Heather's Magic Blog

I’ve always had a hard time with reconciling logic/facts and spiritual/religious concepts. This year I came across the concept of Ma’at, which comes from ancient Kemet and thus, from Kemeticism as well. Its a term that’s difficult to describe, but from what I understand it essentially means “what is right” or “truth”. 

Ma’at comes across in many ways, but isn’t necessarily fixed, and that’s where Isfet comes into it. There were two types of Isfet, necessary and unnecessary Isfet. Necessary Isfet is the things that needs to happen to ensure that Ma’at is ‘what is right’. If that makes sense(?)

Ma’at is everything from universal laws to the laws that govern society.

An example, (taken from Osiris/Sethian myth),

Ma’at would have said, it is wrong to overthrow your Pharaoh/king.

Necessary Isfet, if the king is bad, cut him up and throw him in the river.

Unnecessary Isfet, destroy the universe.

So Ma’at changed and developed to be more ‘what is right’ and order is restored.

Ever get that sinking feeling something is going to go terribly wrong?

I’ll be traveling to Hawaii tomorrow, and with the volcanic activity and the hurricane landing the day I arrive, I’m full of dread. Or rather, I was.

This charm is meant to protect the wearer (and consequently any nearby the wearer) from misfortune while traveling.

Building the charm takes a lot of work and effort, and requires heavy amounts of concentration, knowledge of knotwork, knowledge of wire wrapping, and an isolated location to prevent interruption. You should also do this by the sea, or surrounded by things which invoke the sea’s energy. This is important, since you’re basically asking the sea for protection.

You’ll need:

- Lots of cord. I used black, white, and a brown-tan gradient bamboo cord. Use colors that feel right to you for the purpose. You’ll need to get something like leather or hemp for the slide knot.

- Fishing line or jewelry wire, to support the items when you braid them in.

- Wire to wrap your shells.

- A feather. Feather of a sea bird, or I used a feather made from a shell. This should be a combo of sea and sky.

- Murex shell. Mine wasn’t spikey enough for my taste (the more spiked the better), so I added…

- A shark tooth. Additional aggressive protection, complimenting the murex.

- Starfish. Luck and travel correspondence.

- Any additional shells or items that jump out at you. They jump out for a reason. In my case the baroque pearl and the cowrie both jumped at me. Pearls are wealth, pleasant surprises, hidden treasures. The cowrie is the divine feminine, and intuition (I have a feeling, in this specific case, these are Cernunnos and Dôn, respectively, coming in to lend some help).

Cut the cords and fishing line to be the same length. You’re braiding this, so get an idea of how long you want the necklace, add about 6" to this, then double that length. Better to have too much than too little!

Align one end and tie a knot. Give 4"-6" of length, then tie another knot. We’re fastening the necklace with a single slide knot, so you need that space on both ends! If you’re fastening with hardware, do whatever you think will look better.

Place the knot end in your mouth, and start braiding, holding the fishing line alongside one of the cords so they braid together. As you’re working, focus on the intent of the project, and sing into it. The song doesn’t have to be specific, or even have lyrics. Just humming something will help you focus energy and will add to the power of the spell.

I spaced each item about 2" apart, threading the charms onto the fishing line only. You can thread how you feel is right, but i suggest either knotting in between each item or using only one cord (with fishing line) to hold each shell, or the pendants will slide around the necklace and bunch together.

When you’ve spaced everything evenly, knot, give equal length to the final end, and knot again. Trim excess cord.

If you’re outdoors, be sure to tuck any scraps away in a pocket or your bag, so it doesn’t end up wrapped around a creature’s throat.

Make the slide knot (you can find a tutorial on YouTube for this), and you’re done!

Give an offering to the ocean, if you want. It definitely helps. I like to prick my finger and offer some blood, but offerings can be as simple as cleaning up the beach, drawing something intricate in the sand for the tide to wash away, or carving on driftwood or a rock, then depositing it in the water.

Divination is not really my thing, so I don’t have much for this. Yes, you can use other systems such as playing cards, dice, coins, sticks, rocks, bones, etc. But I Don’t know of any systems that are already in place where you can, say, purchase a book and hit the ground running. In most situations you’d probably have to come up with the meanings on your own and develop your own system >.>;;; 

Generally speaking, you do small readings (1-3 cards or so) because playing cards tend to be more blunt when it comes to getting the message across so bigger readings tend to be repetitious.

In my opinion, that makes them easier to read since there isn't a load of detail to get stuck on. Come up with associations and away you go.

This spell is not a replacement for medication or other professional help.

This amulet is highly personal - many modifications and substitutions are acceptable.

Ingredients:

A wearable charm you can paint on - such as a wooden disk with a hole drilled through, a holey stone, a clay tablet, a coin with a hole in it, etc.

Paint, a wood-burning kit, engraving tools, or another method of marking the charm permanently.

A chain or other material to string through the charm.

You will put a sigil on the charm which remind you of unending love, deep peace, and ultimate protection - or anything else which helps you with your anxiety.

Use a powerful statement such as this to create your sigil:

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY.

Here are some other ideas. Create a statement that truly resonates with you.

THE PEACE OF HEL IS WITH ME

THE LOVE OF THE WORLD PROTECTS ME

THE POWER OF MY FAMILY MAKES ME STRONG

MY ANGEL IS WITH ME

WOLF AND BEAR SUPPORT ME

(many methods of sigil creation exist - use your favorite. Get a copy of Practical Sigil Magic by Frater UD if you are unfamiliar with sigils).

► It is very important that you create your own design that nobody else can identify.

As you plan and draw the final versions of your design, fill each line with unconditional love for yourself and the deepest protections that exist. Draw upon your most personal associations that truly make you feel peaceful and secure.

Thoroughly cleanse the charm. Fumigate it with bay laurel leaves or another strong method.

When you are ready, ground and center yourself, then draw down (or up) a power which resonates with you. For many of us this will be the Earth; for others this will be a planetary, elemental, or some other source.

Collect all your tools and inscribe your design on the charm. Repeat your statement of power over and over like a mantra as you work, or leave messages for yourself. Using your hands and tools like a wand, pour the invoked energies in to your charm to provide their comfort and power.

As you work, imagine that each line you create glows brighter and brighter. As the lines connect, their power doubles and pulses together. When you finish the design, it rushes with energy that is the epitome of love, peace, and protection.

Because only you know what this sigil means, nobody else can undo it. You can tell other people about it’s effects, but they must never know the statement you used. Any energies that try to combat the sigil will fail, because it is an enigma only you understand.

String the charm and wear it always. You may carry it in a pocket if you wish. During times of acute anxiety, hold the charm closely and focus on it’s powers. Remember the statement you used and allow the charm to protect you and calm your fears. 

#There should be a Captain in that tag somewhere

The Magic Chalkboard Board Tutorial

Items needed:

-MDF board (a 2 x 4 ft piece costs 6$ at Home Depot) - but any other flat thing will do.

- Gray Spray paint primer (4$)

- 2 cans Rustoleum Chalkboard Spray paint.

I got the people at Home Depot to cut my 2 x 4 ft board into two 2x2 pieces.

Find a well ventilated area. sweep off any dust or particles of debris on the surface of the wood. Wear gloves! Cover the floor around your wood with newspaper. Prime and wait about 45 minutes. Coat well with the Chalkboard paint. Let it dry overnight. I did a second coat 24 hrs later and then a third another 24 hrs later. 

On the third day when they are all dry and solidly coated, cover the boards with chalk. Erase and have fun!

Uses:

Sigil design and charging!

Tarot spreads! 

Portable altar! Any designs you like! Design it inside then take it outside for rituals!

Incantations without having to read off a piece of paper

All About Tarot

All About Tarot Readings

Many Different Uses For The Tarot

Tarot Deck Outline

Choosing The Tarot Deck That Is Right For You

What To Look For In A Tarot Deck

Choosing A Tarot Deck Just For Reading Others

Connecting With Your Tarot Deck

Top 3 Beginner Tarot Books

When To Cleanse Your Tarot Deck

How To Cleanse Your Tarot Deck

Recharging Your Tarot Cards

Cleansing Your Tarot Reading Space

Purifying Your Tarot Cards

Three Ways To Shuffle Your Tarot Deck

Six Ways To Choose A Tarot Card

How To Clear Your Tarot Deck

How To Store And Care For Your Tarot Cards

Minor Arcana Keyword Chart

Tarot: Quick and Dirty Keyword Sheets

Tarot Cheat Sheets

Tarot Reversal Keyword Sheet

Major Arcana Meanings

Court Card Interpretations

The Major Arcana

Court Cards In Tarot

The Tarot Suits

Tarot Suit Info Cards

Topics You Can Use In Your Own Custom Tarot Spreads

Great Topics To Ask The Tarot With Only 1-3 Cards

Four Decks To Help You Create Your Own Tarot Spreads

How To Design A Tarot Spread For A Client

Classic Tarot Spread Positions

Interview Your New Tarot Deck

Effective Tarot Questions

Tips When Reading Tarot For Others

New And Old Tarot Traditions

Four Myths About Fortune Telling

Fortune Teller Isn’t A Bad Word

Quirky Tarot Habits

Six Types Of Tarot Readers

4 Easy Steps to Learn Tarot

How To Read Tarot Cards

Why “Free” Tarot Readings Are Not Ever Really Free

How To Interpret Reversed Tarot Cards

What To Do With Jumper Cards

Tarot Exhaustion

Tarot Relaxation And Grounding Exercise

Four Tips On Reading “Negative” Tarot Cards

How To Deal With “Going Blank” During A Tarot Reading

Tips When Reading Tarot At A Special Event

Ideologies That Hold You Back As A Tarot Reader

Six Mistakes To Avoid When Reading Tarot For Yourself

WELL. This is another spread that’s been hanging around since July of last year, and I thought I’d share it to end my SUDDENLY SPREADS marathon today!

I call it the “Toad Scan Spread” and it’s inspired by the idea of kissing frogs to find a prince but ending up with toads. This spread is like…call screening for potential love interests. 

Card One is for their values, morals, ethics…et cetera. Pick one, find one, whatever. (I usually look at this card as how they look at the world.)

Card Two is how the two of you will get along.

Card Three shows their hobbies and interests.

Card Four is their baggage and issues — I always pay special attention to this card…

Card Five is what you’ll like about them.

Card Six is what you’ll dislike about them.

It’s a really simple spread, and it’s meant to give you a quick look at whether it’s worth getting to know the person more or not. This is one of my favourite spreads — I’ve found it works for more than just love interests, actually. And I get a lot of use out of it. 

Items needed (use a white candle if you do not have a certain color available):

black candle

gray candle

orange candle

yellow candle

candle to represent yourself (any color)