🚩 Witch Red Flags 🚩

Crystal Care 101

Alright witches (and non-witches), let me give you a crash course in Crystal Care.

Universal Ways to Charge Crystals

Any of these ways can be used without damaging your crystals:

Moonlight. The moon is our best friend, she is amazing, she will not harm your crystals at all.

Touch. You can hold your crystals in your hand to charge them with your own energy and intention. It is a very personal way to charge your crystals.

Smoke. You can run your crystals through smoke from your incense, candles, or smoke cleansing sticks.

Sigil. Place a sigil meant for charging underneath your crystal to charge it.

Selenite. Some people use Selenite to charge their other crystals. I don't know why Selenite is associated with charging crystals, but it is.

Basic Crystal Safety

Do not consume any crystal or crystal powder under any circumstances.

Some crystals are toxic when in water, make sure yours isn't before you charge your water.

Do not heat your crystals with a flame.

Do not have Himalayan Rock Salt Lamps if you have a cat, they can lick it and become very dehydrated, which can lead to death.

In fact, make sure all of your crystals are out of reach for any of your pets, or children if you have them.

DO NOT PUT THESE CRYSTALS IN WATER

Amber, Angelite, Black Tourmaline, Calcite, Carnelian, Celestite, Halite, Hematite, Jade, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, Lodestone, Malachite, Mica, Moldavite, Moonstone, Obsidian, Opal, Pearl, Pyrite, Selenite, Tangerine Quartz, Turquoise

DO NOT PUT THESE CRYSTALS IN CONSTANT SUNLIGHT

Amethyst, Apatite, Aquamarine, Aventurine, Calcite, Celestite, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Fluorite, Green Amethyst, Opal, Rose Quartz, Sapphire, Smokey Quartz, Topaz, Turquoise

DO NOT PUT THESE CRYSTALS IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES

Amber, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Coral, Emerald, Jade, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Moonstone, Obsidian, Onyx, Opal, Pearl, Touramaline.

This is just a 101 Guide, it's by no means a full list, so please make sure to also do your own research on your individual crystals as well. I hope this helps!

Ada Limón, from The Carrying; “Sometimes I think my body leaves a shape in the air”

Ways to Celebrate Mabon - the Autumn Equinox 🔥🍂

🍁 Take a walk in nature to observe the transition of the seasons

🍁 Gather fall leaves, acorns, creek stones, and mushrooms

🍁 Gratitude journaling

🍁 Host a bonfire with music & dancing

🍁 Have a potluck or feast with loved ones

🍁 Hang up plants & herbs to dry

🍁 Practice ancestor veneration

🍁 Give offerings to your God or deities

🍁 Works of charity — give to others

🍁 Rituals for prosperity, protection, and power

🍁 Bake bread or fruit pies

🍁 Honor the Harvest Moon

🍁 Decorate your altar to honor and highlight the season

🍁 Visit an orchard or vineyard

🍁 Use grapes and apples in your spellwork

🍁 Pray or set intention for a bountiful harvest, new opportunities, and protection of your blessings

🍁 Pyromancy and fire rites

More detailed tips and info about the Autumn Equinox 🍂 HERE 🍂

Coping skills for trauma are essential for anyone, and incorporating them into your practice can be very beneficial. Trauma-informed care is a crucial aspect of supporting individuals who have experienced trauma. Here are some ways you can use a coping skills card deck in your practice:

Self-care Rituals: Create a ritual around pulling a coping skill card each day or week. Reflect on how you can implement that skill in your daily life to promote self-care and healing.

Intention Jars: If you create intention jars, consider adding coping skill cards to them. This can infuse your intentions with strategies for managing stress, anxiety, or trauma triggers.

Meditation and Reflection: Incorporate the coping skills from the cards into your meditation or reflection practices. Focus on each skill to see how it resonates with your own experiences and needs.

Teaching and Workshops: If you're helping others, host workshops or classes where you teach the coping skills from the card deck. This can be a valuable resource for individuals seeking support.

Journaling: Use the coping skills to inspire journal prompts. Encourage yourself and others to write about their experiences and how they are incorporating these skills into their lives.

Spread Positivity: Share a coping skill with others, either in person or on social media, as a way to promote mental health awareness and well-being.

Remember that coping skills should be used in conjunction with other therapeutic techniques and strategies. Trauma can be complex, and a holistic approach to healing is often most effective.

If you have any specific questions about using the coping skills card deck or need more detailed information on any aspect, please feel free to ask!

witch tip

in my eyes, any type of self care is witchcraft. taking a shower? a literal and metaphorical cleansing ritual. making food? kitchen witchcraft, obviously. drawing? it’s like a really complex sigil thats purpose is to calm you down and clear your mind. making tea? potions. lying in bed all day binging your favourite show on netflix? a day of recharging your soul. don’t ever feel guilty for not doing complex spells all the time. you’re a witch - everything you do is inherently witchy.

2023 Witch's Calendar

For all my witches out there, here's a handy list of the 2023 dates for the major holidays, full and new moons, and special events. I've listed my sources at the bottom. Dates and times for all events are calculated for Eastern Standard Time, USA, Northern Hemisphere. Adjust for your location as needed. Enjoy!

WOTY Holidays and Solstices

February 1-2 - Imbolc

March 20 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

May 1 - Beltane

June 21 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer

August 1 - Lughnasadh

September 23- Autumn Equinox / Mabon

October 31 - Samhain

December 21 - Winter Solstice / Yule

Full Moons

January 6 - Wolf Moon ♋

February 5 - Snow Moon ♌

March 7 - Worm Moon ♍

April 6 - Pink Moon ♎

May 5 - Flower Moon ♏

June 4 - Strawberry Moon ♐

July 3 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♑

August 1 - Sturgeon Moon ♒

August 31 - Blue Moon ♓

September 29- Harvest Moon ♈

October 28 - Hunter's Moon (aka Blood Moon) ♉

November 27 - Frost Moon ♊

December 26 - Cold Moon ♋

Fun Fact: The title of Harvest Moon is given to either the September or October full moon, whichever falls closest to the autumn equinox. In 2023, as in 2022, that month will be September.

New Moons

January 21 ♒

February 20 ♓

March 21 ♈

April 20 ♈

May 19 ♉

June 18 ♊

July 17 ♋

August 16 ♌

September 14 ♍

October 14 ♎

November 13 ♏

December 12 ♐

Special Events

February 20 - 2nd New Moon in lunar month

April 20 - Solar Eclipse

May 5 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

August 30 - Blue Moon

September 29 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

October 14 - Solar Eclipe (Annular)

October 28 - Lunar Eclipse (Partial)

Mercury Retrogrades (in case you need them)

Dec 29, 2022 - Jan 18, 2023

April 21 - May 14

August 23 - September 15

Dec 13, 2023 - January 1, 2024

SOURCES:

Moon Info - Full Moon 2023

Calendar-12.com - Moon Phases 2023

Full Moonology - Full Moon Calendar 2023

Moon Calendar - Full Moons and New Moons in 2023

Yearly Horoscope - Mercury Retrograde 2023 Dates and Times

Your Zodiac Sign - 2023 Astrology Calendar

The Pagan Grimoire - The Wheel of the Year: The 8 Festivals in the Wiccan Calendar

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EDIT: Updated Jan 6, 2023 to correct full moon signs and include additional celestial events. Enjoy!

Thought this would be loved here…

Your craft is more than your tools

I see a lot of posts on #witchblr for baby witches saying you need to collect this and that when you are starting out. (So many lists!) As though you can't make magic without a particular starter kit of cups and cards and crystals. I don't think this kind of materialistic approach is useful.

Now, I'm not saying that it's not nice to have shiny rocks and floral potpourri, but it is not necessary. Tools can help focus and enhance spell work, but the spell comes from within first and foremost.

So my advice to baby witches is to not run around and spend all your coin on the aesthetic, but instead invest your time into research, reflection and meditation.

This will give you a much better idea of the things that will actually help you get the most out of your workings—instead of accumulating seasonings that will rot in your pantry—if you even feel you need anything at all.

Finally, if you research well you will probably find that what you have in your home and/or neighbourhood is all you need (markers, paper, salt, flour, matches, water, cups, books, playing cards, birthday candles, perfume, text articles and PDFs on the internet, rocks, leaves, etc.) in terms of tools.

Magick is just noticing the energy in the tiniest of things, things most people take for granted.

Psst, come here, I have a secret to tell you:

The people who are gonna judge you for believing in magic don't care that you ruled out every possible mundane reason for something odd happening before you say it's ghosts or something, they're still gonna judge you so just let yourself believe without having to try and find scientific evidence to support your beliefs.