Here are a few i know from Italy

Place a coin in the floor or walls during the construction of the house to attract wealth

Hang a horseshoe above the door to bring good luck and protection

Place a broom above or next to the door to bring prosperity and protection

Hang or keep in a vase aromatic herbs such as lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, and bay leaves

Sprinkle salt on door thresholds and window sills

﹒ ⟢ ﹒Cleansing Ritual﹒ ⟢ ﹒

ᵉˢᵖ ᵈᵉᵇᵃʲᵒ ᵈᵉˡ ᶜᵒʳᵗᵉ

﹒﹒﹒It eliminates auric dirt, bad energies from exposure, energetic-emotional heaviness, all that negativity that you accumulate daily.

﹒﹒﹒This is a witchcraft ritual. It uses candles.

﹒﹒﹒This ritual should not be used if there is any suspicion of a curse/hex.

∿ ﹒Materials

﹒ ₁ ﹒A white candle.

﹒ ₂ ﹒Salt.

﹒ ₃ ﹒Herbs. Can be rue, garlic, lavender, orange or sage.

∿ ﹒Instructions

some you may have seen before, some you may have not 💜

☆ . ＋.。 . 。, ☆ ﾟ. ＋ ☆ * 。ﾟ. o, 。 . ＋ ﾟ ☆

- blow cinnamon into your front door in the beginning of each month to welcome in abundance.

- speaking of abundance, mix basil in your mop water before you clean your floors.

- the upside down broom trick works. if you don't know what i mean, turn your broom upside down (bristle side up) and have it near your door to ward off unwanted guests

- if you can, avoid welcome mats. it's literally inviting unwanted energy into your home. if you already have one, just turn it to face the door. OR draw sigils and intent under the mat to specify which energies or being are welcome and which aren't.

- got those cute polaroids of you and your friends? put up a photo wall if it's to your taste, and pay attention to the ones that keep falling. they either may not be doing well, or they may not be wishing you well.

- for the art witches, especially the ones that sell their art, put that intention into your moon water and use it as paint water.

- another tip for the art witches, use sigils when staining your board

- and another for art witches, treat your brush like your wand

- for the 🍃💨 ouid witches, write intentions or sigils on your wrappers, and even pens!

Self-reflection is the process of looking inward and examining one's thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and behaviors with curiosity, honesty, and compassion. It's a vital tool for personal growth and transformation, as it helps us gain clarity on our goals, values, strengths, and challenges, and empowers us to make conscious choices and changes in our lives. In this guide, we'll explore the power of self-reflection and some practical tips on how to cultivate it.

Why Self-Reflection Matters:

Self-reflection is more than just navel-gazing or self-absorption. It's a way of cultivating self-awareness, which is the foundation of emotional intelligence, empathy, and resilience. By becoming more aware of our inner world, we can:

Reduce stress and anxiety, as we learn to observe and regulate our thoughts and emotions.

Improve relationships, as we become more attuned to others' perspectives, needs, and feelings.

Enhance creativity, as we gain insight into our unique talents, passions, and values.

Develop a sense of purpose and meaning, as we align our actions with our deepest desires and aspirations.

How to Cultivate Self-Reflection:

Self-reflection is a skill that can be learned and practiced, although it requires patience, curiosity, and humility. Here are some tips on how to cultivate it:

Set aside time and space. Self-reflection requires a quiet and uninterrupted space where you can focus on your thoughts and feelings. Choose a time when you're not distracted or rushed, and find a place where you feel comfortable and safe.

Use prompts and questions. To help jumpstart your reflection, use prompts or questions that invite you to explore different aspects of your life. Examples include: - What am I grateful for today? - What am I proud of accomplishing recently? - What challenges am I facing right now? - What lessons have I learned from past experiences? - What do I want to achieve in the next month/year/decade?

Embrace discomfort. Self-reflection can be challenging and uncomfortable, as it requires us to confront our fears, doubts, and shortcomings. However, by leaning into the discomfort, we can gain valuable insights and growth opportunities. Allow yourself to feel any emotions that arise, and be gentle and compassionate with yourself.

Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. By practicing mindfulness, we can become more aware of our thoughts, feelings, and sensations, and learn to observe them with clarity and acceptance. Try meditation, deep breathing, or mindful movement to enhance your self-reflection.

Incorporate self-care. Self-reflection can be emotionally draining, so it's important to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Get enough sleep, eat nourishing foods, exercise regularly, and engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Seek support from trusted friends, family members, or professionals if needed.

Self-reflection is a powerful tool for personal growth, inner transformation, and wellbeing. By practicing it regularly, we can cultivate self-awareness, empathy, and resilience, and align our actions with our values and goals. So, take some time today to reflect on your life, and see what insights and opportunities arise. Remember to be kind, non-judgmental, and open to new possibilities. The journey of self-discovery is ongoing, but the rewards are immeasurable.

There are various types of shadow work that can be explored based on individual preferences and needs.

Here are a few common approaches to shadow work:

1. Self-reflection and self-inquiry: This involves introspection, journaling, and contemplation to explore your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and patterns of behavior. It helps you identify and understand your shadow aspects.

2. Dream analysis: Paying attention to your dreams can provide valuable insights into your unconscious mind. Analyzing your dreams can reveal hidden desires, fears, and unresolved issues, offering a window into your shadow aspects.

3. Inner child work: This focuses on exploring and healing the wounded inner child within you. It involves identifying past traumas, emotional neglect, or unmet needs from childhood and working towards emotional healing and self-nurturing.

4. Creative expression: Engaging in creative activities such as art, writing, dancing, or music can be a powerful way to access and express your unconscious mind. Through creative expression, you can tap into your deeper emotions, desires, and shadow aspects.

5. Body-oriented practices: Our bodies hold emotions and memories, so somatic practices like yoga, breathwork, or body-centered therapies can help bring awareness to and release stored emotional energy in the body. This can contribute to the exploration and healing of shadow aspects.

6. Shadow dialogues and active imagination: Engaging in internal dialogues or imaginative encounters with your shadow aspects can help you understand their messages, motivations, and needs. This can involve role-playing or having conversations with different parts of yourself.

7. Shadow work in relationships: Relationships can serve as mirrors for our shadow aspects. By paying attention to the triggers, conflicts, and patterns that arise in relationships, you can gain insights into your own shadow and use these experiences as opportunities for growth and self-awareness.

8. Therapeutic support: Working with a therapist or counselor who specializes in shadow work, depth psychology, or Jungian analysis can provide guidance, support, and a structured framework for exploring and integrating your shadow aspects.

With my last post being about shadow work, I thought I’d give y’all some prompts to use.

How does the feeling of envy show up in your life?

What do you need more of in your life?

What do you love most about yourself?

If you could get rid of one bad memory, what would it be and why?

In what ways are you inauthentic?

What irrational fears do you have and how do they hold you back?

Do you hold grudges against others that could be let go? What’s your motive for holding onto them?

What do you hate about others? Why? What might that say about yourself?

What do you need to stop running away from?

What do you need to let go of?

What should you attract into your life?

How do you feel about “love”?

Why do you think you don’t deserve love?

What do you minimize about yourself? What do you flaunt?

How do you deal with criticism?

How do you perceive pain?

Why haven’t you dealt with your past before?

What don’t you like about your life? Why? How can you change it?

How often do you lie to yourself and what about?

What emotion(s) do you try to avoid? Why don’t you want to feel those ways?

Write a letter to someone who hurt you and then burn it.

How does your inner child see you?

How are you deceiving yourself?

What does success mean to you? How are you standing in your own way?

What is going on in your life that you are actively ignoring?

What keeps you motivated?

What inspires you?

Who or what is making your life difficult? How can you deal with it constructively?

How have you been betrayed in your life? What did it teach you?

How has your voice been stifled in the past?

What areas of your life do you excel in?

What are the most important/integral things you have learned over the past few years?

In what ways are you too defensive? Why?

How are you pessimistic in your own life?

Why do you not trust others?

What hardships have you overcome? How has it changed you?

What are you doing to pursue your dreams?

What do you still need to forgive yourself for?

What did that relationship teach you? (you know the one… that one)

How can you maintain your individuality?

In what ways can you be more true to yourself?

In what ways are you lying to yourself? Why?

How can you lead with your heart in your life?

How have your dreams fallen short of reality?

What is your relationship with your mother like?

What is your relationship with your father like?

Write a letter to your inner child. Maybe apologize for what has happened to them and that you couldn’t protect them, tell them how far you have come and how much you have done. Say whatever comes to mind.

How have you been a martyr/victim in your own life?

Fool: what is something new you are doing or want to do?

Magician: what is a magical way to enhance my day? Or, how can I be more like the magician?

High Priestess: what are my thoughts on divination? What about intuition?

Empress: what part of myself do I want to grow/nurture?

Emperor: what part of my life needs me to take authority? How can I?

High Priest: what are my personal traditions? How is my spirituality unique to me?

Lovers: what relationships mean the most to me?

Chariot: what part of my life needs me to be more combative/ warrior-like?

Strength: what part of my life should I face with courage?

Hermit: what do I need to do alone more often? What do I need to do with others more often?

Wheel of Fortune: what do I think about luck, fate, and/or fortune?

Justice: when do I need to focus on legality vs fairness? Or, What may cause me to seek justice/retribution?

Hanged Man: what have/will I sacrifice for -x-? What am I never willing to sacrifice? What will I easily give up?

Death: what is something personal I want to end or change? What is something that will end or change no matter how I feel? How can I accept it?

Temperence: what part of my life needs more patience? What part needs more balance? How can I achieve both?

Devil: what is a primal desire I have? Should I grant it to myself? Why or why not? How can I get what I want?

Tower: what can I learn from the current or recent chaos/disaster in my life?

Star: what do I hope for? How can I get it?

Moon: what part of my life is best kept private? Why?

Sun: what makes me happy?

Jusgement: what part of me needs reflection? What is a fair assessment of that part?

Zombie vermin

[ID: four digital drawings of black cats. The first shows the head of a black cat, against dark turquoise background. It looks a bit like the moon, floating through the otherwise empty space of the drawing. One half of its head in the shadows, with stars attached to its whiskers.

The second drawing shows a circle of black cats, holding paws, dancing around the (orange) moon. On top of that moon dances another black cat, playing a flute, several stars floating around it.

The third drawing shows a black cat, eyes white, its tail wrapped around the moon, once again orange, shining against the black fur of the cat and the dark grey background of the drawing. Underneath the moon are several small stars.

when i started out, all those lists of “research herbs! crystals! auras! deities!” with no specificity always overwhelmed me. so here’s a list of things i personally think would benefit beginners to research, with a little description for each!

- different types of witches. find the labels, the terminology, and pay attention to the ones you connect with the most. research those more in depth. i did this in the beginning of my craft and i starred green witchcraft and kitchen witchcraft, which have become a big foundation to my craft, and hedge witchcraft, and now im an aspiring spirit worker.

- the difference between witch, wiccan, and pagan. wicca has dominated a lot of sources, so make sure you know the difference, especially if you’re trying to avoid wicca.

- the history of witchcraft and different practices. especially the practices you are interested in doing.

- pick one herb. literally just one. research its folklore and its properties. don’t overwhelm yourself trying to research all the herbs that ever exist; just one. then you can decide if you want to continue researching herbs or move onto something else. same goes for crystals. pick just one to start.

- if you’re interested in religion, research different religions; open and closed. remember that (as long as the information is open) you can research closed practices; you just cant DO them. it will also help you determine what religions you feel drawn to. some closed religions and practices are open by initiation, and if that is something that interests you, you can do research into how initiations work, where they happen, and if you would be able to be initiated. also remember that you do not have to be religious to do witchcraft!! if that interests you, research secular witchcraft.

- protection and cleansing. i tend to lump these together because they go hand in hand. research how to cleanse protect yourself and how to cleanse and protect your space.

- how to set up an altar. not every witch has an altar and you don’t have to! but if you’re interested in one, research how to set one up. going out and collecting rocks, water, and flowers for my altar was what i consider the real beginning of my practice.

MAJOR ARCANA

The Fool (0) — the blank slate of young love

The Magician (1) — a skilled lover’s bag of tricks 

The High Priestess (2) — mystery and desire intertwine

The Empress (3) — feeling great and grand together

The Emperor (4) — stability enters the equation

The Hierophant (5) — faith will guide the two of you

The Lovers (6) — a love truly blessed from above

The Chariot (7) — the allure of their riches

Strength (8) — a brave step made saves the day

The Hermit (9) — love works better with reflection

Wheel of Fortune (10) — surrender it to fate

Justice (11) — the old game of give and take

The Hanged Man (12) — a sacrifice for the beloved

Death (13) — forever transformed by them

Temperance (14) — easy does it, always

The Devil (15) — a taboo binds burning lovers

The Tower (16) — a crisis disrupts passion

The Star (17) — hope in love, the highest value

The Moon (18) — unclear waters not to test

The Sun (19) — lost innocence retrieved so brightly

Judgment (20) — a great reveal for the two of you

The World (21) — things wrapped up, finally

MINOR ARCANA

Suit of Wands

Ace of Wands — an energy high for your intimacy

Two of Wands — big plans for a future together

Three of Wands — sweet honeymoon ahead

Four of Wands — time to tie the knot and celebrate

Five of Wands — butting heads, but not for long

Six of Wands — going public successfully

Seven of Wands — a confession rejected

Eight of Wands — hormone explosion in 3,2,1…

Nine of Wands — they’re still shy and guarded

Ten of Wands — one lover takes the burden

Page of Wands — abroad together: love trip alert

Knight of Wands — your lover rushes to you

Queen of Wands — socializing as a couple

King of Wands — a matter of power games

Suit of Cups

Ace of Cups — eros strikes! the sweetest crush.

Two of Cups — a tender rendezvous awaits 

Three of Cups — a merry third party

Four of Cups — playing hard to get or ghosting?

Five of Cups — the startling grief of a break-up

Six of Cups — your childhood sweetheart

Seven of Cups — so many things to do together

Eight of Cups — leaving it all behind. you’re ready

Nine of Cups — a lover, content at last

Ten of Cups — truly: a domestic happy ever after

Page of Cups — exciting new experiences

Knight of Cups — chivalry is back in town

Queen of Cups — you’re gorgeous in their eyes

King of Cups — full indulgence and empathy

Suit of Swords

Ace of Swords — full clarity over a love matter

Two of Swords — should i stay or should i go?

Three of Swords — a broken heart, so hard to mend

Four of Swords — your dream of a soothing union

Five of Swords — a win-lose altercation

Six of Swords — moving on from them with help

Seven of Swords — beware of the cheater

Eight of Swords — love makes blind, love can bind

Nine of Swords — a partnership turned nightmare

Ten of Swords — defeated by love

Page of Swords — fiercely protected by them

Knight of Swords — an aggressive suitor enters

Queen of Swords — a strong claim of independence

King of Swords — making the wise choice

Suit of Pentacles

Ace of Pentacles — a lush present from your darling

Two of Pentacles — juggling love and daily life

Three of Pentacles — lovers as business partners

Four of Pentacles — stingy with affection

Five of Pentacles — together through the storm

Six of Pentacles — on equal terms together 

Seven of Pentacles — waiting brings you greater bliss

Eight of Pentacles — stable love found at work

Nine of Pentacles — a wealthy love interest, so elegant

Ten of Pentacles — growing old with them

Page of Pentacles — falling in love at school or uni

Knight of Pentacles — a solid foundation for trust

Queen of Pentacles — spoiling your sweetheart

King of Pentacles — a loyal partner: forever invaluable.