It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Crystals

~ What are Crystals and what are they used for?

   Most crystals ( in this case including gems, rocks, precious stones, semi-precious stones, and simple stones) are of mineral origin. Crystals, like amethyst, come out of the ground naturally faceted and don’t need to be changed in anyway. Diamonds, for example, come out of the ground equally as rough, but are usually polished and cut into intricate styles.

 For many years, crystal have been used as a tool to aid spiritual healing, psychic development, and meditation.

~ How can I incorporate Crystals into my everyday life?

   You can carry around your crystals. This way you can feel your crystals energy when needed. Place them in a little sachet or pouch and they are ready to go!

    Infuse your water with your clean crystals. This is a fast way to feel your crystals energy.

    Decorate your magickal space and/or surroundings with crystals.

    Meditate with your crystals. Just spend a minimum of 30 seconds with each crystal. Hold it in your hands, close your eyes, and feel its energy soaking into your skin.

How Crystals Can Help You

Agate

  ~Banded: help you feel grounded, remain focused, and banishes fears.

  ~Blue Lace: helps you adjust and adapt.

  ~Moss: refreshes spirit, brings peace of mind, helps to develop intuition.

  ~Tree: aids meditation and clear thinking, reduces stress.

Amazonite ~ soothes the nervous system, increases self-esteem and confidence.

Amber ~ relieves depression and lifts your spirits.

Amethyst ~ the great healer of mind, body, and spirit. helps the development of psychic abilities and intuition.

Apache Tears ~ brings good fortune and positive energy.

Apatite ~ aids in motivation and communicative powers.

Aquamarine ~ helps you during hard decisions and times. promotes compassion and empathy.

Azurite ~ relinquishes harmful beliefs.

Bloodstone (aka Heliotrope) ~ calms fears, and dispels confusion and obsessive ideas.

Calcite ~ boosts energy and provides amazing psychic protection.

Carnelian (aka Sard) ~ banishes jealousy and inspires courage. aids perception.

Celestine ~ helps with communication and good thoughts.

Chalcedony ~ balances emotions and lifts your spirits.

Chrysocolla ~ eases stress and promotes self-confidence.

Citrine ~ helps steady emotions and give inspiration.

Coral ~ strengthens and protects emotions.

Desert Rose ~ promotes love and stability in relationships.

Diamond ~ assists in your connection with the universe.

Emerald ~ strong healer with both physical and mental problems.

Fluorite ~ helps with rationality and combats anxiety and worries.

Garnet ~ protects against melancholy and depression. encourages perseverance and patience.

Hematite ~ helps with psychic development and building self-esteem.

Jade ~ a very useful healing stone for both the body and spirit.

Jasper ~ aids with stress relief and grounding. promotes tranquility.

Jet ~ keeps evil spirits at bay and strengthens character.

Kunzite ~ helps align emotions. provides security.

Kyanite ~ helps to align and heal chakras.

Labradorite ~ aids with strong development of psychic powers.

Lapis Lazuli ~ helps develop your sixth sense. stimulates intuition. promotes creativity.

Lepidolite ~ great for relieving stress and dispelling negative emotions.

Malachite ~ used for healing when dealing with negative emotions.

Moonstone ~ restores harmony and emotion balance.

Obsidian ~ helps you to focus on the paranormal, used for protection and a scrying tool.

Onyx ~ instills a protective psychic shield. 

Opal ~ helps with rationalizing emotional states.

Pearl ~ aids self-respect, stability, and self-esteem.

Pyrite ~ opens the mind to new ideas.

Quartz ~ channels and aids in meditation. a powerful healing stone.

Rose Quartz ~ aids in anything love-related. instills comfort, relieves grief, and promotes harmonious relationships.

Rutilated Quartz ~ releases energy blockers.

Rhodonite ~ helps with assurance and confidence.

Ruby ~ purifies love, promotes spiritual knowledge and to be realistic about situations.

Sapphire ~ aids in mental clarity, clearing your inner eye, and bringing good fortune.

Smoky Quartz ~ filters out negative thoughts and emotions. helps with telepathy.

Sodalite ~ heals damaged emotions, and aids in restful sleep.

Tanzanite ~ helps you to accept change.

TIger’s Eye ~ a powerful aid in those seeking knowledge about past or future lives. promotes persistence and protection.

Topaz ~ allows you to transmit your visualizations as universal messages. an aid in telepathy.

Tourmaline ~ repels all negative energy and is a powerful stone for protection.

Turquoise ~ an aid in luck, love, money, and protection.

Unakite ~ heals the psyche, helps you realize your higher self.

Crystal Care Tips

  Some crystals shouldn’t be left in direct sunlight. These include: Amethyst, Ametrine, Aquamarine, Celestite, Citrine, Fluorite, Kunzite, Opal, Rose Quartz, Smoky Quartz, Topaz, and Turquoise.

  Some crystals shouldn’t get wet. These include: Celestine, Desert Rose, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Malachite, Selenite, and Sodalite.

Click here to learn about Crystal Shapes.

source: Crystals by Cass & Janie Jackson

* If there is anything we missed or you’d like to add, just let us know! *

I hope this is useful! xx ~ @chlovoyant

Looking for a witchy challenge? Try writing a new spell every day for 30 days!

You have full creative freedom and are free to interpret the prompts as you will. You can make a spell as specific or as vague as you like.

A spell to remember something

A spell to forget something

A spell to attract something

A spell to repel something

A spell to achieve a specific goal

A spell to heal

A spell that incorporates deities

A spell to create something

A spell for communication

A spell for money

A spell to be noticed

A spell to be hidden

A spell for creativity

A spell of safety

A good luck spell

A spell that involves alcohol

A spell that involves food

A spell to strengthen a relationship

A spell to destroy a relationship

A knowledge spell

A spell that incorporates technology

A spell that involves divination

A glamour

A spell that takes inspiration from your heritage

A spell jar

A spell that requires more than one caster

A self-care spell

A binding spell

A spell that breaks barriers down

A spell that you would never ever cast

Found on Digital Smoke Signals’ Facebook Page

OVER HER

Five years ago....

Without even thinking the phone was out of his hands and smashing against the wall.  Axel hated the effect his ex-wife still had on him, almost 10 years after their divorce. He had tried to be there even after everything she put him through, all the pain, all the grief. It didn't matter because he knew she was grieving more than he was, her pain was far worse than his. The person she was in love with had actually died, while it only felt like the woman he was in love with was dead. He guessed in a way she was dead. 

The words the day she had left still rang in his head over and over, he knew the reason he couldn't really ever let himself love anyone was because of Gianna. She was still the one in his heart, his gypsy rose for his whole life. Yet she never loved him the way he loved her, he knew that but he couldn't let her go no matter how hard he had tried. This is why she still got under her skin so badly, oh how he hated and loved her at the same damn time.  

Surely he had to know by now, 10 years after their divorce, after all the abuse at her hands that the woman hated him. Gia had played with his love for her at first, once his murder trial proved he was innocent. She used his good heart to get what she could out of him. Of course, he took care of her, he still did to this day. He let her manipulate him to get what she wanted, he paid for her hospital bills. He even paid for the lavish funeral for her lover that was murdered the night she was shot. 

He headed down to his workshop, taking their old wedding bands with him. He got his smelter ready to melt down the precious metals. He knew that as long as he held on to these he would hold onto Gia and what he thought they had. He worked to pull the diamonds from the metal of the rings. Placing them into a safe place he dropped all three rings into the smelter, watching as they began to dissolve into a puddle of white liquid. He had loved her for a very long time, but it was time to let it all go... time to let her go. 

Dear Diary,

Of all the coffee shops in all of New York City he had to walk into mine. It has been 8 years since I've seen him. 8 years and then he just strolls into my café with his beautiful eyes, strong jaw and charisma. And just like the last time he walked into my life I was just as taken and mesmerized by him. That was why I sent divorce papers and refused to see him after I left him. Then fate brings him right back into my life. Even if only for a moment. Now I need to read my cards and see what they have to say about all this. Consult the Goddess and see whh she would bring him back into my life.

Em

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been 8 years since she had seen that face, nothing had changed. Maybe there were a few a few wrinkles around his piercing deep brown eyes. Other than that, Logan seemed untouched by the hands of time. Ember peeked out at him from the kitchen of her café. He had only just walked in, she had known it was him by the sound of his voice. She herself had been baking in the back when he approached the counter to order. Not daring to show herself to him as he stood at the counter, she quickly messaged Piper at the counter that his food was on the house.

Now there she stood hair a mess, staring at the man she had fallen so deeply in love with ages ago. It felt like a lifetime had passed and yet as she stood there it felt as if she'd never left their apartment in LA. Straightening her hair a bit she tossed the apron she had been wearing to Piper. Making her way to the little nook he was tucked in. He was already on his third refill as she brought him a fourth and one for herself. Sitting it down on the table in front of him before she slipped into the across. Opening her mouth to speak she couldn't form the words, he was even more handsome than she remembered. Taking a sip of her coffee she waited for her courage to kick in.

Tarot Cards Meaning

Major Arcana

Cups

Pentacles

Swords

Wands

Blessed Solstice ❄

Wish Ornament

Wish ornaments are the perfect way to get festive and enter the new year! Or just to have to give your wishes an extra kick! They turned out beautiful and their energy alone fills the area around them. Hopefully, you’ll give it a go!

SUPPLIES:

Clear plastic ornament 

Ribbon/String

Colored candle of your choosing

Herbs of your choice

Devil’s Shoe String (optional)

Before starting, it’s a good idea to cleanse the materials you will be working with and prepping your space. I do a simple sage cleansing not only for my materials, but for myself as well so I may go in with a renewed and energized mindset! 

Whichever herbs you decide to put into your ornament largely depends on your intention. My wish for this new year was for focus on school, money in my new job, and personal peace and confidence. So, I used the following herbs: 

Patchouly - Money

Basil - Money

Lemon Balm - Success

Rosemary - Confidence

Lavender - Peace

Bourrage - Courage

Peppermint - Clarity, focus

3 Rose Petals - Love

Star Anise - Luck

All of these herbs were enchanted/charged with my intent. This process is personal and varies by practice, however, whenever you feel ready take the top of the ornament and them in!  Before recapping mine, I charged and snapped a Devil’s Shoe String in half to enhance the power of my intent. 

Once your herbs are nicely sealed, seal it with a wax color of your choice, finalizing your intent as you watch the flame. You can coordinate a color with your wish, or aesthetic! 

Then tie your string through the loop of the ornament and display wherever you would like (:

Happy Wishing!

HOW AND WHY YOU SHOULD BE TAKING SPIRITUAL BATHS

There are so many times where you’re either having a bad day, have a lot on your mind, or you just aren’t feeling up to par. How do you tackle these ailments so that you can move freely throughout the day?

WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL BATH?

So what exactly is a spiritual bath?

A spiritual bath is nothing more than a cleansing session where you take the necessary time to yourself to cleanse the physical body, your aura and you mind.

There is no set way to take a spiritual bath, your ritual is completely up to you. We’ll go over some examples of what you can use and how you should proceed with the bath later in this post.

Now I bet you’re wondering, “Why should I take these baths? How do I benefit from them?” Let’s start by saying that there are no negatives to indulging in a spiritual bath. Many of you already bathe in the tub anyway, so why not take an extra step to heal yourself and your mind? Along with cleansing, relaxing, and attracting positive things into your life, the baths aid in grounding the soul. Listed below are some of the possible steps and tools you can implement when you begin to take your much needed spiritual baths.

PREPARING FOR YOUR BATH AND SETTING INTENT

One of the first and most important steps you should take before taking your spiritual bath is setting your intent. Setting your intent is basically figuring out and knowing the reason why your doing something. I find that it helps to write it out on paper as I say it out loud. That way I am using multiple senses. I am using touch (writing), sight (reading), and hearing (my voice as I read).

You can draw your bath and expect healing results without knowing where to direct the healing energy. To get the best and most effective results, be sure to cleanse your space. Remove the clutter, get rid of any trash, and open the windows to let in fresh air. It may also be a great idea to shower before the bath, to be sure your body is open to new energy.

GATHERING YOUR NECESSITIES AND SETTING THE MOOD

The items you bring into the bathroom with you should all be there to support the intention you are focusing on. There are not set rules on what you should have or use during your spiritual baths.

One way to set the mood is by utilizing candles. Candles are great because they serve so many roles. They can be used in place of inorganic light, the aromas are extremely therapeutic, and create an ambience like no other.

You may also want to incorporate herbs and essential oils. You can choose ones for health or relaxation or that correspond to the intention you choose to set. There are tons of herbs you can use, it’s just the matter of picking the ones that suit your needs. In The Grimoire for the Green Witch, Ann Moura lists several herb blends to incorporate in your herbal spiritual baths:

FOR COMFORTING: Calendula (Marigold), Chamomile, Lavender, Mint, Raspberry Leaves, Rosemary.

FOR ENERGY: Heather, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Savory.

FOR PEACE: Chamomile, Hops, Lavender, Peppermint, Rose.

FOR RELAXATION: Chamomile, Dianthus, Heather, Jasmine Flower, Lemon Balm.

Soothing: Calendula, Chamomile, Lavender, Mint, Rosemary.

FOR STRESS RELIEF: Chamomile, Dianthus, Lemon Balm.

Music is another component that I believe could really help bring in wanted energy. You could listen to meditation music, nature sounds, or your favorite songs. You can also use white noise machines, which are pretty unique on their own. Of course, be sure to keep all electronics away from the water because you can’t go into a spiritual bath creating additional problems for yourself.

Sea salt is another must have in my opinion. Sea salt is used to help draw out the impurities in the body, such as bacteria and other debris. When choosing you salts, be sure to pick the best quality, unprocessed salts. Normal table salt should be avoided because it takes out needed minerals, instead of drawing them in. 100% natural, raw and unrefined Himalayan Pink Sea Salt is wonderful.

COMBINING IT ALL AND DIVING IN DEEP

Now that you’ve cleansed your space, and gathered your intent and tools, it’s time to combine it all together. Step into the water filled with lovely scented herbs, sit down and begin to take that mental dive into the world of relaxation. If you are tense, this bath just won’t work for you. As the water rushes around the tub, imagine all of the negative energy being pulled from your body and your intentions being manifested. When you are settled in, take some time to pray and then be still and listen for God's response. When your bath is complete, release the water down the drain and envision all of that unwanted energy flowing away, and thank the universe for all it has done and will do for you.

This lesson was loosely adapted from an article by Star Wolf's Den.

Here are the witchy apps I use (Android)

📆 Wicca Calendar (for Sabbaths)

✋Palmistry (it helps when combined with books for more visual)

📖 Black Grimoire (I use it for ideas I have on the go and for planning what I'm gonna put in my actual BOS)

🧪 My EO (essential oils guide)

✨ Nebula (astrology)

💎 Crystals guide (very complete crystal guide)

🌙 Deluxe Moon Premium (moon phases, astrology, wallpaper, etc.)

💤 Dreamboard (to track dreams)

🌸 Wicca oils (essential oils guide)

🧿 Chakras (meditation app)

♐ Upastro (natal chart, astrology, etc.)

🖋️ Runes and runic formulas (readings and guide)

💡Are you Psychic (intuition app)

🔋Crystal Charger (when I feel like they could use a boost but I am unable to charge them properly, you have sun, moon and quartz grid)

🧭 Compass (for casting circles)

🪔 The Aroma App (essential oils guide)

🌿 Herbalist Grimoire (herbs guide)

🕯️Wiccan and witchcraft spells (when inspiration is low)

🎴 Labyrinthos (Golden Thread Tarot Guide)

🌕 Moon (another solar phases app)

🤸 Fitify Yoga ( i like doing yoga for meditation and grounding purposes)