Crazy_thing_called LIFE

Christmas in July

This Is Not A Drill, I’m giving you a month notice!

Prepare yourselves witches and bitches because good news is incoming.

July 13, 2018

Is a Friday

Is a New moon

Has a partial solar eclipse

Is 12 days before Mercury in Retrograde in Leo begins.

It is such a freak of nature event it won’t happen again until June 13, 2132.

IT IS A PERFECT DAY FOR MAGIC. Here are some ideas or jumping off points regarding this day and night!

New moons are good for banishings, ending of cycles, new beginnings, baneful magic, spell negation/undoing, secrets. I also view new moons as a time of truths as the dark moon is the moon’s natural state (it does not have its own luminescence.)

Fridays are related to the planet Venus, relate to love, relationships, passion, potential.

Eclipses are connected to potential, completion, rarity, perfect timing. Some believe that it encapsulates an entire season or month as you see moon, sun, and lack of moon at the same time. Death, rebirth, and possibility (a night within a day)

The Rabbit’s Foot

The tradition in America of carrying a lucky rabbit’s foot is one of many cultures that have thought the rabbit has brought luck, and prosperity, but using it for protection and safety as well as luck has come from African Hoodoo tradition. According to certain hoodoo lore, the lucky rabbits foot could only be made on a new moon and a Friday (other lore says full moon on Friday). The rabbit had to be caught (some cases caught by hand, others, shot with a silver bullet) in a graveyard (any graveyard, but the original states it had to be a black or slave graveyard) at midnight.

This combination of acts, being so hard to fulfill was offered to the spirits as a sort of penance or trial by fire to prove worth and offering to protect the owner of the foot from supernatural forces and act as a road opener. As part of hoodoo tradition this isn’t something that I suggest you do. I share it as an example of how an auspicious day like this was used in the not so distant past. And how folklore, magic and amulets of cultures can be white washed and trickle down into everyday life.

The Alraun

Also known as alraune or plant familiar was a process of creating a vessel for a spirit familiar out of a root. The creator would go out and harvest a cthonic or poisonous herb (traditionally mandrake, bryony, or dandelion) on a new moon and Friday. A circle around the plant would be drawn, the root dug up after conferring with the spirits and choosing which one would inhabit the vessel. The roots are washed in wine, fed milk, honey and a drop of blood and carved with features resembling a human. The top removed and the root trimmed, it would then be brought home. Cleansed and covered in a clean cloth (a funeral shroud) it would be stored in a handmade box (the coffin of the alraun). The spirit would be fed and cleansed monthly (or weekly) in return for doing the bidding of the owner. The lore for the alraune is so varied it can make your head spin, for more examples and information, here’s an article that covers history, culture, historical reference and some examples of “requirements”.

Divination

With so much happening, divination is an excellent thing to do on this day. As an eclipse (visible or not) is a rarity that encompasses an entire year in a moment in some traditions. You could do a year ahead spread with tarot or oracle cares to gain some insight on what’s to come. Try your hand at a new type of divination as new beginnings and skills are represented by this day: scrying, candle reading, runes, casting lots etc.

Prosperity

Bayberry is very connected to prosperity and money drawing spells. As it is so costly to produce, it is usually saved for special occasions or to mark a prosperous future at the beginning of the new year.

Cleansings/Grounding

As stated, new moons and eclipses are connected to new beginnings, breaking cycles and habits and one of the easier ways to get started on that path is to cleanse or ground yourself, your tools, and your space. Take a ritual bath using seasonal herbs and flowers! Save yourself some clean up and place in a sachet and toss in your bath.

Spirit Work

As this is a day that is so unique, connected to witches through lore of Friday the 13th and the moon crossing over the sun, it makes sense that the veil would be thin on this date. Already the Friday and new moon have be referenced as a creation date for a spirit familiar, but contacting spirits, working with house spirits, fae and deities would be something to consider. A rare occasion, as if Samhain or Walpurgisnacht suddenly appeared is what this can mean for you and your workings. Pay homage to your ancestors and guides, they deserve it.

Other Miscellaneous Ideas

Go out wildcrafting to gather seasonal plants.

Make some powders, portable spells, or even hex powder!

Create a tool of your own, by hand. Make a wand, a spirit board, your own black scrying mirror.

Prepare for the mercury in retrograde if you’re susceptible by making a charm, carrying a blessed nail or spike, supercharging wards, protections or shields, whatever floats your boat!

These are just a few things to consider! As the Summer solstice is in a little over a week, you could consider utilizing the solstice to gather, collect and prepare for another working the following month. Whether that’s infusing an oil, making moon water for a full cycle or creating bundles of herbs to burn, have at it! I’d love to see what y’all come up with :)

One last thing, tonight is a new moon as well, so beginning something to prepare would be a wonderful idea. Make some black salt that you charge on your altar from new moon to new moon. Make a poppit and complete a bit each day until next month. Try some sympathetic magic and see how much can be accomplished in a month, that ends in a year.

I hope you are excited, I know I am. And my group of witches are planning a ritual ourselves for next month.

🦇Cheers, Barberwitch

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1. Become aware of how and when you tearing yourself down.

2. Now that you can catch yourself doing it. Offer counters to the negative self talk. A really useful thing I read was to talk to yourself almost the way you would child. Gentle and patient. Even when they fuck up.

3. Take time to celebrate your small accomplishments. You’ve been attacking yourself for every little mistake. Apply that same fervor to the positive things in your life. Did the dishes even though you didn’t want to? Fuck yeah! Got up and took shower? YES!!! You are taking positive steps to feeling better. Celebrate it.

4. Make lists of things you’re good at/ like about yourself. The first time I did this the only two things in my list we’re that I liked my hair and I had good friends. It was start.

5. Don’t beat yourself up if you screw up steps 1-4. It’s counter productive. When I catch myself calling my self stupid for some mistake or other my response now is,“We don’t talk to ourselves like that anymore. What’s something constructive that could actually help solve the problem.”

Most of the time that seems to work. Not always. But more and more Everytime.

When someone compliments you, don’t deflect. Make a conscious effort to form a habit of saying, “Thanks, I like it too!” “Thanks, I’m really proud I finished it!” “Thanks, I worked hard on it!” “Thanks, I take after my favourite auntie!” etc or even just “Thank you.” Stop using every compliment as an excuse to beat yourself up.

Acknowledge that other people see value in things you do and are even when those things aren’t 100% perfect. Try to remember those compliments later and add them to your mental idea of yourself. Notice that you don’t demand perfection from others before you’ll like them and try to appreciate yourself the same way.

Also, stop sorrying. It can be a hard habit to break, but reflexively saying “sorry” every time you talk or take up space (socially or otherwise) is both a reflection of and a reinforcement of your own perceived lack of value. Every time you find yourself sorrying inappropriately, make a point of thinking, “Actually, I do deserve to talk/be here/(other thing you sorried about).” When appropriate, say it out loud sometimes!

Honestly even if you don’t believe yourself quite yet when you say nice things or stop yourself from saying mean things  about yourself – the things you say and repeat in your mind really do impact what you think and how you feel. You have to try to say/think the good things you don’t quite believe, that’s what makes it become possible to eventually believe them.