Lappland, Sweden

Need Some Witchy Etsy Inspiration?

I spend a lot of downtime procuring my Etsy favorites like I would Pinterest so…

Crystals

Jewelry

Witchy

Journaling/BOS

Makeup/Bath Magic

Have at it!

Wishing you a lovely, crystalline morning!

🔮 This blog supports male witches 🔮

Witchcraft isn’t just for women, or a women only space. Men are surely welcome to call themselves witches, if they so choose.

space witch aesthetic

{ request here }

http://www.houseofwidow.com/

Setting Up Your Altar: Ostara

Ostara is the time to honor rebirth and renewal, not just physical but spiritual as well. It is the time when light and dark are once again at balance and are equal. Here are a few ways you can decorate your altar for the coming Sabbat.

Colors of the Season:

Yellows

Purples

Greens

Blues 

Pinks

Pastel Colors

Balance of the Equinox Symbols:

God and Goddess Statue

Black and White Candle

Balancing Scales

Sun and Moon Symbol

Yin and Yang

New Life:

Milk

Plants (daffodils, lilies)

Basket of Eggs

Spring is synonymous with new life, put things that are just being born or renewed onto your altar.

Other Symbols of the Season:

Seeds and Bulbs

Nature Deities (Herne, Flora, Gaia, Attis, etc)

Gemstones and Crystals (aquamarine, rose quartz, and moonstone)

Ostara is March 20th this year. 

Blessed Be

)o(

Elemental Circle Casting

Magical Spells & Exercises Masterpost

Instead of imagining a generic glowing line, this circle conjures the powers of the elements to assist in casting the circle.

Correctly banishing this circle is very important.

As with a very simple circle, you will use your finger or a tool to ‘draw’ the line, but at each cardinal point you will summon elemental powers.

Begin by facing east. Say,

“I conjure you, benevolent powers of fire. Stand to the east and watch over my circle. Empower it and protect it.”

As you say this, imagine a fiery red pentagram appears in the air before you.

Continue drawing the circle and turn to the south. Say,

“I conjure you, benevolent powers of earth. Sand to the south and watch over my circle. Empower it and protect it.”

Imagine an earthy green pentagram floating before you.

Continue drawing the circle, turn to the west, and say,

“I conjure you, benevolent powers of water. Stand to the west and watch over my circle. Empower it and protect it.” Imagine a watery blue pentagram hovering before you.

Continue the circle and turn towards the north. Say,

“I conjure you, benevolent powers of air. Stand to the north and watch over my circle. Empower it and protect it.” Imagine a pentagram the color of desert air hovering to the north.

Finish your circle by drawing the line back to the beginning eastern point. As soon as the circle connects with itself, it “clicks” and glows with great power.

When you are ready to banish the circle, begin in the north. Say,

“I banish you, powers of air. You came as a helper, now leave in peace.”

Repeat this for all the elements, going counter-clockwise.

When all the elements are banished, turn counter-clockwise once more and erase the circle with a simple banishing.

Why?

When pure elemental powers are called, they put all its derivative spirits in their place. It is like inviting the boss in to the office. If any little fiery spirits are acting up and planning on ruining your spell, when the elemental intelligence of fire arrives they will be set straight and become unable to harm your work. This means that the circle conjures benevolent powers in order to banish unwanted powers.

Astrology/Cosmic Witch

Yes, you heard it right! I’m coming out with my own 30 day challenge! I tried to come up with a lot of unusual tasks that I don’t see in challenges and to try and make this one fairly interactive. Before we get into it here is a quick FAQ. HAVE FUN!!!

How do I take part?

Follow each instruction on the list for 30 days. That is about it! If you want to share your experience with others then you can upload your pictures and stories to Tumblr and tag it as #Violetwitchcraftchallenge! Alternatively you can submit them to me and I will post them on your behalf. You don’t have to write anything long; just how you found the day will do fine :)

When does it start?

Whenever you want! You don’t have to start at the beginning of the month; the only requirement is that you do all 30 days in a row. But hey, I don’t really care if you miss a few days ;)

I’ve already done _____ on this list!

Either go back to refresh your memory or just skip that day.

30 DAYS OF WITCHCRAFT.

Day 1: Write a short post about how you got into witchcraft.

Day 2: Write down in any form you wish what you love about your path. 

Day 3: Create a witchy playlist. Share the tracklist.

Day 4: Try Automatic Writing. Share the results.(Learn how here. The channeling of a guide is not required.)

Day 5: Learn a little about a path that you don’t know about, but like the look of. 

Day 6: Write something in a witchy script. (My script can be found here. Other acceptable alternatives are the Theban, Tolkien Elvish, etc)

Day 7: Learn a little about a path you don’t know about, but hate the look of. 

Day 8: Try seeing your Aura. (Learn how here)

Day 9: Create a Sigil. (Learn how here)

Day 10: Work out your natal chart. (Learn how here)

Day 11: Create a spell.

Day 12: Learn about any form of divination you have not yet tried and give it a go. Share the results.

Day 13: Create a new tarot card for the Major Arcana of tarot. You can just make up a concept and a card name if you are not artistic! (Learn what the Major Arcana is here)

Day 14: Write a short post about what you do in your specific practise.

Day 15: Write a piece of poetry on any witchy topic you would like.

Day 16: Learn the brief history of a specific divination method that interests you.

Day 17: Try meditation. If sitting is too uncomfortable for you then lay down while doing so.

Day 18: Name a book, film, game or TV show from pop culture and how it has inspired your craft.

Day 19: Create a spell inspired by a book, film, game or TV show.

Day 20: Create a sigil from song lyrics of your choice. (An example of this is here)

Day 21: Describe or draw what kind of witch you would be if you were in a fantasy game.

Day 22: Find a blog that inspires you or helps you in your path and send them a nice message :)

Day 23: Create a magical symbol that represents your specific craft. (Similar examples are the pentagram, the cross, etc)

Day 24: Try some of the magic you did as a kid again now. (Making a wish at a specific time, blowing out candles on a cake, making a wish on a dandelion, etc)

Day 25: Use an unconventional item in your craft. How you do so is up to you. (think objects completely unconnected to witchcraft.)

Day 26: Download a witchy app on your phone. Share with us what it is and how you find it useful.

Day 27: Create a deity. You can either draw or just describe the deity and what the deity rules/means.

Day 28: Research a famous occultist from any period of history. 

Day 29: Watch a documentary on witchcraft on YouTube. Note if you agree or disagree with how witchcraft was represented.

Day 30: Give yourself a big pat on the back for making it to the last day of the challenge! As a reward for sticking with it I present you with this link to 31 witchcraft movies. Watch one and relax!

How to Harvest your Magical Herbs

Most plants used for cooking can be harvested at any time of day but if a herb is being harvested for medicinal use there are certain times of the day and certain weather conditions that are best for capturing the strength of the most active ingredients.  Also if herbs are being used for magikal works there are times that the plants energy is at its optimum and therefore aids the work being undertaken. The perfect conditions for gathering leaves flowers and fruit for drying and storing is a very dry day probably around mid to late morning as any moisture on the surface from rain, mist or dew can cause the plant material to degrade quickly and can induce fungal and bacterial growth.  Harvesting should also be avoided when the sun is high and hot as the essential elements of the active ingredients can be evaporated or lose strength.

Having said all this there are times that you may stumble on a particular plant that has been eluding you and you are totally unprepared for collecting it in the perfect weather conditions, moon phases or with the correct tools and in these situations it comes down to the two choices

come back when the conditions are right which I have done and then been unable to find the plant again

pick it anyway and hope that the active ingredients are not too diminished (I have been in this situation and have had good results anyway)

It is best not to harvest any herbs that have been growing close to the road as the leaves take in the carbon monoxide and poisonous fumes given out by the traffic and take it down into the plant to the root where it becomes stored.  Do not pick wild herbs and plants from verges or throughfares as this contravenes several laws and also the fact that most areas like these are open to our friendly dog and cat population.

If harvesting wild plants leave a large amount of flowers, seed and root as the plant population of that area will very quickly die out if you go in mob-handed and wrench up the only two plants for miles around.  Make sure you know what you’re picking this is very important when harvesting in the wild there are many pocket spotter books available that are invaluable when identifying plants, I try to carry one with photographs rather than drawings as sometimes they can be a little misleading.

When to harvest

Most herbs are harvested in the summer either before or during flowering.  Seeds and most types of bark are collected in early autumn and roots in early autumn and spring.  The leaves of evergreens are collected throughout the year but don’t collect large amounts before or during a heavy front as this will leave the plant vulnerable.

Early Spring: Collect Dandelion roots

Late Spring: Arial parts during flowering; Lungwort, Sweet Violet, Flowers: coltsfoot, cowslip, elder

Early to Mid-Summer: Arial parts/leaves before flowering; Agrimony, Angellica, Catmint, Cleavers, Dandelion, Dill, Fennel, Feverfew, Garlic, Hysop, Ladys Mantle, Lemonbalm, Motherwort, Parsley, Peppermint, Plantain, Sage, Stinging Nettles, White horehound, Yellow Dock.  Bark while flowering: Rose.  Flowers; Borage, Camomile, Honeeysuckle, Linden, Pot Marigold, St Johns Wort

Mid to Late Summer: Arial parts whilst flowering; Californian Poppy, Heartsease, Marjoram, Marshmallow, Meadowsweet, Mugwort, Shepherds Purse, Skullcap Thyme, Vervain, Wild Lettuce, Wood Bettony, Wormwood, Yarrow.  Flowers: Hops, Lavender, Mullain.     Leaves After Flowering: Borage, Colsfoot, Cowslip, Fenugreek, Lungwort, Sweet Violet.

Autumn: Roots/ bulbs when leaves have wilted: Angellica, Black Cohosh, Burdock, Comfrey, Cowslip, Elecanpane, Garlic, Goldenseal, Lovage, marshmallow, Soapwort, Valerian.  Seeds/ fruit: Celery, Elder, Howthrorn, Dill, Fennel, Lovage

N.B. When getting plants from the wild, respect the area and plant you are harvesting, never strip a plant bare, never pull it out by the roots to get a few leaves and always check if there are other plants of the same species around. Also be very sure that the plant you are about to pick is what you think it is, Mother Nature can be very tricky sometimes, and 2 seemingly identical plants can have very different effects when ingested. 

It is best to ask permission of the plant before taking it’s bounty, and remember, respect, respect, respect !

Transporting your herbs must be done carefully to retain their valuable powers. It’s best to take an open-topped basket or cotton bag with you and some layers of tissue so that herbs can be transported dry and safe back to home, it is pointless seeking out a special plant, than sticking it into a carrier bag in your pocket so it sweats, bruises and it unidentifiable mush by the time you get home.