Latest Posts by insecurities-and-embarrassments - Page 6

Tarot - Cheat Sheat

Offerings Ideas for Artemis

OFFERINGS: 

FOOD

Jerky - Deer in particular 

Moon Pies

Milk - Both Cow and Breast 

Red Wine (HERE is my alternatives for Red Wine)

Whiskey 

Honey Grahams/ Graham Crackers

Girl Scout Cookies

Crackers 

Apple Juice

Peanut Butter

Olive Oil

Honey

Fruit Leather 

Trail Mix 

Crescent Rolls 

Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches

Oreos 

Pretzels

Apple Ale

S’mores - I think she’d even appreciate S’more Poptarts

Eggs - Quail, Chicken, Duck 

Salmon

Jam - Apricot, Strawberry, Cherry, Plum

Apple Butter

Sunflower Seeds 

Almonds

Garlic

Rosemary

Mint

Basil

Chili Powder

Cinnamon

NATURE

Pine Cones

Pine Needles

Acorns

Feathers - Quail and Duck in particular 

Bones and Antlers - Deer and Fox in particular 

River Stones 

Orchids

Evening Primrose 

Baby’s Breath 

Daisies

Artemis/Diana

Small acts of devotion.

Go hiking 

Learn self defense

Spend time in the forest

Go barefoot

Carry menstrual products in case someone needs one

Learn archery or how to use throwing knives

Go stargazing

Understand feminism 

Always help an animal in need

Keep an eye on anyone who seems to be uncomfortable with the person they’re with - discreetly offer support if needed

Make fashion choices that make you feel quietly confident

Cook over a campfire - or a wood burning stove

When drinking your morning cup of tea/coffee, step outside and enjoy the fresh air for a few moments

Dance

Wear oils and perfumes that smell of the forest

Be kind to kids - inspire them to follow their passions regardless of gender, ethnicity, etc. 

Learn more about constellations 

Boldly be whoever you are

Give money to any homeless people you pass

Plant native plants near your home

Work with the moon, follow it’s phases (use an app if needed)

Support aro/ace individuals 

Sleep under the stars

Buy more houseplants

Learn about the geography of the moon (Maria, Lunar highlands, etc.)

Watch wildlife/nature documentaries

Wake up at dawn

Go to pride

Learn bird language

Listen to instrumental music that inspires you

Keep basic first aid supplies with you

Donate to charities that help endangered species

Spend time in the mountains

PRACTICE LOVING YOURSELF

Many, many, many other things not said here

GRIMOIRE INFO & IDEAS

Grimoire / Book of Shadows

A Grimoire mostly known as Book of Shadows is basically a Witches Diary!

It holds Spells, Divination, Corespondents, your Personal notes etc.

Your Grimoire is YOURS! you make the rules, there is no certain way a Grimoire has to be written and set up!

Always make sure your Grimoire is protected and doesn’t fall into the hands of others! A protective Sigils is always good to use!

Some keep several Grimoires specific for one topic each, i.e One for Spells, one for Tarot, one for Dreams one for Recipes etc. once again your Grimoire your rules!

What to use for your Grimoire:

You can use everything from binders to composition books, you can make your own binding, even papers in a folder. However you want to keep your Grimoire is up to you. Some even keep an online and digital Grimoire on their phones and/or computers.

If you don’t want to use too many pages for one topic you can add Envelopes, Envelopes are awesome to keep Star maps, portable Divination spreads and boards and dried flowers, herbs, pictures etc.

You can keep your Grimoire simple or decorate it with symbols, drawings, washi tape, pressed flowers etc. if you mess up a page you can paint over it or glue something over it or however you’d like to fix it.

Keep and Index so you know where everything is, color coding is an awesome option too.

Grimoire Ideas

💀 Your Witch Rules

💀 Moon Phases

💀 Wheel of the year

💀 Sabbats

💀 Runes

💀 Tarot Spreads

💀 Pendulum Board

💀 Spirit Board

💀 Spirits and Spirit Experiences

💀 Palmistry

💀 Auras

💀 Astrology

💀 Zodiacs

💀 Constellation

💀 Natal Chart

💀 Cleansing and Banishing

💀 Herbs and Flowers and their uses

💀 Crystals and their meanings and uses

💀 Candle Color Correspondence

💀 Enchanting

💀 Days of the week

💀 Familiars

💀 Deities, God’s and Goddesses

💀 Spells, Chants and Songs

💀 Dream Interpretation

💀 Sigils

💀 Spell Bottles and Jars

💀 Potions

💀 Recipes and DIY’s

💀 Altar Ideas

💀 Pentagram

💀 The Elements

💀 Numerology

💀 Rituals

💀 Prayers

💀 Witches Alphabet

💀 Tea Blends

💀 Symbols

💀 Mythical Creatures

💀 The History of Witchcraft

💀 Witch Tools

💀 Personal Journal Entires

💀 Meditation

💀 Mirror Page

💀 Notes

20% is better than 0%.

Brushing your teeth at least once every day is better than none at all.

A few hours of sleep is better than none.

A few minutes outside for fresh air is better than none.

Writing a few paragraphs of the essay today is better than procrastinating till later.

Doing something is better than nothing (of course there is exception for some cases).

Do things at a pace which makes you comfortable whilst allowing you to make progress.

You can do this!

baby witches:

while it can definitely be a fun and motivating way to get in touch with your craft, your grimoire does not have to be full of watercolors or biologically correct doodles of herbs. for a long time i was ripping pages out of my grimoire because they didn’t look perfect, rebloggable - and it kept me from the grimoire’s true purpose, to record information for later reference and use. your grimoire is yours for the making. it can be a word document, a collection of quick notes on the backs of receipts, a notebook previously used for science class, a full-scale art book. as long as it helps you learn and grow closer to your practice, it is the perfect grimoire.

steven universe gets a lot of shit and ive only seen one season so who am i to say? maybe it deserves it.

but today i was babysitting a little girl for the first time and she asked me the question i fear the most “are you a boy or a girl?” i launched into the usual “y’know im not really any of those” and was prepared for the worst but she just nodded and said “so youre like stevonnie!” and immediately moved on.

so like. thank u miss rebecca sugar i owe you my life ma’am.

Hymn to Industrious Hephaistos

When I am working my hardest I think of the sweat forever on Your hardworking brow Keeper of the forge Eternal shuffling feet, ever busy

I think of You particularly In that snippet of wakefulness in the morning Where I choose between the things that need to be done And the innate procrastination that all mortals carry inside them You are in every conscious decision I make to do what will profit Me My loved ones And the ones around me You are in every drag of feet to the bathroom Despite fatigue, hangover, pressing anxiety, Or the plentiful days where I hate every single inch of my body

Forge-dweller! I thank You for Your honour and Your duty That bleeds even into the domain of Your blessed wife Aphrodite: I have a duty and an honour to love and cherish my self Even on days where it is so difficult to do so that I can’t breathe

You are the necessary industriousness of love The ever solid backbone of duty The calm veneer of steady work Towards a glorious reward

Hail to you, Hephaistos!

@terrasunshine and I wrote a collaborative devotional together! This was 100% her lovely idea, and I’m so happy we got to do this together. Here it is!! (You all should go and give Terra love for this, because she’s so talented.)

O, Hephaestus, You borne in the flame of a forge, did you gift an artist their hands?

Hands that are so gentle, so soft, that a touch is as light as air?

Splattered in a thousand colors, nimble, an artist’s hands are their tools.

With these most precious tools, they create beauty which brings mortals to tears.

A gift from You, dear Hephaestus, built from bone and iron, to gift their creations to You, in Your glorious name.

With You as Teacher and Guide, they find their hands in motion, constantly moving and creating.

Through this motion they find peace; through the peace they find beauty. And they gift it all to You.

Dipped and dyed, poked and callused, each piece a prayer of praise.

Even mistakes hold beauty, for each ink spill or dropped stitch brings understanding and character to the artist’s creation.

Even unfinished works hold devotion, for even in abandonment can beauty be found.

O, Hephaestus, we as artists thank You for this divine and heavenly gift.

Each work we make will sing Your praise forever.

Aries: Every morning you’re having coffee in a quiet corner of my mind.

Taurus: Love is the word I never know how to use. It's a metaphor, a verb, chaos, a canvas, but it's never mine.

Cancer: & though you drink to drown all of the people still inside of your chest, darling, I miss hearing the smile in your voice when you’re lying next to me in the dark.

Gemini: Are we just an echo or are we the beginning? the fog still walking along a sunrise that faded two chapters ago?

Leo: I want you. It’s that simple & that complicated.

Scorpio: Lost: I’m tired of doing life without you next to me.

Sagittarius: You can’t embrace what’s to come if you’re holding onto everything that’s been.

Virgo: Missing you is like trying to breathe underwater & tonight i'm sleeping on the ocean floor.

Libra: Whatever you don't say is what you cant stop hearing inside of you.

Capricorn: Yes my hands shake, but I promise my heart is as steady as the rain.

Aquarius: If you ever stop shining, I will make sure to love your darkness even more.

Pisces: You are that dream I know I can never have again but I’ll love always.

💎Crystal Grids💎

You may be wondering, what is the difference between using a crystal grid instead of individual stones/crystals?

Crystal grids create a unity of energies between the healing stones, and therefore amplify the intentions and desires you put into them. The powerful combination of crystals in a geometric pattern greatly strengthens your intention to manifest results.

What are crystal grids?

Crystal grids are crystals and stones set into patterns that harness the properties of the crystals and channel all of their energies. Just one crystal or stone can be an energy source, but combining multiple in a grid can help to direct all of their energies at once, and keep them thoroughly charged.

How do I make a crystal grid?

The actual setting up of a crystal grid is extremely easy. Most consist of a center crystal called a Focus Stone, which is the director of the stones/crystals/etc combined energy! Clear quartz is one of the greatest crystals to have in the center of a crystal grid. They help ground the grid and cleanse; quartz also contains the highest frequency to humans!

What can I use a crystal grid for?

As you pass your grid throughout the day, stop and take a few moments to let the energy flow through you. It’s a good idea to keep a permanent crystal grid in a sacred space, so that when you need the crystals, they are even more powerful! Each crystal grid can be intended for a different purpose or goal. Whatever your goal may be, they will hold and manifest your intentions!

How do I set up a crystal grid?

Decide on what goal or intention you are looking to manifest, and clearly announce or visualize it while setting it up. Do you want to bring more abundance into your life? Are you looking for help sleeping? Are you stressed every morning about work or school? You can create a crystal grid to manifest any goal!

Choose crystals and stones that are aligned with your intention. There are no wrong stones to use, so trust your intuition and don’t worry! An example of a crystal grid for love could include rose quartz, clear quartz, and fire agate.

Cleanse the energy of your space (using crystals, positive vibes or quick spells, sage, whatever works for you!).

Set up the your crystal grid layout, and place your center crystal/Focus Stone! Quartz is very good for this, and it is often suggested to have the center crystal be a crystal point, as if it’s shooting your intentions upwards and into the universe (but this is of course not particularly necessary for a crystal grid to work!).

— From my grimoire.

Communicating with Spirits: Ghosts

-From my Grimoire

Preface

Ghosts are something that we’ve all come across at some point or another, and thats honestly what makes them one of the easiest types of spirits to begin communicating with! Most ghosts have a very relaxed attitude, because they’re just people ya know? There are lots of different ways to communicate with ghosts, so I’m gonna give a few examples that I personally have experience with, and some basic run downs of other methods that I’ve read about. These of course won’t be the only ways to do this, so feel free to experiment just always remember to keep yourself safe and protected!

Safety First

When communicating with any spirits, please always enact the highest caution! There are spirits out there that will try to trick you, take advantage of you, and in worst case scenarios do some serious psychological damage. Always, always, ALWAYS protect yourself and always make sure that when inviting a spirit into your circle, that you treat them with respect. Do some research, (i have even written an article about it on my blog) and practice your protection methods before trying to communicate with spirits.

Respecting a Spirit

I see alot of people on tumblr setting up their magick circles when speaking to a spirit to exclude the spirit from their circle. This honestly, I find rather disrespectful and kind of cruel. That’s like inviting your friend over, but marking an area out of tape just for you, and telling them they aren’t allowed to touch you, come close to you, or interact with you on a personal level. Yes there are dangerous spirits out there, but they’re not as common as most seem to think. You’re more likely to run into a content and casual spirit than you are one that wants to harm you. Treat spirits like people, because in the end that’s what they are, and allow them to come into this circle. If they show signs of aggression or give you a bad vibe, then simply banish them from your house.

Ghosts are People Too

The thing to remember about ghosts is that they’re literally people. Just people that have moved on. They’re personalities are going to reflect very heavily in your interactions, and can even determine what kind of energy they carry. A very happy, upbeat, and positive person is going to have a ghost thats very energetic and lively. While someone who was rather sad, disappointed with life, and negative will have a very gloomy, drag you down type of energy. Think about who you’re trying to contact, and trust your gut when it comes to communicating with ghosts or any type of spirit. If something makes you uncomfortable, immediately banish it from your space and do not allow it back in.

Communication Methods

This is not all the methods, by far, but here are some basic and easy to understand methods for communicating with the dead.

Invoking - When invoking the dead, keep in mind that this is like waking somebody from a restful sleep, so have something to offer them in return! Foods work best, and ghosts tend to love simplistic but filling foods like rice, meats, fruits and veggies, soups, and teas. Invocations work best when you know the name of the spirit in question, though you can also do a general one as well (though always be sure to state in a general invocation that unfriendly spirits with ill intent are not welcome!!!) To invoke a ghost, set up your space with your offerings, maybe even set up a crystal grid with a tealight in the middle and light some incense. Next speak with intention and call upon them. Anything along the lines of “I hereby invoke the spirit of _______, and I would like to call upon you with an offering of peace and friendship. Please allow us to speak and communicate, and may love and light be in our hearts. Those spirits with ill intentions and darkness in their hearts are not welcome, and shall be banished”

Speaking if The Ghost is Already Present - If there is a ghost already taking residence in your space, this makes it much easier to communicate with them. Simply strike up a conversation after setting up your space, and call to them like you would call to a friend. Don’t be afraid to interact with them and ask them questions, but also don’t be afraid to answer the ones they may ask you. Ghosts are curious just like you are, about the people they’re sharing their space with.

Ritualistic - If you like to be more formal, there are ways to do that too. I personally don’t use this method, but here are some tips:

Prepare, set up, and light your altar in anticipation for the ritual. Find the candles, crystals, offerings, anything you need to get ready. And don’t forget your bell!

Set up a safe space for you and the spirit to reside in.

Call upon the spirit you’re wanting to work with, similar to an invocation. Start by ringing your bell 3 times, use the chant/lyric/invocation you have chosen, have your conversation and end the ritual by ringing the bell another 3 times.

Tarot Cards - This method is pretty simple and very easy to do, though it will take some set up. Find something that you associate with, or have connected to the spirit you’re trying to contact. Cleanse your deck, and place this item on top of the deck and call to the spirit asking for them to put their energy into the deck. When you have received word that they’re done, or the feeling is right (hover your hand over the deck, if it makes your hand feel cold, then it’s likely not ready. If it makes your hand feel warm and a little tingly, then it’s probably ready!) you should be ready to do your reading.

Meditation -  Personally my favorite method of communicating with any type of spirit. This is a simple method, where you get into a meditative state and call to the spirit to speak to you while you relax. You’re already focused and your mind is already clear, and this is the perfect time to speak with a spirit. Listen to your inner feelings, and what your heart tells you, and allow the spirit to connect with you on this personal level.

Phobophages

Remember how I was saying that a person’s personality will reflect just that as a ghost? Well, we’ve got to remember that there are bad people out there too, and thus bad ghosts. Thankfully, most ghosts don’t have the energy to really do much damage, but there are those that are out there to purposefully make you fear them and scared. We call these types of ghosts phobophages. They’re very mean and frightening little buggers that like to feed off people’s fear. These ghosts will do just about anything to get a reaction out of you, from making it sound like someone is slowly walking up behind you, to even banging on your doors and walls as hard as they can. This can be very scary, and rightfully so, but a really important thing to remember is that these ghosts cannot do you any physical harm.

What to do if you encounter one

First and foremost, DO NOT FEED IT! Remember these things feed off of your fear, I know it can be hard because the hungrier is the more desperate its going to get, but if you don’t even give it the time of day it will be powerless. Sometimes though, they’re very stubborn because the person they used to be was. Here’s what to do.

Banish it - First thing you’re going to want to do is get it out of your house. This is very easily done by speaking with intention. Saying anything along the lines of “Any spirit with ill intent is not welcome here, and is hereby banished! Only those with love and light in their heart and souls are welcome and may enter.” You can empower your words by drinking an energy/confidence tea brew, kissing a clear quartz, or speaking over the flame of a candle and blowing it out once everything has been said. Words like this forcefully cast out spirits, and there is nothing they can do about it unless you don’t have wards.

Cleanse your space - Next thing to do would be to cleanse and bless your space. Use some sage, burn a black candle, set up a crystal grid, speak with intention, or anything that will purify your space.

Tighten up and refresh your wards - Go through all the wards in your house, break them down one by one, and put them back up with some fresh (or newly charged) ingredients. Add a new layer of warding as well to show you really mean business.

Ignore it - Once it’s out of the house and can’t get in, all you have to do is starve it out. Don’t even give it the time of day, and if it starts pounding at your walls, laugh at it. These ghosts can’t hurt you and all they want if for your to be afraid of them so they can feed. Ignore them, and eventually they’ll get hungry enough to leave.

Centering, Grounding, and Shielding

- From my Grimoire

A Preface

Something that I don’t think enough people cover when it comes to The Craft, is how to keep yourself protected when doing spells and rituals, or communicating with spirits. This is a very basic aspect of witchcraft, so I’d like to take a moment to go in depth on the topic to make sure that as many people as possible, can find something that will work for them! Of course though, there will be some methods that I either don’t have experience with or may have simply forgot to mention. Find what works best for you and your practice, and look at some other articles or books as well!

Centering

First off, what is centering? This is basically you preparing yourself and getting in the mindset of doing a spell/ritual. This is taking a moment to yourself to make sure you’re intentions are in the right place, and everything is set up and ready to go. Centering isn’t too difficult to do, so there’s honestly not too much to say on the topic.

Method I like to begin centering with meditation. Relax yourself and get into the “witch headspace”, if you will. Cleanse yourself, and maybe even take a shower or a bath. Next thing is to gather your thoughts, write some questions down on a piece of paper or on your computer and answer them. Things like “What is my motivation?” “What outcome do I want” “How do I want to do this?” If you really take a moment to understand what you’re doing and where your heart lies, your spell will be at it’s most effective.

Grounding

Grounding is an important thing to do after any spell you perform. While it doesn’t necessarily hurt to do before a spell, it can limit your meta-physical performance. Grounding is connecting you back to the earth and bringing you back to your physical body, getting your head out of the clouds if you will, and sometimes when performing a spell that’s where you want your head to be. If you’re working with any earth based magick though, this can greatly help, so just figure out what works best for the kind of spell you’re doing.

Methods

Roots - This is my covens favorite method to ground. This is basically where you have a meditative moment, plant your feet on the ground, and “sink your roots in”. First thing you wanna do is get in some kind of contact with the ground or floor, just anything that is a solid foundation. Plant your hands or feet flat and start by breathing deeply. You wanna really take in the energy from the earth, pay attention to all of your surroundings and take in the moment. Next close your eyes and start focusing your energy at your hands or feet. (You may feel your hands start to tingle or even go mildly numb) Lastly, release that energy and push it into the earth. Let it soak in deep, and if visualization helps, imagine your roots growing down.

Going outside is another very good method to reconnect with the Earth. If at all possible, I like to go outside barefoot and feel the grass on my feet. Really connect to the earth, take in your surroundings and walk around as much as you feel comfortable.

A Dump Stone - Just about any stone will work, but generally stone that come from bodies of water, have holes, or are green or black tend to work the best. Basically just hold the stone in your hand and let any and all negative energy flow out from you into the stone. Stones can handle quite a bit of negative energy so don’t be afraid to let it all come out. After you’re done though, you’re immediately going to want to cleanse your crystal with whichever method works best for you. I prefer to let mine sit in salt overnight, or until the feel done.

Drinking a cold glass of water, splashing cold water on your face, or even taking a really quick cold shower is also a really good way to ground yourself. It’s all about being present in your body, and nothing can bring you back into the now like some cold water can.

Shielding and Wards

Shielding yourself is important when it comes to any kind of magick, because there truly are negative entities and energies out there that like to take advantage of people. It’s a sad truth, but this is why we learn to protect ourselves spiritually. Putting up a shield or ward isn’t difficult, and sometimes you do it without even realizing!

Shielding Methods

Visualization - This is my favorite method to teach beginners because it doesn’t require any tools just you, and yourself. The begin, start by getting into a calm relaxed state, maybe even meditate before hand. Next, imagine a ring of light around yourself starting at your feet. This light can look like anything, be any color, and be any shape so the only limit is your imagination. Once you have the ring of light, imagine it slowly coming up around your body, let it fill your heart with warmth and let it remind you that you are safe spiritually and no negative entity can harm you. Once it has made a complete bubble around yourself, say some affirmations and remind yourself that you’re strong and can handle anything. The more you believe in yourself, then the stronger this shield will become. 

Smoky Quartz or any other black stone, when kept on the person or placed at the feet can create a ward as well. For those less imaginative, this is a very good alternative because you have the crystal to support you as well. 

Magick Circle - There are many ways to open a magick circle, but heres a really simple method. Hold one of your hands out, palm up and focus your energy in your hand. (You may get that warm, tingly, or numb feeling, if not though thats okay!) Really let it bubble up into your fingertips, and once there, point a finger out and draw a circle around yourself and say some simple affirmations of safety and peace. Just like the visualization method, this works best the more you have faith and believe in yourself. 

Simply stating that you are, or feel safe is another way to shield yourself spiritually. You remember how when you were little and alone in your room at night and you thought you heard something scary? You covered your head up with a blanket right? Do you remember how safe you felt after doing that, like how nothing could get you? That was quite literally you putting up a shield. Remember your intentions and feelings are the most important thing in magick, always keep that in mind!

Warding Methods Wards are another variation of shields, but these are things you put on the physical plane rather than a spiritual one. 

Runes/Sigils - A really good way to set up a ward is to carve or draw some runes either into the side of a doorframe, a candle, or even on a piece of paper to burn later! If you’re going to carve them into wood or draw them, charge the tool you’re going to be doing it with. If your going to use a candle, burn the candle whenever you feel like you need it most! And as for burning paper, keep the ashed around and maybe even sprinkle them into every corner of the room.

Salt - Put lines of salt on the top of your door and window frames, and sprinkle some in every corner of the room.

Stones - Certain stones are said to be warning stones and will break if danger is near by. Malachite is one of these stones, and is fairly easy to get your hands on. Place this stone above door and window frames as well. 

Holy/Blessed Water - A drop placed in every corner of the room creates a barrier around the room.

Brooms/Staffs - Place in the corners of rooms, and said to fall over if danger is near by.

Black Candles - Burning a black candle is said to bring protection and keep a room hidden from spirits. 

You know, I just had a very interesting meditation. I was trying to get to my responsibilities by making nice with a certain angel, but he refused to come talk to me. Said that I needed a change of heart first, basically.  So I decided to talk to myself. Something I don’t do as often as I probably should. And I taught myself a lesson.  If you’re like me, and don’t even know what you are, who you are, or what your purpose is, then think about this. Why worry about those things when you need to just be yourself. Stop worrying if you have a greater purpose, that will come to you when it’s time. Stop worrying about who or what you are, just be who you wanna be and live the life you want to live. If you have responsibilities like I do, don’t view them as a chore, view them as a chance to make the world a better place. No matter how small it may be.  Learning who and what you are is a life long process, and even if you already know, it’ll take that lifetime to fully understand it and why. Your journey is your own, make it what you want it to be. Love yourself, quirks and all. And be yourself, because in the end the only persons happiness that matters most is your own. It’s not about what you are, it’s about who you are and wanna be.

Irish people; The faeries aren’t real

Irish people; No fucking way will I go in that faerie ring

To Tell an Omen

Witches and Magick-Makers have been reading into omens since the dawn of time. Omens have changed the course of history quite few times, or perhaps even foretold of a grisly ending of rulers and monarchs.

The omen is considered by many to be a divine message from the Gods. Perhaps it’s the universe trying to tell you something? Maybe it’s the Spirits you’ve come to know on your path? Or maybe it is the Gods.

No matter the messenger, an omen is still a signal coming through in order to make someone aware of something. It could be just a warning, or perhaps even a grand prophecy. The possibilities are great.

However, many Witches, especially new and bright eyed ones, sometimes have a habit of believing everything they see is an omen, and in that, possibly missing the real ones. This isn’t a bad thing and most of the time they’ll grow out of it and start realizing what actually is and isn’t an omen.

For example, when I first became a Witch, I saw a murder of crows in my yard. I instantly flipped because I thought the Morrigan was calling to me. I studied up on Her and tried to approach Her, without success. I was so confused. Why would She call to me and then not come when I respond? Well, she never did call, that’s why.

During that, I had completely disregarded the plethora of signs I had been receiving from Hekate. Keys appearing and disappearing, endless dogs howling and barking around me no matter where I was (even in the grocery store. How could I not think that was weird at the time?), frogs appearing in the dead of winter, and my really strange dreams. It wasn’t until I actually stopped and looked for consistencies that I realized Hekate was calling me. And when I called to Her, She answered. Loudly.

That’s an example of when I didn’t know how to read omens. Now here’s one from this week (which inspired this post):

Last week, I started having really strange dreams about babies. Number one, I hate children. Number two, I can’t get pregnant. I’m a man.

So, the setting in the dream was in places I knew to be familiar to my family. My cousins house, in fact. Well, a couple months ago, she was told by her doctor that she would never be able to conceive due to an illness she has. So, I wrote off the possibility of pregnancy.

Well later, I was hanging out with her when she told me that her and husband had been looking to adopt and were looking around for different adoption agencies, but had stopped due to my cousin suddenly losing hope in having children all together.

The dreams continued. Always in her house.

Well, yesterday, I went and saw her and I noticed she had been crying. I continued to ask what was wrong and she kept saying nothing. Well, since I try to be a comforter at times, I pressed on. She finally told me that it was nothing bad and was actually quite good. Then it clicked. She was finally pregnant. I asked and she began to cry with joy and told me this is what she’s always wanted.

Omens are strange things, and can be frustratingly subtle sometimes. But with discernment, you can get an idea on how to read them. I’ve learned a few ways over the years to determine if an omen is actually an omen. And thus, here we are.

How to tell if an omen is actually an omen:

1.) Look for consistency. Randomness is a very real thing and should be accounted for, especially for understanding omens. If a repeated theme is constantly popping up around you, check into it. It could be an omen.

2.) Look for something strange. Omens aren’t always shockingly weird, but they often seem to come out of the sphere of the ordinary. They often won’t reflect your normal day to day existence. Example: I hate kids, I try not be around them, and yet I couldn’t stop dreaming about them.

3.) Look for normalcy in places it normally wouldn’t be. That moment of regularity amidst the chaos could be a sign from the Spirit Realm. Don’t overlook it.

4.) Divine on it. If you think you’re being sent a sign, consult some divination techniques. Tarot is wonderful, as is throwing some bones.

In conclusion, don’t read too far into things that don’t matter, and pay attention to the real stuff. Use your mind and focus when reading omens.

sigh…

Depression

please and thank you

The moon is beautiful reblog if you agree

The Great Goddess Hecate (Hekate)

Who is Hecate? She is the Goddess of Witchcraft, Necromancy, Ghosts, Magic, and, in some instances, the Night, Darkness, The Mist, and Moon. For some She is also the goddess of motherhood, protection, and the sea. She is a Hellenic deity, born of the Titans Asteria and Perses. There’s a few beliefs circling around Her being a crone goddess or a Triple Goddess, but those are modern and neopagan beliefs—which She predates. I also consider Her to be a part of the Chthonic deities.

Symbology: Black dogs, Wolves, Keys, Torches, Flames, Torches, Crossroads, Serpents, Daggers, Birds of Prey (crows, ravens, owls), the Moon, witchcraft tools (such as cauldrons, tarot, athames)

Offerings & Devotional Acts for Her:

Figurines of any of Her symbols

keys, skeleton keys, lockets

fire witchcraft and candles, flames, matchsticks

dedicating any lunar or symbolic jewelry to Her

black/dark crystals such as obsidian and onyx

nocturnal animal imagery

black/cool colored glitter

baneful/poisonous herbs and plants

pomegranates/berries (She seems to really like blackberries)

dark blend wines

honey, cinnamon, poppy seeds, chocolates (dark)

mugwort, lavender, roses, jasmine, dragon’s blood

bones and feathers from birds of prey (please check your local laws about obtaining these)

pinpricks of blood (please DO NOT attempt this if you struggle with self harm/etc, blood magic is particularly strong and isn’t for everyone. She will understand if you cannot offer that to her).

Taking midnight walks, setting up altars and rituals at crossroads, paying respects to the dead and practicing your craft in a cemetery 

Any playlists, poems, literature, whether it be your own or just a piece you associate with Her, also make wonderful offerings. 

Lunar Influences & Connections: Reaching out to Hecate tends to work best at night, and really any time the moon is at it’s peak. The Witching Hours, midnight to 3A.M., during strong lunar influences (blue moons, blood moons, eclipses, new moons, etc) all hold strong bonds with Hecate. Also, any time it is particularly foggy or your surroundings are covered in a mist is a good time to try to connect with Her.

Disclaimer: These are correspondences that have been gathered through my personal experiences working through my craft with Her. If you find She responds better to different offerings/during different times, by all means, stick to it! Your bond with Her is your own and should be cultivated in whichever way works best for you and Her. Thank You!

Drawing Sigils: My Way

Dedicated to the anon who asked, thank you~ <3

 My sigils are basically just a variant of the Witch’s Sigil Wheel. I’ve just added my own flare to it. If you don’t know what that is, it’s this thing, you kind find pictures of it on google pretty easy.

The first thing you’re gonna want to do is come up with your phrase. This will set the sigils intention. We’re gonna use the phrase “The Earth keeps me safe” for this example. Once you’ve got that figured out, pick out the words that are most important to you. We’re going to use “Earth” and “Safe” as our keywords.

(note: traditionally letters that are doubled are taken out, and only single appearing letters make the points.)

Next thing you’re gonna do, is draw lines from one letter to the next. You’ll be making separate lines for each word. Feel free to curve some of these lines, but i think it looks like a mountain or a crystal so we’re gonna keep it c:

And then the next word.

This is really starting to look like a crystal in my eyes! Now it’s time to add some flare. One thing I like to do is add circles around letters that have multiple points on them. And I add crossing lines to any other line that doesn’t have an angle or connection.

To really long lines, I like to add another line parallel to it.

The last part, make it personal! Add some sort of your own flare to it.

I played around with the crystal idea that I was getting, and added things to make it look sparkling and an arrow in the middle to represent protection. 

Lastly I like to keep my sigils in circles, but feel free to skip this step and call it done! Here’s what I came up with!

If you make one, please reblog with a picture! I’d love to see ^u^ Hopefully this helps.

Self love milk (a Potion)

Notice: this won’t 100% heal depression. This is made to attract self love.

Ingredients:

🥛Milk (the base), Any type of milk works

💓Vanilla extract/Stick (Not essential oilh

🥛Cinnamon powder/Stick

💓Honey

Optional:

🥛Pink Candles

Method:

ㅁLight a pink candle, practice fire safety

ㅁHeat your milk up

ㅁMix in your honey, then add the Cinnamon and Vanilla.

ㅁIf you’re using Powder Cinnamon give it a good stir.

ㅇWarningsㅇ

-If Cinnamon gets on to your skin it can cause irritation

Far Away Thoughts, 1892, by John William Godward (1861-1922)

What can you do today to better yourself?

Do you just ever love someone with such a frightening intensity that you don't know what to do? You look at them and realise that they have such a casual complete control over you?

“Start from where you are. Don´t wait until you have everything figured out. You´re never going to feel ready if you never start. You´ll improve along the way.”

— The Fool (The Tarot Insight)

🌻 🌻 🌻

Stop. I am present, I am here. I will get through my anxiety and survive the day. I can make it. I can do this. If you are struggling with anxiety as well, then we shall be strong and fight it together🌻

Starting a Grimoire📙

Ok so somebody asked for some tips on starting their grimoire so here’s this long ass post for anyone who needs it.

You do not need some big fancy notebook it can be a really cheap one or it can be online or in a scrapbook/binder

Ideas of what to put in your Grimoire

🌹~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🌹

🌌Table of contents

🌌A page about you, your birthstone, fav herbs/crystals to make it more personal

🌌Types of magick

🌌Types of witches

🌌The history of magick/witches in your country or local area

🌌About the deities you worship if you worship any

🌌Local myths/legends of interest

🌌herbs and their magickal properties

🌌 Candles and their magickal properties

🌌Essential oils and their magickal properties

🌌Crystals and their magickal propererties

🌌Gemstones and their magickal properties

🌌Runes

🌌Sigils

🌌Casting a circle

🌌Spells and how to cast them

🌌What days/times are best for casting spells

🌌Zodiac signs

🌌Moon phases

🌌Familiars

🌌Altars, what they are and what you need to set one up

🌌Moon water

🌌Sun water

🌌Banishing

🌌Binding

🌌Cleansing

🌌Grounding

🌌Spirit work, how to do it and how to stay safe

🌌Put protection sigils over the Grimoire to keep it safe and hidden

🌌Planets and their relation to magick

🌌Sabbats

🌌Witch terminology 101

Organizing a Grimoire

🌹~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🌹

🍁This isn’t needed, if you prefer the write as you go method that’s fine.

🍁For those of us who prefer to have it organized a table of contents is a must.

🍁Try and plan what your going to write down when. If it helps write down in a notebook or in your book of shadows every idea you can think of putting in your grimoire and number them.

🍁It’s ok if it’s not ‘perfect’ chances are this is your first grimoire so not only is ok its natural to make a few mistakes here and there

🍁Write in pencil if you don’t like crossing out mistakes or using tipex

🍁The key thing to remember is that it doesn’t need to look 'Tumblr perfect’ as long as you understand it