Riot Magic Tip: Coyote Bones And Coyote Powder Are The Shit For Rioters. Get Some Coyote Teeth Or Claws,

Whenever I feel in a witchy rut, like I don’t know what to do next, or simply stalled in my practice, I go back and re-read the Witches Sequence of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett.

Nothing will teach you more about witchcraft than Granny Weatherwax.

Some notes from my little witch kitchen

- Before cooking I always start with a spritz cleanse with a rose water/moon water blend. Light a candle and make myself a cup of tea. 

- Rock salt for grounding, sea salt before a journey or to get rid of feelings of being stuck in place. 

- I love to cook with the seasons. This one may seem obvious but at times it can be tough to do given the endless year round choice we get in super markets. Each set of seasonal foods matches the energy of that season, helping you to get in sync with the natural rhythms and flows of the year. 

- YOU DON’T ALWAYS NEED FRESH SPECIALITY HERBS TO DO KITCHEN MAGIC. I cannot say this enough, a lot of what goes into the food I make for my family are simple spices and herbs that you can buy for like 50p anywhere. I do have quite a large stock of less common dried herbs but these mostly come out when somebody is sick or needs an elixir rather than going in a casserole unless I’m making something a bit special for a festival or something. 

- Stir clockwise to manifest & anti clockwise to rid/banish/ other wise tell something to bugger right off. 

- pssst..I don’t make or bake everything from scratch all the time. I’m busy, I have class, I have a job, I have a dog, I’m supposedly a practising artist. I *do not* have time to laminate pastry every time I wanna make a puff pie on a Sunday. 

- An almanac is your best friend for figuring out whats’ in season & if you want a kitchen garden: when, how and what to plant/harvest etc. (it’s also nice to have it all on paper rather than googling every time). 

- I plan ahead as much as possible, I do a weekly meal plan and buy everything on Saturdays. I know my partners’ schedule and by extension, what this household is likely to need throughout a 5 day period. Huge important PhD presentation coming up on Tuesday? great, we’re having pumpkin risotto with bay, basil, black pepper & thyme on Monday night to set you up for confident delivery. Stressful meeting on Friday? No problem, Cumin infused tarka dal with homemade rosemary flatbreads to ease out of the working week and relax. 

- Kitchen crafting for me is all about manifesting love, care and warmth for my loved ones. Building connections & community through the sharing of thoughtfully, *intentionally* prepared food. As an anthropologist, I cannot over-estimate the importance of food/food making/food sharing to how people feel and experience their worlds.

- Cooking is alchemy, it is a vastly undervalued skill (because misogyny) and the ability to take a bunch of raw materials and turn it into a physically and spiritually nourishing feast is magic. 

(Image: cheesy macaroni casserole with nutmeg & tomato, seeded rolls & rainbow salad)

🌿  warm + nourishing // sausage, kale & leek soup 🌿

*makes 8-10 good sized bowls *i used homemade turkey broth (scroll back 2 see a recipe for easy spiced veggie broth), but u can also use water! *treated my sick self to organic pork belly, rosemary & red wine sausage from my local butcher shop - amazing and filled with good stuff! use whatever tho!! *for herbs & spices, assume 2 thumb-sized pinches unless noted! Ingredients // spices: black peppercorns (x2), 1 bird’s eye chili, coriander, rosemary, 2 cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, salt

-garlic, 5-10 cloves (rough chop)      -kale, 1 bunch (cut into rough ribbons)

-yellow onion, 2 medium (rough chop)  -leeks, 2 stems (cut into thin circles)

-brother, preferably homemade, or water (8 cups or more for brothier soup)

-1 lemon, zest and juice    -sausage, preferably local, ~1lb

Recipe // around one hour of kitchen + simmer time

*grind spices and add to large soup pot with a good amount of olive oil, a bay leaf, and the zest of a lemon. sauté on medium

*add garlic and onions, cook until translucent

*tear sausage into 1inch pieces and brown in pan. add a lil cider vinegar and the lemon juice, scrape up all the bits!! add salt!

*add leeks + kale, stir and cook until bright green, about 5 minutes. do you have enough salt? good question to consider here

*add broth or water (or a combination of both!). bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for at least 25 minutes. 

*enjoy :-)

my body and my spirit deserve nourishing, warm, and lovingly made foods. food is not my enemy, it is my friend and tool to connecting with the world around me. food brings magic into my life. to create and share food is a divine act.

Welcome to Witchcraft - A Post for Beginners

Witchcraft is a practice or a skill. It is not, in and of itself, a religion. It is not a faith (although some people may practice witchcraft in a religious sense). Anyone, of any religion, can be a witch. A witch does not have to be a Wiccan or even a Pagan. Though many Wiccans and Pagans are part of the witchcraft community, there are also many Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, and more.

A person’s personal craft is any collection of practices that they utilize to change their fate, see the future, get revenge, speak to the dead, heal the sick, and/or any number of other things that can be done through witchcraft. Witchcraft can (but doesn’t necessarily need to) include divination, herbalism/wortcunning, blessing, banishing, kitchen witchery, spirit work, cursing, gardening, spell work, ritual, worship, astral travel, trance, and much more.

*****

How Do You Become a Witch?

There is only one way to become a witch. Luckily, it’s very simple.

Step One: Take an interest in witchcraft.

Step Two: Start practicing witchcraft.

Step Three: Call yourself a witch.

Please Note: Steps two and three are interchangeable.

The great thing about witchcraft is that there are no rules. There is no big, white-robed Council to tell you what you can and cannot do. There are no punishments (beyond the legal consequences of outrageous things like human sacrifice; which is obviously not a good idea). Since witchcraft is not a religion there are no religious codes to tell you right from wrong. You don’t have to work with gods (though, you can if you want to).

Witchcraft is a practice. Therefore, the only laws and codes you have to abide by are the laws set down by your government, your individual religion (if any), and your personal code of ethics and morals.

Lots of things bring people to witchcraft. Sometimes it’s a book, a movie, or a television show. Sometimes it’s a childhood dream that they decide to go after. Sometimes it’s music. Sometimes it’s family members or a friend. I, myself, was introduced to witchcraft by my family. My grandparents on my mother’s side of the family (and some of their children) practiced witchcraft. My father, who had been a friend of the family since grade school, was also introduced to the occult through my grandparents.

In the witchcraft community, I have encountered people who were drawn to witchcraft through popular movies and books. I’ve met people who came to witchcraft because they dated a witch. I’ve even come into contact with a few people who accidentally discovered witchcraft while doing research for their own fiction novels.

In the end, it doesn’t matter how or when you started practicing witchcraft. What matters is that you did.

A Note About Communities

During your journey through the wonderful world of witchcraft, you will probably stumble into a community (if you haven’t already). Communities can be a great way to meet other people of a similar mindset, give and receive support, and bounce ideas around to help your craft keep moving and growing. And there are lots of ways to find community. There are websites specific to witchcraft and the communities that embrace it. There are corners of large blog sites where witches have made their online homes. There are forums, online groups, in-person groups, and countless other ways to meet other witches who may be experienced practitioners or just starting out. If you’re feeling a little insecure, a little uncertain, or a little alone, a peek into a witch-filled community is a good way to connect and perk up—but be careful.

With the sweet comes the sour. While witchcraft communities may be full of wonderful, experienced witches who can help and support you in your path, you may also happen upon the occasional Big Bad Wolf. Every community has its predators, and witchcraft communities are certainly no exception to that rule. I’ve been a member of witchy communities (both in person and online) for almost as long as I’ve been practicing; and I’ve come into contact with more predators and prey than anyone would ever imagine were lurking in the aisles between the spellbooks and Tarot cards. The types of predatory behavior can range from moderately manipulative to sexually sinister; so always be aware of the possible dangers involved in putting yourself out there.

How to Stay Safe In a Community

If you’re new to witchcraft or new to the idea of the community, I’m sure you’re feeling a little nervous now—but I don’t want you to feel that way! In fact, I wanted to put this note early in this post so that you, the reader, would be armed from day one with the some common sense ways to stay safe in a community setting. Here are just a few starting points:

Be skeptical. Skepticism is healthy in a setting that is based on the extraordinary. You don’t have to believe everything a person tells you. There’s nothing wrong with double-checking or doing your own research if you feel that something is just not right.

Beware of manipulative witches. Be careful around people who will use things like alleged past lives, divination, or grand claims to get what they want from you, or to get you to stick around.

Again, watch out for mentions of fate or destiny. As nice as it is to think that everything is planned for us, there are people who will use this against you.

Always think for yourself. In communities, we tend to desire a certain level of peace and harmony. All too often, this results in the community asking the individual to change their way of thinking to a non-confrontational, passive thought pattern. While that may not sound so bad, this leads to a think called group think or hive mind. Not only does this result in a lack of individual creativity, it also opens the door for Bigger and Badder Wolves (like shared delusions and cult mind).

Don’t let anyone force you into anything. It doesn’t matter how much more experienced they are. Again, always think for yourself. Make your own choices. Don’t let anyone pressure you into anything you don’t want. 

There are bullies, monsters, and predators in the world, but arming yourself with your individual thought and a strong resolve will help to protect you against them. 

its fucking dember.

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I hope it’s ok to ask, if not feel free to just delete, lol, but I was wondering how do you motivate yourself to do things with your craft? I’ve just lately felt comfortable calling myself a witch, but right now it seems like it’s in name only. It’s like I want to do things, but I’m just so tired after work I just sit and watch netflix. :/ Right now isn’t the best time, everyone who can work is over worked, but if you have any tips I’d appreciate it. Thank you for your time! :)

Keep in mind we live exceptional dire times, and cut yourself some slack. I don’t know what it is you are doing, but if you are one of these workers who are forced to be, as they call it, on the front line - whether you are a doctor, a postman, a driver, a cashier, a nurse... - then your mundane life sure must be hectic right now. That being said, if you are a proficient magical practionner as you claim to be, then I suppose you already know separating the mundane and magical parts of yourself and your life is delusional. They will, and they shall, overlap.

When you wake up in the morning, what offerings do you put out for your spirits - be it house spirits, land spirits, gods and allies ? What prayer and hymn do you whisper, what bond do you acknowledge and strengthen ?

What talisman, what jewelry, what oil or what charm do you carry into your purse, pocket, or about your persona ? What for ?

What blessings, what protections, what blastings and curses do you bestow upon yourself, your loved ones, your enemies, when the night is dark and the moon hiding ?

How do you keep your magical hygiene going, how do you keep your senses sharp ? How do you train your eyes to see beyond, in smoke, cards, dreams, bones or mirrors ?

What do you read in your downtime, what podcast do you listen to in the subway, on your way to and back from work, on your lunch break, and before going to bed ? Do you follow any course ? Do you look for the ciphers in the stars, the glyphs in the ground ? What omens do they portent ?

How often do you take a walk in nature, when is the last time a plant or animal taught you something ? When is the last miracle you performed just for the sake of it, just because it’s fun and exhilarating ?

Are you good with your hands, do you craft or create, do you brew, cook, weave, all in attunement with your practice ?

It is about making the time, not because this is something you should do, but because this is something you are. Magic is not always rituals and fireworks, no, it is about constance, it is about kindling and tending an inner Fire. So make sure those embers don’t die out, amidst the ebbs and flows, growths and recessions of power. There is a fine line between laziness and indulgence that we all must learn to walk, so do not coddle your weaknesses. Respect your tides, for we all wane and waxe, but ride them.

Building a Magical Home

One of my favorite quotes about the magic of homemaking comes from Cory Hutcheson, host of the New World Witchery podcast. He says, “Home is a transformational act. It is the thing you do to turn a space into a space… that is full of ritual and significance and meaning. So there is sort of this ongoing relationship you have with the space that makes it a home.”

The act of creating a home, of making a space your own, is inherently magical. But if you want to make your space feel a little more witchy, here are some ideas to get you started.

Charms and Talismans

Making your own magical objects can be a powerful way to bring magic into your space. The best thing about making your own charms is that you can make them look however you want, so it’s easy to disguise them as ordinary household objects. You can make a charm for any intention by combining objects based on their magical correspondences.

I’ve talked about protective charms in previous posts, so I’m not gonna spend a lot of time on it here. The simplest protective charm is keeping a large piece of iron under your bed to keep away nightmares, evil spirits, and negative energy. You could also make your own protection charm, like a witch bottle.

You can create a “happy home” charm to bring peace, harmony, and happiness into your home. This charm could include herbs like basil, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and/or bay leaves, as well as other items that you associate with peace and good fortune, like lucky coins, crystals, or black cat fur. Write your desires for a harmonious and happy home on a piece of paper, fold it up, and add it to the charm. You could store these items in a green bag, bury them in your backyard (in this case, make sure you’re only using biodegradable plant matter — leave out the coins and crystals), or place it inside a household object like a lamp or an end table.

If you suffer from insomnia or other sleep issues, try making a dream charm to help you sleep well and have sweet dreams. To make a simple dream charm, fill a blue or purple bag with lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and any other objects that you associate with peace, restfulness, and sleep. If you want to have lucid dreams or receive psychic messages in your dreams, include a bit of mugwort. Place the charm in your pillow or under your mattress. (I personally swear by this one, as it’s helped a lot with my insomnia.)

Charms are great for homemaking magic because you’re actually creating a magical object, which can then become a permanent fixture of the space.

Magical Decor

You can use magical items to decorate your home to bring certain qualities into that space.

Hanging or displaying a broom is said to bring good fortune, protection from evil, and good hospitality. Cauldrons are used to represent the Goddess, rebirth, and raw potential. Horseshoes hung above door frames bring safety and luck to all who cross under them, and keep unwanted guests away. If you can get them legally and ethically, animal bones, teeth, claws, and feathers can represent the spirit and energy of that animal. You can also put up images of spiritual and occult symbols — I have an image of the Sun tarot card hanging in my bedroom to promote positivity and growth.

If you need to be a little more subtle with your witchy decorations, working with the magic of color is a great way to do that. Gathering a lot of items of a single color in one room changes the energy of that room. Here’s a quick guide to give you some ideas:

Yellow is associated with divination, mental clarity, the element of air, success, communication, and inspiration.

Purple is associated with divine power, spiritual awareness, mystery, astral travel, magic, and authority.

Blue is associated with healing, psychic abilities, the element of water, peace, truth, and patience.

Red is associated with protection, the fire element, sex, power, vitality, and love.

Orange is associated with ambition, creativity, breaking through blockages, and career success.

Pink is associated with romantic love, friendship, self love, compassion, and emotional well-being.

Green is associated with nature, herbalism, the earth element, money, wealth, prosperity, and luck.

Brown is associated with grounding, animal magic, stability, and balance.

White is associated with purification, cleansing, the full moon, new beginnings, healing, and spiritual growth.

Black is associated with protection, truth, outer space, banishing, and transition.

Decorating your home with colors that are meaningful to you can create a powerful magical space. You may also have your own color associations (for example, yellow is a very “happy” color for me), so feel free to incorporate those into your decor as well!

Growing Magical Houseplants

Most witches feel a very deep connection to nature and draw power from the natural world, but we can’t all live in a cottage in the heart of the forest. Even if you live in a tiny apartment in the city, you can still bring nature into your space by keeping houseplants. Many popular houseplants have magical uses, and many popular magic herbs can be grown inside. Here are a few to get you started.

Aloe. This is one of my favorite plants. Aloe brings luck and protection, especially protection on an energetic/spiritual level. I like to keep aloe in my bedroom to protect me while I sleep, as well as to bring luck and inspiration while I’m working at my desk.

Basil. Basil is very popular in money spells, and will attract prosperity and luck to your home. However, it also has protective properties — both spiritual protection and protection from bugs, since basil is a natural insect repellent! Basil can also be used in love spells, and is just generally a good plant to have around for good vibes.

African Violet. This flowering plant attracts positive spiritual energy into your space. It has associations with the moon and the water element, and is very good for promoting spirituality and psychic power.

Rosemary. Rosemary is one of those herbs that every witch should have on hand. It’s so darn versatile, it can be used as a substitute for virtually any other herb, and can be used for almost any intention. Some of the most common magical associations for rosemary include: cleansing, purification, protection, healing, mental activity, and enhancing memory. According to author Deborah J. Martin, there’s an old English saying that, “Where rosemary grows, the woman rules the house.” Like basil, rosemary is a natural insect repellent.

Lavender. Lavender brings peace, love, and gentleness, which makes it a perfect addition to any home. It can be used in spells for cleansing and purification, enhancing psychic abilities, and stress relief. Lavender is also a powerful addition to love spells. Keeping lavender in the bedroom can aid in restful sleep, while lavender in the kitchen will bring harmony to the home.

Sage. Sage is the most talked about cleansing herb, and with good reason. Unfortunately, a lot of the sage bundles you can buy at metaphysical stores are made with white sage (Salvia apiana), which is sacred to Native American peoples and is endangered due to overharvesting. Instead of buying those, why not grow your own garden sage (Salvia officinalis), which has a lot of the same magical properties? Growing sage in your home will purify the space and protect those who live there. Sage also has an association with wisdom and mental prowess.

Hoya. Hoya is a common houseplant that you’ve probably seen even if you don’t know it by name. It has a distinctive appearance with waxy, dark green leaves and clusters of white, star-shaped flowers. Hoya aligns and balances the energy centers within your body, as well as in the surrounding space. It’s associated both with grounding and with spiritual openness, so it can be great for balancing the two.

Peppermint. Peppermint has a variety of magical uses, but my favorite way to use it is for gently opening up blockages and getting things moving. It’s great for cleansing, but is more gentle than rosemary or sage. Place it in any room where you tend to do a lot of healing work, or where you could use some peace and love. Peppermint is also used in dream magic, so growing it in the bedroom may bring on vivid or lucid dreams.

Orchid. Orchids are used in magic for love and lust. Historically, orchid has been used in folk medicine to promote male virility and “Jezebel root,” used in American folk magic to attract wealthy male lovers, is a type of orchid root. If you live with a significant other, try growing an orchid in the bedroom to promote passion in your sex life. Otherwise, grow orchids in your home to promote love or to attract romance.

Catnip. If you have cats, they’ll love this one. Catnip is actually a type of mint, and has strong lunar associations. It’s said to make one more charming and attractive, and is especially useful for attracting women. At the same time, catnip promotes courage and fierceness. It is also, of course, associated with cats and feline deities, so this is definitely a plant you’ll want to keep around if the cat is one of your animal guides.

If you have a yard space that you can turn into an outdoor garden, your magical plant options are limited only by your local ecosystem. Some outdoor plants that have magical uses include roses, sunflowers, rue, lemon balm, and strawberries.

Creating an Altar

Altars are focal points of magical and spiritual energy. Many people, both witches and non-witches, find that having a designated space for their spiritual practice creates a deeper sense of sacredness and purpose.

An altar can serve lots of different purposes. Many witches use their altar as a magical work space to prepare spells, meditate, and do divination. You may choose to dedicate your altar to a deity, your ancestors, or some other spirit(s) you work with. You can also build altars for specific intentions, such as a money altar or a love altar — performing rituals at this altar everyday is a powerful method for manifestation. You altar may be some or all of these things, or it may just be a place to sit and connect with the spiritual.

You can set up an altar on any flat surface, like a shelf or table, or inside a container like a jewelry box. Your setup can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. An altar can be huge and complex, with statues and candles and flowers, or it can be as simple as a tealight and an incense burner. It’s all about what appeals to you.

Resources:

New World Witchery pocast, “Episode 143 — The Magical Home”

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

“Candle colors and their meanings” by Michelle Gruben on the Grove and Grotto blog

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin

“The Magic of Orchids in Wiccan Love Spells & Rituals” on the Art of the Root blog

Ways you can celebrate Yule that aren’t just Christmas.

Celebrate on the correct days!: Yule is a solstice sabbat, which means it’s on the day before, of, and after the winter solstice*. It’s NOT December 25th.

Hang all kinds of evergreens everywhere: Do you know why? Because while snow is very pretty at first after a while the never ending blinding white and brown and black starts to drive you slowly insane. Holly and Mistletoe are the two brightest green plants you could get your hands on during winter so of course they were everywhere!

Light a massive bonfire**: It’s dark and cold and everyone is miserable. Burn some shit! If you aren’t a heathen then Yule is about the rebirth of the sun god(dess?). Welcome that guy back with the best sun imitation you could get!

Leave feed out for Odin’s Horse: Kids would leave out hay or treats for Odin’s Horse(Sleipnir) to eat while he road in the wild hunt. A gift given means a gift must be returned and so Odin(also known as the parents) would leave treats for the kids. Yes this is where Santa came from.

Make winter clothes: Winter was the time when all the housework was done because, well, you can’t plant when the field is under five feet of snow. Clothes were often made during this time and given to the family.

Welcome guests into your home: If there was one thing the Germanic people valued it was hospitality. Friend who has no were to go? Come on over! Your kid’s friend who comes from a tricky home? Why don’t they stay a night or two. Everyone is invited!

Anything that still has Yule in the name probably comes from the original:  Yule log, Yule boar, Yule goat. These are all from the original feast day. 

Yule is a feast to celebrate the wild hunt: So make a feast!

And finally, throw one hell of a party***: Yule is a Norse holiday guys. There was no such thing as a low-key party in that culture. The majority of their myths can be summed up thusly; partying, beating up someone who ruined the partying, partying because they beat someone up. Have fun!

*These are the days I do it because celebrating for 12 days - 2 months is impractical.

**Don’t be dumb with fire.

***Don’t do anything illegal.

I’m not a heathen, and also observe Yule very low-key because I still live in my parents house. If there is anything I missed or got wrong please add onto this!