50 Tips For Tarot Novices And Masters Alike!

GRIMTALK - Week 9

GRIMTALK is a weekly snapshot of my personal Grimoire as it progresses each week and this week on GRIMTALK is a Vehicle Protection Spell Bag and a Vehicle Protection sigil.

Placed in the glove compartment of your car or vehicle, this spell bag is designed to prevent your car from breaking down, getting stuck in traffic or getting in a car accident.

Find a small leather pouch with a tie or drawstring and either paint or stitch the sigil below onto the bag:

This sigil was inspired by @thesigilworkshop ‘s “My friends and loved ones are protected and secure” sigil however I adapted it so that it means “My friends and loved ones are protected and secure while traveling in this vehicle”

Then fill the leather pouch with protective stones, herbs and other items from the lists below:

Stones/Crystals: Chalcedony (prevents accidents while traveling); Garnet (protects against theft); Red Jasper (protection); Yellow Jasper (clears the mind); Brown Jasper (aids in concentration).

Herbs: Acorns/Oak (general protection and prevention from getting lost); Comfrey Roots (protection while traveling and protection against theft); Wormwood (protection against accidents); Feverfew (protection against accidents and protection while traveling); Nutmeg (good luck while traveling).

Other Elements: Cat Hair (watchfulness, intuitiveness and safe travel at night); Bells (alertness); Rock Salt (general protection); Iron (strength and protection against mal-intent); Safe Travels Coin Charm (see page 8); Crossroad Dirt; Asphalt Chips; Dirt from the side of a Highway or Freeway.

To see any of the previous weekly photos, check out the GRIMTALK page!

MAGICK 101: The Principles of Magick

I see very few blogs out here teaching the basic principles of magic, so I wanted to provide a guide to what I’ve found are the important principles. (with gifs!) I divided things that I think will be helpful when creating or altering spells and things that are helpful when figuring out if a spell will succeed or why it failed.

SPELL CREATING PRINCIPLES

Law of Similarity

These first two principles are from James Frazer’s The Golden Bough and are fundamental to all of magic. Frazer describes this law as “like produces like.” This law says that manipulation of an image or likeness yields manipulation of the thing itself. Here’s some examples of the Law of Similarity in Graeco-Egyptian magic:

Stabbing a human figure with nails to cause pain to the person

Drawing the caster holding their love interest on a leash in a “love leash” spell

Writing a spell in a circle around someone’s name to encircle them and restrain them

Putting a love spell that aims to have the target “burn with love” into a lit oil lamp

Walking on a written spell to have the target “underfoot” and under your control

Similarity isn’t restricted by literal similarity, it extends to metaphorical similarity as well. Idioms and puns were widely used in Egyptian myth and magic

Law of Contagion

Frazer puts this one quite well: things which have once been in contact with each other continue to act on each other. I will extend this law to say that magical energy can be transferred or shared between objects by contact and that transferal is strongest if they are in contact or very close. Examples in Graeco-Egyptian magic include:

Using the hair of the target of a love spell in an oil lamp

Writing a spell to Seth on a donkey hide (an animal of Seth)

Burying a separation spell at the home of the couple to affect them

Hair is super useful (and sometimes required) for any spell targeted at someone. I know people who keep or trade hair as collateral.

MAGIC TIP: If you need to perform substitutions in a spell, use the Law of Similarity and Law of Contagion for selecting the substitution (ex: use red wine mixed with an animal’s hair instead of blood from that animal)

Law of Durability

This law basically is covered by the Law of Similarity, but, because it’s so important for picking items, I’m including it separately. Magic done with more durable items will yield a longer lasting effect. For example, a spoken spell will be weaker than a spell written on paper. A written spell will be weaker than a spell carved into stone. This law applies to enchanting as well: more durable items will stay enchanted for long.

Law of Layering

The law of layering must be applied carefully because it is about complementary layers, not throwing as many things at a wall as possible. 

The principle is the more layers that are used in magic, the stronger the magic will be. More layers build more power. Some ways to add layers are:

Have a pre-spell ritual, like bathing and meditating

Cast spells in a designated space for casting with items designated for magic

Make motions that mirror the words you’re saying

Add objects to a spell via the Law of Similarity, the Law of Contagion, or objects along your correspondence

Perform a spell in a group instead of solo

Reinforce a spell by doing it for multiple days in a row or once every week, month, etc.

These are examples to give you an idea of what I mean by “layers”. All of these actions work to build or reinforce the energy of a spell.

SPELL SUCCESS PRINCIPLES

Law of Likeliness

My mentor compares magic to stacking a deck: you’re manipulating chance to get circumstances in your favor. This means two things. The first is magic cannot make the impossible happen. Magic will not cause things to levitate, or conjure fire from nowhere, or anything else that is not possible in our universe. The second is if an outcome is less likely, stronger magic will be required to achieve it. Some decks are easier to stack. Take a money-drawing spell used on someone who makes commission versus a salary worker. The same spell will be far more effective for the salesperson, whose income is highly dependent on chance, than the salary worker.

Law of Agency

No magic short of possession can rob a human of their free will. For example, if you do a love spell on someone whose sexuality doesn’t align with yours, it will have no effect. If a person is resistant to a certain energy in their day-to-day life, they will similarly be resistant to that energy when sent via magic.

I hope these principles are informative and help you with your magic!

Historically Accurate Offerings to the Theoi

Zeus

Oak

Carnations

Olive branches

Styrax incense

Eagle, bull, swan images

Hera

Lilies

Peacock feathers or images

Pomegranate

Incenses

Cuckoo images

Athena

Olive branch/oil/fruit

Weavings

Myrrh incense

Perfume

Owl images

Apollon

Laurel

Red roses, sunflowers

Frankincense (manna) incense

Palm tree

Raven, swan, wolf, mouse, dolphin images

Artemis

Cedar, palm and cypress trees

Tokens of deer

Jasmine

Myrtle, white flowers

Frankincense (manna) incense

Amaranthus

Peanut

Wormwood

Deer, dog, bear, partidge, quail images

Hestia

Incenses

Chaste-tree

Pig images

Poseidon

Sea anemone

Myrrh incense

Pine

Bull, dolphin, horse images

Dionysos

Ivy

Grape vine

Pine

Styrax incense

Leopard, panther, donkey, bull images

Hermes

Tongue-shaped tokens

Rosemary, saffron

Almond tree and pine tree

Frankincense and styrax incense

Mint (for Kthonios epithet)

Cow, ram, hawk, turtle, hare images

Wild strawberry (purslane)

Ares

Bronze weapons

Frankincense (manna) incense

Swan, vulture, dragon/poisonous snake, owl images

Aphrodite

Roses, myrtle, anemone (poppy)

Quince

Apple, pomegranate

Perfumes and fragrances as incense

Dove, goose, sparrow, turtle images

Hephaistos

Daisies

Frankincense (manna) incense

Donkey, dog, crane images

Asklepios

Frankincense (manna) incense

Bread

Serpent, dog, goose, rooster images

Pan

Pine, beech trees

Fern

Wild flowers

Herbs burnt as incense and the smell of perfumes

Reeds

Goat, turtle images

Demeter

Poppy

Tokens of pigs

Styrax incense

Mint (for Kthonia epithet)

Wheat

Dove, bee, pig images

Persephone

Asphodel

Wheat

Hades

Pitchfork

Pomegranate

Daffodil

Styrax incense

Dried laurel leaves

Poplar, cypress trees

Mint

Hekate

Saffron

Rosemary

Garlic

Red Mullet

Amphiphon (candy)

Styrax incense

Dry laurel leaves

Oak

Ferret, dog, bull, lioness images

Source: LABRYS’ Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship and Theoi.com

Things to Research Before Working with the Fae

Research is the most important thing to do before heading into Faery work and witchcraft. You want to have a lot of in depth and versatile knowledge covering many areas of the topic so you’ll be able to understand and interact with the Fair Folk! If you don’t want to work with the Fair Folk you can use this list to help yourself understand them and take the proper measure if you ever stumble upon them. I know the list could go on forever but I’m compiling the topics I find build a good foundation of understanding. I have compiled this list to give those interested guidance and a push in the right direction, it is best you do your own research before asking other’s personal knowledge and opinions!!

The Basics

Terminology ( Fae, faery, fairy, changeling, seelie, unseelie, sidhe, etc)

The Origins of the Fae (Tuatha de Dannan, Aos Sí, Tylwyth Teg)

Faeries in Different Cultures: Celtic (Irish, Scottish, Gaulish, French), Norse, Influences from Greek and Roman culture.

Folklore & Myths!! ex. Oisin and Tír na nÓg , Fenian Cycle, Arthurian Legend. 

Celtic Gods, Goddesses & Heroes- strong influences and connections to the Fae

Types of Faeries (study diverse types from pixies,brownies, pooka to Kelpies, Bwbach and Red caps) *Make sure you can at least answer who, what and where about them.

The Otherworlds (Tir na Nog, Caer Arianrhod, Annwn, Alfheim, Svartalfheim, etc.)

Faery Landmarks (fairy tree, fairy ring, fairy hill)

Signs of the Fae

Sacred Trees and Plants (Hawthorn) 

Protection!! very important

*Bonus if you learn Celtic Culture

Getting into Working with Them

Connecting to Nature and the Land

How to Banish Faeries & Protect yourself, house, family, etc.

Faery Behaviour and Proper Etiquette

Proper Offerings, How to give an Offering

Animals associated with the Fair Folk and Why? (raven, deer, etc)

Faery Festivals and Holidays (Samhain, Midsummer, Beltane)

Why certain things offend them- iron, saying “thank you”,etc.

The Courts (Seelie, Unseelie, trooping fairies, solitary)

Setting up a Faery Altar

How to work with them in Rituals 

Faery Flowers, herbs and crystals

A proper and personal way to communicate with them!!this means developing psychic ability, tarot, meditation, signs, etc.

Hagstones, heptagram/faery star

Some Good Books :) 

The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, by W. Y. Evans Wentz  

Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes 

Enchantment of the Faerie Realm by Ted Andrews 

Faery Craft by Morgan Daimler 

Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes by Phillip Freeman

**if you have more topics, books or anything else feel free to add some!

All About Divination

Thank you for your trust in my guidance. But I have already answered many of your divination questions. Please refer to this list and explore as you wish.

Scrying 101

Runecasting 101

Runecasting vs. Tarot

Phyllomancy 101

Oneiromancy 101

Charmcasting 101

Cartomancy 101

Recommended Decks (with links to photos and a video)

How many decks should you have?

Who is better at which system?

Kipper vs. Tarot, Lenormand and Sibilla

Lenormand 101

How to Read with Lenormand

Answering Yes or No with Lenormand

How to Predict Timing with Lenormand

How Mirroring is Done

How Lenormand Interacts with Tarot

The Twin Cards in Lenormand and Tarot

Lenormand Cards as Feelings and Thoughts

Tarot + Oracle + Lenormand Spreads

Extra Man and Woman Lenormand Cards

The 12-Step Lenormand Grand Tableau

Lenormand vs. Tarot

Tarot 101

How to Truly Master Tarot

How Tarot Readings Really Work

Recommended Books

Tarot Meanings

What It Means to Keep Seeing the Same Suit

What It Means to Keep Seeing the Same Number

What It Means to Keep Seeing the Same Card

What It Means to Get Contradictory Cards

What Tarot’s Colors Say About Your Future

The Major Arcana as People

How to Remember the Major Arcana

How to Read “Good” Cards as “Bad”

How to Tell Physical Appearance

How to Determine Locations

How to Read Pentacles for Love

How to Decide Which Meaning to Use

How Context Dictates Meaning

The Soulmate Cards

The Forever Alone Cards

The Polar Opposite Cards

The Major and Minor Twins

The “Bad” Cards as Advice

The Cards as Yes or No

The Cards as Someone’s Feelings

The Cards as Advice vs. Outcome

The Court Cards as Thoughts or Intentions

Tarot’s Extreme Meanings

Tarot’s Twins in Lenormand

Literal Card Meanings

Career and Finances Meanings

Meanings for Timing

When Reversed is Better than Upright

The Kings in Real Life

The Queens in Real Life

How the Men in Tarot Will Treat You

The Court Cards and Gender

Physical Attractiveness of the Court Cards

The Real Deal with Tarot’s Pages

The Knights in Fiction

The Queen of Cups in Fiction

When the Court Cards Refer to You

The Best Couples in Tarot

The Emperor’s Love Compatibility

Christian Symbology in Tarot

Tarot and Sexual Behavior

True Love Combinations

Old-time Tarot Meanings

The Past and Future Cards in Tarot

Tarot Meanings for Different Decks

Why We Read Tarot Symbolically

How to Read Reversals

Tarot Combinations for Health Issues

Tarot Combinations for Mental Illness

Tarot Combinations for Cheating

Tarot and Astrology

Tarot and Countries

The Kinds of Wedding in Tarot

The Hierophant is Forever

The Lovers is Not About Choices

The Hermit in Love

The Spokes of the Wheel of Fortune

The Tower’s Duality

The Moon is Not Your Friend

The Star is the Trickiest Card in Tarot

The World is Overrated

The Greco-Roman Gods in Tarot

My Favorite Card and My Least Favorite

The Three Most Misunderstood Tarot Cards

The Three Best Cards in Tarot

The 12 Most Underwhelming Tarot Cards

Tarot Spreads

Past Life Spread

Life Purpose Spread

General Life Prediction Spread

Soulmate Spread

Sex Life Spread

Future Children Spread

Death Prediction Spread

Dream Interpretation Spread

High Priestess Spread (For Quick Predictions)

True Colors Spread (For Questions of Intentions)

Two Paths Spread (For Making a Difficult Decision)

Combined Spreads (Tarot, Oracle, Lenormand)

Ancestors Spread (For Speaking with the Dead)

When Spread (Timing with the Celtic Cross)

Major Arcana Grand Tableau (Yearly Reading Spread)

The What If Spread

The Three Wishes Tarot Spread

The Storyboard Tarot Spread

Using Tarot to Find Your True Gods

Using Tarot to Find Your Rising Sign

How to Perform the Celtic Cross Spread

Tarot Tips

How to Achieve Truthful Tarot Readings

How to Be the Best Tarot Reader You Can Be

Never Pull Clarifiers

Never Use Significators

Never Hold Back Truths

Never Read for Someone You Dislike

The Perfect Deck for Everyone

Reasons to Have Multiple Tarot Decks

Where to Buy Tarot Cloths

Do Not Worry About Mercury Retrograde

How to Enchant Your Tarot Decks

How to Use Tarot to Protect Someone

How to Use Tarot to Control Another Soul

How to Use Tarot for Vengeance

How to Predict Sports Matches with Tarot

How a Tarot Reader Influences Readings

How to Use Tarot to Confirm Your Gifts

How the Rider-Waite Can Help You

What to Do with Rogue Tarot Cards

What to Do When Tarot Scares You

You are Not Cursed

The Importance of Reading Reversals

The Language of Tarot

Tarot Needs All of its Cards

Who to Invoke During a Reading

How to Stay Safe During a Reading

Do Not Confuse Honesty with Hate

On Using Playing Cards Instead

The Right and Wrong Ways of Mixing Decks

The Most Common Tarot Reader Mistakes

The Myth of Not Reading Tarot for Yourself

Tarot Rules and Superstitions

How to Close a Tarot Reading

Tarot Etiquette

Formally introduce yourself

Use it often

Acknowledge the card that it assigns to you

Respect its identity

Do not cleanse it

Never ask it the same question twice

When You Can Ask the Same Question Again

Do not ask it basic questions

Do not use it for spying

Never dismiss its predictions

Never use another deck to confirm its answers

Read with it when you are emotional

Do not talk about it negatively

Do not blame it for your own mistakes

Do not pull away from it

Do not think of it as evil

Do not anger it

Deal your cards the right way

Shuffle your cards correctly

Respect tradition

Practice etiquette, conduct and decorum

Tarot is easily offended

On Charging Your Tarot Decks

On Modifying Your Tarot Decks

On Not Using the Whole Deck

On Secondhand Tarot Decks

Pirated Decks Also Deserve Respect

How to Store Tarot Decks

How to Greet and Thank Your Tarot Deck

How to Make Amends with Tarot

Keep your tinctures away from it

Spend time with it

Never discard it

Use a cloth with it

Trust it

Sibilla 101

Sibilla Starter Kit

How to Predict Timing with Sibilla

Oracle Cards 101

How Oracle Cards Complement Tarot

Tarot + Oracle + Lenormand Spreads

Other Divination Systems

Alternatives to Tarot

How to Really Learn Palmistry

All About Spells | All About Astrology

Love Spell for Couples

To solidify, strengthen, or show gratitude for your relationship

Materials:

3 small taper candles: 2 red (love, sensuality) or 2 pink (love, compassion) & 1 white (purity, or open for whatever other correspondence you’d like)

Rose oil

Red, pink, or white thread

Votive holder

Sugar

Wine: see here for type correspondences. Alternatively, share a non-alcoholic beverage of your choice.

Candle adhesive. Alternatively you can drip some melted candle wax onto the bottom of the votive holder and place the candle bottoms in it, holding them upright while the wax dries

Steps:

Annoint your red or pink candles with rose oil by placing 3 drops on each of you and your partner’s hands and rubbing them together, gradually warming up your hands.

When they feel warm, roll 1 red candle between each of your hands until it feels evenly coated.

Tie the 3 candles together and stick them to the votive holder.

Fill the dish with sugar.

Light the candles and enjoy your wine! Use this time to deepen your bond with each other, share as if it’s a first date or turn your knowledge of each other into a friendly quiz.

Complete the spell by allowing the candles to burn down entirely

🔥🌱Brigid Devotional Tips🌱🔥

Brigid (”The Fiery Arrow”, “The Ash-less Flame”, “The Moon Crowned Lady of the Undying Flame”) is the Celtic goddess of fertility, healing, music, poetry and smith craft. She´s the daughter of The Dagda and is incredibly loving and nourishing. 

Celebrate Imbolc.

Cleanse yourself and your space calling upon her to purify you. 

Whenever you need her help, light a yellow candle and tell her why you´re invoking her. She´s very loving and will help you. 

Offer her your creative projects (a drawing, a song, etc)

Offer her blackberries. 

Practice grounding yourself.

Ask her for help whenever you start a new project/adventure. 

Give eco-friendly offerings to Birch trees.

Connect with the element of fire. 

When life´s difficult, find your inner fire and strength. 

Cleanse your second chakra for it is the center of creativity and is theme of the divine mother.

Light candles around your house (if it is safe)

Find love and beauty in all you sense. 

Become acquainted with your own cycles.

Recognize whenever you need a fresh start.

Practice not being scared of changes and new beginnings. 

Start the morning telling her your intentions of the day. 

Contemplate what needs to heal within you and ask her for help. 

If you or one of your loved ones is sick, ask for her healing powers. 

Create or buy an iron amulet.

The Dagda // The Morrigan // Aine 

green magick for the home

an apple can be used for a simple house blessing; cut an apple in half, and eat one half in your home. place the other outside, in the backyard or front porch, as an offering to good spirits for protection and warm energy.

bay leaves can be placed in the corners of a room to banish evil from it and protect those within it.

a cactus can be grown near a house to offer strong protection; even stronger protection is gained by planting cacti at all for corners of the home.

planting catnip in the garden, or hanging it above your door, will attract good spirits and good luck.

chamomile can be sprinkled about in the home to break curses and unwanted spells cast on or in the home.

cilantro brings peace and harmony to a home.

clover can be sprinkled around a home to banish unwanted spirits.

garlic can be hung in a home to bring its inhabitants closer together.

ivy plants can be hung to deter unwanted guests.

lavender can be burned and its ashes sprinkled about to cultivate rest and tranquility within the home.

orange peel can be placed in windowsills to bless the house with angel and sun energy.

peppermint can be burned as a smoke cleanser to remove illness and negative energy from a new home.

a sprig of pine can be hung in the home to bless it and its inhabitants.

sachets of saffron can bring happiness to the home.

thyme burned or hung inside brings good health to its residents.

Lavender “elf leaf”

•Latin Name: Lavandula (Feminine)

keep in mind there are many different types of lavender out there :)

Signs: Pisces, Virgo

Chakras: Third eye 👁

Planets: Mercury, Neptune

Deities: Selene

Lavender Magickal Attributes:

aids with anxiety, insomnia, depression, protection, visions, bug bites, clarity, attracting men, purification, stress, minor burns, calm conflicts

Common Magickal Usages:

Drink tea or eat food incorporated with lavender to increase your brain power/ function

Put lavender into your pillow cases to aid in a restful sleep throughout the night

Carry lavender or use it in your every day beauty routine to promote and long and healthy life

Sprinkle lavender in your business or home to ward away evil spirits / bad energy

Wear lavender perfume or incorporate lavender into your love spells to attract men

Burn lavender during meditation to promote physic awareness and insight

Boil it in the home to drive out negative energy and turmoil forces