witchcraft

i work mostly with herbs and talismans/amulets, divination (mostly tarot), i’m trained in reiki and i do a lot of sea magic and shadow work.

I just wanted to write down my process of drying, storing, and energizing the herbs I harvest. (I help out but my mom does most of the gardening herself so I don’t think I have enough experience to talk about that part.)

There are several ways to dry fresh herbs, but I’m only gonna talk about the 2 methods I’m most familiar with.

Natural drying ⚘

Plants with high moisture content, like basil, may grow mold before they dry out completely, so people usually opt for a method that dries more quickly; this one takes a few weeks.

⚘ Collect the herbs. If you google it, you’ll find each plant has a particular spot that’s best for you to cut it, but, as long as you don’t take more than 1/4 of them (and that’s a rule to live by), the plant should have no trouble continuing to grow afterwards.

⚘ Make sure they’re clean. You might want to wash them in cold water and gently dry them with paper towels.

⚘ With a string, tie a few stems or branches together. The fewer you use for each bunch, the more aerated they will be, making them less susceptible to molding. If you’re using something other than a string (say, tape), be sure to only wrap it around a part of the herb you’re not going to use, cause it might damage that.

⚘ Hang them upside down (otherwise they’ll fall and lose their shape) somewhere as aerated as possible, away from sunlight, and wait. It can take anywhere between a week and a month, from my experience. You’ll know it’s ready when it becomes crisp; when it’s almost dry, if it looks a little too fragile, you might want to wrap a bag around it so that you don’t lose leaves or flowers that may fall out.

Microwave drying ⚘

Some witches aren’t comfortable using modern appliances for magical purposes, but I don’t mind it. I don’t like using the oven (purely because my oven sucks) which is probably the most popular method of fast drying, so I adapted. In theory, it might seem like herbs will lose some of their properties when you fast dry them, but when you start doing it you realize that sometimes it’s the best way to preserve them, like when the process of natural drying would leave them exposed to light and humidity for too long.

⚘ Don’t use branches; gather leaves and very soft stems only. Spread them over a paper towel evenly and microwave until they become crisp. Sometimes there’s barely any changes in aspect, aside from that. It takes about 1-2 minutes, but I recommend stopping every 20 seconds or so to move them around a bit and make sure everything’s going well, since microwaves are a little unpredictable. If your microwave starts making a popping noise, pause, open it, and let the heat dissipate a little before continuing. (Be careful not to burn yourself!)

Storing ⚘

Fresh herbs: For me, fresh herbs don’t last more than a day before they start shrinking and losing their vivacity – maybe a couple of days, if I push it. To prolong that time, you can store them in the fridge (wrapped by a newspaper page or a thick paper towel), but it still won’t last more than a week. You can also wash them in cold water, spread them over a baking tray, cover it with paper towels and freeze them; I’m not sure how long they last that way cause I’ve only done it like, twice, but I’m guessing more than a few weeks.

Edit: I asked a couple of friends who freeze herbs regularly and they said that some herbs last several months without losing their properties, but I’d advice you to google the herb you wanna freeze before you purchase it to be sure it’ll work with that one. Some people find it better to freeze them chopped and immersed in water on an ice tray. Let me know which one you think works best!

Dry herbs: Once it’s dry, you have to store it in a sealed container, away from sunlight. It’s generally advised that you use opaque containers (like porcelain or amber glass) and store it inside a cabinet or a closet; the less sunlight it gets, the longer it’ll last, and the less likely it is for them to lose their color or scent. You can pick the stems, leaves and flowers and store them whole, being careful not to squish them too much if the container is small, or you can use a mortar and pestle to grind them for easier storage.

Energizing ⚘

You don’t really have to energize herbs, but I like to think it helps channeling them towards your intent. Specially with dry herbs cause they’re usually harvested without any inherent in mind, since they’re to be stored for future purposes.

⚘ For fresh herbs, be mindful of your intent as you collect them, energizing each branch you cut as you do it, selecting them based on what you’ll use them for.

⚘ For dry herbs, stop for a minute while you hold them in your hands, close your eyes and visualize you’re transferring your energy into it, focusing on your intent. You might want to say a few words to manifest it, or imagine a beam of light coming from your hand and being absorbed by the herbs.

For many, witchcraft is a form of self-care. You don’t have to make intricate rituals to practice it, specially when you’re not feeling up to it. Depression might get you neglecting some of your most basic needs, and taking care of yourself is a basic first step towards your spiritualization. Here’s some simple steps you can take if you’ve been particularly neglectful lately.

☽ Keep yourself clean

Shower properly, exfoliate, brush your teeth, take care of your hair and skin. It might not seem very magical, but it is; visualize you’re letting go of what’s being weighting on you, like you’re washing away the negative energy that feels stuck to you. It’s like your body filters the energy you come in contact with, and the filter got dirty; when it’s clean again, it’ll be able to filter out the negative energies of your surroundings, purifying the energy that reaches you.

☽ Keep your living area clean

Make your bed, vacum, dust off your furniture, do the dishes, put your dirty clothes in the laundry room. You don’t have to do everything at once, just pick an area to try to make more comfortable, like your bedroom or maybe even a fraction of it. The broom is a very symbolic cleaning object, and it’s often used with both the practical and the spiritual purposes in mind; for the latter, “sweep” just above the ground, hovering over it, and picture you’re sweeping off the energy accumulated in the corners of your rooms.

☽ Keep yourself well fed and hydrated

It’s essential for your wellbeing, and preparing a meal can be a pretty spiritual experience if you do it mindfully. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it’s best if it’s not something you make all the time, even if you change just a detail of it, like seasoning your usual sandwich with herbs of your choice. Make tea for a little herbal magic, choosing your herbs based on what you want and channeling your intent.

☽ Take care of a loved one or a pet

Caring for someone is in itself healing. Make your loved one a meal, help them with a problem, or just arrange for you to spend some time together. Be patient, really listen to them, and focus your intent on their wellbeing. For pets, just groom them and make sure all their needs are met, and try to connect with them in a deeper level.

☽ Interact with nature

I decided to write down how I energize my crystals – it’s pretty simple and I think most witches use this method (or a variation of it).

Cleansing rituals ✧̣̇˳·˖✶

Before energizing a crystal, it has to go through a proper cleansing to purify it of any external energy that might be attached to it. There’s several ways to do that, which include:

✶ Bathe it in the sunlight or moonlight for as long as needed. It depends on many factors, so I suggest you just take as long as you feel is necessary. For example, I live in a very hot, tropical city, so only a few hours of sunbathing is enough to cleanse my crystals; meanwhile, the city lights outshine the moonlight on most nights, so it’d take more than a night for me. –> Edit: google if it’s safe for your crystal to be under sunlight, some can lose their color or even become brittle after some hours of exposure (crystals that don’t fade under sunlight include howlite, lapis lazuli, jade, labradorite, black onyx, black obsidian, sunstone, turmaline and rose quartz; any other crystal should be researched before applying this method).

✶ Bury it in coarse salt for 1-3 days. -> Don’t use this method for rocks that have iron in their composition (like hematite, pyrite, anything that ends with “ite”) cause they’ll rust.

✶ Bury it on the ground around nature for about a week.

✶ Burn cleansing incense or herbs around it. Not my favorite method cause I find it tricky to properly target the crystal with the smoke; I usually burn a palo santo next to the crystals inside a clay pot, with the lid almost fully closed, and hope the fire won’t die out (it works like, half the time)

✶ Bathe it in a body of water. -> Don’t use ocean water for rocks that have iron in their composition, since it’s salty!

Energizing spell ✧̣̇˳·˖✶

This isn’t necessary for crystals to work their purpose, but it helps focusing their energy on your goal. I think of it like a magnifying glass effect; the spell is supposed to channel your crystal’s power into your intentions.

✶ Hold the crystal with both hands, and close your eyes. Breathe in and out 3 times, concentrating on what you hope to achieve.

✶ Visualize yourself with your hopes already met; how will your life look like when you achieve your goal? For instance, if you’re charging a blue apatite that’ll help you with the intellectual focus you feel you’re currently lacking, picture yourself being like that on your everyday life. How will that feel like? Words have power; if you’re comfortable with it, you might want to chant a simple sentence, like “this apatite will stimulate my intellect”, for example.

I gathered a few exercises to strengthen my connection with the sun and the moon. They’re really simple, and pretty good for baby witches, too.

Having a basic connection with the sun and the moon is necessary in order to be in harmony with your surroundings. Before performing rituals related to the astros (which includes extensive astrology readings, wheel of the year rituals, and even gardening magic) you need to be somewhat tuned in with them.

Sensing the sun’s magic ☼

As you connect with the sun, you’ll gather the information necessary to best work with sun magic. This kind of information needs to come from you, cause it’s about how your energy interacts with the sun’s; different people may have completely different experiences. A good way to slowly build or fortify your connection with the sun’s magic is to gradually approach it and gain intimacy with it.

First contact: Take some time to meditate when the sun rises, at midday, when the sun sets, and at midnight. In each of those 4 moments, pause for a few minutes to observe the sun and to notice your surroundings. Practice being aware of the energy around you, and try to put it into words for reference. In the next day, take some time to compare the different sensations you had at each time, and try to figure out what they mean to you.

Establishing a connection ☼

This is a simple exercise that I do every time I feel like I need to renew my bond with the sun. A lot of people think it’s best to perform these type of exercises at noon, when the sun is at it’s peak, but I strongly advice against it if you have fair skin and/or live in a warm, tropical place. Being safe is more important and it’ll work much better if you’re actually comfortable. (And of course, use sunscreen if necessary.)

☼ Go outside, find a nice spot to sit in the sun, preferably around nature. Close your eyes. Feel the warmth on your skin, visualize the sunshine touching you as your body absorbs it’s energy.

☼ When you feel you’ve already formed a faint connection with your surroundings, imagine there’s a mist rising from the nature around you, like a fog of energy emanating from everything the sun touches.

☼ Take 3 deep breaths. Each time, visualize you’re inhaling some of that mist, and it’s filling your lugs and flowing through your entire body. Imagine you’re becoming one with your surroundings, and the mist’s energy is mixed with yours. When you exhale, let go of any thoughts that might be holding you back, let it wash away any negativeness that you might’ve been holding onto.

☼ Imagine your consciousness is connected to the sun, like the warmth is exchanging energy with your skin. Focusing on that, ask yourself: how does it feel? Is it energizing, or soothing? Or both? How does it affect your emotions? Do any thoughts pop into your head? Vague ideas? Try to put it into words. When you’re done, simply recollect yourself, and take some time later to digest what you might’ve felt and reach for conclusions.

Sensing the moon’s magic ☽

Just like with the sun, the information you’ll gather about the moon will reflect how your energy interacts with it, and different people may have completely different experiences. A good way to slowly build or fortify your connection is to gradually approach it and gain intimacy with it.

First contact: Take some time to meditate in 4 different nights; a new moon, a waxing moon, a full moon and a waning moon. In each of those moments, pause for a few minutes to observe it and to notice your surroundings. Practice being aware of the energy around you, and try to put it into words for reference. Afterwards, take some time to compare the different sensations you had each night, and try to figure out what they mean to you.

Establishing a connection ☽

Great for baby witches!

I gathered a few really simple rituals I do to reconnect with my spirituality after some time without practicing magic or when I feel like I lost my touch.

Firstly, it’s important to remember your place in the universe. If you’ve never taken some time to consider the nature around you, do that before trying anything else. Of course it’s ideal that you explore the nature that surrounds your home frequently, but it’s possible to connect with it while being someplace else. Ask yourself:

⭒ How do the seasons change where you live? Which changes can you see and feel throughout the year? How is it right now?

⭒ How does the moon influence you, in particular? Which phase of the moon is it today?

⭒ Which plants that are native to your region can you find around your neighborhood? Which ones are most abundant?

⭒ Which animals are native to your region? Do you see them around sometimes?

⭒ What’s the nearest body of water? In which direction is it located? How do you think it must be today? (The sea must be agitated because it’s a full moon, the river must be at high tide cause it rained, etc.)

Knowing the natural spaces around you is what forms the solid base you need to connect with nature on a larger scale. There’s some simple exercises that help you gradually build a relationship with the world around you, starting small and expanding as you gain experience:

To start 𓆸

Choose a plant or a rock that you’re already familiar with, like a house plant you may have. Approach it like it’s the first time you really see it. The purpose is to gain some form of intimacy with it. Pay attention to its appearance, texture and smell (and if it’s an edible plant, its taste), and to the sensations it gives you. After trying it with a plant or a rock you already know, move on to one you’ve never interacted with before.

Connecting with plants 𓆸

This method is used by a lot of witches to gather information about a plant’s energy based on their own energy. Different people may perceive the same plant differently cause each of us have our own, singular energy that’ll interact with it. That’s why gathering information from personal experience is so important. A herb that is said to help with something might affect you differently than it does to most witches, that’s normal. So:

❀ Choose a plant you’re already familiar with and touch it in a way that makes you comfortable.

❀ Close your eyes and imagine your palm glowing with light. Focus on how that feels. Some people say they feel their hand tingle or warm up at that. Either way, imagine your palm’s energy vibrating, into the plant.

❀ Visualize the plant is glowing as well, and that both your energies are connecting into one. When you feel you’ve achieved that, concentrate on how you feel. Is it an specific emotion or sensation? Do any thoughts or ideas pop into your head? It can be a pretty vague feeling, that’s okay; it’ll grow into something stronger and more defined as you work with it, if you decide to.

❀ When you feel you’ve observed enough, be thankful for the plant’s cooperation and visualize your energy separating from the one emanating from the plant and retrieving itself back into your palm as it stops glowing.

❀ Open your eyes and let go. You might want to shake your hand around as if you’re trying to dry it off after washing your hands; some witches do that to make sure they’ve really disconnected.

After trying it with a plant you’re familiar with, repeat the exercise with one you’ve never interacted with before.

Grounding 𓆸

Connecting with the earth helps you stay balanced. If you’re feeling anxious and all over the place, you can discharge that excess energy into the earth; if you’re feeling lethargic, the earth can energize you. To do that, you need to ground yourself. Some spells and rituals are so draining that you need to ground yourself beforehand so it doesn’t take too much of your energy. Here’s a simple grounding method I think pretty much every witch has used before:

❀ Take a deep breath, slowly, three times. Be aware of your own energy going through your body. You may close of eyes, if you want. Focus on your chest, and visualize a beam of light in its center. Imagine that’s your energy source.

❀ Visualize a branch growing from that center and reaching downwards, into the earth. Let it go beyond your body and touch the ground. I like to imagine that I’m a tree and that my roots are digging into the earth, and take a moment to appreciate how deep and strong they are, and how strong and stable that makes me.

❀ When you feel you’ve formed a connection, you can let your energy work with the earth, and let go of any excess that’s stressing you or receive what’s lacking.

Connecting with the elements 𓆸

A lot of people in my culture practice magic, this is probably one of the most common rituals in my town, and I think it belongs in this blog.

It’s not supposed to be done very often, only once a month or whenever you feel like you really need it, cause it’s powerful and draining, and, if done too often, might unbalance your energy. It’s divided in two parts.

☽ Coarse salt shower (the discharging)

This step will get rid of all the negative energy you might’ve accumulated since your last cleansing. Water is a great energy conductor and, when it’s mixed with salt, a purifying crystal, it discharges all the energies you’re holding onto. That means it’ll wash off the positive energies as well, which is why you need step 2. (Also, this is why we often feel so tired after bathing in the sea!)

Preparation: Boil 2 l of water, turn the heat off and add 7 spoonfuls of coarse sea salt. Put the lid over the pan and let it rest until all the rocks dissolve. You might also want to create an inviting atmosphere where you’ll shower; you can use scented candles, a diffuser with essential oils, or cleansing incenses (not energizing ones). Meanwhile, get rid of any negative thoughts you might be holding onto; meditating briefly should be enough.

Duration: After a regular shower for hygiene, simply pour the water slowly over your body, from the neck down. Meditate while you do it, and manifest your positivity and protection; a lot of people use that moment to chant cleansing spells, but it’s your choice.

☼ Herbal shower (the energizing)

This step will renew your positive energies. You can use any plant you want, and choose depending on what you’re manifesting. Popular choices include rosemary (for prosperity and open paths), lavender (for balance and harmony), basil (for protection and comfort), chamomile (for serenity) and jasmine (to cultivate general pleasure), etc. You can mix various herbs of your choice, if you’re used to working with them, and also flowers.

Preparation with fresh herbs: If you’re using fresh herbs, start by cutting them on an angle to protect the plant. Gather at least 5 handfuls of leaves in a bowl with 1-2 l of water and stir it until the water gains color. To accelerate the process and get more juice from the leaves, I often grind some of them in my pestle: to do that, I add just a little bit of water to the herbs in the pestle so it’s easier to turn to mush. It’s fine if you don’t own a pestle, you’ll just have to stir it for a little longer. When you’re finished, use a strainer/sieve to get the herbs out of the water (if you don’t, some leaves will stick to your skin and you’ll have to get them out one by one since you’re not supposed to wash yourself with regular water after the shower).

Preparation with dry herbs: I’m more experienced with fresh herbs, thanks to my mother’s garden, but dry herbs will work too. You may opt for the same method used in the cleansing shower, replacing the coarse salt with the herbs, and using a strainer to get larger bits out of the water.

Duration: Just like the coarse salt shower!

✩ Tips!

When I can, I like to do a proper cleansing of my house beforehand. Think of it like getting in bed after a bath – you’re all fresh and clean, you want your bed sheets to be too, right?

The best days to perform it are friday, sunday or monday, since they symbolize endings and new beginnings.

I tend to do it at night, after my day is pretty much finished, so I can just relax after. I was dead serious when I said it’s draining!

Some people prefer herbal baths, in which case you wouldn’t have to work on the preparation as much, but I prefer showering so I’m not experienced in that.

✩ What’s something that other people do that annoys you? How does this reflect a part of yourself?

✩ What is something that sparks a short fuse in you (aka triggers you)? Why does this bother you so quickly and so much?

I chose to conciliate these prompts I found online cause the answer’s so similar. One of the things that bothers me the most in other people is when they’re overly confident and authoritarian, too self-assured, too assertive. I can’t tolerate that. To the extent that I always surround myself with people who are the polar opposite of that; all my best friends and past lovers are soft spoken, docile, sometimes a little insecure, sometimes even considered a “pushover”. I think my aversion to those cocky traits reflect who I used to be as a child/teenager. I used to be cheeky and rude (and way too confident for someone who didn’t know shit). I’d boss my friends around and I’d always have my way with everything, and I was a bully. I had to work on myself a lot to change and grow, but it worked, people I meet nowadays wouldn’t ever even guess that I used to be like that.

I put together a few texts I found online as an intro before I start journaling on this blog.

Shadow work is when you explore the depths of your soul in order to heal and grow. It’s an introspective practice based on the theory we all have a shadow self that we must be conscious of. Our shadow consists of those parts of ourselves we hide and repress by pushing them down into our subconscious, which may include aggression, fear, our toxic traits and flaws, shame and selfishness. By embracing and bringing these things to the surface, we can understand ourselves better, live more authentically and heal our wounds. It’s not easy, but shadow work is a vital part of our spiritual journey; many of us already do it without knowing what it’s called. To work with your shadow self you may:

☼ Journal your thoughts and feelings;

☼ Observe your reactions to different issues and situations;

☼ Learn to respond, not react;

☼ Meditate on the aspects of your shadow to get to know it better;

☼ Practice being present and conscious;

☼ Practice emotional inquiry: “why do I feel like this?”

Recognize your shadow self. It manifests in aspects of your personality that have a negative impact on your balance, like: lack of boundaries, self sabotage, lack of confidence, fear of speaking up for yourself, reluctance to say no, jealousy, anxiety, passive aggressiveness, comparing yourself to others, always putting yourself last, not doing what you know is good for you, addictions, etc.

The dark moon is heavily associated with shadow work. It’s a phase in which many witches choose not to perform magic, since it generally represents the space between two cycles, the silence between death and rebirth. But it’s the perfect time to perform shadow magic; the darkness holds both everything we fear and all we can wish for. The dark moon in itself only lasts 3 days before the new moon arrives with the first visible sliver of light, but, to fuel your shadow magic, you must cultivate self awareness every day, which means:

☽ Notice when you judge, criticize or blame, and pause: what in yourself are you avoiding by focusing externally?

☽ When you feel jealousy, anger, or self pity, pause: what core belief is underneath this feeling?

☽ Practice seeing yourself in other people and expand your empathy.

☽ Practice radical responsibility for your emotions and reactions rather than blaming others.