My Dear, Listen To Me.

dreams / mirage / memories of summer

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Shadow Work Journaling Prompts #6

Good Morning Tumblr Family! I hope you are having a great start to the weekend. I wanted to drop another segment of Journal Prompts for you to work on during the week. If you are just now tuning in, no worries, take your time with the previous prompts and use the upcoming prompts when you are ready to.

These prompts are more reflecting where your anger is stemming from. It could be family, friends, past experiences, etc. Lets take a look!

- What makes you really angry? Why? What gets under your skin or bothers you completely to your core? Do you know why this is?

- Did your parents provide you with everything you needed? Did they provide you with emotional support? Did they validate your feelings? Did they provide a safe place for you?

- Do you hold grudges against others that could be let go? What is your motive for holding onto them? These grudges could be anyone in your life that you feel that you are holding a grudge with. (Family, old friends, new friends, coworkers, etc) What was the incident(s) that caused you to feel this way? Are they unhealthy?

- What are your bad habits? Why don’t you break them? We all have at least one bad habit, it could be spending too much time on social media, not taking care of yourself, chewing on your fingernails, etc. How can you break these habits? Why or why don’t you?

I hope you are all doing well during this Shadow Work Journey. This is a reminder that it’s okay to cry and be angry during this process. Make sure you journal why you are upset and how you can work through those emotions. Your journey is YOUR JOURNEY. As always, if you are having a difficult time please reach out for support. I am not a licensed professional however my inbox is open for questions and/or support.

You got this!! Keep going!!

Cheap Witches: Thrift Stores!

I have always loved thrift stores. When my family was poor-ish back in the day, I would often get one shopping trip a year for clothes at the thrift store and I would get all my halloween costume pieces there. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, maybe it’s that I myself am now poor-ish but either way I think we can all appreciate a good deal regardless. Especially on staple pieces that can be used for your practice. Now ON TO THE FINDS!

Books

Sometimes it takes a little luck but I’ve found a couple great useful books for 3$ or less each along the shelves of books in my local Value Village. The crystal healing ones I found were a huge deal to me back in the day when I was but a baby witch and they were dirt cheap.

Candle supplies

Every witch needs something to burn candles on/in. Now I’m not saying it needs to be fancy, for a long time I used a dollar store plate (psa, do not burn candles on surfaces you care about because scraping wax off things is not a delicate process) but picking up some candle holders for less than 2$ is going to help keep candles from falling over and lighting your house on fire. You can also find some wicked pretty ones.

Curtains/Tablecloths/Pillowcases

Yes, I buy thrift store curtains. As I mentioned in my previous post in this series, many things may require scrap fabric and although you can get the dollar store scarves I prefer using old curtains or tablecloths from the thrift store. Not only will you be getting WAY more fabric but it doesn’t cost too much more than the dollar store.

String and/or Ribbon

Some of my spells and my favorite hex require some kind of yarn/string/thread. If your local thrift establishment of choice has any kind of craft section, no matter how big, you are in business. Bags of embroidery thread, spools of twine or other string and skeins of yarn are all SUPER cheap and often great quality. (Note: I mean the yarn, the other two options are pretty standard) Sometimes I can even find ribbon spools but those are interchangeable with plain old coloured string.

Picture Frames

Are you setting up your altar? Do you wish you had something nice to put the picture of your deity(ies) in? Look no further than the thrift store for GORGEOUS frames of literally every size imaginable. 

Vases

You actually can not find nicer vases for cheaper than a thrift store. I don’t know what else you’d use them for, crystals maybe? Dried flowers waiting to be used? Candles? Either way, if you need one, there are virtually none cheaper or easier to find. Same goes for crystal or glass bowls. Besides, if you kill plants like yours truly, having flowers that are guaranteed to die is a nice way to enjoy plants without having to remember to water them.

JARS

That alone should be enough but I do want to chuck in one piece of advice. Do not forget about the cup aisle! I got a sweet glass skull that screws closed with your standard mason jar lid because it was donated with one of those lids with a hole and a straw. Hence it was a “cup” but NOT ANYMORE! It holds my dead flowers. I named him Herman.

As always, feel free to send me a message if you’d like/have more questions. Hopefully soon I’ll make a trip to IKEA for the next post in this series! If there’s something you’d like me to cover, let me know.

Much love ~ ♥

Shadow Work

Origins, Meaning and Utility

The Structure of the Mind

Carl Jung theorized the existence of three levels/spheres in the human psyche: the Ego, representing the conscious mind, the Personal Unconscious where memories are contained and the Collective Unconscious, where all knowledge and experiences of the species are shared.

Each Sphere has in it a certain number of Archetypes, used to better describe the components of those structures, and the Shadow is one of them.

What is the Shadow

The shadow can be seen as a instinctual or primitive part of ourselves, it exists as part of the unconscious mind and is composed of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts, and shortcomings.

It is this archetype that contains all of the things that are unacceptable not only to society, but also to one's own personal morals and values, normally going against social norms and rules as well as what we personally consider right.

The Shadow is often described as the darker side of the psyche, representing wildness, chaos, and the unknown, and it is common for people to deny this element of their own psyche and instead project it on to others.

The Shadow in Witchcraft and Benefits of Shadow Work

Art: Unknown

The Shadow, in witchcraft, can represent The Unknown, hidden depth of ourselves. Speaking in terms of energy, this is an area that can be a deep source of energetic issues, because it’s locked up in the dark and always striving to reach the light.

To not work with one’s Shadow is to make it greedy and aggressive, as well as denying a big part of oneself, making everything a half of a whole.

Through that brief explanation, we can already establish the importance and role of the Shadow in witchcraft, and with that in mind, comes the concept of Shadow Work.

Shadow Work can be seen in a number of practices, meditation, trances, inner journey’s, lucid dreaming, astral travels, spells and divination.

The method can change, but the principle is simple: Centering your intent to self discovery, self knowledge and self acceptance.

Working with one’s Shadow is not only beneficial to one’s craft, as it allows one to get in touch with their intuition as well as allows for easier connection with one’s guide/guides, but it also allows for healing and acceptance of one’s feelings and needs.

Think of all aspects of life as a wheel. If there is one part bent, the wheel can turn, but with more effort. If the owner spends time fixing that bent part, the wheel will turn in a much more smooth manner.

That is what happens when you take the time to do Shadow Work, you have to put in effort, and most of the time it’s not easy, but once done, all other components on the wheel of your life will be relieved to move on without that obstacle that makes their job harder.

The Shadow is not evil, as evil is just a moral compass invented by humans. It is a part of one’s nature, and to deny it is to supress a connection with yourself.

Take the time to know and accept your shadow, and you’ll see that life will be a little easier.

References:

A Natureza da psique (Structure & Dynamics of the Psyche) by C.G. Jung

The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious by C.G. Jung

Reblog if you are a safe person to talk to

You can message me or send me an anon anytime, ill listen! Even if you just want to come and talk about your life or your worries, ill be there.

Best kitchen tip my Grandma ever taught me

I keep veggie peelings, cuttings, herb clippings and all other veggie compost in a freezer bag in your freezer for up to a month. At the end of every month I dump this bag into my crockpot, add 6-8 cups of water and cook on low for 6 hours. I drain out the veggies and herbs, and viola! You have like 8 cups of veggie broth.

I save things from veggies like: celery, garlic, onion, carrots, kale, squash, parsnips, peppers, etc. Basically any vegetable that would go into a soup, I save.

I also save bits of herbs that don’t make it into other recipes, or veggies about to go bad I have no other intention for. It’s an amazing way to cut back on costs and food waste. This stock can make enough soup to feed a whole family, or you can freeze it if you are only feeding yourself and thaw as needed.

You can customize with herbs and spices now, or when you go to make your soups. I like to at least toss in garlic, onions, a bay leaf, pepper and rosemary to the broth itself.

I havent bought soup broth in years, and I can make sure my broth is salt free or at least low salt!

It’s such a simple thing to do, and its noticable in your food budget.

live. live messy and vibrant and warm and wholeheartedly. dare to embrace the parts of yourself that are confusing and complex and don’t come in pretty packages. let yourself accept the love and light you engulf others in. live and live unapologetically as yourself, the battered, bruised and muddled parts included.

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

The moon is by far the love of my life😍

the very first night // out of the woods