Queen of Swords

Stirring the pasta clockwise to bring happiness and positive energy to your guests.

Knotting the cord on your hoodie for some energy and motivation.

Running outside to collect rainwater in the middle of a storm.

Lighting up on the inside when you see inexpensive altar decor.

Drawing sigils on birthday cards for a lucky year.

Carrying around herbs and crystals, sometimes handing them to your friends when they need a boost.

Putting extra energy into the ‘XO’ next to your appreciation notes.

Looking at animals a little differently when you walk down the street, and wondering what their symbolism may be.

Feeling the tense energy all around you, and trying to decide what you can do to make it more comfortable. 

Making funny doo-dads out of loose ends for your spells or charm bags.

Wondering if that guy you saw wearing a pentacle may also be a witch.

Singing lullabies to little bags with just a tiny bit of magick mixed into the lyrics. 

Matching up herb correspondence and medicinal uses so that you can heal others inside and out.

Doing something small to help someone attract the energy they’re looking for.

Madame Clara Sees All

So dolls, I’d been eyeing this deck forEVER, going back and forth about whether or not I wanted it and I finally bought it as a Mothers’ Day present from myself to myself <3

There aren’t a whole lot of pics of it available but I did finally find Madam Clara on Instagram, which was a huge help in pushing me over to make the purchase, and I suggest if you’re interested in seeing more of these cards, you hop on over there, or to the official website

Now, Quality:

The packaging was beautiful, as shown above, wrapped in paper and with a stamped note, and the cards come in a tuck box but also include a pouch printed with Fate Destiny Fortune, which is an AWESOME bonus, especially considering the price of the deck, at just under $25 (for indie decks, that’s fucking awesome, also the shipping was reasonably fast).  The cardstock feels about the same as Connected & Free: the Alchemist’s Oracle, which imo is alright, but there’s something about it that makes it feel a little rough, but not flimsy by any means.  But, it does shuffle well, and it’s really only something I mention in passing, not a detractor.  

Cards: 

IN FUCKING LOVE!  I love the simple, retro, red/gold/blue color scheme and the sculptures that make up the cards.  The imagery is simple yet definitely conveys a message.. and if you have trouble finding that message, just look at the banners on each card.  You get a short and sweet blurb that I really find to capture the energy of each card just about perfectly !!!AND!!! they’re totally reversible!  Best deck for learning reversals since Revelations.  So, as an example, the Queen of Cups upright reads: Your compassionate heart will bring comfort to loved ones, while reversed it says: Bottled up emotions will eventually reach a boiling point.  Totally loving it <3  One little thing, the backs are not reversible, and I know that’s something worth mentioning for some people, but it’s a small detail and one that I find I can easily overlook and not be paying too close attention to while shuffling/laying out the cards.

Also have to mention the two extra Fate Destiny Fortune cards that I am going to definitely leave in the deck and read intuitively.  One features a palmistry hand, the other a skull, and I’m looking at them currently as wild cards.  Also.. they’re now featured as my lock and home screens on my phone lol

I’ll keep this short. For when you’re feeling disconnected or want to ban something. And if you have a bathtub. Sadly it doesn’t work with a shower.

Take your bath, with salts, without, do whatever.

Then, when you’re done, unplug the plug and lie back in the water. Close your eyes. Feel the water going down, down, down.

Oracle of Oddities (memento mori, love, earth; nightmares, dreams).

Your interpretations are all valid! You do not have to limit yourself or fit into one paradigm of interpretation. You can read intuitively, analytically, scientifically, subjectively, through rote memorization, a combination of all five, or any other way you feel is best. No one can tell you that how you interpret your tarot cards or oracle cards is wrong. 

A lot of people ask me about how to start learning about herbs and which courses are good, so I decided to put this together for you guys!

Resources

Herbmentor.com

Here are a few useful herbs that are good to start out with

Check out my recommended books

Paul Bergner has excellent information and courses available here

The East West School of Planetary Herbology is a great place to take courses

The Lunar Apothecary is a great for leaning about herb magic and lunar herbology

This website will help you to find local plants (USA only)

Bear Medicine Herbals

Herbcraft.org

Herbal Remedies Advice

HANE is also a good school to check out

Tips

Check out local plant societies to see what activities they have planned. Some of them offer free plant walks that will help you to get to know your local plants

Start experimenting with your (safe) local weeds first. For many of you, this means sorrel, dandelion, plantain, violet leaf, and ground ivy.

Get your warnings and safety information from reputable books and herbalists, not social media (tumblr). There are many rumors on this site about what is and isn’t poisonous, please don’t believe everything you read!

Keep a few materia medica books on hand to check for contraindications and safety instead. My go-to books for checking whether an herb is okay with me are located in the recommended books post above

Pick 1 herb a month to really focus on. Keep in mind that you can do a lot with a few herbs, some of them have dozens of uses

Learn about your herbs by tasting and using them, not just reading! Personal experience is more important than book knowledge (except when it comes to safety)

Equipment

JARS (check the thrift store for cheap finds)

Alcohol - I usually use 80 proof vodka for tinctures but you can also use brandy depending on what you’re making

Oils- I like grapeseed oil and coconut oil

Funnels

Cheese cloth for straining herbs

Kitchen scale

French press (easy way to make loose leaf tea)

Idea of what to start making with herbs

Bruise/injury salves

Bug sprays

Calming tinctures/teas

Digestive tinctures/teas

Pain tinctures

Fomentations

Poultices

I probably forgot a lot of stuff so Ill be adding more in the future!

These witchy worksheets made by @witchoncampus