Thalia, finding her witchy way

My favorite winter drink

Hey, I'm Red, I'm 23, and I love making fun drinks, and doing kitchen magic. I've been a witch since I was 11, ish, and pagan since I was about 13.

Anything you do with intention is a spell. Cooking, cleaning, crafting. As my town experiences the first snow of the season, here is a simple, easy, edible spell.

As always, I'm a stranger on the internet. Do your own research.

When I make my hot cocoa, I usually eyeball it, but I'll give you close measurements.

Makes 1-2 servings

Ingredients

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk or milk substitute

1/4 cup heavy cream (or substitute)

1-2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves or 1-2 whole cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2-1 bar of your preferred chocolate (I prefer dark, as close to pure cacao as possible)

2tbsp cocoa powder (or your preferred hot chocolate mix according to instruction)

sugar/honey/maple syrup/sweetener (to taste)

Optional: 1-2 tbsp moon water

Optional: 1/2-2 shots of Irish Cream/Bourbon Cream/preffered cream liqueur (depending on how strong or weak you want it)

Whipped cream or marshmallows

Witchy Correspondence

Vanilla - love, attraction, empowerment, comfort, luck

Cinnamon - success, healing, prosperity, power, luck

Nutmeg - money, protection, luck

Cloves - protection, money, banishing negativity

Allspice - success, compassion, money, luck, healing

Chocolate - I use dark chocolate, which is grounding, love, prosperity

Sweetener - sweetening the circumstances

Moon water - cleansing, additional power, strength, grounding

Instructions

Cleanse your space and tools (physically and spiritually, don't cook with dirty dishes)

Set your intention. Mine is usually that this drink will boost my luck in the coming months, keep me warm, safe, and comfortable, heal any hurt I am experiencing, keep me grounded and present.

Combine milk, moon water (again, optional), spices, and chocolate bar into a pot on medium heat, stir clockwise (attraction) continuously until the chocolate is melted

As you stir, repeat your intention.

Add the cocoa powder, sift it for easier incorporation, stirring continuously

Sweeten to taste, adjust the spices to taste

Remove from heat, strain out any whole spices.

Add the liquor

Serve with whipped cream or marshmallows and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Look everyone, in These Trying Times we can't always afford things so we gotta make do with what we got. So here's some hot tips to help you become a garbage witch:

Save and use apple seeds, orange seeds, peach pits, cherry pits, etc. to use in your spells.

Make a spirit board/pendulum board out of an empty cardboard box.

Make drawstring pouches out of old clothes.

Use bag strings for binding magic or use them in small drawstring bags.

Shoelaces and drawstrings from old pajamas or sweatpants are fine for knot magic or turning into drawstrings for pouches.

Save glass jars for spell jars.

Study carrion animals, animals that eat garbage, fungus, and the process of decomposition in general. Learn about the importance of biodiversity, and the hazards of oversterilization.

But also study proper sanitation methods, and be aware of biohazards. Don't go living in a house fulla mold or fish through people's garbage for... uhhh... ummm... taglocks. Don't store chicken bones so they'll rot.

If you have a compost bin, write anything you want to "decompose" out of your life on a banana peel. Put the banana peel in the bin.

Learn how to repair broken stuff. (But also learn what you really shouldn't repair for yourself - EG, microwaves - lest you meet with a horrible fate.)

Make charms/talismans by cutting out pictures of things that correspond with your intent and decoupaging them onto wood, chipboard, or layered cardboard.

Make paper mache diety art/statues out of newspaper.

We need more adhd witch tips so here, have these. These are the things I have learned and seen done over the past 3 and a bit years of practicing witchcraft. As always, if you have anything to add, please comment them and I'll add them to the list with credit to you and a link to your blog!

Make witchy playlists with intention. Music is the most accessible way of doing magic in my opinion, especially if you're using spells that already exist. You can listen to these while working, traveling or just doing things around the house. If you sing along then you're adding to the manifesting power of the playlist!

Use really large spell candles so that you don't have to make a new one everytime you want to do a spell. I used to have 1 really big protection spell candle that I would light daily. Not having to make a new candle every time made me so much more likely to practice

Learn to meditate. I know, I know, hear me out. This is less of a witch tip and more of a mental health thing. You can meditate while colouring in, listening to music, cleaning, going for a walk. You don't have to sit down with your legs crossed. Mediation is an important skill that none of us do regularly enough.

stop caring about aesthetics. Are they nice? yes! absolutely! but unless it makes you more likely to practice then it's not worth it. caring too much about how your craft looks can also lead to burn out.

Be aware of your energy levels. Burn out is a serious issue among the neurodivergent witch community. Rest and pacing yourself is just as important as actually practicing.

Audio books <3333333

Try to combine your hyperfixation and witchcraft practice. This could mean using sigils in fanart or dedicate your writing to a deity.

Use hearth craft as a way to motivate you to clean your home or to cook meals/eat.

The Sun is just as powerful and magical as the Moon. Although the moon takes 28 days to complete one full cycle, the sun completes its cycle within a day. Making it perfect to perform specific rituals/spells if the moon isn't at the phase you want.

Of course, Sun Magic carries its own energy as does the Moon. Some rituals/spells might do better during the time of the moon.

Dawn

This phase of the sun is connected to fresh starts, beginnings, or change. This is a good time for focusing on new jobs, new love or relationships, new path, or a new way of seeing things. Dawn is also great for rejuvenation such as renewal of hope and trust, recovery of good health, and restoring physical energy. Use this time to also consecrate your items.

Morning

The energy from the morning sun expands, making it very strong and active. Projects revolving around building, growth, or expansion works exceedingly well during this phase. Use this time to build on the positive aspects in your life, and resolve situations where courage is needed. You can also increase the warmth and harmony to your home, family, and relationships. Need to work on your heart issues (romance, sex, relationships)? Now is the time to handle those problems.

Noon

The sun is at full power as it peaks the sky at high noon. Matters of the heart, dealing with finances, justice, and protection are great to focus on during this phase. This is an excellent time to ask for extra strength and energy to help get through the rest of the day. Health magic does well during this phase too.

Afternoon

Descending from the sky, the sun energies become more receptive, less brash, and much more discerning. Set time aside to handle projects that need clarity, professionalism (anything requiring a strategic approach), business matters, communications, and all interactions with other people. Rituals focusing on exploration of ideas, adventures, and travel are also good to do during this phase.

Sunset

Use enchanted waters such as moon, elemental or holy waters to enchant your paint water

Create a thoughtform for/ensorcell a tool (paintbrush, pencil, needle, etc.) to assist your spell(s)

Recite chants/prayers/affirmations (intention) as you work

Experiment using herbs, resins, teas, etc. to make magical pigments

Make sigil stamps out of erasers, cork, hot glue, etc.

Create a portrait of your shadow self, or your witch/wizard/whatever-sona

Compile or record different playlists for different spell 'genres', meditation, and "vision board-ing"

Create your own recycled handmade enchanted paper for petitions

Protect your spells by documenting them in pictograms- use only images to portray the process

I was thinking about making a rainbow spread based on the pride flag colours, but Interrobang Tarot beat me to it! Not only that, it's part of a free e-book with seven queer inspired spreads! Go check it out

Both Talismans and Amulets are magickal objects that are small in nature, therefore making them conspicuous and able to be worn or carried without arousing suspicion. Often, they will be pieces of jewellery suitable for everyday wear or objects that can be discreetly carried on your person.

1. Amulet: provides protection from danger and harm.

2. Talisman: attracts a particular benefit to the wearer/carrier. 

AMULETS:

The general consensus is that Amulets provide protection against bad luck, illness, and evil. They may do this in a general sense, or serve a more specific protective purpose.

The most common form of Amulet to be found, are necklaces and pendants as they can be worn daily without raising alarm, and it is believed by some that the closer to the body an Amulet is worn, the more powerful its effects will be.

Some potential Amulets include: gems and crystals, stones, figurines (people, deities, animals, mythological creatures); diagrams; bones; plants, and words.

TALISMANS:

Talismans are, like Amulets, items that hold magickal power. 

There is debate over what the exact differences between Amulets and Talismans are, and it will vary between sources as to what you read or see. 

In general, Talismans are said to draw things to the wearer/carrier, instead of have a passive protective effect and their magick is specific and not generalised; by this, I mean that unlike Amulets that can just serve general protective purposes, Talismans are used to attract specific benefits tat are determined by their design. They can also be charged to increase their power.

Talismans are more complicated than Amulets in appearance; Amulets can simply be a crystal hung on a leather throng that you wear around your neck, whereas Talismans tend to have symbols, figures or incantations carved or engraved onto them in colours that correspond to the intended benefit you wish to bring upon yourself. 

When it comes to having your Talisman on your person, it is much more common for the item to be something you can carry in your purse, pockets or bad than something you’d wear. They can also be placed near the item or person you wish to bestow the benefits upon. For example, you may place the item above a child’s bed if you want to give them good dreams, or put it into your purse if you wish to draw wealth and prosperity to yourself. 

hey witches (or whatever term you prefer!)! the spookiest season is fast approaching, and so i wanted to put together a little list of something witchy you can do for each day of our favourite month! majority are low key, and feel free to do all, some or none of the activities - whatever suits you best, this is just a fun way to introduce witchcraft into your month.

do a tarot/oracle/rune/etc spread for the month of october (i’ll post a “new month spread” very soon!)

write out your goals for the month - witchy and not. maybe you want to try journaling more frequently, meditation, going for walks, drinking more water or cooking some meals at home!

write about a new topic in your grimoire/BoS - this could be a topic you’ve been interested in for a while or something totally left field. you never stop learning as a witch!

try learning about your ancestors. this can be hard for many (difficult family relations, not knowing biological families, the like), however if you can find a family name that’s always a great place to start!

spend time in nature/connecting to nature spirits. going and talking to the trees is so incredibly beneficial, especially if you need to talk about something you feel you can’t open up to a person about. the trees, the ocean, the forest and the mountains are always happy to listen to us

create a new candle - sounds hard, but it’s a lot easier than you think! i love making seasonal candles by taking a store bought, plain candle, then dressing it with oil and some herbs. bonus points for using herbs associated with fall/spring (depending on where you live!)

do a manifestation spell with the waxing moon! this can be as elaborate as a full ritual, or as simple as writing your manifestations on a bay leaf/piece of paper and burning it.

witch-ify your beverages! adding intention into your coffee, tea, water or any other drink you prefer is super effective witchcraft! you can also add things to your drink, such as honey for attraction, cinnamon for abundance, or sugar for sweetness (taste wise too)!

i’m really big on cooking seasonally, so if you can, try and cook or bake (even just throw together some things into a sandwich!) using some seasonal ingredients (i.e, pumpkins, root vegetables, stuff like that) in a meal today

happy full moon! don’t forget to cleanse and recharge your crystals, decks, and of course, yourself today. maybe put out some water to creat some moon water!

refresh your altar if you have one - maybe give it a good wipe down with some moon water (or just normal water!), cleanse it and redecorate it however you like

create a new sigil today, either creating one of your own design or using an online generator (like this one!) for prosperity, abundance, protection, whatever you like! use in your craft however it suits you

do some shadow work - i recently posted a 30 days of shadow work challenge, so you could try a prompt from that list or any you find!

try giving an offering to a deity, ancestor or spirit you work with or are wanting to connect to. this can be as simple as offering a portion of your food to them, or an entire ritual dedicated to them - whatever works best for you!

look into your astrology! if you’ve never looked at your chart before, there are lots of different websites that can do it such as this one, and they’ll give you a pretty in-depth dissection of your chart!

cleanse your space - either with a smoke method, sound, a spray, or visualisation!

try doing some mindful movement - this can also work as a meditative practice! this includes walking, yoga, running, or weight training. set your intention first, then see how you go!

find out some local lore of the town you live in! it’s often a lot more interesting than you think. i also love to learn about local native plants in my area that i can then use in my craft!

refresh any wards your have set up if you have them, or if you don’t, now is a great time to set one up! they can be very simple or complex depending on the method you choose, and there are several great posts on here about them!

as the moon wanes (gets smaller!), now is the perfect time to do some releasing. write anything you want to let go of - people, things, attachments, etc. - on a piece of paper and burn it or otherwise dispose of it

read a new witchy book - don’t sleep on your local libraries! there’s also plenty of pdf books about witchcraft topics online if you can’t get your hands on

make a spell jar! this kind of magick is super fun, relatively simple, and can be done quickly with items you already have. any jar is suitable, such as the jar from your pasta sauce, not just the aesthetic ones you see on tiktok! add your ingredients along with your intent, seal with wax from a candle and set it wherever suits the intention.

practice some grounding. place your bare feet on some soil or grass, or even hold some soil if you don’t have access to natural ground today. visualise roots growing from the centre of the earth towards you, and from the centre of you towards the earth. see them intertwine and let mother earth ease your physical, spiritual, and mental struggles, pain or heavy emotions

visit a cemetery if you have one close by. you don’t need to go to one holding someone you know, it’s still just as meaningful to visit a new one you’ve never been to (a post soon coming on what to do when visiting a graveyard!)

put together a witchy playlist! this can be for your walk or to start your day, to listen whilst you practice/divine, or just to play to help you feel a bit better. if you don’t want to make your own, you can always just listen to one someone else has curated!

make a cleansing scrub - all you really need is some salt (medium-ground works well for scrubs!), any oil of your choosing, and some herbs if you choose. make sure anything you add is body safe!!! set your intention whilst using and allow the scrub to cleanse away any spiritual “dirt” you’ve accumulated

enchant a piece of jewellery! can be a ring, a necklace, bracelet, a pair of earrings, or even bobby pins used in your hair

write a gratitude list. get specific and write as many individual things as you can!

reflect on the goals you wrote down at the start of the month. have you achieved them? why/why not? is there something you achieved that you didn’t write down that you’re proud of?

do some protection magick. the spirit/earthly worlds are growing closer now, so some extra protection can never hurt!

happy Samhain/Beltane/Halloween! the veil is thin today, so now is the perfect time to reach out to spirits (safely of course!) and try a (potentially new) form of divination!

i hope this gives you some ideas for witchy things to do this month! just as a reminder, your craft is so personal to you, please don’t let me or anyone else ever tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing in your craft (unless you’re taking from closed practices - DONT DO THAT). never feel bad for not having the energy or not being able to partake in a certain activity. you are always a witch, no matter how you practice.

love always, taylah. 🤍

September will be filled with love.

September will be filled with trust.

September will be filled with peace.

September will be filled with happiness.

Stellar parallax is the apparent shift in the position of a star created by Earth’s orbit around the Sun. This provided the first direct proof of heliocentrism.

Whether we know it or not, our perspectives shift with time. Charting this change can show us our place in the universe, an experience that is at once humbling and inspiring. Use this spread when you feel it is time to face the facts and venture on.

1. The Sun– The light. What draws you out, what you hope for, the happy ending.

2. Mercury– Change. What is changing or what needs to change (whether you like it or not).

3. Venus– Love. What you must do for another.

4. Earth– Home. What you must leave behind, or what you must return to.

5. The Moon– Longing. What you can’t have.

6. Mars– War. What you must fight, or fight for.

7. Jupiter– The storm. What shuts you in, what you fear, the bad ending.

8. Saturn– Time. What you must accept.

9. Uranus– Haven. What you find comfort in, but must be wary of. A prophecy, a warning.

10. Neptune– The depths. What you must dive deep for.

11. Pluto– The forgotten. What is lost.

Grass-yellow Hestia,

Warm as the blankets I woke up in

and the coffee I sip.

Eldest daughter of red-flowing Rhea

and mighty Kronos,

First among the gods

and last upon Olympus.

Thank you for this house

in which we both reside.

Your reassuring presence lifts my spirits

and warms my heart.

Protect my family

Until we return tonight