I recently discovered I have a little pixie who has been living in my house since before we bought it. She is literally the tiniest thing, only roughly an inch tall, and loves vanilla and sugar.
I used my new pendulum, which I shall post about later, and struck up a random conversation that began with my brother asking the pendulum was what was better than canned beans and the pixie replying with sugar, and ended with my sister asking what the name of the spirit who was answering the question.
Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.
Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.
If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.
These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.
Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.
Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.
Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.
Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.
Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.
If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.
New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.
Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.
Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.
Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.
Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.
The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.
Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.
Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.
Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.
Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.
Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.
Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.
Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.
Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.
Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.
Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.
Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.
Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.
Resources:
You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst
Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck
Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]
Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]
Hello! I saw that a while ago you reposted something saying that it was okay for newer witches to ask you questions…I’m not sure if this has anything to do with divination, but I’m also not totally sure who to ask. I recently opened an unused deck of cards and the Ace of Spades, which I always understood to be the most superstitious and powerful card, was missing. I have my own intuitions about what this may mean, but I also wanted to ask a more experienced witch.
Thank you!
BR
Hey! I’m glad you asked. I’m this case, I would go with your gut. The suit of spades in cartomancy generally refers to a roadblock or a difficulty.
More specifically, the Ace of spades means a new insight or realization. So you could have a lack of insight on a problem somewhere in your life. Maybe you’re working at a problem without all the input and angles needed.
Or, on a less magical note, there is always the possibility that you’re just missing a card in your deck. It depends on your gut, and if your instincts say it’s related to a problem, then reevaluate a problem that sticks out to you. (Because there’s only one card to go off of, it’s hard to know the specifics of the problem, which is why it might just be a missing card. I recommend pulling another from the same deck, just to see what it has to say.)
Hopefully that helped! I’m new at answering asks, so I apologize if that wasn’t coherent..
🍀📝 I am going to pass my SATs 📝🍀
Speak it into existance!!
Likes charge, reblogs cast~!
I-
I used to work togos at a restaurant. And we sold those for Uber and DoorDash-
That’s Buddy V’s Rainbow Cake by the slice-
@anathemaegg asked where I get rainbow cake by the slice, and unfortunately I have a non-answer for you, because it's a local specialty grocery store where I work.
BUT the good news is that we don't make it, it's shipped in frozen and we just thaw it out, slap a store logo on it and call it homemade.
("Um, Jes, wtf? You can just do that???" Yes, and in fact QUITE A LOT of the 'store brand' items you buy in stores are just name-brand stuff we buy in bulk for cheap, divide into smaller containers, and then sell. MAGIC.)
Anyway.
It's this cake. IDK where you can find it around you, but check stores in your area. It'll be in the bakery department, probably in a refrigerated cooler with the other fancy desserts.
It’s going pretty well for me so far! I rarely have time for complex spells, but they help when I do. If you want to know what kind of far are around, you could just ask. They won’t be offended by that.
Also- they will probably hide your stuff. Ask for it back nicely and they’ll give it back.
I’m always happy to answer any questions you have!
I see a lot of people who wonder what they do with their spell jars or the remains of a spell when it’s run its course. The answer is.. not simple, but not complicated.
There are three methods of spell disposal that I think work the best:
Reuse: if you have any things like stones or beads, I recommend cleansing them, and then using them elsewhere. But you have to cleanse them!! Their energies will get muddled, and the poor things will get confused.
Throwing them away or recycling: things like plants and herbs can be thrown away- biodegradable and all that. But things like glass jars?? Recycle that bitch! Thank each component for it’s service, and then throw it away.
Burning: IF SAFE TO DO SO burn your spell. Throw the ashes away.
Anything really that isn’t putting it down the drain or burying it! That’s not safe for the environment, don’t do that.
In the original tale, the prince held two more balls after Cindy over there ran away the first time, and after the third ball, the prince decided, “You know what? Just throw some pitch on the steps! She’ll get stuck!” And she got her shoe stuck, so she pulled it off and kept running.
Since Cinderella lost one slipper, they didn’t actually fit her perfectly to begin with.
Altars are the space where a witch practices their craft. It can hold a good deal of things, divided in any way that a witch sees fit. Some divide by directions, some by deities. Some divide by a way known only to them it’s up to you!
Let’s take my altar for instance:
All my witchy ingredients tucked safely underneath
My cauldron; a square clay pot I made in junior year
Lots of offerings on the right side of my altar
Things to represent the faeries I work with on the right
My wand
Decorations for Beltane
A couple specialty items
My altar will look completely different from yours, or even someone who works different from you!
Set your altar up in a way that makes you feel the most comfortable!
I am always open to asks and doing free readings! Do not hesitate to ask!
@raointean the people shall decide
• Mai • They/them • 18 • A safe space for witches who are in the same boat I was, not super long ago. Divination, plants, and faeries are my specialties!
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