i can be tired and still make a change

(left) Begone fatigue sigil (right) My health is balanced sigil

Ironically, I’m writing this to avoid doing my Work Job. Let’s get into it.

Set an alarm so you remember. Pick a specific time you’re going to worship, because “later” never comes and “sometime this evening” rarely does either. Instead, set an alarm so that you already have that time set aside in your mind, and so that you don’t mentally blow past it when that time arrives.

Keep everything in one place. Keep the offerings near where you would offer them, as well as anything you might need to do it, like matches or lighters. Make it so there’s as little travel time as possible between you and what you want to do. 

Think through the ritual setup beforehand. Sometimes the offering part is easy but getting to that point is overwhelming, especially if your tradition involves ritual purification or invocation rituals. Boil it down to the bare essentials and capture the essence in a way that doesn’t have so many steps, if you can. (Ex: Is that personal purification rite just an ancient way of washing away germs, and if so can we just mindfully wash our hands and fulfull the rite’s function?)

Start with something little. Getting started can be the hardest part. If you don’t have the energy for an entire offering ritual, break it into pieces. Just do the setup and approach the rest later if you need. Or just put on a playlist to get into the mood for now. Or take a couple deep breaths to refocus your brain. Ease into it as slowly as you need. 

Think ahead with your offerings. Will you have the spoons to clean up after? If you’re like me and run the risk of not removing an offering for days (or weeks…) then think ahead to what can stay there a long time, just in case. Nobody likes cleaning up the altar and finding mold in the offering dish. Incense, water, and dried plants tend to work well, as do nonphysical things like music and poetry.

“While I’m at it…” If you catch yourself in a spot with good momentum, try to get a rite done while you have the energy instead of putting it off. It can be something simple, but use the energy and the drive while you’re on top of it since we can’t always guarantee it will be there in even an hour. 

Keep things similar so that you don’t have to rethink every step, every time. A rock solid routine with what a ritual looks like helps it become a lot more automatic, and therefore a lot easier to actually do. Routine becomes habit.

(Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

A collection of tips and suggestions from and for magic practitioners who have POTS!

*To be used in addition to proper medical care, medication and mundane efforts, not as a sole alternative.*

Salt + electrolytes:

As you take salt pills, say a spell or blessing.

Incorporate salt into general health, wellness, and energy spells.

Draw sigils on your salt shakers.

“I drink a lot of electrolytes, and Pedialyte to help with orthostatic issues, and I will cast over my drink much the same as I do for tea, coffee, water, etc. So any spellwork for drinks could easily apply to one's electrolytes or water.” (x)

Tips and tricks:

Ask for specific strength to your blood vessels and brain.

Draw sigils on your medication bottles and mobility devices.

Carry around a resilience sigil or a sigil to keep your heart rate and blood pressure at a more average level.

Do little enchantments on your compression stockings and put them on a windowsill to charge with solar energy.

“Keeping all of my ingredients in easy to reach spots has also been a big help, specifically places that are low to the ground and don't require me to do much standing or walking around.” (x)

“When using counter maneuvers for POTS, visualize yourself being grounded & connected to the earth.” (x)

“I find time in nature also tends to ground me better, which can help if stress is a trigger for POTS.” (x)

“Pray to Apollon and Artemis for help at the start and end of the day. Again, this doesn't replace medical treatment, but it can certainly offer a lot of comfort, especially in the middle of a flare-up. For me, stress is a major trigger of my POTS, and I find that praying to my deities makes me calm down much faster, thereby allowing the flare-up to be a bit shorter.” (x)

Correspondences:

“Keeping a lot of bloodstone and rose quartz around has been helpful to me.” (x)

“As far as wandwork correspondences go, I like to use my mangrove wand for POTS-related work, bc of its unique adaptations to a salty environment. (Mangrove has a lot of health correspondences for me, but POTS and menstruation related issues are the two biggest.) Aspen, bloodwood, ebony, lignum vitae, redheart, and willow also have various health-related meanings for me, so I sometimes use those too.” (x)

Sigils:

Balance my blood pressure

My blood pressure is a healthy level

My heart rate stays average

Ease my dizziness

Ease my lightheadedness

I remain conscious

People respect my diagnosis

Other posts:

Suggestions from @khaire-traveler

The post asking for contributions

Spoonie witch masterpost

Bedridden witch series

Witchcraft for the chronically fatigued

Spoonie sigils (pain + symptoms) (energy + mental illness) (healing + other)

With contributions from:

Buckle up cowboys 'cause it's apple time.

In case y'all haven't noticed, I love apples. Apple juice, applesauce, apple crisp, apple pie, apple crumble, apple cider... it's absolutely one of my favorite fruits (second only to strawberries). But other than being delicious and nutritious - it's also superstitious.

Okay, that was a bad word to use, but I really wanted a rhyme.

APPLES!

Let's get down to the basics. Apples represent a whole ton of good, wholesome things. As seen in my Apple Cider Homesteading Spell post, we know that apples represent love, luck, prosperity, and healing. But what they can also represent is garden magic (which is exactly what it sounds like), fertility, and in some cases, lust/sexual tension. Apples are often offered to gods and goddesses of fertility.

But how do I use apples, Ander? Well for one, you can make me a pie. And for two, that's a great question. Let's make a quick list of ways I enjoy using apples in my witchcraft.

Kitchen Magic. As you all know, I am most aligned with being a Green, Kitchen, or Herbal witch. Cooking is a love language and so is infusing my food with magic to help those I love. Make an apple pie for your partner, made apple cider with your best friend, bake apple dumplings for your sister. Food can be infused with your intentions just like any other tool.

Offerings. For a house blessing, cut an apple in half. Eat half of it, and place the other half outside your front door. This will invite in a good future for your home!

Hanging Blessings. If you have a dehydrator, thinly slice an apple into slices and let them get crispy. You can add whatever you like! Orange slices, cloves, nutmeg.... you get the idea. Once they're all dry, string them onto some twine and drape it across your doorway to invite love, luck, and friendship into your life.

Samhain Burning. With preferably dry apple pieces, burn them after a silent dinner to honor those who may be reborn in the spring. It's a sign of respect and thankfulness.

As always my lovely creepy crawlies, practice in a cleansed space and be safe! Blessed be

For folks who have limited mobility in their hands due to pain, weakness, shakiness, or anything else. These are a range of ideas, not all of them may work for each person, but hopefully they’ll spark something that will! 

Looking for broader low energy, low mobility or bedridden ideas? Check out my bedridden witch series (click here!)

Tarot:

Tarot apps are a great way to pull a card with a tap or two (Labyrinthos and Galaxy tarot have been recommended). 

Place your deck in your lap. Feel for any loose cards, then pull them. 

Split the deck (doesn’t have to be even). The cards on either end of the split are the cards for your spread. 

Spread the deck on a flat surface, and move your hand over to pick (let your hands sense the energy), or pick based on intuition. 

If gripping/managing thin paper is tricky, some people use other objects for tarot readings. I’ve seen jewelry charms as a common one, but the possibilities are endless (cardboard, wooden blocks, etc.). >Here are some printable decks!<

You can do more than readings with your cards. Pick one per day and just spend time with it. Look at the art, pay attention to how it makes you feel. Learn the meanings of the card. 

This post may have more ideas: Bedridden witch: Divination edition

Pendulum: 

I have had success with using a pendulum while dealing with shaking hands. 

Let something else do the work! Hang it by an open window, focus your energy and let the wind move the pendulum for you. 

Use a pendulum jar/stand.

Use a shorter pendulum that can be used with one finger. A string with a small crystal bead will do. 

Prop your arm/hand on a pillow.

You could also use other parts of your body to hold the pendulum (like your mouth or toes… wouldn’t recommend switching between the two though!)

Bedridden witch: Divination edition

Other Divination:

Runes may be easier to hold/use than tarot cards.

Use rune apps (runic divination was recommended).

Scrying (using a mirror or bowl) is hands-free.

For more ideas: Bedridden witch: Divination edition

Spells and Energy Work:

A lot of witches use their hands to focus energy during spellwork and other magical doings. While this may be helpful, it’s not necessary!

Focusing energy can be helpful. Use a crystal or other object and touch it in some way (with your hand, have it in your lap, whatever works for you). Use the crystal/object to help channel and amplify your energy.

I usually draw energy up from the earth (even while in bed) by placing my palms flat(ish) towards the earth by the sides of my body. So if I was lying down, my arms would be at my sides with my palms facing down.

Use visualization! A LOT of my magic involves visualization. 

Candles and Incense:

Himalayan salt lamps are a great way to bring a similar energy that a burning candle would.

I honestly really like electric candles, but I know they’re not everybody’s thing. Plus sides: if you forget about them they simply run out of battery, can be decorated–tape with color correspondences, sigils, spells, etc. (you could even print something and tape it on). 

Reed diffusers. Get the yummy smell that candles or incense brings without the flames and smoke. Plus you can ignore it for months!

Essential oil diffusers. Great way to get the correspondences that incense often holds. (please use safely and not around your pets).

Room spray. Store-bought or self-infused natural sprays are a great way to add good smells and/or correspondences. 

Recording information:

Voice text or dictation software are often accessible, though not always perfect. It is a great way to get things down that you don’t want to forget/want to reformat later.

Typing can sometimes be easier than writing, and journals/grimoires in documents are easy to organize, and to read. 

I’m a very tactile person and enjoy writing (even if it hurts/is difficult). My tarot journal is filled with terrible handwriting, random shorthand, and codes I came up with to shorten things (ie. a little symbol for each suit, then the card number). It doesn’t have to be an all-day process. 

I’d imagine that some tarot apps record which cards you’ve pulled, or have an option to save it. 

Odds and Ends:

Use compression gloves or other gear to support your hands? Add sigils or enchant them!

Same goes for any lotions, creams, balms or medications used to help; sigils, charging, enchanting, etc. are all great ways to incorporate magic. 

Teas are an easy way to get multiple herbs + their medicinal values without needing to do anything!

Into kitchen witchcraft? Using electric mixers can be very helpful.

Create sigils using a phone app (touchscreen) and your fingers rather than holding a pen. 

Other posts you might like:

Bedridden witch series

Chronically ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

Spoonie witch masterpost

Do none of these posts meet your needs after perusing? Send me an ask, I’m always looking to fill the gaps when it comes to accessibility and witchcraft!

With suggestions and contributions from:

@useless-bisaster​, @crowxwitch​ and anonymous. Thank you!

Whether it is doing a tarot reading, casting a spell, or making a potion, magick requires energy. Intent and will and powerful sources in ourselves, and using them is like exercising a muscle. And no matter how strong this muscle is, (ie,  how long you have been practicing witchcraft) it will always expend energy to work it out.

OP mentioned external sources of energy. A good example of this is a candle. Instead of only relying on your own energy, you can draw energy from the element. There are several things you can use for external energy. Crystals are another example.

I also think it's important to evaluate your own boundaries and limitations though. If you have a chronic illness, or something else that regularly limits how much energy you have, then the amount of magic you can push yourself to practice is going to be significantly different from what I, personally, have evaluated myself to be able to manage efficiently during my lowest points.

That being said, external power can be harnessed in a wide amount of ways through various mediums, which is why I left my answer so open-ended originally. Candles, for example, and especially tealights, simply do not significantly enhance my magic, so through the use of experimentation and personal evaluations, I've been able to go through and find what best works for me and most freshly store bought candles do not qualify for me. This addition, while meaning to be helpful, doesn't mention that step in the process, which I feel is the most important aspect of raising power. It is always going to be dependent on which mediums best work for you and, while it is an ideal thought to ignore this, sometimes you just have to work with and around how much energy you already have, whether that be little to none to overwhelming amounts.

Anyways, I would just like to reiterate: I like this addition. It's a solid little glimpse into possible explorations into bettering your techniques and dynamics, but I would only add:

You have to work with what you have sometimes, and

You wanna step into kitchen magic but are not sure where to start? Let's try something simple; easy switches that you can make to step into the world of kitchen witchcraft.

Tap water -> moon/sun water

Kitchen herbs -> altar herbs

Plain cooking oil -> blessed oil or herb-infused oil

Storebought stock -> homemade stock made with moon/sun water infused with intention and ingredient properties

Plain spatula/spoon -> wooden spatula/spoon with runes carved in or drawn on it

Dried herbs -> fresh herbs (Farmers' markets often have affordable herbs!)

Rinsing produce in tap water -> rinsing produce in moon/sun water

Slicing a line in homemade bread dough -> carving a rune

Growing flowers in your garden -> growing kitchen herbs in your garden

Boiling in tap water -> boiling in moon/sun water (You can make moon/sun water in gallon jugs!)

I have a whole bunch more of these, so let me know if you'd like another post like this one! As always, do your research, be safe, and blessed be.

For sure!!!

Did you know that houseplants can help reduce the dust in your house?

Did you know that studies show having houseplants can boost your mood?

Studies also have started to show that plants actually enjoy having our company, reacting to human voices, and possibly even growing better!

Witchcraft: Colors

Banishing: White, Black, and Red.

Binding: White, Black, and Brown.

Charging: White, Green, and Orange.

Cleansing: White, Green, and Teal.

Divining: Purple, Indigo, and Silver.

Fertility: White, Green, and Gold.

Fortune: Green, Orange, and Gold.

Glamours: Teal, Purple, Red, and Pink.

Grounding: Brown, Green, and Red.

Hopefulness: White, Yellow, & Orange.

Justice: Grey, Orange, and Purple.

Restoration: White, Gold, and Orange.

Success: Black, Green, and Orange.

Warding: Black, Grey, and Red.

I’m gonna say it again, I made a google doc full of online resources for new witches! 

added resource

initiate a ritual with a match instead of a lighter

seal a spell with the extinguishing of the flame

light one and let it burn until you can’t hold it anymore for an energy cleansing (can hold with tweezers or prop in an incense holder)

develop a good rule of thumb for how long you should burn a match for when you’re holding it (how many seconds until to have to put it out)

create a key of omens for your burnt match sticks

create a key of correspondences for holding your match vertical or horizontal / in your left hand or right hand / north, south east, west / etc.

grind up the burnt match as a spell ingredient

save the wooden base separately for wood splinters as a spell ingredient

color-code your matches and strike them as a substitute for lighting a colored candle

charge your matchbox with crystals, plants, herbs, overnight, in sunlight, etc.

whisper your wish or intent into the flame then promptly blow it out

hold it over an object and circle it counterclockwise to cleanse it

hold it over an object and circle it clockwise to enchant it

light a match with a lighter with the intent to cancel a spell

throw the burnt match into a bowl of water and let it sit in the moonlight to give your moonwater added protective properties

draw a sigil with a used match tip

write someone’s name and cross it out with a used match tip to hex them

write someone’s name and circle it with a used match tip to protect them

pour your negative energy into your fingertips, and into the match as you strike it, then toss the stick out to forcibly remove negative energy

light a match to produce productive or powerful energy

hold a lit match up to a mirror to banish unwanted entities

light a match in the middle of your garden right at sunrise or after sunset and bury the used stick for a bountiful harvest season

It's so easy and I'm so goofy for not thinking about it before.

You want some runes to stick in random places? Want some stuck to your headboard? Luckily, you're not going to have to break out the paint or sharpies, because you can just make stickers. It's simple.

What you'll need:

Parchment paper (the kitchen use kind)

Packing tape

Your drawn runes on printer paper, cut out

Scissors

What you'll do:

Lay down your parchment paper flat. You may have to use a little tape to keep it from curling up.

Stick down a layer of packing tape onto the paper.

Place your runes on the tape.

Cover with more tape.

Cut out your shapes, and boom baby! You got yourself some stickers!

You could do all kinds of things with this, too! Dried herb leaves? You betcha. Sigils? Sure thing. Embarrassing memories you'd rather forget? Eh, probably not.

As always, be safe, do your research, and blessed be!

I may need a wheelchair later in life, and that's ok!

I may be disabled for the rest of my life, and that's ok!