Badkittos-spellandfolklore - Bez Tytułu

met a very confused bee who thought my pants were a flower

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. 

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.

Want.

Tips for writing spells:

If you want to keep something close, bury it in your back yard. If you want to attract something, bury it under the front door step If you want to destroy its influence, burn it. If you want it to move away and sink, throw it in running water If you want to disperse it to a distance, throw it into a crossroads If you want to fix its influence, inter it in a five-spot pattern If you want it to work by means of spirits, bury it in a graveyard If you want to hide its point of origin, conceal it in a tree If you want it to work in secret, give it in food or drink If you want it to work by stealth, hide it in clothing or on objects If you want its influence to begin or strengthen, throw it East If you want its influence to end or weaken, throw it West If you want its influence to rise and fall cyclicly, float it in a tidal estuary

those pretty sunset lamps are calling me by my full government name and ssc

Safely Eating Expired Foods

The food bank gave me a hand-out about how long you can safely eat unopened foods past their expiration dates, and I thought other people might find it helpful. 

DAIRY:

Milk, cream: within 10 days past expiration date

Soft cheese, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese: consume within 14 days past expiration date

Butter, hard cheese: consume within 3 months past expiration date (personal note: if cheese gets mold you can cut off the moldy parts the rest is still fine)

Frozen butter: consume within 12 months past expiration date

Eggs (in shells): consume within 1 month past expiration date

Egg substitutes: consume within 10 days of expiration date. 

MEAT:

Fresh: consume on or before expiration date

Frozen: defrost in fridge or microwave, and eat immediately after defrosting. 

Not do eat: meat with severe freeze burn, discolored meat, and meat not frozen before expiration date

MEAT & DAIRY SUBSTITUTES:

Liquid products (rice milk, almond milk): consume withing 10 days past expiration date

Shelf stable liquid products: consume within 12 months past expiration date

Margarine: consume within 6 months past expiration date

Meat substitutes (tofu, etc): consume on or before expiration date

Frozen meat substitutes: consume within 12 months past expiration date if frozen before expiration date

DRIED & CANNED FOODS:

Dried beans, pasta: consume indefinitely

Dressings, mayo: consume within 12 months past expiration date

Cereal, crackers: consume within 12 months past expiration date

Canned foods: may be consumed indefinitely (except for pineapple and tomato)

Jarred foods, canned tomato and pineapple: consume within 18 months past expiration date

OTHER:

Fresh juice: consume within 3 months past expiration date

Fresh bread, pastries: consume on or before expiration date (personal note, I find that sandwich bread is good to eat so long as it’s not stale or growing mold)

Frozen bread: consume within 6 months past expiration date

Fresh produce: ripe, edible, and mold-free

Sliced melon: consume on or before expiration date

Deli items, packaged by store: consume within 48 hours of expiration date

Pre-packaged prepared foods packed by manufacturer, fresh: consume within 14 days past expiration date

Pre-packaged prepared foods packed by manufacturer, frozen: consume within 12 months past expiration date

DO NOT EAT:

Food that is stale, has insects, or mold

Food in open, punctured, bulging, or seriously damaged cans

Food in a jar that is leaking or has a broken seal

Food that is discolored or has an off-odor

Product has been thawed then re-frozen 

Please use your best judgement and when in doubt, throw it out. 

i genuinely don’t understand why mary shelley’s writing style is so underappreciated because the first page of matilda just left me speechless

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

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!