my journey as a witch

Shelby gave a list o’ topics I might want to ramble on about. As I’m literally in the middle of writing a spell, I thought, “Hm, no fucking excuse not to jot this fucking shit down”

And thus this post was born. 

I have two modes of creating a spell. One is more common than the other. But I’ll detail them below.

Method One:

Now, I’m notoriously slap-dash with my spell work. If I can’t do it in the amount of time it takes to make up a cuppa tea, I’m probably not going to bother. Charm bags are typically pre-made so ingredients can be tossed together rapidly and sewn shut in under three minutes (steeping time for tea, you’ll note). Ingredients are collected off the top of my head, dumped in a stoneware bowl, usually with some sort of murmur over them. What I say varies. When aggressive, I’ll say something like: “you motherfuckin’ herbs better bring my ass money” and other times I’ll just chant money a billion times. Sometimes I’ll sing or speak. Most of the time I just push my intent and go about my business. If I don’t make a charm bag I’ll do a knot spell. 

Method Two:

When I create a spell for a client or for some reason I want a more detailed spell, I pull out my thinking cap. First I either get back to my client and find out exactly what they want. If it’s me, I do a dreaded sit-down-and-think session. Either way, I end up with a list of things I want to happen. Then I go about researching ingredients for the purposes listed, tracing the herbal purposes either to folklore or actual herbalism. I try to back up any stone or metal included with medical or scientific data if possible besides folklore. If necessary, I research the symbols or sigils needed (or create them). I decide on color symbolism, shape symbolism, and how I want to spell to physically appear (jar, charm bag, etc.) By the time all of this research has been done, any herb infused oil I’ve created will be ready to soak any fabrics or whatever in. Once the physical embodiment of the spell has gathered (if not created) I start researching words.

Wording usually isn’t something I concentrate on. I don’t typically have long, involved chants or whatever. My memory isn’t that good and I feel silly sometimes. Most of the time I don’t even bother except with simply stating the intent. Still, I pour over my wording choice pretty carefully. Lawyers would be proud. I want no wiggle room. I want the spell to go off in a certain way, in a certain manner. Magic is like water; it takes the easy way out, even if the easiest way out is to break things down. I make sure to know when I want the spell to happen as well. This research can take weeks, depending on my spell’s intent. 

All of that done, I’ll haul out the incense, candles, oils, and chalk to doodle whatever’s needed on the floor. I’ll set up my workspace and ready my physical spell (because sometimes I’ll create the item while doing the spell). And then I’ll get to work. 

At some point in time during the actual spell process I’ll cross over to the other side and do additional spell work there. It might be tweaking the way the spell manifests or subtly altering things to make it easier. Oh, there are hundreds of little things I could and do do on the other side to help the spell, depending on what the spell is. Either way, I fiddle about there then cross back to this side to finish up the spell.

Once completed I deliver my spell’s physical embodiment, if necessary, and go on my way.

Sometimes, when we're calling spirits, they're arrive without us knowing. The spirit could be standing right in front of us waving, and our subtle senses just aren't fine-tuned enough to see them. Some get around this by working with a scryer. Others might build the ritual pressure in the space until the spirit is compelled into become more visible. Something i find consistently reliable is utilizing forms of passive divination.

This way, you have ways of diving a spirit's presence without having to pull your attention away from your conjurations or ritual actions.

Passive divination methods for spirit conjuration could include:

Burning incense to see figures and signs in the smoke

Letting candles melt to look for symbols in the wax

Hanging bells around the space

A water scrying set up where the surface is oily to more easily produce images

Above, I included photos from a ritual I did a while ago where I used candles and stone with a similar purpose. This stone was being consecrated as a tool to scry with in the future, and I wasn't receiving clear signs that the spirit i called had come. It wasn't until I looked down and saw the melted wax in the form of a black hand that I realized they were sitting with me. It was small and very subtle, so subtle I could've easily missed it.

Oh dear. I’m ashamed of how bad I am at keeping routines. 

I think the only thing I manage to do daily (and stick to it) is be on this hell of a site and occasionally create content for my gods on it. I’ve tried so many times to keep up with daily things, even tiny daily offerings and I suck at it so bad. 

Now, when it comes to regular devotional activities, the most common one is definitely everything that’s related to alcohol.

 I share my drinks, of course, but on a deeper level I put focus on doing research about it (wines, wine tasting, enology especially etc…) and also exploring. I’ve recentely discovered a type of wine that is so so special and dear to Dionysus. I do plan to write about it later. 

Forcing myself to go out is something I’ve started recently to connect with Pan. I’m lucky enough to have access to wooded areas near my place and Pan is better honored outside, in nature. 

Something I used to do and can’t anymore (I moved), is to go pick my vegetables and fruits at my local farm. I used to dedicate this to Demeter and to Dionysus (in his more rural aspects). 

Research, I guess. Going to look for more information about a chosen deity because I just want to understand everything and unlock layers of understanding that I don’t yet have.

Apart from that, I’m an impulsive worshipper who tends to give offerings…on impulse, like when I go shopping and see something that I know will make a good offering. Now that grapes and figs are in season it’s common for me to put those fruits in Dionysus’ offering bowl. I don’t even always attach a prayer, it’s more of an informal “hey, I brought you stuff from the shop, enjoy!”. 

Traditionally,the food was burnt so the smoke would reach the Gods. Since most of us can’t dothis, the idea is to dispose of the food respectfully or to consume it. For libations, the liquid was often either pouredin a fire or on the earth (which is something you can do if you havehouseplants or a garden).

Thechoice of disposing the offerings or eating it is yours though. Quite a lot ofpeople do it; others don’t, either because they find this rude or because theywant to stick up to the tradition. I think people who are closeted tend to consumeofferings more simply because they don’t have much choice. The Theoi seem to befine about it so it’s more of a personal thing.

A nice cup and some clean, fresh, water on the altar can often be all you need for daily offerings

Grow a plant on your altar, use your weekly watering as a devotional act. Hermes is currently helping my peace lily grow :)

Draw their sigil on your nails and then paint over them with nail polish that matches their color correspondences.

If you can’t acquire alcohol for your deities (wine, vodka etc) because you’re too young, white vinegar also works. The quality we’re looking for is the purification aspect. White vinegar is natural, antibacterial and never goes bad. You can leave it on your altar until it evaporates if you want.

If you work with a deity involved with self love like Aphrodite, investing a little more time into your skin care and scent can be very rewarding. Nothing super boujie, it can be as simple as getting some nice smelling lotion at the dollar store.

Food and water offerings don’t have to be external, especially if you’re in the broom closet and don’t have an altar. Reserve the first bite of your meal for your deity. Savour its taste while you think about them. Pour yourself a crisp glass of cold water and guzzle it as a devotional act.

Use a washable or dry erase marker to draw sigils on your shower wall for bath rituals. It’ll come right off when you’re done.

Tea bags are just bags of dried herbs. You can use these as offerings or draw sigils on them and burn them for witchcraft. No one is ever suspicious about a little tea. Adding a tea bag to your water offerings also gives them an extra kick.

A couple dollars at the thrift store will take you a long way. I love thrifting items because they’re usually well loved. I especially like thrifting spirituality books that past practitioners have written in. Sometimes my deities communicate with me through the books that are available on any given day. If I was just talking to Leviathan about the power of water and I see a book about Hydromancy, I know that he’s sending me a sign. Like, 90% of the books Lucifer has sent me popped up at the thrift store. Most expensive one was $7.99. (and I tag swapped it for 2.99 😊 thanks, Hermes-

and on this note, literally steal. Not from small local thrift stores, but I mean this with my whole chest, steal from Value Village. If you can sneakily swap a tag and get something for cheaper literally do it. Value Village gets all their inventory for free I literally do not care. Corporate thrift stores don’t deserve rights. I steal from Value Village as a devotional act to Hermes 😊 lmao )

If you don’t have money to spend on really nice paintings and posters of your deities for your altar, start buying books about them. It’s a double win. A book about Greek religion will certainly have multiple beautiful sculptures and paintings of Aphrodite that I can cut out and put on my wall. A book about angels might have a cool painting of Lucifer. Books about Goddesses, ancient religions, anthropology, astrology etc. You get the opportunity to learn, and if it’s a book you don’t particularly care too much for, you can take it apart for imagery. People ask me all the time where I got all of my paintings and pictures from. BOOKS.

Does your deity have a kind of complicated sigil that you love but you also kinda hate redrawing every other day? Sorry Cerberus (Naberius) I love you but that sigil is so complicated babe.

Learn how to block print! It’s very simple. You get a block of linoleum (usually pretty cheap, I think mine were like $5) , some ink (~$10), and a carving tool (varies depending), and make a sigil stamp! All you gotta do is draw your sigil and carve it out nicely one time. You can still bless it and imbue it with your energy, and you can easily put it on prayers, talismans etc.

Winter Cleansing Ritual

Simple meditation for dispelling negative energy.

Tools:

Charcoal: absorb toxic/negative energy

Pine: cleansing, improve personal satisfaction

Incense/Smoke: to enhance mood, release energy (something with pinene for this ritual)

Snow: purification

Sometimes things just work out, as this is a post I wanted to write. In @nordicsatyr ‘s latest post about offerings for Dionysus, pine resin has been mentionned. Coincidentally, it happens that my latest behind-the-scene “research” (more like luck, but whatever) has actually been about pine resin. 

Let me start off by answering and saying that I agree on the fact that pine resin was very probably also used as incense for Dionysus. It sounds logical, but I won’t go further on that:  I’m not a huge incense consummer, as I live in a small apartment and have a cat, so I’m especially careful about burning anything when she’s around. 

Anyway, what got me to dig into the importance of pine resin is the existance of a type of traditional Greek wine called Retsina. It’s most often a dry white wine which has the particularity of being infused with pine resin. See where I’m getting? It, of course, makes a pretty darn perfect offering for Dionysus. Taste-wise, it is very unique and unsettling at first, because the wine has this resin-like aroma which adds a slight touch of bitterness. 

Like a lot of Greek traditions, retsina takes its roots from Antiquity for a very practical reason: the Greeks used pine resin to seal the amphorae. The earliest record we have is from the roman writer Columella (1st century AD), who explains that they use different types of pine resin depending on whether it’s for sealing or for mixing with wine. Barrels replaced the use of amphorae by the 3rd century AD, which could mean that every greek wine (probably the italian ones too) produced before the 3rd century were either sealed with pine resin or mixed with it. How much aroma did the seal give to the wine, is what I ask myself now.

This explains on a much deeper level the intimate relationship between the pine tree (more especially the Aleppo pine tree) and Dionysus. Yes, the pinecone is on the thyrsus is a phallic symbol, but pine resin has a direct relationship with wine-making. Which association came first?

Draw sigils with water on surfaces before cleaning them, imbuing your cleaning routine with intention.

Carve or paint sigils on candles before burning them.

Draw sigils invisibly using water, salt water, or herbal water on surfaces.

Paint sigils under layers of paint on walls or doors.

Visualize sigils while focusing on their purpose during meditation.

Apply sigils as temporary tattoos or body art for personal intentions.

Incorporate sigils into cooking and baking:

Draw sigils in oil on pans before cooking

Visualize sigils while preparing food

Stamp sigils into cookies or pie crusts

Use sigils in crafting projects like altar cloths, jewelry, or ritual items.

Draw sigils into hot drinks while stirring them.

Create verbal sigils by rearranging letters from your intention into a chant-like phrase.

Develop movement-based sigils using hand gestures, dance, or yoga poses.

Make a sigil rubber stamp to easily apply it to various surfaces.

Embroider sigils onto clothing or accessories.

Use sigils as phone or computer wallpapers.

Incorporate sigils into your journaling or planner layouts.

Create sigil art pieces to display in your home or workspace.

Draw sigils in the steam on mirrors after showers.

We’ve done it. It is September 30th and I’ve written the last post of this 30-day challenge. I know that the posts will get lost over time through the daily reblogs and content, so here’s the final masterpost. 

Introductory post

How did you become first aware of this deity?

Symbols and icons of this deity

A favorite myth or myths of this deity

Members of the family – genealogical connections

Other related deities and entities associated with this deity

Names and epithets

Variations on this deity (aspects, regional forms, etc.)

Common mistakes about this deity

Offerings – historical and UPG

Festivals, days, and times sacred to this deity

Places associated with this deity and their worship

What modern cultural issues are closest to this deity’s heart? 

Has worship of this deity changed in modern times?

Any mundane practices that are associated with this deity?

How do you think this deity represents the values of their pantheon and cultural origins?

How does this deity relate to other gods and other pantheons?

How does this deity stand in terms of gender and sexuality? (historical and/or UPG)

What quality or qualities of this god do you most admire? What quality or qualities of them do you find the most troubling?

Art that reminds you of this deity

Music that makes you think of this deity

A quote, a poem, or piece of writing that you think this deity resonates strongly with

Your own composition – a piece of writing about or for this deity

A time when this deity has helped you

A time when this deity has refused to help

How has your relationship with this deity changed over time?

Worst misconception about this deity that you have encountered

Something you wish you knew about this deity but don’t currently

Any interesting or unusual UPG to share?

Any suggestions for others just starting to learn about this deity?

These pastries are designed to symbolize affection and bring warmth, attraction, and devotion into your relationship.

What you'll need to make love letter pastries for a love spell

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed if frozen (for attraction and sweetness)

1/2 cup strawberry jam (for love and passion)

Powdered sugar, for dusting (to sweeten the bond)

A few drops of rose water (for romance)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C.) Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut it into squares about 3x3 inches.

Place a small dollop (about a teaspoon) of strawberry jam in the center of each square.

Gently fold each corner toward the center, overlapping slightly to form an envelope shape. Press down gently to seal the edges so the jam doesn’t leak out during baking.

Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut heart shapes from the leftover puff pastry sheet.

Place the hearts on top of each 'envelope.'

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the pastries with some space in between. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the pastries are golden and puffed up.

While the pastries are still warm, lightly brush each one with a drop or two of rose water for added romance. Dust the pastries with powdered sugar to represent the sweetness in your relationship.

As you prepare the pastries, visualize your intentions for love, devotion, or a strengthened connection. Think of warm, loving moments and speak an affirmation, such as: “With every fold, I seal our bond; with every heart, I bring warmth and love. May these treats bring joy and affection, filling us with warmth and connection.”

00.01 table of contents

I am disclosing all of the sources that I used to get my information for each chapter in my grimoire! I also disclose any UPG* (unverified personal gnosis) that I write in the chapter.

Each section below will have a hyperlink to the post with all of the source links embedded at the end. Make sure to tell me if a link is broken!

Note: some sources may be listed multiple times under different chapters depending on how often they are used

Stay tuned for the Cliff Notes and Margin Notes versions!

0.00 disclaimer

01.00 introduction

01.01 book blessing + protection [private]

01.02 devotion-dedication [private]

01.03 codes-rules-tenets

01.04 intentions + goals [private]

01.05 learn more [private]

01.06 how to practice around burnout

02.00 about author [private]

I will not include these chapters in my public grimoire.

02.01 names

02.02 personal craft

02.03 life path number

02.04 birth tarot card

02.05 astrology birth chart

02.06 my celtic zodiac

02.07 ancestry

02.08 personal symbols

03.00 nature

03.01 green magick

03.02 herbs + plants

03.03 herb gardening tips

03.04 gardening

03.05 water magick

03.06 elements

03.07 tree lore

03.08 connecting with nature

04.00 hearth [soon]

04.01 kitchen magick

04.02 intent

04.03 ingredients

04.04 seasons

05.00 recipes [soon]

05.01 general tips

05.02 drinks

05.03 foods

05.04 remedies

05.05 infusions

05.06 sachets + jars

05.07 misc

Attracting

fill a small jar with honey and add a written statement of intent to the jar - seal and set the jar in direct sunlight to manifest your intent

stir your morning coffee or tea in a clockwise motion while focusing on the intent of what energies you wish to attract for the day

fill a jar with herbs and crystals that represent what you want to attract and add a statement of intent

charge a crystal and wear on your person to attract certain energies

create a sigil and either draw it on yourself or on paper and keep in your pocket

create a talisman, charge it, and wear it to attract various energies

Banishing

take an item that represents what you wish to banish and: throw it in the trash, flush it down the toilet, burn it, bury it, drown it

burn the item and sweep the ashes out the back door or bury them

carve the name of what you want to banish into a black candle and let it burn down completely - bonus points if the candle is anointed with herbs or a binding oil

transmute negative energy into a stone (preferably a black stone like onyx) and throw it over the fence in your backyard (or whichever direction is south in reference to your home)

stir your morning coffee or tea in a counter-clockwise motion while focusing on the intent of what energies you wish to banish for the day

using incense that is associated with banishing negative energy, walk around your space in a counter-clockwise motion with the lit incense in your hand

Binding & Sealing

wrap a string around a poppet or other representation of the target or item you wish to bind

put the poppet or other representation in a plastic bag filled with water and freeze it

place the item in a black box and seal it - store in a dark place or bury the box in your backyard

write the item you want to bind on paper and seal with wax - keep safe until the bond is broken

perform a tie-breaking spell

Blessing & Consecrating

anoint an object with holy or blessed water/oil

use spring water to bless objects

place the object in a dry bath of herbs or flowers that are known for blessing

pass the object through incense smoke that is associated with blessing

use a censer to consecrate a place or a room

Cleansing

leave the item in the path of direct moon, sun, or starlight

place in a dry bath or herbs or flowers that are associated with cleansing

place the item in a bowl of sea salt

pass the item through incense smoke that is associated with cleansing

pass the item through running water

anoint the item with a cleansing oil or charged water

bury the item in soil for 3 days so it may be “reborn” when unearthed

place a cleansing crystal on top of or next to the item

hang a wind chime outside of your home to negate negative energies before they have the chance to enter your home

physically clean and freshen your space - dust, mop, open the windows and let some fresh air inside (you can view this as an "out with the old and in with the new" situation)

Cursing

fill a poppet with baneful herbs and crystals, seal it, and store in a black box

add baneful herbs and crystals to a jar with a piece of paper that states the target’s name or a description of them and seal it

create a poppet or other representation of the target and destroy it (commonly by burning)

utilize martian or saturnian energy for baneful magic

stab the poppet with pins and needles

curse an item and "gift" it to the target

Dreams & Sleep

fill a sachet with herbs associated with restful sleep and peaceful dreams and hang above your bed

place the sachet under your pillow

wash your bedsheets and sleep clothes with a few drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil

alternately, choose fabric softener that is lavender scented to wash your sheets or sleep clothes with

create a sigil for peaceful dreams or dream recall, charge under the light of the moon, and place it under your pillow before you go to sleep

utilize lunar or neptunian energy in dreamwork

mugwort, peppermint, or valerian root tea before bed for vivid, lucid dreams

chamomile tea before bed for restful sleep

lemon verbena (vervain) tea before bed for dreamless sleep

when bathing at night, create a sachet that matches your intent and place in the bath or shower

Glamours

utilize energy from venus and pluto for beauty and transformation but also neptune for illusions, mysticism, and confusion

anoint the containers of beauty and hair products with venus (beauty) or pluto (transformation/metamorphosis) water/oils/herbs

leave the item you wish to cast a glamour on under the full moon

charge a talisman with the effect you wish to have on others and wear when you go out for the day

add pluto water/oils/herbs and moon water to a bath for a full body glamour (write your intent with bath crayons on the tub or shower wall for an extra boost)

create an energetic shield over yourself in which the outside mirrors what you want others to perceive of you

Goal & Wish Manifestation

write your intent on a bay leaf and burn it

turn your intent into a sigil and store it in a jar filled with herbs or other items that represent said intent

place a written description of your goal or wish in the center of a crystal grid using stones that are associated with manifestation and power

place a coin in moon water while focusing on your wish or goal (leave container under direct moonlight overnight so that it may charge)

light a candle whose color matches your intent and while focusing on your goal or wish, blow out the candle

add a catalyst to your spell

use energy from mars (power) or jupiter (luck)

Personal Power & Effects

create or enchant a talisman that represents your intent, charge it, and wear it on your person

add herbs that are associated with personal power to a ritual bath

create a potion from herbs associated with power and drink in the morning for a boost during the day (think caffeine)

use a catalyst in the aforementioned activities

utilize whichever planetary/cosmic energy you see fit

Warding

sprinkle a mixture of protective herbs around the perimeter of your home while walking clockwise

leave protective crystals at each corner of your space

hang a protective amulet above the door to your space; wear a protective amulet for personal protection

create a protective witch bottle and bury near your front door

plant herbs or flowers that are associated with protection outside at each corner of your home

draw a protective sigil or symbol on the outside of your front and back door with saturn or protective water/oils

hang witch balls or a witch’s ladder near your front door

create an energetic shield and place over yourself, your loved ones, or your entire home

Wealth, Prosperity, & Luck

craft a money bowl and place it at the farthest left point away from the entrance of your home

involve mercury or jupiter in your spellwork (luck, money)

anoint candles with mercurial or jovian oils and/or herbs and burn on wednesdays or thursdays (ruled by mercury and jupiter)

use prosperity/luck runes or craft sigils to carve into candles

on the first of the month, you can do the following: say "rabbit rabbit" for good luck all month and let that be the first thing you say when you wake up; blow powdered cinnamon into your front door from the outside or place a cinnamon stick above your front door for prosperity

craft a crystal grid using prosperity/lucky crystals - where you place it is up to you

Please be wary: - of putting essential oils directly on the skin or on items that your skin may come in contact with - of leaving crystals in prolonged sunlight (might fade) or exposed to liquid (might dissolve, might become toxic when dissolved) - of blowing cinnamon into a home or using incense that has pets, or humans with respiratory issues - ingesting/burning/touching herbs/plants/etc. that you are not familiar with (could be toxic, could affect the efficacy of your prescribed medications, could be harmful for pets or other members of your household)

compiled from my personal grimoire & based on my personal associations & research

If you cannot find representations for a given element, remember…

You are supported by a rigid skeleton made of minerals. You are earth.

Your body is over 70% fluid. You are water.

Your lungs take in and expel breath. You are air.

Your blood is warm and your brain runs on electrical impulses. You are fire.

Your essence, however you describe it, resides within you. You are spirit.

You are composed of gifts from every element, and every element is given marvelous life in you.

Never feel that you are insufficiently magical for lack of icons or accoutrements or accessories.