I View Witchcraft In The Same Way That I Do Vitamin Supplements. Vitamins Can Help Boost You Up If You’re

Resources of Interest for Early Modern Magic in England & New England (circa the 1500s to 1800)

Primary Sources

The Key of Solomon. I’ve heard a lot of good things from several ceremonial magicians, including @thedesertgod , that the edition to go for is Skinner’s. He’s compiled, edited, and added scholastic commentary to The Veritable Key of Solomon, as well as The Magician’s Tables. Joseph Peterson, also recommended, has worked on The Lesser Key of Solomon and the Clavicula Solomonis (or Key of Solomon). I probably would read it in its original Latin, if you have the means. 

Agrippa, Cornelius (false attribution). The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy. 1655. Stephen Skinner also worked on an edition of this book. Unlike the actual Agrippa’s original three books, this volume does not hold much in the way of theory but offers plenty of practical instruction.

Casaubon, M. A True and Faithful Relation of what passed for many years between Dr. John Dee…and Some Spirits. 1659. As a record of the seances held by Dr. Dee and Kelley, it recounts the techniques used to conjure spirits. 

Chamberlain, Richard. Lithobolia. 1682. One family’s account of witchcraft perpetuated by the fetch of a neighbor.

Culpepper, Nicholas. Complete Herbal. 1653. It provides a comprehensive description of the herbs, along with their medicinal uses and instructions on preparing them to treat illnesses. 

Culpepper, Nicholas. The English Physician. 1652. The first medical guide published in the American colonies (apparently), it is intended for the average person. 

Defoe, Daniel (assumed). A Compleat System of Magick; or, The History of the Black-Art. 1727. As a skeptic, like Reginald Scot, this anonymous author (who we’re pretty sure is Defoe) provides much information on the work of witches, conjurors, and cunning-folk. 

Hale, John. A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft. 1702. After the Salem witch trials, he challenges the legal proceedings and religious principals of witch hunts in general. 

Magnus, Albertus (false attribution). The Book of Secrets. “Provides a portrayal of the magical culture that predominated in the 16th century. This work includes secrets which are divided into five distinct parts: Of the Virtues of Herbs, Of the Virtues of Stones, Of the Virtues of Beasts, Of the Planets, and The Marvels of the World.”

Mather, Cotton. Memorable Providences. 1698. Having fanned the flames of the Salem hysteria, this book discusses several witchcraft cases in New England before the Trials arose.

Mather, Increase. Cases of Conscience. 1693. Intended to vindicate the Mathers’ involvement in Salem, it was intended to prove that witches and devils could assume the shape of an innocent person. 

Scot, Reginald. The Discoverie of Witchcraft. 1584. By attempting to debunk witchcraft as a hoax, it managed to record a good cross-section of their formulae. 

Turner, Richard. Botanologia The Brittish Physician: or The Nature and Vertue of English Plants. 1664. Another guide to British herbs and medicine, by an astrologer, occultist, and botanist.

Modern Accounts

Davies, Owen. Cunning-Folk: Popular Magic in English History. Hambledon and London, 2003. 

Demos, John. Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England. Oxford University Press, 2004. 

Godbeer, Richard. The Devil’s Dominion: Magic and Religion in Early New England. Cambridge University Press, 1989. 

Merrifield, Ralph. The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic. Batsford, 1987.

Semmens, Jason. The Witch of the West: or, the Strange and Wonderful History of Thomasine Blight. Semmens, 2004. 

Thomas, Keith. Religion and the Decline of Magic. Peregrine, 1978.

Weisman, Richard. Witchcraft, Magic, and Religion in 17th-century Massachusetts. University of Massachusetts Press, 1984. 

Wilby, Emma. Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic. Sussex Academic Press, 2005.

Witchy Lavender Milk Tea

Ingredients:

1/4 Teaspoon Lavender

Freshly Boiled Water

1/2 Cup milk of your choice (cow milk, goat milk, almond milk, whatever)

1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Honey (If you don't have raw honey, purified will be fine)

Instructions:

Pour your boiled water into a mug, leaving plenty of room.

Put the lavender into a tea strainer or tea bag, or leave it loose. Place it in the mug. While this is steeping, pour the half cup of milk into a saucepan/milk steamer/whatever.

Warm it on medium heat until it starts steaming, stirring constantly. While you stir, sing a lullaby of your choice (or use a sleep chant; whichever you prefer). I sing "Lullabye" by Fall Out Boy or "A Twist In My Story" by Secondhand Serenade.

Once your milk is steamed, add the vanilla to it. Remove the lavender from the tea and stir in as much honey as you want. Keep in mind that lavender is very bitter, so you will need at least a tablespoon.

Finally, add the milk. Stir it in and enjoy!

Had a realization

Oorlog is the relationship of cause and effect in Norse belief. Causes and effects weave in and out of each other to create the Web of Wyrd, or the web of destiny.

Oorlog is the yarn, the Wyrd is the total knitted project.

Loki is a trickster who operates as an element of random chance in Norse stories, inciting change and movement.

Loki’s name means “knots.” Now I know why.

Small things you can do for Yule 🌲✨

Decorate your Altar with Pine cones, Holly leaves and Pine leaves 🌲

Wear winter colours of dark greens, Black, Grey and Maroon.

Grown indoor plants during the winter🌱

Cleanse your space with Musky incense and candles and be fresh for the colder months ahead ✨

Use various nuts in cooking for any correspondenses in your kitchen Witchcraft

Cook veg stews (or meat) with herbs to keep you warm ✨

Put birdhouses in your garden to keep the birds warm and feed them seed 🐦

Do some winter inspired make up looks and outfits with your glamour spells ❄️✨

Fighting Consumerism in Magic

aka, little things to distance your craft from capitalism

Let’s all just admit that buying stuff is fun. That said, there’s a big issue of consumerism within the witchy/pagan scene. As magic work and the pagan “aesthetic” becomes more of a commodity in the mainstream, there’s a mounting attitude of needing All The Items in the highest quality (even if we’re not certain we’ll use them,) and big corporations mass-producing cheap stuff to make a buck off of a growing trend. Here’s some things you can do to help detach your practice from that and support other people in the craft:

Go outside. Check your backyard or local park for local plant life, waters, roots, etc. If your work involves things from nature at all, you can probably find a lot of your supplies… in nature. It takes a little more time, but it’s free and then you’ve gathered stuff yourself! 

Make stuff. This one is pretty straightforward. There may be key items to your practice that you can make yourself instead of buying it! That said, I know sometimes spending money is inevitable so I won’t dwell too much on this… let’s talk more about shopping:

Shop mindfully. The price of a lot of items will skyrocket once it has a pentacle or other symbol engraved on it. For example, little mortars and pestles can be very pricey in witchy shops, but you could probably get a bigger one that’s actually food safe for less at a nice grocery store. Antique stores and international markets are now your new best friends.

Support small businesses! Things are cheaper on Amazon, but the extra money goes to support real people, likely other practitioners. If you can, supporting small, local, independent shopkeepers and crafters does a ton of good. It also helps build and sustain a local community. 

Shop based on need. Don’t get something “just in case” (unless it’s banishing or hex breaking stuff; those are decent to have on hand.) It’s tempting to impulse-buy a ton of niche items and ingredients, but unless you have a reasonable idea what you’re going to use them for in the near future, it’ll probably just create clutter for you to deal with later.

Prioritize effectiveness over aesthetic. Ultimately your practice has to work for you, not just look good. I think making your work aesthetically pleasing to yourself can be an important part of really connecting with what you’re doing, but don’t make that desire burn a hole in your wallet and distract you from what brought you to this path in the first place. Altar envy is a real thing. 

Recycle/Upcycle. Use old clothing fabric for an altar cloth. That old trinket dish makes a great offering dish. Enchant jewelry you already own. That jar of strawberry jelly you just finished off will work just fine for that spell. Things can be re-purposed and made into new things.

Analyze your offerings. Special occasion wine isn’t a special occasion if you do it every time. Not every offering needs to be a grand gesture, regular maintenance is more important generally.

Organize trades. Have any pals that also practice? See if you can help each other! You could trade different goods (that old mini cauldron you bought and never used for that abandoned tarot deck, maybe?) but also services. A protection spell for a luck charm. A reading for a reading. You help them with the laundry and they cook you a meal one day. 

As always, the goal is to foster a local community of individuals doing honest work, and shedding the consumerist mindset society taught us to make us spend more money. Take up the idea that you can do magic completely on your own with what you already around you, and if you do want to spend money, see if you can do it in a way that helps the world a tiny bit.  :) 

~𝕚’𝕞 𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕣 𝕟𝕠𝕨~ 𝕒 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕘𝕠𝕒𝕝𝕤

most people have goals they wish to acomplish, but have something stopping them from doing so. i personally struggle with anxiety and self doubt. hopefully this helps you to not only achieve your goals, but do so with confidence.

✹ you will need ✹

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp of dried yarrow,

1 tbsp of marjoram

matches or a lighter

heatproof bowl

a piece of charcoal

✹ steps ✹

✹find a place where you feel comfortable. face the south. ✹put your charcoal in your heatproof bowl and light it. ✹put the bay leaves, yarrow, and marjoram into the bowl. ✹place your hands above the bowl as if you’re warming them with the flame. ✹while the contents of the bowl are burning, close your eyes and think of the goals you wish to achieve. ✹say: give me strength  give me courage give me the confidence i need to flourish  as my blood runs through me let others see that i will not falter on my path to succeed ✹you can wait for the contents of the bowl to burn all the way or you can put out the flame when it feels like the spell has been completed. 

well i hope every one reading this has an amazing day, and i hope this helps you guys out! good luck everyone! :)

Locket Balm

Disclaimer: I am not a pro at this, this just worked for me.

You’ll need:

a locket

a teaspoon lip-balm (unscented)

candle/beeswax (unscented)

a drop of essential oils (or use scented lip balm/wax)

Warm the lip balm up until it melts (don’t boil!), add a few drops heated wax and stir. Add a drop of an essential oil you like. Carefully pour or scoop the mixture into the locket and let it cool.

Use for grounding (dab the balm on your skin, focus on the scent etc.). I found it also works as a lip balm.

Hope this is helpful! Cheers, V🌿💫

Pasta Shapes Correspondences

I love to make meals with pasta and sometimes it can be good to slip your intention in with the very shape of your pasta pieces and not just the toppings.  Here is my list of personal correspondences and uses, feel free to use them!

Acini di pepe- This is pasta in tight tiny balls- For temporary spells

Agnolotti- Little pasta parcels- Gifts, money

Alphabet pasta- This is pasta that is in the form of letters- Writing, studying, research

Anelli- This is pasta in the shape of small rings- Bonding, relationships/friendships

Calamarata- This pasta resembles squid rings- Good for hiding/invisibility glamours

Campanelle/Gigli- This pasta is in the shape of a frilly flower- Relaxation, tranquility, peace

Casarecce- The name of this pasta is from the Italian word for ‘homemade’- Family, warmth, hearth magic

Conchigle- This pasta is made in the shape of a shell- Communication, sea magic, water magic

Crest di galli- Pasta shaped a bit like the pipette but had a frilly edge like tripoline on top. I had it a lot when I was very young and I think looks like the Loch Ness monster- Imagination, creativity

Elbow Macaroni- I think this pasta looks like rainbows- Welcoming, affection, bonding, comfort, hope

Farfalle/Farfalline/Corbatta- This pasta is in the shape of butterflies- Transformation, renewal, changes

Fusilli/Cavatappi/Rotini- This pasta looks like a corkscrew- Celebrations, festivals and holidays

Gemelli- Means ‘twins’ in Italian but many think it looks like a unicorn’s horn- Good for fae work

Lanterne- Though the name means ‘lantern’, I think they look like waves- Sea magic, turbulance, change

Lasagna- Flat sheet like pasta- Protection, safety

Linguine/Fettuccine/Pappardelle- These are all flat, ribbon-like pasta shapes- Beauty, self love and acceptance

Maltagliati- Meaning ‘badly cut’ as it is made from scrap and left over pasta- Resourcefulness, creativity, adaptivity

Mezza Luna- This pasta is shaped like crescent or half-moons and is stuffed with meats or vegetables- Lunar magic, celebrating points of the lunar cycle

Nuvole- This pasta is shaped like little clouds- Good for weather magic

Orecchiette- This shape is named after ears- Communication, understanding, listening

Penne- The name of this pasta means ‘pen’ in Italian- Writing, long distance relationships/friendships

Pipe/Pipette/Lumache- These all look like closed ended pipes or snail shells- Good for slow acting but stubborn spells

Radiatori- This pasta is named after radiators!- Warmth, affection, friendships

Ravioli- Little pillows stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables- Dreaming, rest, good sleep

Rigatoni- Wide and ridged tubes- Memory, retaining information

Rotelle/Ruote- This pasta is shaped like wheels- Safe travel, exploration

Spaghetti/Angel Hair/Bucatini/Vermicelli- Thin lengths of pasta- For long-lasting spells

Spighe- This pasta looks like an ear of cereal- Harvest, fertility, plenty, money

Sorprese- Meaning ‘surprise’ in Italian due to not having filling and they resemble fortune cookies too- Luck

Stelle- Often given to children and are shaped like stars- Adventure, discovery, finding spells

Tagliatelle- Little nests of flat ribbon pasta- Hearth magic, family, affection

Tortellini- Little stuffed rings of pasta- Bonding, relationships/friendships

Tripoline/Mafalda- Both are frilly edged long pastas, but tripoline only has one frilled side and they look like jellyfish tentacles- Good for curses, banishing

Trofie- Twisted up pasta- Reliving stress, relaxation

Vesuvio- This twirled pasta has a flattened and domed end and is named after Mount Vesuvius- Destruction, power, good for curses

Ziti/Tubini- Smooth sided tubes- Forgetting, fading, disappearing

This list is not for every single pasta type, just types I have came across and have used and think I will use/make in the future. Please, if you have an interesting pasta shape, add it on!

Witches type

Source IG: @waterofwhimsy

Spell to calm anxiety down

This spell was made to be super quick and simple, I hope it helps people the same way it helps me.

You’ll need one lemon, a way to heat the juice, and a white candle

• Press 1 lemon and heat the juice. • Place the candle in front of you and light it. Breathe in and out and focus on your anxiety. • Hold your drink before your eyes and concentrate on pouring your energy in it. (Optional) Say: “I hereby banish anxiety from my body and mind for these are mine and no one else’s.” • Drink the hot lemon juice. • Simply watch the candle burn for a few seconds, visualize it burning your anxiety away, then blow the candle.

This also works for emotional shocks.