Grounding

Grounding is a foundational exercise in many practices and is an excellent tool for reigning yourself in when you begin over analyzing something. When you realize you’ve begun overthinking, immediately become conscious of your feet. Feel them. Are they cold? Sore from standing all day? Are you wearing your favourite pair of comfortable shoes?

Examine the quality of the surface you’re standing on. Feel your weight connect with it, and follow yourself down into the ground beneath you. Take a deep, measured breath and then exhale your thoughts into the earth. Let them go, and when you breathe back in, draw in the light from the room around you. Continue breathing this way until you find equilibrium. Now, slowly become aware of each of your senses. First, focus on something you can hear. It might be a clock, the tv from the apartment next door, or a humming light. Try to describe the qualities of the sound until you find something that fits. Then, repeat the process with something you can smell. When that is solid and real to you, continue with something you can touch, and then finally, something you can see.

This process may take some time at first, but as you practice you’ll find that it comes more naturally. Now, immediately go and do something that’s actively engaging. 

Spoon Magic

There’s an old Kitchen Witch practice that involves stirring your desires into the contents of a pot or cup. You would stir to the right to increase and manifest things, or stir to the left to diminish and banish. I often make this part of my daily rituals, charming my coffee or drowning my anxiety in my tea. It’s an excellent option for subtle magic users. Do magic right in front of your coworkers and they’ll never know.You can diminish worry or anxiety by stirring to the left and visualizing your negative feelings being rinsed away. 

Some witches believe that you should never stir to the left, and consuming something made in this way would be bad luck. If that makes sense to you, you can instead stir to the right and focus on increasing your general satisfaction and peace of mind. Then, drink your charmed elixir.For an extra boost, drink a beverage with soothing qualities, such as lavender or chamomile tea.

Sympathetic Magic

I’m a very tactile practitioner, and enjoy making the things that vex me “real” so that I can physically dispose of them. There are a lot of ways to do this, but my favourite are simple. Project the unwanted thought onto a stone, and toss it in the river. Blow it away in a handful of dandelion fluff. Rinse it down the sink when you wash your hands. Write it on a piece of paper and burn it.

Other’s Spells That May Work for You

bewitchingboy’s Spell to Let Go/Heal

natural-magic’s Full Moon Release Ritual

Spell to Silence Unwanted Thoughts

Components:

Light blue candle (or colour corresponding with your intent)

A carving tool such as a pin or a small chisel, for the candle

Piece of parchment paper (non-toxic, we’ll be burning it) 

Writing implement (magical ink, if desired)

Fire safe dish

Optional:

Soothing incense (lavender, rosemary or sage are my favourites)

Anointing oil for the candle. You might enjoy almond, cedar, rosemary or lavender. These are my favoured “peace of mind” standbys

Prepare for the spell in whatever manner is appropriate according to your tradition. This could involve smoke cleansing your space, bathing, fasting, casting a circle, or any combination thereof. Sit within your clean space and ground yourself. Instead of becoming aware of the environment around you, become aware of the state of mind you are trying to achieve. Imagine what it would feel like to be free from your intrusive thoughts and tendency to over analyze. Visualize yourself as content, satisfied with the condition of your life.

When that feeling is tangible to you, pick up the candle and use the tool to carve into it. You can choose to create a sigil, or you can simply write your intent out in plain english. “Peace”, “tranquility”, “satisfaction” are good power words, here.When you have carved into your candle, you can optionally anoint it with your soothing oil. 

Dip or sprinkle your finger in the oil, and spread the oil up from the base of the candle, over the top, and down the other side. Turn it and repeat this action until the whole candle is coated in oil. As you do so, visualize yourself being calm, happy, and free from the things that are troubling you. It can help to use a personal mantra here, simply repeating that “I am calm, satisfied, and unburdened” is a good idea, but use whatever feels right to you.Place your prepared candle in the center of your fire proof container.Now, pick up the piece of paper and your writing tool. In large letters at the top of the paper, write the persistent thought or the situation you are overthinking. Write what you are afraid of that is leading you to agonize and examine multiple outcomes. Then, beneath it, (there should be a clear space between the two sides) write out things as they actually are. Write the things that you are outside of and around the persistent thought. Write the things that make you happy and content. Write about the things you would rather spend your energy on. The paper is your consciousness, fill it. 

Take the paper in your hands and tear it in two, separating the unwanted thoughts from your individual identity. Separate the unwanted thought from your reality. Look at the torn bit of paper with the undesired thoughts on it. Feel their quality and re-affirm your intent to dispose of this part of you. Then, light the candle.