Moon Phases.

6 Cute Ways to Make a Sleep Circle

We love sleep circles. They are great for enhancing dreaming, allowing deeper sleep and warding away bad energy and bad dreams when you’re in a vulnerable state. What we don’t love is surrounding the bed with salt circles or incense ash and getting it in the carpet. Pass.

So here are some ways to make a protective and dream-enhancing sleep circle – without all the mess.

1. Enchant a cute string of lights. Nothing chases away darkness faster than light, so why not put these to use? Weave pieces of thread around the cords in colors that match your desired effect. This is a particularly great option for college witches in dorms.

2. Make your own canopy or buy one and charge it for your intent. This is potentially thicker magical barrier because you can have it completely cover you while you sleep. Stitch in sigils you’ve made into the fabric for your desired effect.

3. Make a chandelier to hang above your bed like ones here and here. Use colored fabric that corresponds with your intent, or hang crystals with your desired associations. Moonstone, amethyst, and clear quartz would be ideal for this kind of fixture.

4. Or make a mobile. Make a simple crystal mobile like the one in this video. Press and dry flowers and herbs of your intent to make the one here. Are you a sea witch with extra shells? Make a fixture like this for protection. The possibilities are endless.

5. Hang some plants associated with protection around your bedroom. A cute DIY for this can be found here. As desert witches, we are partial to hanging little cacti in our planters for their protective abilities. You could also dry your herbs around your bedroom for the same effect.

6. Make a garland to hang around your bed or bedroom. You could make a macrame yarn garland like the one found here made with colors to match your intent. If florals are more your style, make this DIY and write sigils on the leaves.

psa: if your magical “tool kit” doesn’t also include critical thinking skills and common sense, it’s useless.

Shadow Work Info 🧿🌀🥀

[via @risingwoman on Insta]

Oh my god, food extract is not the same as an essential oil.

Food extract is the flavoring of something cooked down into a carrier oil or alcohol that is safe for human ingestion.

Essential oil is the pure extract of the plant refined down and distilled for concentrated medicinal purposes to a significantly higher strength than simply adding ground up mint leaves to your water. The two are not comparable in any way.

Cinnamon extract and cinnamon essential oil are not the same thing.

One is about 100 times the strength of the other and can also cause acute organ failure. I’ll give you a hint, it’s not the food extract.

Sweet gods I’m not trying to be mean, I want you to be aware and safe and stop putting yourselves and others at risk. Please.

Beltane Blessings one and all /|\ 🙏🔥

Hello, witches! Since I’m always harping on about learning your history and checking your sources, I thought I’d help folks get a head start by compiling some source material.

To that end, I’ve started a Dropbox folder with a stash of historical texts on witchcraft, magic, and related topics. Nearly everything I’ve managed to find so far is public domain (thank you Project Gutenberg), with the exception of a very thorough herbal grimoire I found online some years ago and a book of witchcraft from the 1970s that appears to be out of print.

I will be continuing in this vein with future texts that I find. Everything will be public domain or cited to the source that it came from, in PDF format. I will NOT be including PDFs of any book currently in circulation with a copyright linked to a living author or estate. The point of this folder is that everything in it should be free for sharing and open use as research materials.

Below is the initial list of titles. I tried to include as many as I could find, with a focus on some oft-cited classics. I will be adding new texts as I find them.

A Collection of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft and the Second Sight, by David Webster (1820)

A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718, by Wallace Notestein (1909)

British Goblins, Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions, by Wirt Sikes (1880)

Curiosities of Superstition, by W. H. Davenport Adams (1882)

Daemonologie, by King James I/VI (1597)

Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, Edited and Selected by W. B. Yeats (1888)

Irish Witchcraft and Demonology, by St. John Drelincourt Seymour (1913)

La Sorcière, or The Witch of the Middle Ages, by Jules Michelet (1863)

Lives of the Necromancers, by William Godwin (1834)

Magic and Fetishism, by Alfred C. Haddon (1906)

Magic and Witchcraft, by Anonymous (1852)

Modern Magic, by M. Schele de Vere (1873)

Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics, by Richard Folkard (1884)

Practical Psychomancy and Crystal Gazing, by William Walker Atkinson (1908)

The Devil in Britain and America, by John Ashton (1896)

The Discoverie of Witchcraft, by Reginald Scot (1594, 1886 reprint)

The Extremely Large Herbal Grimoire (date unknown, internet publication)

The Golden Bough : A Study of Magic and Religion, by Sir James George Frazer (1890)

The Illustrated Key to the Tarot, by L.W. de Laurence (1918)

The Magic of the Horse-shoe, by Robert Means Lawrence (1898)

The Mysteries of All Nations, by James Grant (1880)

The Mystery and Romance of Alchemy and Pharmacy, by Charles John Samuel Thompson (1897)

The Superstitions of Witchcraft, by Howard Williams (1865)

The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut by John M. Taylor (1908)

The Wonders of the Invisible World, by Cotton Mather and A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches, by Increase Mather (1693, 1862 reprint)

Witch Stories, by E. Lynn (Elizabeth Lynn) Linton (1861)

Witch, Warlock, And Magician, by W. H. Davenport Adams (1889)

Witchcraft & Second Sight in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland, by John Gregorson Campbell (1902)

Witches’ Potions & Spells, ed. by Kathryn Paulsen (1971)

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that these texts are (with few exceptions) more than a century old, and may contain depictions, references, or language that are outdated and inappropriate. The point of including these documents is to provide access to historical texts for research and reference. Inclusion in the collection does not equal unconditional agreement with or wholesale approval of the contents.

Take everything with a grain of salt and remember to do your due diligence!

Happy Witching!   -Bree

WITCHY PSA

DON’T YOU DARE PUT SALT IN THE GROUND.

DO NOT CAST SALT CIRCLE IN THE DIRT. DO NOT SALT THE GROUND TO CLEANSE IT. DO NOT BURY SACHETS THAT INCLUDE SALT.

STOP SALTING THE GROUND.

YOU WILL MESS UP THE SOIL AND HURT THE PLANT LIFE. USE SOMETHING ELSE.

I’ve picked up my Grimoire again and begun developing my Tarot section, (which is going to be huge and very time consuming but I am SO excited!)

Please feel free to use these pages as a guide in your own practices or as inspiration for your own BOS or Grimoire :) All I ask is that if you wish to recreate my design or wording, please credit in the description of your post!! Thank you 💕

✨Pages in my Grimoire on Tarot ✨

These pages begin my Tarot study on the symbols associated with the Major Arcana, the 4 Suites and associated zodiacs/meanings, the court cards and what they represent in meanings, numerology and their associated majors, and lastly color symbolism. this is basically all I need to do intuitive readings with the tarot!!

The next chunk of this will be meanings for each of the major arcana, based off of my own practices and what i’ve learned about their symbols.

50  witchy things to do in quarantine:

cleanse your house thoroughly

banish any unwanted energies

put some time into making solid wards

rearrange/cleanse your altar space and tools

take inventory of your supplies

make new batches of sun and moon waters (and any salts, tinctures, etc. you like to keep on hand)

start a dream journal now that you have the time

find a witchy article or book on somewhere like JSTOR and learn something new (and tell other witches about it)

try kitchen witchcraft if you haven’t already

create a new sigil or charm to display in your house

bless or add a glamor to an item in your home (ex. adding a glamour to a centerpiece so the food always looks good or to the welcome mat so people don’t notice the messes so much)

send a blessing to those who are helping (and donations, if you can)

or perhaps jinx, hex, curse, or bind those doing harm

set aside time each day to meditate– it’s the perfect time to start such a habit!

leave an offering to or commune with a spirit or deity you have not in a while due to time constraints

try a type of magic you are interested in, but struggle with

practice with your divination tools to get better at them

update your grimoire with things you’ve been meaning to write down

make a crystal grid of your own

make your own pendulum and board

make your own oracle deck

using the items you already have, make a new powder, oil, or tincture for an intent you have often

make a sigil and set it as your phone background

paint your phone case with a sigil, a symbol, or a color coordinated with your intention (use acrylic and then coat it in mod podge!)

create a new talisman

write a hymn or incantation

create a playlist to listen to during witchy things

buy a service from a local witch if you can afford to– many are in need of money right now, especially

draw, paint, or sculpt a deity you worship and add it to your altar

use notecards to write down and categorize things you have for each basic intention (ex. write down all of the herbs, crystals, etc. you have for love, for money, etc. so you never have to sit and think hard on what you can use– it’s a quick-reference for yourself)

write down your favorite spells or ones that you want to try

in your school or work space, add a sigil or charm for productivity, focus, or stress-relief

make a new sachet for sleep

contact a witch friend and facetime them to meditate together or do readings for each other. it’s important to stay in touch!

make shoebox, on-the-go, or pocket altars so when quarantine is over you’ll keep your practice up in daily life

write yourself affirmation cards or letters to open in a month/year/whenever you like

make your own runes

enchant a piece of clothing or jewelry for stress-relief or motivation

learn more about your own natal chart

transfer the info you look for in your grimoire most often to make a quick-reference book of the most important pages for yourself

learn about the plants and trees around your house and their properties

sit in your yard for a little while and enjoy nature and it’s sounds

open your curtains and blinds and windows to let in a little fresh air and sun into the house

start journaling– being in-tune with yourself will improve you as a witch

write letters or send care packages to witchy friends with things like bay leaves, sigils, and kind notes

on your next grocery run, grab some seeds or plants and plant whatever is in season where you are. try something that can grow in your windowsill, if you’re new! this is a way to have sustainable ingredients for your witchcraft that has no pesticides and is cultivated with your energy.

alternatively, get flower seeds and plant them around your home. this will also give you a reason to step outside to tend to them from time to time.

learn a new song or hymn and perform it as an offering to your deity of choice

make a list of this year’s dates of full and new moons, transits, and holidays and mark them in your calendar or put them in the notes of your phone

take the time to monitor your own energy and take care of yourself <3

How to Tell if You’ve Received a Sign ✨

Let’s face it, although it definitely feels exciting to think that you’ve been gifted a sign from the universe or any deities that you worship, not everything is a sign. In fact, most experiences aren’t a sign- but that’s not a bad thing! This just makes signs all the more special when we do receive one. Think about it: if we were sent signs from the universe or our deities all the time, they would slowly lose significance and meaning as they blended into the regular aspects of our lives. Eventually, they would no longer stand out to us and it’s possible we would stop noticing them altogether. So, don’t be discouraged if you realize that something you experienced wasn’t a sign- there will be plenty of opportunities for you to receive a genuine sign in the future when the time is right! If you’re having trouble discerning what experiences are actually signs and what’s just a coincidence, here are a few tips: 

It probably was NOT a sign if… 

The experience is suited to its surrounding environment- If something is likely to happen within a specific environment due to the nature of the environment, then it’s most likely not a sign, instead it’s just a result of your surroundings. For example, if you see a deer while you’re taking a walk through the woods, then that’s probably because you’re strolling through the natural habitat of a deer, not because you’re receiving a sign. 

You haven’t requested a sign from the universe/your deities- If you haven’t reached out to your deities or asked the universe for a sign lately, then it’s more likely that your experience is just a coincidence. If there’s no present issue at hand that you’ve asked for help with, then there’s less explanation as to what message the sign could be carrying and too many possible meanings to examine. 

You receive the experience in a way you’re not used to- Some people directly communicate to the universe/their deities that they would like to receive signs in a specific manner so that they can be sure it’s a genuine sign from their higher power. If you have done this and your experience is received in a way that’s different from the specifications you’ve asked for in a sign, then it’s more likely to be a coincidence or simply an odd experience. 

The experience could have happened to anybody/is too general- Sometimes, we really need to ask ourselves if an experience is actually significant, or if it’s just a coincidence that could happen to anyone. For example, say you’re contemplating leaving a relationship and you happen to see a bird near you flying away. Is that a sign? Well, it’s not exactly specific or super significant to see a bird flying away. That could very well happen to anyone on any given day, therefore it’s likely not a sign. 

You find yourself desperately trying to force meaning within your experience when there’s no true connection- It happens. At some point, we all have felt really lost in life, and as though we have no guidance. These feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can cause us to try and find meaning in our experiences when there’s no sign to be found. This is likely because, in these moments, we feel as though our lives themselves are lacking meaning, therefore we can become desperate to try and find significance in something else. 

It’s likely that it WAS a sign if… 

You have requested a sign from the universe/your deities- This is one of the first things you should consider when you’re trying to determine if your experience was a genuine sign! If you’ve clearly asked the universe or sent a prayer to your deities for a specific sign and you receive an experience shortly after, then it is significantly more likely to be an actual sign because it is an answer to your request rather than a random message being sent. 

The experience matched the specifications you have requested- In your prayers to your deities/the universe, perhaps you have made it clear that you prefer to receive signs in a specific manner, such as asking to notice it within a certain time frame, or a specific number of times. This is usually done with the purpose of having extra ways to verify signs from the universe/your deities. Thus, if your experience matches the criteria you’ve requested, then it is significantly more likely to be a genuine sign. 

There were repeated symbols within your experience- Consistent and clear repetition of specific actions, symbols, figures, meaningful numbers, or words is undeniably more meaningful than simply having one odd experience. In this case, your experience is much more likely to be a sign because the universe/your deities may be using repetition to catch and hold your attention. 

The experience was highly unusual for its surrounding environment- The key element of this indicator is contrast. If the experience seems unsuited or ‘out of place’ for its environment, then it is more likely to be a sign because the specific experience is being highlighted in notable contrast to what is around you, which is another way of catching your attention. 

There were specific symbols that connect to your deity- Most deities have specific symbols, figures, meaningful numbers, or words that are known to be connected to their role as a religious or spiritual figure. If your experience features key elements that tie to a deity you worship, then it is more likely to be a sign because there are specific references to your deity within your experience. 

You felt an intense, distinct reaction to your experience that sparked an immediate connection- If you discover after your experience that you feel extremely certain that it is a sign, and this is paired with a distinct physical/emotional ‘gut’ feeling, then you should pay attention! This is likely your intuition telling you that this is a genuine sign.

With that said, this post isn’t meant to burst anyone’s bubble or tell you that your experience isn’t a ‘real’ sign! These are just some guidelines that I’ve created along my spiritual path that I use when I’m trying to interpret the signs and experiences I receive. If you have another set of guidelines of your own that differ from mine, that’s perfectly okay- our interpretations of spiritual experiences are allowed to have variation. You may believe an experience is a sign when I may not interpret it as such, or vice versa, and that’s cool! Don’t allow anyone to make you doubt yourself when it comes to your intuition and your gut feelings- After all, you have the deepest understanding of yourself and your spiritual path.