Be Silly Sometimes

SELF-REFLECTION SPREAD

I mostly use tarot as a tool for personal introspection. Even people who don’t believe in divination of any kind can use tarot as an aid to explore different perspectives to a situation or even their own psyche. These are some things which I believe I need to confront about myself before achieving any real personal growth.

1. FIXATE

What are the parts of yourself or your life that you tend to get hung up about. Confronting yourself can be good, but overly obsessing on a particular problem or aspect of yourself can inhibit growth. 

2. IGNORE

Conversely, what do you tend to push to the side. This can go both ways: some are unable to see the good things in themselves or their lives, while others gloss over their faults and avoid addressing their problems. 

3. FALSE

What are the things we think to be true about ourselves, or our lives that are not. These are often negative qualities, a lot of people think they are less capable, less deserving or less worthy than they really are. 

4. DECIPHER

What about ourselves have we yet to understand. Everyone has some things about themselves which they don’t yet fully grasp or cannot quite put to words.

5. WANT

What do we most want from ourselves and our lives. The things we wish were more true about ourselves or that we aspire to be. This is a long process to achieve, and part of that is learning that we can’t just skip to this step, we need to deal with the other parts of ourselves too, including the undesirable parts, before we can achieve true personal growth.

Note: Tarot is not a substitute for professional counselling and other forms of licensed therapy! Feel free to use it as a complimentary practice (unless otherwise advised), but do not rely on it as your sole means of treatment if you believe you need professional counselling.             

✨don’t remove my caption or repost anywhere else!✨

Dreamy

did u see them btw...

i just found this amazing site which is a random sentence/passage generator from tons of classical pieces of literature. everything from the illiad to bram stoker’s dracula and more. a pretty awesome way to do bibliomancy, especially if you don’t own some of the books it generates! i just used it with my spirit companion and it worked beautifully. 

hey chicken! any good tips on cursing someone?

I got a few for ya' in the old grab bag of henpeckery.

Listed in no particular order.

One is generally advised to not curse another magical practitioner, especially one who Knows What They're Doing. But if hands must be thrown, ensure you have more than a couple wards up to break malefica - and if this person is in your friend group, under no circumstances can you accept gifts or food from them (and destroy anything they have given you). Do, however, try to give them gifts and pre-cursed foods.

Giving someone a cursed object or cursed food is an excellent way to get the job done. There's something very fairy-like in the way magic can work: by accepting the gift, they accept the curse, and it circumvents many natural defenses.

Perhaps more than any other form of magic, it does to pre-divine on the matter to see what outcome will occur. I highly encourage this when the cursing is done as a form of self-defense, because sometimes some forms of malefic magic can be fuel on the fire of abusive situations. However, even a practitioner of slight power can cause serious harm with a curse - perhaps more damage than intended. It's really just best to measure twice, as it were.

As with many spells, create for yourself a little indicator that the spell has worked. For example, wear one of those brittle hematite rings. If it breaks, the spell has become manifest. This is especially lovely if the person to be cursed is outside of your social circle and you don't have access to see if your manifestation worked.

Cleverness is all well and good, as is poetic justice. A witch does well to keep in mind, however, that their natural strengths may neither be clever nor poetic, and sometimes you've got to just make due with the tools you have in your toolbox.

When casting spells on yourself or your household, targeting isn't much of an issue. You're right there, the magic is right there, and voila. However, when working on a third party - especially one that doesn't live with you - targeting becomes relevant. If gifting an object or food to your target won't work, consider doing what you can to bring your curse into their presence by whatever physical means are safe and possible. If you can't do this, see if you can obtain something of theirs to work over by use of a poppet or some other sympathetic magic. If none of this is possible, try to make a thoughtform or employ a spirit to deliver your spell (or attack them outright), but this will be hard unless you know where they live. In other words: your spell has to get to them somehow. Figuring out how to make it happen is half the job.

Depending on how the magic is worked, it is beneficent to cleanse both yourself and your casting area after the work is done. If a spell must be kept ongoing and close at hand, cover it with a black cloth (or t-shirt, or whatever) and keep it out of view to avoid having your own space polluted with unwanted energies.

If you need a specific outcome for your own wellbeing, consider employing as many spells as you require to obtain that outcome. E.g. one for binding a tongue, another for getting that person fired, another to calm gossip in the workplace, and so on.

Pay extremely little mind to people with moral admonitions, but keep their scoldings filed away. In a few months or years, in moments of reflection, ask yourself whether or not they were right.

If for no other spell, this time, write down precisely what you do. If for no other reason than to cackle maniacally as you see exactly how each little ingredient of your spell plays out in their lives.

Common herbs and spices

Source - The Little Book For Modern Witches by Astrid Carvel

Basil - prosperity and inner strength

Parsley - fertility and honesty

Bay - wisdom, foresight, strength, and good fortune

Cinnamon - love, comfort, power and success

Black pepper - purification, inner strength, and protection

Sage - cleansing and protection (my own note - white sage is for specifically closed cultural practices so please bear this in mind and be respectful in your craft)

Oregano - health and happiness

Cardamom - love and friendship

Chilli - passion, virility and inspiration

Rosemary - purification, positivity and memory

Thyme - concentration, and business success

Allspice - compassion, luck and healing

The Perfect Tarot Deck

Finding the perfect tarot deck is a deeply personal journey. With thousands of decks available, choosing one that aligns with your energy, intuition, and reading style can make all the difference in your tarot practice. This guide explores different types of tarot decks, where to find them, and how to determine if a deck resonates with your energy.

Understanding the Different Types of Tarot Decks

Before choosing a deck, it’s important to understand the different types available.

Traditional tarot decks

Most tarot decks follow one of these three classic systems:

• Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) – The most widely used tarot system, featuring detailed imagery that makes intuitive readings easier. Ideal for beginners.

• Thoth Tarot – Created by Aleister Crowley, this deck has esoteric symbolism, astrology, and Kabbalistic influences. Best for those with advanced occult interests.

• Marseille Tarot – A historic tarot deck with simple, pip-style Minor Arcana (like playing cards). Ideal for traditionalists and those interested in historical divination.

Themed and Artistic Decks

Many tarot decks incorporate different themes and artistic styles:

• Fantasy, Mythology, and Folklore – E.g., The Tarot of the Divine, which uses myths from around the world.

• Gothic, Dark, or Occult – E.g., The Deviant Moon Tarot, perfect for shadow work.

• Nature & Animal-Based Decks – E.g., The Wild Unknown Tarot, focused on nature’s wisdom.

• Pop Culture & Modern Decks – E.g., The Modern Witch Tarot, a contemporary take on the RWS deck.

Oracle Decks vs. Tarot Decks

Tarot decks always follow a structured 78-card system. Oracle decks have flexible structures and meanings, great for freeform divination but not interchangeable with tarot. If you’re new, sticking to a tarot deck based on the RWS system is a good idea before branching into alternative styles.

Where to Find Your Perfect Deck

Once you have an idea of what kind of deck you want, you’ll need to find the right place to get it.

Online Marketplaces & Specialty Stores

• Amazon, Etsy, & Bookstores (Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, etc.) – Great for mass-market decks with reviews to help you decide.

• Independent Creators & Publishers – Many artists sell decks directly on Kickstarter, Instagram, or their own websites.

• Metaphysical & Occult Shops – Shopping in-person allows you to physically handle a deck before buying.

Secondhand & Gifted Decks

• Buying Used Decks – Some believe secondhand decks carry previous owners' energies, but cleansing them can refresh their energy.

• Receiving as a Gift – A common superstition says your first deck should be gifted, but this is not a rule. Buy your own if it feels right.

DIY & Printable Decks

• Make Your Own – Some practitioners create their own decks by hand or digitally print custom images.

• Printable Decks – Some artists offer PDF tarot decks for purchase and printing at home.

How to Tell If a Tarot Deck Resonates with Your Energy

Once you have a deck in mind, you’ll want to check if it aligns with your energy and intuition.

First Impressions Matter

• Look at the imagery – Do the colors, symbols, and style speak to you emotionally?

• Hold the deck (if possible) – If shopping in person, feel the deck in your hands. Does it give you a strong reaction?

The Deck Interview Spread

Before fully committing to a deck, try a short reading to understand its personality. Use this 5-card spread:

• What is your personality?

• What kind of readings will we do best together?

• What can you teach me?

• How should I best work with you?

• What is our long-term potential?

If the responses feel clear and meaningful, the deck likely resonates with you.

Physical & Energetic Sensations

Some people feel a tingling or warmth when holding a deck that connects with them.

If a deck makes you feel uneasy or drained, it might not be a good fit.

Try a Simple One-Card Pull

Ask, “What do I need to know about working with you?” and pull a card. If the message is clear and insightful, it’s a good match. If it feels confusing or off-putting, you may need more time with the deck—or it might not be the right one for you.

What to Do If Your Deck Doesn’t Feel Right

Sometimes, a deck doesn’t resonate immediately. Here’s what you can do:

• Cleanse and Reset the Deck

• Smoke cleansing (sage, palo santo, or incense).

• Moonlight charging (place the deck under the full moon).

• Crystal cleansing (place with selenite or clear quartz).

• Knocking the deck (tap it three times to reset energy).

Give It Time

Some decks require time to bond with. Spend a week shuffling and pulling daily cards before deciding.

Trade or Rehome the Deck

If it still doesn’t click, consider trading it with another reader or gifting it to someone who might connect with it better.

Finding the perfect tarot deck is a journey of intuition and self-discovery. The best deck for you is the one that feels right in your hands, speaks to your intuition, and makes readings feel natural. Whether you’re drawn to a traditional Rider-Waite-Smith deck, an artistic indie creation, or a secondhand find, trust your instincts and let your deck choose you as much as you choose it.

Tips on Grimoire Organization

Please note that if you are using a hard bound notebook or journal, adding in additional pages will bulk up your book, like so: (these are the exact same journals, btw)

- Envelopes. Let’s say you’re doing a section on Tarot in your Grimoire, and you want to include a few Tarot spreads, but you don’t want to waste two or three pages. Glue an envelope onto one of your pages to make a “pocket” where you can store little cards or papers with the tarot spreads written on them.

- Pockets. Similar to the envelope idea. If you have a page, or section for example, on herbal teas, you can make a pocket out of a piece of paper to keep your current favorite tea recipes in.

- Dividers, Cover Pages and Ribbons. If you’re like me and you like to have “sections” in your grimoire, you can easily make dividers by gluing a sheet of paper in your book (to make it heavier to make the sections stand out more). You can go further by turning your divider into a cover page for that section. And if you don’t like the idea doing that, you can always glue a ribbon, or a string, to the spine of your book to act as a bookmark.

- Double pages. I always had a problem with “wasting” pages in my grimoire. For example, my page on consecrating and charging. These two concepts are very similar to me, and I didn’t want two page stating the same thing. So, what I did was write out all my information on charging on a separate sheet of paper, then glued the top of that page into my grimoire. This way I could flip up the page on charging (as if it were on a clipboard) and have my page on consecrating underneath.

- Extended pages. Similar to the one above. In my Crystal section of my Grimoire, I decided to write out a chart that let me search for crystals by intention. So I drew my chart on a long sheet of paper, then folded it over (side to side) so that it fit comfortably in my book, then I just glued one side down into the book.

- Brochures. In my Elements section, I had a ton of information I wanted to write down, but I didn’t want each element to have more than two pages. So I used a piece of computer paper and folded it into a brochure (or into thirds) and glued it into the book so that the flaps would open and give me double the space to write.

- Clear Tape. There are many times where i finished a page in my grimoire only to find out there was a section that I left out. A simply way to fix this was with clear tape. I would write my forgotten bit of into on a separate piece of paper and then use clear tape to tape one side of the paper to my page. This allows me to flip the paper back and forth without covering up anything that I had written.

Other Resources on Grimoire Organization:

- Witch Tip by @pumpkin-bean - Grimoire Index by @triplevirgo - Witchy-Woman’s Grimoire Organization by @witchy-woman - Altar in a Journal by @thesubtlewitch

I hope this helps everyone with their Grimoire organizing needs! If anyone knows of any other awesome organizing tips, feel free to share!

P.S. Check out my Grimoire Masterpost for more tips on making a grimoire!

~L

Common herbs and spices

Source - The Little Book For Modern Witches by Astrid Carvel

Basil - prosperity and inner strength

Parsley - fertility and honesty

Bay - wisdom, foresight, strength, and good fortune

Cinnamon - love, comfort, power and success

Black pepper - purification, inner strength, and protection

Sage - cleansing and protection (my own note - white sage is for specifically closed cultural practices so please bear this in mind and be respectful in your craft)

Oregano - health and happiness

Cardamom - love and friendship

Chilli - passion, virility and inspiration

Rosemary - purification, positivity and memory

Thyme - concentration, and business success

Allspice - compassion, luck and healing