Isla Rashi - Art and Literature

for witches who practice in secret, are chronically ill, or anyone else who might need it. ♡

color magic for the clothes you're wearing for the day

meditation and breathing exercises

single card cartomancy readings - you can even use playing cards

craft sigils

use a necklace as a pendulum if you don't have one

stir intention into your drink

add magically charged ingredients to your cooking

bless pre-made meals

bless your drinking water / add sigils to the bottom of your water bottle

craft an easily accessible, easily disguised shoebox or candy tin altar

keep crystals in your pocket or on your person for manifestation

magical planning, introspection, or meditation on low spoons days

practice energy manipulation with the energy readily available around you

gather natural items from the environment and use them as amulets or talismans, depending on what they are (acorns for protection, direction, and to ward against storms, for example)

bath and shower magic for self care if you can - a washcloth or makeup wipe with a simple incantation goes a long way

set a small open container of salt in your room to absorb bad vibes

or get a small salt lamp for the same purpose

open a window to let fresh air inside to cleanse your space

use wax melts, incense, or candles for positive vibes - you can carve sigils into the wax

choose scents that align with your intent for things like sprays, perfumes, soaps, candles, etc.

collect magical water for later use (rain, storm, moon, sun, etc.)

use beads and string or thread to craft charms for protection

craft a dream pillow with calming herbs such as lavender or chamomile for restful sleep

keep a tarot card or crystal under your pillow to manifest intentions as you sleep

cast a protection spell when you go to tie your shoes or buckle the seatbelt in your car

Hey guys! I'm so sorry I went radio black on you all I just kinda went down a mental spiral and then started working with Lord Apollo (its been amazing hes the best!) and well school kinda made it hard to find time but Lord Apollo has taught me that well theres no such thing as the ‘right time’ and there is no such thing as a perfect beginning, only the act of beginning.

So I have decided to write up a bunch of posts today for you guys but also myself and for my Lord!! (Lord Apollo I platonically love you and greatly appreciate working with you and so happy you came into my life to guide me.)

The moon doesn’t just look pretty—it’s also a powerful spiritual and energetic tool. Every phase of the moon brings a different energy, meaning you can time your spells or rituals depending on what you want to manifest, release, or shift.

There are 8 phases of the moon, and all of them carry unique vibes that you can align with during your spellwork.

🌑 New Moon 🌑

Best for: New beginnings, planting seeds, fresh starts

This is the time to set intentions

Great for manifesting new opportunities or change

Think of it as the “blank page” of the moon cycle

New Moon: June 25th

First Quarter: June 2nd

Full moon: June 11th

Last Quarter: June 18th

Sabbats: June 24th

June Lovers' Moon

Also known as: Aerra Litha, Brachmanoth, Dyan Moon, Flowering Moon(Ojibwe), Honey Moon, Meade Moon, Moon of Horses, Rose Moon & Strawberry Moon(Ojibwe & Oneida )

Element: Earth

Zodiac: Gemini & Cancer

Nature spirts: Sylphs & Zephyrs

Deities: Aine of Knockaine, Bendis, Cerridwen, Green Man, Ishtar, Isis, Neith & Persephone

Animals: Butterfly, frog, monkey & toad

Birds: Peacock & wren

Trees:  Maple & Oak

Herbs: Dog grass, meadowsweet, mosses, mugwort, parsley, skullcap & vervain

Colors: Gold, gold-green, orange, purple, red & yellow

Flowers: Lavender, orchid, tansy & yarrow

Scents: Lavender & lily of the valley

Stones:  Agate, alexandrite, cat's eye, chrysoberyl, emerald, fluorite, garnet, moonstone, ruby & topaz

Issues, intentions & powers:  Abundance, love, marriage, prosperity & relationships

Energy: Balance, change of residence, communication, decision making, education, family relations, full/restful energy, positive transformation, prevention, protection, public relationships, responsibility, strengthening, tides turning, travel & writing

Litha

Known as: Alban Heruin, Midsummer Gathering Day, & Summer Solstice

Season: Summer

Element: Fire

Symbols: Bonfire, besom, cauldron, faeries, God's eys, rosettes seashells, solar cross/sun wheel, spirals, sun symbols. & wands

Colors: Blue, gold, green, orange, red, tan, white & yellow

Oils/Incense: Cinnamon, frankincense, heliotrope, lavender, lemon, lily of the valley, musk, myrrh, orange, peppermint, pine, rose, saffron, sandalwood, spearmint & wisteria

Animals: Bee, bull, butterfly, cow crab, horse & octopus

Birds: Goldfinch, hawk, kingfisher, meadowlark, owl, robin, swallow & wren

Stones: Agate, alexandrite, aventurine,carnelian, cat's eye,citrine, diamond, emerald, fluorite, jade, lapis lazuli, moonstone, pearl, peridot, tiger's eye & topaz

Mythical: Faeries

Food: Ale, berries, bread, cheese, cinnamon foods, edible flowers, garden foods(fresh), grapes, honey, lemons, mead, milk, oranges, peaches, pears, pine nuts, pumpernickel bread, spinach, summer squash, sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes & wine

Herbs/Plants: Anise, basil, betony, cinquefoil, copal, fennel, fern, frankincense, galangal, heliotrope, hemp, holly, ivy, larkspur, lemon, lemon balm, mistletoe, mugwort, mullein, nettle, rosemary, rue, saffron, St John's wort, thyme, verbena, vervain & ylang-ylang

Flowers:  Carnation, chamomile, daisy, foxglove, heather, honeysuckle, lavender, lily, marigold, meadowsweet, orchid, rose, wisteria & yarrow

Trees: Beech, elder, hazel, laurel, linden , oak & rowan

Goddesses: Aestas, Aine, Ameratasu, Amaunet, Anahita, Anuket, Aphrodite, Arani, Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Aurora, Bast, Bona Dea, Brighid, Cerridwen, Dag, Dana, Eiru, Eos, Epona, Fenne, Frigga, Gaia, Grania, Gwydion, Hathor, Hera, Hestia, Iarila, Inanna, Ishtar, Juno, Kupala, Mabd, Phoebe, Rhiannon, Saule,  Sekhmet, Solntse, Sul, Sunna, Vesta & Yemaya

Gods: Agni, Amun-ra, Apollo, Baal, Balder, Belinos, Bochina, The Dagda, Donnus, El, The Greenman, Hadad, Helios, Hodur, Hu, Huitzilopochtli, Huon, Hyperion, Janus, Jupiter, Kupalo, Lleu, Loki, Lugh, Marduk, Maui, Mithras, Oak King, Odin, , Ogmios, Orunjan, Perun, Prometheus, Ra, Shamash, Sol, Surya, Taranis Thor, Thunar, Vishnu, Woden, Xiuhtecuti & Zeus

Tarot cards: The Empress, The Emperor, The Sun & Strength

Spellwork:  Abundance, empowerment, energy, green magic, faeries, fertility, fire magic, growth, love & motherhood

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, changes, divination, endings, fertility, life, light, manifestation, power, purpose, strength, success & unity

Activities:

•Charge and cleanse your crystals in the solstice sun

• Make Sun water

• Create crafts with natural elements such as flowers

• Burn a paper with things that no longer serve you or that you are trying to let go

•  Invite friends & family over for a bonfire and/or feast

• Gather & dry herbs(and flowers) for the upcoming year

• Clean, decorate & cleanse your altar with summer symbols

• Brew some sun tea

• Circle dancing

• Take a ritual bath/shower with flowers

• Make your own sun dial

• Craft a door wreath out of flowers & herbs

• Enjoy some sunrise/sunset yoga or stretching

• Volunteer at a food kitchen or animal shelter

• Plant trees (especially ones that may provide fruit or berries to feed the wildlife)

• Watch the sunset & say a blessing to nature

• Make flower infused anointing/spell oils

• Eat fresh fruits & berries

• Participate in a handfasting or weddings

• Create shadow art

The history of Litha reveals its deep connections to ancient agricultural societies & their reliance on the sun’s power. Celebrated as part of the Wheel of the Year, Litha symbolizes the balance between light & darkness. Throughout history  customs such as bonfires, herb gathering & the construction of sunwheels have marked this festival. Today, Litha continues to be celebrated by various communities, with gatherings at sacred sites & private rituals in natural settings. It serves as a reminder of our connection with nature and the cycles of life.

• The traditions of Litha appear to be borrowed from many cultures. Most ancient cultures celebrated the summer solstice in some way such as the Celts celebrated Litha with hilltop bonfires & dancing. Many people attempted to jump over or through the bonfires for good luck. Other European traditions included setting large wheels on fire & rolling them down a hill into a body of water.

Litha is often associated with Midsummer, a celebration that extends beyond the pagan & Wiccan traditions. Midsummer festivities are observed in many cultures around the world, including Scandinavian countries where it holds a prominent place in their cultural heritage. Midsummer dances, bonfires, & feasts are integral parts of these celebrations, often accompanied by folklore & traditional rituals that honor the sun’s energy & the abundance of nature during this time.

• In the Northern Hemisphere the Summer Solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its highest and northernmost points in the sky. It marks the start of summer in the northern half of the globe. (In contrast, the June solstice in the Southern Hemisphere is when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky, marking the start of winter.)

Related festivals:

• Vestalia: June 7th -15th-

Was a Roman religious festival in honor of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth & the burning continuation of the sacred fire of Rome. It was held from 7–15 June & was reserved as a women’s-only event. Domestic & family life in general were represented by the festival of the goddess of the house & of the spirits of the storechamber — Vesta & the Penates .

On the first day of festivities the penus Vestae (sanctum sanctorum of the temple of Vesta which was usually curtained off) was opened for the only time during the year, at which women offered sacrifices. As long as the curtain remained open, mothers could come, barefoot and disheveled, to leave offerings to the goddess in exchange for a blessing to them & their family.

For the last day, the penus Vestae was solemnly closed, the Flaminica Dialis observed mourning & the temple was subjected to a purification called stercoratio: the filth was swept from the temple & carried next by the route called clivus Capitolinus & then into the Tiber.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Wikipedia

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Llewellyn 2025 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

aianta.org/native-american-moon-names

I'm by no means an expert in anything magical or an expert witch, this is mostly just advice/tips that I wish I had had when I was first starting my practice OR advice that I think a lot of beginners could benefit from. Resources will also be linked at the end.

This is a rather long post so everything else is under the cut, but I've divided everything into general advice, spiritual practice advice, and community-oriented advice. Links to applicable sources are under Miscellanea.

If you're a newbie occultist, you might feel a bit thrown off by all of the arcane terminology and magibabble that your books will start throwing at you. Here's a list of all the most important and/or most misued terms, and what they're supposed to mean. (If you're a fantasy writer and you want some authentic occult terms to use for your magic system, this might be useful for you, too!) I have a list of occult fields and divination methods here, so I'll leave them off this list.

Altar: Your working space for ritual. It's called an altar because magic is (usually) an inherently spiritual endeavor — you are communing with grand cosmic forces, of one kind or another. A basic altar consists of your magical tools, candles (for vibes), and images or statues of whatever spirits you're working with. (Spelled altar with an "a," not alter with an "e." An alter is a headmate or a personality in a DID system.)

Athame: A ritual knife, specifically one used in Wicca. It's mostly used for directing energy, rather than for cutting things. (Sometimes, a knife or sickle that is used for cutting things is called a boline.)

Apotropaic: Referring to protection magic. An apotropaic charm is a spell meant to keep bad stuff away. Amulets are apotropaic talismans.

Astral: The spirit world. The astral plane is the literal or figurative "above" in "As above, so below." "Astral" can refer to ethereal or spiritual beings or "energy." Sometimes magic is called "Astral Light," like the Force in Star Wars. Astral projection is traveling through the astral plane during meditation, by sending one's spirit or astral body away from one's physical body.

Besom: A witch's broom, specifically a traditional broom made of twigs tied around a pole. It's just an old term for a broom. (Witchcraft likes to make use of Old and Middle English words.)

Baneful: Describes any kind of spell designed to harm or inhibit another person. Also called malefic (as opposed to benefic) magic.

Banishing: A spell that is designed to force unwanted vibes out of a space. Usually performed at the beginning and end of a ritual, so you can begin with a "blank slate." It's like hitting the magical reset button. Also good for managing negative emotions. The best-known banishing in Western occultism is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. A banishing can also be a type of baneful working that forces a person's influence out of your life.

Binding: A spell that is designed to prevent a person or entity from acting. A binding spell can prevent a person from harming themself or others, or prevent a spirit from misbehaving.

Charm: A generic term for a spell, especially one represented by a physical object or phrase. A lot of charms are inscriptions or symbols written on paper and kept on one's person.

Conjuring: A spell or ritual that summons a spirit. Invocation and evocation are both types of conjuration.

Correspondences: Magical properties of things existing in nature, e.g. colors, crystals, plants, animals, elements, planets. They were once called occult virtues, and were a staple of Renaissance magic. They're like the building blocks of a spell or ritual, and they can be used as tools to align natural forces with the magician's intent.

Curse: A baneful enchantment, a spell designed to cause harm to another person. There's lots of different types of curses, and lots of reasons to cast one. Sometimes the word hex is used interchangeably.

Demonolatry: The practice of worshipping demons, as opposed to demonology, which is the study of demons or any magical working involving demons. Some magicians prefer to bind and command demons rather than worshipping them, but demonolators treat demons the way pagan witches typically treat gods.

Divination: Acquiring information by magical means. There's thousands of different methods. Some of the more popular ones are cartomancy, reading cards, cleromancy, casting objects like stones or dice, and scrying, staring into a blank object like a mirror or a crystal ball. Astrology is a kind of divination, too.

Ego Death: A particular type of mystical experience, in which one becomes "submerged" in the infinitely vast presence of God or the Universe, and briefly loses one's sense of self. It can be traumatic the first time one experiences it, which is why it's compared to or symbolized by death. Subsequent times are usually much more peaceful and enlightening. A prerequisite for most mystical traditions.

Egregore: An entity created and sustained by a group of people, a collective thoughtform.

Elements: Much of Western esotericism is based around the four classical elements, Earth (🜃), Air (🜁), Fire (🜂), and Water (🜄). They're better understood as the four states of matter: solids (🜃), liquids (🜄), gasses (🜁), and plasma (🜂). Each one is understood as a spiritual force, with its own correspondences and areas of life that it governs. Much of Western magic involves harnessing their influence.

Enchanting: Imbuing an object or place with magic. The magic of the enchantment will last much longer than the duration of the ritual.

Evocation: Calling a spirit to appear before you within a ritual space, a more correct word for summoning. Ideally, a successful evocation will cause the spirit to manifest before you in some way (though you might need a scrying mirror in order to see it).

Familiar: A personal spirit that aids a witch or other magic practitioner. Distinct from a servitor in that it is an external entity that helps the witch of its own accord, not one that the witch themself has created. Traditionally shaped like an animal, but not always. (Lately, the term has become popular as a word for a witch's pet or animal companion. Lots of people use the word "familiar" to refer to pets that aid with magical workings. Traditionally, though, familiars are spirits, not actual animals.)

Fetch: A witch's astral body (or servitor) sent forth to do their bidding.

Glamour: A type of enchantment or illusion spell that changes the appearance of something. In real life, glamour spells won't literally change the physical appearance of a thing, but they will change people's reactions to a thing, e.g. casting a glamour on yourself can cause other people to perceive you as being more attractive.

Grimoire: A book of magic (as opposed to a book about magic). There are lots of mysterious magic books that circulated in Europe in the Middle Ages and early modern period. These books are full of spells, rituals, and weird symbols meant to conjure spirits, gain secret knowledge, and control other people. Modern grimoires are books of practical spells and rituals for experienced practitioners, as opposed to theory or how-to guides. Most occultists also keep a personal grimoire to record their own spells and rituals and their results. (In Wicca, a personal grimoire is called a "Book of Shadows.")

Incantation: Magic words, especially spoken (as opposed to written) spells.

Invocation: Calling a spirit to give you some of its power, either by lending its attention or influence to your magical working, or by physically possessing your body and mind. The latter type of invocation can be partial, meaning you share your body/mind with the spirit, or total, in which the spirit possesses you completely. Don't attempt total invocation alone! Total invocation needs a group ritual, so that other people can tell you what you do and say while possessed, and keep you safe. (Besides, partial invocation is intense enough as it is.)

Left-Hand Path: In Western occultism, the Left-Hand Path is an umbrella term for traditions that take an iconoclastic or self-interested approach to magic. LHPers tend to resent dogma, question taboos, and place emphasis on one's personal power or divinity over unification with the Divine or service to others.

Magic: It's impossible to properly define "magic," with all of its nuances, in a list like this. So I'll give the short version: One famous definition is Aleister Crowley's, "causing change in accordance with Will." This is a pretty broad definition that includes anything done with intention. A more academic definition of magic is "heterodox ritual behavior." Personally, I prefer "harnessing spiritual or supernatural forces to cause desired change in one's life."

Mysticism: The practice of facilitating direct interaction with the Divine, i.e. meeting God face-to-face, in order to acquire spiritual knowledge. Mysticism is taxing and comes with a real risk of insanity, so, it requires a lot of diligent study and mental discipline for most people.

Necromancy: Originally, necromancy referred to a type of divination, which involved calling the spirit of a dead person to ask it questions. (The "Speak With Dead" spell in D&D is a great example of traditional necromancy.) Lately, though, "necromancy" has come to refer to any kind of magic involving the dead. (Be respectful! Dead people are still people.)

Patron Deity: A god or goddess that takes a personal interest in you and your spiritual development. You can't force a god to take interest in you, so you may or may not have a patron deity. If you don't have one, don't worry, you can still do magical work with gods! See this post for the rundown. (Btw, the feminine of "patron" is patroness, not "matron." "Matron" means something different.)

Pentacle: A type of circular talisman inscribed with a sigil representing a spirit or planet, used to evoke its influence. Typically worn as a pendant. Also refers to a pentagram (five-pointed star) in a circle.

Poppet: A doll made of clay or cloth used to represent a person in a spell. In pop culture, poppets ("voodoo dolls") are best known as cursing tools, by being pricked with pins or otherwise harmed in order to harm the person. But there are lots of potential uses for poppets beyond that! For example, they can also be used as healing tools by being stuffed with herbs, or taken care of like a sick person. A type of sympathetic magic.

Projection: Pushing one's own magical power or intention out of one's body, using one's wand or dominant hand. Astral projection is pushing one's spirit out of one's body. A projection is also a type of illusion that creates the appearance of something that isn't there (as opposed to a glamour, which disguises something that is there).

Right-Hand Path: In Western occultism, the Right-Hand Path is an umbrella term for traditions that adopt a formalized structure, and/or place emphasis on mystical union with God and achieving enlightenment. The RHP tends to be more community-focused, as opposed to the LHP's radical individualism. RHPers also care about order, and working according to established traditions.

Servitor: An entity created by the magician. Usually, servitors are "programmed" to perform specific tasks, like magical robots. A servitor created by a group of people is an egregore. A servitor with its own personality and agency is sometimes called a tulpa, but this word is appropriated from Tibetan Buddhism, so I tend not to use it. (My personal spirit insists that he is not a tulpa. Also "tulpamancy" drives me up the wall — "-mancy" means divination, people!)

Sigil: An abstract symbol or glyph meant to represent the desire or intention of the magician. Can also be a generic term for magic symbols or seals in grimoires. Sigils have ancient roots, but the practice of turning one's desire or intention into an unreadable symbol is a modern one. Sigil magic streamlines the process of casting a spell, making it simple, but more difficult, because you have fewer tools and gimmicks to do the heavy lifting for you. (Technically, a sigil does not have to be a symbol — it can be a mantra or incantation, a song, a series of dance steps, etc. as long as it abstractly represents the desire.)

Sympathetic Magic: Magic that affects a target by acting upon a symbol of the target, like using a poppet to represent a person, or using a rose to represent the influence of the planet Venus. Anything you do to the symbol, you do to the target. The magical connection between the symbol and the target is called a "sympathetic link." Correspondences are often used as material representations of immaterial things, like luck or love or protection. By acting upon the material object, you affect the immaterial thing.

Talisman: A spell in the form of an object. There's lots of different kinds of talismans: magic words or sigils written on paper, enchanted jewelry, pentacles, natural objects with their own magical properties (like crystals or feathers), packets of herbs and other ingredients, etc. An amulet is an apotropaic talisman. A talisman has to be the spell itself, so, magical tools are (mostly) not talismans.

Theurgy: Deity work. Magic or mysticism involving the invocation of deities, or the practice of casting spells with the aid of a god or goddess. Mystical theurgy attempts to acquire knowledge of the universe by contemplating the Divine, eventually reaching unification with it.

Thoughtform: A thought or idea that is projected out into the universe so that it will manifest physically. The more coherent the thoughtform, and the more willpower behind it, the easier it will be for it to manifest. Thoughtforms are based on the idea that thoughts alone have some degree of existence, even agency. Everything man-made began as an idea in someone's head...

Trance: An altered state of consciousness. Most kinds of magic require one to be able to enter a trance state at will. There are lots of methods of entering a trance state, in broadly two categories: inhibitory trance, which creates an altered state of consciousness by physically restricting the body or mind, and excitatory trance, which creates an altered state of consciousness by overstimulating it.

Unverified Personal Gnosis: The divine messages or insights that a mystic receives during ritual or trance. They're unverified because they don't really hold water for anyone but the mystic themself. (It is not a good idea to go around insisting that your revelations are the infallible word of God and everyone should listen to you.) Shared Personal Gnosis is when multiple mystics have similar experiences or revelations. Verified Personal Gnosis is when your experiences or revelations are attested in historical sources.

I love creating things, and I equally love being in tune with my spiritual side. I find that when I try to mesh the two I quickly feel burnt out both from the mental planning it takes for projects, and partly from having to pour in so much energy into every ounce of what I create. I dabble in traditional drawn art, crochet, knitting, and embroidery. As a result, my tips will be more focused on those areas, but I hope to provide some help to those interested in art magic regardless of their chosen art format.

Without further ado- here are some tips on how to increase your success in art magic based on my personal experience.

Look outside. That's it - just open the curtains and see the sunlight, find the trees outside your window and watch the birds.

Put on a documentary or youtube video about a cool animal, ecology, the natural world etc

Talk to nature - whisper, talk out loud, say it in your head - just talk. Compliment pretty flowers, chat about how creepy but cool you think spiders are, picture light dancing off morning dew.

Trace the shapes of leaves/flowers/animals etc on your bed sheets or skin - try to see how many different shapes make up the natural world, find the patterns and fractals within them

Learn the name of one new local plant a week! Just one a week! If you have the energy, research a little about their ecology, history or medicinal uses

Make a flower crown/daisy chain/leaf crown

Take up nature photography - you don't need a fancy camera, jsut your phone!

Collect some shells/rocks/bones etc!

Just sit outside! can be just outside your front door, next to an open window, or in the woods (whatever you can manage)

Take your daily activities outside!! Read in the garden, eat your breakfast under the sun etc

Create art from nature - paint rocks, press flowers, create patterns using feathers or leaves as paintbrushes/stamps

Cloud watching!

More High Energy Activities:

Go for a walk or hike outside and take some offerings. Introduce yourself to the trees and plants and streams and leave them a gift.

If there's one nearby, visit a local farmer's market and buy some local produce; honey, meat, vegetables, fruit, etc! Chat to the sellers and talk about their practices and produce

Do a small spell outside! Find a secluded, comfortable spot and invite the spirits to observe your spellwork - let them get used to your energy and way of working

Make a small diary of your time outside! Don't worry about filling it in regularly, just whenever you have the energy! Write down when the bees start coming out or leaves return after winter. What plants stay during the cold season?

Research local plants and come up with your own correspondences based on their ecology/medicinal use/folklore etc

Go on a walk to see what plants and animals exist in your area! Research them - are they native? Invasive? What is their ecology? Medicinal uses? Even the most urban areas tend to have some wildlife!

Join a local facebook group for birdwatching!

Research your area and figure out what plants or animals would be native, or used to live there - create artwork or something to honour and remember them

Research gardening groups nearby - some cities will have volunteer gardening projects or local groups that help maintain natural spaces! See if any would be feasible for you to join and get out there

Join a local allotment or community garden if you have the means - do some weeding, plant some tomatoes, say hello to the coal tits nesting in the old shed!

If you have the means - invest in a hardy houseplant! Name it, research its care and talk to it! Make a ritual out of watering and talking to it.

Take an online ecology course! Free courses exist and can be super interesting!

Watch youtube videos on a favourite taxa and make notes - build your own knowledge at a pace you're comfortable with on the things you're interested in!

Invite some nature spirits in for a meal - cook something you enjoy and set the table (if you can) for the spirits. Enjoy a meal with them.

Lately, I’ve been downright beside myself with everything sourdough—can’t get enough of it. My house has turned into a full-blown mountain bakery, with flour dusting every surface and loaves rising like quiet prayers in every warm corner. I’ve been handing out bread loaves like love notes, tucking warm rounds into the arms of folks I love, each one a blessing wrapped in brown paper and sealed with a "Made With Love" sticker. And like any true mountain witch, I’ve been folding my magic into the dough—sealing every loaf with workings of Nourishment, Prosperity, and Protection.

In the old mountain ways, the hearth was the heart of the home—and the kitchen, a place where magic and meal danced together in the same pot. The Granny witches of these hills knew food fed more than the belly—it fed the bones, the heart, the soul. Prayers were pinched into biscuits, healing stirred slow into stews, and intention rose right alongside the dough.

Bread, most of all, held a certain power. Sacred and sustaining, it carried the alchemy of time, patience, and hands that know. It brings to mind that line from the movie Red Riding Hood (2016), when the old grandmother says, “All sorrows are lessened with bread.” Ain’t that the truth? There’s something in a loaf—humble and golden—that soothes grief, mends tired hearts, and reminds us we still belong to something warm and good.

The rise of the dough ain’t just science—it’s a slow kind of resurrection. A fermentation of hope.

So, this here is my sourdough bread spell—born of love, flour, and fire. It calls on the element of Earth to ground, the element of Fire to transform, and the living, breathing spirit of fermentation to wake what’s been lying dormant. Like any true cunning magic, it’s both spell and sustenance, meant to bless the body and charm the soul.

May your hands stay warm, your belly stay full, and your spirit never go without.

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Sourdough Spell for Nourishment, Prosperity, and Protection

(For one loaf)

🌾 Magical Ingredients & Their Witchery

Sourdough Starter – Your living familiar. A spirit in a jar. Represents legacy, renewal, and transformation. Carries your energy over time. Feed it like kin.

Flour – The body of the spell. Represents abundance, stability, and foundation. Choose with care. Wheat flour ties to old harvest rites.

Water – The connector. Binds and activates. Use clean or blessed water. Represents intuition, flow, and emotional nourishment.

Salt – The protector. Banishes unwanted energies and holds the spirit of the bread intact. Represents boundaries, purification, and grounding.

Time (fermentation) – The unseen worker. Represents patience, transformation, and the will to become.

Fire (baking) – The final spellwork. Transforms potential into being. Represents will, passion, and manifestation.

Sourdough Recipe:

120 grams sourdough starter

400 grams of flour

250 grams of warm water

9 grams of salt

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Working The Spell

1. Morning Intention

Before you begin, light a candle near your prep space. Wash your hands in cool water with a pinch of salt to clear your energy. Speak aloud:

"As I mix, I mend. As I knead, I weave. As I bake, I bless."

2. Mixing the Dough

Combine your starter, flour, water, and salt in a large bowl. As you stir, chant softly or silently:

"Flour and water, womb of stone,

Feed the spirit, flesh, and bone.

Salt to shield, and time to bless—

May all I need come to possess."

Focus on your intention: Are you baking for strength? For protection? For steady income? Pour that into your hands as you knead.

3. Folding & Fermenting

Every time you fold your dough, whisper a small charm. You might say:

"Rise with power, rise with grace,

Bless this home, this heart, this place."

Cover the dough and leave it to rest. Let the spirit of fermentation do its quiet magic... I do let my loaves ferment overnight in the fridge.

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✒️ Scoring the Sigil

When your dough is ready for baking, dust the top with flour and score it with a blade. This is where you carve your sigil of intent—it can be a simple crossroads ( + ) for protection, a rune for wealth, or your own mark created for this working.

As you score, say:

"By cut and curve, I shape this spell—

Let all be done, and all be well."

I chose a crossroads symbol for protection.

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🔥 Baking the Bread

Slide your loaf into the hot oven. As it bakes, sit with the scent. Visualize your intent rising and solidifying in the world. Let it fill your space with warmth and quiet power.

When the loaf is done and cooled, hold it in your hands. Say:

"From flame and flour, crust and crumb,

The spell is sealed. So, mote it becomes."

Wrap it up and then share it—or savor it—as an act of sacred nourishment.

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When you pull that golden loaf from the oven, know this, darlin’—you’ve stirred up a quiet kind of wonder. You’ve fed more than just belly-hunger; you’ve nourished spirit and home, weaving care into every crumb and tucking a bit of spellcraft into the crust. This one’s for you, reader—a gift from my hearth to yours, baked up with magic and love. May each slice bring you comfort and blessing, and may your hearth never be without warmth, wonder, or witchery.

I’m a beginner, I don’t wanna be rude but I don’t know how to handle a non witch interrupting spell work or tarot reading. How can I do this politely

You can maybe ask them to give you space when you are doing something, or find a place where you know you can’t get interrupted (like a room with a door lock or a public empty space like an empty park)

Sometimes you might get interrupted and such. What’s important is that you keep your focus on your craft. If you find that people choose to not listen even after you have told them to stop then you can try looking for more private spaces to practice

Actually I must admit I am not the most educated on this topic, however I still do know quite a bit so if anyone has any information that I'm missing out on then feel free to comment and correct me or reblog with corrections and additional information

I also want to say that additionally the spirit guides I talk about here exclude deities like Gods, Goddess, demons, angels, demi-gods and demi-goddesses, or dragons, mer-folk (including sirens and mermaids as well as other sea spirits like selkies), the fae and other known spirits.

Spirit guides are beings that support, protect, and guide us through life’s journey. They can show up in subtle nudges, sudden clarity, dreams, signs, or strong gut feelings—and they each have their own vibe and purpose.

Not all guides stick around forever. Some are here for a lifetime, some for a specific chapter, and some show up, drop a lesson like a cosmic mic, and bounce once their job is done.

🌙Types of Spirit Guides (and what they’re great at)🌙

🕊️Lifelong Guides🕊️

Your main ride-or-die(s). They’ve been with you since birth (or early life), and they usually:

Offer big-picture guidance

Help shape your path

Ground you through spiritual changes They might feel super familiar, like you’ve known them forever—and you probably have, soul-wise.

Alfalfa sprouts: prosperity

Asparagus: lust, grounding

Artichoke: lust, protection, personal growth

Beans: grounding, love, lust, prosperity, protection

Beet: beauty, love, passion

Broccoli: strength, leadership, protection

Brussels Sprouts: protection, luck, rebirth, stability, courage

Cabbage: fertility, health, longevity, love, money, protection

Carrot: banish, clarity, fertility, illusions, health

Cauliflower: protection

Celery: grounding, lust, mental powers, peace, psychic powers

Corn: spirituality, protection, abundance

Cucumber: purity, fertility, healing

Eggplant: wealth, prosperity

Endive: love, lust, physical strength

Horseradish: Exorcism, purification, banishing, empowering, warding

Lettuce: stamina, sleep, rest

Leek: love, physical strength, protection

Mushroom: psychic awareness, physical strength, hidden truths, courage, healing, health

Onion: warding, protection, health, banishing, virility, fertility, energy, psychic power

Pea: love, prosperity

Pepper green: growth, prosperity

Pepper red: energy, strength, vitality

Pepper yellow: empowered creativity

Potatoes: Protection, compassion, potency, wishing

Pumpkin: healing, money, prosperity, abundance, divination

Radish: lust, protection

Rhubarb: fertility, love, protection

Spinach: fortitude, physical strength, general physical health, prosperity, money

Sweet Potato: love, lust

Squash: spirituality

Tomatoes: protection, warding, health, money, luck, love

Turnip: warding, banishing

Zucchini: spirituality, protection, prosperity, lust, abundance

*source: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen*

So today I was reading Ancient Fire: An Introduction to Gaulish Celtic Polytheism by Segomâros Widugeni when it struck me just how many of the sources were the type of thing that wouldn't necessarily come up on a regular search, particularly some out-of-print books, a lot of which are actually available on the Internet Archive! I took some time to take note of each listed source, and tried to see if I could find the right place to request them from (in the case of a handful of articles and theses), find PDF links where they did already exist, basically whatever I could! Some books are available to buy, most secondhand, and while most are available on Amazon, I won't be linking those here. I'd encourage anyone shopping to consider an alternative option if they can! Now, I haven't read through all of these, but the moment I found at least one of them seems to be impossible to find, I was reminded of the dangers of dying media. So I wanted to put these together so anyone could use them. Not every resource listed is in English. Anyway, on to the list~

Cernunnos: Looking a Different Way

By Ceisiwr Serith

https://ceisiwrserith.com/therest/Cernunnos/cernunnospaper.htm

Cernunnos Origin and Transformation of A Celtic Divinity

By Phyllis Fray Bober

https://www.scribd.com/document/460345187/cernunnos-origin-and-transformation-of-a-celtic-divinity-phyllis-fray-bober

Basic Celtic Deity Types

by Alexei Kondratiev

https://naomh-na-tursan.livejournal.com/5752.html

Deep Ancestors: Practicing the Religion of the Proto-Indo-Europeans

Book by Ceisiwr Serith

https://www.scribd.com/document/362472999/Deep-Ancestors-Practicing-the-Religion-of-the-Proto-Indo-Europeans

The Gods of the Celts and the Indo-Europeans

Book by Garrett S. Olmsted

https://www.academia.edu/38135817/The_Gods_of_the_Celts_and_the_Indo_Europeans_revised_2019_

Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend

Book by Miranda Aldhouse-Green

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/dictionary-of-celtic-myth-and-legend_miranda-aldhouse-green/543335/#edition=5215209&idiq=16154030

The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions

Book by Morpheus Ravenna Further

to tongu do dia toinges mo thuath [“Mi a dyngaf dynged it”], &c.

By John Koch

https://www.academia.edu/7242277/Further_to_tongu_do_dia_toinges_mo_thuath_Mi_a_dyngaf_dynged_it_and_c

Goddesses in Celtic Religion Cult and Mythology: A Comparative Study of Ancient Ireland, Britain and Gaul

By Noémie Beck

http://theses.univ-lyon2.fr/documents/lyon2/2009/beck_n#p=0&a=title

The Integration of Mercury and Lugus: Myth and History in Late Iron Age and Early Roman Gaul

By Krista Ovist

https://archives.library.wales/index.php/integration-of-mercury-and-lugus

Lady with a Mead Cup: Ritual, Prophecy, and Lordship in the European Warband from La Tène to the Viking Age

Book by Michael J. Enright

How to Kill a Dragon: Aspects of Indo-European Poetics

Book by Calvert Watkins

https://ia801404.us.archive.org/view_archive.php?archive=/7/items/twain-mark-a-connecticut-yankee-in-king-arthurs-court/1-ptry.zip&file=How%20to%20Kill%20a%20Dragon%20-%20Aspects%20of%20Indo%20European%20Poetics.pdf

The Celtic Gauls: Gods, Rites and Sanctuaries

Book by Jean-Louis Brunaux

The Apple Branch: A Path to Celtic Ritual

Book by Alexei Kondratiev

https://archive.org/details/applebranchpatht0000kond

Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology

Book by James Mackillop

https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofcelt0000mack

The female deities of the Celtic religion: worship and mythology: a comparative study of ancient Ireland, Great Britain and Gaul

By Noémie Beck

https://theses.fr/2009LYO20084

Celtic Curses

Book by Bernard Mees

https://www.academia.edu/1012094/Celtic_Curses_Woodbridge_Boydell_2009

Guide to Irish Mythology

Book by Daragh Smyth

https://archive.org/details/guidetoirishmyth00smyt

The Sacred Isle

Book by Dáithí Ó hÓgáin

https://archive.org/details/sacredislebelief0000ohog

The Matronae and Matres: Breathing New Life into an Old Religion

By River Devora

http://polytheist.com/the-web-of-blessings/2015/08/12/the-matronae-and-matres-breathing-new-life-into-an-old-religion/

Interpretatio Romana and Matronae Iconography

By River Devora

http://polytheist.com/the-web-of-blessings/2015/08/31/interpretatio-romana-and-matronae-iconography/#:~:text=The%20overlay%20of%20interpretatio%20Romana,and%20plaques%20and%20glean%20valuable

Celtic chiefdom, Celtic state: the evolution of complex social systems in prehistoric Europe

By Arnold, Bettina and Gibson, D. Blair

https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/3086499

*butacos, *wossos, *geistlos, *ambactos. Celtic Socioeconomic Organisation in the European Iron Age. Studia Celtica 40, 2006: 23-41

By Raimund Karl

https://www.academia.edu/245239/_butacos_wossos_geistlos_ambactos_Celtic_Socioeconomic_Organisation_in_the_European_Iron_Age_Studia_Celtica_40_2006_23_41

The Ancient Celts

Book by Barry Cunliffe

https://archive.org/details/ancientcelts00cunl_0

Sengoidelc: Old Irish for Beginners

Book by David Stifter

https://archive.org/details/sengoidelcoldiri0000stif

Greek Kελτóς and Γαλάτης, Latin Gallus ‘Gaul’

By Kim McCone

https://spr.harrassowitz-library.com/article/spr/2006/1/6

Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales

Book by Alwyn and Brinley Rees

https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.36494

Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism

By Erynn Rowan Laurie, Kathryn Price NicDhàna, Aedh Rua Ó Mórríghan, Kym Lambert ní Dhoireann and John Machate, ed. by Erynn Rowan Laurie

https://web.archive.org/web/20080418025755/http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usma&c=trads&id=6645

Which witch is which? : a concise guide to Wiccan and Neo-Pagan paths and traditions

Book Compiled and Edited by Patricia Telesco

Sources for the Three Realms

By Annie Loughlin - original source link is dead, need help to locate!

Dictionnaire de la Langue Gauloise

Book by Xavier Delmarre

https://archive.org/details/dictionnairedelal00dela (referred to as “Essential for Gaulish Language study)

The Settling of the Manor of Tara

By R.I. Best

https://www.ucd.ie/tlh/trans/rib.eriu.4.001.t.text.html

The court of law in Iron Age ‚Celtic’ societies. In R. Karl & J. Leskovar (eds.), Interpretierte Eisenzeiten 3. Fallstudien, Methoden, Theorie. Tagungsbeiträge der 3. Linzer Gespräche zur interpretativen Eisenzeitarchäologie. Studien zur Kulturgeschichte von Oberösterreich Folge 22, Linz: Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum 2009: 135-60.

By Raimund Karl

https://www.academia.edu/245221/The_court_of_law_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_societies_In_R_Karl_and_J_Leskovar_eds_Interpretierte_Eisenzeiten_3_Fallstudien_Methoden_Theorie_Tagungsbeitr%C3%A4ge_der_3_Linzer_Gespr%C3%A4che_zur_interpretativen_Eisenzeitarch%C3%A4ologie_Studien_zur_Kulturgeschichte_von_Ober%C3%B6sterreich_Folge_22_Linz_Ober%C3%B6sterreichisches_Landesmuseum_2009_135_60

Matasović Etymological Dictionary Of Proto Celtic

By Ranko Matasović

https://archive.org/details/matasovic-etymological-dictionary-of-proto-celtic

Hammer of the Gods: Anglo-Saxon Paganism in Modern Times Second Edition

Book by Swain Wodening

https://archive.org/details/hammerofgodsangl0000swai

Various Works by Christopher Scott Thompson - recommended re: honor in Gaulish society

https://cateransociety.wordpress.com/books/

A Handbook of the Scottish Gaelic World

Book by Michael Newton and Michael Steven Newton

Celtic Values

By Alexei Kondratiev

http://dagdacelt.freehostia.com/values.html

European paganism : the realities of cult from antiquity to the Middle Ages

By Ken Dowden

https://archive.org/details/europeanpaganism0000dowd

A Definitive Reconstructed Text of the Coligny Calendar

By Garrett Olmsted

https://www.academia.edu/62011364/A_Definitive_Reconstructed_Text_of_the_Coligny_Calendar

New Calendar of Gaulish Polytheism

By Jess via Nemeton Nigromanitcos

https://thebloodybones.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/new-calendar-of-gaulish-polytheism/#more-265

Calendar of Feast-Days of Deities

Via the blog Deo Mercutio

https://deomercurio.wordpress.com/calendar-of-feast-days-of-deities/

Altkeltische Sozialstrukturen

By Raimund Karl

https://homepage.univie.ac.at/Raimund.Karl/Sozialstrukturen.pdf

La Langue Gauloise

Book by Pierre-Yves Lambert

https://www.scribd.com/document/782869557/Lambert-1994-La-langue-gauloise-description-linguistique-commentaire-d-inscriptions-choisies

Death, War, and Sacrifice: Studies in Ideology & Practice

Book by Bruce Lincoln

The Gods of the Celts

Book by Miranda Aldhouse-Green

https://archive.org/details/godsofceltsar00mira

War Goddess The Morrigan And Her Germano Celtic Counterparts

Book by Angelique Gulermovich Epstein

https://archive.org/details/WarGoddessTheMorriganAndHerGermanoCelticCounterparts

Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby

- Database of “almost all inscriptions ever recorded”

https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/hinweise/hinweis-en.html

A website on Gallo-Roman religion:

http://www.deomercurio.be/en/

A scholarly website with information on Epona: