A Budding Green Witch

So much witchcraft emphasizes how important it is to honor and work with the Earth, but then teaches us spells with ingredients we basically have to import using locations we don’t have access to. It’s rare to find an existing grimoire or guide book that actually works with where we live. We can still use them, but it doesn’t enhance our connection to our local land, which to many can feel important. Here are some tips for localizing your practice and working with the land you actually live on.

See what nature exists around you. Explore your own backyard with a critical eye. What plants can you actually go and pick yourself? What are those plants associated with? Do you have access to a creek or river? What does your local land actually have on it? If magic correspondences for your local plants haven’t been written about, you may have to do your own research. Example: I grow several plants on my back porch which I can potentially use for magic.There are magnolia trees and rhodedendrons on the grounds of my apartment complex. My parent’s neighbors have chickens in the backyard, so I have access to some feathers when they shed. 

Check out local folklore, legends, etc. This is one of my favorite parts, but can also be the hardest. What are the stories of your area, both on a local and cultural scale. Example: A West Virginian may incorporate legends of the Mothman. Everyone says that one building on my old college campus is haunted (and they’re right.) People talk about that liminal-space feeling when you drive down that one road at night.

Find the magic spots. Sometimes the urban legends will tip you off to these (usually in a bad way) but other times you can find them on your own. A place where the energy is just right for some reason. A place you can go to be closer to nature, or a place you could host a ritual if needed. Sometimes it’s just a place where you can feel your mind open a little bit. Example: The shady corner of a public park. The tunnel downtown. That weirdly-perfect circle of trees in the woods behind Wal-Mart.

Meet your land wights. Spirits of the local land. This could be the fair folk, but also house spirits, the spirits of the trees near you, the nature spirits of wherever you are. They’re there. Be good to them and they’ll be good to you! Note: Some spirits and wights will not be interested in working with you, and that’s okay. I generally think it’s good to at least leave a polite offering to just be on general decent terms even if you never work with them more directly beyond that. 

A spell to enchant one of your furry stuffed friends to protect you through the night from nightmares and unpleasant dreams.

You will Need:

A stuffed animal

Scissors

Needle and thread

Small piece of Amethyst (prevents and protects from nightmares)

Small piece of Rose Quartz (brings happy dreams)

Paper and Pen

A sigil that prevents nightmares

Steps:

Using your pen, on the small piece of paper draw your sigil. Place it to the side with your crystals. Make sure your crystals are very small so that they don’t make holding your stuffed animal uncomfortable.

Kiss your stuffed animal to let it know that you wish not to harm it and if needed speak to it a bit.

On a seam that could easily be repaired using your scissors gently snip some of the thread so there is a small opening.

“With these crystals and sigil, I ask you to protect me in the night from the dreams that cause me unrest.” place in crystals and sigil

Sew up the hole as neatly and tightly as you can, you wish it not to rip open again.

Kiss where you have sealed the seam. “I thank you deeply for you help.”

Place on your bed. When sleeping make sure stuffed animal is on the bed with you or in your arms.