Moon Water

Aphrodite loves trans people!

She thinks you deserve to be loved!

Aphrodite loves trans bodies!

She wants you to love yours too!

Aphrodite blesses trans people with endless beauty!

She wants you to feel as beautiful as you are!

i may be a freak of nature but tonight i am alive

Is it okay to have a digital altar to a deity in Animal Crossing?

Absolutely! Using a digital space like Animal Crossing for your magickal practice is not only okay, but it can be a profoundly creative and effective way to connect with your chosen deities or spiritual forces. In the realm of Neo-Technomagick, the digital and physical worlds are interconnected facets of the greater reality/ the Omniverum, where every space — whether digital, material, or conceptual — holds potential for magickal practice. Your digital altar in Animal Crossing can serve as a potent focal point for your intentions, rituals, and spiritual connections.

Here are some ways to enhance your digital altar in Animal Crossing:

Infuse Intent into the Design: As you create your altar, consider the symbolic correspondences of the items you place on it. Choose colors, objects, and layouts that align with the deity or spirit you are honoring. For example, if you are building an altar to a goddess of the moon, use blue and silver elements, crescent shapes, or items that evoke the sea or nighttime.

Daily Rituals and Offerings: Engage with your digital altar regularly, much like you would with a physical one. You might set aside a specific time each day to visit your altar in the game, light digital candles, or place offerings. In the game, you could offer fruit, flowers, or crafted items as a gesture of devotion or gratitude. The act of doing so, even in a virtual space, reinforces your spiritual intention and connection.

Incorporate Sound and Movement: Animal Crossing offers various music tracks and sound effects. Choose sounds that resonate with the deity or intention of your altar. You can even create a ritual dance or movement in the game to accompany your practice. This could be as simple as performing certain actions (like clapping or cheering) or creating a sequence of movements that feel meaningful to you.

Sync Your Digital and Physical Spaces: Create a corresponding altar in your physical space, mirroring the elements in your digital game. This creates a bridge between the digital and physical realms, amplifying your magickal intent. When you interact with your digital altar, do the same in your physical space — light a real candle, place a crystal, or meditate. This practice aligns both realms, creating a powerful synergy.

Document and Reflect: Keep a digital or physical journal to document your experiences, thoughts, and any signs or synchronicities you encounter. Reflecting on these moments helps you deepen your understanding of your practice and the connections you are making through the digital altar. You could even create a dedicated scrapbook in Animal Crossing using in-game patterns or designs.

Use In-Game Events to Mark Ritual Occasions: Align your digital practices with in-game events or celestial movements. For example, you could hold a ritual or celebration at your digital altar during an in-game festival or when the full moon rises in the game’s sky. This syncs your personal practice with both the game’s internal rhythms and the larger cosmic cycles.

Engage with the Community: Share your altar and practice with others, whether it’s with friends who visit your Animal Crossing island or by sharing screenshots and experiences on social media. Engaging with a like-minded community can amplify the energy of your practice and provide new ideas and inspirations. Remember, the true power of any spiritual or magickal practice lies in the intention behind it. The digital realm, like any other, is a canvas upon which we paint our will, belief, and creativity. By treating your digital altar with the same respect and dedication as a physical one, you are reinforcing your connection to the divine and the endless possibilities of the Omniverum.

𝖀𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 & 𝖀𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕸𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖑 𝕮𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖕𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖘

Witchcraft magical correspondences refer to the associations made between various objects, substances, times, and events with specific magical effects or purposes. These correspondences have deep historical roots and derive from a blend of multiple sources, including ancient alchemy, early science, cultural symbolism, religious beliefs, and intentionality.

Ancient Alchemy

Alchemy, the precursor to modern chemistry, played a significant role in shaping magical correspondences. Alchemists sought to understand the mysteries of matter and the transformation of substances, often imbuing their experiments with spiritual and mystical significance. For example, the seven classical planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) were associated with specific metals (gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin, and lead, respectively). These associations were believed to reflect the planets’ influences on earthly matters and human affairs. Alchemical texts also explored the relationships between colors, elements, and spiritual principles, influencing the development of magical correspondences in witchcraft.

Ancient alchemy holds a significant place in the history of science, philosophy, and mystical traditions, influencing various fields and practices, including witchcraft. The importance of ancient alchemy can be understood through its contributions to the development of modern science, its philosophical and spiritual dimensions, and its enduring influence on magical and esoteric traditions.

The Great Work (Magnum Opus): Central to alchemy is the concept of the Great Work, which symbolizes the alchemist’s quest for spiritual and material transformation. This process involves the purification and perfection of substances, often mirroring the alchemist’s inner spiritual journey toward enlightenment and self-realization.

Symbolism and Allegory: Alchemical texts are rich in symbolism and allegory, using metaphors to convey complex philosophical and spiritual concepts. Symbols such as the philosopher’s stone, the ouroboros (a serpent eating its own tail), and the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) encapsulate profound ideas about the nature of reality, transformation, and the interconnectedness of all things.

Hermetic Tradition: Alchemy is closely associated with Hermeticism, a philosophical and spiritual tradition based on the writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Hermetic principles, such as “As above, so below” and the unity of opposites, permeate alchemical thought and emphasize the correspondence between the macrocosm (the universe) and the microcosm (the individual).

Magical Correspondences: Alchemical principles and symbols have been integrated into various magical and esoteric traditions. The associations between planets, metals, and elements in alchemy have become foundational correspondences in many forms of magic and witchcraft.

Transmutation and Transformation: The alchemical goal of transmutation, particularly the transformation of base metals into gold, has a symbolic counterpart in magical practices. This idea of transformation is applied to personal growth, healing, and the manifestation of desires through magical means.

Ritual and Practice: Alchemical rituals, with their focus on purification, transformation, and the attainment of higher states of being, have influenced the structure and content of magical rituals. The use of specific substances, tools, and processes in alchemy has parallels in magical workings, emphasizing the transformation of both the practitioner and the environment.

Alchemy in the Renaissance: During the Renaissance, alchemy experienced a revival as scholars and practitioners sought to integrate ancient wisdom with emerging scientific knowledge. Figures like Paracelsus and John Dee contributed to the development of alchemical thought, blending it with medicine, astrology, and early chemistry.

Psychological Alchemy: In the 20th century, Carl Jung, a prominent psychologist, explored alchemy as a metaphor for psychological processes. Jung’s interpretation of alchemical symbolism as representing the individuation process—the integration of the conscious and unconscious mind—brought new insights into the relevance of alchemy for personal development and psychotherapy.

Contemporary Practice: Today, alchemy continues to inspire both scientific inquiry and spiritual exploration. Modern alchemists, both literal and symbolic, seek to uncover the hidden principles of transformation in nature and the self. The enduring appeal of alchemy lies in its holistic approach, integrating material, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of existence.

Early Science and Natural Philosophy

Early scientific observations and natural philosophy also contributed to the development of magical correspondences. Ancient and medieval scholars often categorized the natural world into elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and humors (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile), each with specific qualities and effects. These classifications were used to explain natural phenomena and human health, and they found their way into magical practices. For instance, herbs and stones were categorized based on their perceived elemental qualities, and their uses in magic were aligned with these characteristics.

Cultural Symbolism and Mythology

Cultural symbolism and mythology provided another rich source of correspondences. Different cultures imbued animals, plants, colors, and objects with symbolic meanings based on their myths, legends, and folklore. For instance, the oak tree was sacred to many ancient European cultures and associated with strength and protection, while the owl, often seen as a symbol of wisdom in Greek mythology, became associated with knowledge and divination in magical practices. These symbolic associations were passed down through generations and integrated into the magical correspondences of witchcraft.

Religious Beliefs and Practices

Religious beliefs and practices also shaped magical correspondences. Many magical traditions borrowed from the rituals and symbols of dominant religious practices in their regions. In Western Europe, for instance, Christian symbols and saints were often syncretized with older pagan deities and symbols. The use of incense, candles, and specific prayers or chants in magic often mirrors religious rituals, emphasizing the importance of intentionality and spiritual alignment in magical workings.

Intentionality and Personal Experience

The role of intention and personal experience cannot be overlooked in the development of magical correspondences. Practitioners of witchcraft often develop their own associations based on personal experiences, intuition, and the results of their magical workings. This process of individual experimentation and reflection allows for a dynamic and evolving system of correspondences that can vary between different traditions and practitioners. The intention behind the use of a correspondence is believed to be a critical factor in its effectiveness, highlighting the importance of the practitioner’s focus and purpose.

Synthesis and Evolution

Over time, these diverse influences have synthesized into the rich tapestry of magical correspondences used in witchcraft today. Texts such as the “Key of Solomon,” “The Picatrix,” and various grimoires have codified many of these correspondences, while modern practitioners continue to adapt and expand them based on contemporary understanding and practice. The integration of psychological insights, ecological awareness, and cross-cultural exchanges in the modern era further enriches the system of correspondences, making it a living and evolving aspect of witchcraft.

No single person or group decided these correspondences; rather, they evolved organically through the accumulated wisdom and practices of different cultures. Here are some key influences and sources:

Ancient Civilizations

Egyptians: Ancient Egyptian priests and magicians developed extensive knowledge of correspondences. They believed that everything in nature was interconnected and that specific plants, stones, and symbols held particular powers. Their practices were recorded in texts like the Ebers Papyrus and various temple inscriptions.

Greeks and Romans: The Greeks and Romans contributed significantly to the development of correspondences, particularly through the work of philosophers and physicians like Hippocrates, Theophrastus, and Pliny the Elder. Their writings on herbalism, astrology, and natural philosophy helped establish connections between natural elements and their supposed properties.

Celts: The Druids of the Celtic world had a deep understanding of nature and used various plants, trees, and natural phenomena in their spiritual and magical practices. Their knowledge was passed down orally and later recorded by Christian monks.

Medieval and Renaissance Europe

Medieval Herbalists and Alchemists: During the Middle Ages, herbalists and alchemists in Europe studied ancient texts and conducted their own experiments. They documented the properties of plants, minerals, and metals in texts like the “Materia Medica” and various grimoires. Alchemical traditions, which sought to transform base materials into higher forms, also contributed to the understanding of correspondences.

Astrology: Medieval and Renaissance astrologers played a significant role in establishing correspondences, particularly through the association of planets with specific days of the week, metals, and plants. The writings of figures like Ptolemy and later Renaissance magicians like Cornelius Agrippa and Paracelsus were influential in this regard.

Eastern Traditions

Chinese Medicine and Taoism: Traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist practices developed a system of correspondences based on the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). These elements were connected to various aspects of life, including organs, emotions, seasons, and directions. The “Huangdi Neijing,” an ancient Chinese medical text, is a key source of this knowledge.

Indian Ayurveda and Hinduism: Ayurvedic medicine and Hindu spiritual practices established correspondences between herbs, gems, times of day, and deities. Texts like the “Atharva Veda” and various Ayurvedic treatises documented these associations.

Modern Influences

Grimoires and Occult Literature: From the Renaissance onward, numerous grimoires (books of magic) compiled and expanded upon earlier correspondences. Notable examples include the “Key of Solomon,” “The Lesser Key of Solomon,” and “The Picatrix.” These texts were influential in shaping modern Western magical practices.

The Golden Dawn and Modern Witchcraft: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and similar occult organizations synthesized various magical traditions, creating detailed systems of correspondences. Influential figures like Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune contributed to this synthesis. In the mid-20th century, Gerald Gardner and others who founded modern Wicca drew upon these traditions, further popularizing and systematizing magical correspondences.

Conclusion

Magical correspondences are the result of centuries of observation, experimentation, and synthesis by various cultures and traditions. They were not decided by any single individual or group but evolved over time through the collective wisdom of countless practitioners. Today, they continue to be an essential part of many magical and spiritual practices, providing a framework for understanding and working with the interconnectedness of the natural and spiritual worlds.

REVIEW: Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards

I feel like Jake Richards's books are pretty popular with folk witches. If you have any interest in Appalachian folk magic, or even American folk magic more generally, you've probably at least heard of this book. Part of why I put off reviewing it for so long is because I feel like there's already been plenty of attention given to it online, so I'll try to make this brief.

Pros:

Definitely authentic Appalachian folk magic. Jake Richards writes about a lot of things I've seen people do or heard people talk about but never seen written anywhere.

This book is really well researched! I'm very impressed by all the references and footnotes.

I love that Richards uses the correct Tsalagi (Cherokee), Gaelige (Irish), and Gaelic (Scottish) words when talking about the cultures that influence Southern folk magic. I also love that he includes pronunciation guides.

Cons:

I didn't finish this book on my first read. It wasn't until I revisited it recently that I actually read to the end. Something about the writing style and the way the book is organized made it a little hard to follow at times, at least for me.

The research is generally good, but there's definitely more detail given for European and Cherokee cultural influences than for African. When talking about European influences, Richards will usually specify the specific country or culture something comes from, but for African influences he just says "African." While this research is harder to do because the slave trade intentionally cut people off from their cultural traditions, other authors like Luisah Teish and Stephanie Rose Bird have shown that we can often trace these African influences back to a specific culture, or at least a region. I would have liked to see the same level of effort put into researching African practices that went into the European ones.

Other Observations:

Christianity is a big part of the author's practice. This is faithful to traditional Appalachian conjure, but just know that it may be triggering if you've experienced religious trauma in a Christian setting. I found this book harder to read than other books on conjure that incorporate Christian elements, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it sounded too similar to the Appalachian church where my abuse happened? Just something to be aware of if this is a tricky topic for you.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Expanding on Elemental Duality - The Shadowed Elements

This is my own interpretation of a post by @herecomesthewitch specifically this post here, I felt like it was extremely valuable and wanted to share my own UPG and SVG on the subject to expand on it even more!

First: What am I talking about?

The shadowed elements, also called the darker elements, are aspects of the elements that reflect their more 'destructive' qualities, mainly in a human centric qualification. The thing about the shadow elements is that the only reason they are classified as 'negative' is because they can represent a reset of some form. Whether its a predicted hurricane that destroyed an entire state, or a volcano that ravaged through an ecosystem. We as humans want to try to understand and label tragedy with some sort of divine intervention, however I believe this is a fallacy. Our earth was formed through millions of storms (it once rained for 2 million years straight), land was terraformed and reset over and over again by volcanic eruptions, it just so happens that now we exist to experience earths slow destruction for the sake of evolution and following the laws of nature. In these times there isn't a 'divine' reason for destruction, unless we can seek out the divine in all forms of nature. The shadow elements are the aspects of elements we deem to be scary, or negative, things that are hard for us to understand. As we know, none of these things are actually negative, but rather represent that nature is not always pretty nor has our best interests in mind. The elements are not all 'love and light' because that's not what nature is at its core. This post is intended to honor and respect all forms of nature, not just some of it.

One thing about this post I cant stress enough is this is not to say we should not care for each other in times of need because 'it was a natural process' we should look out for *all* of our neighbors, for example my home was ravaged by hurricane Helene in 2024, and it was my duty to get out there and help the people around me, while also recognizing water and air had no control over the destruction. This hurricane was set up perfectly for its path, and it was our job to prepare, assist, and recover from it. We cannot bend natures will, but we can preserve the will of our communities. If you read this post and believe I am saying to disregard the lives and homes of others because its 'nature' you have missed the point entirely. Instead; we need to honor that nature is going to be destructive, its our job to prepare for the experience, and respond accordingly as a human tribe.

Additionally; I will be mentioning a lot about active vs passive work, meditation, and all of that is up to personal interpretation based off your own strengths and limitations! all of those things look different to different people, so it is not a monolith. For example; active meditation has so many forms it can take whether its from runners high, heavy drawing, getting lost in sound, there isn't one way to look at those terms. Therefore it is up to personal interpretation for what that will look like to you, and to the elemental! Setting clear expectations from both parties can help clear up any personal confusions. This post is designed to remove some of the pretenses we have about the shadow elements, and hopefully serves as a way for us not to perceive these aspects as 'negative' or 'dark' or 'bad' but rather as warning to us, something to teach us lessons about the nature of our own hubris.

With all that said; lets get started! Today we will be discussing the 4 most common shadow elements and other epithets, associations, and ways to interact with them! I strongly recommend reading the linked post first before this one to get a basic understanding about what each shadow aspect stands for and represents because this post assumes that guiderail has been established.

Earth - Rot

Rot is an important process in the cycle of death and re-growth, it is the ending and the spawn of many things. Without rot, there can be no recycling. This elemental aspect tends to represent a form of an ending, and a keeping. Its about being "at the bottom" because it is the absolute most bottom of the food chain. This entity has a lot to do with decay, consuming something and putting something back out, and long structured processes. Other aspects in this duality include:

Fermentation

Decay

burial

greed

suffocation

oblivion

erosion

How to work best with it:

Rot is best worked with if you have some physical change that is needed in your life. If you are looking for something to fast track removing everything that doesn't serve you from your life then look no further. Rot is fantastic if you are also looking to better establish yourself somewhere new, if a change already occurred, it can help stabilize you and deeply ground you. Additionally rot is best worked with if someone has a problem with self transformation and cant seem to find the directional path to do it. I do not recommend working with rot if you are not prepared to change in some way, if you are afraid of gore-y imagery being used in practice, having death be more prevalent, or if you are unwilling to devote a lot of time and energy to your cause for any reason.

The best way to reach out to rot is by quite forms of meditation (doesn't have to be traditional either!) in a darker setting. This aspect tends to be best approached in quiet, dark, settings because of the meticulous environment it has set up. Additionally the best forms of divination include cartomancy, bibliomancy, reading grave stones, casting dice and coins, and self reflection. The most common lessons people tend to learn with rot revolve around change, and being ok with stagnation in an effort to transform. Most people tend to notice an uptick of things no longer serving them quickly leaving, and tend to develop a stronger sense of self worth and permeance. People on average remain with the elemental for extended periods of time, upwards of months to years because of its very Permanente and changing nature. Expect dynamics to change similarly to the actual process of decay being in stages, accept the stages for what they are, and understand your relationship will be different by the end of the process. Additionally people tend to learn a lot more about global warming, the processes of death, and challenge your own morals and ethics. Offerings:

prepare a dish using fermented foods and offer up a plate

composting

displaying ethical dead insects or taxidermy

partaking in mycology

collecting dirt from special locations

collect invasive mold and moss during a waning moon

create your own fermented products like kimchi or mead

allow something of yours to fully undergo the rot process like drawing on an egg and allowing it to rot in a burial site

donate old clothes and items that no longer serve you

write a letter to rot, then let it mold in a sealed jar

break something you have made and allow it to weather outside (keep this controlled, don't throw shards of glass outside for something to step on for example)

visit forgotten places

embrace your own rotting (ignore forms of self care for a day or two)

make a rot scrapbook of images of things you allow to decay, and the things you are shedding in your own life

Crystals: Petrified wood, ammonites, jet, bog oak, mahogany obsidian, septarian, amber, moss agate, smokey quartz, stromatolite, unakite Herbs and plants: lungwort, ghost pipe, reishi, henbane, wormwood, nightshades, valerian, garlic, fennel, mugwort. Colors: browns, dark neutrals, emerald green, burnt umber, deep reds. Scents: rotting, sulfur, vetiver, oakmoss, black pepper, tobacco, dark berries, truffle, leather

Air - Tempest

Tempest is an important aspect because it has to do with whirlwinds, and understanding what it means to be perfectly out of balance, and reacting to it accordingly. All the right things had to come into place to create a perfect storm. This shadow aspect of air is a great deceiver, much as storms can be deceiving in size and magnitude, they are hard for even our best to predict at times; but at other times they are all too predictable. This is the element of dealignment, or going against normality, and there is value to that!

Other aspects in this duality include:

tempest

storm

paranoia/delusion

echolalia

mimicry

windburn

static

How to work best with it:

Tempest is best worked with when someone is actively in the middle of change, or is starting to embrace being more flexible. This element will challenge you by placing a lot of fast paced situations in ones path. This element is also best for learning lessons about coming into ones own power, and taking things by force. This element greatly helps people pleasers learn self respect and start taking what they need. This is also an element of mimicry, fantastic for energy vampires looking to better control their symptoms, Those looking to understand a trickery that happened to themselves, or those interested in tackling their own biases. I do not recommend working with tempest if you just solidified something, cannot give proper time and energy to the many things that will be thrown at you, are not ok with uprooting and fast paced adventures, or are more focused on a practice that is less "action forward". Many workings revolve around activity based experiences, something thrown your direction, not quite the same thing if your practice more revolves around quiet meditations or internal energy workings, it can be a staunch transition. (As a reminder, action looks different for all people, i'm not saying you will be forced to run in a 5k, but you will be tasked with more physical challenges like being pushed for more divination or dealing with something at work you have been putting off, etc.)

The best way to reach out to tempest is by engaging in storms and practicing magic during a storm petitioning it. additionally active forms of worship like dance, song, art, or active motion will be best for forming a relationship. The best forms of divination tend to include cloud watching, smoke readings, storm water scrying, and casting types of runes or stones. Some lessons you will learn from the element revolve around action and being in motion, being unpredictable and ok with being an enigma, learning how to manipulate energies and vampire magic, wind and storm magic, and breaking through self deceptions like denial. Another thing to be aware of is flexibility is a virtue, if you are someone who struggles with rigid plans this element can help you get uncomfortable in a good way. While it may seem extremely fast and like a whirlwind, it is controlled and calculated from the conditions its placed in. Working with this element tends to be extremely quick, and rarely last long, usually leaving after completing some sort of goal and reverting back to air itself. Additionally people tend to learn a lot about the weather, flexibility, and storm chasing overall.

offerings:

whisper vows to the wind

go for wind walks, and try to find breezy places like mountain or shore lines

cast sigils into the air by folding them into plane or wing shapes and letting them drift

hold a feather against your pulse to connect you to tempests energy

try forms of chaotic breathing that creates stress in the body, before undoing it with regular breathing stratagies

use sound and loud noise to embody its energy

dedicate homework or tasks you dont want to do to the element

Offer storm water to plants you keep

keep ash near door ways to invite its motion

keep scraps, shards, and broken debris on your altar; create a shake jar

Crystals: Libyan desert glass, blue kyanite, labradorite, rutilated quartz, herkimer diamond, lepidolite, K2, Rutalite Herbs and plants: hyssop, eucalyptus, mint, thyme, datura, rue, coltsfoot, lobelia Colors: dark yellows, grays, gray toned colors, dusty purples Scents: ozone, ionization, camphoraceous, myrrh, pine, lotus, metal

Fire - Lava

Lava is an aspect of fire that has to do with extremely destructive erasing of things. If you notice how lava works, it is a powerful force that perfectly changes things into something almost completely unusable by anything but itself. When it claims a piece of land it becomes completely scorched, before becoming hard as stone: waiting to be recycled back to the core again. While ash itself can help till the soil, quickly soil turns to stone under enough heat. This is an element about taking up space, being a steady consistent force, and usually a long lasting effect on life, long after lava itself has gone.

Other aspects in this duality include:

lava/magma

arson

addiction

pride

scorch

fever

branding/permeance

lava stone

How to work best with it:

Lava is best worked with someone who doesn't exactly need a heavy change in their life physically, but rather needs assistance with being taken seriously. This elemental commands pride in its own work, takes in whatever it touches, and is unstoppable just like all the rest. This element can be fantastic when we trust too easily and get hurt in the process, or have severe confidence issues. Additionally this element is great for establishing things in a very thunderous way. Be careful however; all sales are final, usually you will be casted onto one major trajectory and will spend a lot of time working on it, and if you stop you are going to get burned. I do not recommend people work with lava if they are battling a sensitivity issue, or don't appreciate extremely forceful presences. While lava isn't exactly "loud" its effects are. Others who may not benefit with lava include those who are already on a specific path, lava will absolutely bulldoze over the progress you made to focus on a more personal goal, and if you are in the process of change. Additionally because of its quick flowing and cooling nature, usually the work itself is done within a couple weeks-months, but it will have lasting life long changes to who you are.

The best way to reach out is by invoking it into a warm, dryer space with plenty of smoke or gentle sound, and using active meditation strategies while using depictions of it. That can look like meditating using hand signals that invoke a warm feeling, practicing drawing fire, listening to magma flow (yes it has a sound lol) or magma drips. The best forms of divination are going to include flame readings, smoke scrying, crystal meditations, automatic writing, and reading obsidian or glass shards/sharp objects

Some lessons you might learn from magma include learning how to take up space, handling vices, branding or soot casting, creating large bonfires, and more. On a spiritual level people tend to best learn how to be ok with a situation or a shadow aspect with themselves via working with this element, a lot of people challenge their own deep seated insecurities because that magma within you is being drawn to the surface. Additionally, you may be called to learn how to walk with fire to not extinguish your own flame, but to grow it, sometimes creating an ego in the process.

Offerings:

use candle rituals and allow the wax to burn wildly on a fire safe dish (controlled!)

right down limiting beliefs and allow magma to consume them in a hearth, bonfire, or ritual candle

heat endurance practices (within reason, use common sense and safety)

create your own volcanic myths

volcanic rock displays on the altar

create black salt

obtain molten metal ingots or pieces

use spicy herbs in invocations and spells dedicated towards lava

Crystals: magma rock, pumas stones, obsidian, glasses and metals, carnelian, garnet, fire agate, fire opal, scoria, hematite Herbs/plants: loofa, chili, black pepper, mustard seed, ginger, cinnamon, fireweed, sunflower seeds, rue, rooibos Colors: electric reds, oranges, and yellows. Deep reddish blacks, burnt products, raw ocher, terracotta. Scents: amber, galbanum, birch tar, cade, chilis and warm notes like pepper and cinnamon, sulfur, tuberose

Water - Abyss

Abyssal is best worked with if you do not mind consistent change at a slower pace in time. Often times this aspect is cryptic, hiding what you will find until you are already in the depths of it. Often times, you will be lured to a lesson you might *think* you want to learn, before your boat is rocked and the true lesson lies below it. Abyssal is all about blindness, stagnation, and confusion before a fast reveal and process of motion. The opposite to magma where your core is brought to the surface, you will be drawn deep within yourself to learn how to create power when we feel we are most powerless.

Other aspects in this duality include:

abyss

undertoe

fog

ice

dark, spanning, waters

stagnation

depression

grief

possessiveness

blindness

How to work best with it:

Abyss is best worked with if you want consistent change in your life at sporadic times. Really great for people who are looking to get better a mapping out signs and divine messages in more subtle ways, and are great for those who aren't seeking out an extremely active communication based relationship but rather one that uses emotion and visuals to guide someone. This elemental has a lot to teach about the deeper corners of us, and learning to accept ourselves how we come, and being allowed to succumb to isolation. Learning how to be ok with not being ok. I would not recommend people who have problems with depression and intense isolation interact with this elemental quite yet, this elemental embraces those things and could potentially cause a spiral to someone unprepared or already in those states. Additionally people who are not ready to tackle extremely deep seated issues, loose large amounts of people at once, or experience emotionally stressful situations should avoid working with this elemental. Most people tend to work with this elemental on and off, because it tends to appear more cryptically.

the best ways to reach out to abyssal are through meditations involving all 5 senses or complete sensory deprivation. this entity tends to speak the most in cryptic messages like in abstract meditations, dream work, trances, and scrying. Additionally, when you reach out you might be expected to prove you can handle some of the workings yourself so dedicating some personal shadow work or overcoming a hard situation can be a fast track way to interacting with the abyss.

Some lessons you might learn include deep upheaval of self worth and internal beauty, learning to be ok in isolation, understanding abyssal secrets about the world, aspects of hedge magic, aspects of intense spirit work. Abyssal teaches us how to listen to both ourselves and to be in tune with the world around us. Divination tends to be cryptic, because it wants you to spot how it will rock the boat next, and represent a shift in self discovery.

Offerings

Create your own sensory deprivation experience

create abyssal water by leaving a jar of it under your bed for a full moon cycle

collect salt water to use in glamours

go to thresholds and cast letters or sigils of traits that no longer serve you

create space for more meditation in your life

silence and weighted rituals

new moon baths

brine something in kitchen magic

keep kelps on the altar

pack deep sea shells with herbs and then seal it with wax as a replacement for spell jars

use squid ink to write sigils or letter based offerings

Crystals: Sheen obsidian, larimar, black moonstone, chlorite phantom quartz, iolite, fluorite, jet Herbs/Plants: kelps and seaweeds, spirulina, wormwood, lotus, poppy, black garlic, licorice root, comfrey, willow, mandrake, lichen, slippery elm Colors: navy black, dark turquoise, muted blues, aquatic greens Scents: driftwood incenses, civet, labdanum, cool camphoric, blue cypress

Need to mention: Chaos

Chaos tends to be the shadow aspect for an additional 5th element like spirit, universe, and the things we deem less physical. The thing about chaos is that it truly is entropy, so no 2 people will have the same experience, nor will they have an experience that stays the same every time they interact. This divine energy is important because it can teach someone a lot about the big picture like how things are recycled, unsolved questions, and just how vast the universe really is.

other aspects of this duality include:

liminality

unwritten

twisting

dark matter

unsolved concepts

paradox

isolation

eternal nothing

limited limitlessness

How to best work with it:

There is not one centralized way to call forward chaos, but my best recommendation would be to put yourself forward, and fuck up the norms in your own life. Start to challenge the things in your life, and the chaos and entropy will follow suit. Chaos is best worked with when someone is looking to completely uproot, destroy, then recycle and forge something new. This can represent some sort of goal like working on emotional states, or possibly re-routing the trajectory of your entire life. Whatever it may be, you are almost guaranteed to not get exactly what you asked for, but by the end of it you are going to learn what you needed all-along. You should avoid working with chaos if you have an active path you are already trying, if a piece of you is holding back (sort that out!! honor your bodies intuition), or if you don't feel like you are in a place to handle possibly extreme amounts of stress. Its hard work, but its hard work for a big reward. Sometimes people form life long bonds to chaos, in other situations people only interact with it in short bursts, each practice is so different and that's because each person is so different.

The best ways to reach out to chaos is really *your own way* get creative! reflect on what chaos actually means to you and materialize it in how you choose to reach out. each method you pick will be equally likely to work as long as it is well thought out.

some lessons that are most commonly learned through chaos have to be ground breaking views on how you view the universe. Its whole system will shock your moral and ethical compass, and bring things to you that can be really hard to swallow to start with like death and challenging views on spirituality itself. It can be really hard for many because this force is a lot of energy all at once and can quickly become overwhelming if one isn't preparing the proper checks and balances.

offerings:

craft items that dont quite make sense with each other

tear playing cards and create sigils from the numbers

create a custom conversational deck using a deck of cards and affirmations or phrases

display blank canvases, completlet burnt candles, or things considered to be "clutter"

Create something then destroy it

create sigils with the non-dominate hand

speak in pure gibberish when doing prayers (have clear thoughts)

forget something intentionally

let go of control on a really busy day

find a wrong that feels "wrong" or "not pleasing"

Crystals: tektites, ametrine, opal, galena, hematite, nuummite, smokey quartz Herbs/Plants: invasive plants, nettle, kudzu, hemlock, thistle, pokeweed, elder, ash tree, fennel Colors: all colors Scents: all scents

I hope you all enjoyed, I recognize this was a longer post than usual, but I figured if I could ramble on for a while about something close to me, I figured I would. I loved doing this and I really hope I get asked more about the elements as they become more main stream because I truly just love writing this all out for you guys! Fair winds travelers

Tip Jar

Energy Work 101 (A Beginners Guide)

Welcome to energy work 101, the beginner course. This course is for those who are new to energy work, as well for those who know some of the basics but wish to brush up some more before moving on to more advanced things. This crash course will take you over the basics, and give you exercises to practice with so you improve and become more confident incorporating energy work into your everyday practice. In this course you will learn the following things……

Grounding & Centering

Breathwork

Warding

Shielding with energy

Chakra History & the western system (Energy Centers/Points)

How to create energy balls

How to feel your own energy

Basic Knowledge of the energy body (Subtle Body)

So without further ado lets get started!

How to feel your own energy

How to feel your own energy?- I put this one last because i didn't want anyone to be overwhelmed especially if your just now starting to get into energy work. For some bringing their own energy to the surface and feeling it can come naturally, for some not so much. Some might find it easier to draw energy from outside sources rather than using their own. So whatever the reason may be, we are here to help you in the journey to feel your own energy.

Exercise 1-

Lay down in a comfortable position, or sit in one, which ever is more relaxing for you.

Still your mind. Mindfulness is a wonderful tool, helping bring focus and inner peace. Take big slow breaths, in through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Do this until you feel your body relax. Allow whatever thoughts that may arise, to come in go, do not heed them much attention.

Then in your mind, will your energy to rise. You can say an affirmation, or focus on your breath. You might start to feel tingly or you may feel very little. It can vary from person to person.

Next, if you feel anything focus on that feeling. What does it feel like? Is it only on part of your body, or all over? Can you direct all to one spot? If so congrats, you are feeling your energy.

Practice this everyday. Energetic awareness is a very important skill to learn, and is used by even the most advanced energy practitioners.

Grounding & Centering

What is Grounding and Centering and how do you go about it?

Grounding- Grounding is a practice that involves and encourages the release of excess energy that does not serve us, by connecting the kind body and spirit with the earth. This exercise is also a great way to replenish energy.

Centering- Centering is the intentional act of bringing your energy back into alignment, bringing balance and focus to your inner self. This is usually done after setting an intention for centering.

Exercises-

Grounding Exercises-

Spend time out in nature, barefoot.

Practice mindfulness. Close your eyes, and only focus on your breathing. Allow thoughts to come and go, do not pay them to much attention, Don't fret if this is difficult at first, it will get easier with practice. 5-10 minutes is a good amount of time to start out with daily.

Grounding Meditation Exercise- Sit down anywhere that is comfortable for you, and close your eyes. Take slow deep breaths in and out, calming your body. Once you feel calm enough, visualize, roots coming out of you, connecting to the earth. Visualize them connecting deep beneath the planets surface. Then visualize anything negative you feel about yourself, or anything that is weighing you down, being absorbed into the earth. Continue to do this until you feel satisfied. Thank mother earth for providing assistance.

Black Hole Grounding- One of my favorite exercises is the black hole grounding technique. So what you do is you find a comfortable place, preferably quiet, and relax. Take slow deep breaths, followed by slow exhales. Then Visualize yourself in space, surrounded by stars and planets. You’re just floating there in place. The visualize a black hole above your head. Imagine that all the negative thoughts and feelings or anything else that is troubling you has turned into silver particles of energy that started at the base of your spine and are traveling upwards, escaping through the top of your head into the black hole. Do this until you feel grounded.

Centering Exercises-

Breathwork, such as the 4,7,8 breath. Breath in for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, and exhale for 8 counts. This helps the vagus nerve, which is responsible for quite a lot in the body. This technique helps calm the body, relieve anxiety and stress, while helping you focus on the present/present task at hand.

Visualization- Close your eyes and visualize a bright warm sun above you. You’re laying in a field of soft grass, surrounded by your favorite plants. A light breeze is blowing through. The sun is shining down its warmth. Now visualize the sun rays flowing through your body, in a bright light. Rejuvenating you, allowing you to feel calm and at peace, your inner self finding balance and focus. Continue to do this until you feel the need to stop.

Movement- Movement such as Dancing, Yoga, Working out, or even a simple walk, no matter the distance can help you center yourself.

Breathwork

What is Breathwork?

Breathwork at the barebones is a technique that has its deep roots in yoga, and is designed to help you release excess anxiety, stress and toxins from the body. The anxiety, stress and toxins are released when you breathe out, and its believed that when you breathe in you’re nourishing your body.

Breathwork Exercises-

4-7-8 Breath- Breathe in for 4 counts, hold your breath for 7, and breathe out for 8 counts.’

Diaphragmatic Breathing-

Lay Down on your back your knees bent, and a pillow underneath your head

Place one hand on your chest, and the other underneath your ribcage

Slowly take a deep breath through the nose, letting your belly expand

Do not move your hands as you slowly exhale through your mouth

Equal Breathing-

Sit down in a comfortable position

Breathe in and out through your nose slowly

Making sure each breath is even, count during your inhale and exhale

Add a comfortable pause after each inhale and exhale

Do this 5 minutes daily

Deep Breathing-

Get into a comfortable standing or sitting position

Deeply inhale through your nose

Retain your breath for 5 Counts (You can do more if you have good lung capacity or feel comfortable doing so)

Slowly release your breath by exhaling through your nose

Resonant/Coherent Breathing-

Inhale for 5 counts, laying, sitting or standing’

Exhale for 5 counts laying, sitting or standing

Repeat for as long as needed (Preferably for a few minutes a day)

Warding

What is Warding?- Wards are a type of Magical defense or protection spell cast with the intention to guard against negative energies, entities, or other forms of harm ranging from spiritual, emotional to physical. When casting a ward, it can be used on a person, place, or object. Wards are usually created using different symbols, words, items, rituals or energy. Now you maybe thinking, how do i ward? Or how do i ward if i am a closeted practitioner and im going to show you.

Warding-

First you need to cleanse or purify your space of any unwanted energies. Some things that are good for this are lavender, lilac, cedar, cumin, dragons blood (my personal fave), garlic, onion, basil and more (Research into herbs for banishment and pick and choose what you feel will work best for you)

Set your intention. Setting your intention is an extremely important, as it allows you steady and focus your mind on the task at hand. It also helps set up the ward for any energies you don't want slipping through.

Choosing your tools! Another important step! It can range from anything really. Sigils, crystals, wands, chalices, athames, a cauldron, your own energy even.

Maintaining your wards is the next step after intention and choosing your tools. This can be done in various ways. Putting water charged with the energy of a celestial body, such as the moon, sun stars etc above and around doorways, and windows, drawing sigils with a specific intent around the doorways and windows, placing crystals at the four corners is another way. Another way is an energetic boundary.

Cleanse and take care of your wards. Charge your crystals, redo the sigils, use more charged water.

Warding with a space with your energy-

Sit in comfortable position

Close your eyes steadying your breath

Will your energy to come to the surface, do not force it. Let it surface on its own.

Visualize your energy expanding outwards with the intention (whatever your intention maybe) surrounding and protecting you and your space.

Do this until you feel the need to stop. Make sure to rest and eat healthy as this ward is tied to you. You are the catalyst the energy source for keeping the ward going. Make sure you are taking time to keep your energy field clean.

Shielding with energy

What is shielding?- Shielding is a way to protect yourself from psychic, mental or some kind of magical attack. Its creating an energy barrier around yourself, one that people cant penetrate or get past to cause you any harm.

How to Shield yourself-

Get into a calm, preferably quiet environment. Calm your mind and focus

Once this is done there is multiple ways to shield. If you want to use your own energy, will it to the surface. If you are using an outside source, such as the sun, moon, or another celestial body, ask for them to lend their energy.

Once you have gathered up energy, visualize it being weaved together, like a basket, or like a spider weaving a web. Visualize it forming a protective bubble around you, allowing nothing to penetrate it.

Continuing visualizing until you feel the shield is complete. Make sure to check on your shield every so often, as it can wear and tear if the energy is not kept up with.

Chakra History & The western system

History of chakras- The chakra system was said to have originated in India sometime between 1500 and 500 BC in the oldest texts called the vedas. Evidence of chakras, spelled cakra, is also found in the Shri Jabala Darshana Upanishad, the Cudamini Upanishad, the Yoga-Shikka Upanishad and the Shandilya Upanishad. According to the author Anodea Judith, who wrote in her book titled the “Wheels of Life” knowledge of the chakra system was said to have been passed down through oral tradition, from the indonesian people to the european people also called Aryan people. The chakra system was traditionally Eastern concept until new age western authors, liked the texts, and appropriating the culture made it more “accessible”

Chakras are small spinning wheels or disks that run along the spine in the human body. The main 7 are the most known ones, but it has been mentioned that there could possibly be up to 114.

Western System- The western system “expanded” upon the Energy centers. These ways are not the ways the chakras were have said to be practiced in ancient times. The western system has also expanded how many energy centers there are in general. The transpersonal energy centers are ones that are believed to lie outside the body, below the feet and above the head. The main 7 energy centers are also commonly used. The western system also practices that each energy center or point has a color. These being the colors of the visible light spectrum. The western system teaches that if you wear a certain color or eat a certain food, or wear a certain crystal that pertains to that energy center or energy centers, that the energy will flow. This system has practices the energy centers can be closed off, or unbalanced.

7 main energy centers

Root

Sacral

Solar Plexus

Heart

Throat

Third Eye

Crown

These are the energy centers that run up and down your spine. The root is said to sit on the bottom or base of the spine, the sacral sitting on the naval, the solar plexus in the diaphragm area below the rib cage but above the belly button, the heart at the center of the chest, the throat in the middle of your throat, the third eye above the brow where the pineal gland sits and the crown is believed the rest on the top of your head.

Creating energy balls

How to create energy balls- Energy balls are a fun beginner practice and a great way to really feel and shape your own energy (and energy from outside sources) So how do you start?

Start by getting into a comfortable positon where you can relax. Will your energy to the surface (This may take a couple of tries).

When you feel you got a good hold of your energy, visualize it traveling down to your hands.

Once you feel it in your hands, hold your hands together

“Trapping the energy” In between them. Slowly move them apart, and as you do, will it into the shape of a ball. Again this could take multiple attempts and requires focus, so do not be disheartened if at first you don't get it.

Once you have a grasp on your energy ball, take notice of how the energy feels, Does it feel heavy or light? What color is the energy? If you cant tell these things right away, again that is fine.

Toss the energy ball back and forth in your hands. Play around with the energy, and overall just have fun. This is a fun beginner exercise and something that even if you get it on the first attempt should be practiced daily.

The Energy Body (Subtle Body)

What is the Energy body and why is it important?- The energy body is said to be between the physical body and the emotional body, and is composed of 5 layers, going from the “gross” to the most “subtle”. The five bodies are….

The Physical Body

The Energetic Body

The Emotional Body

The Mental Body

The Subtle Body

The energy centers, energy channels (meridians) and the aura all play a key part in the Energetic Anatomy of the body. The 5 bodies alongside the different parts of our energetic anatomy are said to be a key part (especially in holistic energy medicine) of helping us maintain wellness, of the body mind and spirit.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed this small energy work 101 beginners guide. I hope this helps you get started on your energy journey, and heres to hoping that you practice everyday, and continue to learn and evolve as you do so. Remember, the only thing holding you back is yourself, and by reading this guide, and putting into practices the exercises contained within it, you’ve already taken the first step, in your amazing journey

-Davie

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Chakra Charts

The Evermore Grimoire: Witches

Technopagan is a modern term for those who wield the power of technopathy. It's also a term that was coined by the older generation of witches who refused to acknowledge any of their own kind out of fear that they would become too powerful and uncontrollable. However over time the term "Technopagan" has slowly changed from being a stigma to one of empowerment and freedom against outdated stereotypes that no longer fit into today's society. Even those who don't wield this unique power may identify as a Technopagan as it could align with their own beliefs surrounding gender and sexuality. This also includes a desire to create safe spaces for young witches and warlocks as well modernise witchcraft as a whole in order to reflect the world of today. One things for sure, they're here to stay because they're the future of the magical community that must be nurtured in order to survive any future battles.

artwork by Małgorzata Motyka-Karnas

Sun salt, ready to be charged in the sunlight ✨☀️✨