CallMeJenko

The first, and most important thing in witchcraft, is to figure out what type of witch you are.

Below are some groovy witch types to choose from

🌈Tech Witch

Reblogging sigils and emoji spells, this type of witch is the most modern and the most “in”. At the click of a button these witches can do powerful spells and shouldn’t be messed with.

🌈Vision witch

A rare type of witch that can actually see spirits. Born with their ability they are extremely powerful, but often have high empathic ability.

🌈Tea witch

Tea witches work with tea. Magical and relaxing tea. Find them indoors on lazy dreary days, doing amazing things as they sip away.

🌈Sea witch

Sea witches connect to the element water and love the sea. The most powerful spells they do are Bath spells and you’ll often find them making moon and sun water.

🌈Science witch

This is the same as alchemy (but not as male dominated). Find a science witch mixing strange chemicals, and brewing interesting potions. They are very powerful, just don’t drink their potions 🤣

🌈Crisp witch

What’s the best offering to your deity? Well… crisps. These are often dubbed “lazy witches” but their magick is still as powerful and valid as the rest.

🌈Astral witch

Travels to mystical places in their dreams. They have lots of friends and partners on the astral plane, and their magick is very strong, with a lovely feminine energy.

🌈Plant witch

Updated: September 2nd, 2016

General

[Basic Elements of Energy Work]

[Choosing Your Energies]

[The Elements and Energy Work] (tw: gif)

[Energetic Blockages]

[Energy Clearing and Infusing]

[Energy Feeds and Magic Fatigue] and [A Clarification]

[Energy for Beginners Part I]

[Energy for Beginners Part II: Gathering, Raising, Storing, and Casting]

[Energy Work]

[An Energy Work Primer (You Don’t Have to “Feel” Anything)]

[Fixing Your Energy] (an ask)

[Learning to Sense Energy]

[Passive vs Active Energy]

[Protect Your Energy]

[Sensation & Direction - A Beginner’s Guide to Energy Work]

Visualization

[Different Kinds of Visualization]

[Having Trouble Visualizing?]

[How to Visualize]

[Magical Visualization - Some Basics]

[Mistakes I Made with Visualization]

[Simple Visualization Exercises]

[Visualization and Spell-Casting]

[Witchery for Tactile Learners]

Charging / Enchanting / Programming

[Charging an Object]

[Charging and Dedicating Stones and Crystals]

[Charging Objects]

[Charging 101: The Quick Basics]

[Distance Charging]

[Enchanting Objects]

[Enchanting Things with Touch]

[How to Enchant Items]

[How to Enchant Items]

[Let’s Talk Basics: Directing Energy]

[Magickal Skills: Enchanting]

[On-the-Go Enchantments]

[Sending Energy to Objects, aka Charging]

[Witch’s Guide to Programming]

Grounding

[Airy Grounding Guide]

[Grounding]

[Grounding]

[Grounding]

[Grounding]

[Grounding and Centering]

[Grounding and Centering]

[Grounding, Centering, and Shielding]

[Grounding or ‘Earthing’]

[Grounding Techniques]

[Grounding Theory and Application]

[Grounding with Your Aura]

[How Do I “Ground”?] (tw: gif)

[Rooting Meditation]

[Sea Witchcraft: “Sinking”]

[Some Favorite Grounding Visualizations]

[Witch Tips: Grounding]

[Witchcraft 101 - Grounding & Centering]

[Witch’s Guide to Grounding]

[Witch’s Guide to Grounding - Sturdy as Stone]

Centering

[Centering]

[Centering]

[Centering and Grounding]

Shielding / Warding

[Checking and Repairing Shields]

[A Crash Course in Warding]

[Elemental Wards]

[Energy Warding]

[Energy Warding Before Witching] (tw: gif)

[Energy Work: Expansion vs. Contraction] (tw: gif as blog header)

[How to Create & Use Wards]

[A Long List of Ways to Spiritually Protect Yourself]

[Making Warding and Shielding Talismans]

[Personal Shielding]

[Shielding]

[Shielding]

[Shielding]

[Shielding and its Purpose]

[Transmuting Energy: An Alternative to Shielding] (tw: gif as blog header)

[Wards and Grounding]

[Wards and Ward Accessories]

Energy Manipulation / Exercises

[Advanced Energy Manipulation: Competitive Magic]

[Animist Reset Ritual]

[Banishing the Energy of Others]

[Building Galaxies]

[Decontaminating People Before They Enter Your Space]

[Energy Balls and Programming Energy]

[Energy Exercises]

[Energy Feeds and Magic Fatigue] and [A Clarification]

[Energy Manipulation: Aura Shaping]

[Energy Manipulation: God Energies]

[Energy Polarization Habits and How to Break Them]

[Energy Protection Bubble]

[Energy Work: Energy Ball]

[Energy Work: Introduction to Fields Exercise]

[How to Send Energy to Other People]

[Personal Energy Cleanse]

[Picture-Jumping]

[Scream Jars]

[Sending Energy to People]

[Sensing Energy Exercise]

[Tips for Building Mind Spaces]

Thoughtforms / Servitors / Egregores

[A Bit on Entities and Thoughtforms]

[Creating a Servitor] (an ask)

[Creating a Thoughtform]

[Creating Positive Thought Forms] (tw: gif as blog header)

[An Introduction to Servitors]

[A Lesson on Servitors] (tw: music autoplay)

[More Information on Egregores] (an ask)

[Servitors: A Basic Guide to Artificial Entities]

[A Short Guide to Thoughtforms]

[Technowitchcraft - Thoughtforms]

[Thoughtform Masterpost] (tw: gif)

This is part of a series on how to work with angels if you’re demon-associated (or just generally skittish of angels). The introduction to that series is here. In the introduction you’ll find an explanation of why people such as demonolaters, demon-appreciators, demonkin, and the non-Abrahamic-religious are able to work with angels, and why they would want to. It also gives a basic explanation of why angels and demons aren’t always completely opposed, what I mean by the term “angels,” what angels do, and also what research sources I tend to use for these articles. So if you have questions, you should go read that article first before hitting my ask box.

Part 1 of this article explains how to ready yourself mentally for meeting with an angel, and also gives advice on research techniques to better prepare yourself. You should read it before following the instructions in this article.

All that being said, let’s go forward!

Angel of Fruit- Alpiel Angel of Vegetables- Sealiah Angel of Hail- Bardiel Angel of Meteors- Zikiel Angel of Doves- Alphun Angel of Fish- Gagiel Angel of Insomnia- Michael (He’s got so many dominions its absolutely ridiculous) Angel of Mountains- Rampel Angel of Plants- Sachluph Angel of Small Birds (as opposed to big birds lmao)- Tubiel Angel of Trembling- Pahadron (also known as an angel of terror oh my lord) Angel of Sweet-Smelling Herbs- Arias

It’s not very comprehensive, but I’ve come to realize that my basic understanding of angels is very interesting to some of you guys so here we go.

Seraphim

Ones who sit beside God, most  powerful, balls of light

Archangels

Command armies, carry messages, own,  human-like bodies

Dominions

Angels responsible for making sure  other angels do their jobs, light

Principalities

Angels with specific domain to which  they are appointed, light

Powers

Angels responsible for keeping the  fallen in check, light

Cherubim

4 wings, angels who guard Heaven

Virtues

Written by Katrina Eresman Illustrated by Erin Dreis 

The Pointy Hat. While not actually a part of the modern day pagan wardrobe, nor imperative to any spells, the pointy hat is still heavily associated with the image of a witch. How did it get its history? Well, there are many theories. Some say it was meant to resemble a church steeple so as to attract the help of God in one last chance at redemption for the supposedly misguided witch. Others theorize that it comes from a time of heavy antisemitism, when Jews were required to wear pointy caps to distinguish them in a crowd. A third theory says that the shape resembles the Cone of Power, a method of raising energy in a group, where the base represents Love, and the sides represent Positive Creativity and Spirit. More on these possible sources can be found here.

The Book of Shadows. Often mistakenly assumed as a source of knowledge passed down through generations (as it the case for the Charmed series), this precious journal is actually a personal account of each practitioner’s individual experiences. It is a place where one can privately record their particular involvement and outcomes with spells, work on defining their own beliefs, and then return to old notes to help with continuous research, learning, and improvement. The first known Book of Shadows was written by Gerald Gardner in 1939, when he established Gardnerian Wicca and his own coven. No records exist before this, because in earlier years, no witch or Wiccan was safe in recording their experiences, as it could have been used as evidence against them.

Your-Favorite-Amulet Here. Amulets and talisman are frequently confused as being one in the same, or freely interchangeable. It’s said that the main difference is that amulets are defensive – keeping the bad away – and talisman are offensive – bringing the good in. Another suggested difference is that amulets are worn, and talisman are carried, or kept near the item you’re intending to affect– like kept under the pillow for better dreams. Many options are available, including but not limited to:

The Pentacle: This five pointed star is a classic Pagan symbol, and is sometimes mistakenly conflated with the pentagram. The five points of the star represent the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and the Spirit, and the circle serves to connect them all.

An Acorn: Wear an acorn anointed with musk oil to attract the opposite sex.

Triquetra: This three pointed symbol has ancient roots. Today, it could be worn as a reminder of the connection between mind, body and soul, or the rule of three, where anything you put out into the world will come back to you three-fold.

Opal: Being the birthstone of the Librans, this gemstone is said to create balance, to inspire, and to create higher sensitivity to others’ feeling.

Broomstick. Like the pointy hat, the broomstick isn’t actually something you’ll see any old pagan carrying around, though it does have its legend. Way back when people were first learning the hallucinogenic effects of some plans (such as the ergot in Rye which caused many of the supposed sorcerous illnesses on children during the Salem WItch Trials), others were using this to their own benefit. Alleged witches were creating concoctions using ergot and other plants in order to create a “witch’s brew” that could be taken to, well, get high. Often they used the end of a broomstick to mix up their paste, and to apply it to the body which was the only way to obtain the desired effects without getting sick. So, the witch needed her broom to “fly.” Another story says that groups of witches would use their brooms as part of a fall ceremony which took place in a cornfield. Because the corn was always high at this time of year, all the townspeople would see were the witches jumping in the air with their brooms, and concluded they were flying. A modern Pagan may, in fact, keep a broom by his or her door. This is representative of sweeping away the negative or stagnant energy, a symbol as old as houses with dirt floors.

Ritual Robe. While not completely necessary, meeting a Pagan or Wiccan who uses ritual robes is more likely than finding one who has a token broomstick by their side. The choice is left to the practitioner (unless they are part of a coven with particular ritual rules). Robes are useful because they set the mood. Stepping into something other than every-day clothing can help get you in the right mindset for performing the ritual. While one might picture a black robe (thanks to stereotypes), actually any color can be used. Some make associations based on specific colors– like white being pure, or red being passionate or powerful– but it’s all dependent on what feels right to the practitioner. 

Skyclad. The awesome term for nudity in rituals. Many Wiccans go skyclad under their ritual robes, and some Traditions perform rituals completely in the nude. This is how it was done at the Gardnerian Coven, which is not surprising as Gardner was an avid believer in nudism and its health benefits. Wearing clothing during a ritual puts a barrier between the person and nature, a primary part of the Wiccan beliefs. The less you have in between you and the earth, the better. The origin of this idea is said to have come from the book  Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches by Charles Godfrey Leland:

“And as the sign that ye are truly free,

Ye shall be naked in your rites, both men

And women also: this shall last until

The last of your oppressors shall be dead.”

An eclipse takes place when one celestial body passes in front of another, obstructing the light we can see from it here on Earth. Since eclipses always take place during the most powerful phases of the lunar cycle, eclipses are great times for extra powerful spells! To find out when you’ll next be able to view an eclipse, take a look at this website.

Solar Eclipses take place during the New Moon.

A partial solar eclipse takes place when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not quite perfectly aligned, and the Moon only covers a portion of the Sun. 

An annular solar eclipse takes place when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are perfectly aligned, and the Moon passes right through the Sun’s center, creating a bright ring of visible sunlight.

Intents: destroy the things that are holding you back, starting something new, healing, drawing something to you, shadow work, balancing the conscious mind and unconscious

Ideas for extra powerful spells: Take note of the planetary placements and see if there are any other planets conjunct/aspect with the Sun and the Moon. Draw on those energies as well! Use as much planetary energy as possible to give power to your new beginning.

Tips for Safe Viewing:

NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT A SOLAR ECLIPSE. EVER.

View through a solar filter

View through Welder’s goggles with a rating of 14 or higher

Some telescope companies offer metal-coated filters that allow safe viewing of the Sun through a telescope

Build your own pinhole projector

Lunar Eclipses take place during the Full Moon.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the entire Moon is covered by the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, its umbra.

A partial lunar eclipse occurs when part of the Moon is covered by Earth’s umbra.

A penumbral lunar eclipse takes place when the Moon travels through the faintest part of Earth’s shadow.

Intents: healing, protection, finishing projects, illuminating the unknown, balance, manifestation, peace

Ideas for extra powerful spells: Again, draw on the planetary placements - but since the Sun and the Moon are in opposition during a full moon, this time see which planets are conjunct/aspect with the Sun and the Moon individually. A lunar eclipse is a great way to balance opposing forces in your life and you can draw on the energies of other planets to help resolve the solar and lunar forces!

Tips for Safe Viewing:

Gustav Klimt Paintings Re-Created With Models And Props Part II by Inge Prader

Notable Austrian photographer Inge Prader (previously featured here) has brought to life some of the most famous Gustav Klimt paintings. Using human models and props, he has recreated the iconic paintings of Klimt’s signature “golden phase” for the Stylebible of 2015’s Life Ball in Vienna, a highly acclaimed annual AIDS charity event. The famous works such as Klimt’s ‘Death and Life’, ‘Beethoven Frieze’ and ‘Danae’ bring back the original artist’s gilded sensual paintings.

Spiritual Grounding Made Simple 7 Easy Techniques

“Spiritual grounding is important if you are doing energy work, developing your psychic senses, or working as an intuitive or medium.

What Is Grounding?

Basically, it is balancing out the spiritual and physical energy in your body by connecting yourself with the earth.  When you are grounded you feel like you are here:  in the physical, in the present.

It is especially important for healers, mediums, intuitives, and other types of energy workers to practice these techniques to keep balanced.  But, grounding is great for anyone, even those with anxiety!

When You Are Not Grounded You May Feel:

lightheaded

tired

disconnected

dazed

like you are floating

shaky

flighty

These feelings and sensations can happen when you’ve got excess energy running through your system from doing energy or spiritual work.  It’s totally normal for those who work in the energies, and nothing to be alarmed about.

Spiritual grounding (referred to by some as earthing) can help get rid of excess energy and sort of “plug” you back into Mother Earth, balancing out the energy, and getting you back in touch with your physical body.

When I first started developing my abilities, no one told me about spiritual grounding.  All I knew is that I felt like I was very much out of touch with my body.  In one of the first mediumship circles I ever sat in, I shook uncontrollably.  When I learned spiritual grounding techniques, all of that went away.

Following are some tips on how to ground yourself.  The most important thing to keep in mind is that not every tip will work for every person.  So, what works for me might not work for you, etc.  Just keep trying different techniques (or a combination of them) until you find what’s most helpful for you.

Eat

Eating is great for grounding and is something I do after giving readings. It reminds us that we have a physical body, and the process of digestion helps bring the energy down away from our crown and third eye chakras.

Ayurvedic medicine folks feel that root vegetables are especially good for grounding because they grow underneath the surface of the earth; therefore, they can make you feel more anchored to the earth.  And of course, they are delicious when they’re roasted!

Root veggies are also a great choice because they are high vibrational foods and won’t dull your intuitive senses.  You can learn more about a psychic diet here.

If you don’t have any veggies around, don’t despair!  Use what you have on hand and try experimenting with different foods to see what works best for you.

Chocolate

A little bit of chocolate is also great for spiritual grounding.  Chocolate is natural and grows in pods on the theobroma (cacao) tree - therefore, it’s very “earthy.”

If you’re going to try this method for grounding, I recommend using a raw, high quality chocolate.    I personally use Sacred Chocolate because it is raw and organic. 

Cacao in this form is more bitter than the drug-store chocolate that many of us grew up eating.  To me though, the health benefits and grounding properties of raw cacao are worth the sacrifice.  

If you’re not ready to venture into the land of raw cacao, start with dark, organic chocolate, such as Green & Black’s.  Have fun with this one, chocoholics!

Connect with Nature

You’ve probably heard of this spiritual grounding technique before because it has literally been around forever.  (Remember, our ancestors didn’t have the fab shoes that we have nowadays, so they were often barefoot and connected to the earth.)  There are a couple of ways to do this:

Pull off your shoes and walk barefoot outside.  Feel the earth under your feet.  You can walk on grass, dirt, or at the shore.  Focus on the sensation on the earth beneath you.  Dig your heels into the earth.  It feels amazing!

Gardening is also excellent!  Get outside and put your hands in some soil (no gardening gloves).  Be at one with the earth!

Salt Bath

Salts are wonderful because of their natural healing properties.  Combine that with the cleansing properties of water and you’ve got a winning combo!

Sea salt, Hawaiian salt, or Himalayan salt (my personal favorite!) are excellent choices.  Add about a cup or so to the warm, running water.  Sit and enjoy for 20 - 30 minutes. 

Tips: 

If you feel like you have energy stuck to you after giving someone a reading, a salt bath is a great way to wash that energy off of you.  (You may also enjoy this article with tips on dealing with our loved ones who are energy vampires.)

Scents can also help with spiritual grounding, so adding some essential oil to the water can be nice, too.

If you don’t have a tub, or time to sit and soak, try using a salt based body scrub in the shower.

Meditate

Meditation is wonderful for just about anything, and spiritual grounding is no exception.  Sit upright in a comfy chair with your feet planted on the floor.  Imagine your feet have roots (like a tree) and are anchoring themselves deep into the earth.  Breathe and allow yourself to be balanced.

If you’d like to try a unique meditation that I received from my spiritual team while working in the Akashic energy

Crystals and Stones

Certain stones and crystals are great for grounding as well.  Try carrying some jasper, black kyanite, or blue kyanite in your pocket… or create a piece of jewelry with it!

Do Something Physical

When you aren’t sure how to ground yourself, try physical activity.  Moving your body can help you feel more centered quickly.

Exercise is great because you focus and connect with your physical body while expending excess energy at the same time.  Yoga is especially wonderful because it centers you on a spiritual and physical level.

Don’t have time to hit the gym?  No problem.  Other physical activity, such as washing dishes, cooking dinner, or walking the dog can also help connect you with your physical body which will make you feel more balanced and less “flighty.”

I hope you have fun while trying these spiritual grounding techniques!  Try one, or try them all!“

I discovered this by accident and I thought it was really funny and cute:

1. Download the template from MyScriptFont website

2. Write out the alphabet and numbers in your style, using a black marker (felt pen). This is mine:

3. Scan the template  4. Upload to the MyScriptFont website, name it, set the format and click “send file” 5. Download it to your computer and install

And check out my result!

Updated: March 31st, 2016

GENERAL INFORMATION

[Cosmetics and Glamour]

[Drink Me – An Exploration of Glamour Magic] *

[An Explanation of Glamours] (an ask)

[Glamoring]

[Glamouring Objects]

[How to Make Yourself More Alluring With Magic (Through Glamors)]

[Materials for Glamour/Beauty Magic] (tw: gif)

* = external links / resources

MAGIC AND SPELLS

[Beauty Bath] (to bring out beauty and attract love)

[Bigger, Meaner, Better Spell] (to help you appear tougher to other people)

[Body Scrub for Keeping Away Unwanted Attention]

[Chameleon Spell] (to make you invisible)

[Charisma Enchantment]

[Confidence Mirror Spell (Minor Glamour Type)]

[Disney Magic Series: Stand Out Glamour Spell]

[Dragon Glamour] (for strength, beauty, charisma, and energy)

[Dragon Touched (Make Up Glamour)] (for power and confidence)

[Easy Self-Love Glamour]

[Enchanted Mirror Spell] (to apply a glamour of choice when mirror is looked into)

[The Epic Glamour] (to look badass as fuck)

[Eye-Opening Glamour] (to appear more attractive to someone specific)

[A Face So Pure and Sweet - A Glamour Spell]

[Foundation Beauty Spell] (to increase self-esteem and confidence, and let your true inner beauty shine through)

[Give ‘Em the Ole Razzle Dazzle] (to impress)

[Glamor Spell–Facial Scrub] (to make yourself seem more lovable)

[Glamour Bottle to Influence How Others Read You] (tw: gif as blog background)

[Glamour Nail Polish Spell] (for confidence and radiance)

[Glamour Shower Discs] (multipurpose)

[Glamour Solid Perfume]

[A Glamour Spell] (for beauty)

[A Glamour Spell, Howl Jenkins Style] (for catching the eye/capturing the attention of people around you)

[Glamored Masculinity Potion] (to appear more masculine to others)

[Glitz & Glam] (to be bold and beautiful)

[Goddess Beauty Glamour] (to look irresistible; to have a goddess-like presence)

[Goddess Glamour Bath] (for beauty)

[Hair Glamour] (multipurpose)

[“Hide Me” Glamour] (for concealment)

[I Am Radiant] (glamour to boost your confidence)

[“I’m a Boss Ass Bitch” Glamour] (to make you ooze confidence and be the bold beautiful person you are)

[Invisibility Glamour]

[“It Puts the Lotion on its Skin” Spell] (a self care glamour for confidence)

[Jewelry Glamour Magick Spell Template] (a base for any glamour spell)

[Like Honey] (for attraction and charm)

[Lingerie Glamour Spray] (to amp up your sex appeal)

[Major Arcana Spells: The Sun’s Vitality Spell] (to radiate beauty, youth, and good health)

[To Make You Shine Whenever You Need a Boost in Your Confidence and Self-Belief, or to Get Yourself Noticed in a Positive Way]

[Master of Masks Spell] (to help you present a specific side of yourself to people)

[Mirror, Mirror - Glamour] (for recognition of your beauty)

[Mirror Mirror on the Wall: Glamour Spell] (to transform the energy around you)

[Notice Me - Glamour Spell]

[Pocketful of Sunshine Charm] (to maintain such a glaringly good mood that it intimidates anyone who would dare dull one’s sparkle)

[“Polished” Glamour Spell] (provides a polished, attractive, and glowing appearance, and helps to appear more charismatic, confident, and powerful)

[Quartz Glamour - An OUAT Spell] (enchant a piece of quartz to cast your glamour when you carry it)

[Queen Grimhilde’s Glamour Jar for Intimidating Looks] (tw: gif)

[Quick Confidence Potion] (functions as a glamour and a reinforcer)

[Re-Visibility Spell] (to reverse invisibility spells / to make yourself more visible to those around you) (tw: gif as blog background)

[Roughskin - A Protective Glamour Spell]

[Sea Beauty Spell]

[The Shadow Spell] (an invisibility glamour)

[A Simple Invisibility Glamour Enchantment]

[The Simplest of Glamours] (glamour your makeup to decrease chances of getting called on in class) (tw: sigil)

[Spell: Celebrity Aura] (to give the wearer the presence and charisma of a celebrity)

[Spell: Friendly Glamour] (to appear more friendly to others)

[Spidey’s Spell to Conceal Identity] (tw: gif)

[“Spinning Straw to Gold” Glamour] (to turn something ordinary into something extraordinary)

[Thu'um Magix: Animal Allegiance] (to take on the aspect of an animal)

[Unapologetically X Glamour] (long-term multipurpose glamour) (tw: sigil)

[Witch of the Waste’s Glamour Enchanted Jewelry Spell] (general / multipurpose)

[“You’re a Sexy, Badass Bitch” Glamour]

66 Essay Transition Phrases-

To continue an idea:

Furthermore

Moreover

In addition

As well as this

What’s more

Additionally

Regarding this

The fact that [x] is so, shows that

To compare and contrast ideas:

In comparison

In contrast

Unlike [x], [y]…

Like with [x], [y]…

Similarly

Comparatively

In the same way

Another way of viewing this is

Yet

Still

Nevertheless

On one/the other hand

Conversely

Notwithstanding

In spite of this

However

Besides

Though/Although

On the contrary

Contrary to this

In order to list:

Firstly; Secondly; Thirdly; Finally

To begin with; In addition; In conclusion

These are the following:

These are as follows:

In order to introduce an example:

An example of this is (the fact that) (the following)

To illustrate this

This is exemplified by the fact that/to exemplify (this one seems a little bit weird, but I use it all the time in order to show an idea being strengthened within a lot of my English Literature essays)

For instance

For example

In this manner

In particular

Namely

[x] can be shown strongly/most clearly when…

To show that something causes something else:

As a result

Because of this (I wouldn’t use this one in very formal writing because formal writing tends to discourage the use of ‘because’ and ‘also’ at the start of your sentences)

Consequently

Hence (this can also be used in the middle of the sentence to explain why something is the way it is)

For this reason

The consequence of this is

To repeat an idea with more/as much detail:

To repeat

That is,

In other words

To be precise

To be exact

More precisely/exactly

To reiterate

To draw conclusions:

From this, I can extrapolate (most of the time, personal pronouns are not used in very formal writing, so ‘it can be extrapolated’ is good if you want to sound very sophisticated)

From this, it can be inferred that…

It is clear that from [x], [y] means…

This shows the reader/audience that…

This enables us to understand the fact that…

[x] shows us that [y] feels…

From this, it is clear that…

To make an overall conclusion:

In conclusion

In short

To summarise

In summary

To conclude

Black and Silver

·         Black Tourmaline grounding, protecting, realigning

·         Obsidian [black, greenish black, grey or red-brown] revealing, transforming, cleansing

·         Onyx [Black with white bands, occasionally just black] calming, distancing, quieting

·         Magnetite (Lodestone when magnetized) aligning, grounding, directing

·         Jet [black, dark brown] stability, calm, perspective

·         Meteorite [light grey, green-grey or black] perception, new horizons, awakening

·         Flint [blue-grey, grey or black] repair, knowledge, confidence

·         Haematite [metallic grey-black or red] energizing, empowering, grounding

·         Silver easing, serenity, flow

·         Smoky Quartz [smoky brown to brown black] potential, beginnings, stability

·         Tektite [various shades of green, brown, black] containing, amalgamating, transforming 

Brown

·         Tiger`s Eye [brown, gold] practicality, sociability, realism

·         Vesuvianite [brown, green, black-green, yellow {rarely blue, purple or               colorless}] brightness, resolution, perspective

·         Halite [pink, brown, white, yellow, blue] absorbing, protecting, stabilizing

·         Bronzite [brown, bronze-brown] security, integration, relaxation

·         Staurolite [dark to light brown, yellow] focusing, quietening, combining

·         Limonite [grey to brown, yellow-brown or black] attuning, simplifying, de-cluttering 

Red

·         Garnet [red-brown (Pyrope); red-purple or black-brown (Alamandine);                red-orange (Spessartine); red or green (Grossular); all colors                            (Andradite); dark green (Uvarovite)] initiating, stimulating, fiery

·         Ruby positive thinking, nourishing, steadying

·         Zincite [red, orange, acid green] awakening, revelation, surprise, innovation

·         Iron Quartz [red-brown, orange] gently energizing, restorative, condensing

·         Jasper [red, brown, yellow, green] practical, grounding, repairing

·         Spinel [red or brown (rarely blue, green or colorless)] initiating, focusing, cleansing

Orange

·         Carnelian [orange, red-orange] releasing, repairing, warming

·         Sunstone [orange-brown-gold with gold flecks] warmth, self-worth, happiness

·         Aragonite [orange, golden brown, yellow, white] practicality, self-discipline, centering

·         Copper [orange, orange-red] anti-inflammatory, smoothing, unifying

Gold and Yellow

·         Citrine Quartz [yellow, golden-brown or orange-brown] warming, comforting, uplifting

·         Amber [gold, yellow, brown, sometimes green] enlivening, stimulating, strengthening

·         Pyrite [light brass yellow with a dark tarnish] activating, cleansing, sparking, clarifying

·         Gold confidence, creativity, stability

·         Rutilated Quartz [clear with fine strands of yellow or orange-brown                   needle-like inclusions] impelling,binding, restoring

·         Topaz [orange, yellow, pink, white, blue, grey, green, brown, clear] assuredness, confidence, relaxation 

·         Calcite [comes in all colors as well as in colorless varieties] soothing, calming. cooling

·         Mookaite [marbled red and yellow] safety, practical solutions, smoothing

·         Heliodor [yellow, lemon-yellow, sometimes with a blueish tinge] refreshing, restoring, clearing, quietening

·         Sulphur [bright yellow, yellow-brown] cleansing. detoxifying, enlivening

Light Green

·         Peridot [green, yellow-green] cleansing, freshening, invigorating 

·         Chrysoprase [apple to emerald green] serenity, harmony, calm

·         Prase (Actinolite Quartz) [medium green to dark green] support, integration, forces of nature

·         Prehnite [yellow-green, clear] softening, alleviating, reassuring 

Green

·         Aventurine [green with metallic flecks. Rarely red-brown, blue] balance, tranquility, stability

·         Emerald [bright green] calming, cleansing, harmonizing

·         Bloodstone [green with red, brown, or yellow markings] courage, strength, support, stimulation

·         Chlorite [pale and dark green to black] opening, sensitizing, revealing

·         Dioptase [deep blue-green] stimulating, nourishing, expanding

·         Diopside [black, dark green or green (occasionally colorless, yellow or             blue)] revelation, growth, renewal

·         Epidote [pistachio green, green, brown or black] gathering, strengthening, practical

·         Jade [green, white, grey, bluish] belonging, stability, instinct

·         Sphene [yellow-green, green-brown, brown-red] clarifying, aligning, exploring

·         Serpentine [shades of green, yellow, brown and red] comforting, flowing, enlightening 

·         Malachite [green with dark green or black concentric bands] balancing, soothing, detoxifying, absorbent 

·         Moldavite [translucent green, brown-green] transforming, expanding, amplifying

·         Moss Agate [clear with green and brown inclusions] feeling of space, optimism, opening 

Turquoise

·         Turquoise [turquoise, turquoise-green, light blue] strengthens, protects, enhances

·         Aquamarine [almost colorless, pale blue, turquoise] cooling, clarifying, soothing, lightening 

·         Amazonite [pale turquoise to deep mid-green, with lighter striations] stimulation, communication, memory

·         Chrysocolla [green and turquoise to light mid-blue] absorbing, communication, relaxing

·         Larimar [light turquoise, light blue, white] far horizons, equanimity, acceptance

·         Smithsonite [pink, blue, green, green-blue, grey] blending, combining, smoothing

Light Blue

·         Blue Lace Agate [bands of blue, white, and grey] gently cooling, nurturing, comforting

·         Celestite [clear, grey-blue or sky blue] ethereal, revealing, blissful, uplifting  

·         Blue Quartz [dense mid-blue, grey-blue, lavender-blue] protection, contentment, communication

·         Angelite [light blue, white, grey, violet] steadiness, coolness, attentiveness 

·         Apatite [blue, yellow or green] structure, flexibility, strength

·         Tanzanite [strong blue with pleochroism of red, blue and brown] enlivening, transmutating, expanding

Dark Blue

·         Sodalite [usually blue with white veining] meditation, contact, peace

·         Sapphire [blue or violet-blue; many other colors including black, green,             yellow] protection, understanding, power

·         Lapis Lazuli [deep blues with white and gold flecks] truth, memory, awareness

·         Azurite [blue to dark blue] deep release, old memory, integration

·         Dumortierite [light blue to dark blue to violet, usually with dark speckles           and pink and brown areas] understanding, conciliation, equilibrium

·         Kyanite [usually blue to blue-black, sometimes streaked; also white,                 grey or green] connecting, friction-less flow, release

·         Preseli Bluestone [blue-grey, blue-green with inclusions] clarifying, grounding, timeless

Violet

·         Amethyst integration, spiritual calm, healing

·         Fluorite [purple, blue, green, yellow, clear] coordination, innovation, inspiration

·         Sugilite [pink, lilac, purple] integration, sensitivity, spiritual confidence

·         Charoite [violet-purple with white, pink and gold] calm perspective, flexibility, awareness 

·         Ioite [violet, violet-blue, brown or blue-grey] clear thinking, decision-making, empathy

·         Purpurite [dark violet to dark red] contentment, acceptance, focus, calm

Pink

·         Rose Quartz [pink, rose, peach, violet-pink] love, emotion, release

·         Kunzite [pink, lilac-pink] love, support, understanding, peace

·         Lepidolite [pink, violet, grey] fulfillment, security, instinct

·         Morganite release, simplification, love

·         Rhodonite [pink to dark pink with black or brown areas] resonance, passion, motivation, communication

·         Rhodocrosite [pink, reddish brown, grey] self-confidence, ease, empowerment

·         Thulite [pink, red-pink, grey] exploration, self-assurance, motivation

White

·         Moonstone [pearly white, cream, yellow, blue] emotional balance, release, empathy, femininity

·         Zeolite [white,, grey-white, yellow, red] cooperation, variety, innovation

·         Milky Quartz diffusing, soothing, relaxing

·         Selenite [white, clear (occasionally yellow, brown, red, blue)] expansion, release, cooling

·         Tourmaline Quartz [white or cloudy with black linear inclusions] protecting, grounding, strengthening

·         Clear Quartz [transparent, white] brightening, organizing, amplifying

·         Apophyllite [clear, white, grey, green, pink] nature, clarity, transcendence 

·         Danburite [colorless, occasionally gold or pink] brightness, transformation, intuition

·         Diamond [colorless but also blue, green, pink, yellow] brilliance, alignment, connectivity

·         Ulexite [clear, white] communication, clarity, visions

·         Zircon [clear, most colors] revealing, transforming, regulating 

Multicolored

·         Labradorite [grey with iridescence of green, yellow, orange and                       peacock blue] openness, flexibility, protection

·         Chalcopyrite [brassy yellow (unweathered), blues, pinks, reds, yellows             (weathered)] protective, cleansing, stimulating 

·         Opal [all colors] [too many variations]

·         Tourmaline [all colors] [too many variations]

·         Coral [red, white, pink, gold, blue, black] community, strength, connectivity

·         Pearl [white, pink, brown, black, blue, green] sensitivity, tolerance, alignment 

·         Pietersite [black-blue with gold-brown flecks] stirring, clearing, anchoring 

Hello!!! First off you should check out my resource tag, it’s got some decent stuff in it.

A while back I went online to gather the best—IMHO—free resources I could about tarot for use by them as wants to learn.  Below are the fruits of my labor. 

Quick Methods of Learning Tarot

Learn Tarot in 7 Easy Steps (PDF)

Learn the Tarot in Two Hours - Part One and Part Two, by Ben Lucas (YouTube)

The Symbolist: A Simplified Guide to Tarot Symbols and Terms, by Corrine Kenner

A quick and dirty chart to tarot cards and their common meanings

Minor Arcana Quick Reference Chart - thetarot.co.uk

Learning Tarot

What Every Newbie Tarot Reader Should Know by Mary K. Greer

Easy Tarot Lessons with Dusty White (YouTube) - Part One 

How to Read Tarot by Bonnie Cehovet - PDF from AclecticTarot.com

Tarot for Beginners, or Now That I Have a Deck, What Do I Do With It?  by Olympias (TarotByOlympias.com) - PDF from her website

Learning the tarot (PDF - 19 lessons) by Joan Bunning.  The complete course is also online for free here.

Tarot Worksheets for Download and Study (PDFs)

Trainee Tarot Course by The Four Queens (Youtube)

Tarot Oracle’s Complete Tarot Course by the Tarot Oracle.  Part One is here,  and there are 15 hours in total (YouTube)

the Aeclectic Tarot Forum’s Cards masterthread (multiple links to articles on all 78 cards)

The Socratic Method of Tarot Reading by Jeanne Fiorini (YouTube)

How to Shuffle Tarot Cards by Kate Madison (YouTube)

Learning Tarot - Reversals

The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals by Mary K. Greer, via MyTeaCup.com (PDF)

Reversals, and What to Do if All of the Cards Are Reversed, by Christiana Gaudet (YouTube)

Learning Tarot - Court Cards

Why You Can’t Read the Court Cards, by Marcus Katz. Unpublished material from Tarosophy: Tarot to Engage Life, Not Escape It by Marcus Katz.  PDF.

Understanding the Tarot Court by Mary K. Greer and Tom Little, via ChinaTarot.com (PDF)

Court Cards at a Glance - Site and Printable Chart via TarotCourtCards.com

Learning Tarot - the Thoth Deck

Tarot: Mirror of the Soul.  A Handbook for the Aleister Crowley Tarot by Gerd Ziegler (PDF)

TarotTown: Thoth for Beginners - a Worksheet that breaks down a few of the complicated aspects of the Thoth tarot deck. (PDF)

Doing Readings

the Aeclectic Tarot Forum’s All About Reading masterthread (formulating questions, reading techniques, and more) 

Gaining Confidence in Your Tarot Readings by Teresa Michelsen/TarotMoon Press

How to Read For Others - the Tarot Sybarite

Overcoming Reader’s Block from TarotMoon Press

When the Cards Just Make No Damn Sense - the Tarot Sybarite

To Rephrase or Not to Rephrase from TarotMoon Press

Working With Vague of Complex Questions from TarotMoon Press

Interpreting Large Readings from TarotMoon Press

Asking Questions (For Those Seeking Readings)

How to Phrase Tarot Questions - The Free Reading Network

How to Phrase a Question for a Tarot Reading - PlanetWaves.net

Seven Ways to Ask a Good Question in a Tarot Reading  - TarotCanHelp.com

Effective Tarot Questions - The Tarot Reader Blog

What NOT to Ask the Tarot- BiddyTarot

The 37 Best Tarot Questions - Alec Satin

Public Domain Tarot Books (PDFs) via EsotericOnline.net:

Pictorial Key to the Tarot, by A. E. Waite

A French Method of Cartomancy, by A. E. Waite

An Introduction to the Study of the Tarot, by Paul Foster Case

Oracle of the Tarot, by Paul Foster Case.  Keyed to the Knapp-Hall Tarot

The Wisdom of Tarot by Elizabeth Haich

What is the Tarot? by Ouspenpsky

Book T, by MacGregor Mathers  Intro the the Golden Dawn system of tarot interpretation.  Very dense reading, not keyed to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and not for beginners

Tarot of the Bohemians, by Papus.  References the Tarot de Marseilles and the Oswald-Wirth Tarot.

A History of the Tarot, by Dame Gabby

The Continental Tarots by Christine Payne-Towler

A Self-Guided Tour of the Tarot by Cameo Victor

The Continental Tarot, by Christine Payne-Towler

The Qabalistic Tarot by Robert Wang

Sex Magic, Tantra, and Tarot: The Way of the Secret Lover by Hyatt and DuQuette

Printable Tarot Decks (Public Domain Art)

Rider-Waite-Smith Deck (High-Resolution Images) viafantasycards,wordpress.com

Color-Your-Own Rider-Waite-Smith Deck via tarotinstitute.com.  Coloring your own deck is a simple and effective way to fix the image in your mind and internalize its many meanings.

Color-Your-Own Marseilles Deck via tarot-cards-reading.net

The Tarot de Marseilles is one of the oldest known tarot decks, and is the basis for the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Click here to download a full-color Marseille Tarot Deck

VintagePrintable has a tarot deck from Venice circa the 1500s for print.

You can also print the Bodet cards from 1739 by clicking here.

DarkTarot.com has another printable traditional deck available for personal use. Please note the copyright.

Once you’ve decided which deck(s) you want to print, save the printable tarot cards to your computer. Avoid printing directly from the browser as you might end up with some weird and unwanted results (trust me on this).

Print out the tarot cards on your chosen paper. Make sure that you print them in the standard tarot deck size. If you’re not sure that the size is right, do a test print of one card so you don’t destroy the entire paper. If you printed the images on regular paper and want a good backing, then you need to use spray adhesive to glue the paper to the actual cards.

Carefully trim the edges of the cards - some people like rounded edges, so make sure you have enough place for the borders. 

Once the cards are printed, let them dry and then seal them with a varnish spray. After that, run them through a laminator. These days laminators are pretty affordable, and if you find yourself creating lots of tarot decks, you might want to invest in one.  You can also take the files to office supply stores (such as Office Depot in the USA) for printing and laminating.

Tarot Spreads:

Creating Tarot Spreads (PDF)

Divination Spreads (PDF)

Three Card Spreads (PDF)

Three Card Yes-Or-No Spread (PDF)

Popular Spreads with Interpretive Charts from MyTeaCup.com (PDF)

KMilliron’s Free Tarot Spreads eBook (PDF) - a poster over at AclecticTarot’s forums collected all of his spreads into a PDF for sharing via MediaFire

41 Quick Tarot Spreads For Reading Any Situation - JeanneMayell.com

Original Tarot Spreads - TarotMoon Press 

AeclecticTarot Forums’ Tarot Spread Index

gardenofthequeen’s tarot spread tag

hellboundwitch’s tarot spread tag

TarotSybarites tarot spread tag

Tarot Journaling

http://austinpagan.com/ebooks/Tarot%20Exercises.pdf

Creating Your Own Tarot and Oracle Card Journal by owlmoon (YouTube)

Tarot & Astrology

Tarot and Astrology by Hajo Banzhaf. 

Simple Astrology Spread (PDF)

Tarot & Numerology

Secrets of Tarot Numerology by Gary Meister: Lesson One, Lesson Two, Lesson Three, Lesson Four, Lesson Five, Lesson Six, Lesson Seven, Lesson Eight, Lesson Nine, Lesson Ten, Lesson Eleven, Lesson Twelve

Issues in Tarot

Ethics When Reading For Others by Dixie Vogel (YouTube)

Ethical Tarot Reading by BiddyTarot

Setting Boundaries and Developing a Code of Ethics from TarotMoon Press

What A Tarot Reading CANNOT Do For You by Mita Bhan

Third Party Readings by BiddyTarot

Why I Don’t Do Tarot Readings For Third Parties by tarotcanhelp.com

Your Tarot Reading Made the Client Mad!  What Now?! by Dixie Vogel (YouTube)

The Peril of Practice - Unhappy Clients from TarotMoon Press

Are There Any Clients That You Would Refuse to Do A Tarot Reading For? via TarotWisdomReadings.com

Going “Pro”

Becoming a “Professional”: How To Know When You’re Ready to Charge For Your Tarot Readings by Biddy Tarot.  See also her article How Much Are Your Tarot Readings Worth?

Becoming A Professional Tarot Reader - What You Need to Know by DailyTarotGirl

Suggestions for Becoming a Professional Tarot Reader by Mary K. Greer

Charging Fees for Readings by Madhavi Ghare

Why I Do Not—And Will Not—Do Free Readings by idanceitarotiart

Mary K. Greer: Tools for Recording Your Readings

Getting Experience: Join the Free Tarot Network where you perform free Tarot readings via email, with the support of a Tarot mentor.  See also biddytarot’s Seeking Feedback from Your Online Clients

The following is NOT free, and some of the information on the Internet is dated, but the bulk of information contained within is outstanding: Christine Jette’s book Professional Tarot.  Highly, highly recommended.

Organizations That Support/Promote Tarot

Tarosophy Tarot Association - “We teach methods of Tarot to divine your life, and make your way better through it – understanding more along the way.”  This organization runs TaroCon US, TarotCon Australia, and TarotCon UK.

American Tarot Association - “The American Tarot Association is a professional and social organization for Tarot enthusiasts, students, scholars, and readers. We promote the study and appreciation of Tarot by supporting a variety of educational programs.”

Tarot Association of the British Isles - “TABI is a not-for-profit association run by unpaid volunteers with a passion for Tarot and the esoteric. We were formed in 2001 to provide support, information and resources for Tarot enthusiasts of all levels.”

Tarot Guild of Australia - “The TGA represents a community of Tarot enthusiasts, readers and teachers from across Australia and worldwide.”

Tarot Publishers

Tarot Media Company - “…our goal [is] promoting the work of Tarot authors, artists, and scholars to make their creations available to the Tarot public and to support them in their goal of right livelihood.”

US Games Systems - Publisher of classic and contemporary tarot decks, Rider-Waite, Crowley Thoth, divination and oracle decks

Lo Scarabeo - Born in 1987 in Torino, Italy, Lo Scarabeo is now a leading international company in the mind, body and spiritual health publishing, with a main focus in Tarot publishing. Lo Scarabeo is one of the most important Tarot publishers in the world.

The Game Crafter - “the world’s first web-to-print game publishing company and offers a print on demand game publishing service…The Game Crafter gives designers an easy-to-use system to make a board game, card game, or custom playing cards. TGC offers templates, instructions, videos, and proofing tools to help designers create a quality product”.

Shopping For Decks

TarotGarden

ShopTarot

If you’re browsing decks on AeclecticTarot, you can usually click a link on the deck’s page and be taken to a web site to order.  Those affiliate links usually help the site, too.

Tarot Card Games

Wikipedia’s article on tarot card games

Simplified Rules for The Game of Tarot, via Mary K. Greer’s blog.  For a copy of the rules of French tarot, see here. 

Rules for Games Played with Tarot Cards via Pagat.com.  There are literally hundreds of rules variations out there, here’s a handful of them.

Emperors, the fortunetelling betting game played with Tarot cards by copperbadge

Theoricus Poker by Frater B.T. - a fun way to learn correspondences from astrology, etc., with the different tarot cards.

Arcanus Major - A Tarot Roleplaying Game

Tarot History

Take a look at this graphic for some quick facts about tarot

Thomas L. MacDonald’s detailed, excellent series on the history of tarot cards.  MacDonald is an editor over at Games magazine.

For a shorter overview of the history, you can look at tarot author Mary K. Greer’s blog post What Every Newbie Tarot Reader Should Know About the History and Myths of Tarot and the TarotL History and Information Sheet.

History of Women’s Tarot - Tarot as a keystone of the Women’s Spirituality movement branches off in a different direction from the mainstream in the mid-1970’s.

Make sure you do some reading about Pamela Colman Smith. Smith is the artist who designed the artwork for the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (the world’s most popular tarot deck, and the one most people think of when they hear the word “tarot”) in 1909.  

Smith based her RWS deck design on the Tarot de Marseille.

Smith’s creation of individual scenes on the cards of the minor arcana was a huge leap forward in tarot deck design, and contributed mightily to the enduring popularity of the RWS deck.

You can see examples of her non-tarot artwork here and here.  Don’t forget her book Susan and the Mermaid!

One thing to keep in mind about Pamela Colman Smith is that she made a deliberate decision to reduce or eliminate the Christian imagery found in the early tarot decks.  For example….

The Hanged Man image comes from the medieval Italian practice of hanging traitors upside down (Fun Fact: at the end of WWII, Mussolini was hanged upside down to mark him as a traitor; and please be warned that link is GRAPHIC and TOTALLY NSFW).  That practice was inspired by the death of Judas Iscariot in the Bible, where Iscariot is described as falling “headlong” (Acts 1:18). In the earliest tarocchi decks, the Hanged Man is depicted with bags of money, or with coins falling out of his pocket, a reference to the infamous thirty pieces of silver Iscariot was paid for betraying Jesus Christ.

The World card can be seen in many churches and ancient Christian manuscripts, usually showing Christ ascending into heaven surrounded by symbols of the Four Evangelists.

Smith’s High Priestess replaced La Papessa (the Papess, a female ‘Pope’ figure) in the deck.  Lots of folks assumed that this image was inspired by the legend of Pope Joan, but evidence suggests that the image is a female allegorical figure for the Roman Catholic Church (which claims the title ‘The Bride of Christ’)

General Cartomancy

Origins of Playing Card Divination - Mary K. Greer’s Tarot Blog. An illustrated presentation of theories and research on the origin of playing cards.

The New World Witchery Guide to Cartomancy by Corey Hutcheson (PDF)

Secondhand Souls: Cartomancy - Guide to learning cartomancy. Includes a brief history, discusses cards, and gives spreads.

Playing Card Meanings - Serena’s Guide to Divination

Sarena’s Tarot: Using Regular Playing Cards - A guide to using regular playing cards for divination.

A Manual of Cartomancy, Fortune-Telling, and Occult Divination by Grand Orient, published 1909 (PDF) via the Wayback Machine

A French Method of Fortune-Telling by Cards, by A.E. Waite, published 1912, via Hermetics.org

Fortune-Telling By Cards by Prof. P.R.S. Foli, first published 1915 . PDF via labirintoermetico.com

Cartomancy: History and Legend of a Prophetic Artvia associazioneletarot.it (PDF) 

Arcana Arcanorum: The Playing-Card Oracle - A personal system of playing card divination is presented with card meanings and layouts.

Other

A Glossary of Tarot Symbols from TarotMoon Press

the Difference between Oracle and Tarot Cards by hellboundwitch

World Tarot Day

World LeNormand Day

Tarotpedia, the Online Encyclopedia of Tarot

Tarot Reflections Archives - Back Issues of the newsletter of the American Tarot Association

Tips For Reading at Psychic Fairs by Teresa Michelsen

Reading at Charity Events by the Tarot Sybarite