indigo ♑︎

I rise before dawn, as I do most mornings.  The forecast calls for intermittent rain and thunderstorms all day, I want to stay in bed, but in a strange echo of my North Dakota farming ancestors I have chores that must be done early, then I can rest in the afternoon.  I take my medication, the first handful of pills of the day there will be more, then get in the shower.  As I wash myself I recite the prayer that I begin every morning with, the Litany for the Forgotten.  11 verses of epithets, kennings, and invocations calling on the Forgotten Ones and vowing to never again let them be lost. By the time I speak the last words I am clean and the water is off, the rhythm of this is practiced and familiar, comforting.  It is the rhythm of every morning of my adult life. 

Now that I am clean I dress for my day, natural fibers as much as possible to keep my oaths to Drove and Amaranth, and I step out into the living room where a corner is dedicated to my craft and my spiritual life.  Today is the third Saturday on the month so I have some of my less routine chores to do

Energy Battery Management:  So much of my practice relies on the use of these batteries.  I can’t count on being able to pull from my own personal energy at any given time, or being able to schedule a working at a magically significant time, so I store the energy I might want to work with to use when I feel well enough to use it.  On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month I take inventory, and if I’m feeling well enough make deposits into my stores.  Today is not a deposit day, I can barely hold myself upon on my crutches, so I collect my stash of batteries and take them to my couch to review what energies I have collected and how much. 

Spirit Vessel House Keeping: I don’t have the energy to “turn over” the vessels I use for my spirit inn immediately after one guest leaves, and I rarely need to flip them that quickly, so on the 1st and 3rd Saturday I gather up all of the currently empty vessels and give them a little freshening so that they’re read for the next guest.  

Feed the Money Bowl:  I light the chime candle in my money blow and let it burn for a few minutes while I empty all of the loose change I’ve acquired over the week into the bowl. 

Pain Taking Ritual:  It’s the perfect day for this ritual, it’s easier when I am in more pain.  I extend my sense across my neighborhood feeling for the pain of others and I draw it to me.  I reach further targeting specific people and their specific pains, physical, emotional, spiritual.  I draw all of it into me and mix it into the inexorable pain that has become a part of my soul since I was a teenager - each one a raindrop in the ocean.  And then I turn around and offer all of that pain to Brona - Lady of Pain, Lady of Healing, Lady of the Way Between Illness and Healing.  She does not take it from me, the suffering and sacrifice is the point, but she comforts me and reminds me of why it’s worthwhile.

This is a sort of reversal spell, to redirect someone's negative energy back at them and let it disrupt their life.

Black candle

Drop of olive oil

Powdered mustard seed

Pin or needle

To do

Carve the name of your target into your candle. Focus on their hold on you loosening.

Anoint the candle with a drop of olive oil. Just a touch is plenty. Be safe and don't overdo it.

Sprinkle the powdered mustard seed onto the candle.

As you light the candle, say, "Every strike you throw is turned back on you. Your chaos is yours to bear. I return your poison to your well."

This is how the sky and sun looked around 8am EST today (7/16/26). The air is filled with smoke from the Ontario fires (I'm down around Philly). While there is only so much I can do in the mundane, it did lead me to creating this...

Elemental Ritual for Clean Air

[[Please feel free to use this spell whenever you feel as if you need to. It can easily be doctored to fit your specific needs.]]

A lot of witches will tell new witches (baby witches) that they should start by learning and using protection magic. However, I've started to see a lot of witches say that protection magic is not as important as other witches claim it to be. Saying that they don't have anyone coming after them or an enemy in real life to warrant a spell of protection.

I think this may also be due to how I've not personally come across anyone really explaining why a witch may want to use protection magic all the time.

Now, it is true that there's no need to be paranoid all the time and have protection up 24/7. But here's a list where you may use it, find it useful, or haven't thought protection magic could be included.

An actual person -- This one is obvious, you have an enemy in real life or on the internet and you need protection magic to protect you from their curses.

A malevolant spirit -- They can come from your windows, mirrors (including tv screens, computer screens, and other reflective surfaces maybe), they seep through floor cracks, hanging onto your coats from outside, etc. Just like how you'd use garden gloves to avoid dirt up your nails being trapped there. Protection magic is just like putting on those gloves.

An energy -- Say you have a neighbour who's arguing with someone. They're yelling and screaming and it can be heard through the apartment walls. That negative energy is seeping into your home and your energy. So it may be worth protecting your home and energy from that sour neighbour's energy. (ever been scolded by your mother and your mood is sour? it's kind of like the same here.)

Your own spell -- Now a self-love spell is probably not something you should protect yourself from. But let's say you're doing a curse. It would be a smart idea to make sure you're protected before beginning such a spell. Much like how you'd wear an apron to protect your clothes from stains when cooking food. You may not always spill your food when cooking, but damn it is it annoying when you do and the stain won't wash off. It's the same with a spell.

Unintentionally -- Sometimes things can happen that's out of our control and it's a good idea to be a little prepared. A black cat suddenly running across the street? Bad luck. Someone got jealous when you told them something good? Evil Eye. Think of it as going to the store with an extra bag for your groceries. You may not need it, but isn't it handy when you at one point do need it?

Protection magic doesn't have to be elaborate or grand or be convoluted. Protection magic is powerful but also extremely simple. All you need is a horseshoe above the door, a little talisman in your pocket, a sigil for your car, etc.

Level-Up Your Witchcraft

Find ways to practice daily. Start small with more energy manageable spellwork, like daily tea/kitchen magic. Try out planetary magic to help plan spells and rituals ahead of time. Daily practice helps novice witches to grow their abilities to handle and manipulate energy in greater capacities.

Daily prayer. Remember, praying doesn’t always have to be directed towards spirits or deities. Praying for your own personal power is extremely empowering. Here’s a great video from one of my favorite magical mentors on the topic.

Wear a crystal or oil programed as a magical enhancer to help amplify your will while casting. This was a game changer for me.

Discover & follow your path. Many witches are encouraged to learn many casting methods and types of magic when they are beginning their journey. I considered myself an eclectic witch for eight years before realizing what speciality of witchcraft fit best with me. Once a practitioner focuses on their most suitable path, things feel like they unlock naturally and magic feels more intense.

Read witchcraft adjacent nonfiction. As you dive deeper into most practices, what’s useful won’t be a correspondence cheat sheet or a spell book, but actual history and science. Reading books on quantum physics has helped me develop my own magical theory. Historical & geological references can help witches connect with their ancestral magic. When witches open their view of magic to include everything around them, any topic can become magical exploration and information for the grimoire. Correspondences can be discovered the old fashioned way, through discernment and for yourself.

Routine spell management. Reinforce wards or cast spells routinely in whatever manner works best for you. That could be weekly, monthly, or seasonally. Are you routinely cleansing under the New Moon? Maybe your wards are cast seasonally.

Write your own spells. Everyone loves a good spell book, but if all your casting are other people’s spells, you may not be reaching your full potential.

Meditate. Fifteen minutes a day will unlock more than you ever dreamed possible. I read in a mindfulness book once that meditating eliminates resistance, allowing what you’ve been asking for to flow into your life uninhibited. It also enhances your intuition and recalibrates your mind and body.

Master a method of divination. Tarot, runes, anything! Divination allows the witch to answer their own questions regarding spellwork, better plan, and communicate with allied spirits. It’s the first thing I would tell a young witch to learn.

Most people spend their lives watching instead of participating.

They scroll through success stories.

They collect techniques.

They save posts they will never revisit.

They analyze every possibility until their minds become crowded with borrowed thoughts.

Then they wonder why nothing changes.

A lot of the spirals people experience would disappear if they spent less time reacting to everything they see and more time creating.

Every hour spent chasing another opinion is an hour that could have been spent shaping your own reality.

Creation is one of the greatest privileges you have.

Romanticize it.

Romanticize opening a blank page with no idea what will appear next.

Romanticize testing an assumption simply because you can.

Romanticize making something imperfect simply because it did not exist before you decided to bring it into existence.

What an honor it is to be able to have anything you want.

Pause and think about that.

There are people who live their entire lives believing they have no influence over what happens to them.

They hope.

They pray.

They wait.

They wish for circumstances to improve because they have never been exposed to another possibility.

Some of you already understand that your assumptions shape your experience.

That alone is an incredible privilege.

Some of you take basic things for granted.

A healthy mind.

Access to information.

The simple fact that you have encountered these ideas at all.

The ability to question your beliefs.

The freedom to experiment with your inner world.

Not everyone has that knowledge.

Not everyone has that privilege.

Many people are still living through life believing change must come from somewhere outside themselves.

They have never heard that their inner conversations matter.

They have never considered that imagination can influence reality.

They continue waiting because nobody showed them another way.

Yet many of the people who do know spend their days collecting more theories instead of applying the ones they already understand.

You do not need another video.

You do not need another success story.

You do not need another explanation.

You need evidence that comes from your own life.

Create something.

Assume something.

Test something.

Give yourself your own success story instead of borrowing someone else's.

It does not even have to be life changing.

Create a reality where strangers smile at you more often.

Create a reality where you always find the perfect parking spot.

Create a reality where someone surprises you with free coffee or free drinks.

Create a reality where your mornings feel lighter.

Create a reality where unexpected compliments become normal.

Small creations remind you of your own ability.

They build trust.

They make creation feel natural instead of intimidating.

The point was never to become the best collector of information.

The point was always to create.

Your imagination was given to you for a reason.

Your awareness was given to you for a reason.

Your ability to choose an assumption is something many people do not even realize exists.

Treat that gift with the respect it deserves.

Stop waiting for another person to prove what is possible.

Become the proof.

Create more than you consume.

Today I want to talk about the feedback loop.

I don't mean the biological kind, obviously. I mean the psychological or mental loop.

When information is provided to us about our reality, we are quick to assign meaning.

Asking, "What does this mean?" At every turn.

When in reality information has always been neutral. You're the one who decides what it means.

The reason this matters is because the meaning you assign to information is influenced by the identity you hold.

Your assumptions, beliefs, and expectations create a framework through which you experience life.

They determine what you notice, what you accept as possible, and how you respond to what appears in front of you.

Where am I getting at?

When you experience something your brain uses that as feedback to help you move through your reality better.

The feedback itself is not creating your identity.

It is showing you your dominant identity.

Your interpretation of an experience reveals the assumptions you are operating from.

Now, due to the pre-existing filters (assumptions, beliefs, expectations), you will either treat neutral feedback as objective truth or something you can modify without breaking a sweat.

What do I mean by that?

Well, when something goes wrong in your perceptive reality, people either sit around ruminating about what they could've done better or what choices would've given them a different result or they will decide that the result is not what I want therefore, it's an area I can rewrite.

Notice the change?

The first group is playing a victim of circumstances while the second group is deciding to tap into their creator blueprint and actively change the outcome.

The first group allows the experience to define who they are. They take the result as confirmation of an existing belief and continue reinforcing that identity.

The second one uses the experience as information and chooses a different assumption about themselves and what is possible.

This is how the feedback loop continues.

Your assumptions influence your perception, your perception influences your interpretations, your interpretations create experiences, and those experiences in turn confirm the assumptions you already hold.

If you assume you are someone who always struggles, your mind will continue finding evidence that supports that identity.

If you assume you are someone who creates opportunities, receives what they desire, and can change their circumstances, your interpretations begin aligning with that identity.

And no, this is not about ignoring reality. It is about understanding your role in how you experience reality.

You are always receiving feedback.

Every second of the day, information is actively being processed by your mind.

Whether you are allowing that feedback to reinforce an identity you no longer want or using it to build the identity that matches the reality you want to create is an entirely different question.

That's all it takes to get out of the victim mentally:

Close your eyes and try to touch the past.

You can’t. Not because you’re doing it wrong—because there’s nothing there to touch.

The past is not a place behind you. It’s a story that appears now. Every memory, every regret, every “that time when…” is happening in this moment as an image, a sensation, a tone. When attention turns away, it disappears completely.

You never go to yesterday. Yesterday comes to you—as a thought, right here. If it doesn’t appear, it doesn’t exist anywhere else waiting. No storage room. No hidden archive. Just absence.

The past feels solid because it’s repeated. Repetition gives weight. Weight creates the illusion of substance. But an echo isn’t a wall—it’s just sound moving through empty space.

If the past were real in the way we think, you could stumble into it without remembering. You could bump into last year. You could trip over Tuesday. But you never do. You only ever meet memories—and memories are present-moment events wearing old titles.

That’s why the past can change without changing. Shift your relationship to a memory, and the “past” shifts with it. Same image. Different meaning. Same event. New story. That’s not how places behave. That’s how narratives behave.

So when you say “the past doesn’t exist,” you’re not erasing anything.

You’re seeing through the ruse.

There is only this—appearing, dissolving, appearing again.

moon - moonstone, milky quartz, pearls, silver jewelry, lemonade, a cup of relaxing tea, the moon tarot card, ocean water, seashells, beach sand, sea glass, divination tools, crystal balls, bowls of water, lavender incense, silver or white candles sun - goldstone, citrine, gold jewelry, sun tea, orange juice, white wine, sunflowers, sunflower seeds, oranges, beeswax, lighters, the sun tarot card, crowns or other symbols of royalty, frankincense, yellow or purple candles mercury - agate, amazonite, emerald, coins, business cards, books, stationery, pens/pencils, handwritten notes, travel tickets, stamps, postcards, car keys, technology (cds, floppy disks, usb sticks, computer peripherals, wires or cords, etc.), lemongrass incense, multicolored candles venus - rose quartz, jade, opal, pearls, strawberries, strawberry lemonade, silk, perfume, beauty products, love letters, moscato or rosé, paintbrushes, flowers, honey, jewelry, mirrors, rose incense, pink candles mars - bloodstone, ruby, carnelian, red wine, bloody mary's, blood, weaponry or images of such, hot spices, hot sauce, peppers, symbols of power or things that make you feel powerful, matches, iron nails, scissors, knives, cinnamon incense, red candles jupiter - green aventurine, amethyst, lepidolite, dice, playing cards, coins, good luck charms, four leafed clovers, statues of deities or spirits, religious symbology, piggy bank or wallet, horseshoes, sandalwood incense, green candles saturn - onyx, hematite, garnet, obsidian, sapphire, keys, black coffee, stout beers, whiskey, hemp stems, grains, time & dedication, antiques, photos of ancestors, hourglasses, clocks or watches, dark colored flowers, myrrh incense, black candles uranus - clear quartz, aquamarine, herkimer diamonds, cleartech, technology (cds, floppy disks, usb sticks, computer peripherals, wires or cords, etc.), toy planes/spaceships, science equipment, coffee, energy drinks, all things unusual or peculiar, eucalyptus incense, bright blue candles neptune - aquamarine, labradorite, larimar, hemp stems, poppy seeds, lotus flower, seashells, ocean water, beach sand, seaweed, kelp, sea glass, driftwood, pearls, coral, shark teeth, divination tools, mirrors, medical supplies, absinthe, jasmine incense, teal candles pluto - black tourmaline, smoky quartz, moldavite, sprigs of parsley, pomegranate seeds, graveyard dirt, red wine, wheat, bones, snakeskin, mushrooms, precious metals or gems, coins, ivy and fern, dragon's blood incense, black or red candles * glyphs, symbols, magic squares, sigils, and planetary imagery are always appreciated

compiled from my personal grimoire / updated 7.14.26

Your craft is YOUR craft. It doesn't need to be a copy and paste of other people's practices.

You don't need to be in certain religions.

You don't need to cleanse or even own crystals.

You don't need to believe that your divination tools are alive.

You don't need to use incense. Bells, salt, prayers, etc., can cleanse the same way.

You don't need to believe in astrology.

You don't need to celebrate certain holidays.

You don't need to believe in chakras.

You don't need to use candles in every single spell. There are other types of magic you can do.

Date: July 14th, 2026

Additional Events: Mercury Retrograde in Cancer; Neptune Retrograde in Aries; Saturn Retrograde in Aries (starts the 26th); Jupiter in Leo

Themes/Affects: home and family, nurturing, intuition, vulnerability, healing childhood wounds, creating emotional security, self-care, strengthening close relationships, establishing healthy boundaries, reconnecting with your inner child, processing grief, trusting your instincts, new domestic beginnings, balancing independence with emotional needs, increased sensitivity, nostalgia, dreams and subconscious insights, stomach and digestive health

What This Energy Is Good For: setting heartfelt intentions, beginning healing journeys, improving or re-establishing family relationships, moving or refreshing your home, creating comforting routines, journaling, shadow work, therapy, emotional release, practicing self-compassion, strengthening intuition, starting creative projects inspired by emotion, reconnecting with loved ones, forgiveness, rest, meditation, manifesting emotional stability, building supportive communities

Colors: White, Silver, Pearl, Seafoam Green, Soft Blue, Light Grey, Cream, Moonlight Blue

Crystals: Moonstone, Pearl, Selenite, Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz, Aquamarine, Lepidolite, Labradorite, Rhodonite, Celestite

Herbs: Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Mugwort, Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Marshmallow Root, Holy Basil (Tulsi), Motherwort, Passionflower

Incense/Oils: Jasmine, Lavender, Sandalwood, Rose, Frankincense, Myrrh, Neroli, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cypress

Ruddy Gill

It's decided: this summer I'll be spending less times around screens. Here's a few ideas to make your witchcraft practice more analog if you, like me, are feeling concerned about your screen time...

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🌿 Start (or keep up with) a physical grimoire - social media is a great resource to find spells and anything magic-related. However, reblogging won't give you the knowledge you deserve. Start collecting all of this information in one notebook dedicated to your practice.

🌿 Buy some books about witchcraft - most of my magical knowledge has been acquired with books. There are so many out there, so spend some time in your local library and find books related to your type of witchcraft.

🌿 Consume less, practice more - early on in my practice, I felt the need to learn as much as possible before attempting anything. If that feels like you, step outside and start with a simple spell. The rest will come soon enough.

🌿 Consider investing in tools to replace your need for a phone - if you use it to wake you up in the morning, consider buying an alarm clock. If you love taking pictures, why not trying to learn photography with a proper camera? If you need it for reading, even investing on a e-reader will be better for your eyes, etc. etc.

🌿 Practice offline divination - pull tarot cards without looking up the meaning online. Sit with your intuition. You don't need a guidebook to tell you everything.