It can be easy to feel super overwhelmed when you’re first starting off. This post is for very new witches who have limited knowledge and would like a broad overview! These are my opinions, feel free to disagree but be polite about it.
It’s okay to start by using other people’s spells and build the confidence to write your own! Spells can be spoken, or thought (in my opinion). Sometimes speaking spells into existence isn’t always possible.
Casting circles. Many witches cast circles to do spellwork. It involves calling energy from the four directions and building the “omph” to preform the spell. Most of these involve calling upon a deity/deities but you could easily alter them to avoid this, it is not necessary.
Ingredients. The most important ingredient for a spell is… you! Most spell ingredients can be substituted with more common ingredients, following correspondences. What did that ingredient bring to the spell?
I’ve written a whole “so, you want to be a witch?” post on spells!
Many witches feel names hold power.
I personally choose to not share my birth name/everyday name for both this reason, and to protect my privacy. A lot of witches choose a witch name (mine is Mouse!)
Wards are something that I feel are very important for any witch to have. They can be on your being and on your home, and protect from undesired energy and spirits. Picture them as a shield.
Warding yourself. For me, my wards are my armor. I envision armor forming around me with specific forms of protection and use my energy to make it so. You could also view your ward as a bubble of energy! If you have a hard time with envisioning things, carry something physical (a necklace, crystal, etc.) as your ward.
Warding your home. Again, you could envision it (however you like). I picture light washing over the floors, walls, and ceilings and use my energy to guide it. I also have physical wards. An example would be to make a paper pocket, fill it with herbs, crystals, and sigils, and place in the four corners of your home.
I simply adore sigils, they are like little spells in a physical form (symbols). It’s okay to use sigils created by others.
Sigils are created with a certain phrase in mind, such as “I am happy”. You can then draw them on yourself or on something to carry with you.
Once drawn, you’ll need to do something to activate it. This can be done by forgetting about it, using your energy, or fun things like using the elements or your favorite song. To keep the sigil working, you’ll need to charge it every once and a while. This is the same idea as activating it!
The ability to cleanse your space and yourself can be extremely valuable, whether it’s in preparation for a spell, or to get rid of the funk of a bad day.
Smoke cleansing. Can be done with sage, bay leaves, or any type of incense. Waft the smoke over yourself or your space.
Water cleansing. I enjoy making a spray with some lovely herbs (like lavender and mint) and spritzing my room or myself.
The elements/natural world. The wind, the moon, the sun and many other things can act to cleanse as well.
Divination can be overwhelming at first - there’s so many different types! You don’t need to practice divination to be a witch, and you certainly don’t need to learn all of the ways!
Tarot. Tarot cards are cards that have drawings on them and an assigned meaning (usually more than one). They are often used as a way to get advice. The average deck has 78 cards, and a lot of us still use cheat sheets!
Pendulum. Pendulums are often depicted as a crystal hanging from a string, but they can be anything hanging from a string. Different movements mean yes, no, and maybe. Some people use them to communicate with spirits, but this only happens when you invite them.
Runes, scrying, and tasseomancy are also common forms of divination, but ones I am less familiar in!
Crystals, candles, tarot, incense, herbs. All tools.
They all can boost your abilities and aid your craft, but are not needed. You have all the tools you need in yourself, and in your life. Don’t feel pressured to spend a lot of money on fancy tools right away! It can be beneficial to build your abilities without them, in my opinion!
Using your intuition can lead you to finding/creating some really awesome tools and methods! Let your instincts guide you.
(Click here for the other parts in this series!)
Basics of Sea Witchcraft
As we know, many witches specialize in a particular area of the craft, or bond with a particular element, therefore centering their practice around such. Me and others label ourselves as sea witches, and for those in training who feel bonded to the sea, I thought I’d give a little bit of an introduction to such and maybe clear up a few things, too. So, here are five simple clarifications for the sea witch in training!
You don’t have to live near the sea to be a sea witch. This may seem shocking, but I don’t live near any sort of ocean or beach. I’ve only been to one once, and I remember it being one of my most memorable experiences. Being a sea witch only means that you bond to the water and that in its natural element & place, whilst a water witch means that you only bond to water itself.
Intimacy with the Sea. Being intimate with bodies of water is vital to being a sea witch. You don’t have to do anything magical, just forming a connection with the water and its area is very important to your craft, and is a high suggestion from me.
Tools. In full honesty, a lot of my tools come from water areas. I have an entire bowl of seashells, sea salt, and random trinkets to help me. Using such tools makees your craft a lot stronger.
Cleansing. Another vital part of my craft is cleansing regularly. It’s very important to me, and it is for a lot of other sea witches.
Vulnerability. Just like the water, be free and open. If you truly are a sea witch, it will be uncomfortable. You’ll crash into things, but eventually, you’ll find yourself just doing it naturally.
I know that these are vague. But, I really just wanted to give whatever basics I can. If you have any questions, please just ask, I’m always happy to answer!
it's always a good day to complain about English speakers
Acorn - Good luck, personal power, protection and wisdom. Dried acorns are a natural amulet for youthfulness. It's associated with the Sabbat of Litha and the element of water.
Angelica - Also called Archangel. It is a very powerful protection herb, healing, creates harmony and courage and helps in exorcisms. Aids vision. Element Air.
Apple - Garden magic, love, healing and wisdom, also vanity, marriage and beauty. Associated Mabon & Samhain. Element water.
Basil - Also called witches herb. Use in spells for Love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, and protection. Associated with Imbolc. Aids astral projection. Element Fire.
Bay Leaf - Protection, success, purification, strength, wisdom and healing, also increases psychic powers. Element Fire.
Belladonna - Also Called: Deadly Nightshade. Toxic. Use for forgetting past loves. Protection, beauty and original flying ointments. Adds energy to rituals. Element Water.
Bergamot - Money, prosperity and sleep. Protects from both evil and illness. Good for luck and wealth. Increases magical power. Element Fire.
Black Pepper - Banishing negativity, exorcism, and offers protection and help with inner strength. Element Fire.
Blueberry - Protection of children, keeps evil out, and strengthens the aura. Associated with the Great Spirit. Element Water.
Calendula - Also called Marigold. Attracts success and justice in legal matters. Increases psychic/spiritual powers and aid prophetic dreams. Dispels negativity. Element Fire.
Cardamom - Lust, love, and fidelity. Sweetens the personality Use in handfastings. Element Water.
Chamomile - Love, sleep, protection and purification, also reduce stress. Use for meditation work and to attract money. Solar Magic. Element Water.
Cinnamon - Also called Sweet Wood. Use for Solar magic. Meditation and astral projection. Increases spirituality, success, healing, protection, power, luck, strength, and prosperity. Element Fire.
Clove - Use to protect, banish negative forces, and divination. Also helps with any teeth spells. Aids money and draws love. Element Fire.
Dandelion Root - Magical uses include divination, wishes and calling spirits. It also enhances dreams and works well in astral projection. Element Air.
Evening Primrose - Ideal for moon magic. Also use in love charms and to attract fae. Element Water.
Ginger - Increases magic power. Success, love, money and power. Element Fire.
Hibiscus - Attracting love and lust. Use in divination. Associated with lunar magic. Element Water.
Horsetail - Use for strength and resolve. Protection, cleansing and clearing unwanted emotions. Element Earth.
Jasmine - The herb of attraction. Helps prophetic dreaming, money and love. Element Water.
Lavender - Magical uses include healing, sleep and peace. It also promotes chastity and love. Increases longevity of life, tranquility and happiness. Element Air.
Lemon Balm - Also called Melissa. Love, success and healing. Aids psychic/spiritual development. Supports mental health disorders and compassion. Element Water.
Lemon Grass - Psychic cleansing and opening. Use in lust potions and when using Dragon Magic. Element Air.
Lime Tree Leaf - Healing, calm and love. Aids strength and tranquility, Element Air.
Marjoram - Use for cleansing, purification, and dispelling negativity. Also aids grief and sadness. Element Air.
Mint - Promotes energy, communication and vitality, protection and draws custom. Element Air.
Mugwort - Use for strength, protection and healing. Mugwort amplifies magic. Aids astral projection, and psychic power. Element Earth.
Nettle - Uses include dispelling darkness & fear,and curse breaking. Healing and protection and increases lust in partners. Renewal. Element Fire.
Orange Peel & Flower- Attracts abundance, luck. Love and happiness and strengthens divination. Element Fire.
Passion Flower - Attracts friendship and passion. Caming, peace and instills passion into stale relationships. Good for house blessings too. Element Water.
Patchouli - Used in spells for connecting with spirits. Money attracting, increases fertility and lust. Calming and peaceful. Element Earth.
Peppermint - Use for headaches and other forms of healing. Increases sleep and love. Use for increasing psychic power and divination. Element Air.
Rose - Use for divination, increased psychic power, love, lust and healing. Helps strengthen close friendships. Place around sprains and bruises to help them heal faster. Element Water.
Rosemary - Use in healing poppets and love/lust spells. Improves memory. Increases sleep, mental power and protection. Burn to help purification and removing negativity. Associated with faery magic. Element Fire.
Sage - Used for self purification and cleansing. Helps grief and loss. Healing and protection, also increases wisdom. Element Air.
Strawberry Leaf - Attracts success, good fortune, and favorable circumstances. Increases love and aids pregnancy. Element Water.
Thyme - Attracts loyalty, affection, and love. Increases good luck and psychic power. Drink in tea to aid sleep. Element Air.
Verbena - Psychic protection, peace and purification. Healing and helps depression. Increases beauty and love. Mind opening and clearing. Ideal use for exams. Element Earth.
Willow - is Used for lunar magic, drawing or strengthening love, healing, and overcoming sadness.. Element Water.
From the Herbal Grimoire by the blog The Wiccan Lady. Here's the link to the blog for the complete list and further reading:
I call this one “A Burning Passion” because I love puns.
I also love Jane Austen’s books thanks to my wife. I love the aesthetic of the times, the formality and the simplicity of the stakes in the fiction. It’s a happy place for me. Anyhow, if you know someone who likes similar things and fire… spread the word like a cleansing flame.
[ ID: tweet by @/NoFunOverlord reading “I want some queer witch aunts who live in a cottage in the woods and love and accept everyone.” ]
“There are no trigger warnings in real life”
“The real world is cruel, get over it.”
My boyfriend is triggered by Christmas and Christmas music. We were in a restaurant, and Christmas music was playing, and he started panicking so he went outside for a cigarette. The manager of the restaurant overheard him saying he had to get out, and changed the music over for the rest of the time we were there. There are safe spaces in the real world. People are nicer than you think. And bullshit people who try to tell you to get over your triggers, ain’t shit.
i know it
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Hello!This blog is run by two witches Comet and Angel. Feel free to talk to us !
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