Advanced Tarot Techniques

Freya! Ever since I listened to Neil Gaiman's 'Norse Mythology' I've been wanting to draw her really badly- I particularly loved the Freya design created by @irenhorrors on Instagram. Freya is the Norse goddess of love, beauty, fertility, war, and death. She's a total badass who never puts up with Loki's shenanigans even when he's convinced everyone else.

"Call on Freya when you need the push to be bold and embark on an adventure to pursue your heart's desire. - Ann Shen, 'Legendary Ladies'

Grimoire ideas

About you:

How you got started in the craft

Your spiritual journey

Things you connect to (animals, elements, plants, ect)

Types of magic you do

Your natal chart

Your deities (if you have any)

Correspondences:

Remember, you don't need to write down correspondences you will never need! So instead, write about...

Crystals you have/want

Plants you can grow yourself/already have around you. Check your spice cabinet

And list things to use those for! So that would be herb bundles to burn, salves, recipes, and so on.

Other things you can use in magic that you already have

This would be things like sea shells, snail shells, grass, dirt, candles. Get creative!

Other witchcraft stuff:

Your sigils

Planets

The sun/moon +moon phases

Zodiac signs

The elements

Symbolism (animals, shapes, and whatever else you wish to add)

Spells:

What makes a spell that works!!! This should help with making your own spells

What NOT to do

Different types of spells

Spells you will actually use

Divination:

A section on tarot cards and their meanings

How to use a pendulum

Meanings of oracle cards

Rune meanings and how to cast them

Lesser known forms of divination!!!

Mental health:

Grounding and centering

Burn out care and being energy efficient

A list of what motivates you to do your craft

Small spells for self care

Astral work:

Your astral space (a map, a description, drawings of important locations)

Your astral body, if it's any different than your physical one

A list of spirits and important information about them

Protection, sheilding, banishing, and safety

Manners when interacting with spirits and what NOT to do

Methods of projection/travel that work for you

Post-astral grounding methods

General spirit work:

How to interact with spirits and how NOT to interact with spirits

Protection, banishing, shielding, and other safety things

How to give offerings (there's more than one way!)

Methods of communicating with spirits

Signs of spirits

Ways spirits can send signs and messages (animals, dreams, and so on)

A list of different kinds of spirits you work with/have encountered

A section for research, especially if you're doing deity work.

Grounding, if it helps you afterwards

A log of interaction with spirits. This can be like a divination journal but with spirits, if that's what you do.

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!

Low Spoon Ways to Celebrate Lammas/Lughnassadh

(Made, in part, for my own benefit on this very tired Lughnassadh)

🌽 Eat some carbs/bread, and leave the rest to your deity/beings of choice if you like.

🌽 Light just one candle, (gold, orange, white, yellow, red, or brown if you can) and just spend five minutes thinking about Lughnassadh and all the things you wish to harvest in the coming months.

🌽 Reconnecting with nature is always a good idea, if you have the spoons for it. See if you can take a walk outside, or maybe meditate with some plants.

🌽 Write down everything you hope to manifest in the coming months. Keep it in a safe place for Yule, where you can bring it out again and burn it to close this chapter on that part of your life.

🌽 Drink some mint tea to draw abundance. Leave some for your deity/beings of choice, if you like.

🌽 Write down all the things you’re grateful for, imbue the gratitude into a piece of paper, and bury it later when you can.

Feel free to add your own ideas!

Witches type

Source IG: @waterofwhimsy

I figured I would take a little bit of time to post the pictures of some books wow secular or really good base for people who are interested in kitchen/hearth/green witchcraft.

Also be a really good resource for those of you who are still in the closet as these books by themselves are innocuous enough to pass by unnoticed by most unless they know what you're doing

Kitchen Witch Spoken Charm

As it passes from mouth to heart, and heart to soul,

If a single emotion:

let happiness fill them whole.

If a more complex intent:

May friendship spread and strength as this is my goal

Magic Correspondences of veggies and fruits (Eng//Esp//Cat)

I’m going to use this post not only as a correspondence guide but also as a traduction guide, since english is not my native language and I need to keep record as to what is what. So I’m posting the original english correspondence and just below the names in spanish and catalan with a spanish traduction of the correspondences. 

BTW, the original correspondence list was made by @peachyymama. So all praise be to her. 

                                      ————————————–

Apples: Love, fertility, marriage, beauty, vanity, wisdom.

Manzanas / Pomes: Amor, fertilidad, matrimonio, belleza, vanidad, sabiduria.

Avocado: Lust, love, beauty (carry pit around to radiate beauty).

Aguacate / Alvocat: Deseo, amor, belleza (puedes llevar un hueso de aguacate para irradiar belleza)

Apricot: Attracts love.

Albaricoque / Albercoc: Atrae el amor.

Banana: Fertility, potency, prosperity

Plátano / Plàtan: Fertilidad, potencia, prosperidad.

Blackberry: Healing, protection, money.

Mora / Mora: Curación, protección, dinero. 

Blueberry: Peace, protection.

Arandano / Nabiu:  Paz, protección.

Broccoli: Leadership, protection, strength.

Brócoli / Broquil: Liderazgo, protección, fuerza.

Brussels Sprouts: Protection, endurance,  protection.

Coles de Bruselas / Cols de Brusseles: Protección, resiliencia, protección.

Beets: Love.

Remolacha / Remolatxa: Amor.

Cabbage: Good luck, money, fertility, lunar magic.

Repollo / Col: Buena suerte, dinero, fertilidad, magia lunar.

Carrots: Lust, fertility.

Zanahorias / Pastanagues: Deseo, fertilidad. 

Cauliflower: Protection.

Coliflor / Coliflor:  Protección. 

Celery: Mental & psychic powers, lust, fertility.

Apio / Api: Poder mental y psíquico, deseo, fertilidad.

Cherry: Love, divination, happiness.

Cereza o Guinda / Cirera: Amor, adivinación, felicidad.

Coconut: Purification, protection, chastity.

Coco / Coco: Purificación, protección, castidad.

Corn: Protection, good luck, divination.

Maíz / Blat de Moro: Protección, buena suerte, adivinación. 

Cucumber: Healthy, chastity, fertility.

Pepino / Cogombre: Salud, castidad, fertilidad.

Garlic: Healing, protection, purification, exorcism, guards against negative energy.

Ajo / All: Curación, protección, purificación, exorcismos, guarda contra las malas energias. 

Grape: Money, fertility, mental powers, garden magic.

Uvas / Raïm: Diners, fertilidad, poderes mentales, magia de jardín. 

Grapefruit: Cleansing, purification.

Pomelo / Aranja: Limpieza, purificación. 

Lemon: Cleansing, purification, removes blockages.

Limón / Llimona: Limpieza, purificación, remueve bloqueos.

Lettuce: Divination, protection, sleep, lunar magic, love spells.

Lechuga / Enciam: Adivinación, protección, sueño, magia lunar, hechizos de amor.

Lime: Protections, purification, promotes calmness.

Lima / Llima: Protección, purificación, promueve la calma. 

Mushroom: Psychic awareness.

Setas / Bolets: Conciencia psíquica.

Onion: Stability, money, lust, protection, prosperity.

Cebolla / Ceba: Estabilidad, dinero, deseo, protección, prosperidad.

Orange: Love, joy, happiness.

Naranja / Taronja: Amor, felicidad, alegría.

Peach: Fertility, love, wisdom.

Melocotón / Préssec: Fertilidad, amor, sabiduria.

Pear: Lust, love.

Pera / Pera: Deseo, amor.

Peas: Luck, money.

Guisantes / Pèsols: Suerte, dinero. 

Pepper (green): Growth, prosperity.

Pimiento verde / Pebrot verd: Crecimiento, prosperidad.

Pepper (red): Energy, strength.

Pimiento rojo / Pebrot vermell: Energia, fuerza.

Pepper (yellow): Creativity.

Pimiento amarillo / Pebrot groc: Creatividad.

Pineapple: Luck, money, chastity.

Piña / Pinya: Suerte, dinero, castidad.

Plum: Healing, peace, love.

Ciruela / Pruna: Curación, paz, amor.

Pomegranate: Divination, wishes, wealth, fertility.

Granada / Magrana: Adivinación, deseos, riqueza, fertilidad

Potato: Healing, money, luck.

Patata / Patata: Curación, dinero, suerte.

Pumpkin: Healing, Prosperity.

Calabaza / Carbassa: Curación, prosperidad.

Radish: Protection, lust.

Rábano / Rave: Protección, deseo.

Raspberry: Love, protection, happiness, stamina.

Frambuesa / Gerd: Amor, protección, felicidad, estamina. 

Spinach: Prosperity.

Espinacas / Espinacs: Prosperidad.

Strawberry: Success, good fortune, love, luck, romance.

Fresas / Maduixes: Éxitos, buena fortuna, amor, suerte, romance.

Sweet Potato: Grounding, love, lust.

Batata o Boniato / Moniato: Anclarse a la tierra, amor, deseo.

Tangerine: Protection.

Mandarina / Mandarina: Protección.

Tomato: Healing, love, prosperity, protection.

Tomate / Tomàquet: Curación, amor, prosperidad, protección.

Watermelon: Healing.

Sandía / Sindria: Curación.

Magic vs. Medicine?

People who believe in witchcraft know there are things in this world that science cannot explain. Many witches also believe in the healing power of nature. Because of this, there tends to be a lot of overlap between witchcraft and alternative healing.

Some alternative healing modalities, like herbal supplements, crystals, and essential oils, are incredibly popular with witches because they align so well with a magical worldview. And that can be a beautiful thing. If you find that taking CBD oil or diffusing lavender makes you feel good and gives you a sense of empowerment, then it absolutely has a place in your life.

The problem is that alternative healing (and, by extension, magic as a whole) is often framed as being in competition with conventional medicine. It’s presented as an “either/or” — either you believe in doctors and medicine, or you believe in energy healing and herbal supplements. This is not realistic, and it may even put people in danger.

The irony of this is that the first witches were also the first doctors. In Ancient Egypt, doctors would invoke the gods to imbue medicine with healing power, or curse a disease to make it leave a patient — these approaches were paired with actual medicine. In medieval Europe, witches and cunningfolk were the keepers of medical knowledge and would often serve as healers.

Even today, most pharmaceutical medications are made from naturally occurring ingredients. For example, antibiotics are synthesized from bacteria and fungi. These medications are not less natural than the medicine people used hundreds or thousands of years ago, but they are more refined thanks to modern technology. Rather than trading a natural remedy for an artificial one, you’re often just taking a more effective form of the same substance.

Personally, I like to use magic and alternative remedies to treat symptoms, but use medication to treat the underlying cause of the problem. If I have bronchitis, I might drink echinacea tea and diffuse eucalyptus essential oil, but I’m also going to take a full course of antibiotics to kill the infection.

Likewise, if I’m having a bad mental health day, I might take a bath with lavender or do some energy healing on myself, but I’m also probably going to call my therapist and continue taking my prescribed antidepressants.

Some witches have a lot of resistance to therapy, psychiatric care, and psychoactive medications. I’ve heard every possible argument, from “psychoactive meds lower your vibration/block your psychic abilities/dull your ability to feel energy!” to “if you tell a therapist you believe in magic, they’re going to think you’re crazy!” These arguments are completely false, plain and simple.

I’m a better witch when I’m in therapy and on my meds, because I’m a better person when I’m in therapy and on my meds. I’m better able to focus, set goals, and be aware of my body, which are all important skills in magic. I have no doubt that if I wasn’t doing what I need to do to keep myself stable, my mental health would suffer for it.

Good therapists know the importance of religion and spirituality, and they will respect your beliefs. No matter what your beliefs, a good faith-affirming therapist or counselor is always a good idea.

Your therapist is not going to think you’re crazy if you tell them you can astral travel, or talk about an experience with a pagan deity. What they will do is let you know if your experiences are outside the realm of healthy spirituality, and give you guidance on how to keep yourself safe if this is the case.

The truth is, whether we want to talk about it or not, not everyone who sees angels or talks to fairies is having a genuine spiritual experiences. As many as 63.3% of delusions in schizophrenia patients are religious in nature. If we are going to encourage people to seek out direct experiences of the spiritual, we also need to inform them on how to recognize when those experiences aren’t healthy or are not grounded in reality.

Psychosis refers to any experience that is not grounded in reality, including hallucinations (false sensory experiences) and delusions (false beliefs). Psychosis is not a mental disorder, but can be a symptom of many different disorders. It can also be an isolated incident in someone who may not usually experience breaks from reality.

Som if someone claims to have been visited by Isis, or Cernunnos, or the Virgin Mary, how do we know if they’re describing a genuine spiritual experience or a psychotic episode?

First of all, look at context. If someone claims to see angels or to be the reincarnation of a god immediately after taking drugs, after pulling an all-nighter, or while running a high fever (all potential causes of psychosis), they may be disconnected from reality and may need medical attention. On the other hand, if you know this person to be stable, sober, and well adjusted, they may very well be describing a genuine spiritual encounter.

Second, look at the actual experience. Is it consistent with the person’s existing beliefs? Is it consistent with experiences other people have had within the same belief system? Is this person clearly able to differentiate between this experience and the “real world,” or is the experience taking over their daily life? Answering these questions can help determine whether mental health intervention might be needed.

Finally, as a general rule, if you have an experience that scares you, makes you feel like you are in danger, or makes you feel compelled to hurt yourself or someone else, you should get a second opinion from a trained mental health professional.

As members of the witchcraft community, we have a responsibility to look out for other members of the community — and that includes being willing to say something if we believe someone genuinely needs medical help. Science and spirituality are not opposed, and they can coexist. Being a witch doesn’t mean rejecting science, and believing in science doesn’t mean rejecting magic. A healthy dose of skepticism goes a long way in keeping your magical practice safe, productive, and empowering.

Resources:

The Dream podcast, season two

New World Witchery podcast, “Episode 65 — The Slender Man Discussion”

Inside Schizophrenia podcast, “Psychosis in Schizophrenia”

The Savvy Psychologist podcast, “302 — Chemtrails, Aliens, and Illuminati — The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories”

Like everyone else, I experience healthy skepticism relating my religious practice. There is one thing, however, that never ceases to impress me and it’s when personal observations (or even more complex UPG) end up being attested and proven through research. Nothing is more validating than reading an academic essay and recognizing something you have experienced firsthand as a worshipper.