How To Enchant Items

How to Enchant Items

To enchant an item is to infuse it with magickal energy. This energy can come from a variety of sources, including planets, crystals, herbs, or even yourself. 

Some individuals use the words “enchant” and “charm” synonymously as a way to describe the process of infusing something with energy, but for the sake of this post and due to my own beliefs, you enchant something and it then becomes a charm. Alternately, a charm can be something with its own innate energy, like a crystal or herbal amulet. 

The process of enchanting is extremely versatile and there are many ways to do it successfully, so long as you keep your intent clear in your mind. My personal preference when it comes to enchanting items is to allow 12-24 hours (overnight or a full day) for the item to be infused with energy and become a charm - although, this is completely left up to the individual spell-caster. 

Here are a few ideas on how to enchant items, in no particular order:

Surround the item with crystals of corresponding intent

Surround the item with herbs of corresponding intent 

Place the item in a jar filled with herbs that represent your intent

Place the item in front of a candle and meditate on your intent 

Anoint the item with an oil, charged water, or crystal elixir of corresponding intent 

Hold the item in your hand(s) and visualize it filling with the appropriate energy 

Hold the item in your hand(s) and speak your intent aloud

Craft a sigil or symbol to keep near the item in an envelope or sachet

Sew, stitch, or carve a sigil into the item (thanks @stormbornwitch !) 

Write your intention on paper and keep in an envelope with the item 

Pair the item with a corresponding runestone or tarot / oracle card in an envelope 

Take the item and put it in a box with other items that represent your intent such as crystals, herbs, talismans, amulets, etc. 

Bury the item in soil with herbs and/or crystals that match your intent (please don’t put salt on your lawn though, unless you want dead grass)

Pass the item through incense smoke that matches your intent 

edited on 5-30-2016

Who Do I Attract?

So, I have a lot of these asks in my inbox right now, and it’s not really an ask meme, it’s an entire area of astrology! I figured it’d be easiest to just make a post on what areas and ways you may attract certain signs or placements.

The placements here are likely to draw in people of certain signs or planetary dominants. Usually, it will attract the Suns, Risings and dominants of these signs. 

Below, in no particular order, are areas of your chart that may attract certain people or placements.

Your Moon Element will attract the same element and it’s pairing one. For example, a fire moon will attract fire and air moons. This is because your inner workings and feelings are understood by each other more so than typically incompatible elements, like water and air.

Your Rising Element will also attract the same element and it’s pairing one, but it may attract the Rising or Sun sign. For example, an earth rising will attract earth suns and/or risings. This is because your flow and ego is attractive to those who think and appear like you too, rather than those who are more reserved or wild than yourself.

Your Rising Sign is likely to attract, and in turn be drawn to, it’s sister sign. This can be in Sun, Rising or Dominance. This is because your ascendant is the opposite of your descendant, and this is the type of person we look for and admire. For example, Virgo Risings have Pisces Descendants, so are attracted/attractive to Pisces Suns, Risings and/or Dominance as the two act as a whole.

Stelliums which you may have will attract people of a certain sign. If you have a Stellium in a sign, such as Aries, you will attract Aries. This could be Aries Sun, Rising or Dominant. It may also attract Mars, Fire or 1st house dominance. If you have a Stellium in a house, such as the 3rd house, you will attract Gemini. This could be Gemini Sun, Rising or Dominant. It may also attract Mercury, Air or 3rd house dominance. A list of possible sign and house stelliums and the placements they may attract is below. The people you attract may not be mathematically dominant in these ways, but they may be prominent in their chart, like in their Moon or Mars placements.

Aries/1st House Stellium: Aries, Mars, Sun, 1st House, Fire dominance

Taurus/2nd House Stellium: Taurus, Venus, Moon, 2nd House, Earth dominance

Gemini/3rd House Stellium: Gemini, Mercury, 3rd House, Air dominance

Cancer/4th House Stellium: Cancer, Moon, Jupiter, 4th House, Water dominance

Leo/5th House Stellium: Leo, Sun, 5th House, Fire dominance

Virgo/6th House Stellium: Virgo, Mercury, 6th House, Earth dominance

Libra/7th House Stellium: Libra, Venus, 7th House, Air dominance

Scorpio/8th House Stellium: Scorpio, Mars, Pluto, 8th House, Water dominance

Sagittarius/9th House Stellium: Sagittarius, Jupiter, 9th House, Fire dominance

Capricorn/10th House Stellium: Capricorn, Saturn, Mars, 10th House, Earth dominance

Aquarius/11th House Stellium: Aquarius, Uranus, Saturn, 11th House, Air dominance

Pisces/12th House Stellium: Neptune, Jupiter, Venus, Pisces, 12th House, Water dominance

Your Dominant Sign will also attract certain signs. For example, if you are Aquarius dominant, it is likely you attract air or fire Sun and Risings, as well as fellow air/fire dominants.

Your Dominant Planet will also attract certain signs as it is the energy dominant within you. A list is given below. The sign in capitals is the sign ruled by this planet, so it is the most likely to be drawn to you. The one in normal case is where this planet exalts, so whilst they are drawn to you, it is not as much as the first.

Sun dominant: LEO, Aries

Moon dominant: CANCER, Taurus

Mercury dominant: GEMINI, VIRGO

Venus dominant: TAURUS, LIBRA, Pisces

Mars dominant: ARIES, SCORPIO, Capricorn

Jupiter dominant: SAGITTARIUS, PISCES, Cancer

Saturn dominant: CAPRICORN, AQUARIUS, Libra

Uranus dominant: AQUARIUS, Scorpio

Neptune dominant: PISCES, Leo, Cancer (People debate whether Neptune exalts in Leo or Cancer - to keep peace I have written both)

Pluto dominant: SCORPIO, Pisces, Aries (People debate whether Pluto exalts in Pisces or Aries - to keep peace I have written both)

For example, someone with Jupiter dominant is likely to attract Sagittarius dominants. Or, equally, someone with Sagittarius dominant is likely to attract Jupiter dominants.

There are even more areas you could personally look, but referring to this list can give you a good idea. For example, if you have Scorpio Venus and Mars, you can tell from this you’re likely to attract Pluto dominants, Taurus Risings, and/or people with 8th house stelliums.

Your Midheaven can also work here for the first attraction! For example, I was instantly attracted to my boyfriend when I first saw him as he was a mystery to me, and as it turns out his Midheaven is the sister of mine. The basic rule for this first sight attraction would be like this:

Opposite signs: Mysterious, wanting to know more, seemingly the same yet different to you

Element match: Similar, you feel they are like you in some way

Compatible elements: You seem to appreciate them for who they appear to be, but know you are not one in the same

Midheaven ruled by same planet: You seem so different, but there is a similar energy within you

You can obviously attract and be attracted to any Midheaven, but these matches would stand out for the purposes of this post

Break That Luck Candle Spell

Sometimes we just get some terrible bouts of luck that just needs to end and go away. Here’s how.

Get yourself a candle. Red’s a good choice but gold or white will also work. You might want to go with a smaller candle here, like a votive or even a tealight. Added bonus: one with a cleansing or comforting scent. Or burn incense or aromatherapy oils in the background for that cleansing/comforting scent. Super bonus round: Start with a cleansing scent during the spell and once it’s done and the candle’s burned down, start the comforting scent. Examples: cleansing might be mint, citrus, sage, etc but comforting might might pumpkin, vanilla, or apple.

Charge your candle with intent or visualize you goal! Alternative, just TELL the candle what you want to happen or carve it into the wax. This depends on your personal practice and if there’s enough space on the candle to even carve things into.

If you’ve got it, use a good luck oil to coat your candle. Or use luck drawing herbs. This’ll depend largely on your practice and stuff on hand. I tend to use clover and cinquefoil (five finger grass) personally but YMMV. 

Light your candle and chant:

Trouble has come my way,

Bad luck and bad times are bad friends

i turn them away. Unwelcomed and unwanted, 

I break this cycle now.

[blow out the candle. Take a deep breath and release it. Light it again, saying the following]

With this new flame, I bring good luck into my life

Good things, beneficial things, will happen

And when this candle died, my good luck will live on

[let the candle burn out]

I need more witch-y blogs on my dash

My dash isn’t as witchy as I’d like it to be

Reblog/like if you post

- spells - artwork (personal or other) - photography (personal or other) - witch tips - pagan/Wiccan or other magick related religions - occult knowledge - paranormal - really anything that falls under the spectrum of “witchy”

☾

Just a little cleansing incense for your blog to chase all the negative crap away. 

Of Imps and Familiars

The topic of Familiars in modern witchcraft is a bit  misinformed as to what exactly these beings are. Some say they are simply a pet belonging to a witch; however, it is far from the case. In the hopes of clearing things a bit up for my followers, I am writing this to explain what Familiars are and the differences between the different types. This post will provide a brief summary of the topic

There are a few different types of Familiars to consider. There are:

The Familiar Spirit

Imps

Familiar spirits

Bloodline Familiars

Let’s discuss what they are and how they differ from another.

The Familiar Spirit

Tam Lin by Jane Yolen and Charles Mikolaycak

This is somewhat comparable to the Holy Guardian Angel found in various practices of high and ceremonial magic, such as the Order of the Golden Dawn. It is the human familiar spirit, the fairy lover, the demon lover, the spirit companion, the familiar self, the witch’s doppleganger. It is the you that is separate, yet it is its own entity. These are the beings that witches met when flying to the sabbat, their spirit lover. Typically, it is opposite to the witch, “In 1633, Margaret Johnson, the Lancashire witch, stated that besides theire particular familiars or spirits, there was one greate or grand devill, or spirit, more eminent than the rest. Shee allsoe saith, yt if a witch have but one marke, shee hath but one spirit; if two, then two spirits; if three, yet but two spirits. Shee alsoe saith, that men witches usually have women spirits, and women witches men spirits,” (source). It might be that these spirits are complete opposites to their witch counterpart; however, it may also be they take a form most desired by the witch. It is why some have Familiar spirits of the same gender, or spirits that change gender along with their witch.

Examples of The Familiar Spirit

Tam Lin (from the Ballad of Tam Lin)

The Queen of Heaven (from Thomas the Rhymer)

Cupid (from the tale The Most Pleasant and Delectable Tale of the Marriage of Cupid and Psyche)

Imps

The Witches’ animal familiar, maleficent animals, divination animals, domestic familiars. These are, usually, physical creatures or vessels that act as the witch’s familiar. These are the creatures people typically think of when thinking of familiars. They are the witch’s pet, servator, companion, spy, and aid in the magical arts.

Now from this, there are 2 main sort of imps. A living creature of flesh such as a rabbit, cat, or dog. There are also imps that are merely spirits tied to a vessel. These vessels can be anything from stuffed animals to bottles or urns. The Familiar’s spirit possesses the vessel, which then it seeks to serve the witch. It can be an actual spirit or even created by a witch (or even by another spirit). Now the interesting part of this is that the living creatures can even act as vessels for familiar spirits.

Imps are the creatures you see depicted being fed blood from witches. Witches allow familiars to suckle blood from their witch marks to forge the pact between the two. The imp receiving care and food, and the witch receiving aid and power from the imp. The pact between the two is what makes an imp the witches’ familiar (vs just a regular pet or spirit).

Familiar spirits

A witch can have many familiar spirits, which take many forms. Though, they tend to be animal in form. There are some known to be human or even “supernatural” in form. There are descriptions of familiar spirits that are fairies, spirits of the dead, saints, devils, demons, and even angels. Some witches state they had certain plants as their familiars.

They take similar roles to spirit guides and spirit helpers; however, they, like imps, also require a pact as well. A witch can have many familiar spirits all that serve their needs depending on the reason for the pact. However, the pact isn’t always made through physical means vs the pact made with imps.

Bloodline Familiars

Bloodline familiars are those that are passed down from hereditary practices, from parent to child. Covens have also been known to have these, and can give access to these familiars through initiatory means. They are familiars that serve specific bloodlines or groups, and only grant their power and aid to those within it.

One can also argue that a Bloodline familiar is not truly a spirit, but rather an icon. A symbol of that family or coven, in which appears in dreams as a sign or omen. I attempted to do more research into this, but it was only mentioned in one of my texts, “There is that which is used as the coven “totem” animal, mentioned earlier in connection with the symbolism of the witch bracelet. This symbolic animal form is decided upon at the formation of a coven by mutual agreement among the members and after much introspection and divination. The chosen totemic animal form or forms, for there may be several, is then ritually “assumed” by coven members during the chain dance at the Sabbat itself, and also should they at any time wish to indulge in the practice of “sending for the fetch,” commonly Omens and auguries of coming events may also be drawn by the seasoned practitioner from the appearance on the scene of one such specimen of a coven totem, a grey bird maybe or a large black cat. Part of this witchlore may have filtered out in the past and now be responsible for the common public beliefs about lucky or unlucky black cats crossing one’s path, and so on,” (Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson).

As a note, I believe it is more fitting to call these another name other than “Totem” familiars. It would be better to call them Bloodline Familiars. The source was written in the 70s. Though I do love that book, it does not address cultural appropriation. 

The Pact (how does one get a familiar?)

The pact is something that is spoken of within many witch confessions and trials. The witch obtains the familiar, forges a pact, and begins the relationship. Familiars were told to appear in a few different ways.

given from a spirit (the devil)

passed down from another witch

appearing by chance

created by the witch’s own “evil” desire (this references that familiars can be created by the witch themselves)

appearing after a great rite or initiation

There are those that believe every witch will have at least one familiar, whether it be a physical creature or not. Though, familiars don’t appear in every witch lore. It is mostly common in western European witch lore.

What does the pact entail? Typically, it involved the feeding of blood to the familiar to strengthen the bond and forge the union. I’ve seen reference to a few other methods such as spiritual sacrifice, offering of milk or food from the same dish, or even scraping off bits of your kitchen table to feed the familiar. Others reference to rituals being performed to summon the fetch and create the bond. Though one thing is very important, the witch and familiar must be bound to one another body and spirit.

This allows the witch to travel to the Sabbat with their familiar, perform magical acts with them, or even hag ride them into the night.

Hope this helped clear a bit up! My resources are below. As a note: I do reference reading Margaret Alice Murray, not for her incorrect theories, but for her amazing resources. When reading her books focus on quoted references. You can also do further research by searching into her sources (though some are difficult to find).

reading list

Demonology: demons & devils / Spiritual Warfare By Dr. Phillip Botha

Witches’ Familiars in England by M. A. Murray

Malevolent Nurture: Witch-Hunting and Maternal Power in Early Modern England by Deborah Willis

The Esoteric Codex: Supernatural Legends By Cedrick Pettigrove

The History of Witchcraft and Demonology by Montague Summers

Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic by Emma Wilby

The Visions of Isobel Gowdie: Magic, Witchcraft and Dark Shamanism in Seventeenth-Century Scotland by Emma Wilby

Traditional Crafte translated by Robin Artisan

Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson

The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer

The Witch-Cult in Western Europe by Margaret Alice Murray

Irish Witchcraft and Demonology by St. John D. Seymour

Aurora Australis, New Zealand

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