💕 Love Spells By Orriculum

Basic Offering Ideas for Spirits

Hello! I will be making a recipe list sometime soon for those of you who want to spice up your offerings or routine, but for now, here are some easy daily offerings with a little correspondence with them, based on my personal experiences.

Apples: Apples represent a full harvest, abundance, and time spent with the ones you love. Perfect for those times when you want to recall memories you’ve had with the spirit.

Oranges: Their vibrancy, attraction, and the smell all come together to represent a life lived to the fullest. I like to think of oranges as an innocent guilty pleasure, and something easy to obtain.

Grapes: elegance, refinement, perfection. I also tend to think of being waited on and treated like royalty. Definitely good for a spirit who needs some extra attention.

Fruit in General: great for sweetening up a spirit, or showing that you find them vibrant and kind. I like to give fruit and eat another piece of fruit with them, make it a little date of sorts.

Honey: another sweetening agent. Good for spirits who are feeling low on energy, as it lasts a while and holds lots of sugar, which I often associate with energy.

Bread: fun to make, and good to customize. Have a spirit who likes a bit of savoury element to their offerings? Try adding spices, maybe make garlic bread. Alternatively, you can bake sourdough, brioche, or even some sort of sweet bread. It’s a fabulous offering for family and household spirits.

Milk and Honey: Definitely something I would offer nature spirits. It’s wholesome, sweet, and very natural. Great for those moments when you want to indulge on them.

Chocolate Milk: An alternative to milk and honey. Something I think children spirits would enjoy.

Milks in General: This includes soy milk, almond milk, etc. I find these to be good offerings you don’t leave out, for obvious reasons. Nice for rituals and for those moments when you want to be able to take it away after a little bit. Very filling and delicious.

Cookies, Cakes, and Sweet treats:

Water: I see this most often with ancestral spirits, or spirits you make offerings to on a daily basis. You can enchant it, charge it, make gem elixir with it. There’s a lot of magic in water anyway, though.

Wine/Alcohol: I find a lot of spirits request this, even though I can’t give it to them. Maybe it’s because it’s a ‘spirit’? *badum tssss* Seriously though, this is a fairly generic offering I see a lot.

Juice/Cider/Lemonade/etc: Similar to wine, but much more friendly to your wallet and to those of you who don’t drink for whatever reason. I associate this with friendship for some reason.

Platters: Grab a couple of items from your fridge or pantry, and offer it together. I most often go for grapes, cheese, crackers, and juice. I just find it to be an easy, hassle free offering that doesn’t cost much. Especially if you don’t give it in large quantities, which is totally okay with this, and any other offering really. I like this one in particular because it offers a variety of tastes and energy sources.

Drawings: Pictures, especially things you’ve made, are awesome offerings. It shows you care and are willing to spend time thinking about them. Just like any other relationship, meaningful gifts are awesome.

Photographs: Whether you see something cool outside or online, bringing them a picture that you think they would like is kind. It also shows that you know them pretty well, or are at least trying to.

Embroidery: I have a friend that makes beautiful embroidery pieces for the Hellenic Theoi, whom I worship in particular. They’re full of energy and patience and time, and I think that makes it a great offering. Not to mention they’re just nice to look at.

Sigils: Make sigils for those special spirits in your life! They can be to promote energy, happiness, peace, etc. Ask them what they would like, and make it for them. Add it to their vessel if they have one, and you got a good start.

Natural Objects: Crystals, flowers, pretty leaves, jars of sand. Glasses of water from a stream, rocks, pieces of wood that fall from trees (ask permission before taking any of these things); all are awesome ideas. They have energy, and make them lasting offerings that you can recharge and fill beck up.

Music or Sound: Play a song for them. Play your own musical instrument. Sing, ring bells, clap around. Sound is vibration, and it is energy. It is also something we like. So why wouldn’t most spirits? Ask them if they would like to hear music, or even a specific song.

Energy: Send them balls of energy, streams of it, etc. Help them connect to the moon or the Earth so they can use that as often as they need to. Basically, provide a source for them to live off of when not using your offerings. I do not recommend having them use you as an energy source, except on occasion and for a short period of time, because they can drain you, even without meaning to.

Trinkets: Find something cool at a store? Maybe you pick up a few bobbles at a thrift store. If you feel like they would want it, offer it! You never know what could make them smile, or keep them busy when you’re not home, and they’re not out and about.

Anything You Think They Would Enjoy: Literally anything could be an offering. Find what works for you and what they like. Make special offerings once in a while, too, if possible. And remember, this is a relationship, not a mandatory thing. You are doing this together, and you chose to be a friend of this spirit, most of the time.

I hope this list will help some of you get started! Feel free to add on to this list, share your experiences, etc. Happy offering!

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Magics for Animals, Pets, and Familiars

Updated: July 22, 2017

Spells

Attracting Animals

[Feed the Birds Spell]

[Here, Kitty Kitty: A Few of Your Favorite Things Charm Bag] (cw: sigil)

[To Make Animals Less Afraid of Your Presence]

[A Spell to Find a Furry (or Finned or Feathered or Scaled) Friend]

Blessings

[Bless a Pet]

[Cat Blessing]

[Cat Blessing]

[Pet Blessing]

[Spell to Welcome New Furry Friend to Your Home]

Communication

[Animal Communication Spell: Eve Oil]

[Communicate With Your Pet Spell]

Death / Remembrance

[Animal Release Spell]

[Pet Farewell Ritual]

[Pet Loss Ritual]

[Pet Release Ritual & Jar Spell]

[Prayers for a Deceased Pet Cat]

[Prayers for a Deceased Pet Dog]

[Prayers to Help a Familiar Cross Over / Ease Their Pain]

Finding / Calling a Familiar

[Animal Ally Invitation Spell]

[Another Way of Gaining a Familiar Spirit]

[To Call a Familiar]

[Finding a Familiar]

[One Method of Contacting Familiar Spirits]

[Simple Ritual of Familiar]

[Spell to Ask for a Familiar]

Healing and Health

*Reminder: Do not neglect taking your pet to the vet for a cheaper, magical solution; spells should be used as a boost, not as a replacement, to proper medical treatment for any animal. Be very careful with any flames or small objects around animals. Ensure that you are researching any herbs you will be using to guarantee they will not poison or harm your pet.*

[Emoji Spell to Recover from Illness]

[To Heal a Pet]

[Healing Crystals and Stones for Pets]

[Healthy Pet Spell]

[Pet Healing and Wellness Spell]

Locating Lost Animals

[To Call a Lost Pet]

[Crossroads Lost Animal Spell]

[Lost Pet Spell]

[Spell to Find a Lost Pet]

[Spell to Find a Lost Pet]

Protection

[Animal Candle Protection Spell]

[Animal Candle Protection Spell]

[Animal Protection Spell]

[Cat Protection Bag]

[Cat Protection Spell] (cw: gif)

[Pet Protection and Blessing]

[Pet Protection Powder]

[Pet Protection Spell]

[Pet Protection Spell]

[Pet Protection Spell]

[Pet Protection Spell Bottle]

[Pet Protection Spell Jar]

[Protection Chant for Cats]

[Protection Spells for Animals]

[Protection Spells for Pets]

[Protective Chant for Dogs]

[“Watch Over Me” Pet Protection Guardian]

Miscellaneous

[Familiar Binding Spell] (to strengthen the bond between a person and their familiar)

[Spell for Peace and Harmony] (for cats that need a little help getting along better)

[Spells Involving Cats]

Sigils

[“Animals are drawn to me”]

[“I get a pet soon”]

[“I get a service animal”]

[“I get along well with dogs”]

[“It is my will that my pets will be safe, healthy, and happy”]

[“My cat and I are bonded”]

[“My cat is protected”]

[“My dog is at peace and free of pain”]

[“My lost pet has been found safe”]

[“My lost pet will return to me”]

[“My pet goes to the bathroom only where it’s supposed to”]

[“My pet is safe”]

[“My pet is safe”]

[“My pets are happy and healthy”]

[“My pets remain in good health”]

[“My pet returns home safely”]

[“My therapy pet adapts quickly to my home”]

[“The outdoor cats are safe from harm”]

[“This animal is healed”]

[“This animal is healthy”]

[“This animal is protected”]

[“This pet does not eat my offerings or interfere with my rituals”]

[“This pet is safe and protected in their time of healing”]

Miscellaneous

[Recommended Reading: Animal Communication, Healing & Guidance]

[Tarot Readings for Pets and Familiars]

[Witchy Things to Do for Your Pet]

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10 Magic Herbs You Can Find at the Grocery Store

When you’re first getting started with witchcraft or another magical practice, it can be easy to get caught up in all of the material stuff involved. Witchy hashtags on social media are filled with pictures of huge sparkly crystals, gorgeous handmade ritual tools, and beautifully elaborate altars. Many spells in books or online call for a long list of herbs, some of which are expensive or hard to come by. For baby witches, it’s easy to feel like you can never be a “real” witch unless you have money for these expensive tools and toys.

This is not true. As we’ve talked about in previous chapters of this series, you don’t need any tools or material components to cast a spell — however, harnessing the energy of plants, crystals, and imagery can be a helpful way to add energy to your work. This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money. In fact, many of the most powerful and useful magical tools can be found on the spice aisle in your local supermarket, or even at the dollar store.

For example:

Salt. Salt is a witch’s best friend. It can be used for cleansing, banishing, protection, grounding, or to neutralize energy. Surrounding something with a circle of salt will protect it [Note: do NOT make salt circles outside, as salt will kill plant life!], and washing something with salt water will cleanse its energy. I often include salt in any spell that I feel needs an extra layer of protection.

Sugar. Just as salt banishes unwanted energy, sugar attracts the things you want into your life. Sugar can be used for any and all attraction spells, whether you’re looking to attract love, money, success, or something else. It can also be used to “sweeten” a situation, or make it more favorable.

Cinnamon. There’s pretty much no positive spell that doesn’t benefit from cinnamon. Cinnamon has associations with healing, love, success, and material wealth, but is also strongly associated with protection. I love burning cinnamon as incense — it fills the whole room with warm, cozy energy.

Cayenne. Cayenne is often used for banishing or binding spells, but a lesser known use is for getting things moving. Cayenne is a very fiery plant, so any spell dealing with passion, motivation, or drive can benefit from its inclusion. Cayenne can be used to “light a fire” under someone to motivate them to action. However, cayenne is a more harsh energy, so I often pair it with lavender or another soothing herb.

Coffee. I most often use coffee for grounding or to anchor things to the physical world. For example, I might include it in a prosperity spell to make sure the results manifest in my everyday life. Coffee is also energizing and brings mental clarity, and can enhance psychic abilities. Brewed coffee is also used in some traditions as an offering for spirits.

Bay leaves (Bay Laurel). Bay leaves are one of the most popular spell components because of their association with granting wishes. You’ve probably heard of the practice of writing a wish on a bay leaf and burning it to manifest your desire. I often include bay leaves in manifestation magic for this reason. Bay leaves can also be used for purification, cleansing, and exorcism.

Ginger. Ginger adds power to any spell it is included in. Ginger tea or gingery food can also give you a personal energy boost. I add ginger to any spell that needs some extra “oomph.” It is also associated with success.

Basil. Basil is very commonly used in money spells. Carrying a basil leaf on your person is believed to attract wealth. It also has associations with protection.

Peppermint. Peppermint is another herb that can add power to virtually any spell. It can bring healing and purification, can remove obstacles and free up stuck energy, and can enhance psychic abilities. Peppermint is a common ingredient in dream pillows. You can find peppermint tea at virtually any grocery store, and many stores also carry the essential oil.

Lavender. Lavender is my favorite herb for bringing peace to a situation. It’s very good for healing magic and for soothing difficult emotions. Lavender is also associated with love, and I especially like to use it in spells for self love. Most stores carry lavender essential oil, and you can also find herbal teas that include it as an ingredient.

With the above herbs at your side, you’ll have everything you need to cast virtually any type of spell. Honestly, even if you just have salt, sugar, and maybe some white candles, you can create powerful spells for dozens of different intentions, from protection to self love to getting a job. Remember, what matters isn’t so much what you have — it’s your intention.

These are also edible, so they can be incorporated into magical recipes for different intentions. In fact, most of the ingredients you cook with every day have magical associations and can do double duty as powerful additions to your spells. For more information about the magical uses of common household herbs and spices, I highly recommend the book A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin, which is where most of the info for this post came from.

Other useful magical items that you can pick up at the grocery store include:

Olive oil. Olive oil can be used as an all-purpose anointing oil for candles, ritual tools, or your body. It can also be used to dilute essential oil, or as a base for custom magical oils.

Tealight candles. These small candles are perfect for candle spells. White tealights can be used for any intention.

House plants. Many common houseplants have magical associations. For example, aloe brings protection and healing. You can also grow some witchy herbs, like peppermint or rosemary, indoors.

Epsom salt. Epsom salt is a great base for bath spells. You can add essential oils and herbs to make custom bath salts — just be sure to research oils and herbs ahead of time, as some can cause skin irritation. [Note: Epsom salt is not actually salt, and cannot be substituted for salt in spells.]

Notebooks. Writing things down is an important part of witchcraft. Keeping a record of your spells, divination, and magical experiences makes it easier to keep track of everything.

Again, I want to stress that you don’t need a specific set of tools to be a witch. In fact, you can do highly effective magic without ever working with herbs at all. But if you want to gather some items to add power to your spells or help you feel more witchy (after all, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to set the mood!), you can get everything you need for a few bucks at the local supermarket or dollar store. Remember, our ancestors worked magic with what they had — not with expensive crystal collections or exotic herbs.

💀 Curse Correspondences 💀

Crystals:

Agate - for use on a target who has entered a space uninvited, i.e. someone breaking into your home or vehicle

Alexandrite - causes obsession and delusions

Amethyst - causes sensitivity and self-destruction

Astrophyllite - causes those who have died at the hands of another to torment the target from the grave

Diamond - causes blindness, confusion, and disorientation

Diopside - lowers inhibitions and causes secrets to be revealed

Emerald - causes greed, selfishness, and isolation

Flint - causes conflicts

Garnet - leeches energy from a target

Kunzite - induces vulnerability 

Kyanite - used to infiltrate a target’s mind

Meteorite - used as a catalyst in baneful magick

Obsidian - used for general aggressive magick

Onyx - causes nightmares and mental torment, and is used to break up relationships

Opal - used to store negative energy, and then to be given to a target

Ruby - used to focus your intent on a target

Colors:

Black - law, justice, manifestation, sorrow

Red - force, energy, confrontation, jealousy, anger

Greenish Yellow - strife, discord, illness, conflict, jealousy, greed

Magenta - catalyst

Herbs:

Ague Weed - confusion 

Angelica Root - misery, strife, distress, discord

Asafoetida - drives enemies away

Bayberry - depression

Bindweed - binding

Blackberry Root - distress

Black Salt - misery, strife, distress, discord

Bladderwrack - illness

Bloodroot - substitute for blood

Blueberry - confusion, strife

Boneset - distress, confusion

Cayenne Pepper - anxiety

Chicory - discord

Chili Powder - discord, misery, strife

Cinquefoil - discomfort

Clove - stopping gossip

Cramp Bark - pain, illness

Dogbane - deception

Dragon’s Blood - destruction, strife, misery

Hemlock - discord, sadness

Henbane - illness, discord, melancholy

Jezebel Root - wickedness, ending relationships, punishing unfaithful lovers

Knot Weed - binding

Lemon - sourness, bitterness

Lemon Verbena - a boost of power, ending relationships

Lime - sourness, bitterness

Lobelia - discord

Mace - misery, strife

Mandrake - misery, strife

Mistletoe - isolation, confusion

Mullein - spirit work, nightmares

Mustard Seed - strife, discord

Myrrh - a boost of power

Nightshade (Belladonna) - discord, illness

Onion - strife

Patchouli - illness

Poke Root - confusion, discord

Poppy Seed - discord

Rue - misery

Safflower - destruction

Spanish Moss - bad luck

Slippery Elm - ending relationships

Stinging Nettle - jealousy, envy, discomfort

Sumac - bad luck

Tobacco - a substitute for any baneful herb

Tormentil - distress, harm, discord

Vetiver - silence

Wormwood (Absinthe) - misery, strife

Yew - spirit work

Yohimbe Bark - impotency

Planets:

Mars - power, force, energy, war, conflict, jealousy

Saturn - law, justice, chaos, revenge

Neptune - confusion, illusion, chaos

Pluto - death, mystery, crisis

Lunar Phases:

Waning - binding

Dark - destruction, banishing, justice

Black - power, manifestation

Taglocks:

DNA (saliva, nail clippings, hair, blood, etc.)

Drawings

Photos

The target’s name written on paper

The target’s signature

An item that belongs to the target

Other Ingredients:

Cigarette butts

Broken glass

Razorblades 

Vinegar

Lemon/lime juice

Alcohol

Bones

Needles

Nails

Thorns

Blood

Urine

Saliva

Shark teeth

Catfish spines

Murex seashells

Flying Devil Oil

Dead insects

Black sand

Charcoal

Disclaimer: I do not condone the unethical practice of collecting or harvesting animal parts, or forcefully obtaining certain biological taglocks. These are just ideas, and I am not responsible for anything you choose to do with them. 

Updated: 3-9-2017

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10 Simple Ways to Worship Mother Nature

These could apply to any earthly god or goddess really, so feel free to borrow any ideas that speak to you! And please tell me about how you worship your deity, I'd love to know 💚🪲

Going for daily, mindful walks. Sometimes I'll listen to music, other times I'll just listen to the world around me.

Wear a lot of greens and browns, as well as recycled and more sustainable fabrics (a lot of my clothes are also thrifted, and I try to avoid overconsumption)

Decorate my space with earthy colours, posters and pieces of the earth - I have crystals, bones, pressed flowers and even rocks and twigs in my room

Learn about nature and the world around me - I am a zoology student so my academic career is also a devotion to Mother Nature but I also learn about what animals I can see locally, I study when and where flowers bloom and how to tell when rain is coming etc

Reconnect with my more primal side - a significant part of my work with Mother Nature is reognising and accepting that humans are animals, and we behave as such; we cannot allow ourselves to become seperate from wilderness. To me, this involves connecting with my intuition and gut feelings, recognising my emotions and desires and working with them

Making and wearing daisy chains or flower crowns

Creating art inspired by the world around me and myself

Caring for animals (that includes other humans) when I can and it's safe: from helping a snail move across the path, to making sure a dying bird can rest peacefully, to giving food and money to the homeless

Loving myself, though it isn't always easy

Spending time outside with my hands in the dirt or streams, speaking with the trees and birds and listening to their replies

🌟 Simple / “Beginner” Spells 🌟

though i do not myself believe in the concept of a “beginner” spell, a lot of new witches often ask me what i recommend for them to start with. here’s some of the simpler lot, that should be easier to perform.

🌟 simple glamours:

shine like the sun - to be radiant like the sun

glow like the moon - to reclaim youth and past beauty

🌟 simple relationship spells:

sweeten your feelings - simple jar spell to sweeten a bond

rose bath spell -  a bath of roses and milk to gather love and beauty 

fries friendship ritual -  simple spell of binding friendships. 

respect jar spell - simple jar spell to help gain respect

🌟 simple self care spells:

restarting spell -  a ritual for fresh starts, to remove old energies, and invite new ones in

stuffed animal sleep spell -  a spell for keeping negativity out of dreams, whether it’s pain, difficult subjects, or people that hurt you.

face wash spell -  a simple spell to promote beautiful or healthy skin.

soft shores bath spell -  for peace and tranquility in one’s life and energy

jar spell for clarity -  for emotional/mental clarity and wisdom 

rose quartz healing tears - simple ritual to heal emotions

🌟 simple curses / hexes:

pumpkin head curse - seasonal curse to “burn” those who wrong you

burn your wishes - a simple curse to destroy someone’s wishes

🌟 simple miscellaneous spells:

simple study spell - scent-based studying/memory spell

finding things/memory spell -  a spell for when many things go missing, to help things reappear

rosemary memory spell -  a simple spell for when you need help remembering something 

plant growth spell -  a spell for helping plants/herbs grow and stay alive

pastel stars -  a spell to enchant paper stars with luck, love, happiness

Y’all asked for it so y’all gonna get it! I’mma start off with the barebones essentials and work my way to basic definitions. Sit down on something comfy and get yourself your warm beverage of choice and maybe grab a notebook because here goes.

What are runes?

Runic alphabets have been around since about 150 AD and used as a writing system by a lot of Germanic languages. These systems were eventually phased out, slowly but surely, with the progressive Christianisation that started around 700-1100 AD. The three most commonly known (and used?) Are the Elder Futhark, the Younger Futhark and Futhorc.

Runes aren’t, themselves, broadly meant for divination, thought there are a few passages in the Eddas that mention Odin “finding” and using them.

Alright, so which alphabet should I use?

Whichever one you want! I prefer using the Elder Futhark, because it’s the first alphabet I learned and got familiar with, but that doesn’t at all stop you from using the Younger Futhark or Futhorc. I’d heavily suggest making sure you read up on the differences in each alphabet though; Ansuz, for example, won’t look the same, mean the same or even be called the same from one alphabet to another. 

Familiarize yourself with each of them if you want/can, and choose based on your own preferences and criteria. Always work with what feels best for you!

But I’m not really familiar with Germanic traditions / I’m a baby witch, should or can I use runes for divination?

This is the concept that got my goat real good the first time. You do not, in any way, shape or form, need to be experienced to cast runes. This is a notion that is outdated and perpetuated by gatekeepers and exclusionists. No one gives a flying flip how long you’ve been practicing witchcraft, or if you even practice at all!

Divination should be seen as a tool to further yourself and/or your craft. It can be used by itself or in conjunction with other activities, practices or beliefs. I was 15 when I started learning about runes (dear god that was literally over ten years ago) and I had no idea what I was doing back then. I read up as much as I could about the system I was wanting to use and, once I was comfortable with it, I started doing small readings.

It shouldn’t matter how new or familiar you are to divination, rune casting or Germanic traditions. If rune casting feels right to you, you are more than free to use whatever divination method feels right to you.

What should I do before I start a reading?

As a Norse Pagan, I usually invoke my patron deities (Baldr and Loki, in this case), as well as Odin and Freyja, sometimes Gullveig/Heiðr because reasons. I have no idea whether or not this has any actual bearing on the reading itself, as mine were as accurate before I converted as they are now.

Making sure you’re in a quiet and/or comfortable space is also a good idea, even if that just means popping in some earphones and listening to something that makes you focus and feel calm.

This is also a good time to mention that cleansing your runes (stone, bone, wood or otherwise) is a very good idea. I typically do this with candles, incense, a bowl of water and a point of quartz for each element. I don’t do this nearly as often as I probably should, since most people suggest cleansing them after each reading… but, whatever, being lax with that hasn’t bitten me in the ass so far. So if you’re a spoonie, don’t worry: cleanse your runes when you feel they need to be cleansed, and that’s it.

Alright, I think I’m ready; how do I start reading?

Let me start by saying that the bullshit about never reading yourself? It’s just that. Bullshit. Do readings on yourself if you want to. Who the hell is going to stop you. Do whatever you want.

On that note, there are a few ways to cast runes, though these probably aren’t close to being the only ones: 

Intuitively choosing the stones Lay the runes down on a flat surface and let your hand hover over them and pick out the ones that feel right. You can either pick them in order of the spread you’re using, or place the runes where you feel they belong on the spread.

Throwing the stones Make sure you have a large flat surface to work with (preferably the floor honestly) where you won’t drop, scatter or lose a rune. You can use a mat underneath, and read the stones that fall on the corresponding positions in the spread or circle. (You can find many of these with a quick google search, or make your own mat!) Otherwise, you can take the first stones you see facing up and lay those out according to your spread.

Picking them blindly Either you or the person you’re reading pull stones blinding out of a pouch, bag or other container, and lay them out according to the spread you’re using. Pretty straightforward.

If you can think of another method, literally nothing is stopping you from using that instead. The runes are acting as a universal translator for whatever it is you’re tapping into. They’re just a tool to receive a message. How you choose to receive that message is completely up to you!

So I’ve got my runes laid out, now what?

Now comes the fun part. I can only really give you a good run-down of the Elder Futhark, and though it’s a good starting point, I would highly advise you do your own research on whatever alphabet you want to use. Wikipedia is a great place to start, but don’t stop there: look at several different websites and lists and compare. Combine and condense the information for yourself, and get to learn the definitions and meanings for yourself!

ᚠ Fehu • catle wealth, money, hard work paying off, can represent spiritual wealth reversed: effort gone to waste, natural and/or financial loss, greed

ᚢ Uruz • ox physical strength and speed, great energy, courage, masculine reversed: physical weakness, illness, violence, misdirected aggression

ᚦ Thurisaz • thor reactive, destructive and/or defensive force, tendency towards change reversed: dangerous compulsions, betrayal and malice, lies, spite

ᚨ Ansuz • of the Æsir  revelations, intuition, signs and signals, wisdom, power of words/names reversed: misunderstandings, delusions and vanity

ᚱ Raido • chariot physical/spiritual journeys, transition, seeing the bigger picture reversed: crisis, maybe due to stagnation, unwanted disruption

ᚲ Kaunan • torch creativity and inspiration, power of transformation, power of life reversed: instability, lack of creativity, false hope revealed, disillusionment

ᚷ Gebo • gift gifts in the form of sacrifice or generosity, contracts, partnerships reversed/opposed: greed, isolation and dependence, over-sacrifice

ᚹ Wunjo • joy comfort, pleasure, companionship, possibility of going over the top reversed: sorrow and alienation, growing distance, raging frenzy

ᚺ Hagalaz • hail wrath of nature, destruction for the sake of creation, natural order reversed: natural disasters, powerlessness, suffering

ᚾ Naudiz • need strength/growth from hardships, survival, determination reversed: deprivation and emotional starvation, constraints/restraints

ᛁ Isaz • ice challenges and frustration, psychological block, anticipation reversed/opposed: can oppose other runes with malice and treachery 

ᛃ Jera • good year hard work is fruitful, peace, happiness and relief, breaking the cycle reversed: sudden setbacks and bad timing

ᛈ Pertho • vagina secrets, mysteries, undiscovered abilities, choosing your own path reversed: stagnation, isolation and loneliness

ᛇ E/ihwaz • yew tree strength, stability, endurance, trustworthiness, your goal is realistic reversed: confusion, dissatisfaction and weakness of the mind

ᛉ Algiz • elk shield, the instinct to protect yourself/others, connection to the gods reversed: hidden dangers, loss of link to the divine, turning away

ᛊ Suwilo • the sun success and goals achieved, you have the power you need to succeed reversed/opposed: deception, false goals, gullibility, divine wrath

ᛏ Tiwaz • tyr honour and leadership, authority, success in competitions reversed: artistic block, over-analysis and sacrifice, imbalance/conflict

ᛒ Berkana • birch tree fertility in a broad sense, personal/physical growth, new beginnings reversed: family/relationship issues, anxiety over loved ones, abandon

ᛖ Ehwaz • horse steady and gradual progress, teamwork/loyalty, relationships reversed: reckless haste and its consequences, restlessness

ᛗ Mannaz • mankind the self, the human race, your attitude toward others and vice-versa, social awareness, altruism reversed: mortality, self-deception, cunning and manipulation

ᛚ Laguz • water literal/metaphorical flow, imagination, the unknown, chance of loss reversed: confusion/uncertainty, may be making the wrong choice

ᛝ Ingwaz • probably freyr warmth and love in general, tying loose ends, relief, freedom to move reversed: moving without change, fruitless effort, helpelessness

ᛞ Dagaz • dawn breakthroughs and clarity, security, power to change and grow, the ideal reversed/opposed: endings and coming round full circle

ᛟ Othila • inheritance ancestral property, what is most important, spiritual heritage and safety reversed: slavery, homelessness, bad karma, what one is unwillingly bound to

Phew! What a list. These are just brief descriptions and meanings that I’ve been able to compile and condense over the years.

But, what does “opposed” mean?

I see where you’re coming from. As a baby diviner, I, also, was confused by this. But let me explain how I’ve come to understand it! 

Sometimes, if you’re doing a set spread, you’ll have a spot for things like, “what will oppose you”, or “what you need to avoid”. Things like that. If, say, a rune like Suwilo was found in something like that, you’d want to try and keep a sharp mind to avoid deceptions or letting yourself be too gullible.

When runes don’t have a reversed form, their position in your spread will usually determine what they mean. (Though really this is true for literally any rune.)

Anything else I should know?

The best advice I can ever give anyone is to always do what you feel is right. If you find yourself wondering, “Should I do this? Is this right?” If you question yourself at all, you should probably not to the thing and go with something else.

It’s also important to mention that the names I have for the runes may not be the ones that you’ve learned to know them by; a lot of runes can go by different names depending on who you ask and where you look. Do your research, and know the runes by the names you feel are best! (And preferably historically accurate.)

As always, if you have any questions regarding runes and how to read them, please ask me! My ask box is literally always open and almost always empty.

ᚺᛖᛁᛚᛚ ∙ ᛟᚲ ∙ ᛋᛇᛚᛚ

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Breathing Life

Dolls and poppets are utilized across many faiths, however often witches neglect to “breath life” into them. Not doing so doesn’t make them wholly ineffective, however going the extra step really amps up the potency, especially when using it as sympathetic magic or creating a protective being! It’s a relatively simple step, but highly dependent upon which path you follow. I’ll briefly cover my methodology.

Foremost, I would like to specify the difference between the two types of dolls I utilize. One being sympathetic magic, the one most often thought of when people think of dolls and witchcraft. Voodoo dolls. This is a misnomer, as the common portrayal off voodoo dolls in media have skewed the original purpose of such dolls. Originally the dolls were used by practitioners not to affect people, but as a guide to the sufferers ailments and treatments – more akin to a “medical chart.” However, they have since (and really, in European magical traditions for centuries) been used to heal or harm a specific victim in which the doll was made to their likeness. This is a sympathetic doll, made in their likeness, usually incorporating some sort of personal affect (hair, clothing, blood, etc.).

The second type, and the kind I most often use, are dolls not based on any individual, but instead exist to act as a guardian of sorts or facilitate change/growth/health/etc. These are unique and very much a product of your imagination. Create them to be whatever you see fit.

That being said, let’s begin;;

Sympathetic Dolls: Begin by first, stitching the doll together in the likeness of he/she you wish to influence. You can be as general or as specific as you want – matching hair, eyes, facial features, build are all common concepts. Traditionally the dolls were stuffed with Spanish Moss (most probably due to the abundance in the American South) however you can stuff it with anything you have on hand. If you have anything of the persons, now would be the time to use it, hair can be wrapped and stuffed in the doll, pieces of their clothes can be folded and placed inside, blood should be on a scrap of cloth, dried and then added.

Once the doll is complete and you’re satisfied with its image (in truth, dolls have been made out of anything and everything, the only crucial step is the following), you must give it life. For sympathetic dolls, this can be as simple or difficult as you wish. I prefer to take the simple route and sit with the doll and focus intently on the person you wish to connect to it. I then mentally stitch the spirit of the person to the doll (either at the heart or at the feet – as a short of shadow). Vocalize your intent and revel in your creation.

Conceptual Dolls/Guardians: These are my personal favorites to create, in all honesty. I find poppets to be a lot of extra work, however they are useful in remote healing/hexing. These, as I mentioned, are beings of your thoughts. Tulpas, in a way. Begin by gathering your materials and ideas. Create a doll to symbolize whatever you wish to accomplish. As far as this tutorial goes, I’ll use the example of a Guardian or a doll for protection. It can look however you wish, and be as simple as sticks tied together, to the most intricately created doll you could muster. I, personally, stick with a small doll (no bigger than 8 or 10 inches) with yarn hair, simple clothing and a painted face. I often stuff mine with herbs associated with my will, as well as batting and sometimes stray scraps of fabric.

After your doll is complete, take it to the Crossroads. It can be a door, a gate (I use the gate of a remote cemetery near me), a cemetery, even a maternity ward if you’re that committed and light a candle. Fill your mind with intention, then connect with the energy of your crossroads. Feel the planes converge, and bend this erratic energy to your will, funneling it through your consciousness and into your doll. See the energy shape, bend, coalesce into a being of your intent and give it a Name, as there is much power in a Name. Connect its energy to our physical plane by allowing it refuge within the fabric of the doll you have created. Leave a gift at the Crossroads, and blow out your candle, sealing in the doll’s spirit. Use it as you desire, but do not neglect it.

Thus ends this tutorial!

Best of luck,

Q

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Beginning Tips for a Witchy Notebook

I get a lot of asks about how I started my notebook whenever I post pictures of it! I do have a background in scrapbooking/collage/art, which is reflected in my witchy notebook. I’ve been a self-identified practicing witch for about a year now, but many of the practices in my craft have been in my life for years.

Some people call them Book of Shadows, grimoire, or simply just a “witchy notebook.” Here are some tips that helped me when I was beginning my notebook. Lengthy post with pictures!

Notebook? Binder? E-grimoire?

There are lots of ways to keep all your witchy information together. You can keep your grimoire on the notes of your phone, documents on your laptop, Canva/other graphic design website, loose leaf papers or in a binder, or a regular bound notebook. Don’t place too much pressure on yourself! Whatever feels right is right.

Start with what you like (but stay open to what you don’t know!)

Your notebook won’t have the same authentic magic if you fill it with things that you don’t actually care about! While my first notebook contains some aspects of witchcraft that I don’t practice now, they were still important to me at the time. Your notebook is a visual representation of your journey, so don’t be afraid to fill it with your current obsession with crystals or a one specific tarot card. 

These are some really great tags for exploring topics when you don’t know where to start!

witch tips

baby witch

witchy 101

And some simple ideas for your first entries:

your birth chart

what you want to use magic for

a collage page of your witch aesthetic (or ideal aesthetic)

a wish list

your favorite crystals

a simple moon calendar (full/new moons of the year, month, or just information about the phases)

your favorite colors, seasons, places in nature etc

record information about the chakras/energy points in the body

list of your favorite witchy movies and tv shows

draw teacups and fill them with drawings of your favorite blends

drawings of your ideal familiars (animal companions)

A couple witchy things that you may not have heard about but are super cool to incorporate into your craft:

sigils (visual symbols charged with an intent)

incantations (short spells that sometimes rhyme)

Don’t knock Pinterest.

I personally like to have very organized and planned out pages. I’ve resorted to Pinterest *many* times to get graphic ideas for lunar calendars, zodiac wheels and other witchy things that require a lot of information in a condensed graphic. Pinterest has great inspiration for those special, planed out spreads.

Separate or keep it altogether. 

Some people like to keep everything in one notebook/binder, others like to separate their topics or layouts into different notebooks. I started a bullet journal for more planned out pages, but my general notebook is a leuchtturm1917 with dotted grids where I have reference pages and personal entries.

Here are some pages of my notebook that I’m especially proud of.

Ultimately, your notebook is a reflection of YOU. It doesn’t have to be super witchy, covered in cobwebs with etched pentagrams. It can be a simple composition notebook or a super frilly lace journal. Be true to yourself and your notebook will never lead you astray. Best of luck and feel free to message me!

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Bone Divination (Osteomancy) is an ancient practice of fortune telling used throughout many cultures. It’s important to find personal pieces that you deeply connect with.

List of objects commonly used in Bone Divination sets: - Old Coins - Crystals and Stones - Dice - Seashells - Animal Claws - Small animal Jaw bone - Animal feet - Nuts - Seed Pods - Skeleton Keys - Beads made of glass, wood, animal horn or bone - Metal Charms - Personal Jewelry such as rings or pendants - Any items that hold a personal meaning for you

Taking care of your divination set: - Regularly cleanse your pieces with White Sage - Keep them with you during the day to form a deep bond with the pieces - If unable to keep them near during the day, keep close to you at night - I find that most pieces like to rest on natural surfaces- wood, moss, etc - Charge them under the Full Moon when possible, especially crystals or stones - Meditate with the pieces and listen to what they have to say - Occasionally bury the bones lightly in an indoor flowerpot for a short time (or outside in the garden if not raining). Bones tend to like being in the ground. It allows them to rest.

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