Pawsing Life

Because it proves your devotion.

Many witches perform spells with a mindset of, “Well, it’s just a few cheap candles and herbs. If it doesn’t work, no loss.” But when someone is willing to hurt themselves in the name of a ritual, that proves their faith in what they are doing. And as I have said before, such faith is what truly makes a spell powerful.

Because your blood stays alive.

Your blood is your conscious agent. When sealing a pact between you and another by mixing your blood with theirs, your contract becomes binding. Even if, in the future, you no longer feel like honoring your vow, that part of you which you spilled always will, keeping you loyal to your pledge. And thus, giving your blood is a testament to your lasting commitment.

Because blood serves as your identification.

Bloodline is not everything in witchcraft. But it does matter, because we can inherit the powers of our ancestors. And because there may be entities connected to your family who might be willing to work with you. Using your blood helps activate any suppressed abilities that may have been passed down to you, and becomes an invitation to entities who are attached to your lineage.

Because a person’s blood connects you to them.

If you are performing transcending magic (i.e. binding/unbinding and manipulation/control spells), then having a drop of your target’s blood strengthens your dominance over them. Much like a Voodoo doll would. Except having someone’s blood extends your influence beyond their body to their thoughts and emotions.

Because blood is life.

As discussed above, a drop of human blood, when willingly given, is a dose of commitment. When presented, it is a method of identification. And when secretly taken, it is a means of control. Which is why, just as water nurtures plants, and food nourishes humans, blood feeds occult forces. It connects us to supernatural sources who enjoy witnessing our pure essence.

Some of my YouTube subscribers comment on how my readings are always to the point. How I never need to pause before interpreting a spread or a card. Maybe it's the two decades of reading. Maybe it runs in the family. Maybe I peek at the cards and rehearse before I start recording. (LOL Who has the time?) Or maybe it's just because I know all these techniques by heart. Hope they help you too.

Learn to interpret synchronicities

Learn 10 ways of reading a spread

Learn to avoid blanking when reading

Learn the right meaning to use each time

Learn to interpret tarot cards literally

Learn to read for yourself objectively

Learn to interpret in a personal way

Learn the importance of the card underneath

Learn to read suits in unconventional contexts

Learn to read reversals the right way

Learn the difference: advice vs. outcome

Learn the meaning of The Fool’s Journey

Learn how to predict timing reliably

Learn to interpret physical appearance

Learn the meanings of tarot’s colors

Learn the meanings of tarot’s numbers

Learn to determine locations with tarot

Learn traditional ways of dealing the cards

Learn how to deal with rouge cards

Learn to earn the trust of your tarot decks

Sea water: good for curse/hex breaking, cleansing, healing, banishing and protection spells.

Dew water: beauty, love and fertility spells, as well as delicate magick. Also Good for Fae work.

Storm water: is great for spells and rituals that has to do with emotional strength, confidence, charge, motivation and force. It’s known for strengthening spells. Also good for curses.

Snow water: Spells and rituals that focus on purity, endings and change, as well as slow working spells.

River water: Good for creating changes, moving on and letting go of negativity, warding and focusing energy.

Rain water: Very multi-purpose, but specifically great for growth and rebirth spells. Great for spells that you want to keep gaining power over time.

Spring water: Growth, holy water, cleansing, protection, prosperity

Moon water: Depending on the moon phase it was created in, it can have different properties.

Sun Water: protection, healing, clairvoyance, courage, strength, prosperity, luck, self-love, cleansing and creativity.

Swamp Water: Used for banishing and binding.

I recently started up my practice again and the first thing I made was a protection candles and some oils. I haven't shared any witchy things in a while so here is how I make protection oil.

You can use any oil, I prefer to use olive oil. I also put red pepper and a rose thorn in there because I like them. I would also have added egg shell powder but I didn't have any. You can tailor this to what ever you have one hand. The world is your oyster do whatever the fuck you want. You can wear this oil, lock mirrors, windows, add to spells, ect... Personally I like to put it on before I do spell work. Stay protected witches !

Olive Oil

Salt - purification, cleansing

Sage - protection, hex breaking

Red pepper - baneful protection

Parsley - protection, purification

Thyme - protection

Black salt - protection, dispel's negative energy

Rose thorn - repellent for negative energy, baneful protection

Tigers' eye - protection

A petition with intentions

Edit :

I forgot to add this the first time.

There are lots of ways to create spells, from planning everything to the minutest detail ahead of time to absolutely flying by the seat of your pants in the moment. If you'd like to write your own spells, either for use in your craft or as a creative exercise, here are some suggested steps that I use in my own practice:

1) Determine the intent or goal of your spell. Decide, first and foremost, what you want the spell to do. Refine your goal if necessary and try not to be too nebulous. Your intent tells the spell what it's meant to do. A more focused goal may increase the chances of success.

2) Determine how you want the spell to manifest. Decide how the spell should work and what the result should look like. This is a good time to build in a sign of success, especially for spells that may not work in an obvious or visible way.

3) Determine what or whom the spell will affect. If the spell is to have a target, be it a person or a place or an animal or an object, decide what that should be and how they or it will be represented in the casting.

4) Determine how long the spell is meant to work. If your spell is timebound or has a deadline, decide what that will be. If the spell is meant to work long-term, you may want to check in and refresh it from time to time. (Not every spell will be timebound. Many spells will simply expire when they have fulfilled their purpose or if they are blocked or circumstances are not favorable.)

5) Determine the timing of the spell, if applicable. Not everyone uses celestial or astrological timing for their spells, but if you do, look into the prevailing conditions and decide on an advantageous time for your casting. (Please note that magical timing can only enhance your spell and casting something on the "wrong" day will not necessarily cause it to fail.)

6) Determine what methods and materials you want to use to cast the spell. Decide how you're going to go about performing the casting, whether you're doing a ritual or making a charm or just using energy. If you're going to need a ritual space or physical components, plan that out and make sure it fits with what you want to do.

7) Determine the words, if any, which will empower the spell. If you want to include a prayer or a petition or a song or an incantation with your spell, decide what that should be. This is not strictly necessary and the words need not be spoken aloud. (Rhyming incantations are not required, but if you prefer them that way, you can certainly do so.)

8) Prepare the materials for casting the spell. Get all your necessaries together ahead of time. Make sure you have everything you need, that tools and components are in good and useable condition, prepare your workspace, and make sure everything is within easy reach so you don't have to stop and search for things in the middle of your casting. (And for goodness sake, if you're working with open flame, observe fire safety and tie your hair and sleeves back.)

9) Finalize details and perform the casting. When you're ready to begin, try to eliminate as many possibilities for distraction or interruption as possible. Go over your spell and components one more time, then proceed with casting the spell.

10) Record the particulars for future reference and to determine how well the spell worked. Make a record of the spell, including your goal, how it should manifest, the words and components used, the date of the casting, the casting method and procedure, and how the casting went. If there are any additional details or observations that seem important, include those as well. This will serve as a useful learning tool in the future and will allow you to check your work if the results make themselves known.

It's useful to write spells from time to time if the inspiration strikes you, in order to better understand how they fit together and how they work. Plus it's a fun and creative journaling exercise and recording the spells you cast a great way to measure your progress later on.

For additional tips on writing your own spells and helpful tricks for using timing and available materials to your advantage, check out my podcast, Hex Positive, Eps. 006-007, "Come In For A Spell, pt 1 & 2."

(And if you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

this is the purest video you will see all day, it includes not only practical advice on how to make cats feel comfortable but also:

the most patient and long suffering clawdia

bob ross, but a vet 

squish the cat

squish the cat, but with a towel

absolute unit mr. pirate

a little chubby but quite beautiful

I had to help him up on my shoulders because he’s never done it himself before. But once I got him up there I squished him, he started purring like nobody’s business. I carried him around our entire apartment, up and down staircases, and he was so happy. He didn’t try to leave once! When I put him down he head butted me and meowed and was super affectionate. And of course I gave him a treat.

The Plains warbonnet is not a Cherokee thing. It is not a Navajo thing. It is not an Indian thing. It is a Plains thing.

Stop calling every silly thing you draw that even vaguely resembles a native “Cherokee” or “Navajo” or “Aztec.”

Stop drawing the warbonnet everywhere as the apparently definitive native thing. It isn’t part of all of our 600+ cultures.

Same goes for the tipi, not part of every one of the 600+ indigenous cultures.

Stop thinking that if a native person doesn’t have dark, “mahogany” skin, that their heritage is invalid. Even without admixture, we actually do have varying skin tones.

Stop wearing crappy fake warbonnets.

Stop wearing redface.

Stop using us as your silly mascots. We are people.

Stop saying “spirit animal.” It’s derived from a New Age bastardization of a something that actually exists in some of our cultures.

Don’t smudge. Cleanse all you like, that’s fine, but don’t smudge.

Don’t call us “Indians.” “Native American” isn’t great either, it is not our name, but it’s slightly better than “Indian.” “Indigenous” is also fine.

Don’t use NDN/ndn. That is ours.

Step off about our hair. If you meet a long-haired native, admire it if you like, maybe even ask them about it (RESPECTFULLY), but do not touch. The same applies for someone with short hair, but additionally for those with short hair, don’t say things like “oh you’d look more native/Indian/etc if your hair was long.” We didn’t all traditionally have long, flowing hair. Believe it or not, there are actually different haircuts existing in our various cultures, and aside from that ultimately it’s a personal choice, one does not need to have long hair if they don’t want to. Doesn’t make them any less native to have short hair.

Don’t pray to our spirits/gods/energies. Native spiritualities are closed, they are not for outsiders.

Don’t say “The Native Americans believed…” Firstly, the past tense is silly, we still exist and do things. Secondly, we are NOT A MONOLITH. As I mentioned before, there are upwards of 600 different Native American cultures.

Don’t ask about someone’s “Indian name.” That’s not only insensitive, the name you are referring to in that instance is something sacred, and might not be something that person wants to share with you.

Don’t call yourself silly crap like “howling wolf” or “flying eagle.” That’s also racist and insensitive.

Regardless of whatever you might think you’re doing, or what your intentions may be, if a native person tells you that what you’re doing is disrespectful, STOP DOING IT.

You aren’t honoring us. You’re just mocking us further, demonstrating your continued ability to treat us like shit and get away with it even now, centuries after our colonization began. Your feelings are not more important than our history and survival.

To those doing your best as allies, thank you, keep doing what you do. HOWEVER, don’t let opportunities to educate others escape you. By letting them continue to be ignorant, you are failing. Spread the message.

There will be no “please.” It’s been more than 500 years, and we still are made to be invisible in our homelands. Still we are treated like less. Some even think we all died long ago.

We are still here

We will still be here

- Honey is mostly sugar (WoW!) it is 80% sugar and 20% water (double WoW!)

- There are over 20,000 species of bees, but only 4 make HONEY

-Honey is the ONLY food that contains all the substances you need to survive (Including WATER)

-Children under the age of 1 should not eat honey… why? because sometimes it contains bad stuff called botulism and can cause them to get botulism poisoning (that sucks, even infants should taste the deliciousness that is honey)

-Honey will crystallize under optimum temperatures (this has a lot to do with how you store it)

-Bees produce honey to eat during the winter when there are no flowers and no nectar for them.

-A honeybee would only need an ounce of honey to be able to fuel a flight around the world (this makes for a very cultural bee!)

a masterpost by noonymoon

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sigils and runes – what are they?

sigils – what are they and how to do them?

crystals – a list of pastel aesthetic stones!

spells – i have a hard time with words…

astrology – what’s ASC, lilith and node?

astrology – natal chart ? birth chart ??

spells – tips for crafting your own spells

spells – spells can be anything

crystals – charging methods

where to begin with your research!

where to begin with your research!

spells – really simple spell for rebirth

crystals – which stone for meditation?

crystals – your first crystal selection!

spells – glamour idea: piercings

spells – tattoos and witchcraft

divination – which medium to start with?

crystals – how to do easy crystal grids

what do to when you don’t like tea!

spells – what’s important when enchanting

how to incorporate magic subtly into school

divination – what the fuck is .. tarot ??

water magic – some thoughts on magical water

crystals – can i use regular stone pebbles?

spells – put a hiding glamour on your grimoire!

color magic – different candle color hues .. ?

cleansing – low effort techniques

crystals – do cracks lessen their powers?

energy work – why grounding is important

grimoire – some pointers on usability

grimoire – some more pointers

grimoire – a lil guide by me, an adhd kid

astrology – what are the houses ???

divination – how to create your own tarot deck

spells – the difference: curses, hexes and jinxes

spells – what’s a binding spell ..?

spells – dumb question: can i hex myself ?!

energy work – overcoming an abusive mentor

spirit work – a few words on the Fae

spells – can i use a different language?

altars – what is possible ..?

does a witch have to like being outside in nature?

a few words on omens and signs

grimoire – what’s a book of shadows?

voodoo and cultural appropriation

what do i need to do for being a witch ???

how do i start being a witch ???

how to be part of the witchy community !

how to start being a witch, an example

spells – a ritual for getting rid of fear in the dark

divination – can i have more than one tarot deck?

can i be more than one type of witch?

divination – what’s the difference: tarot + oracle cards

divination – the difference: tarot + oracle cards

cleansing – cleaning and cleansing your apartment

energy work – enchanting an item with energy

altars – what’s that and why ??

crystals – stones for protecting your energy

herbs – what to do with them anyway ..?!

crystals – do i need to activate my crystal …?

grimoire – do i have to be artsy to have a grimoire?

how to explain witchcraft to your parents ..

crystals – stuff to know when purchasing stones

spells – some thoughts on the elements

crystals – healing your third eye chakra

spells – do i need a magical wand ?

water magic – storm water vs. rain water

spells – a few words on the beautiful rose

herbs – how to dry flowers and herbs

herbs – a few words on st. john’s wort

spells – can i make my own correspondences?

crystals and herbs for mental health and stomach

crystals – a few words on quality and prices

am i too young for beginning my studies?

how to be a cute magical girl witch

herbs – what can i gather outside in nature?

sigils – gym witch: does sweat work for charging?

don’t let anyone tell you who you are

some important tips and tricks

energy work – is feeling others pain possible?

divination – how to trust in yourself more

familiars – my cat did a thing: is it magic ?

familiars – some thoughts on magical pets

synchronicity – why you see your birthday on the clock

angel signs – asking for guidance

angel signs – the complete guide

don’t fear to begin.. all you can do is start

some witchy thoughts on the cold season

crystals – how to get rid of dirt on tumbled stones

smells and scents in witchcraft

witchy holidays – samhain and beltane

crystals and herbs for more energy and balance

energy work – my third eye hurts!

crystals – all about rose quartz

divination – my pendulum isn’t working well

crystals – an overview of some crystals

divination – which crystal for a pendulum?

uhh.. lucid dreaming vs. astral travel ???

some thoughts on dream walking

divination – how to attune your pendulum!

spells – how to enchant without many tools

crystals – for sex, libido and intimacy

do it yourself – all that glitters is gold box

do it yourself – pocket sigil wax seals

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But I like giving gifts, actually. So instead of the usual obligatory spending competition of normal Christmas gift-giving, I’m running a Secret Santa with my maker community. It’s low key, has a spending limit, no one is expecting too much, and it allows me to enjoy giving gifts without feeling pressured.

I’m trying to learn to say yes when people invite me to things. It’s hard, because I still fundamentally believe people don’t want me around, even after literally inviting me to come. But I try to say yes, in a way that is comfortable to me – only as much as I can handle, and things I want to do.

Summer is over, Winter is in full swing, and Yule is upon us. 

Yule, pronounced “yool”, falls on the 21st of December in the Northern Hemisphere, a date that is also known as the Winter Solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere (below the equator), Yule falls on the 21st of June.

The Winter Solstice is the day of the year when the night is longest and the day is shortest. After the solstice, the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter.

Some Historical & Cultural Stuff:

Yule is the time of the year when the “dark half” of the year ends and the “light half begins”. 

Until the 16th century, the winter months were infamous for being times of famine in Europe - most cattle were slaughtered during this time so that they did not need to be fed during the winter. The feed was needed for the mouths of the farmers and the people. This meant that the solstice was a time when meat was plentiful, and is the reason why a lot of the celebrations surrounding this time of year centre around feasting and merriment.

In pre-Christian Scandinavia, there was a feast (named the Feast of Juul) that lasted for twelve (12) days. It celebrated the rebirth of the sun, and from this feast came the custom of burning a Yule log.

In ancient Rome, the Festival of Saturnalia (famously referenced in an episode of The Big Bang Theory) was the pillar of solstice celebrations. It was used to honour the God of agricultural bounty, Saturn and lasted around a week. Saturnalia was characterised by feasting, debauchery and the exchanging of gifts. Does that sound familiar? Well, it should! Many of these customs were absorbed and assimilated into Christian Christmas celebrations upon Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity. This was done to make the conversion less of a shock.

Yule Associations: 

Colours:  Red, green, gold; white; silver; yellow.

Herbs & Plants: Mistletoe, Snowdrop, Lemongrass; Chive; Cinnamon; Sage; Rosemary; Ginger; Garlic; Orange Peel; Dill; Basil; Black Pepper; Bay Leaf; Ash; Thistle; Evergreen; Cedar; Frankincense; Holly; Ivy; Juniper; Mistletoe; Oak; Pine; Sandalwood; Yew; Cypress; Fir; Comfrey; Elder; Chestnut; Myrrh.

Symbols: Mistletoe, pillar candles in any associated colour, evergreen boughs and wreaths; fruit studded with cloves; wassail; Yule logs; holly.

Food & Drink: Yule log, wine (mulled), cider; turkey; lamb; venison; beef; cranberries; stew; pork; nuts; oranges; clementines. Seasonal vegetables. Wassail. Apples. Fruit. Cakes soaked in alcohol.

Stones Crystals & Metals: Gold, silver, diamonds; rubies; emeralds; bloodstone’ quartz.

Activities & Things to Do: Carolling. Wassailing, feasting, exchanging gifts; burning fires/candles; decorating a Yule tree and making decorations to put on it, such as Witch Balls, clove pricked fruit; make Winter potpourri.

● seize time opportunities. If I have 15 minutes until your next class, I sit down and do homework in the hallway. If I have a long commute, I’ll do flashcards. This works because you most likely won’t have anything else to do anyways, so it’s easier to get your work done.

● start something. When I get a lab report assignment, the first thing I do is pull up the directions and at least start the cover page and pull up some research links. It takes 5 minutes but it gets the ball rolling and makes it more likely that you’ll finish what you started.

● auto-mode. When I procrastinating, it’s usually because I’m too busy thinking about what I’m going to do. Instead, I like to pretend I’m in “auto-mode” and just get started as fast as I can. auto-mode means shutting out distracting thoughts or pleas to watch one more funny cat video and forcing your hands to open your textbook. Works every time.

● personally, creating time schedules don’t work for me because if I fall out of time, the whole schedule falls apart and I usually give up. Instead I use time games. I’ll tell myself something like “work as hard as you can until 11:00 sharp and if you finish, you can have a break”. This is great for developing self discipline because it’s in the moment so you can be more realistic and flexible.

● i don’t like writing down earlier due dates in my planner because it’s confusing so instead, it’s good to have some sort of mental rule. for example, my mental rule is to finish everything at least two days before the due date. following through with that will keep you on track.

● do a little bit every day. If you have a big project, chip at it within a week rather than stressing out 2 days before it’s due. the same goes for studying for an exam. if you review lecture notes and attend office hours after class + work on flashcards throughout the week, then do a final review at the end, you’ll be well prepared and won’t need to cram. It’s a good habit and you won’t get stressed. Two birds with one stone.

● use mornings too. I’m not really an early bird, but using mornings to get some work / chores done is great because it gives you a productive start to the day, which makes you feel proud of yourself for knocking out half of your tasks in the a.m. 

a. Lay out your lecture notes / worksheets on the table the night before and open your work tabs on your computer so they’ll be the first thing you see when you turn on your computer.

b. Put your computer far away from your work space and go to sleep.

c. When you wake up, the first thing that you’ll see is your ‘paper’ work, so get it done first. then start on your ‘screen’ work (you’ll be less likely to get distracted if you do your ‘paper’ work first). when you open your laptop the first thing you’ll see are the work tabs you opened the night before. Your job is to go on auto-mode and get started.

if you have kids, you should make a point to keep up with how they’re doing in school, who their friends are, what they like to eat, what they can’t eat, their medications and why/when/how they take them, their daily routines, what their chores are and if they need any help with them, the interests that are important to them, the things they struggle with, etc., etc. 

you should have a rough idea of when your kid will need new glasses, when their last dental appointment was, how long they’ve been complaining about certain symptoms, what their usual mood is like at different times of the day so you NOTICE when something is wrong.

you should know how to listen to them and encourage them and you need to learn how to teach skills and good habits and motivate without instilling fear. you should know what makes them feel better when they’re sick and how to comfort them when they’re afraid or angry or sad.

if you’re the parent of an infant, you should make a point to learn how to tell what your baby needs. if they use formula, you should know what kind. you should know their nappy/diaper size and what products (powder/ointment/etc.) keep their bottom happy.

you should also be keeping track of when things your kid needs are running low, and making sure they are gotten in a timely manner.

if your children are members of oppressed groups you’re not part of – if you have a daughter, or a trans child and you’re cis, or an autistic child and you’re allistic, or a racialized child and you’re white, etc. – you need to take the time to research, to read what adults who share that trait say your kid needs. you need to actively support your child and help shield them from the hatred and enforced roles they will receive elsewhere.

these are the kinds of things a good parent does. you should not get a pass on being a good parent just because you’re a dude and you “don’t understand/aren’t good at that stuff”. this excuse is incredibly common and it is unacceptable.

women read parenting books, go on forums, talk to doctors, join parenting groups, ask other parents questions, and spend time with their children. we are not born with childcare knowledge any more than you are; it is work to learn these things. sometimes you will mess up. that is part of the learning process; it does not mean you “just don’t get that kind of thing” and should never have to do it again.

not only is it unfair to expect the women in your life to shoulder this work alone, but it is unfair to your children to be in their lives AS a parent but not do parenting work. Your kids need you. They need you to step up and LEARN to do the work that you haven’t been expected to do before.

Do you know how many people grow up and just… don’t have relationships with their fathers? maybe you don’t, either. it’s not always because these fathers were violent or mean or hateful. Sometimes it’s because they just never bothered to be parents or build a good relationship with their child. Don’t let your kids go through that. Don’t make them grow up with a mostly uninvolved stranger for a father.

And if you are not willing to do all this work, maybe you should plan to not have children, and take steps to make sure that you don’t. It isn’t acceptable to make a choice to bring a new human being into the world and take on a parenting role, then be around them only as a stranger.

There are different standards for motherhood and fatherhood, and that hurts children. What we think of as “motherhood” is mostly just good parenting for any gender, with extra dashes of self sacrifice because we expect women to be sole providers of certain kinds of work and care.

Here’s the thing, though: the societal standards for fatherhood are such that you can avoid doing literally all of the very basic work listed above and still be considered a pretty decent dad.

If you live with your kids or arrange regular visitation and are in the same room with them from time to time and talk to them casually without ever being abusive, most people will figure you’re doing a decent job. To be a deadbeat most people figure you have to completely abandon them or not pay part of their bills. Hell, you can even be abusive and people will say “Well at least he’s not a deadbeat! He does pay child support.”

I’m not saying you guys are ALL doing the bare minimum, but we do have this pervasive fiction that fathers are supposed to do different things than mothers, that there are two separate roles and one of them involves keeping up with day-to-day details and helping the kid with their emotional growth and basic needs, while the other involves making money, being kinda distant and occasionally “babysitting” or Teaching You Things About Cars/Camping/Other Man Stuff.

And it’s not fair. It’s not fair to anyone involved – the mothers who do extra work, the kids who don’t get to really know their dads, or the fathers who miss out on the full joys and complexities of parenthood.

This post isn’t MEANT for “deadbeat dads”. This post is meant for dads who genuinely want to be good parents but live in a society that tells them being a good parent is different for men. This post is a gentle encouragement to see your role in your children’s lives as bigger and more important, every bit as significant as a mother’s role and requiring every bit as much work.

You can get defensive, or you can look around and see if there are things you’ve been leaving for others to do because no one has ever expected that you would be interested in that part of your child’s life.

But last time I reblogged one ten/fifteen minutes later I got a call offering me a job

But I reblogged it because I was waiting on hearing back from the job. So there you go.