In a world full of instant gratification.. may we never lose sight of the natural cycles of life.. how the moon takes its time to be full or how the crops take their time to harvest..
May we slow down & just be present..
“No System but the Ecosystem” back patch
Screen printed on reclaimed fabric: 9″ x 12″
You can get one HERE.
Jar Spells & Pouches
“Bubbly Friend” Protection and Cleansing Jar Spell
“Tough As A Nail” Protection Spell
“Portable Barricade” Spell Jar
“Protect My Ass” Spell Jar
“Stay The F*ck Away From Me” Protection Jar
Jar Spell for Protection
Witchywoman’s Protection Jar
Shiroinightmare’s Protection Bottle
Gender/Sexuality Protection Jar Spell
Sea Witch’s Protection Bottle
Stormy Protection Spell Jar
Elemental Protection Jar Spell
Dragon Protection Jar
Protection Jar Against Bindings & Hexes
Basic Warding Jar
Making A Witch Bottle (Charm)
Witches Bottle for Protection
Potent Protective Witch Bottle
Blood Magic Protection Jar
Mini Protection Vial
Ares Protection Pouch
‘Sweet Tooth’ Spell Sachet
Protection Pouches
Protection Pouch
Protection Sachet
Protection Sachet for School
Amulets
Simple Protection Amulet
“Untouchable” Charm Ward
Subtle Protection Amulet
Coral Protection Amulet
Sunglasses Enchantment
Ways to Make Amulets
Simple Protection Necklace
Strength & Safety Amulet
Protection Vial Necklace
Wonder Woman’s Bracelets
Sword & Shield Graveyard/Spirit Jewelry
Nasty Witches’ Brew Protective Jewelry
Bath/Shower Magic
“Armour of Love” Protection Bath
Powerful Cleansing Bath
Simple Purification and Protection Scrub
“Master Protector” Body Scrub
Gossip-Stopping Scrub
Shower Disks for Protection
Pine Protection Balm
Kitchen Witchcraft
Purification and Protection Soup
Fondant Potatoes for Protection & Prosperity
Self Love & Protection Recipe Spell
Abundant Apple Pie Cookies
Grandma’s Pumpkin Bread
Potions
Cleanse & Protect Spray Potion
Rose Shield Potion
Protection Potion
Pisces Protection Potion
Return To Sender Vigor Potion
Bucking Bronco Vigor Potion
Charge Vigor Potion
Spells
Bravery/Protection Spell
Aroma Veil Spell
Protection Spell for Queer Folks
Spell For Protection While Coming Out As Trans
‘Hiding Secrets’ Spell
Stronger Than You Spell
Protection Against Bullies
“Belittlement Barrier” Spell
Expecto Patronum
Substitute Spell
Curse Decoy
LoZ Magic Armour Protection Spell
Riddikulus Charm
Snowdrop Protection Spell
Method for Protection Against Undesired Spirits or People
Evergoing Spell
Rose Quartz Shielding Spell
Protection Candle Spell
Protection Chant
Night Protection Spell
Night Protection Spell #2
Protection Against Curses, Hexes & Bad Energies
Maka’s Black Blood Dress
Mars Celestial Fire Surround
Plutonic Protection Spell
‘Dark Dome Close’ Sailor Pluto Spell
Moon Tiara Magic
Jupiter Thunder Crash
Mind Blast Spell
Metal Claws Spell
Expelliarmus
“Back To You, B*tch” Protection Spell
‘Return To Sender’ Spell
‘Backfire’ Curse Repelling Enchantment
Engraved Hourglass Nebula Curse Return Spell
‘Trainer Chose Squirtle’ Spell
Black Salt Spell for Protection & Absorbing Negativity
Protection Spell Against Negative People & Psychic Vampires
Wards/Rituals
‘Don’t Go In The Dog Park’ Ward
Nail Polish Ritual
PC Magic Warding Ritual
Positive Energy/Banishment of Evil Incense Ritual
‘Fire Rose’ Healing & Protection Ritual
Protection Ritual for the Downtrodden
Sigils
I Am Shielded From Acts of Violence
I Am Protected From Unwanted Spiritual & Physical Entities Who Would Do Me Harm
Protection From Evil Spirits
I Am Safe
I Am Safe At Work
I Am Aware of My Surroundings & Protected
I Am Protected From All Negativity
I’m Protected From Negative Vibes
No Negative Energy Can Affect Me
I Repel Ignorance and Negativity
Protection From Bad Intentions
Protection From Unwanted Eyes
I Am Safe From Fascists
I Am Safe From Transphobia
Those Who Would Harm Me Suffer Their Own Ill Intentions Turned Back On Themselves
I Am One With The Forest
Earth Protection
Protection + Happiness
Ace/Aro Protection Sigil
Protection Sigil/Charm
No Evil Can Touch Me
Sigil for Protection Against All Forms of Magickal Attack
Sigil to Protect One Against All Forms of Possession
Sigil of Protection
Protection
Protection
Spell Jars
Simple Home Protection Jar Spell
“I Don’t Know Sh*t My Dudes” Protection Jar
My Home Is Protected Spell Jar
House Protection Jar
Home Protection Spell Bottle
Peace & Protection Bottle
Peace & Protection Spell Jar
Home Purification/Protection Spell Jar
Sleeping Beauty House Protection Jar Spell
Mama Cat’s Evil Eye Protection Jar
Sprays & Washes
House-Warding Spray
All-Purpose Cleansing Spray
Protective House Wash
Protective Floor Wash
Rituals
Protecting Yourself And Your Home (Basic Ward Ritual)
Three Elements Home Blessing & Protection Ritual
‘Protect My Space’ Pouch & Ritual
Wards
Quick Protection Ward
Prickly Protection Ward
Protective Storm Ward
Patronus Ward
“Let Only Good Energy In” Horseshoe Ward
Moonbeam Ward
“The Hedgehog” Green Witch Ward
Pumpkin Wards
Complex Bramble Ward
Weaving Protection Wards (ADVANCED)
Spells
Simple Protection Spell
Simple Herbal Protection Spell
Simple Hearth & Home Protection Spell
Home & Body Protection Spell
Clearing Negative Energy from a Room
Home Protection Steam Spell
My Home Is Protected Spell
“Protect My Home” Spell
Home Protection Spell
Home Protection Charm
House Protection Spell
Spell to Protect Your House
House Protection Charm
Threshold Protection Spell
Protego Totalum (Harry Potter Spell)
Four Shells Protection Spell
Pine Cone Prosperity & Protection Spell
“Little Lurkers” Home Protection Spell
Home Protection Spells
A Series of Protection Spells
Strong Home Protection Spell
Home Protection Tip
Home Protection Tip
Sigils
My Home is Protected
My Home Is Protected
This Home Is Protected
Sigil for Protecting One’s Home
Protect This Home
My Home Is A Safe and Healthy Environment
The House I Come Back To Is Safe For Me
Only Positive Energies May Enter My Space
Negative Forces Do Not Enter Here
Spells
Simple Protection Jar For Your Grimoire
Grimoire Protection Spell
Hidden Object Charm
The Serpent’s Lock/Serpent’s Key
Sigils
Protection From Prying Eyes
All Prying Eyes Are Diverted; This Grimoire Is Cloaked In Invisibility
This Item Will Not Be Found
I’m Safe. This Object Is Safe.
The Book in Which This Sigil Is Written Cannot Be Lost or Stolen
This Grimoire Is Protected
This Grimoire Is Protected
My Grimoire Is Protected
Grimoire Is Protected From Those With Ill Intent
This Book of Shadows Is Protected
This Book Is Protected
[part 2]
Things that have helped me feel closer to my deities:
Praying before their altars (bonus points if you write your own)
Read books other than their myths (books you think they’d enjoy themselves)
Meditating with them
Learn about magickal subjects related to them
Dedicate a journal for notes and document experiences you have with that deity (including moments where they’ve assisted you and any divination conversations you’ve had with them)
Listen to their messages and follow through with them
Light incense that reminds you of them
Find artwork that feels like that deity and hang, print or save them
Divination Methods (Runes, Tarot, Pendulums, Bone Throwing, etc.)
Watch content on different subjects they’re related to (documentaries on death, relationships, crime, etc.)
Dedicate, care, and/or name pets, plants, plushies, etc to them
Learn not just their pantheon and myths but the culture that influenced them
Wear jewelry dedicated to them (bonus if you have that deity enchant them with protection)
Share meals with them
Thinking of them in passing (like “hey that thing reminds me of *insert deity*”)
Talk casually at their altars and give them an itinerary of your day
Define your relationship with that deity and refer to them accordingly (if its a more formal/in reverence, use a formal title. if it’s warm/personal, use an affectionate name.)
Before you expand: long text post!
I think it's interesting that the first line of advice stressed and unhappy practitioners often receive is 'stop practicing! take a break,' because besides a breather this doesn't actually do anything. When a person is done with that break they're still going to have the same stressful, unfulfilling practice they did before.
Stop practicing is useful advice for someone who is about to deep-fry their brain in uncontrolled Witch Fire. It's useful advice for someone who experiences unexplainable catastrophe every time they engage in magic.
I'm not sure it's useful advice for people who want to practice and are actively seeking help figuring out how.
So here are some ideas. Feel free to add your own.
Scrape over-engineered ritual. Examine ritual formats. Are you spending a majority of your practice time engaging in elaborate ritual? Where can that be paired down?
Swap ritual for enchantments. If ritual performs an action (laying a compass), can you substitute for that ritual action by making enchanted objects that take less time to activate (enchanted compass altar cloth)?
Minimize ingredients. If you regularly perform spells that require lengthy enchantment of ingredients, can you use fewer ingredients to achieve the same results? If you're using more than 3 correspondences for any spell, is this because you are wise in your own ways, or because you just feel that more is merrier?
Mash rituals together. Do you have a string of rituals, even small ones, that you perform one after the other? Is it possible to reorganize these so they're all done at once, in the same ritual? For example, setting out an offering to the gods, a different offering for the ancestors, another for helper spirits, etc. Can you combine these all into one single offering?
Check for over-tending. Is it possible that you're repeating magical acts, like feeding wards and cleansing, more often than you need to? Did you arrive at this schedule through trial and error, or did you just guess this is how often you should do them?
Check for your own levelup: spell maintenance. If it's been a while since you re-evaluated your ritual/offering/maintenance schedule, your increase in skills may mean you need to do these tasks less often to achieve the same result.
Check for your own levelup: techniques and routines. Some techniques, like carefully entering trance, grounding, and centering, are like training wheels that wear ruts into our paths of magic. As we improve in skill, old rituals and techniques that have been carefully couched in these helpful devices may become ingrained in us so that we can perform them in almost any state of mind, much faster and easier than we could before. Experiment with any technique you've been doing for a while and see if you still need to perform time-consuming meditative or focusing techniques before you can perform the skill.
Be reasonable with your own goals. I find most 'laywitches' give themselves daily and weekly schedules that would put actual cloistered monks to shame. Did your spirits tell you they expect daily offerings, or did you decide on that an run with it? Where are you overcompensating and overexerting in your path when nobody, including yourself, asked you to?
Much of the advice of the prior section applies. Also,
Just work less. Are you putting in 100% effort when 20% or 30% would do? Are you treating every act of magic like a performance review that will control the outcome of your magical career? I'm not being sarcastic; an actual solution to your path being too much work is to just put in less effort. If you've never tried this you may be shocked at how effective magic can be when you're only doing what needs to be done.
Find simpler, more reasonable stuff. Find new techniques, and spell and ritual formats that are paired down to fit the amount of effort that's reasonable to exert for any given magical act. If you can't work with correspondences without a lengthy act of activation, find a way to cast simple spells that doesn't rely on correspondences.
Limit research and prep. Ask yourself how much research you reasonably need to get started on any given project. Remember that a huge amount of a witch's education is experiential; you will probably never know enough until you've already done it three or four times.
Be goal-oriented; prioritize actions. Ask yourself if you've set arbitrary workloads before you can get started with anything, such as forcing yourself to write artistic grimoire pages before you're allowed to perform a ritual you're interested in.
Learn skills to help prioritize actions. If your practice is consumed by acts of upkeep such as cleansing and empowering objects, focus on learning energy sensing so you can reasonably determine whether or not an object actually needs to be cleansed or empowered.
Administrate your own practice - what can go on the back burner? Make a list of all your active ongoing projects and maintenance, including upkeep of energy batteries, spells that require maintenance, and situations you want to change and are casting spells on. Prioritize them; see which ones you can set aside.
Restructure your projects to minimize maintenance. Consolidate spells and projects where possible. For example, if you have multiple protection spells for many people that require upkeep, condense them all onto a protection altar so you can feed and tend to them all at once.
Work in batch and bulk. See where you can do batch work to lighten your load. You can bulk enchant candles and incense, instead of enchanting incense every time you do a ritual. You can enchant oils, waters, and incense to feed your spells, taking time out of upkeep.
Levelup your charging and maintenance skills. Learn energy work to attach energy tethers to batteries and other important projects so they're able to drink from the wellspring you attach them to, and stay charged.
Scrape routines that don't serve you. Examine any daily routines. Are you doing them because they're helping you, or because you feel like you're supposed to be doing something every day? See if you can replace more intensive daily routines with something less tiring, like a prayer to your path itself.
You have a right to privacy. Cocooning is valid. It's fine to take steps to limit who can see and potentially judge your practice. You can keep things to yourself until you're ready.
Tend to your emotional wellness. Self-therapy, in any form you feel comfortable with, can help mitigate the inner eye of judgement.
Reduce your beliefs to palatable doses. Believing in magic for only the duration of your work is perfectly fine. You don't have to 'believe-believe' 24/7. If you're not ready to integrate the belief of magic and spirits into your baseline worldview, don't - you can agree to buy in to those beliefs only while you practice techniques and cast spells, and then put them away the rest of the time.
Scrape stuff you really can't get past. Ask yourself what about your practice feels silly. Are there trappings - like altars, ritual movements, and speaking aloud - that you don't like? Change them. Is the idea that religious faith itself is a bit cringe? Self-therapy (or you know, the regular kind) may be assistive.
Ask for help modifying your process.Is there something very specific about a ritual or technique that you just can't get past, but you don't know how to change it? Research and see what other substitute rituals are available. Ask others and see if they can help you brainstorm.
Embrace the silliness. It's not going anywhere. Believing in your practice and holding it dear and sacred is not the same as being ✨super serious gravitas✨ all the time. There are lots of things about witchcraft, and the acts of the witch, that are silly and make you realize you're doing something ridiculous. I came out here at 2 am after it's been raining to climb down a slippery riverbed to get a branch of a tree that I think is talking to me?? Because some medieval guy said Tuesday is the planet Mars and I think trees talk to me?! Ridiculous. Yet I still love it dearly in a sacred place in my heart. It can be silly and glorious at the same time.
Cast a wider net. See if you're barking up the wrong tree. Traditional Witchcraft, folk magic, lodge magic, chaos magic, eclectic neopaganism... these things are not interchangeable. If you've never explored different traditions, why not give it a go? You might find another path that feels a lot more natural to you. A lot of people fall into a certain path just because they don't know what else they could be doing!
What are you doing to bring yourself fulfillment? Why did you get into witchcraft? Make a list of your top 5 reasons (if you have that many). Which techniques, spells, and rituals are you regularly performing are designed to deliver these desires to you? If one of your goals of practicing witchcraft is to 'feel connected,' how often are you performing acts where the only goal is to make you feel connected?
Grow your path deliberately in the direction of your needs. What do you wish you had in your life right now? Is it the feeling of being loved? Inner peace? Feeling like nature is alive and watching you? Look for what techniques and rituals in your practice will bring these things to you. If there are none, find or develop them.
Ask for help and share your feelings. If you work with gods and spirits, do you regularly tell them how you feel about your practice and ask them for help finding fulfillment?
Find contentment in the process. It's vital to find joy in the process. If you have regular routines or upkeep you need to do, how can you modify it so that process in and of itself is satisfying to you? Try considering the visceral element of witchcraft: the words, scents, sounds, moods, and thoughts that you want to experience in your present moment. Witchcraft is experiential: a great deal of the experience you create in the tidepools of routine is under your control.
Contemplate the larger purpose. Some witches do have magical chores and responsibilities they can't or shouldn't shirk. If this is true of you, and you can't modify those routines, try refocusing on why you're doing them and the importance they hold in your path. See if you can find balance elsewhere in your practice that feels rejuvenating; sort of a 'work-play' balance of your own craft.
Set short-term goals you can celebrate. Are you undertaking a lot of 'workout routines' that are designed to basically make you magically buff, or get good at a particular skill, but you're doing them with no endgoal? Try creating short-term goals that excite your sense of wonder or accomplishment. Like, practicing tarot until you can read the Celtic Cross, or practicing energy work until you can make a four-element layered energy shield. Build goalposts for yourself, both in the short and long-term, and celebrate your successes.
Scrape routines you're not doing for any good reason. Are your regular practices things you're doing because they fill you with mystery and wonder, or because you're just pretty sure that's the kind of thing witches do? If you're bored or unfulfilled by a particular routine, consider stopping it altogether, especially if you can't think of any short-term goals that it's helping you work towards. Think about the reasons you got into witchcraft: what practices would help you fulfill those reasons, while also feeling good to practice?
Seek out a likeminded community. A good working group of friends can be invaluable. My close group of witch friends, whom I've been hanging out with for years, started as a Tumblr post asking if anyone wanted to make a small server to study witchcraft. Reach out and see who's out there to study with, talk to, and practice with. It can be loads of fun to do short-term study and practice challenges with friends, and a great way to get feedback and support.
Evaluate your spiritual relationships. Although it can be painful and challenging, sometimes we enter into our paths working with gods and spirits that after some time, we need to move on from. Is it possible your path has become stagnant because you don't want to keep working with a god or spirit that your path has been built around? It may be time to see how you can move on.
Of course, YMMV :)
'Taking a break' doesn't mean stop being a witch, stop believing in magic, or stop 100% of your practice. It can also mean putting a lot of projects on the back burner, switching to bare-minimum (or below minimum) maintenance, and squashing regular routines.
I'm talking specifically about taking a break in the interest of your own practice - not the conditions under which someone is ""allowed"" to stop practicing witchcraft.
Take a break to rest and let your seeds germinate. 'Fallow periods,' when you have no desire or motivation to practice witchcraft, and when it seems like there's nothing for you to do, are normal. Some witches experience this cyclically, perhaps during certain seasons or when predictable life conditions are met. There's no need to force yourself to practice when it's just not flowing. The snow on your mountaintops needs to melt to replenish your waterways, bestie. There's nothing wrong with you, the sun just isn't out yet.
When you're hitting yourself with a hammer. When something in your practice is triggering or harming you, and stopping will have no consequences, then stopping your practice for a while is probably a good idea. Use the downtime to seek healing or reformat your practice.
To open your life up for necessary work. Not every witch can out-path every problem. Consider taking a break when the problem is something you will have time and energy to work on if not for your regular magical practice.
When you're about to deep-fry your brain with Witch Fire. Consider taking a break when the problem with your practice is that you are practicing too often - such as fatigue due to excessive spellwork, divinatory obsession, trouble staying out of the spirit world (compulsive astral travel), or focus on spirits/magic/the spirit worlds are starting to erode your home, school, or work life.
To let the ripples settle. When you've done so much magic or ritual work that your life is a boat on a stormy sea, and you just need to batten down the hatches for a while and let things settle.
Astagyromancy: Dice Divination
Astagyromancy (also called astragalomancy) translates to "spinning of the dice" and is an ancient form of divination using dice. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are the best days to cast dice. Traditionally, three dice are cast within a 12 inch circle. It is said that if the dice fall out of the circle, you should try again later and if they fall out three times it's a bad omen. However, if one die falls on top of another it is an extremely good omen and signifies a coming gift.
• 3- One of the best numbers that can appear. Pleasant surprises, good fortune, positive responses.
• 4- Disappointment, bad luck.
• 5- Wishes granted, new friendships.
• 6- A loss of some kind in the near future, possibly with money or friendship.
• 7- Sorrow, setbacks, people talking behind your back
• 8- Sign you will be falsely accused of something
• 9- Sign of weddings and good luck in love
• 10- Career advancement, child birth
• 11- Important news, happiness
• 12- Temporary separation or sickness
• 13- A good omen for some, bad for others
• 14- Secret admirer or helpful friend
• 15- Dishonesty, disagreement, gossip
• 16- Upcoming travel, pleasant journey
• 17- Change is coming
• 18- The best number that can be cast, wealth, success and happiness
• 1- Generally favorable
• 2- Your success depends on your friends
• 3- An omen of success
• 4- Disappointment and trouble
• 5- Good indications
• 6- Uncertainty and indecision
There’s a lot of differing opinion about what to call each hand. The left is sometimes called the hand of your past or the hand of your potential, while the right is sometimes called the hand of your future or the hand of your actualization. Generally speaking, think of your left hand as where you’ve been and your right hand as where you’re going.
Each hand differs in the way its mounts, special zones, and lines look, one hand may even have something the other doesn’t have! So it’s important to exam each hand on their own, and for a deeper reading put the information together. (In order to make the above diagram easier to read, I’ve separated the information across two hands, but all points are mirrored across the hands.)
This guide is a starter guide, however, and won’t be getting into advanced structure palmistry such as knuckles, nails, palm/finger shape, or special markers, so keep that in mind.
I suggest making sure your hands are clean, well moisturized, and rested before you read them so that you can get the most clear and accurate read possible.
Note: * I did my best to include as even number of pros and cons as I could for everything but the literature is very biased… Don’t be discouraged if you have many “bad” traits, as they are all strengths, tools, or things to learn from (in their own way).
Full: a large amount of skin/muscle
Flat: a small amount of skin/muscle
Weak: difficult to see
Strong: easy to see
Start, of a line: shortest distance to, or touching, the outer edge of the hand
End, of a line: shortest distance to, or within, the center of the palm
Short: line ends at the center of the palm or sooner
Long: line ends after the center of the palm
Fork: a line split into two or more parts
Break: a line is completely separated, but the two halves are close enough to reasonably be assumed a continuation
Branch: a “V”, line, or curve that the primary line passes through
Doubled: a second, smaller line that follows closely to a primary line without crossing it
* Note: Sometimes the meaning of start and end are flipped in other literature, but these are the definitions that make sense to me personally. Once you get familiar with palmistry you can decide for yourself where the start and end are.
Venus ( ♀ ): [Love, friendship, self-care, intuition, vitality, success.] A full mount indicates someone who has many friends or romantic/sexual relationships, takes care of themselves but may over indulge, is frivilous and impulsive, enjoys the arts and “the finer things”, seeks instant gratification, and is influential or well respected. A flat mount indicates someone who is critical, more selective with friendships/romantic partners, is not close with their family, is a deep thinker and not superficial, independent, and may face many hardships.
Mars, positive ( ♂ ): [Courage, adventure, health, interpersonal, temperament.] A full mount indicates someone who enjoys “getting out there” and is unafraid to be in the spotlight, this person may be stubborn, aggressive, or may have a thick skull, they may have good health, and they communicate effectively but are very defiant. A flat mount indicates someone who has trouble expressing their feelings, is avoidant and anxious, easily over-stimulated, cautious, introspective, and reflective.
Jupiter ( ♃ ): [Willpower, personal philosophies, self-image.] A full mount indicates someone who cares about how they are perceived by others and therefore works hard to achieve their goals and be on top. This person is hard working, ambitious, responsible, cocky, spiritual, domineering, and may be self-centered but is willing to help others. A flat mount indicates someone who is clumsy, dishonest, self-conscious, has a lack of ambition, is frugal, goes with the flow, is spontaneous, and seems to be socially and spiritually disconnected.
Saturn ( ♄ ): [Intelligence, independence, patience, duty.] A full mount indicates someone who is in control of their life, responsible and trustworthy, sentimental, cautious, a bit of a show off, and can be depressive, shy, or withdrawn although they are friendly. A flat mount indicates someone who is superstitious, has strong religious or spiritual views, is superficial, disorganized, lacks introspection, this person may have a “go with the flow” attitude, and be more relaxed and carefree.
Apollo/Solar ( ☉ ): [Wealth, outlook, imagination, compassion.] A full mount indicates someone who is quiet or mild tempered, has many artistic interests or passions, is a modest philanthropist, a perfectionist, quick-tempered and sometimes prideful, and can be envious but is outgoing and flexible. A flat mount indicates someone who over-indulges beyond their means, is disinterested in art, they do not make decisions easily, they have little imagination, are rational and level headed, and may be drawn more to history and hard science.
Mercury ( ☿ ): [Wisdom, travel, communication, business.] A full mount indicates someone who is financially successful and shrewd in business, they are quick-witted and inventive but may have little follow-through, they may lie easily, and are flexible and adaptive. A flat mount indicates someone who is easy going although may be lazy, shy, and have difficulty communicating.
Mars, negative: [Self-control, endurance, enthusiasm.] A full mount indicates someone who is steady and stable, endures many hardships, and may not be too courageous. A flat mount indicates someone who is indecisive, has bad luck, has difficulty motivating, but is calm, tactful, and resilient.
Lunar ( ☾ ): [Imagination, intuition, creativity, emotion.] A full mount indicates someone who is very creative, spiritual, sentimental, and may be depressive or have their head in the clouds. A flat mount indicates someone who is steady, conservative, logical, and may be imaginative but doesn’t express it.
Neptune ( ♆ ): [Emotions, health, success.] A full mount indicates someone who is very emotional, sentimental, enjoys good health, is charming and charismatic, this person may be cruel, may face many challenges, and may be a talented musician, poet, or writer. A flat mount indicates someone who is unreliable, asocial, without drive, and may have trouble expressing their feelings.
Will, tip to first knuckle: If longer than #2 Logic, it’s indicated that this person is very reliable and hard working, but acts without thinking. If this portion is full, this person is egotistical; if flat, this person is irresponsible.
Logic, first to second knuckle: If longer than #1 Will, it’s indicated that this person comes up with ideas easily but has poor follow through and execution. If this portion is full, this person is bossy; if flat, this person is indecisive.
Love, second knuckle to wrist: Look at the thumb with the nail facing you. If this portion of the thumb widens as you move towards the wrist, it’s indicated that this person has a great capacity to love. If this portion remains the same width the entire length, then they are more reserved and closed off. (This change may be difficult to see, so really examine it.)
Relationships: The number of lines indicates the number of significant romantic or non-romantic-committed relationships in your life. This does not imply marriage and the relationship itself did not have to be serious for the person’s impact on your life (or your impact on theirs) to have been in a serious way. A fork or break at the end signifies a divorce. Strong lines indicate someone who is open with their feelings and is able to be vulnerable with others. Weak lines indicate someone who is more critical regarding who they get close to but commits more seriously.
Children: The number of lines indicates the number of children in your life. This does not necessarily imply children you may birth, adopt, or foster but instead reflects the number of lives you had a serious impact on. If a child line crosses a relationship line, you and a partner were both involved with that child. Strong lines indicate healthy children or children you were greatly involved with; weak lines indicate sickly children or children who were only in your life briefly.
If the line ends at the index finger then this person has a lot of love to share, is a dreamer, but may be let down by their high expectations. If the line ends at the middle finger then this person is more reserved and level-headed when it comes to building relationships. If the line ends between the index and middle fingers this person is very genuine, honest, is free with their relationships, and makes friends/falls in love easily.
A short line indicates someone who doesn’t think of relationships as being very important to them, they’re independent and some would call them loners, they’re more introspective and self-reliant although selfish and bad with communication. A long line indicates someone who is open and honest but may be harsh or blunt, they may have too high of standards, and be co-dependent.
Breaks indicate instances when you’ve made a major sacrifice for someone or the end of a relationship. Branches indicate this person is consistent and considerate. A fork indicates a major dispute, separation, or divorce.
If the line crosses the Heart Line it shows this person invests a lot of time in art and leisure, is very sensitive and sympathetic, but may have a lot of life troubles. If the line is very close to the Heart Line without touching it, relationships are a major part of their life, this person is comforting and supportive. If the line is joined with the Life Line at the start and branches quickly, then they are flexible and resilient. If the line is joined with the Life Line at the start and follows along, then they are introverted, indecisive, and cautious.
A short line indicates someone who is rash and bold, cares more about material or physical accomplishments than intellectual or spiritual ones, is easily distracted, but achieves goals quickly. A long line indicates someone who is focused, stubborn, and may procrastinate.
If this person has a doubled line, educational and intellectual pursuits are of highest priority, they have a high mental ability, and they like to look at issues from multiple perspectives. A palm-facing fork indicates someone who is imaginative, creative, and has a strong social bond. An outer hand-facing fork indicates someone who is clever and ambitious, but domineering and may not meet their high expectations. Breaks indicate poor health and career shifts, people with many breaks are strong-minded and need many relationships.
A short line indicates someone who is easily manipulated, deceived, and taken advantage of, this person may be sick often, is able to easily overcome obstacles, and must take special care to understand their own limits. A long line indicates someone who is very in tune with their intuition, is resilient, enjoys sports and physical activity, has a lot of stamina and vitality, has good health, and draws strength from pushing their limits.
Breaks indicate a serious illness or injury and unexpected changes in life. Outer hand-facing forks indicate someone who is diligent, ambitious, optimistic, and successful. Palm-facing forks indicate someone who focuses and work/school, is able to keep their personal and professional relationships separate, and will do a lot of traveling. Branches pointing to the fingers indicate success and achievement, branches pointing to the wrist indicate illness, worries, or life stresses as well as achievements
If the line stops at the Heart Line, then this person is ruled by their emotions and make many impulsive decisions. If the line stops at the Head Line, then this person will have a major career change, of their own choice, and break out into their dreams. A line that ends at Apollo indicates success in the arts. A line that ends at Jupiter indicates great power. A line that ends at Saturn indicates someone who will achieve great success with little effort.
A line that starts in Venus is destined to be wealthy or notable. A line that starts on the Life Line indicates someone who co-dependent, very emotional, and may have trouble with relationships. A line that starts in +Mars indicates someone who is very successful in business. A line that starts in Luna indicates someone who is very helpful and will network easily. A line that starts on the Heart Line indicates someone who will achieve success later in life.
Breaks indicate difficulties in school and work. Branches indicate someone who will have great success and affluence. Forks indicate someone who has many dreams and goals and may be involved in multiple business ventures.
No fate line indicates someone who is go with the flow and is happy to walk any path in life.
Fortune/Sun: If this line is present, it indicates someone who will have major success. They are extremely capable and have great communication skills and follow through. People with this line are very creative, sensitive, and popular. The longer the line, the greater the success and the longer you will have success. A very short line indicates someone who is ordinary but doing well. No line indicates someone who will struggle to achieve their goals, consult the Fate and/or Life lines.
Health/Intuition: If this line is present, it indicates someone who stretches themselves to the limit. Generally this is the line of psychics, empaths, and healers. People with this line should take extra precautions when spending a lot of time around people in order to preserve their health. Consult the Life and Heart lines.
Rascette/Bracelets: Most people have 3-4 of these lines. A strong first bracelet indicates good health and few obstacles in life. A strong second bracelet indicates a stable career and financial situation. A strong third bracelet indicates someone who is well respected in the community, popular, and/or influential. The presence of a fourth bracelet indicates an extremely long life. Having only one line indicates serious health upsets or depression.
1. The classifications of demons were written by humans, not demons.
Different occult schools of thought will have different understandings of the Hierarchies of Hell, whether Hell even exists, and what attributes are associated with each demon. In some sects Lucifer reigns supreme Emperor of Hell, in others it is Sammael, Moloch, or Baal. It all depends on the perspective of the practitioner. All of these models are equally correct and incorrect. Documentation of de(a)mons were often written by right hand practitioners who saw them as evil, therefore their negative attitudes are emphasized. Other times devotees have documented the same entity as being very kind and affectionate. It is incredibly important to take into account who is speaking whenever you read about demons. No single book or author can deliver to you the most **objective** facts about these demons or the model of reality, if they claim to, they’re lying to you. You as the practitioner must discover and decide what reins true in your reality. Teachers and gurus may influence you but ultimately you must make the decision for yourself.
2. Assume all spirits are multi dimensional
Lucifer, the light bringer, is also the spirit of darkness. He is the sweet prince and the adversary, he is a devil and an angel. It is extremely rare that you will encounter a spirit that is only one thing. There is a little bit of truth to everyone’s interactions. To a Luciferian, Lucifer is a guide, a companion, and a positive presence. To a Christian he is an adversary, a tempter, liar and bringer of evil ; and there is an entire rainbow of other experiences that contribute to the understanding of “Lucifer”. Demons are not all good nor are they all bad, trying to paint them in only one light will only lead to disappointment and confusion. It is just as foolish to assume that a so called angel will always be pleasant and nice, as it is to assume a so called demon will be terrible and mean. Every energy interacts with every person uniquely.
3. Scary and intimidating doesn’t automatically mean “evil”
Nice and pleasing doesn’t automatically mean “good”
If you’re interacting with demons or spirits associated with death, it shouldn’t be very surprising that they’re dark, mysterious, or have a frightening appearance. If you’re dealing with demons or spirits of sex and lust, it shouldn’t be very surprising that they’re alluring, attractive, or beautiful. This doesn’t mean that the scary demon is going to kill you, and this doesn’t mean that the sexy demon is going to fuck you. There are very likely going to be times when your demons will scare you. This doesn’t mean that they’re going to hurt you or possess you (they shouldn’t be frightening you to the point of constant paranoia, but seeing some “disturbing” or strange imagery isn’t out of the norm when you’re contacting a de(a)mon).
If you enter a deep dark cave looking for a bear, don’t be surprised when you see sharp teeth. Demons of violence may summon gory imagery. Demons of death my feel cold and distant. A large part of demonolatry is understanding your fear and overcoming it.
4. Yeah, it’s intense.
Okay. This is hard for me to explain. Infernal spirits and angels alike are entities that force you to confront your innermost self and change. It’s not always spooky and scary and whimsical. Sometimes it’s losing your dead end job, having a serious breakup, losing toxic friends, or having a personal epiphany. When I say it’s intense, I don’t mean that I’m levitating and seeing gnarly gory shit and summoning demons while covered in blood all the time. I have dreams and experiences of course, but seeing a demon work is not about the theatrics. Are you ready to confront the things you rrrrreeaaaaalllly don’t want to think about? Your trauma, the lies you tell yourself to get through the day, and the toxic cycles you comfort yourself with?
Lord Lucifer has made me cry many MANY times. But it was never because he hurt or scared me. I’ve seen many demonolaters refer to Lucifer as a therapist and I couldn’t agree more. He not only changes your understanding of yourself, but others and the world. Through this understanding you can change yourself, and others, and the world.
5. You as the practitioner need to be able to withstand the symptoms of your demonic relationships
Being in a relationship with Lilith or Asmoday is not an excuse to develop a porn addiction. Being in a relationship with Lucifer does not give you the right to psychoanalyze all of your friends, being in a relationship with Eligos is not an excuse to destroy all of your relationships or be cruel towards others. Demons represent energies and concepts that are unfavourable to the masses. When working with Astaroth I will feel more lustful, just by being in her proximity. That is not justification to cheat on my partner or force myself onto him. As much as demons like Lucifer for example can inspire us to be wise and sharp, he can also influence us to be vein and narcissistic. We must always be aware of these effects and resist them, working with demons and shadows does not mean becoming the worst version of ourselves, quite the contrary. Interacting with these negative aspects is meant to show you how to overcome them.
6. Demons cannot and will not replace your relationships with humans
I am very pro godspousing and having friendly and affectionate relationships with demons and spirits. Having said that, as much as our spirits may love us and care for us, they will not be the ones to text you good morning. They will not make you soup when you’re sick, or buy you flowers after a hard day. Demons are guides and companions, but they are not people. Trying to use demons to solve your loneliness will only lead to heart ache. You very much can have a sincere relationship with a demon or other spirit, but be aware that that relationship will not mimic your relationships with humans, and it shouldn’t. Gods and demons are not humans, therefore your relationships with them will not feel human.
7. There’s always more to learn
Devotion to any spirit is an endeavour that can take years or even a lifetime. Your work is not done because you read 3 books and browsed the Occult Wiki for an hour and a half. Become very dedicated to learning about your demons of interest and the culture that surrounds them. Yes, this means boring, tedious research.
8. No, ______ is not mad at you. Please talk to them
You will at some point inevitably do something wrong, especially if you are freshly initiated. Demons understand that we are human, we make mistakes. Instead of becoming paranoid and avoiding your demon out of fear of consequences, put on your big boy pants and confront them directly. Understand what you did wrong and learn from your mistake. There may or may not be consequences, every demon is different. But making yourself sick thinking they’re going to smite you down doesn’t make anything better. I guarantee you that talking to them about it will serve you a million times better than running away.
9. You need to know your boundaries BEFORE you reach out
As important as it is to research your demons, it is equally important to research yourself. You need to have strict boundaries that you will not negotiate. These boundaries should be outlined in your contract if you have one. If blood magic is uncomfortable for you, don’t allow any demon or spirit to coerce you into giving it until you are ready. If you’re a minor you’re more than allowed to not do sex magic. This relationship belongs to you as much as it does your demon(s). If it doesn’t serve you, simply refuse it.
10. On that note, demons can and will reject you. You can and will reject them as well.
On many occasions I have approached spirits who did not want to work with me at the moment. Sometimes they end up showing up later in my life, other times they never do. Oftentimes this is because of an incongruency on an alchemical level, we just aren’t meant for each other. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing anything wrong. Sometimes you are, but your demon or deity will usually make that clear to you in some way. Don’t force it. If I’m already terribly preoccupied with life or other spiritual relationships, I’m within my right to reject another demon trying to enter my circle. That isn’t a rude thing to do. I’m within my right to deny a ritual I don’t have the energy or resources for. We can put it on the back burner for now.
Likewise, if a demon or spirit is repeatedly overstepping my boundaries or harming me in any way, I can (and should) leave that demon. If I’m not doing enough or causing insult, that demon can leave me. As binding as devotional contracts can be, we are not trapped with each other if we choose not to be.
11. Protection shouldn’t only be against spirits. Be very aware of your surroundings and the people around you
Learn the power of secrecy. As a Luciferian living in an extremely conservative area, I have to be extremely careful about when my pendants are visible. I have to be careful when entering certain places because I don’t want to be hate crimed or harassed. Yes, being out and proud of my demonic relationships is very important to me, but it is not worth risking real danger from bigots, or risking my employment. When I go to work, I have to leave my Lucifer ring at home, not because my work is discriminatory, but because I don’t know when I’m speaking to a christofascist grandma who would make a complaint to my boss because she saw my devotional ring. I don’t know which of my coworkers would make my life more difficult if they knew about my practice. If you are visible, people will approach you and make comments. Now, there are those of us who don’t give a fuck, and on most days I don’t. But for those of us who are vulnerable to that kind of discrimination, please be aware.
12. Self mutilation is not demonolatry
If you choose to offer blood it should be no more than a few drops. You should be using safe tools like a lancet, and disinfecting the area you extract from. This should be done in the least harmful manner possible. Devotional markings or tattoos should be done by a professional.
13. This stuff takes time. Relax
These relationships don’t develop in 24 hours. It takes a tremendous amount of repeated effort to gain the favour of a demon or spirit. If you’re not getting the results you want, take a break, reevaluate your methods, and try again later.
One of my favorite ways to practice Pokemancy is by using Pokemon cards! In this tutorial, I am going to teach you how to create your OWN oracle deck using cards from the Pokemon Trading Card Game.
Before we get started, let’s go over some definitions and recommended reading:
Pokemancy: the practice of using Pokemon in ANY form to produce messages, advice, and possible divine future events.
Pokemon TCG Cartomancy: Probably the most widespread type of Pokemancy; it is the use of Pokemon TCG cards in order to divine messages. This is comparable to tarot, oracle and lenormand. Like a tarot reading, the person interprets the cards that are pulled for the reading in order to deliver the message to the querent (person receiving the reading). TCG Cartomancy decks can be put together using any of the thousands of Pokemon cards in circulation, the sky is the limit with what you put into your deck. Energy cards, trainer cards and stadium cards can also be used!
An argument for Pokemancy & why it makes sense in the modern occult community
Divination is most effective when you are using a tool that is comfortable for you. This is why personalized tools are become more and more popular. I have seen a rising interest for personalized divination tools such as tarot decks, oracle decks, rune sets, bone throwing sets and many, many more.
With that in mind, Pokemon cards can create a HUGE amount of variety and customization for a deck of cards used for divination! As of May 2020, there are:
Over unique 9000 cards in the English release
Over 20 billion cards in circulation
86 card set
That’s a lotta cards!
But admin! Where do I start? How do I pick my cards?! Which Pokemon do I use? Can I use energy cards? What about the trainers? Which of the 168 Pikachu cards should I pick?!
Not to worry! We are going to cover all of this in this tutorial.
The purpose of this tutorial is to show you that there is no limitation to creating a divination tool that suits you. While I will be offering some basic guidelines and structures, this tutorial is not meant to place limits onto what you can make! Some people may not resonate with my suggestions, and that’s entirely okay.
Many people who read tarot and oracle are familiar with the following phrases:
“This deck is amazing to use for love readings!”
“I’m not sure about you guys, but the imagery on these cards just BEG for shadow work readings.”
“The thing I like about this deck is that it can be used for just about anything.”
Often times, when an artist is creating a tarot or oracle deck, they are designing it around a certain theme or purpose. For example, a deck full of dark, gloomy imagery was probably made for people who want to get readings about death, shadow work or heavier topics. A deck full of inspiring, softer art probably works great for self-empowerment readings and spiritual guidance. And a deck full of couples, cutesy pictures and love symbols will probably strike the right cords with people who want relationship readings. The same goes for TCG oracle decks.
Here are some very basic ideas for some of the most popular deck themes. Remember, you can use your own meanings too:
Relationships/Love
Fairy-type Pokemon
Water-type Pokemon
Pokemon that you consider to represent love
Pokemon that know the moves ‘Attract’ or ‘Covet’
Cards with pink, red or white colors
Business/Finances/Money
Grass-type Pokemon
Ground-type Pokemon
Meowth & Persian
Trainer/Support cards that ask you to draw more cards
Trainer/Support cards that may be associated with money or business in the games, anime and manga.
Spirituality/PokePaganism/Past Life Regression
Psychic-type Pokemon
Legendary Pokemon
Pokemon that are important to you
Energy cards to represent the elements
Stadium cards to represent locations that you may want to focus on during meditation
Healing
Chansey or Audino
Pokemon Center Cards
Pokemon/Support/Stadium cards that inspire you and make you feel good
Energy cards that you associate with healing
Shadow Work
Dark-type Pokemon
Psychic-type Pokemon
Trainer/Support cards associated with villains
Legendary Pokemon associated with the dark
The lists and ideas can go on for as long as you’d like! If you want a more general deck that you can use for every day, go ahead and add in a mix of everything! You can even use the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana of the tarot as inspiration.
My personal Pokemancy deck takes a few things into consideration, and these things may be important to you too:
Representation of the elements. I have one of each energy card in my deck, it gives me deck a sense of balance and allows me to use the deck in many different ways. The energy cards can help clarify readings, or really REALLY bring up the energy that is surrounding my life at the moment. This also plays into the type of Pokemon I choose; I make sure to have a few of each type in my deck.
Visual aesthetics. As a professional tarot reader, I take a card’s artwork into consideration any time I am reading. The art helps me connect with the card, and really get to know it. Often times, I find more and more meaning in cards with complex art. Some readers prefer a more minimalist approach so that they do not get distracted. But, with that being said, I pick cards that appeal to me!
Pokemon that are important to me. If I have a connection with a Pokemon already, it makes it easier for me to read it from a divinatory standpoint.
Pokemon that I want to understand better. On the flip side, sometimes I add in Pokemon that I would make to make a better connection with– Pokemon that are currently “challenging me” in terms of grasping their meanings.
A good balance of “common” Pokemon and legendary Pokemon. My personal practice puts legendary Pokemon in the same seat as gods and goddesses. Common Pokemon give off more of a standard spirit energy for me. So, I have a mix of both in my deck so that I can have a good idea of whether or not this reading involves a connection to the lower realms, the middle realms or the higher realms.
A variety of trainer cards and stadium cards. I’ve got a few trainer cards in my deck in order to represent archetypes, and I have stadium cards that relate to different realms, locations or places that may be relevant during readings. For example, if I pull the Guzma trainer card, it means that I need to be strong and relentless in the face of an adversary, but I should be careful not to let my power get to my head. However, if I pull the Sabrina trainer card, I need to stop and allow myself to look at things logically and calmly.
The size of the deck. I like an average size deck, so my current Pokemancy deck is 40 cards. You, however, can choose as many as you want! As long as you aren’t overwhelmed and you feel that you can make a connection with your cards, and provide readings that make sense, then have at it.
When you put your Pokemancy deck together, you are going to want to try a few practice readings. If you find that your readings aren’t making a whole lot of sense, or if every reading is exactly the same despite changing the question, you may want to add a few cards, remove a few cards, or consider mixing up the variety of your cards. (Maybe all of your cards are TOO positive, and aren’t allowing you to see potential conflicts. Or maybe your cards are TOO negative, and you aren’t able to see the good in your situation!)
Yes. PLEASE treat your Pokemon cards kindly, ESPECIALLY since you are now using them as a tool for divination! If you ask me, you should have already been protecting those cards already, but now it is even more important to do so. Now that you are using these cards for readings, they are going to get shuffled a lot more! If you were only holding these Pokemon cards in binders and boxes, and not using them to actually play the TCG, then you may not be familiar with how much the cards can wear out and be torn up.
There are plenty of things that can damage your cards:
Rain
Humidity
Heavy shuffling
Improper storage (can cause warping and bending
Unwashed hands (and I’m not just talking COVID-19, I’ve ruined cards with sticky hands before.)
Protecting your cards from damage not only increases the lifespan and quality of them, but it also makes the deck feel better all around. Tarot readers put their decks in pouches, leather deck holds, deck wraps and so many other lovely things. We as Pokemancers have our own storage methods as well.
I recommend getting a TCG deck box and card sleeves from one of these places:
Your local game shop
The Pokemon Center Website
Walmart, Target, Amazon, Ebay, etc.
You can also get some beautiful custom boxes from Etsy.
If you want, you can then put that deck box full of your cards into a tarot/oracle pouch, tuck it away in a wrap, or place it on your shelf.
Another way that you can protect your cards is by performing your readings on a reading mat or cloth. These mats and cloths can be found on Etsy, anywhere that you can purchase witchcraft materials, or you can make your own with some fabric!
Or, if you want to stick with the spirit of Pokemancy, buy yourself a Pokemon TCG playing card mat.
So now you’ve got your deck, what’s next? Now, you want to take some time to get to know your deck. The more you know your deck, the better your readings will be. Think of your deck as a friend. The better the connection, the easier it will be to get along.
The most practical way to understanding your deck is by reading with it. For today’s tutorial, I threw a quick deck together in order to show you guys some examples on how to read with your new divination tool. Ignore the fact that the cards are naked, I ran out of card sleeves.
I asked this deck: what can I do to set myself up for success?
Next, I shuffled the deck and pulled five cards. The top three cards are a classic past, present and future layout, while the bottom two give me some advice for the present.
When reading individual cards, I use everything on the card. But, let’s start simple and only focus on the three main points: the flavor text, the attacks and the card art.
Past: Duskull
The flavor text of this card reads: It doggedly pursues its prey wherever it goes. However, the chase is abandoned at sunrise.
The Pokemon has two attacks: Dark Guidance and Spooky Shot
The card art has a picture of Duskull weaving through a room, possibly abandoned due to the graffiti on the walls.
What does all of this suggest? In the past, I worked myself way too hard, often through the night until the sun rose. My form of guidance was putting me in a dark space, and it was pushing me to a point where I was abandoning a lot of things that were important to me.
Present: Morelull
The flavor text of this card reads: It scatters spores that flicker and glow. Anyone seeing these lights falls into a deep slumber.
The Pokemon has one attack: Ram
The card art has a picture of Morelull standing in the woods, illuminating the dark.
What does all of this suggest? Right now, I am pretty worn out from working too hard, to the point where all I want to do is sleep. However, I’m starting to see what I did wrong with my routine in the past, illuminating some possibilities for improvement.
Future: Noctowl
The flavor text of this card reads: Its eyes are specially adapted. They concentrate even faint light and enable it to see in the dark.
The Pokemon has two attacks: Hypnoblast and Night Raid
The card art shows Noctowl perched on a tree branch against a clear sky, head tilting like it knows something.
What does all of this suggest? In the future, I will be able to focus on the light side of things, or the good parts of life, even when I am surrounded by a lot of darkness (stress, bad mental health, etc.) Even if I am in a tough place right now, my future is bright.
Advice Card #1: Timer Ball
Trainer cards do not have any attacks or basic flavor text, it only has the card’s description. This is also an item card, which limits my ability to find meaning in the card art. However, I can relate this card back to the Timer Ball’s use in the Pokemon games.
The Timer Ball’s catch rate increases the longer you are in battle with a wild Pokemon.
What does all of this suggest? The more I work on myself now, the better my outcome will be in the future. I should not rush for my final outcome.
Advice Card #2: Pokemon Fan Club
Again, this is a trainer card, with no attacks or flavor text. Unlike the Timer Ball though, the Pokemon Fan Club has some more depth.
The Pokemon Fan Club is an organization spread throughout the Pokémon world, with at least one club house in nearly every region. The club is considered a place for people to meet and chat about their favorite Pokémon and to show off their collections to each other.
What does all of this suggest? I should look to friends and groups of like-minded people (such as my classmates or people in my different communities) for support and drive right now.
Once you finish the reading, you can shuffle the cards back into the deck, thank it for its message, and then put it into storage.
And there you have it! See how simple that was? As you get to understand your cards more, you can use the numerology of the Pokemon’s height, weight and Pokedex number, the Pokemon’s typing, whether or not it is a basic Pokemon or stage 1 or 2 Pokemon, and so on. Don’t overwhelm yourself though! Start with a few factors of the card, and then add on more once you’re confident.
Just about every tarot spread can be adapted for your Pokemancy deck. Try out a few and see how your cards respond to them!
Making a Pokemon TCG oracle deck can be a lot of fun! It’s accessible for those who are still in the closet with their witchcraft/paganism (you can just tell people that you’re collecting Pokemon cards), it has a nostalgic factor, and it’s exciting when you learn about the depth of these cards. There are so many combinations that you can come up with, so go out there and make the deck of your dreams.
Please share this tutorial if you found it interesting!
Many people in the modern day pagan/polytheist communities are young. As such, a majority of them are neurodivergent, like I am. For me, that means a majority of the language used in resources is difficult to understand. This was originally going to be a post about that, but the more I wrote, the more I realised that many people, neurodivergent or not, just... don't know how to study resources. So, if you are someone that also struggles, I now present to you... my full guide on how to study resources.
Little disclaimer: I myself am a hellenic polytheist, but this guide is for anyone that struggles with understanding information from resources, whether you are a hellenic polytheist, norse polytheist, kemetic polytheist, etc. Though do understand that I am writing from the perspective of a hellenic polytheist, so I am bound to make mistakes when it comes to religions I am less educated on. You are always welcome to adjust anything I say here to fit your own religion accordingly.
Let's get started.
Firstly, you have to find resources. Many people happen to get stuck here, unfortunately.
How do I know what to research to begin with? When starting out, the general consensus among the polytheist/pagan communities is to research the related historical practice. How the deities were worshipped, what contexts they were worshipped in, the history of the deities, etc etc... all of these are very important factors to consider as a beginner. Only by knowing the history can you then delve deeper into specific terms and specific paths that may be right for you!
How do I find resources? Unfortunately, a lot of resources are behind paywalls or just plain hard to find. Here is a list of websites that I personally use and recommend:
scholar.google.com
academia.edu
pdfdrive.com
library.memoryoftheworld.org
libcom.org
libretexts.org
standardebooks.org
By the way, just a reminder that if you find a resource but there is a pesky paywall in your way, you can probably find it on archive.org for free!
How do I choose a resource though? If you are part of hellenic polytheism, then theoi.com is a great resource, but I always like to add primary sources into my research + not everyone reading this will be part of helpol. Try to find primary sources, first and foremost. Then read historical accounts. Then read secondary sources. Also, make sure your author is reliable! (that link is only for hellenic polytheism though, apologies. If you are not part of hellenic polytheism, then looking into who the author is/was as a person and what sort of contributions they made and beliefs they held never failed me personally!)
Found your resource? Made sure the author is reliable? Wonderful! Now what?
This is usually where the procrastination hits for me. Either that, or I get hyperfocused for a while but never complete it and then lose interest.
To avoid that, break things down and establish a routine. You do not have to finish a book in a day, or understand everything you read straight away. Setting those kinds of expectations for yourself will only make things so much more difficult.
Instead, make a routine for yourself. Outlined below is my routine:
Getting into the mindset. I always like to get myself into the mindset of studying by praying, whether this is studying for school or studying a resource. Since my entire life is devoted to lord Apollon, I pray to Him for it. However, if I am researching a specific god, I will typically pray to them instead. However, sometimes I do not have the spoons to write out a prayer, so I typically just adjust my surroundings instead. Turning my LED lights to a warmer colour and putting on some lofi music usually helps me! The studyblr community has great tips for this part! I also recommend I Miss My Cafe.
Reading. First, I try to read without annotating or taking notes. This is the time to take in the information, to try and grasp what I am reading. This is usually the most difficult part for me, because a lot of academic sources tend to use advanced language and sentence structures that are difficult for me to understand. Unfortunately, the only tip I have for this part is to read as slowly as you need. Do not be ashamed for taking your time. Typically, I only like to read one paragraph before I move onto the next step.
Annotation. This is where I re-read the paragraph I just read. Typically, I like to re-word the paragraph in a simpler way for me to understand. Sometimes I notice little patterns that may connect back to something I've read prior, whether in another book or earlier in the same book. When that happens, that is something I add too! Remember, you do not have to annotate. If it makes it easier, then perfect! If it does not, discard it.
Consult study tools. This is where I cross-reference with other resources. This is how the entire process repeats again. Though, you do not just have to use books for this part! YouTube videos, podcasts, online resources, etc etc...these always help too!
Application. After vetting the information, consider how it would apply to your life, if at all.
Of course, that's just my routine. You are always welcome to use it, but I also greatly encourage you to create your own routine so that you can cater it to your learning style!
I also recommend setting a time limit for yourself. If you have not completed a chapter within the time limit, that is okay! The most important thing about researching is making sure you are not guilting yourself into biting off more than you can chew. Take your time, you have a lot of it.
Research is vital to religions like ours, and research should be something everyone can do! Just because you may need some accommodations does not make you any less intelligent. We all learn differently. That is okay.
I hope this post can serve as something helpful for those who struggle in this area, and as a reminder that you are not alone in your struggles. If you have any questions or would like further clarification on some points, feel free to reach out!
Xaire ♡