🌙Lunar Cycle Witchcraft

What to do when the cards don’t make sense

You know when the cards you pull just make you say “huh?” Yeah, it happens to all of us. So here’s what I do when I’m in that situation

1. Pull a clarifying card

Clarifying cards can be tricky. They can either shed some much needed light on the spread in front of you, or they can make things murkier. I still use them as my first reaction, but we aware that they aren’t an instant problem-solver.

2. Research!

Look up what other people have to say about the cards! Biddytarot online is a great resource, but also any book or website could give you that lightning flash of connection.

3. Meditate

I’ll admit, I’m not the best or most practiced at meditation, but I’ve found that even just taking a moment to step back and just Look can be really helpful. Maybe the connection is in the card next to it, or maybe it’s the colors that are trying to communicate with you. Take a moment and see what sticks out to you, then research it!

4. Come back to it later

Sometimes, the best thing you can do it just write it down and move on. A lot of times the cards are telling you something you don’t want to hear or they’re talking about something that hasn’t happened yet. I always recommend keeping some record of spreads, whether it’s a picture or actually writing it down that way you can come back and see what knew insights you can draw from them.

It’s never fun to feel stuck with a reading or to feel like you’re doing a bad job, so I hope this helps! 🖤

Witchcraft doesn’t always have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s writing a symbol on your sandwich with honey, or painting your nails a specific color to deflect negativity. Try these low key witchcraft ideas to add a little magical energy to your day-to-day.

Use music lyrics to invoke a certain feeling or vibe before you have to do something. (Confidence to take a test for instance)

Stir your tea or soups clockwise to add an increase of abundance of whatever you want. 

Paint your nails black to absorb negativity. (or wear black clothes)

Draw symbols (runes or sigils for people who do that) on your foggy mirror after a bath or shower for protection. 

Enchant your morning cup of coffee to what your intentions are for the day and drink up. 

Use your shower to wash away negativity from the night before. 

Practice visualization and see what you want to happen in your life in your mind. 

Sprinkle salt over your entrance for protection. (bonus if it’s black salt)

Enchant your mirrors by cleaning them and saying out loud that they will only reflect positivity. 

Look up your dream meanings. 

Make a pendulum with a necklace and a key. Ask yes/no questions. 

Collect witch supplies on walks. (Sticks, leaves, rocks, flowers…dead things)

Charge your witchcraft items with your intents. 

Say prayers to your ancestors. Or leave them out offerings of food or whatever they liked when they were alive. 

Practice your kitchen witch skills and make a hardy soup for abundance for the year ahead. Or a cake for prosperity and wealth. 

Use a random deck of  cards laying around the house for divination. (Clubs - Wands / Diamonds - Coins / Hearts - Cups / Spades - Swords)

Wear blue if you’re taking a test or going on a job interview to invoke calmness. 

Wear pink makeup to invoke self love. 

Enchant your jewelry to have specific meanings to you. A necklace for protection, a ring for clarity, a bracelet for confidence. 

Sweep your room or living space. All the corners and sweep everything right out the door for an easy old-fashioned cleanse. If you have carpet just sweep the ‘energy’ metaphorically and open the door boot out the energy.

Houseplant Correspondences & Meanings

I've developed these correspondences as part of an oracle deck that I had planned to create but I need to actually draw them.

ANYWAYS here are some houseplants and their witchy correspondences!

If you know me personally or have been following me for a while, you'll know that I'm obsessed with houseplants. So of course, being me, I've been trying to incorporate them into my practice.

Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)

-Inner Strength, Positivity

Snake Plants can live and thrive even in difficult environments. This plant reminds you of your inner strength and of the positivity around you. You are capable of adapting to your situation. Be confident in yourself and your decisions, even if those decisions are hard to make.

These plants are also believed to have the ability to absorb negativity and release positivity, as a person this is someone who always shows you the bright side.

Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)

-Flexible, Lenient, Support

Rubber trees are diligent and flexible. The aerial roots of the rubber tree are used to build bridges in some places! These plants are able to be trained as they grow so that the tree is never harmed.

Things are changing and you seem to be handling it well, allowing yourself to go with the flow is the right choice. You may be the support for someone else going through a change right now, allowing them to lean on you and reflect on your love and kindness.

Ficus Elastica reminds you of your resilience, your ability to bend without breaking. You know that as time passes and things change you will only get stronger.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

-Easy going, Care-free, Quick to recover

Perhaps it’s time that you allow yourself some freedom. This card urges you to practice some self-care–and that doesn’t just mean drinking a gallon of water and smearing on a mud mask–let yourself relax and have some fun. Hang out, like the vines of your friendly pothos.

This plant can also represent someone who is outgoing, carefree, and a true extrovert. Seek them out for support, they are a good companion to have.

Spider plant (Chlorophytum)

-Friendship, Community, Kinship

The spider plant is one of the easiest plants to propagate, making it an easy gift for those around you! This plant signifies a strong community and friendships. Take stock of the friends you have and let them know how grateful you are! 

You can look toward and lean on your friends and your community, either for guidance or for a listening ear. Let yourself be a part of this community and know that it doesn’t make you any less of an individual to be part of something bigger than yourself.

Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum)

-Gentle, Careful

Maidenhair fern is soft to the touch, encouraging you to be gentle with yourself and those around you. Let yourself be taken care of and allow others to shower you in love and praise, you deserve it. You are being careful, and there is no shame in that, but without any trust in yourself or those around you, you may end up worse off. Let your hair down and have some fun.

ZZ Plant

-Resillient, Independent

The ZZ plant is known for thriving even with little outside help, it’s time to be like ZZ and be independent. You have the resilience and strength necessary to make it on your own. This doesn’t mean that you need to be alone, just that it’s time to stand with your own two feet. 

This plant also reminds you that while being independent is certainly something to be proud of, it’s okay to reach out for help when you need it. Even the ZZ plant needs to be watered and given a little sunshine!

These correspondences are based on the history, meanings, and overall vibes of the plants. It's ok if you don't agree with these, as this is just a page from my grimoire that I'd like to share with other plant lovers.

ANYWAYS here are some houseplants and their witchy correspondences!

All About: House Spirits

Well, it's about time I brought them up once again, in their own post. This guide may be on the lengthy side, but it's here to explain what they are and how to begin working with them.

What the hell is a house spirit?

House spirits come from all different cultures and folklore. Known as, you guessed it, guardians of the home. They protect the house itself, the land around it (they get along with the land spirit(s) most of the time), and they also protect the family if treated right. A home certainly doesn't feel like one without these presiding spirits helping. In fact it gives the home a life of it's own.

What do they look like? Are there types?

Across many cultures, there are these spirits and the folklore varies for each. In my tribe, we consider them to usually be little dwarves or goblins that must be appeased, otherwise they will cause bad luck or even resort to curses. Regular offerings are required. Then there are the land spirits, which is a whole other topic. If given regular offerings and respect, we believe that they will not only generate good luck and events for us, but protect us and help with our daily lives. For the witches of the tribe, they will often assist in rituals and spells. That all being said, this has carried over into my personal beliefs. Many cultures describe house spirits assisting with the same things and if they are displeased, bad occurrences following. As far as looks go, it depends on the folklore surrounding your area and your cultural background(s). You may believe in one or two types or an entire spectrum of house spirits from the realm of the fair folk. You could have one house spirit or twelve. It's entirely up to your home. In some cultures, there are door spirits (yes, that guard the doors) and ones that work in the kitchen, among others for different functions of the home.

Okay so, I live in an apartment building. Can I still work with them?

Yes. When I used to live in apartments, I found it was an either/or situation regarding how many were there. Some buildings have only a few that roam around, sometimes only one that protects the entire building, or there may be multiple hanging out in one apartment. Most complexes have multiple however. And then for the lucky buildings that have one for each apartment...those are nice. I've included a short offering ritual at the end of this post, which you can use to ask questions about whatever you wish to know, including how many there are in the building.

What kind of offerings do they like?

Milk, honey, bread, and herbs are a safe bet. They especially like bread baked by you, as they see it as a labor of love and that your energy is in there. Taking time to tend to the garden and taking care of your property & home in general are things they like to see. Don't leave the house a huge mess, as many prefer a tidy atmosphere. Not an offering per say, but important to mention nonetheless.

What should I put on their altar?

I keep my altar for them in the kitchen, as it is in a place that is undisturbed and can't be torn up by my land shark (aka, my dog). I also feel that most of the house spirits I have worked with in my life enjoy hanging out in this area of the home. They seem to like assisting in kitchen magic and cooking in general and the warmth of the stove. You may also want to include a small area near the front door if you believe that there are separate spirits for there. I'd recommend a shelf, as it won't take up as much space in the entryway.

Okay, back on track. Plants (if the space gets enough light), a cauldron, candles, offering bowls, a chalice, glass, or mug of some sort. A special spoon to stir the drinks or potions with. Decorative pieces from nature. Things you craft by hand.

How can I begin working with them?

Anytime, in reality. However, you do have to develop an actual relationship with them. This can take time and the more you speak to them, give offerings, and invite them in as you cook or clean, the more they will be willing to help with your spellwork, wards, and healing. Try the introduction ritual I've included. See what happens. Document it. Try again another time the following week. And just...keep going. Make sure that they know you haven't forgotten about them by leaving a small nightly glass of milk out before you head to bed. It doesn't have to be filled to the rim (hey, cost of living is ridiculous right now). It can be a splash with a squirt of honey added. Or a sprinkle of herbs on their bowl. Or maybe a small helping of what you whipped up for dinner. Point is to show them that you acknowledge and respect their presence. That will be the biggest component. Do the ritual once a week until you start seeing signs of contact. Once you do, make your own ritual with them. Incorporate them into your daily life. Ask them to help with blessing your cooking. Ask them to make sure your wards are in tact. Ask the door spirit to purify the energy of anyone that walks in & make bad people resist coming by. Start seeing if they'd like to sit in on a ritual, if you feel comfortable with that idea. Ask for a blessing when you clean the house & to assist you in removing all the bad energy.

Brief introductory ritual

To introduce yourself to your house spirits, I recommend sitting in your kitchen. If you consider your hearth to be the living room, you can choose to do it there. Make sure to bring offerings with that you feel will be applicable. Freshly baked bread (from your own hands) and some milk with honey stirred in would make a wonderful first treat. I usually introduce myself in a new home by bringing these treats to the location of choice, and start by speaking my intention aloud which goes something like:

"Spirits of the home,

Guardians and Protectors of this dwelling,

Please come sit with me and enjoy these offerings.

I wish to have a working relationship where we can honor, respect, and help each other."

I usually spend about ten-twenty minutes meditating after this is spoken aloud. Sometimes you will feel a strong presence. This is the time I take to set up my kitchen altar as well. If there is a place that I am able to create a mini-altar by the front door, I do so there for the door spirits. The land spirits get their own little thing out in the backyard. I've found in the many places I've lived, they almost always work together and some house spirits spend quite some time out there too!

From here on out, you'll develop your relationship with regular offerings and take it from there!

Let’s talk about ●●●

●●● Warding

★ There are many forms of magic that serve the purpose of protecting the environments that are important to us

☆ Wardings are a type of magic, which is characterized by the act of creating an energy barrier around something or place, with the intention of protecting. Protective barriers will keep certain energies out, and with clear intentions and practice, you can shift your ward focus to block all negative and harmful energies, or banish only specific energies.

★ Energy barriers can be constructed in many ways, both complex and simplified, and customized according to your personal practices. They can be temporary or permanent, but they are usually made to continue to protect the place for a long period of time.

→ To keep in mind when planning your energy barriers

• Have multiple layers with different purposes. A tip is to have at least the following layers:

1 - Concealment layer, to keep your home camouflaged and to make it more difficult for some entity or person with bad intentions to find your residence.

2 - Offensive layer, intended to deal with entities that wish you harm, or that want to harm you.

3 - Defensive layer, to prevent the energies sent against you from reaching you, whether from people or entities.

• Be very specific and selective when creating your wards, especially when placing intention and visualization. It is not enough to just determine "protection against malicious entities", as this is very vague, and an energetic barrier has no conscience to discern what is a good or bad intention. In that case, a better way to determine your protection would be "protection against entities I consider to be malicious or harmful," as that becomes your personal perspective.

   It's always good to make clear what a bad intention is too, such as "things that bring me nightmares", "things that bring conflict to my life", "things that affect me negatively", in short.

• The ceiling, corners of the house, floor and walls must be completely covered by the barriers! It doesn't matter how much power and energy you put into wards, if they have weaknesses and unprotected spaces. So visualization is very important, and in methods that use physical things like water, furniture must be moved to reach hidden spaces.

★ Free Witchy Newsletter  |  Tip your witch ★

Components of a Spell

A stated goal (what do you want to happen) ex. to find a job, to send someone away

A target (who or what the spell is aimed at)

Intention (the ability to consciously focus on a desire) ex. protection, attraction, banishing

Ingredients (herbs, crystals, bones, shells, etc)

Method (jars, sigils, poppets, amulets, etc)

Timing (moon phases, seasons, time of day, weather)

Sources of power (yourself, deities, spirits, elements, magical tools, etc)

Raising Power

Sending power to the target

Ending the Spell (disposing of remains and declaring success "So mote it be!")

Keeping this here for safe reminders

Your Life and the Suits in Tarot

Wands are your passions.            

The Ace of Wands could mean finding a new hobby, like painting or hiking. The Two of Wands could mean planning the renovation of your home, if interior design or woodworking is among your passions.

Passion is related to creativity. So the Six of Wands could mean your Instagram posts gaining a lot of attention, if you are into fashion or photography.

And we tend to be very passionate about our favorite celebrities and our crushes, so the Eight of Wands could mean receiving attention from someone famous or somebody you are interested in.

Cups are your emotions.

The Ace of Cups could mean the arrival of a new lover, while the Two of Cups could mean romance blooming between you and a friend.

Emotions are not always positive. Sometimes it is as if they do not even exist, like in the Four of Cups, where you are bored from feeling nothing. Other times they are negative, like in the Five of Cups, where you could be grieving a death or a breakup.

The Page of Cups could be an invitation to go out on a date. The Knight of Cups could be a marriage proposal. Both offers involve strong emotions.

Swords are your thoughts.

These thoughts could be mundane, like the Two of Swords asking you to decide between steak and salmon for dinner.

Other times, they could be of the higher kind, such as the Four of Swords conveying that your mind is at peace, because you have found your true spiritual path.

Most of the time, though, these thoughts are about day to day affairs, such as the Page of Swords confirming that you will get the job, or the Eight of Swords predicting how stressed you will be because of an exam.

Pentacles are your foundations.

Since we are living in a material world, most of our foundations are material. The Ace of Pentacles could mean starting at a new job, while the Six of Pentacles could mean receiving a bonus.

Foundations are related to stability. So the Five of Pentacles does not necessarily mean you will lose everything and become a beggar. It could simply be predicting that you will suffer a salary deduction because of the pandemic, causing you to feel less financially stable than usual.

For this reason, the King of Pentacles is the most stable figure in this arcana, closely followed by the Queen and the Knight.

They often overlap.

Because all of life overlaps.

If what you are most passionate about is money, then when the Suit of Wands talks to you, it would be speaking about finances, instead of hobbies. And if you are emotionally focused on spirituality, then instead of symbolizing a new lover, the Ace of Cups could mean a new religious journey.

The Three of Swords, for example, is about heartbreak. So why is it not under the Suit of Cups? Because when we are heartbroken, our heart is actually quiet. It is our mind that screams in pain, and that is the Suit of Swords’ domain.

✶*✧Introduction to Spell Sealing✧*✶

Everything must come to an end.

This is an area of spellcraft that doesn’t get a lot of publicity because for most people it just becomes a natural part of the process.  However, if you want to mix up how you do it, try something new, or otherwise let go of the way you were originally taught, this might be a good resource for performing rituals!

What are Sealed Spells?

In the context of magic you usually hear about sealing and binding like binding a person or something from being able to do something.  Here we're talking more like a binding contract.  This is a binding or seal locks in an action or intent.  It is binding in the way an agreement is binding.  You have given it firm parameters that it must follow and you have endeavored to finalize the action.  You have provided certainty, locked in your answer, sealed the deal.  

The benefits of this are inherent in the finality.  You have a set thing that now is much harder to alter and is much harder to waver in its purpose.  This is no longer some multi-purpose object.  It has varitably been christened for this and this alone.  The work to undo it will be just as rigorous as the work to do it in the first place.  A light cleansing of your materials afterwards might not be enough.  You're gonna need the spiritual bleach.

To some extent you might just feel that something needs to be finalized.  If you feel it in your gut like you need something to formally end the working, these are what you might be looking for.

More Common Than You Think

This might be more familiar to you than you would initially think.  Signing your name on something at the end is a common one, but even in a ritual sphere there are many examples.  This is going to be your “so mote it be”, your “Amen”, and your other declarations of finality.  Even purely secular situations often have rituals of finality.  I think you’ll find that when these things are left out, there is sometimes a feeling of the energy hanging in the air.  In a lot of ways it does not feel right.  Whether this is the social convention of signaling to everything and everyone present that the ritual has come to a conclusion, or just to announce you’re finished, there is some power to it.

Types of Seals

There are several different ways to express finality in your workings.  Here are just a few examples.

Shutting the Door and Sealing the Envelope

If your work involves some kind of lid or package, you can physically seal it.  Whether this is corking a jar, sealing with wax, tying a string around something etc.  If this is a possibility it is a good way to finalize a spell.

Written and Spoken Seals

Whether this is through signing something like you might finalize a formal contract or expressing that it is finalized verbally.  A few examples of this are listed above that you may have heard before, but there is really nothing stopping you from making your own.

Kiss Seals

Sealing with a kiss.  Kissing something to finalize has historical precedent and takes no extra tools to complete besides your lips.  Whether this is physically using your lips or the other means, this is one option for a quick seal.  Just don’t kiss poison.

Burning, Burying, and Bestrewing

Few things are more final than destruction.  Once you’ve set the flame, you’ve pretty much confined what you’ve set on fire to that purpose forever.  Burying something in the ground would be another example of this.  Whether you feel the finality is from returning it to the earth, or because you are sealing it in a tomb of soul, this will certainly signal that it is done.  Some feel like things are not complete until they’ve scattered the ashes, in which case throwing something to the wind could be your version of finality.

Whether this is through signing something like you might finalize a formal contract or expressing that it is finalized verbally.  A few examples of this are listed above that you may have heard before, but there is really nothing stopping you from making your own.

Sigil Seals

An extension of the written or spoken seals are sigil seals.  It accomplishes much the same thing, but can be a little more formal.  Some might think this is kind of a stretch, but wax seals, like what might go on a letter, could fall into this category, technically.

I’ve been thinking that there’s more to saving and using leftover candle wax from spell candles than I’ve thought.

When you make a spell candle, you add your energy to it,your oils,herbs and whatever to it. After your spell you usually have leftover wax that dripped from said candle. You could either throw it away or save the wax. Of course you’re going to light more candles and therefore gain more wax from them.

The idea here is that if you keep lighting candles of the same purpose (Example: Burning money spell candles.) and melt all of the wax together, you essentially have a magical sour dough starter. That ball of wax may not look like much but it has the energetic remains of the 2 or more money candles you’ve burned to create it. All of those past herbs and oils you’ve used? Their ghosts are in your ball of wax. You know that one full moon prosperity ritual you did 3 months ago that actually kicked ass? Well now your ball of wax has that energy in it too. The wax could even have 50 different money candles inside of it. It’ll be pretty big unless you cut pieces of it off to use in other spells.

There’s so many possibilities you could use this wax for. You could melt pieces of it into other candles to empower the spell candles even further, use it in spell bags,sachets,use it as an talisman or use the wax ball to make another candle with it so you can have a super money spell candle. It doesn’t have to just be used for money spells either. Love spells,luck spells,curses,cleansing spells,happiness spells…you name it, there’s a ball of wax for it. 

MAGICAL PROPERTIES OF CLOTH/MATERIAL

Canvas: creativity, new beginnings, potential, possibilities

Cashmere: comfort, warmth, luxury

Chiffon: feminine, delicacy, vulnerable, elegance

Cotton: simplicity, harvest, protection, rain, good luck

Denim: ruggedness, durability, labour, working, independence, rebellion

Felt: protection, good luck, wealth (white felt), sacrifice, strength

Flannel: mojo bags, comfort, relaxation, warmth

Flax: weakness of man, prosperity, gift of the gods, Hulda

Gauze: uncertainty in wealth, healing

Hemp: travel, burial, trance, opening gates and doors, vision, enlightenment, Bast

Lace: sacredness, rite of passage, feminine, privilege, sensuality, sexuality, duality

Lamé: luxury, wealth, royalty, sun or moon

Leather: protection, covering, animals, instinct

Linen: righteousness and purity, does not cause sweat, rest, elegance, luxury, sophistication, light and purity, (display of) wealth

Satin: lustrous, sensual, shine, love

Silk: wealth, luxury, softness, smoothness, prestige, transformation, magical insulation

Velvet: distinction, honor, sensuality, emotions, royalty, leadership

Voile: secrets, unveiling, hidden, wedding

Wool: Hope, renewal, spinning, women’s crafts, durability, comfort and warmth