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A good way to plan when to do your spells

Sunday - The Sun - Solar power, success, personal empowerment, material wealth, health, beginning anew. 

Monday - The Moon - Lunar power, purity, spiritual cleansing, astral work, divination, psychic ability.

Tuesday - Mars - Physical power, passion, sexuality, drive, ambition, achievement, masculine power, activate protective talismans, reverse hexes and psychic attacks.

Wednesday - Mercury - Knowledge, money, communication, the arts, change, acceptance, adaptability.

Thursday - Jupiter - Luck, growth, fulfillment, worldly power, justice, authority, health, and prosperity. (Mercury brings quick cash, but Jupiter governs the long term accumulation and preservation of wealth.)

Friday - Venus - Fertility, love, money, prosperity, healing, charm, goodness, blocking, glamour, self-care, feminine power.

Saturday - Saturn - Binding, banishing, stopping, ending, loss, renewing, transforming, protection.

Day 34: February 3, 2018

A sigil for safe travels.

I traced this into the fog on my car’s windshield, it will be charged as the light hits it and cast continually as I drive.

Alright ladies and men and my nonbinary friends:

Im starting a coven.

I want to be a part of a coven that feels like family. Not just one big groupchat.

So im starting my own.

Eclectic. Elemental. Dark. Kitchen. Whatever.

October is almost Octover, and that means that Hallowe’en and indeed Samhain, draw near.

Samhain/Samain, pronounced ‘sa-win’, ‘sow-in’, - with the ‘ow’ pronounced as it is in ‘cow’ - is a Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest season and the onset of the ‘darker half of the year’. It begins at midnight on the 31st of October and celebrations often run into the 2nd of November. It is regarded by many pagans and witches as the end of the year itself.

🖤 There’s always talk about learning to undo anything that you do in case a spell or curse goes wrong, but what I rarely see is people writing them self a reversal into the spell it’s self.

🖤 Something along the lines of “Should the effects of this spell no longer be desired the lighting of this candle, (or crossing out these words, breaking this thing, etc) shall dismantle it”

🖤 You can write all sorts of fail safes into spells, not just for the purpose of stoping them, but also to close loop holes.

Bells might just be the earliest form of superstitious practise that I remember. My baba attached three sakura-patterned suzu bells on my schoolbag as a kid, purportedly for good luck and protection from evil spirits – and Japan is far from the only place to have associated bells and bellringing with mystic practise. They’ve been used worldwide to ward off evil and carry messages – and in a more metaphysical sense, sound is the movement of energy through substance. Sounds have the potential to work powerful magic.

Here are some of the ways I’ve found utilising bells to be helpful to my craft. While I’m more likely to use traditional suzu type bells, your own background, path and culture will likely have its own types of bells – and as ever, bells can be ornate antiques or they can be a bottle cap in a tin can, as long as they’re used with intent.

GETTING STARTED

🔔 As with so much of the craft, if you’re new to the witching bell, it’s a matter of exploration and experimentation. Get a “feel” for what works for you and the specific bell you’re using.

🔔 It’s good practise to ensure that the bell itself is cleansed, warded and protected – you don’t want anything nasty tapping into that power. All witching tools can do as much harm as good, intentional or accidental.

🔔 A good way to begin incorporating bells into your craft is infuse them into any typical ritual that you’re comfortable with, or even just a prayer or moment of contemplation at your altar if you have one.

🔔 Give the bell a soft ring while focusing on the energy it’ll ripple and move, try to track the movements it creates and what it touches. The tone it’s sending out.  The most primal and versatile use of the bell – and what many of the below come down to – is simply another manner of physically channelling energy, giving it shape and direction.

PROTECTION

🔔 “Passive” bells such as windchimes or small bells attached to belongings you don’t want disturbed are a starting point. They will scare off some forms of spirit all by themselves, especially if appropriately blessed, charmed or enchanted. Or cursed.

🔔 Gently tolling can draw energy into a ward or circle you are forming and enforce its protective properties, or for a simple cleanse, letting the sound travel to every corner of the area you are protecting. It’s a little more “cutting” than a smoke or incense cleansing, which I view as more “gentle” forms of cleansing. Both have their uses.

🔔 Harder tolling is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful ways in which to enforce a banishing – however, it’s best to you know what you’re doing with the bell before you go bashing it about.

DISCERNMENT

🔔 Bells can have quite the effect on your perception and awareness. Ringing and then stopping, listening to the silence left in its wake, can bring you new perceptions or make things you’d previously missed obvious. Let it attune your mind and senses to something new, whether that’s in your thoughts or something with a little more presence. Visualise travelling with the sound, taking heed of the energies it touches and disturbs. Take note of the echoes – you’ll learn what they mean with experience.

🔔 A set of windchimes can let you know if something is passing through or if there’s some unusual energy afoot – and, yes, it may also just be letting you know that it’s a particularly breezy day, but that’s witchcraft for you.

CONJURING

🔔 This can be as simple as calling good energies to witching tools, spell jars, tarot decks, crystals, altars and shrines, your favourite teddy bar, anything at all.

🔔 With spirit work, it can truly help to magnify your “calling”. This can range from gently bringing your latest offering to the attention of your friendly neighbourhood house spirit – all the way to trying to catch the attention of something more. Be mindful, however. As I said, I consider bells pretty powerful tools and a call that’s too loud is not good spirit work practise for the spirit worker’s own sake. It can really help coax something out of hiding if you’re gentle with it, though.

COMMUNING

🔔 Some use bells to mark the beginning and end of a ritual, and I’ve read that in Wiccan practise an altar bell can be used to invoke the Goddess, although as a non-Wiccan, I’ll welcome corrections on that if I’m wrong.

🔔 In my experience, very simple forms of communication via bell work a lot better than anything too complex – “come here” and “stay away” have already been covered, and other than that they can serve as greetings or signals of a start or end of some practise or ritual, the opening or closing of a door, etc.

🔔 They can also serve as a warning or a litmus test regarding spirits, a signalling of your presence and awareness, lack of fear, or willingness to defend – but be prepared to deal with whatever responses these garner.

BINDING

🔔 Bindings are where you most often see that famous (clockwise) circular motion of the bell, embodying the meaning of the spell. This can be a simple binding to seal a spell or charm or enchantment, or a spirit-binding.

🔔 Personally, spirit-binding is something I do as little as possible simply due to my beliefs holding the autonomy of spirits in very high regard. However, sometimes situations arise that call for it, and I’m aware that not all bindings are unwilling. Far from it – and some spirits are dangerous when unbound.

🔔 As an animist (believing that all things, including inanimate objects, contain a spirit of their own), I consider gently nudging a spirit back into its physical form a sort of semi-binding, and that can be useful.

I’ll leave you all with a note that I am an urban apartment-dwelling witch through and through, so I understand that we can’t all be jangling away at all hours. I myself have a glass windchime in my front window that makes a distinct but muted sound when disturbed by passers-through, and highly recommend wooden ones also. I also only use my small and relatively quiet suzu bell for my crafting – one given to me by my baba herself.

Look who is actually managing to continue a series yayy! Part 2!

Yule = 22 December - 2 January (2019)

Yule which is also known as the winter solstice. It is the sabbat that begins the new Wiccan year.

Yule is the longest night of the year and represents the start of the nights shortening and the days growing.

Its a fire festival and represents the God who has just been reborn returning to bring light to wake up the earth, this is why the days are getting longer again. At this time the Goddess rests from the birth of the God.

Yule is known as the time for celebration, to gather with friends and family, to mourn those who have past but to celebrate the life and the earth.

How You Can Celebrate.

Yule Altar

A good way to celebrate any sabbat is always to decorate your altar if you have one. Yule altars should be focused on warmth ; candles, warm colours, cloth. Also celebrating the earth with pinecones and mistletoe. Statues of the Wiccan God may also be put up.

Welcoming Back The Sun

Place candles all over your altar, there isn't an exact number just how many you feel necessary. In the center place a sun candle on a raised surface.

Turn off all artificial lights and face the candles but don't light them yet. Say :

"The wheel of the year has turned once more,

and the nights have grown longer and colder.

Tonight, the darkness begins to retreat,

and light begins its return once again.

As the wheel continues to spin,

the sun returns to us once more."

Light the sun candle, and say:

"Even in the darkest hours,

even in the longest nights,

the spark of life lingered on.

Laying dormant, waiting, ready to return

when the time was right.

The darkness will leave us now,

as the sun begins its journey home."

Now starting with the candles that are closest to the lit sun candle start to light the other candles working you way through them. As you do so say:

"As the wheel turns, light returns.

The light of the sun has returned to us,

bringing life and warmth with it.

The shadows will vanish, and life will continue.

We are blessed by the light of the sun."

Now take a moment to reflect on how the return of the sun makes you feel and how it affects you. Once you've done that turn back on the lights and thank the God.

Yule Decluttering

As its the Wiccan new year now is the time to declutter your room. Get rid of old clothes and such to signify getting rid of the old in preparation. Getting rid of old clutter helps clear out negative energy from the previous year and welcome in the fresh.

Use a broom to brush out any dirt but picture brushing out the negativity and bad habits from your life.

Clean the house by vacuuming, dusting and etc. A clean house cleanses any negativity and allows the fresh postive new year to settle.

You can also cleanse your house with sage smudge sticks or incense.

Yule Log

A tradition of yule is the yule log. It is tradition to burn the biggest log you have on the fire to welcome back the sun and to celebrate its arrival. This can be done outside if need be.

Yule tree

You can use a real tree or a fake tree depending on what works best. Gather decorations and as you decorate the tree say :

"By the powers of earth, I bless this tree,

that it shall remain sacred, a symbol of life,

stable and strong in our home throughout the Yule season.

By the powers of air, I bless this tree,

as the cool winter winds blow away the baggage of the old year,

and we welcome the brightness of the new into our hearts and home.

By the powers of fire, I bless this tree,

as the days have gotten shorter, and the nights grown dark,

yet the warmth of the sun is returning, bringing with it life.

By the powers of water, I bless this tree,

a gift I give, that it may stay bright and green for us a bit longer,

so that we can enjoy the harmony and peace of Yule."

Once done make a circle of salt around the tree at the base and sprinkle with water to finish the blessing.

Donating

Another good way is by giving donations. Helping to start the year by honouring the Wiccan way and helping others. Giving back after all the past year has given you.

Yule Correspondences.

Colour : Gold, Green, Red and White

Animals : Bears, Deers, Owls, Reindeer, Stag and Wrens.

Crystal : Ruby, Garnet, Diamond, Clear

Quartz and Bloodstone.

Foods : Eggnog, Mulled Wine, Gingerbread, Roasted Meats, Roasted Apples, Dried Fruits, Apple Cider and Cinnamon Cakes.

Goddesses : Aphrodite, Brigid, Demeter, Fortuna, Gaia and Hel.

Gods : The Oak King, Apollo, Balder, Attis, Hellos and Lugh.

Herb : Bay Laurel, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Holly, Ivy, Juniper, Mistletoe, Pinecones, Rosemary, Sage and Wintergreen.

Incense : Cinnamon, Clove, Juniper, Pine and Myrrh.

Yule Prayer

Sunset Prayer

The longest night has come once more,

the sun has set, and darkness fallen.

The trees are bare, the earth asleep,

and the skies are cold and black.

Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night,

embracing the darkness that enfolds us.

We welcome the night and all that it holds,

as the light of the stars shines down.

Sunrise Prayer

The sun returns! The light returns!

The earth begins to warm once more!

The time of darkness has passed,

and a path of light begins the new day.

Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,

blessing us all with its rays.

Prayer to the Earth

Cold and dark, this time of year,

the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return

of the sun, and with it, life.

Far beneath the frozen surface,

a heartbeat waits,

until the moment is right,

to spring.

I am happy to present my own Wamily’s version of finding your signifier card using a Tarot deck.  (Wamily, just in case you don’t know, is a witch family.)  

Please keep in mind that this is a practice passed down and developed by a handful of witches related to me, and isn’t the process that every cartomancer uses.  I hope this helps you on your witchcraft journey!

My own signifier card was found when I was a wee little witch.  I chose the Chariot (which, if you know me personally, is Salt through and through.)  My strengths and limitations are very much found in this card and I am drawn to its imagery indefinitely.  

I’ve seen some questions on here about how to interact with the fae and why there are certain customs so I made a post. When interacting with the fae you must learn the proper manners and customs just as you do when going about your day to day life or visiting a different country. The Fae have very different morals, customs and social behaviour than us and can get offended very easily.

1. Do not say THANK YOU! This admits that you are in debt to them and they will expect that you pay them back. Debts and contracts can get messy with the Fae, even dangerous.

2. Do not give them your real name! Especially your full name because this gives them power over you. Instead use your witch name or fake name… say “you may call me *blank*” because you technically aren’t lying to them.

3. Do not accept food or drink from them! As the myth of Persephone and Hades states, eating the food of the faerie realm will forever tie you to that world.

4. Do not mention a new born! Faeries are very fond of children and you may end up with a changeling. Faeries may also mess around with your kid sometimes and curse them if you make them mad.

5. DO NOT LIE!As it is believed faeries cannot lie, they do not like being lied to but if you have to, twist your words to get them to believe you but Do not lie! I wouldn’t risk twisting your words too much because they are masters at this and can see right through, I would only attempt if you are very well spoken.

6. Always keep your promise! Promises are very sacred to the fae and hold a lot of power so if you break a promise, expect there to be some angry faerie cursing you.

7. Do not accept a gift! This also admits debt to them and they will expect something in return of equal or greater value.

8. There’s always strings attached!Don’t expect to make contracts with the fae and not have to worry about loopholes because they love twisting their words so you end up with the short end of the stick

9. Don’t be a loud mouth! If a fairy bestows a blessing upon you, you shouldn’t go around telling people about it because it may just turn sour.

10. Don’t be a snoop! Respect a faerie’s privacy because they value their privacy a lot and they don’t trust humans often so if you lose their trust…oh boy you’re in for something alright.

11. Don’t dance! Dancing with the fae, to faerie music or in the fae realm often ends in stories of dancing to your death.

12. Absolutely no Iron! Cold iron weakens and repels the fae, to carry iron while interacting with the fae will offend the crap out of them.

13. Debts will always be repayed! If you do something of service to the fae there will often be a reward but remember rules 1 and 9.

14. Do not say SORRY! Again this admits being in deep debt to them.

15. Always be the utmost polite to them! The fae may not always be the nicest but they are always well spoken, well mannered but also see themselves as higher than you, so treat them with the most respect and get on their good side.

Stay safe my dears

My lovely witches! 

I have made a Google Drive containing a bunch of witchcraft related PDFs that I’ve had on my laptop. They’re all free, listed alphabetically, and accessible with the above link! 

I’ve added a list of what’s available under the cut, because it’s a long list… I thought a Google Drives folder would be more beneficial as not only do you not have to worry about broken links, but I find it’s easier to download and save them to your computer than opening a bunch of links to different sites, and they’re ready to transfer straight to a Kindle etc if you have one for easier reading! (You can even download the whole list at once, instead of each file individually, by clicking the arrow at the top next to ‘Witchcraft PDFs’ and download - and it’ll download as a zip file.)

The list isn’t exhaustive, but it is pretty eclectic. From traditional witchcraft, to Wicca and Books of Shadows, to herbalism, divination, and even some witchcraft history, some essays, and ancient grimoires thrown in for good measure. I have yet to read most of these, but some are pretty good reference points and some have great bibliographies at the end for further research. Also, I’ve included a folder for the Charmed Book of Shadows pages, just for fun!

Please let me know if you see something problematic on here, and I’ll update the folder accordingly. I hope you all find it super useful! 

Please share and feel free to add on any further links if you have any!