint but the colour is a personal choice :)

Content ideas

✨ write a list of trees, types of animals, flowers etc that you feel a connection to if you think nature is important to your craft

✨ you could also do a list of objects in general

✨ write magical recipes that you like into your grimoire and what properties you feel the finished product has

✨ a list of your crystals and stones and what vibe they give off, and their properties

✨ write about solstices if you follow them

✨ when you do a spell, I recommend writing down your method and what result you got, for future reference. This way you can repeat the spell easily and it can be tweaked if necessary :)

✨ write about deities you have a connection to, if any

✨ write about your familiar if you have one

✨ If you feel drawn to a certain type of animal, you could write about what animal you have this feeling towards. It may be worth looking into getting one if your situation allows it! I believe that the animal I feel drawn to (more so after practicing witchcraft for a while!) could be a future familiar for me. For example you could write about how to care for them, whether they have any magical connotations, and name ideas if you think you’ll get one! :)

✨ tarot card spreads

✨ results of tarot/pendulum/ouija sessions

✨a list of sigils so you can remember them (they don’t have to be activated if they’re just for reference)

✨ if you feel drawn to a particular tarot card or one of your pendulums (if you don’t have multiple pendulums that’s fine! You could write about the one you have) write about it and how it makes you feel

✨ magical correspondences of herbs

✨ general information about the path you follow (or if you are eclectic, parts of each type that interests you :))

Obviously there is way more to write about and way more decoration ideas! Feel free to reblog and add ideas if you have any!!

𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖔𝖓 𝖈𝖔𝖑𝖉 𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌

Colds and illness are widespread during the coming months, especially with the temperature changes and the dampness in the air. Here are some magickal remedies for when you feel under the weather:

𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐒

🍁Ruby, promotes health and wellbeing, and nurtures the heart.

🍁Clear quartz, is considered the “master healer”. Stimulates the immune system and balances the whole body.

🍁Turquoise, holds benefits to our airways, our skeleton, and our immune system.

🍁Amethyst, enhances hormone production, cleanse blood, and relieve pain. It also aids to sleep and insomnia, and during times of sickness, sleep is even more essential.

↟ How do we benefit from these crystals? Well there are many ways. You can surround yourself with them, cleanse them, or carefully place in water for a few hours then take out and rinse yourself in the water. Check the crystal first, water isn’t good for all.

𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐒

🌿Chamomile, reduces headaches, softens the throat, and boosts our immune system.

🌿Eucalyptus, clears our airways and nose, and will also fights respiratory infections.

🌿Peppermint or Mint, cools the body in cases of fever, eases and prevents nausea.

🌿Ginger, prevents heartburn, clears nose, and eases our tummy.

𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑

↟Gargling warm salt water is a very efficient way to soothe the throat, and it’s a method many people use. But what many don’t realize is the connection to magick. Well, whilst salt is mostly used for protection, it can also heal, especially sea salt. By adding some sea salt to a cup of warm water and gargling it, your throat should feel instant relief.

↟You can also fill a small pillow with lavender, or purchase one. Lavender is wonderful for sickness related stress, and has antiseptic properties. You can gently place it on your head to reduce a headache, or on any other irritated areas. You can also either place it in the freezer or warm it up in hot water to help balance your temperature.

↟A trouble-free spell you can cast involves a lone candle (preferably black) and if you’d like to take it as step further, banishing oil of some kind. Burn the candle (anointed with banishing oil or not), concentrate, clear your mind, and proceeded to say aloud (or whisper if your throat is painful) the next chant:

“As this candle burns, so the illness turns. Melted like this wax, cut like with an axe. Remove and banished, all disabilities vanished. As my word you see, radiant health blessed be”

↟And lastly, rest♡

Methods for Spells

TO BIND- wrap in black thread, drip wax over, or seal in a jar and hide it in the dark.

TO BANISH- burn an effect to ash and sweep off the back door step, cast it out a window, or bury in the ground and spit on it

TO ENCOURAGE-  plant it by the front door/steps, bury by a window, or place it on a windowsill

TO HIDE- place in a jar painted black, cover with cloth and bury, or wrap with a ribbon

TO CLEANSE- bury it in a bowl of  salt, burn herbs and pass through the smoke, or lay it in a moonwater bath

TO GLAMOUR- leave under the full moon, hold its reflection over a mirror with herbs, or 

TO WISH- place before a candle and blow it out, drown a coin in water, or let seeds blow into the wind

TO COMMUNICATE- (with a spirit or deity) - anoint a candle, leave out offerings, or open the front doors and windows

TO WARD- leave part of the spell in four corners, draw lines around the protected area, or plant an object of projection in the north, east, south, and west edges

TO CURSE- spit on it, drag your nails down it, or stick sharp things in it

TO DISCOURAGE - plant or bury by the back door, or burn to ash

TO JINX- say it three times out loud, or say a word the same time as someone else

TO MANIPULATE - use wax, use poppets, or tie several strings to pieces of an effect

TO BENEFIT - light a candle, charge a crystal, or create a talisman