that-gothic-witchlet

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Today's Take

The idea that:

practicing witchcraft

putting up protection spells

not putting up protection spells

communicating with spirits in any capacity

makes you:

more visible

more vulnerable

more prone

to:

potential attack

intrusion by baneful magics

malicious practitioners

evil spirits

demons

is an idea:

rooted in cultural religious bias

heavily influenced by pop culture

born of rhetoric meant to warn people away from witchcraft

This is a list of concurrent points, not an either/or or a multiple choice selection.

Discuss.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

pronouns do not equal gender

gender expression does not equal gender

ill fuck you up if you disagree ^-^

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Witchcraft 101: Scrying

WHAT IS SCRYING?

I know it looks like a typo and what’s really happening, is that we’ve actually been crying as a community, but alas no; “scrying” is a legitimate and archaic form of divination.

Let’s check out the definition of it via Google:

scrying

Foretell the future using a crystal ball or other reflective object or surface. “A mirror used for scrying”.

Okay, so Google did pretty well this time and have hit the nail smack on the head with this definition.

Scrying is the act of gazing at a reflective surface and using any symbols that may appear as a way of garnering advice, or foretelling the outcome of certain forthcoming situations, circumstances, and choices.

TYPES OF SCRYING

The Crystal Ball

This is the one you’ll see all the fortune tellers with a multitude of rings and long nails use in the movies. It’s the method with the most flair and dramatic air about it, and is used a lot in the media by characters who are tied to mysticism.

In reality, gazing into a clouded glass or crystal (like Obsidian) ball to obtain information about forthcoming events, or unknown aspects of the present has been done for thousands of years (probably).

Mirror Scrying

Mirrors are the most practical form of scrying, particularly in the modern age when lots of us carry compacts or small mirrors in our bags or pockets on a daily basis.

Mirror scrying is usually done on a mirror that has a black backing to it as that makes for a better reflective surface and thus, a better experience when looking for symbols and signs within the mirror. You should keep your query in mind as you stare and see what is revealed to you.

You can buy ready-made scrying mirrors, but it’s also incredibly easy to make your own [click [X] or [X] or [X] for more info on that!].

Fire Scrying

Fire scrying is exactly what it says on the tin - staring into a flame to see what symbols and visions may present themselves to you.

When you scry with fire, you should take note of the movement of the flames and keep an eye out for repeated shapes and patterns, because whilst some people may see clear images, others may see shapes, or flashes or shadows.

Water Scrying

Much like fire scrying, this is what it says it is: using water to scry.

Some people use large bodies of water like lakes and oceans and incorporate the moon into their practise of this method, whilst some people prefer to use a small bowl of water and just employ the sitting-and-staring thing. Sometimes, people will use bowls that are made of crystal, or bowls that have a gloss on them to heighten the reflectivity. Some people will allow themselves to go into a trance-like state before scrying this way.

HOW TO SCRY:

Okay, so naturally the first step you’re going to want to take is deciding on which medium you’re going to use to scry! You don’t have to pick one now and stick with it forever - nothing stops you from experimenting with each method if that’s what you want to do.

Let’s go through it in steps.

Step 1: Find somewhere quiet, where you are unlikely to be disturbed.

If you want to, and if you think that it will help you, set up your surroundings so that you can fall into a relaxed and almost trance like state. For some, this may mean dimming the lights and putting on some sobering music. For others, it may be throwing open the curtains, letting the sunlight in and listening to birdsong - each to their own.

If you are familiar with meditating and meditation, think of it as a process just like that; you’ll want to reach a point of calmness before you scry. It’ll make the process a lot easier on you, as a skittish or burdened mind is a mind lacking clarity.

Stage 2: Why are you scrying? What is your intent?

You’ll have seen intent mentioned in a lot of spiritual/witchcraft posts because it’s a core concept in our work. It plays into scrying as well, because if you have a set reason for doing this, you’re more likely to find the answers you seek.

You know how we say that when you’re crafting a sigil you should write out a sentence that clearly states the intent behind the sigil? Well, doing something like that here might be a good idea, if only to make this whole thing easier on you. Think of it this way: it’s easier to accomplish something if you know what the fuck you’re trying to do, right?

Stage 3: Stare.

Now it’s time to stare. Yes, you heard me right. Sit back (or lean forward if you need to - it was just a figure of speech) and gaze into your chosen medium.

You should be aware, that it is likely you will fall deeper into a trance-like state when you do this and you may end up spending more time scrying than you had intended to. That particular situation has happened to most of us - you start scrying whilst the sun is out and finish in the middle of the night.

After some time, images may begin to show themselves. You may see shapes, shadows; silhouettes. You may see vivid flashes or blurry vague images; some people report seeing things in an almost dream-like manner; hazy and vague, and ambiguous.

In some cases people have reported that whilst they scry, dates, times and locations come to mind that are relevant to the query they have bore in mind during their divination session.

Remember to try and not force yourself to see things if they are not there. Let it happen organically. If you’re in a relaxed and trance-like state, you won’t be able to force yourself to see things in the water, mirror, water or flame.

Once you’ve finished scrying, if you have the energy left to do so, you may want to write down how everything went! Write the medium you used, what you saw, what you were asking about/wanting insight into, and what the symbols may mean.

This will help you interpret and clarify things, and it will also be a useful tool in learning and growing within this form of divination.

EXTRA TIPS:

At first you may be afraid of seeing things, or afraid of what you may see.

That’s okay. It’s normal to be apprehensive when you’re looking for insight into the unknown. If you want to know something, I still sometimes get a little nervous when I’m doing any kind of divination because when you’re asking for answers or guidance on something that’s not entirely clear, you can never be sure that you’re going to like the answers you get.

One way to combat this, is to prepare yourself before you dive in. Take some time to reflect on why you’re doing what you’re doing. Doing this may settle your nerves because you’re not going in blind.

Other ways include:

Grounding: grounding is the act of centering yourself by feeling connected to the physical world in some form or another. By recognising this, you are less likely to feel drained and may in fact feel like your might in steeled somewhat (that’s what it does for me! If I take time to feel my surroundings and recognise that I am tied to the solidity of this world, I feel stronger and more resilient.)

*Links: Grounding Visualisations ✧ Grounding/Meditation Chant ✧ Grounding ✧ Grounding Techniques

Remind yourself that when you see images or symbols, this is a good thing and you’re not going mad.

I know that may sound silly, but for first time scry-ers actually seeing something is scary because often a small part of you thinks this is hokum and you won’t actually see anything tangible.

It may help if you sit down, take a few deep breaths and say to yourself over and over as a sort of affirmation, something along the lines of: “I will images, shapes, visions of what I need to see in the flame/water/fire/mirror/crystal, and I will not be afraid.”

If you need to, prepare a sigil or incantation, or some small form of magick to make yourself feel more comfortable.

There’s no shame in needing or wanting to do so. I have used a sigil before divination before to calm my nerves. It’s a valid thing to do and want to do.

If you like my content and would like to help me keep providing free stuff for my gorgeous Ghoul Gang, you can tip your witch here: Paypal.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Graveyard Etiquette🪦

Before you go protect yourself you don't want a spirit attached to you.

Bring coins as offerings to the gatekeepers.

Bring with you offering for the spirits (food, water, flowers ect...) and leave it by a tree or away from the headstones for the spirits.

Make sure you don't step on anyone and apologiz if you do by accident.

Clean up neglected tombstones.

Ask before you take dirt. Use your intuition or divination to get a response.

Don’t take anything that is left for the dead.

Don't leave trash behind and if you find trash clean it.

Leave the way you came.

tip jar

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Secular Celebrations - Beltane

Beltane comes next, that little threshold holiday between late April and early May, the “spring fling” of our year. Mayday festivals have been around for centuries. Mentions of similar celebrations date back to the Roman Floralia and the Greek Maiouma, which is recorded as far back as the 2nd century BCE in the reign of Emperor Commodus. We also see similar festivals with things like bonfires, dancing, sweetheart rituals, and Maypoles all over Europe, and particularly in the British Isles. In some places, it’s connected with the Feast of St. Walpurgis (most notably the German Walpurgisnacht), and in others, it’s evolved into a kind of warm-weather romp that celebrates the month of May and the full flower of springtime. So there’s a lot of room for interpretation and a lot of activities to choose from if you’re celebrating this holiday as a secular witch.

The overarching theme of the day is definitely love. Love magic, sex magic, love divinations, marriage predictions, renewing of vows...it’s all there. There’s a reason besides the weather that May is the most popular month for weddings, and this might be part of it. So if you’re of a mind to work with any of that, DO IT. Cast spells to find love, attract a sweetheart, reconnect with your current partner, or if you’re single, maybe have a fling. Bring a little extra romance into your life. Just make sure you observe consent and common sense, and practice safe SEX as well as safe hex.

If you’re not interested in any of that, you can also work magic for self-love. Often in our conversations on love magic, we leave out that all-important relation with ourselves. Beltane is a great time to rediscover this. It can be a celebration of yourself and your own power and your own journey. Pamper yourself a bit. Have a home spa day, take a ritual bath, do whatever it is that makes you feel strong and gorgeous. Because spoiler alert - you ARE strong and gorgeous. A-bip-bip-bip...yes you are. Yes. You ARE. Even when you don’t feel like it, you’re an amazing person and the world is a better and more interesting place because you’re in it. So celebrate all the things you love about yourself - your mind, your creativity, your skills, and particularly your body, even if it’s uncooperative or a work in progress. Celebrate your strength and your ongoing metamorphosis into the person you want to be. Whether that journey is mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical, you are not the same person you were last year, and your progress deserves recognition.

Celebrate your communal and familial bonds as well. Connect with the people who make you feel loved and cherished and uplifted. If you can’t attend a party, maybe have a virtual game night or a socially-distanced movie marathon. If you’re working on coming out of your shell, this is a good time to maybe take a step in that direction, even if it’s just a small one.

This is a festival of flowers and fire, fertility and fun, so anything you want to do that involves any of those things would be appropriate. Have a bonfire, if you can do so safely, or light up some candles. Make flower crowns or garlands. Add greenery to your home decor. If you haven’t already planted your garden, or if your starter sprouts are ready and the final frost has passed, get them in the ground. Do some growth magic to help them along. Dress in something that makes you happy and comfortable. Put on your favorite music, dance around the house, and sing like you’re on your very own Broadway stage. Make your favorite foods, maybe experiment with making wine or beer or short mead if you’ve ever wanted to give that a shot. Make candied flowers or candied fruit peel.

Go on a picnic, if the weather allows it. If you’re partial to wildcrafting, gather wild herbs and flowers for your magic, always observing permission to harvest and best practices for your local ecosystem. That means whatever you want to pick, make sure you’re allowed to do so, whether on a spiritual level or on a practical one. Don’t go raiding state parks or your neighbor’s flower garden; you probably don’t have permission to take plants from these places. Take only what you need and don’t pick anything you can’t properly identify or anything that’s endangered. Make sure you label everything too; it saves time later and helps you remember what you’ve picked. I suggest bringing a pocket field guide to local flora to help you out. And while you’re out there, hug your favorite tree. If you have trees or shrubs on your property, decorate them with ribbons and streamers, give them a good drink of water, and thank them for all the oxygen. (Just make sure you take these decorations down and dispose of them properly before they become litter.)

Meditate on your passions. Think about your causes, all the things that put a fire in your belly. Think of what makes you feel happy and fierce and free. Rededicate yourself to the things that matter to you, whether in your witchy practices or your personal life, or the social and political causes that you feel most passionate about.

-from Hex Positive, Ep. 011 - Secular Celebrations (Nov 01, 2020)

Other Posts In This Series:

Imbolc

Spring Equinox

Beltane

Midsummer

Lughnasadh

Autumn Equinox

Samhain

Yule

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop.

The Hex Positive podcast is a proud member of the Nerd and Tie Podcast Network.😊

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Fairy Tale Spells by Bree NicGarran

Fairy tales have always been with us. Apart from teaching moral lessons and practical cautions, they remain a source of wonder and inspiration that persists even in a modern age dominated by technology.

There is magic in these tales as well - spells and charms that aid the worthy and conquer obstacles, heal the ailing and bring wealth to the poor, thwart the wicked and exact terrible revenge, or grant someone their hearts' desire and make their dearest wishes come true.

I have created over a hundred such spells, inspired by the tales recorded by the Brothers Grimm and the folklore collected by Andrew Lang. One volume was published back in 2017 and another is forthcoming. If you're curious (and maybe a little bit daring), here are some previews of the spells to be found in the pages of The Sisters Grimmoire.

After all, who couldn’t use a bit of Happily Ever After?

The Sisters Grimmoire, Vol. I

A Bellyful of Stones - A curse to punish the greedy.

Roughskin - To protect and disguise oneself from those who mean to harm you.

Table of Plenty - To obtain needed money or provisions.

The Red Flower - For removing enchantment.

The Sorrow Pot - To relieve your sorrows and bring justice for a grievance.

The Wall of Thorns - To protect one’s home and property.

The Sisters Grimmoire, Vol. II (forthcoming)

Make Sure You Lock Up - To set your household wards when you lock your front door.

Gilded Locks - To braid wealth into the caster's hair.

Something In The Water - To discover whether a person is suffering from the effects of baneful magic.

The Ferryman's Curse - To curse another with the problems that plague your own life.

The Shining Web - To repel trouble from the home.

You can find more spells from The Sisters Grimmoire, Vol. I and potion and powder recipes from Pestlework by checking out the mid-month minisodes of Hex Positive, available on your favorite podcast platform.

All of my titles can be found on Amazon or ordered from the Willow Wings Witch Shop. (If you'd like to see them in your local witch shop, feel free to give the proprietor my contact information!)

If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar! 😊

[that-gothic-witchlet]

General reminder to the pagans out there:

Making a supreme goddess figure part of your spirituality? Great! Worshiping a mother goddess? Wonderful! If that brings joy and meaning into your life, excellent!

"Once upon a time long ago, people all worshiped a great goddess until THE PATRIARCHY conspired to overthrow her and replace her with a CRUEL PATRIARCHAL GOD" - that's pseudohistory and conspiracism; there's literally no evidence for it whatsoever, and it can and does drag people down the new age to alt right pipeline.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Witchcraft Book Recommendation Lists

(Reposting again bc tumblr turned off the reblogs on the original wtf. From an answer to an inquiry in the witchcraft tags. Decided to repost for anyone else who might need it.)

Here’s the post I made with recommendations for green witchcraft and plant magic. The list includes magical resources and accompanying practical texts on botany, herbology, and medicinal plants.

Here’s the post I made with recommendations for general witchcraft study, including practical sources on the history of modern witchcraft. (In particular, I recommend Margot Adler’s “Drawing Down The Moon” and Ronald Hutton’s “The Triumph of the Moon” for information about the modern movement.)

Here’s a recent photo of my personal library, if you’re looking for a general list of titles to check out.

Here’s the post I made with a list of JSTOR articles I’ve found that relate to witchcraft, witch trials, folk magic, occult beliefs, superstition, and the history surrounding all of them. It’s not exhaustive, but it’s pretty comprehensive.

And here are a couple of masterlists of podcast episodes that deal with witchcraft, witch trials, the history of witchcraft-related beliefs, and resources for fact-checking and debunking misconceptions and misinformation commonly found in witchcraft spaces.

(Also I have published a few books on practical secular witchcraft, if you’re interested….)

You can also find additional recommendations in the "book recs" and "witchy books" tags on my blog.

Hope this helps!

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[that-gothic-witchlet]

So you've fallen in love with a shrine goddess...

Acknowledge that, should you pursue anything other than a distant adoration of her, your fate will be either very lucky or very unlucky.

Don’t attempt to pursue a goddess whose shrine you do not already tend. It’s rude.

It’s not a good idea to try and leave more gifts than usual at the shrine in a bid to catch her attention. She’ll notice, but she cannot be won with gifts alone.

The simplest way for a mortal to seek an audience with a goddess would be to stay by her shrine for a full day. Arrive at dawn, or earlier, four a.m. is a good time.

When you begin to feel tired, move to about thirty feet away from the shrine to sleep–don’t sleep on the shrine, it’s disrespectful.

At about midnight, you’ll begin to feel tremors in the ground: they’ll increase in intensity, until the whole ground shakes. This is not the work of the goddess. Try to go back to sleep.

If you begin dreaming after the tremors have woken you, you’ll have to try the whole thing again another day. If you dream of the trees around you being bare and gnarled, then unfortunately, you ought to never come to the shrine again.

You’ll likely wake yourself up at the twenty-four hour mark. The air will seem different, with a sweeter smell, perhaps. You will not be able to see her, but she is listening for you.

Speak to her.

Be polite, obviously. Don’t mention your interest in her. She knows it already. If you can’t think of anything else to say, talk about the beauty of your surroundings.

Once you’re finished speaking, pause for a little bit. Allow the silence to settle in. Give her time to think.

Soon, the wind will pick up, swirling leaves and petals around the shrine. Close your eyes until the wind stops rushing in your ears. Then, open them.

The goddess will have appeared before you, suspended a little bit above the ground. You will not be able to make out any humanlike features when you look at her, except for a large, beautiful pair of eyes. She will not make eye contact with you just yet. Don’t stare too long at her eyes.

After a long moment of silent staring, the goddess will do one of two things:

She will nod, and look directly into your eyes. You will be able to feel her stare through your whole body, down to the tips of your toes. This means she has chosen you. You will not need this guide anymore. You will know what to do.

Or, she will close her eyes, and the wind will whisper, “Thank you.” This means she is not interested. Continue to follow this guide.

Don’t be offended. It’s her choice to make. If you’re gracious, she will still be kind to you.

Do not leave the shrine. She will almost certainly interpret it as you being spiteful. Instead, have a nap a little ways from the shrine, or share a snack, eating some and leaving some atop the shrine.

You’ll feel better afterward. More likely than not, if you’ve been kind to the goddess, she will leave you with a bit of herself, a little more wisdom and contentedness than you had before.

More guides

When driving long hours alone

How to confess to your crush

If you are a researcher or adventurer and want to share a guide, join our subreddit!

[that-gothic-witchlet]

For every claim about Pagan survivals in European / North American folk traditions and holidays, it's important to remember that there are at least three layers of cruft on top:

Sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Protestants trying to discredit Catholicism by claiming that it was secretly Pagan

Nineteenth-century Romanticists and Nationalists trying to construct an "authentic" volkisch identity by connecting everything to a remote pre-Christian (pre-Jewish) antiquity, and

Contemporary Neopagans and New Agers who want to maintain these traditions.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Not everything the Christians do is stolen from some anonymous pagan culture. I'm sorry y'all but the Christians did actually come up with a bunch of shit on their own.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Hey! I’m a Christian witch and I’m wanting to dive more into folk magic because I’ve seen in my family and others in the south that they mix very well. Do you have any interesting rituals or things to look up?

Really depends on what part of the south you're from. You've got the gulf coast, the deep south, upper south, appalachia... It'll all look different based on the bioregional surroundings. A couple things that are generally shared though are witch bottles, horseshoes, and the use of railroad spikes.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Plaintext from the video: Please do not type out your DNIs like this. This kind of censorship is inaccessible to those with screen readers. Thank you.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

always loved that my grandma won't call her folk magic magic. They're all tricks.

"heres a trick to get a job, bay leaf in the right shoe coin in the left"

Yeah, most older folk won't call it magic due to the taboo idea that all magic is witchcraft and therefore associated with the devil. The perspective generally agreed upon is it isn't witchcraft, but rather a gift from God (if you're the religious type that is).

I don't blame them. Midwives ended up being dropped left and right by doctors during the 1900s for "witchcraft" (in other words, doing better at making births successful). Same with folk healers.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

Ok I got some witchcraft questions because I'm starting to think that my experiences are not universal.

I've run into so many people that say that using magic makes you a beacon to malevolent spirits and thats why you should always ward and protect and all that but like...

... I haven't ever felt like my magic makes me a beacon or anything? I usually do warding and whatnot first anyways or I incorporate it into the working somehow. But its less about warding off the creepies and more like... part of the ritual.

So I'm wondering where this warning comes from. Like... culturally.

[that-gothic-witchlet]

My family have been tarot readers for generations, and a fair few of us have been great amongst our countries peers. I should have been gifted my first deck by another tarot reader in the family. But that wasn’t possible.

My mother never really got tarot, never really cared that much for the legacy of the Romany women before us, but when she found out I was she tried her best and bought me a deck and some guides.

I may not have had it the same as everyone that came before me, but I shall still try to do my family proud

#romani #roma #romany #actually roma #actually romani #roma people #romani people #rrumblr #leo languages #tarot #tarotblr #tarot witch #tarotcommunity #tarot reader

[that-gothic-witchlet]

You know, I spent ages practicing for this, perfecting my gradient technique, cherry picking the colours and shades. And this is where we are now. This is what it was all for?

But I suppose that’s just the way art is sometimes

Even if you spend pages

And pages

And pages practicing and trying to entire the quality of your final product, you still might not be satisfied with the end product. But that’s ok. You just gotta keep going, see it through, figure out which boys you don’t like, and turn the page. Start a new piece. And use what you learned.

This isn’t finished by the way! Not at all. I will show when it is though so stick around if your interested :)