Lunar Cycles

Spirits & Working with them

We are souls temporarily in bodies on earth. Our natural home is in the spirit world, often known as the “Other side”. Whether you realize it or not, We are constantly surrounded by spirits. They may be in human bodies (like ourselves) or “in spirit” form. Just like we have family and friends in this life, We have had other lives with relationships we have deeply cherished and nurtured. Certainly, there are other spirits we have known and loved in other lives that are “in spirit” here on earth. A spirit is nothing more or less than another person, They just don’t have a body. They really aren’t as mysterious or strange as they’re made out to be, I feel like spirits are really misunderstood. 

PROTECTION Ok guys, when i say they’re misunderstood i don’t mean every spirit out there is fluffy and sweet. Protection is absolutely the MOST IMPORTANT PART of working with spirits. Like i said, they’re nothing more or less than another person. They are beings, they have their own personalities. Just like with people, Don’t give out your information or be too trusting. Spirits can lie, Spirits can have malicious motives, Spirits can be tricksters and just yank your chain (ever gotten on a Ouija and seen ZOZO or MAMA or freaked bc it was doing something you thought was demonic or enabling the spirit to escape the board? Yeah, you were part of a big joke buddy. Spirits cannot escape the board, they aren’t in the board in the first place.). 

Ways to protect yourself:

-Wards, Physically or in the Astral Plane, where spirits typically reside or come from. Astral Projection is not something for beginners to attempt, You really need to know how to deal with and protect yourself from the beings in that plane. 

-Protection spells, amulets or talismans

-Sigils

-I have a special tea i brew for myself before spirit workings that is my blend of herbs to protect me and get me in the mindset for spirit work. I also suggest cleansing your energy, Maybe a cleansing bath and a smudge session and some meditation, Clean your energy so no spirits leech off of your negative energy or sense any mental weakness to attack.

-If you are scared, don’t do it. Spirits can smell it from 30 miles away, and will use it against you. Be mentally prepared, protect yourself. (I want to add i have never had any run ins with malicious spirits, But they DO EXIST. Most spirits are kind in my experience.)

COMMUNICATION

You are probably not gonna just be able to sit down and speak to spirits. (They can hear you, But thats listening and not communication.) I suggest picking up a form of divination, like pendulum, dice, or a ouija board to start. Do not Ouija alone if it is your first time and you are unexperienced. You will receive fragmented bits of conversation likely, and this is normal. Start out with simple yes and no questions, and eventually you will work your way up to normal conversation with spirits. It takes time to grow these skills. When i first started i was pulling out my Ouija nonstop!!! Spirits mostly communicate in tattered words, pictures and emotions. Its good to practice energy work, Sensing the kind of energy spirits are bringing in. This way you’ll eventually be able to tell the difference between a malicious spirit and a kind spirit just by the energy its giving off. PRACTICE, Keep growing your skills. 

INTERACTING WITH SPIRITS

Communicating and meeting with local spirits is the easiest way to start off. 

A lot of people start off with nature spirits, they are much more patient than other beings. I suggest sitting in a forest or by a creek and seeing who wants to talk, but sitting on your back porch with your plants can be equally as successful. I didn’t start with nature spirits specifically, but they likely were the ones who came thru. Very patient and kind, even noting that my dog (who was wanting to come outside with me, but my patios very small and she’s very big) was being loud. 

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TALK ABOUT!!

Don’t worry, Here are all the ideas. Its nice to let the spirit share experiences with you, Keep in mind spirits have been around for a very long time, some since the beginning of time, and have experienced many things. I’ve heard some very cool stories.

Let me hear a love story

Show me a song from your people

Tell me something you’ve done that you are proud of

Tell me a little about your culture

Tell me your story

Do you have any jokes you can share with me?

What is your advice for me?

Who is the your peoples leader?(this can help you distinguish a timeline on when they were alive/where as well)

Is there anything about Human Culture you have questions about?

Do you speak more than one language?

SPIRIT WORK TIPS

Don’t give out the name that is the most important to you.

The ‘color’ of an energy doesn’t mean it will align with your own color meanings.

Don’t share how you’re protecting yourself, It is not wise and can help malicious spirits find points of weakness.

Don’t expect to hear voices or see spirits clear as day. The stories told on tumblr may be embellished to add understanding, or might receive messages in a less clear way than presented

If you ever feel threatened by a spirits energy or sense a negative spirit, Tell it to leave loudly and clearly. Do not show fear, Do not back down. Repeat and increase your intensity if it doesn’t stop.

This post is all based on my opinion of spirit work, and is not fact. I love spirits and spirit work so much, and i hope you do as well. Enjoy the spirits, Make some new friends! Love & Light, @lapiscat

Lunar cycles in a nutshell

Hey witches around the world! Finally we have reached one of my favorite topics in general, lunar cycles are my happiness because of how attached i feel to the moon. So here we go my beautiful people!

New Moon  (i’ll leave the moon phases images at the end) New moon is the time for new beginnings! Time for planning the future and maybe do some changes. You can do this by changing your altar, different kind of spells, get creative. 

Waxing Crescent  Waxing Crescent is the time to grow! Time for bringing your ideas, hopes and intentions in. You can do this by making different activities that remember you what you wanna achieve. 

First Quarter First Quarter is the time to overcome obsticals that are stopping you from achieving what you want.  Great time to try different things in your craft.

Waxing Gibbous  Waxing Gibbous is the time to get better in things you already have learned. You can do this by revising what you have written down in your grimoire/ book of shadows and if need to add something do it now.

Full Moon Full Moon is the time to reflect your achievements in the first half of the lunar cycle. You can also cleanse your crystals and maybe do some rituals for the full moon!

Waning Gibbous Waning Gibbous is the time to give thanks for everything you have and have achieved, you can do this by giving thanks to your ancestors/deities/spirits etc/ or different kind of rituals! 

Third Quarter Third Quarter is the time to accept and let go bad habits/relationships/things that are not positive in your life, whatever they are, its time to let go. I personally take Third Quarter for self care and cutting toxic relationships!

Waning Crescent Waning Crescent is the time to see how much you have achieved during the lunar cycle! If you didn’t achieve everything you wanted, don’t be so hard, you will always have more time and you can always get better at things.

Credit to the respective author

Hope it helped someone out there! Have a blessed day 

📚Witchy Books 📚

Good day, lil’ Witches and Warlocks! With this little list I would like to share with you some PDF books I have been using. I hope it will be useful for someone. 

The Common Book of Witchcraft and Wicca by The Ancestors

A Wiccan Bible by A. J. Drew

A Witch’s Notebook by Silver Ravenwolf 

A Witch’s Bible : The complete witches’ handbook by Janet and Stewart Farrar

Beginner Guide to the Basics of Witchcraft by Ashe. G.

Celtic Magic by D.J. Conway

Charms, Spells and Herbs by Esteban Portela

The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft &Wicca  by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Grimoire of a Kitchen Witch by Rachel Patterson

Wicca: A guide for the solitary practitioner  by Scott Cunningham

The Green Witch by  Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Inner Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penczak

The Way of the Green Witch by  Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Way of the Hedge Witch  by  Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Witch’s Book of Self-Care by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Th Spiral Dance by Starhawk

Wicca Book of Spells and Witchcraft for Beginners by Arin Chamberlains

Wicca for Beginners by Lisa Chamberlain

Wicca for One: The path of Solitary Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland

Witchcraft Step by Step 

Witchcraft Today  by Gerald B. Gardner

The Elements and their correspondences

E A R T H

Earth represents strength, grounding, prosperity, the material, wealth, success, foundations, death and rebirth. Focus on this element if the goal of your spell is about fertility, prosperity, business or stability. Earth spells may take longer to work, but they’re also more firm and are good if you’re looking for long-term solutions.

GENDER: Feminine SEASON: Winter DIRECTION: North HOUR: Night

COLOURS: Green, Brown, Black ANIMALS: Bears, Deers, Wolves, Badgers HERBS/PLANTS: Ivy, Ash, Vetiver, Wheats, Oats INSTRUMENTS: Drums (Percussion instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn STONES/GEMS: Jade, Onyx, Emerald, Salt RITUAL TOOLS: Stones, Dirt, Bones, Pentacle, Salt, Crystals  RITUAL FORMS: Burying, Planting, Imprinting to soil or sand TAROT SUIT: Pentacles

A I R

Air represents intellect and the mind, wisdom, knowledge; logic as well as abstract thought, intuition and higher consciousness. If you’re seeking freedom, travels, or to enhance your memory and focus - focus on Air spells! Air is whimsical and amiable, personally I haven’t found it useful for more serious spells, but it does wonders for my studies. 

GENDER: Masculine SEASON: Spring DIRECTION: East HOUR: Dawn

COLOURS: Yellow, White, Sky Blue, Pastels ANIMALS: Birds, Spiders, Butterflies HERBS/PLANTS: Lavender, Birch, Vervain, Dill, Aspen INSTRUMENTS: Flute (Wind instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius STONES/GEMS: Amethyst, Opal, Alexandrite, Beryl RITUAL TOOLS: Incense, Wand RITUAL FORMS: Fanning, Tossing into air, Suspending in a high place  TAROT SUIT: Swords

F I R E

Fire represents energy, passion, purification, love, inspiration, desire, will, courage, power, leadership, sexuality. In spellcraft, focusing on Fire is good for purification, healing and love spells; it’s the best element for quick, strong spells. Although, Fire is fierce in essence, and Fire spells are susceptible - they should be well thought out.

GENDER: Masculine SEASON: Summer DIRECTION: South HOUR: Noon

COLOURS: Red, Orange, Gold ANIMALS: Snakes, Lions, Horses HERBS/PLANTS: Cacti, Cinnamon, Pepper, Basil INSTRUMENTS: Guitar (Stringed instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius STONES/GEMS: Amber, Citrine, Ruby, Tiger’s Eye RITUAL TOOLS: Athame, Candles RITUAL FORMS: Burning, Smouldering, Heating TAROT SUIT: Wands

W A T E R

Water represents purification as well; though it’s focused more on the soul and the subconscious rather than the physical, material world. Water stands for emotion, intuition, wisdom, eternal movement, reflection, lunar energy. Focusing on the Water element is good for psychic abilities, getting in tune with your inner self, mysteries, friendships, love, dreams and sleep.

GENDER: Feminine SEASON: Autumn DIRECTION: West HOUR: Dusk

COLOURS: Blue, Indigo, Silver ANIMALS: Otters, Fish, Sea Mammals, Frogs HERBS/PLANTS: Lotus, Water Lilies, Aloe, Gardenia INSTRUMENTS: Cymbal, Bell (Resonant instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces STONES/GEMS: Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl RITUAL TOOLS: Cauldrons, Chalices, Seashells RITUAL FORMS: Diluting, Placing into water, washing away, bathing TAROT SUIT: Cups

Complete Magical Herb List, taken from my own grimoire

Acorn-Luck, wisdom, youth, personal power               

Allspice- Money, Lck, Treasure, Determination

Almond- Wisdom and fruitfulness. Helps one

overcome a dependency or addiction

Aloe-Protection, Luck. Place at a grave to bring peace.

Anise-helps ward off evil, find happiness, prevents 

nightmares, good in bath spells.

Apple- Love, Immortality, Friendship, Healing. Apples

make good offerings, especially at Samhan

Apricot- Love and attracting love. 

Asparagus- masculan sex magick

   Bamboo- Hex breaking, wishes, luck.

Banana- fertility, potency, prosperity

Basil-Love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, protection

Bayleaf-Good fortune, success, strength, purification

Beet- Love. Juice can substitute blood in rituals.

Birch-Protection, Exorcism, Putification

Blackberry-Healing and money. Berrys are sacred.

Blueberry-Protection from enemies. Can cause confusion if you throw one in the path of an enemy

    Cabbage- Fertility, Profit, good luck, lunar magick

Cactus- Chastity, banishing, protection

Carnations-Strength, healing, enhancing power, achieving balance. Burn to enhance creativity

Carrot- Lust, fertility, abundance

Catnip-Love, beauty, happiness, attracts spirits. Sacred

 to cat deities and animal magick. 

Cedar- Confidence, strength, protection, healing. Berries are good for anti theft spells and warding off snakes

Celery- Mental power, lust, male potency

Chamomile- Love, healing, reduce stress. Drink tea in 

meditation, to destress and to get a restful sleep.

.Cherry-love, divination, happiness

Chili pepper- fidelity, love, breaks hexes

Chives- protection and weight loss

Chrysanthemum- protection, grow in your 

garden to ward off evil

Cilantro- brings peace to the home and helps 

attune one with their soul

Cinnamon- Spirituality, success, healing, power, love,

 luck, strength, and prosperity.

Clove-love, money, protection

Clover- fidelity, money, luck. Love, success

Coconut- Chastity, protection, purification

Coffee- Helps dispel nightmares and negativity, helps 

overcome internal blockages, provides peace of mind and grounding. 

Corn- Protection, divination, good luck

Cotton-rain, protection, luck, healing. 

Cucumber-chastity, fertility, healing

Cumin- fidelity, protection, and theft prevention

Curry- protection. Burn curry powder to keep evil forces away.

Cypress- death and mourning, stimulates healing and helps one overcome the pain of grief

   Daffodil- Love, Luck, and fertility

Daisy- innocence and innocent love. Associated with children and newborns

Dandelion- healing, purification, wishes, and spirit work

Elderberries- sleep, releasing enchantments, protection against negative people and the temptation to harm others. Note, every part of this plant is poisonous.

Elm- love, protection from lightning. 

    Fennel seed- imparts strength, vitality, and sexual virility  and masculinity. 

Feverfew- protects against sickness and accidents. Use for healing spells. 

Frankincense- Successful ventures, cleansing, purification, productivity, concentration and meditation. 

    Garlic- healing, protection, repels vampires, purifies spaces and objects.

Ginger- Draws adventure and new experiences. Promptes sentuality, confidence, and success

Grape- fertility, money, mental strength

Grapefruit- cleansing and purification

   Hibiscus-attracting love, lust, and dreams

Hollyhock- Increases the flow of money, aids in financial flourishing.

Honey- for attraction, solar magick, and sweetness. 

Honeysuckle- Draws money, success, and quick abundance. Aides confidence and persuasiveness. 

 Ivy- Protection, healing, fertility, love.

   Jasmine- ideas,  Divination, charging, attracting a soulmate, can induce sleep and dreams. 

Juniper- promotes healing and good health, attracts healing energies and protects against theft

   Lavender- Peace, love, protection, healing, sleep, purification, and healing from depression

Lemon- cleansing, purification, removal of blockages, dealing with pain

Lemon Balm- Love, Success, Healing, spiritual growth and development. Use in healing spells for mental illness

Lemongrass- psychic cleansing and opening, use in lust potions

Lettuce- Divination, sleep, lunar magick, sex magick, love spells

Lilac- Wisdom, memory, luck, spiritual aid

Lily-renewal, rebirti, marriage, prosperity,the life cycle, death.

Lime-purification, protection, promotes tranquility, strengthens love.

    Maple-Love, money, longevity, luck

Marjoram- Cleansing, Purification, dispelling negativity, strengthening love, infuse in bath spells to aid grief

May Flowers- attracts adventure and chaos into your life

Mint- energy, communication, and vitality. Use in healing spells and place on alter to attract good spirits. 

Morning Glory-Binding, banishing. Note, this plant is poisonous. 

Mugwort- Lust, fertility, helps ease backaches and cure disease. 

Mustard Seed- Courage, faith, and endurance.

    Narcissus-  calms vibrations, promotes harmony and peace of mind. 

Nutmeg- Money, prosperity, luck, curse breaking

   Oak- wisdom, strength, to preserve youth, and increase attraction. strengthens unity, The most sacred tree.

Oatmeal- for worship, use in offerings.

Olive-Fidelity, peace, marriage, healing, potency and lust

Onion- Prosperity, stability, endurance, banishing bad habits. 

Orange-love, luck, divination, happiness, self confidence, blessing

Orchid- Concentration, strengthen memory, focus and willpower

Oregano- Joy, strength, vitality and energy.

Palo Santo- if you’ve been cursed use this herb to break it.

Paprika-Add to spell to energise it. Throw into someone’s yard to cause them problems.  Parsley- Calms and protects the home, draws prosperity and financial increase, restores a sense of well being.

Peach- Fertility, Love, Wisdom. Peach Pits ward off evil, increase love and fertility. 

Peas- Money, love

Pecan-Employment, success, security, career success. 

Pepper- courage, banishing negative vibrations. Carry to ward off jealousy.

Peppermint-healing, cleansing, purification. Burn to clear out sickness and keep under your pillow for prophetic dreams. 

Pine-promotes clean breaks, new beginnings, prosperity and success. 

Pineapple- Luck, Money, and chastity. 

Pumpkin- Health, spirit work, and lunar magick

   Raspberry- Healing, Protection, and love. Use to reduce pain during pregnancy and bathe in raspberry to keep a relationship alive.

  Rice- rain, fertility, protection

Rose- love, divine love, self love, friendships, domestic relationships and domestic peace. 

Rosemary- good health, love, good memory, prevents nightmares, wash in rosemary before healing rituals

   Sage-purification, dealing with loss and grief, improves mental stability, burned for cleansing and purification

Sandalwood- Protection, healing, clears negative energy, making wishes

Salt-purification, grounding, protection magick and circle casting

Spearmint-healing, love, protection while sleeping. Burn for healing respiratory conditions.

Strawberry- Attracts success, good fortune, and favorable circumstances.

Sugar- love spells, to bring sweetness to a sintuation, sex magick

      Tea-courage, strength, divination, use as a base for potions. 

Thyme- Loyalty, love, affection, grief, courage, purification, use in baths to cleanse and ward off nightmares.

Tomado- use in love spells

     Vanilla-Love, Lust, passion, restoring lost emotions and energy. Increases mental strength. 

Vinegar- banishing, binding, averting evil

   Walnut- access to divine energy

Willow- draws strength and love, healing, and overcoming sadness. The sacred wishing tree. Wear a sprig of willow when facing the death of a loved one. 

Offerings to the fae

Firstly, remember not to bury or leave glass or plastic in nature. Here are some other ways that you could make your offerings: 

If your offering bird seeds or other organic materials that can be buried in the ground as is, do so.  

Rap your offerings up in large leaves 

I read an idea that you could make a sort of bowl from ice and place your offerings in it. It will melt over time. Perfect if you want to leave an offering in the sea or a lake. 

Use organic material like paper (preferably not white, bleaches paper) to rap and bury your offerings in. 

You can always place a glass or plastic jar somewhere where you can retrieve it. 

Ideas for what to offer: 

(Fae folk love all that is sweet) 

Honey  

Cookies

Milk

Fruit 

Bird seeds 

Remember, when leaving things in nature you have to take into account that animals might get to it. Leaving candy for the fae is great for the fae but you can’t really be sure no birds or other animals won’t eat it, and they might get sick.

Make sure the things you leave in nature are nature and animal friendly.

Flower Magick

Geranium- heals domestic conflict and trouble in the workplace, for first or new love, money

Hyacinth- self esteem, rebuilding trust after betrayal, domestic happiness, increasing radiance, attracting beauty 

Jasmine- powerful love, sacred sex, optimism

Lavender- love, self-love, fertility, happiness, health, guards against cruelty and spite, all healing, anti stress and addiction 

Marigold- positive energy, protects against the night and domestic matters, resolution of justice and legal matters, love and commitment 

Rose- Love and reconciliation, self esteem; healing the young, old and abused; attracting money, fertility, (Pink=New love, Red=commitment, Yellow=Love in later years, White=Secret love)

Orchid- Love, Fertility 

Daisies- Lust, Luck, Protection 

Dandelion- Divination, wishes, calling spirits

Working with Spirits

In my last post, I talked about different types of spirits that witches may work with. Today, we’re going to discuss how to approach spirits and establish a working relationship.

Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and every spirit is different. I encourage you to do your own research beyond this post, especially if you plan to work with powerful entities like deities, angels, or fairies.

Remember the Four R’s

It’s important to keep these things in mind when working with spirits:

Respect. The spirits are powerful, and you need to have a healthy respect for that power when working with them. It’s also important to respect them as individual, autonomous beings.

I’m not saying that every interaction you have with the spirits needs to be a full blown ritual with incense and chanting. (In fact, some spirits don’t care for those types of rituals.) But every interaction you have with them should be conducted with an air of respect and reverence.

What this mostly boils down to is good manners. Being polite will get you better results — and it will also keep you from being on the receiving end of spirit mischief. Proper etiquette depends on the type of spirit you’re working with, which is one reason it’s important to do your research. In general, it’s polite to make an offering, use respectful language, and thank the spirits before you leave (unless you’re dealing with fairies — some traditions say you should never thank the fae).

Respecting spirits also means respecting their desires — even if that means respecting their wish not to work with you. Not every spirit you reach out to will want to form a relationship with you, just like not every person you meet in your life will want to be your friend. When a spirit turns you down, respect their decision, politely bid them farewell, and move on.

Reciprocity. The goal of spirit work is to establish a mutually-beneficial partnership — not for one partner to serve the other. On one hand, this means that you can’t just command spirits to do your bidding without giving anything in return. On the other hand, it also means that you won’t be worshiping/honoring them without receiving some kind of boon.

This is why it’s important to make offerings to the spirits you work with. These offerings “feed” the spirits by giving them power, and a good offering will likely make a spirit more willing to work with you. Offerings are not payment for favors from spirits (it’s not quite that simple), but they are a sign that you intent to practice reciprocity in your relationship.

In general, it’s important to make an offering when you first introduce yourself to a spirit and again before you ask them for anything. But you shouldn’t only make offerings when you’re about to ask for something! How would you feel if you had a friend who only did nice things for you when they were about to ask for a favor? You’d probably start avoiding them, right? You might even get angry. To avoid this kind of dynamic in your spirit work, make regular offerings to the spirits you work with. If you’re especially close with a spirit, you may want to offer to them every day.

Relationship. The spirits are not vending machines where you put offerings in and blessings fall out. They are living, sentient beings with feelings, and deserve to be treated as such. Your relationship with the spirits you choose to work with is just that: a relationship. And like any relationship, it requires time, energy, and emotional labor.

If that sounds like more effort than you want to make, there are plenty of ways to do magic without ever working with spirits. You don’t need to do spirit work to be a witch. It may not be your thing, and that’s okay!

But if you choose to work with spirits, it’s important to remember that you are working with them as an equal partner — you’re not their boss, and they are not obligated to like you, help you, or even tolerate you. Relationships with spirits are built over time, through mutual respect and trust.

You wouldn’t drive up to your friend’s house, throw a fast-food burger at them, and then demand a special favor. Likewise, you shouldn’t just dump an offering on your altar and demand something of the spirits. Take the time to sit down with them. Talk to them. Get to know them. Put some thought into your offerings, instead of just offering the same thing every time. Spirit work is, at its core, about building an authentic relationship with the spirits we choose to include in our practice. Enjoy it.

Research. When it comes to spirits, it’s important to know exactly who (and what) you’re dealing with. As previously mentioned, the etiquette for dealing with fairies is very different from other land spirits. Different deities have different standards for their worshipers, which vary from one pantheon to the next. The way you interact with your ancestors will probably be shaped by their personalities, cultures, and values. All this is to say it’s important to know who you’re reaching out to, preferably before you reach out to them.

With deities, this is easy. Most witches who choose to work with deities will feel drawn to a certain pantheon, or even a specific god or goddess. There’s a lot of information out there about most historical pantheons, so researching them is easy. The same goes for angels, saints, demons, and even fairies.

It can be a little more difficult to do your research when you’re dealing with land spirits, spirits of place, or other less well-known figures. In these cases, it’s best to take three steps: 1.) figure out what type of spirit you’re dealing with (land spirit, animal spirit, ancestor, etc.), 2.) find out what this type of spirit is like generally, and 3.) find out how that applies to your specific spirit.

For example: you want to connect with your local land spirits. You do some research to find out how land spirits have been treated in various cultures — you find out that they’re typically benevolent, are closely tied to the natural landscape, and were often given food offerings. Then, you do some research into your local plants and animals — what form might a nature spirit take in your local environment? Would it be a huge moose with snow-covered antlers, or a magnolia tree in full bloom? Is there any local folklore in your area that could be describing a land spirit? Once you have answers to these questions, you’ll have a much better idea of how to approach the spirits and start up a relationship.

Initiating a Relationship with a Spirit

Begin by identifying who this spirit is. For example, let’s say you choose to reach out to a specific ancestor spirit — maybe a deceased grandparent. Make sure you’re familiar with the etiquette for interacting with this type of spirit so you don’t accidentally do something disrespectful. (If your Grandma hated cussing, try not to drop any f-bombs while communing with her.)

Create a special space to communicate with the spirit. This can be as simple as lighting a candle or as elaborate as setting up a special altar. If you’re reaching out to a grandparent, you might set up a small ritual space with a photo of them, any of their belongings that you have access to, and some things that they enjoyed while they were alive. These items may make the connection easier, but you don’t need them to communicate. What matters is that you’ve taken the time to create a special space for this moment. (Like all ritual spaces, it should be clean and tidy, and it’s a good idea to do an energetic cleanse beforehand.)

Make an offering. Make sure your offering is appropriate for the spirit you’re connecting to. Offerings should be made with an air of reverence — don’t just toss a bag of Doritos on your altar and expect it to be well-received.

Introduce yourself. Speak out loud. State your intention and who you are hoping to connect with.

Wait and listen. You may feel a presence or receive some kind of sign — or you may not. Just because you didn’t get a sign doesn’t mean that your offering wasn’t noticed or that you’re being ignored. You may also receive a sign several hours, days, or weeks after you first reach out. Be patient.

Say your farewells. Express your gratitude for the spirit’s presence, and let them know that you are ending your little ritual. It’s up to you whether to invite them to stick around or politely tell them to leave, but if you’re going to give a spirit permission to linger in your home you better be 1000% sure you know who they are and what their intentions with you are.

Moving Forward

As you work with this spirit, it is important to establish clear boundaries for the relationship. Be clear about what you want to accomplish by working with them, and make sure you understand what they expect from you in return.

You might want to establish a time limit: for example, maybe you’re choosing to work closely with the goddess Brigid from Imbolc to Samhain, at which point you can choose to continue the relationship or to take a step back. Or, you may choose to work with a spirit on a specific task — for example, working with the goddess Aphrodite to get back on your feet and rebuild your self esteem after a breakup. Once this task is accomplished, you may choose to form a more long-term relationship or to take a step back.

Forming a permanent or long-term working relationship with a spirit is a very big, very serious commitment, and should not be taken lightly. This goes double for anything involving a ritual commitment, such as dedication to a deity. When you make these commitments, you are choosing to make a spirit and their energy a permanent part of your life. This decision requires some very serious introspection and consideration, and should not be made impulsively.

Resources:

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

A Practical Heathen’s Guide to Asatru by Patricia M. Lafayllve

Where the Hawthorn Grows and The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens by Morgan Daimler

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael’s A Jock: An Insider’s Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like and The Angel Code by Chantel Lysette

New World Witchery podcast (several episodes, including “Episode 164 — Irish Folklore and Magic,” “Episode 161 — Practicing Safe Hex,” and “Episode 152 — Honoring Ancestors”)

↟𝐋𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐋𝐈

It has a powerful connection with the third eye, and has always been known as a stone of royalty and spirituality. In ancient Egypt, Lapis Lazuli was ground into a powder and used as medicine. Found mainly in Chile and Russia. Enhances ability to connect with the spirit element, find inner peace, perfect for manifestation and purification.

Chakras: third eye, throat

Zodiacs: libra, sagittarius, aquarius, pisces

Planets: Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune

Elements: Water, Air

Sacred numbers: 3

Tarot Reading Tips 💖

🔮 Learn the classic definitions of the cards - you don’t need to memorize every card’s meaning, I still use my book, but knowing a general meaning of cards will help

🔮 Wands- fire, Cups- water, Swords- air, Pentacles- earth

🔮 Using the elements helps me understand the cards and give them meaning

🔮 You can connect with a card by envisioning it and placing yourself inside of it- Stand in it and think of what you feel, see, smell, hear. I think this is a fun little exercise, though I don’t do it frequently.

🔮 Incorporate lucky numbers, personal habits and preferences into the way you shuffle, pull cards and organize spreads

🔮 I cut the deck and deal cards with my left hand (I’m right handed), but that’s just me

🔮 If you want more information on a card, pull another one and place it on top of the first.

🔮 Don’t pull too many cards or do too many readings- If you overwhelm yourself with information or deal half the deck, the cards tend to lose meaning and you learn very little from the reading.

🔮 Practice on yourself, family and friends- the more you practice the better you’ll know the cards and be able to create a story, which brings me to…

🔮 Connect the cards to make a story- this is how my mom reads cards and it always blew me away how she could just create this little story from a few cards and really give them life. Connecting the cards makes it easier to understand and less like random tid-bits of information.

🔮 Thank your cards when you’re done

🔮 Try meditating before a big reading- this doesn’t have to be classic meditation where you clear your mind, it can be very personal and whatever you feel like connects you to your cards, the person you’re reading and any deity or spirit you might be asking for help.

🔮 You don’t need to call on Gods or spirits while reading. If you’re not into that, don’t mess with it. And if you do practice this, please do it responsibly.

🔮 When I meditate I see vines, water, energy and spirits- I know that when these all come together I’m calm and focused. Your meditation will probably be nothing like mine and that’s perfectly normal.

🔮 Not a tip, but now that I’m thinking about it, is there a name for what I’m doing besides ‘meditating’ because I don’t find that fitting? 🧐

🔮 Never stop learning (exhibit A ⬆️) and don’t be afraid to ask possibly silly questions (see: exhibit A)