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Wrath is not being angry at someone when they harm you, or wanting truly evil people to be laid low. The sin of wrath is murder, racism, xenophobia.

Gluttony is not enjoying eating, even when you are full, or feasting with friends in celebration even to excess. The sin of gluttony is taking when others have nothing, eating while others starve, consuming while others waste away.

My answer might be a little disappointing - I've rarely tried to actively train my clairvoyance (outside of scrying sessions, that is).

It helps that I've always been quite a visual thinker. Whenever I try to process new information, such as through reading a book, I will tend to do so in images. Whenever I reflect on experiences, I do so visually.

However, if you are very keen on training clairvoyance specifically, there are a few things I can recommend:

Visual immersion

Expose yourself to as many kinds of visual art as possible. Pay attention to the strokes, lines, shapes, lighting, colour, movement, and so on. Immerse yourself.

You can go on e.g. Pinterest for convenience, but I also recommend visiting art galleries and live performances if possible because there is an added sense of 3-dimensional space.

Then, make a habit of remembering what you have seen, in as much detail as possible. Watch a video in real life, then do your utmost to re-watch the whole thing in your mind. Then, re-watch it in your mind it again, but change the outcome.

You can do this anywhere, but give it your active attention and you will gain more from the exercise.

The reason for this is, when you are performing divination and wish to see, you will draw upon your ability to visualise. Therefore inevitably, you will also draw on your memory of things you have already seen, and use it to piece together the new information provided by the reading. Your mind's eye needs to be experienced and flexible for this.

If you plan ahead to perform a reading on, say, relationships, then look at artwork, symbols and images related to that. If you're wanting to do a reading on travelling, spend some time looking at images of travelling supplies as well as destinations. If you want to do a health reading, then look at images pertaining to various parts of the physical and spiritual body.

Then you need to give yourself a cooldown period (let's say, a few days, but longer is better) before the reading. Because we most readily recall what we have recently seen, it may bias your judgement. So do the training, then give your mind some time to become un-attached to what you have viewed.

Study symbols

A picture is worth a thousand words. A symbol is worth a thousand more. There is plenty of social, cultural, emotional, intellectual and historical information contained within symbols. An entire world contained within a single simple image. Which is why both our minds, and the spirits, will draw upon their informative power to communicate.

If you look into someone's eyes and see a green serpent, what does that mean? In the world of symbolism, a snake is not just a snake. A snake is wisdom, danger, cunning, cyclical transformation. Green is not just the green of plants and trees, it has been associated with healing, vitality, kindness, jealousy, poison.

Colours, animals, weather, directions, shapes, sizes, objects, elements, stars and planets - everything is more than what it is.

For your clairvoyance to be effective, you'll want to learn the language of symbols. Both your personal language (understanding what each symbol means to you) as well as having a general grasp of what certain symbols mean to other people on a societal or cultural scale.

The root of all clairs

I personally believe that claircognisance is the root of all the clairs. In divination and scrying, before one sees, hears, smells or feels anything, we have to already know the nature of the thing on a subconscious level. That information is then transcribed into a sensation, depending on the particular senses we are most habitually attuned to.

Which means if you're struggling with clairvoyance, it might mean your strengths lie elsewhere. You'll get more out of working with your strongest clair, and letting that support the improvement of your less-developed clairs.

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I got some messages that asked me to explain a bit more about scrying, and I wanted to make a separate post to clarify this method of divination from my main post on commonly used divination methods. So, let's dive in!

Scrying is a form of divination that involves gazing into a reflective surface or medium to receive insights, visions, or messages from the spiritual realm. It's a practice that has been used by various cultures and civilizations throughout history, dating back to ancient times.

1. Cultural and Historical Significance: Scrying has been practiced by cultures around the world for thousands of years. It has roots in ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China, where it was used for divination, spiritual guidance, and accessing hidden knowledge.

2. Psychic Abilities: Some practitioners believe that scrying can help enhance psychic abilities such as clairvoyance (seeing visions), clairaudience (hearing messages), and clairsentience (feeling energies). By quieting the mind and opening oneself to the messages of the spiritual realm, practitioners may strengthen their intuitive faculties.

3. Modern Applications: While scrying has ancient origins, it continues to be practiced today by witches, psychics, and spiritual seekers around the world. Modern practitioners may incorporate scrying into their magical or spiritual practices, using it as a tool for guidance, insight, and personal growth.

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Here are some key aspects of the practice of scrying:

⦿ Tools: Scrying can be performed using a variety of tools, including: -> Crystal balls: Smooth, polished spheres made of crystal or glass. -> Black mirrors: Mirrors with a dark, reflective surface, often made of obsidian or other black stones. -> Bowls of water: Still water in a dark-colored or reflective bowl.- Flame: Gazing into the flame of a candle or fire. ⦿ Preparation: Before scrying, it's important to prepare yourself and your space. This may involve cleansing and consecrating your scrying tool, setting a sacred space for your practice, and quieting your mind through meditation or relaxation techniques. ⦿ Technique: To scry, you fix your gaze on the surface of the scrying tool while allowing your mind to relax and enter a receptive state. You may begin to see images, symbols, or visions appear in the reflective surface. It's important to maintain a soft focus and an open mind, allowing the messages to come through naturally. ⦿ Interpretation: After a scrying session, it's helpful to journal your experiences and interpretations. Pay attention to any symbols, images, or feelings that came up during the session and reflect on their significance. Trust your intuition and the guidance you receive from the spiritual realm. ⦿ Types of Scrying: While the most common form of scrying involves gazing into a reflective surface, there are other variations of the practice as well. This includes water scrying (gazing into bodies of water), fire scrying (gazing into flames), and even scrying using smoke or clouds. ⦿ Uses: Scrying can be used for various purposes, including divination, receiving guidance or insights, connecting with spirit guides or ancestors, and accessing subconscious or hidden knowledge. It can also be used as a tool for personal and spiritual growth, meditation, and self-reflection.

4. Ethical Considerations: Like any form of divination, it's important for practitioners to approach scrying with respect, integrity, and ethical awareness. Practitioners should be mindful of the potential impact of their readings on themselves and others and strive to use their abilities responsibly and ethically.

5. Experimentation and Exploration: Scrying is a deeply personal practice, and there is no one "right" way to do it. Practitioners are encouraged to experiment with different scrying tools, techniques, and environments to find what works best for them. Trusting one's intuition and inner guidance is key to successful scrying.

Overall, scrying is a versatile and powerful practice that allows practitioners to tap into their intuition, connect with the spiritual realm, and gain valuable insights and guidance. It’s a deeply personal and intuitive practice that can be adapted and customized to suit individual preferences and needs.

Regular practice, combined with an open mind and heart, can lead to deeper insights, clearer visions, and a stronger intuitive connection with the spiritual realm. Additionally, seeking guidance from experienced practitioners, studying relevant literature, and participating in supportive communities can offer valuable support and encouragement on the scrying journey.

This is not a tool I regularly use, simply because of my headaches. Either it’s the mundane tapping into your head saying, “Hey, knock it off, you don’t need to do this.” or it’s the magical side saying “Hey, you have better places to put your time and energy. this is not one of them.” So if you are interested in this practice by all means utilize it to the best of your ability, but if you can’t seem to focus or get really bad headaches all the time, this may not be the BEST practice for you. It is an option, though! just be careful, witchlings!

Remember to approach scrying with a sense of curiosity, wonder, and reverence for the mysteries of the universe. Trust in your own intuition and the guidance you receive, and allow the magic of scrying to unfold in its own time. With dedication and perseverance, the practice of scrying can become a profound and transformative tool for spiritual growth and enlightenment.

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The spades suit is associated with matters such as conflict, inner turmoil, sickness and death.

Please keep in mind that there are many ways to read playing cards depending on region and culture. My interpretations are heavily influenced by Jake Richard's (author of Backwoods Witchcraft & Doctoring the Devil) interpretations, as well as southern and German folklore and superstitions.

I choose to read reversed cards for most of these because my playing card decks have imagery that help me determine if they're reversed or not. This guide may not be the best if you're using a standard issue playing card deck.

(Reposting again bc tumblr turned off the reblogs on the original wtf. From an answer to an inquiry in the witchcraft tags. Decided to repost for anyone else who might need it.)

Here’s the post I made with recommendations for green witchcraft and plant magic. The list includes magical resources and accompanying practical texts on botany, herbology, and medicinal plants.

Here’s the post I made with recommendations for general witchcraft study, including practical sources on the history of modern witchcraft. (In particular, I recommend Margot Adler’s “Drawing Down The Moon” and Ronald Hutton’s “The Triumph of the Moon” for information about the modern movement.)

Here’s a recent photo of my personal library, if you’re looking for a general list of titles to check out.

Here’s the post I made with a list of JSTOR articles I’ve found that relate to witchcraft, witch trials, folk magic, occult beliefs, superstition, and the history surrounding all of them. It’s not exhaustive, but it’s pretty comprehensive.

And here are a couple of masterlists of podcast episodes that deal with witchcraft, witch trials, the history of witchcraft-related beliefs, and resources for fact-checking and debunking misconceptions and misinformation commonly found in witchcraft spaces.

(Also I have published a few books on practical secular witchcraft, if you’re interested….)

You can also find additional recommendations in the "book recs" and "witchy books" tags on my blog.

Hope this helps!

When struggling with a subject, rub coins together.

Mary had her baby in a barn. If you've been inside a barn, on a farm, then you know what I mean. It stinks. Excrements all over the place. It's got mice and rats and sometimes snakes. And near the end of December, it's cold. You can hear the rafters shake in the wind, there's dust and dirt and mud and god knows what everywhere.

She didn't even have a bed. If even a sheet to lie on. She gave birth to her son on a pile of hay in an outdoor shed where animals lived, and his cradle was a trough that was used to hold animal feed.

Then she held him close and went on the run.