natural-magics:

1. Plant a silver coin somewhere near your doorway so that money “grows” and prosperity is attracted into your home.
2. Find or make a bookmark that represents a god or goddess of abundance and keep this in your checkbook.
3. Carve dollar signs into a green or gold candle and anoint it with patchouli oil (associated with financial security). Light this, saying: “As this candle decreases, may my money increase.” Let the candle burn completely out.
4. Keep the cork from a bottle of champagne or wine that you enjoyed on a celebratory occasion. Split the cork at the top and put a silver coin therein, saying: “Money to me, money to me, today I claim prosperity.” Keep this in a special place of honor in your home.
5. Mix hand cream with a few drops of an aromatic oil that represents prosperity (lavender, patchouli, ginger, etc). Rub this over your hands before balancing your checkbook or entering into any financial transactions, saying: “Keep my pockets filled, by my word and my will.”

Found in: How To Be A Wicked Witch: Good Spells, Charms, Potions and Notions for Bad Days by Patricia Telesco

“Britain’s Wicca Man” — earlier this year I posted the trailer to this documentary, and I’m very excited to see it finished.

This video is a little problematic as it tends to generalize all witches as “earth revering, ‘white’ witches, moon worshipping”, etc, not just Wiccans.

However, it is a very good beginner’s look at modern Wicca, and clears up many of the misconceptions of Wicca being an ancient tradition.

Rituals like this, which bear reverence for nature, feel like the continuation of a very ancient tradition. But in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Because Wicca doesn’t have its origins in the mists of time, but in 1930’s Dorset.

Originally over an hour long, it’s been cut down to under half an hour. Not nearly enough time for decades of history. It skims over a lot, but has wonderful extracts from Gardner’s own biography, as well as interviews from a lot of prominent people in the Pagan community. You should check it out!

thelivingwiccan:

So this is a fairly old altar that I stumbled across pictures from. These photos were taken approximately just after Beltane, before the harvest festivals started… Which is a long time, especially in terms of how often I rearrange my altars.

So what you’re looking are two general set-ups, just the basic altars that I change around every once and a while.  Let’s start with the main one under the window with the leafy altar cloth, just the things under the table. We’ve got the pentagram hanging candle holder, chalices, antlers (almost always present to represent the Great Consort) and plenty of red candles. We also have little personal items, such as the angel that a dear friend gave to me.

As for the large area around it: this is a space that has been cultivated by me for years now. This is at my main home, the one I spend the most time at, and therefore is much larger than some of my other locations. The writing above the window is my own, though the words are not. Many of you may recognise it from Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene ii. A complicated branch is suspended above the altar, and a Sabbat satchet that a very dear friend made for me hangs from it, as well. The furs are the head of a coyote and the tail of a racoon, symbolizing the beginning and end of all things. In the center hangs a protection strand of dried beans. On the sides are a mask that my mother gave to me, and an evil eye which my brother gave to me. You can see on either side my shelves of general witchery: necklaces, candles, a wonderful decorative box that was gifted to me by another dear friend, mortar and pestles, etc.

I think this is the first photoset where you have been able to see my entire altar space; which is surprising I could even take a photo, as it is quite large. However, it has changed since this photo was taken.

The second last photo in this photoset is of my seperate altar. (I have three in my room at the moment: One for general ritual, one to honour a specific Deity, theme, or goal that I’m focusing on at the moment, and a third for Honouring the Glorious Dead: I find that this one comes almost accidentally — many people mistakenly think that they should gift me dead animals. As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I often feel as though they should be honoured properly.)

So the second last photo was my Goddess altar. On it you’ll recognise the two statues I often use, my dragon candle holder (yes, it is hollow, has scale-shaped holes, and has candle holders inside), rabbit fur with roses placed on top, my second mortar and pestle, with a flourite crystal and more roses.

The very last photo is something I do a lot with my altars, especially my God altars. I found three of these claw-like carvings with horned men carved into them (one can only assume that they were supposed to be the Devil). I use them sort of as a calendar, to mark when the Great One is in His youth, manhood, or wise age. By the looks of this photo, I can assume that we were somewhere between Beltane and Lughnasadh.

Well, that was an awful lot of writing. I hope you all enjoy some more insight into my Craft, my practices, whathaveyou. Blessed Be.

All photos are property of TheLivingWiccan: Do not remove source.

thelivingwiccan:

How to make a Travel Altar:

This is my mini travel altar. Clockwise from the very top I have: my box; my tiny purple altar cloth; a shell; a feather; some salt; God and Goddess representation statues; incense; pentacle; candles; lighter; more incense.

Here’s how I did it.

Getting started:

I began first by deciding how big I needed my travel altar to be. For me, I wanted something very small that I could carry with one hand and could put inside a larger bag for when I go far away from my home. I chose a decorative 4x3 inch box. I already had one lying around at home to store foreign currency, but you can easily find these types of boxes at dollar stores for a buck or two.

Next, I thought of what I needed in it. I work primarily with candles, incenses, and I enjoy having representations of things present on my altar cloth. And speaking of which - I also needed an altar cloth.

The surface:

For the cloth, I chose a small piece of fabric I had lying around my house in my favorite colour. Check scrap bins at fabric stores for small enough pieces for extremely cheap, that also come in wonderful patterns.

Then, for the elements:

• I chose a shell to represent water. The benefits to using a shell is that they’re very handy for burning powdered and solid incenses. It can be used as a chalice, in a pinch!

• I chose a feather to represent air. I could also use it to waft incense.

• A tiny jar of salt was used to represent earth. It can also be used to cleanse sacred space. The jar was one of those little jam jars you can get on planes or in hotels - I often use them to store my herbs. Yet another very simple item you can easily find, even at dollar stores.

• For fire, I was content with just using candles and incense as I usually do.

Deity:

My God and Goddess representation statues were found at a tiny Chinese corner store for a dollar each. They’re carved out of carnelion, and they are no bigger than half the length of my thumb. They’re perfect for mediation when there’s one in each of my hands.

Incense:

For incense, I broke up various large joss sticks that I already had at home and put them in a tiny matchbox. I also got a small bag for my sage so I could cleanse my sacred space, and another mini dollar store jar for some jasmine.

Candles:

For a travel altar, birthday candles work extremely well. They’re very inexpensive, and come in a variety of colours. At first, I used matches to light them, but the tiny matchboxes always ran out so quickly, so I switched to a lighter instead.

Other Tools:

My small pentacle I made using a brass craft ring and some purple thread - I left a loop on the top in case I want to hang it from a tree or bush.

I’ve also seen some people use letter openers for athames. I deliberated it, by mine wouldn’t fit.

I really hope this helps you in starting your own! Mine has proved invaluable over the course of my practising.

Blessed Be

)O(

Magic done when the moon and sun are both visible in the sky can have potent effects for certain desired outcomes. Look it up! 

Today I sat at my outdoor altar paying respects to the animals I have found the past 3 days. I got up, and then had to immediately bury another bird after it crashed straight into my back door. It died shortly afterwards, a black thrush. I didn’t know what to do, I just…. held it. I buried it next to last night’s mourning dove.

I don’t know what’s causing it. But I am becoming more and more sure of the nature of my craft. And more and more aware of the rites I must perform in my daily life and practice.

It seems as though Lady Death is calling for my aid.

futharkreader:

If you’re like me, you might have some old nail polishes laying around. Maybe that black nail polish you bought three years ago has finally given up the ghost, and all you’re left with is a few drops of crusty goop. And a perfectly good bottle! I have never heard a witch yet who will turn down a bottle with a sealable lid.

So here’s how to turn that junky nail polish bottle into a vessel for your next potion!

You will need:

• nail polish bottle
• acetone or nail polish remover
• salt
• cotton swabs, cotton balls, paper towel, or something along those lines
• eyedropper, funnel, or a steady hand
• optional: scissors or pliers
• optional: dishwasher

Here’s how-to:

1. Remove the stickers and labels. This can be difficult. Soap and warm water helps remove any sticky residues and can loosen the labels on the bottle.
2. Mix a small amount of salt in a small portion of nail polish remover or acetone. The salt not only helps the acetone remove chunky particles of nail polish, but it also provides a purifying, cleansing element to the process of creating a new potion bottle.
3. With a funnel or an eyedropper (or a very steady hand) pour some of the mixture into the bottle. You don’t need much, just enough to fill a quarter to a third of the bottle.
4. Shake it! You may have to dump out the solution and repeat this process several times before the nail polish bottle starts to run clear.
5. Take a cotton swab, cotton balls, paper towels, or whatever is handy, and dip it in the mixture. Clean the neck of the bottle as well as the inside of the lid, the stem, and the brush.
6. Optional: remove the brush and stem with pliers. This depends on how the bottle is made. Some come out easily, some are fused with the lid itself. In a pinch, scissors will do for cutting the majority of the brush and stem.
7. Optional: Run it through the dishwasher. For that extra clean, or just to remove the smell of acetone, stick it in the dishwasher. Keep it on the top rack to prevent any damages to the lid.

And there you have it! A clean bottle ready to be consecrated and filled with herbs and energy!

Beautiful. Love recycling bottles.

Hello! I don’t necessarily consider it a bad thing either — I find the passage from one journey to another to be one of the most sobering things: and perfect for clearing my head of unnecessary stresses in the grand scheme of things.

However, I’ve always been drawn to animals, had animals drawn to me, and always had that affinity. It’s only recently that all of my animal visitors are dead, and it unnerves me a little bit. Even though I do have a specific altar reserved for Animal Gifts, it’s been a while since it’s overflowed like this.

However, I have been getting more into bone cleaning, hedgewitchery, and ritual funerals lately. I’m thinking it’s this newfound interest of mine that’s provoking it. Perhaps it’s nature’s way of dealing with supply vs. demand? 

More thoughts. Thanks for the message!

Today I’ve come across 3 more dead animals. I’ve buried whomever I can and said prayers. Something is following, shadowing death.

Rituals and protective spells are in place, but I can’t shake the sadness of death when it calls. I hope that whatever takes these animals finds its peace soon.

How To Not Piss Off Your Tarot Reader

I agree with 99.9% of this! The doctor example is priceless, and I can’t tell you how many times it’s happened to me.

dythetiern:

One of the things that often hinders magic and truly fulfilling witchery is being stung by the apathy bug. Next time that happens, make this dish and sting back with bountiful energy and a healthier outlook! This dish is also nice as part of autumn postritual feasts, having all the right ingredients for nurturing enthusiasm. (Serves 6 adults)

• 3 cups of peeled apples, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp flour and 1/4 tsp ginger powder, blended
• 1 standard pie crust
• 1/2 tsp finely grated orange rind
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 stick butter

Toss the apple slices with the flour and ginger blend until they’re evenly coated. Lay these out evenly on on half of the pie crust. Next mix the orange rind, lemon zest, almonds, and brown sugar and sprinkle this over the top of the apples. Dab with butter evenly. Fold the pie crust over the apple mix and secure the edges by pinching (this configuration creates a pouch for your magic to grow toward manifestation.)

Make a few fork holes on the top of the tart, then bake in a preheated 350- degree oven for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and juice bubbles up through the fork holes. Serve with a sprinkling of sweet cream (to nurture yourself).

Source

dianaandpansson:

Vervain
Verbena officinalis

 

“This Old World native was a favorite of the Druids, who gathered vervain when the Dog Star, Sirius, was on the rise, in the dark of the Moon. The Druids utilized vervain in divination, consecration, and ritual cleansing of sacred spaces. They made a magical drink called the Cauldron of Cerridwen (a shapeshifter) that some say included rowan berries, sea water, lesser celandine, flixweed, and vervain, which brought the drinker creative energy for bardic song and prophecy; a drink made from vervain is still said to help poets in their work. Vervain is also still used to make a drink for intiating into Druidic paths. It is fragrant and can be drunk as a tea or burned as an incense. In its connection with the Underworld, it can be added to a cup of wine drunk on Samhain to aid contact with the Beloved Dead.

In Purification

Vervain has a long history of use in purification. King Solomon cleansed the Temple with vervain, and the Romans placed it on altars in honor of Venus and Diana. A lustral water can be made from vervain for purifying ritual tools, and a bath with vervain can help the bather prepare for ritual work. In the British Isles, people held vervain over the Beltane fire to protect their livestock and strewed it over their fields at Summer Solstice to make sure they would be fertile. Nowadays, Pagans strew it over their gardens for the same reason.

As Protective

However, vervain is also protective—Roman soldiers carried vervain with them into battle, and homes have been sprinkled with an infusion of vervain to keep out evil. It can also be burned as an incense for this purpose. In the old Langauge of Flowers, vervain stood for enchantment and still is very important in various aspects of magick. Drinking the tea is said to help in astral work and divination, and for that reason is tied by some to Mercury. A mug of vervain tea is made from 1-3 teaspoons of herb left to steep in a mug for 10-15 minutes. Also, you can make an oil to anoint the Third Eye by macerating this herb in olive oil.

Other Names

Vervain is also known as Vervan, Van Van, Ferfaen, Verbein, Verbena, Verbinaca, Dragon’s Claw, Enchanter’s Plant, Tears of Isis, Juno’s Tears, Herba Veneris (herb of Venus), Persephonion, Demetria, Mercury’s Moist Blood, Peristerium, Sagmina, Pigeon Grass, Pigeonwood, Frog-foot, Simpler’s Joy, Altar Plant, Herba Sacra or Herbe Sacrée, Holy Plant, Herb of Cross, Holy Herb, and Herb of Grace.”
 

-Alchemy Works

Lots about vervain in the tags today!

knittingwitch:

Today’s draw is #STRUGGLE pulled from my #Shadowscapes deck. Restraint, limitation, worry, stress and self sabotage. I have suffered with these demons for the better part of last week, and they are still lingering…I am on the mend. Have a #magical day friends! #GoodVibes #magic #witch #witchcraft #tarot #divination #altar #pagan

I own this deck! It’s definitely one of my favorites.

Well, you can definitely use their colour for things:

Red for passion and courage, white for loyalty and perhaps “purity”, innocence, truth. Yellow roses used to symbolize jealousy, and also friendship and joy. Pink (aside from love) could help with grace, gratitude, poise, and generosity. Brighter tones like orange could help with energy and exuberance, purple for magic and mysticism. 

Hope this helps! 
TheLivingWiccan
)O( 

gardenofthequeen:

 To Fetch or Not to Fetch: THAT IS THE QUESTION 

• reasons for creating a Fetch

No but seriously, what is a fetch?

A fetch is an artificially created entity, in which has a specific purpose (one of the definitions of a fetch). It is created to carry out this intended purpose, and typically has no free will or very limited free will.

Why would anyone want to make one? Its a living entity.

There are many pros and cons to making a Fetch, and I definitely wouldn’t make them for just any reason. From the experienced that I have obtained, I find fetch making to be very exhausting and definitely takes a bit of time, so make the fetch’s purpose worth it.

There is also another thing to consider besides having the purpose being worth the time and energy. The meaning of the fetch’s life is to do this intended purpose. It should be worthy of creating an entity just for it.

Giving a good purpose also shows a bit of respect towards the Fetch, and I will get more into respect and control later. 

-

Imagine this intended purpose. You are experiencing a lot of safety problems in your neighborhood, and you definitely don’t want your home and house mates to be endangered. The intended purpose? To protect the home and those living within it. Protection is definitely a common reason for Fetch making. A friend of mine created a fetch to ask as a guardian over her baby.

Fetches usually make good protectors of the home or even guardians of objects or living creatures. They are given a list of specifics to watch out for, and are given a list of instructions to follow. 

Fetches aslo make great finders and bringers. Basically meaning, they assist in finding certain things, or to bring something to you. It could bring money, it could bring good luck, it could bring good weather. It could help find lost items, it could help find a person, it could help find a pet. It all really depends on what you need.

-

How does one deem the “purpose” to be worthy or not? Here are a few good questions to think of.

• Is it worth the time and effort given to creating the fetch?
• Does the rewards of the purpose succeed passed other methods? (Does the Fetch help more than just a simple spell?)
• Would the Fetch be respected and congratulated for doing the task in mind?
• Would the Fetch be properly treated and taken seriously for doing the intended purpose?
• Would you be willing to reward the Fetch for doing the task?
• how long would the task take to complete?
• How difficult is it?

Its important to consider all these questions when fetch making. The Fetch is a living entity, and even though its under your control, it should be treated with respect and given a task that is worthy of being its life’s purpose. 

Having a purpose, in which you respect, is an important part for the Fetch. Respect is a huge part of the control aspect of the fetch.

A Fetch with an unrespected purpose is far more likely to rebel and try to break free.

next part: Ways to Make a Fetch (Coming soon)