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@enchantedspooooons

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From banshees, to people who had mermaid lovers, crowdsourced stories reveal a different country
“Half a million pages have been digitised by the National Folklore Collection, of which more than 100,000 pages have now been transcribed by volunteers, revealing the fairy situation in every townland, the types of leprechaun and butter churn common to each area, the names of people who tried to steal gold and what happened to them, or who had relationships with mermaids. There is material on local cures, holy wells, strange animals, travelling folk and spirits.”
Friendly reminder that you are not obligated to worship the Gods as they were traditionally worshipped. Incorporating modern practices of ancient religions is just as valid. Remember that you can create a regime that caters to your schedule, health, and financial situation. They understand and appreciate the acknowledgment you are able to give.
Nonverbal Witchcraft
For my witches who cannot speak, struggle to speak, or choose to remain quiet.
This post is a compilation of ideas and personal methods from fellow nonverbal witches. Not everything may fit for you, but hopefully it will give you a starting point!
Spells:
Write the words and focus your energy on bringing them into being. You could burn the piece of paper to finish off the spell. One contributor also mentions burying the paper.
Our thoughts are powerful. Focus, and say the words in your mind.
You can also mouth the words without speaking them, if that helps you.
Whispering is also great if that works for you!
Find power in silence, use it as its own tool.
Use instruments to create certain rhythms for different spells, instead of chanting.
If sound is helpful, play music that you feel relates/connects you to the spell.
Cast circles and finalize spells by snapping.
Sigils are concentrated intention–use that to your advantage. They can absolutely be a base for spellwork.
Use a power source; the elements (candles, soil, the air around you, a bowl of water, etc.), crystals, burning herbs, etc.
To feel energy without using words to confirm: use tools that have stronger energy that you can physically feel.
Make spell candles, jars or sachets.
Use sign language! I’m of the opinion that everyone should at least learn the basics, and there are plenty of free resources out there!
Specific spells:
Casting a circle: “You can cast a circle by walking in a circle and visualizing your footsteps imprinting on the earth below, creating a barrier of light (color chosen to correspond to intention at the time), walk the circle 3 times and see the barrier in your mind forming a perfect sphere around your work space, becoming brighter and stronger each step you take.”*
To banish: write the things you wish to banish on a piece of paper, light them on fire with a black candle and place in a burn bowl.
To release and invite: use two pieces of paper. On one, write down everything you’d like to release from your life. On the other, write down everything you’d like to invite into your life. Burn the release paper and dispose of the ashes, keep the invite paper. (Optional: I like to do this on the new moon, and have a black candle above the release paper and a white candle above the invite paper).
Protective charm: (click here)
To raise you out of a dark place: (click here)
Spell of destruction: (click here)
Energy work:
Use a cajon, bells, singing bowl, steel tongue drum/moondrum, or other instruments to raise energy!
“I have a specific snapping rhythm that is ‘magic time’. When I snap the rhythm once or three times it’s go time and I fall into the zone.”*
“For energy work and to raise energy I dance and as my heartbeat gets louder in my ears I mentally chant with it, focusing on a short phrase, intention, or incantation with the energy I physically raised and the meditative repetition of my mind.”*
Use a power source; the elements, crystals, burning herbs, etc.
Most energy work involves movement, rather than words (click here for energy work with restricted movement).
Other ideas:
Worship: write letters, devote your actions, decorate an altar. Prayers don’t need to be spoken! Or write your prayers and place them on an altar, burn them, or keep them. (Bedridden worship)
Divination doesn’t require spoken word, especially once you have a bond with your tools. You can always use writing, sigils, or your thoughts to channel your intent/question. (Bedridden divination)
Charge crystals with your intent and wear them/carry them in a pouch.
Kitchen witchcraft, garden magic, tea magic, etc. etc.
Utilize the correspondences of the items in your life.
You may also like:
Bedridden witch series
Bedridden witch: Discreet edition
Limited hand mobility + witchcraft
Spoonie witch masterpost
Sigils: (pain + symptoms) (mental illness + energy) (healing + misc.)
Chronically ill witchcraft: For your symptoms
Mentally ill witchcraft: For your symptoms
With suggestions and contributions from:
@mynameisvernal, @melinoealtar, @steffithesciencewitch, @the-corset-witch*, @healing-sun-witch and anonymous. Thank you!
**Do not repost or share on other platforms - reblogging is okay!**
Why You Should Keep Track of the Tarot Cards You Pull
People will often notice patterns to the cards they pull - you’ll notice that certain cards come up more often. This tends to be based on a feeling though, rather than any real data about which cards you’ve pulled - and the real data may surprise you.
I’ve kept track of the cards I’ve pulled in my single card readings over the past three months, and here are some things I’ve noticed:
I pull one card more frequently than any other card. In my case, that card is The Magician. It’s really useful to know - not just suspect - that one card turns up constantly for me.
Some cards don’t actually appear as frequently as I think they do. I recently pulled the Nine of Pentacles and thought, “Again?? Why do I pull this card so much??” but when I look at the actual data… I’ve pulled other cards way more frequently. I think it’s a form of the Baader-Meinhof effect - a card can stick in your brain for some reason and you remember it as appearing more often than it actually does!
There are interesting things about the cards that I don’t pull. In three months, these Major Arcana cards have never come up at all: The Emperor and The Devil. I can look at the data of what archetypes don’t appear in my life and draw some interesting conclusions. I’ve also not drawn a single court card (page, knight, queen, or king) from the suit of swords - swords tend to deal with conflict, which I maybe have less of during this particular time in my life
I can identify which suit and which numbered cards appear the most and the least in my readings. While the totals of Swords, Wands, Cups, and Pentacles I pull are pretty close to even, Wands eke out a little bit higher total than the others. Cups and Pentacles are tied, with Swords coming in last. If I didn’t have this data, I’d probably assume I pull Swords the most - because they leave the biggest impact on me when I do pull them! Of the numbered cards: I pull Aces of any suit the most, and Twos of any suit the least. This makes for some interesting patterns: The Magician is sort of the “Ace” of the Major Arcana, as well. Aces are about a very singular willpower whereas Twos are about partnership and duality. Through this pattern I can identify the focus the cards have on my life at this particular point in time.
I pull Major Arcana cards more than is statistically likely. The Major Arcana makes up 28% of the deck, but 39% of my pulls. The Major Arcana are more associated with long-term messages, and so my life may have more long-term type changes needing to be made during this period.
This is a quick guide to how you might interpret some of the overall themes you notice: Minor Arcana: temporary, easily changed, daily life, current situation Major Arcana: long term, archetypes, themes, life lessons, current lesson Wands: spirituality, inspiration, determination, strength, intuition, creativity, ambition and expansion; energy, motivation and passion. Cups: love, feelings, relationships and connection; emotions, intuition and creativity Swords: action, change, force, power, oppression, ambition, courage and conflict; thoughts, and words Pentacles: work, business, trade, property, money and other material possessions Aces: new beginnings, news, movement in a positive direction Twos: duality, connection Threes: creation, creativity, growth, action Fours: stability, structure Fives: tension, conflict, challenge Sixes: relaxation, harmony, reevaluation Sevens: mystery, disruption, adjustment Eights: action, movement, growth, change Nines: contemplation, reflection, looking to the next step Tens: conclusion, culmination, new beginnings, complexity Pages: youth, vitality, fascination, learning, and focus Knights: adventure, energy, missions, conviction, willfulness, recklessness Queens: curiosity, openness, expressiveness, creativity, flexibility Kings: authority, leadership, expertise, mastery, inflexibility

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Things no one tells you about your mercury sign
Aries mercury 🗣️
You are honest. Maybe you have been told before that you are too quick to talk, but that’s because you don’t filter the information you have in your head like others do. You believe that saying what you actually think is the most humble way of expressing yourself and it always comes from your ability to be vulnerable rather than from an impulse.
Taurus mercury 🗣️
You are a good listener. While it might seem as if you are indifferent in a conversation, that is just because you actually take the time to understand the other person and not wait for your turn to talk. You’re the best when it comes to remembering details and you have a sharp memory because of this communication style.
Gemini mercury 🗣️
Your mind is adaptable. It can adapt to any new idea you are presented with, to any topic that’s brought up. That’s because in that brain of yours there is so much information gathered from not only your interests, but from other fields as well, which needs to be expressed. This volume of knowledge makes you the good communicator that you are.
Cancer mercury 🗣️
You might have been told that you are too sensitive to words, but you cannot control the fact that you think through feelings. It’s one thing to randomly express your thoughts, but a whole other lever to mean what you say. You have a way of speaking that combines the rational with emotional. And this is why, for you, words have a certain weight to them.
Leo mercury 🗣️
Your words are powerful. No matter if you notice it or not, your mind always thinks big. You are not afraid of judgment and when there is a message you need to express, you will do it wholeheartedly. Not everyone might like your energy, but through your words, you will always have a lasting impact on them.
Virgo mercury 🗣️
You think wisely. While often you can be misunderstood because of your sharpness, your mind works in a systematic way. You have the ability to connect the details and reveal the unseen and then express it into the world. The result is a well thought, organized way of thinking that is set to make you the best problem solver.
Libra mercury 🗣️
You make others feel comfortable opening up to you. Your mind and the words that you say are a no judge zone. Sometimes this can feel like an inside battle, but you actually love the idea of being fair and understanding. Learning new perspectives and expanding your point of view about the world is the ultimate goal in a conversation for you.
Scorpio mercury 🗣️
You always ask the right question. Even if it intimates some people, you love to dive deep into a topic and cut to the chase. You are the person that would go straight to the point in a conversation, because you are not scared of the uncomfortable. You are willing to bring it up in order to show awareness about an issue and to help.
Sagittarius mercury 🗣️
You see the bigger picture. You can have crazy good ideas and sometimes you don’t understand why others are so caught up in the details. For you, what matters most is the unknown, the big questions about life and death and what is ethical and what is not. You never forget to take into account the broad view of life and remind everyone else what is worth fighting for.
Capricorn mercury 🗣️
You think before you speak. No matter how messy your head can be, you never show that on the outside. You have the ability to filter the loads of information and long term plans and problems you deal with on a daily basis and speak so clean and clever that no one ever finds out about the mess. That’s the reason why your words are so impactful, it’s because they make sense.
Aquarius mercury 🗣️
You are an entertainer. Your ideas of the world are sometimes coming from a random place, but still they remain highly insightful. When you truly believe in something, not only that you will express it head on, but you will also find the most creative means to do so. This makes you likable and charming to listen to.
Pisces mercury 🗣️
Your thinking is visionary. Your communication style is imaginative and full of life. Whenever you communicate, you transmit feelings rather than words and you can never hide the way you feel. This makes you someone warm and inviting that challenges the perspective of others not through words, but through changing their mood while they interact with you.
sun signs here moon signs here what’s your mercury sign?
Why You Should Keep Track of the Tarot Cards You Pull
People will often notice patterns to the cards they pull - you’ll notice that certain cards come up more often. This tends to be based on a feeling though, rather than any real data about which cards you’ve pulled - and the real data may surprise you.
I’ve kept track of the cards I’ve pulled in my single card readings over the past three months, and here are some things I’ve noticed:
I pull one card more frequently than any other card. In my case, that card is The Magician. It’s really useful to know - not just suspect - that one card turns up constantly for me.
Some cards don’t actually appear as frequently as I think they do. I recently pulled the Nine of Pentacles and thought, “Again?? Why do I pull this card so much??” but when I look at the actual data… I’ve pulled other cards way more frequently. I think it’s a form of the Baader-Meinhof effect - a card can stick in your brain for some reason and you remember it as appearing more often than it actually does!
There are interesting things about the cards that I don’t pull. In three months, these Major Arcana cards have never come up at all: The Emperor and The Devil. I can look at the data of what archetypes don’t appear in my life and draw some interesting conclusions. I’ve also not drawn a single court card (page, knight, queen, or king) from the suit of swords - swords tend to deal with conflict, which I maybe have less of during this particular time in my life
I can identify which suit and which numbered cards appear the most and the least in my readings. While the totals of Swords, Wands, Cups, and Pentacles I pull are pretty close to even, Wands eke out a little bit higher total than the others. Cups and Pentacles are tied, with Swords coming in last. If I didn’t have this data, I’d probably assume I pull Swords the most - because they leave the biggest impact on me when I do pull them! Of the numbered cards: I pull Aces of any suit the most, and Twos of any suit the least. This makes for some interesting patterns: The Magician is sort of the “Ace” of the Major Arcana, as well. Aces are about a very singular willpower whereas Twos are about partnership and duality. Through this pattern I can identify the focus the cards have on my life at this particular point in time.
I pull Major Arcana cards more than is statistically likely. The Major Arcana makes up 28% of the deck, but 39% of my pulls. The Major Arcana are more associated with long-term messages, and so my life may have more long-term type changes needing to be made during this period.
This is a quick guide to how you might interpret some of the overall themes you notice: Minor Arcana: temporary, easily changed, daily life, current situation Major Arcana: long term, archetypes, themes, life lessons, current lesson Wands: spirituality, inspiration, determination, strength, intuition, creativity, ambition and expansion; energy, motivation and passion. Cups: love, feelings, relationships and connection; emotions, intuition and creativity Swords: action, change, force, power, oppression, ambition, courage and conflict; thoughts, and words Pentacles: work, business, trade, property, money and other material possessions Aces: new beginnings, news, movement in a positive direction Twos: duality, connection Threes: creation, creativity, growth, action Fours: stability, structure Fives: tension, conflict, challenge Sixes: relaxation, harmony, reevaluation Sevens: mystery, disruption, adjustment Eights: action, movement, growth, change Nines: contemplation, reflection, looking to the next step Tens: conclusion, culmination, new beginnings, complexity Pages: youth, vitality, fascination, learning, and focus Knights: adventure, energy, missions, conviction, willfulness, recklessness Queens: curiosity, openness, expressiveness, creativity, flexibility Kings: authority, leadership, expertise, mastery, inflexibility
March 2021 Happenings:
March 1: There are no retrogrades for the month of March March 2: Waning Gibbous moon in Libra March 6: Last Quarter moon in Sagittarius March 9: Waning Crescent moon in Capricorn March 13: New Moon in Pisces March 17: Waxing Crescent moon in Taurus March 19: Pisces season ends March 20: Spring Equinox/ Ostara March 20: Aries season begins March 21: First Quarter moon in Cancer March 25: Waxing Gibbous moon in Leo March 28: Full moon in Libra. March’s full moon is also known as a Worm Moon.
Please check your local and daily listings for up to date information in your time zone.
Feel free to save or print this calendar for personal use! However, please don’t repost this image elsewhere. If you found this calendar helpful, please consider buying me a coffee or check out my wishlist! 💕
This is part of an ongoing cosmic calendar series. For a list of upcoming transits, more info is under the cut.
Keep reading
reminder:
tarot cards have set meanings, yes, but each deck has different depictions that change the meaning slightly (colors, images, directions, etc. can change the way it is interpreted), and your intuition should influence the reading. your first interpretation of the cards is what your gut is telling you. trust it. there are many ways to interpret any set of cards you draw, so listen to that little voice in your head. it knows best.
Sokka interrupting Katara and Aang's date:
Sokka: fellas, is it gay to kiss the homies
Aang: depends which homies you kiss
Sokka: well, Suki obviously and Zuko
Katara: no its not gay, its bisexual

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I wrote a poem about Nazis.
Transcript:
There are bears in the woods
There are fish in the sea
There are worms in the dirt
And birds in the trees
There are no nazis in Valhalla.
There are mosses on logs
And crawdads in creeks
There are stars in her eyes
And freckles on her cheeks
But there are no nazis in Valhalla.
There are snails in the garden
And seashells on the shore
Peaches with hard pits
Apples with soft cores
And no nazis in Valhalla.
Birds have feathers
And fish have their scales
Forests have ridents
And the ocean has whales
But NO NAZIS IN VALHALLA
There are no nazis in Valhalla
There are no nazis in Valhalla
From Nidhoggr nazis run
There are no nazis in Valhalla
Not even one.
None.
(RNS) — Lea Svendsen, a heathen author, said it was 'heartbreaking' to see her articles of faith at the center of the violence.
You know who I mean. He's not heathen. But he IS problematic. He's hurting Native Americans, too.
Be safe, be vigilant, and be aware. And don't let anyone disgrace our beliefs or masquerade as one of our own. There's no place for racism o
Could studyblogging jumpstart your personal grimoire?
A witch should be a lifelong learner. To practice effective magic, you must grow in new directions at a constant pace. A witch should approach magic with a sense of devotion to their own growth.
I’ve practiced magic and divination for two decades now. The most solid advice I can give? Start journaling. Start keeping a notebook. Start studying.
Witches who keep a notebook record their research and ideas about the Craft. This helps them build a wide repository of knowledge, right there when they need it.
The format and content of my notebooks changed a lot over the years. But they all helped me become the witch I am today. I devoted the bulk of these notebooks to my journey in magic, techniques to try, and lessons learned.
There are few people who haven’t studied. In school, we pore over geometry and classic literature in hot pursuit of elusive high marks. We spent time learning about our interests. Whether that’s witchcraft, philosophy, or astronomy, notes are helpful.
Everyone learns in a different fashion. Still, studying and learning about the world remains with us from our first breath, to the last. My Craft took leaps forward when this dawned on me. I’d always enjoyed school. I realized that I could apply the same study techniques to witchcraft and the occult.
What’s studyblogging?!
As a regular user of both Tumblr and Instagram, I soon came across the studyblogging trend.
Caitlyn Tiffany of The Verge describes the studyblogging phenomenon as “a beautiful, stressful wonderland.” An apt description! But what is a studyblog?
Studyblogging hashtags like #studyblr and #studygram are popular (on Tumblr and Instagram, respectively).
For someone just coming across the phenomenon, though? It can be difficult to penetrate this strange world. Expect calligraphic chaos, a plethora of highlighters, and fine-tuned aesthetics.
Studyblogging focuses on the quest for knowledge. In practice, studyblogs share tips and handwritten notes on various subjects. Studybloggers encourage each other to be the best learners they can be.
The photos of notes, assignments, and other tasks make up the bulk of the phenomenon. Studyblogs often feature photos of elaborate calligraphy and heavy illustration in note form.
Expect to see self-made diagrams of mitochondria. Essay outlines on postcolonial theory with nigh-perfect bubble lettering. Vast, illustrated mind-maps of Shakespearean themes. It’s a big community, and there’s room for a lot. Room for witches? I think so!
Studyblogging for Witches
In witchcraft, our grimoires function much like a non-magical student’s study notes. The content, and some of the form, may differ, but the principles are the same.
The quest for an aesthetically-pleasing grimoire stymies many a beginner (and not-so-beginner) witch. The wise remind us that our grimoires needn’t be complex. Functionality is more important than aesthetics in most cases.
That said, there is something worthwhile about keeping a grimoire that suits you. A grimoire can speak to your soul, both by way of aesthetic appeal and your own abilities. For some of us, this might mean a lavishly-illustrated tome. Others might find minimalist styles more resonating. It varies.
The truth is that yes, your grimoire needn’t look a certain way or be perfect. Still, a level of aesthetic appeal can help with information retention. It can also boost your magical productivity. Humans respond in an intuitive fashion to that which they consider beautiful.
Aesthetics can help to put you into a liminal state. Liminality can be a powerful tool in self-improvement. This, in turn, is useful not only for normal studying, but also for the Craft itself.
If you see art as part of your life path, you might find that approaching your grimoire as a work of art helpful. Part of this means realizing that it won’t be perfect, but also always striving to learn and grow.
Studyblogging, as a community, showcases a lot of excellent notebook and journal-keeping techniques. Studybloggers often provide tutorials and guides to effective learning methods.
This is, of course, all while celebrating the joy of learning itself. Traditional studying methods can apply to magical topics. I have found that the techniques of the studyblogger can help with keeping a useful grimoire.
Ask your intuition if studyblogging is right for you!
Will studyblogging help you? For some students, lurking or keeping a studyblog inspires and motivates them. It also increases accountability. By posting their goals and progress, studybloggers have an impetus to progress.
In a way, it’s a bit like livestreaming a video game - it makes the experience more challenging, and also more exciting. The difference, of course, is that, in this case, your game is learning!
And the notes? Many find the calligraphy, fancy scripts, and illustration soothing. It can be a way of making otherwise impenetrable subjects more captivating.
Without a doubt, aesthetic presentation improves information retention for some people. Humans have a positive response to beautiful imagery.
Some folks find the gorgeous landscape of studygram and studyblr overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. Gorgeous calligraphy notes, after all, aren’t easy for most people.
For some, posting about your studies on a blog might only increase worry. We’re all different, and studyblog techniques are hardly universal in form.
You should use your intuition to decide whether to dip into this community. Ask yourself whether an audience will help your quest for deeper knowledge.
Will you feel empowered, or nervous about it? If you struggle with comparing yourself to others, you might find studyblogging discouraging.
I myself am somewhat of a perfectionist. For me, though, the artistic aspects of note taking and information illustration soothe me. Studyblogging suits me, but will it help you?
You should tailor your learning experience to your own strengths. If that means studyblogging won’t help you, be honest with yourself and don’t chase the anxiety of it all. Find another method of learning.
Browse some existing studyblogs - I recommend EmmaStudies and StudyQuill. Ask yourself how it makes you feel. Do the images and writing seems inspirational?
Would you enjoy sharing your work with the world? Studyblogging might become an ally on your magical path!
Taking the Plunge
So, how do you start a studyblog? How do you get involved in the community?
The most popular studyblogging platforms are Instagram and Tumblr. Instagram lends itself to posting tons of pictures and very short-form posts. Tumblr favors longer prose.
When I started studyblogging, I created both a studyblr and a studygram. I recommend starting a new account on the site of your preference for studyblogging.
Follow some existing studybloggers as a way of introducing yourself to the community! Also, follow the hashtags #studyblr and #studygram, to start.
What to study?
Studyblogging features students focused on all kinds of topics. I’ve been studyblogging for over a year. In case you’re wondering, it’s rare for someone to complain about my witchy take on studyblogging.
You’ll find the studyblogging community very welcoming in most cases. But what will you study? I always recommend witches focus on only one or two things they’d most like to learn at a time.
Studyblogging lends itself well to in-depth topical research. This can mean learning the signs and language of astrology or the basics of gemstone magic.
Topics like shadow work or personal Tarot readings might be a bit too personal to blog about. Those might be better suited to normal, private journaling rather than a blog. My own studyblogging tends to focus on my writing preparation, astrology, and Tarot.
Though I’ve been reading for over twenty years, there is always something new to learn about Tarot. Astrology, like Tarot, is a lifelong discipline. Though I’ve only recently made my first steps into it, there is much to learn. My writing, especially the book I’m working on, has its own notebook.
Possible topics include, but are in no way limited to:
Crystals and gemstones
Astrology
Spellcraft
Mythology and legends
Magical history
Energy work techniques
Seasonal and Lunar cycles
Herbology
Tarot, Lenormand, or oracle deck divination!
It is important to choose topics that interest you in a personal way. At the same time, try not to get distracted. Witchcraft includes many paths of study. Try not to jump from topic to topic - finish what you start!
Supplies
If you’re in school, you may already have a lot of the tools necessary for studying. If not, you can get them for an affordable price in most cases.
Paper matters! You’ll want a notebook or loose leaf binder paper. For hardbound notebooks, you can’t go wrong with a Leuchtturm 1917. That popular notebook boasts dot grid paper, includes page numbers and a place for an index.
Seeking something more aesthetic? Check out the Paperblanks series from Peter Pauper Press. You might also like the notebooks you can order from Citrus Bookbindery. For me, a binder (I use A5 size) works best, because I can add and remove pages as necessary.
You can find some great guides out there about organizing grimoires. Much of that advice applies here. Your notebooks will soon fill the role of a grimoire. They will contain your notes, research, and more.
It is usually best to have one notebook (or binder) for each subject you’re studying. As you move forward, you’ll have a collection of grimoire notebooks on different topics.
You’ll also need pens or pencils. Really, you only need one. If you feel like getting fancy, you can get multicolored fineliners. I prefer Sakura Micron pens. They use waterproof micropigments that don’t bleed when you highlight over your writing.
Highlighters are fun! These add color to your notes and help emphasize the important things. If you want nice highlighters, I recommend Mildliners. Any highlighters will do, though - choose colors that appeal to you. I recommend several different colors, because that allows you to color-code your notes.
Plan!
Plan out, at least in a rough fashion, how you’d like to organize your notes. This can be rather freeform, or complex, depending on your preference.
When I began my astrology journey, I knew what sections I would include in my stars grimoire. I also created a rough map of the path I’d take in my research.
I began with the simple Zodiac signs. I then moved forward through the planets, houses, aspects and transits. My organization, loose though it was, benefited from my use of a binder which allowed me to add and remove pages.
No matter the notebook, it is important to have, somewhere, a rough idea of where you’re going.
You will also find it important to set attainable, realistic, and measurable goals. For me, this was things like memorizing the astrological house system. I set the goal of reading my astrology textbooks completely and summarizing them. This kind of goal leads to personal accountability.
I also created a set of astrological flashcards for my Tarot-related work. It can be motivational to post your goals on your studyblog in some form. Then, you can provide your followers with regular updates on your progress.
Start posting!
Once you feel ready, go ahead and introduce yourself to the studyblogging community! An introductory post, explaining who you are, your goals, and methods, will help others get to know you.
I recommend tagging your posts with studyblogging hashtags (mentioned above). Also include some witchcraft-related tags! This will help you connect with other witches who might be helpful on your journey.
Don’t be shy when it comes to posting photographs (taken with a phone or other camera) of your notes! You might not feel that your notes are as neat or pretty as other bloggers. Regardless, they’re unique and might resonate with others!
If you’re taking notes about a very personal topic, like shadow work, you might want to forgo the pictures. Some bloggers obfuscate or blur potentially sensitive parts of their notes. You’ll likely find nothing but encouragement for sharing your research topics, though!
Some studybloggers will also photograph their study space. Some of us even use photos of fun things like their breakfast or pets to illustrate their updates. If pictures don’t suit you, post regular bits about your life and your progress towards your goals.
Get to know other bloggers! This is important, whether they’re witches or from the studyblogging community. Both can be helpful!
Watch or read some of the tutorials you’ll find in the studyblogging community. These focus on things like calligraphy, organization, and memory techniques.
While your notes needn’t have fancy headings, calligraphy can be fun to learn. I don’t currently use calligraphy in my notes, but am learning it on the side, so to speak.
I find it relaxing, and you might enjoy it too. If not, don’t feel bad - not everyone uses fancy handwriting, and that’s okay!
Moving Forward
If, after a few weeks, you find yourself really vibing with studyblogging, stick with it! Most witches would agree that there’s no real wrong way to be a witch. To me, though, there are wrong (and right) ways for you yourself to learn and grow in your craft.
You need to find what works for you, what adheres to your soul and keeps you connected. If studyblogging ends up helping you, and I hope it will, keep going!
After a while you might find yourself ready to move onto another topic. We all end up “graduating” forward onto other subjects. You’ll quickly find that your grimoires will be an invaluable record.
They will contain not just your gathered information, but also your intuition, insight, and more. Cherish your notebooks - they will come to reflect your essence!
The growing presence of racists in American Pagan communities threatens to tear the faith apart.
This is not news, but it is an important read, especially for people who were previously unaware of the trend of neo-Nazis stealing pagan symbols for their own.
If you are an anti-racist, anti-fascist pagan, keep doing what you are doing, you are keeping the fight alive
If you are an anti-racist, anti-fascist person who is not a pagan, help us spread the word of this, stand in solidarity with us as we kick the fascists out of our communities
If you are a fascist pagan, fuck off, this faith is a peaceful one
No platforms for fascists.
~ Max
…and right here is why you see me starting to wear non-viking garb in the SCA. Because I’m really REALLY white and really REALLY not a racist, and I hate that these people have found their way into my weekend nerdery.
I would posit that if you feel comfortable doing it, and if you feel supported, you should definitely still wear viking garb and not let fascist nazi bastards appropriate it for their own purpose without opposition. 🖤
Please, for the love of fuck, do NOT give up on either your religious paraphernalia *or* your hobbyist Viking swag because of this. Y’know what you ought to do instead? Be vocally and openly anti-racist. Make it known that all this bonehead bullshit is not what we stand for.
And how do you make something known? Well, a man by his speech is known to men.
Make fascists afraid to be vocal. Run them out and counteract their evil with overwhelming good. Make donations to charities that help people of colour under the public name and honour of Odin and Freya and Frigg and Thor. Shout louder than they do. I see a lot of fascism and disgusting vitriol in the comments section on videos from wardruna or heidlung - and something I’d like to do is reupload those videos with the express intent of curating the comments section heavily to keep that shit out. Most accounts won’t do that and they don’t notice how much hate is in their fan base. so I get really angry about these people taking music and culture that is expressly open and for everyone to pollute it in this way. If you know anyone personally that uploads videos to YouTube please remind them to curate that shit, report the bastards. Make statements that it’s not okay. Even one small platform is too one too many.
@dovewithscales
This witch curses fascists. I will not stand idly by while fascists, nazis, and bigots are, well, alive.
They are not welcomed in my church, my religion, my country, or my planet. All fascists should live in fear.
Reblog to send another fascist crawling back into the cesspool they came from.
hello, yes, sorry to bother, but I was wondering if you had any other authors, people, ect, I should stay away from when reading and learning? I'm fairly new to everything. again, sorry to bother
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an unproblematic pagan author. Even the ones who seem like they’re doing things mostly right have their flaws.
Here are the ones to avoid, fullstop:
Silver Ravenwolf - Conflates Wicca and witchcraft, claims only Wiccans are true witches, erases non-Wiccan witches and pagans, constant Christian-bashing, misinformation, false history, cultural appropriation, contradicts herself, hateful rhetoric, racism, history of attacking critics.
D.J. Conway - HUGE problems with incorrect information about deities, questionable interpretations of historical events, also conflates Wicca and witchcraft.
Raymond Buckland - Appropriates closed cultures, uses the g-slur to exoticize certain rituals and techniques, propagates false history (documentary on “The Burning Times” is utter rubbish).
Edain McCoy - Yet more misinformation about deities and history (POTATO GODDESS!?), mostly where it applies to certain Celtic-associated personages and events. Tries to make EVERYTHING Irish, especially when it’s not.
Catherine Yronwode - Racist, perpetual bully, claims LGBTQ+ teens should kill themselves and along with her husband has provided pamphlets and counseling to encourage this, known for attacking people online, threatens critics and pirates with death magic. Oh and she claims New Orleans voodoo is “fake” to bolster her own credibility.
Christian Day - The problem here isn’t so much with his writing as with his personality. The man is a rape apologist and has harassed women on social media on numerous occasions after they’ve called him out for problematic statements, and has threatened other Salem practitioners over personal and business disputes.
Here’s what to look out for with the decent ones:
Judika Illes - Supports Silver Ravenwolf, conflates voodoo and hoodoo, some cultural appropriation.
Scott Cunningham - Outdated information (not his fault, he died in the early 1990s), incorrect correspondences, proponent of “The Burning Times” myth, incorrect history, conflates Wicca and witchcraft.
Tess Whitehurst - Frequently quotes her own beliefs as fact without supporting evidence, conflation of deities and practices.
Ellen Dugan - Vehemently against Christian witches, proponent of “The Burning Times” myth, sometimes conflates Wicca and witchcraft.
S. Connelly - Conflates voodoo and hoodoo, cultural appropriation from both.
Dorothy Morrison - Some cultural appropriation, conflates hoodoo and witchcraft.
Anna Riva - Outdated information (1970s), some appropriation, conflation of voodoo and witchcraft, mild misuse of Christian terminology and rhetoric.
Keep in mind, this list is far from exhaustive, and there are plenty of authors that I have read and not seen problems with, but that may be because I’m not looking at it from the right angle.
For instance, everyone seems to have a problem with Kate West, but I’ve found her books to be helpful and informative and aside from the obvious Wiccan fingerprinting (which you’ll find in most modern pagan literature). And I’m sure someone is going to tell me in the notes of this post exactly what it is I’m missing.
The important thing with any witchy or pagan book is to read critically and use your brains. If something doesn’t make sense or doesn’t seem to jive with what you know about history or religion, look it up in a non-witchy book. Read up on history and religion from academical sources. Read up on botany and herbology. Build a practical knowledge base so that when you run across problematic statements, you know which way the wind is blowing…and more importantly, whether it smells like bullshit.
If I might add The Frosts to the problem list? Have discouraged homosexuals from becoming Wiccans, claim every source that Gardner founded Wicca is a lie (’ancient religion’), and unapologetically have rites that encourage incest and pedophilia.
You may indeed, thank you.
And how could I forget Kenny Klein! His work is unabashedly disgusting and encourages the sexualization of young girls. No wonder he was arrested for child pornography. That’s one to avoid altogether, my lovelies.
So now that I have my list of “Don’t"s, who has a list of authors that are credible?
That’s just the thing - there are no unproblematic, perfectly credible pagan authors. (And I include myself in that.)
Authors like Cunningham, West, Dugan, Illes, Whitehurst, and Morrison are EXCELLENT resources. I’ve even found redeeming qualities in one of Grimassi’s books (for me, anyway). You just have to know how to pick around the personal opinions they throw into their work and forgive the stuff that doesn’t jive with your way of thinking. Also, fact-check ANYTHING that claims to be representative of actual history. Because chances are that it isn’t.
The important thing with any pagan book is critical thinking. Take things with a grain of salt and include practical research in your studies. Don’t just take pagan authors at their word.
And be aware….VERY aware….that most modern pagan authors are writing from a Wiccan or Neo-Wiccan point of view. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but the market saturation levels of this one viewpoint can (and has) lead to frustration and confusion for witches of all experience levels.

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I've noticed a theme whenever I see artwork of Týr online. He's always a grizzled man with one hand gripping a sword menacingly.
I feel this really misses the point of the God. He's not only the God of War, but also Justice and His name was called upon when someone was wronged.
Týr is known as "The Left-handed God" If we assume that, like the majority of the population, Týr was right-handed before his sacrifice to Fenrir...
That would mean the Left-handed God only has his shield arm left. The God of Justice can only protect. He defends the weak.
PBW Witch Shop & Zine Distro
The PBW Witch Shop is a curated selection of witchcraft and magic related zines, books, pin-back buttons, tarot cards and more.
We focus on traditional and folkloric witchcraft, animism, chaos magic, secular witchcraft, magical herbs and plants, queer witchcraft, tarot & Divination, witchcraft & magic in politics, history, culture, and social & racial justice, and aspects of non-Wiccan forms of witchcraft, magic, and paganism.
Pre-Covid the Portland Button Works primarily made custom pinback button. Selling zines and books was secondary and more of a hobby for me to share things I’d like to read. Right now our business is pivoting to focus on books and zines that people can read in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Some items are from well known witchcraft and occult publisher and some are titles from small publishers with interesting items I don’t see in other shops but I’m excited to elevate.
Not everyone has income to buy books right now, we totally understand that, but I would love it if you were able to reblog this post or share Portland Button Works and PBW Witch Shop with your friends.
If you have been looking for a book about something specific, or if you think something would be a good fit for our catalog, get in touch. We can order almost any book in print, even if it isn’t witchcraft or magic related.
With that being said, here are some categories of items we carry:
Some good books to get you started studying witchcraft:
Grovedaughter Witchery by Bree NicGarran
Making Magic by Briana Saussy
Magical Power for Beginners- How to Raise & Send Energy for Spells That Work by Deborah Lipp
Weave The Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff
Some creative books to help build your witch craft practice:
Spellcrafting- Strengthen the Power of your Craft by Creating and Casting Your Own Unique Spells by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
D.I.Y. Magic -a Strange & Whimsical Guide to Creativity by Anthony Alvarado
Psychic Witch- a Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, & Manifestation by Mat Auryn
Urban Magick by Diana Rajchel
Standing and Not Falling - a Sorcerous Primer in Thirteen Moons by Lee Morgan
Tarot Books
Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow
Tarot for Troubled Times by Shaheen Miro & Theresa Reed
Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea
Tarot Decks
Next World Tarot (regular and pocket sized)
Science Tarot
Rider-Waite-Coleman Smith Regular sized and Mini sized
Crow Tarot
Modern Witch Tarot
Cat Tarot
Check out the tarot and divination books in our catalog and also check out tarot and divination decks in our catalog here.
Condensed Chaos by Phil Hine
Advanced Magick for Beginners by Alan Chapman
Chaos Protocols by Gordon White
Hands on Chaos Magic by Andrieh Vitimus
Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter Carroll
Other books in the Chaos Magic section
Anthologies: Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers, and Magical Rebels, Bringing Race to the Table: Exploring Racism in the Pagan Community, Shades of Ritual: Minority Voices in Practice
Magical Resistance: Witchcraft Activism by David Salisbury, Magic for the Resistance by Michael Hughes, Revolutionary Witchcraft by Sarah Lyons
Witches and Feminist Perspectives: Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici, Witches, Midwives and Nurses by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English , Witches Sluts Feminists by Kristen J. Sollee
Pagan Anti-Capitalism: Pagan Anarchism True to the Earth: Pagain Political Thology by Kadmus, All That is Sacred is Profaned: A Pagan Guide to Marxism by Ryhd Wildermuth, A Pagan Anti-Capitalist Primer
Queer Witchcraft: Witchcraft and the Gay Counter Culture, Sapphomanteion a Lesbian Oracle, Queering the Tarot
Check out the Witchcraft Culture and History and Witchcraft Politics and Resistance sections of our website.
Green Witchcraft: The Green Witch by Arin Murray-Hiscock, Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck
Plants and Herbs: Under the Witching Tree by Corinne Boyer, Under the Bramble Arch by Corinne Boyer
The Poison Path: Veneficuim: Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path by Daniel Schulke, Pharmo/Gnonsis: Plant Teachers and the Poison Path by Dale Pendell , Plants of the Devil by Corinne Boyer
Witchy Crafts: Pestlework: a Book of Magical Powders and Oils by Bree NicGarran, Sew Witchy by Rachel Henderson, Sigil Witchery by Lara Tempest Zakroff
Other books in our Plants, Herbs, and Magical Crafts section
Books on Atheopaganism
Godless Paganism (anthology)
Atheopaganism by Mark Green
Other Pagan Perspectives
Jailbreaking the Goddess: A Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality by Lasara Firefix Allen
The Wakeful World: Anismism, Mind, and the Self in Nature by Emma Restall Orr
Circling the Star by Anthony Rella
All That Is Sacred is Profaned: A Pagan Guide to Marxism by Rhyd Wildermuth
All Other Pagan books
Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary
A Deed Without A Name: Unearthing the Legacy of Traditional Witchcraft by Lee Morgan
Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft by Keldon
Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards
Besom Stand and Sword A Guide to Traditional Witchcraft the Six-Fold Path the Hidden Landscape by Christopher Orapello & Tara Love Maguire
Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon
Folk Witchcraft by
The Flame in the Cauldron by Orion Foxwood
Craft of the Untamed by Roger Horne
Check out the rest of the books in our Traditional & Folkloric Witchcraft Section
What are zines? Small independently made magazine and pamphlets filled with stories and unique ideas that you won’t find from major publishers!
Some topics you will find in zines we carry are Secular Witchcraft, the fantastic Fiddler’s Green Pamphlets and lots of zine on the places where Politics, Paganism, and Witchcraft intersect.
Check out all of our witchy zines here.
Other Stuff
witchy buttons
magnets and hand mirrors
We carry more than just witchy books.
Here are some of the other titles we carry:
You Were Born For This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance by Chani Nicholas
When Language Runs Dry: An Anthology for People with Chronic Pain and their Allies
What is Gender Nihilism?
Be Gay Do Crime by The Mary Nardini Gang
Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher
You Black Friend by Ben Passmore
Learning Good Consent an Anthology edited by Cindy Crabb
How To Talk To Your Cat about Gun Safety and Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism and Other Dangers that Threaten Their Nine Lives
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Honoring your Ancestors by Mallorie Vaudoise
Do-it-Your Self Guide to Fighting the Big Motherfucking Sad by Adam Gnade
Yes, I’m Flagging: Queer Flagging 101 by Archie Bongiovanni
Full online catalog of books, zines, buttons and more can be found at PortlandButtonWorks.com and the PBW Witch Shop can be found here.
All items are shipped from Portland, Oregon in plain packaging or United States Postal Service Flat Rate envelopes or boxes with the return address as Portland Button Works. We ship daily and most order come with small fun gifts of buttons or magnets.
Thank you so much for supporting your local witch!
The Living Altar - an oracle and spell deck for the radical witch
Witches, Witch-hunting, and Women by Silvia Federici
Grimoire Journal by Paige Vanderbeck
Art of War by Sun Tzu
Memento Mori: A Collection of Magickal and Mythological Perspectives on Death, Dying, Mortality & Beyond
A Practical Guide For Witches by Ylvadroma Marzanna Radziszewski (This is my new go-to recommendation for new witches)
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot
The Celestial Art: Essays on Astrological Magic (anthology)
New This week! 2 September 2020
Magical Writing Grimoire: Use the Word as Your Wand for Magic, Manifestation, & Ritual by Lisa Marie Basile
54 Devil: The Art and Folklore of Fortune-telling with Playing Cards by Corey hutcheson
Five Principles of Green Witchcraft by Asa West
Murder of Crows Tarot deck
Architecture/ Astrology By Dan Graham and Jessica Russell
Light Magic for Dark Times by Lisa Marie Basile
Pharmako/Dynamis: Stimulating Plants, Potions, and Herbcraft by Dale Pendell
Enchantments by Mya Spalter
Slingshot 2021 Organizer in Small pocket sized and larger spiral bound
Notes: I know a lot of the Troy Books are currently out of stock because I can’t currently get them from the big book distributor. However! I’ve set up an account directly with their US distributor and should have them back in my next round of orders. I’m also out of a lot of the Three Hands Press books for the same reason and inquiring directly with them about how to remedy this.
Super stoked to FINALLY have the Modern Witch Tarot back in stock.
I was finally able to restock Troy Books and added some new ones to the catalog! Check all the Troy Books titles we carry here.
New this week:
Cecil Williamson’s Book of Witchcraft: A Grimoire of the Museum of Witchcraft by Steve Patterson
The Devil’s Dozen by Gemma Gary
Silent as the Trees: Devonshire Witchcraft, Folklore & Magic by Gemma Gary
Wortcunning: A Folk Medicine Herbal by Nigel G. Pearson
True Heart Intuitive Tarot by Rachel True
Game Of Thrones Tarot
Pride Tarot (A Collaborative Tarot)
Zombie Tarot
Pharmako/Poeia- Plant Powers, Poisons, and Herbcraft by Dale Pendell
The Otherworlds Review - collection includes all seven issues
Solidarity Networks & Emergency Survival from Gods & Radicals
Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown
Weird Walk Zine #2, Weird Walk #3, & Magic Circle Zine
Modern Witch Tarot Journal by Lisa Sterle (companion journal to the Modern Witch Tarot)
Knot Magic by Sarah Bartlett (I very much disagree with the “Witch’s Oath” found at the beginning of this book but I did enjoy this book as a discussion of uses of knot magic)
Use Coupon Code: IANB for 15% off from Thursday until Monday November 30!
New in Catalog: Rituals & Declarations #3 & Rituals & Declarations #4
We have gift certificates! Order gift certificates in any denomination here and a digital code will be emailed to you or your recipient OR You can purchase certain denominations from the website and we will send you a physical gift certificate for gift giving.
How To Be Alive in a Dying World zine - a thoughtful new zines by Finn from Everyday Magic zine (which we just restocked all issues)
Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch by Kristen J. Sollée (same author as Witches, Sluts Feminists)
Women of Science Tarot
On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation by Alexandra Horowitz
I’m also putting together some gift guides with some stuff from our shop. The first one I just made is for people with oddly specific interests. It contains zines and books about a conspiracy theory of Kurt Cobain being lactose intolerant, StarTrek, Beer brewing, Popcorn, Price, Architecture and more!
Last day for Christmas arrivals in the US (if that’s important to you) is to have your order in by 3PM Pacific time on December 19th!
New in stock 11 December 2020!
The Moon Book by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener (a book on moon magic from a feminist queer trans inclusive perspective?! yes please!)
Tarot zines! The Death Card and Knight of Cups
Queering your Craft by Cassandra Snow (same author as Queering the Tarot)