So, You Wanna Get Started With Divination? (Masterlist)

Technique For Astral Traveling

Hey guys!

So I’ve finally decided to post my technique for astral traveling. I’ve been keeping it to myself mostly as a protective measure, but I’ve decided that I’m safe revealing it; besides, I think a lot of people could benefit from it.

Before I begin it is very important to distinguish; this is astral TRAVELING, not astral PROJECTING. Knowing the difference is a very big part in actually doing it. Astral projection is when your soul/spirit, while connected by a thread, leaves your body. Your entire being/consciousness is flying through and exploring the astral world and other planes. This is what most people think of when they think of astral traveling, and I did too when I started out; as a result, I got super frustrated when I couldn’t do it.

Astral traveling is not the same. When you are astral traveling, your soul/spirit remains in your physical body. Your consciousness, or rather part of it, is what is going up and joining your astral self, which then can travel the astral plane. Again, this is important. You aren’t going to leave your body completely. A part of your consciousness and awareness will be in your physical body; this is normal.

Alright. Now that we understand the difference, we can begin.

Step 1: Relax and Lie Down

I usually like to do some light stretching and whatever else I like to do to relax before beginning. Always make sure that your body is relaxed and your mind is calm; if you are tense or wound up, it could become a block for you.

I recommend lying down while you astral travel, as I find it easier to relax and I don’t have to devote as much energy to stay sitting up. The only downside is that sometimes you might find yourself dozing off! But try both, and then do what works best for you.

Step 2: Enter a Meditative State

However you like to do this is up to you. Deep breathing is a must. I like to use meditation beads, or do a little bit of energy work before hand.

Step 3: Count and Climb

Okay, so now we begin. You’re going to want to count down. I recommend picking 50 or 60 if this is your first time doing this. For the purpose of this tutorial, I’ll just say 50. So you are going to slowly count down, from 50, in increments of 10.

At the same time, you are going to imagine a ladder hanging above your body, that climbs up so high that you cannot see the end of it. Imagine yourself sitting up and forward out of your body, and grabbing the first rung of this ladder.

Now this is where the counting comes in. You are going to count down from 50, imagining that you are climbing up this ladder, one rung at a time, per number. When you hit an increment of 10 (40, 30, 20, etc) you are going to imagine that you climb up to a ledge. Imagine yourself hoisting yourself up onto the ledge. The ladder continues rising above you.

Continue doing this until you get to 10.

Step 4: The Door, and Establishing Sensation

Once you get to 10, imagine that the ladder ends, and before you is a staircase, with a ledge at 5 and 0. As you get to 5, you look up and you see a faint light, that grows brighter as you climb, eventually reaching the top of the staircase.

At this point, you are going to want to open up your mind/intuition. Don’t picture anything in your mind, don’t try and force something that you want to look, just open your mind, push out any thoughts, and then go with the first thing that pops into your head, even if it seems odd or weird.

With your mind open, observe the hall in front of you. There should be a hall that is about 10 feet long, with light along the walls. At the end of the hall is a large door, or 2 doors.

How this looks can and will be different every single time. I’ve come up cobblestone steps to find torches lining the walls and a weathered, iron-reinforced oak door. I’ve come up marble steps to find lightbulbs lining the walls and finding glass doors. It’s going to be different, and that is completely okay.

Once you’ve taken in as much as you can about this hallway/door, you’re going to stop and stretch. At this point, and this might be a weird concept/sensation, but part of your consciousness should be in this body/form that is standing in this hallway. Hold on to that feeling as best as you can, as you do some stretches to solidify the feeling.

Rub your hands together very quickly, feeling the sensation of rubbing, and then the heat from the rub as you pull your hands apart. Shake them out. Stomp your feet on the ground, and then slowly stomp in a circle. Jump up and down a couple of times.

And then breathe. Breathe in deeply, holding, then releasing. Repeat 3 times. Repeat again, this time on the inhale raising your hands up in front of you all the way up above your head, then bringing them down on the sides of your body on the exhale. Repeat 3 times. Repeat again, this time on the inhale raising your hands up along the sides of your body to the top of your head, then bringing them down the front of your body on the exhale.

At this point, you should be feeling very “present” inside your current body. This is your astral form. You can also take note of what you are wearing/what you look like, as I’ve found that this also changes every time that I go.

Step 5: Enter Into Your Astral Space

At this point, you are ready. Approach the door, and open it. As you do, again, clear your mind and open your intuition; this is how you see in the astral plane. This I’ve found is actually the hardest part of astral travelling, is the first step. But go with the first thing that pops into your head, even if it seems strange or it’s not what you would think it is.

Imagine like a large courtyard, with walls surrounding the perimeter. This is your astral space. Allow your intuition to fill it in, as to what it looks like. Step into your astral space, and let your astral travels begin.

Step 6: Leaving The Astral

When you are ready to leave, you are essentially going to do everything in reverse. Leave your astral space through the door you came in. You will find yourself back in the hallway. Take some deep breaths, relaxing. Then, climb down the steps, and then descend down the ladder, stopping at the ledges when you come to them. When you finally reach the bottom, lie back down in your body, move your fingers and toes, and then your hands, and then open your eyes.

It’s very important that when you leave the astral, you reverse everything that you did to get there. If you don’t, you run the risk of not completely leaving the astral and endangering yourself.

Tips, Tricks, and Observations

The biggest and best tip I can give you is to try everything; no one thing is going to work for everyone. Try different things, get out of your comfort zone, and do what works best for you. This is how you learn and grow.

If you are having a hard time seeing in the astral plane, then you need to spend some time working on your visualization. Also, working on developing your clairvoyance is huge.

You might feel like you are just using your imagination, and that’s okay. One of the biggest blocks I had to astral travelling is that I expected it to be some very huge, big thing, that would like dramatically separate my consciousness from my body. Again, this isn’t astral projection, and once I released this thought, it became easier.

Going off of the last one, at first you might find yourself struggling to discern what is real and what is your imagination. If you are having doubts about something you are seeing/experiencing, continue with it, even if you have a doubt. Eventually, you will experience something that you can absolutely 100% say was independent from you, and then from there discernment will become easier.

So for me, when I am astral traveling, I am seeing myself in 3rd person, like I am seeing myself from an outside perspective moving around and interacting. I’m actually not certain as to what the most common perspective is, so try both 2nd and 3rd person and do what works best for you.

When I am ascending the ladder, I actually rotate between going up a ladder and going up a flight of stairs. It keeps things fresh and present and prevents you from falling into a habit.

Going to the astral plane takes up a lot of energy, so when you first get into it, even if you are excited and bursting at the seams, limit yourself to once a day. If you are not careful and conservative you will fry your energy and then you won’t be able to go at all until you recover.

I think that’s it for now!! I will edit this post if i think of more tips, and i’ll reblog it with fixes if i need to. But i hope that you guys find success with this technique. It works really well for me, and i think you’ll find that it will work well for you, too.

Blessings!

Navigating Tarot

One of the more popular forms of divination, tarot cards, can be both incredibly useful and complicated. There are special rules used by practitioners, some of which I’d like to talk about. In other words, this is a good general guide to getting started with tarot. 

Connection

Connecting with your deck is incredibly important, and vital to your relationship with your cards. Keep in mind, your cards are their own entity. Having a weak relationship with them isn’t beneficial for either of you. Some great ways to connect with your deck are through meditation, spending time with them, asking questions, and just generally speaking not abusing them. 

Cleanse 

Not cleansing your deck can have serious consequences. Not only will it hurt your relationship with your deck, but your readings will be out of whack. Some of the most popular forms of cleansing are moonlight, smudging, and crystals. Any and all of these methods are great. 

Simplicity

As a beginner, don’t do any sort of complicated spreads. I know it’s tempting; you just want to jump right in! Start with just one week in the very least of pulling a card from your deck each day and interpreting it; it increases your familiarity with the cards and their meanings. Personally, whenever I want information about the cards, I love to go to Biddy Tarot. See them here: https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/ 

Respect 

I’ve said it before, but again, your deck is its own entity. Treat it with the respect it deserves.

Journal, Journal, Journal 

Every time you do a spread, I recommend jotting it down. It helps your growth significantly. Just include the date, deck used, spread, results, interpretation and your reflection. 

Alternatives 

I understand that this can be complicated if you’re in the broom closet; perhaps you can’t get a deck, or maybe you just feel uncomfortable practicing around others. If that’s the case, you can use playing cards! Here’s what I use in such a situation to help me: https://exemplore.com/fortune-divination/How-to-Read-Tarot-with-Playing-Cards 

Galar Pokemon Pins made by LoonaDear

Shadow Work

Origins, Meaning and Utility

The Structure of the Mind

Carl Jung theorized the existence of three levels/spheres in the human psyche: the Ego, representing the conscious mind, the Personal Unconscious where memories are contained and the Collective Unconscious, where all knowledge and experiences of the species are shared.

Each Sphere has in it a certain number of Archetypes, used to better describe the components of those structures, and the Shadow is one of them.

What is the Shadow

The shadow can be seen as a instinctual or primitive part of ourselves, it exists as part of the unconscious mind and is composed of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts, and shortcomings.

It is this archetype that contains all of the things that are unacceptable not only to society, but also to one's own personal morals and values, normally going against social norms and rules as well as what we personally consider right.

The Shadow is often described as the darker side of the psyche, representing wildness, chaos, and the unknown, and it is common for people to deny this element of their own psyche and instead project it on to others.

The Shadow in Witchcraft and Benefits of Shadow Work

Art: Unknown

The Shadow, in witchcraft, can represent The Unknown, hidden depth of ourselves. Speaking in terms of energy, this is an area that can be a deep source of energetic issues, because it’s locked up in the dark and always striving to reach the light.

To not work with one’s Shadow is to make it greedy and aggressive, as well as denying a big part of oneself, making everything a half of a whole.

Through that brief explanation, we can already establish the importance and role of the Shadow in witchcraft, and with that in mind, comes the concept of Shadow Work.

Shadow Work can be seen in a number of practices, meditation, trances, inner journey’s, lucid dreaming, astral travels, spells and divination.

The method can change, but the principle is simple: Centering your intent to self discovery, self knowledge and self acceptance.

Working with one’s Shadow is not only beneficial to one’s craft, as it allows one to get in touch with their intuition as well as allows for easier connection with one’s guide/guides, but it also allows for healing and acceptance of one’s feelings and needs.

Think of all aspects of life as a wheel. If there is one part bent, the wheel can turn, but with more effort. If the owner spends time fixing that bent part, the wheel will turn in a much more smooth manner.

That is what happens when you take the time to do Shadow Work, you have to put in effort, and most of the time it’s not easy, but once done, all other components on the wheel of your life will be relieved to move on without that obstacle that makes their job harder.

The Shadow is not evil, as evil is just a moral compass invented by humans. It is a part of one’s nature, and to deny it is to supress a connection with yourself.

Take the time to know and accept your shadow, and you’ll see that life will be a little easier.

References:

A Natureza da psique (Structure & Dynamics of the Psyche) by C.G. Jung

The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious by C.G. Jung

This is the divination infographic that I recently illustrated for my Editorial Illustration class! We were free to choose our own topics, so of course I chose something magic related. I wanna continue making these, so hit me up with some topic suggestions that you’d like to see! Please do not repost elsewhere without credit ♡

Familiars VS Magickal Pets

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This article was written by "Dead" on the Pagans And Witches Amino. I have permission repost this. Link is at the bottom.

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What is a "Familiar"

First thing I will say, that many might not like: Familiars in folklore are spirit beings. Not just any spirits, but ones that a witch has made a pact with for various other tasks usually in exchange for offerings, lending of power, a foothold to the physical world, and sometimes protection as well.

They were also in folklore inherited from other witches, given/assigned to a witch by a more powerful spirit being (most often Fae Royalty, Divine Beings including God, or the 'Devil'), or show up on their own offering assistance in times of need. However, they still perform the tasks and expect reciprocity.

Familiars can and do in folklore, leave. They are not permanently bound to the witch and so will leave if their the relationship is no longer beneficial. A witch could also have more than one Familiar in their lifetime or at a time.

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Embodiment

Familiars did not always look like animals, they also could be plants or humanoid. Some are said to be capable of shapeshifting or possessing living creatures with the help of their witch. Interestingly, in my research, I found more accounts of humanoid Familiars that could shapeshift or had some beastial traits (they also ranged in size) in early folklore than I did actual animal Familiars.

Also, in the literature, I encountered they were about 8/10 times referred to as ‘Familiar spirits’ instead of just Familiar. They are also often described as imps, fairies, or demons. However, they seem to be closer or more often related to Fae lore. * Which when you take away the Celtic cultural context from the classification of ‘Fae’ it is basically distinction-less meaning any liminal being not human or divine. *

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History

“In the early 1970s, Jeffrey Russell noted that 'The small demons that became the witches' familiars of the later Middle Ages were originally dwarves, trolls, fairies, elves, kobolds, or the fertility spirits called Green men, any of whom could be either frightening or funny' and Keith Thomas claimed that the cunning man's fairy helper belongs 'to the same genre as the witch's familiar or the conjurer's demons?'

In 1971 Keith Thomas lamented that the English animal familiar was 'largely unaccounted for'.Despite such references to formality and fear, a large number of relationships between magical practitioner and familiar spirit were informal and intimate” (Wilby).

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Common tasks they performed?

Tasks included but were not limited to spying, shapeshifting, attacking or protecting others, give knowledge, warn and aid in times of danger, help a witch develop abilities, and travel between worlds.

What did they get in return?

The most common offerings mentioned in folklore was blood, energy, and a stable foothold in our realm. However, modernly people offer what one would standardly offer a spirit. Things like milk, honey, incense, food items, and items work just fine.

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What is a "Magickal Pet"?

A Magickal Pet is a physical animal that lives with a witch, that said witch uses for magickal purposes, involves in ritual work, and/or feels spiritually connected to.

This connection really isn't uncommon in pet owners in general and you could involve any animal in magick, so what really makes a Magickal Pet? Well, it is the belief that the pet is interested in the witches craft. Most modern witches cite things like seeming interest in their altar or actions during ritual work, as well as divination forms like interrupting tarot sessions.

Getting A Magickal Pet

You can get a Magickal Pets the same way you get any pet. You don’t need to have these animals from a young age to have a deep connection with them.

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JUST A NOTE ON CONSENT

There is a bit of an ethical dilemma when it comes to using your pets in your craft. This is that using your pets energy, fur, etc. and involving them in rituals can open them up to the same dangers you face during all spell work.

This like overextending their energy, spell blow-back, and connecting them to the work can and do occur. There isn’t really a way that they can expressly consent so if you are going to involve them then PLEASE ward your fur, scale, or feather babies.

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Calling a Familiar Ritual

Step 1: Introspection & Planning

This is when you ask yourself why you want a Familiar? Are you ready for one? What kind of Familiar do you think you can handle? As well as think up what your basic terms and negotiate terms are. This introspection period is often paired with meditation.

Plan your ritual. Time, place, tools, etc.? Take into account the weather of the day and be sure not to trespass. Maybe you want to make new portable wards or make/acquire a vessel, anchor, or conduit for the spirit (some spirits refuse to be bound to them and they are not mandatory).

Step 2: Wards, Circles, & Area Setup

Ward yourself and, if you use them, cast your circle. I recommend warding both your self and the space. Here is a pretty good wiki if anyone needs ideas or is confused: Wards

Step 3: Offerings

Lay out your offerings. Offerings can include food items, incense, burning herbs, etc. But if you are going to be doing this outside then I recommend non-toxic and biodegradable materials. Milk and honey are always an easy and safe bet.

Step 4: Incantation

Call to potential spirits. You can use the one below or make your own.

”Spirits of the forest, I pronounce my intentions to thee.

Come forth and seek me, and equal we will be.

Not master and servant, but familiar to familiar, to share our knowledge, our spirit, and our traits.”

Step 5: Meditation/Trance

Meditate and wait for a spirit to answer your call. This may take a bit and they may not show until you enter the astral plane, are sleeping, or at all. Just like in the show, spirits might not come to you right away and that's okay. However, if they don't come within about 3 days then you might want to try again.

Step 6: Negotiation

If/When a spirit shows you then negotiate your terms. Tell them what you want and expect of a Familiar and allow them to say their terms. Get a feel of the spirit and judge whether they are the right choice. Be flexible, but also know the terms you will not move on. Many spirits will take a mile when you give them an inch.

YOU CAN SAY NO AND VICE VERSA

The first spirit might not be your best choice and that’s okay, be careful not to bite off more than you can chew. For example, if you are a witchling or new to spirit work then you should probably respectfully decline powerful spirits like Aos si or mid-level demons (I don’t know how to express that better, sorry demonologists and workers).

Be realistic about what you can handle and try to avoid power/experience imbalances. * I personally have turned away spirits that I felt I was not ready for and there is no shame in it. * Don’t become disrespectful if a spirit decides to say no. They are sentient and often sapient beings that have the right to refuse.

Step 7: Vessel/Anchor/Conduit

Part of your negotiation may have included a vessel or anchor for them (you may make one and they refuse) and this would be the time for you to bind them to it.

Conduits are physical objects used to channel a spirit beings energy and a spirit may prefer that over an anchor/vessel. For example Sigils, the spirit might give you -or you can ask for- a sigil to represent them in ritual and for easy communication. Possibly bring a notebook and pen, just in case.

Step 8: Closing & Cleansing

End your communication with the spirit, close your circle (if you use them), and cleanse yourself to avoid having parasitic or negative spirits attach to you. Gather your stuff as needed.

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Conclusion

Many modern witches equate these two things but unfortunately, a Magickal Pet simply isn’t capable of many of the things a Familiar is. They can’t consent and they rely on you for spiritual and magickal protection.

If it wasn’t for the tasks and capabilities then I would be completely fine with people applying the label to their pets. I have no problem with people involving pets in their craft and I think it is great that so many people feel so connected to their pets as it tells me they are well loved, and that’s always great to see.

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Article Source : http://aminoapps.com/p/t2dah6

Image Source : https://pin.it/7kp+qqR]

The Witchy Apps I Use:

Seen a few of these posts so I figured I'd share as well! I use these for reference mostly, and personally prefer to do my practice irl. All are free!

Labyrinthos- this is a tarot app mostly, though it also has some astronomy info. I wouldn't recommend it if you're just starting with tarot, because the descriptions are over simplified and lacking. It does have a "learn" feature that can help you memorize/learn the basics though and for that it's pretty good! I use this to save tarot spread layouts that I use with my cards irl. It let's you create your own custom spreads and save them.

Co-Star- an astronomy/horoscope app. I love it because it does your birth chart for you in an easy to understand format and you can go back and reference it quick if you need it! But the descriptions of what everything in the chart means is also lacking and waay oversimplified here too, and none of the "aspects" are included. It'll do "daily horoscopes" but it won't have info on why/how it concluded that information based on your birth chart.

Moon phase calendar- a must for me! Always gotta know what the moon is doin. It has a lot of detail, including the percentage of visibility and rise/set times.

Make it rain- rain/thunderstorm sounds for meditation and practice

PictureThis- this is my favorite free plant identification app, and I'm pretty picky lol

Herbs dictionary- this is purely scientific information on an insane number of herbs, with medical uses as well. No magical uses listed. Again, this is for quick reference!!. If I'M personally using an herb for medicinal purposes it's because I'm familiar with it and know which are safe for me, don't just use whatever random herb some phone app says may help... Be safe.

Herbalist Grimoire- I think this one has about 70 herbs? And their magical correspondences. I love it for quick reference! It also explains how to use herbs (like making tinctures, oils, satchets, etc), a glossary of medical terms related to herbs, basics on how to grow herbs, and a brief history of herbs in witchcraft.

LunaDiary- a password protected night-mode diary with adjustable font and formatting and calming music. I use it for note taking, spells, ideas, some of which later goes into my grimoire. It has a back-up feature that uploads it to my Google drive. Plus the more notes you make, the more lunar phases and stars you get in the home page, so that's cute.

The occult library- exactly what it sounds like, it's got different witchcraft related books you can read for free.

Play Books- the basic Google play book app, I go to the android play store and download free books of interest related to my craft and philosophies I follow and read them here.

Improve intuition (called "intuition test" in the playstore for some reason tho)- this one has several choice-related activities that challenge your intuition skills! Big recommend.

Respire- a meditation app with different breathing exercises. I'm not a fan of hearing someone talk me through a guided meditation, so following a breathing exercise works much better for me. You can close your eyes and it'll make a ding sound to let you know when to breathe in, hold, and breathe out.

Down dog- an AMAZING free yoga app! It has restorative yoga, hatha, quick flow, and sun salutations in the free version. With different music genre to choose from that plays what seems like a genre radio. You can adjust the difficulty level, speed, and length. The instructors are great at guiding and the video to follow is aesthetically nice and it's all very easy to understand. Truly can't recommend this one enough.

I'm hoping to find an app that has a sheet to fill out for saving spells, like it would be great if it has the day/time, lunar phase, title, intent, tools, instructions, and outcomes to fill out. If you know of one, please let me know!

🌛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. 🌛🌝🌜

what does my chart say about me :)