City Witchin'

I don’t exactly know if this book is good, or bad, but it’s intriguing at least.

The core of this book is to convince you that, the Witch, are other, and that to get what you want, you have to cast Glamour around you. The concept brings up questions of artifice versus reality that we rarely discuss as craft laypeople, and I find it equally as fascinating as concerning, but it’s certainly an interesting read!

Either way, if you’re looking for philosophy to transforming your waking being, try this one on for size. There is less spellwork inside it than one might expect- it’s based around a core ritual for “Discovering your Great Work”, which might not be everyone’s modus operandi, and I have a certain amount of concern about how hard this book works to distinguish You, The Witch, from the rest of the planet, but the theory is not one I often see elsewhere, and it’s refreshingly low-appropriative in practice, provided you ditch suggestions that don’t match your practice.

Some points I do want to make:

It’s not all fem, but it’s quite fem. Men and non-binary persons are purposely included, but almost every example of persons using their glamour for Great Work is some woman. I believe it would hold a lot of value for any person, of any gender and gender presentation. It’s just that kind of read.

Decide now, before you read, where you stand on the Using-Your-Feminine-Wiles-To-Get-Ahead debate. Read with it in mind. Flip-flopping while in the middle book end will leave you with a lack of consistent engagement with the book. It doesn’t matter how you go in, because I think the book is interesting either way, just decide where you stand beforehand.

This book goes hard. This book takes no prisoners. I feel like I’m reading someone’s world-domination manifesto- everything is tight, and mighty. It has its pros and it’s cons in delivery, but my only warning is that someone who spends all this time teaching the reader how to engage with others has no trouble doing the same things to the reader.

Either way, I think this is a recommendation?? It’s a from an author in a nearby county, apparently, who appears to have an online presence, and I genuinely find this book intriguing, so I figured I would put up a post about it, even if I’m half-bamboozled by the worldview. Some people just come to play.

Because you deserve the best on your birthday!

Witchy Things To Do:

Birthday magic

Cute little suggestion

Some ideas of what to do!

More ideas of what to do!

Spells:

Birthday spell

Morning birthday spell

Simple lil’ birthday spell

Candle and cake birthday spell

Masterpost of wish spells

Tarot Spreads:

Birthday spread (5 card)

It’s my birthday! Spread (7 card)

The yearly spread (11 card)

Emoji Spells:

To feel like royalty on your birthday

“I Am Stronger Than My Depression”

A Practical Guide to Herbology

Lesson One: Medicinal Teas

When I was first starting out with herbology, I was living in a small village in Croatia with a total population of less than 100 people. We depended on homemade teas, salves and medicines to heal us since the nearest hospital was two hours away. We treated ourselves with the power of herbs, gifted to us by the Earth.

These days, we can purchase all the tools we need to grow both common and exotic plants. Dried herbs are also another good option, especially for those that cannot grow their own. And with these tools, we can craft our own medicines. 

For the first lesson, I’m going to focus on something simple: the art of crafting medicinal tea. 

Creating Tea Blends

When starting out with creating medicinal teas, it’s important to understand how each ingredient interacts with our bodies. Be sure that you’re not allergic to any of your herbs and that they won’t interact poorly with any prescribed medications that you’re on. For example, those who are diabetic should not take angelica root; folks who are allergic to ragweed should avoid chamomile. 

Here’s a list of common herbs and their functions for the purposes of crafting medicinal teas:

Angelica Root: Soothes colds and flu, reduces phlegm and fever. (Do not use if you are diabetic)

Basil: Eases headaches, indigestion, muscle spasms, insomnia; reduces stress and tension

Blackberry Leaves or Roots: Reduces diarrhea

Catnip: Soothes teething pain, colic, diarrhea, indigestion, anxiety, insomnia. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on Lithium or sedatives)

Calendula (marigold): Reduces fevers, soothes indigestion, gastrointestinal cramps, flu; antiseptic. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on sedatives)

Cayenne Pepper: Soothes coughs, colds, arthritis (topical), nerve pain, fever, flu; expectorant. (Avoid taking with medications that contain Theophylline).

Chamomile: Reduces insomnia, anxiety, stress, fever, indigestion; aids with sleep and pain relief. (May decrease effectiveness of birth control pills and some cancer medications, may increase the effects of warfarin; avoid if you are taking medications for your liver)

Cinnamon Bark: Soothes sore throats and coughs; anti-inflammatory (Avoid taking with diabetes medications)

Dandelion Root: Detoxifying, aids digestion, relieves constipation, laxative. (Avoid if on antibiotics, lithium or water pills)

Dandelion Leaf: Mild diuretic, potassium-rich (Avoid if on medication for liver)

Elderberries: Wards off colds and flu

Ginger: Eases morning sickness, nausea, colic, indigestion, diarrhea, fever, sore throats. (Avoid taking with medications that slow blood clotting)

Ginkgo: Relieves anxiety, vertigo, tinnitus; improves circulation, helps concentration; helps PMS. (Avoid taking with ibuprofen or with medications that slow blood clotting; numerous medications have interactions with ginkgo so speak to your specialist before use)

Ginseng: Aphrodisiac, mild stimulant, boosts immune system. (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting, and avoid taking with diabetes medications or with MAO inhibitors)

Goldenrod: Relieves gout and cramps

Lavender: Reduces anxiety, headaches, tension, stress, indigestion, IBS; antibacterial; antiseptic; disinfectant (May cause drowsiness; avoid if on sedatives)

Lemon balm: Relieves anxiety, cold sores, colic, insomnia, restlessness, indigestion; boosts memory (May cause drowsiness, avoid taking with sedatives)

Nettle: Reduces hay fever and arthritis; diuretic. (Avoid taking with diabetes medications, medications for high BP, sedatives, medications that slow blood clotting, and lithium)

Peppermint: Relieves nausea, anxiety, indigestion, IBS, colic, diarrhea, fever, coughs, colds; anesthetic (Avoid if you have acid-reflux disease; avoid taking with cyclosporine; avoid if on liver medications)

Pine Needles: Expectorant; antiseptic; relieves coughs, colds, fever and congestion

Rosemary: Improves focus, memory, concentration, BP, circulation; antiseptic; antidepressant; eases indigestion

Thyme: Antibacterial, antiseptic, eases coughs and colds, expectorant (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting)

Recipes

For those starting out, here are a few recipes for common ailments. As you start making your own teas, you’ll learn which blends of herbs work best for your body. Keep track of which ingredients and combinations are successful - with each steep, you get closer and closer to crafting your perfect personalized medicine cabinet.

Anxiety Relief - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp lemon balm Cold Relief - ½ tsp elderberry flower - ½ tsp thyme Mood Booster - ½ tsp lavender - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp rosemary Cramp Relief - ½ tsp basil - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp goldenrod Indigestion Relief - ½ tsp ginger - ½ tsp lemon balm - ½ tsp peppermint Expectorant - ½ tsp pine needles - ½ tsp nettle leaf - ½ tsp angelica root Insomnia - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp lavender Sore Throat Relief - ½ tsp cinnamon (or half a stick) - ½ tsp ginger - 1 tbsp honey Fever Break - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper - ½ tsp angelica root Flu Relief - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp lemon balm

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Photographs are under the Creative Commons License. Content is from my grimoire and is embedded with information from a variety of sources over the years. 

Updated 7 March 2018 with relevant warnings and to be consistent with other posts in this series.

Warnings:  All plant material should be sourced appropriately and responsibly for your own safety and well-being. Be certain that you are purchasing food-grade ingredients from a reliable retailer or supplier. Along these lines, not all dried herbs are meant for consumption so please be on the lookout for “external use only” labels - you do not want those products for this.

Do your own research regarding medicinal plants and usage, especially if you are sensitive or have allergies of any kind. If you are on medication(s), consult a doctor before use.

Full Moon Dates.

🌕 Full moon : Jan 21

🌕 Full moon : Feb 19

🌕 Full moon : Mar 20

🌕 Full moon : Apr 19

🌕 Full moon : May 18

🌕 Full moon : Jun 17

🌕 Full moon : Jul 16

🌕 Full moon : Aug 15

🌕 Full moon : Sep 14

🌕 Full moon : Oct 13

🌕 Full moon : Nov 12

🌕 Full moon : Dec 12

Sabbat Festivals.

🕯 Imbolc - Candlemas : Feb 1

🌸 Ostara - Vernal Equinox : Mar 20

🔥 Beltane - Mid Spring : May 1

☀️ Litha - Summer Solstice : Jun 24

🌾 Lammas - Harvest Festival : Aug 1

🍁 Mabon - Autumnal Equinox : Sep 21

🎃 Samhain - All Hallows’ Eve : Oct 31

❄️ Yule - Winter Solstice : Dec 21

Celestial Signs.

♑️ Capricorn : Dec 22 - Jan 19

♒️ Aquarius : Jan 20 - Feb 18

♓️ Pisces : Feb 19 - Mar 20

♈️ Aries : Mar 21 - Apr 19

♉️ Taurus : Apr 20 - May 20

♊️ Gemini : May 21 - Jun 20

♋️ Cancer : Jun 21 - Jul 22

♌️ Leo : Jul 23 - Aug 22

♍️ Virgo : Aug 23 - Sep 22

♎️ Libra : Sep 23 - Oct 22

♏️ Scorpio : Oct 23 - Nov 21

Here’s a list of posts about the dangers of EOs

This one probably has the most pertinent information about EOs and how they gonna kill people [x]

On learning about EOs from cults [x]

On using EOs (more informative, less aggravated screeching) [x]

Another, which contains links, because I really do shout about this a lot. [x]

Burning items is closely related to your sense of scent. You can manipulate yourself and others with what is being absorbed from one’s surroundings; in this case, it’s through the nose. It can trigger an emotion or evoke a sense of time. So in the cases of fire being prohibited, the logical substitute would be to spread the scent of what you initially wanted to burn or an ingredient with similar correspondences.

Infuse yourself: Immerse yourself in a bath of stimulating herbs and/or spices.

Humidify your environment: Boil herbs and/or spices atop a stove.

Fumigate your home: Use an electric diffuser. If one isn’t available, pour some drops of essential oil into a carrier in a small, open container (eg: a shot glass) and leave it in a sunny spot.

Anointment: Set intentions and dab an appropriate corresponding oil onto yourself or an item in order to attract, repel, or protect.

In cases where spreading scent is inappropriate or inconvenient, you can invoke the element of fire through odorless ways.

Wearing color corresponding clothing

LED tealights

Hanging lights

Sun heated items (eg: a glass cup, a stone)

Snap-able heating packets

Ingesting herbs and/or spices

(Side Note: I am personally very creeped out by snakes and they appear in my dreams A LOT)

🐍 Generally, snakes often symbolize fear and transition when they appear in dreams. The more precise meaning of snakes within a dream depends on where their actions, the dreamer’s feelings about them, and the people involved in the dream.

🐍 Dreaming about being bitten by a snake or someone else being bitten by a snake can symbolize toxic relationships or harmful situations. These situations and relationships may be ones that the dreamer is ignoring, be it consciously or unconsciously. Dreams where someone is bitten on the leg or foot signifies impending change.

🐍 Dreaming of a snake or snakes in the dreamer’s bed or home can be an indication of domestic unrest, such as family quarrels or trouble with a landlord. Snakes can also appear in dreams during moves from one home to another.

🐍 If a dreamer dreams that they are trying to escape a snake or being chased by one, they likely have something unpleasant that they are trying to avoid. This kind of dream can also be an indication of personal suppression, such as the inability or unwillingness to speak up in a situation.

🐍 Dead snakes in dreams are typically positive signs. A dead snake represents defeated or soon-to-be defeated negative influences or enemies. Killing a snake in one’s dream can be positive or negative, depending upon the emotions it accompanies. If the dreamer feels relief after killing a snake in a dream, it means that problems that have been weighing on them will soon be resolved and they will be unburdened. If, however, the dreamer feels guilt after killing a snake in the dream state it symbolizes an unresolved or ignored struggle that the dreamer needs to overcome or deal with head on.

🐍 Dreaming of many snakes at once is said to be an indication of abundance. This abundance can come in the form of wealth, energy, or wisdom. If the dreamer happens to be afraid of snakes, the presence of many snakes represents a feeling of being overwhelmed.

🐍 Two headed snakes in dreams represent duality and the feeling of being torn in two different directions. The dreamer may be struggling with a decision or may be exploring a different path.

(DISCLAIMER: I didn’t invent most of these, just accumulated a lot from across the internet amongst other resources)

When something isn’t going your way: find The Wheel of Fortune, the cards on either side are the solution to the problem

To bring wealth; shuffle then pull the 1st, 5th, 10th, 20th, and 50th cards

When a romantic relationship is turning rocky; shuffle and find The Lovers, the cards on either side are the root of the problem

When you need to make a decision; shuffle, then find the 2 of Swords, the cards on either side are the different outcomes

When you’ve done fucked up shuffle then find The Fool, the cards on either side are how to fix the problem

Make a wish and draw a card