Blessed Solstice ❄

Learn to love yourself!!

As an agnostic modern witch, sometimes very old holiday traditions are hard to follow. I don’t have a patron deity or anything but I do still celebrate Christmas. So I put together a modern 12 day holiday guide so I can still celebrate the 12 days of Yule without having to try to cram everything in around my and my family’s work schedule. Now there are tons of ways to celebrate and tons of different traditions out there, so you can adapt this guide however you want.

Self Care and Support Bath

Ingredients

* Mineral Salts

* Rose based bath bombs (I use the Rhiannon bomb from Magick and Macabre as I needed her with me majorly, but for non devotees, anything with Rose, Bergamot, and Jasmine works.)

* A citrus scented bubbler (I use the lemon bubble bar from Lush)

* A pint of chilled milk (I went for 1% - I suggest using liquid milk rather than powdered milk for this one)

* Your preferred blessed oils (I used Filthy Sheets and Love Clarity, as I’m in serious need of some emotional organization and an attraction boost for tomorrow)

* Citrine

* Mandarin Orange

* An herbal scented candle (I used a gift from a dear family friend that is Sage and Driftwood scented)

Instructions

* Draw a bath at the hottest temperature your tub is capable of - hotter than you would want to rest in. It will cool down as it steeps.

* When the water is about two inches deep, put in the Mineral Salts. Let dissolve fully.

* Once the salts are dissolved, and the water is about four inches deep, add the the chilled milk. Let the clouds fully incorporate

* Once blended, add the rose bath bomb - I went with two, for a stronger color/scent/really calling Rhiannon to me, but one is fine

* Put your citrus bubbler under the tap - keep there until approximately half of the bath is sufficiently covered, but this isn’t a bath for mountains of bubbles.

* Put approximately 8 drops of your chosen oils in - put them in at the opposite end of your tub from the tap

* Peel and halve the mandarin orange, and place it in front of the citrine on the edge of the bath

* Place the candle on the opposite edge from the citrine, and light it.

* Place your palms on the top of the water. Feel how hot it is, and absorb that warmth into your palms (take care not to scald yourself!)

* Once your tub is 80% filled, turn the tap to ice cold water. Let it run until you hit 100%, climb in, and focus on letting go of stress and fear, and letting comfort, focus, and motivation fill you

* You can do this. I believe in you. Exhale and let the lighter florals and citrus scents wash over you while the depth of the herbal soothes you. Life is tough. But you’re tougher. Embrace this moment of gentleness.

WITCHES NEED A SECRET SYMBOL FOR SAFE PLACES

So a lot of us are out of the broom closet so to speak, but many of have to be careful of being public because of the views of the communities we live in. What I propose is a symbol we can put on flyers or in shop windows that means “You’re safe here.”

I don’t believe that a pentagram would work because it’s got so much stigma attached and it’s really easily identifiable. Ideally, we can find something that is not tradition specific. I don’t know. I just want us to be able to put feelers out into the community without painting a target on ourselves for intolerant jerk faces, and I want witchlings that are seeking guidance to be able to do so in a safe environment. I mean, how badass would it be to find a little symbol of solidarity in your favorite coffee shop or bookstore??

Reblog with suggestions!

I am Axel Draven Graves.

RAISED BY WOLVES

Sometimes you have to lose your mind, in order to find your freedom.

Axel's Play list

Voodoo --Godsmack

I stand alone --Godsmack

Awake --Godsmack

Hail to the king -- Avenge Sevenfold

Shepard of Fire --Avenge Sevenfold

Nightmare -- Avenge Sevenfold

Seize the day -- Avenge Sevenfold

This means war --Avenge Sevenfold

One -- Metallica

Enter Sandman -- metallica

Nothing else matters -- metallica

Waking the demon -- BFMV

Tears don't fall --BFMV

Your betrayal -- BFMV

Saviour -- BVB

In the end --BVB

So far away -- Staind

All American Nightmare --

Broken -- Seether

Remedy -- Seether

Call me -- shinedown

Enemies -- shinedown

Get up -- shinedown

Up all night -- Hinder

Thing for you -- Hinder

Use me -- Hinder

Without you -- Hinder

All American Nightmare -- Hinder

Ladies Come First -- Hinder

(Click for playlist)

YouTube

I am Axel Crowley - YouTube

This is the sound track to Axel Crowley

The Addams Family (1991) dir. Barry Sonnenfeld

Crystals

~ What are Crystals and what are they used for?

   Most crystals ( in this case including gems, rocks, precious stones, semi-precious stones, and simple stones) are of mineral origin. Crystals, like amethyst, come out of the ground naturally faceted and don’t need to be changed in anyway. Diamonds, for example, come out of the ground equally as rough, but are usually polished and cut into intricate styles.

 For many years, crystal have been used as a tool to aid spiritual healing, psychic development, and meditation.

~ How can I incorporate Crystals into my everyday life?

   You can carry around your crystals. This way you can feel your crystals energy when needed. Place them in a little sachet or pouch and they are ready to go!

    Infuse your water with your clean crystals. This is a fast way to feel your crystals energy.

    Decorate your magickal space and/or surroundings with crystals.

    Meditate with your crystals. Just spend a minimum of 30 seconds with each crystal. Hold it in your hands, close your eyes, and feel its energy soaking into your skin.

How Crystals Can Help You

Agate

  ~Banded: help you feel grounded, remain focused, and banishes fears.

  ~Blue Lace: helps you adjust and adapt.

  ~Moss: refreshes spirit, brings peace of mind, helps to develop intuition.

  ~Tree: aids meditation and clear thinking, reduces stress.

Amazonite ~ soothes the nervous system, increases self-esteem and confidence.

Amber ~ relieves depression and lifts your spirits.

Amethyst ~ the great healer of mind, body, and spirit. helps the development of psychic abilities and intuition.

Apache Tears ~ brings good fortune and positive energy.

Apatite ~ aids in motivation and communicative powers.

Aquamarine ~ helps you during hard decisions and times. promotes compassion and empathy.

Azurite ~ relinquishes harmful beliefs.

Bloodstone (aka Heliotrope) ~ calms fears, and dispels confusion and obsessive ideas.

Calcite ~ boosts energy and provides amazing psychic protection.

Carnelian (aka Sard) ~ banishes jealousy and inspires courage. aids perception.

Celestine ~ helps with communication and good thoughts.

Chalcedony ~ balances emotions and lifts your spirits.

Chrysocolla ~ eases stress and promotes self-confidence.

Citrine ~ helps steady emotions and give inspiration.

Coral ~ strengthens and protects emotions.

Desert Rose ~ promotes love and stability in relationships.

Diamond ~ assists in your connection with the universe.

Emerald ~ strong healer with both physical and mental problems.

Fluorite ~ helps with rationality and combats anxiety and worries.

Garnet ~ protects against melancholy and depression. encourages perseverance and patience.

Hematite ~ helps with psychic development and building self-esteem.

Jade ~ a very useful healing stone for both the body and spirit.

Jasper ~ aids with stress relief and grounding. promotes tranquility.

Jet ~ keeps evil spirits at bay and strengthens character.

Kunzite ~ helps align emotions. provides security.

Kyanite ~ helps to align and heal chakras.

Labradorite ~ aids with strong development of psychic powers.

Lapis Lazuli ~ helps develop your sixth sense. stimulates intuition. promotes creativity.

Lepidolite ~ great for relieving stress and dispelling negative emotions.

Malachite ~ used for healing when dealing with negative emotions.

Moonstone ~ restores harmony and emotion balance.

Obsidian ~ helps you to focus on the paranormal, used for protection and a scrying tool.

Onyx ~ instills a protective psychic shield. 

Opal ~ helps with rationalizing emotional states.

Pearl ~ aids self-respect, stability, and self-esteem.

Pyrite ~ opens the mind to new ideas.

Quartz ~ channels and aids in meditation. a powerful healing stone.

Rose Quartz ~ aids in anything love-related. instills comfort, relieves grief, and promotes harmonious relationships.

Rutilated Quartz ~ releases energy blockers.

Rhodonite ~ helps with assurance and confidence.

Ruby ~ purifies love, promotes spiritual knowledge and to be realistic about situations.

Sapphire ~ aids in mental clarity, clearing your inner eye, and bringing good fortune.

Smoky Quartz ~ filters out negative thoughts and emotions. helps with telepathy.

Sodalite ~ heals damaged emotions, and aids in restful sleep.

Tanzanite ~ helps you to accept change.

TIger’s Eye ~ a powerful aid in those seeking knowledge about past or future lives. promotes persistence and protection.

Topaz ~ allows you to transmit your visualizations as universal messages. an aid in telepathy.

Tourmaline ~ repels all negative energy and is a powerful stone for protection.

Turquoise ~ an aid in luck, love, money, and protection.

Unakite ~ heals the psyche, helps you realize your higher self.

Crystal Care Tips

  Some crystals shouldn’t be left in direct sunlight. These include: Amethyst, Ametrine, Aquamarine, Celestite, Citrine, Fluorite, Kunzite, Opal, Rose Quartz, Smoky Quartz, Topaz, and Turquoise.

  Some crystals shouldn’t get wet. These include: Celestine, Desert Rose, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Malachite, Selenite, and Sodalite.

Click here to learn about Crystal Shapes.

source: Crystals by Cass & Janie Jackson

* If there is anything we missed or you’d like to add, just let us know! *

I hope this is useful! xx ~ @chlovoyant

Pendulums 🧵

Disclaimer This is all based on my research, experiences & opinion. 

Introduction  I got sent an ask referring to pendulums & although I use pendulums & have made a post before it was quite short & poorly written so here we are again with a new one! 

Defining & Acquiring A Pendulum 

What is a pendulum?  The mundane definition of a pendulum is-  “A weight hung from a fixed point so that it can swing freely backward and forward, especially a rod with a weight at the end that regulates the mechanism of a clock.” While this is simply the mundane definition, it gives you a good idea of an object or creation that might qualify as a pendulum. From a witchcraft perspective, a pendulum is a small item that hangs from a string/thread/chain that can be used for divination. 

Why use a pendulum? Many forms of divination require a bit of in depth analysis & aren’t very useful for simply or yes/no questions while a pendulum is perfect for this. It is also fairly simple, beginner friendly, closet witch friendly, cheap & portable! 

Where do I get a pendulum?  I got mine at a shop that specializes in crystal jewelry but you can make a pendulum, use a necklace, or buy them at crystal, metaphysical, or witchy/pagan supply shops. 

How do I make one?  You can make a pendulum out of really any small object and a string/thread/chain. A common way to make one easily is by using a needle on a thread. There a lot of options though depending on what you have access to, how much time you want it to take, how much knowledge you have & how witchy you want it to look. If you want to make a pendulum that is anything but simple then google pictures! 

Where can I get a pendulum? | How do I pick?  If you would like to buy a pendulum instead of make one there are a wide variety of things people use to make pendulums but a common one is crystals. Mine is opalite! The type of crystal or other material the pendulum is made out of will correspond with the uses the pendulum has. Ex: a rose quartz pendulum is good for questions relating to love. Other materials may carry correspondences too, such as wood or metal. 

How do I use a pendulum? 

Cleansing & Charging  As you do with all items you intend to use for witchcraft, cleanse the pendulum before you use it! You can also choose to charge it, especially if its crystal but this isn’t as deeply essential as cleansing. 

Method Selection  You can either ask the pendulum to “show you yes/no/ect” and watch/record the way it swings or use a pendulum board (good idea to google one so you get a better idea what I’m referring to.) A pendulum board has “yes/no/ect” written on it and you hold the pendulum above it. It swings & its answers are indicated by the board below. I have always used the first method personally but it’s entirely up to you! 

Basic Question  Now that you’re prepared, ask the pendulum several questions you already know the answers to. You could also chose to interview the pendulum as you would other divination tools such as a tarot deck. This is entirely up to you though. 

Practice  Practice makes perfect! If you want to get used to using a pendulum, practice a lot. Ask it diverse questions & record your results! 

Tips & Reminders 

Pendulums are best used for yes/no questions. 

If you can’t come up with a question, think of something that’s been troubling you & how you can turn that into a question. This also works with other forms of divination. 

If you use the method where you ask the pendulum to “show you” yes or no, it is advised you don’t just ask it to show this on the first reading & record results but ask it before each reading. Some pendulums are consistent, some are not. Some witches are consistent, some are not. 

I hope this helped you or you learned something!  Enjoy!  Have a lovely day 💖

Apple Pie Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 16 cookies 1x

Category: Dessert

Method: Oven

Cuisine: American

Description

Apple Pie Cookies – sticky and chewy, bite-sized caramel apple pies. Sometimes the regular old apple pie recipe is just too much dessert to handle. These gooey bites bring you the best of both worlds: the fruity-caramel flavor of traditional pie, with all of the convenience of a simple cookie recipe! (No fork required!!!)

Ingredients

For Apple Pie Filling :

3 apples (about 1 lbs.)-peeled and sliced into 8 slices each

1–2 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoon white sugar

3 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoon corn starch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

A dash of nutmeg

3/4 cup water

For Pie Crust :

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter cut into cubes-chilled

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup ice water

(or you can use 1 package Refrigerated Pie Crust (2 crusts))

Filling and Topping:

1 and 3/4 cups apple pie filling-chopped into small pieces

1 cup caramel sauce

1 egg -lightly beaten

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

To make Apple Pie Filling:

Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and set aside.

In a saucepan or a pot combine cornstarch, sugar, browned sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat whisking constantly. Let it boil 2 minutes until thick, then stir in apple slices.

Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer about 10 minutes. Apples should be soft but not mushy (cooking time depend on sort of apples). Remove apples from heat and leave them covered to soften and cooled.

When it’s cooled take out the apples from the sauce and chop into small pieces, set aside.

To make Pie Crust:

In a large mixing bowl place flour, salt and sugar and mix to combine.

Using a pastry blender incorporate chilled butter cubes into the flour mixture(the mixture should resemble coarse meal)

Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and blend, repeat with another 2 tablespoons water. When you squeeze the dough it should holds together (you may have to add more water if the dough crumbles, add 1 tablespoon at a time)

Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten and form two disc, pack each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Lightly dust working surface with flour, place chilled dough, dust the dough and the rolling pin, too. Turn the dough as you rolling to prevent it from sticking. Roll it out 1/8-inch thick.

Repeat the process with the other disc.

Assembling the Apple Pie Cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 F, line cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.

Spread the caramel sauce onto one pie crust.

Spread chopped apple pie filling over caramel and gently tap the filling with your palms.

Cut second pie crust into 1/2 inch strips and create a lattice top over the filling.

Using round cookie cutter (about 2.5 inch) cut out the cookies and place them onto baking sheet.

Beat the egg with a fork and brush the top of cookies.

Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the cookies generously.

Bake 20-30 minutes (until golden brown).