⨝Witchcraft⨝

I’m finally looking to the future and creating posts I can link, instead of answering the same questions over and over. It’s not that I mind answering them, it’s just that I usually don’t have the energy to give you the solid answer you deserve.

Where to start?

I generally wouldn’t recommend picking up where you left off for two reasons:

You spent a lot of time building up to that point, jumping right in is going to be a lot. Give yourself permission to start small; slowly building back up.

Something obviously wasn’t working and led to you stopping your craft for a while. Don’t force yourself to do the same things if they don’t work!

Get a solid foundation back under your feet:

Start at the basics, even if you knew the advanced stuff. Act like a beginner again and relearn. Chances are, you’ll learn some things you missed before!

Cleanse yourself, your space, your tools.

Rebuild and strengthen your wards.

Make a list of the things that you’d like to relearn, and pick something from the list each day and spend some time building your knowledge.

Don’t compare it to your old craft. Crafts and paths are constantly shifting over time, taking a break doesn’t change this, time has passed and your craft will likely be different.

Do what excites you! Learn new things too! What drew you back into the craft? This is a great chance for a fresh start!

Drawing a blank? Here’s some ideas of things to research/relearn:

Altars.

Astral travel/projection.

Astrology.

Correspondences.

Crystals.

Deities (perhaps learn about a new pantheon!)

Divination (any type).

Enchantments.

Herbs; remedies and magical uses.

The local world; birds, animals, plants. 

Mythology (bonus: local mythology and lore).

Sigil creation and use.

Space; planets, constellations, moon phases, etc.

Spell writing and casting. 

Spirit work.

Whatever you want!!

See also: how the mundane can influence your craft and what to research.

Some recommendations if you feel stuck/hit a block:

Browse the baby witch tag and help some beginners out. They have so much motivation and inspiration, and it’ll likely leak over to you (and you’ll reinforce some of the knowledge you forgot you had).

Buy yourself something witchy (it doesn’t have the be expensive, even just a new little candle you only burn for witchy things).

Find a friend who is also getting back into the craft, talk about your practices!

Look up some tips and tricks on overcoming art block/writer’s block and find a way to apply them.

Follow your passions. Don’t force yourself to be interested in something. Dive into what calls to you and allow yourself to follow wherever that leads you.

Goal: Feel empowered and energized for the coming day, and add a dash of wellness.

Materials: a cup of coffee or latte or iced coffee (or tea), worry stone of your choice, vitamin supplement of your choice (or prescription meds), and the Strength tarot card from your deck.

Procedure: Take the vitamin, drink your coffee, hold your worry stone, run it through your fingers. After finishing that, place the stone on top of the tarot card and repeat this chant 3 times (edit the chant if you substitute anything):

I’m awake, I’m present in mind and body, I’m energized with coffee, and with the air I breath, I’m well with the vitamins I need to be healthy, I claim Strength in my day, with the Strength in my heart. I am the Lion, I am the proud, the mighty, the tough. I may be frail in form, but in nature I am the bold, I am the Strength, the strength of character, of will, Empowered by all I might need, I am the owner of my day.

🚫Neutralizers🚫

~As with all posts, this is my take, my opinion, my knowledge. If you ground your magick in a different way, great! Don’t hate on other ways of the Craft. As I say again and again, there’s no wrong way to witchcraft.~

Magick is ground out (or neutralized) by many means, and by far, the most simple and effective neutralizers are found in nature. Here’s a list of the most effective ways, and why they work!

🤲🏻 Use: using an item will gradually diminish its effectiveness over time. Like wearing a blessed necklace; the spell/blessing needs to be renewed to keep its effects strong. Renew your magicks when you start to feel them fade; ESPECIALLY magicks like wards and protections.

☀️ Sunrise: a time of awakening and banishment. Typically, spirits cannot roam during daylight hours (outside of a sanctuary or safe haven for them). This is not because of any “good vs evil” thing, but rather because sunrise is a time of new beginnings, and as the light sweeps the earth, it also sweeps away the residual magickal energy that lingers from the previous day and night. Sunrise sweeps over the world like a sort of silent tsunami, wearing away at even the strongest of spells. Some spells that are set in motion immediately (location/tracking spells, for example), can get by unmolested because of their immediate action and use. Other, more subtle spells, can become “stagnant” during daylight hours. This is why, typically, the night is seen as the ideal time for witchcraft. Even the strongest spells will be worn down with every passing sunrise. Eventually, unless the spell is renewed, the dawn will sweep it away with everything else.

🌊 Running water: sweeps away the magick that crosses it. A current will sever any magickal ties that cross it, as well as ground out any magickal energies. This is the reason for the “undead creatures are unable to cross rivers” trope. Even over a bridge, the current will strip them of their magick. If a magickally raised zombie, for instance, attempted to cross a river, its ties to its master(creator, raiser, etc) would be severed, returning the reanimated corpse back into a regular corpse.

🏠 Thresholds: we’ve touched on thresholds before, and although they aren’t usually capable of grounding energies (for obvious reasons, no witch could work inside their home!) I wanted to include them just to say that (especially in the case of sunrise) they are largely unaffected by neutralizers, as long as someone actively maintains them (that is, lives within their boundaries).

🔥 Fire: it’s real, and it causes pain, no matter the creature, no matter the state of being. This is why, so often, fire is seen as an element of purification and change. Flame cannot be ignored.

🔗 Gates: specifically the ones around graveyards and cemeteries, are grounding implements because magick typically cannot get past them. Many cemetary gates are low and flimsy. Obviously, they’re not meant to keep people out. The gates are there to keep spirits in. Acting as more of a metaphysical barrier than a physical one, they create a boundary, within which, spirits (shades, ghosts, etc) can freely roam. With the exception of human intervention, and stronger spirits on All Hallows Eve (Samhain), these barriers are mostly respected by the living and dead, alike.

💬 Naming: although not technically a neutralizer, naming something is a way to decrease the fear of it. As humans, we fear what we do not know, what we don’t understand; and the first step to understanding something is knowing what to call it. Names have power. Magickally, of course, but far more importantly: they have psychological power. As a wise wizard once said: “Fear of a name increases the fear of the thing itself”. This is even more true if the thing doesn’t have a name.

That’s all I got for right now. I know my posts are long, but at least they’re instructive!

Alright, so with everything that's been going on I feel we all need a way to get rid of some of our mental baggage. You can use this as a spell and/or a physical representation of letting go of your troubles.

Items Needed:

Paper

Pen

Red and Black String/Thread

Old Bag, Pouch, Jar, or Box

Sea Salt or Black Salt (optional)

Candle (optional)

Spell Version:

Light a white candle before starting. After this take the paper and write down things that trouble you or things you wish to let go of, feel free to use as many sheets as needed. If there is a person in particular that is troubling you, I suggest adding a representation of this person as well. Once done fold all the paper in half and write "I am rid of you for good. I am done with you forever. I am free of you always." Then place all the paper in your chosen container, pour your choice of salt over top, close the container, and wrap the red and black string around it a minimum of three times. Go to the candle, say, "I am rid of you for good. I am done with you forever. I am free of you always." then blow out the candle flame. Now, take your tied up container and go for a short walk or drive in any direction to a waste bin AWAY from your home. Throw the container into the trashcan and say, "I am free of the stress you cause, I will not allow you to burden my mind, spirit, or soul any longer. So I mote it so shall it be by the power of three." After this, walk/drive home without looking back.

Non-Spell Version:

Write down all your troubles and worries on paper (if you need multiple sheets, that's fine). Once finished, fold the paper in half and write some varient of, "I am letting these go, they will no longer trouble me." Now, put the paper in your chosen container, close it up, and wrap the thread/string around the container. After this, go on a short walk or drive to a trash bin, make sure it is AWAY from your home. Once you reach your destination toss the tied up baggage and say, "I'm letting these go." Now walk/drive home without looking back, you no longer have to worry about these struggles.

The winter solstice is nearly here! Here are some ways to celebrate the longest night of the year ⭐️ ☀️

Food

Oranges 🍊 lemons 🍋 meat 🥩 cranberries ❣️ potatoes 🥔 nuts 🌰 chocolates 🍫 mushroom 🍄 bread 🍞 stews and soups 🥘 hot chocolate ☕️ Yule log cake 🎂 cinnamon 🪵 rosemary 🍃

Colors

Red ❤️ green 🎄 gold ⚜️ silver 🪙white ☁️ blue 💎

Altar Decorations

Mini Yule tree 🌲 mini Yule log 🪵 solar representations ☀️ dried orange slices 🍊 whole star anise ⭐️ candles 🕯snow globes ❄️ greenery from nature 🍃 cinnamon sticks

Crystals

Ametrine🔮 citrine 💛 amber 🧡carnelian ❤️ snowflake obsidian 🖤amethyst💜 diamond 💎 emerald 💚sapphire 💙

Activities

Bake a Yule log cake 🎂

Make dried orange and cinnamon garlands 🍊

Make paper snowflakes ❄️

Decorate a Yule tree 🌲

Have a bonfire and roast hotdogs and marshmallows 🔥

Write wishes on bay leafs and burn them 🍃

Do a house cleansing 🏡

Take a Yule bath 🛀

Do sabbat divination 🔮

Bury the corn husk dolls you made at lughnasad, mabon, or/and Samhain if you made them 🌽

Decorate your house with greenery and holly 🌲

Have a season feast with friends and family 🍲

Drink hot chocolate with spices that correspond with your intention stirred in ☕️

Introduction (Meditation)

Sit in front of your altar and relax. Visualize that you are outside, somewhere in the fields - they are barren and harvested. The weather is slightly cold but you are dressed up well, only on your face and hands you can feel cold air. The sun has gone down, but it is still not dark yet. The sky is pretty much cloudy and you can notice that fog started to appear above the fields. In the distance, although it is not very far from you, you can see a light. You go towards that place.

After walking there for about 2-3 minutes, you see an interesting, a bit strange or even a spooky scene - in the middle of a field there is an open empty coffin and candles around it, you approach it. The light of the candles became much stronger since it has become dark. After a short examination of the place, you should enter the coffin and close it, once you are in. Now, think about the passed year - what positive and negative things happened to you? What have you left behind, what is not a part of your life anymore - it could be people, some of your traits that you wanted to change...? Give yourself a bit of time to think about it, and even allow yourself to feel sad, it is a time of separation and moving on after all.

After you have done contemplating, imagine now that your spirit is leaving your body and it goes out of a coffin. Note that you do not open coffin anymore, since you are a spirit, you easily went out. As you left the coffin, in the contact with the air and the earth, you got your new physical body. It looks the same as the previous one but still it feel very new, different. You also notice that you on changed a psychological level, you have become a new person. Now, stand in front of the coffin, give thanks for all learned lessons in the previous year, give thanks to your old body, bid it peace and farewell, then turn around and without looking back go back to the place from the beginning of a meditation.

When you are there, you look at the sky and you notice that the dawn is near. You take few deep breaths and feel energized, cleansed and consecrated by the chilly air. When you are ready, slowly return to the real world, to here and now and open your eyes...

Sacred circle

If you have a habit of drawing the circle, now it is time to do so. I would write the words I usually use, but since they are not on English, it sounds a bit silly when translated. It is important that you visualize and feel your sacred and safe space.

Invocation

After the sacred circle has been drawn, you can call those who you want you to join in your ritual. I have a habit of inviting goddess Morrígan, to who I pray often, my both family and "spiritual" ancestors and the nature spirits. (I call spiritual ancestors those people who I am not connected to by blood but who had a great influence on me, whether by spending time with them while they were alive or people that inspire me: artists, politicians etc.)

My invocations are usually like this:

"Goddess Morrígan, my dear ancestors and nature spirits, I invite you on this day when the veil is thin, so we can together celebrate the holiday of Samhain. Welcome!"

Celebration

This part of the ritual is classical religious ceremony. These are activities that I will do:

Giving thanks to the deities, ancestors and the nature spirits, with my own words

Making a small list consisting of 3 goals that I want to achieve in the next pagan year

Special prayer dedicated to my ancestors, with my own words

Divination

Feast and celebration - eating and drinking, listening to some music that we find suitable for the holiday we are celebrating, dancing etc.

Closing

Giving thanks and bidding a farewell to the deities, ancestors and the nature spirits and after that closing the sacred circle, if you previously have drawn it.

(all hyperlinks direct to my ko-fi page)

Hi all!

My name is Juliet, I am a 23 year old transgender girl and I absolutely need to move along in my transition for my mental stability.

My next biggest step which I need as soon as possible is to start Hormone Replacement Therapy. I’m still working out the logistics of that such as where I would be getting them, the probability of a therapist’s note, etc.

Because of that, I would like to save up as much money as I can into a long term transition fund that I could dip into for help! Every dollar in that fund would go exclusively towards my transition and nothing else, unless I’m in a life threatening emergency.

I really hate asking for money, so I’m simply leaving this here in case anybody would like to donate to a trans girl who could use the help!

Please do not donate if you need the money for yourself or your family. Prioritize your health and safety. Feel free to signal boost, but feel no obligation 💕✨

Divination:

To learn the present character of a person:

Take the stem of an apple between your fingers and begin to twist counter clockwise whilst reciting the alphabet. Keep the person of interest in mind. Then refer to the rhyme.

Example: The stem breaks at “A”. The person in mind is currently focusing all their attention on accomplishing a specific goal. This could mean everything aside from this goal has been placed on the backburner and other life aspects are suffering for it.

————————————————————

“Tom Thumb’s Alphabet”

A was an Archer, who shot at a frog,

B was a Butcher, and had a great dog.

C was a Captain, all covered with lace,

D was a Drunkard, and had a red face.

E was an Esquire, with pride on his brow,

F was a Farmer, and followed the plough.

G was a Gamester, who had but ill-luck,

H was a Hunter and hunted a buck.

I an Innkeeper, who loved to carouse,

J was a Joiner, and built up a house.

K was King William, once governed this land,

L was a Lady, who had a white hand.

M was a Miser, and hoarded up gold,

N was a Nobleman, gallant and bold.

O was an Oyster girl, and went about town,

P was a Parson, and wore a black gown.

Q was a Queen, who wore a silk slip,

R was a Robber, and wanted a whip.

S was a Sailor, and spent all he got,

T was a Tinker, and mended a pot.

U was a Usurer, a miserable elf,

V was a Vintner, who drank all himself.

W was a Watchman, and guarded the door,

X was Expensive, and so became poor.

Y was a Youth, who did not love school,

Z was a Zany, a poor harmless fool.

————————————————————

To cause confusion:

Simply use the name of that which you want to confuse.

————————————————————

Anna Elise, she jumped with surprise;

The surprise was so quick, it played her a trick;

The trick was so rare, she jumped in a chair;

The chair was so frail, she jumped in a pail;

The pail was so wet, she jumped in a net;

The net was so small, she jumped on the ball;

The ball was so round, she jumped on the ground;

And ever since then she’s been turning around.

————————————————————

To trap a spirit:

Recite “Anna Elise” whilst braiding rope and tying knots. Replace the lines after, “…she jumped in the net”, with:

————————————————————

“…and now I’ve tied the final knot, and in my net was Anna set.

Try all her might, it’s structure is sound,

And ever since then she’s been turning around.”

————————————————————

At the end of this last line, tie one end of the string to the other to create a circle.

To Overcome Adversity

Or to Strengthen a Wind or Storm:

————————————————————

Arthur O'Bower has broken his band

And he comes roaring up the land;

The King of Scots with all his power

Cannot stop Arthur of the Bower.

————————————————————

To Induce Spirit Flight with a “Fail Safe”:

————————————————————

How many miles to Babylon?

Three score miles and ten.

Can I get there by candle-light?

Yes, and back again.

If your heels are nimble and your toes are light,

You may get there by candle-light.

————————————————————

Use a small candle and when it burns out, you shall be pulled back to your body.

Hagriding with use of a Poppet:

————————————————————

Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,

To buy little Johnny a galloping horse;

It trots behind and it ambles before,

And Johnny shall ride till he can ride no more.

————————————————————

To Replace What’s Been Lost:

————————————————————

Little Betty Blue,

Lost her holiday shoe.

What will poor Betty do?

Why, give her another,

To match the other,

And then she will walk in two.

Converting Energy is very easy and fun to do. Give it a try!

Energy is all around us, it may be negative or stagnant or one of the many diffrent types of energy. When you have negative energy hanging around in your space you probably want to get rid of it, next time try converting it into positive energy or program it with your intent, here's how!

So to start put your hands out in front of you and visulize the stagnant and negative energy being pulled from your entire space to your fingertips. now once its all at your fingertips, focus it all into a ball of energy between your hands. fill it with the intentions of positivity and changing from stagnant to powerful and positive. Once you have converted it and programmed your intent into it, put the energy where-ever you may want it. maybe you need an energy boost? Maybe fill your space back up with positive energy.

☀️ just an easy little tea to bring renewing energies to the start of your day!

- floral water*

- sun water

- chamomile tea

- honey**

- The Sun card***

☀️ prop up your sun card near your cup in front of you or hold it in your off hand and stir everything in clockwise, you can take a moment to meditate on your day if you’d like, sip and enjoy!

* sunflower, daisy, rose, wildflowers, dandelion, you can really use whatever just be safe!!

** locally sourced if you can for an extra boost! but honey is also totally optional in general :)

YESSSSS!!!! IT’S A GODS DAMN MASTERPIECE!!!! Seriously my favorite album of all time! So happy you are enjoying it!!

YESSSSS!!!! IT’S A GODS DAMN MASTERPIECE!!!! Seriously my favorite album of all time! So happy you are enjoying it!!

Never neglect yourself for even a second. I hope you find this helpful. There should be something for everyone here.

Relaxation

a hot bath with salts and candles

gentle stretching

take a quick shower

closing your eyes and being quiet for a few minutes

chamomile or peppermint or jasmine tea

Social

call a close friend & chat about nothing in particular

write a letter or postcard (I’m talking snail mail)

write that email you’ve been putting off

unplug yourself from social media for a bit

go out for coffee or tea with a pal

Organization

make a to-do list for when you’re feeling better

set priorities so as not to overwhelm yourself

clear off your workspace for when you’re ready

clean out your closet and/or drawers

sort through your papers for school

Body

try some yoga poses (learn some from youtube)

go for a walk, long or short, just so long as your heart gets pumping

play outside with your dog if you’re lucky enough to have one

somersaults, jumping jacks, push ups, cartwheels, etc.

dance vigorously to your favorite music

Skincare & hair care

please try a face mask (heavenly)

use that bath bomb you’ve been saving

moisturize your body with a lovely smelling lotion

look up a recipe for a homemade hair mask

learn a new hairstyle from youtube or pinterest

Beauty

remind yourself that you are beautiful, always have been, always will be

give yourself a mani-pedi (try fun colors!)

do your makeup as if you’re going out, just to feel glamorous

treat yourself to something small, like a new mascara or lipstick

get a free makeover from a store like sephora

Mental health

if applicable, make sure you take your meds. always.

curb the negative self talk as much as possible

get it all out in morning pages or a journal

find a counselor through your university or healthcare network

just share what you’re going through with someone, anyone

Schoolwork

you will feel better if you get at least one thing done, just a small thing

make a list of all the assignments you have to do then put it out of sight for a while

call a friend or contact a classmate if you need help (or your teacher/professor)

get some new stationery, even just one pen to make you smile

refresh your organizational system, to start over

Food

bake something for yourself or someone you know’s favorite dessert

bite into a crisp apple

avoid mindless snacking so you don’t regret it later

but you can indulge a little in your favorites

eat fresh, home-cooked meals

Drink

herbal tea and fruit tea (nature’s tranquilizers)

water infused with lemon or cucumber

fresh juice

never underestimate a big cold glass of water

avoid alcohol because it is a depressant

Entertainment

put on a favorite (preferably funny) movie or show

put on your favorite music or soundtrack

reread a favorite book

find a new book at the library you just can’t put down

walk around or go about the house listening to an audiobook

De-clutter

delete apps you no longer use

organize your digital files

donate clothes that don’t fit or you haven’t worn in 6 months

go through your belongings and ask if something really brings you joy

purge your fridge of uneaten foods and condiments

Environment

if you have them, diffuse some essential oils (lavender and chamomile)

get into a fresh headspace by changing your locale (the library, a coffee shop, etc)

light some candles

use soft, warm lighting

spruce up your space with some low-maintenance plant friends (succulents)

Cleaning

make your bed

do a load of laundry

change your sheets (they will feel crisp and awesome when you go to bed)

sweep the floor

do a quick wipe down of counters

Comfort

put on a fluffy rope or a roomy hoodie

slippers or big fuzzy socks

pants with an elastic waist  

perch yourself on the couch or snuggle in bed

deep breaths

Hygiene

wash your face

shower

wash your feet (if you can’t bring yourself to shower)

change your underwear

put on an outfit that makes you feel like a warrior

Day trips

the lake

the beach

a hiking trail

museum (don’t forget your student discount!)

a new part of town you’ve never explored

Miscellaneous

learn a new skill

start studying a new language (like you’ve been meaning to)

take a twenty minute nap

practice gratitude

play a video game

Things not to underestimate

hugs

hearing “I love you”

saying “I love you”

cuddling with a pet

alone time

Things to remember

you are not alone

you are loved

you will get through the worst you could imagine

this is all temporary

The Earth Day Event will take place from April 16th through April 22nd. There will be lots of Earth-related tasks that can be completed throughout the week, as well as daily challenges worth a lot of points.

By the end of the week, the three members with the most points win some custom prizes created by the Pagan Sanctum staff team! 

We are excited for this event and hope it allows you to connect more with the Earth and the natural world around you 💚💙

To participate in the event and all the other fun stuff we have going on, join our Discord server! We are a community for witches, pagans and polytheists of all kinds of paths. In Pagan Sanctum we can discuss our faiths and practices in a safe environment and learn from each other. We have lots of discussion prompts, various clubs to join and exciting events. You can join here