“Peace Of Heart” / “Peace Of Mind”

Moon Phases

There are 12 Full and New Moons a year (13 every now and then due to calendar synchronisation - called a Blue Moon) this means there is no need to rush intentions and manifestations, spend time practicing, learning and getting things wrong.

New Moon

→ setting intentions and plans

Waxing Crescent Moon

→ relaxing into and accepting intention

First Quarter Moon

→ take action and push forward

Waxing Gibbous Moon

→ observe, align and trust your intention will form

Full Moon

→ harvest intention, reap rewards or accept intention was not the best for this time, take in the new energy

Waning Gibbous Moon

→ turn inwards and reflect on your intention, or be grateful for the outcome

Last Quarter Moon

→ release old or harmful energy holding you back and give back from your abundance

Waning Crescent Moon

→ reflect with thanks, rest mind body and soul, take peace in the emptiness

Merry meet,

Atti <3

🌌 Witchcraft PSA: The Chakras & Cultural Appropriation ❌

Warning: This is probably the longest post I've written so far, so be prepared for a VERY long read.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert, a historian, or a theologist. I am simply a witch, a student, and a POC living in the United States where many aspects of pagan spirituality are often appropriated from other cultures and perpetuated through simple ignorance. I'm sure this post will generate some type of controversy, but I do not mean to attack anyone or their beliefs with this post.

So. Here's the big one, guys. The post I've been dreading making but have really wanted to write for a while.

Cultural appropriation is one of the hottest topics in the modern witchcraft community, and the discourse about it on tumblr is far-reaching and incendiary at best. The problem: Where should witches draw a line between explorational spirituality and cultural appropriation?

I'm not here to lay down laws of morality. I'm not the cultural police. But I DID have a very eye-opening experience recently that led me to create this post.

I'm a white-passing minority, and I won't pretend that this doesn't lend me a degree of privilege in America. Especially as a witch, many doors are open to me. Just within the witchcraft community, I look white enough to be welcomed whole-heartedly into most neopagan circles. That's not to say that blatant racism is abundant within the pagan community, but we can't deny that many non-white cultural practices are heavily stigmatized. For instance, as SOON as any of my "light worker" friends hears that I have a family background in Santeria and Brujeria, the FIRST thing I hear is, "Oh, I don't mess with that dark stuff," or "Well, I don't like the idea of hurting animals and other people." And don't get me started on the ignorant conversations one of my dark-skinned, Vodou-practicing friends has had to sit through before.

Like, what?

Because of this, I'm often the first person within my social circles to stand up for cultural barriers and denounce cultural stigma. Above all else, I try to respect the hell out of closed cultures and educate myself about cultural appropriation.

So, it was much to my dismay when I discovered that I have been culturally appropriating the chakra system for the last 11 years of my witchcraft practice.

The chakra system and its use in western occultism is one of the most heavily debated topics in the witchblr community. A simple search will yield dozens upon dozens of posts, each filled with witches claiming that usage of the chakra system either IS or IS NOT appropriation. For the most part, I've tried to stay out of this debate. I've incorporated the chakras into my practice since I began, but I thought my oriental heritage and my "thorough" understanding of the chakras made this okay. But, lo and behold, I was sorely mistaken.

So, after some deep research into this topic, and after talking to several Hindus and Buddhists, here's my attempt to shed some light on this issue.

What are the chakras (according to Western occultism)?

As a brief overview, the chakras are believed to be spiraling energy centers that exist within the subtle body. There are seven of them, and they lie along the spine in places where large amounts of nerves and vital organs exist. Similar to the way our brain is a large compilation of nerves, these chakras are believed to be the intersection points of energy currents within our spirit.

Each chakra rules over a particular psychological, physical, and spiritual state of being, and disruptions within the chakras are believed to lead to different types of mental, emotional, and physical illnesses.

These chakras are depicted as lotus flowers with varying numbers of petals, and each is represented by its own color. Each one also corresponds to a Sankskrit syllable mantra which is believed to activate the chakra when spoken aloud.

In order, they are:

❤ Muladhara - The Root Chakra - Connection to the Earth and the Self - Located at the base of the spine - Depicted as a red lotus with 4 petals - Mantra: LAM

🧡 Swadhisthana - The Sacral Chakra - Connection to sexuality and instinct - Located near the sexual organs - Depicted as an orange lotus with 6 petals - Mantra: VAM

💛 Manipura - The Solar Chakra - Connection to will and identity - Located in the Solar Plexus - Depicted as a yellow lotus with 10 petals - Mantra: RAM

💚 Anahata - The Heart Chakra - Connection to love and relationships - Located in the heart - Depicted as a green lotus with 12 petals - Mantra: YAM

💙 Vishuddha - The Throat Chakra - Connection to voice and communication - Located in the heart - Depicted as a blue lotus with 16 petals - Mantra: HAM

💜 Ajna - The Third Eye Chakra - Connection to spiritual awareness - Located above and between the eyes - Depicted as a purple lotus with 2 petals - Mantra: OM

🌈 Sahastrara - The Crown Chakra - Connection to Source/the Universe - Located at the top of the head - Depicted as either a purple, rainbow, or white lotus with 144,000 petals - Mantra: Silence

Along with these associations, each chakra is often associated with various crystals, herbs, and spirits.

What are the chakras within their original cultural context?

The concept of 'chakras' arose from a practice known as Tantric Yoga. This was a spiritual system that began to gain popularity in India and other eastern cultures between 600-1300 CE. Up until this point (and concurrently as well), most types of spirituality in these cultures was very transcendental - that is, they had a fundamental belief that the Divine was transcendent and inherently 'above' the natural world. Therefore, in order to commune with the divine, it was believed that the material world had to be renounced and denied, and higher states of consciousness had to be achieved in order to commune with divinity.

Tantric spirituality flipped the script. It adopted the idea that divinity was an inherent quality of the natural world, and that a person could freely commune with the divine by opening themselves up to the world around them through mindfulness and all-embracing compassion.

The philosophies and teachings of tantric yoga (loosely known as 'tantras') became extremely widespread throughout this period and dramatically shaped many emerging sects of Hinduism and Buddhism. As this philosophy spread, many different types of specific spiritual practices arose, many of which can be recognized in our Western ideas of holistic meditation - such as mantras, mudras, mandalas, and even modern Western yoga.

One such concept that gained popularity was the idea of chakras - focal points of spiritual energy in the body. However, these chakras were very different than what Westerners think of today.

There were a LOT of different traditions that arose from Tantric teachings, and each one had its own unique belief about chakras. The most obvious difference between these chakra traditions was that each one believed in a different number of chakras. Some systems had three, others had six, others had seven, others had nine, others had 10, others had 21, etc.

Each one approached the chakras a bit differently, and so each one believed in a different number of chakra centers.

What are some of the primary differences between Western Chakras and Tantric Chakras?

The most eye-opening difference for me was that Tantric chakras have none of the associations that Westerners believe in today. Original practitioners of Tantric spirituality did not associate specific colors with each chakra, they did not associate physical or psychological states with them, they did not associate any herbs or crystals or planets with them, and they did not even associate Sanskrit syllables with them. What's more, they didn't even believe they were located in fixed points on the body.

Loosely, they believed that the chakras - like all things spiritual - were very fluid. They could often be accessed through general areas of the body, but they definitely were not stagnant, fixed points. This also accounts for the varying number of chakras, because it was believed that the chakras would manifest in different ways depending on what traditional practice you used to approach them.

Many traditions did believe that these chakras could be depicted as lotus flowers with various petals, but these were not meant to inherently describe the individual chakra. Rather, these depictions were meant to serve as a visualization for a person to meditate on when trying to access a specific chakra.

Along with this, these traditions did not assign specific names or syllables to these chakras - at least not the ones we use today. Rather, it was believed that Sanskrit syllables carried an inherent magic or divine energy within them (similar to Kabbalistic views of the Hebrew language), and they assigned various letters and syllables to the petals of each lotus flower, which corresponded to various energies in nature.

The symbols, names, and Sanskrit syllables popularized in the West today don't even correspond to any kind of Tantric chakras. They actually correspond to the elements within certain traditions of eastern spirituality. They also are not meant to be uniquely associated with any individual chakra. Rather, these syllables were used in meditation to invoke specific elemental energies into different chakras depending on the situation.

If your tradition believed that the heart chakra could affect the relationships in your life, and your personal relationships happened to be very stagnant, you could vibrate the syllable for the Wind element and invoke that energy into your heart chakra to help your personal relationships become more dynamic. Etc.

This brings me to the final thing I'd like to talk about: Westerners are NOT using the chakras for their original purpose.

The only concrete associations that tantric traditions had for the chakras were deities. These traditions believed that each of their chakras was associated with a specific Hindu deity (though the specific order or deities listed varies between tradition and time period).

The original purpose of 'working with chakras' was to eventually invoke the energy of these specific deities into a person's chakras in order to become closer to these gods and goddesses and emulate their behavior and teachings in daily life.

How did the original concept of chakras get misconstrued in Western culture?

Oh, boy. This is a tough answer that's soaked in 1000 years of colonialism, racism, cultural and linguistic barriers, and simple misunderstandings.

But, simply put, the appropriation of tantric chakras can be narrowed down to four specific individuals.

In 1577, a spiritual teacher and academic named Purnananda Yati wrote a treatise of tantric teachings called the Shatchakra Nirupana, or roughly 'An Explanation of the Six Chakras'.

In this treatise, Purnananda lays out the modern framework we see today - six chakra centers within the human spirit, with an additional seventh chakra above the head that connects the spirit to the divine source. He based this concept off of an earlier writing from the 13th century, which also details this framework but openly acknowledges that this is just ONE tradition, and that many other traditions also exist.

In 1918, a British scholar named John Woodroffe translated Purnananda's treatise from Sanskrit into English, and unfortunately, there were many mistranslations in Woodroffe's version. This translation was what eventually gained extreme popularity throughout academic and occult circles in the West.

Throughout the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, the renowned European psychologist, Carl Jung (who you might recognize from your Psych 101 class), became fascinated with the idea of chakras and their relation to consciousness. Throughout this time period, Jung wrote extensively about potential connections between the seven chakra centers and various psychological states. This is where the chakras became associated with different states of being, such as instinct, will, and sexuality.

Finally, in 1987, an American occultist and spiritualist named Anodea Judith published a book entitled Wheels of Life. In this book, Judith talks extensively about the seven chakras, and even lists correspondences between the chakras and various herbs, crystals, elements, planets, tarot cards, deities, and archangels.

Her book became wildly popular within holistic and spiritual circles, and set in stone the way that modern neo-pagans view the chakras in the West.

So, are chakras part of a closed culture?

Yes and no.

Chakras as we view them in the West are, at best, a distorted and bastardized version of a beautiful, ancient belief. They were studied and theorized by many traditions for over a thousand years, and many of these traditions still exist today. Most commonly, they are still used in Shaivism, which is one of the most prevalent forms of Hinduism in the East.

Many of these living traditions ARE, in fact, closed. But more than that, to perpetuate (and worse, claim spirituality from) a distorted, white-washed version of an Eastern religious belief is just plain disrespectful and potentially racist at its worst.

That being said, though, there are certain living traditions which ARE NOT closed, such as the exceedingly popular Tibetan Buddhism. These traditions recognize many of the same teachings and are freely shared with people of any nationality or background - as long as you put in the work to learn about them.

The Main Takeaway

The chakras, as viewed in the West, are incorrect. This is not to disclaim any type of spiritual experience Westerners may have had by utilizing chakras in their practice, but I'm of the opinion that Westerners should recognize that the "chakras" they believe in don't actually have any basis in ancient spirituality.

That being said, the concept of a subtle body and energy centers within the human spirit is not unique to the Far East.

The concept of currents and centers of energy within the body can be found in cultures the world over, from India to Japan to Korea to Africa to the Middle East, and even among the Native Americans who never came into contact with these other cultures (as far as we know).

The human soul, the subtle body, and spiritual energy are concepts that supercede cultural boundaries, and if studying and utilizing them is an integral part of your craft, then I encourage you to follow your personal path and find connection with the Universe in whatever way you feel called to.

But. Perhaps developing your own unique system and beliefs about the energy centers within the body is the best course of action for us Westerners. Until we ourselves make the effort go join one of those (open) traditions, subscribing to the modern Western system of "chakras" is, in my opinion, cultural appropriation.

• • •

Brightest blessings, and best of luck 🌙

requested by anonymous

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Witch Tip 34

ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE HERBS YOUR ABOUT TO INGEST WON T FUCKING KILL YOU

Tumblr Grimoire

Here is a comprehensive collection of all of the posts I've done on the occult and the spells I've done and spell resources. This will be added to over the life of the blog as well this way everyone won't have to dig for everything. And you get to learn a bit more about my practice.

Occult & Folklore Lessons

History Of Solomonic Practices

Ars Goetia 72 demons Kings

Ars Goetia 72 Demons Dukes Pt. 1

Petitioning Deities From Around The Globe

Ancient Art of Osteomancy

Curses: A History On The Dark Arts and How to Practice Them

The Enochian Language

Scrying, A History, and Guide

CELTIC FOLKLORE&MYTHOLOGY 101

Realm of Celtic Faeries

Protection From Malignant Spirits

Appalachian Folk Practices 101

Incantation Bowls

Spells and Rituals

Exorcism

Exorcism Charms

Exorcism Powder

Boundary Powder

Everlight Candles

Solarian Oil

Vincula Luna

Igni Bowls

Basic Banishment

Binding A Spirit To An Object

Malignant Spirit Binding Totem

Pseudo Moon Water

Medicinal Herbs & Remedies

Tincture For Sleep

Salve For Minor Injuries

Grimoire Reading List

this is added to periodically it's free pdfs you can download

Informational Joke Posts/Answered Asks

Greek Sacrifice Traditions

Is Mana Real?

Sonneillon The Demon Of Hate

Demonolatry for Lesser Known Demons

Do you have to be born with magic, or can anyone learn it?

Navigating the Divide Between Legitimate Academic Study and Occult Fiction

Can magic heal physical injuries or illnesses, or is that just stuff they show in movies?

Services Offered By WanderingSorcerer

Get Early Access To All Of My Work On Magick and The Occult

Spellwork and Tarot Reading Prices Listed Here

One On One Occult Lessons With WanderingSorcerer

☕If You Love My Blog Consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi☕ 😊

the prairie witch vibes @ batsheva rtw spring 2o19

Mama Bree's Magical Powders

Finally, all my powder recipes in one place! Go nuts, witchlings.

All-Purpose Cursing Powder

Banishing Powder

Clean House Powder

“Eye of Sauron” Revelation Powder

Heal Thy Heart Powder

Hexbreaker Powder

Jackpot Powder

Lucky Day Powder

“Outta My Way” Powder

Peacekeeper Powder

Persuasion Powder

STFU Powder

Traveler’s Luck Powder

Truthfinder Powder

For those of you who may not be able to find herbs locally, here are some online suppliers who consistently have affordable and high-quality products.

Ruth Roy’s Wellcat Herbs - A highly reputable seller with quality herbs, teas, incense, and botanicals. Also runs a booth every year at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. (*HIGHLY RECOMMEND*)

Starwest Botanicals - Bulk herbs, spices, oils, and teas. Good amount of organic and Fair Trade products, as well as supplies for holistic medicine and tea-making.

Mountain Rose Herbs - Bulk herbs, spices, and sundries. Also carries organic products and essential oils, and has link to schools that offer courses in herbalism and herbology.

The Magickal Cat - Online shop with just about everything you could want for your craft, from herbs to books to cauldrons, and everything in between. Reliable shipping and excellent customer service.

Bulk Apothecary - Bulk herbs, spices, and oils, in addition to materials for the home production of soap, candles, wine, and beer.

For more online resources and information on herb magic and spells, check out my website here.

THE TOWER - Tarot Card Curse Jar

Hey y'all ! I made this because some people love to be absolute douche bags!!! So if your local douche bag is being extra douchey then this just might be for you

This curse is meant to fuck up five different aspects of someone’s life (depending on the cards) which can be changed accordingly This is the first Curse/Spell I’ve ever written so go easy on me, yeah? If you do actually do this- tag me. I’d love to see it ;0;

You Will Need:

* The Tower

* Chariot

* The Wheel of fortune

* Ten of Pentacles

* Three of Cups

* Knight of Pentacles

* A Mason Jar

* Taglock (preferably a picture)

* Curse powder (optional)

1. Print out the Tarot cards mentioned above (you can even use a scanner and scan your own cards) and cut them out. These are the cards you’ll be using for the curse

2. Take your mason jar and your taglock. Tape the taglock on the inside of the jar’s lid.

3. Now you’re ready to start. Find a place where you won’t be interrupted and lay out all the cards in front of you

THE CARDS

* Pick up the chariot first. Hold it above the taglock and say: “The Chariot, for determination and will power” now reverse the card and say “may you lose your focus and motivation, especially in study” now tear up the card and place it in the jar

* The wheel of fortune is next. Hold the card above the taglock again and say “the wheel of fortune for good luck” reverse and say “may your luck run dry and your path be strewn with mischances” tear and add to the jar.

* Third is the ten of Pentacles. Again, holding the card over the taglock say “Ten of Pentacles for Finance” reverse “may you experience personal financial failure” rip and toss it in the jar

* Now move on to the three of cups. Say: “three of cups for friendship and joy” next,you guessed it, reverse the card. “May your bridges burn and your heart fill with sadness” tear up that baby and toss it in the damn jar

* Lastly (thank the lord) is the knight of pentacles. Say: “knight of pentacles for efficiency and hard work” turn it upside down and continue. “ May your efforts and hard work prove fruitless” throw the shreds in the jar

————————————

Now that all the shredded cards are in the jar, throw in some curse powder or red pepper flakes to give the curse an extra kick. You can add other things like rusted nails or a tiny bit of war water etc, etc..

Close the lid of the jar. Shake the shit out of it. Let your anger bubble up and envision the target suffering the above mentioned misfortunes. Open the jar back up and place the tower, upright, into the jar.

Close the lid again. Say: “may the tower bring the destruction you deserve” Hide the jar in a dark place and shake it when you feel the curse needs an extra kick.

————————

To undo this curse open the jar and remove the tower. Reverse and rip it then throw it into the jar. Declare that the curse is lifted and dispose of the taglock and contents of the jar outside. Sweep the contents off of your property and dust off your hands. Now you can cleanse your jar for later use. Again, this is my first spell and curse I’ve ever written. If you decide to try it show me your results!!

👁‍🗨Cheers!

Feed Your Enemy to the Crows 💀

The academy I attend has a large murder of crows that gathers around it each and every day. It makes it convenient to utilize them for hexing after everyone has left for the day.

This hex is a long-term one, meant to gradually chip away at your target’s vitality, good fortune and prosperity. And it’s very simple. Feed them to the crows.

If you have a local murder of crows that hang around, you can very easily befriend them with some food. (Try not to do this in an outdoor gathering space, like a park, board walk or a picnic area, where the crows will become a nuisance to the locals, it’s rude). 

Take a bag of bird feed, or any bird safe food, such as:

Eggs and their shells

Unsalted nuts

Seeds

Fruits

Vegetables

Chicken

Write the name of your target on the bag, imagine that the food holds the essence of the person you wish to drain. Now, whenever you take food from the bag, visualize yourself taking away the power of your target.

Throw the food to the crows, and ask that they carry your target’s gifts and happiness away as they eat.

Repeat every day or as often as you can until you are satisfied with your target’s demise. And be sure to thank the crows for their service.