Local Plant Girl

The ultimate baby witch tip I can give you is this: there is a lot of misinformation on Tumblr. A LOT. My best advice is for you to invest in some books on witchcraft—mostly history, terminology, and practical use. I highly recommend these books to start with, although they’re certainly not the ONLY excellent books on witchcraft:

🌕 The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft

(Judika Illes)

I LOVE Judika Illes. Her books are incredibly informative, unbiased, and rich with real-life examples of witchcraft throughout the ages (and cultures). You won’t find any “fluff” in her books. Seriously, if you read any book on witchcraft, read this one. It covers EVERYTHING. At the very least, it’ll help you explore different spiritualities and magical traditions.

🌱Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide

(Sandra Ingerman)

Shamanism is not witchcraft in itself, but it IS far older—shamanism is the basis for all ancient magical traditions around the world. “Shaman” is a Siberian word used to describe the practice of spirit working, which is found ALL over the world. To get a solid understanding of the spirit-working side of witchcraft, learning about shamanism is key. However, know that you shouldn’t call yourself a shaman even if you journey—historically, that title is only for those who have been chosen spiritually to be shamans, and who have yielded consistent results from their journeys. Learning how to journey to the three spiritual realms and communicate with the spirits there will help you…

- find your power animal

- find your spirit guide

- allow you to utilize healing, divination, and communication with spirits for various reasons.

Again, this isn’t some fun thing to do in your spare time—shamanism is sacred, ancient work tens of thousands of years old. If you feel called to work with spirits, this is one way to do so. Sandra Ingerman is well-known for her shamanism workshops and books, so she knows what she’s talking about and has lots of practical experience.

🔮Encyclopedia of Spirits

(Judika Illes)

Speaking of spirits, here’s another invaluable book for spirit-working. Even if you have no intention of working with spirits, it’s important to know about them. Judika Illes is VERY thorough in her research, so this book is packed full of info on spirits spanning all cultures and traditions. Learn how to attract spirits, develop relationships with them, work with them to make life easier, and learn their history. This book is ABSOLUTELY fascinating, I use it almost every day. Again, Judika Illes is a very reputable source.

⭐️Grandmothers Counsel the World: Women Elders Offer Their Vision of Our Planet

(Carol Schaefer)

In this book, 13 female elders from indigenous cultures around the world share their stories about how they came to devote their lives to their magical practices and spiritual paths. They come together as foretold by an old prophecy that all their cultures share. Their goal? To share their vision for the world and provide insight into how we can improve our lives through the use of traditional magic and attunement with the Earth. They each carry a message of compassion, hoping to share their knowledge and wisdom with everyone who reads this book. Rather than close off their beliefs to “outsiders”, they firmly believe that everyone should follow their example. I LOVE this book because it takes the Tumblr glasses off of witchcraft and enables you to see REAL wise women, women who have grown up with magic and use it to this day. The term “magic” here refers to their connection to the Earth, their extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, and their spirit journeys. This book is wonderful for gaining perspective into different cultures and their spiritual wisdom.

🕯The Book of Stones: Who They Are and What They Teach

(Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian)

This is my go-to book for crystals. It has EVERYTHING. Learn the scientific facts about crystals as well as the metaphysical ones. It even includes tips on how to meditate with crystals, how to utilize them for different purposes, and how to empower crystals with OTHER crystals that work synergistically. The index in the back of the book can be used to find crystals for specific physical ailments as well as spiritual ones.

🧙‍♀️Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spell-Casting

(Judika Illes)

Can you tell I like Judika Illes? XD This book is full of spells that range from summoning spirits to love spells to protection and personal empowerment (including psychic awareness). Judika Illes, like always, includes practical historical information and a little bit about spirits as well. Her spells are REAL—they’ve been used successfully throughout the ages, taken from spiritual traditions around the world. In short, they’re tried-and-true. You won’t find anything made-up or untested here. She also doesn’t include any “malevolent” magic, for those who are uncomfortable with that. She DOES include spells on how to get someone to leave you alone, though.

WHAT NOT TO READ

Rather than tell you specific books not to read, here’s a general guide for who NOT to listen to:

❌ If the book (article, etc) was written by someone who is not a witch, has no historical information to offer, doesn’t really know the ins and outs of witchcraft, etc. A lot of outlets sell these kinds of books—most notably Urban Outfitters. As witchcraft becomes more “trendy”, plenty of non-spiritual, non-witchy journalists are getting on that cash cow and writing books that are shallow interpretations of real witchcraft, at best. They’re not very informative, or at least they don’t go into much detail. Just look at the author—have they been studying witchcraft for years? Have a degree in something relevant, such as history, anthropology, etc? Did they become a witch last year and already want to write a book? Have they actually TRIED their own spells, and have others replicated them with successful results? Really think about those things.

❌Be wary of big chains that try to cash in on the growing witchcraft trend. Sephora, Urban Outfitters, Earthbound, Target, and other big chains have no interest in giving you practical knowledge of witchcraft. THEY WANT YOUR MONEY. The result is a shallow representation of an ancient art, and most often it’s appropriated from other magical traditions with no credit. So do NOT put much trust in big chains that try to sell you metaphysical supplies and books. You’re better off looking for seasoned magic-workers for whom witchcraft is a lifestyle, not a way to make money.

❌ Avoid vague-sounding books. I once bought a book about Fairy Wichcraft, which detailed the author’s personal magical lifestyle and beliefs. So what is Fairy Witchcraft? Well I have no fuckin idea because the book was vague, ranting, and had almost zero historical information to go off of. Essentially I was supposed to just take the author’s word for it, which is never a smart thing to do. Especially disturbing was the fact that I later found out that a lot of the author’s historical claims about fairies were straight-up untrue. I made the mistake of spending over thirty bucks on it, and I’ll never read it again because it was essentially useless to me.

❌ NEVER get your ideas of witchcraft from works of fiction. Novels, movies, TV shows, and video games almost never represent true witchcraft. Even that movie everyone loves, “The Craft”, is almost disrespectful in its attempt to show spirit summoning. Although witchy entertainment is fun, it’s not real. Too many people get into witchcraft because they think it’s going to be like Harry Potter or Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but in reality it really isn’t. Too many people want all the aesthetic components of witchcraft because it caught their attention on TV or in a novel, but they completely sidestep the spiritual implications, historical knowledge, and real uses of witchcraft. Too many people try to erase the fact that witchcraft arose through ancient pagan paths, which are ALL Earth-centric. Plain and simple, Hollywood witchcraft doesn’t exist. It’s not supposed to—it’s made for non-witches who live in a Protestant-heavy culture who view witches as Satanic.

It’s fascinating the way modern witchcraft is this giant amalgam of old and new traditions. Like, we have witches who are getting super into crystals and Buddhist meditation. Witches who keep their BOS online and do things like make sigils under their nail polish. Witches who embrace ancient shamanistic practices of earth worship and animism, and witches who use modern technology to work their magick. Witches who worship Frida Kahlo. Witches who worship the most primordial earth goddesses. Witches who worship no one.

We’re quickly approaching a new era (the Fourth Turning, as some describe it), and our renewed interest in magick, spiritual fulfillment, and the spirit world reflects that. The old ways of magick-working still run through our veins, calling us back to a time when we heeded our inner magick and the world of spirits all around us. And our unique expressions of witchcraft perfectly sum up how diverse and pervasive this desire to connect with our inner power is.

Witchcraft isn’t “fake” if it incorporates new elements from all across cultures. Witchcraft evolves and changes with the human race. As we grow, so does our craft. Keep on being yourself and shaping your craft based on what YOU feel is powerful and awe-inspiring.

I couldn’t find an info post about one of my favorite witchy ingredients, so I figured I’d better make one! 

Black Salt is used almost exclusively for protection. Not to be confused with culinary black lava salt or kala namak salts, it absorbs/banishes negativity, and is one of my favorite things to work with. But Bri, how is it different than normal salt? Well, regular sea salt(or if you’re like me, table salt) can be used for many things, protection, healing, purification…Black salt has been imbued with FIRE, which kicks up the protective attributes. 

Black salt is incredibly easy to make. You can use:

ash

powdered charcoal

cauldron scrapings

pepper

iron shavings

My preferred method is to stick my incense directly into a pot of salt. Then, the ashes will collect there over time. I also save my spent matches from lighting candles/incense and crush them up with a mortar and pestle(I mean, a nail polish bottle and a bowl).

Whatever you use to make your black salt, most witches prefer to keep it at least 50% salt. Add in you “blackener”, and any other protective herbs you desire. Stir it up, or grind it if needed, and pop it into a jar.

Now, what do you do with it? I’m glad you asked!

Keep a pot near your bed to ward off bad dreams and evil spirits

Draw a line across doorways to bar negative energy from entering

Sprinkle some in the corners of each room in your house to absorb stagnant negativity

Add it to floor wash to cleanse your home

Add it to any spell/charm/ritual that has a protective intent

Use it to make an even more powerful banishment powder, like THIS one

Add it to your bathwater when you are feeling down

Winter is coming quickly. A lot of people see this time of year as bleak, depressing, or just boring. Here are some tips to stay attuned to nature during these months.

❄️ Go outside. Even if it’s cold, the trees are bare, and the only colors are muted and dull. We often think that summer is the only time to enjoy the outdoors—the only time to hike, meditate outside, etc. In winter, there are no lush green trees or balmy days filled with sunshine and the smell of flowers. While summer is intoxicating, winter is a time to contemplate and reflect. Go outside. Feel the cold. Feel the mud and the dead grass and the chilly wind. Listen to how quiet it is. Understand that the dark half of the year is a time of silence, stillness, and death. It’s natural to have an aversion to these things, but take some time to sit down and just listen. Breathe. Feel the reality of silence and death around you. It’s a sobering experience, but also a very insightful one. If you have any fear of death or quiet, now is the time to go sit with those things as they appear in nature and just meditate with them.

❄️ Eat cozy foods. It’s cold outside—warm up with hearty soups, stews, homemade bread, and root veggies. Warm spices and hot drinks will keep you feeling grounded. This is a wonderful time of year to practice kitchen witchcraft—focus on coziness, family, protection, and rest.

❄️ Study magic! The Dark Half of the year is devoted to self-reflection, rest, and contemplation. Snuggle up indoors with a fluffy blanket and devote some time to studying magic and witchcraft with a hot cup of magically-brewed tea.

❄️ Think spirits are sleeping along with all the greenery? Think again! The Dark Half of the year, in many cultures and spiritual traditions, is considered extremely spiritually active. Deities like Odin, Berchta, Hekate, and spirits such as elves and ghosts are very active this time of year. You can choose to honor them if you want, or practice various spirit-working techniques. If you’re into necromancy or divination, this is a wonderful time of year for those things.

❄️ Be kind to local wildlife by installing things like bird feeders outside your home. We modern humans may have an easy time of it in winter, but animals struggle to survive during these months. Any bit of kindness will be much appreciated.

❄️ Nurture your fire energy. During winter, it’s easy to internalize the cold and take on its characteristics—sluggishness, sleepiness, a foggy-headed feeling. Some crystals that are great for winter include golden rutilated quartz (aka Venus hair), citrine, carnelian, obsidian, and garnet. All of these crystals contain a strong fire element as well as offer grounding qualities, mental clarity, and protection.

❄️ Go out and forage for magical ingredients! Melted snow is extremely purifying and can be incorporated into spells for purification and cleansing. Icicles can serve as temporary wands, especially in spells that require a strong water element. The ash from bonfires (or hearth fires) can be used to make black salt. Fallen branches can be crafted into wands. There may be nothing growing this time of year, but you can get creative and still find magical ingredients in unexpected places. Just be respectful and don’t collect from places where it’s illegal!

—

v.s.

  (via

kinkybitchkat

)

💋

06.12.19 Manchester