Intro To Spirit Work

Intro to Spirit Work

Throughout history those who practice magic have had a close connection to the spirit world, from fairy doctors who were said to learn their craft from the fae, to ceremonial magicians invoking angels and demons, to witches working with familiar spirits. To practice magic is to open yourself to this connection and to become aware of a whole new world of intelligent beings.

In modern Western culture, there’s a lot of fear around working with spirits. There are countless horror stories about malevolent hauntings, seances gone wrong, and violent possessions. It’s easy to see why many new witches are reluctant to work with spirits.

Ironically, in most other times and places, the spirit world was and is accepted as a normal part of life. All over the world, since before recorded history, people have honored their ancestors, left offerings for local land spirits, and built relationships with deities. We’re actually the weirdos for not having a healthy relationship with the spirits around us.

I personally have found working with spirits to be incredibly rewarding, and being aware of the spirits around me adds a lot of depth to my spiritual practice and my witchcraft. As long as you do your research, keep your wits about you, and are polite, you have nothing to fear and everything to gain from working with spirits.

Some Philosophy Terms

Animism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “attribution of conscious life to objects in and phenomena of nature or to inanimate objects.” An animist believes that all things have a spirit, from animals and plants to rocks and even man-made objects. Animism is a big part of many magical practices, especially in folk magic. It’s also a part of several modern religions, including Shinto and Anito. I personally am an animist, and my magic includes connecting with the spirits of the plants, crystals, and objects I work with.

Pantheism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe.” A pantheist believes that the physical world is the Divine. Whereas an animist believes that all things have their own spirit, a pantheist believes that the entire world shares a single, divine spirit. Many Wiccans are pantheists, and in some cases pantheism can coexist with animism (all things are both individual spirits and part of the divine whole).

Panentheism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “the doctrine that God includes the world as a part though not the whole of his being.” A panentheist believes that the world is a part of the divine, but that there is also a part of the divine that exists beyond the physical world. Some Christian groups are panentheists. Another example of panentheism is ancient Egyptian religion, where natural objects like the sky and the sun were seen as the bodies (but not the souls) of the gods.

Which of these philosophies you resonate with will shape how you interact with spirits and the spirit world.

Types of Spirits

This is not by any means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the types of spirits witches commonly encounter or work with:

Ancestors: deceased human spirits, especially those with a familial link to you. Ancestor veneration is a huge part of some magic systems, as well as many religions. Some witches ask their ancestors for help in every single spell or ritual, while others honor their ancestors on certain days, like on Samhain or on a deceased loved one’s birthday. Honoring the ancestors is a good place to start with spirit work because they already have a connection to you and are more likely to be willing to help you. However, working with ancestors can be difficult if you don’t know your family’s history or if you don’t feel close to your family. As author Aaron Oberon says, “Sometimes ancestor work is undoing the blocks our ancestors have built.”

To begin connecting with your ancestors, start by researching your family history. Ask your living relatives about their parents and grandparents. Try your hand at genealogy research and see how far back you can trace your family. If you feel called to do so, you can create a special altar to honor your ancestors. Light candles and leave out offerings of food that your ancestors enjoyed while they were alive.

Land Spirits: spirits that embody and are connected to a natural object or landmark. There are many, many types of land spirits, from individual tree and plant spirits to the spirits of great mountains and rivers. Some land spirits are even worshiped as gods – like Hapi, the Egyptian god of the Nile. Some modern witches even choose to recognize cryptids like Mothman or the Jersey Devil as land spirits! Working with your local land spirits can help you develop a deeper connection to your environment and can make your magic feel more localized and personal.

To begin connecting with land spirits, start by learning about the biology and folklore of your local area. Offerings for land spirits are usually left outside, so be sure to offer things that won’t harm local wildlife. Wild bird seed, fresh fruit, and unsalted peanuts are a few examples of safe offerings.

Spirits of Place: spirits tied to a specific building or location. Unlike land spirits, these beings aren’t always connected to a natural feature. Houses and other buildings can have their own spirits that embody the energy of that place. In Germanic folklore, these spirits are called house wights or husvaettir, and in English folklore they’re called brownies. For people who grew up in non-animist cultures, it can feel strange to leave offerings for the spirit of a man-made building, but there’s a long history of these types of spirits being honored all over the world. I personally see house wights as being similar to land spirits.

If you want to begin connecting with the spirits of your home, start by greeting them by name and leaving out an offering for them. Establishing a relationship with the spirits of your living space can help you create a more harmonious and productive home. Traditional offerings for house wights include dishes of cream, grain-based porridge (like oatmeal or grits), and clean water.

Animal Spirits: the spirit of a specific animal, the archetypal Spirit (with a capital “S”) of an entire species of animal, or an individual spirit that appears as an animal. The concept of animal spirits that act as protectors and guides is found in many cultures, especially those with shamanic traditions. In Norse mythology, fylgjur were protector spirits who often appeared as animals. In British Traditional Witchcraft, witches work with familiar spirits that often take on animal forms. It’s worth noting that the terms “spirit animal” and “totem animal” come from Native American spiritual traditions and should not be used by people who don’t belong to those cultures. The concept of animal guides exists in other cultures, so there’s no reason to appropriate indigenous words and ideas. In my experience, animal spirits are often friendly and easy to connect with, so this is a good place to start for witches who are new to spirit work.

If you’d like to work with animal spirits, you can begin by connecting to the animals that are local to your area. You may feel called to bring a part of the animal you’re connecting with into your sacred space – for example, I keep crow feathers on my altar. Offerings depend on the type of animal spirit you’re connecting to – some require only fresh water, while some traditions state that familiars should be fed with blood (not human). Use your intuition to choose what works for you.

Fairies: fairies are a specific kind of land spirit, and most fairy lore is based on mythology and folklore from the British Isles. Fairies have a reputation in modern pop culture as being sweet, friendly creatures – some authors even compare them to angels! However, I think it’s important to remember that historically, fairies were known for being mischievous and sometimes dangerous. In folklore, fairies are less Tinkerbell and more Spiderwick Chronicles. As author Morgan Daimler says, “They can be cruel and vicious, or generous and kind. Some of them are helpful. Some are indifferent. And some of them think we make a very tasty meal indeed.” For this reason, fairies should be approached with caution.

If you want to honor the fairies in your practice, I recommend checking out Morgan Daimler’s books – they have several on this subject that are both easy to read and well-researched. There are a lot of rules for working with fairies, such as not telling them your full name and not saying “thank you” to a fairy, so this is one type of spirit that you should definitely research before beginning to work with them.

Angels: divine messengers; spirits of love and light that come from the Divine and have no physical form. Strictly speaking, “angel” refers to a messenger of the Abrahamic God, but there are other spirits from other religious traditions that fill a similar role. Angels and similar spirits embody divine love, and as such they are both incredibly powerful and incredibly supportive. Because of their loving nature, working with angels is a good place to start spirit work. Some witches who have had negative experiences with Christianity, Judaism, or Islam may feel uncomfortable working with angels. I have personally found that angels don’t really care how you identify in terms of religion, and have had good experiences with Christian angels even though I identify as pagan. However, your experiences may be different, so please don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable!

There are a lot of bad resources floating around the Internet when it comes to angels. If you’re interested in working with them, I recommend Chantel Lysette’s books Azrael Loves Chocolate and The Angel Code. There’s also a YouTube channel called Ask Angels with Melanie Beckler – I don’t agree with 100% of her ideas, but it’s a decent free resource. Offerings to angels are typically non-physical, like the light from a candle or the smoke from incense.

Demons: spirits of mischief, strife, and/or evil with no physical form. In Western culture, we associate the word “demon” with Christianity, but demons appear in many other religions, including Hinduism and Kemetic paganism. I personally define “demon” as a spirit who: 1.) is not and never was human, and 2.) is antagonistic towards humans. Most witches only deal with demons when they’re trying to get rid of one. However, there are some magic traditions, such as Goetic Magic, that call on demons in magical rituals. Let me just say this: in my experience, there are very few reasons why someone would want to work with a demon, and doing so is as dangerous for the person doing the summoning as it is for the intended victim. I definitely recommend that new witches stay away from these spirits. (But it should be noted that demons are not the same thing as dark deities!)

If you need to get rid of a demon, sulfur is used in American traditions to banish them. (It may also banish helpful spirits, so keep that in mind.) Blessed water is used to repel demons in several cultures. You can also call on an angel or deity for protection.

Deities: powerful, divine spirits who are worshiped as gods. Deities vary a lot from culture to culture, and each deity has their own personality, moral code, and mannerisms. I have found working with deities to be very fulfilling, as deities allow us to put a human face on the Divine. It’s much easier to form a relationship with, say, Odin than it is with an abstract divine force, at least in my experience. Aside from spiritually fulfilling relationships, deities can also be powerful allies in magic. It’s worth noting that very few deities are 100% good or 100% bad – they’re more nuanced than that. Just like anyone else, deities have strengths and weaknesses. (Yes, even the Abrahamic God. Read the Old Testament sometime and tell me God doesn’t have flaws.)

If you are interested in working with deities, start by doing research into the pantheons you feel drawn to. Were you obsessed with Greek mythology as a kid? (Or Norse? Or Egyptian? Or any other culture?) Read up on it! Find out how those deities were worshiped historically, and use that as a starting point for building your own practice. Offerings for deities vary from culture to culture, but I’ve found that fresh, clean water seems to be pretty much universally accepted.

This post ended up just being a whole lot of vocab, but I wanted to get some definitions straight before I start writing about how to connect with the spirit world. In my next post, I’ll talk about how to introduce yourself to different types of spirits and etiquette for maintaining a healthy relationship!

Resources:

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

A Practical Heathen’s Guide to Asatru by Patricia M. Lafayllve

Where the Hawthorn Grows by Morgan Daimler

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

Temple of the Cosmos by Jeremy Naydler

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael’s A Jock: An Insider’s Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like by Chantel Lysette

All About Astrology

The Basics

The Truth About Your Sun Sign

The Real Deal with Your Rising Sign

When Your Sun and Rising Signs are One

When Your Sun and Rising Signs are Opposite

5 Reasons You Cannot Relate to Your Sun Sign

Your Moon Sign is Overrated

When Your Moon and Rising Signs are One

How to Really Understand the Zodiac Signs

How to Understand Astrological Placements

How to Understand Astrological Aspects

Understanding Aspect Patterns

Stelliums and Superpowers

What Empty Houses Mean in Astrology

Finding Your Dominant Element and Modality

Having Two Dominant Elements or Modalities

The Quadrants of Your Natal Chart

The Four Angles in Astrology

The Five Dignities of the Planets

The Compatibility of Opposite Signs

How to Understand Mutual Reception

When the Planets are at Their Best

Having Planets in the First House

Mercury’s Gifts in the Signs and Houses

Venus and Mars in the Same House

When Planets are at the End of Houses

What It Means to Be on the Cusp

What Your North and South Nodes Really Are

What the Moon Phase Means in Your Chart

Why the Asteroids Do Not Matter

Why There Is No 13th Zodiac Sign

Phenomena

What Really Happens During Mercury Retrograde

How to Take Advantage of Mars Retrograde

How Mars Retrograde Affects Our Psyche

How the Reigning Zodiac Sign Affects Us All

The Promise of Saturn Return

The Age of Aquarius

Life When Neptune is in Retrograde

Tarot and Mercury Retrograde

Saturn, Pluto and COVID-19

Jupiter and the Tragedies of 2020

Lunar Eclipse vs. Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse Coinciding with the Summer Solstice

A Full Planet Parade

The Great Conjunction

What It Means to Have Retrograde Planets

The Truth About Generational Planets

The Myth of Intercepted Planets

The Craft

Natural-Born Witch Placements

Astrological Placements for Mystical Healers

Astrology, Animals and Spells

Witches and Dominant Elements

Cartomancy and Zodiac Signs

Astrology in Traditional Witchcraft

The Divine

The Gods and Their Planets

How a God Becomes Your Parent

The God Who Attended Your Birth

When No God was Present

When Your Ruler is Retrograde

Why Calculate Manually

Sample Calculation

The Old Gods

The Old Gods and Their Domains

Apollo

Diana

Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter and Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

The Gods’ Rivalries and Alliances

Apollo and Mars

Apollo and Pluto

Diana and Pluto

Mercury and Pluto

Venus and Uranus

Mars and Pluto

Jupiter and Uranus

Saturn and Neptune

Mercury and Everyone Else

Mars and Everyone Else

Persephone

The Rest of the Old Gods

The Gods’ Relationships and Ours

The Greco-Roman Gods as Parents

The Depth and Breadth of Their Presents

How the Gods Avenge Their Children

What It Means to Carry Your Parent’s Name

What the Gods Look Like

What the Gods’ Children Look Like

Traditional Worship of the Old Gods

How to Speak to the Old Gods

What You Can Offer the Old Gods

Ways to Worship Discreetly

What to Do with Offerings

How to Dress for the Old Gods

The Gods’ Inner and Outer Circles

How to Know When Your God Has Claimed You

Reasons Your Divine Parent Would Reject You

Mercury vs. Jupiter vs. Saturn

Tips

Tarot and Astrology

Tarot vs. Astrology

What to Avoid When the Planets are in Retrograde

How to Read a Natal Chart for Love Compatibility

How to Use Tarot to Find Your Rising Sign

How to See Your Past Life with Astrology

How to Know If You Are at Your Best

How to Strengthen Your Powers

How to Survive an Element-Dominated Environment

Your Natal Chart’s Role in Your Life

Why Your Natal Chart is Contradicting Itself

Having a Good or Bad Natal Chart

Recommended Natal Chart Generators

How My Natal Chart Affects Who I Am

The Zodiac Signs’ Base and Mature Versions

Celebrities Who Look Like Their Sun Sign

Recommended Astrology Deck

Signs that Someone is Your Soulmate

Soulmate Pick a Card Reading

The Circumstances of Your Birth

One’s Birthday Dictating One’s Name

Sample Zodiac Sign Comparison

Views

What I Like About Your Sign

The Signs as I Know Them

How to Make the Signs Like You

The Love Language of Each Zodiac Sign

The Zodiac Signs at Winning

The Zodiac Signs’ Cruelty

Why a Fixed Sign Would Leave You

How a Scorpio Really Sees You

Why Scorpios Hate Geminis

Scorpio’s Three Faces

Venus, Pluto and Self Esteem

On Traditional and Modern Rulers

On Astrological Systems

On Vedic Astrology

On Horary Astrology

The Problem with How We See Astrology

Things I Heard the Zodiac Signs Say

The Astrology of The Crown

All About Divination | All About Spells

3K notes View Post

v-gorre

3 years ago

Tarot deck cleansing ideas 🖤

301 notes View Post

v-gorre

4 years ago

❀sakura woods, a minecraft 1.16 survival server

hello, and welcome to Sakura Woods! we’re a inclusive, loving community, with lots of active players daily! we have lots of fun plugins, and server events, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy! you can find more info below!

server ip: 144.217.49.130:25568

❀links

website: https://sakurawoods.enjin.com/

discord: https://discord.com/invite/jhj8vFS

live map: http://158.69.172.67:2556/

also, you can find some of our staff members at @forrestale @angelicmothwings @lumpiarohl @mangosminecraftjourney !!!

140 notes View Post

v-gorre

3 years ago

An Leabhar na Draíochta

The Mori Witch’s Book of Magick

A collection of original writings by Rowan Méadhbh Keaney.

[Updated: 08-07-18]

Magick

Types of Magick

Binding [Witchcraft 101]

Curses vs. Hexes: What’s the Difference?

Necromancy [Witchcraft 101]

The Basics of Wards & Warding [Witchcraft 101]

Psychic Phenomena [Witchcraft 101]

General Info

Taglocks [Witchcraft 101]

Magick Oils

Making A Simple Protection/Negativity Repelling Sachet

A Brief Summary of the Major Arcana (Tarot)

Liminality & Liminal Spaces

Witch Bottles?

Astral Weaponry [Witchcraft 101]

The Basics of Astral Projection & Astral Travel [Witchcraft 101]

Herbs & Herbalism

10 Herbs to Keep Close By

Uses for Forget-Me-Nots & Lavender in Magick

83 Herbs and Their Magickal Properties

Correspondences of: Carrier & Essential Oils

Herbs and Things to Avoid During Pregnancy & Lactation [Witchcraft 101]

Divination

Palmistry: [Part 1] ✧ [Part 2]

How to Work & Calibrate Your Pendulum

Divination Drinks: Tea to Aid in Divining

Scrying [Witchcraft 101]

Tarot 101: Bonding With Your Deck ✧ Charging Your Deck.

Divination 2.0: Tarot Spreads

Rowan’s Cross New Year Tarot Spread.

Illuminate My Path Tarot Spread.

Removal of the Festering Limb Tarot Spread [a spread for cutting toxic ties].

Creatures

Let’s Talk Quickly About Bean Sídhe

Spells

Bath Magick

Roe’s All-round Cleansing Bath [Bath Magick]

“Bathe Me the Fuck Better” Bath Spell [sachet]

Healing

Minor Pain/Healing Spell

Spirit Work & Divination

Incense Blend (ft. Candle Magick) to Contact A Deceased Loved One

Jar Spells/Spell Bottles

Roe’s Foolproof Decoy/Entrapment Bottle

Curses/Hexes/Jinxes

All That You Love Will Turn to Nothing [curse].

Love

Open to Love: A Poppet

Chants & Incantations

A Chant for Luck!

Talismans & Amulets/Enchanting Objects

Amulets vs. Talismans

Regain & Maintain Your Self-Control

Tips, Tricks & Advice

The Mori Witch’s Tips & Tricks

Witch Tips: [X] [X] [X] [X]

How Do You Deal with the Negative Connotations Surrounding Witchcraft?

Why Protecting Yourself During Samhain is Important

Mugwort: WARNING!

Sigils & Sigil Magick

“My Positive Relationships Will Flourish” [sigil]

“I Cannot Be Broken” [sigil]

“The Traumas of My Past Will Not Trouble My Future” & “I Do Not Fear the Troubles or Frights That My Eyes Have Seen” [sigil(s)]

“I Am Not My Past; I Have Worth” [sigil]

“I Have the Power to Succeed” [sigil]

“I am in control.” [sigil]

“I hold the power of a storm in my heart.” [sigil]

“I am filled with motivation.” [sigil]

“All that you love; all that brings you joy, will bring you nothing but emptiness.” [sigil]

“Spirits are welcome here, on this night.” [sigil]

“I have an improved and active memory.” [sigil]

“I heal quickly.” & To ward off sickness and promote good health. [sigil(s)]

“I recall my dreams with clarity and ease.” [sigil]

“I am charming.” & “This day is a success.” [sigil(s)]

“Forest Demon.” [sigil]

“Brain fog will not cloud my mind.” [sigil]

“My mind is still; my mind is soothed.” [sigil]

“I commune easily with the dead.” [sigil]

“My problematic habits and behaviours are bound; they cannot resurface and do harm.” [sigil]

“The pains of my illness are easy to bear.” [sigil]

Potions & Elixirs

Roe’s Magickal Pick-me-up (for the tired witch)

Runes

Witches Runes [Part 1] ✧ [Part 2]

Paganism

Sabbats & Festivals

Sabbats: Samhain ✧ Beltane ✧ Lughnasadh ✧ Yule ✧ Ostara.

Pagan Festivals: Walpurgisnacht

A Samhain Special: Pumpkins!

Deities

Gaelic Deities: The Dagda ✧ Óengus ✧ Abarta

A Brief List of Well Known and Commonly Worshipped Pagan Deities

“How would one worship and invoke Lir and The Morrigan?”

Other

Celtic Tree Lore

Dumb Suppers [Paganism 101]

Brief Summary of Why Wicca and Witchcraft Are Not Interchangeable.

9K notes View Post

v-gorre

3 years ago

moon🌙 magic✨

(atp i’m posting my favorite guides)

255 notes View Post

v-gorre

3 years ago

Flowers for types of witches🌺🌻🌼🌹🌷🌸

I decided to cataglorize some of my flower correapondeces for different types of witches. Enjoy! 🌼

💧Water/sea/lunar/love witches- lotus, lily, jasmine, gardenia, magnolia, violet, rose, peony, geranium, orchids, hydrangea, lilac, passion flower, petunia

☁️Air/storm/cosmic witches- (any aromatic/light flower) lavender, babys breath, dandelion, daisy, heather, freesia, daffodil, chrysanthemum, forget-me-nots, st John’s wort, primrose, bluebell, linden

🔥Fire/solar/desert witches- sunflower, hibiscus, poppy, chamomile, chrysanthemum, aster, marigold, calendula, snapdragon, cactus flower, prickly pear blossom, carnations, poinsettia, st John’s wort

🌲Green/earth/ forest witches-(any bulb/foraging/herbal flower) tulips, feverfew, echinacea, passionflower, comfrey, amaryllis, hyacinth, dahlia, iris, catnip flower, sage flower, basil flower

🏠Kitchen/cottage witches- (any edible/fruit/vegetable flower) such as elder flower, honeysuckle, passionflower, apple blossom, strawberry blossom, orange blossom, rose, pansy, squash flower, marigold

🌼Healing/garden/tea witches- (any healing/edible/aromatic flower) such as calendula, chamomile, helitrope, lavender, milk thistle, beebalm, yarrow, red clover, rosehip, passionflower, elderflower, lilac, violets, and orchids

**please do research on the flower before you ingest it in any way

24K notes View Post

v-gorre

3 years ago

⭐💎ZODIAC CRYSTALS AND ANGELS💎⭐

⭐ There are a number of different gems and crystals associated in various traditions for birth months with the zodiac signs under which we are born. I will give a more comprehensive list than usual, as I will suggest you also buy your zodiac crystal angel. If none of the birth crystals feel right, substitute a crystal in the color associated with your birth sign. I will describe your crystalline zodiac angel and the special strengths that can be absorbed either from the angel or the associated crystal. Small crystal angels are relatively cheap and are a very potent source of energy and protection. Some crystals are ruled by more than one zodiac sign.

⭐ Buy a small angel for each member of the family- present, absent, and departed loved ones- adding one for each new birth or new older family members in the future. These you can keep in a circle in your crystal place. Add also any angels whose crystalline zodiacal strengths you need, even though they are not your own sign- for example, a moonstone angel for Muriel, zodiac angel of Cancer, to bring quiet sleep. Wear or carry your zodiac stone in a bag of the zodiac color at any time you need strength, protection,extra luck, or healing or want to be noticed in a positive way.

⭐ 1. ARIES, THE RAM: MARCH 21-APRIL 20

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Blood Agate, Orange Carnelian, Polished Gold Chalcopyrite, Diamond, Silver Iron Pyrites, Red Jasper, Rainbow, Gold or Silver Sheen Obsidian, Pink Rhodonite, Red Tiger’s Eye.

PLANET: Mars

ELEMENT: Fire

RULING ANGEL: Machidiel (or Malahidael), warrior angel with sparkling golden-red halo and wings.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Self-confidence, Strong Identity, Innovation, Assertiveness, Action, Courage.

COLOR: Red

⭐ 2. TAURUS, THE BULL: APRIL 21- MAY 21

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Pink Andean Opal, Green Chrysoprase , Pink Mangano Calcite, Emerald, Jade, Rainbow Moonstone, Rhodochrosite, Rose Quartz, Pink Tourmaline.

PLANET: Venus

ELEMENT: Earth

RULING ANGEL: Asmodel or Ashmodel, Angel of beauty surrounded by pink rays, creating what is of worth.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Persistence, Patience, Reliability, Loyalty, Practical Abilities, Stability, Lovers of beauty.

COLOR: Pink

⭐ 3. GEMINI, THE HEAVENLY TWINS: MAY 22- JUNE 21

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Agate, Alexandrite, Yellow Calcite, Lemon Chrysoprase, Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Labradorite, Opal, Lemon Quartz.

PLANET: Mercury

ELEMENT: Air

RULING ANGEL: Ambriel or Ambiel, the messenger and travel angel wearing colors of early morning sunlight

ANGELIC CYRSTALLINE STREGTHS: Excellent Communication Skills, Adaptability, Scientific/Technological Aptitude, Curiosity, Intelligence, Versatility.

COLOR: Pale Yellow/ Gray

⭐4. CANCER, THE CRAB: JUNE 22- JULY 22

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: White Coral, Moonstone, Opalite, Pearl, Satin Spar, Selenite, Cloudy or Milky White Quartz, Clear Topaz.

PLANET: Moon

ELEMENT: Water

RULING ANGEL: Muriel, the silvery and pearl-robed healer angel with her magic carpet of dreams.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Sensitivity, Kindness, Imagination, Homemaker, Nurturer (especially of children), emotional security, ability to keep secrets, quiet sleep.

COLOR: Silver

⭐5. LEO, THE LION: JULY 23- AUGUST 23

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Amber, Fire Opal, Fire Quartz, Rainbow Quartz, Red Spinel, Ruby, White Sapphire, Sardonyx, Sunstone.

PLANET: Sun

ELEMENT: Fire

RULING ANGEL: Verchiel, the golden joy bringer who is surrounded by sunbeams.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Power, Courage, Generosity, Nobility, Idealism, Leadership, Protection of the weak, Ability to perform creatively in public.

COLOR: Gold

⭐6. VIRGO, THE MAIDEN: AUGUST 24- SEPTEMBER 22

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Amazonite, Green Calcite, Green Garnet, Jade, White Howlite, Moss or Tree Agate, Olivine, Peridot, Serpentine, Snow Quartz.

PLANET: Mercury

ELEMENT: Earth

RULING ANGEL: Hamaliel or Hamaiel, angel of perfection, surrounded by misty forest green.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Striving for perfection, Organizational skill, Methodical, Attention to detail, Efficiency, Healing Powers, Ability to persevere a routine but necessary task though to the end, Reliability.

COLORS: Green

⭐7. LIBRA, THE MAIDEN: SEPTEMBER 23- OCTOBER 23

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Blue lace agate, Blue chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Lapis Lazuli, White or Rainbow Opal, Blue quartz, Rubellite/red tourmaline, Blue sapphire.

PLANET: Venus

ELEMENT: Air

RULING ANGEL: Zuriel, the teacher, the pale blue angel who brings calm and reason to any situation.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Harmony, ability to see both sides of a situation, diplomacy peacemaking skills, a strong sense of justice and charisma.

COLOR: Light Blue

⭐8. SCORPIO, THE SCORPION: OCTOBER 24- NOVEMBER 22

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Black and Red coral, hematite, mahogany obsidian, malachite, black obsidian, black opal, black pearl, red spinel, titanium aura, unakite.

PLANET: Pluto

ELEMENT: Water

RULING ANGEL: Bariel, the angel of small miracles, who wears the color of sunset.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Intensity; Religious, Spiritual and Psychic awareness, ability to transform self and situations; the power to start over again or revive a stagnant situation.

COLOR: Indigo, Burgundy

⭐9. SAGITTARIUS, THE ARCHER: NOVEMBER 23- DECEMBER 21

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Orange aragonite, Aqua aura, Azurite, Iridescent bornite or peacock ore, chrysocolla, blue goldstone, goldstone, blue howlite, clear quartz, golden topaz, turquoise.

PLANET: Jupiter

ELEMENT: Fire

RULING ANGEL: Adnachiel or Advachiel, the angel of learning and exploration with bright yellow robes.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Expansiveness, love of travel and exploration, clear vision, seeker of truth, wide perspectives, flexibility, open-mindedness, optimism, enthusiasm, creativity, especially in writing.

COLOR: Bright Yellow

⭐10. CAPRICORN, THE GOAT: DECEMBER 22- JANUARY 20

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Green Aventurine, Bronzite, Fossilized or petrified wood, Red Garnet, Onyx, Rubellite/Red Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Tiger’s Eye, Tourmalated Quartz, Black Tourmaline.

PLANET: Saturn

ELEMENT: Earth

RULING ANGEL: Anael or Hanael, the protector and archangel of love and fidelity, surrounded by green, silver, and roses.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Wise caution, persistence regardless of opposition, respecter of tradition, ambition, self-discipline, loyalty, fidelity, and prudence with financial affairs.

COLORS: Indigo, Brown

⭐11. AQUARIUS, THE WATER CARRIER: JANUARY 21- FEBRUARY 18

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Amethyst, Andean blue opal, Angelite, Blue Celestite, Blue Quartz, Sodalite, Sugilite, Titanium aura.

PLANET: Uranus

ELEMENT: Air

RULING ANGEL: Cambiel, tall shadowy watcher or guardian archangel, guards you day and night from your own mistakes as well as external dangers.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Idealism, Independence , humanitarianism, inventiveness, detachment from swings of emotion and prejudices, unique perspective on the world.

COLOR: Dark Blue, Purple

⭐12. PISCES, THE FISH: FEBRUARY 19- MARCH 20

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Aquamarine, clear aragonite, golden beryl, bloodstone, girosal quartz, pink and lilac kunzite, mother of pearl, ocean or orbicular jasper, watermelon tourmaline.

PLANET: Neptune

ELEMENT: Water

RULING ANGEL: Barakiel or Barchiel, the blue and gold archangel of lightning and good luck, who has lightning flashing from his halo.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Evolved intuitive powers, sympathy and empathy with others, weaver of myths, awareness of hidden factors, ability to merge with surroundings, alternative spirituality.

COLOR: Soft white, mauve.

Thank you to my muse @squid-star ive been inspired by you lately amore~

1K notes View Post

v-gorre

3 years ago

Witchy Record Keeping; What To Do With A Grimoire/Book of Shadows/ etc.

In my practice, the most important tools are my Book of Mirrors and Grimoire. Record keeping is very crucial to my witchcraft practice. Emphasis on mine, some people find they don’t need to keep records on their magickal information. I feel I need to keep track of where I am in my practice and have it for the future should I ever want to look back.

Witchcraft is deeply personal to each Witch, or your practice is I mean. I find it important to keep records as we are so prone to change we have to keep in mind our past and present to move into our futures. So, here we go.

What’s The Difference?

What is the difference between a Grimoire and Book of Shadows? Well, based in the dictionary there is one, but these words have adopted a different meaning to different people.

Technically speaking, a Grimoire is for spells whereas a Book of Shadows is like a magickal diary or journal. It holds all the other information for your practice.

There is some overlap and some blurring of the lines for some people, and it isn’t required you have both or either. You can really call it whatever you want, there’s no rules to it.

I don’t use a Book of Shadows anymore. My first book was a Book of Shadows but I have since moved on to call my new one a Book of Mirrors. I have a friend who calls hers a Book of Ursa Major. You can call your witchy book whatever you like.

What Should It Look Like?

What do you want it to look like? Ok, I know there’s a big thing with the witch aesthetic to have a beautiful leather bound journal. Yes, my old Book of Shadows is leather bound and so is my Grimoire. But my Book of Mirrors is a blue binder I bought at the store with some cool dividing insets and some covers I made.

You can do whatever you want! You want that leather bound journal, save up for it! You want some old notebook? Go for it! Want to do it electronically? You do you! It’s whatever works for your practice. The only reason I used leather bound for my first Book of Shadows was because it had been a gift from my grandparents. I already had it.

Do what makes you happy and also what you have available to you. There’s nothing wrong with using a notebook or binder, actually I find the binder really useful in keeping things sorted.

Use what you have, it doesn’t have to be fancy.

Where To Start?

I always make a cover page when I start, some people will put a blessing spell in the front, and if you’re Wiccan you can put the Wiccan Rede on the first page if you so please. The reason I make a cover page is to give it an introduction, to write down my book and know this is something important to me. If you want, go in and start writing spells in it. I do recommend you do a blessing spell on it. Just to ensure it is protected and will give you inspiration.

Book Blessing Spell

Take three crystals and put one at the top and two by the sides of the book, you sit with the bottom of the book facing you.

Lay your hands on the cover and recite

“Book of Shadows made to hide,

Book of Light made to guide.

It is you and I, mighty book,

To discover the secrets others overlook.

So mote it be, my good friend.

May we be there till the end.”

How To Fill My Pages?

How do you want to fill the pages? With spells, obviously, but you can include a myriad of other things. Are you a kitchen witch? Put your favorite recipes in there! A green witch? Fill with information about plants! Worship Gods and Goddesses? Put their stories and correspondences in there!

It is to be made by you and no one else. Below are some extra prompt ideas.

Prompts

Ancestor Dedication

Tarot Guide

Personal Correspondences

Symbols Guide

Tool uses

Secret messages

Maps

Flower or herb pressings

Your own art

Stories from your astral travels/ dreams/ nature walks

Your hopes and dreams

Anything Else?

Because this book is made to keep records of where you are in your path, try and date everything. Also every now and again write down your beliefs, what gods you follow or don’t follow, what you believe about the universe, what you believe about magick, etc. Talk about the why and how of your practice.

Most of all, enjoy what you’re creating. Your Book of Shadows/Mirrors/Light/Whatever You Call It is all about you and your practice. Make sure it’s fun and make sure it’s a reflection of you.

This might be one of my longest posts yet but it’s something that’s really important to me. I want other witches to know their practice is their own and everything they do it in belongs to them.

Blessed Be!

840 notes View Post