Witchcraft Exercises

🌿the myth of minthe

Knot Magic

Knots are an incredibly versatile tool to use in your spells. They allow you to cast powerful spells with pretty much anything you can tie in a knot. Some people will tell you that things like the material and colors that you choose heavily impact your magic but really, these things are only helpful if they speak to you. If color affects your magic a lot then by all means, choose a cord for the color but otherwise it isn’t necessary.

Possible materials to choose from include:

Rope

Chord

Yarn

Floss

Copper wire

Chains

Vines

Sinews

Scarves

Etc…

So, the basic premise is that as you tie the knot you’re binding your intention. You can think of the knot as an anchor point for an idea that you want to manifest.

What kinds of ideas?

Pretty much everything. I’m not joking, I can’t think of a type of spell that can’t be performed using a knot. Curses, binding spells, healing spells, protective spells, prosperity and luck spells, it can all be done with a knot. Traditionally, knot spells were heavily associated with air elemental magic and with weather spell casting.

What kinds of knots can be used in spells like these?

Absolutely any knot can be used to cast a spell. For quickies I like your typical overhand knot, for more complicated spells you might choose a more ornate knot or even an entire set of knots to make jewelry.

Along those same lines, needlework like knitting and crocheting can be used in the exact same manner. This type of knot magic can become very elaborate, including the use of various stitches, patterns and projects to achieve your intent.

Are there any bad things about knot spells?

Yes, unfortunately there are. Since knots are a physical representation of the spell, if the knot gets broken the spell is broken as well. This isn’t always a drawback however, it means that your spells are easily broken if you ever feel the need.

Now for my favorite part, examples! The spells below are spells that I’ve designed myself but they’re not particularly specific and I’m certain that I’m not the first person to think of them. As with most of my spells, they’re incredibly versatile. Change things in whatever way suits your practice and your intention.

Lovers Knots

Nobody freak out. This isn’t your average “make him love me” love spell. Instead this spell is designed to be made by a pair who are already lovers. It’s designed as an activity to bring you together and to remind you of each other when things get rough. Think of it as a magic reservoir of each other’s love for when you can’t be together or are having a spat. Each of you will make a bracelet for the other and place intentions into the bracelet you make. Your intention could be to protect them (love is excellent for protection), to tie the two of you together or to help solve a particular problem between the two of you. The important thing about this is that both parties participate and have discussed what they want out of the spell.

Here are a few knot bracelet tutorials as ideas :)

Friendship Bracelet

Another Friendship Bracelet

Beads and Braids Work Too

Pick one and get knotting! With each knot that you make think and meditate about your intention but this doesn’t need to be a somber thing. Laugh and chat with your lover and really get the love flowing between the two of you (breaks for kissing and stuff are a good idea if you want). Basically just use this as a chance to really get close with your partner. The emotion and energy that you have during this is going to stick so no being mad at each other or arguing or nit picking or talking about the dishes or anything. Take this time to just be in love.

If you want, when you’ve finished making the bracelet you can let it charge in sunlight or moonlight or say an incantation or prayer to a deity over it, whatever works with your practice. Now swap and wear your new lovers knots. 

If, for any reason, you wish to undo the spell, each knot in the bracelet must be broken. This can be done by going through and untying each one, by cutting each one or by burning the entire bracelet (if it’s flammable). A single knot left unbroken will still retain its power.

Despite being named “Lovers Knots”, this spell can be used by any pair of people or even a group! Friends, siblings and parents with their children can all modify this spell for their use. In a group you can have a rotation of sorts, each person begins a bracelet, makes maybe an inch and then passes it in one direction around the circle where the next person will make another inch and continue passing it. Each bracelet will have been made in part by every member of the group.

Luck Knot Spell

Another good example for the uses of knots in magic, this spell works a little differently than the last. Each knot is designed to be a pre-made “quick release” spell. You should choose a cord material that is easy for you to untie.

Prep for this spell however you like, cast a circle, consecrate your cord, call your deities, whatever. Now, pick a number for your spell, my first choice would be my lucky number but use whatever number associations you’d like.

Begin by creating your first knot. This knot is your anchor, it sets the framework for the entire spell, imbue it with the intention that each subsequent knot will be a holder. The idea is to have a spell attached to each knot and as the knot is untied, the spell is released and activated. Once you finish with your first knot you can start on the rest of them, with each that you make charge the knot with your intention, in this case, luck. You can do this in a number of ways, meditating, chanting, incantations and prayers all work. The incantation below is just an example of something I’ve used before.

Ex. Winds of fortune blow, let my good luck grow.

Finish up in your preferred way, close your circle, ground, thank any spirits that you work with, etc. You can now keep the cord with you and whenever you need a little burst of luck (before a test or interview, talking to your crush, competing, anything like that) just untie a knot.

If anyone has more questions about knot magic or specific spells then feel free to drop me a line :)

Persephone Keeper of the Dark With hair wreathed in flowers Hands gentle yet firm She takes her throne with grace While the world falls asleep

Persephone Keeper of the Spring Whose ethereal pulse gives life To the light With a gown laced in blooms The ivy climbs up to greet her

🌸🌸🌸

Sorry, this may be kinda basic but I'm getting some conflicting info. Can you please explain the diff between the terms Hellenic, Hellene, Hellenist, Hellenistic, Hellenism, Hellenismos and Hellenic Polytheism? What is the proper term to use for a practitioner of the religion who is not culturally/ethnically Greek? Or does it matter? Is Hellene referring to a Greek person? Do any of those terms have anything to do with recon vs revival? I want to be sure I'm using the terms correctly.

I don’t think I’ve ever addressed these terms on this blog, so here goes.

Hellenic (adj.) simply refers to something Greek. Whereas the word “Greek” comes from Latin Graecus, the word “Hellenic” comes from Ancient Greek Ἑλληνικός (Hellênikos) and is still used by Greek people to refer to Greece, or Ελλάδα (Ellada) in modern Greek, to this day. Because of this, any phrase with the word Greek can be replaced with Hellenic: for example, Hellenic food, Hellenic music, Hellenic culture, and yes, Hellenic polytheism.

Hellene (n.) is the term Greek people use to identify themselves. Just like a German person might say “I’m a German” or a French person might say “I’m a Frenchman”, Greek people call themselves Hellenes (or Έλληνες, Ellines, in Greek). Within the Hellenic polytheistic community, there has been debate on whether non-ethnically Greek polytheists should call themselves Hellenes, the main argument in favour of this being that Hellene was historically the term for polytheists, whereas Greek Christians called themselves Romans. I personally don’t encourage this, given that regardless of the term’s history, it’s currently the term in use by Greek people to describe themselves. A non-Greek person calling themselves a Hellene is misleading, just like it would be for a Norse polytheist to call themselves Norwegian (despite both terms having similar etymologies).

Hellenist (n.) refers to a person who admires and/or academically studies (usually Ancient) Greek civilisation. If you have a bust of Socrates in your home, you’re probably a Hellenist. If you have a degree in Classics, you’re definitely a Hellenist. (The equivalent term for people who study Rome, by the way, is Latinist.) Hellenist can be used to describe Hellenic polytheists, but while I don’t discourage using it like I do with Hellene, I’m personally not a big fan of it, since it can lead to confusion as to what, exactly, we do.

Hellenistic (adj.) specifically refers to the period of history between the death of Alexander the Great and the Battle of Actium (323 to 31 BC). As a result, Hellenistic polytheism is the religion that was practised at the time in Greece, and which involved a large amount of cultic exchange and syncretism (for example, Zeus-Serapis).

Hellenic polytheism (n.), by contrast, is the general term for the polytheistic religion practised by Ancient Greeks, in all its forms. Hellenistic polytheism is Hellenic polytheism; Mycenaean polytheism is Hellenic polytheism; the modern revival of the religion is Hellenic polytheism. When it comes to modern movements specifically, I would define a practise as Hellenic polytheism if it strives to honour Hellenic deities within the spirit of Ancient Greek belief. According to this definition, a Wiccan who calls on the four quarters while summoning Hekate for a spell is not a Hellenic polytheist, despite a Hellenic deity being involved, since this practise functions within the belief system of Wicca. On the other hand, an eclectic polytheist who worships each deity according to their culture of origin could call themselves a Hellenic polytheist, despite not strictly worshipping Hellenic deities only.

Hellenismos, and its anglicised form Hellenism (n.), is another term for Hellenic polytheism. It was invented by the Roman emperor Julian in the 4th century AD, and at the time, it applied not only to the religion, but also to all other aspects of Greek culture Julian was attempting to popularise instead of Christianity. Nowadays, Hellenismos generally - though not exclusively - denotes Hellenic reconstructionism, a Hellenic polytheistic movement that aims to stay as close as possible to ancient practise (as opposed to revivalism, which allows for more modern innovations).

Other terms for Hellenic polytheism include Dodekatheism, Olympianism and Hellenic ethnic religion. The latter is mainly used by Greek people in Greece, and as with Hellene, I would discourage its use by non-Greek people as it implies you are ethnically Greek. Olympianism is rarely used. As for Dodekatheism, a while ago, there was some debate in the Tumblr community as to whether we should call ourselves Hellenic polytheists or Dodekatheists, a term which some people viewed as more respectful towards Greek people; I myself chose not to involve myself in the debate, and still don’t. Personally, I call myself a Hellenic polytheist because it’s an accurate descriptor of my religion (whereas Dodekatheist implies I only worship twelve Gods), and because all of the Greek people I have interacted with have been fine with it. However, I have no issue with the term Dodekatheism and if someone feels more comfortable with it, I encourage them to use it instead.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion!

Nothing I’ve read has changed me more than “you do people a favor by accepting their help” like I repeat this constantly to so many people because it’s true!!! People like to feel useful, they like to feel kind, they like to feel like they have an ability to impact people’s lives so just let them!! Not everything is a thing to be owed back — accept people’s kindness without making a competition out of it

How to Organize Your Book of Shadows/Grimoire

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A great recommendation on how to do so! Remember, though, this is only an opinion: always follow your intuition and include what feels right! There may be topics on this list that are not applicable to your practice and/or don't interest you, and that is okay. Each book of shadows/grimoire is unique item that should be personal to you and you alone.

Stormy's Spellbook

How to Organize Your Grimoire

Have you ever bought a journal with plans to turn it into a beautiful grimoire? Something directly out of the 90s show “Charmed”? But you ha

Tips to Avoid Negative Manifestations of Spells

Sometimes we do spells and the outcome comes about negatively. For example, a money spell could lead to a car crash that would result in the insurance giving you money. The spell technically worked, but not in the way that you wanted or expected. These tips can perhaps prevent these negative or unwanted manifestations.

-Add honey to a spell. Honey can sweeten the results of a spell since it is a natural sweetener. Sugar is also another ingredient that can sweeten the manifestation of a spell. -Add jelly or jam to a spell. Like honey and sugar, jellies and jams can create a more positive manifestation due to their sweet nature. Use the different flavors to your advantage, too. Strawberry jam can sweeten the outcome of a love spell, grape with prosperity, etc. -Close any loopholes. Adding a few extra words can save you a ton of trouble. “This spell shall manifest without any negative consequences by this Friday” is a way to avoid negative results and speed the process of the spell’s manifestation (the faster you want it to manifest, the more energy is required). -Clear your mind before performing a spell. Meditation, grounding, and centering are just a few simple things that you can do to clear your mind before doing a spell. It isn’t necessary, but it is helpful to just focus on the spell rather than other things in your life. I’ve found that when I think about other things during a spell, my spell will get clouded up with emotions that I do not want attached to it, like anger or sadness, and that that can sometimes lead to negative manifestations. -Keep your spells in appropriate places. Keeping curses in the dark and keeping positive spells in the light will help the spell to manifest as you want it to. For example, if you have a spell jar for love, putting it in a dark closet may result in a darker manifestation due to it being infused with the dark’s energy whereas putting it in the sunshine or by a rose quartz will give more positive results due to the more positive energy that is associated with the sun and the quartz. This may not be possible for all witches, so if you cannot have your spells in open places, remember to close the loophole. -Add spell ingredients that have a strong connection to the spell’s intent. Some ingredients have more of a connection to the spell’s intent than others. For instance, if a person wanted to be a hired at a certain company, they could add the dirt from the company’s premises into their career spell. Doing so could greatly increase the spell’s chances of manifesting as desired.

Lily of the valley 💕🧚🌱✨

General Advice for Beginner Witches

A brief masterpost of some of my advice posts for beginner witches and the episodes of my podcast dealing with the same. (There is UPG here, particularly where marked, as I base a good deal of my advice on my own experience and observations of other witches.)

Hex Positive Podcast Episodes

Hex Positive, Ep. 04 - Advice for Beginner Witches (July 2020)

Hex Positive, Eps. 6-7 - Come In For A Spell 1 & 2 (Sept 2020)

Hex Positive, Ep. 12 - Witching From The Broom Closet (Jan 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 24 - Warding A Witchy Home (Dec 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 27 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday (March 2022)

General Tips & Advice

I Feel Like I Might Be A Witch...But I Don't Know

I Have Mental Health Issues - Can I Still Be A Witch?

Can I Still Be A Witch And Use Magic If I Take Medication?

How Do I Teach Myself To Believe In Magic?

How Does Magic Work? (upg ahoy)

Will I Be Possessed Or Haunted If I Try Witchcraft?

What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?

How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?

How Do I Organize My Study Materials?

How Do I Contact A Deity?

How Do I Worship My Deity If I Can't Have An Altar?

Tips On Working With Deities And Spirits (here be upg)

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I'm In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I've Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

My Candle Is Flickering - Does It Mean Something Bad?

How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?

What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?

Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?

What Should I Do If I REALLY Want To Hex Someone?

How Do I Know / What Do I Do If I've Been Hexed?

How Do I Become More Skilled And More Powerful?

How Do I Know When I'm Ready For The Next Step In My Practice?

Additional Tips For Developing Your Practice

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Tips on How to Visualize and Construct Basic Wards

Practicing Your Warding Technique

Cleansing Before Warding / Warding A Shared Space

Refreshing / Patching Existing Wards

Non-Appropriative Herbs for Smoke-Cleansing

Smokeless Cleansing / Other Methods

Recommended Reading & Book Suggestions