Doing Another Tarot Card Tip, Today With Our Good Friend Death! 

Cleaning and tidying is never a fun activity, but with the use of some domestic magick it can become an enchanting and Cleansing experience!

Here are some tips to make your next housework day magickal!

💧add some peppermint or lavender essential oil into your cleaning wash for peace and extra Cleansing

💧wipe down the walls and surfaces with moon water with added peppermint oil. Your space will smell amazing

💧put on some witchy music or music that corresponds with your intent you want in your space

💧burn some incense or oil in a diffuser to cleanse the air

💧 Sage your living areas

💧when you’re sweeping with a broom, imagine that you’re sweeping negative energy out!

💧put on clean bedding and spray your sheets with a sweet Sleep Mist (recipe is on my blog)

💧sweep your windowsills and place crystals that love the sun on them

💧clean your altar space and redo it

💧find vegetable cuttings and biodegradable leftovers you can mix into compost to nourish your plants

💧when cleaning the floor, pour your cleaning liquid in the shape of a sigil. Wipe and scrub to charge and fire!

💧 draw sigils on your dishes with dishwashing liquid before you wash them

💧wash old jam jars and recycle them to hold moon water or spells

💧visualize negativity leaving your space when you take out the trash

💧If you can put chalk on your floors, draw sigils or write messages under your carpets

💧create or renew any wards you have put up

💧Enchant your mirrors to show your inner beauty

Happy Cleaning!

🦋💧Aphroditiful💧🦋

Mental clarity bottle

Salt - cleansing

Mint - refreshing

Ginkgo - memory

Lotus incense ash - purity

Sage - cleansing

Juniper - rejuvenating

Clear quartz - clarity

White candle - purity

Cleanse your space well and layer the ingredients in the bottle, focusing on the intent of each one. Now some of these are more personal and can vary for different people, e.g. I used desert sage because it grows wild here. Maybe you hate mint, if so then don't use it. Etc. Put the candle in the bottle and light it any time you need to clear your brain fog or make a tough decision.

I don't have an incantation for this one because I typically don't use them. Instead I use bells (pictured) or some other instrument to raise the energy and bring everything together. In this case I rang the bells over the bottle, focused on their ring, and let the sound gradually fade, then focused on the silence.

I feel like selenite works be a good addition, I just didn't have any extra on hand.

motivational tea potion

🌅☀️🌿💫🕯

this potion is wonderful first thing in the morning before a busy day, right before a work shift or school day, before you have to do a bunch of cleaning, even before spellwork! just all around a great tea to light a fire under you whenever you may need it

[ what you’ll need ]

2 cups sun water

motivation, energy, healing, comfort, focus, communication

2 tsp black tea

grounding, energy, prosperity, motivation

1 stick of cinnamon

comfort, healing, motivation, energy, prosperity, communication, good luck, communication, protection against negativity

1 whole clove

prosperity, grounding, longevity of energy, good luck, communication

2 sprigs of rosemary *

rolls negativity off you, focus, compassion, motivation, energy, good luck, prosperity

1 - 2 black peppercorn

high energy, motivation, grounding, good luck, protection

honey to taste

communication, abundance, gentleness, good luck, energy, motivation, focus, comfort

maybe a tsp or so if you’re using dried, can be subbed out for thyme *

-

this is meant to be a recipe for a drinkable tea but you could also pour this potion into a bath or just bottle it up and keep it on your desk/nightstand, etc! as always feel free to send in any questions, happy witching :)

💛🕯☀️🌿

Relationships with the Gods

There are a lot of posts on Tumblr along the lines of ‘How do I know if X god accepts me/my offering etc’. And for someone starting out in worship I suppose that desire to have an instant gratification for your effort/actions is understandable.

But in my experience, it doesn’t work like that. You don’t get a divine voice in your ear, or a symbol magically appearing in front of you. (It can happen, (unpopular opinion >>) I just side eye those things because it sounds a lot like self-fulfilment fantasy.)

More commonly, I would liken the experience to planting a seed. 

You prepare the ground for the seed by tilling and caring for the soil. You water the seed, give it light, perhaps even give it plant food, and then you wait.

And you hope that it grows.

You don’t stop giving these things, because if you do, the plant might wither and even die.

You can talk to your plant, but you don’t expect the plant to talk back to you in human language. But the plant sprouts, and grows, and you feel damn good because you helped nurture this plant. It could have grown fine on its own somewhere in the countryside because in the nature of these things, wild versions of plants don’t need us to flourish.

And then, because of all your devotion and hard work to this plant. It gives you flowers, fruit, vegetables, something that benefits you, and the reciprocity relationship feels good. You got something back for all your hard work. Nature benefited you.

And not to simplify the Gods into one plant metaphor, but rather than our BFFs, they are something vastly greater than ourselves that we nurture a relationship with for our benefit, because without it, life is just that little less nice.

Locket Balm

Disclaimer: I am not a pro at this, this just worked for me.

You’ll need:

a locket

a teaspoon lip-balm (unscented)

candle/beeswax (unscented)

a drop of essential oils (or use scented lip balm/wax)

Warm the lip balm up until it melts (don’t boil!), add a few drops heated wax and stir. Add a drop of an essential oil you like. Carefully pour or scoop the mixture into the locket and let it cool.

Use for grounding (dab the balm on your skin, focus on the scent etc.). I found it also works as a lip balm.

Hope this is helpful! Cheers, V🌿💫

☀️ Midsummer Ritual ☀️

a ritual for midsummer, a ritual that observes the summer solstice, and the new life that has been growing in the earth.

☀️ perform ritual at noon, call open a circle

☀️ build a safe bonfire in a safe area, or alternatively light a yellow candle.

☀️ leave out an offering for the fae near the candle.

☀️ make a solar wheel and burn it. 

☀️ speak a prayer to each of the four cardinal directions. 

☀️ play music and celebrate in the circle

☀️ close and leave the circle.

Magic vs. Medicine?

People who believe in witchcraft know there are things in this world that science cannot explain. Many witches also believe in the healing power of nature. Because of this, there tends to be a lot of overlap between witchcraft and alternative healing.

Some alternative healing modalities, like herbal supplements, crystals, and essential oils, are incredibly popular with witches because they align so well with a magical worldview. And that can be a beautiful thing. If you find that taking CBD oil or diffusing lavender makes you feel good and gives you a sense of empowerment, then it absolutely has a place in your life.

The problem is that alternative healing (and, by extension, magic as a whole) is often framed as being in competition with conventional medicine. It’s presented as an “either/or” — either you believe in doctors and medicine, or you believe in energy healing and herbal supplements. This is not realistic, and it may even put people in danger.

The irony of this is that the first witches were also the first doctors. In Ancient Egypt, doctors would invoke the gods to imbue medicine with healing power, or curse a disease to make it leave a patient — these approaches were paired with actual medicine. In medieval Europe, witches and cunningfolk were the keepers of medical knowledge and would often serve as healers.

Even today, most pharmaceutical medications are made from naturally occurring ingredients. For example, antibiotics are synthesized from bacteria and fungi. These medications are not less natural than the medicine people used hundreds or thousands of years ago, but they are more refined thanks to modern technology. Rather than trading a natural remedy for an artificial one, you’re often just taking a more effective form of the same substance.

Personally, I like to use magic and alternative remedies to treat symptoms, but use medication to treat the underlying cause of the problem. If I have bronchitis, I might drink echinacea tea and diffuse eucalyptus essential oil, but I’m also going to take a full course of antibiotics to kill the infection.

Likewise, if I’m having a bad mental health day, I might take a bath with lavender or do some energy healing on myself, but I’m also probably going to call my therapist and continue taking my prescribed antidepressants.

Some witches have a lot of resistance to therapy, psychiatric care, and psychoactive medications. I’ve heard every possible argument, from “psychoactive meds lower your vibration/block your psychic abilities/dull your ability to feel energy!” to “if you tell a therapist you believe in magic, they’re going to think you’re crazy!” These arguments are completely false, plain and simple.

I’m a better witch when I’m in therapy and on my meds, because I’m a better person when I’m in therapy and on my meds. I’m better able to focus, set goals, and be aware of my body, which are all important skills in magic. I have no doubt that if I wasn’t doing what I need to do to keep myself stable, my mental health would suffer for it.

Good therapists know the importance of religion and spirituality, and they will respect your beliefs. No matter what your beliefs, a good faith-affirming therapist or counselor is always a good idea.

Your therapist is not going to think you’re crazy if you tell them you can astral travel, or talk about an experience with a pagan deity. What they will do is let you know if your experiences are outside the realm of healthy spirituality, and give you guidance on how to keep yourself safe if this is the case.

The truth is, whether we want to talk about it or not, not everyone who sees angels or talks to fairies is having a genuine spiritual experiences. As many as 63.3% of delusions in schizophrenia patients are religious in nature. If we are going to encourage people to seek out direct experiences of the spiritual, we also need to inform them on how to recognize when those experiences aren’t healthy or are not grounded in reality.

Psychosis refers to any experience that is not grounded in reality, including hallucinations (false sensory experiences) and delusions (false beliefs). Psychosis is not a mental disorder, but can be a symptom of many different disorders. It can also be an isolated incident in someone who may not usually experience breaks from reality.

Som if someone claims to have been visited by Isis, or Cernunnos, or the Virgin Mary, how do we know if they’re describing a genuine spiritual experience or a psychotic episode?

First of all, look at context. If someone claims to see angels or to be the reincarnation of a god immediately after taking drugs, after pulling an all-nighter, or while running a high fever (all potential causes of psychosis), they may be disconnected from reality and may need medical attention. On the other hand, if you know this person to be stable, sober, and well adjusted, they may very well be describing a genuine spiritual encounter.

Second, look at the actual experience. Is it consistent with the person’s existing beliefs? Is it consistent with experiences other people have had within the same belief system? Is this person clearly able to differentiate between this experience and the “real world,” or is the experience taking over their daily life? Answering these questions can help determine whether mental health intervention might be needed.

Finally, as a general rule, if you have an experience that scares you, makes you feel like you are in danger, or makes you feel compelled to hurt yourself or someone else, you should get a second opinion from a trained mental health professional.

As members of the witchcraft community, we have a responsibility to look out for other members of the community — and that includes being willing to say something if we believe someone genuinely needs medical help. Science and spirituality are not opposed, and they can coexist. Being a witch doesn’t mean rejecting science, and believing in science doesn’t mean rejecting magic. A healthy dose of skepticism goes a long way in keeping your magical practice safe, productive, and empowering.

Resources:

The Dream podcast, season two

New World Witchery podcast, “Episode 65 — The Slender Man Discussion”

Inside Schizophrenia podcast, “Psychosis in Schizophrenia”

The Savvy Psychologist podcast, “302 — Chemtrails, Aliens, and Illuminati — The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories”

My Favorite Spell-Book

Divination:

To learn the present character of a person:

Take the stem of an apple between your fingers and begin to twist counter clockwise whilst reciting the alphabet. Keep the person of interest in mind. Then refer to the rhyme.

Example: The stem breaks at “A”. The person in mind is currently focusing all their attention on accomplishing a specific goal. This could mean everything aside from this goal has been placed on the backburner and other life aspects are suffering for it.

————————————————————

“Tom Thumb’s Alphabet”

A was an Archer, who shot at a frog,

B was a Butcher, and had a great dog.

C was a Captain, all covered with lace,

D was a Drunkard, and had a red face.

E was an Esquire, with pride on his brow,

F was a Farmer, and followed the plough.

G was a Gamester, who had but ill-luck,

H was a Hunter and hunted a buck.

I an Innkeeper, who loved to carouse,

J was a Joiner, and built up a house.

K was King William, once governed this land,

L was a Lady, who had a white hand.

M was a Miser, and hoarded up gold,

N was a Nobleman, gallant and bold.

O was an Oyster girl, and went about town,

P was a Parson, and wore a black gown.

Q was a Queen, who wore a silk slip,

R was a Robber, and wanted a whip.

S was a Sailor, and spent all he got,

T was a Tinker, and mended a pot.

U was a Usurer, a miserable elf,

V was a Vintner, who drank all himself.

W was a Watchman, and guarded the door,

X was Expensive, and so became poor.

Y was a Youth, who did not love school,

Z was a Zany, a poor harmless fool.

————————————————————

To cause confusion:

Simply use the name of that which you want to confuse.

————————————————————

Anna Elise, she jumped with surprise;

The surprise was so quick, it played her a trick;

The trick was so rare, she jumped in a chair;

The chair was so frail, she jumped in a pail;

The pail was so wet, she jumped in a net;

The net was so small, she jumped on the ball;

The ball was so round, she jumped on the ground;

And ever since then she’s been turning around.

————————————————————

To trap a spirit:

Recite “Anna Elise” whilst braiding rope and tying knots. Replace the lines after, “…she jumped in the net”, with:

————————————————————

“…and now I’ve tied the final knot, and in my net was Anna set.

Try all her might, it’s structure is sound,

And ever since then she’s been turning around.”

————————————————————

At the end of this last line, tie one end of the string to the other to create a circle.

To Overcome Adversity

Or to Strengthen a Wind or Storm:

————————————————————

Arthur O'Bower has broken his band

And he comes roaring up the land;

The King of Scots with all his power

Cannot stop Arthur of the Bower.

————————————————————

To Induce Spirit Flight with a “Fail Safe”:

————————————————————

How many miles to Babylon?

Three score miles and ten.

Can I get there by candle-light?

Yes, and back again.

If your heels are nimble and your toes are light,

You may get there by candle-light.

————————————————————

Use a small candle and when it burns out, you shall be pulled back to your body.

Hagriding with use of a Poppet:

————————————————————

Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,

To buy little Johnny a galloping horse;

It trots behind and it ambles before,

And Johnny shall ride till he can ride no more.

————————————————————

To Replace What’s Been Lost:

————————————————————

Little Betty Blue,

Lost her holiday shoe.

What will poor Betty do?

Why, give her another,

To match the other,

And then she will walk in two.

————————————————————

Food menu for Beltane event

I’ve been planning all the food that I’ll be cooking and in spirit of the season I want to use a lot of spring and summer foods!

I’ve also kept in mind some of us are Vegetarian/vegan and have food allergies so all the food will be meat free and any food with tree nuts or onions will be properly labeled.

Here is the menu :

Foods

Deviled eggs (contains: eggs, mayonnaise, paprika, salt, black pepper)

Mama bear soup (contains: veggie sausage, thai ginger broth, sweet peppers, carrots) *Has coconut (which is considered a tree nut) and onions

Fruit salad (contains: watermelon, feta, balsamic, spinach) 

Tofu stir-fry (contains: white rice, tofu, mango, sweet peppers, olive oil, salt, chili powder, paprika powder)

Beverages

Iced green tea

Strawberry-Gin Cocktail

*To make it fair so I don’t have to buy all the food myself since I’ll already be cooking it all I think it’ll be easier for each of us to buy a few of the things. I got all the spices needed for the dishes, the sweet peppers, tofu, mayo, and thai ginger broth. I can pick up more tea if needed too. @ronniepotter @immaterialwitchgirl @angelsinthephonelines @lifeunderlamplight @cardasssian 

Which of you could get which things on this list?

Odin’s Day Wisdom - Hávamál, st. 36 (from The Northern Herbalist)