Help Me. I Made More. How Did This AU Come About Again? I Basically Spent Way Too Much Time Being Interested

ward checkup checklist

if you have an astral or physical space that is warded, you’ll probably have many layers of wards or at least a few strong wards, but regardless of the number of wards you have it’s always prudent to do regular checkups. 

do note that each of your wards will have a different composition and function so these checkups probably won’t apply to every ward, so based on the type of ward you will have to learn to adjust your checkup accordingly. 

leaks and weak spots. this is quite universal for a lot of wards out there, especially for large wards or wards that involve more complicated shapes or that cover spaces that are filled with corners and objects. certain parts of the ward may be less concentrated than others or may receive less attention when being made, which makes them tend to become more vulnerable faster. make sure that the energy distribution is consistent when making or repairing wards.

stiffness or rigidity. sometimes wards can harden or become rigid in certain areas, which makes them more vulnerable to impact from attacks as they are more likely to break or shatter. there is a difference between rigid wards and sturdy wards, wards don’t necessarily have to be completely unmovable and inflexible to be sturdy and durable. keep energy flowing through wards until it breaks down the rigidity and keeps the wards more malleable.

decrease in concentration. sometimes wards can lose their energy when not in use, especially wards that are made to only activate when provoked. these can lose essentially the body and what powers the ward and make the ward less effective when in use. check up on these wards frequently and make sure that they are still functioning optimally.

clumps and clogs. the energy in wards can gather and clump up or cause a clog sometimes, especially in wards that involve moving energy. this can pose a problem as clumping often leads to well, blockages and decreased flow which can just slow the flow of the ward and stop it from doing what it was meant to do, you know? find clumps or clogs and work energy through it until it spreads out and the energy is flowing like it’s supposed to.

energy reactivity and selectivity. for wards that are meant to filter stuff (e.g. anti-glamour ward) or wards that only react when a certain set of conditions are met (e.g. offence ward that sucks intruders’ energy), they can get less reactive or less selective over time without use. check these wards frequently and test them to ensure that they still work optimally.

energy contamination. for wards that are used a lot and involves a lot of passing through, or wards that are for cleansing or absorption, these can get contaminated very easily. cleanse these regularly or reset them to ensure maximum function.

The Witch Ball

This is a rewrite of one of my first posts.

One of my favorite ways of warding the home is with a traditional glass witch ball. There are many kinds of witch balls, but here I am referring to the blown glass variety. Many witches will fill an empty Christmas ornament with herbs or nails or something and use it as a spell. Very crafty. But my preferred variety of witch ball is the blown glass sort with threads of glass in the middle.

These were traditionally made by glassblowers as a way of ending their work day. They were historically made from scraps of glass, which is why so many of them are multicolored. They’re simple blown glass balls with threads of glass in the center, made by sticking metal objects (such as knitting needles) in the still-molten glass ball. The witch ball is placed near a window or a door, usually on a cord made of knotted rope or leather. The wise homemaker cleans her witch ball regularly, as this cleans it of dark spirits.

The witch ball may be descended from glass fishing floats, which are often sold in seaside tourist towns as decorative gifts. The first glass witch balls were most likely developed in England in the 17th or 18th Century and were inspired by these glass buoys.

According to popular belief, the witch ball represents the witch who has been tried and hanged. A witch ball will float in water, like a witch thrown in a body of water during a trial. It was believed that witches were rejected by bodies of water because they were too impure. By this logic, witches, like the glass fishing floats of yore, were unable to sink. Glass fishing floats, and later witch balls, were tied up in nets or left to dangle from ropes, not unlike a witch sentenced to die at the gallows. For these reasons, the witch ball serves as a symbolic warning to all witches who dare enter one’s home.

The ball’s inner threads work by means of fascination. Witches and dark spirits are drawn into the ball because they cannot resist playing with its threads. They are entranced (or “fascinated”) by them. They wind themselves through the ball’s threads until the ball is cleaned by its owner. When the owner cleans it and wipes away the dust, she also wipes it free of evil spirits. Many other spirit traps work by a similar principle - the witch bottle, the dream catcher, even a handful of rice thrown toward a malevolent entity - they all work by fascination.

Many older witch balls have a mirror glaze. Some believe the large gazing balls that decorate gardens throughout the country may have their origin in the smaller, more magical witch ball. The mirror glaze is yet another fascinating thing about the witch ball.

No matter their origin or how they work, the witch ball is at the very least a delightful and rustic objet d’art. I find witch balls to be very effective, however. They can last for generations and are, in my opinion, one of the most aesthetic ways to ward a home.

US Helplines:

Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433

LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743

Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438

Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673

Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272

Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000

Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253

Child Abuse: 1-800-422-4453

UK Helplines:

Samaritans (for any problem): 08457909090 e-mail jo@samaritans.org

Childline (for anyone under 18 with any problem): 08001111

Mind infoline (mental health information): 0300 123 3393 e-mail: info@mind.org.uk

Mind legal advice (for people who need mental-health related legal advice): 0300 466 6463 legal@mind.org.uk

b-eat eating disorder support: 0845 634 14 14 (only open Mon-Fri 10.30am-8.30pm and Saturday 1pm-4.30pm) e-mail: help@b-eat.co.uk

b-eat youthline (for under 25’s with eating disorders): 08456347650 (open Mon-Fri 4.30pm - 8.30pm, Saturday 1pm-4.30pm)

Cruse Bereavement Care: 08444779400 e-mail: helpline@cruse.org.uk

Frank (information and advice on drugs): 0800776600

Drinkline: 0800 9178282

Rape Crisis England & Wales: 0808 802 9999 1(open 2 - 2.30pm 7 - 9.30pm) e-mail info@rapecrisis.org.uk

Rape Crisis Scotland: 08088 01 03 02 every day, 6pm to midnight

India Self Harm Hotline: 00 08001006614

India Suicide Helpline: 022-27546669

Kids Help Phone (Canada): 1-800-668-6868

FREE 24/7 suicide hotlines:

Argentina: 54-0223-493-0430

Australia: 13-11-14

Austria: 01-713-3374

Barbados: 429-9999

Belgium: 106

Botswana: 391-1270

Brazil: 21-233-9191

China: 852-2382-0000

(Hong Kong: 2389-2222)

Costa Rica: 606-253-5439

Croatia: 01-4833-888

Cyprus: 357-77-77-72-67

Czech Republic: 222-580-697, 476-701-908

Denmark: 70-201-201

Egypt: 762-1602

Estonia: 6-558-088

Finland: 040-5032199

France: 01-45-39-4000

Germany: 0800-181-0721

Greece: 1018

Guatemala: 502-234-1239

Holland: 0900-0767

Honduras: 504-237-3623

Hungary: 06-80-820-111

Iceland: 44-0-8457-90-90-90

Israel: 09-8892333

Italy: 06-705-4444

Japan: 3-5286-9090

Latvia: 6722-2922, 2772-2292

Malaysia: 03-756-8144

(Singapore: 1-800-221-4444)

Mexico: 525-510-2550

Netherlands: 0900-0767

New Zealand: 4-473-9739

New Guinea: 675-326-0011

Nicaragua: 505-268-6171

Norway: 47-815-33-300

Philippines: 02-896-9191

Poland: 52-70-000

Portugal: 239-72-10-10

Russia: 8-20-222-82-10

Spain: 91-459-00-50

South Africa: 0861-322-322

South Korea: 2-715-8600

Sweden: 031-711-2400

Switzerland: 143

Taiwan: 0800-788-995

Thailand: 02-249-9977

Trinidad and Tobago: 868-645-2800

Ukraine: 0487-327715

(Source)

Got called a “phone hoarder” meaning I save so much stuff on my phone it can’t handle it. I was raised by a hoarder and I hold that part of myself back, but I am actively posting on about 7 places and that accumulates. Sorry not sorry 

Once again I was inspired by the coziness of Ghibli films to make a hearty soup!

I’m calling this one Forest Porridge 🍂💕

(Vegetarian and vegan substitution at the end!)

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet. To the skillet add one diced sweet onion, Cook on medium heat until onions begin to become translucent. Then add 1 pound of mushrooms to the skillet (stems removed) and continue cooking until the mushrooms release their moisture.

In a soup pot melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add three carrots and two ribs of celery, sliced, three or four diced red potatoes (more or less to your preference) and cook over medium heat until tender (about eight minutes).

Add three cloves of minced garlic and 1.5 teaspoons of dried thyme and 1 teaspoon of dried basil to the skillet with the onions and cook for about a minute, stirring.

Add onion mushroom mixture to the soup pot along with 6 cups of chicken broth and one cup of rice (I used jasmine). Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

In the skillet you used for the onions cook two diced chicken thighs until golden brown.

Add the chicken and any drippings to the soup pot to simmer with the rest for the remainder of the 30 minutes.

Finally, mix in 1 cup half-and-half, 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, and 1 to 2 cups chopped fresh spinach.

Salt and pepper the absolute hell out of it, to taste but anything with potatoes and needs boatloads of salt.

Enjoy!

For a vegetarian variation swap chicken broth for vegetable broth and omit the chicken, omit the parmesan cheese or use a vegetarian/vegan substitute.

For a vegan variation swap butter for preferred oil or vegan butter, chicken broth for vegetable broth, omit the chicken, use one can of full fat coconut milk in place of the half-and-half and omit the parmesan cheese or use a vegetarian/vegan substitute.

Types of Herbal Remedies

I’ve compiled a list of types of herbal remedies, with brief instructions on how to make them. Choose your herbs carefully, as some are poisonous, some will interfere with health problems and medications, and some can cause allergic reactions.

If you are concerned about any health issue you have, or worried about herbs reacting with your medications, go talk to your doctor. This post is not intended as medical advice.

Compress

This is usually cloth that has been soaked in a herbal infusion so that it can be applied topically. Useful for skin issues, muscle pain, joint pain, and general aches.

You can make one by soaking cotton wool in a warm infusion of your choice, wrapping the balls in a piece of clean cloth, and applying to the affected area. Once the cloth cools down you can soak it again in the warm tea and reapply.

Infusion

This is basically the herbalist term for tea. The herbs are usually dried and ground before being steeped in very hot water and then strained out. If you use a bag then you can skip the straining.

Tincture

This is similar to an infusion but much stronger, and with alcohol instead of water, which helps to preserve it.

Put your herbs in a jar. Cover them with alcohol (most people I know use vodka). Put the lid on the jar and shake it daily for a month or so, then strain the herbs out. I tend to keep mine in the little dropper bottles, as you normally don’t need to take much at once.

Decoction

I like to think of these as a stronger infusion. You need four times as much boiling water as dried herb, and you want to simmer the mixture for about half an hour before straining.

Syrup

These are herbs mixed with a sugary substance, which makes them easier to consume and helps to preserve them a little. They’re a good way to get your herbs in if you have a sore throat, as they are often quite soothing.

You’ll need a couple ounces of fresh herb per pint of water. Put them on the stove and heat until about half of the water has evaporated. Then you need to add about five tablespoons of sugar/honey/maple syrup per pint of water you used originally (so if you put two pints in the pan, you need ten tablespoons). Keep stirring for about twenty minutes, then take it off the heat and bottle it up. You need to keep syrups in the fridge, preferably in a dark coloured jar or bottle.

Balm

Essential oils and beeswax, basically. Add about twenty drops of essential oil to a cup of melted beeswax, stick it in a jar, let it cool, and there you go! You can mix in juiced herbs if you like, but that’s optional.

Salve

A salve is basically essential oils mixed with beeswax, oils and herbs. I have seen them made with coconut oil, though if you live in a warmer environment then coconut oil won’t work for you as it melts. You need about fifty/fifty dried herbs and beeswax (if you live somewhere warm) or use a mixture of beeswax and an oil like olive or safflower if you live somewhere colder, just so it’s soft enough to use. Use about twenty drops of oil per cup of beeswax. You’ll need to melt the wax in a double boiler, and let the herbs infuse in the molten wax for about half an hour. Then you add your essential oils, and pour the molten salve into the containers and let it cool.

Ointment

This is basically a liquid balm or salve. Follow the methods above, but use oil instead of beeswax.

Bath

When taking a herbal bath, you are basically making a giant cup of tea! Fill an organza bag with your chosen herbs, and put it in the bath while you run the water, then remove it before you get in. You can reuse the bag of herbs, but they lose potency with each use, so I try to avoid doing this.

Poultice

This is a paste of herbs and sometimes other things that is applied to the skin. Used for infections, splinters, burns, boils etc. They’re pretty simple to make, you just mix some dried herbs with a tiny bit of boiling water to form a paste, put it on the area, and use a piece of cloth or gauze to keep it there. If you want to use fresh herbs you just mash them up.

🧿 Cleansing + Recharging Your Protections and Wards 🧿

Keeping your wards and protections in top shape is essential for maintaining a positive and safe environment. By keeping your wards and protections cleansed and recharged this helps maintain a harmonious and safe space. Here are some guidelines to help you determine how often to cleanse and recharge them!

I love this so much

“Witchcraft comes so naturally; it is in the way I feel the sun on my skin and the grass under my feet, the way the stars look and how the wind whispers to me.”

— b.f.

Some herbs and their magical properties from Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs 🌿