“you Okay?”

New Age Things That Bother Me, A Witch

New Age Chakra. It totally ignores the actual history of Chakra and talks about it in ways that make little to no sense. It's not actually Chakra.

Light & Love rhetoric. Not everything is good and happy and nice. It is toxic positivity and it makes me so uncomfortable. It is also very harmful to people in general.

New Age Manifestation. It promises things that cannot happen and promotes this idea that when bad things happen you just don't try hard enough to manifest change and you need to try harder. It also doesn't tell you that you actually need to act on whatever you're manifesting.

Energy Healing. Pretends it can heal mental illness, physical illness, chronic illness, disabilities, and disorders. It cannot and never will be able to.

Crystal Healing. Pretends it can heal mental illness, physical illness, chronic illness, disabilities, and disorders. It cannot and never will be able to.

Spiritual Awakening. Pretends that your mental illness is actually just your psychic powers coming into being. It's not and this kind of rhetoric enables psychosis, delusions, and is extremely dangerous for mentally ill people. Do not romanticize us and pretend we have super powers. We don't.

Indigo Children. This straight up just romanticizes Autism, ADHD, and neurodivergency. It also dehumanizes people who are neurodivergent by making them seem like alien star children. Also is a way to ignore neurodivergency and prevent neurodivergent kids from receiving help.

Essential Oils. Pretends it can heal mental illness, physical illness, chronic illness, disabilities, and disorders. It cannot and never will be able to. These are only good for making rooms smell nice.

Findingthelttlethings

Gentle witch little things

Simple things you can do to bring more love and positivity into the world:

enchant the bus or train you’re on, so that everybody has a pleasant day or a safe travel home

paint protective sigils in the misty windows of buses or shops when it rains, and leave words of encouragement and praise on public bathrooms’ mirrors

bless passing ambulances and firefighter trucks with speed and safety for their patients/destination

wear an enchanted lipstick/gloss for your smile to brighten the day of everybody you meet

enchant your spare change so that it gives luck to the beggars you donate it to; they need it, don’t they?

actually, just enchant your money, so that retail and low-wage workers can have a better day when they serve you

leave blessed acorns and harmless trinkets in various places like buses or waiting rooms; give other people something to wonder about and make their day, and kids an item to roll in their hands mindlessly

bless food and leave it for stray animals; let birds be messangers of hope and miraclous event for everybody that sees them

whisper encouragement to trees and grass you pass by; let them know someone cares, someone sees their beauty, and awaits their bloom

smile at children and pets; provide them with the positive energy that the world is trying to kill in them

leave motivational notes, praise and silly drawings charged with love and hope on post-it notes as you go; they can brighten the day of those that find them

20 Tips to being a Safe Witch

Altar Safety

When burning anything always keep a glass of water near you, unless you are working with burning oils, then keep a fire extinguisher or baking soda on hand.

When working with essential oils(EO), do not burn them they are highly flammable 

Never leave anything burning unattended, be it a burn bowl, candle, incense. DON’T LEAVE IT!

Please remove anything flammable such as paper or string from the candle, it will ignite and you will be alarmed.

Make sure that what you’re burning your candle in is fire safe, metal and cast iron are good bets. Do NOT burn in a glass, if you have to put it out and dump water on it, it will explode. 

Make sure you tie back loose hair and don’t have any floppy sleeves or necklaces to get in the way. 

When putting out a candle it is best to use a candle snuffer and do not use water. 

Don’t burn kitchen sage, it gives off a toxic smoke. Not something you wanna inhale.

Essential Oil Safety

Please, please dilute them properly. I have a chemical burn scar I can never get rid of due to undiluted cinnamon bark oil. The proper dilution is one drop per teaspoon.

Never ingest EO, there are some that are now generally recognized as safe by the FDA, but the quality of EO are not regulated. Who knows what a bad quality EO could do to your internal organs, not something I wanna test.

Essential Oils are photosensitive, meaning they deteriorate in light store them in a dark area to prevent them from spoiling.

DO NOT put them near on your skin and get in the sun or a tanning bed, especially citrus oils, they will blister.

Water will not dilute essential oils, only other oils(canola, olive, sweet almond, olive will all dilute). If you want to use them in a bath it is one drop per a teaspoon of oil.

Please seek medical attention if anything seems off after using EO, they seem harmless but can be very dangerous

Pets can be very sensitive to essential oils(particularly cats) and it is almost impossible to cover all my bases here. The sources provided below have some great resources.

Always go by the scientific name, German and Roman chamomile are very different products.

Kitchen Magic Safety

Wear shoes if you’re doing anything, I nearly lost a toe the other day cause I dropped a knife. I got lucky I was wearing boots. 

Wear correct clothing, and tie back hair. No matter if you have a gas, electric or induction stove, I’ve caught a lab coat sleeve on fire thanks to a torch while making a creme brulee. 

Use your knives correctly, learn about the pinch grip and use the correct knife for the job. Using a paring knife for chopping potatoes is asking for trouble. There are tons of videos online, I like the ones from Alton Brown and Jamie Oliver.

As a side note use sharp knives, a blunt knife will do more damage than a sharp one.

Don’t leave knives in the sink, someone could begin to wash dishes and cut themselves. 

Watch the steam. Steam can give a worse burn than dry heat, open pot lids away from you and don’t stick your face and phalanges in steam. 

Don’t leave food products unattended. 

Use your damn pot holders, they protect you and your counters. 

Store raw meat on the lowest shelves, and never store cooked meat on the same shelf

Wash your hands before, wash your hands after handling raw meats, wash your hands after. 

Don’t leave food that is meant to be cold or hot out for more than 2 hours, this is to decrease foodborne illness. 

When using the store turn handles in, to keep yourself from bumping them off the stove. 

Cook meats to proper temps(there is a chart in the sources)

If you are using herbs be sure to use kitchen grade herbs, those that are not kitchen grade are not held up to the same purity standards and could have more pesticide residue.

Herbal Safety

Please be aware a lot of herbs can work against prescription medications, or should only be taken in very specific doses( St. John’s Wort I’m looking at you.) Check in with your doctor or a licensed herbalist or naturopath before ingesting herbs.

Crystal Safety

Identify your crystals, some are water solvent some are not and it matters

Some that aren’t safe in water include malachite and selenite. They have copper and if aren’t sealed they can become toxic. There is no way to know for sure if it was sealed or not keep -ite crystals dry as a good rule of thumb. 

Some crystals fade in sunlight like rose quartz, amethyst and citrine, in order to prevent fading try cleansing them with sound, flower petals, moonlight and energy.

VIV Sassmaster, WHC Blog Manager, WHC Moderator @thestudiouswitch

Sources

http://candles.org/fire-safety-candles/

http://www.pixiespocket.com/2016/03/lets-talk-about-candle-safety.html

https://naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety/

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.20

https://www.thespruce.com/dangers-of-essential-oils-555089

http://www.thelavendercat.com/images/PDF-TheLavenderCat_temp_use.pdf

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/do-essential-oils-pose-a-risk-to-pets

http://www.usingeossafely.com/is-it-safe-to-use-essential-oils-with-dogs/

https://www.thespruce.com/top-kitchen-safety-tips-481834

http://www.dummies.com/food-drink/cooking/kitchen-safety/basic-rules-of-kitchen-safety/

https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html

http://www.amfed.org/editor/BEAC/Articles/2011/AdultArticlesAdv/16.Minerals%20Safe%20to%20Handle-Some%20Require%20Caution.doc

http://arccitius.tumblr.com/post/149575827181/crystal-safety

7 Ways to Strengthen Your Powers

In my coven (for lack of a more suitable translation), we learn the craft to become powerful. Not to have fun. Not to just try it. Not out of curiosity. But to use it as a weapon. The way the 1% use money as ammunition. And while the depth of our teachings are hidden, here is how it all begins.

1) Record Your Dreams

They are a portal to the future, parallel realities and other worlds. Keep a journal on your nightstand. Every morning, list down everything you saw and heard in your dreams. Dates, names and entire scenarios. Reread your journal every couple of weeks to see how the symbols manifested in your life. This is you learning to harvest prophecies in your sleep.

2) Log Your Predictions

If you read the cards, take a photo of every spread and write down your interpretation. If you scry, record your every vision. Leave a space in your notes so you can come back at a later date and comment on the correctness of your predictions. The more clearly you can see where you went right or wrong, the more you can strive towards precision.

3) Analyze People

When you interact with people, take the time to gaze at them and really listen to what they are saying. Soon enough you will be able to know what is going on inside their mind. You will catch gestures, expressions and intonations that reveal their true intentions This logical exercise will awaken the magical side of mind-reading that may be latent inside you.

4) Embody Confidence

Whether you are extroverted or introverted, find your inner beauty and greatness, and give them a chance to come out of hiding. When you are confident in who you are, other people’s energy are drawn towards you, fueling your spirit. You also attract the attention of nearby entities who may choose to reveal their presence to you and grant you favors.

5) Level Up Your Spellwork

Most of the spells you will find on the internet serve as therapeutic activities that may make you feel better psychologically or emotionally, but have no real magic in them. I recommend acquiring a copy of Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic Spells and Potions (2016) by Anastasia Greywolf. It is a good introduction to authentic spells from all around the world.

6) Learn Your Natal Chart

The sky when you were born is a map of your gifts and strengths. A great dancer will never torture herself for not being able to sing well. Song is not her craft, movement is. You too must hone the skills you have the potential for. Astro-charts is easy to navigate and offers a free service with the option to switch between different astrological systems.

7) Find Your Divination Method

Not everyone will be great at reading tarot or Lenormand. Perhaps your true talent lies in evoking visions from a crystal ball… in calculating the future through the stars… or in seeing one’s destiny by looking at their palms. I recommend The Divination Handbook (2019) by Liz Dean for an overview of your options.

Colour magick:

Yellow - happiness, joy, burst of energy, optimism, freedom

Orange - warmth, creativity, peace, wisdom

Red - seductive, passion, anger, fertility

Purple - magical, glamorous, intuition, power of the universe

Light blue - breezy, clear headed, clarity, freedom, happiness, infinity, calm, cooling

Green - fresh, abundance, nurturing, protecting, growth, fertility, calming, cooling