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Liminal Spaces in Witchcraft

First of all, what is a liminal space? A liminal space refers to a place or time that is in a period of transition between two phases. These are usually places where reality feels altered because you are neither moving forward or backward, like a rest stop. The word liminal originates from the Latin word limens, meaning threshold. These places often give off a sense that time stands still and that you are experiencing some sort of reality shift. 

        In magic and witchcraft these spaces are considered to be the boundary between our world and the other, it is known as “the in-between”. These places are considered areas of great magic because it is believed this is where the veil is thin. These places are great for divination, spirit work, meditation and astral travel; they are ideal for hedge witchcraft.

Times & Spaces of Liminality:

crossroads manmade or natural

river, creek or lake shores/ beaches

hallway/corridor/stairwells/landings/doorways

graveyards

dawn, dusk, afternoon, midnight

valleys

forest glades

many more!

      Samhain/Halloween is considered the best time to communicate with spirits and faeries because of its liminality, it is a time of transition between autumn and winter. Irish folklore tells that this is the day faeries and ghosts come out to play because of the veil thinning. The equinoxes and sabbats like Beltane and Imbolc are also days of liminality because the time of day and night are equal (equinoxes) or it is a transition between seasons.  

       Mental states of liminality are also times of spirit communication. While being in a meditative state we are in a state of transition between our concious and sub-concious minds, this is where we sometimes experience astral projection or messages from spirits. People often experience spirit while falling asleep because this is another state of liminality. 

     In my craft I often practice in liminality in order to connect with the faerie realms.

-Moonlight 🌙

Healing with Herbs

How to make a tincture

Making a tincture involves steeping the herb or root in alcohol, extracting its oils, minerals, alkaloids, and glycosides so that it is in its purest form. You can use vegetable glycerin or apple cider vinegar instead, particularly in tinctures intended for children, but they aren’t quite as effective at pulling out the good stuff. You’ll need strong alcohol, at least 80 proof. Everclear works well, as does vodka or brandy. You’ll also need a pint jar to fill with the herb or plant you want—any of the herbs listed above will work here. 

Chop the herb up a bit or bash it around with a mortar and pestle to help it break down. You’ll want the jar to be full, but not pack your herbs in too tightly. Then fill the jar completely with the alcohol. (If you’re using dried herbs or roots, you need only put in enough to reach halfway, and then add the alcohol up to the top.)

Seal the jar tightly. Label and date it, and let it rest in a cool, dark place.

For the first week, shake it once a day, then let it rest for five more weeks. At the end of the resting period, use a layer of muslin or cheesecloth held tightly over the jar to strain out the liquid. Decant the tincture into one of those small, dark glass bottles, preferably one with a dropper, and keep it stored away from direct sunlight. It should last for five to ten years.

How to make herbal oil

It’s more trouble than it’s worth to make your own essential oils. A true essential oil is extracted by boiling the herb in question and skimming the oil off the top—that’s a task best left to the professionals. But you can make your own herbal oil. It may not be quite as distilled, but it can still be effective, and it’s a great way to preserve herbs for use long into the winter. The nice thing about creating your own oils is that you can use any combination of herbs that you desire. You might mix calendula, catnip, lemon balm, marshmallow, mullein, plantain leaf, and yarrow for an oil that is particularly effective for skin care, or lavender, vervain, lemon balm, and yarrow for a soothing oil to rub on the temples. Chop or bruise your chosen herbs and place them in a jar. Fill the jar with the carrier oil of your choice (olive or almond oil works well), covering the herbs by one inch, and leaving one inch of space at the top. Close the jar tightly, and allow it to sit in as much sunshine as possible for a month. Strain the oil through a cheesecloth on an as-needed basis, leaving the rest to continue steeping.

How to make a poultice

A poultice is a soft, moist mass of herbs, cloth, and other ingredients, and it’s an excellent tool for treating topical infirmities. A hot poultice is excellent for drawing out infection, as with bee stings or draining abscesses, while a cold poultice will help reduce inflammation. Gather the herbs you want to use, either fresh or dried. If they’re fresh, you may want to mash the herbs up in a mortar and pestle (the traditional way) or blitz them through a food processor (the modern way). Even if you’re planning on making a cold poultice, add a couple of tablespoons of hot water to your herbs to awaken them, before letting them cool. You can add medicinal clay powder, Epsom salts, or baking soda and combine with water until the mixture becomes a thick paste. For ailments like congestion or insect bites, you can place the poultice directly on the skin, making sure, of course, that it isn’t too hot. To treat a burn or something that could easily become infected, place a clean cotton cloth between the skin and the poultice.

Common herbs and their uses

Ashwagandha: The name translates to “smell of horse.” This herb is hard to find fresh, but powders, pills, teas, and extracts are available. Benefits: Increases energy, boosts the immune system, antiinflammatory, reduces anxiety. Suggested use: Stir ¼-½ tsp. powder into warm milk and honey before bed. Concerns: May increase thyroid hormone levels and lower blood sugar.

Black cohosh: This member of the buttercup family could be grown in a garden. Dried roots, capsules, teas, and extracts are also available. Benefits: Relieves menstrual cramps and arthritic pain. Eases symptoms of menopause. Suggested use: Drink as a tea or mix with honey as a syrup. Concerns: May cause upset stomach, so consider taking with food.

Calendula: Also known as marigold, this herb could be grown in a garden, but is also available as teas, oils, and creams. Useful for dyeing and food coloring as well. Benefits: Helps heal cuts. Good for diaper rash or other skin irritations. Calms an upset stomach. Suggested use: Steep petals in just below boiling water for ten minutes, then drink as a tea. Add dried flowers to coconut, almond, or olive oil as a salve. Concerns: None known.

Catnip: It’s not just for cats! Catnip is easily grown and also available as a capsule, tea, extract, and essential oil. It is also handy as an insect repellent. Benefits: Anti-inflammatory. Good for insomnia, upset stomach, menstrual cramps, headache, and treating the common cold. Suggested uses: Steep for tea, sprinkle essential oil into the bath or rub it on the temples, use in cooking (it’s a member of the mint family, so its flavor is better than some). Concerns: None known.

Cranberry: Easily obtained fresh or frozen and also available in pill form, this herb is a great source of vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin E. Benefits: Most frequently used to treat and prevent urinary tract infections. Also shown to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, slow tumor progression in cancer, and help prevent gum disease. Suggested uses: Because they’re so tart, cranberries often come with a lot of sugar. Try to buy reduced-sugar dried cranberries and stay away from most cranberry juices. If you can manage it, drink the unsweetened juice to relieve a UTI, and certainly try making your own cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. Concerns: None known.

Dittany: This is one of those herbs with a long history. It is also known as “burning bush.” Easily grown, it is hard to find in dried or tea form. Benefits: Antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial. Good for the skin and the intestines, and is thought to be an aphrodisiac. Suggested uses: Steep in hot water for tea, but use sparingly. Use as an antibacterial balm or poultice. Concerns: If you’ve put some on your skin, stay out of the sun, as it can increase the risk of sunburn.

Elderberry: This herb has been used to battle a flu epidemic in Panama as recently as 1995. It can be grown, but is also available as a pill or an extract. For your personal garden, look specifically for Sambucus nigra, as other elderberry varieties can be toxic. Benefits: Boosts the immune system, treats sinus infections, lowers blood sugar, acts as a diuretic and a laxative, good for skin health and allergies. Suggested uses: They’re delicious! Can be made into a syrup, jams, or jellies—even wine. Concerns: Don’t pick and use wild elderberry unless you’re absolutely certain the plant is Sambucus nigra. Always cook the berries to remove any toxicity.

Feverfew: This is another herb with a long history. Easily grown and available dried, it is most frequently found in capsule form. Benefits: For centuries, it was used to relieve fever, to assist with childbirth, and for fertility. Now it is most frequently used to prevent migraines. It can also help with tinnitus, nausea, dizziness, asthma, and allergies. Suggested uses: It doesn’t taste good, so not recommended even as a tea. Instead, make a tincture or purchase capsules. Concerns: If you do drink it, feverfew can cause irritation in the mouth. If taken in large quantities on a regular basis, stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, so use only as needed. May cause the uterus to contract, so don’t take while pregnant.

Horse chestnut: This is not the kind of chestnut you’d want to roast on a fire, but it is still useful. It is not recommended for personal processing, as the seed contains esculin, a poisonous substance. Purchase an extract or pill instead. Benefits: Shown to be extremely effective against varicose veins. Also good for hemorrhoids and frostbite. Suggested uses: 300 milligrams of horse chestnut seed extract twice daily. Concerns: Don’t consume raw horse chestnut seeds, bark, or leaves.

Lemon Balm: This member of the mint family has a distinct lemony scent. It is also known as “melissa.” It is easily grown, but also available in tea, extract, and essential oil forms. Benefits: Calms anxiety, encourages restful sleep. Good for the skin, improves mood and mental clarity. Suggested uses: Steep fresh or dried to make tea, use in cooking, use to flavor honey or vinegar, use in a hot bath. Concerns: None known.

Marshmallow: Sadly, these are not the things we put in hot chocolate. The root is available dried, as well as in powder, extract, capsule, and tea form. Benefits: Aids with dry cough, represses inflammation in the lining of the stomach, good for chilblains and sunburn. Suggested uses: Drink as a tea, add to a base oil for a salve. Concerns: May cause low blood sugar.

Milk thistle: This herb is easily grown, as it’s pretty much a weed. It’s available as an extract, pill, or tea. Benefits: Milk thistle can protect your liver from toxins—say, for instance, alcohol. It can even be used to treat cirrhosis and jaundice and helps with environmental toxin damage. Suggested uses: Steep in hot water or make a tincture. Not recommended for use in cooking. Concerns: May cause diarrhea.

Mullein: This is the clear quartz of herbal healing. It is easily found and grown and available both dried and in capsule form. Benefits: Known particularly for respiratory relief, including cough, bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia, it’s also good for earache, fever, sore throat, migraine, and to heal the skin. Suggested uses: Apply a tincture to relieve ear infection, drink as a tea, use as a salve to heal wounds and bruises. Concerns: None known.

Plantain leaf: Pretty hip these days, as herbal remedies go, plantain leaf is easily grown and available dried or in capsule form. Benefits: Great for the skin, particularly in relieving insect bites, poison ivy, and sunburn. Lowers cholesterol, helps clear up bladder infections, relieves constipation or diarrhea. Suggested uses: Make poultice with clay and water or make a salve with a base oil. Infuse vinegar to spray on the skin to provide pain relief. Drink as a tea. Concerns: None known.

Rue: This herb is also known as “herb of grace.” Easily grown, it is also available dried, in capsule form, or as an essential oil. Benefits: Used to promote menstruation, it provides a sense of calm and well-being and is good for relieving gas, mucus, and arthritis. Suggested uses: As an oil or poultice it can relieve croup or chest congestion. Drink as a tea to ease anxiety. Concerns: This one is serious—it can cause a miscarriage. Use in small amounts, regardless of whether or not you’re pregnant.

Valerian: This is an attractive addition to any garden, with a pleasing scent, but it is the root which holds the good stuff and that does not smell good. Easily grown, this herb is also available in tea, capsule, and extract forms. Benefits: Valerian is very effective against insomnia. It also calms anxiety and depression, and helps with ADHD and headache. Suggested uses: Drink a tea made from the leaves for a mild sedative, or steep the roots for something stronger. Add a tincture to a bath for a gentler, child-friendly alternative. Concerns: None known, but obviously don’t operate heavy machinery.

Vervain: Usually blue vervain is used, but other types seem to work just as well. Easily grown, vervain is also available dried or as an extract. Benefits: Helps with anxiety and sleeplessness. Also provides pain relief, eases tense muscles, and promotes an overall sense of wellbeing. Suggested uses: Steep in hot water as a tea. Not recommended in cooking, though it smells nice, so add a little to a bath. Concerns: May cause nausea.

Yarrow: This member of the sunflower family is easily grown—and quite lovely— and available dried or as an essential oil. Benefits: Relieves fever, as well as cold and flu symptoms. Relieves cramps, provides a sense of calm and relaxation, and aids in restful sleep. Suppresses the urge to urinate (say, during a UTI). Use topically for a rash or small cuts. Suggested uses: Drink as a tea in the evening to induce sleepiness or relieve cold and flu symptoms, or make into a salve for external use. Concerns: None known.

Keep reading

🌷All About Rose Quartz🌷

Rose quartz is the stone of the Goddess. It not only activates and balances the Heart Chakra, it also links with the heart of the Earth and the heart of the Universe. rose quartz is a beautiful pale pink stone that has been a favorite among witches and mystics alike for hundreds of years. Not only being a perfect stone for enhancing romance and attracting love, rose quartz is a mothering crystal; inspiring nurture to one’s self if one has lost their own mother or has not had a strong mother figure. It promotes bonding and is a good stone to place on the stomach during pregnancy to give your baby extra loving vibes.

🌷Rose quartz symbolism🌷

💛Goddess: Aphrodite - Astarte - Turan

💙Element: Water/Earth

💚Chakra: Heart

🖤Numerology number: 9

🤎Astrology: Taurus/Scorpio

🧡Planet: Venus

🤍Tarot: The Empress

🌷What is rose quartz used for?🌷

Rose quartz is used whenever you want to bring loving energy into your life. You can infuse water with rose quartz, sleep with rose quartz, carry it, put it on your altar…

🌷What is “charging”?🌷

To charge a crystal is to place your intention into it. Many hold their quartz and tell it what you want it to do. You can also generally charge it without a specific intention with earth energy or moon energy.

🌷How do I cleanse rose quartz?🌷

✨-There are a few methods you can try.

One is putting it outside in a bowl of salt water under the full moon all night.

✨-You can bury your rose quartz in the earth to cleanse it. I like to leave it in the earth for three days to ensure it is fully cleansed and charged.

✨-Sage is an easy way to cleanse stones, though it isn’t as potent as if you did what was listed above. Mostly because sage is a much quicker process than dedicating hours or days to cleansing and charging.

🌷Why do my crystals disappear?🌷

Crystals can have a lot of energy stored into them after charging. They can disappear and reappear at will, depending on the energy of the crystal. It doesn’t mean it is “angry” or anything if you used it for magick and it disappeared for awhile.

🌷What if I don’t have a spiritual connection to my rose quartz?🌷

Sometimes crystals choose the people. It doesn’t mean you can’t connect with a different rose quartz. It might be best to give it to a friend or to put it on display.

I hope this was helpful! Have fun with your rose quartz!

What is a Dæmon?

Disclaimer: As it always is in witchcraft, this depends on the witch you ask. This is my personal interpretation of what a dæmon is and what it means to have one. Also I’m in one fucking big hurry, gotta go meet stranded family. So I’ll probably edit this later but I didn’t want to keep accumulating asks about it!

I tend to go down the Pullman path, and if asked, I would say the dæmon is the soul of the person simply shaped as another creature, all of what someone is plus what they need to be.

Mostly everyone would choose to see their dæmon as an animal, and I think it’s the most direct and honest approach to them.

Simply put, a dæmon is like a combination between what you would normally consider a familiar, a shadow self, an anima/animus, a totem, a patronus, a spirit animal, a fylgja, your soul, and your conscience all together (without the cultural background or connotations). It’s a non-appropriative term that is used to describe your soul in the shape of an animal.

As I’ve said before, I choose to use pop culture references sometimes to avoid cultural appropriation. The concept of the dæmon as I choose to understand is made by Phillip Pullman and then modified to my own needs.

A dæmon is the externalized visualization of your own spirit in the form of an animal. This animal changes as you grow up, and settles permanently the day you mature and become an adult (at around 14 to 20 years old). It can change again, someday, after experiencing extreme trauma or an event that would transform who we are in the deepest part of ourselves altogether.

Personally I have a bear dæmon (Aeneas), a magpie familiar (Semiramis), and a cat fylgja (Samhain). They don’t hold the same importance nor help with the same thing. I don’t really communicate in many ways with my familiar or my fylgja, I just know they exist.

However Aeneas is an integral part of my everyday life. I talk to him constantly, when things get overwhelming he helps me clear my mind.

I visualize Aeneas walking by my side, warding off bad spirits, giving me strength…

In my loneliest times, Aeneas never leaves me alone.

How to reveal your Dæmon?

1.       The Gender

The gender is probably the easiest part of the dæmon’s identity. Usually it’ll be the opposite of the person. I’m female, so Aeneas is male.

Some consider, however, that this rule doesn’t always apply to people. It’s been said that LGBT+ people can have a dæmon that’s their same assigned gender.

This is, I’ve found, especially true for non-cisgender people, not so much for gay, lesbian, bi, etc. people. And sometimes when someone is gender fluid or NB or something along those lines, the dæmon will most likely reflect it. Animals that change their coats across the seasons, animals that change their genders, animals that are more than one gender at once.

One of the most emotive dæmon reveals I’ve been a part of was uncovering a gyandromorphic butterfly for a bigender person. We cried for like half an hour.

2.       The Name

The name is arguably just a tiny bit easier than revealing the animal itself. When I found Aeneas’ name it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was minding my own business when someone said it and I opened my eyes wide and whispered “that’s… that’s it! That’s his name!”

If you don’t know the name, neither does the dæmon. After all, they know just as much as you do, they just tend to interact different with that knowledge.

My best recommendation is: don’t hurry it.

3.       The Animal

This is it. The big question. What’s my animal?

Well, there’s not one way of uncovering a dæmon. The reveal can take years. Aeneas, for example. I’ve known he was a bear since 2012 but I still don’t know what kind of bear. A polar? A grizzly? Shit, maybe I’ll never know!

When I do dæmon reveals we agree from the get go that I can’t point out an exact animal. One of the most recent reveals I did uncovered just that the dæmon was in the mustelidae family!

It can take years, and attempt after attempt.

But I do maintain firmly that discovering your dæmon must be a mind blowing experience.

You can doubt at first, but when you do sense it you’ll go “oh… oh! OOOOH! YES! THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!”.

You’ll feel it. Once you process it there will be no hesitation whatsoever. If a few weeks later you feel like it’s not your animal, then it never was your dæmon.

My method for revealing a dæmon involves a LOT of question and several days of narrowing them down.

You can do it yourself without help, but, again, it can take years.

If you’re reading this, the chances that you’re a bird dæmon is really fucking high. People that care about these things are usually bird people. Someone with an ant or a primate soul you wouldn’t catch dead trying to find out who their dæmon is.

Mostly always you’ll find that there will be three animals you’ll end up saying “yes, that’s EXACTLY my dæmon,” although it won’t be so in two of those cases (and deep down, you’ll know it).

The first one will be the animal you want to be. This first level is encompassed almost solely of beautiful, cute, or badass animals. Yes, we all want to be a stag, an eagle, a raven, a wolf, a lion, or a cat. But… most of the times we aren’t. We just are animals we don’t find ‘cool’, because it’s… it’s us. It’s banal.

Only once I’ve unveiled a tiger, never a lion, never an eagle. I’ve unveiled I think… two or three wolves. Wolves, btw, tend to belong to order enforcers or soldiers.

There are ant dæmon. And frogs, and mosquitoes, and all kinds of ‘ugly’ things. Sometimes people aren’t happy. Once I unveiled a tortoise and the person almost yelled at me. Another time I unveiled a hyena and the person basically told me to go fuck myself and then a few weeks later came and said I was right and that they had to learn to live with it. This animal usually represents who we want to be, instead of who we are.

And of course, there comes the ricochet effect.

The second animal is usually the exact opposite. It’s where the “bad” dæmon start to show up. People focus solely on their defects and the animals that they hate are the ones that they think will define them.

Eventually you reach a balance. And that balance is your dæmon.

A few pointers, though: trauma survivors tend to have dæmons with means to carry them away and escape or with the means to defend themselves. Usually a survivor has wings or claws or venom.

The MBTI personality test is one hell of a useful tool, although it doesn’t have the last word.

If anyone is interested, I do dæmon reveals (for as long as it takes, until we pin it down) for $25 in my shop and I also trade them for goods or services! It tends to take at least two or three days of constant personal questions, but it can extend up to months! So please don’t hire the service if you don’t have the time or the patience!

If you cannot afford to have a reveal, check out the daemon forum! Their method and mine aren’t the same, but they’ll surely be able to help you! There are other daemonists who also perform reveals for free!

Happy unveiling!

Grimoire ideas

About you:

How you got started in the craft

Your spiritual journey

Things you connect to (animals, elements, plants, ect)

Types of magic you do

Your natal chart

Your deities (if you have any)

Correspondences:

Remember, you don't need to write down correspondences you will never need! So instead, write about...

Crystals you have/want

Plants you can grow yourself/already have around you. Check your spice cabinet

And list things to use those for! So that would be herb bundles to burn, salves, recipes, and so on.

Other things you can use in magic that you already have

This would be things like sea shells, snail shells, grass, dirt, candles. Get creative!

Other witchcraft stuff:

Your sigils

Planets

The sun/moon +moon phases

Zodiac signs

The elements

Symbolism (animals, shapes, and whatever else you wish to add)

Spells:

What makes a spell that works!!! This should help with making your own spells

What NOT to do

Different types of spells

Spells you will actually use

Divination:

A section on tarot cards and their meanings

How to use a pendulum

Meanings of oracle cards

Rune meanings and how to cast them

Lesser known forms of divination!!!

Mental health:

Grounding and centering

Burn out care and being energy efficient

A list of what motivates you to do your craft

Small spells for self care

Astral work:

Your astral space (a map, a description, drawings of important locations)

Your astral body, if it's any different than your physical one

A list of spirits and important information about them

Protection, sheilding, banishing, and safety

Manners when interacting with spirits and what NOT to do

Methods of projection/travel that work for you

Post-astral grounding methods

General spirit work:

How to interact with spirits and how NOT to interact with spirits

Protection, banishing, shielding, and other safety things

How to give offerings (there's more than one way!)

Methods of communicating with spirits

Signs of spirits

Ways spirits can send signs and messages (animals, dreams, and so on)

A list of different kinds of spirits you work with/have encountered

A section for research, especially if you're doing deity work.

Grounding, if it helps you afterwards

A log of interaction with spirits. This can be like a divination journal but with spirits, if that's what you do.

Herbal Correspondences for Vegan Witches (Or any Witches really)

Activated Charcoal- cleansing, purification, grief, health (banishing serious illness)

Allspice- determination, money, luck, healing

Almond- fertility, Goddess energy, beauty, self-love, prosperity, addiction, abundance

Anise- protection, warding against evil, preventing nightmares, psychic ability, happiness

Basil- money, beauty, protection, love, warding

Bay Leaf- money, motivation, protection, psychic powers, wish fulfillment, success, purification

Black Pepper- banishing, protection, exorcism, healing (from a serious illness/banishing said illness)

Brewer’s Yeast- motherhood, femininity, warding against illness

Cashew- money, creativity

Cardamom- lust/libido, love, fidelity

Cayenne Pepper- catalyst, lust/ libido, confidence

Celery- fertility, psychic powers, healing (especially of the bladder, kidneys, and urinary tract), weight loss

Chamomile- sleep, stress relief, love, beauty, friendship, meditation, luck, libido (mostly women)

Chia Seed- protection, health

Chili Powder- protection, hex breaking, love, fidelity

Chives- protection, weight loss

Chlorella- purification, cleansing, health

Cilantro- money, protection, peace

Cinnamon- catalyst, spirituality, beauty, love, lust, romance, healing, strength, protection, psychic ability

Clove- catalyst, beauty, love, protection (especially for children)

Cocoa Powder- beauty, health, love, self-love, grounding, romance, sex, powder, enhances hot herbs

Coconut- strength, love, beauty, protection

Coffee- grounding, protection, spirituality, energy (if caffeinated), dispelling negativity

Coriander- love, health, protection, easing pain of a broken heart,

Cumin- energy, protection, exorcism, protection from theft, love, fidelity, masculine energy

Dandelion- communicating with the dead, health, weight loss, wish fulfillment, divination, luck

Dill- money, prosperity, luck, lust, protection (especially the home)

Dulse- lust, harmony, sea magick

Fennel- health (especially digestion), protection, money, banishing, strength, vitality, libido

Fenugreek- health (women’s issues), friendship, happiness, calming, feminine energy, libido, money

Flax Seed- fertility, health, protection (especially from sickness), divination, money

Garlic- health, banishing, protection, purification, warding, willpower,

Ginger- catalyst, energy, adventure, health, confidence, lust/libido, prosperity, success, protection

Hemp- fertility, intuition, motivation, peace, harmony, stress relief

Hibiscus- health, love, beauty, heart

Holy Basil- opens heart to love, stress relief, healing, balance, grounding

Jalapeno- energy, catalyst, money, abundance

Kelp- health, money, weight loss, sea magick

Lavender- stress relief, sleep, anti-anxiety, meditation, love, depression, peace, harmony

Lemon- health, beauty, love, lust, cleansing, purification, sun magick, removing negativity,

Lemon grass- psychic cleansing, opening the Third Eye, focus, mental clarity

Licorice- love, lust, fidelity, communicating with the dead, health (digestive system)

Lime- purification, protection, harmony, calmness, tranquility, strengthening love

Maca- fertility, vitality, energy, balance, love

Maple- love, friendship, luck, happiness, wealth

Marjoram- beauty, luck, wealth, grief, cleansing, purification, warding, strengthening love, protection

Mint, Pepper- health, protection, ward off migraines, wealth, bringing about change, love, abundance

Mint, Spear- health, protection, happiness, wealth, communicating with spirits

Miso- health, prosperity, communicating with the dead, friendship

Mustard- courage, faith, endurance, success, luck, happiness

Nettle- grouding, health (especially allergies), banishing negativity, cleansing

Nori- health, harmony

Nutmeg- beauty, prosperity, money, luck, hex breaking, mental acuity

Nutritional Yeast- health, happiness, love, addiction

Oat- fertility, health, earth magick, sacred to Brighid

Onion- protection, health, banishing, warding, bad habits, prosperity

Orange- energy, emotional healing, beauty, health, love, friendship

Oregano- health, beauty, joy, energy, strength

Paprika- catalyst, energy, hexing (I don’t hex, but you do you)

Paprika, smoked- power, see Paprika

Parsley- money, luck, success, health, weight loss

Pecan- employment and career, success, security,

Red Pepper- catalyst, love, lust, confidence

Rice- rain, fertility, money, protection

Rose- beauty, love, honoring the dead, friendship, happiness, healing

Rosemary- mental clarity, focus, memory, health, love, lust, purification

Saffron- happiness, mental health, love, lust, psychic ability, addiction, weight loss

Sage- cleansing, purification, grief, wisdom, spirituality, mental clarity, protection, grounding

Salt- cleansing, purification, grounding, protection, banishing, earth magick

Sesame Seed- money, lust, passion

Soy- spirituality, psychic ability, fertility, intuition, grounding

Spirulina- health, wealth, energy

Sugar- beauty, sweeten attitudes, love, sex, drawing spells

Tamarind- love, health, happiness, family, protection (from illness)

Tea, black- energy, strength, courage, confidence

Tea, green- energy, health, weight loss, beauty, confidence

Tea, white- beauty, harmony, peace, health, tranquility

Thyme- money, protection, luck, grief, honoring the dead, grounding, glamours, confidence, loyalty

Turmeric- health (especially dealing with serious illness), happiness,

Vanilla- beauty, love, friendship, passion

Vinegar- protection, warding, weight loss, hexing, banishing illness

Walnut- connection with the divine, spirituality, mental strength, divination

Watercress- health, sex, lunar magick

💎Some Crystals and their meaning in Witchcraft💎

Recently I am a huge - like really huge - fan of crystals. That’s why I thought that I will try to write a detailed list about crystals and what they are good for. I hope this little list  may be useful for others too.

Anxiety: amazonite, amber, agate, emerald, herkimer quartz, jasper, lepidolite, lodestone, obsidian, quartz, rose quartz, sodalite, turquoise

Balancing/Stability: amethyst, desert rose, jasper, pearl, quartz, red jasper, sodalite, turquoise

Banish fear: banded agate, bloodstone, sodalite

Banish negative energy: amethyst, black onyx, black tourmaline, danburite, lepidolite, malachite, onyx, quartz, smokey quartz, tourmaline

Calming: amatonite, herkimer quartz, howlite

Clarity: azurite, citrine, fluorite, hematite, magnetite, obsidian, pietersite, quartz sapphire, smoky quartz

Cleansing: amber, obsidian

Courage: carnelian, hermatite, turquoise

Creativity: amazonite, ametrine, apatite, aventurine, carnelian, celestite, chalcedony, citrine, flourite (blue), lolite, jasper, kunzite, opal, sunstone, tiger’s eye, lapiz lazuli

Divination: bloodstone, obsidian, turquoise

Empathy: aquamarine, blue aventurine, chrome diopside, rose quartz, malachite

Faith: emerald, imperial golden topaz, labradorite, onyx, sodalite, variscite

Friendship: ruby fuchsite, rhodonite, turquoise

Forgivness: rhodonite, rose quartz

Happiness: amazonite, amber, citrine, red goldstone

Harmony: moonstone, rose quartz, sodalite

Healing: amber, angelite, jasper, kyanite, malachite, quartz, rose quartz, turquoise

Help in focuse: banded agate, citrine, lodestone

Hope: blue aventurine

Indivituality: malachite

Inspiration: amazonite,amethyst, ametrine, blue chalgebony, blue goldstone, carnelian, citrine, garnet, orange calcite, quartz

Joy: amazonite, citrine, labradorite

Love: angelite, citrine, desert rose, dragon blood jasper, garnet, jade, opal, quartz, rose quartz, ruby, turquoise

Loyalty: dalmatian stone, turquoise

Luck: amazonite, amber, apache tears, aventurine, sapphire, turquoise

Meditation: emerald, herkimer quartz, quartz, sodalite, turquoise

Mind: pyrite, sodalite

Passion: carnelian, garnet, ruby

Peace: amazonite, amethyst, emerald, larimar, lepidolite, rose quartz, selenite, sodalite

Positive energy: amber, apache tears, calicite, citrine

Protection: amethyst, black tourmaline, hag stone, kunzite, obsidian, smoky quartz, tiger’s eye, tourmaline, turquoise

Prosperity: amazonite, aventurine, citrine, jade, moss gate, pyrite, ruby , tiger’s eye

Psyche: black tourmaline, calcite, emerald, labradorite, tuquoise

Psychic: chalcedony, unakite

Relieve stress: blue calcite, herkimer quartz, lepidolite, quartz, sodalite

Self-confidence/Self-esteem: amazonite, amber, ametrine, black tourmaline, chrysocolla, garnet, larimar, pearl, prehnite, rhodonie, rose quartz

Serenity: emerald, lepidolite

Sleep: amethyst, emerald, howlite, ledestone, sodalite

Strenght: amber, hermatite, red jasper

Success: amazonite, pyrite

Tranquility: emerald, lepidolite

Trust: onyx, ruby fuchsite, sodalite, turquoise, variscite

Vitality: carnelian, garnet, orange calcite, red agate, ruby, ruby zoisite, sunstone,

Wisdom: tiger’s eye, sodalite

Wealth: aventurine, citrine, green calcite, jade,malachite, pyrite, tiger’s eye, tree agate

In the future I’ll expand the list when I find enough new and useful information. I hope this little post will help someone. 😊

🌿🌹 Smokable Herbs 💨✨

Smoke is used cleansing and purifying, and much more🌫

🍃 Good day, Witches of Tumblr! 🍃

Not everyone may have the habit of smoking, but smoking has always had a sacred purpose in every culture and many religions. The history of smoking began in shamanistic rituals that took place as early as 4000 bc. It is considered a very social activity and was used as a social tool.

While some may say the smell of smoke is unpleasant, and people don’t want it around them. But did you know you can smoke certain herbs, and actually make a very lovely tasting, and even pleasant smelling, blend? Some herbs are highly medicinal and can give you benefits. Keep reading if you want to know more!

🌹 ━━━✦❘༻ 🌿 ༺❘✦━━━━🌹

**Disclaimer**

it is very important you do the proper research to see if you can smoke a certain herb. Also if you start feeling sick after smoking it cease use of it immediately. You may be fine ingesting a certain herb, but you could have an allergy to smoking said herb. Please note that some of these could be poisonous if eaten, we are speaking of smoking only. I also don’t recommend replacing smoking herbs with getting medical treatment if you need assistance. Be very careful if you have health conditions and don’t smoke if you’re pregnant. I am also not trying to persuade you or anyone else to smoke!

🌹 ━━━✦❘༻ 🌿 ༺❘✦━━━━🌹

With that said, lets begin to learn what herbs you can smoke and how to put together a herbal smoking blend! Get ready to raid your apothecary!

There are tons of herbs that are smokable. Each herb has its own unique taste and effect, and by mixing them together you can create a perfect blend for your next ritual! Curate special blends for spells and other workings and label them. The possibilities are endless for what you can make. Not only do herbs have magickal properties, but medicinal properties for minor ailments too!

🍃 🌿 So What Herbs Can I Smoke? 🌹 🍃

✨My personal favourite is the taste of Rose 🌹 ✨

I will reveal some properties of herbs you may have already in your apothecary!

🌺 Blue Lotus

Medicinal:

Sedative properties, gives a calming euphoria

Magickal:

Opens the root chakra, helps one embrace their true spiritual essence

🌿 Sage

Medicinal:

Remedies for colds, Relaxing properties

Magickal:

Used for self purification and healing

🌹 Rose

Medicinal:

helps with slow circulation, great for colds, pms, headaches

Magickal:

Divine Love, Strengthens relationships

🍃 Lemonbalm

Medicinal:

Sedative and anxiolytic effects

Magickal:

Used for psychic enhancement and spiritual development

💐 Lavender

Medicinal:

Relieves stress and anxiety

Magickal:

Brings Love and Protection, Peace and Harmony

🌿 Mullein

Medicinal:

Great for the respiratory system

Magickal:

Protection against nightmares and sorcery, and spirits

🌿 Peppermint

Medicinal:

Cooling and calming feeling

Magickal:

Increases vibration in spaces, used in spells for healing and purification

🌾 Chamomile

Medicinal:

Enhances ability to sleep, reduces tension and anxiety

Magickal:

Removes Hexes, Curses and Spells

🍃 Raspberry Leaves

Medicinal:

Lowers blood pressure, muscle relaxant

Magickal:

Bathing in Raspberry leaves for love spells, brings healing and protection

🌿 Catnip

Medicinal:

Curbs tobacco cravings, Relaxing properties

Magickal:

Sacred to Bast, Used for love spells

🌸 Pink Lotus Stamens

Medicinal:

Sleep aid, euphoric properties

Magickal:

Psychic opening, spiritual development

🍒 Uva Ursi

Medicinal:

Diuretic properties, Helps alleviate pain from sprains

Magickal:

Increases intuition and psychic abilities

🌸 Wild Dagga

Medicinal:

Mood enhancement, brings mental clairty

Magickal:

Keeps snakes at bay when carried as a charm

🌾 Calea

Medicinal:

Calming sensations, mild relaxation

Magickal:

Used for lucid dreaming

🍃🌿 Making A Blend 🌹🍂

Creativity is at the heart of herbalism, so be creative when building a blend!

The Basis of the Blend

1. Base Herbs

2. Supportive Herbs

3.Flavourful Herbs

1. The Base

Your base herb is fluffy and light.

So herbs such as;

🌿 Damania

🌾 Mullein

🍃 Red Raspberry

2. Supportive Herbs

These herbs play a supportive role in your health and offer some type of benefit.

So herbs such as;

🌿 Hops

🌿 Skullcap

🌿 Hyssop

🌿 Horehound

🌿 Thyme

🌸 Passionflower

🌿 Mugwort

These herbs have many health benefits, such as nervous system and respiratory system health.

3. Flavourful Herbs

These herbs will add zest to your smoking blend.

So herbs such as;

🌹 Rose

🌸 Angelica

🍂 Anise

💐 Lavender

🌺 Monarda

🍃 Spearmint

Recipe Example

🍃 2 Tablespoons of Mullein

🌹 1 Tablespoon of Rose

🌾 ½ Tablespoon Chamomile

if you want you could add a bit of Lavender or another •Flavourful Herb• to make it more interesting!

🌹 ━━━✦❘༻ 🌿 ༺❘✦━━━ ━🌹

🍯 Adding honey to your blend can really sweeten it up!🍯

✨ Enchant the herbs before you smoke them, do it ritualistically if you want!✨

✨Use these herbs in your spells to take in the essence of •the elementals•!This will empower you and your magick✨

My personal favourite blend is;

🐝 Beelieve in Love 🐝

🌹 1 Tablespoon Rose

🌾 1 Tablespoon Chamomile

💐 1 Tablespoon Lavender

🍯 ½ Tablespoon Honey

I really hope you found this useful and learned something about smokable herbs, and incorportate it into your craft!

Thank you so much for reading,

and blessed be! 🐝

🌹 ━━━✦❘༻ 🌿 ༺❘✦━━━━🌹

My own page on sacred geometry

𝕾𝖆𝖇𝖇𝖆𝖙𝖘

{Art by Julia Nikita}

The sabbats are holidays celebrated throughout the year on solstices, equinoxes, and the midpoints between them. These sabbats form the Wheel of the year.

There is a controversy surrounding the dates of these holidays, as people celebrate them all over the earth, not only in the northen hemisphere but in the southern too. 

One viewpoint is that the Sabbats should be celebrated as they were originally created to be… in other words, Samhain is October 31st, regardless of where you live. In the Southern Hemisphere, even though you are just gearing up to summer on October 31st, this perspective says that you celebrate the cleansing and releasing, the honouring of the dead just as you would if you lived in the Northern Hemisphere. The other viewpoint (the one I personally agree with) is that you should celebrate when you feel like the season corresponds with the holiday, in other words, your craft, your rules. So if you live in the southern hemisphere, you have the choice.

I’ll be writing the dates for each holiday starting with the northen hemisphere and then the dates that many people celebrate them in the southern hemisphere

🌲𝐘𝐔𝐋𝐄

{December 21st//June 21st}

Yule focuses on rebirth and renewal as the sun makes its way back to the earth. It’s all about new beginnings, reflection and embracing warmth. Much like Christmas, many celebrate with a feast, gift giving, being cosy and appreciating the good.

↟Nature: cedar, frankincense, myrrh, mistletoe, pine, birch, ivy.

↟Foods//flavours: ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, wintergreen, apple, dried fruit.

↟Stones: citrine, ruby, garnet, alexandrite, green tourmaline.

↟Activities: decorate your altar with incense associated with Yule, burn ash wood for prosperity, bake using Yule flavours like ginger or cinnamon, make wreathes to hang around the house, spend time with loved ones.

🕯️𝐈𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐂

{February 1st//August 1st}

Imbolc focuses on celebrating the nature that is preparing to grow and renewal, also known as “candlemas” and the “Feast of Pan”.

↟Nature: basil, blackberry, heather, celandine, iris, wisteria, vanilla, bay, yellow and white flowers.

↟Foods//flavours: pumpkin and sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, peppers, onions, spices, and herbal teas.

↟Stones: amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, ruby, onyx.

↟Activities: decorate with candles and sun decorations, go hiking, have a bonfire, bake foods with poppy seeds, and burn any leftover winter herbs.

🌼𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐀

{March 21st//September 21st}

Ostara focuses on manifesting creativity and love. As the days become longer, energy becomes stronger.

↟Nature: ash, alder, daffodil, honeysuckle, narcissus, primrose, violet, jasmine.

↟Foods//flavours: olives, maple syrup, honey, edible flowers, chocolate, pine nuts, nettle or lavender tea, local fruits and vegetables.

↟Stones: amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone.

↟Activities: gardening and planting seeds, bake breads with olives or honey for example, start new projects, talk to plants, do some painting, decorate with wildflowers.

🌰𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐄

{May 1st//November 1st}

Beltane focuses on fertility, love and abundance. Also known as “may day”, on this sabbat many celebrate with dancing, bonfires and many high energy activities, including enjoying themselves sexually with a partner or even conceiving children.

↟Nature: frankincense, lilac, ivy, marigold, woods, rose, thyme, mint, yarrow.

↟Foods//flavours: oats, leafy greens, fruits, breads, honey.

↟Stones: malachite, amber, fire opal, red jasper.

↟Activities: dance, decorate with florals and symbols of the sea, go to the beach, go hiking, have a bonfire, feast on fruits, vegetables and grains, laugh and let your hair down. And if you’re trying to conceive or simply would like to have sex, Beltane is a wonderful time to do so.

🦋𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐀

{June 21st//December 21st}

Litha focuses on growth and celebrating the longest day of the year and the sun, before the shorter days begin.

↟Nature: fern, yarrow, sage, rose, oak, mugwort, lavender, chamomile, myrrh, pine.

↟Foods//flavours: herbed bread, honey, sunflower seeds, iced herbal tea, lemon, vanilla.

↟Stones: lapis lazuli, amethyst, malachite, tiger’s eye.

↟Activities: make or buy a sun catcher, surround yourself with warm tones, watch the sunrise and sunset, make sun water, spend time outdoors, make use of herbs.

🌾𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐒//𝐋𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐇

{August 2nd//February 2nd}

Lammas, or lughnasadh focuses on celebrating the first of the three harvesting sabbats and taking time to really feel the positivity in different aspects of life.

↟Nature: cornstalks, heather, acacia flowers, hollyhock, oak leaves, wheat, myrtle, spices.

↟Food//flavours: grainy bread, corn, potatoes, nuts, blackberries, wine.

↟Stones: amber, agate, citrine, clear quartz, obsidian, tiger’s eye.

↟Activities: bake bread, make corn dolls, visit a sunflower field, spend time in nature, acknowledged what you are grateful for, journal.

🍁𝐌𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐍

{September 21st//March 21st}

Mabon focuses on honouring the change of the seasons, balance and peace.

↟Nature: sage, pine, marigold, thistle, acorns, milkweed, oak leaves, myrrh.

↟Food//flavours: cinnamon, nuts, beans, dark fruits, pies, soup, butterscotch.

↟Stones: citrine, carnelian, clear quartz, sapphire, yellow agate.

↟Activities: collect pine cones, donate food and old clothes, meditate, dry herbs, spend time with loved ones, speak to the nature around you.

🎃𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐍

{October 31st-November 1st//April 30th-May 1st}

Samhain focuses on celebrating life, and honouring those who are no longer with us.

↟Nature: heather, sage, pumpkins, straw, flax, patchouli, myrrh.

↟Foods//flavours: apples, cider, pumpkin, pies, soups, stews, potatoes, ginger.

↟Stones: amber, black obsidian, fossils, onyx, sandstone, bloodstones.

↟Activities: honour the deceased, spend time with family, make a hearty comforting meal, make or buy a scarecrow, spend time practicing divination.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐚𝐭

↟Do a tarot reading relevant to that sabbat.

↟Spend time in the moonlight, charging your crystals and tarot cards, as well as meditating.

↟Bake something using at least one traditional food of that sabbat to share with others.

↟Cleanse your living space and any of your magickal items.

↟Write down how you’re feeling and how you’d like to feel in the weeks to come.