Witch Shit
witch shit
Improving your Intuition
There is a common misconception that only certain people are intuitive, that it is purely a metaphysical skill. A quote that really changed my perception of intuition was discussed by an author who gave a discussion on the different books on intuition and witchcraft she had written, “Intuition is a muscle”. But this would mean that everyone has this muscle! Many people feel barred from even trying to do magic, pick up a tarot deck or rune set, communicate with a passed relative, or even consult with their deity or god because they believe they are not intuitive. Coming from someone who is naturally gullible / somewhat naive, I want to talk a bit about what intuition is and how anyone can become more intuitive.
What is intuition?
The best way I can define intuition concisely is the ability to understand or know information immediately, without any conscious reasoning or evidence. The ability to know something without being told or being shown proof. This may sound completely foreign or impossible, so let me provide some context. Have you ever heard the phrase “The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife”? Have you ever gotten a “bad vibe” from someone and avoided them? That is your intuition at work! Even interpreting emotional context based on someone’s vocal tone, pitch, body language, are forms of intuitive understanding.
It may seem strange to think social nuances we have been trained to observe and interpret since the day we were born could involve intuition, but think about it. Is there any physical evidence or conscious reasoning to explain tension that is literally palpable? Is there physical proof that when someone speaks in a certain tone or pitch, or moves in a certain way, that they are angry? No, these are just things we have trained ourselves to understand. A form of intuition. But of course, this may not translate over to tarot, or spirit and deity communication as easily as one would like.
How does intuition work?
When discussing how intuition works exactly, we have to discuss what exactly someone who is intuitive actually senses. I look at intuition as a form of energy work. Lets briefly discuss the “Thick Tension” example. Tension from a conversation is not a physical concept in that it is not a literal brick that has weight when held in someone’s hand. But the conversation still disrupted the surrounding area, due to the energy that conversation created. Think about how different emotions feel like different things. Many describe anger as sharp, jabbing, thick. Sadness is often equated with water, such as when someone is “pouring their heart out”. Although emotions are not bricks, the energy they have creates a physical disturbance. intuition includes being able to interpret those energies even though they can’t be given physical evidence of existing.
There are a variety of different ways to sense energy, many of which include employing clair senses. Clair senses refer to the ability to have intuitive understanding through our senses, the discussion of which could take up many more posts, but I will link resources at the end of this post. Some of the kinds you may be familiar with include clairvoyance, clairaudience, claircognizance, and clairempathy (also known as being and “empath”).
So how can I improve my intuition?
Well, it depends on what you want to be able to do! But I will link and discuss a multitude of different exercises and things you can do to improve your intuition.
Be aware of physical sensations when speaking with others or entering situations. Do you feel at ease with someone even though you don’t know them? Or do you have a sinking feeling in your stomach that you are trying to ignore? Listen to your gut! More often than not, you will find your “hunch” being right, especially as you practice.
Practice divination! I am not just saying this because I love divination, I’m saying this because I primarily improved my claircognizance through using divination. I used to not really have hunches, but now I have extremely accurate ones after 3 years of practicing tarot reading and other forms of divination.
Keep a dream journal and try to start interpreting your dreams. As nonsensical as they may seem, if you research symbolism, you may begin to see patterns in your dreams that reflect the main problems or situations in your life. I know I have! And I rarely remember my dreams.
Practice identifying objects without looking at them. This is a fun sensory game for most, but with time and more difficult items, you may be able to sense the energy of the item itself, see an image of it in your minds eye, hear a sound it makes, etc. If you want to amp this up, close your eyes and walk through a room while trying not to bump into anything! This is great for practicing sensing the aura’s of objects, and the more you can sense, the more you can try to interpret.
The next two exercises I am taking from Ellen Dougan’s book “The Natural Psychic”.
The first is practicing using your senses, and requires you to journal for four days.
Day 1: Seeing day
You should focus on your environment as if you are seeing it for the first time. When you enter a new room or landmark, you scan teh area to get a lay of the land, right? Take time to notice colors, shapes, people and items that catch your attention. How do these make you feel? Write down what you notice.
Day 2: Hearing day
No background music today! We drown out a lot of the sounds in our environment to focus on individual tasks. Today, spend time listening to your environment, what do you hear? It would be great to go to a nature location during this day. Take note of what you hear and how it makes you feel.
Day 3: Touching day
At this point, you should be getting the drill. When you touch items today, really spend time touching them. Feel the fabric of your clothing as you get dressed, your keyboard and mouse when you type, feel your own pulse, pet your animals. How do you feel when touching different items, and how does touch impact others, such as your pets?
Day 4: Sensing day
Today we focus on our emotions, and how our environment makes us feel. Take note of how certain environments, certain people, make you feel. You can do this with plants as well! Take note of what you sense.
The second is the ace of spades exercise, and requires a deck of cards.
Take the ace of hearts, the ace of diamonds, and the ace of spades out of the deck. Place all three face down on a flat surface and then mix them up before lining them up in a row. Go over each card one at a time and try to figure out which one is the ace of spades. Turn it over to see if you’re right! For a trial run, do this no more than 10 times in one sitting, and note how many times you were correct. This is a great way to identify what clair senses you may be employing. Answer these questions about the times you were correct,
Did you “just know” it was that card, a feeling in your gut?
Did you know it was the card when you touched it?
Did your inner voice tell you which one it was?
Did you feel an emotional response?
Did you see the card in your mind’s eye?
Other Resources: http://www.okinhealth.com/articles/10-clairsenses-intuition-emily-matweow
https://consciouslifenews.com/8-simple-way-to-boost-your-clairvoyant-abilities85450/1185450/#
“The Natural Psychic” by Ellen Dougan
https://powerpriestess.tumblr.com/post/176034234934/clairvoyance-101
https://ghosthuntingrebelwitch.tumblr.com/post/169571479633/developing-your-super-senses-in-particular
https://messageinthecrystal.tumblr.com/post/178155680555/empath-info
http://rosymystic.tumblr.com/post/177522966777/smalls-ways-to-develop-intuition
Many thanks to dislocated-cannibal here on tumblr, who is my mentor for energy work, as well as other things, who discussed the concept of emotions creating a n energy we an feel with me at length. Please check them out! http://dislocated-cannibal.tumblr.com/
More Posts from Witchshkt and Others
Secular Altar Themes
Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn
Weather: rain, snow, fog, etc.
Biome: aquatic, forest, desert, grassland, tundra
Element: Earth, Air, Fire, Water
Celestial: Moon, Sun, stars, planets, etc.
Divination: display your methods of divination. If you work with Tarot/Oracle, highlight a certain card and its meanings
Healing: display whatever tools you use for your healing methods
Animal Focus
Color Focus
Crystal Focus
Material Focus: all wood materials, all copper, all glass, all porcelain, etc. Kitchen Witches can even have a whole tea set on their altar to Craft with
Witch Type: if you identify as a specific type of witch, you can coordinate your altar to that. See here for inspiration
Spell Type: love, wealth, prosperity, luck, growth, strength, protection, etc.
Aesthetic: whatever you like, Pinterest has inspiration for you
None: no strong theme at all! Just all your materials in one place with a cleared Craft space
Color Correspondences page in my grimoire ✒💕🍃
Gardening by the Moon
Credit: animamundiherbals
hello! i've been trying to research magic, but unfortunately most books i find are specific wicca, which i'm not interested in. do you have any book reccomendations that arent wicca centric? thank you! i love your blog :^)
Oh heckin yes I do My amazon wishlist is literally like six pages long… ALL BOOKS
WARNING: This Is Going To Be Extremely Long!
First though I want to note that while I 100% understand your feelings about the Wicca stuff (being a very NOT Wiccan Witch), not all books that are Wicca leaning are bad! I’ve gotten loads of useful information from books that tended to be a little new agey. That’s where being objective comes in! With ANY book, you should take it with a grain of salt, and some with a whole shaker. But it’s up to you to pay attention to misinformation and conflation, and to know how to do research to prove or disprove that something in a book you read is true or not. Does that make sense??
Anywho, a couple of books that are still kind of “Wicca-y” but great:
Grimoire of the Green Witch
The Goodly Spellbook (This one is an INCREDIBLY AWESOME REFERENCE)
The Modern Guide To Witchcraft (Written By Skye Alexander who seems to mass produce books, so need some good fact checking here)
The Modern Witchcraft SpellBook (Written By Skye Alexander who seems to mass produce books, so need some good fact checking here)
The Witches Broom (LOTS OF SALT but good basic history)
The Witches Athame (LOTS OF SALT but good basic history)
The Witches Mirror (LOTS OF SALT but good basic history)
Cottage Witchery (This author is pretty good about keeping away but there’s still some slips)
Practical Protection Magick (This author is pretty good about keeping away but there’s still some slips)
The Big Book of Practical Spells (Written by Judika Illes, who did the Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells; it’s a good book, but there’s too much Cultural appropriation for my taste. Tread Lightly, and bring that shaker I was talking about)
Those are all books from my personal collection that I would recommend! Now as for the Non-Wicca Books, Let’s dive in! Not all of these have I read or owned, and they are in no particular order. You’ll notice most of them relate to “Traditional Witchcraft” or West Country, because that is where my practice is focused.
The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices
The High Magic of Talismans and Amulets: Tradition and Craft
Cornish Charms and Cures
To Fly by Night: An anthology of Hedgewitchery
Treading the Mill: Practical Craft Working in Modern Traditional Witchcraft
Popular Magic: Cunning-folk in English History
The Black Arts: A Concise History of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practices Throughout the Ages
Grimorium Verum
The Devil’s Dozen: Thirteen Craft Rites of the Old One
The Witching Herbs: 13 Essential Plants and Herbs for Your Magical Garden
Defences Against the Witches’ Craft - Anti-cursing Charms from English Folk Magick, Traditional Witchcraft and the Grimoire Traditions
Nummits and Crummits: Devonshire Customs, Characteristics, and Folk-lore
Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions
The Art of Black Mirror Scrying
Enchantment: The Witches’ Art of Manipulation by Gesture, Gaze and Glamour
CHILDREN OF CAIN: A Study of Modern Traditional Witchcraft.
The Pillars of Tubal Cain
Witch’s Workbook
The Left Hand: The Cabal Grimoire of Walking in Darkness
Profane Seals: A Compendium of Vile Sigil Magick - Volume I
Eye of the Oracle: The Cabal Grimoire of Psychic Magick
The Book of Smokeless Fire
Azoetia: A Grimoire of the Sabbatic Craft
Between the Living & the Dead: A Perspective on Witches & Seers in the Early Modern Age
The Night Battles: Witchcraft and Agrarian Cults in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
The Horn of Evenwood: A Grimoire of Sorcerous Operations, Charms, and Devices of Witchery
The Cunning Man’s Handbook: The Practice of English Folk Magic, 1550-1900
Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches’ Sabbath
The Book of Oberon: A Sourcebook of Elizabethan Magic
The Grimoire of Arthur Gauntlet (PB)
Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic Spells and Potions
Cecil Williamsons Book of Witchcraft: A Grimoire of the Museum of Witchcraft
Under the Witching Tree: A Folk Grimoire of Tree Lore and Practicum
Veneficium: Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path
Witchcraft For Tomorrow
Pharmako Gnosis: Plant Teachers and the Poison Path
The Witches’ Ointment: The Secret History of Psychedelic Magic
The Visions of Isobel Gowdie
The Taper That Lights The Way: Robert Cochrane’s Letters Revealed)
The Call of The Horned Piper
A Deed Without a Name
Heritage Witchcraft (This one is kind of useless unless you’re taking his Classes)
Letters from the Devil’s Forest: An Anthology of Writings on Traditional Witchcraft, Spiritual Ecology and Provenance Traditionalism
The Devil’s Plantation: East Anglian Lore, Witchcraft & Folk-Magic
Liber Nox: A Traditional Witch’s Gramarye
Thirteen Pathways of Occult Herbalism
Traditional Witches’ Formulary and Potion-making Guide: Recipes for Magical Oils, Powders and Other Potions
The Black Toad
Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways
PHEW!
That was a lot! Okay anon I hope this gives you a good starting place!
constantly-disheveled.tumblr.com/ask
Witches Sabbats: Lughnasadh
Autumn draws near and with it, comes Lughnasadh.
Lughnasadh, pronounced “LOO-nah-sah” and known also as Lammas, is a Celtic festival that occurs from the 31st of July through into the 1st of August. It was observed fervently throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man and marks the beginning of the harvest season.
Also called: Lúnasa (modern Irish), Lùnastal (Scottish Gaelic), Luanistyn (Manx Gaelic).
Lughnasadh is the celebration and ritual of the first harvest of fruit, wheat, and grain. This festival both acknowledges and celebrates the waning of light - Lughnasadh is the initiation of Winter preparation.
It is named for Lugh Lámhfada. and is in honour of his step-mother, Tailtiu who perished of exhaustion after clearing the fields of Ireland ready to be planted, sowed and seeded. Lughnasadh was originally a set of rituals, gatherings and funerary games (named Tailteann Games, or Áenach Tailteann) in honour of Tailtiu’s death and sacrifice.
Some Symbols of Lughnasadh:
Wheat
Corn
Barely
Oats
Onions
Grapes
Straw dolls/straw bales
Corn dolls
Wood
Tarot (strength)
Runes (Eihwaz)
The Colours of Lughnasadh:
Yellow
Orange
Red
Violet
Dark green
Brown
The Stones & Crystals of Lughnasadh:
Carnelian
Cat’s Eye
Citrine
Marble
Sale
Granite
Lodestone
The Herbs of Lughnasadh:
Heather
Blackberry
Rose
Sandalwood
Goldenrod
Important/Celebrated Foods of Lughnasadh:
Bread
Apples
Corn
Beer/Ale/Mead
Grapes
Onions
Apricot
Pear
Activities to be done during Lughnasadh:
Baking/Cooking: Sharing food is a good thing to do with each sabbat, especially those with agricultural ties. If you incorporate seasonal foods, and foods associated with the sabbat itself, it can be seen as an offering or as being done in honour of what you’re celebrating.
Take some time to enjoy nature: Lughnasadh is a time when the seasons are changing, so take this time to walk and enjoy the last that summer has to offer. Collect things whilst you walk to put on your altar if you have one.
Construct an altar: if this is something you do, decorate your altar with some of the items mentioned in the list above. If you’re pagan and have a deity who corresponds with this holiday, leave an offering on your altar. In Lugh’s case, he is a god known for his skills in craftmanship and His ability to turn His hand to anything. He is also known for playing the harp, so anything you have crafted or that has taken skill to create will be well received by Him.
Decorate your home: if you like, small decor changes can really get you in the mood and act as a celebratory act.
Bonfires: Invite friends and/or family to a bonfire. Not only is Lughnasadh a celebration of waning light and of the god Lugh, it is a celebration of fire. Share plans to remove negative habits or influences from your life with your loved ones, burn representatives of negativity, drink to future prosperity and toast to Lugh.
Light a candle and do the same, if you are not yet an outed witch.
Craft: as mentioned before, Lugh is a god of craft and skill. Make something! Finish a project you’ve been putting off!
If you don’t want to do something in Lugh’s name, you can make dolls out of corn (a very traditional activity) and they can be left on an altar if you have one, used as decoration or turned into a poppet.
Acts of athelticism: The funerary games of Lughnasadh were its primary reason for creation. To honour this, you can do something on a small scale, such as jogging or yoga, or going to the gym, if you are able.
Trading: Bake some bread and give it to your friends/family/coven in exchange for herbs, or some canldes! That’s just an idea. but you get the gist of it.
Lots of trading took place at historic Lughnasadh celebrations, as they assembly for this season festival was always large.
Feasting: Ties into the baking/cooking aspect, but using things that come from the first harvest is a good way to honour Lughnasadh and Tailtiu.
(Slightly in response to a post seen on @starlightomatic 's Tumblr, posted by @jewish-harrypotter)
Okay I know we always talk about Jewish Wizards on Chanukah lighting candles with magic but
How about doing it the traditional way.
How about that one family who’ve been magical since the dawn of magic. They’ve been there since the beginning, learned traditional magic at the knees of their fathers in Egypt and from within secret caves while hiding from the Romans. They’ve watched the building of Hogwarts and the rise and fall of dark wizards, been expelled from Samaria and France and England and throughout it all, they have carried their traditions on.
How about one family that has been lighting the Chanukah candles the traditional way, with a flame struck by a piece of wood and a dot of phosphorus or flint, anything that will light the way their forefathers did it. Every once in a while, the youngest child will ask why they do it the “muggle way”, and then the oldest of the elders - the matriarch, usually - will set the child down on a couch with a blanket and will tell them the story of their ancestors.
Or how about the young muggleborn witch or wizard.
How about the young muggleborn who has never really felt as if they belonged in either place - too muggle for magic, too magic for muggle, too religious for this secular school, not religious enough for her ultra-orthodox relatives; a foot in each world but unstable no matter where their foot lands.
How about the young muggleborn who takes comfort in the customs and traditions of her parents in a place where everything is new and kind of scary. How about the feeling of comfort that comes from doing something that both predates you and will outlive you.
Yes, an incendio would do just fine. Yes, magic is the life they live and the air they breathe.
But tradition runs in their veins alongside the stories of their ancestors.
Sometimes, the magic doesn’t feel quite right... But tradition? That is enough.
28 Days of Devotional Journaling
This is a simple journaling challenge/exercise that I’ve put together that helps to explore and connect with chosen deity. The rules are simple: Choose a deity to work with, then for the next 28 days, complete one prompt per day. It’s that simple!
1. List all the various names of your deity, in your language and in the original language.
2. Write an epithet for your deity and write why you think it is befitting of them.
3. What is your favorite myth involving your chosen deity? Are there any retellings or interpretations that you prefer to the original?
4. Show off your favorite picture, drawing or moodboard that represents perfectly how you view your deity.
5. List any keywords and symbols that are associated with your deity. How do you feel about these words and symbols?
6. Build an altar, no matter how big or small, to your deity. If you are unable to do this, write or draw what you would have on that altar in your journal.
7. Make a list of Hymns or prayers, traditional or original, that you prefer.
8. In any form you choose, list any messages that you have received from them.
9. What are your deity’s correspondences?
10. What was considered sacred to your deity?
11. What are the worship days/holidays/popular celebrations associated with your deity?
12. Make a list of offering ideas
13. Write a playlist dedicated to your deity.
14. What locations or places are sacred to your deity?
15. Make a list of quotes that you associate with your deity.
16. What signs do you associate with them? How do you know when they communicate with you?
17. What are some activities, charities or other causes that you can do in their name to honor them?
18. Make a list of drinks and foods that your deity likes. Write down your favorite “modern” recipes.
19. Using the Five Senses, how would you describe your deity?
20. Write a ritual dedicated to them. This can be ceremonial or a routine.
21. What are some of the lessons that you are taught by the stories told about your deity?
22. Are there any media representations of your deity? What is your favorite?
23. What are some popular “modern” ways to honor your deity?
24. Write about their realm of influence. What all does your deity rule over?
25. What are some modern issues that would concern your deity?
26. Are there any other deities that your deity is often associated/confused with?
27. Who are the relatives of your deity? What is there most significant relationships?
28. What are your own personal practices to honor your deity?
Hey you guys! I sent out a post a while ago asking for responses to some questions on views regarding witchcraft. However, this is more about the religion of witchcraft. Do you think it is a religion? Should it be protected by freedom of religion? etc etc. I am writing from a United States standpoint but I do appreciate all responses. I am not asking for names or email addresses. Thank you!!
(You don’t have to have responded to my earlier post to fill out this form)
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