Cuban Painted Snails (Polymita Picta)

Divination Intro

Like any other school of Magick, Divination uses many different methods in order to divine esoteric knowledge, including the past, present, and possible future. 

Important note: It is important to remember that, no matter the type of divinatory practices used, no single person is able to tell the future. There are always variables at play that may change your future and your destiny. Divination simple says that, should things continue as they are, this is the most likely outcome of the situation.

How does divination work? 

In and around all things is a flow of energy. You can think of this flow of energy as the circle of life type of thing from Lion King. “The circle of life flows through us all”, or, like water: Water particles are everywhere, even in the air we breath, and is thus constantly in motion. Same with energy. Energy makes up the very fabric of our existence, making us connected to everything around us.

Here’s a witchy secret they don’t often bother to tell you: We are connected to this energy, and this energy is connected to all things. Energy, at its base, is information.

When we tap into this energy, we are able to see the information that the energy has to give us. Different diviners use different methods of tapping into this energy, but it’s all the same.

Kinds of Divination:

By no means is this list exhaustive. As mentioned before, there are many ways in which diviners practice divination. None is better than the other, and all accomplish basically the same thing. There are a few that I have dabbled in, and a lot that I have not.

Cartomancy

The most common and well known form of divination is divining using a deck of cards, most commonly tarot. Among the cards are different sets of titles and imagery that is meant to invoke some sort of reaction from your intuition. The best way to work with the tarot, oracle, or any other deck of cards is allow the cards to speak to you, and not you for it. In other words, allow there to be a natural progression as you read the tarot, instead of forcing meanings where there may be none.

Runes (Futhark)

Runes are another form of divination that use ancient symbols housing esoteric wisdom to divine. According to the legends which I’ve read, the runes are Norse in origin, but the exact details of how they came to be is a mystery. It is said that they were sacred to the Norse goddess Freya, and were possibly even discovered by her. She then introduced then to Odin, the Allfather, god of war, and the greater mysteries. Odin, who became fascinated by them, hung himself in a tree to die a shamanic death, and was then reborn as Odin the Runemaster. At some point, it is rumored that Odin then gifted the runes to man. 

Whatever the legends, the runes do have an energy all their own, but are not quite as easy as the tarot to read. They are symbols, ancient and unknown in origin, not pretty little colored images on a deck of cards. The best way to work with runes is to learn their general meaning, and allow them to expand their knowledge to you over time. 

Scrying

Scrying is another popular form of divination that uses a smooth, reflective surface in order to “See” images within the depths. Most commonly, crystal balls, black mirrors, and bowls of water are used. 

This form of divination is difficult to master, and takes tremendous patience. Thus, I will not be able to go into further detail about this at present.

Osteomancy

“Throwing bones” as it were. I’ve had more time to learn a little bit more about this, and I have a very basic understanding of how this form of divination works. 

Osteomancy uses bones, preferably from small animals, as well as other shells, beads, and curios collective known as the “bones” thrown out onto a cloth to divine the future. Depending on where the bones land, the diviner is then able to use their meaning to paint a picture of the quarents future, past, and present. 

I’ve read a few blog posts about this form, and it seems that, most commonly, osteomancers use what is known as “animism” the idea that everything has a spirit and is alive, in order to divine. While this may or may not be true, I believe that bone throwing employs the use to psychometry in order to decipher the bones.

Which brings me to my last point…

Psychometry

Psychometry is a powerful way to exercise your “Psychic muscles”, but it also takes a lot of patience to learn. Psychometry refers to the latent or inherent or learned ability to perceive residual information off of objects and/or people, usually by touch. 

Psychometry is best practiced in one of two ways. 

Collect various, preferably older items, such as necklaces, pocket watches, other small antiques, wood, shells, etc. Place all of the items under a cloth or under a bowl and then shuffle them around, making sure that you shuffle long enough for you to have no way of knowing where each item is. You then place your hand over the object, fell its energy, and try and divine what the object is. It’ll take time, but your accuracy will vastly improve, and you’ll find that other esoteric things come to you easily.

Find random objects such as old building bricks, signs, lampposts, antiques, etc. and place your hand on them. Close your eyes, and try to sense the object. See all of the memories that it houses within. Who did it belong to? What has it witnessed? Where did it come from? Eventually, you’ll begin to gain an understanding of the objects around you even without needing to touch them and close your eyes. Then, eventually, you’ll be able to divine a person’s past, present, and future using the same exact method, giving you yet another tool in your divinatory arsenal.

There are, of course, many MANY other methods that I missed. The ones I mentioned above are simply the ones that I personally have, so far, dabbled in. The tarot, of course, is my strongest practice, but others are working their way up there as well.

Short list of other divination practices:

Tesseomancy- Tea leaf reading

Pyromancy- Fire scrying

Lithomancy- Stone throwing

Pendulum- Divining with a heavy, pointed object on a chain

Numerology- Divining with numbers

Astrology- Divining using the stars and their alignments

Automatic writing/Drawing- Divining by closing your eyes and allowing your subconscious mind to write/draw

Tasseomancy: Symbols

Tasseomancy or Tasseography is the practice and process of using tea leaves or coffee grounds to forecast, understand, or improve upcoming or current events. This can be used for planning ahead, or for personal growth, healing and development. One nearly finished a loose herbal concoction, and then flips the remaining biological powders onto a small plate. They then scry based off of the shapes or symbols the leaves lie in. Here are some basic shapes and their meanings.

Symbols:

Anchor: Stability, Stagnancy, permanence, and immobility. Angel: Fortune, positivity, and potential true romance. Apple: Health, longevity, academic or professional success. Aries: Strength, intensity, lust, and scorching emotion. Axe: You have overcome your challenges, victory and triumph. Boat: Reunification, fellowship, familiarity, and support. Bowl: Containment, stagnancy, summer, light, and Litha. Bridge: A wonderful voyage to embark on lies ahead of you. Candle: Enlightenment, guidance, illumination, and warmth. Car: Impending prosperity, fortune, and achievements. Chain: Accountability, a sequence of occasions, and stagnancy. Clouds: Trials and troubles ahead. If surrounded by dots; success is coming. Clover: Upcoming luck. The higher up its located, the sooner it will come. Compass: Guidance, direction, backing, assistance, and support. Crown: Triumph, magnificence, incentives or gifts, and admiration. Cup: Achievement, celebration, emotional healing, and purification. Dagger: Love, encouragement, assistance, and support from allies. Gun: Discord, tension, slander, defamation, and disharmony. Hammer: The journey and trials you’ve faced have been overcome. Hat: Accomplishment, success, and achievement in general. House: Stability, victory in profession or corporate choice. Knots: Apprehensions, concerns, tension, worry, and pressure. Ladder: Advancement, improvement, development, and progress. Mars: Movement, action, progress, vigor, and lustful love. Mountain: Forthcoming impediments, obstacles, and challenges. Mushroom: Rebirth, shifting, transformation, everlasting growth. Owl: Deceit, deception, loss, probable illness, or deprivation. Pear: Social status, wealth, prosperity, and admiration. Ring: Harmony, love, partnership, alliance, and marriage. Scissors: Arguments, disputes, separations, or possibility of ailment. Sun: Stamina, energy, vitality, triumph, and opportunities. Trees: Prosperity, direction, growth, happiness, and luck. Umbrella: Struggles, aggravations, provocations, and endurance. Venus: Romance, femininity, compassion, and love.

Fundamentals / Numbers / Shapes

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.

reblog if ur the witch friend

the way ivan aivazovsky looks at the sea…i think…i think that’s what love looks like.

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.

Freshly picked mint and lavender // a home made drying rack

⭐ Inner Child Magic ⭐

Connecting to your inner child is a great way to bring curiosity, simple joy and innocence into your life. Here is a simple spell I like to do when things feel overwhelming and I forget who I used to be… 

– 

You will need

Pen and paper

A blue candle

An object from your childhood

Inner child spell

⭐ Find a peaceful and quiet space to perform the spell. Light the blue candle. Blue is associated with happiness, laughter, innocence and childhood. 

⭐ Spend a few minutes looking at the object you brought - it could be anything ; a cuddly toy you used to love, letters from family members, jewellery you received as a child, etc. How does it make you feel? Can you remember the child you used to be? 

⭐ On the paper, make a list of things that made you happy as a child. What food did you like? What movie did you love so much that you watched it on repeat? What songs did you sing to yourself in your bedroom? What activity were you always up for? What book did you read under your covers at night, while pretending to sleep? 

⭐ Read through the list again. Highlight all the things you can still enjoy today.

⭐ Close your eyes and visualize yourself as a child. Send love, compassion and empathy towards this version of yourself. Make a promise to your inner child that you will not forget the things you used to love. 

Lavender in Witchcraft

Gender: Feminine (Though this is disputed)

Element: Water and Air

Planets: Neptune and Mercury

Signs: Virgo and Pisces

Deities: Selene

Chakra: Third eye

Represents: Longevity and long life, peace, harmony, love attraction and romance, healing, sleep and dreams, the third eye and psychic abilities, as well as purification and spirit healing.

Some uses for lavender:

- Wear the oil, perfume or essence of lavender as a way to attract men, women -or whatever you are into- towards you. Men especially are attracted towards lavender; prostitutes were  known to wear lavender in ancient times to draw in clients.

- Drink a tea of lavender before doing any mental or psychic work; it is said to increase both mental and psychic abilities.

- Burn it or scatter it around your house to ward off evil spirits; as well as cleanse and raise the vibes.

- Scatter a mixture of lavender and rosemary across your doorway to keep unwanted guests * and that really irritating postman*

-Carry some on or around you (ex: keep a sprig in your purse or pocket, wear some oil of it on yourself, throw some in your sock drawer, etc.) for a longevity in your life.

- Add some into your skincare to bring a youthful glow and essence to your skin and body.

Got any more ideas? Let me know!!!

Take care and goddess bless )O(

2021 CELESTIAL EVENTS

January 2-3: Quadrantids Meteor Shower 

January 30-February 21: Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius 

March 9-10: Quadruple Formation: Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn  

April 21-22: Lyrids Meteor Shower 

May 5-6: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower 

May 26: Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse

May 29- June 22: Mercury Retrograde in Gemini   

June 10: Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse 

July 12: Venus - Mars Conjunction 

July 17-August 24: Perseid Meteor Shower 

August 12-13: Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks 

August 18: Mars - Mercury Conjunction  

September 27-October 23: Mercury Retrograde in Libra 

October 8: Draconid Meteor Shower 

October 21-22: Orionids Meteor Shower 

November 19: Partial Lunar Eclipse

December 4: Total Solar Eclipse

December 19-January 2022: Venus retrograde in Capricorn, moves back into Sagittarius  

Sources: ⭐|⭐|⭐