How To Tell If You’ve Been Cursed

it is what it is

To all my black followers and friends, stay safe.

Also, I would like to add that black lives have always mattered, will always matter.

It’s awful that we even have to say that because it should be a given. However, we need to say it loud and clear for the racists.

We cannot be silent. 

rulerships, dignities, and debilities of the planets

Each planet rules one or more signs. Planets are also classified according to their essential dignities, or strengths. In total, five states of a planet are possible: rulership, detriment, exaltation, fall, and peregrine. In some signs, a planet is able to project itself without hindrance, since it functions in a field harmonious to its own nature. This is called rulership. When the planet is in the sign it rules, it is said to be dignified because it is powerful in its own sign, and can thus express itself freely and totally. Exaltation denotes a sign in which a planet is especially strong. When a planet is in a sign that is an opposing sign to its rulership or exaltation it is said to be debilitated, because the planet is at its weakest due to its hindered expression. Planets in opposite signs to the signs which they rule are in their detriment, and signs in their fall are the signs that are opposite its exaltation. The fifth state is referred to as peregrine, meaning that a planet is in none of the previous four states. Here is the breakdown of the rulerships, dignities, and debilities of the signs and planets.

the sun rules leo, is exalted in aries, in detriment in aquarius, and in its fall in libra

The Sun rules the sign of Leo, and is said to be exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Aries. Its themes of identity and self-expression are a more challenging fit for the signs of Aquarius (detriment), and Libra (fall) which feels most itself in a group, instead of standing on their own.

the moon rules cancer, is exalted in taurus, in detriment in capricorn, and in its fall in scorpio

The Moon is symbolically connected to the compassionate, spiritually sensitive, emotionally deep sign of Cancer, and informs that powerful sign’s domesticity and protective instincts. The Moon is exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Taurus, which lends stability to the Moon’s fluctuations and moods. It’s in its detriment in Capricorn, a sign whose worldliness is at odds with the Moon’s domestic nature. And the Moon is in its fall in Scorpio, where it can symbolize suspicion and mistrust.

mercury rules gemini and virgo, is exalted in aquarius, in detriment in sagittarius and pisces, and in its fall in leo

Mercury is most comfortable in the signs of Gemini and Virgo (which rules both signs), and Aquarius (where it’s exalted). Mercury has a more difficult job expressing itself in Sagittarius and Pisces (detriment), which prefer to focus on the big picture rather than the details and trivia that delight Mercury. Its fall is in the sign of Leo, since Mercury’s perceptions tend to be overly subjective and melodramatic, causing the press agent to believe their own hype.

venus rules libra and taurus, is exalted in pisces, in detriment in aries and scorpio, and in its fall in virgo

Venus is happiest in the signs of its rulership, Taurus and Libra, where it feels prosperous and beautiful, and loving Pisces, the sign of her exaltation, a sign where companionship and love is championed. Venus has a harder time expressing beauty and harmony in the tough-edged and militaristic signs of Scorpio and Aries (detriment) and in analytical and hardworking Virgo (fall).

mars rules aries, is exalted in capricorn, in detriment in libra, and in its fall in cancer

Mars rules the sign of Aries, and along with Pluto is the co-ruler of Scorpio. Mars is exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Capricorn, which provides discipline, focus, and structure to Mars’ raw energy. Mars’ themes of individualism and open aggression are a difficult fit for the polite, partnership-oriented sign of Libra (detriment); and Cancer (fall), which values collectivism and prefers an indirect approach to settling disagreements.

jupiter rules sagittarius, is exalted in cancer, in detriment in gemini, and in its fall in capricorn

Jupiter rules Sagittarius and is exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Cancer; that sign’s domestic, family-oriented symbolism provides much-needed roots and emotional ballast for Jupiter. Jupiter’s themes of optimism, exploration, and big-picture thinking are not an easy fit for Gemini (detriment), a sign that is too rational to be optimistic and prefers to observe and describe the present rather than envision the future; or for serious, conservative, pragmatic Capricorn (sign of its fall).

saturn rules capricorn, is exalted in libra, in detriment in cancer, and in its fall in aries

Saturn rules the sign of Capricorn. It’s exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Libra, which offers a keen appreciation for how our decisions and ambitions affect others. Saturn’s hard-edged themes of patiently overcoming hardship, living by the rules, and pursuing worldly ambition are at odds with the nurturing, sentimental, security-loving, domestic world of Cancer (the sign of its detriment), and with the impatience and independence of Aries (the sign of its fall).

uranus rules aquarius, is exalted in scorpio, in detriment in leo, and in its fall in taurus

Uranus is symbolically connected to the unconventional, even revolutionary, sign of Aquarius. Uranus is exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Scorpio, a sign of transformation that lends a sense of larger purpose to Uranus’ radical changes. It’s in its detriment in Leo, a sign whose emphasis on individual creativity is at odds with Uranus, which represents the principle of egalitarianism. And Uranus is in its fall in Taurus, a sign that values stability and security and doesn’t welcome the kind of disruptive change symbolized by Uranus.

neptune rules pisces, is exalted in cancer, in detriment in virgo, and in its fall in capricorn

Neptune is symbolically connected to the mystical sign of Pisces. Neptune is exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Cancer, a sign of emotional sensitivity that lends itself extremely well to Neptune’s sense of illusion, creativity, and artistry. Its sign of detriment is Virgo, whose practical, discriminating, and analytical nature makes an uncomfortable home for Neptune’s unconditional love, intuition, and faith. It’s in its fall in Capricorn, a sign whose ambition, realism, need for power, and roots in the material world place it fundamentally at odds with Neptune’s message of fantasy and spiritual transcendence.

pluto rules scorpio, is exalted in aries, in detriment in taurus, and in its fall in libra

Pluto is symbolically connected to Scorpio, and informs that intense sign’s penchant for transformation. Pluto is exalted, or especially strong, in the sign of Aries, a sign of action that lends a sense of immediacy to Pluto’s slow burning subjugation of others. It’s in its detriment in Taurus, a sign whose need for easygoing beauty, stability and security place it fundamentally at odds with Pluto’s message of ruthless transformation. It’s in its fall in Libra, a sign whose emphasis on fairness and cooperation is also at odds with Pluto, which represents the principles of covert power at all costs.

how & when to cleanse your tarot cards ✨

how to cleanse:

shuffle - shuffle your cards for some time with cleansing intent.

sort the cards - put the cards back in the order of the major arcana from 0-21, wands, cups, swords, and then pentacles. let them stay like this for a short while, until you feel they’re cleansed, and then shuffle them again.

crystals - choose a crystal with your intent and place it on top of your deck, or create a crystal grid around it.

smoke cleansing - pass your deck through the smoke of burnt sage or rosemary, or through the smoke from insense.

sunlight/moonlight - natural light sources give healing energies to your deck. sunlight is more masculine, while moonlight is more feminine. keep this in mind when choosing a light source and what’s best for your deck.

meditation - meditate on the cards. this may be one card at a time or the whole deck at once.

yoga - do yoga with your deck, this will soothe and cleanse you both and create a stronger bond between you and your deck.

sound - use a song, a bell, or an instrument to wash vibrations over and through your deck to release energy.

salt - sprinkle salt gently over your deck or put your deck in an airtight bag and submerge it in a bowl of salt and let the salt absorb pent up energies.

sigils - write a cleansing sigil on a slip of paper and put it in the box or bag with your deck.

fresh air - set your deck on a windowsill by a cracked open window. allow the movement of fresh air to cleanse the pent up energy from your cards.

close contact - keep your deck beside or under your pillow as you sleep to both cleanse and build a close relationship with your deck.

when to cleanse:

brand new deck - if you bought or have been gifted a new or secondhand deck, the best way to sort out its energy is to cleanse it before the first use.

after each use - this is the best way to upkeep the health of your cards.

every day - a great way to take care of your cards, routine cleansing is a wonderful daily ritual for you and your deck.

when someone else touches it - energies can get muddled when someone other than the reader touches a deck.

after a complicated reading - your deck can run out of energy quickly when you ask it to do a complcated reading, and the best way to replenish these energies is to cleanse.

after not using it for a while - stagnant energies will build up in your deck if you go a while between uses. the best way to counteract this is a thorough cleansing.

with your life cycles - whether moon cycles, menstrual cycles, or sleep cycles, cleansing your deck when your energy is high can be a good idea.

whenever your deck tells you - sometimes you will be able to feel when your deck needs to be cleansed. a good cleansing and recharging is helpful when shuffling becomes difficult, you’re getting the same cards repeatedly, or you feel your deck run low on energy.

Common Desk Supplies in Witchcraft

📎 Paper clips - Paper clips are made of steel, which is mostly iron, so it can be used as a substitute for iron or iron shavings. Cut one up and put it in a protection powder. Or, you can bend it into a shape (like a sigil) for a simple window protection spell. Paper clips are known for their elasticity and tension, making them great for change spells, friendship spells, or even curses. They can also connect certain things, or make chains. On a practical note, paper clips can be bent into mini candle holders.

💌 Tape - Tape can obviously be used for bindings. It can also be used for invisibility spells or glamors, if you cover a certain word or object with tape. Using tape on a poppet may help protection or healing, but only for a little while.

✏️ Pencils/Pens - These uses change based on color. However, all of them can be used as wands, or to amplify a spell. You may bless or enhance a pen by washing it with a soap or tea, or cleansing it in incense smoke.

📑  Staples - Also made of steel, staples can be used for wards and bindings. Any spell involving pain can include staples. When you staple, you instill pain; when you remove a staple, you heal. They can also connect certain things, and are good for knowledge or love spells. 

📌  Thumbtacks - These are great for protection jars, banishing spirits and, of course, curses. To see through certain situations, you may use a thumbtack to poke through a paper or bag, representing clarity. However, be aware that clarity obtained this way may not come pleasantly.

📝 Sticky notes - Sticky notes have more flexibility than regular paper, in that you can attach them. Use sticky notes for sigils on the go, or stick several sheets of sticky notes together in order to represent layers. If you would like to expand your knowledge, reveal a secret, or even divine, you can write on the top sticky note with a colored pen that matches the intent. Then place a drop of essential oil or moon water on the top note, and see what shapes it forms in the bottom notes.

✒️ Highlighters - Highlighters can be used similarly to pens. They also add extra light and glow to a design, which amplifies a spell’s power.

🔗 Rubber bands - You’ve probably used rubber bands before to wrap up baggies and such. In magic, they can represent tension, flexibility, binding, or releasing emotions. Stretch a rubber band between two poppets (or other symbols of people, like apples) to represent tension between two persons. In the same way, you can also use rubber bands for love, passion and lust spells.

✉️  Envelopes - Envelopes represent anything that encompasses, compresses, or confuses a person. Open envelops or write inside of them for inner clarity. Seal the envelope for anything you want to forget, trap, or hide. You can also use envelopes to hold herbs as a discreet form of witchcraft.

❌ Erasers - Obviously, erasers can help banish or hide things. They also work for invisibility spells, and release a ton of energy through friction. You may want to consider writing a sigil on an eraser, and then erasing it until the sigil wears off. 

✂️ Scissors - Scissors can act as a magical knife for those who do not yet have one. Scissors can disconnect and cut off regrets, guilt, persons or memories. Scissors can also be used to carve into candles.

📏 Rulers - If you’re into number magic, a ruler is the tool for you. Imagine drawing a symbol in the exact dimensions of a number that corresponds to your intent! 

Feel free to add! .+(´^ω^`)+.