The basic version was a steel bar with two rings for index and pinkie fingers, and four steel claws for ripping into an enemy’s soft parts - probably neck and stomach, where there were no awkward bones and the result would be more effective.

These simple versions had an extra advantage of being easy to conceal…

…and sometimes the finger-rings would be gilded and decorated with gems as if they were just jewellery.

Okay, maybe quite a lot of jewellery.

I bet that if timing and location were organised properly, political assassination could be passed off - in honest belief or for convenience - as the victim having encountered a real tiger.

“But where are the marks of the tiger’s teeth?” That too could be arranged:

These double daggers have proper flattened-diamond blade profiles, and their points are too close for a full-grown tiger or leopard - but (fiction-writer imagination at work) there’s no reason why a special-purpose one couldn’t have been made with realistic separation and correct tooth-spike shape.

The modern era has seen plenty of convenient “accidents” and “suicides”(what writer Len Deighton calls XPD or Expedient Demise) so how good was Mughal-era CSI?

Or more correctly, when required by Certain Circumstances, how bad did it need to be?

If an Important Person announced: “Clearly a tiger did it. How sad. Too bad. Long live the new maharajah, my Dear Little Nephew”, the best way for doubters to maintain good health would be agreement…

*****

There was another version which - if the “attacked by a wild beast” excuse was still used - came with a suggestion that tigers in that particular region were getting disturbingly smart. (Though pointing this out may not have been wise, see above…) :->

These are bichuwa bagh nakh, “scorpion-sting tiger claws”, the dagger name deriving from its recurved blade shape resembling the business end of a scorpion’s tail.

They were sometimes carried in combat, bichuwa bagh nakh in the left hand and a talwar (curved) or khanda (straight) sword in the right.

During close-quarter grappling the claws could rake and the dagger stab, while the finger-rings meant less risk of dropping it.

In the same way that many Indian weapons had “tacticool” add-ons - miniature pistols, axe-gun combinations, concealed daggers and so on - there were bagh nakh with more than just one extra blade…

…bagh nakh with extra folding blades and a knuckle-guard…

…and this articulated contraption which (IMO anyway) was for defence as well as attack.

*****

It was, like the much simpler two-ring-no-blades version, a lot less obvious than the first photo suggests…

…and since many Indian helmets were open-faced while others had face-protection only of mail…

…a surprise slap across the face might spoil any warrior’s day.

The reason I think it also had a defensive purpose is the fairly thick metal palm and that little spur low down on it, almost certainly meant to stop a palm-blocked blade from sliding any further.

I’m not sure there’s enough articulation for such a blade to be actually gripped tightly, but once trapped between spur and claws it could be twisted aside for long enough that a weapon in the other hand could attend to its wielder.

*****

I suspect I have a tulpa (and have had one for most of my life), but I'm wondering... In trying to look up what tulpas are, I keep seeing the word "host" floating around - and that makes me wonder what that means, like if a tulpa is supposed to possess you or take over your mind to help you like a friendly ghost, or an alter in cases of D.I.D.

My (suspected) tulpa's always been a separate entity, but they've never possessed me or taken over my body/mind. They're helpful and can help me move in cases where I struggle to move (depression-induced lethargy, or generally being sick and physically weak) in a similar way to "possessing" those body parts if not just moving those body parts like a flesh person might help me to move, but they've never possessed by body or mind entirely like a ghost, or alter style. Not a separate personality that takes over my body; a separate entity entirely that only I can see and feel - someone bound exclusively to me.

In trying to put a name to what they are, and trying to find out what tulpas are and if they're one - I'm wondering if the term fits for them? And by what definition I'd be their "host"?

Hi anon! so dw cuz that kind of partially using the body is totally normal in a lot of systems. The tulpamancy community calls partial possession- one of the first things I controlled with the body was our voice, actually! Not all tulpas decide to learn to front, so it's not required. The way you describe it sounds like you're pretty avoidant of the term "personality", which I 100% get. A lot of systems don't like that word used to refer to their headmates, regardless of origin or CDD, and feel like they're separate entities that live in the body just like you. Not everybody feels like they're "taken over" by their tulpa when they front, just that they're existing alongside 'em. This is usually called being co-conscious (both just chilling together in the mind) or co-fronting (both using the body)!

We have a “new” one like this. But we also have DID so we’re willing to take your answer with a grain of salt since experiences definitely vary.

When my host a teen and into paganism and Wicca, he decided to make a thoughtform. Her name was Eria. He felt her presence sometimes, but never really talked with her. Not like he did with me where we could have full conversations.

And then he got to a point where he no longer believed in magick or spirits. Or Eria. Then years later, here I am. And he starts thinking about Eria and when he does, he can feel her again. And he pushes her away. This happens a couple times until one night we're laying down to sleep and we feel and hear her. And she's even able to takeover the body for a moment. She seems stronger than any of the ephemerals we've had. So that's a good sign. And she remembers my host being young and spending time with him. She remembers those days from her perspective.

So it would seem safe to say that she's the same Eria...

Probably...

But do we know for certain? Can we know for certain?

I mean, plenty of fictives will have source memories. Could this Eria just remember these things because we think she should remember them, and therefore she does?

I don't know. And I think it's okay to not know for certain sometimes. If Eria says she was always here and she's the same Eria my host talked to, then it costs nothing to believe her because she's one of our headmate now and I'd rather trust her than not.

I don't know what you can glean from that or how it might apply to your circumstances, but those are our experiences.

How did the cards appear? Because I shuffle for jumpers, it matters whether cards pop from the deck together. They form pairs (or groups) which have stronger connections to each other than other cards in the spread.

What types of cards are on the field? Majors? Minors? All numerical cards? Court cards? What suits? What numbers? This is where I consider the raw, memorized meaning of individual cards and the archetypes they represent.

Are there obvious patterns or cadences in the order? Think like poetry, ABAB or AABB, but with the types of cards. In a hand of five, it's interesting if the order is Major-Minor-Major-Minor-Major. Or maybe the cards are in a descending numerical order, Nine-Eight-Seven-Six-Five. Or, perhaps Nine-Eight-Six-Five-Four -- the jump in the pattern matters.

Are there repeating numbers or suits? Repetition strengthens the significance of a number's or suit's meaning.

Are there repeating motifs in the card art? Again, repetition strengthens the significance. This includes colors, background details, people, animals, and so forth.

Where are figures in the art looking? Are they looking at other cards? At each other? Away from each other? The direction of figures' attention directs where that card's focus might be.

Is there a cohesion or flow in the spread, or is it interrupted and disorganized? Some spreads flow smoothly left to right, while others show disruption and a lack of coherency. This question looks a the spread as a whole again after all other questions have been asked to consider all elements together.

Does it make sense? Do the cards answer the question being asked? How do they apply? Is there something missing? Is there a deeper meaning to delve into? Do I need clarifiers? Do I need to try again with new cards? Can I explain these cards to the querent and have them understand my meaning?

And then I write out my analysis! There's obviously more to it than this, with a ton of nuance at every step, and I could probably write a whole essay about any individual part of this... and I probably still will, honestly. (And I started to, then decided to just write up a little list instead, lmao.)

here's the original blog post, from the 90s, that introduces 'plural' as a purposefully non-medical alternative to 'multiple'

[image text: "This is one reason our clan encourages use of the word "plural" rather than "multiple". "Multiple", even standing by itself, brings to mind MPD/DID, "multiple personality disorder", "dissociative identity disorder", which are specific diagnoses created by the medical/therapeutic community. "Plural" is a much more neutral word, more commonly heard in the context of grammar than psychiatry. (The other reason, of course, is that plural can be construed to have a broader meaning, applying to anyone(s) anywhere on the continuum who experience themselves as plural in some way. )"]

FOR TEN SECONDS, by ISLA NARANJA DE BUENOS VIAJES

Content: Rated PG for some swear words.

Medium: A narrative comic book personal zine, full color, for reading on screen.

Duration: 13 pages, with front cover.

Accessibility: Some text is intentionally overlapping, obscured, low contrast, or otherwise difficult or partially impossible to read, because of legitimate reasons of artistic expression. Not screen reader compatible.

Story: A plural system broods about things while driving home from work. They worry among themselves about feeling overworked and lonely, and wanting to share meaningful experiences with others who care about them. This leads to a brief but very difficult dissociative experience. (The system members are depicted as nonhuman creatures. Several of them are fictives, that is, they came from a world that is known here as fiction, and they have some dialog about that.)

Vibe: intense, clamorous, stressful, moody, wistful, but (mild spoiler) ends on a wholesome note.

I'm so glad you asked! Have a bunch of links I keep on-hand for this very question:

This guide to questioning (and definitions of basic terms) by @/shadowfae

My "questioning" tag, which has both posts talking about general advice and posts answering specific questions (and posts with people talking about their own questioning processes)

A list of typical experiences for various alterhuman identities (note typical, not required or universal)

A list of places to interact with other nonhumans, which honestly is the best way to try and learn what being ‘kin really looks like (because while “it means you identify as nonhuman” is all well and good for a definition, what exactly that means is not always crystal clear)

My general “kin resources” tag has A Lot in it, a lot of which is not going to be relevant to you specifically, but it's there if you want to peruse it

While I don't have a list onhand yet, I would also recommend trying to find writings by others with kintypes that are the same as or similar to the ones you're questioning, and comparing notes with what they've written. Websites are going to be a good place to do that, especially if the tag for your kintype on Tumblr is underwhelming - I'll recommend houseofchimeras dot weebly dot com (you know how Tumblr is with external links, sorry) and their Bookmarks page for a place to get started finding those. (Generally speaking, whenever you find a good alterhuman website, they'll likely have a Bookmarks, References, Further Reading, etc. page full of links to other websites. Find that page and go through it to find other good websites, and then rinse and repeat.)

A poem written on June 24th 2021 from an introject of Nakahara Chuuya, whom loved the outside and the summer air, but was here for only less than a week before becoming uncontactable.

"There's something that says

the fly only lives two days

spinning around, doing nothing

but acting to perpetuate itself.

There is something that says

flies and bugs only need eat

and bare their children to survive.

Simplicity.

How complex it may seem

spinning around in a daze

unsure of what it wants

and what's the point of it all

if it's only going to die in two days.

The trees rustle overhead

Can it feel it? Can it really understand?

They say the fly only dies after two days

But isn't two days

Note: I am updating this^^ OG post from 2021 with updated information about our upcoming eclipse cycle (September-October 2025).

We are fast approaching eclipse season and I am already beginning to see the warnings show up across the witch universe. I assume that people who warn others against doing magic during the lunar and solar eclipses mean well but as a longtime astrologer AND witch, I would like to kindly disagree. Eclipse energy can seem unpredictable but also follows some very specific rules (like all lunar energy). If you know and understand these rules, you can get back to doing your normal lunar magic in no time.

To understand how to work with the lunar energy of eclipses, you simply have to combine a basic knowledge of all lunar magic cycles and some basic astrology about the lunar nodes. Don’t worry – I’ll walk you through it.

To start with, lunar energy is quite simple and well understood in the witchcraft community. The old saying “Wax on/Wane off” can be applied to her. When the moon is waxing (from the point of the new moon through the hours before the full moon), it is well aligned to cast spells where you are bringing something towards you and when the moon is waning (from the point of the full moon to the house before the new moon), it is best to cast magic where you are pushing or removing something away from you. This can be simplified as we make wishes or set intentions for growth and forward motion with the new moon and remove and banish with the full moon.

Now we add in our astrology. All eclipses are just supercharged new or full moons where the lunar event falls into alignment with the lunar nodes. The lunar nodes aren’t objects in the sky, they are imaginary points – actual representations of the places in the sky where the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth could fall into a line with one another. This line is oppositional, in the sense that it has a North Node and a South Node which are always found within opposite signs in the natal horoscope chart.

Eclipses always come in pairs*. A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes in between the Sun and the Moon and a solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. This always happens on the full moon and new moon, respectively. Because this happens near the lunar nodes, these cosmic events always include a conjunction between the Moon and either the North Node or the South Node.

This is where the complexity of eclipse magic comes into play.

Again – let’s simplify. The north and south nodes are a set of points that travels around the horoscope wheel. Energetically, they represent the tension point between where we’ve been (the South node) and where we are going (the North Node). In order to understand the energies of an upcoming eclipse, you must combine the energy of the lunar event (wax on for new moon/wax off for full moon) with the energies of whichever of the two nodes the moon will be conjunct at that time.

There are three possible options: new/new, old/old, and new/old.

I want to use the two upcoming eclipses to illustrate my point. On Tuesday, 9/17, we will experience a lunar eclipse (an eclipsed full moon) at 25° Pisces. Right now, our North Node is sitting at 06° Aries, and our South Node at 06° Libra; from this we can see that our lunar eclipse will be (widely) conjunct to the North Node. Therefore, we combine the energy of the full moon (old/waning) with the energy of the North Node (new/where we are going).

Likewise, our solar eclipse (eclipsed new moon) will occur at 10° Libra on Wednesday, 10/2. So we combine a new moon's waxing/new energy with the waning/where we’ve been energy of the South Node.

In both cases, these two lunar events will have both the energy of release and the energy of new beginnings at the same time. This is, I believe, the signature that has led many a witch to call eclipse energy “unpredictable” because if you are not accounting for both the push energy of the new and the pull energy of the old, you could easily get caught in a weird magic sandwich somewhere in the middle. We’re not those people though – we are empowered, well-informed witches!

The best way to harness eclipse energy, then, is to make sure that you have accounted both for the lunar energy and the nodal energy within your spell. See also: banishing an old love to make space for the new, or doing a ritual to remove something that is holding you back from pursuing your current goals. Just makes sure that you are working on both the bringing in and the letting go. You could include double action candles to represent both the push and the pull or have a part of the ritual dedicated to each aspect. That part is all you.

In this way, I believe that eclipses may be the best days of the year to perform big magic workings because, it seems to me, that all great endeavors involve both sides of the energetic coin in some fashion or another.

*occasionally threes **all dates/times in EST

In a previous post, we talked about gods, goddesses, and the many ways they can be worshiped in a modern pagan practice. However, the gods are not the only group of spiritual beings honored by modern pagans. While building relationships with deities makes up the bulk of practice for many people, a lot of pagans work with other groups of spirits as well, or may even work more closely with these “smaller” spirits than with the gods. One of these groups is the ancestors, the spirits of deceased humans who are part of our lineage — we’ll talk about them in a future post.

The other group of minor spirits commonly honored by modern pagans, and the topic of today’s post, are what I like to call the Spirits of Place. This is a broad category that includes land spirits, spirits of natural objects like trees and rivers, and spirits of man-made locations like a house or office building. Depending on your personal beliefs, it may also include animal guides, spirits of inanimate objects, and/or spirits honored in specific cultures like the fairies or the elves.

The idea that the world around us is spiritually alive and aware is present in some form in almost every culture and religion, and the worship of these Spirits of Place is well-documented in most historic pagan religions. For example, much of Irish folk spirituality revolves around appeasing the fairies, which we can understand as a special type of land spirit — this continued long after the conversion period, even after the worship of the Irish gods had faded into obscurity. Many Norse pagans honor the landvaettir (land spirits) and husvaettir (house spirits), which have survived in more recent Nordic folklore in the form of spirits like the Danish nisse or Swedish tomte, who are still honored at Christmas in some parts of Scandinavia. In Roman paganism, the lares, who are both land spirits and the guardians of man-made homes and are closely connected to the ancestors, are given a place of honor. Eclectic pagans may pull from one or more of these practices, or may honor their local spirits in their own unique way.

Honoring the Spirits of Place is not exclusive to pagan faiths. Practitioners of New Orleans Voodoo honor the ashe, the sacred energy, of the Mississipi River, one of their most prominent local landmarks. In Shinto, places and objects are said to have their own kami, which can be understood as gods or as spirits. Even in Christianity’s strictly monotheist system, God is often understood to be physically present in the world around us, a philosophy known as panentheism. I offer these non-pagan examples not because I think pagans should copy these other religions, but because I want to make a point about how pervasive the belief in Spirits of Place really is.

Connecting with the Spirits of Place can help us to engage more mindfully and in more meaningful ways with the world around us. When we accept that every plant, animal, rock, and building has its own spirit or soul, we interact with those objects in a more intentional way. We learn to think about our home not just as a place where we live, but as a spiritual entity that we have an active relationship with. We learn to think of our gardens not as a plot of dirt filled with plants, but as a community of land spirits and plant spirits all working together to provide us with nourishment. We learn to think of our cities not as concrete jungles, but as huge collections of spirits as diverse and fascinating as their human inhabitants. When we open our eyes to the spiritual world that exists alongside our own, we begin to see how the spiritual permeates every aspect of human life.

What is ancestor veneration?

Veneration simply means "to have great respect". I choose to use the term "ancestor veneration" over "ancestor work" because I believe that if you want to work with your ancestors, then you need to start by having a strong sense of respect for them. Your ancestors aren't attack dogs, nor are they slaves. They are not there for you to give orders to or treat with disrespect. Your ancestors are your family. Your ancestors are your guides and your protectors. They are the ones who came before you and are the very reason you were able to exist.

I say this because I often see people in the witchcraft and magic community try to treat spirits like attack dogs and slaves. Hell, I've seen people treat deities as such. It's pretty disturbing to me. Don't be one of those people.

Working with your ancestors is similar to all other forms of spirit work, though I wouldn't approach it the same. Your ancestors were once human. They had flaws in life and chances are some of them carried those flaws into death, too. They have their own morals and values. Not all of them deserve respect, and chances are there are some ancestors you don't want in your space. I'll address this later, though.

How do I determine who my ancestors are?

If you were raised by your blood relatives, this may be a little easier for you. The first thing you will want to do is ask your living family what they know. Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents... Ask them what they know and remember about your past relatives. Try to write down names when you hear them. If you are lucky enough to have relatives who keep detailed documentation about your ancestry, that is even better.

Depending on where you live, public documentation can be of great help. Old newspaper articles, obituaries... Try to figure out how you can make connections this way. You'd be surprised by the information you can find.

If you really want to dive deep into your heritage, ancestry DNA kits can help you with that. It can be expensive, and the databases of these companies vary, but it can be helpful. Some can connect you to distant relatives that have used the same ancestry DNA company. They can also give you a very general idea about where your ancestors came from.

If you were adopted, or generally have zero information regarding your blood relatives, that is okay. Your adopted family is still your family, depending on how you view them. If you love your adopted family, and truly consider them family, then you can choose to work with them, too.

I personally don't believe in the whole "your blood determines who your family is" thing. Family is more complex than that to me. That being said, if your parents or other relatives have any close friends that you grew up with, they could be considered family, too. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have people come into our lives and treat us like family. If you grew up with anybody like this, and consider them to be family, they can count as an ancestor too.

What if my ancestors were bad people?

I most commonly see this question being asked by white people. They usually refer to their racist, white ancestors. I even see people go as far as to claim white people can't work with their ancestors because of this.

Here is the thing: everybody has at least a few shitty people for ancestors. Your race does not make your immune to having bad people in your ancestry.

It is up to you to look at the ancestors you know of and determine who you want in your space. You are not required to work with every single ancestor you have. You have the right to say no to an ancestor and tell them to stay away from you. You do not need to work with racist, homophobic, transphobic, or whatever else ancestors.

You can set boundaries with your ancestors.

How do I start ancestor veneration once I determine who my ancestors are and which ones I want to honor?

Start by considering an ancestor altar. This can be easy for those of you who are in the broom closet due to hateful family. You can always pass it off as a little memorial spot for your past loved ones (this isn't even a false claim- an ancestor altar is literally a place to pay your respects). If you are able to, start collecting things for an ancestor altar.

The first things I suggest looking for are photos of your ancestors and things that belonged to them, if possible. You can add jewelry, things they used for their favorite hobbies... If you can't find the exact things they used for their hobbies, you could consider buying something that they would have used.

Your ancestors will need offerings, too. I know people tend to get a little intimidated about giving spirits regular offerings, so I suggest starting small and try keeping up with a schedule. Dedicate a specific day of the week to start. Once you feel comfortable with that day, make it two days of the week. If you are comfortable giving them offerings every day, even better!

Some of the easiest offerings you can give your ancestors include coins, cash, flowers, incense, candles, tobacco products and the sacred text of their chosen religion (such as a Bible). You can also include more personal offerings, such as a handwritten letter from yourself or a piece of artwork you created for them.

Food and liquid offerings, in my opinion, are a necessity. Your ancestors deserve to be well fed, too! They may not be here in their physical form to enjoy it, but it is still appreciated regardless. Get some plates and cups specifically for the ancestors. Give them a small portion of food before you eat. Leave it on the ancestor altar until breakfast/lunch/dinner time is over. What you choose to do with the food after is up to you. Some people throw it away, others eat it themselves. Drinks are important, too. Water is the most basic liquid offering you can give. I suggest changing water offerings out daily, if you are comfortable with daily offerings. You can also offer coffee, teas, soda and alcohol.

How do I communicate with my ancestors?

For you, it is as simple as speaking. Just talk to them like you would with your living relatives. This should be an obvious thing, but I have met people who have never considered just... talking. You don't need to use divination every time you want to talk to your ancestors. Just talk out loud to them. Whenever you give them offerings at their altar, thank them for any help they give you and talk to them a bit. Let them know you are thinking of them.

In terms of figuring out messages your ancestors send you, there are a few ways to do this. Divination is one of the most common ways to get their messages to you. You could also ask them to send you signs. Personally, when I'm asking my ancestors for signs, I use divination to try and get some symbolism to look out for. If I can't get anything from divination then I ask for specific things, such as coins. If you're the type to do dream work, you can also ask your ancestors to present themselves to you in your dreams.

Communicating with the ancestors isn't limited to these things, though, so see what works best for you. Sometimes different ancestors have different preferences and communicate different than others.

What can my ancestors do for me?

As I've mentioned before, your ancestors can guide you and protect you. You may also have ancestors who wish to help you with your magic workings, too.

Don't forget that your ancestors were once living people, too. They had their own boundaries when they were alive, and chances are they've got boundaries still. Be sure to get to know them, whether it be through listening to stories about them from your living relatives or through your own means of communication. One ancestor may not offer the same guidance or assistance that another ancestor does.

Book Recommendations

➳ "Badass Ancestors: Finding Your Power with Ancestral Guides" by Patti Wigington

➳ "Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration" by Mallorie Vaudoise (I haven't been able to read this one yet, but I see this book praised often.)

What Is A Sun Magick?

The Sun (also called Sol) is the one and only star in our solar system. Throughout the time almost every culture has worshiped the Sun as either a God or Goddess. Ancient Shamans used the power of the sun to heal the mind. The Sun is associated with life, health and healing. The light of guidance and illumination is an important magickal symbol. Solar energy helps you center in your own power, like the center of the solar system. Planet Earth orbits around the Sun. Other bodies that orbit the Sun include other planets, asteroids, meteoroids, comets and dust. Generally, the primary stellar body around which an object orbits is called its "sun", and stars in a multiple star system are referred to as the "suns" of bodies in that system.

Correspondences:

Associated deities: Aditi, Ah Kinchil, Ama-Terasu, Apollo, Aten, Brighid, Dhatara, Frey, Helios/Sol, Itzamna, Lucifer, Mithra, Mystere, Nitten, Paiva, Ra, Savitar, Apollo

Colors: Orange, amber, gold, yellow, red

Animals: Lion, Sparrowhawk, Griffin, Hawk, Bees

Incense: Cinnamon, clove, pine, citrus, Benzoin, Pine, Frankincense, Labdanum, Olibanum

Crystals: Sunstone, Goldstone, Ruby, Carnelian, Amazonite, Citrine, Tiger's Eye, Golden Topaz, Fire Agate

Sun Associations: Success, Empowerment, Ambition, Enlightenment, Goals, Generosity, Spirituality, Male energy, Health, Vitality, The Gods, Joy, Freedom, Leadership, Matters of the heart, Creativity, Friendship, Growth, Personal fulfillment, Self confidence, Wealth, Individuality, Pride, Energy, Power

Plants and Herbs: Sunflower, calendula, marigold, daylily, orange, citron, saffron, pine, mistletoe, rosemary, buttercup, heliotrope, bay laurel, daisy, walnut, acorn, maize, wheat, hops, cloves, cinnamon

Sun Phases

Sunrise

when the sun wakes up and peers over the horizon. This phase is all about new beginnings, changes, health, employment, renewal, resurrection and finding the right direction.

The Morning

the sun is growing in strength, so it brings the magical power for growth, positive energy, resolutions, courage, harmony, happiness, strength, activity, building projects and plans, prosperity and expansion of ideas.

High Noon

When the sun reaches its peak in the sky at midday – work magic for health, physical energy, wisdom and knowledge. It is also a good time to pop your tools or crystals out that need charging. (Note: some crystals can fade in strong sunlight so check first before putting them out).

Afternoon

This is a time to work in your communication, clarity, travel, exploration and professional matters

Sunset

As the sun takes itself off down below the horizon, work magic for removing depression, stress and confusion, letting go, releasing or finding out the truth of a situation.

Sun Water

Sun water is very similar to moon water. But rather than being charged by the moon, it’s charged by the sun. Sun water can be especially useful for helping boost the energy of a spell, to help an intention grow, and to cleanse.

Instructions:

Get a glass bottle

Fill it with any type of water.

Leave the bottle with water out in the sunlight or shade (indirect sunlight) during any time of day and for your preferred amount of time.

***I understand that cursing is a controversial topic for some people. I don't believe in the threefold's law or whatnot, so such things aren't a concern for me. I do, however, advise you to only curse someone who truly deserves it. Curses are meant to be permanent and difficult to break, while hexes aren't nearly as potent. Do with that knowledge what you will. Intense spells will be marked with "***".***

Curses (long-term, usually permanent)

"Supernatural Soul Eater" curse***

"Red Heart" curse

"Gentle Curse" curse

"Hekatean Witchcraft Curse" curse

"From This Pain, I Will Rise" curse

"Blood Rain" tied with protection↓***

"Curse For Protection" tied with blood rain↑***

"Drown In Your Horrors" curse

"To Sink A Sailor" curse

"Curses For Empathy" curse

"My Pain To Yours" curse

"Beauty & The Beast" curse

"Your Joy Will Turn To Ashes" curse***

"Your True Nature Revealed" curse

"Releasing The Hounds" curse***

"The Curse Of Arrows" curse

"Lollipop Curse" curse

"Anon Hate" curse

"Sickness Killer" curse

"A Bellyful Of Stones" curse

"Bind & Break" curse***

"Forget Me Not" curse

"Did You Miss Me?" curse***

"Dragon Fire" curse

"Headless Horseman" curse

"Only A Memory" curse

"Hurricane Curse" curse***

"Let Loose Your Crimson Arrow" curse

"Hypnotic Flame" curse

"Drown In Your Guilt" curse***

"Stomp Out The Bastard" curse

"Duress" curse

"Essence Extraction" curse

"Red In Your Ledger" curse

"Sin Collector" curse

"The Ferryman's Curse" curse

"An Ancient Greek Curse" curse

"Knitting Curse" curse

Hexes (short-term, usually temporary)

"The Seven Stings" hex

"The Lemon Hex" hex

"Coffin Hex" hex***

"Curse Alternative" hex

"Hex Bramble" hex

"Black-Out" hex

"Burse Your Bubble" hex

"Year Long" hex***

"Ants Nest" hex

"By All Means, Panty Away" hex

"Hazy Smog" hex

"Hexing In A Pinch" hex

"Hexball" hex

"Revenge On Cheaters" hex

"The Singularity" hex

"Frostburn" hex

"Mess With A Witch" hex***

"Bring About Consequences" hex

"Riddle Of Lightning" hex

Jars, Charms, & Pouches

"Jar Of Consequences" jar hex

"Feel The Pain You've Caused Me" sigil

"To Banish & Bind: For Abusers" jar curse

"Wither & Rot" jar curse***

"Your Hatred Is Your Own" jar curse

"Revenge Curse Cage" jar curse***

"Box Of Terror" box curse***

"Catcall Hex Stone" hex charm

"Begone Neighbors" jar hex

"All Purpose Curse Powder" curse powder

Removals, Reversals, & Protection

"Curse Removal & Reversal" spell

"The Healing Pool: Cursebreaker" spell

"Mild & Spicy Cursebreaker Powders" powder

"To Stop Someone From Casting On You" spell

"Return To Sender Spells" spell

"Curse Removing Wash" spell

"To Reverse A Spell" spell

"Curse Removal/Protection" spell

"Decoy For Protection Purposes" spell

"Protection From Curses" spell

"Curse Decoy" spell

"Substitute Spell" spell

"Witch Bottle" jar spell

"Blackthorn Reversing Spell" spell

"Break A Curse Candle Spell" spell

"Curse-breaking, Purifying, Protective Witch Jar" jar spell

"To Destroy A Curse" spell

"Hex & Curse-breaking" info

"Hex-breaker Candle" spell

Information

"Curses vs. Hexes: What's The Difference?" info

"So You Think You've Been Cursed" info

"Signs You May Have Been Cursed/Hexed" info

"Object Cursing" info

"Ways To Protect Yourself While Casting" info

"Jinxes, Hexes, & Curses" info & spells

"Lessons Learnt From A Hex" info

"Curse Correspondences UPG" info

"Cursing101" info

"So You Just Did A Big Curse...Now What?" info

"Foxen's List Of Baneful Ingredients" info

"Nasty Shit To Put In Curse Jars" info

"Something To Consider Before You Curse" info

So, @ceruab13 was asking about books focused on Enochian magic and the Angelical language.

I scrolled a bit, and it turns out that the interest stems from the popular television drama, Supernatural! I actually think it’s kind of neat that Supernatural incorporated the Enochian language into the show. I watched an episode or two back in the day, but have trouble keeping with long shows, so it’s not my fandom.

If people are interested in learning more because of it, though, so be it. I could try to write my own summary of Enochian magic, but other people have done that, and much better than I could, so I’m providing a list of books instead. Some are published and available in ebooks and print; a few are freely available online, either out of copyright or just free to distribute.

This is a short reading list featuring books I’ve read focused on Enochian magic, the history of it, and the concepts involved. It is not a recommended reading list, exactly. It’s just a list of everything I’ve read that might be relevant, with a little bit about each book.

Some are books written by magical practitioners to help others learn the art; others are focused on the history surrounding John Dee and Edward Kelley. I hope you find something worth reading here. Again, these aren’t limited to recommended favorites - it’s just a list of everything that might be, in some way, helpful.

First, before I start listing the secondary sources, I’ll suggest reading some of Dee’s diaries.

They’re actual diaries, and you should keep them handy in a tab if you’re reading more about this. Also check out A True and Faithful Relation, which is a later account of their workings. That link includes (typed) excerpts, but you can find scanned copies through Cornell’s digital library, too. You can keep these handy while reading any of the following works, and it’ll be helpful. Don’t feel discouraged if the Elizabethan grammar and such seems obtuse, and if secondary sources help provide context, let them!

The Essential Enochian Grimoire, by Aaron Leitch.

This one’s really comprehensive, and covers both purist interpretations of the tradition and Neo-Enochiana. On top of that, there’s a lot of good historical context here, too. A lot of the strictly historical authors ignore the existing occult traditions that influenced Dee and Kelley, or just don’t talk about them enough, whereas here there’s entire sections devoted to them.

I really liked the chapter that attempts to outline the worldview present in Dee’s diaries. I recommend this for the willworker who hasn’t got any experience with Enochian, but not for someone just starting out with magic. If you’re used to working in a spartan fashion, you might find the calls for equipment daunting, but the workings in this book are very adaptable.

John Dee and the Empire of Angels, by Jason Louv.

Not a book of practical magic, but a biography of Dee and Kelley. Louv himself is an occultist, and therefore willing to entertain explanations for the incidents that other history researchers might not. He also keeps grounded and admits that none of this can be strictly proven, and that Kelley, of course, could’ve been a charlatan. I tend to see a critical approach to Dee and Kelley (rather than treating them both as sages) as the mark of a decent book on Enochian magic.

Here, the author speculates a lot on what was actually going on, and doesn’t shy away from mentioning the paranormal aspects that are hard to explain. Louv’s tone and pacing are excellent, and the conversational tone of the book will no doubt maintain your attention to the very end. A lot of it feels like juicy Elizabethan gossip (except with citations!), and will give you a feel for Dee and Kelley’s complicated world.

The Angelical Language, by Aaron Leitch.

Whereas The Essential Enochian Grimoire covered the working of Enochian magic in practice, Leitch’s The Angelical Language gives us a narrative of the system’s reception and development, with special attention to the language itself. There’s plenty of practical bits woven in there, and the blending of history and magical technique enriches the experience of both. Also, while I did like this book, I had a tonic clonic seizure while reading it. I liked how the author included pronunciation notes for the Enochian letters, even though I doubt I vocalized them properly.

Primarily focused on the language itself, the book doesn’t include as much practical advice as The Essential Enochian Grimoire. The practical parts he does give look like they’d be easy to adapt to different scenarios, though. There’s not an overt focus on having a lot of tools. I lost consciousness and seized for a good three or so minutes while reading this book on break at work and woke up in the emergency room. I’ll probably get the second volume and read it soon. Leitch himself suggested not reading the Angelical words out loud next time? 😆

Enochian Vision Magick, by Lon Milo DuQuette

Lon really isn’t my cup of tea, particularly since I’ve ditched Thelema and don’t plan on ever going back. This book is notable, though, because he uses really archaic techniques for his scrying operations, making them quite different in energetic texture than the more common Golden Dawn methods. His methods require a lot of “stuff,” so to speak: ritual tools and accoutrement.

DuQuette’s attitude of treating ritual tools as training wheels to be internalized and eventually rendered unnecessary as skills develop isn’t exactly unsound. It’s certainly one method of doing it, but it’s not very accessible. It’s certainly not how most people (who tend to pick up magic in their early years, and may not have a ton of resources) are doing things. I didn’t. I’m mentioning this one for completeness, mostly. Read it to see what Thelemites are doing Enochian-wise, and how Crowley’s influence survives to this day in Enochian magic.

The Vision and the Voice, by Aleister Crowley

Crowley was an abusive piece of shit. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, you can check out The Vision and the Voice. It’s available here online. It’s Crowley’s journal of his experience scrying the Enochian aethyrs with his student and service top, Victor Neuberg. They had decided that the Algerian desert was the perfect place for a month-long scrying operation facilitated by a sex magic ritual wherein Crowley took the passive role. In the desert. Let that sink in. 😝

Following this experience, Crowley considered himself to have reached a state of enlightenment. The experiences therein and the visions were, in fact, fairly intense. Oddly, I hadn’t read this when I did my (first) Enochian workings, and didn’t pick it up until much later, and then only for completeness sake. I don’t recommend actually listening to Crowley’s advice on hardly anything, but it’s good to read this to understand his influence and history. You probably shouldn’t listen to one iota of his actual “teachings,” but there’s plenty to be learned from the guy. You can learn a lot about aerodynamics from watching a fiery plane crash.

The Queen’s Conjuror, by Benjamin Woollet

This is more of a straight-up history book detailing the remarkable lives and work of John Dee and Edward Kelley. Woollet provides enough background material to give an ample window into Elizabethan life, occult and beyond. This book gives no practical (or other) instructions and, as far as I’ve been able to tell, was written by a non-magical historian. I consider The Queen’s Conjuror a necessary read for that reason.

Sometimes we forget how magic can intersect with things like politics and science. This biography of John Dee reminds us that it’s all always already connected, and that Dee’s primary impetus was a (highly political) “immanentization of the Eschaton”. This book entertains various theories about the situation at Mortlake, fully admits Kelley may have been a charlatan in some capacity, and features other refreshing takes from an academic perspective.

The Black Lodge of Santa Cruz, by Satyr

Magic, much like fire, can be a useful tool. It can also reduce precious things to embers. This is the memoir of a magician who, in the late 1980s, was part of a small and controversial Enochian studies group in Southern California. Read it here.

Satyr, working with his wife and their easily-possessed mentor, begins a series of experimental Enochian workings. Things rapidly spiral out of control amid already tense occult political situations. The context for this (the Caliphate OTO’s squabble over succession, etc) may feel irrelevant to modern practitioners (it is to me, for all intents and purposes). Nevertheless, we can all recognize the egos, personality clashes, ambition and other factors that contributed to the unique situation in Santa Cruz. In terms of magic itself, this memoir documents a period of great innovation, both inside Enochian circles and in other areas.

Heartbreaking in places and illuminating in others, The Black Lodge of Santa Cruz gives the story of one of the most infamous cases of the notorious “Enochian breakdown” phenomenon people talk about, where someone starts doing intense Enochian workings only to have their lives driven into pure chaos. Recommended reading before you attempt any so-called hell-rides (those month-long scrying operations people keep doing), at very least.

I wasn’t really resonating with any of the full deck spreads I was finding so I’ve ended up making my own. It’s intended to be a big check in for yourself, your life, and the next 12 months. Ideally, you would only do it at most every few months. But without further ado, here are the card positions.

Full Deck Spread

1-5 Positive things in your life right now

6-10 Things you can currently improve

Self Check In

11-13 Spiritual

14-15 Emotional

17-19 Mental

20-22 Physical

Life Check In

23-24 Home

25-26 Family

27-28 Work/School

29-20 Relationships

Monthly Forecast

31-34 January

35-38 February

39-42 March

43-46 April

47-50 May

51-54 June

55-58 July

59-62 August

63-66 September

67-70 October

71-74 November

75-78 December