V-gorre - Vgorre

basic ass witch tips 🔮

on some kind of medication, including but not limited to hormonal birth control, heart medication, and anti-depressants? you better double check with your doctor or pharmacist before you drink that new tea you just bought.

always, always, always tell your doctor or check with your pharmacist before trying any kind of herbal supplement, whether it’s something you made yourself or something you bought at the store.

have sensitive skin? dilute your essential oils before putting them anywhere near your skin or in your bathtub.

have a diagnosed medical condition? talk. to. your. doctor. before ingesting anything or putting anything on your body that you aren’t familiar with.

don’t. drink. essential. oils. essential oils are not consumable!!!!!

don’t put citrus oil on your skin and then go out into the sun unless you want a badass chemical burn.

don’t put any kind of damn essential oil on your skin without diluting it with a carrier oil. almond oil? olive oil? coconut oil? i don’t care. dilute your essential oils. 

don’t put essential oils on your animals, diluted or not, point blank. 

oh, and don’t put fucking crystals in their water bowls to “cleanse their chakras” or whatever the fuck. 

speaking? of crystals? don’t put crystals in your bodily orifices. don’t put crystals in your own damn water. just don’t. 

thinking about burning some kind of random herb in your house? you better make sure it’s not gonna release noxious fumes and murder your family. 

speaking of random herbs - got the urge to forage for some herbs out in the wild? wear. fucking. gloves.

don’t burn incense or herbs around your pets. they have tiny, fragile respiratory systems and are super sensitive to that kinda shit. 

gotta burn a candle down completely for a spell? you better not leave that shit unattended unless you want a house fire. 

always. practice. fire. safety. that means, don’t go burning shit outside during a burn ban. 

gods help me - if you wanna harvest your own blood via finger stick, stay away from dirty safety pins and needles and invest in some lancets. 

drinking dirty water from outside can literally give you worms. boil your damn water. 

oh yeah. moon water. everyone loves to make moon water. you know what happens when you leave a jar of water at room temperature? it stagnates and grows bacteria. refrigerate that shit. 

fresh herbs or other things of that nature left at room temperature can also grow super harmful bacteria, for example, raw garlic submerged in oil at room temperature is a breeding ground for botulism and mold. 

edited on october 27, 2018

𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖆 𝕲𝖗𝖎𝖒𝖔𝖎𝖗𝖊

𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐒:

🌿A page about you, your birthstone, birth chart…

🌿Types of Magick

🌿The wheel of the year

🌿The Sabbats and how to celebrate them

🌿Types of witches

🌿The history of magick/witchcraft in your countries/cultures

🌿All about the deities you worship, if any

🌿Local myths/legends of interest

🌿Herbs and their magickal properties

🌿Candles and their magickal properties

🌿Crystals and their magickal properties

🌿Essential oils and their magickal properties

🌿Chakras

🌿Gemstones

🌿Tarots

🌿Runes

🌿Sigils

🌿How to cast a circle

🌿Spells and how to cast them

🌿What days/times are best for spell casting

🌿Wandwoods

🌿Astrology

🌿The moon, and its different phases

🌿Altars, what they are and how you could set up yours

🌿Moonwater/sunwater

🌿Banishing

🌿Binding

🌿Cleansing

🌿Grounding

🌿Spirit work and how to do it safely

🌿Witch terminology

🌿Potions

🌿Safe herbs for potion making

🌿Best witchy books

🌿Ritual music/songs to listen to

𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐙𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐄:

🍁A table of contents is a wonderful idea and can be a great help, but it really is up to you.

🍁Try and plan what you’re going to write down and when.

🍁You can write down every idea you have in a notebook aside first to organise and plan if you want (this is what I do but I do consider myself a little bit of a perfecionist haha)

🍁You can print out photos, dry out flowers and herbs, add stickers, doodle and more to decorate your Grimoire if you’d like. It makes it more personal, but in the end the most important thing is that you understand it.

🍁And remember that it is your Grimoire, try not to compare it to anyone else’s and remember that witchcraft is all about personalization. If you do not have a Grimoire that’s okay too, this is your craft and your rules♡

British case law from the 1800s

A Crash Course on Channeling

What is Channeling?

Channeling is allowing a nonphysical entity to use your physical body, in order to accomplish something. If that sounds, vague, it’s because it is. Channeling takes many different forms and intensity levels! Depending on how it’s done, it can be a medium-difficulty task or one of the most advanced things a spirit worker can do. 

Types of Channeling

I once heard channeling described as a car ride, and in my experience that’s very accurate. The car is your body, and you’re in it with an entity. Sometimes you’re in the driver’s seat, and the entity is in the back seat giving directions. Sometimes you or the entity is in the passenger’s seat: not calling most of the shots, but able to reach over and grab the wheel if needed. Sometimes you’re in the backseat watching the entity drive, and sometimes you’re in the trunk. In practice, this can take a number of forms.

Speaking on Behalf. This is the kind of channeling people do most often. The entity isn’t controlling you, just feeding you lines which you can then relay to a third party. You’re translating their messages to something other people can comprehend. If you’ve ever answered a question for a spirit in their words, you’ve done this. 

Isolated Channeling. The entity takes control of just a part of the body, usually the hands or fingers. This is mostly used for things like automatic writing.

Assuming Form. Also known as consensual possession. The entity is in the driver’s seat, speaking and acting for themselves without your help. Some people will call this “horsing.”

Possession. While the word “possession” could technically cover all of this, within the spirit work community it’s usually reserved for channeling where the human did not consent beforehand. This doesn’t necessarily mean in a violating way- I once had a friend who got possessed just long enough for an entity to yank them out of danger; once I was taken for just a moment to convey a quick (but very direct) message to a devotee, and snapped out of it right after. 

Reasons to Channel

Everyone will have a different reason to channel but most of them fall under a few categories:

Helping Someone Else. You’re channeling on behalf of someone who can’t [easily] reach the entity themselves, in order to ease communication between the two parties. This is often seen with mediums contacting spirit guides and Ancestors.

Aid in Other Works. The entity is better suited to accomplish a certain task than you, so you let them take the lead. This is often seen with a familiar or spirit companion, someone the practitioner works with closely enough to know their strengths and trust them. 

Easier Communication Overall. Channeling is a way to get really familiar with an entity’s energy. Again, we often see this with spirit companions and is more to bond than to achieve another goal.  This would include automatic writing or letting a spirit experience things “through” you. 

Ritual Invitation. In some traditions, it’s common to invite deities to ritual events. Often, some type of channeling/possession is expected and is usually reached through ecstatic experiences. It’s taken as a sign the deity has arrived at the party, either a sign the offerings have been received or a time for the deity to convey important messages. 

Before-You-Begin Essentials

Know How To Protect Yourself. This is non-negotiable. Is your discernment tuned enough to spot an impostor or malevolent entity? Do you know how to end a session early? Do you know how to banish a spirit in an emergency? If the answer is no, then study up and return to channeling when you’re ready. 

Know Your Entity. Channeling, by nature, puts the practitioner in an intimate and vulnerable place, so you don’t want to give that access to an entity who may misuse it. If it’s your first time channeling, make sure you trust this entity with your life. 

Don’t Channel Alone. When you channel, you’re in an altered state of consciousness. Having someone grounded near you helps keep the session on track and keep you out of trouble should you need it. (Either by forcing an entity out if needed or just keeping you from climbing that tree.) 

Other Notes

It’ll Probably Take a Lot Out of You. Have something ready to ground and rehydrate yourself after a session, and make sure you don’t have anything high-demand planned after. 

Start Small. No need to jump head-first into the most advancecd and high-intensity types of channeling! Start with automatic writing or painting and get used to the feeling and work your way up.

Don’t Make It Weird. Basic etiquette still matters. Channeling is not a pass to give unsolicited messages to other practitioners, speak on behalf of their deities to them (unless they’ve specifically asked), or say hurtful things cushioned by: “What? It wasn’t me who said it.”

Messages Are Rarely “Pure.” This means everything is still filtered through you, the practitioner. Your values, morals, biases, and beliefs can inform what messages get through and how they are conveyed. Nobody wants to send out a message they disagree with, after all. This becomes less of an influencing factor with experience as one learns to hone their skill and let go more, but it’s important to always keep in mind. (If a channeling friend says a deity doesn’t accept your gender identity or something, that’s a good sign that really your “friend” doesn’t accept it.) 

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

Tarot deck cleansing ideas 🖤

revenge

| 100+ Grimoire Prompts/Ideas |

To see any updates to this post, click [here]. I’ll likely update it. 

Disclaimer No single witch knows about all these things or has answers to all these prompts. This is just a reference list. Don’t get overwhelmed and focus on what interests you and relates to your path when making a grimoire or book of shadows. 

The Essentials:

Does your grimoire have an index for organization? Make one! 

Write about the history of witches, the occult, Paganism, ect. 

What is witchcraft?

What is intent? What is your will? How do they work? 

What types of spells are there?

What are some methods for spells? 

What types of witches are there? 

What is cleansing? Why is it important? How is it done? 

What is charging? Why is it important? How is it done? 

What is grounding? Why is it important? How is it done? 

What is shielding & warding? Why is it important? How is it done? 

What are circles? Why are they important? How is it done? 

What is visualization? Why is it important? How is it done? 

What methods are there for divination? How can it be used?

What is consecration? How do you consecrate tools? 

Write about energy, energy work basics, how is energy used? 

What methods of meditation are there? Have any favorites?  

Write about any tips for meditation you know of! 

Other Useful Stuff:

Make a list of terms commonly used in reference to witchcraft

How to write your own spells 

How to make moon water

How to make sigils 

How to dress candles

The wheel of the year. What is it? How do you celebrate it? 

Make a pendulum board

Write the entire Theban Alphabet 

Taglocks. What are they? How do you use them?

The Correspondences of:

The Elements 

The directions - North, South, East, & West 

Moon phases 

Zodiac signs 

Planets 

Days 

Times of day 

Numbers 

Colors

Tarot cards 

Runes 

Herbs & Spices 

Flowers 

Trees/Wood 

Other plants 

Essential Oils 

Incense 

Teas 

Seashells & other things from the sea 

Crystals & Metals 

Gods & goddesses 

Spirits 

Angels 

Fae

Entities:

List pantheons/deities 

Basic spirit work 

How to protect yourself from spirits

How to bind and banish spirits if something goes wrong 

Fae etiquette 

Types of Fae

List ways to communicate with deities/spirits/Fae 

Information on constructs, servitors, tulpas, ect.

Your Path:

Page of tips/reminders

List practices, topics, deities/spirits of interest

How did you discover witchcraft?

What kind of witch are you, if any labels apply besides witch? 

Why do you do witchcraft?

What inspires your practice?

Is your practice based on any certain culture, religion, ect?

Is witchcraft spiritual for you? How so? Are you Pagan, Wiccan, ect? 

What is special about your practice? Do you have any unique methods, ideas, systems? 

How do you believe magic works?

What has being a witch taught you? 

Do you have any rules for your path? What are they? Why do you have them? 

Write about your goals relating to witchcraft. 

Do you have any familiars, deities or spirits you work with? Write about them. 

Are there many witches, occultists, Pagans, ect that inspire you? Who? What about them is inspiring? 

Make a correspondence page for you. Your natal chart, birth tarot card, numerology, elements or signature ingredients you connect to, ect. 

Draw a chart of symbols you use in your practice. This could be alchemical symbols, sigils, runes, ect. 

Offering ideas for your deities/spirits

Plants you have and how to care for them 

Do you have any witchy drawings or doodles? Add them! Make some! 

Write about folklore, especially personally significant or local folklore

Write about any myths or folk tales you like 

Write about local animals, plants, in your area

Make lists of:

Witchy recipes, crafts, projects, ect that you wanna do

Tarot spreads you like

Other spreads you like, oracle, runes, ect

A section or separate book for readings/spells/rituals you do

Witchy places you like, that be it woods, cemeteries, shops, ect

A witchy wishlist, tools, ingredients, ect that you want

Witchy books you have and witchy books you want 

Random topics:

Astrology

Astral projection

Auras

Crystal grids

Dream interpretation

Familiars

Herbalism 

Lenormand 

Runes 

Sacred geometry

Scrying 

Symbols 

Tarot cards

Oracle cards 

Palmistry

Pendulums

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.

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