Latest Posts by duskthewitchesblog - Page 2

I had the fortunate experience of working in a tea cafe for over 8 years while finding my footing in my craft. Tea has become such an integral part of my practice, and it'd be super rad to open my own witchy cafe and metaphysical shop someday 🖤

Hi im a baby witch, if you could give witches like me one piece of advice, what would it be?

It's only over when you stop hoping. Hope is one of the strongest, oldest types of magic in human history. It powers you. Hope is the energy source, the other emotions are your guiding light. It was hope that kept me going for twenty years. It was hope for a better future that kept humans pushing forward through wars, plague, and famine. If you lose hope, what's the point, right?

Y'all know it's okay to just try stuff in witchcraft, right?

Across the internet, I see a lot of people who seem to be asking for permission to do what they want. While I see some validity in getting wisdom from others, I worry that the people asking these questions might miss out on the experience they could get from going ahead and making a good faith attempt.

"Can I do this spell even if I don't have rosemary?" I don't know. Try it!

"Can I use fruit juice as an offering to my goddess?" I don't know. Ask her!

"Can I include a pocket watch in my magic?" I don't know. See if it works!

Of course, it's not a good idea to jump in and try something that could be harmful, but if you're not hurting yourself or others and you're not appropriating from a closed practice, just give it a go! You're allowed. You're a witch with magic and power and discernment of your own. You don't have to get permission from a bunch of internet strangers. Have fun trying new things!

Why We Left the Alterhuman Community

Hello, again. Some of you may have noticed our inactivity on this account. There is reason for this beyond our own personal life making us busy.

The main reason for our inactivity is that we no longer consider ourselves part of the alterhuman community. We are still nonhuman, but we can no longer involve ourselves in the alterhuman, otherkin, therian, or adjacent communities because of rampant racism, colonialism, ableism, and human-centrism.

Particularly in terms of the hatred and exclusion of physical nonhumans and those whose nonhumanity is intertwined with indigenous and/or traditional cultural practices.

The alterhuman community promotes and enforces western colonialist hegemonic ideology of the self, the individual, and social reality. It centers humans as the primary and only true intelligence of the Earth, it enforces strict, socially constructed definitions of human vs nonhuman, it erases traditional cultural practices and spirituality - especially that of indigenous cultures - and it enforces institutional ableism and sanism against those who experience different realities.

Much of the community, especially the "big name" popular accounts, are aggressively opposed to any claim of physical nonhumanity beyond a strictly  philosophical approach ("I am nonhuman, this is my body, therefore my body is nonhuman"). And if someone does claim to be physically nonhuman, they are required to admit that it is only within the confines of a personal subjective reality, and concede that their personal reality is lesser than the supposed "objective reality" -  in which all of us are demonstrably physically human and can only think we're nonhuman.

One is essentially required to admit that their experiences are not actually real and that they are solely constructs of the mind. You're required to either identify as a delusional individual of some kind, or state that it's only a philosophical viewpoint.

And even when one does state that they are experiencing nonhumanity through the lens of delusion or mental illness, they are still excluded from the community by means of constant reality checking and enforcement of hegemonic reality.

The concept of physically shifting to something nonhuman is possibly the most viciously attacked experience. They completely ignore the fact that physical shifting to other forms is extremely prevelant within indigenous and non-western cultures, and that the erasure of such beliefs and practices is a direct result of colonialist enforcement of hegemonic norms.

The promotion of hegemonic "objective reality" as the be-all-end-all of what is true, possible, and acceptable has led to the complete exclusion of people who cannot make their experiences compatible with it. And if one cannot make their experiences compatible, they are often labeled as dangerous, manipulative, or accused of grooming young nonhumans into certain belief systems.

The irony being, that these social values are the result of centuries of propaganda, indoctrination, and genocide. The ideology of what is and isn't human, especially regarding physical traits, is one of the core pillars of institutional racism. Wherin people of color as defined by their phenotypal traits as being subhuman, and those who actually identify as nonhuman in some manner have their autonomy removed and also treated as subhuman. Subhuman doesnt mean "nonhuman", but rather less than human.

When people encorce this ideology, they are actively contributing to the subhumanization of many groups, human and otherwise. We can no longer stand by this. As much as we have enjoyed participating and having discussions over the years, we've realized that unfortunately these ideologies have an absolute strangehold over the community. We've tried time and time again to break through it, but we've been shot down repeatedly and people just won't listen, despite our position of relative privilege and respect within the community.

We will be continuing to interact with other nonhumans and people with alternative experiences online. We won't publicly reveal our new account here but it should not be difficult to find us. We are far less active online in general, but when we are we will be discussing our genuine experiences without the limitations of these restrictive social norms.

If you wish to continue interacting with us, feel free to DM and we will give you some form of contact.

Thank you, and we wish best of luck to those in the community who will continue trying to break down these harmful ideologies.

Just a little reminder:

I HATE rude people.

Please DO NOT interact with this blog if you're going to be ignorant or simply a pain in the ass.

Say. This. Louder. 👏👏👏

Very much wolverine today.

Li'l vent, though. Disclaimer: This is not directed towards a specific individual, blog, Discord, chatroom, or whatever, but rather to whomever it applies to.

I'm thinking about the physical nonhuman discourse. I hate how my identity is a discourse topic. I realize that a lot of non-physical nonhumans will speak about us as though we don't even exist or never directly to us.

Don't get me wrong, I really do love the supportive posts, but I feel like an afterthought that's only brought up when there's discourse or when it's convenient for someone else to use physical and nonhumans as a "gotcha".

Like, especially outside of Tumblr, our "defenders" still don't understand us. A lot of the time, there's this assumption we are all "I identify as x mentally or spiritually, so therefore I am x physically." That is not how I experience my physicality or biology because I was BORN this way. My genetic code is of my holotypes. I literally have nonhuman body parts. It's again watered down so they can digest my identity and my simple state of being. Exhausting.

If you really stood by us, you'd understand that we are all diverse. We are as diverse as any other non-physical nonhuman. If you want to support us, talk about us outside of the discourse and outside of conversations where you have to butt-in that we exist and leave it at that. We are beings, too. We exist, yes, but we are more than just. "Yeah, they exist too." We are more than discourse topics.

Because no,

P-shifters aren't the manipulative, cult-like, evil beings like some of yall make them out to be. If anything, I've only ever seen p-shifters on this site in recent times be persecuted against on this site.

Holotheres don't think they are better than you simply because they are nonhuman in every way.

Clinical zoanthropes shouldn't have to fucking double bookkeep every two seconds to make you happy. You're basically saying they should be uncomfortable in order for you to be comfortable for something they can't control. You're ableist. Full. Stop. Generally delusional nonhumans don't owe you the ability to double bookkeep either.

We are more than just a hypothetical. We are more than a topic. We are more than an afterthought. We are nonhuman. We deserve nonhuman spaces just as much as any other. I hope anyone and everyone who drives us out is proud of themselves. You want more than to drive us away. You want us gone entirely. You want us "cured".

This rant is primarily directed towards bigoted and sanist nonhumans, and especially non-physical nonhumans.

From a nonhuman with a lot of "weird" and "scary" labels. Stop excluding us. Stop backing us into a corner until we give up. Stop trying to push insecurities onto us. We are literally just living our lives. Our spaces aren't catered towards sanism and humans. It just isn't.

I hope this came out worded properly. This is NOT HATE against a specific group, but more of... resentment. I feel resentment towards non-physicals in the nonhuman community who feel the need to push us away because some of us have delusions, have more uncommon/"weird" identities, or have abilities they don't understand. I don't even interact with most therians because I feel unsafe around them. They've likely been taught to dislike p-shifters such as myself. They associate me automatically with cults, manipulation, and other messed up shit. I just have the ability to physically shift, bruh. I haven't thought about starting a cult or teaching vulnerable people how to shift just because of that. :/

I saw a dead elk yesterday.

Her carcass was bare

not even a month old and already

stripped of hide, muscle, flesh

reeking of death

reeking of new life.

I saw where coyotes chewed

her ribs, her neck,

each leg separate, strewn far from

the body they once supported.

The legs go last, always, fur still visible

above the hoof as insects burrow beneath.

I flipped her skull over, peered at

her dull, cracking teeth.

She lived, ate, for at least 5 years.

She probably had a few calves.

Does she know her death is good?

The end of one life,

the start of a million more.

Nobody wants to die,

but I think she knows.

Strong plural feelings have gone away for the most part, but I don't feel like a singlet either, like hardly at all. I really do feel like some sort of... plural-esque-thing. Like, I'm both plural and singular at the same time. I may just try calling myself a plurallet just because and see if it fits.

I don't know the exact name of the wolf from a couple days ago. Maybe it's because I know (knew?) her as a lycanthrope, but her name is Lyka, I think. It's probably my brain playing tricks on me, considering how close it is to lycanthrope, but I know that some folks have animal alters that are just named Bird, Bear, Wolf, Coyote, or something like that. Something significant, though, I now recognize her as me? It's like sometime between the past 3 days, we've merged. She's now me, but not, at the same time, rather than her being a whole other entity. When I think of myself, I think of these... "beings" but to the very, very slight left or right of me. They are nearly me, like fragments, but they aren't exactly fully-fledged. I don't know anything about them, but I constantly feel them there. She's probably still there, too, but she isn't at the same time. Ever since I "lost" my system, I've still felt plural in some way, like my system is empty, and no other alters have formed since then, and I'm blocked from headspace so whoop-de-doo. Is there even a term for that? I'm about to just call it plural and call it a day. I really don't feel like getting into plural stuff, considering my past with plurality has been very rocky.

Like, I know I'm not a singlet, but I don't know if I want to call myself plural either. I think I'm more afraid of backlash for being an endogenic plural. Being plural is not a huge part of me, and I'd rather just not really have that be the forefront of my identity for a bit. Especially after my past with plurality sorta being... I don't know, I wouldn't say traumatic, but it was very chaotic and I do want to sorta avoid the subject too deeply until I feel more strongly about it again.

While I always emphasise spending time with nature in order to build that connection with spirits, this does not automatically mean that you have to hike up a mountain or head out into the middle of a forest.

You can connect to nature from your bed, from the middle of a city, in your kitchen and on a slab of pavement next to a railway.

Nature is everywhere. Nature is everything. You are nature. Rock and stone is nature. Gulls and wasps are nature.

Can't get out of bed? Watch a cool documentary or short ecology video. Read a book on local flora. Draw some cool animals. Talk to your houseplants.

Live in a city? Pray to the dandelions and nettles alongside the pavement. Ask the Spirit of Rat to help you. Look up and see the sky. Feel below and sense the earth. (Making a more detailed urban nature spirit work post, will link here too).

If you are someone who wants to work with nature spirits in your practice, please do not anything (or anyone) make you feel like you can't.

you don’t need 60 mini spell jars from etsy. you need FRESH AIR and THE SUN. ppl stop feeding witch overconsumption to baby witches and claiming they ‘NEED’ something for their practice. it’s ridiculous.

i’m currently working on a large post for free / extremely cheap witchcraft tips because this drives me up the wall.

— 🦌🌿☕️✨

this is who youre asking to work 40hrs per week btw

Common herbs and spices

Source - The Little Book For Modern Witches by Astrid Carvel

Basil - prosperity and inner strength

Parsley - fertility and honesty

Bay - wisdom, foresight, strength, and good fortune

Cinnamon - love, comfort, power and success

Black pepper - purification, inner strength, and protection

Sage - cleansing and protection (my own note - white sage is for specifically closed cultural practices so please bear this in mind and be respectful in your craft)

Oregano - health and happiness

Cardamom - love and friendship

Chilli - passion, virility and inspiration

Rosemary - purification, positivity and memory

Thyme - concentration, and business success

Allspice - compassion, luck and healing

Connecting with nature

Mindful walks Mindful walks isn't about just going for a walk or how often. It is about listening to nature, observe nature, stop, sit down, meditate, look at natures details in plants and rocks and landscape. The more you look the more you find. Nature is amazing that way.

Mindful shopping Yes, mindful shopping. Do you really need it? Is it organic? Is it a brand that tests on animals? Do the brand produce somewhat ethically? (I'm aware most brands are super unethical in all ways, but try find some you can afford that are the least harmful on nature)

Ground in nature Hug a tree, sit on a rock, feel the sun in your face, let the water wash over your feet or hands. Something about being in nature in general and interacting with nature feels refreshing and grounding. Ever tried to say hi to a tree? Hold one of it's branches and bow/curtsy to greet them? Give it a try if you haven't!

Research Research plants and insects around you, learn to identify them and which ones toxic. Research how to forage ethically and thank nature for every harvest.

Garden If you have a garden you can use that to know natures energies, plant some plants you like. Bonus point if they're bee-friendly! As humans it might be a normal thing to dislike insects, but it's so important for our nature. Set up insect hotels, insect friendly drinking station and other (cute) nature friendly decor!

Pick up trash Yes, it is a very boring job. But the nature needs us to do it, and we can't always think "someone else will do it". It's a PERFECT way to honor the nature. Be the one person that matters. Remember to always bring a trash bag and a couple of gloves for the job.

I run a Discord server! Join here if you're interested (Ages 15-30). You can find a bunch of resources in the server, and we're happy to help you by finding more.

"I can't connect to nature because I live in a city" Incorrect.

"I can't connect to nature because I can't travel" Nuh-uh.

"I can't connect to nature because I-" Wrong.

Anyone can connect to nature. Please, remove the mindset that nature is something *out there*. Nature is all around you.

The dandelions peeking through pavement cracks, the birds you don't notice on your windowsill, the brambles in the alleys, the storms and sunshine.

All of this is nature. You are surrounded by it. Notice it, learn about it. Write down when you notice the days getting longer, when more butterflies appear and when ripen blackberries ripen. Connect to the nature that lives outside your window, just past the boundary of your front door.

Watch nature documentaries, build a small windowsill garden, let the spider in your room corner stay for a while.

Connection is not determined by proximity, but by effort.

Befriending And Working With Crows

Crows have long been associated with witches due to their behavior, mystery, and connection to the supernatural. In folklore, they are seen as messengers between worlds, carrying secrets and omens. Witches were believed to communicate with or shape-shift into crows, using them as familiars to gather information or perform magical tasks. Their black feathers and eerie caws made them symbols of transformation, death, and hidden knowledge. This connection persists in modern witchcraft, where crows are often seen as guides for those practicing divination, shadow work, and spirit communication.

Crows are among the most intelligent birds, possessing problem-solving skills, advanced memory, and the ability to use tools. Studies have shown that they can recognize human faces, plan for the future, and even understand cause and effect. Their complex social structures and ability to communicate information indicate a high level of cognitive function, comparable to that of primates. Crows have been observed crafting tools from leaves and twigs, solving multi-step puzzles, and even holding grudges against perceived threats. Their intelligence makes them highly adaptable and capable of thriving in diverse environments.

Crows are highly intuitive, mysterious, and deeply connected to witchcraft, omens, and spirit work. These birds are known for their symbolism in folklore, association with deities like The Morrigan, Odin, and Hekate, and their ability to form strong bonds with humans. Befriending crows can be a rewarding experience, offering companionship, spiritual messages, and even small “gifts” from the birds themselves. Connecting with the crows isn't hard as they tend to be everywhere and their bravery and curiosity makes them willing to approach certain humans. They have senses of humor, empathy, critical thinking skills, and a lifespan of up to 30 years, all of which makes them excellent companions. Get to know the crows in your neighborhood.

🐦‍⬛Understanding Crow Behavior

Before approaching crows, it's essential to understand their nature:

• They are highly intelligent – Crows can recognize human faces, solve puzzles, and even speak.

• They have strong social bonds – They communicate within their flocks and even warn each other about potential dangers.

• They can be wary – Earning a crow’s trust takes patience, consistency, and respect.

• They have fantastic memories – A crow won't forget the face of a human that was kind to it and especially not that of one who was rude.

🐦‍⬛Attracting Crows to Your Space

To encourage crows to visit you regularly, follow these steps:

1. Offer Food Consistently

Crows love high-energy foods. Some of their favorites include:

• Unsalted peanuts (in-shell or shelled) – A crow favorite!

• Sunflower seeds – Nutritious and easy to scatter.

• Fruits (apples, grapes, berries) – Fresh or dried.

• Leftover meat scraps – A natural part of their diet.

• Hard-boiled eggs – A great protein source.

What to Avoid:

• Never feed crows processed, salty, or sugary foods.

• Avoid bread – it lacks nutrition.

• Do not leave large amounts of food – too much can attract unwanted pests.

2. Choose a Safe Feeding Spot

• Select a quiet, open area where they feel comfortable landing.

• Keep a routine – feeding them at the same time each day builds trust.

• If possible, create a dedicated offering space, like a small platform.

3. Provide Fresh Water

• A shallow birdbath or bowl of clean water can help attract crows, especially in dry seasons.

• Change the water frequently to keep it fresh.

🐦‍⬛Earning Their Trust

1. Observe From a Distance

• At first, let crows come and go without interference.

• Avoid sudden movements or loud noises.

• If they seem cautious, step back and let them approach at their own pace.

2. Speak to Them

• Crows recognize human voices and can distinguish between friendly and hostile tones.

• Greet them softly or whistle a simple tune when feeding them.

• Some witches even give their crows names, reinforcing a bond.

3. Leave Small Offerings

• In addition to food, place shiny objects (small trinkets, marbles, beads) as “gifts” for crows.

• Some crows may return the favor by leaving tokens like buttons, feathers, or shells.

🐦‍⬛Building a Magickal Relationship

Once crows recognize you as a friend, you can incorporate them into your spiritual practice:

1. Crow as a Spirit Ally

• If a crow visits during ritual work or divination, take note—its presence may carry a message.

• Crows can serve as psychopomps, guiding spirits between realms.

2. Divination & Omens

• A single crow cawing may indicate a warning or message.

• A group (a murder of crows) could symbolize change, transformation, or ancestral spirits.

• Here's some more information about counting crows.

3. Offering a Sacred Space

• Create a small altar outside with natural elements where you place food and gifts.

• Meditate near their space, listening to their calls and energy.

• Put up wards and cast protection magick for the crows.

🐦‍⬛Strengthening the Bond

• Be patient – Some crows take weeks or months to trust humans.

• Stay consistent – Regular feeding and positive interactions reinforce the bond.

• Respect their autonomy – Crows are wild and should never be captured or forced to interact.

🐦‍⬛Crow Spells

Crows can assist with your magick as well, through their presence and the lovely black feathers they often leave as gifts or lose through natural shedding. Here are some spells you can do with your crows.

Crow’s Omen Spell (For Divination & Messages)

Needed:

• A quiet outdoor space where crows gather

• A small offering (unsalted nuts, shiny objects, or seeds)

Instructions:

Sit in a place where crows are present and place the offering nearby. Close your eyes and ask the crows for a message:

“Messengers of fate, winged and wise,

Show me the truth with your keen eyes.

A sign, a word, a lesson true,

I call on crows to send their view.”

Observe their behavior. Watch how they move, call, or interact. Their actions may symbolize an answer to your question. Thank the crows and leave the offering as a sign of respect.

Crow’s Wisdom Spell (For Guidance & Insight)

Needed:

• A feather from a crow

• A small black candle

• A piece of paper and a pen

Instructions:

Light the black candle and sit quietly, focusing on a question or situation where you need insight. Hold the crow feather and say:

“Wise crow, keeper of secrets and sight,

Bring me knowledge, clear my mind this night.

Show me the path, help me see,

Reveal the truth and guide me free.”

Meditate for a few moments, then write down any thoughts, visions, or feelings that come to you. Let the candle burn down safely or snuff it out to use again.

Crow’s Shadow Cloak (For Invisibility & Stealth)

Needed:

• A black cloth or scarf

• A  crow feather

• A small mirror

Instructions:

Hold the black feather and visualize yourself surrounded by a shadowy aura. Place the mirror face down on the cloth, symbolizing the reflection being hidden. Whisper:

“Dark-winged shadow, silent flight,

Hide me well, keep me from sight.

As the crow vanishes into the night,

Let me fade from every light.”

Wrap the feather in the cloth and carry it when you need to go unnoticed.

Crow’s Omen Spell (For Divination & Answers)

Needed:

• No physical tools, just observation

Instructions:

Find a place where crows are naturally present. Ask your question either aloud or in your mind.

Observe the crows for signs:

• A single crow cawing: A warning or negative response.

• A pair of crows flying together: A positive or cooperative outcome.

• A group of crows circling or gathering: Major change or important news coming.

• A crow bringing or dropping something near you: A strong affirmation or message from the spiritual realm.

Thank the crows for their wisdom.

Crow’s Curse Spell (For Revenge & Justice)

Needed:

• A black feather given by a crow

• A piece of paper with the target’s name

• A dark stone (obsidian, onyx, or jet)

Instructions:

Write the target’s name on the paper and place the crow’s feather over it. Hold the dark stone in your dominant hand and visualize the negative energy returning to its source. Say:

“As the crow flies, swift and free,

Let justice return threefold to thee.

No more harm, no more pain,

What was given, be reclaimed.”

Let the feather sit overnight. The next day, release it into the wind or place it somewhere the crows frequent.

Crow’s Guardian Spell (For Protection & Psychic Defense)

Needed:

• A crow feather

• A small black candle

• A piece of black string

Instructions:

Light the candle and hold the feather. Close your eyes and visualize a crow circling around you, forming a protective barrier. Tie a knot in the black string while chanting:

“Black-winged guardian, fierce and free,

Stand between harm and me.

No ill may pass, no foe may near,

On shadowed wings, keep my path clear.”

Carry the string as a charm of protection, or keep the feather in your home as a spiritual ward.

By observing, working with, and honoring crows, you can create powerful bonds that enhance protection, divination, communication, and justice in your magical practice. If nurtured properly, crows can become lifelong allies, offering wisdom, companionship, and even protection. Treat them well, and they may even  become your loyal feathered familiars.

Cc: to the owner

"The world is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” —W.B. Yeats.

Set the fires. Bury your doubts. Rise like something ancient remembering its own hunger. Dance barefoot where the wild things grow. Crown yourself in petals and stems. Breathe in with the winds, throw a kiss to the storms, run like the rivers and creeks in your space

What Essential Oils Boost Self-Love 🩷

Promoting self-love and self-acceptance means nurturing a positive relationship with yourself. While essential oils can’t directly create self-love, their soothing aromas can help cultivate a calming and uplifting space that supports emotional wellness and self-care.

Here are six essential oils commonly associated with enhancing relaxation, reducing stress, and encouraging self-compassion:

1. Rose – Often called the “queen” of essential oils, rose is deeply connected to love and emotional healing. Its gentle floral scent promotes relaxation, uplifts your mood, and encourages self-acceptance and inner compassion.

2. Geranium – Known for its sweet, balancing aroma, geranium can ease anxiety, reduce stress, and promote emotional harmony. It helps create a peaceful environment that gently supports a positive mindset and self-love.

3. Frankincense – With its earthy, woody aroma, frankincense is a favorite for spiritual practices. It encourages introspection and self-reflection, making it perfect for creating a serene space for self-awareness and acceptance.

4. Lavender – A classic for relaxation, lavender’s calming properties ease tension and support emotional balance. It’s ideal for nurturing a self-care practice that fosters inner peace and self-worth.

5. Sandalwood – Grounding and soothing, sandalwood is often used in meditation to deepen spiritual connection and promote inner clarity. It helps create a sacred space for reflection and self-compassion.

6. Neroli – Derived from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, neroli has a soft citrus-floral scent that soothes the nerves, lifts the mood, and fosters a sense of gentle self-appreciation.

Remember: Self-love is a holistic journey. While essential oils are beautiful allies, they work best alongside other practices like mindfulness, affirmations, journaling, and reaching out for support when needed.

When I say "connect with nature" I don't just mean the aesthetic forests with deer and beautiful flowers.

I mean the weeds growing through concrete, the fungus that grows on the rotten shed, the nettles that always seem to return and the scary, spindly cellar spider in the corner of the bathroom.

Nature is not always pretty or magical - the pigeons and seagulls you swat at are nature too, the wasps and flies that hover by your meals are animals too, store-bought strawberries and the leaves that fall from your neighbour's tree are not all that different from the Giant Sequoias and it's seeds.

If you want to connect and understand nature, I mean *really* connect to it, in it's entirety, you have to seek out and learn about the ugly, scary and mundane things as well. You don't have to like it, just don't forget that it's there.

Some little things I've learned over a decade of witchcraft:

If you are feel called to work but are tired/drained, sit outside. Take in all the energies around you. Nature can help charge you

Every witch does a little bit of a bunch of types of magic but sticks mainly to one or two in general. You usually won't be eclectic forever. You'll find what magics work best with you.

Never be lazy or cut corners with spirits. Always be respectful and always tell them to leave when you're done

When you see a plant or ingredient with a long list of properties, there are different things at play. Season of collection, the part of the plant, the health of the plant, etc all play a role in impacting which properties it will carry.

Don't call on spirits unless you have confidence and control

Be careful with sea/water magic. Get into it gently and slowly until you have the energy figured out because it can get out of hand quickly.

Adding a little pinch of magic into your breakfast can make a major difference in your day.

Your personal emotions/feelings over something will impact a work

Planting some plants is good, not only to have a garden, but the dirt helps cleanse you too. Get all dirty and muddy. It's good for ya

Not all trees are nice

The more you listen to your intuition, the easier it will be to tell it apart from your anxieties and worries

Incense is very easy to make which is why it's usually cheap to buy. But you can find a million tutorials online on how to make your own personal incense which is great if you want a spell to take effect over a while but also want to infuse the fire energy in it.

The more you work with something the better feel you get for it. Cinnamon goes in almost everything i cook and most of my spells because me and cinnamon just get right along

Your path is yours and no one else's. It will look like yours and no one else's

the trees you grew up with have not forgotten you. their branches still whisper your name in the breeze and their roots remember the paths your feet once traced through their shade.

I feel like maybe we don't talk about envision/envisage shifts enough because they're the type of shift I feel are asked about most often.

So I don't know who needs to hear this but you may experience envision/envisage shifts if you have times where when envisioning yourself 'in your minds eye' you only see your type or a mix of your type and current body and find it difficult or impossible to see anything but. This may or not also involve a change in perception of visible body parts as if there were a mental 'overlay' on top of what can be physically seen. This may or may not involve getting involuntary 'mental pictures' of your current self as you go about other activities. These can be in conjuction with mental shifts, phantom limbs etc

If you're part of a physical shifters group that allows any alterhuman in. Then get upset when physical shifters talk about physical shifting...

Maybe think that you're the problem and not the p-shifters.

the stereotype that physical nonhumans are "harmful" does more damage than good.

this really shouldn't be a hot take, but it is for some reason. no matter how you consider yourself to be physically nonhuman (pshifters, holotheres, endels, clinical lycanthropes/zoanthropes, extra limb growers or other titles/identities i forgot to include), i strongly believe that we all deserve a space to exist in.

no, physical nonhumans aren't out to get you. we aren't out here to scam you or hurt you, we are simply living our lives amongst you. the shitty groups and people of the past gave us a bad name, not because we're actually physically nonhuman. just bc we have different experiences doesn't make us lesser; it just makes us alive.

in my eyes, we are all equal. if you identify as a song, concept, plant, the vibes of a room. if you are able to physically change yourself somehow, internally or externally, whether or not other people can see this transformation or if you are/were growing extra limbs, we are all equal no matter if we are able to understand each other or not. i like to think we can agree to disagree and be kind, but clearly for some it's hard to do that.

anyways i know ive made this post before like 100 times but the topic of excluding physical nonhumans REALLY bothers me because we are an important part of the nonhuman/alterhuman/therian etc community as a whole. it bothers me a lot that there's people out there that think nonhumanity is exclusively spiritual/mental and throws out the "pshifters are abusive scammers" card. like, girlie pop we are just minding our own business in circles we've created bc YOU THREW US (the ones who had no connection to the actual shitty individuals of the past) OUT.

TLDR; stop throwing out physical nonhumans because of some shitty individuals that ruined our reputation. also i know i say this a lot but it's a topic that's on my mind quite a bit bc i feel like physical nonhumanity is excluded a lot and it feels unfair to have our community watered down to just "delusional or gullible ppl/children" or "toxic lying scammers".

anyways (again) i love u all fellow shapeshifters and critters and other things/folks in the world out there somewhere! /p

is there anything that tends to trigger your shifts to happen or are they random? and what does it feel like for you when you physically shift?

(feel free to not answer if these questions are too personal, I'm just curious to hear what your experiences are like 🩵)

Aaaa yay my first ask on this account!!

It seems like my shifts (if you mean my p-shifts) are mostly random! My first time shifting was actually when I was sitting at my desk on my laptop, and I felt the sensation. I don't remember exactly what I was doing, but it definitely was absolutely out of nowhere.

My shifts feel like a very squelchy feeling. Imagine the sensation of worms in your hand, now imagine that internally all in your torso. It felt like my organs were rearranging. There was no external sensation. All I knew was that I was definitely shifting, and right afterward, I felt solidly like a red ruffed lemur. Funnily enough, before this shift, I was feeling very spacy and dazed, like I wasn't exactly completely there, but after the shift happened, things seemed to "solidify". It was very uncomfortable during this shift.

The second shift I had very recently a couple of days ago with the wolf, I'm unsure what to categorize that as, but it felt very much like a physical shift. I could feel my eyes and spine/tail especially. My lower back, near my tailbone, seemed to make way for what felt to be a tail. I was in the dark, so I couldn't see anything, but I could feel it. I was trying to sleep, but no position was comfortable.

The feeling lasted until the next day! I looked in the mirror to see if I had any physical changes, but I'm unsure if I saw anything unusual. I'm not sure what my body looked like beforehand, but I could genuinely feel this tail, and I could feel a change in my spine. It's gone away since then, but the shift wasn't as uncomfortable as the first one. I'm not exactly sure what triggered this, but right before lying down, I happened to look at the moon (which was not full by any means) and after a couple minutes, I started to feel my insides churn similarly to the first instance of me shifting, and then I felt my spine and tail rearrange. Nothing painful, only a little pain, but it was mostly uncomfortable.

Outside of these two instances, I don't p-shift very much! I usually experience phantom shifts, including full-body ones, mental shifts, aura shifts, among some others. Usually these are simply triggered by thinking of some of my -types, or just being in a situation where suddenly I feel like I have larger paws, have a long tail, or sharper teeth.

Thanks for the ask!! <333