badkittos-spellandfolklore

Latest Posts by badkittos-spellandfolklore

Resources for Mending Clothes

We toss out over 80 pounds of textiles each year. These textiles are often made of plastic materials (polyester, nylon), made in unethical conditions, dyed with harsh dyes that often get put into the rivers, etc. Even a single cotton shirt releases carbon emissions and uses tons of water. 

So the best thing to prevent the unsustainable growth of the fashion industry is to make sure that your clothing lasts as long as possible. To do so, mending clothing is a must. So here are some resources to help you learn how to do various things, such as sewing a button, to tailoring clothes, or even upcycling old clothing into new styles. 

* How to sew on three different types of button

* How to hand sew on a patch on a torn pair of jeans

* How to sew up a hole in an old shirt

* How to sew a simple T-shirt

* How to upcycle old clothing into new clothing

* More upcycle and sewing techniques

* How to repair a damaged sock

* How to do an invisible stitch

* 3 different stitches to work with for different results

* How to make a T-shirt smaller so it fits you better

* How to make repairs to your shoes

These are just a few of the things that you can do in order to make sure that your clothing lasts for a long time. Nobody wants to keep buying new clothing, as it is expensive and wasteful. 

So making alterations to your clothing, or fixing small holes hen you see them can be hugely beneficial to your wallet, to garment workers, and to the environment in the long term. 

***

If you like what I write, consider buying from:

My Etsy shop for upcycled bags, jewelry, and crafting supplies.

Or

My poshmark for reclaimed clothing.

The sign of high quality is the fact the book was banned by the government. Trash literature NEVER EVER had any troubles with the law.

Barbara Walker - The Double-Triadic Hexagram, “The I Ching of the Goddess”, 1986. The original Triangle stood for the Goddess’s Trinity of Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, she of a thousand names, such as Maya the birth-giving Virgin, Durga the preserving Mother, and Kali Ma the Death-dealing Crone. Her primary symbol was a downward-pointing Triangle, the Yoni Yantra, sometimes called Kali Yantra. This represented a Vulva (Sanskrit yoni), and femaleness in general: by extension, a womb, motherhood, female sexuality, the Life Spirit embodied in menstrual blood, or the world-activating power of the Goddess herself. The same symbol stood for ‘woman’ and ‘Goddess’ among ancient Egyptians, pre-Hellenic Greeks, Tantric Buddhists, and the gypsies who migrated westward from Hindustan. The primordial female Triangle became a male-female Hexagram by eight stages, graphically represented as follows. Figure 1 - At first there was only the Goddess alone, containing within herself all the elements in a fluid, unformed state. Figure 2 - With the passage of ages and by her will, eventually a spark of Life was formed within her core, represented by a dot. Tantric sages called this spark the Bindu, and one of the Goddess’s titles was Bindumati, Mother of the Bindu. Among Cabalists it became Bina, the Womb of Earth. Figure 3 - The Bindu grew and slowly became a separate being within the Mother, though it still lay wholly inside her borders. At this early stage of the Divine Creation, Darkness (the God) was still enveloped in a greater Darkness (his Mother). The God was still one with the author of his being, Maha-Kali, the Great Power. Figure 4 - At the fourth stage, the God was Born. Represented by an upward-pointing Triangle - which often symbolized the masculine principle of Fire - the God broke through the boundaries of the Primordial maternal Triangle. Here, at the moment of ‘Birth,’ the idea of the male Deity was conveyed by three solid lines, while that of the female Deity became three broken lines. Thus was the design taken apart, and its components utilized as Trigrams and Hexagrams in the I Ching. Figure 5 - Male and female Triangles, one separated, came together again in a very ancient figure that later rounded off to the Mathematical Symbol of Infinity in so-called Arabic Numerals, which were actually Hindu in origin. The two Tangential Circles or teardrop shapes of this sign meant the same as two Tangential Triangles: the two sexes in contact. The female Triangle above now took on the aspect of a nourishing breast, while the male received her nourishment. Figure 6 - Tantric yogis continued to hold that sexual union in true love was an intimation of Divinity, giving the partners a sense of merging ‘like pouring of water into water’. Similarly in Egypt, the Goddess and her God were represented by vessels of water, their conjunction by a combination of the two waters, as in the Sacred Talisman known as Menat. In the Middle East, a Sacrificial God was preceded by a vessel of water in procession to his place of Execution, a tradition that was followed even in the story of Jesus. Like Shiva, the Christian God also was born of the same Mother on whom, as a Divine spouse, he begot himself. Figure 7 - By penetrating each other to the farthest boundary, God and Goddess formed between them the ancient Tantric Symbol of the World, a Diamond, flanked by four new Triangles that were assimilated to the Elements, the four directions, the four corners of the Earth (when the Earth was supposed to be square), the four winds, the four divisions of the Zodiac, the four Sons of Horus, or the Norsemen’s related Spirits of north, east, south, and west that upheld the Heavens. All these ideas could be expressed in a simple glyph of six lines. Figure 8 - Finally, the ultimate interpenetration was shown by the full Hexagram. Male and female principles extended even beyond each other’s boundaries, becoming ‘One’ in sixfold Symmetry. This was the Union proposed by Cabalists as well as Tantric sages: the symbol of Eeternal Conception and Re-Creation. This was the hidden reason for the Rabbinic traditions claiming that the Ark of the Covenant contained male and female images sexually joined, ‘in the form of a Hexagram,’ and that the triple six of Solomon’s golden talents represented the king’s sexual union with his goddess, who gave him his great Wisdom. This explains also the early Christian’s horror of the sixfold symbol of Aphrodite, similarly united with Hermes as the first ‘Hermaphrodite,’ and their insistence that three sixes made a Devilish Number (666) and six was the ‘Number of Sin’.  The ultimate absorption of the God into the Yoni Yantra (Goddess) was his Immolation, usually conceived as a voluntary Sacrifice of his Life for Salvation of the Earthly World, which needed the Life-Force inherent in Divine Blood. As Kali the Destroyer, the Goddess devoured her consort and returned to the original solitary female form of the Yantra (Fig. 1). Thus the Cycles of Creation and Destruction were carried on throughout the Life of the Universe.

WTF is... Death Posture anyway?

Before we get into it, I have a little disclaimer:

Warning: Do not attempt this technique if you have serious physical or mental health problems. I take no responsibility for any damage this practice causes you. You have been warned.

So what the fuck is death posture anyway? You’ll hear lots of chaote’s throw the term around without much explanation. Simply put, it is a kind of alternate form of meditation. Of course, it is a little more complicated than that. Austin Osman Spare, the creator of death posture, defines it in the following way in his book “The Book of Pleasure”:

“Lying on your back lazily, the body expressing the condition of yawning, suspiring while conceiving by smiling, that is the idea of the posture. Forgetting time with those things which were essential-reflecting their meaninglessness, the moment is beyond time and its virtue has happened. Standing on tip-toe, with the arms rigid, bound behind by the hands, clasped and straining the utmost, the neck stretched- breathing deeply and spasmodically, till giddy and sensation comes in gusts, gives exhaustion and capacity for the former. Gazing at your reflection till it is blurred and you know not the gazer, close your eyes (this usually happens involuntarily) and visualize. The light (always an X in curious evolutions) that is seen should be held on to, never letting go, till the effort is forgotten, this gives a feeling of immensity (which sees a small form ), whose limit you cannot reach. This should be practised before experiencing the foregoing. The emotion that is felt is the knowledge which tells you why.”

So that’s all well and good, but lets put it into some more modern terms. This is the way that I do death posture. Keep in mind, this is just the way I do it, and there is not an “absolutely correct” way to do something in chaos magick. This is just the way it works for me. Feel free to change any of it to suit your personal needs. 

1. Find a place where you won’t be interrupted for a while, preferably a nice, quiet dark room.

2. With your back to a wall, close your eyes (closing your eyes is not always necessary, depending on your goal) and stand on your toes. Lock your arms behind your back with your hands interlocked together. Arch your back and extend your neck as far as you can. 3. Your breathing will become/should become more labored and faster, bordering on hyperventilating. You’ll also start to feel tingly and exhausted. It will feel intense, so be prepared. 4. You will begin to feel incredibly uncomfortable, start hyperventilating, and your vision (if you keep your eyes open) will begin to blur, but stay locked in this pose for as long as it is possible. 

5. Right before you collapse from the strain, you will enter a kind of altered mental state. At this point, you may feel like your floating, or like your muscles are on fire. While in this state, it will be possible to do certain acts of visualization. This is also when sigils can be charged, or an affirmation can be said. 6. Collapse to the floor and relax. Hopefully, you didn’t blackout, but it is possible. You will probably feel fairly strange but this is normal. Do whatever banishing ritual you feel necessary (I usually go with a laughter banishing, but it doesn’t really matter as long as it works for you) and then get up slowly so you don’t accidentally fall over and crack your head open.

So why the hell would you want to do this? It sounds pretty awful.

Well, yeah. It kind of is awful. That’s the point. I initially said that death posture was a kind of meditation, which is true in a sense. Claudio Naranjo once said:

“The word ‘meditation’ has been used to designate a variety of practices that differ enough from one another so that we may find trouble in defining what meditation is.“ 

Death posture exemplifies this, as it is meditation, just not in the sense of what we typically imagine meditation being. Like any form of meditation, the primary goal is to attain a state of gnosis (something I will cover more in depth in a later WTF is article), but in attaining this gnostic state, you then use it for a work, whether a sigil, spell, or whatever.

But wait, how do I use a mental state for spellcraft/sigil craft?

You’ll hear me often say this, echoing a bit from bluefluke‘s Psychonaut field manual, but visualization, visualization, visualization. You’ll need to hold the image of what your are trying to accomplish in your mind’s eye when the gnostic state is entered (and preferably for the entire duration of the instance of death posture.) I’ll cover different visualization techniques in a later article.

Thanks to enochtopus for suggesting I talk about this. I think I’ll do sigil magick next, then move on to gnosis and visualization.

23

天津甕星

Zodiac sign constellations for wrist tattoos. Thought this was pretty unique and interesting.

Simple Tricks for Cleansing Your Room

Smoke Cleansing: Formerly referred to as “smudging” (but should not be because that term referred to a specific Native American tradition and should not be appropriated) smoke cleansing is the most widely known form of home cleansing. One should take a bundle of dried  sage or cedar and let it on fire until it is lit. Then, walk around the effected room or building spreading the smoke emanating from the bundle until the smoke has sufficiently permeated the air.

Saltwater Cleanse: A simple and effective form of cleansing in a pinch. Mix 1 part salt to 6 parts water (1:6 because the number 6 is considered to be “The Caretaker” in Numerology). This can be mixed in a bowl, cup, or even in a spray bottle for easy use. Spray/flick the saltwater in all of the corners of the room/house that you want to cleanse. It can also help to repeat a relevant chant or prayer while moving throughout the area.

Van Van Oil Home Cleansing: Wash down all of the wood work in and outside of the house with Van Van Oil mixed in water (also known as Chinese Wash). When you are finished, throw the remaining wash out the front door, facing East. Finish off by sweeping the house back to front with a brand new broom.

Herbal Cleansing Bottle: Get a large bottle. First, put in a sturdy sand bottom layer. Then, add in the following herbs in this order, one of top of the other; Rosemary, lemon peel, sage, cedar, black peppercorns, lavender, dill, bay leaf, and rowan. When the bottle is full, visualize your energy going into it. You should notice a slight yellow/golden glow when it is charged. Seal it fully and inscribe a pentagram or sigil of your choice on the bottle. Set it by a window and uncap and recharge every 6 months.

Home Purification Burn: Make your own incense out of dried Pine needles, Juniper, and Ceder (1 tbs of each). Grind ingredients together  and burn them while reciting a chosen chant or prayer.

Candle and Salt Cleanse: Get a white candle and some salt. Put the candle in the center of the room that needs cleansing. Pour the salt in a circle around the candle and let it burn until it goes out.

When to use what in witchcraft -

Ok so I am gonna say this is my personal reference, its mainly through associations. You might TOTALLY disagree and thats chill! 

Its more something to think about and a guideline of what I use myself…

Candle Magic:

Carve a candle when…. the candle represents the target, in sympathetic magic. When, essentially, the candle is a poppet and lighting it is a symbol of destruction or empowerment to the target.

Place something under the candle or before it when… you are doing general candle magic, when the candle represents empowering a wish, idea or concept.

Anoint the candle when… doing work with spirits and gods, when you mark the candle for a special purpose, when doing high magic.

Herbs and plant work:

Use dry herbs when… it is convienent to do so, when the herbs are out of season or when you need to store them in a jar or bottle for a long time.

Use fresh herbs when… the spell is very earth orientated, when doing magic on behalf of another or when the magic is sympathetic so that the herbs represent the target, within kitchen witchery.

Use flowers when… when the spell concerns love and sex, or perhaps fertility and attraction, due to flowers being the reproductive parts of the plant. 

Use fruit when when… working with children as a target, or with children practising. When you work with fertility and abundance spells.

Use wood and twigs when… when the spell is for protection or binding, for hardiness. 

Burn herbs (recaning/incense) when… you wish to cleanse or banish, or invoke an atmosphere - that being, for divination using herbs that are said to open up your perceptions, when banishing, burning acrid or pungent herbs.

Use oil infusions when… you wish to anoint something, when you wish to mark something permanently.

Use floral waters (rose water etc) when… dealing with spirits and gods, for glamour as it has a long history of being used to beautify.

Crystals:

Use metals (haematite, copper, ores etc..) when… you work in protection, when you do energy work due to the conductive properties of metal.

Use shell, pearl, coral and such when… you work in sea magic, when you work within emotional magic due to the element of water.

Use points when… you wish to direct magic to a target.

Use tumble stones when… you wish the magic to be gentle or manifest at a certain place on the body on a target.

Use geodes when… you work in protection, when you work with glamour aimed to obscure and hide.

Knot magic:

Use cotton when… it is convenient.

Use silk when… doing spells that benefit the target.

Use ribbons when… love spells and wealth spells, as well as confidence and beauty spells. Spells to ensure victory.

Use rope when… doing spells that aim to hurt or weaken the target, binding especially.

Poppets:

Use cloth when… the spell aims to benefit who the poppet represents, use particular care when sewing or cutting, choose colours that are appropriate to them.

Use wax when… you wish to manipulate the target.

Use clay when… wish to create fetches or servitors, when you wish to create permanency.

Use twigs when… you wish to bury or throw the poppet out, when you want the poppet to be easily destroyed by breaking or setting on fire.

Sigils:

Use an alphabet grid or circle when… you wish the sigil to be more random and less attached to you.

Combine the shapes of letters from a sentence… when your sigil is very specific and a short term goal.

Use your own personal symbols when… you want the magic to be connected to you, when it is personal.

22 Domestic Witch Tips, Charms, and Omens

This is a list of tid-bits that I find useful in aiding the Domestic Witch in creating a comfortably witchy home. 1. Spray a bit of perfume, drops of essential oils, or room spray on light bulbs to make a room smell fresh and add a magickal aura according to the sent you’ve chosen.  Make sure you do this while the light is off otherwise the light bulb will likely explode. 

2. Keeping an acorn at your window will keep lightning from striking.

3. Keep a Kitchen Witch (Cottage Witch) doll in your kitchen to bring good luck and to keep away any ill meaning spirits.

4. Spilling water on your tablecloth means a storm is coming.  The same is true of a coffee pot that keeps boiling over.

5.Burn a candle on your stove to symbolize the hearth fire of the past.  This honors your patron kitchen Goddess and fills your home with love.  (Candles have a longer burning life if you place them in the freezer for a few hours before lighting them.)

6. To keep an unwanted visitor from returning sweep whatever room or rooms they were in as soon as they leave your home.

7. Never sweep your kitchen after the sun goes down

8. Two yolks in an egg foretell a marriage.

9. Cakes should be baked while the sun is rising.

10. Never turn a loaf of bread upside down after it has been cut.

11. It’s good luck to receive a loaf of bread as a house-warming present.

12. To throw away bread is to throw away any potential luck and prosperity that would come to your home, instead make breadcrumbs or feed it to the birds.

13. If a ring of rice forms around the edge of a pot it means money is coming.

14. Wine leftover from ritual…freeze it in ice cube trays then add a cube or two to gravies, sauces, and casseroles as needed.

15. To make your food taste better keep a quartz crystal on or near your stove.

16. When given a plant as a gift you should not say thank you or the plant will die.

17. Those looking for love should place a pot of basil on their windowsill.

18. Rosemary can be placed under pillows to ward of evil spirits.

19. In ancient times it was believed that in gardens “where rosemary flourished, the woman ruled.”

20. Lavender can be placed under the mattress to bring passion to the marital bed or hung on a bedpost for protection.

21. Growing ivy in your home guards against disaster.

22. Grow a spider plant (chlorophytum comosum) in a space you want to purify.

(Source: ravenrinspagannest’s blogspot)

How To Make Black Salt.

Now I know you are asking yourself. ” Christian Witch…Why would I need black salt when Supernatural shows us that plain salt is just fine?” 

Well, Let me Explain.

Black Salt is normally used to banish or drive away negative things. It can be used to protect your home and garden area by sprinkling it around the property line. To protect from things general getting in your house you can put Black Salt in the corners of the room or across the door step. It is also used to remove negative spells that have been cast on a person. In general, Salt itself is a great purifying agent. Black Salt is more about protection and the banishment of all things negative.

Now that we know what is does, Let me show you how to make it.

You can use anything dry that has a black tone. Charcoal, Ashes, Scrapings from your cauldron/cast iron bowl or skillet, even Pepper is often used.

I used the charcoal i salvaged from the Litha Bonfire for an extra dose of light in the darkness.

I also used my small little cast iron cauldron as my mortar for the mixing.

The Salt I used was just plain table salt, but if you want to you can get all fancy with the sea salt and what not.

Once you have gathered you ingredients, it is time to grind the ingredient you chose to turn your salt black.

Now this can take a while and you need to make sure to watch out for the dust that comes up from these…It can choke you pretty bad. The Charcoal gave a LOVELY crunching sound and really took the edge off of my frustration with certain people. Then i kept repeating “grind their bones to make my bread”. I had a weird moment.

Once ground to the way you like it you add about double the amount in salt.

Now for the fun part. While thinking about all the ways you need to be protected, mix the ingredients until there is no white left. 

TADA! You have made your very own Black Salt. Now…Lets bottle this protective amazingness! Again. At this point the dust that comes off will choke you so fast its not even funny.

Also I need to warn that when putting in places be ready to get your hands dirty.

Once it is bottled and ready you can use it for just about anything you need done in the protective world. 

Create and Enjoy!

Moon Phase Cheat Sheet

I wrote a whole giant dossier for the first lesson of Movements of the Moon at the School of Witchery, and I thought you all could benefit from this quick reference writeup!

Disclaimer: This sheet doesn’t include more indepth breakdowns of the phases, such as the gibbous moon, the waning crescent, etc.

Moon Phase Cheat Sheet

WAXING: These are the phases when the Moon appears to be growing. This period is divided into the First Quarter and Second Quarter.

Good For: Drawing things towards you, increasing

New Moon: This is when the moon is just a sliver in the sky (top right). From here, the Moon takes about 14 days to reach Full. It is considered part of the First Quarter.

Good For: New beginnings, potential, starts

Full Moon: This one’s self-explanatory! The Moon  remains looking Full for about 2 to 3 days, though purists choose to work magick only on the peak day. It is considered part of the Second Quarter by some.

Good For: The Full Moon is considered the most powerful Moon, due to it shning at full brightness. Many Witches choose to commemorate the occasion with a ritual or Esbat, and even more use this moon for their main spellcraft.

WANING: The phases when the Moon appears to be dissapearing. This period is divided into the Third and Fourth Quarters, and includes the Dark Moon. The Moon takes another 14 or so days to complete its cycle.

Good For: Removing, drawing away, banishing, and cleansing

Dark Moon: The period of time when the Moon is completely invisible in the sky. For our course, this is considered the last part of the Moon’s cycle (some traditions count it as the first – neither is wrong). It is considered part of the Fourth Quarter.

Good For: Protection, wisdom, and turning inside for wisdom and clarity

- Ash

Plant and Herb Properties by Name Masterpost

A Acacia : Protection, Psychic Powers, Money and Love Spells Adam & Eve Roots : Love, Happiness Adders Tongue : Healing African Violet : Spirituality, Protection Agaric : Fertility Agrimony : Protection, Sleep Ague Root : Protection Alfalfa : Prosperity, Anti-Hunger, Money Alkanet : Purification, Prosperity Allspice : Money, Luck, Healing Almond : Money, Prosperity, Wisdom Aloe : Protection, Luck Aloes, Wood : Love, Spirituality Althea : Protection, Psychic Powers Alyssum : Protection, Moderating Anger Amaranth : Healing Heartbreak, Protection, Invisibility, Anemone : Health, Protection, Healing Angelica : Exorcism, Protection, Healing, Visions Anise : Protection, Purification, Youth Apple : Love, Healing, Garden Magic, Immortality Apricot : Love Arabic Gum : Spirituality, Purify Negativity and Evil Arbutus : Exorcism, Protection Asafoetida : Exorcism, Purification, Protection Ash : Protection, Prosperity, Sea Rituals, Health Aspen : Eloquence, Anti-Theft Aster : Love Avens : Exorcism, Purification, Love Avocado : Love, Lust, Beauty

B

Bachelor’s Buttons : Love Balm, Lemon : Love, Success, Healing Balm of Gilead : Love, Manifestations, Protection, Healing Bamboo : Protection, Luck, Hex-Breaking, Wishes Banana : Fertility, Potency, Prosperity Banyan : Luck. Happiness Barley : Love, Healing, Protection Basil : Love, Exorcism, Wealth, Flying, Protection Bay : Protection, Psychic Powers, Healing, Purification, Strength Bean : Protection, Exorcism, Wart Charming, Reconciliation, Potency, Love Bedstraw, Fragrant : Love Beech : Wishes Beet : love Belladonna : Astral Projection, Visions **TOXIC** Benzoin : Purification, Prosperity Bergamot, Orange : Money, Success Be-Still : Luck Betony, Wood : Protection, Purification, Love

Birch : Protection, Exorcism, Purification and Cleansing Bistort : Psychic Powers, Fertility Bittersweet : Protection, Healing Blackberry : Healing, Money, Protection Bladderwrack : Protection, Sea Spells, Wind Spells, Money, Psychic Powers Bleeding Heart : Love Bloodroot : Love, Protection, Purification Bluebell : Luck, Truth Blueberry : Protection Blue Flag : Money Bodhi : Fertility, Protection, Wisdom, Meditation Boneset : Protection, Exorcism Borage : Courage, Psychic Powers BrackenBrazil NutBriony : Image Magic, Money, Protection Bromeliad : Protection, Money Broom : Purification, Protection, Wind Spells, Divination Buchu : Psychic Powers, Prophetic Dreams Buckthorn : Protection, Exorcism, Wishes, Legal Matters

C

Cabbage : Luck Cactus : Protection, Chastity Calamus : Luck, Healing, Money, Protection Camellia -Riches Camphor : Chastity, Health, Divination Caper : Potency, Lust, Luck Carawy : Protection, Lust, Health, Anti-Theft, Mental Powers Cardamon : Lust, Love Carnation : Protection, Strength, Healing Carob : Protection, Health Carrot : Fertility, Lust Cascara Sagrada : Legal Matters, Money, Protection, Cashew : Money Castor : Protection Catnip : Cat Magic, Love, Beauty, Happiness Cat Tail : Lust Cedar : Healing, Purification, Money, Protection Celandine : Protection, Escape, Happiness, Legal Matters Celery : Mental Powers, Lust, Psychic Powers Centaury : Snake Removing Chamomile : Money, Sleep, Love, Purification Cherry : Love, Divination Chestnut : Love Chickweed : Fertility, Love Chicory : Removing Obstacles, Invisibility, favors, Frigidity Chili pepper : Fidelity, Hex Breaking, Love

C China Berry : Luck, Change Chrysanthemum : Protection Cinchona : Luck, Protection Cinnamon : Spirituality, Success, Healing, Power, Psychic Powers, Lust, Protection, Love Cinquefoil : Money, Protection, Prophetic Dreams, Sleep Cloth of Gold : Understand Animal Languages Clove : Protection, Exorcism, Love, Money

D Daffodil : Love, Fertility, Luck Daisy : Lust, Luck Damiana : Lust, Love, Visions Dandelion : Divination, Wishes, Calling Spirits Datura : Hex Breaking, Sleep, Protection Deerstongue : Lust, Psychic Powers Devils Bit : Exorcism, Love, Protection, Lust Devils Shoestring : Protection, Gambling, Luck, Power, Employment Dill : Protection, Money, Lust, Luck Dittany of Crete : Manifestations, Astral Projection Dock : Healing, Fertility, Money Dodder : Love, Divination, Knot Magic Dogbane : Love Dogwood : Wishes, Protection Dragons Blood : Love, Protection, Exorcism, Potency Dulse : Lust, Harmony Dutchmans Breeches : Love

E

Ebony : Protection, Power Echinacea : Strengthening Spells Edelweiss : Invisibility, Bullet-Proofing Elder : Exorcism, Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Sleep Elecampane : Love, Protection, Psychic Powers Elm : Love Endive : Lust, Love Eryngo : Travelers Luck, Peace, Lust, Love Eucalyptus : Healing, Protection Euphorbia : Purification, Protection Eyebright : Mental Powers, Psychic Power

F

Fennel : Protection, Healing, Purification Fenugreek : Money Fern : Rain Making, Protection, Luck, Riches, Eternal Youth, Health, Exorcism Feverfew : Protection Fig : Divination, Fertility, Love Figwort : Health, Protection Flax : Money, Protection, Beauty, Psychic Powers, Healing

Fleabane : Exorcism, Protection, Chastity Foxglove : Protection Frankincense : Protection, Exorcism, Spirituality Fumitory : Money, Exorcism Fuzzy Weed : Love, Hunting

G Galangal : Protection, Lust, Health, Money, Psychic Powers, Hex-Breaking Gardenia : Love, Peace, Healing, Spirituality Garlic : Protection, Healing, Exorcism, Lust, Anti-Theft Gentian : Love, Power Geranium : Fertility, Health, Love, Protection Ginger : Love, Money, Success, Power Ginseng : Love, Wishes, Healing, Beauty, Protection, Lust Goats Rue : Healing, Health Goldenrod : Money, Divination Golden Seal : Healing, Money Gorse : Protection, Money Gotu Kola : Meditation Gourd : Protection Grain : Protection Grains of Paradise : Lust, Luck, Love, Money, Wishes Grape : Fertility, Garden Magic, Mental Powers, Money Grass : Psychic Powers, Protection Ground Ivy : Divination Groundsel : Health, Healing

H Hawthorn : Fertility, Chastity, Fishing Magic, Happiness Hazel : Luck, Fertility, Anti-Lightning, Protection, Wishes Heather : Protection, Rain Making, Luck Heliotrope : Exorcism, Prophetic Dreams, Healing, Wealth, Invisibility Hellebore, Black : Protection ****TOXIC*** Hemlock : Destroy Sexual Drive ***TOXIC*** Hemp : Healing, Love, Vision, Meditation Henbane : Love Attraction ***TOXIC*** Henna : Healing Hibiscus : Lust, Love, Divination Hickory : Legal Matters High John the Conqueror : Money, Love, Success, Happiness Holly : Protection, Anti-Lightning, Luck, Dream Magic, Balance Honesty : Money, Repelling Monsters Honeysuckle : Money, Psychic Powers, Protection Hops : Healing, Sleep Horehound : Protection, Mental Powers, Exorcism,

H Horse Chestnut : Money, Healing Horseradish : Purification, Exorcism Horsetail : Snake Charming, Fertility Houndstongue : Tying Dog’s Tongues Houseleek : Luck, Protection, Love Huckleberry : Luck, Protection, Dream Magic, Hex Breaking Hyacinth : Love, Protection, Happiness Hydrangea : Hex Breaking Hyssop : Purification, Protection

I Indian Paint Brush : Love Iris : Purification, Wisdom Irish Moss : Money, Luck, Protection Ivy : Protection, Healing

J Jasmine : Love, Money, Prophetic Dreams Jobs Tears : Healing, Wishes, Luck Joe-Pye Weed : Love, Respect Juniper : Protection, Anti-Theft, Love, Exorcism, Health

K Kava-Kave : Visions, Protection, Luck Knotweed : Binding, Health

L Ladys mantle : Love Ladys slipper : Protection Larch : Protection, Anti-Theft Larkspur : Health, Protection Lavender : Love, Protection, Sleep, Chastity, Longevity, Purification, Happiness, Peace Leek : Love, Protection, Exorcism Lemon : Longevity, Purification, Love, Friendship Lemongrass : Repel snakes, Lust, Psychic Powers Lemon Verbena : Purification, Love Lettuce : Chastity, Protection, Love, Divination, Sleep Licorice : Love, Lust, Fidelity Life Everlasting : Longevity, Health, Healing Lilac : Exorcism, Protection, Beauty Lily : Protection, Breaking Love spells Lily of the Valley : Mental Powers, Happiness Lime : Healing, Love, Protection Linden : Protection, Immortality, Luck, Love, Sleep Liquidamber : Protection Liverwort : Protection Liverwort : Love Looestrife : Peace, Protection Lotus : Protection, Lock-Opening Lovage : Love Love Seed : Love, Friendship Lucky Hand : Employment, Luck, Protection, Money, Travel

M Mace : Psychic Powers, Mental Powers Maguey : Lust Magnolia : Fidelity Mahogany, Mountain : Anti-Lightning Maidenhair : Beauty, Love Male Fern : Luck, Love Mallow : Love, Protection, Exorcism Mandrake : Protection, Love, Money, Fertility, Health Maple : Love, Longevity, Money Marigold : Protection, Prophetic Dreams, Business and Legal Matters, Psychic Powers Marjoram : Protection, Love, Happiness, Health, Money, Healing Master Wort : Strength, Courage, Protection Mastic : Psychic Powers, Manifestations, Lust May Apple : Money Meadow Rue : Divination Meadowsweet : Love, Divination, Peace, Happiness Mesquite : Healing Mimosa : Protection, Love, Prophetic Dreams, Purification Mint : Money, Love, Luck, Healing, Exorcism, Travel, Protection Mistletoe : Protection, Love, Hunting, Fertility, Health, Exorcism Molukka : Protection Moonwort : Money, Love Moss : Luck, Money Mugwort : Strength, Psychic Powers, Protection, Prophetic Dreams, Healing, Astral Projection Mulberry : Protection, Strength Mullein : Courage, Protection, Health, Love, Divination, Exorcism Mustard : Fertility, Protection, Mental Powers Myrrh : Protection, Exorcism, Healing, Spirituality Myrtle : Love, Fertility, Youth, Peace, Money

N Nettle : Exorcism, Protection, Healing, Lust Norfolk Island Pine : Protection, anti hunger Nuts : Fertility, Prosperity, Love, Luck

O Oak : Protection, Health, Money, Healing, Potency, Fertility, Luck Oats : Money Olive : Healing, Peace, Fertility, Potency, Protection, Lust Onion : Protection, Exorcism, Healing, Money, Prophetic Dreams, Lust Orange : Love, Divination, Luck, Money Orchid : Love Oregon Grape : Money, Prosperity Orris Root : Love, Protection, Divination

P Palm, Date : Fertility, Potency Pansy : Love, Rain Magic, Love, Divination Papaya : Love, Protection Papyrus : Protection Parosela : Hunting Parsley : Love, Protection, Purification Passion Flower : Peace, Sleep, Friendship Patchouly : Money, Fertility, Lust Pea : Money, Love Peach : Love, Exorcism, Longevity, Fertility, Wishes Pear : Lust, Love Pecan : Money, Employment Pennyroyal : Strength, Protection, Peace Peony : Protection, Exorcism Pepper : Protection, Exorcism Peppermint : Purification, Sleep, Love, Healing, Psychic Powers Pepper Tree : Purification, Healing, Protection Periwinkle : Love, Lust, Mental Powers, Money, Protection Persimmon : Changing Sex, Healing, Luck Plot Weed : Protection Pimento : Love Pimpernel : Protection, Health Pine : Healing, Fertility, Protection, Exorcism, Money Pineapple : Luck, Money, Chastity Pipsissewa : Money, Spirit Calling

Q Quassia : Love Quince : Protection, Love, Happiness

R Radish : Protection, Lust Ragweed : Courage Ragwort : Protection Raspberry : Protection, Love Rattlesnake Root : Protection, Money Rhubarb : Protection, Fidelity Rice : Protection, Rain, Fertility, Money Roots : Protection, Power, Divination Rose : Love, Psychic Powers, Healing, Love, Divination, Luck, Protection Rosemary : Protection, Love, Lust, Mental Powers, Exorcism, Purification, Healing, Sleep, Youth Rowan : Psychic Powers, Healing, Protection, Power, Success Rue : Healing, Health, Mental Powers, Exorcism, Love Rye : Love, Fidelity

S Saffron : Love, Healing, Happiness, Wind Raising, Lust, Strength, Psychic Powers. Sage : Immortality, Longevity, Wisdom, Protection, Wishes Sagebrush : Purification, Exorcism

St.Johns Wort : Health, Power, Protection, Strength, Love, Divination, Happiness Sandalwood : Protection, Healing, Exorcism, Spirituality Sarsaparilla : Love, Money Sassafras : Health, Money Savory, Summer : Mental Powers Scullcap : Love, Fidelity, Peace Senna : Love Sesame : Money. Lust Shallot : Purification Skunk Cabbage : Legal Matters Slippery Elm : Halts Gossip Sloe : Exorcism, Protection Snakeroot : Luck Money Snakeroot/black : Love, Lust, Money Snapdragon : Protection Solomons Seal : Protection, Exorcism Sorrel Wood : Healing, Health Southern Wood : Love, Lust, Protection Spanish Moss : Protection Spearmint : Healing, Love, Mental Powers SpiderWort : Love Spikenard : Love Squill : Money, Protection, Hex Breaking Star, Anise : Psychic Powers, Luck Stillengia : Psychic Powers Straw : Luck, Image Magic Strawberry : Love, Luck Sugar Cane : Love, Lust Sumbul : Love, Luck, Health, Psychic Powers Sunflower : Fertility, Wishes, Health, Wisdom Sweetgrass : Calling Spirits

T Tamarind : Love Tamarisk : Exorcism, Protection Tansy : Health, Longevity Tea : Riches, Courage, Strength Thistle : Strength, Protection, Hex Breaking, Healing Thistle, Holy : Purification, Hex Breaking Thistle, Milk : Snake Enraging Thyme : Health, Healing, Sleep, Psychic Powers, Love, Purification, Courage Ti : Protection, Healing Toadflax : Protection, Hex Breaking Toadstool : Rain Making Tobacco : Healing, Purification Turmeric : Purification Turnip : Protection, Ending Relationships

U Urva Ursa : Psychic Workings

V Valerian : Love, Sleep, Purification, Protection Vanilla : Love, Lust, Mental Powers Venus Flytrap : Protection, Love Vervain : Love, Protection, Purification, Peace, Money, Youth, Chastity, Sleep, Healing Vetch, Giant : Fidelity Vetivert : Love, Hex Breaking, Luck, Money, Anti-Theft Violet : Protection, Luck, Love, Lust, Wishes, Peace, Healing

W Wahoo : Hex-breaking, Courage, Success Walnut : Health, Mental Powers, Infertility, Wishes Wax Plant : Protection Wheat : Fertility, Money Willow : Love, Divination, Protection, Healing Wintergreen : Protection, Healing, Hex Breaking Winters Bark : Success Witch Grass : Happiness, Lust, love, Exorcism Witch Hazel : Protection, Chastity Wolfs Bane : Protection, Invisibility Wood Rose : Luck Woodruff : Victory, Protection, Money Wormwood : Psychic Powers, Protection, Love, Calling Spirits

XYZ

Yarrow : Courage, Love, Psychic Powers, Exorcism Yellow Evening Primrose : Hunting Yerba Mate : Fidelity, Love, Lust Yerba Santa : Beauty, Healing, Psychic Powers, Protection Yew : Raising the Dead Yohimbe : Love, Lust Yucca : Transmutation, Protection, Purification

A Hearth Witch's Security System - Boundaries and Entrances

A Disclaimer: I am one person and my opinions (which I have in abundance) may not reflect the opinions of other witches, in general, or other people who call themselves hearth witches. In fact, they probably won’t, because I’m an asshole. I have a bizarre sense of humor that doesn’t convey well in text and I rant about shit I don’t like. A lot. If you don’t think you can handle that, maybe don’t read anything I write. Ever.

Protecting the Home, Protecting the Family 

Let me preface this post by saying, I am exhausted, so probably nothing I write here is going to make sense to anyone but me. Also, that has just been my luck lately, but we’ll see how it goes anyway. 

If you read my blog, you’ll know that I do a lot of stuff to protect my railroad cottage. Not just because I live here, but because I literally use my house as a symbol of my household and family. So, in a witchcraft sense, protecting my home is protecting my family. And, because that’s the witchcraft I write about most on my blog, that’s what I get a lot of questions about (spirit work aside, because that’s what I get the most questions about). 

So, this post is going to be about various ways to protect your home and (hopefully) prevent nasties from creeping inside. 

Rule Number One: Keep a Clean House

I know that sounds really boring. I know you’re like, “Emma, that is not witchcraft. Those are chores and I hate you. Did my mom put you up to this?” But, actually, there are two good reasons that’s Rule No. 1: 

It’s not easy to cleanse a house that isn’t clean. Part of protecting your home is being prepared to go into battle for it. Now, witchcraft is known to make a house a little cluttered. If you’ve got ribbons falling out of your sewing box and stockpiles of tea on your counter. Don’t worry. You’re normal. But it’s possible for a house to be both cluttered and clean.

Cleaning a house regularly is a fantastic way to magically take ownership of the property—which I’ve discussed here. 

Obviously, I’m not saying you’re house has to look like something from Good Housekeeping. My own cottage has four rooms and is home to more than four people. It’ll never be as neat as we want it to be. But’s it’s clean. And that’s what matters. 

Rule Number Two: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors 

I’m not talking about real fences—but those too. I’m talking more about magical boundaries. Like a witch fence. This can be set up in or outside of ritual, using a real fence, other objects, or using visualization. 

So, let’s talk about putting up this fence, huh? The method I use  is, of course, the “Gross Method”—and, by gross, I mean no one wants to do it or talk to me they’ve found out I’ve done it. It uses a pre-existing fence to create the boundary, which means that what you’re actually doing with this method is enchanting or reinforcing your standing fence. It’s supa supa easy. Like really, children could do if you let them. Only probably don’t let them because it’s probably a health hazard. 

For this method, you will need 1) a fence, 2) something to mark your stake-points with, 3) some bodily fluids—i.e. menstrual blood, piss, spit, sexual fluids, etc., 4) your bad ol’ self

Step One: Walk around your property and decide where you want your stake-points to be. I refer to them as stake-points because what you’re actually doing is kind of like putting up a magical tent rather than a fence. These are the strength points of your enchanted fence. You’ll want at least one in every corner of the existing fence. Mark these places. You can do this by scratching or painting on the fence, tying something to the fence, or sticking something in the ground there. In my case, I used the support posts for my pre-existing fence as my stake points, so I didn’t have to mark them because I knew where they were. 

Step Two: Collect fluids. (Unless you’re using spit, which you have.) You can water any of these fluids down if you need to—except probably spit. 

Step Three: Using a paintbrush, herbs, your hands, a spray bottle, or whatever, apply the fluid to the INSIDE of your fence where your neighbors won’t be touching. As you do, visualize the stake-points linking together as they’re placed. I tend to visualize something like a barbed-wire fence going up between my stake-points, but white light works too if you’re into that. **If you’re going to forget, mark where you started.

Step Four: When you’ve completed the fence and connected your last stake-point to your starting point, visualize the tent going up. In my visualization this is something like a deer-skin version of a Circus tent, but I am a legit freak of nature, so your probably wont be. 

Now, you can be done here, or you can write something to say to tweak the spell to your style. If you have Property Spirits that you work with, you may also want to ask them to guard the fence at this point. 

Rule Number Three: Gardening = Ammo 

While we’re still outdoors, let’s talk about ‘defensive gardening’. One of my favorite things to do with my garden is to reinforce my boundaries by planting protective herbs. Not only does it add punch to your enchanted fence, but it provides ammunition should you need to banish something later. 

This can be done directly in the ground, in hanging planters at/on your stake-points, in windowboxes, in planters by the door, etc. 

Some good protective herbs to start are:

Aloe

Rosemary 

Roses (thorny for offensive magic, rosehips for defensive magic)

Mint

Lavender

You may also want to include banishing plants

Garlic 

Sage 

Sweeatgrass

Thyme

As well as flowers, trees, and shrubs to the same effect (like holly, cedar, etc). 

Rule Number Four: Wards/Wardings Aren’t As Hard As They Sound

Come with me to the porch and let’s talk about wards! *runs to the porch, points at wards* Wards are awesome! There are so many different kinds and they can range anywhere from decorative to practical to invisible! 

When you’re warding your doorway, like a lot of witchcraft, intent is super important. Really, it doesn’t matter what kind of ward you use as long as you have the intent. And, with the bucket load of types of warding, you should be able to find one to fit your needs.

My favorite way to ward a door or window is with a decorative ward, which was something we did in my family for years and then I finally saw it outside of our house in an Ellen Dugan book (which I bought JUST for that reason). This one isn’t mine, but it’s a good example of one:

These hang above doors and windows to ward off evil, ill will, etc. and can be made out of dried flowers and herbs (like above), fabric (such as a warding banner), carved into the wood above a door, or any other way you prefer. 

I usually go with the pictured method. Typically I

Start with a base. For year-round wards I like to use wheat and dried grass (which you can find at a craft store—but not Hobby Lobby, because they areevil). 

I face half of my base one way and half the opposite way—so that the cut ends are together and you have the awesome wheat/grass/evergreen ends facing out. Over lap the two halves a few inches and tie them together. (I usually use twine for that, but you can use whatever you like.

Next, go you your second layer, which is the actual warding part. For this, my favorite things to use are lavender (which grows wild in the neighborhood I work in), and rosemary. But there are plenty of other possibilities, too—sunflowers, rose, baby’s breath, holly, pine, mint, etc. These can be tucked into the tie you’ve already made, glued on, or tied on separately. 

To finish mine off, I usually add a bell, to symbolize a signal, which sort of makes the ward into an alarm. Sometimes, when trouble is around, I’ll hear a bell even though it’s not ringing. Sometimes it actually rings. 

The ward can go above your door, window, fireplace, or anywhere else you feel you want to hang it. 

Of course, there are a lot of other ways to ward your doors and windows. 

With energy and visualization. 

With water or oil (drawing protective symbols on them with the water/oil) 

Warding Wreaths

Other hangings (like photographs of deities or saints, Brigid’s crosses, horseshoes, strings or bells)

Salt lines and brickdust (I tend to mix these together)

Hanging herbs by or above the door (I typically dry my herbs next to the door so I never have a shortage of door-based protection)

Whatever

The most important thing is that you make your intent clear. Whether you want to ward off evil spirits or unwelcome mortal visitors, make your intent clear. If you need to do this by putting your warding into a big ritual, do so. If you need to activate your wards out loud, go ahead. 

Rule Number Five: Everything You Need to Strengthen Your Protection is On/In You

Spit

Urine

Menstrual Blood

Sexual Fluids 

Sweat 

and so on

These are all totally useful supplies for witchcraft in general and for protection in specific. A touch of one of these on a window, door, doorknob, etc is fantastic for strengthening a boundary and clearly marking your territory to anyone who might wander inside. Surface cleaning with remove germs, but not the intent or the warning.

Rule Number Six: Never Let an Outsider Make Your Forget Whose House This Is

The conviction of ownership is pretty important to home protection. Don’t let an intruder scare you into believing that they own your home. They don’t. It’s yours. The people inside it are yours. 

Some Black Salt Daily Uses

In a little bag under your pillow - ward of nightmares and bad dreams, ward of unwanted spirits and watchers

Make a line of black salt under the windows and/or doors - keep the evil out, avoid unwanted company, reflect jealously and slander back to its source

Use it to clean the house and ritual area - to wash away negativity

In bath water - To wash away depression and negativity

Keep it on your personal chair or desk - Take away bullies, bad attention of bosses and co-workers

Through into fire - with your worries and fears in a paper to rid them

And remember that salt can absorb pretty much anything, this salt uses will absorb a lot of negative energy, so you’ll have to change it sometimes. You can take the old used salt away by: -Grounding it on earth -Throughing it into the wind away from you -Washing the salt away in flowing water

Palmistry 101

When reading palms, whether your own or someone else’s, these are the main things to consider:

Which hand is dominant? For right-handed people, the left hand gives information about inherited characteristics and potential, while the right hand reveals the development, character, and life events. The opposite is true for left-handed folks!

Quality of lines and their points of intersection. How strong or fine are the lines? Are they straight and long, broken and twisted, etc.? 

The directions of lines, which mounts they occur on or near, and their influences.

Shape of the hand, fingers, nails, and mounts.

General demeanor of the person and the hand. 

MAJOR LINES

Each line has its own meaning and depicts a certain course of action in a person’s life. Lines come in all shapes and sizes. Not everyone has all six of these lines, although the first three are always present (the fate line is usually present as well). 

Heart line: emotions, insecurities, marriages, dependence and independence, the nature of your relationships.

Head line: intellect, reasoning powers, prospective career paths, potentials for success.

Life line: pattern and quality of life, physical vitality, stability or imbalance, will power and logic, not necessarily the indicator for length of your life.

Fate/Saturn line: strengths of character, career, friendships, life’s daily problems, and general ability to succeed.

Mercury/Health line: health matters, business and adventure, the spirit of discovery.

Apollo/Sun line: utilization of creative energies and potentials for success through development of talents.

MOUNTS

The mounts are fleshy cushions underneath each of the fingers. These mounts carry the same name as the finger they are under. Below are the different character and personality traits associated with each finger/mount.

Mercury: Pinky. buoyancy, shrewdness, wit, spirit.

Apollo/Sun: Ring finger. compassion, love of beauty, artistic abilities, potential for success.

Saturn/Fate: Middle finger. seriousness, cautiousness, gloom, superstition.

Jupiter: Index finger. leadership, honor, ambition, spirituality/religiousness.

Lower Mars: Below pinky. moral courage, self-control.

Upper Mars: Below thumb. resistance, coolness of spirit, calmness, courage.

Venus: Thumb. benevolence, affection, humility, passion.

Moon: sentimentaliity, imagination, self-centeredness 

CONFIGURATIONS

These are just a few of the figurative markings that are commonly seen on the hand. They add meaning to the lines or mounts they are near.

Branches: emphasize strengths.

Breaks in lines: emphasize weaknesses.

Chains: signify obscure goals, inclinations to deviate.

Crosses: signify upheavals, violence, struggles, and blunders.

Islands: indicate delays, injuries, and problems.

Stars: emphasize luckiness.

*** I will be posting more about palmistry soon, including more detailed variations of the lines and mounts! In the meantime, feel free to ask me about your palms… sending me a picture would be AMAZING :~)

Black Thread: A Witch’s Best Friend

I’ve met a lot of Witch’s from numerous backgrounds who have only ever used black thread as a means of keeping things out (black being a color for banishing negativity and numerous other bad spirits and mojo)

After listening to one friend describe how she used black string as a banishing agent for her windows WITHOUT first cleansing her house, it occurred to me how many of us don’t think about it keep bad things IN.

In short, I’ve started using it on curse objects and anything I use to absorb bad luck or anything of the like. For instance, if you are burying a box at the crossroads, tie it up in black thread to keep the bad or good inside and keep anything else out. You can even tie off your box of Witchy things with black string or thread to keep the good in ad the bad out. Or if you curse a poppet for future use and need to keep it in your witch box wrap it up in thread to keep it from tainting everything else in your box :)

Just a thought is all. :)

Candle Magic Omens

If you are doing candle magic, watch for omens that may predict the success of your spell:

Tall, strong flame - your spell is empowered and getting through, it will work very well

Flickering, unsteady flame - your spell is having trouble manifesting your results

Dancing, wild flame - get ready for the roller coaster ride

Normal flame - things are working as expected

Small, blue flame - your spell is not getting through, prepare a backup plan

Crackling, popping flame - your spell may manifest in very unexpected ways

- Tho

"Why don't I identify with my _________ sign?"

The planet may be weakly aspected, overruled or overlapped by another placement, in Detriment or Fall, in a house where it is not comfortable, or negatively aspected with other strong parts of your chart. Those are the most common (and likely) reasons, but there are specific possibilities for each planet and either luminary, so I will explain them below.

SUN: The Sun is your base personality, your ego, or your sense of self. This is you on the simplest and most succinct level, but certainly not the most comprehensive. While your Sun sign will have a kind of influence over every part of your life and character, it is merely the starting point – your other planetary placements add to and alter those traits. For example, if you are a Libra, you may not feel like a charming or flirtatious person as many stereotypes suggest, but that might be due to your Virgo Venus. I find that the sign your Mercury is in while have a great impact on what you do and don’t relate to, and I’ll get to that in a second.

MOON: The Moon is your heart and your past. It is about feelings and one’s core wants and needs. However, your Moon sign describes your natural way of operating on an emotional level, and many people grow past that. It is what you inherently or somehow immediately know, somewhat like the way babies cry to communicate every imaginable emotion that they feel must be conveyed – except, for example, if you have a Sagittarius Moon, your instinct may be to run, be careless or optimistic rather than to cry. That’s what the Moon is about: instincts. And instincts can be manipulated or ignored in order for you to grow.

MERCURY: Mercury is the way you think, speak, and learn. It is the intellectual planet, having everything to do with the mind. That being said, your Mercury sign is the one you think like, and it is very common for this to be a sign one greatly identifies with. However, it’s easy for the Sun to overrule this planet’s position, and it’s also easy to overanalyze your reactions and inner processes to the point of seeing yourself as something you’re not, which is something I’ve noticed is exceptionally common with people who have Mercury in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces (the signs where it is in Domicile, Exaltation, Detriment, and Fall).

VENUS: Venus is your romantic and artistic side (or lack thereof). This planet rules the love and beauty department. The way you express affection (either romantically or platonically), your opinion on art and fashion, and your aesthetic choices will be determined by your Venus sign. It is possible for the Sun to overlap this placement as well, but also Mercury, especially if you’re a thinking-over-feeling type of person, and Mars, which rules passion and ambition. It is also not uncommon for someone to have chosen to condition themselves to behave a certain way in relationships or during creative exploits due to life circumstances or even simply their personal philosophies on those subjects.

MARS: Mars is your sex drive and determination. Mars is the planet of action, and thus it rules when, how, and where you choose to act upon strong feelings and intentions. Your Moon and Saturn signs have a great impact on this planet’s expression, and can restrict it to the point where you no longer trust your Mars impulses or reactions. I believe that the Mars sign is too ordinarily suppressed, and the reason you might not relate to it is that you could be ignoring it, refusing to acknowledge it as a relevant part of you.

JUPITER: Jupiter is your luck, morals, and life path. This planet is not only about what you’re good at and how staying true to that will benefit you, but how it can benefit others as well, and whether or not profiting yourself is more important to you than profiting others. However, since this sign also points to the lifestyle that will prove virtuous to you, it is something you have to grow into. Jupiter identification, unless another placement implies otherwise, is something that must be searched for and discovered, or accidentally (luckily) stumbled upon. And age has nothing to do with that.

SATURN: Saturn is your fear and sense of obligation. Saturn is the planet that tells you, “No, you can’t do that!” for a slew of probably irrelevant reasons that, strangely, mean a lot to you, and seem logical enough when at that moment but later look like nothing but irrational excuses that cushion one’s inhibitions. It is said that Saturn is the karmic planet, which means that it points to the negative things you did or that happened to you in your past life which will come back to haunt you in this one. Other than the general probabilities as to why you don’t relate with a particular planetary position, there aren’t usually many things clouding your ability to relate to it, and you might just not have encountered its affects on you yet.

URANUS: Uranus is your innovation and need for change. It is the planet that rules your inner rebel, but primarily values progression over wanting to “shake things up.” It is all about caring for humanity and community while still being original and unique. Ironically (and quite amusingly), the planet of individuality is one of the slowest to move, so extremely large groups of people will have the same Uranus sign. It, along with the next two on this list, is considered a generational planet, and you may not relate to it because it’s not meant for you to relate to, personally, but for your entire peer group, as well. If you want to notice the affects of this planet, look perhaps not directly inward and at yourself, but at the entire population of people who share your Uranus sign.

NEPTUNE: Neptune is your imagination and receptivity. It is about all things illusory and inspiring, desired but unreachable, mysterious but widely searched for. Neptune rules everything divine, whatever is beyond; it is perhaps the most spiritual planet, next to Pluto. But its influence is often hidden and shrouded in confusion. If you don’t relate to it, start looking in unfamiliar or frustratingly evasive places, such as the truth and fate of this generation and the last. You may find its affects amidst chaos and healing alike.

PLUTO: Pluto rules all powerful transformation and regeneration. This planet can take up to thirty years to change signs, so if you do not see its affects in yourself, look at the last few generations and all the great, irreversible changes that have been made during their time.

Trust me – it can take a lot of time to find the way a planetary placement applies to you personally, but humans are complex creatures and if you dig deep enough, I guarantee that astrology will become significantly reflective to you.

Tea/Coffee Readings

How To

You need to find a cup with a wide brim that’s light in colour, find a wide saucer. Pour in lose tea leaves/coffee (you can buy loose tea leaves or rip open a tea bag) into you cup and add boiling water (Do Not add milk) Drink your tea/coffee while thinking about your question, if you dont like tea/coffee take a few sips. When you are finished drinking take the cup in your dominant hand and place your non-dominant handover the top of your cup. Turn the cup tree times in a clockwise direction. Pour any remaining water down the sink. Place the cup upside down on the saucer or a napkin and turn it clockwise three times, turn the cup over look for the leaves that have taken shapes. When you have finished your reading it is customary to turn your cup over, place your index finger on the base of your cup and make a wish

Meanings  You can twist and turn the cup for new angles to find symbols in your cup, the closer the symbol is to the rim of the cup the sooner it will happen. the further down the longer it will take, tea reading can only predict up to a year. symbols at the bottom of your cup will take almost a whole year to take effect. Common Shapes

Abbey Freedom from worry Ace of Clubs A letter Ace of Diamonds A present Ace of Hearts Happiness Ace of Spades A large Building Acorn Financial Success Aircraft Sudden Journey Alligator An accident Anchor Success in business and romance Angel Good news Ankle Instability  Ant success through perseverance Anvil conscientious effort Apple Business achievement Arc Ill health, accidents Arrow Bad News Axe Difficulties and troubles that will be overcome Bat False Friends Bath Disappointment Bayonet A minor accident Beans Poverty Bear A Journey  Bed Inertia Bee Good news Beehive Prosperity  Beetle Scandal Bell Unexpected news Bellows Setbacks Bird Good news Birdcage Obstacles, quarrels Bird’s Nest Domestic harmony  Bishop Good luck coming Boat Visit from a friend Book Open Expect legal actions, future success Boomerang Envy Boot Achievement Bottle Pleasure Bouquet Love and happiness Bow Scandal, gossip Box Romantic troubles solved Bracelet Marriage Branch With Leaves A birth Bread Avoid waste Broom Small worries disappear Buckle Disappointments ahead Building A move Bull Quarrels Bush New Friends Butterfly Frivolity  Baby Pregnancy, something new Ball Completion  Butterfly Transition  Cab Disappointment Cabbage Jealousy  Cage A Proposal Camel Useful news Candle Help from others Cannon news from a solider  Cap Trouble ahead- be Careful  Car Good fortune  Cart Success in business  Castle Financial gain through marriage  Cat A quarrel Cattle Prosperity  Chain An engagement or wedding Chair An unexpected guest  Cherries A happy love affair Chessmen Difficulties ahead Chimney Hidden risks Church Ceremony Unexpected money Cigar New friends Circle Success, a wedding Claw A hidden enemy  Clock Avoid delay, think of the future  Clouds Trouble ahead Clover Prosperity  Coat A parting, an end of a friendship  Coffin Bad news Coin Repayment of debts Collar Dependence on others for success and happiness Column Promotion Comb Deceit Comet An unexpected visitor  Compass Travel, a change of job Corkscrew Curiosity causing trouble Crab An enemy  Crescent A journey Cross Trouble, ill health  Crown Honour, success Cup Reward for effort Curtain A secret  Cymbal Insincere love China engagement  Chair A guest  Clock Better Health  Daffodil Great Happiness Dagger Danger ahead, enemies  Daisy Happiness in love  Dancer Disappointment Deer A dispute or quarrel Desk Letter containing good news Devil Evil influences  Dish Quarrel at home  Dog good friends  Donkey be patient  Door Strange occurrence Dot money Dove Good fortune  Dragon Unforeseen changes, trouble  Drum Scandal, gossip, a new job, argument Duck money coming in Dustpan Strange news about a friend  Eagle a change for the better Ear unexpected news Earrings misunderstanding Easel artistic success Egg Prosperity  Eggcup Danger is passing  Elephant Wisdom, strength  Engine news is on its way fast  Envelope good news  Eye overcoming difficulties, take care Face setback Fairy joy and enchantment  Fan Flirtation  Feather Instability  Feet An important decision Fence limitation Fern Disloyalty  Fir Artistic success Fire achievement Fireplace Matters related to your home  Fish Good fortune in all things, health, wealth and happiness Fist An argument  Flag Danger ahead Flower Wish coming true Fly Domestic irritations Font A birth Fork A false friend, flattery  Forked line Decision to be made Fountain Future success and happiness Fox A deceitful friend  Frog Success through a change of home or job Fruit Prosperity Gallows Social Failure  Garden roller Difficulties ahead Garland Success, great honour Gate Opportunity, future happiness Geese invitations, unexpected visitors Giraffe Think before you speak Glass Integrity  Glove A challenge Goat enemies Gondola Romance, travel Gramophone Pleasure Grapes Happiness Grasshopper News from a friend  Greyhound Good fortune  Guitar Happiness in love  Gun Trouble, quarrels Hammer Overcoming obstacles Hand Friendship Handcuffs Trouble ahead Hare News of a friend Harp Harmony in love Hat A new occupation  Hawk Sudden Danger, jealousy  Head New opportunities  Heart Love and marriage, a trustworthy friend Heather Good fortune  Hen Domestic Bliss Hill Obstacles, setback Hoe Hard work leading to success Holly An important occurrence in the winter  Horn Abundance  Horse Galloping Good news from a lover Horseshoe Good Luck Hourglass A decision that must be made  House Security  Iceberg Danger initials Usually those of people you known to you  ink pot A letter insect Minor problems soon overcome Ivy leaf Reliable friend Jester Party or social Gathering jewelry A present jug Gaining in importance, good health Kangaroo Domestic Harmony  Kettle Minor Illness Key New opportunities Keyhole Beware of idle curiosity  King A powerful ally Kite Wishes coming true  Knife Broken relationship  Ladder Promotion Lamp Money Leaf Prosperity, good fortune Leopard News of a journey  Letter News Lighthouse Trouble threatening Lines straight and clear Progress, journey  Lines wavy Uncertainty, disappointment  Line slanting Business failure Lion Influential friends Lock Obstacles in your path Loop Impulsive actions could bring trouble  Man A visitor  Map Travel and change  Mask Deception  Medal A reward Mermaid Temptation  Monkey A flattering mischief-maker Monster Terror  Monument Lasting happiness Moon Full A love affair  Mountain Obstacles, high ambition  Mouse Theft Mushroom Growth, setback Music Good fortune Nail Malice Necklace complete Admirers Necklace broken The end of a relationship  Needle Admiration  Net A Trap Numbers Indicate a timescale, the number of days before an event occurs Nun Quarantine Nurse Illness Nutcrackers Difficulty is passing Oak Good fortune Oar A small worry, help in difficulties Octopus danger Opera Glasses A quarrel, loss of a friend Ostrich Travel Owl Gossip  Oyster Courtship, acquired riches Padlock open A surprise Padlock Closed A warning Palm Tree Success, honour, happiness in love Parachute Escape from danger Parasol A new lover Parcel A surprise Parrot A scandal, a journey Peacock Riches Pear Comfort Pentagon Intellectual Balance Pepper A troublesome secret Pig Material success Pigeon sitting An improvement in trade Pigeon Flying Important news Pillar Supportive friends Pipe Thoughts, solution to a problem, keep an open mind Pistol Danger Pitchfork Quarrels Policeman Secret enemy  Pump Generosity Purse Profit Pyramid Success Question Mark Hesitancy, caution  Rabbit Timidity, be brave Railway Long journey Rainbow Happiness, prosperity Rake Be organised Rat Treachery  Raven Bad News Razor Quarrels, partings Reptiles Treacherous friend Rider Hasty news Ring Completion Rocks Difficulties Rose Popularity  Saucepan Anxieties Saw Interfering outsider Scales A lawsuit Scepter Power, authority  Scissors Domestic arguments, separation Scythe Danger Shamrock Good Luck, wish coming true Sheep Good fortune Shell Good news Ship Successful journey  Shoe A change for the better Sickle Disappointment in love Signpost Draws attention to the symbol to which it points to Skeleton Loss of money, ill health Snake Hatred, an enemy  Spade Hard work leads to success Spider Determined and persistent. money coming Spoon Generosity  Square A symbol of protection, comfort, peace Squirrel Prosperity, after a hard time Star Good health Steeple Slight delay, bad luck Steps An improvement in life Sun Happiness, success, power Swallow Decisiveness, unexpected journeys Swan Smooth progress, contented life Sword Disappointment, quarrels Table Social gathering Teapot Committee meeting  Telephone Forgetfulness causes trouble Telescope Adventure Tent Travel Thimble Domestic changes Toad Beware of flattery  Torch A turn fir the better  Tortoise Criticism Tower Opportunity, disappointment  Tree Changes for the better  Triangle Something unexpected  Trunk A long journey, fateful decisions  Umbrella Annoyances  Unicorn A secret wedding  Urn Wealth, happiness Vase A friend in need Vegetables unhappiness followed by contentment  Violin Egotism  Volcano Emotions out of control Vulture Loss, theft, an enemy in authority  Wagon A wedding Walking Stick a visitor  Wasp trouble in love  Waterfall prosperity  Weather Vane a difficulty, indecisiveness Whale business success Wheel  good fortune Wheelbarrow  a meeting with an old friend  Windmill  business success Window open good luck through a friend  Window closed disappointment through a friend  Wings messages Wishbone a wish granted  Wolf Jealousy, selfishness Woman Pleasure Worms Scandal Wreath Happiness ahead Yacht Pleasure Yoke Being dominated  Zebra Overseas adventure Triangles Good Karma  Squares Use caution Circles great success  Letters Usually refer to friends, family, and people you know Numbers indicates time, months and years

Hey, could you send me the links you have about divination or just tarot if it's not too much trouble? Thank you for the help!

Hah, hah hah. I actually didn’t have ANY links at the ready. So I went and compiled all this for you. Hence why it took like 3-4 hours for me to answer this. Hope it helps!

Divination

[Divination: List of Symbols] *

[Divination: Symbolism]

[Fun Ways to Divine Masterpost]

[Master List of Ways to Tell Fortunes]

[Methods for Divination and Fortune Telling] *

[Types of Divination]

[Types of Divination, a Masterpost of Sorts]

[Youtube Divination Lessons Masterpost]

Astrology / Star Reading

[Astrology] *

[Astrology as Divination] *

[Divination: Astrology]

[Star Reading: a How To]

[Star Scrying]

[Star Scrying] *

[Star Scrying] *

Cartomancy / Lenormand

[Basic Guidelines for Reading with the Petit Lenormand] *

[Cartomancy Basics: Meaning, Spreads, and More] *

[Cartomancy: A Comprehensive Guide to a Deck of Cards] *

[Cartomancy Card Meanings] *

[Create Your Own Playing Card Oracle Deck]

[Divination: Cartomancy]

[Divination Using Playing Cards] *

[Divination with Playing Cards]

[How to Design and Create Your Own Cartomancy Deck/System]

[How to Read Lenormand Card Combinations] *

[Lenormand for Tarot Readers]

[Lenormand for Tarot Readers Master Post]

[Lenormand Lessons] * (a lot of links and videos)

[Lenormand Keyword Chart]

[The New World Witchery Guide to Cartomancy] *

[Petit Lenormand Card Meanings] *

[Playing Card Meanings] *

[Playing Cards Divination]

[So You Want to Learn to Read the Lenormand (Resources)] *

[Tips for a Beginner in Cartomancy] *

Ceromancy / Ceroscopy / Candle Wax Divination

[Candle Wax Divination]

[Candle Wax Scrying]

[Candle Wax Scrying] *

[Ceromancy] *

[Ceromancy - Predicting the Future from Observing a Burning Candle] *

[Ceromancy - Scrying With Candle Wax]

[Ceroscopy] *

[Divination: The Delicate Art of Ceroscopy] *

[How To Do a Candle Wax Reading] *

[How to Wax Scry]

Lithomancy

[Divination Using Crystals] *

[Lithomancy]

[Lithomancy: A Powerful Divination Technique Using Stones] *

[Lithomancy: The Psychic Art of Reading Stones]

[Lithomancy- The Psychic Art of Reading Stones] *

Misc

[Apple Divinations]

[Dice Divination]

[Divination Dice]

[Domino Divination]

[How Rook Does Aura Readings]

[I-Ching]

[Metoposcopy - The Divination Form No One Has Heard Of]

[Ran’s Runes (divination tool in honor of the sea goddess)]

[Sea Shell Divination and How I Do It]

Palmistry

[Divination: Palmistry (Part 1 of 2)] and [Divination: How-To Palmistry (Part 2 of 2)]

[An Easy Palmistry How-To Guide] *

[A Guide to Palm Reading] *

[Illustrations showing Basic Lines and Mount Areas of a Hand]

[Palmistry 101: A Guide To Palm Reading For Enchanted Babes] *

[Palmistry Room] *

[Top 10 Lines in Palmistry]

Pendulums

[DIY Pendulum]

[How to Use a Pendulum]

[How to Use a Pendulum] *

[Limited Pendulum Masterpost]

[Pendulum Dowsing: A Guide]

[Pendulum Guide] *

[Pendulums!]

[Pendulums (A Beginner’s Guide)]

[Pendulums: A How To]

[Teach Yourself How to Use a Pendulum] *

Runes

[All About Rune Reading] *

[Casting the Runes] *

[How-To Read Runes] *

[Pages from The Book of Runes]

[Reading Runes]

[Runecasting: Divination] *

[Rune Guide - An Introduction to Using the Runes] *

[Runes: The Basics]

Scrying

[The Art of Crystal Ball Gazing] *

[Beginner Tips for the New Scryer]

[Beginners Guide on How to Use a Crystal Ball] *

[Black Bowl Scrying]

[Crystal Ball Reading for Beginners]

[Crystal Gazing]

[DIY Scrying Mirror]

[Fire Scrying, Mirrors, Bowls, and Pendulums] *

[Guide to Water Scrying]

[How to do a Nephelomancy Reading {Cloud Scrying}]

[How to Scry]

[How to Smoke Scry]

[How to Water Scry] *

[Hydromancy] *

[Mama Odie’s Gumbo Scrying]

[Mirror Scrying] *

[Mirror Scrying and Wax Divination- Methods of Meditation] *

[Scrying] *

[Scrying] *

[Scrying and Divination Techniques] *

[Scrying, Crystal Gazing]

[Scrying- How To]

[Scrying Mirror]

[Scrying Using the Black Mirror]

[A Short Course in Scrying] *

[Using and Empowering a Black Mirror] *

[Water Gazing]

[Water Scrying]

[Water Scrying I] and [Water Scrying II]

Shufflemancy

[How to do a Shufflemancy Reading]

[How to: Shufflemancy]

[Intro to Shufflemancy] *

[Shufflemancy] *

[Shufflemancy: 101]

Stichomancy / Books

[Book Number Divination]

[How to Do a Stichomancy Reading]

[Intro to Stichomancy]

[Stichomancy] *

[Stichomancy Tricks and Tips]

[What is Stichomancy ? and How You Do It] *

Tarot

[The Basics of Tarot]

[Beginners Guide to Tarot Cards] *

[Divination: Tarot Reading]

[How to Read Tarot Cards: A Step by Step Guide] *

[Masterpost of Tarot Related Content]

[Tarot Masterpost] (a buttload of links on all things tarot)

[Tarot Starter Guide]

[What Every Newbie Tarot Reader Should Know] *

Tasseography

[The Art of Reading Tea Leaves] *

[A Dictionary of Symbols] *

[Getting Started with Tasseomancy] *

[How to Read Tea Leaves]

[How to Read Tea Leaves] *

[Reading Coffee Grounds] *

[Reading the Tea Leaves or Coffee Grounds] *

[Tasseography]

[Tasseography with a Marked Cup - Possible Pros and Cons]

[Tasseomancy]

[Tea/Coffee Readings]

* = external links

Sigil Charging Method: Blood and Pain

* This post will be very triggering to some! Please do not force yourself to read this if you’re concerned about being uncomfortable! *

Please note, this method is not by any means REQUIRED or NECESSARY for successful sigil work - this is just one approach of many that can be used to charge / activate your sigils.

The process(es) listed below can be dangerous, and should only be performed by adults in a safe environment with clean and sterile tools. 

For your safety it is recommended that you only use the following methods if your body is healthy and your mind is in a calm and positive state. 

Czytaj dalej

Look at what I found on Pinterest! It’s a random stripe generator! You pick the colors you want, the stripe thicknesses that can be used, and how many rows you want in total and it creates a nice, random stripe pattern for you! Random is hard to pull off, at least for me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

There’s even a weighted stripe generator if you only have a little bit of a particular color!

Snow Spell

You will need the following items for this spell:

3 white candles 

stick (for drawing a pentagram)

cloudy/cold/rainy weather

Draw a pentagram in the dirt. Light the candles in a circle around the pentagram.( if you have them) Chant this three times:

Goddesses three,  I call upon thee, Snowed in I will be. So mote it be.

Blow out your candles, cover up the pentagram with leaves and walk inside. Keep hope. It will only work if you have faith that it will. If successful, will work within one week.

Domestic Witch Tip

Write sigils on the bottom of your doormat so that whenever guests wipe their feet or step over the threshold the magic takes effect. A protection sigil or even one for a clean and happy home would be great here. 

Five Elements.

Witch Bottle: Mad Diviner Version

A witch bottle is a contraption designed to absorb and nullify the forces that may attack you, be they magical or otherwise. Some would argue that it only stops malevolent spells, but I see no reason why it would not deflect so-called mundane attacks, as well.

Witch bottles have a long and storied history, and are even found amongst the ruins of older buildings, dating from the Early Modern period. During this time, witch hunts were common, fear of witches ran rampant, and one cannot be surprised that many people tried to take matters into their own hands to protect themselves from these supposed evildoers. 

Though traditionally seen as a sort of talisman against witchcraft and evil magics in general, I do believe that the act of creating one, in and of itself, is an occult practice. Thus, it’s a bit bemusing to imagine those who hated witches and magic frantically making these things to save themselves from evil spells. 

I honestly think that, during the Early Modern period, making a witch bottle would have been a somewhat revolutionary, if private, act of defiance within a person’s life. Entire countries were turned against the very notion of magic, and had manufactured straw enemies in the form of Satanic witches. Many misfortunes were blamed on witches by authority figures, and it’s quite likely that the population, for the most part, believed these evil sorcerers actually existed.

The official government response consisted of conducting witch hunts and killing many innocent people. Imagine, though, what it must have been like for a person living in this time. That the evil witches existed could be taken for granted; such a person would have heard the lie repeated so often that the fear of malevolent magics was engrained in their psyche. 

When trouble arose that society wanted to blame on witchcraft, though, the individual likely felt powerless, particularly if they weren’t socially prominent. Most people were not in a position to do battle with imaginary witches, and the response by the authorities was just as terrifying as the false threat of witchcraft.

Thus, to regain a modicum of personal autonomy and assert their intentions to the universe, some individuals resorted to a plethora of folk remedies, charms, and spells (I call it like it is!) designed to drive off witches, or draw them into the open. This must have taken a lot of courage, because, as I’ve said, there’s very little way these people could have rationalized their spells away as not being somewhat akin to what witches do. Seeking to protect yourself from witches could easily get you named as a witch, after all, so yes, courage was required.

Did the bottles made during this period work, so to speak? Probably. It’s hard to say, because there really weren’t many actual witches active during this time period, and those that were active likely didn’t go out of their way to hunt down and curse random people.

 Still, these charms probably had a great deal of efficacy, if only due to the twin powers of intent and belief. This is partially why I see the witch bottle as effective against all kinds of attacks, not simply magical ones.

Making a Witch Bottle

Now, all over the internet, and indeed, all over Tumblr, you can find many excellent guides and recipes for witch bottles. Today, I’ll be showing you the personal method I developed for making one. It differs from other traditional methods in a single crucial way, and I believe this makes my version somewhat more difficult to make, but perhaps more effective overall.

Before developing the plans for this, I researched witch bottle traditions extensively, and made notes on them, etc. I ultimately concluded that there was something “off” in both modern and postmodern versions of the charm, at least for me. I just didn’t see how it could be effective given the way the ingredients were used and their composition. This is not to say it wouldn’t work for another person, but intent is everything, and I seriously doubted I could get my intent going if I followed an existing recipe. So, here’s my variation, and so can you!

The requirements for the spell are simple, and can be suited to your particular situation quite easily. You need:

A personal taglock,

A very small bottle, 

A larger bottle that the small bottle can fit within, 

Sharp objects,

Baneful herbs or an existing compound designed to dismantle evil or bring destruction.

The most important part, arguably, is the personal taglock. Read my long post about what a taglock even is, and what makes a good taglock. Basically, though, you need an object or bit of something that is essentially tied to you in some way. Physical proximity is good, but an emotional tie, as explained in the post I linked above, is even better. 

For my taglock, I went out and bought a nice package of fancy cigarettes of the kind that were popular in my youth, and, on the way home from the store, smoked one. When I was finished, I carefully extinguished it and deposited the remains in a small plastic bag. 

When I arrived home and went into my laboratory space, I rummaged around and found a very, very, very small bottle with a cork. I shredded the cigarette remains and filled the tiny bottle with them, then corked it. I topped this off with silver wax to form a good seal (silver being the only available color I had around).

To be honest, if you decide to try my version, I would recommend using a lock of hair in place of the cigarette, because smoking is bad for you and you shouldn’t do it. Yes, yes, I did it, but you shouldn’t. End of story!

Now, you’re probably wondering why I chose such a small bottle, and just put the taglock inside without anything to shred a malevolent force, as is customary. Well, I did this because the tiny bottle is going to go inside the larger bottle. Yep, that’s the big difference between my version and everyone else’s.

Anyways, you then take the larger bottle and stuff it halfway full with your material - glass, sharps, banefuls, etc., depending on your preference. Do remember that there must remain room for the small bottle to rest comfortably within the larger one, though. Once the bottle is halfway filled, slip the small bottle inside, like this:

As you can see, I used baneful herbs for the majority of the space within the bottle. Specifically, I used wormwood, which I filled the bottle with very carefully and gently so as not to spill any. I added some sharp needles and tacks and such, as well. Once it was halfway full, and the small bottle was inside, I began using my vinegar.

I chose to use Four Thieves Vinegar for this working, and carefully filled the bottle up slightly with the mixture. For more information on Four Thieves Vinegar and what it contains and represents, see my post about it. If you end up using a liquid like this, make sure to leave room for more of the solid stuff in the bottle, so that the liquid doesn’t mess with the cork.

You can see above that the tiny bottle is nearly floating. I added a lot more wormwood to soak it all up, and some more sharp objects, too. Finally, I closed it up, and ultimately sealed it with wax, just as I had the smaller bottle.

You may ask why I’m putting the taglock within a smaller bottle. Well, it’s simple to me! I don’t want a taglock from me floating in a jar of baneful herbs and sharp things. Think about it - that’s exactly the method you would use to curse someone, right? And, while intent is everything, I just figured it wouldn’t work for me, so I developed this idea instead. I hope this is helpful for someone!

Evocation of the Black Mother

Call to Her for Rites involving: 

Darkness, chaos, the esoteric, the infernal, “demons,” but on a more personal level: things forgotten, the subconscious, fear and the primal aspects of the psyche. 

While she can be sharp, her teachings are rooted in cosmic understanding – she is the ever-present, the one who sees all, but remains passive and patient, biding her time until her force might be unleashed with catastrophic fervor. Do not fear her – for despite her power and frightful epithets – she is nonetheless a great, maternal force. “To understand, one must be demanded – for Truth is an elusive concept.”

Offerings, including but not limited to: 

Blood – of most any variety (dark wine will also suffice), meat (raw or otherwise), black candles (turned upside down), ashes, water – rain, sea, spring, river, lake, black soil, obsidian, sulphur, spiderwebs, etc. No fire or lit candles.

Ideal locations for workings:

 The darkness – night, caves, empty fields, near water, anywhere dark and secluded, but even a dark room stripped of as much light as possible will do.

To Call Her

Gather a collection of offerings, a square of black cloth, and (optionally) a bell with a low, vibrational tone – a gong or singing bowl would also work. Before the working, on the black cloth, mark her Seal (above) in ash (chalk or paint would also suffice). Upon this, the offerings will be presented. It is important to do this beforehand, as the working should take place in complete darkness (or as complete as can be arranged). Given that this should be done blindly, there is no hymn to be sung or prayer to be read – instead, speak from the heart. Ask her to come, trust your intuition and delve into recesses of the mind. Present a desire, ask for her help, ask for her presence. While those with Sight may catch a glimpse of her, she prefers to remain shapeless, present as a serpentine energy – one that coils about in the shadows and reassures the practitioner. Do not fear, but trust the Darkness.

Once the connection has been made, you might make a plea to her. What that will be is entirely dependent on what you need, but do so honestly – there are no secrets, she knows – do not try to mask your true intentions or desires, for they are already apparent to her. Be forward, be genuine and she will do what she believes is right.

When you are through, leave the offerings for her. Leave the scene by taking three steps backwards, turning and walking away without looking back. If you choose to work within a dark room, leave through the door, at which point, you may reenter and turn the light on to clean up. The offerings should nonetheless be left somewhere dark (a basement would do), remote, or buried.

It is recommended that upon the completion of your request that you leave another offering to her as a gift of thanks.

Magical Metals: The Basics

I’ve gotten a few requests for a pared-down version of some of the magical properties of common metals. 

Aluminum: Invisibility, protection (though not very useful against metal-based magic), good for magic requires a high strength-to-weight ratio

Brass and Bronze: Auditory magic, music, communication, protection from wear-and-tear, resilience, opening doors

Copper: Health and healing, energy, warmth, utility, protection, change, protection, safeguarding and transmission of essentials

Gold: Beauty, glamour, appearances, wealth, love, overcoming addiction

Iron and Mild Steel: Protection, permanence, opposition to nature, urban magic, influence, destruction, curses, strength, blood magic, health

*Lead: (Caution, Lead is quite toxic. Do not touch it. in case of contact or possibility of contamination, wash the affected area rigorously): Curses, hexes and maledictions, and (maybe) their reversal 

Magnesium: Impermanence, fire magic, energy 

Pewter and Tin: Protection from wear-and-tear, home and family, every-day magic, utilitarian magic, illumination, knowledge and divination, softening

Silver: Boosting energy, warding illness (but not necessarily healing), good price-to-beauty ratio, domesticity, offensive magic (like the silver bullet)

Stainless Steel, Chrome, and Nickel: Permanence, glamour, greed, urban magic, brittleness, the home, opening doors

Zinc: Protection (Specifically from light-based magic or being seen in divination), warding, invisibility

Of course, in my practice, these properties change drastically according to how the metals are used. I’m a strong believer in ‘active’ casting- that is to say that i don’t just put things in a circle and speak a few words. My magic is typically cast by altering the objects or materials in some way. A hand-forged iron nail makes a better taglock when designated as a target during its making than a store-bought nail with a metaphysical nametag. Just my two cents. 

If I missed anything, hmu