Wonderings Of A Witch

GROUNDING — simple visualization exercise for releasing excess or negative energy through imagination of nature surrounding you and recharging you with new energies. can be visualized with roots that grow from your body into the earth which serve as an energy channel between you and nature. concentrate on the feeling of the energy transfers, really feel them. practice this once a day.

CENTERING — meditative visualization for centering oneself and gathering lost energy bits that are detached from you, eventually after feeling extreme emotions or performing magick. find and feel your inner center. become aware of your magical existence. can also be visualized with space: planets and stars that revolve around you, the sun, the center of your own galaxy. grounding before centering is recommended.

SHIELDING — strong visualization practice for protecting your energies from draining people and their negative energies. good for empaths. can be visualized through all kind of imaginary shields. the most important thing is that in your imagination you are entirely coated with this shield, no matter if you imagine a bright reflecting light around you, or other protecting elements. no cracks, no splits, you need to be completely shielded. practice this daily and keep it up forever.

CLEANSING — energy removing practice for clearing unwanted negative energies or spirits from an object or space by doing a small ritual such as visualization, burning incense, using effective crystals or chanting cleansing mantras, etc. this type of energy work is perfect for making a place or an item spiritually new again.

ENERGY BALLS — physical and mental practice for visualizing a glowing white energy ball (or any other form of visual energy) between the palm of your hands. rub your hands together and concentrate on the friction and warmth and also on the energies which flow from your arms into your slowly forming and growing energy ball. if you feel the distance between your hands is just right and the energy ball is completed give it a last strong input of energy to seal it.

PROGRAMMING — once you’re really comfortable with making an energy ball, you can also program it with an intent. start with deciding on an intent (example: joy) and really fill your energy ball with these feelings (example: joy, happiness, delight, pleasure, fun, cheer and laughter) by literally trying to feel those things as you do it. also, imagine your white energy ball changes its color; use the color you connect the most to this feeling/intent (example: joy - yellow/else).

CHARGING — energy work practice for infusing an object (such as a crystal, water, or other things) with personal or external energies, like a certain intent. this can be achieved either through forming and programming an energy ball and willing it into the object by visualizing and/or embracing it with your hands; or it can be done by simply visualizing that the object is surrounded by bright energetic light (eventually take a color that matches your intent here as well) and will your intent into the object directly. keep up your imagination of the charging until you feel it’s complete.

You need herbs in bulk and you don’t have a lot of money? This place has your back.

Here is the first order I received, ¼ pound bag each of sage, bay leaf, rosemary, basil, sea salt, and cinnamon sticks. How much did all this together run me? $22. 

My first spell jar of the year!

I had a really Bad™ week last week, so this jar is to ensure this week will be a Good and Productive week by giving me a kick in the ass.

Contains: Chilli flakes for power Coffee for motivation Black pepper to banish negativity Salt to purify any ill thoughts Sugar to sweeten hard moments Rice to absorb any nonsense A few drops of my favourite perfume to freshen my mind

Spirit bottles are magical vessels which attract willing spirits to the creator and are designed for certain varieties. The most common and well-known variety of these are ancestor bottles. In this article I will give the information necessary to create one of these for any spirit you may be interested in working with.

So first you need the following items and equipment. A bottle of your preferred size made of clear glass, herbs and gemstones associated with the spirit you desire to work with, herbs for spirit manifestation, paints of colors associated with the spirit, brushes, small objects connected to the spirit’s nature, wax to seal the bottle, a heat source to melt the wax, symbols and shapes to paint on the bottle, etc.

The bottle is filled with the correspondences, associations, herbs, and small objects first. Then the bottle is shut. Then the bottle is painted with numerous coats of the selected base color, after which the symbols and signs are added, and the bottle sealed. The bottle is then placed in a space designated solely for it.

I first used one of these bottle in university to attract a undine familiar, who are indispensable for psychic, dream, emotional, and spiritual magic. This companion was of immense aid when writing papers and helping with studies. She also enhanced my connection with my father Manannan mac Lir, and helped me eliminate the stress in my life. She eventually introduced me to one of my spirit wives, a member of the Marid djinn.

Hello, everyone! I’ve decided to post informational stuff about Astral Travel. I don’t see a whole lot of resources on it, and most of them all say the same thing, so I figured I'd create some! For the next six weeks or so I’ll be posting a lesson every Saturday. Beyond that, we’ll see. If you guys have any specific topics you’d like me to cover, feel free to comment, send me an ask, or even dm me! I should also note that most of this is based on my or others’ personal experiences. So, without further ado, let’s jump right in~

I’ve noticed a lot of people tend to use the terms “projection” and “travel” to mean the same thing; for the purpose of my lessons, I’m going to define these as separate terms.

Astral Projection is the act of “projecting” one’s spirit or mind into the Astral Planes. In other words, it’s the act of getting there through any of the many methods. It’s the first step to Astral Traveling.

Astral Travel, like its name suggests, is the act of moving through the Astral Planes. Once you are in the Astral, the term “projection” no longer applies. You don’t even have to achieve a full Projection to Travel. The purpose of my Astral lessons will be focused on both Travel and Projection as well as the kinds of things you can do once you achieve projection, how to project, what to expect, etc.

What It’s Not

I see a lot of misconceptions when it comes to Astral Work, so I made a list of what Astral Travel isn’t in hopes of clearing up a few of those.

Astral Travel is NOT OBE exclusive. Your spirit can be safely secured in your body while only your mind explores the Astral. You can leave a part of your spirit behind and travel with the rest of it. You can even create an astral “body” for your mind to occupy while you’re in the Astral. You might already have a body waiting for you.

You usually cannot interact with the physical world when you are Traveling. Sometimes a human or animal might be able to see you, though, so be careful.

Astral Travel is NOT a way to spy on others in the physical world. You likely won’t even get clear enough sight to do it.

You cannot just do anything in the Astral. It is a place that has rules and laws just like any other. Be courteous to the entities you encounter. Don’t just barge into a random building you see; it might be someone’s home.

Most things in the Astral will not immediately attack you on sight. However, they DO probably have a better grasp on their own world and its mechanics, so don’t pick fights with them, either.

Astral Travel is not Lucid dreaming, although in some ways they are similar. Lucid dreaming occurs inside your own mind and ONLY while you are asleep. Astral Travel occurs on an Astral Plane and can happen both while you are awake or asleep.

What It Is and What to Expect 

Astral Travel can be as difficult or as easy as you make it be. Don’t try to jump into it without first knowing what you’re jumping into.

Some entities in the Astral are distasteful of humans. They see humans as “lower life forms.” I know I said that most entities won’t attack you. It is equally as true that there are some that will, although they usually have a very good reason for it. You could be invading their territory; you could have offended them in some way. More on this in a separate lesson.

The Astral Planes are a place where magic is very easy to use. Just remember that you still have limits.

You will likely find that, when Traveling, you can’t use one or more senses as you would in real life. Some people are blind in the Astral. Some are deaf. Some cannot feel anything they touch; or smell; or taste the food they eat. This is completely normal. I know a guy that had to get astral glasses before he could see anything besides blurs and blobs. Do not be discouraged if this happens to you; you will likely be able to experience the Astral through a completely different and equally as amazing way.

The people and places you will see are REAL. They exist, not in our plane but in a plane that is their home. You are merely a visitor in their homeland.

Most people have an Astral “Body” that they use on the Astral. It takes on the true form of your spirit, meaning it might not look like your physical body. For example, my Astral Body is that of an Elf’s and has silver/golden tattoos all over it. Some of my physical features are also far more defined, such as my naturally multicolored hair and shifting eye color. I’m also about a foot taller. Some of you might have wings, or horns, or even a tail. Some of you might look exactly the same.

There are multiple ways to Astral Project and even more ways to Travel within once you are there. Do not conform yourself to the Golden Standard. I will be talking about many of these ways in a separate lesson; find a way that works for you.

You do not have to be completely unaware of your body and physical surroundings while Traveling. There are times when I am Traveling and everything is so vivid. It’s like I’m in a waking dream because I am completely aware of everything physical surrounding me. That doesn’t make my experience any less valid than someone who does a Full Dive.

You can and probably already have Traveled in your sleep. It is not uncommon. The tricky part is telling whether or not it was Astral or just a very lucid dream.

Looking to go a step further? Try adding some live plants. Marimo moss balls are super simple to care for, and most pet stores that carry fish will have them. Java moss is also a good plant for beginners, and will look lovely carpeting the bottom of your tank or bowl.

Here’s @dduane​’s first take on it and the finished product. We’ve made even more photogenic batches since.

Kneading is easy as well; either let your machine do it, or if you don’t want to or don’t have one, get hands-on. It’s like mixing two colours of Plasticine to make a third. Flatten, stretch, fold, half-turn, repeat - it takes about 10 minutes - until the gloopy conglomeration of flour, yeast, salt and water that clings to your hands at the beginning, becomes a compact ball that doesn’t stick to things and feels silky-smooth.

Here’s what before and after look like.

My Mum used to say that if you were feeling out of sorts with someone, it was good to make bread because you could transfer your annoyance into kneading the dough REALLY WELL, and both you and the bread would be better for it.

Then you put it into a bowl, cover it with cling-film and let it rise until it doubles in size, turn it out and “knock it back” (more kneading, until it’s getting back to the size it started, this means there won’t be huge “is something living in here?” holes in the bread), put it into your loaf-tin or whatever - we’ve used a regular oblong tin, a rectangular Pullman tin with a lid, a small glass casserole, an earthenware chicken roaster…

You can even use a clean terracotta flowerpot.

Let the dough rise again until it’s high enough to look like an unbaked but otherwise real loaf, then pop it in the preheated oven. On average we give ours 180°C / 355°F for 45-50 minutes. YM (and oven) MV.

Here’s some of our bread…

Here’s our default bread recipe - it takes about 3-4 hours from flour jar to cutting board depending on climate (warmer is faster) most of which is rise time and baking; hands-on mixing, kneading and knocking-back is about 20 minutes, tops, and less if using a mixer.

Here ( or indeed any of the other pics) is the finished product. This one was given an egg-wash to make it look glossy and keep the poppy-seeds in place; mostly we don’t bother with that or the slash down the middle, but all the extras were intentional as a “ready for my close-up” glamour shot.

I think any shop would be happy to have something this good-looking on their shelf. We’re happy to have it on our table.

Even if your first attempts don’t work out quite as well as you hope, you can always make something like this…

Understanding Shadow Work

Part 1: What is the Shadow?

Part 2: What is Shadow Work?

Part 3: How Does One Prepare for Shadow Work?

Types of Shadow Work

Intro

Part 1: Journaling

Part 2: Introspection

Part 3: Emotional Awareness

Part 4: Dream Work

Part 5: Memory Regression

Some common sense for the Craft:

1. Research any ingredients you plan on using, thoroughly. Some are poison, some will react negatively with medications, some will be harmless. This goes for plants, crystals, minerals, anything.

2. Take everything you read with a grain of salt. Don’t let others opinions or comments be the last word. Even if I came upon a very simple Witch Tip, like the ones on my own blog, I would be skeptical. This goes along with research, but I feel it needs it’s own spot on the list.

3. Read. Read everything. You don’t have to agree with it or even include it in your practice. But knowledge is power. And the more you read the easier it becomes to spot patterns, and recognize innacurate information.

4. Tumblr is the tip of the iceberg in Witchcraft. It is a lot of fun. The aesthetic is impressive. But, you are only seeing a very small percentage of the wealth of information available to you. This can also skew your perceptions of things if it is the only Witchcraft related information you are absorbing.

5. Protect yourself. From harsh chemicals by using gloves/masks. From toxic bloggers by blocking them. From negative forces by setting up wards. You get the idea.

6. Respect. Respect is so important! Respect others and their right to a different opinion. Respect nature and animals. Respect spirits. Respect yourself.

First, a lengthy explanation as to why you would want to do this. Then, how to do it. Scroll all the way to the bottom if you want to get to the part that actually has the information.

Note: for the duration of this post, gods are being considered part of the larger category of spirits.

Spirits can generally understand you better than you can understand them. It’s a kind of an annoying one-way street, though practicing will help balance things out.

SO. Spirits can communicate in various ways

signs and omens. images and symbols associated with them showing up repeatedly

Dreams. I personally don’t place much stock in these

Divination.

Directly, (more or less) through things like telepathy. You can hear/see/feel them in your MIND. You can you can get general feelings from them, like emotions

And more! But I’m focusing on the last one here.

I don’t recommend trying to work with spirits until you have gotten your spirit-sensing skills to a certain point. Not because it’s dangerous, which it can be, but mainly because you wouldn’t even know what’s going on!

This is not me gatekeeping or nothin, I’m literally just being realistic. And speaking from experience.

When I was first starting out spirit work, (note that I am still no expert, if such a thing exists), I tried summoning spirits and just kind of had to guess at what they were saying. It’s like stumbling around in the dark.

Honestly, you get things done so much more easily and so much more quickly when you can directly communicate with spirits. 10/10 highly recommend

You can use divination as a means of communication, which is good when you’re just starting out, but it’s not necessarily the best idea to rely on only that forever.

In a way, jumping into spirit work without sensing-skills is like… going to France and trying to talk to the locals when you do not speak a lick of French.

With this weird analogy, divinatory tools could be compared to a translator:

It’s not always accurate.

It can be hard to interpret.

It’s better to not need to use it at all, but it’s useful for those who are still learning

The translator is best used in tandem with your knowledge of the language, until you get to a point where you no longer need it.

So how do you learn French??

Honing this skill is similar to meditation. You basically just… clear your mind and open yourself up to receiving messages.

And then repeat. A lot. With plants, with bones, with places. Try sensing the energy within everything.

It’s not terribly difficult, but it is slow going.

The exact way in which you sense energy and spirits varies. Like I said before, it can be hearing/ seeing/ feeling/ a combination/ something else entirely.

And, I mean, there are people who go their entire lives relying on the translator. It is an option, but it’s not necessarily the best option, ya dig

More information:

http://da-at-ass.tumblr.com/post/158566768538/ways-that-people-see-and-hear-spirits-and-how-it

https://umbra-et-lux-spirits.tumblr.com/post/164126074261/a-starting-path-to-spirit-work-but-abbreviated

Something I’ve gotten asked off and on for years is: is it even advisable to “do religion” or magic or spiritwork when you struggle with mental illness? How do you do it when you have psychosis? What if it makes things worse? How do you tell the difference between hallucinations and a religious experience? 

I was looking for an easy map creator that makes beautiful maps for a while now to make a visually stunning map to go along with my book. And now, after such a long search i have finally found one that suits my needs! Because i like it so much, i thought i’d share it with you guys! Just go to inkarnate.com and start creating! I have to warn you though, it is still in beta so a lot still needs to be added, but already it looks great and is easy to use!

I mean just look how beautiful some of these maps are!

And it is so much fun too! Someone even created a game of thrones map that is simply amazing!

So check it out and start creating your visual aid for your story. I promise you, it really is super easy and you will make one in no time!

Me: these are great resources to look back on and practice to enhance my craft!

Looking to go a step further? Try adding some live plants. Marimo moss balls are super simple to care for, and most pet stores that carry fish will have them. Java moss is also a good plant for beginners, and will look lovely carpeting the bottom of your tank or bowl.