What Are Magical Names?

Dear Diana, i'm really interested in astrology and astronomy, but i've only recently started my way so i don't really know how to make my birth chart myself. Different websites tell me different rising and moon signs. I was wondering maybe you know any trustworthy natal chart websites? Thank you 😌

My Favorite Natal Chart Generators

Astro-charts

Neat look and feel. Shows your aspect patterns, the moon phase when you were born, your dominant aspect and so much more. Makes it easy to switch between different astrological systems.

Café Astrology

Look and feel is quite outdated. But it provides a wealth of information. Great for beginners, as it explains every single part of your chart. Allows you to really dive in to each of your placements.

Co-Star

Requires you to download the app. It shows you an easy to understand table that illustrates your planet placements. Includes short and sweet explanations of your chart’s major components.

it’s that time of year again 

So my petty ex, who I left for being a rapist and sexually assaulting me in my sleep, is pathetically spreading dumbass little rumors about me on world of Warcraft of all things. I’m a bit annoyed, but it isn’t like it’s hard to change servers so I guess that’s what I’ll be working on tomorrow. I don’t even want to be bothered by it but I guess I can’t even do pet battles in peace on my server now. Sucks that I have too many characters to transfer so I’ll only take one and start from the beginning, but still. I think I have the right to be irritated. It is amazing how people who are abusers act like they are the ones who are hurt when you finally leave after being abused for two years. Oh, and when I did finally leave and did finally get all my things, I found in with my clothes the clothes of the girl he was cheating on me with before covid. Can’t be happier to have cut these ties.

Just uploaded these grimoire pages all about astrology, get them without the watermark HERE!

Idk what messy witch needs to see this but, you've got annoying wax all over your alter cloth?

1. Wax paper

2. Lay it on the wax and melt the candle wax onto the paper using a clothes iron

3. It's better now.

Boom

You're welcome.

misconceptions about witchcraft

When you hear of witches a green old lady may pop into your head because it’s what you’ve heard and all you’ve ever known. Throughout history the practice of witchcraft has been condemned and made to look evil in the public eye. “The traditions of green witches' faces and flying brooms during Halloween originate in the physical punishment and and drug effects suffered by the women of Salem in the 1600s. Most of these women and teenage girls who were accused of witchcraft had only discovered the medicinal properties of native plants and kitchen herbs. A few likely suffered mental conditions like postpartum depression and a psychosis associated with it, along with symptoms of using hallucinogenic plant extracts. Comic and graphic novels use a green face to indicate nausea and expected vomiting, or deadly radiation exposure. A green witch face is doubly ugly, because of the warts, a hook nose, chin hair, and bad teeth; but, it is based on stories of torture. Historians trace the green to the Spanish Inquisition (1478–1834) and the harsh punishment of alleged witches. Green hallucinogenic ointments were also present during Inquisition years, as mentioned above. American researchers trace the green face to the Salem Witch Trial punishments that caused gangrenous skin, infections, burning deaths, and other damaging actions. Many faces did turn green with infection and bruising.” -Hollidappy.com

Which takes me into our first misconception:

“You have Flying Brooms and Bubbling Cauldrons right?”

Witches do not fly on brooms. But brooms do okay a roll in the Craft as a tool used to “sweep” away negative energies, often before a spiritual activity.

Cauldrons are much smaller than portrayed in hollywood, typically small enough to fit in one hand. They’re used simply to hold a burning substance in a safe way.

Note: Yes wands are a thing too. But they do not really do any of the things you might expect. It’s but a tool for projecting/directing visualized energy and symbolizing different things in accordance to what you are doing. It can also be used to cast a circle among other things.

“Only girls can be Witches”

Contrary to popular belief, the word “witch” is gender neutral and male witches rarely refer to themselves as warlocks. In fact, many witches consider “warlock” to be a derogatory term. The word Witch simply means one who practices witchcraft. Something to note along with this is that Witches and Wiccans are NOT the same. A wiccan is a Pagan who Practices the craft. There will be more information when i post Misconceptions about Wicca.

“The pentacle/gram is evil, witches are devil worshipers, and they sacrifice animals&humans”

The Greeks thought of the pentacle as a symbol of perfection. The Catholic Church used to predominantly up to 500 years after Jesus‘s death. To the Pagans it was and is the five elements. The Catholics thought of it as a representation of Jesus with his five wounds.

In 1855 French Catholic Alphonse Lewis was kicked out of the church for his interest in magic. He changed his name to Éliphas Levi and wrote books, one of which is called Transcendenta Magic and states “ A reverse pentagram with two points projecting upwards is a symbol of evil in the track sinister forces“ explanation: the top point of the pentagram symbolizes the divine, so to put that under all of the other elements by flipping it would be saying it comes last. this was the first document a time where the inverted pentacle was linked to evil. but the people didn’t fear it until the mid-20th-century on Anton LaVey established the church of Satan in 1966. Although followers did not worship the devil and were simply atheists, the simultaneous spike in the occult/use of the upside down pentagram and serial killers triggered the satanic panic of the 70s through 80s. Media and other churches made it seem they were linked. books and documentations were released. all accusations for later discredited. What has been good can be twisted into something else, for instance- as much as i hate to say it, even the swagstista that used to have a more positive correspondence.

Obviously no, witches do not sacrifice animals and humans. Most are very nature oriented and believe in pacifism.

And once again, being a witch simply means you practice witchcraft. Of course there are going to be Satanists out there who practice witchcraft and therefore are witches, but being a Satanist and a Witch are not at all interchangeable or the same thing in any way.

“There is a dark bible that all witches follow”

No??? I mean ideally we like to create/write our own journal in which we put everything we learn and think of in regards to witchcraft. We call it our Book of Shadows and it’s highly personalized and depends and changes on every witch. It’s a recording of the witch’s journey. Trials and errors. Spells and charts. Thoughts and everything close to them in that subject. The only reasons one may not want to show it to you is that they don’t want the information in there to end up with someone who’s not gonna do it for good. Especially if you aren’t a fellow witch. Even if you are, it’s still very personal -many treat it as if it’s a diary, because it kind of is.

“There is a right way to do witchcraft”

One of the main things to take away is that you can have your own strategies and routines. Make up your own songs. There are general do’s and donts out of common sense but really people just find their style and try to master it. It will take awhile and always always always do your research , especially before doing any spells, rituals or if the like. Another thing is... you don’t have to have a bunch of crystals and tools and a fabulous altar. A big aspect of witchcraft is its felxibility and you can start with whatever you may have. All you really need is yourself. Especially if you’re in the Broom Closet and need to keep what you do a secret, it’s totally okay to have the bare minimum or less. You don’t have to have it out in the open either. There are plenty of recourses out there to help you. Such a broad spectrum of doing things.

“There is only one correct opinion on magic”

Some believe in magic to be spiritual power, while others believe that it is just as much of a force in the natural universe such as gravity or electricity. One popular notion is that magic does not violate the natural laws of the physical universe but simply a law in onto itself, and that magic is science that we can’t/don’t understand yet. from this perspective, magic is very similar to dark matter; we know it exists, but we just can’t quite tell what it is what it looks like… Witchcraft is the use of magic to achieve an end that cannot be easy through normal or mundane means.

Something i’m going to add is the reccomendation of looking into the Placebo effect. And that affirmations, visualization, manifestation etc may or may not be working because in believing in something so wholeheartedly it is perceived that your mind can trick itself into thinking it’s true. Mind of like when your mom tells you to stop telling yourself you’re gonna throw up cause then you actually will.

Magic vs Magick: “Magic” and “Magick” are two very different things, the most people would likely stumble if asked to explain how.

“Magic“ is the type of entertainment flogged by magicians (illusions like pulling rabbits out of hats)

“Magick” on the other hand, encompasses a series of techniques used to harness energy (both internal and external) to help change oneself and surroundings.

“Magick is either black or white.”

Some believe that there is a dark magick and light magick, while others believe that there is just magick. (imma quote my favorite witchy movie The Craft lol) “True magick is neither black nor white. It’s both because nature is both. Loving and cruel, all at the same time. The only good or bad is in the heart of the witch. Life keeps a balance on its own.”

This is just one example of a belief that is held in the community. Make no mistake, the pool of opinions is diverse -and the vast majority of us are okie dokie with this and actually even like it that way. It is also a commonality for supposed darker magick to be called the “Left hand path” and the lighter, more positive to be deemed the “Right hand path”. Light and Dark magick are determined by their effects, if they’re negative or positive, and if the magick is used against free will. There are of course better ways to categorize magick that i am unknowing of.

“Religion is a part of witchcraft”

Being a witch simply means that you practice The Craft, and doesnt place any religious boundaries on you. There are Christian Witches, Hindu Witches, Athiest Witches and so on. A common belief for athiest witches would be that magick is simply a science or part of life that we don’t have the tools to understand yet. They wouldn’t believe in deities and if they did they would just think of them as personifications of nature. This is just one example of a spiritual path. Witchcraft has no bible and is extremely diverse and personified. You can make it whatever you want.

Three ways to believe in dieties (taken from Harmony Nice) are the following:

I see the gods and goddesses ask Jess personifications of nature themselves. Not a true being a person that exists or existed or exists in the sky – but human form of parts of the earth itself. It’s easier to connect with nature when you see it as a human form. Example: the Oak King is not a man in the sky that controls the oak, nor a man inside joke controlling the oak. Instead he is the oak represented as a man, he is the oak himself.

the dieties did actually exist but now they are deceased spirits and they are the ones calling out to us during reading. They had been people.

the dieties are a higher power and they are all around us.

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!

🌛𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑰 𝒅𝒐, 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚: 𝑨 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.🌜

Before she was born, I created a special altar box that consisted of her scan pictures, hand written notes on everything I wished for her ie: to always know she was loved, to be confident and kind etc, crystals to strengthen our bond, mementos from me and my partner etc etc

I also created a protection spell bottle for her and 3 hours later we were rushed into hospital because of a really traumatic labour emergency and she was born safely, exactly 8 hours after creating the protection jar.

I charge her bottles around my crystals after they've been sterilised, I have a very large piece of rose quartz that I visualise infusing her bottles with extra love.

I smoke cleansed her room thoroughly before I gave birth, to ensure her room didn't have any left over negative energy from the people who used it before her.

I trace 'sleep safe and sound' sigils on her face as she drifts to sleep.

I use a baby safe lavender scented pillow spray that has also been charged with rose quartz in her crib to protect her and ensure she has peaceful dreams.

We use lavender, vegan and cruelty free baby body wash and shampoo to promote good sleep.

I stir her porridge clockwise every morning to attract good luck and happiness.

I am in the process of transferring over some of my grimoire and book of shadows pages into a beautiful grimoire to hand down to her when she is older and if she follows my path.

I am creating new traditions and routines for each Sabbat and Esbat that she can join in with me when she is a little bit older.

I will be creating a blessing for her bedroom to banish negativity and bad dreams.

I provide her with plenty of healthy baby foods for lunch with different herbs and ingredients that correspond with the intent of the day. Of course I stir anticlockwise to banish negativity and bad moods if she's particularly grumpy or fussy, and then clockwise to promote happiness and a positive mood for the rest of the day.

I recycle all her baby food jars and use them to store herbs, potions and spells. (It's a very good budget friendly alternative to pricey glass bottles that are often far too small for my personal liking.)

And of course, I gave her a Witchy name that truly suits her beauty.

Of course I will incorporate so much more into her daily life as she gets older as my partner is super supportive despite not practising my beliefs, but these are what I can do now at least.

Thank you for reading. 🌛🌝🌜

Do you have a like list of topics that you think new witches should look into? i've been trying to make a list of things for myself to research and i wanna get some other more experienced peoples input :)

Wonderful question! Here's a list of what to research and why. Please keep in mind this is just my opinion and these are things I think are essential to everyone who wants to practice witchcraft no matter the background, beliefs, or path.

What To Research As A New Witch

Types of Magical Practices Note, not types of witches. I notice many people don't even know there are many many ways to practice things like magic outside of the modern eclectic witchcraft you often see online. I also notice many people feel limited by the concept of witch types so I suggest you learn about the various magical practices that exist instead, and talk to real witches. What do they do? What do they believe? It varies a lot. I'm sure there's a path for you.

Types of Spells This one is a little more self explanatory. Most people who are interested in witchcraft are interested in spell work or want to get to it eventually. Learning about the types of spells we do is essential, even if you never do them that often or specialize in one or two types of spells like I do I think it's valuable to anyone who wants to be a witch.

Intention Kind of a side tangent off of spell types! You absolutely have to learn to make your intention and needs clear. If you just put some ingredients together without knowing why and without telling them what to do you won't get very far. This goes for things like using crystals too, but it especially applies to spell work.

Types of Divination Similar to the above, most witches do some form of divination. Even if you think divination isn't for you there are a wide variety of methods, try to find one you like. I'd also recommend it because it's a relatively safe practice for new witches where you actually get to do something and try witchcraft.

Tools & Ingredients There are a wide variety of tools and ingredients we use and you need to learn about them so you can find what's right for you and applicable to your practice. Do keep in mind there isn't any tool or ingredient you're obligated to use as a witch unless a tradition you picked requires it.

Cleansing Cleansing is a practice witches do to remove negative or stagnant energy from a place, object or person. It's an essential part of prep especially before spell work, learn about it and the various ways it is done so you can find a method that works for you. You'll be doing it often.

Charging Charging is a sort of sister practice to cleansing. Where cleansing removes energy charging replaces it. Some common objects we charge are our tools and crystals, if you use them, but there's a wide variety of ways it can be applied. I keep using crystals because they're an easy example.

Grounding Grounding is a practice witches do to relax and focus our energy. Like cleansing, it is typically a form of prep done before spells, ritual work, things like that. For many of us though (especially if you're me, who has an anxiety disorder) it can be used any time you like.

WARDING Arguably THE most important on this list because it's so important to keep you safe and so many people don't know about it or do it properly. Warding is a practice we do to protect ourselves from negative energy, entities, and occasionally other witches. It is typically done by building barriers of energy or keeping protective objects near or on you. There are many, many methods though as with most things in witchcraft. The methods can be applied to just about anything you want to keep out too. Think of warding as the energetic or witchy equivalent of having a household security system or carrying pepper spray on you.

Circle Casting This is a practice that's done before spell work. The definition has shifted a bit particularly recently and varies a bit but what people are usually referring to (and what I'm always referring to) is when you call the four elements to empower and protect you.

Banishing & Binding This is a variety of magic/spell. It's kind of what it sounds like. To banish something is to keep it away from you or your space. To bind something is to keep it from continuing (a usually harmful) action or behavior. Usually people recommend you learn about these things to keep yourself safe like with warding but these methods can be applied to mundane things too. Like people. Don't ask me how I know :)

Open & Closed Practices (I'm not part of any culture that is closed so please correct me on this if needs be) Last but certainly not least. If you are present in (the right) witchy spaces you will hear people say a thing or practice is closed. This means that practice is from a closed culture. A closed culture is a culture that is not open to outsiders, and to take from it is cultural appropriation. If you educate yourself on these practices you can avoid wrongfully using them. Additionally as you've probably assumed, an open culture is a culture that is open to outsiders. This means you can respectfully do these practices or take inspiration from them, which is very useful for eclectic witches like me.

Important notes!

I know I mentioned things that relate to spell work a lot here and that may seem useless to those who aren't actively as interested in it as I am but even if you don't do spells often you still need to know how to do these things to prep for when you do. Cleansing, charging, grounding and warding also can be applied outside of spell work and are important to other practices. Any practicing witch should be warded. Do also make sure to pick a topic or two of distinct interest to you. It will keep you motivated and keep things interesting. I hope this helps! Remember to never stop learning.

15 Simple Spells

Magic doesn’t have to be tough. Here’s proof that there’s a lazy witch in all of us, and it’s easy to let them out.

Purification and Protection Scrub

Making Magical Sleep Circles

Motivation Charm Bag

Jar for Attracting Romance

Violation Salt Scrub

Anti-Anxiety Tea

Love-Drawing Bath Salt Recipe

Easy Tarot Tricks

Herbal Dream Pillow

Magical Shower Disks

Repel an Unwanted Lover

Do some Bath Magic

Tea Spell for Sleep

Gossip Stopping Scrub

Love Repression Spell