Let The Obsessive Research Begin!

Hello fellow Tarot readers! Here are my three favorite two card spreads that I use most often in my day to day practice. If I had to choose, I’d say that I like the Release/Receive spread the most; I often use this as an alternative to energy of the day draws. Of course, there are hundreds of two-card spreads out there if none of these resonate with you!

What are some of your favorite two-card spreads?

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Hi, I've been having a tough time finding good resources for Roman Polytheism, everything seems to be Hellenic. Do you have any suggestions? I'd appreciate very much!

Roman Religion

On the Nature of the Gods by Cicero

On Divination by Cicero

The City of God by Augustine

On Agriculture by Varro

Fragmenta by Verrius Flaccus

Historica Testimonia by Verrius Flaccus

An Introduction to Roman Religion by John Scheid

The Gods of Ancient Rome by Robert Turcan 

The Cults of the Roman Empire by Robert Turcan

Religions of Rome, vol. 1 by Beard, North, & Price

Religions of Rome, vol. 2 by Beard, North, & Price

Religion in the Roman Empire by John Rives

Stoicism

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Letters of a Stoic by Seneca

The Handbook by Epictetus

Roman Mythology

The Aeneid by Virgil

The Golden Ass by Apuleius

Metamorphoses by Ovid

Fasti by Ovid

Roman History and Culture

On the Latin Language by Varro

Legionary: The Roman Soldier’s [Unofficial] Manual by Philip Matyszak

Ancient Rome on 5 Denarii a Day by Philip Matyszak

Websites

www.novaroma.org

www.templumdeorum.org

www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper

perseus.uchicago.edu

(source of list)

Grimoire/BOS Ideas

I see so many posts asking about tips and tricks or just what you put in a BOS/Grimoire so I decided that it was time to give some ideas as to what you may include in your own.

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To begin we will start with what will be used as your bos/Grimoire.

My Grimoire is actually made from an old chapter book. I like to think I am clever so I took my old book “War of the Witches” and turned that into my grimoire. I just paint, paste, color or draw over top of the pages I have even added in extra pages, envelopes and other secret tricks into it and it adds an aesthetically pleasing touch to my book.

You can also use a notebook, sketchbook, scrapbook or create your own. The best part about this whole project is it’s completely up to you how you approach it. There are lots of BOS/Grimoire walkthroughs on YouTube that can be beneficial to you.

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Now onto the ideas. There are lots of things you can include but these are some that I personally have in mine. Everybody’s walk, and path is different, so keep that in mind as you design your special book.

📚Your rules as a witch. This can be something as simple as a sentence to a whole set of rules that you can set for yourself.

📚Your Natal chart and the moon phase you were born on. Researching my day of birth has helped me gain understanding of myself a little better.

📚The pentacle and directional/ element points.

📚A book blessing. I didn’t do an entire ritual or anything but I did put a dedication and blessing into my book

📚Spirit companion dedication pages. I have a few pages dedicated to my spirit companion. It includes a tarot interview from when we first met, a picture I drew of her, some basic info on her appearance and what she likes.

📚Correspondences. I have a bunch of pages that include incense, crystal, animal, etc.. correspondences that I can refer back to where needed. I kept all of mine together with room to grow but it can be spread out.

📚Deity dedications. I personally don’t work with any deities but if I did I would use a dedication page to not only bond with them but have information for your own use about them as well.

📚A dream recorder. This may take up a lot of space if you’re regularly logging your dreams but I put an envelope in mine for certain dreams that I want to decipher more. Along with a small dream interpretation page that I created with my own interpretations.

📚astral travel info and what helps you cross into the astral. I drew a door that I envision and can open to cross over into the astral.

📚A travel altar. I drew one into my Grimoire that matches my set up at home. That way I can use it on the go.

📚The Moon Phases

📚The wheel of the year (if you celebrate the holidays)

📚Your favorite Tumblr blogs or YouTube channels to get witchy info from

📚Rituals that you created

📚Spells that you created

📚The theban alphabet. Or any other alphabet that you choose to.

📚 A section for divination. (Tarot, Scrying, tunes etc…)

📚A removable page that has the moon phases and events for the year

📚Flora that grows on your area that you work with or just want to know more about

📚Quotes that keep you witching. Sometimes motivation can be less than abundant. It’s always nice to have some extra laying around

📚 A map of all the witchy getaways near you

📚How to make a witches bottle

📚Talking board. I have one that I made but don’t actually use. It’s more of an art piece really.

📚Create a witchy playlist and write it down

📚Detailed pages in the sabbats

📚A page dedicated to your lineage and ancestors.

Those are just a few. I will add to the list as I go. Remember that this is your craft and your journey. I suggest having a draft BOS if you are a beginner. I didn’t like the first way I had mine. It’s up to you how you design, how you learn and what information you choose to learn.

I will end this by saying don’t just put info in there to fill up your book that you won’t use. It’s no sense creating a guidebook that you can’t or won’t use. Only put the info in that you know or plan to use in the future.

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hello my lovelies! long time no post! x

here is my midsummer/summer solstice/litha/etc spread! i recommend for crystal use incorporating rose quartz, citrine, moonstone, carnelian, garnet, tigers eye, or amber into ur practices on this beautiful day. of course, any crystals u can get your hands on will be beneficial if thats what you choose to do, but a little bit of rose quartz did no one any harm ;) 

for candles/incense, i keep my black candles for the later period of the year when im screaming around my house n pretending to not b terrified of LIFE :) right now, i bring in red (love n passion, baby!), oranges (bring in those new beginnings which are always appearing in front of u this time of yr!), and yellows (communication n GOOD HEALTH SO SAY GOODBYE TO UR ALLERGIES - jks, sadly). white is always good - really just the classic warm colours that can be used for either chakra channeling, meditation, spell work, etc. in the incense-sphere, lavender and chamomile are GREAT for this time of year. I also rec dragons blood for any sexy charms/spells/etc u might be doing.

i hope this has helped and that u enjoy using this spread! pls lmk (if u want) if u do use it omfg i LOVE hearing from u guys and learning what worked for u/what didn’t and the results u got! 

happy midsummer/summer solstice/litha to all u magical folk out there - have a fab time of yrrrrr! x

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Beginner Witchcraft - UPDATE

A common post request.

How to begin:

Begin by reading everything you possibly can about witchcraft, plants, other religions, etc.

Take notes on everything you can.

Be creative and use your imagination, look for symbols in your day-to-day lives.  

Re-read your notes and important information,

Do your research.

Make sure you research all paths and philosophies.

Start a consistent meditation and visualization regime.

Find a path you love.

Learn about yourself and your path and beliefs.

Work with your energy and practice harnessing it.

Start practicing your spells after enough research.

Write your own spells and start a grimoire.

Continue reading and learning.                                                                                                                                                                                      

Topics to research:    

Herbalism

Different witchcraft paths

Witchcraft history and its origins.

Different deities in different cultures

Folklore, superstitions,  and wives tales

Mythology from different cultures

The elements Air, Earth, Water, Fire

Basic tools and supplies for the craft

Sabbats and esabats

Witchcraft misconceptions

Nature cycles and lunar phases

Divination

Alchemy

Chakras

Auras

Working with spirits and angels

Tarot

Crystals

Runes                                                                                                       Magickal theory

Spells

Curses - the dangers and how to cast them properly

Sigils

Familiars

Incense

Ways to stay safe when practising

Types of Witches

Cheap witchcraft supplies

Dangers of witchcraft

Solitary v.s Coven witchcraft

Ritual structure

How to set up an altar

Study Nature

Negative energy and how to rid of it.

Candle magick

Astrology

Psychic Practises

Faeries

Protection against harm

Things to practice:

Grounding and centering

Meditation

Casting and closing a circle

Raising, releasing, and visualizing energy.

Record any magick practices, visions, or dreams you receive.   

Spend as much time as possible in nature.        

Listen and observe.               

Practice invoking Gods, Goddesses, and elements.  

Cleansing

Charging

Warding

Keep your grimoire up-to-date

Find a mentor - Someone to help you find your path

Practise staying concentrated

Intent

Remember:

All paths are good paths, do not insult anyone’s path.

You do not need any fancy equipment to practise

You don’t need to practise everyday

Follow your path don’t  let others tell you what to do or force their beliefs on you.

Believe in yourself!

Take care of yourself

Be respectful of others paths and beliefs

Never stop learning

Ask questions

Make lots of friends in the community

Stay safe

Make sure you do not steal from closed religions!

Have fun!

May the moon light your path!

==Moonlight Academy==

🎀 Astro Placements with the most AURA 🎀

🎀 Scorpio/Capricorn/Sagittarius Mars

🎀 Pluto/Sun 1H

🎀 Mars conjuct Venus

🎀 Capricorn Saturn

🎀 12H Sun

🎀 Neptune aspecting Ascendant

🎀 Jupiter aspecting the Ascendant

🎀 Pluto aspecting Moon

🎀 12H Neptune or Uranus

🎀 Mercury 1H

🎀 8H Sun/Moon

🎀 4H Moon/Cancer Moon

🎀 Sun in Leo

🎀 6H Saturn

🎀 Gemini/Virgo Mercury

🎀 Venus in Pisces/12H

🎀 Moon in Sagittarius/Moon in the 9H

🎀 Mercury aspecting Pluto

🎀 Uranus in the 1H

🎀 Aquarius Venus/11H Venus

🎀 Scorpio Venus/8H Venus

Do you have any of these placements?

🌲Yuletide Simmer Pot🌲

I know I’m a few days early but I wanted to welcome the season in a little earlier than usual; plus I wanted to do some spell work too after the week I’ve had at work so yeah!

❄️ Ingredients ❄️

❄️A handful of cranberries for Abundance & Love ❄️A few bay leaves for Protection & Manifestation  ❄️Several orange slices for Luck & Prosperity ❄️4 cinnamon sticks for Success & Prosperity  ❄️3 tbsps. of whole cloves for more Protection & Clarity ❄️A whole red delicious apple in slices for Beauty & Wisdom ❄️A few pine branches for Cleansing & Protection

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good questions to ask tarot

in my opinion you can ask the tarot anything, but here are some ideas for those who don’t know where to start

Love/Relationships:

- What kind of partner would be best for me?

- How will I know when I’ve found the right person?

- Is my heart ready for a relationship?

- Is the person I’m interested in right for me?

- Is there anything I need to know about the person I’m interested in/dating?

- Are there any red flags in my relationships that I’m oblivious to?

- Is the person I love deceiving me in some way?

- What purpose does this relationship serve in my life? 

- How can I build more emotional intimacy between me and my partner?

- How can I attract love into my life?

- What’s the biggest obstacle in my relationships?

- What stops me from getting emotionally vulnerable with my loved ones?

- How can I be more sensitive to my loved ones needs?

Career/Life Path

- How can I become more open to understanding my life’s purpose?

- What would be the result of pursuing the career I have in mind?

- What should I do to figure out which career path is meant for me?

- What obstacles do I need to overcome in order to achieve my goals? 

- Are the goals I’m working toward right for me?

- What can I do right now to better align me with my life’s purpose?

- How can I unlock my hidden talents?

- What skills do I possess that I can utilize to get closer to my goals? 

- What’s the best strategy to advance in my career path?

Feeling Stuck/Depressed/Anxious

- What is the root of my emotional turmoil?

- Why am I still carrying this emotional baggage?

- How can I let go of emotional burdens stopping me from being my best self?

- What is the reason that I feel stuck and directionless right now?

- Where can I find my next new adventure?

- Why does _________ bother me so much?

- What can I focus on to clear my mind of what’s weighing me down?

- What action do I need to take to be more emotionally balanced?

- How can I find what makes me happy?

Relationship Troubles or Break-ups

- What is the root of the problems in my relationship?

- When did these problems start to cause conflict?

- Should I try to stay and work things out or should I just move on?

- Is my relationship causing more harm than good?

- I know this relationship is bad for me but I don’t know how to leave. What should I do?

- What purpose did this relationship and its ending serve in my life?

- What was I able to learn from this experience? 

- How can I ease my mind and let go of my grief?

- Why did this break-up have to happen? 

Spirituality

- How can I become more aligned with my spirituality?

- What purpose does spirituality serve in my life?

- What does my higher power look/feel like?

- What does the universe want me to know right now? 

- How can I open myself up to receive messages from the universe and/or my higher power? 

- How can I gain more awareness of my subconscious mind?

- What’s blocking my intuition?

- How can I become more in tune with the universe’s vibrations?

- How can I find my spiritual purpose in my life?

- What action can I take to strengthen my spirituality?

You!

- What’s something unique about who I am?

- How can I gain more awareness of my identity?

- What best describes my personality?

- What is a trait that others can see in me that I’m oblivious to?

- What kind of hidden talents do I possess?

- How can I unlock my true passion?

- How can I be more confident in my self-expression?

- What’s a good way to learn to express my true emotions? 

- Where do you see me in the future?

- What do I still carry with me from the past?

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Witchcraft for when depression hits 🥀

Sometimes, we may think that our magick is invalid, or that our deities don’t want to work with us anymore when we have depression. Altars get dusty, the air gets stale, and maybe you have quit working with magick all together, but still identify as a practicing witch.

Depression is an illness. If a professional runner fractured a leg, how could they continue to run while going through recovery?  Can a witch continue to do mental work if their mental health is suffering? Think about it: witches are constantly using their brain to get themselves in a highly spiritual and magickal state. You cannot expect yourself to want to work with magick if getting out of bed is difficult on its own.

Understand that your deities are forgiving and understanding beings. Your magick will not dwindle. In fact, when you are sick, your deities and spirit guides will protect you and make sure nothing bad happens to you while you are sick. Don’t feel guilty for your depression. Depression is an illness, not a lack of dedication or general carelessness. I am going to give you advice on what kinds of spiritual work you can do while in a depressive episode.

Candle magick 🕯

🔮 Light a candle of your choice that symbolizes whatever you want to manifest (i.e yellow = confidence)

Aromatherapy 🧼

🔮 Different essential oils promote all different kinds of things. Lemon is uplifting and happy, while lavender is calming and promotes sleep.

Healing crystals 💎

🔮 All you need to do is set the intention. You can keep crystals by your bed, or you can set them up in a specific way for a spell or intention.

Chanting 🗣

🔮 You don’t need to get up for this one! You can even chant in your head.

Sleep meditation 💤

🔮 Sleep meditations are wonderful because of all of the insight you can get from intense dreaming. YouTube has great sleep meditation music.

Guided meditation 🧘🏻‍♂️ 🌀 🧘🏼‍♀️

🔮 This can be done in the bed as well. There are meditations on akashic records, spirit guides, past lives, you name it.

Be safe and know that it is okay to feel depressed sometimes. Make sure to get professional help if possible to help if these depressive episodes are chronic or prolonged. Know that the world loves you. Your deities love you. I love you. We love you.

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Tarot Cards and Their Meanings

Wands:

Ace: Beginnings, birth, energy, self-image, new opportunities

2: Potential, planning, choices, contemplation

3: Long-term, foresight, putting things into motion

4: Rewards, celebrate good times (come on!), teamwork, home

5:Competition, conflict, brainstorming

6: Praise, self-confidence, recognition, role model

7: Defense, threat, perseverance

8: Progress, energy, swiftness

9: Perseverance, wounded, guarded

10: Responsibility, burden, stress or success

Page: Adventures, inspiration, ideas, journey, desires

Knight: Risk-taking, experiments, travel, fun, passion

Queen: Creativity, independence, friendly, optimistic, beauty

King: Leader, pride, energy, charisma, passion

Cups:

Ace: New feelings, awakening, imagination

2: Equality, respect, harmony, sharing

3: Friendship, celebration, fun

4:Withdrawal, indifference, boredom

5: Sadness, mourning, disappointment, regret, suffering

6: Kindness, caring, memories, childhood

7: Fantasy, illusion, creative brainstorming

8: Travel, retreat, spirit quest

9: Contentment, host, wish fulfillment

10:Happy home, shared love, peace, family

Page: Sensitive, gentle, Imaginative, kind

Knight:Romantic, flirt, artist, emotional intensity

Queen: Empathetic, sensitive, emotional, psychic, mother

King: Wise, calm, emotionally mature, father

Swords:

Ace:Truth, intellect, communication, clarity

2: Standstill, mediator, indecision

3: Loss, sorrow, betrayal

4: Rest, mental restoration, reflection

5: Defeat and self-defeat, irritability, arguments

6: Support, moving, retreat, mental healing

7: Gathering information,mental tests, strategy

8: Helpless thoughts, limiting beliefs, excuses

9: Worry, anxiety, insomnia, repressed thoughts

10: Finished, closure, give up

Page: Curious, student, intellect, thoughtfulness

Knight: Debate, explorer, rushing, revolutionary

Queen: Truthful, self-aware, teacher, intellect

King: Objective, intelligent, assertive, fair, logical

Pentacles:

Ace: Healthy beginnings, investing, grounded, opportunity

2: Play, changes, multitasking, adapting

3: Planning, employment, teamwork, assistance

4: Stable, saving, cautious, boundaries

5: Unstable, illness, supportive friends, lack of security

6: Charity, generosity, giving back, assistance

7: Assessment, trial and error, editing, feedback

8: Repetition, precision, commitment, meaningful work

9: Luxury, discipline, earned rewards, fruits of labor

10: Wisdom, home, wealth, legacy, home

Page: New project/job, Student, new studies, cautious

Knight: Loyal, dependable, hard working, practical

Queen: Mother, Fertile, down to earth, nurturing, protective

King:Wealthy, successful, loving father, stubborn, practical

Major Arcana:

The Fool: Trust, Beginning, open minded, innocence

The Magician: Will, personal power, intention, resourcefulness

The High Priestess: Inner Wisdom, Meditation, spirituality

The Empress: Mother, creativity, nurturing, sensuality

The Emperor: Power, structure, stability, father

The Hierophant: Responsibility, knowledge, teacher, belief system

The Lovers: Sexuality, union, love, cooperation

The Chariot: Determination, Control, momentum, competence

Strength: Courage, Strength/ inner strength, survival

The Hermit: Guidance, wisdom, perspective, solitude

Wheel of Fortune: Luck, expansion, destiny, change, movement

Justice: Ethics, law, balance, fairness, accountability

The Hanged Man: Release, waiting, surrender, sacrifice

Death: Regeneration, ending, closure, transformation

Temperance: Experimenting, creating, combining, compromise

The Devil: Limitations, attachments, commitment

The Tower: Sudden shock, chaos, destruction, questioning beliefs

The Star: Renewal, peace, optimism, boundlessness

The Moon: The shadow self, dreams, confusion, intuition

The Sun: Playfulness, acceptance, personal growth, enthusiasm

Judgement: Transition, maturing, reviewing

The World: Integration, connection, wholeness, completion, options

Hey guys! It’s been a long time but I’m working on some posts for later. I’m probably am going to work on a reversed version of the cards for next time. Thanks for reading!- Samantha

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