Hail's Magic

Working with fire is invigorating. It reminds us that what can live can also be destroyed. A sign of rebirth and power. There is much caution when dealing with fire, if not used properly it can harm you and your environment. I want to make make this note at the very beginning (instead of saying after every bulletin I say) everything that will be said about fire you must use with caution. It is so important that you always have a fireproof bowl or cauldron, that you are in a well ventilated room, and that you don’t leave the fire going when you aren’t present in your home. With that said, enjoy dearies! 

Here are some ways to connect closely to fire: 

Make an altar, preferably facing South, and fill it with things related to fire. Dragons, candles, colors of orange/red/yellow, wands, etc. 

Make a sigil that means “I connect to flames that fire my soul.” or something along the lines. (Again, I am not a sigil maker but something I would like to include for others who are) Wear the sigil on you as work with your fire altar. 

Light candles, preferably red or orange, and watch the flame. Be one with it.  

In a fireproof bowl or cauldron place herbs that are related to fire within and set in on fire with matches or a lighter. Let the power of the herbs bring you to the fire realm. 

Work with dragons. As with any spirit, be careful. Do your research. A few ways that I have connected with dragons are: 

Be confident. I feel that dragons come to those who know who they are and willing to accept all light and darkness of their souls. 

Be caring. I feel that dragons just want to be loved but people only see them for their size and that scares most. If you accept them and be open, they will accept you. 

Go to an isolated place, a place where you are allowed to have a little bonfire, like your backyard (or when you are home alone go to your fireplace or use your fireproof bowl or cauldron) make a fire and just stare into the flames. Really feel one with everything you see. The wood burning, the flames dancing, the embers lighting the way. NOTE: If you are making a bonfire outside, be mindful. Do not go to places where you are trespassing and will get in trouble. Make sure you know how to contain a fire and know how to put it out. If you don’t know how, then don’t make a bonfire. If you want others to join you, then do so. (Honestly, they don’t need to know if you are a closet with, to others it would be a fun bonfire party) Please don’t be stupid, using and making fires is a privilege not a right, again, if you don’t know what you are doing then don’t make a fire. Safety comes first.

You can dance around the fire (if you are having a bonfire) or in front (if you are using a fireproof bowl or cauldron or fireplace). Be very careful. Make sure you are at a safe distance where you won’t knock anything over or burn yourself. 

Keep a lighter or match handy on you. If you like to look at flames but can’t make one, then this is an easy way to do so. NOTE: Be careful, be smart. 

Work with Salamanders, elementals that represent the fire kingdom. NOTE: With any spirit, be mindful. Do your research. Here are a couple ways I have worked with Salamanders. 

Be respectful. They have an ego and much can cause them to have a temper. Watch what you say, think before you speak. 

Give them an offering. Matches, volcano ash (if you are lucky enough to find any whether in a shop or else where), fire related crystals, etc. 

Mind your manners. They aren’t as pretty and beautiful like other spirit like elementals, so don’t be rude and be accepting. Give them a chance. 

Dance for them. I feel that they like entertainment, and if you dance like the flames of the fire then they might just dance with you.  

Elements: 

Our Earth is beautiful and majestic. There are many ways that you can connect to our beloved world because it is one of the two elements that you can actually touch. I love our Earth, feeling the vibrations going through my body is one hell of an experience. 

Here is a list of different ways to connect to our Earth. 

Go outside. Whether you have a special place in your neighborhood, your backyard, or a park; go to that place and sit there. Place your hands on the Earth and feel the heartbeat vibrate through you. 

Do yoga outside, with a mat or not (your choice). Let the Earth steady and form you. 

Plant a garden. Fill your space and let it flourish. NOTE: Be mindful, plant things that won’t harm your health or others or pets. Do your research. Gardening takes time, patience, and all of your love. You must dedicate yourself. 

Take a walk and collect what comes to you. NOTE: Be mindful. Do not collect anything harmful to your health, do your research and keep a notebook or a book on you that can help you identify plants. Only collect items that happen to fall upon your path. Do not pluck, pull, rip, cut. Not only is it disrespecting, it will hurt the plants and not let them grow properly afterwards.

Make a special Earth altar, preferably facing North. Fill it with colors of greens and browns, special items you have collected, crystals, rocks, coins, Mother Earth symbols, statues of trees, etc. Anything that is related to Earth. 

Make a sigil that means “I connect to my bountiful Earth and protected by her arms.” or something along the lines. (Again, I am not a sigil maker but something I would like to include for others who are) Wear the sigil on you as you go on walk or take hikes.

Be respectful to animals. (I feel) they are messengers of the Earth, (I feel) they watch us for a reason. 

Talk to the trees. Learn from the wisdom they have to offer. 

Research Gnomes, they are protectors of our Earth. NOTE: Like working with any spirit, do your research and be respectful. I don’t have any resources to give with working with Gnomes but here are a couple ways I have personally used. 

Leave offerings (like flowers or rocks you have collected in the past or food like bread) inside a tree or under a rock. NOTE: Be careful, make sure you are not disturbing an animals home.  

Leave currency (coins) to offer respect for all they have done to keep our Earth stable. NOTE: Make sure you do this somewhere that others won’t steal your offering. Make sure it is hidden where only Gnomes can get to it. EX. under a rock or if you have a backyard have a special place in the corner of your yard for this kind of offering.

Be kind to the Earth. Don’t liter, recycle, and show them you are one with the Earth. They care and respect seeing how we can be caring to our Earth.

Join a volunteer group that helps to clean up our Earth or make your own group. Check local listing online for your town.

Elements: 

Air rules me but so does water. I am split down the middle between the two. Water is chaotic and memorizing, and there is much you can do because it is one of the two elements that you can actually touch. Just like my other post, Working with Air, we will be exploring different ways that  you can connect more deeply with water. Enjoy dearies! 

Here is a list of different ways to work with water: 

We must drink water to survive, so when you are about to grab a glass of water (whether purified, tap, or bottled) before you pour it in your glass or before opening your bottle, enchant it by holding your hands around the glass/bottle (with your eyes closed or open) then say something along the lines as “I am one with the running waters of the Earth.” 

Go to the beach. Collect seashells, rocks, and sand. Dip yourself in the ocean. Feel the powerful waves crash against you. NOTE: Be careful of any animals that live within the ocean, be respectful. Don’t collect anything that can be harmful for your health or illegal. EX. feathers. 

Showers are powerful. If you are one who likes to take showers in the morning, imagine the water energizing you for the day ahead and see yourself conquering all that lies before you. If you are one who likes to take showers at night, imagine the water rinsing off to cleanse you from long day you had and see yourself washing away everything so you are fresh and new. No matter what time you take a shower, allow the water to freshen up your spirits. 

Baths are very calming and relaxing. When one cannot go to the beach, this is an excellent way to substitute. Fill the tub, surround yourself with blue/purple candles, seashells, and crystals that relate to water. Put in herbs or essential oils within your bath to connect you to the ocean waves of the deep, vast blue. Bonus, you can put on ocean sound music to set the mood. NOTE: Do your research, do not put in herbs or oils that are harmful to your health. Do not put crystals around the tub if they can be toxic or if they deteriorate in water. Your health is always most important.  

When it is raining, go outside and let the rain fall upon you. Close your eyes and let the water cleanse your being. Then if you would like, play. Splash in puddles, run around. Enjoy yourself. 

Make a sigil that means “I connect with the waters of the deep, beautiful sea.” or something along the lines. (Again, I am not a sigil maker but something I would like to include for others who are) Wear the sigil on you as you go to the beach or are working at your water altar.    

Make a special water altar, preferably facing west. Fill it with mermaid items, chalices, colors of dark blues and purples, seashells, etc.    

Research mermaids. Merpeople swim in the deep depths of the sea. They are beautiful, alluring, and mysterious. Unfortunately, I haven’t found any sources on how to communicate with them so here is a small list of ways I have personally used to connect with them.

Go to the beach, sit in front of the water and sing. Whether it is a mermaid song (like Jolly Sailor Bold) or your all time favorite song, just sing your heart out. If others are around you on the beach, sing quietly or have your headphones in. If you are alone, then sing as loud as you want. 

Collect seawater in a jar, then when you get home make an oil using essential oils and herbs that mermaids love. Then before you go to sleep, take a small inhale, then fall asleep. Let the mermaids come to you in your dreams. NOTE: Do your research, do not use oils that will harm your health. This is more for aroma, not placing on your skin. 

While you are at the beach, leave the mermaids small offerings that you feel they would enjoy. NOTE: Do not leave anything that is harmful to our environment, like jars filled with items. Be respectful to our Earth. 

If you cannot go to the beach, take a bath and surround yourself with mermaid items; like statues, mirrors, seashells, etc. Fill the bath with herbs and oils that relate to merpeople then while you are bathing, sing. Look in the mirror if you would like, allow yourself to become one with them. NOTE: I don’t really care that I repeat myself so often but for real, do you research. Do not use herbs or oils that will harm your health.

Be careful as you would communicating with any kind of spirit. Protect yourself and be respectful while you contact. 

Elements: 

I love working with the element air, it’s my personal favorite out of all the elements for a few different reasons that I won’t get into (I could make pages upon pages on why I love the wind but that isn’t what this is about) This post is about how to work more closely with the wind. Enjoy dearies!

Here are a few ideas on how to work with the element Air:

Conjure up the wind by singing a sweet melody from the heart (like your all time favorite songs), whistle, or use a singing bowl. 

Go to a park or trail and walk around for as much as you would like and just feel the wind wrap around you. If leaves/flowers happen to fall upon you, collect them. NOTE: Make sure you do your research if you collect. Never pull or cut leaves/flowers unless you know what you are doing. Also, make sure you don’t collect anything that is harmful to your health. 

Go to a park/field/backyard and practice yoga. Allow the wind to help form your body while the earth keeps you steady. Stretch, relax, breathe.

On a windy day go outside and just sit there. Close your eyes and feel the air. Breathe in and out deeply, let it fill your soul. 

Burn a loose incense containing herbs that relate to air. (ex. lavender, lemongrass, pine, star anise, sage, etc) Meditate and connect to the element as the fragrance fills the room. You can burn an oil using essential oils for the same purpose. NOTE: Be careful burning anything; use a fireproof bowl, make sure it won’t fall, make sure the room is well ventilated, and most importantly, make sure you do your research. Do not burn herbs/oils that are harmful to your/others/and pets health. 

Make a sigil that means “I am protected by the winds.” or something along the lines (Personally I am not a sigil maker but I see others make damn cool ones so I’m adding it, haha) Wear it on you wherever you’d like while you are out and about so your always protected.  

Make a special air altar underneath a window, preferably facing East. Fill it with feathers, incenses, athame, a music player, your favorite books, colors of yellow and pale blues, whatever you’d like! 

Paint, dance, read, draw, sing, play an instrument, etc, Be creative. 

Learn. Do research. Gain as much knowledge about subjects you love.

Talk to the wind, communicate with it. Tell the air your problems, the joys you have felt, the pain you endured. No matter what, always your message is heard. 

Research fairies. Most fairies are related to element of air but there are some that live within the other elements. Find the fairy folk who live in the clouds, in the winds, and fly with the birds; work with them if you would like. NOTE: Be careful with working with fairies as you would with any spirit. There are so many different kinds of posts on how to communicate with them so I will list sources. (This is a very small list of sources regarding fairies but ones that I found informative.)  

On Fae and Spirit Work, source.

Faerie Sight, source.

Fae Tip #1: Offerings, source.

On the Fae, source.

Elements: 

A water lily dragon

@thebedroomdreamers -  Home Ideas for you   – follow +

me: sure, thanks!

faerie: no, thank you *puts on my coat and walks out*

me:

Ingredients for spells can be found pretty much anywhere. Here are ten you may not have thought of, most of which I’ve used!

The ribbon used to tie a bouquet: Very versatile ingredient! Can be used to symbolise love, connection and happiness. The ribbon’s correspondences can be varied based on the situation by which you acquired the bouquet. A bouquet given to you by your partner on your first anniversary, for example, will have strong love energy and could even be used in a spell to reignite the ‘spark’ in the relationship. If the bouquet was given to you by a best friend on your birthday, it would correspond with friendship and potentially have solar energy (with a birthday celebrating one revolution of the sun). The ribbon could also symbolise your connection to whomever gave you the bouquet. I keep the ribbons I get off bouquets for this purpose!

The thorns from a rose given to you: I kept the thorns from roses that were given to me by an ex and used them when performing a curse. Really good for symbolising toxic relationships or helping someone realise they’re causing you pain. You could use thorns off roses in your garden, but the thorns will act better as a taglock if they’re given to you.

Bobby pins: Structure, organisation and beauty. An air of temporary composure when things might be falling apart. Perfect for glamours for this reason.

Greeting cards: Happiness, love, relationships, friendship, connection, celebration, appreciation. The occasion upon which they were given and who they were given by will of course affect their energy.

Old clothes: Another versatile ingredient. If you feel the old clothes represent a version of yourself that you want to let go of, they could be used in a cleansing ritual (perhaps by burning). If they were clothes you really liked but wore so much that they’re breaking, they could symbolise beauty, comfort or contentment. Also a good taglock if they were gifted to you by someone. Poppets are extra potent when constructed from this fabric.

Train/bus tickets: Discovery, exploration and opportunity. If the ticket is taking you to a favourite place it might correspond with happiness. If the ticket was acquired on holiday it might correspond with relaxation.

Stickers you still have from your childhood: Innocence, happiness, creativity. Can symbolise bringing back something which has been lost.

Washi tape: Small blessings, excitement, beauty, adding something good to an otherwise ordinary situation. Colour and symbol correspondences may also come into play here.

Wrapping paper: Can symbolise happiness, disappointment (if the gift sucked) or gratitude. Could be used in beauty spells or for glamours. If the wrapping paper came from a disappointing gift, it could even be used in a hex/curse for someone who tries to sugarcoat terrible situations, or changes the topic/turns it on you when you try to approach them about issues in your relationship. Could be use for prosperity or money spells.

Guylian seashell chocolates: Really great offering for Aphrodite (chocolate and the ocean). Useful in sea witchcraft, or as an offering to ocean deities. Good for beauty and love spells.

Ironically, I’m writing this to avoid doing my Work Job. Let’s get into it.

Set an alarm so you remember. Pick a specific time you’re going to worship, because “later” never comes and “sometime this evening” rarely does either. Instead, set an alarm so that you already have that time set aside in your mind, and so that you don’t mentally blow past it when that time arrives.

Keep everything in one place. Keep the offerings near where you would offer them, as well as anything you might need to do it, like matches or lighters. Make it so there’s as little travel time as possible between you and what you want to do. 

Think through the ritual setup beforehand. Sometimes the offering part is easy but getting to that point is overwhelming, especially if your tradition involves ritual purification or invocation rituals. Boil it down to the bare essentials and capture the essence in a way that doesn’t have so many steps, if you can. (Ex: Is that personal purification rite just an ancient way of washing away germs, and if so can we just mindfully wash our hands and fulfull the rite’s function?)

Start with something little. Getting started can be the hardest part. If you don’t have the energy for an entire offering ritual, break it into pieces. Just do the setup and approach the rest later if you need. Or just put on a playlist to get into the mood for now. Or take a couple deep breaths to refocus your brain. Ease into it as slowly as you need. 

Think ahead with your offerings. Will you have the spoons to clean up after? If you’re like me and run the risk of not removing an offering for days (or weeks…) then think ahead to what can stay there a long time, just in case. Nobody likes cleaning up the altar and finding mold in the offering dish. Incense, water, and dried plants tend to work well, as do nonphysical things like music and poetry.

“While I’m at it…” If you catch yourself in a spot with good momentum, try to get a rite done while you have the energy instead of putting it off. It can be something simple, but use the energy and the drive while you’re on top of it since we can’t always guarantee it will be there in even an hour. 

Keep things similar so that you don’t have to rethink every step, every time. A rock solid routine with what a ritual looks like helps it become a lot more automatic, and therefore a lot easier to actually do. Routine becomes habit.