Ah Sorry To Bug You Again!!!! I Need To Pick Between Two Great Universities And So I Think I Pendulum

Happy Solstice and full moon! 🌞🌝🍓

“I’m a baby witch! What do I start learning?”

Here’s a quick-and-dirty list of things that I think sets up a good foundation for someone moving forward with magic work and why. They’re also in order of what I think is best approached first. (For a time reference, I recommend the whole thing taking at LEAST a year, but individual steps and overall length will vary in each person.)

Learn basic magical theory. What is happening when you cast a spell? What is grounding? How do correspondences work? Why is X step or tool important? Learn about what it is you’re doing before diving into actual casting. Have a basic grip on how it works. 

Some form of divination, even if it’s something as simple as a pendulum. Other people won’t always be there to help you answer questions, validate your interpretation of something, or offer direction. Having some form of divination under your belt helps you avoid dependency on other people. You can more easily answer your own questions, check your own intuition, and take matters into your own hands.

Protection and Cleansing. No matter what path you go down or what type of magic you end up doing, these are two things that every magic worker needs to know how to do, and know how to do it well. They also tend to be fairly straightforward to learn. Cleanse your space, cleanse yourself, cleanse that object, cleanse your grandma. Then protect them. Learn how to set up wards and shields, which brings us to….

Basic energy work. You’ve probably already run into it a lot by this point and it’s fine if you’ve already picked up some things. But now is the time to really focus on it and get comfortable with it. Learn how to confidently sense what’s around you and interact with it, fix gaps in your wards and shields, project your intent into things, you get the idea. Energy work will always be there in a pinch and requires no materials besides your body, and is extremely versatile. Plus, most paths really require at least a base-level understanding of it these days. Can’t hurt.

Start honing your specific path. Here’s where the cookbooks, the old graveyards, the skulls on the shelf, the fairy figurines start really coming into play. If you have an idea of what sort of path you’d like to follow, start really getting into the meat of it! What does it look like? What are the first steps to that type of magic? If for now you’re still eclectic or aren’t sure, then just read what interests you or try more advanced general spells than you have so far.

Go back and do it all again. That’s right. You can also put time into your path or your regular research, but go back and pick up those old books from step one. Read the old articles. Return to the basics and see how your views have become more nuanced, or how you disagree. What details flew over your head the first time? Can you pick up a new form of divination or try something new with your main form? Could those wards and shields be stronger? You get the idea. Once you’ve revisited it, you should have a really solid foundation that will help you no matter what direction you take next!

Other stuff to study on the side: Local folklore, mythology, and types of spirits. You may not want to work with spirits, but sometimes spirits want to work with you! So it’s good to have an idea of what to do if they pop up.  What plants grow in your area? What‘s edible? What is used in healing?  What plants are NOT edible in your area? What’s poisonous?

If you think there’s another important step that you recommend that I didn’t include, feel free to add it! :)

What’s Wrong with my Circle?, or, Circle Casting Clinic 101

You’ve probably heard of how to cast a circle, and of many methods to do so, a dozen times in the course of studying magic or Witchcraft. But have you ever felt your circle waver, your boundary un-drawn, or your sacred space distinctly not sacred? Here are some common problems with drawing and casting a circle of (most) any type, and some possible solutions.

Cleansing and Prepping: Is the space around you ready for a circle to be cast? Many casters find it helpful to sweep the area with a besom, or broom, beforehand. If you’re not the broom type, you can cleanse an area by walking the circle’s area clockwise sprinkling saltwater. (Don’t use salt outside - or your grass will be sorely upset).

Cleansing and Prepping Yourself: If you’re stressed out, you’re in no shape to cast anything! A ritual bath is the best way to ready yourself for magic, but in a pinch, asperging yourself with incense smoke (best blends for purification include sage, pine, rosemary, and cypress) will do just fine. If smoke is out of the question, a good grounding and centering, imaging the negative energies drawing out through your feet and drawing in the earth’s solid energies, will do the trick. You could also try a ritual tea to get your mind and body in the right mood (try something with rose or calendula), and to flush out previous energies.

Consecrating Yourself within the Circle: Feel like you drew the circle just fine, but you’re not exactly connected within it? Consider consecrating yourself within the circle, if you haven’t done so already. An easy and common means to do this is to dip your finger into the oil you are using for the circle, or, sans oil, the sacred water or regular water, and drawing a sigil representative of your circle on your forehead after your circle is drawn, in order to vow your connection to the circle (if it helps, say “I am now consecrated within this Circle.” as you do so). An all-purpose sigil would be a simple circle, but a cosmic lemniscate, or solar and lunar sigils, may be appropriate, depending on the circle.

Ritual Consciousness: Your circle seems to be drawn right, you feel pretty okay, but why aren’t things “lifting” to that magickal place? If you’re finding it hard to bring your circle to the otherworldly realm, take a second to breathe deeply. This is a broad question with lots of potential solutions: Strewing herbs associated with the moon phase and hour around the circle, matching your incense to the time or deity called, ensuring your lights are turned off, and making sure music doesn’t reach over a threshold where it can steal your attention. There are so many fixes - the main thing is to try and see what works by practicality! A surefire way for me has been to ensure the appropriate scent, whether it be through oils or incenses.

“Is My Circle Working?” and Circle Doubt: This one is an easy fix. Using an athame or other tool (if you drew a circle using natural power, use two fingers set together in an athame point) and cut a doorway in your circle. Step outside your circle, and back in, seeing if you can sense a difference in energy (and what that difference is). If it helps, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out of the circle, feeling the ways of each. If your circle lacks staying power, close your circle and try again, seeing where you went wrong. But remember - the power is in you. There’s no “Wrong” way to cast a circle, but you can trip yourself up sometimes!

Hope that covers some of it - I know there’s endless ways. If I’m missing any major or common problems, let me know and I’d be glad to cover it!

Blessed Be,

Ash

When you recognize the signs that a spell you cast is working…

These witchy worksheets made by @witchoncampus

Woah! That looks so cool!! And it’s really cute!

The Four Elements

Fire, earth, air and water are fundamental energies that operate in the physical world. They are the building blocks of life. Rocks and soil, wind, the sun, lakes and streams. These are examples of the physical form in which we see the elements. Equally, if not more important are the vibrational qualities of these four elements.

Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, textures — pretty much everything — can be grouped into one of the elemental categories. When you begin to understand these connections you can learn to draw upon these elements to produce the results you desire. Part of your development as a witch involves using these elements to your advantage. You may use them singularly or combine two or more elements to create balance. Each element has its own properties, and it’s up to you to decide how to use them.

🔥  Fire

Physical energy: heat and light, also all kinds of activity, leadership, and power

Qualities: Warm and Dry

Astrological Signs: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius

Tarot Suit: Wands

Cardinal Direction: South

Vibration: masculine or yang

Color: red, orange

Substances: bay laurel, cedar, frankincense, red jasper, sage

Body Parts: energetic aspects, movement and body heat, the will and sense of sight

Animals: mammals, warm blooded

Season: Summer

Humor: Choleric

Elemental: Salamanders

💩  Earth

Solid physical matter: agriculture, mining, and the ground and what lies under it, also employment, money and physical property

Qualities: Cool and Dry

Astrological Signs: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn

Tarot Suit: Pentacle

Cardinal Direction: North

Vibration: feminine or yin

Color: brown, green

Substances: barley, coltsfoot, horsetail, mandrake, patchouli

Body Parts: solid parts, bones and muscles, and sense of touch

Animals: reptiles, insects, worms

Season: Autumn

Humor: Melancholic

Elemental: Gnomes

💨  Air

Gaseous physical matter: the atmosphere, the winds and weather, also communication and conflict, violence, pain and suffering

Qualities: Warm and Moist

Astrological Signs: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius

Tarot Suit: Swords

Cardinal Direction: East

Vibration: masculine or yang

Color: purple, yellow

Substances: borage, elecampane, lapis lazuli, onion, valerian leaf

Body Parts: gaseous parts, air in the lungs, nervous system, intellect, sense of smell

Animals: birds, wings and hollow bones

Season: Spring

Humor: Sanguine

Elemental: Sylphs

💦  Water

Liquid physical matter: oceans, lakes, rivers and streams, also social and sexual interactions, and happiness

Qualities: Cool and Moist

Astrological Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces

Tarot Suit: Cups

Cardinal Direction: West

Vibration: feminine or yin

Color: blue, black

Substances: iron, green jasper, lily, seashells, turquoise

Body Parts: fertility and reproduction, liquid parts, such as blood and lymph, emotions, sense of taste

Animals: fish, cold blooded

Season: Winter

Humor: Phlegmatic

Elemental: Ondines

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Lets all chill and feel the love.

Happy Pride month everyone!! (੭ˊ͈ ꒵ˋ͈)੭̸*✧⁺˚

Spell Loopholes

Wording a spell correctly is extremely important! We’ve all heard the stories of someone who cast a spell and technically had it come true, but in a way that wasn’t what they actually wanted at all! Here’s a list of common “loopholes” spells will take to get the job done, and how to make sure you get what you want!

🕯Taking its time- “I want money,” you tell the Universe, hoping to get some help with rent. Well, rent comes and there’s no extra cash in sight! Then, two weeks later, a surprise wad of cash all but lands in your lap. The spell came true, but not in time for when it mattered. This is easily fixed by adding “…by the end of the month,” or specifying what the money is for, which in this case was this month’s rent.

🕯No help needed- “I want money,” you say again. Magic will often take the path of least resistance, so if you’ve already got a paycheck on the way, the spell might not do much besides make sure it doesn’t get lost. There. Money. It can be good to specify that you want your spell to work in addition to everything you’re already doing!

🕯 Bare minimum- This time from your money spell, it arrives on time from an unexpected source! But it’s a quarter you found on the ground. Maybe three quarters. Not much help! If your intent would require the money to be close to a certain amount or any other specific like that, let it be known! The universe isn’t there to make assumptions.

🕯 For the worst- Let’s say you have two friends that have been flirting, so you cast a nice little spell to let any mutual interest between them blossom into a relationship and save them some trouble. It happens, but it turns out they do NOT work well with each other. They are interested in each other, but argue constantly and bring out the worst in each other. The relationship is hurting them both. You had the absolute best of intentions, but there was no way of knowing that would happen! This is why a lot of witches include the phrase, “for the highest good” in their spells, as a failsafe for any unexpected pitfalls like this that may be lurking. The universe will see them but doesn’t know to care unless you specify.

🕯Another layer- Once I made a dream bear to bring me more dreams. Well, I had lots more dreams, but couldn’t remember any of them! I didn’t think that was something I needed to specify. Make sure you hit every point you need to be satisfied with a result.

As a general rule, if my spell includes a prayer or petition of any sort, I take a few minutes and comb through it for stuff like this beforehand. What am I specifying? What am I leaving up to interpretation? Could any of that manifest in a way I would be unhappy with? Take a little time before you start casting to smooth out all those wrinkles! Best of wishes!

Hi guys!! Sorry I haven't been active at all lately! A lot of changes (good ones thankfully) are happening in my life and I have been super busy. But I wanted to say hi!!

So, our Lung is on fire.

It is already threatened by huge deforestation, to the point it lost 20% of its wildth in less than 30 years.

It’s been burning for around two weeks and almost no word has been uttered about it. I, sincerely, have come to find out about it just now. I’m shooketh ™️ because we’re really burning away this planet.

The Amazon Rainforest holds 20% of global waters, it’s an area of incredible value in termns of biodiversity and, nevermind, it’s a crucial climate regulator. Spread awareness, demand help.