Viva La Vida

Rules:

-2 questions per day only- if it is more, there’s a spell placed on this session to where the dishonest person/people will have bad luck the following day.

-nsfw/triggering subjects should be asked without anon on, so I can answer privately.

-please put a dolphin emoji 🐬 or any other sea creature/sea plant to signal that you have read the rules.

-must be answerable with a yes or a no.

Because you shouldn't have to buy a single thing to practice magic.

No crystals. No candles. No herbs. No fancy tools.

Just you, your intention, and 60 seconds.

Here are 10 spells you can do right this second:

1. The Invisible Shield Breath Take three deep breaths. Visualize a protective bubble forming around you with each exhale. Say: "I am protected." Use before stressful situations.

2. The Threshold Protection Stand in a doorway. Place a hand on each side of the frame. Say: "This is the boundary. Only what serves me crosses this line." Step through with intention.

3. The Mirror Visualization Close your eyes. Imagine you're covered in tiny mirrors facing outward. Any negativity bounces off and returns to sender. Use when dealing with gossip or jealousy.

4. The Grounding Breath Count Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4. Repeat 3 times. Imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth. Use for anxiety.

5. The Posture Spell Stand up straight. Roll shoulders back. Lift your chin. Say: "I am powerful. I take up space. I belong here." Hold for 30 seconds. Use before anything that scares you.

6. The Cord Cutting Visualization Imagine an energetic cord connecting you to someone draining. Visualize cutting it. Say: "I cut this connection. Your energy is yours, mine is mine." Use after toxic interactions.

7. The Open Hands Spell Hold hands out, palms up, like you're receiving something. Say: "I am open to receiving. Money flows to me easily. I have enough." Use for financial anxiety.

8. The Five Senses Grounding Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. This pulls you out of your anxious brain and into your body.

9. The "No" Practice Spell Say "no" out loud 10 times. Say it different ways: firmly, kindly, loudly, quietly. Feel how it sits in your mouth. You're practicing the spell of refusal.

10. The Crisis Mantra Say: "I have survived 100% of my worst days. I will survive this too." Repeat until you believe it. Use during panic or bad news.

These are just 10 of the 50+ no-supply spells I wrote about. Want the full guide? Read it here: https://www.edgeandaltar.com/post/no-supply-spells-magic-without-buying-anything

Sammy Ingram always talks about repetition being key. Repeating affirmations, being persistent. But why would it be the key when it comes to manifesting? Well, repetitive behavior and words are what condition our brains to believe and continuously hold certain expectations for things.

I’ll give a variety of examples:

- You hear a song as a kid. You love it. You keep singing it over and over again. You hear that song again 15-20 years later, you remember all the words.

- You love Coca Cola but you cut back on how much you drink because you’ve seen multiple people online say it’s not good for you. They say it has ingredients that hurt your body. You’ve heard it so many times, so you believe it’s what’s true.

- You grew up in a poor family. Your mom always said, “we’ll never be rich unless we somehow win the lottery.” So, you believe your family will never be rich unless by some miracle they win the lottery.

- You start a new job. Your coworkers complain about how terrible the store manager is. According to them, he’s lazy, he’s cheapy the cheapskate, he’s rude, he doesn’t show gratitude for his employees. You haven’t spoken to him yet, but because your coworkers have all said the same bad things about him, you now expect that this is how he is. You’re not looking forward to dealing with him.

- You start ice skating. You tell yourself over and over in your mind, “I’m not experienced. I won’t do well unless I practice for years.” You struggle for a while and it takes years for you to improve, because that’s what you told yourself.

All these examples are things that happened because words were repetitively said to your subconscious. It’s how we can land in undesirable situations, BUT, let me clarify, thoughts that come from having anxiety typically do not manifest because they’re not consistent, dominant thoughts. They’re driven by fear vs intent. They lack conviction. Therefore, we can overpower anxious thoughts and negative thoughts (those ones that got us into a bad situation) with positive affirmations that will shape positive thoughts and a better state of being.

This is why it’s important to repeat affirmations and, if you’re struggling, to find a technique to repetitively use. Repeat robotic affirmations, take multiple 10 minute sessions out of your day to meditate while repetitively affirming, write down affirmations over and over, put a manifestation board where you can see it everyday. Every single one of those things involve some sort of repetition.

When we need to condition our minds to normalize something that we never or have hardly ever experienced, repetition is key. It’s like I’ve previously said, our mind is like a computer. It needs code repeated to it to reprogram, to update it.

Prayer to Hekate for Uncertain Beginnings

Hear me Hekate Enodia, of the crossroads and of pathways, Hekate Phosphorus, bearing light and holding your bright torches, Lady of Transitions and the Liminal, come to me! I call for your audience as your humble worshipper. In this time of endings and uncertain beginnings, may you turn the wheel of fortune in my favour. Hekate Kleidouchos, bring me the keys I need to unlock new possibilities that align with my needs as well as avenues that speak to my values and truths. Hekate Propolos, be with me in this time as I encounter the waves of change. Be my guide and companion, there for me when I need divine support. Praise to Hekate, who watches over our leaps of faith! Allow me to be steady as I look upon the crossroads ahead.

Have a prayer request? Feel free to send me an ask!

Enjoy my posts or prayers? You can leave me a tip on Kofi :)

KILL AI AND REBLOG AND CREATE ART IN 2026

❄️🐾🤍

(x)

You wake up branded with the lines of pillow creases Thunderbolted tree roots across your cheek In turn, last night's mascara stains The ivory hotel pillowcase Each one leaving their mark on the other Looks like you're even You say 'good morning' to Them when you walk in and They don't correct you As They spray vodka on the armpits of the dancers' costumes We learn these tricks along the way The flesh toned bandage wrap Covered by skin colored fishnets Because you will cover the wound, No matter how deep it is. No one ever knew. And, baby, that's show business for you.

Coffee. Stretch. Piano keys. Vocal warm ups in a locker room shower. Eyelash glue. A photo of him on the mirror. Sweat and vanilla perfume. The cracking of joints and the distant beat of a drum. The curtain call. The monotonous thrill of it all. Plan it out so it doesn't look planned 10 different backup plans If your red bottomed heel breaks you will keep strutting Balancing on the balls of your blistered feet Know your exits. Shoulders back. Eyes up. Hit your marks. Your winks. Sparks. Tell them a story like it's an intimate dinner party The looks on their wondrous faces Their expressions like mood rings Isn't it all so majestic? Of course it is. It's a lot of other things too.

Remember this city? You've been here before in another life On another tour Remember her? She's got a mortgage now. Straight teeth where there'd been metal brackets Standing with her 8 year old daughter You mouth 'I know you' In the millisecond gap in your choreography To you, she will look exactly the same age as the first time you saw her She will always be 14 and a half Remember! Lock right back into the footwork Any missed step is a misstep You must remember everything But mostly this: The crowd is your king who has ruled over you for centuries Benevolently For the most part.

Perhaps someday They will despise you again. Perhaps it is not a matter of 'if' But 'when' They'll re-assess your merits and then Take a magnifying glass to the shiny bug. Deflate all the heroes They had decided she was And maybe They'll do it just because. But you live by a strict code: Never believe your own mythology Never type your name into the search bar Let the wolves howl all they want The moon should never howl back You know if you play, it's a losing game So you keep yourself too busy to ever learn what's-their-name's name And these are the reasons you are still somewhat sane

He ran to his car from work to catch the flight Missed the first act but somehow it's better this way. It's just right Because you get to watch him make his way through the masses Parting the crowd like some neon Moses in a sequin sea He is a magnet and a trampoline The tiny bubbles in champagne Haphazard but precise, he crash-landed next to you Reckless, but never with your heart If he's in, you are too You've begun to feel that Every song before was just a prayer A wish list He is not what you've been waiting for He is more. Why you held out Why you left And nothing aches suddenly He has that effect.

If you prefer your history lessons in podcast form, here’s a list of audio treats about witches, witch trials, and witch panics, from antiquity to the modern day. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!

I will update this list as I find new examples. Feel free to add your own!

(Last Updated August 27, 2024 - Full post under Read More)

For more witchcraft and occult-related podcast recs, check out my other masterpost, Debunking and Fact-Checking for Witches & Witchcraft Spaces.

Witches & Witch Trials in History

Hex Positive

Ep. 3 - Hex Positive June 1, 2020 Bree delves into what it means to be Hex Positive, as well as discussing and dismantling some of the confusion surrounding the use of hexes and curses. Just what IS the Threefold Law, anyway? The answer may surprise you.

Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope. This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!

Ep. 20 - Witchcraft and the Law September 1, 2021 A discussion of the history of witchcraft-related laws and how changing views on magic, religion, and superstition first denied the existence of witches, then panicked over their alleged activities, and finally settled into something resembling common sense. This is a long slog, encompassing over 3000 years of history from a broomstick-height view, and I get off on a few tangents where history crosses paths with modern issues. But if you’re a history buff, you’re gonna love this episode!

Ep. 21 - Witchcraft and Modern Law September 21, 2021 A follow-up to Ep. 20, this time dealing with modern legal codes that may affect our practices even if they don’t deal with witchcraft directly. There is also some discussion of 20th-century events missed in the previous episode, as well as a brief overview of witch hunts still occurring in some parts of the world today.

Ep. 22 - Bree and Lozzie vs the Witch Hunters October 1, 2021 Bree NicGarran and guest host Lozzie Stardust run down the history and many misdeeds of notorious witch hunters Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne.

Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.

Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Bree puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter  and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first  – the bunny or the egg?

Ep. 036 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921…which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement. Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins me in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray’s various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.

BS-Free Witchcraft

Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)

Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.

Ep. 33: The Wheel of the Year March 27, 2021 After two fairly depressing episodes, it’s time to move on to something a little less bleak. This time around we’re talking about the Wheel of the Year! Well, at least the basic idea. Where did it come from, who slapped these eight holidays together, and are they really something every witch needs to give a crap about? (Minor spoiler, the answer to that last question is a firm “no.”)

Ep. 39. - Mabon and Aidan Kelly Sept. 25, 2021 In the last few years there has been some minor push back against using the name “Mabon” for the Autumnal Equinox. In this episode we’re going to talk about how Mabon got its name, who came up with the name, and why exactly a small group of British Traditional Wiccans are so mad about it. (Spoiler: it’s because a bunch of Gardnerian Wiccans are mad at Aidan Kelly.)

Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 As long as I can remember, people have been debating whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in new age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. Like I’ve run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and I’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – I don’t think you should.

Ep. 53 - Modern Witchcraft History Nov. 26, 2022 This episode of BS-Free Witchcraft is actually a panel from CritWitchCon 2022 this last October. Spend an hour with Alex Wrekk, Bree NicGarran, Lozzie Stardust, and Trae Dorn as they talk about the history of modern witchcraft. Also you get to list to Trae speed run like 130 years of history in under five minutes. [It was epic.]

Ep. 54 - A Conversation with Aidan Kelly Dec. 31, 2022 Trae sits down with Aidan Kelly (yes THE Aidan Kelly) to discuss the September 2021 episode listed above and set the record straight about Kelly’s new Wheel of the Year.