midwest witch --> west coast witch

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-Tarot lvl 1

-Runes lvl 1

Chicago, IL 💐

5•10•19

safely practicing your craft is something i don’t see talked about in the community often enough, so i decided to compile a list of some basic safety precautions i think everyone needs to know!

∆ do not leave candles or incense burning unattended

this is something that i’ve made the mistake of doing on more than one occasion. leaving anything burning outside of your attention is incredibly dangerous, and you can risk setting items in the surrounding area on fire. if a spell requires you to let a candle burn itself out, i would recommend using a tealight or even a birthday candle– something small enough to melt down quickly in one sitting.

∆ research properties of crystals and herbs

something that has gained popularity in recent times on witchblr is ‘crystal-infused water’ or ‘crystal elixirs’. while it isn’t really my thing, i thought i would stress how dangerous this can be if you do not do proper research for those who are interested in this practice. many crystals and stones are actually water-soluble, meaning they will dissolve in water and release minerals or elements that are toxic if ingested. as a rule of thumb, crystals that end in -ite are typically water-soluble, but there are others such as turquoise, gypsum, lapis lazuli, tiger eye, cinnabar, and countless more crystals that can cause some serious harm. stay on the safe side and do your research. the same goes for plants and herbs. foxglove, nightshade belladonna, lily of the valley, poinsettia, and mistletoe can all be dangerous with skin contact or ingestion. some herbs are more dangerous in pregnancy, and some are more dangerous to animals. i said it before, and can’t stress it anymore: do your research!

∆ don’t use salt outdoors

this is something people are more aware of within the community, but i think it’s still important to stress, as it is in regard to the safety of the environment. salt is generally pretty terrible for plants and soil. excess salt will kill off plants and cause soil erosion, which can permanently destroy that area of land. however, there are so many alternatives! if you do a bit of digging around, you can find plenty of different options. my personal go-to is eggshells. :)

∆ be careful with essential oils

i think essential oils are fantastic, however there are many ways you could accidentally harm yourself or others through misuse. never ingest essential oils. that’s just a very, very bad idea. you can risk serious damage to your internal organs, which, in general, is not very pleasant. some oils are okay for occasional use on skin, however it is super important that you dilute them with a carrier oil. it is near impossible to dilute essential oils in water due to the very different densities. along with this, for the love of all things good, do NOT use essential oil on your pets. they are not built like humans. what may be okay for us can be potentially harmful to them. even diffusers can cause harm to your pets, so please research what oils are toxic for animals. your furry friends will thank you.

∆ do not abandon actual medical help in favor of herbal remedies

almost that time of year again!!!

so quite a lot of people expressed interest in a guide to lion dance! and since the lunar new year is coming up in a couple weeks, which means everyone’s exposure to lions is probably going to increase, i figured i’d go ahead and make it! right click + open in new tab to fullview, etc etc, i hope it’s helpful, although if you only take one thing away from this powerpoint, it’s this: lions are not dragons

•Like plants or growing plants

•practice witchcraft, Buddhism, paganism, or are a Wiccan.

•like gemstones, rocks and other healing minerals

•have a passion for weed

•like making spells, rituals, or runes

•practice yoga or qigong

•enjoy nature

•like interesting photography

I have a date! The Kickstarter for the Bottanical Deck will go live on March 6th!

This fake yarn is supposedly better for sheep.

Aimed at people who don’t know where wool comes from, it’s 100% plastic. Yes, plastic.

So any garment you wash will release microfibres into the sea. It’ll never decompose.

You’re supposed to believe that sheep shearing is violent and cruel. There are imbeciles out there that work in an unprofessional manner while shearing, but that’s not the case overall.

Sheep don’t suffer from having their fleece removed.

Left on, the fleece can become a home for fly eggs and the subsequent maggots which can eat the sheep. Chemical treatments are available to prevent that happening. It’s much better for the sheep, the land and the farmer to avoid chemical use.