Grimoire-of-lamb - Grimoire - Tumblr Blog

Witch tip: Put rosemary, string, and mint into a sachet on your person to increase memory. Rosemary is scientifically proven to improve memory

Book Of  Shadows Masterpost

A Book of Shadows is like a Magickal diary for your Magickal life. It is intimate, & personal to the Witch. It is also a sacred tool of power that should be consecrated along with all other magickal tools. A Book of Shadows, or Bos for short, stores all information that the Witch has accumulated, in regards to their Craft. 

Creating a Book of Shadows:

Choose a blank paged writing book or make your own. If you’re buying, make sure the books stands out in some way to you as it is special & no mere notebook! Traditionally, a Bos is handwritten, thus transferring energies from page to writer & aiding in memorizing the contents, some even writing in various magickal languages. But, each Witch to their own, as technology is ever-changing in our world today, many prefer to keep their Bos in computer format, others, in ring binders so that they can continue to add to their content. The choice is yours. 

Remember, Your Bos is yours & yours only! There are no right or wrongs in it’s formation, so long as it speaks truly of you & your craft. 

For inspiration, I have provided a small list of possible topics to include in your Book of Shadows, you can find more here. 

✯ Rules of your Coven, or Solitary Tradition. 

✯ A page all about yourself including given and/or magickal names.

✯ A Dedication Ritual.

✯ Gods/Goddesses.

✯ Correspondence Tables.

✯ The Sabbats & their Rituals.

✯ Moon Phases & Rituals.

✯ Crystals/Herbs.

✯ Divination.

✯ Sacred Texts 

✯ Magickal Recipes

💧🔮 Rain Divination 🔮💧

simple divination for when you’re watching rain drip down the window

yes/no divination

🔮 choose two raindrops near the top of the windows.

💧 one is “yes”, the other is “no”

🔮 meditate on your question

💧 whichever merges with another raindrop or reaches the bottom first is your answer

interpretive divination

🔮 wait for a droplet that catches your attention. it will represent whoever you are inquiring about. 

💧 keep watch for the shapes merged droplets take, it will symbolize an event the occurs because of your interaction with the person

🔮 interpret shapes based on your own associations, or those similar to tea readings

💧 merged droplets’ paths indicate meeting someone new who will have influence on your life

🔮 stray droplets that start in the middle indicate an event within reach but not currently on your path

💧 when the droplets reach the bottom of the windows, that is the unknown, there there have yet to be decisions that affect that far into the future. 

Energy Work Masterpost

Updated: September 2nd, 2016

General

[Basic Elements of Energy Work]

[Choosing Your Energies]

[The Elements and Energy Work] (tw: gif)

[Energetic Blockages]

[Energy Clearing and Infusing]

[Energy Feeds and Magic Fatigue] and [A Clarification]

[Energy for Beginners Part I]

[Energy for Beginners Part II: Gathering, Raising, Storing, and Casting]

[Energy Work]

[An Energy Work Primer (You Don’t Have to “Feel” Anything)]

[Fixing Your Energy] (an ask)

[Learning to Sense Energy]

[Passive vs Active Energy]

[Protect Your Energy]

[Sensation & Direction - A Beginner’s Guide to Energy Work]

Visualization

[Different Kinds of Visualization]

[Having Trouble Visualizing?]

[How to Visualize]

[Magical Visualization - Some Basics]

[Mistakes I Made with Visualization]

[Simple Visualization Exercises]

[Visualization and Spell-Casting]

[Witchery for Tactile Learners]

Charging / Enchanting / Programming

[Charging an Object]

[Charging and Dedicating Stones and Crystals]

[Charging Objects]

[Charging 101: The Quick Basics]

[Distance Charging]

[Enchanting Objects]

[Enchanting Things with Touch]

[How to Enchant Items]

[How to Enchant Items]

[Let’s Talk Basics: Directing Energy]

[Magickal Skills: Enchanting]

[On-the-Go Enchantments]

[Sending Energy to Objects, aka Charging]

[Witch’s Guide to Programming]

Grounding

[Airy Grounding Guide]

[Grounding]

[Grounding]

[Grounding]

[Grounding]

[Grounding and Centering]

[Grounding and Centering]

[Grounding, Centering, and Shielding]

[Grounding or ‘Earthing’]

[Grounding Techniques]

[Grounding Theory and Application]

[Grounding with Your Aura]

[How Do I “Ground”?] (tw: gif)

[Rooting Meditation]

[Sea Witchcraft: “Sinking”]

[Some Favorite Grounding Visualizations]

[Witch Tips: Grounding]

[Witchcraft 101 - Grounding & Centering]

[Witch’s Guide to Grounding]

[Witch’s Guide to Grounding - Sturdy as Stone]

Centering

[Centering]

[Centering]

[Centering and Grounding]

Shielding / Warding

[Checking and Repairing Shields]

[A Crash Course in Warding]

[Elemental Wards]

[Energy Warding]

[Energy Warding Before Witching] (tw: gif)

[Energy Work: Expansion vs. Contraction] (tw: gif as blog header)

[How to Create & Use Wards]

[A Long List of Ways to Spiritually Protect Yourself]

[Making Warding and Shielding Talismans]

[Personal Shielding]

[Shielding]

[Shielding]

[Shielding]

[Shielding and its Purpose]

[Transmuting Energy: An Alternative to Shielding] (tw: gif as blog header)

[Wards and Grounding]

[Wards and Ward Accessories]

Energy Manipulation / Exercises

[Advanced Energy Manipulation: Competitive Magic]

[Animist Reset Ritual]

[Banishing the Energy of Others]

[Building Galaxies]

[Decontaminating People Before They Enter Your Space]

[Energy Balls and Programming Energy]

[Energy Exercises]

[Energy Feeds and Magic Fatigue] and [A Clarification]

[Energy Manipulation: Aura Shaping]

[Energy Manipulation: God Energies]

[Energy Polarization Habits and How to Break Them]

[Energy Protection Bubble]

[Energy Work: Energy Ball]

[Energy Work: Introduction to Fields Exercise]

[How to Send Energy to Other People]

[Personal Energy Cleanse]

[Picture-Jumping]

[Scream Jars]

[Sending Energy to People]

[Sensing Energy Exercise]

[Tips for Building Mind Spaces]

Thoughtforms / Servitors / Egregores

[A Bit on Entities and Thoughtforms]

[Creating a Servitor] (an ask)

[Creating a Thoughtform]

[Creating Positive Thought Forms] (tw: gif as blog header)

[An Introduction to Servitors]

[A Lesson on Servitors] (tw: music autoplay)

[More Information on Egregores] (an ask)

[Servitors: A Basic Guide to Artificial Entities]

[A Short Guide to Thoughtforms]

[Technowitchcraft - Thoughtforms]

[Thoughtform Masterpost] (tw: gif)

[Thoughts on Thoughtforms]

I make better sigils when I’m not sober :3

Soups and Broths in Magick

I am rather new to the witch community on tumblr but I have been interested in witchcraft for years. I have come upon a reoccurring thing, many of my friends I wish to magically aid through teas and herbal brews, do not like the taste of tea. I have found that mixing herbal blends or herbs representing what you wish to occur into soups and broths work just as well! In fact if you choose the right soup you can get sometimes better results I have found. Soup mimics tea by being easily drank and can be served warm and hot, which I find very comforting.

First it is important to choose a soup or broth that goes well taste wise with the herbs you wish to use. You want it to taste pleasant for yourself or the one you are providing it to. Though, try to find a soup or stock or broth that corresponds with what you wish to achieve with the herbs to further strengthen and increase the outcome you wish. 

A short list of correspondences:

Chicken Broth/Stock: Uncrossing, new growth, fertility, sacrifice, New beginnings, rebirth

Turkey Broth/Stock: Close connections to Earth, generosity, inspiration, bounty, blessings

Beef Broth/Stock: New beginnings, femininity/female power, fertility, strength, balance

Pork Broth/Stock or Bacon: Intelligence, good luck, prosperity, curiousity, discovering new things

Fish Broth/Stock: Close connections to Water, health, improving oneself, the unconcious mind, awareness, fertility, good luck, wishes, change

Shellfish/Clam/Mussel Broth/Stock/Soup/Chowder: Protection, stopping lies/gossip/rumors, removal or treatment of stubbornness, honesty, truth, close connections to both Water and Earth, living a natural life

Shrimp Broth/Stock: love, abundance, fertility, trying new things, moving forward

Cheese base/Milk base soup/Chowder: Beauty, femininity, love, self-love, purification, rebirth

Tomato Soup: Protection, prosperity, love, uncrossing, femininity, romance and passion, negation of negativity and evil

Pumpkin Soup: Healing, prosperity, love, protection, granting wishes

Squash Soup: Psychic awareness, spiritual enlightenment

Corn Chowder: connections to the sun, luck, prosperity, abundance

Onion Soup: protection, keep evil away, healing, banishing, stability, exorcism, money, lust, and ends bad habits

Pea Soup: Kindness, connections with Air

Mushroom Soup: psychic enhancement, connections to Earth, longevity, strength, immortality

Curry/Curry Soups: banishing, healing, prosperity, protection from negativity

Soups with Noodles: Longevity, uncrossing

Soups with Rice: prosperity, blessing, money and wealth, security, good fortune to come

Soups with Barley: Love, Healing, Protection Hopefully this will be helpful for any witches who are not very big fans of the taste of teas or for anyone else for that matter. I would love to hear or see any other suggestions for tea replacements or other soups that could be used. This came straight out of my Grimoire and I hope to add more of it to this site soon. Blessed be everyone!

Gemstones for Healing:

aventurine

emerald

jasper

quartz

sunstone

aquamarine

diamond

lapis lazuli

peridot

topaz

turquoise

abalone

agate

bloodstone

malachite

selenite

aragonite

rainbow obsidian

unakite

opal

Mabon

The Sabbat:

Mabon is celebrated at the Autumn Equinox. It is considered a minor Sabbat and the second harvest festival. At this time, the day is equal to the night and leads us into the dark. This is a time to celebrate many stories including that of the Sacrificing God, one of the three aspects of the God. We also look towards the story of Persephone and Demeter as well as the legend of the Welsh God, Mabon for which the Sabbat is named.

Mabon Myths:

There are many stories that you can tell on Mabon or that reflect the symbols and spirit of the season. My favorite is that of Persephone which is why I tend to eat pomegranates upon this day.

There are many mythological stories that tell this tale but the one that resonates with me the most is the story of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter is the Goddess of the Earth and Grain and with her brother Zeus, gave birth to Persephone. Persephone is taken by Hades into the Underworld with the intention of marriage while Demeter is left to search for her missing daughter and try to restore her to the light. She searched for nine days and with the help of Hekate and Helios she soon discovered that Zeus had given Persephone to Hades for marriage. Her rage soon turned to sorrow and despair which impaired her from doing her work of bringing in the harvest. She went through many trials to find her daughter and while she was sorrowful, grain would not grow from the Earth. Eventually, Zeus told Hades to give Persephone back to Demeter but Hades offered her a meal beforehand. She ate the seeds of a pomegranate and therefore was doomed to return back to the Underworld and to Hades for the last four months of the year. Demeter agreed to this and in return food grew from the Earth once again during the time Persephone was safe at home with her mother.

Another story is that of Mabon, the Welsh God.

Mabon is the Great Son born to Modron, the Great Mother. It is said that Mabon perhaps was an actual leader whose story was turned into mythology. When he was an infant, he was stolen from his mother and rescued by King Arthur although some stories differ on this account. He was held captive within his mother’s womb where he was to be reborn, a new seed. Mabon is considered to be the counterpart of Persephone representing male fertility. Modren can be considered the counterpart of Demeter.

Symbols of the Harvest:

Mabon represents the second harvest, equality, balance, and mystery. Here’s a list of symbols you can use for decoration around your house, on your altar, or for your ritual.

pine cones

cornucopia

dried seeds

acorns

gourds

pomegranates

corn

apples

fall colors - reds, browns, orange, green, gold

grains

vines

Herbs of Mabon:

acorn

myrrh

thistle

solomon’s seal

milkweed

benzoin

honeysuckle

marigold

passionflower

rose

sage

tobacco

yarrow

rue

oak

Stones for Mabon:

lapis lazuli

sapphire

yellow agates

clear quartz

amber

gold

topaz

citrine

stones ruled by the sun

Incense for Mabon:

pine

sage

sweetgrass

myrrh

Spellwork for Mabon:

Protection

security

prosperity

confidence

balance

harmony

Mabon Activities:

Making wine or drinking it

collecting dried herbs and seeds

offering libations to the Earth

Mabon Wine Moon Cider 4 cups apple cider 1/2 tsp. whole cloves 4 cups grape juice additional cinnamon sticks 2 cinnamon sticks for cups, 6 inches long 1 tsp allspice In a 4-quart saucepan, heat cider and grape juice. Add cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Bring just to boiling. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with ladle from a cauldron. Makes 8 cups.

Moon Cider taken from http://www.earthwitchery.com/mabon.html

Lastly, I will be teaching a class on Mabon with the Spiral Oak Grove. Join us LIVE every Wednesday night at 8 PM EST on the Spiral Oak Grove Community Page!

Candles And Their Meanings

Hello! Today I am going to share candles and their colors magical correspondents. This guide will be perfect for those who need to light candles for their prayers and craft. Enjoy!

WHITE: Signifies truth, sincerity, peace, devotion, joy, purification, protection, and power, purify and heal. Represents truth, unity, protection, peace, happiness, and spirituality. Some say it can be used to replace any color candle in rituals. Used for concentration rituals and meditation work. Lunar energy. 

IVORY:  Neutrality, balance, and harmlessness

BLACK: Means against black magic, sadness, bad influence. Burning black with any other color dissolves negative energies!  Protection, hex-breaking, reversing, banishing, destroying evil or negativity, binding, and repelling. Also used for healing very powerful illnesses.  RED: Represents physical pleasures. It can stimulate lust, courage, or strength against enemies. Can confer passion, love, and/or respect. Stimulates energy, health, fertility and will power. Draws Aries and Scorpio energy. Increases magnetism in rituals. Infers sex, vibrancy, and survival. 

VIOLET: Strength, Success, Idealism, psychic revelation; Ideal for rituals which are designed to secure Ambition, Independence, and financial success or to establish contact with the other, spiritual world; Enhances Neptune energy.

PURPLE: Used to obtain desires, power, and success. Can stimulate idealism and psychic manifestations and help make contact with the spiritual world. Increases enthusiasm, desire, and power. Is also powerful for healing, and spiritual development. Some attempt to use it for power over others. 

BLUE: Communication, truth, peace, calm, losing weight, wisdom, understanding, protection, harmony, inspiration, truth, patience, health and happiness, luck, communication, loyalty, peaceful, cooling, contentment, healing, idealism, harmony, devotion, meditation

GREEN: Promotes prosperity, fertility, and success. Stimulates good luck can increase money, harmony, and rejuvenation. Also represents Healing, health, and growth. Can be an important component in rituals involving Venus; attracts love, and social delights. 

YELLOW: Intellect, wisdom and honor, action, inspiration, and creativity, studying and intelligence, concentration, memory, logic, learning, attraction, confidence, Mental powers, intellect, inspiration, concentration, retention of memory, energy, cheerfulness, sunny disposition, changes, endurance, stability, and security.

DEVIL: Is used rather by black magic, as a symbol to occupy sites dedicated to worship the dark and evil.

CROSS CANDLE: Is used for the altar and used to provide energy to an altar and ask a favor. 

SKULL: Ward off evil influences hidden enemies, and also in calling upon the spirits Can be used in enemy work.

FIGURE OF MAN:  Black - Draw Power, Protection, Repel Negativity, Binding, Releasing, Breakup or Separate Red - Draw Love, Passion, Lust, Creativity and Vitality Green - Attract Money & Good Luck, Wealth, Prosperity, Success and also for Healing White - Peace & tranquility, Purification & Healing, Cleansing, Clarity, Sincerity, Spirituality

FIGURE OF WOMAN:

 Black - Draw Power, Protection, Repel Negativity, Binding, Releasing, Breakup or Separate Red - Draw Love, Passion, Lust, Creativity and Vitality Green - Attract Money & Good Luck, Wealth, Prosperity, Success and also for Healing White - Peace & tranquility, Purification & Healing, Cleansing, Clarity, Sincerity, Spirituality

PINK: Successful, love, abundance, passion. Devotion, love, tenderness and faith, friendship, romance, honor, spiritual healing, caring, affection, forming partnerships, peace, emotional healing, Universal love, purest form of love, love that is unconditional, spiritual love without sex connotation, raises vibrations, sensitivity, healing.  

ROSE: Treating heart ailments, anxiety, depression. Good for people who suffer from nightmares. This graceful color increases admiration, love, friendship, fidelity, and calmness. Can also arouse emotions. It stimulates compassion for self and others, higher mystical powers, and humor. 

ORANGE: Used as a balancing element. Promotes mental agility, energy, success and stamina. It’s used to affect legal matters, success, action, and promotion. Gives encouragement, adaptability and stimulation. Cleanses negative attitudes, situations and places.

SILVER: Victory, Stability, Meditation, Developing Psychic Ability, Removal of Negative Power, Repelling Destruction, Cancellation, Neutrality, Stalemate. Silver is primarily associated with female deities.

GREY: Is to expel evil influences. Useful when pondering complex issues. Can neutralize negative influences without repercussions. Represents balance encourages stability, helps develop psychic abilities. In magic, this color often sparks confusion; it also can negate or neutralize a negative influence. 

DAYS OF THE WEEK:

Sunday– Gold or yellow candles

Monday– Silver, Grey or White

Tuesday-Red

Wednesday-Purple

Thursday– Blue

Friday-Green

Saturday– Black or Purple

I hope this was helpful to all of those who are crafting out there!

Thanks for reading!

Crystals for transitional phases in life, by one’s astrological sign:

ARIES:  Rhodonite prepares you and balances your actions so you don’t shoot past your goal. Important for fiery Aries who can shoot past their goals.

TAURUS:  Stilbite strengthens your determination, but allows for valuable flexibility. Helps stubborn Taurus give in when they need to.

GEMINI:  Snowflake Obsidian lets you be versatile without being distracted by obsessions. You won’t be sidetracked.

CANCER:  Yellow Jasper helps you retain your composure and enables you to let go. You won’t hang on to all of those dark emotions or explode.

LEO:  Red Jasper lets you be creative and genuine without too much drama getting in the way. Settles Leo’s dramatic side calm and enables them to flourish.

VIRGO:  White Jade lets you appreciate things as they are and eliminate the compulsion to fix everything. There is beauty in imperfections, Virgo, accept them.

LIBRA:  Brown Striped Jasper helps you maintain control and not sacrifice yourself for peace. You do not have to give in to find harmony.

SCORPIO:  Black Agate lets you manage your emotions to find the good, rather than focusing on darker thoughts. All of those dangerous thoughts that linger under the surface will be dispelled.

SAGITTARIUS:  Bronzite will help you extract what is beneficial and leave the rest behind on your new explorations. Don’t get caught up in the negativity around you.

CAPRICORN:  Yellow Calcite lets you see how eliminating what is not working is in your best interest. This will help you reach success quickly, Capricorn.

AQUARIUS:  Ruby intensifies your new thought patterns, but keeps them from overpowering others. This helps Aquarius communicate effectively.

PISCES:  Golden Tiger Eye lets you consider the effects of your actions without getting lost in your thoughts. Stay rooted and grounded while still thoughtful and deep.

Source ✶ Tara Mideaker ✶ Lavinia Amoun

im trying to get started in witchcraft, but i cant find anything? help please, ive been trying to research it but i an never find any sources (or if i do im never sure if i can trust them)

You definitely need to be wary of who you trust, there is a lot of misinformation out there. Just remember that everyone has their own way of practicing, you just need to find what you feels right for you!

Here is a really helpful witchcraft resource post by visardistofelphame (who I’ve followed for years) and here is a long, helpful post we reblogged a few days ago!

If you have more questions, feel free to send another ask! I can point you in the direction of some blogs or more info if you want! Have a great day!

- sweetpeawitch

10 Different Crystal Shapes and How To Use Them

TUMBLED

Crystals that have been smoothed or polished from their raw form are usually classified as tumbled stones. They have not been carved into any specific form, but are not jagged to the touch. These crystals are usually more affordable and are good for basic crystal use, including grids, meditation, affirmations, altar work, feng shui or more.

ABUNDANCE

Crystals in an Abundance formation are made up of an elongated quartz crystal with smaller crystals clustered around its base. This is a great stone to attract abundance to your life (hence its name) and is great for acting as a conduit to your wealth and business stones.

NATURAL POINT

Natural points are not necessarily long crystals in a wand-like formation. They are any part of a faceted crystal with a point that has formed naturally, and has not been carved to perfection. These types of stones must be used with caution as the point draws energy to the body (when pointed toward a person) or it draws energy away from the body (when pointed away from the body). These properties make it a great tool for cleansing and healing work.

PHANTOM

The Phantom formation is slightly difficult to find. These crystals have a hazy image within them, although most of the crystal is particularly transclucent. This phantom of ghost within the crystal is said to carry a vast array of information for the past, making it a powerful tool for past-like work and healing. Depending on the crystal that the phantom is found within, additional properties will apply. However, any Phantom formation will be a powerful stone to shake out your skeletons and pave a healthy path for growth.

GENERATOR

A Generator will have six facets (of equal or unequal proportions) that meet into one point. It gets its name for its ability to generate amplified energy, boosting the power of other stones, or the stone it is made of. This type of formation is also very powerful for charging other stones.

GEODE

These stones are elusive because they appear ordinary from the outside. However, when they are opened or broken they reveal a hollow cave with crystals sparkling within. Because of their contained form, geodes have the ability to hold energy within and soften it, allowing it to naturally flow out and disperse evenly. These formations are great for protection or for assisting with healing abusive habits such as alcoholism, drug abuse, sex addiction, shopping addiction, and abusive internal monologues.

RAW

Raw stones are in their natural form and have not been smoothed, polished or altered. Though they are more fragile and can break more easily than other formations, many prefer the look of these stones as they would appear raw in their natural habitat. Like tumbled stones, raw stones are great for all spiritual work and are often quite affordable.

PYRAMID

Pyramids are stones that have been shaped into a point with four equal faceted sides and a square base. These formations are great for warding off negative vibrations or removing blocks within the chakra system. This shape is also a great choice to use in affirmation and manifestation work. The properties of the crystal are amplified in this formation. It is a good choice for healers.

SPHERE

The circle emits energy evenly from all angles, and the Sphere formation is no different. These are powerful formations and are often used in scrying as a tool to peer into the past and future. Because the shape is even from every possible angle, it is believed that light, energy and time pass through it with no rules or hindrances, hence their scrying abilities. They often have flaws or occlusions within them which help with the scrying process, though they can be quite expensive depending on their size.

SQUARE

This formation works well with grounding energies and intentions since its energy is contained and enhanced evenly within the stone. It acts as a foundation to meditation practices and has the ability to transmute negative energy into positive energy. They’re stacking ability makes them great tools for mindfulness and concentration, especially if you’re doing detailed work.

Could you give me some tips to get started?

This is gonna be a long ass post. My apologies. Anyone is more than welcome to add to this list.

Blogs I recommend: X

 Beginner Witchcraft

Old Motherredcap’s Reading List

Advice for beginner witches

Things to consider

Defining “witchcraft”

Magic and witchcraft

Research for Newbie Witches

Websites for Herbal Properties and Useage

Different Types of Witchcraft

Secular Witchcraft

Cultural Appropriation

The G word

Spells and charms for Beginners

Dispelling Spells

Lavender’s Wishing Spell

Burning Bridges Spell

Chocolate Money Spell

Spell to Ease Jealousy

Emotional Cleansing Spell

Rainbow Protection Bottle

Wreaths for Protection and Happiness

Energy Bath

Motivation Chant

Pick me up Cleansing Jar

Protection Jar

Rosemary and Lavender Smokeless Cleansing

List of Cleansing Spells

Meditation

50 Meditation Tips

An Earth Meditation

Benefits of Meditation

Breathe & Relax

Grounding, Centering, & Shielding

Grounding - Grounding Techniques - Ungrounded Symptoms

Grounding & Centering

Centering

Shielding: (1) (2)

Budgeted Witchcraft:

Tips & Tricks for Frugal Witches

Moonstone Beginning’s Frugal Pagan Resource

A Witch in a Pinch (Blog)

Budget Witch (Blog)

Witchcraft on a Budget

Being a Witch on a Budget

Budget Witchcraft (Site)

Accumulating Witch Stuff on a Budget

Ways to Practice Witchcraft with Little or No Money

Chaos Magic:

Chaos Magic in a Nutshell

What is Chaos Magick? 

Chaos Magic- The Misunderstood Path

Chaos Magick (a multitude of articles pertaining to chaos magic)

Introduction to Chaos Magic

Chaos Magic Theory

Chaoism & Chaos Magic: A Personal View

Oven-Ready Chaos; Phil Hine

Liber Null & Psychonaut: An Introduction to Chaos Magic- Peter J. Carroll

Sigil Crafting:

A Beginner’s Guide to Sigil Craft

Ways to Use Sigils 

Sigils Reboot: How To Get Big Magic From Little Squiggles

An Essay On Sigil Crafting 

Practical Sigil Magic- Frater U. D.

Sigilmaking with Lee 

Sigil Magic: Making a Magical Sigil

Sigils… 

Sigil Daily: Creation & Activation

Magic/Sigil Circles 

Chaos Magic: Basic Sigil Magic

Sigils 

A Brief Overview of Sigil Magick

Sigils and Seals 101 

Sigils

Sigil Crafting Method 

Creating a Sigil

Sigil Masterpost (gif warning!)

Sigils in Theory and Practice

How Do You Make Sigils? 

On the Preparation and Usage of Sigils

Sigil Magic

Sigil 101 

Practical Sigil Magick

The Sigil Bowl 

Sigil Basics

What Are Sigils? 

Making Outdoor Sigils

Online Sigil Generator

Sigilisation

Sigil Magic

Sigil Making Process, by Rook 

Sigil Making Process, by Richtor 

Sigil Charging:

My Super-Physically-Mentally Intense Method of Charging Sigils…

How to Charge Sigils 

Firing Off Sigils

A Personal Method of Charging Sigils 

How to Charge a Sigil Playing Video Games

Charging Your Sigils- A Brief Explanation 

Charging and Firing Sigils 

How to Use Sigils 

The Fae Resources

Books

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

The Secret Commonwealth: Of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies – Robert Kirk

Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry – Yeats

Treasury of Irish Myth, Legend, and Folklore – Yeats

The Fairies in Tradition and Literature – Katherine Briggs

An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, & Other Supernatural Creatures – Katherine Briggs

The Vanishing People: Fairy Lore and Legends – Katherine Briggs

The Sidhe: Wisdom from the Celtic Otherworld – John Matthews

Through the Faerie Glass-Kenny Klein

Websites

The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries (Sacred Texts)

The Secret Commonwealth: Of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies (Sacred Texts)

Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland – Lady Wilde

Puck – That shrewd and knavish sprite called Robin Goodfellow

The Fairy Family: A Series of Ballads & Metrical Tales Illustrating the Fairy Mythology of Europe

The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries

“The Fairy Doctor” – Lady Wilde

Sacred Text: Fairy Mythology Index

Divination

Tarot

All About Tarot

All About Tarot Readings

Many Different Uses For The Tarot

Tarot Deck Outline

Choosing The Tarot Deck That Is Right For You

What To Look For In A Tarot Deck

Choosing A Tarot Deck Just For Reading Others

Connecting With Your Tarot Deck

Top 3 Beginner Tarot Books

When To Cleanse Your Tarot Deck

How To Cleanse Your Tarot Deck

Recharging Your Tarot Cards

Cleansing Your Tarot Reading Space

Purifying Your Tarot Cards

Three Ways To Shuffle Your Tarot Deck

Six Ways To Choose A Tarot Card

How To Clear Your Tarot Deck

How To Store And Care For Your Tarot Cards

Minor Arcana Keyword Chart

Tarot: Quick and Dirty Keyword Sheets

Tarot Cheat Sheets

Tarot Reversal Keyword Sheet

Major Arcana Meanings

Court Card Interpretations

The Major Arcana

Court Cards In Tarot

The Tarot Suits

Tarot Suit Info Cards

Topics You Can Use In Your Own Custom Tarot Spreads

Great Topics To Ask The Tarot With Only 1-3 Cards

Four Decks To Help You Create Your Own Tarot Spreads

How To Design A Tarot Spread For A Client

Classic Tarot Spread Positions

Interview Your New Tarot Deck

Effective Tarot Questions

How To Create Your Own Spreads

Tips When Reading Tarot For Others

New And Old Tarot Traditions

Four Myths About Fortune Telling

Fortune Teller Isn’t A Bad Word

Quirky Tarot Habits

Six Types Of Tarot Readers

4 Easy Steps to Learn Tarot

How To Read Tarot Cards

Why “Free” Tarot Readings Are Not Ever Really Free

How To Interpret Reversed Tarot Cards

What To Do With Jumper Cards

Tarot Exhaustion

Tarot Relaxation And Grounding Exercise

Four Tips On Reading “Negative” Tarot Cards

How To Deal With “Going Blank” During A Tarot Reading

Tips When Reading Tarot At A Special Event

Ideologies That Hold You Back As A Tarot Reader

Six Mistakes To Avoid When Reading Tarot For Yourself

How To Obtain The Clients Energy During a Tarot Reading Without Them Touching Your Cards

Reading Tarot With Confidence

Scrying

How to

Lithomancy

How to

Runes

Interpretations

Glamours

Glamoured Shower Disks

Goddess Glamour Bath

Witch of the Waste’s Glamour Enchanted Jewelry Spell

Blood Magic

Ethics and Safety

PSA to Blood Witches

Blood Magic 101

Starting Blood Magic

When you’re no longer a beginner

Blood Christening

How Not to Use Blood Magic

Sexual Sangomancy and Blood Bonding; Pros, Cons, and Safety

Blood and Bone Magick

Use of Blood in Folklore and Magic

Potions

Quick Guide to Potions and Lotions

Herbal Brews Introduction

Herbal How To: Infusion

Herbal How To: Tinctures and Extracts

Minerals that are NOT Suitable for Adding to Water

Magical Properties of Herbs, Roots, Flowers, Barks, and Resins

Herbs to Avoid During Pregnancy

Poisonous Herbs: Hazards

List of Poisonous Herbs (Magical Uses and Safety Warnings)

Familiars

What are they?

Is this my familiar?

The Familiar Self

Familiars and Gender

The Three Kinds of Familiars

Plants as Familiars

Working with Plants as Familiars

Whew, finally back from school! Now that I’m free, it’s time to reassemble one of my best school essentials for next quarter—tiny, reusable packets of herbs that are perfect for spells on the go (or spicing up a dull meal…what’s the difference, really?). 

While I love the look of tiny bottles for portable ingredients, they’re not as space-saving as these repurposed straws. So though my best staples get bottled for easiest refills, I like to keep the odd ingredient (or extra backups of the classics) rattling around in my pockets like this! Some things to keep in mind:

Only melt the ends as they’re separated from the herbs by the pliers/tweezers—food safe plastic or not, you still don’t want that melting on your ingredients!

Most straws work for this, but thin plastic straws may warp and bubble further up the tube before the ends seal shut; try a few tests, and heat with care.

While I always carry around a pen knife, if you don’t, consider keeping these in a little pocket tin with a razor blade for easy opening. Cutting the small notch in the end is pretty effective for fingers-only opening, but may cause leaks in fluid-filled packets and should be avoided in those cases. Small, neat incisions with a knife also make for easier sealing for reuse! 

EDIT: while I didn’t touch on it too much here, I also use these to prepare ready-made spells. If you’re doing this, consider matching the color of the candle and straw to the spell intent!

Ash of Roses

I was recently asked how to create Ash of Roses for use in witchcraft. The reply I began to write wound up being rather lengthy, so I have decided to post it.

The first and most important component of Ash of Roses is…not roses. Or flame. It is FIRE SAFETY. For this method, you will work with open flame and plant material that is ON FIRE. Always make sure that you have a safe work area, away from flammable materials, and that you have water or an extinguisher at the ready in case of accidental flareups. Far better to lose your rose ash and make a mess than have a conflagration that might consume the room or your home.

For best results, this is best performed out-of-doors in a ventilated but sheltered area, so that breezes do not carry burning embers into the surrounding brush or dry grass.

To make Ash of Roses (the way I do it), you will need the following:

Whole dried rose petals, 1 - 2 cups (any color)

Several long bamboo or metal skewers

Small taper candle and candleholder

Heat-safe bowl at least 3″ deep

Lighter

Fork and spoon

Container for cooled ashes (screw-top recommended)

Bandanna or surgical mask (for allergy sufferers)

Step 1: Set up all your equipment on a fire-proof surface. Clear fire hazards from the area and make sure there are no stray breezes that will carry away the ash, or more importantly, burning embers. Light the candle and let it burn for a minute or so until the flame is good and strong. Place the bowl right beside it for easy collection.

Step 2: Thread several dried rose petals onto the sharp end of a skewer. (I usually do about half a dozen at a time.) Try to pierce close to the center of each petal, and scrunch them together so that they’re not too spread out on the skewer.

Step 3: CAREFULLY hold the skewered petals over the candle flame until they ignite. Quickly (and again, carefully) move the burning petals over to your heat-safe bowl. Gently tap the skewer on the lip of the bowl so that the blackened petals fall into the dish below. If the petals are not burnt, leave them on the skewer and re-ignite them. (The petals will self-extinguish pretty quickly.)

Step 4: Scrape the blackened petals off the skewer using the side of the bowl or a fork. Do this slowly so that the petals, which are now very delicate, don’t disintegrate or fly away. Take care also that the ash does not fly into your eyes, nose, or mouth. (If you have allergies or are sensitive to smoke, the use of a bandanna or surgical mask is recommended.) Let the blackened petals sit in the heat-safe bowl until they are completely cool.

Step 5: Repeat Steps 2 through 4 until you have blackened all the rose petals. Let the petals cool completely (about 3 min after last burning should do it), then carefully scoop the burnt material into your storage container. A screw-top jar is recommended for ease of use and airtight storage. You can add a marble to the container and shake to reduce the petals to powder, or store them whole, whichever works best for your purposes.

Step 6: Make sure you clean up your work area and extinguish any open flame or glowing embers before you go.

Some magical uses for Ash of Roses are:

Inversion (creating the opposite effect of any mix to which it is added)

Repulsion of unwanted love or romantic or sexual attentions

Ending relationships

Repelling love magic

Reducing or removing romantic feelings

Baneful magic (especially curses for unfaithful lovers)

Have fun, witchlings! And just once more - Safety First!

[Photo Credit:  Ars Thanea, “The Ash”]

herbs and their uses

50 Simple Charms

Basil at the door, windows, or scattered in the home will increase money.

Lay thorny branches on your doorstep to keep evil from your dwelling.

Eat a pinch of Thyme before bed, and you will have sweet dreams.

Place chips of Cedar wood in a box with some coins to draw money to you.

Carry an Anemone Flower with you to ward against illness.

Hang a bit of Seaweed in the kitchen to ward evil spirits.

Keep a jar of Alfalfa in your cupboards to ensure the prosperity of your house.

Burn Allspice as an incense to draw money or luck to you, as well as speed healing.

Cut an Apple in half, and give one half to your love to ensure a prosperous relationship.

Carry an Avocado pit with you to let your inner beauty shine outwardly. Avocado is also an aphrodisiac.

Strawberries are an aphrodisiac.

Place a piece of cotton in your sugar bowl to draw good luck to your house.

Celery is an aphrodisiac.

Place Almonds in your pocket when you need to find something.

Scatter Chili Peppers around your house to break a curse.

Carrying a packet of strawberry leaves will help ease the pains of pregnancy.

Scatter some sugar to purify a room.

Throw rice into the air to make rain.

Carry a potato in your pocket or purse all winter to ward against colds.

Eat five almonds before consuming alcohol, to lighten the effects of intoxication.

Place a pine branch above your bed to keep illness away.

Chew celery seeds to help you concentrate.

Carry of chunk of dry pineapple in a bag to draw luck to you.

Ask an orange a yes or no question before you eat it, then count the seeds: if the seeds are an even number, the answer is no. If an odd number, yes.

Eat olives to ensure fertility.

Toss Oats out your back door to ensure that your garden or crop will be bountiful.

Eat mustard seed to ensure fertility.

Place Lilacs around your house to rid yourself of unwanted spirits.

Eat Lettuce to drive lustful thoughts from your mind.

Rub a Lettuce leaf over your forehead to help you sleep.

Add Lemon juice to your bathwater for purification.

Eat grapes to increase psychic powers.

Carry a blade of grass to increase your psychic powers.

Smell Dill to get rid of hiccups.

If you place a Dill sachet over your door, those who wish you ill can not enter your home.

Place cotton on an aching tooth, and the pain will ease.

Burn cotton to cause rain.

Place pepper inside a piece of cotton and sew it shut to make a charm to bring back a lost love.

Carry a small onion to protect against venomous animals.

Eat grapes to increase fertility.

Place a sliced onion in the room of an ill person do draw out the sickness.

Place an onion underneath your pillow to have prophetic dreams.

Place morning glory seeds under your bed to cure nightmares.

Walk through the branches of a maple tree to ensure that you will have a long life.

Mix salt and pepper together and scatter it around your house to dispel evil.

Smell Lavender to help you sleep.  (Lavender makes me fall asleep so fast).

Hang a pea pod containing nine peas above the door to draw your future mate to you.

Eat a peach to assist in making a tough decision.

Carry peach wood to lengthen your lifespan.

Carry a walnut to strengthen your heart muscle.

How to Do Witchcraft Research for Newbies

Basic search:

Get off Tumblr. (I know, it’s hard.)

Direct your browser to Google.com.

Choose the main keywords of your question. For example, “what is calendula good for in witchcraft?” might be parsed as “calendula witchcraft magickal correspondences”.

Hit enter.

For more in depth research, try these sites:

JSTOR.org, if you have access to it.

Online public library catalogs to find books. (Search your county and “public library.”)

Amazon Kindle. It can be put on your computer for free, there is a Cloud Reader online and a free smartphone app. Filter by price and you can find witchcraft and occult ebooks for free through a few simple searches.

Google Books for the same purpose. (There is a shit ton here, btw, I use it all the time.)

Scribd.com for the same purpose.

Cornell University online witchcraft collection.

Hermetic.com for public domain magick texts.

Sacred-texts.com for all sorts of neat shit.

Alchemy-works.com for magickal lore on plants.

Search your county’s website for weed/plant information to get a list of things growing in your area.

Some tips to aid in research:

Use your browser’s bookmarks.

Use the Amazon wishlist to keep track of titles, or to keep an eye on titles that are occasionally offered for free on Kindle.

Look around on publishers, like LuLu, Immanion Press, etc, for self-published material.

Cross reference with lots of sources to keep on top of the BS.

Take good notes.

Dirty experience/field work is better than reading/book work.

Mkay? After you’ve done all that, come back and ask about what you still can’t find. (Trust me, you’ll find most of it, if not all and more.) You have no fucking excuse to be on Tumblr asking about the basics of paganism or what such and such plant does for witchcraft, or how to summon demons. Harassing people for basic knowledge gets you nowhere. There is so much out there even just online. You do not need the newest, shiniest books by the most popular authors. You do not need to attack people when they tell you to go research on your own. The information is right fucking there. Now go get it.

Witchcraft For Addiction / Self Harm

A few helpful links:

I Do Not Think Harmful Things

My Body Heals Well

I Want To Stay Clean

I Am Not Defined By My Addiction

I Believe In Myself

My Self Harm Scars Heal Quickly

My Sleep Is Restful

Reborn Anew Sugar Scrub

The Symptoms Of Withdrawal Do Not Affect me (We all know this one isn’t realistic, but I imagine it might at least help a bit)

My Grimoire

Updated September 20th, 2016

This is my online Grimoire, complete with my spells, the spells of others, and masterposts. Feel free to use this as your own Grimoire, or take bits and pieces from it.

Moon Phases

Cathy’s Super Easy Guide to Using the Moon by @cathysbookofshadows

How To’s and Basics

How to Write Spells by @cunningcelt

Spell Writing Challenge to Build Your Grimoire

How to Dress Storebought Candles by @thespiritwitch​

Wire Wrapped Spells by @lunacascabelera​

Cursing 101 by @recreationalwitchcraft​

Candle Magic Omens by @windvexer

Types of Witches by @rainy-day-witchcraft​

Spirit Work

House Rules by @urbanspellcraft

Spirit Companionship FAQ Pt.1 by @urbanspellcraft

Spirit Companionship FAQ Pt.2 by @urbanspellcraft

Necromany Masterpost by @technicallyirondick

Selective Spirit Door Bar by @qedavathegrey

Dealing With Dead People - Banishing and Exorcism by @breelandwalker​

Budget Witchcraft

Where to Buy Crystals, Herbs, and Essential Oils for Cheap by @paegan-witch

Where to Buy Cheap Herbs by @cryxtalstardust

Cheap BOS/Grimoire Options by @starfleetwitch

Budget Witchcraft Supplies by @witchtips

Properties of Herbs. Crystals, Etc. & Tools

Cauldron Tips by @theoryofmagick​

Rain Water Uses by @witchy-words

Herbs to Use in Sleep Magick by @athamerror

Witchy Things You Didn’t Know Could Be Witchy

Witch’s Ladder by @low-budget-witches

Taglock Idea by @patchworkwitchcraft

For the beginning witch, Herbal Chart By Use and How To Use Them by @rawniesway

DIY Incense by @the-grey-ether A Kitchen Witch’s Oils by @eclecticwitcheryafoot

Incense and Their Uses in Green Witchcraft by @eclecticwitcheryafoot

DIY Altar Pentacle by @secretworkings

What to Use When in Witchcraft by @dog-rose

Magical Properties of Common Fruits and Vegetables by @cunningcelt

Properties of Sand by @rainy-day-witchcraft

When to Cast a Spell by Weekday by @orriculum

Spells

Financial Spells

Pay Your Debts Poppet

Love Banishment Spells

No More Spell by @reckless-scholar

Stupid Cupid Spell by @oldmotherredcap

Cleansing Spells

Cleansing Candle DIY 

Crystal Cleansing Spell by @crystals-andstones​

Cleansing Ritual

Love and Relationship Spells

Promise Ring Love Spell

Sapphic Love Attraction Powder

Achillean Love Atrraction Powder

Love Spell for Kitchen Witches

Protection Spells

Four Shells Protection Spell by @lakefaerie​

Protection Spell

Pop Culture Spells

Rose Quartz Healing Tears Spell by @orriculum

Healing Spells

Healing from Selfharm Poppet

Misc. Spells

Hair Growth Spell by @bohemian-witch​

Ask a Spider Spell by @phunockery​

Quiet My Mind Focus Jar by @witchy-woman​

See the Unseen Spell

Get Things Done Spell

Spell to Boost Your Memory

New Home Blessing (Elemental)

Necklace Enchantment Courage Spell

DIY Magical Shower Disks by @recreationalwitchcraft

Curses. Hexes, and Jinxes

The Pumpkin Curse

The Curse of the Skeleton

Within the Well Curse

Burn Your Wishes Curse by @orriculum​

Masterposts

Cultural Appropriation

“Smudging” by @breelandwalker​

Your Book on Witchcraft is Bullshit if… by @recreationalwitchcraft

Other Grimoires/Pages

Recreational Witchcraft’s Grimoire by @recreationalwitchcraft

Mad Diviner’s Grimoire by @maddiviner

Money Spells by @magic-for-the-masses​

Protection Spells by @magic-for-the-masses

Beauty Spells by @belladonnaswitchblog

School/Essay Writing Masterpost of Spells by@bibliophilicwitch​

Beauty Spells by @belladonnaswitchblog

Some Urban Witchcraft Things I Do

Using small shielding wards while moving in crowded spaces to stop people from entering my personal space, using it to get a space on the train while others try very hard to not be too close.

Being a regular customer at a coffee shop, where the barista knows your order, using that regularity and infusing it in the drink to ensure a smooth work day.

Tapping into the electrical energy of street lights, traffic lights, the tangles of power lines or the wire work embedded in the concrete. Tapping into it to feel the pulse of the entire city and how its as never-ending and expansive as nature and the cosmos

Borrowing energies from businesses, abandoned spaces and construction equipment for on-the-fly spells. (Once I used a buzz saw being used for a building renovation for a shield spell)

Pausing at florist displays to communicate with the small fresh spirits living in the cultivated potted gift plants, their energies foreign in the space.

Meditating on public transit, buses and trains, tapping into the circuits they run, the power that sustains them, and the thousands of people constantly on and off them.

Meeting eyes with the birds who brave the city streets, connecting a kin-ess of survival under such unnatural conditions. 

Marking sigils in the crook of my elbow in sharpie after designing them on the receipts that are tangled in my pockets.

Recognizing the glamor in mundane objects in stores, items being charged by desire and brand recognition by those who handle them, recognizing the residual affect it has on you after touching it.

Instinctively finding green spaces and specific plants you enjoy (for me its lavender, I can smell it from a block away) and having a mental map of where to pilfer powerful plants from city gardens. 

Feeling the spirit of the city, all the energies of thousands of people and history and industry only -just- covering the nature that existed there for millennia before it, feeling all this as you walk through the quiet dark streets in the early morning hours. 

Fire Scrying Basics

Candles are a very common magical tool, and candle magick is often the first technique for practical spellcasting that a witch learns. While some of us do find ourselves ensconced in dormitory rooms or otherwise unable to burn candles due to unsympathetic landlords, most witches have, at least once in their life, experimented with candles and the power of raw fire. And, why wouldn’t we? The books, websites, and other sources that publicly teach witchery these days reiterate over and over the beauty and usefulness of fire in the form of the simple candle.

I think it goes deeper than a mere candle fad in popular magick, though. Many authors regard fire as the “highest” of the elements. This is visible in Crowley’s Book of Thoth and the Thoth Tarot itself, which is, today, printed with the Wands (signifying fire) as the first suit, directly following the Major Arcana (which are aligned with the element of Spirit). Many seem to intimate the fire, while not necessarily the most important element (all are equally necessary constituents of reality), is perhaps the first to descend from the expanse of spirit into materialization at the moment of creation. While theologians and essentialists of all sorts would argue about this and attempt to prove or disprove it, I believe it to be a useful metaphor for the nature of fire and its place in humanity’s ascent, regardless of its relationship to more subtle phenomena.

Though humans have always interacted with all the elements to some degree, the taming of fire was, perhaps, humanity’s earliest jump forward into the throes of our modern evolution. How it happened is immaterial - through some mechanism, we as a species taught ourselves to kindle this first, most powerful and most potent element. Nothing has been the same since, and it is via our control of fire that we were able to connect with and control the other elements on a deeper level. Think about it - the discovery of fire allowed humans to reach a new plateau in terms of survival. Suddenly capable of driving away the darkness and the predators lurking therein, we as a race soon conquered new frontiers, the oceans through travel, the land through agriculture, and, ultimately, the air through flight.

It is no wonder, then, that fire deities and godforms associated with this powerful force have been worshiped in many cultures for millennia. While each culture understands fire in a different context and has a separate set of associations for it, its ubiquitous role in religion is a testament to its universal power and symbiotic relationship with humanity. That fire has always played a role in magick is a given, but it is likely true, as well, that humanity’s earliest occult experiences with this element were probably of a divinatory nature.

It is natural and quite easy for us as conscious being to gaze into the face of a roaring fire (or even a tiny flame!) and seek to discern meaningful patterns in its popping and hissing as the fire devours its fuel. This practice continues to this day, even among established religious traditions such as Catholicism and other large belief systems. The next step from this was surely full-on scrying via the fire. Insofar as fire was already something utterly inexplicable to early humans, simply being in its presence was likely enough to send our ancestors into the liminal state necessary for scrying. Approaching the element with a mixture of fear, gratitude and sheer awe, there is little doubt our early ancestors found visions waiting for them within their small campfires.

Later civilizations, such as the Egyptians and Babylonians, refined the art of scrying the flames with elaborate rituals and procedures to enhance the experience and provide extra insight. By this point in our history, urban and quasi-urban-dwelling humans had dispensed with the necessity of the campfire, and instead scried using oil lamps. The Egyptians were keenly aware of fire’s ability to ignite the visual faculty in humanity and drew a strong connection between the eyes and the flames themselves, often adorning their eyes prior to a divinatory session. Though we needn’t follow precisely in their footprints, Donald Tyson’s excellent book, Scrying for Beginners gives fairly detailed instructions for emulating and adapting the oil lamp scrying procedures of the ancients.

Prior to further discussion fire scrying methods, though, it is likely good to pause and consider the practice from the perspective of ancient peoples. Though few cultural practices can be universalized, a healthy respect for, and tacit fear of, fire seems endemic to all peoples. In today’s world, it’s most nearly child’s play to kindle a small flame, and quite safe, but in ancient times, fire could very well be the scryer’s undoing if he or she was not cautious. Thus, fear and trepidation, risk for great reward, was often part of the package when scrying with fire. Fortunately or unfortunately, (depending on whom you ask), this particular aspect of the experience is not readily reproducible by us today, though most of us still hold a universally human atavistic respect for fire and a sense of what’s safe and what isn’t.

Choosing Your Flame

If you want to scry with fire, you must first find a form of fire to use! It would be wonderful if all witches were able to kindle giant balefires into which we’d scry, but sadly, most of us cannot regularly have this experience. Like the urban-dwelling Egyptians, we must bring a small part of the flame into our homes if we wish to scry with it. Candles, though, are a much better choice for most of us than the oil lamps of ancient Egypt, which required complicated tending.

Size remains an issue, though - scrying of any sort requires a medium big enough for us to reliably fix our gaze upon,. While a single tiny tealight candle will work in a pinch, a large, bright candle or group of small candles (like several tealights resting closely together, so that their flames seem to mingle in your eyes) work best. Particularly useful are those not-uncommon pillar candles with multiple wicks. They’re a far cry from the brightness of a balefire or even an Egyptian lamp, but can simulate part of fire’s powerful vastness, something many of us forget.

In her book Scrying the Secrets of the Future, Cassandra Eason recommends candles tucked into jars or designed in such a way as to burn into the center of a large wax pillar, allowing the light to filter through the glass or wax and diffuse in a way that makes scrying easier for the beginner. Everyone differs, though, and would-be fire scryers should experiment with as many different types of flame as possible in order to find a medium that works well for them.

Tips for the Process

It’s a bit difficult to describe the process of scrying a flame or fire. Most suggestions for scrying with a crystal sphere, magic mirror, or even a vessel of water apply. I’ve gotten good results focusing and unfocusing my eyes until the muscles grow slightly weary and naturally relax, but with fire, this must be done very lightly. The Egyptian texts say one must fix one’s eyes on the flame without fear and not look away. This may be true, and is a path to results, but to gaze too deeply into fire and with too much concentration will just cause your eyes to become over-exhausted.

Perhaps the best method is to gaze, but softly, at the brightest part of the flame. Immerse yourself in its heat and light, and soon, images will appear to you. This does not happen as easily as with air scrying, mostly due to the flame being a small thing, but, with diligent practice, it will happen. The images themselves (in my experience) begin small, within the flame, then slowly expand into the less-bright parts of your vision and often into the shadows around you.

As is the case with many types of scrying, it requires a great deal of practice (or perhaps luck) to easily perceive full images, and you’re much more likely to merely see shapes and colors at first. Unlike with a crystal scrying sphere, water vessel, or mirror, though, colors won’t be as apparent initially - those tend to come later in fire scrying, owing to fire’s natural brilliant color superseding the hues of any visionary images you might receive.

You may wonder whether a particular shape that you see in the flames is really part of a vision rather than merely being a “trick of the light” or the product of tired eyes. Don’t worry about this too much - just take the impressions as they come and if they have a personal or useful meaning for you, it will rapidly become apparent. The importance of record-keeping should not be underestimated. You may see something in the flames that ultimately has a very important meaning for you, but which you will only realize at a later date and after some thought. Thus, it’s good practice to write down your impressions, no matter how vague, either at the end of every session, or pausing briefly every so often during the process.

Fire scrying, due to the brilliance of the element at hand, tends to result in eye strain and exhaustion much more easily than other elemental scrying forms. For this reason, I do recommend frequent breaks, or, at very least, pausing often to refocus your gaze. And blink often! Naturally, as well, practice proper fire safety procedures and never lean too close to the flame, no matter how riveting your visions might be. If you can physically feel the candle flame’s heat on your face, you’re likely too close!

I do hope you found this article informative or entertaining! If there’s something you’d like me to write about, do please to send me a message or ask, but please read my FAQ and master page beforehand to see if your question has already been answered. And finally, if you enjoy the content I produce, please consider donating to fund further endeavors. Thanks for reading!  

The Veil Method: How To Block Out Others' Emotions

This method was taught to me by a fellow empath. Sometimes being an empath is a great gift, but it can be quite burdening at times. Try this method to keep yourself from emotionally infiltrated by outside emotions.

Step 1: Identify the feeling you want to avoid or the person who’s emotions you want to avoid feeling.

Step 2: If you’re shielding yourself in advance make sure you take a moment to get acquainted with your own current emotions so you can differentiate between yours and others’ later on.

Step 3: Close your eyes. Breathe. Picture yourself from the shoulder up.

Step 4: Try to feel and picture a long, dense veil being unfurled from the crown of your head to your shoulders.

Step 5: Take a moment to feel your new emotional guard and its strength.