Poppet Tutorial

💀 What I’ve Learned About Curses 💀

As the title states, this is what I’ve learned. It is all based on my experiences, opinions, and personal knowledge. Most of it comes from my grimoire.  What Is A Curse? A curse is a type of spell a person can cast on you. It can cause misfortune, health issues, financial issues, relationship issues, even in some cases death. What About Hexes & Jinxes? I also want to define hexes & jinxes before we get too into this.  • Jinxes • Temporary, can last hours, are just meant to cause a bit of bad lack but nothing too serious, are for a bit of fun or to teach someone a simple lesson.  • Hexes • Also temporary, but have greater effects, they’re a lot more curse like in that they can teach more vital lessons and can cause things like sickness.  • Curses • Permanent, can cause death, they’re for the worst, nastiest people, and the most intense situations.  In other words, they’re all negative spells. Just 3 different levels of them. The main difference is curses are permanent, the others are not, and a jinx certainly wouldn’t cause death or permanently effect someones well-being.  Are They Okay? I used to wonder this myself and have seen TONS of people ask it. It’s a matter of morality. I can’t tell you what to believe or think. It’s about you and your path.  How Do I Know If I’m Cursed? There are symptoms, I’ll go over all the ones I’m aware of. • Bad Luck/Misfortune  • Lack of motivation  • Nightmares • Bad Omens • Personal items going missing  • Plants dying • Fatigue  • Health issues/sickness • Financial issues All and any of these things can happen, they will come along suddenly and have no other explanation other than a curse.  How To Test If You’re Cursed Okay, you’ve identified you’ve got some of the symptoms, you can’t find any other reason or suspect someone specific has cursed you. The next step is testing to be sure. Here are my personal favorite ways to test for curses. The Egg Test  Break an egg, what you find inside will give you insight.  • Blood  • You’re cursed  • • White clots/chunks • There is no curse, but there is something clotting you or your life up • • Broken yolk  • There is no curse, but you have inner turmoil and need to work on it • Divination Test Ask whatever forms of divination you may have if you’re cursed.  Deity Test I don’t do deity work, but I also imagine it’d be an option to ask your deities if you’re cursed.  What To Do Next? Alright, so you’ve looked at the symptoms, they’re unusual for you. You did the tests, you’ve come to conclusion you’re cursed. Now what? • Cleansing  Cleansing is one of the foundations of witchcraft, use your favorite forms of cleansing to cleanse your space. This is a default for many witchy issues or situations anyways. But it’s a good reminder.  • Crystals  Use crystals as sources of positivity, luck, healing. To combat the symptoms of the curse. Also any crystals you can keep near you for protection will help too.  • Salt bath This a method of cleansing yourself, it may get the curse off of you. It may also help if you found something unusual in your egg (that is if you did the egg test).  • Warding  This is another thing that’s very common and simple, but effective, ward yourself and your space to make sure nothing else that’s bad or unwanted gets in. •  Deities  You could ask your deities to help remove the curse or ask them what you should do about it.  • Other witches Ask other more experienced witches what their experiences with curses are and they they recommend, get some feedback. Posts like this are nice but so is talking to someone and hearing their experiences!  Here’s some types of spells you could use to help you! Spells • Return to sender spell • Protection spell • Remove curse spell (of course)  Edited 6/24/2019

Hello again!! Thank you so much for the treat! I can't properly explain just how deeply this speaks to me. Life has been chaotic lately (I blame the eclipse 😂) and I've been having second thoughts about many aspects of my life, especially about my job and relationships. This postcard is just what I needed. Thank you.

I'll take a compliment about my energy anytime lol but this actually isn't the first time we've met! 😊 I've dropped by your askbox twice I believe, many years ago: once to ask Baxter if my career path was the right one - it was Literature - and again to ask if I was going to find love that year. I wrote to you a third time to give feedback (here), but I never came out of the anonymous cover because my main blog at the time wasn't related to witchcraft and I was embarrased lol

Just a FYI: I am still dating this wonderful man, we are going onto our fourth year together already, and my studies keep filling me with a lot of joy every day. You and Baxter are an excellent team! And you are an amazing witch, Dannie. I have no doubt that you subconsciously recognised my energy from our previous exchanges and that's why you complimented it, even though you thought we hadn't spoken before. It's so nice to write to you again. Thank you for the postcard 💖

Hello, Stitchy!! I would like a trick or treat, please. What does Baxter have for me? My name's Erica 🥰🎃

Erica, we just met, but I have to say I love your energy lol

Treat! 🍬

Postcard from Spirit

Please let me know if it resonates for you 😊

🧵Stitchy

Support your witch 👀🔮

I don’t really know what people generally call this method of sigil making, so I’m just calling it “Letter Shaping” because you’re using the basic shapes from certain letters. EDIT: It’s one of many variations of the ‘Spare Method’ created by Austin Oswald Spare in the early 1900s This is the most common form of sigil making, and it allows the most creative influence. As you see above the sigils are for nearly the same thing, yet the sigils came out completely different. Not because the purpose was different, but because I approached them both a different creative way, and that’s what I like so much about this method. There’s a lot of freedom and personalization involved.

(UPDATE: Here’s a link to a guide on how to deconstruct letters down to basic shapes)

MAGICK 101 - Cleansing

In a lot of my posts, I say to cleanse your body and your space. What does that mean? Why and how do you do it? Hopefully I can answer those questions and clear up some misconceptions about cleansing in magical practices.

What is Cleansing?

Cleansing is a process via which the charged energy, spellwork and/or spirits on or in something is removed. Banishment is a subset of these practices (or at least I consider it to be) that forcibly drive out spirits or negative influence attached to something or someone. Cleansing, in one form or another, is a part of basically every magical practice and culture.

Cleansing does not equal removal of negative energy. It’s cleaning out what there’s, positive or negative, to make something neutral again.

Cleansing is also not the same as physically cleaning a room, but it is an tool for improving the energy. I’d recommend cleaning a room (pick up things, sweep, clear off surfaces) at least mildly before performing a cleansing on it.

Why Should I Cleanse?

The same reason you should clean anything! For daily living, it can make you feel better and more at peace. For any work with spirits or energy (including spellwork) it’s important to not mix in energy remnants, like if you cooked with unwashed pans or on a dirty countertop. And, if you got something on you that could make you ill, you need to cleanse it off!

Cleansing yourself, as in your body, before spellwork is also important to get spirits and deities to listen to you and do what you say. Especially powerful spirits. (many practices phrase this in terms of purity, but I find it helpful to also think of it like asking someone for help when you haven’t showered or brushed your teeth recently)

When Should I Cleanse?

As with cleaning anything, there are multiple degrees of intensity of cleansing. Here, I’m using “light cleansing” to mean performing something short and not requiring much preparation, while a “heavy cleansing” may take an hour or more, be done over several days, required specialized ingredients, etc.

When to do a light cleansing:

When you first buy a tool for magic or divination

Before and after spellwork (especially your tools**)

Before meditation or energywork

During a negative or unlucky day (but watch for signs of this negativity being a curse)

After being somewhere with a negative spiritual presence

After being around disease and decay

After being in a crowded area/on public transport*

After sex or masturbation*

After working with or being around the dead*

* In some cultures these acts are considered unclean but they don’t necessarily expose you to negative energy. It comes down to the beliefs of your culture and those of the spirits/deities you work with.

** Unless these tools are meant to collect energy! For example, you might have one jar that you always and only use for favor spells for yourself.

When to do a heavy cleansing:

Before performing an elaborate ritual or spell

After performing unprotected spellwork

When you and/or the people, plants, and animals around you are frequently falling ill or experiencing other unwellness (this is a clear sign of a curse or negative spirit attached to you)

During certain times of year and/or along with certain cultural ceremonies

Some Methods of Cleansing

This is not an exhaustive list! These are just some cross-cultural cleansing methods I’ve seen. Furthermore, all methods below can include (and are augmented by!) a chant, prayer, or some other form of words that correspond to the cleansing.

Salt

Put it in salt, put salt over it, throw salt around, etc. and leave it for a bit. Anime fans and Graeco-Egyptian sorcerers alike can tell you salt is cleansing. However, be mindful of not throwing a lot of salt around outside, where it can harm the environment, and ensure that whatever you’re putting in salt will not be damaged by the salt.

Washing

Of course, a natural way to cleanse something is washing it! This includes bathing to cleanse your body. Typically, the water is augmented with salt, herbs, or a prayer during washing so that it washes away spiritual dirt instead of physical dirt. Personally, I use salt water to wash just about everything. Again make sure the object/surface will not be damaged by water or whatever you’re adding to it. If you are bathing, ensure that nothing you add to the tub is unsafe for the skin or will cause an allergic reaction. Also would recommend avoiding salt baths if you have open wounds.

If you’re washing your magical tools that got stuff on them like ash, wax, etc. I’d recommend first doing a cleansing wash to get off the energy, then washing with soap and water to get off the substance. 

Flinging or Spraying Salt Water

Basically the above but for clearing the air. Again, some people use herbed water or magically-charged water instead of salt water.

I’ve seen some hate in the traditional magic community for spray bottle cleansing, but, as someone who usually cleanses a space by dipping my hand in salt water and then shaking it around, I see no reason why pouring it into a spray bottle will make it less effective.

Incense and Smoke

Lighting some incense or herbs and cleansing with the smoke is a good way to cleanse rooms, objects, and people. However, whatever you’re using must burn clean. You should not be getting a black, ashy residue on what you’re cleansing. If you are trying to drive away negative things, I’d recommend using a foul-smelling, instead of sweet-smelling, incense. The negative scent, while not pleasant, drives things away instead of attracting them. 

Safety-wise, remember fire safety and ensure that everything you’re burning is safe to inhale.

Using Ringing or Chiming Instruments

A bell is the easiest instrument to find for this. To clear a space, loudly make the ringing or chiming noise, usually while walking around it. Some people perform the ringing an auspicious number of times.

Drawing the Energy or Spirit Into Another Object

In banishments, this usually includes subsequent destruction of the object, like burning or smashing the object. If you plan to use this for a banishment, find a specific, reliable practice to perform. If you’re doing this for something more minor, like getting rid of your negative emotions, then it’s less risky to do something you make up on the spot.

This can also be performed without destruction of an object via channeling it into an energy sink. I’ve found that entirely black stones like black onyx make good energy sinks. However, remember that energy sinks aren’t literally black holes for energy and can get “full”. You will need to cleanse/ground the object occasionally, especially if you are trying to draw a lot of charge into it.

Prayer or Spellwork

Some prayers or spells are specifically used for cleansing, either by design or by cultural tradition. Of course, please be respectful of which culture a practice comes from and do not appropriate other cultures.

Cleansing Misconceptions

Sunlight, moonlight, and sun/moon water isn’t “naturally” cleansing. I see so many things telling people to cleanse (usually) crystals with one of these. If you are using the light of the sun or moon in cleansing, you are asking spirits of the celestial body to drive out the energy. This goes for charging too! It may be functionally the same to assume that moonlight has inherent magical properties but there are risks with trying to get a spirit to do something for you without payment.

Cleansing is not smudging. You’ve probably seen posts about this before, but if you haven’t, here’s one.

Channeling positive energy into an object isn’t cleansing it. As stated in the first section, cleansing is about the removal of energy and “resetting” things. Unlike acids and bases in chemistry, things can’t be neutralized by adding more of the opposite. You can make a room with negative energy feel better by adding positive energy, but this isn’t the same as cleaning it out.

Cleansing a space, driving out a spirit, etc. cannot be done with just visualization. You can regulate your own energy with visualization and send out positive energy into the space around you but, again, this isn’t cleansing.

You don’t need to cleanse your tarot deck often. Tarot decks are kind of like cast iron skillets: they pick up “seasoning” from use. However, this is usually a good thing! By getting more energy into a deck, it’ll give richer readings. It’s often necessary to spend a bit of time “breaking in” a deck through use. If you’re having trouble getting helpful answers from your deck, first try to center yourself, step away from your cards for a bit, and then come back to them when your energy is more stable. If that doesn’t work, then try cleansing the deck.

Do. Not. Cleanse. Or. Unenchant. With. Your. Mouth. I’ve seen more than one post saying to kiss objects to unenchant them. If you do that, you might also try licking your shoes clean sometime… Swallowing spirits during banishment isn’t entirely unheard of, but this is followed by some means of spitting them out or “disgesting” them so they become neutralized. It should only be done by a trained person.

When am I really a witch?

When you stop looking up spells on tumblr when you need one and make your own. When you know how to convene with what you need to talk to. When you can divine answers to questions you have instead of asking a blogger if "this is an omen". You're a witch when you're self sufficient, when you know how to use the information you find, when you can get your own materials and make something out of nothing.

When are you a real witch? When you stop asking that question.

Make sure to rest after you’ve done a bigger spell or after you’ve done a group of smaller spells. Witch craft can be emotionally and physically draining so it’s important to take care of yourself. Go eat a snack and watch some Netflix after you’ve worked hard!

Welcome to my blog 🔮🎶

My name is Erica, I’m a Latina of native ancestry and bisexual. My witchcraft journey started on 2018 and I’ve grown so much since then. I call myself an eclectic witch because I can’t bring myself to choose only one path of the wide range of types of witchcraft there are, so I try anything I dim interesting.

- ABOUT MY CONTENT

In my practice I use lots of sigils, spells and curses, and lately I’ve started making my own. What you need to know is that my spells are designed without weird or expensive items, so check my tags if you’re looking for spellcraft with accessible ingredients. I also post sigils of my design and lots of experiences about my craft. If any of these catch your attention, check my original content tags:

#My post: Collection of all the things I have ever posted.

#About the witch: Random facts about me.

#Answered check: Asks that I’ve received and answered.

#Witchin: This is where spells and curses that I’ve created go.

#Drawing sigils: And this is where the sigils I’ve designed go.

#Tales of a witch: Random experiences of my own about my craft.

#Ghost stories: My own experiences regarding paranormal encounters and spirit work.

#I’m on the Godphone: Every post about deity work I’ve written.

#Deja vu: Collection of experiences that make me think that, maybe, I have a past life related to these events.

#Dream journal: Dreams I’ve had that had an energy too strong to not write them down.

These tags are still empty since I've only started this new blog, but I will be filling them up with time as I already have content planned for each.

Divination 101: Pendulums

     Pendulums, pendulums, pendulums! They come in so many different styles, shapes, and personalities. From the simple necklace charms to the fancy gem-encrusted points, there’s a lot to be said for this casual divination tool.

     A while back, we had received a notice regarding our Infinite Threads Pendulum Board that some of you didn’t know how to use a pendulum yet- so I took it upon myself to write up this post for your knowledge and leisure!

     So, without any further ado, let’s get started!

⭐ The Tool Itself ⭐

     By definition, pendulums are “a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely.” [x] In many cases concerning the use of divination, witchcraft, and spirit work, this tool is more famously known for being comprised of a tapered crystal and/or metal pendant and chain, such as as these:

Image Description: Nine hanging crystal pendulums of varying colors and sizes, all suspended from a metal chain and tapering to a point. Image Source: [x]

     …But the truth of the matter is that there are many varying types and styles of pendulums that can be used for communication and divination! Some can be a bit unorthodox, some can be incredibly fancy, and some can be forged from materials that you may have laying around your room. In many cases, people (such as myself) also use the charms or pendants that they wear as necklaces, as well.

     Additionally, there is also a superstition that if one ties their wedding ring to a string, they can discover the gender of the baby that they are carrying!      I have personally tried the string-and-ring method with my own hematite band to much success, but it will also work with any kind ring that you own, regardless of material (though I find metals and minerals do work best).

     I encourage those, especially those who might have little to no budget to spare for a crystal pendulum, to experiment and find one that works for them! You may be surprised by what you find. ;>

⭐ What is it used for? ⭐

     Pendulums can be used for a variety of things, including divination and spirit communication. Here are just a few ways to use your pendulum:

Finding Lost Objects

Finding Energy Points on the Body

Experimenting with Energy in Your Hand(s) to Make It Move

Communicating with Spirits and The Unseen

Simple Answers to Questions

     I have even done things just for fun, such as using my pendulum to play games with my spirit fam to let them influence choices such as what Pokemon starter we play with, or dialogue choices in RPGs. There’s a lot you can do with it, so try out different things to see what is good for you!

⭐ How does it work? ⭐

     The question of how exactly pendulums work has been up for debate among those that use this tool for some time now, with postulations such as moving the arm or the flow of energy; however, through personal experience, I believe that there is a mixture of occurrences that allow a pendulum to move.

     Rather than “energy vs physical movement,” I believe that it is an amalgam of the two.

     Of course, it is very pivotal that one keeps their hand as still as possible while using the pendulum, that doesn’t change- but much like the movement of hands when using a Ouija Board or Psychic Circle, I do think that microscopic and subconscious movements play a part in how they perform. Not a huge part, but a part- especially when dealing with spirits and other entities.

Image Description: A gif of a Hypno from Pokemon swinging its trademark circular pendulum back and forth. Image Source: [x]

     From what I have gathered from my past experiences as well as others’, this is especially applicable in the cases of any bias (conscious or subconscious) from the reader. Pendulums are one of the most easily influenced forms of divination due to this (especially when first learning to use it, or in the case of needing important information), and should be partnered with both journaling to keep track of its accuracy, and other accompanying forms of divination like tarot.

     Other than subconscious movement, I remain in the mindset that energy is what will move the pendulum the most, especially after much practice and development. Psychic energy is like a muscle- you gotta work it out to get stronger!

     Notably, Mod Tara and I agree that in a lot of cases, the pendulum has a better response rate if one holds their opposite hand under the end of the pendulum as they use it (if possible), compared to not having it there at all. In a very loose form, it can be akin to completing a circuit for energy to flow through more easily.

     Of course, there are exceptions such as differences in diviners and pendulums being used, but it will most likely work regardless.

⭐ How To Use the Pendulum ⭐

     The pendulum is a simple tool in its make and execution, but there are a few things to know before proceeding in using one.

     As mentioned above, bias can become present during pendulum readings, so one of the best ways to counteract this is to release the ego during the duration of the reading. To do this, I recommend settling in a room with little to no distractions, and doing a short meditation to center yourself, quiet down any brain weasels that happen to be chattering away up there, and inviting the forces that you may be working with to provide you with genuine and accurate information. It may take a while to learn how to do this properly, especially if you are new to meditation, but you will achieve this state in time with practice.

     The second thing that you should do before using a pendulum, preferably before every session, is to calibrate it. What this means is taking time to see how it responds to questions and taking note of the responses.      This is also very good to do when communicating with entities, as their method of communicating might be different from your personal associations or others’.

Here are two tried-and-true methods for calibrating your pendulum:

Asking Yes or No Questions You Know the Answer To Asking simple yes or no questions to which you know the answer is a quick and easy way to learn how your pendulum will respond. For example, you can ask things such as “do I have blonde hair” or “am I wearing a red shirt”, and observe how the pendulum moves to see its manner of responding. Remember to ask at least one question that will be “yes”, and one that will be “no”.

“Show Me X” Otherwise, you can simply ask your pendulum (or potential spirit) “Show me yes/no/maybe/etc.” In this way, they can just provide in what ways to respond to your questions. With this method, I would also recommend backing these responses up by using the previously listed method, to assure accuracy- and as before, mentally log the ways the pendulum moves for certain answers!

Pendulum Movements:

     Now that you know how to calibrate your pendulum, you need to know all the different ways that a pendulum can move in order to provide an answer. There is a variety of ways that a pendulum can give different responses other than “yes” or “no”.      Here are all the ways that pendulums can move:

Vertically (Up and Down)

Horizontally (Left and Right)

Diagonally

Rotations (Left or Right)

Shaking or Vibrating (Though this is more associated with needing to cleanse this tool, but it may differ for you!)

     As stated previously, you may find that what you associate with a certain answer may differ from pendulum to pendulum or session to session- so be sure to become familiar with these movements to best understand the message being communicated to you!

Steps to Using the Pendulum:

     Okay. Now that you have become familiar with  your pendulum and how it will respond to your inquiries, it’s time to get to asking some questions! For ease of understanding, I have compiled- in short- all the steps that you need to know in order to divine with this tool:

Quiet your thoughts, and release the ego.

Rest the arm that will hold the pendulum on a steady, preferably flat and even, surface.

Hold your pendulum outward and let it settle until it is motionless.

Invite any spirits or forces that you would like to aid you in your divination session.

Calibrate your pendulum.

Ask your question(s).

Write down your responses.

That’s it, you’re done.

     It seems pretty simple now, doesn’t it? To be honest, it is- you just need a little context and knowledge on how to understand it. Otherwise, pendulums are fairly easy to become accustomed to using!

     In the cases of using additional tools such as pendulum boards, there is only a slight difference in how you would proceed in the reading. It is fairly self-explanatory, but the only difference is that you would still your pendulum over the center to get the responses listed on the board itself.

     Calibration is still recommended through the “Yes or No” method to ensure that communication isn’t skewed (not all spirits can read, or read in our language, for example!), but otherwise, will have the potential to give a wider breadth of responses, and can be a great resource to take advantage of!

…And that’s it! You’re on your way to becoming a surefire pendulum expert!

     As you have learned, pendulums can be a quick (and fun) way to do divination for a myriad of reasons. It’s one of the more basic and easily accessible tools for divination, and one I’d recommend everyone to learn!

Image Description: Two girls from the anime Love Lab doing a double high-five, with a small pink heart coming from their hands when they clap together. Image Source: [x]

    Be sure to remember to journal and log the answers that you receive to track your accuracy, and don’t forget that which you’ve learned! ♥

     Remember- you’ve got this! Have fun, and happy divining!

☀ Mod Sol ☀

About The Infinite Threads | Before You Ask | FAQ

Talk to your house

Your house is a sentient being with it’s own spirit and soul. Some people identify this spirit as their household deities or friendly house spirits. But some people have altogether forgotten how important the spirit of their house is. Talk to your house. Houses that have been ignored tend to be dull, tired and susceptible to hauntings and negative energies.  So talk to your house, listen to its aches and pains, say hello. Tell it that you come in peace, tell it that you are there to listen to it speak. Be grateful to your house. And watch the energies of your home transform themselves into joy.