season of the vvitch

Types of Incense:

• Sandalwood: Protection, healing, purification, pleasing the spirits, consecration

• Cherry: Attracts and stimulates love, new beginnings

• Vanilla: Luck, love, happiness, stimulates memory

• Jasmine: Luck; especially in love, peace, intuition, moon magick

• Coconut: Purification and protection, fertility, love and chastity

• Frankincense: Spirituality, protection, love, prosperity, growth, confidence, an offering to the gods

• Cinnamon: Wealth/money, prosperity, success, focus, amplifies any ritual or spell, third eye

• Myrrh: Protection, exorcism, consecration, purification, peace, meditation, spirituality, offering to the gods

• Patchouli: Money, abundance, attraction, passion, romance, lust

• Rose: Love, self love, safety, calm, healing, purification, connection to maternal ancestors

• Strawberry: Passion, love, luck, friendship, romance, opens/connects root and sacral chakras, goddess offering

• Dragon's Blood: Increases personal power, manifestation, attraction, sensuality, love, favored by many entities as an offering

• Sage: Cleansing, banishing, protection, clearing the air, nullifying negativity, promoting a more peaceful environment, longevity

• Lavender: Psychic abilities, divination, dream magick, protection, purification, beauty, intuition, peace, calming

• Nag Champa: Amplifies a ritual, great for meditation

• Clove: Protection (especially for children), love, money, purification, exorcism, shielding/warding

• Juniper: Exorcism, protection, healing, love

• Allspice: Attracts luck and money, provides extra physical energy

• Copal: Protection, cleansing, purification, connection, spirituality, ideal for cleansing crystals and stones

• Bay: Good luck, manifestation, success, purification, protection, healing, sharpens psychic abilities

• Rosemary: Protection, exorcism, purification, promotes sleep, restores and/or mantains youth, draws love, increases intellect

• Thyme: Health, vitality, healing, cleansing

• Pine: Money, strength, patience, shielding, purification, offer to nature spirits/deities

• Fern: Burn indoors to drive out malevolent spirits, burn outdoors to bring rain

• Benzoin: Purification, prosperity, amplifies mental abilities

• Arabic Gum: Purification and protection of the home

• Blueberry: Keeps unwanted influences away

• Passionflower: Peace, anxiety soothing, promotes sleep, friendship, joy, openness

• Mullein: Courage, protection, health, divination, offering to the dead

• Rowan: Psychic ability, self reflection, healing, protection, power, spirits more likely to obey demands/requests

• Star Anise: Psychic power, manifestation, luck

• Mugwort: Strength, psychic power, spirit communication, protection, astral travel, dream work, visions/premonitions

• Rue: Healing, mental health, comfort, exorcism, love, bonding

• Saffron: Health, wealth, happiness, success, wind raising, manifestation, lust, strength, third eye

• Palo Santo: Clears stagnant/negative energy

• Eucalyptus: Healing, cleansing, physical health, clears tense energy, invigorating, empowerment

• Wormwood: Magick, astral travel, spirit work, dream work, divination, third eye, protection from magick, curses and unwelcome energies, spiritual love, opens spiritual doorways, return to sender

• Lotus: Inner peace and outer harmony, third eye, meditation ascension, recovery, offering to Lilith

• Chamomile: Love, peace, comfort, stress reduction, luck in gambling

• Amber: Manifestation, good luck, success, love, romance, patience, protection, balance, sensuality, pain relief

• Damiana: Sensuality, sexuality, astral travel, love/sex magick, baneful witchcraft, attraction, drawing spells, shadow work, healing trauma, speaking your truth

• Skull Cap: Balance, calm, recovery, anchor to bring consciousness back to the body after astral projection

• Albizzia: Opens you up to oneness, attunes the heart, brings happiness

• Lemongrass: Calming, balance, love, depression relief

• Ginger: Strength, power, prosperity, relationship success

• Oregano: Joy, travel, creativity, love, hand fasting

• Cardamom: Love, lust, charm, mental clarity

• Sweet Grass: Removes malevolent energies, draws prosperity

• Marshmallow: Spirit pulling, protection, cleansing, stimulates psychic power, self-understanding, nurturing, healing, fertility, love, sexuality

• Orris: Love, protection, divination, spirit work, intuition

• Storax: Courage, healing, moon magick, meditation, divination, encourages restful sleep, offering to Hekate

Incense Smoke Divination:

Smoke direction- Up/down:

• Up: Positive spiritual journey

• Down: Challenges, deviation from the path

Smoke direction- Right/left:

• Right: Desires will be fulfilled

• Left: Blocks and turbulent energy

Smoke direction- Towards/away:

• Towards: Reciprocal affection

• Away: Neglect or indifference

Smoke forms a circle:

• Clear circle: Strong vibes, manifestation is near

• Hazey circle: Weak vibes, uncertain manifestation

Smoke forms a Ladder:

• Multiple steps: Elevated spiritual path

• One step: Need to enhance spirituality

Spiral shape:

• Clear spiral: Big, new change

• No distinct shape: Chaos, uncertainty

Smoke splits in two:

• Important life decisions

• Trust your instincts

Many broken corners:

• Confusion, need clarity

Infinity symbol:

• Very auspicious omen

Thick and dense smoke:

• Negative energy

• Change is needed

Abrupt lighting and smoke:

• Smooth/even flame: Clear path

• Choppy flame: Hurdles on path

Pluto is one of the most complex planets in astrology. It represents the emotional darkness within us, trauma, things we kept repressed, regeneration, empowerment, fear, transformation, rebirth. It has been labeled as a dark malefic planet, one capable of great damage and destruction since it’s discovery and use in modern astrology. Isabel Hickey describes Pluto as possessing a dual nature; “If he so chooses man can use the line of least resistance and bring himself destruction and misery. When dealing with this most powerful radiation with wisdom and reason, the Minerva aspect of Pluto is in evidence, and the end result is a big step forward for mankind.” Pluto operates on a soul level, the core of our being, and only functions on raw and true emotions. It is representative of the emotions and things we do not want to deal with, for they are too painful for us right now, is what we would say. Pluto hurts us first, bringing forth transformation within the self, and causes metaphorical death of the individual, a rebirth of the self, shedding anew into a being more powerful, wise, and experienced for the world again. In great contrast, the fifth house is the house ruled by Leo - the sign of self will, creativity, romance. The fifth house rules these as well; casual relationships, children, self expression, sex (not to be confused with the 8th house of [intimate] sex, for the fifth house is not intimate on such a soul level), romance, hobbies, interests, attraction, what brings us pleasure/happiness/joy. The fifth house is where we go when we’re enjoying ourselves and letting the self create, indulge in flings and be free.

Any planet in the fifth house is directly tied into the self expression of the chart holder. Some astrologers have compared it to that planet being conjunct the natal sun, because it is so tightly incorporated into the chart holder’s life. We bring our Self into everything we do, and the fifth house doesn’t work without the planet inside of it, it’s always being put to use. Pluto here adds a very magnetic twist to such a sunny house. Those with Pluto in the fifth house, darkness covering the light of the sun, an eclipse is formed. The seriousness of Pluto can overpower the desires of the fifth house; the chart holder may struggle by taking themselves and their loves too seriously, backfiring on themselves creating a struggle to even want to be creative at all. There can be compulsive and ritualistic tendencies when it comes to Pluto due to it’s obsessive nature. Pluto rules our repressed fears and hidden desires; there can be a fear of other’s taking credit for their own work/interests, or of those that are able to easily go after what they desire. There can be much up-tightness with this placement for the chart holder.

This is going to be a quick warding charm to protect your house or your room. I remember someone taught it to me when I was younger but I don’t remember who. Anyway, all you need is:

A small glass jar or vial with a lid

Salt, Caraway seeds, or beans (I like rosary beans). 

Black ribbon or cord (optional)

Make sure you have enough supplies for both entrances to your house (or just one if you’re protecting your dorm room.) Fill the container with the grain of your choice (you could combine grain types) and repeat this 3 times while focusing on your intent:

“Count the grains, never the same. Count the grains, or leave in shame.”

Drawing Down the Moon - Margot Adler

Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson

The Triumph of the Moon - Ronald Hutton

Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic - Owen Davies

Witchcraft, Magic and Culture 1736–1951 - Owen Davies

America Bewitched - Owen Davies

Witches and Neighbors - Robin Briggs

Historical Dictionary of Witchcraft - Michael D. Bailey

More stamps! This time some of the photos are my own. Enjoy!

I'm working on a neocities website! And as such I have also been diving into rentry- and old web graphics like stamps. So I thought, how about I make some of my own?

Credit: Base is a combo of LadyMidnight's Lace Stamp Base and HarmonicSonics Stamp Template. All photos are from pexels or my own. Fonts are rainyhearts and emoji from dafont.com.

~*~ Witchy bottle “Releasing fear of the unknown”

- violet leaves - yarrow - basil - red pebble (heart) - token/taglock (me) - rose petals - chamomile –sealed with yellow wax–

Then round that place there grew a hedge of thorns thicker every year, until at last the whole castle was hidden from view, and nothing of it could be seen but the vane on the roof. […] From time to time many Kings’ sons came and tried to force their way through the hedge; but it was impossible for them to do so, for the thorns held fast together like strong hands, and the young men were caught by them, and not being able to get free, there died a lamentable death.

- The Sleeping Beauty

Intent: To protect one’s home and property.

Ideal Timing: Full Moon, but can be made anytime.

Materials:

Glass Jar with Lid

Black Taper Candle

Planter Pot & Soil

Super Glue

Pins & Thorns

Duct Tape

Herbs: Dill, Basil, Salt, Vinegar, Lemon or Pickle Juice

Load the bottle with the pins, herbs, and just enough of your chosen liquid to fill it about ¾ full. It should be noted that some witches prefer to use urine for their home protection bottles, both for traditional and territorial reasons. This is certainly a viable choice if you are comfortable with it, but if not, then the options listed above will be quite effective.

Seal the top and secure with a strip of duct tape or electrical tape to prevent leaks. Once it is sealed well, begin to attach the flat ends of the thorns to the outside of the bottle using the superglue so that the points face outward. Be very careful not to stick yourself while handling the bottle!

Once all the thorns are in place, light the black candle and drip the wax over the top of the bottle. As the wax falls, hold the image of a thorny protective barrier in your mind and continue to turn the bottle, letting the wax spill down the sides to help hold the thorns in place. Keep dripping the wax until the cap is completely covered and all the thorns have been secured.

Pour some dirt into the planter pot, place the bottle inside, and pour in more dirt until the bottle is covered. Keep the pot somewhere on your property. You can even grow flowers in it, if you like, but it is not recommended that you use it for anything edible.

If you move to a new home, be sure to take the pot with you, or dig up the bottle and take it along; to remove the ward, break the wax seal and empty the contents of the bottle somewhere safe.

-From The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells & Charms For Your Happily Ever After, 2nd ed., © 2017 by Bree NicGarran.

Want more fairy tale spells? Check out the masterpost here and visit my shop for spell kits!

a catalyst by definition is: a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible.

in spellwork, a catalyst (by my own definition) is something you can use to amplify a spell or ritual and has the potential to manifest results quicker than you would have without a catalyst.

based on my research, all of the correspondences below are associated with either manifestation, energy/power, success; or, some or all of the above.

botanicals: acorn, allspice, aloe, amber, angelica, balm of gilead, bamboo, belladonna (nightshade), bergamot, black haw, black walnut, carnation, carrot, cedar, centaury, cherry bark, cinnamon, cinquefoil, club moss, coffee, cowslip, cramp bark, daffodil, damiana, dittany, dragon's blood, ebony, echinacea, fig, frankincense, gentian, ginger, goldenseal, ham, hawthorn, lady's mantle, lovage, mastic, mint, mugwort, myrrh, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, red pepper, rowan, sage, sandalwood, spinach, st. john's wort, star anise, sunflower, tangerine, vanilla, walnut, witches burr, wormwood (absinthe)

crystals: amazonite, aventurine, carnelian, cinnabar, citrine, garnet, goldstone, herkimer diamond, honey calcite, lapis lazuli, pyrite, quartz, red jasper, sunstone, tiger's eye, yellow jasper

colors: magenta, red, orange

lunar phases: blue moon, full moon, black moon

day of the week: sunday, monday, tuesday

planet: sun, moon, mars, pluto

constellation: andromeda, cetus, corona borealis, crux, draco, eridanus, hydra, hydrus, leo, lupus, orion, perseus, the pleiades, sagittarius, taurus

celestial body: meteor, comet, supernova, quasar, pulsar, star forming galaxies and nebulae

zodiac sign: aries, leo, scorpio, capricorn

tarot card: the star, the sun, the world

updated 7.4.25

compiled from my personal grimoire and based on my own associations and research - do not redistribute and please source back to me if you reference my content.

“Scholars have puzzled over the question of how all of these elements - the honoring of Dionysus, the celebration of new life and the appeasement of the dead - came together to create the festival complex known as the Anthesteria, and what ideas, cumulatively, it articulated. The fact that from at least the late Archaic period Dionysus was a god associated with mysteries and thereby with the world of the dead is surely of relevance, but there is a broader reason at work as well.

In Greece and elsewhere, the dead, and especially the unhappy dead, were assumed to be envious of those who were still enjoying life: thus, success and joy were often accompanied by a heightened awareness of possible misfortune and the jealous spirits who brought it. As Plato put it, ‘kēres cling to most of the good things of life.’

Given this attitude, the Greeks would have assumed that the dead were particularly likely to burst forth from the Underworld and attack them at that time of year when the living were celebrating renewal and abundance. A ritual complex that simultaneously rejoiced in the new vintage, the growth of flowers, and the health of the young even as it appeased and then exorcised the envious, restless dead, makes sense, then.”

Restless Dead: Encounters between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece by Sarah Iles Johnston.

I see a lot of witchy posts that are so informative, so insightful, or so inspirational, and they have very little visible interaction. There might be some "likes" and blank reblogs, but no real conversation. Maybe a couple of comments.

And I'm guilty of doing exactly that, myself. I often stay silent even when I feel the urge to say something.

I feel like my comments would amount to "same!" or gushing at someone I don't even know. Awkward. So I just..... don't.

Maybe it's because I've seen one too many Tumblrinas saying things that amount to "I wasn't talking to you; stay out of this conversation." Or I feel like I'll come off as a chronic replier, someone who always chimes in whether she has anything of actual value to say or not. Ick.

I'm wondering if other folks are feeling the same way. They want to participate, but they feel like they don't have anything worthwhile to say, they're worried about coming off as awkward, or they feel like they'll be unwelcome. No one wants to tick off a witch!

I have some mutuals that are very good about encouraging interaction (they are kind when answering "asks" and they go out of their way to assist people looking for help). They make Tumblr a better place.

to add, oftentimes when people discuss the community it’s in a negative light. we air our complaints and point out what’s inadequate. and while these complaints aren’t wrong, it can overwhelm the community with negativity when the faults become our primary focus.

In late January of 2025, I joined a group of witches online to conduct a ritual for the protection and healing of our communities and for hope to sustain us though the weeks and months to come. Many wonderfully talented people contributed to this working, and I was honored to present an invocation of Brighid and to lead the portion of the ritual where we created the Web of Light.

With the permission of the rest of the circle from that evening, I want to share my portion of the ritual with all of you. (I'm not looking for notes or feedback - this was purpose-built and it exists as it was written.) The more strands in the web, the more lights in the dark, the more love and energy we can give this spell and others like it, the better.

If you feel comfortable doing so, I'd like to invite anyone who is willing to help to join in this working, either by yourself or with your circle. You can do the full blessing, invocation, and casting if you feel comfortable doing so, or just the casting alone. Feel free to invite any helpful spirits, ancestors, deities (especially fire-related), and so forth that you work with to lend their aid.

All you need for this spell is a quiet place to sit and a candle. (Live flame or LED, either is fine, and if you can't find either one, a flashlight will do.)

Perform whatever opening steps you usually do to begin a ritual (preparing the space, casting a circle, grounding and centering, etc) and when you're ready, begin.