Emily's Shadow Corner

Chakras are part of closed practices. Find a different theory on energy centres and how they work. I have my own here but there are many more that exist.

Do your research. Question everything. Don’t follow Tumblr posts blindly. Do your research, make sure that research is credible. Some authors out there are shitty (Edred Thorsson for example). Some Etsy shop owners appropriate. Do your research.

Support minority businesses! Support local businesses!

The best basic herbs to have on hand are: sage, rosemary, cinnamon, thyme, lavender, sea salt. 

For the love of the gods, please ward. The first time you ward, you will most likely sleep upwards of 10+ hours because it is draining as hell but WARD. Wards will keep you safe from entities that seek to harm you.

ALWAYS have a good banishing spell and a good return to sender spell on hand if you need it. Here is Part 1 of a good masterpost on protections and warding.

Always be a skeptic. Don’t just believe things blindly. Is a god telling you they’re an actual god? Question them. Do your research on that god. Always question.

DO NOT INGEST ESSENTIAL OILS. They’re meant to be applied topically with a carrier oil. Don’t ingest them.

Some herbs will interact with your medication if you’re on them. If you’re on medication and want to try herbal remedies, talk to your doctor to make sure that your herbal remedy won’t negatively interact with your medication.

Tarot cards don’t need to be gifted or stolen in order to work. That’s a myth. However, if you feel like you’d like your tarot decks to be gifted to you, do that. Whatever you’re comfortable with.

Your first tarot deck doesn’t have to be explicitly Raider Waite Smith. My first deck was a variation on the traditional RWS style and it allowed me to read tarot more intuitively.

There’s no shame in using a tarot guidebook. There’s 78 cards that’s a LOT to memorize. I haven’t memorized them all and I’ve been reading tarot for two years now. Take your time and don’t be embarrassed to read tarot from a guidebook. I do paid tarot readings and still use my guidebooks.

If you’re worried about wasting food as an offering, it’s okay to eat them. I do it. Many others do it. If you’re still wary about eating the food, if you have plant friends, you can just bury the offerings (especially relevant for chthonic worshippers).

The Theoi website is one of the best for information on Hellenism. Every thing written on that website is cited back to an Ancient Greek text, or even several.

PLEASE PRACTICE FIRE SAFETY. If you’re burning an object in a metal bowl, don’t touch the bowl afterwards. You may burn yourself. Have something to put out a fire on hand should something happen. Don’t burn hair. Crack a window so you don’t inhale smoke. Be safe with fire.

Some find it confusing when a difficult card falls in the advice position. Death is not asking you to die. But the Five of Cups wishes you would cry.

Death

Purge your soul of what no longer serves you. It will only be more painful if you wait for life to force you.

Three of Swords

Acknowledge your pain. The wound will fester if you keep denying its presence. Healing begins only with acceptance.

The Devil

Dive into it with all your might. Do not go gentle into that good night. It will all be worth the fall.

Five of Cups

Cry till the tears run dry. Till the darkness has gone, leaving only the light. Then turn around for a wondrous sight.

Two of Swords

You will never be completely certain. No one is in life. All you can do is follow your heart. It will lead you to what is right.

Five of Wands

There is a time for peace. But it is not today. You have to fight for your beliefs. Let nothing stand in your way.

Seven of Swords

Leave your morals at the door. This is no place for principles. What matters is survival. Time to think like a criminal.

Ten of Wands

You are walking through fire, and the pain is unbearable. But give it one more minute. The hurt will all be worth it.

Eight of Swords

You look at yourself and see a prisoner. And yet the ropes are loose and the lock is open. Stop acting the victim.

Five of Swords

So you lost. Cry for a while. Then dry your eyes and try again tomorrow. No need to drown in sorrow.

Nine of Swords

Turn your fear into fuel. Do not sit there waiting for destruction. Fight with all your might to escape annihilation.

Five of Pentacles

If you bother to look up, you will notice a shelter. Enough with the self-pity. Time to outsmart the weather.

Nine of Wands

As things stand, it is not safe for you to love. This is not the time to fall. Protect your heart, and build a wall.

Ten of Swords

Some pains demand to be felt. So feel them. Give them their deserved recognition. Then banish them to oblivion.

The Tower

Because you never know when this will be useful. 

A spell is a prayer of sorts- a wish sent out with great intention, in harmony with the universe. Why are spells performed on a certain day, with a specific herb and just the right color candle? This is how practical witches synchronize with the greater good and harmonize with the cycles of nature. Each day of the week has specific correspondences and meanings.

YOUR WEEK AT-A-GLANCE:

☀️ SUNDAY IS A DAY FOR HEALING AND VITALITY, AS WELL AS CREATIVITY AND NEW HOPE. THE COLORS FOR THIS DAY ARE GOLD, ORANGE, AND YELLOW, AND THE SCARED STONES FOR THIS THEY ARE ALSO IN THOSE COLORS: AMBER, CITRINE, CARNELIAN, AND TOPAZ. SUNDAY’S HERBS AND INCENSES ARE CLOVES, CEDAR, CHAMOMILE, FRANKINCENSE, AMBER, SUNFLOWER AND HELIOTROPE.

☀️MONDAY, OR MOON DAY, IS A DREAMY DAY FOR INTUITION , BEAUTY, WOMEN’S RITUALS, AND YOUR HOME. THE COLORS ARE SHINY SILVERS, PEARL, PALE ROSE, WHITE AND LAVENDAR, REFLECTIVE LIKE THE MOON. THE GEMS AND STONES ARE SIMILARLY SHADED MOONSTONE, PEARL, QUARTZ CRYSTAL, FLUORITE, AND AQUAMARINE. THE HERBS AND INCENSE ARE NIGHT-BLOOMING JASMINE, MYRTLE, MOONWORT, VERVAIN, WHITE ROSE, POPPY AND CAMPHOR.

☀️ TUESDAY IS THE DAY FOR ACTION, “MARS’S DAY” IS THE TIME FOR HIGH ENERGY IN YOUR CAREER, FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, FOR AGGRESSION IN MEETINGS, AND FOR STRONG SENSUALITY. RED IS THE DAY’S COLOR, AND THE CORRESPONDING GEMS AND CRYSTALS ARE RUBY,GARNET,CARNELIAN,BLOODSTONE, AND PINK TOURMALINE. INCENSES AND HERBS FOR MARS’S DAY ARE RED ROSES, PINE, CARNATION, NETTLE, PATCHOULI,PEPPER AND GARLIC.

☀️ WEDNESDAY, OR WODEN’S DAY, IS WHEN THE PLANETS OF COMMUNICATION MERCURY AND CHIRON- RULE. THIS IS THE OPTIMUM TIME FOR WRITING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, INTELLECTUAL PURSUITS, MEMORY AND ALL OTHER FORMS OF COMMUNICATION. COLORS FOR THIS DAY ARE LIGHT BLUE, GRAY, GREEN, ORANGE AND YELLOW. THE CRYSTALS ARE SODALITE, MOSS AGATE, OPAL AND AVENTURINE. THE HERBS AND INCENSE ARE CINNAMON, PERIWINKLE,DILL,SWEET PEA,CINQUEFOIL, AND FERN.

☀️ THURSDAY , OR THOR’S DAY, IS THE DAY FOR BUSINESS, POLITICS, LEGALITIES, BARGAINING, GOOD FORTUNE, AND MATERIAL AND FISCAL WEALTH. THE COLORS ARE BLUE, PURPLE, AND TURQUOISE. AS YOU MIGHT SUSPECT, THE CRYSTALS ARE TURQUOISE, SAPPHIRE, AMETHYST, AND LAPIS LAZULI, SO FAVORED BY THE EGYPTIANS. THE HERBS AND INCENSES FOR THE DAY ARE SAFFRON, CEDAR, NUTMEG,PINE, OAK, AND CINNAMON.

☀️ FRIDAY IS RULED BY FREYA, THE NORDIC VENUS, GODDESS OF LOVE. FRIDAY IS ALL ABOUT BEAUTY, LOVE, SEX, FERTILITY, FRIENDSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS, THE ARTS, HARMONY AND MUSIC, AND BRINGING THE NEW INTO YOUR LIFE. THE COLORS ARE PALE GREEN AND DEEP GREEN, ROBIN’S EGG BLUE, PINK, AND VIOLET, AND THE CRYSTALS ARE EMERALD, PINK TOURMALINE, AND ROSE QUARTZ, AS WELL AS JADE, MALACHITE, AND PERIDOT. THE HERBS AND INCENSE FOR FRIDAY ARE APPLE, LILY,BIRCH,PINK ROSE,VERBENA,IVY,ROSE AND SAGE.

All the main holidays for ya witchy soul~ each have different goals and activities. Celebrating these holidays can give you an extra kick in all sorts of different spellwork ✨ which is your favorite? (Mines Samhain cause it’s the one holiday where I feel most comfortable being myself)

If you cannot find representations for a given element, remember…

You are supported by a rigid skeleton made of minerals. You are earth.

Your body is over 70% fluid. You are water.

Your lungs take in and expel breath. You are air.

Your blood is warm and your brain runs on electrical impulses. You are fire.

Your essence, however you describe it, resides within you. You are spirit.

You are composed of gifts from every element, and every element is given marvelous life in you.

Never feel that you are insufficiently magical for lack of icons or accoutrements or accessories.