7 Ways to Conquer Tiredness of the Soul

We’ve all felt it. A draining of the spirit. An exhaustion that never leaves no matter how much sleep you get. A tiredness of the soul.

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Let’s be clear right off the bat. I’m not talking about depression. Although soul tiredness can definitely be a combination or symptom of soul tiredness, it’s not what we’re discussing here.

Soul tiredness is when your very spirit and soul is just tired. Your spirit needs a nap. It needs to recharge, reset, and reboot. Here’s seven ways you can do it.

1: Meditate

Meditation is definitely one of those things that either you love or you’re ambivalent towards. Honestly, I’m rather ambivalent towards meditation as a whole. I don’t do it everyday but I find it a great source of comfort when I’m just so fuzzy brained that making coffee seems like a complicated task.

I use meditation as a exercise in escapism. I put on an ocean soundscape, bundle up in fuzzy blankets, and escape to a mental image of the beach with the Atlantic lapping on the shore. It’s a good way of allowing the body and mind to settle and relax.

It’s far more common for me to use meditation as a moment where I will do nothing else but sit and contemplate any and all thoughts that cross my mind. Sometimes I’ll have a specific goal in mind, such as sorting through a situation emotionally, sometimes not. That kind of introspection can really help you narrow down some of the internal struggles you may be having.

2: Quench Your Wanderlust

90% of the time, my soul tiredness is because I’m restless. I’m a wanderer. I like to travel and I like to travel alone. I like to be able to stop whenever I want or go as fast as I want in order to reach whatever destination I have in mind.

If I haven’t traveled anywhere in over a year, I get restless, lethargic, and simply unwilling to deal with the day-to-day monotony. (And I don’t even have a day-to-day monotony!)

I combat this by taking trips with friends and family. Usually it’s a road trip somewhere or maybe even a day trip somewhere. Sometimes I take the train up to Boston and spend the day meandering libraries and museums. Other times I pack a bag and head off to a campground to unplug and recharge.

Travel can be really expensive but once I start noticing the restlessness, I squirrel away some pocket change. I can usually pull off a day trip for less than $50 if I plan accordingly, take advantage of discounts, pack food, and take public transport.

3: Monotony Begone!

Soul tiredness often comes along when your life is so much part of the daily doldrums that everything kind of slides together. The best way to shake this is to literally shake up your routine.

Grabbing coffee with an old friend, trying a new restaurant, repainting your walls a fresh color, buying new bedding, or rearranging furniture.are great ways to change up your life in little ways that have a huge impact on your life.

Don’t forget the details when you’re shaking up the monotony. It’s the details that matter the most. Try a new candle scent for your bedroom or a new scent for your body wash. Spend a few minutes dressing nicely for an outing, even if you’re only running to the grocery store and stick some fresh fruit on your counter or table. It’s tiny things but it helps swap out boring habits with new, fun ones.

4: Divination

Divination is useful for seeing the future but it’s just as useful when determining what’s happening now.

There are so many spreads out there to figure out what’s going on with you internally. You can pretty much pick your favorite reader and they’ll almost certainly have something in their repertoire to take a deep look inside of your spirit.

Focus on what things you can change to shake the tiredness and start bringing those new elements and changes in your life.

I usually recommend Heal Your Heartache, Elemental Shift, and Explorer as good readings to overcome soul tiredness.

5: Cleansing & Cleaning

Cleansing yourself, your home, your car, your work, and your favorite places to go can really help you shake any weirdness.

I’m of a mind that one should always combine cleaning with cleansing. You can spiritually cleanse a place but if there’s a week full of dishes in the sink, you’re still going to have this thing in your way and in your sight.

So, spend an afternoon or even twenty minutes clearing off surfaces and doing some dishes or laundry. Then go about and cleanse the place. It’ll feel much better and tackling those annoying chores will take a few things off the mental checklist.

Definitely make sure that you wash all of your bedding and sweep under the bed. It will be a momentous chore with a lot of laundry. Rotate your mattress and reassemble your bed with a single simple change – a new pillow, a different set of sheets, swapping out a throw blanket, etc. We spend a lot of time in our bedrooms and in our beds. Making sure that your bed is a relaxing, inviting, and clean place is important. There’s nothing like settling down into a freshly made bed to make you say ahh.

6: Unplug Your Life

This is probably the most commonly found tip right next to meditation. It is absolutely the hardest one to accomplish on the entire list.

I’ll be honest. I’m never far from my phone. I live on social media (but is oddly ironic because I’m a recluse). As a writer, I an probably never more than five inches from a keyboard. I adore gadgets and I’m exactly the kind of person who wishes wifi dead spots on people when they annoy me.

But once a year I take three days to completely remove myself from communication. I don’t use social media, I don’t email, I don’t call, and I don’t text. I won’t even talk unless asked a direct question. I call it the Silence Festival and it is glorious. I do allow use of technology during the Silence Festival but it has to be something like writing, playing a single-player video game, etc. But that’s me.

You can bring that kind of electronic rest into your life right now. It’s simple. Turn off technology ten minutes before going to bed. Or don’t use technology within the first five minutes of waking up. Either one works and it can make a big difference. Instead, read for ten minutes before going to sleep or wake up and do some simple stretches.

It’s one of those things that you think “that’ll never make a difference” but it really does.

7: Crystal & Element Recharge

If you’re into crystal healing, then this won’t be new information. It’s akin to meditation but not quite the same thing.

Sometimes we need to forcibly reset yourself, this is one of the ways to do it. A simple quartz crystal can allow you to cycle through your energy but you can also use an element. For example, if you best association with air, maybe sitting in front of an open window, windy park bench, or even a fan will work. Amethyst, citrine, or any other stone you’re preferable to will also work. It’s really about personal resonance more than anything else.

Close your eyes and allow yourself to sit. Try to keep your mind empty and push away any intrusive thoughts. Eventually, you’ll acclimate to the crystal or element. Once this happens and you feel completely comfortable and aware at the same time, you can start the recharge.

Pull the energy from the element or crystal into yourself. This might require some energy manipulation, affirmations, or visualization. You might feel oddly cooled or warmed, depending on what you’re working with.

You can do this as long as you want but I usually do it until I feel a lightness of the spirit and want to sigh in happiness or relief. Then I open up my eyes, thank whatever I was working with, and set it aside to recharge by the sun or moon, depending on the element.

Remember to make sure your tiredness doesn’t have some other source. It could be hiding a medical symptom so make sure that you’re covering your bases.

And, sometimes, you really do just need a nap and some self-care. Cater to yourself and you’ll find yourself needing a full restore less often.

Soul tiredness is definitely an issue for mystics and practitioners so it’s always good to know a few ways to overcome it. Shake off those doldrums and get back to your center once again.

WTF Do I Put in A Money Spell?

Or, Herbs, Spices, Ingredients, and Additives You Can Put In A Money Spell

 

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I disregard most of the magical herb recommendations. Why? Because most of the time these books don’t tell you why they’re recommending it. And I think that’s pretty important stuff to know.

Don’t get me wrong; I own at least three different magical ingredient or herb books. I used Cunningham’s book when I was younger and I got great results. But when I learned to think critically, I stopped using them as intended and started using them to figure out where to start researching.

I personally feel that if you’re including an ingredient in your spell, you should know at least some basic information about it. A flower you selected because of the sweet scent for your attraction spell might also be a climbing plant. The people you attract might be sweet, but clingy, and choke up your lifestyle.

Because of this kind of logic, I use herbs and spices from the historical trading routes. Many of the spices or items listed below come from the Incense Route, Silk Route, and the East India Trading Company. Or just general historical knowledge of various trade goods wanted in different places. I’d check what your ancestors traded for in the past (if that’s applicable).

Common Money Spell Ingredients by This Crooked Crown

The list of course is by no means inclusive.

  • Salt (since the word salary comes from salt)
  • Actual money (coins, bills, etc) [Gold is probably best but whatever]
  • Silk
  • Magnets (or magnetic stones) [Mandatory IMO for money spells]
  • Incense
  • Cardamom
  • Cinnamon
  • Apricot
  • Cassia
  • Ginger
  • Allspice
  • Cloves
  • Sugar
  • Cotton
  • Vanilla
  • Turmeric
  • Tea [Green tea is my default]
  • Coffee
  • Tobacco
  • Chocolate
  • Sandalwood
  • Mace (the plant)
  • Bell and Chili peppers (dried)
  • Saffron
  • Cumin
  • Pepper
  • Grains of Paradise
  • Wine (any alcohol, really)
  • Galangal
  • Imported fruits or vegetables (dried) [These weren’t often traded because rot but they would have been. They were usually dried. Dried figs anyone?]
  • Precious metals (Gold, silver, copper, steel, etc.) [Try gold foil used in baking]
  • Jewels, gemstones, and semi-precious stones
  • Fine textiles (brocade, velvet, etc.)

Now, I’ll usually throw in candle wax from my money candle (I use the same money candle for every money spell I do). I’ll sew up gold silk charm bags with green thread. I embroider in gold or green money-oil soaked embroidery symbols of money or prosperity. I’ll drip rainwater from a full moon (to keep the wallet full). Tiny scraps of fabric can be used to stuff the bag as well. I also put magnetic sand or magnet chips in as well. I’ll mix whatever herbs on hand into an oil or ointment and smear it all over a coin.

I don’t recommend using shells or beads (unless cowrie beads, semi-precious stones, gemstones, or real pearls). Shells and beads have been used to fuck over indigenous people for centuries but you do what’s best for you.

You don’t need much. A pinch of whatever’s on hand will work. All of that dumped in the charm bag and tucked into a purse, wallet, pocket, cash register, whatever and you’re good to go. And really, bits of anything expensive can go into a charm bag. Do what feels right and bring the money in.

Originally posted over on my tumblr.

Spell to Study Harder (Spell Saturday #25)

We all have times when our concentration splits or we simple do not want to put in the time needed for studying or work. It happens to all of us.

This spell encourages you to buckle down and concentrate on what needs to get done.

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What you’ll need:

  • Scents that inspire or energize you (see below)
  • Yellow candle or LED light

Get a yellow candle or LED light. Ideally the scent should be something that isn’t comforting. It should be something invigorating. For me, that’s usually a spicy or citrus scents but it’s up to you. If you can’t find a yellow candle that has the right scent or you’re using an LED light, you’ll want to pick up either incense or aromatherapy oils that’ll work for you.

Holding the candle or LED light in your hand, close your eyes and take deep, even breaths. Empty your mind and push away any intrusive thoughts. Once you’re as calm as possible and have your mind as blank as possible, say the following,

With this light

I inspire my mind

With this light

My intelligence shines

With this light

My focus narrows

With this light

I will strive

Keep the candle or LED light on or near your desk so it’s in your peripheral vision while you work.

Every time you light the candle or turn on the LED light, you should find that you’re ready to work harder. If the candle or LED burns out, simply repeat the spell on the replacement candle or light.

Notes:

  • As mentioned above, I prefer spicy or bright scents for this spell. Citrus often works very well. But some people prefer the smell of mowed grass and meadow flowers or other scents given their personal preferences or personal associations. It’s entirely up to you.
  • You can use a white candle or LED light in a pinch but it does work better with the yellow color I’ve found.
  • You can skip the scents, if you like, but the spell works better with it.
  • I highly recommend combining this with some white noise. I use mynoise.net daily and rotate out my sound schemes based on my mood, the weather, and what I want to accomplish.

Happy casting!

Why you might want to skip reading for yourself

Most diviners read for themselves. It’s a great way of learning, testing new spreads, and practicing various divination methods because who knows you better than you?

But there’s a small group of diviners out there that don’t read for themselves. Reasons vary but the most common one you’ll hear is that it’s hard to read for yourself.

How many times have you pulled some cards for yourself only for the cards to tell you exactly what you already know? (And let’s be totally honest here: the cards will probably tell you that information in the rudest or snarkiest manner possible.)

And I am entirely guilty of pulling a spread for myself only to not do a full in-depth reading. Usually, it’s like “Oh, the Four of Coins, Star, an Chariot. Awesome. It’s nap time then!” (I have totally done this.)

It’s hard to give yourself advice on being you. it’s hard to seriously take the advice the divination tool is giving you because you know what to expect. It’s already telling you what you know.

But is it? I mean, think about this logically. If you already know something, then why would you look beyond that? You’re seeing what you’re expecting to see, not the other possibilities. We’re somewhat blind to our own futures. We’re emotionally invested in our own futures, after all, and hope is a strong motivator to avoid unpleasantness.

It’s even somewhat hazardous. You could miss important info because you see what you want to see and not what’s actually there.  I’ve done it and it totally sucks. Afterwards you kind of just kick yourself.

Personally, I do read for myself. I’ll do serious readings because I’m self-aware enough to know I’m a hot mess at times. (Hey, we all are, right?) I’ll definitely read for myself when situations come up and I need answers, stat. But if I want a serious general reading or checkup reading, I’ll go to a trusted friend or reader. If I’m scared to read for myself because I’m so emotionally invested in whatever is going on, I tap a fellow reader to give me a good push.

Let’s be honest: Sometimes we all just need someone to lay out the hard truth on you so you can sit back and go, “Well, shit.”

 

Heal Your Heartache Spread

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Heal Your Heartache is a reading that focusing on helping you heal from heartbreak. Whether your hurt comes from a break up, crushed dreams, trauma, or simply being soul tired, Heal Your Heartache focuses on helping you heal and move on.

It’s a really great kind of reading that allows you to identify just where you’re hurting and what hurts are symptomatic or caused by some other issue elsewhere.

For example, maybe you’re feeling sick to your stomach but that’s actually caused by the stress you’ve been feeling for an upcoming deadline. The body reacts in whatever way is needs to to tell you something’s wrong. And when you’re feeling poorly emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, your body will react.

I’ve used this a dozen times or more to figure out exactly how I’m reacting to various stresses or what-have-you and look for solutions I can implement without adding additional stress.

Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t meant to replace medical or professional care in any capacity. It’s just suppose to be an eye-opener and provide clues to help you. It’s a tool, not a solution.

And yes, you can absolutely use this spread for yourself. I encourage it! Just make sure you credit me if you use it in blog posts or paid readings since it’s my original work.

If you’re not up to reading for yourself right now, this reading is available in my etsy and storenvy shops.

Enjoy!

Divination Tool Review: Fairy Lights Tarot

Fairy Lights Tarot by Lucia Mattioli. Published by Lo Scarabeo

Status: Currently reading with it

Best for: Spirit readings, astral or spiritual related readings, faerie readings, complicated social matters, daily draws, getting in touch with your intuition, and story-telling

Favorite cards: Six of Chalices, Eight of Wands, Five of Pentacles

Acquired from and date: Part of a barter with Kara Driscoll in March 2016

Fairy Lights was one of those decks I found absolutely beautiful so I put it on my Crown’s Witchy Wishlist. It sat there for a couple of years while I focused on getting some other great decks in my collection. Then it was gifted to me as part of a barter. I’m not wholly sure what I expected but Fairy Lights both did and didn’t meet my expectations.

I knew the art was soft and beautiful. It’s definitely a fairy deck both in feel and in depth. But for some reason, I didn’t get the same kind of instant pull towards the deck as I did with the other two decks I was given. In fact, out of the three, this one took the longest for me to want to work with. Which is an absolute shame because it photographs beautifully.

And that’s the thing. This deck IS beautiful and I found little to complain about. But it does require some work to get into the feel of it. I don’t deal much with faery courts in my practice but this definitely reminds me of a faery court – in a good way. Each card has a lot of personality so when you’re working with this deck, make sure to study each card closely in order to fully appreciate the deck.

This is an extremely beautiful and intricate deck. The art is very moody, very colorful, and very fluid. It reminds me strongly of some of the art that accompanied the fairy tales I read as a child. The art is soft and diffused. The gray borders might seem like a strange choice but I rather like it. I think it makes the image of the cards stand out, like a window into each little realm the card shows.

This is not a deck that’s all light and goodness, however. This takes a lot of inspiration from fairy-related stories so you’ll be able to recognize the stories within the images. Some I didn’t recognize the stories to, such as Two of Wands, so it might just be a fantastical image or I don’t know the story.

The colors are extremely bright and vivid, as you can see with the variety of photos but there’s a lot of dark images too. Lots of vibrant colors. Really, this is kind of the perfect blogger deck color-wise because there’s so much color and the palettes are really good.

Nudity is also commonplace but when nudity does appear, it fits the image. Justice, for example.There isn’t a huge amount of nudity but it does exist. I wouldn’t consider this a kid-friendly deck. The nudity here is chosen well. It means something rather than just being a part of the art style.

Content-wise, the deck doesn’t have anything that shocks you out of the deck.There isn’t a sudden modern image surrounded by medieval image. The Emperor was the only one that kind of threw me – it shows a conquistador and army at first glance but the more I looked at it the more I realized it could easily just be an explorer and army.

What I really liked is, except for the numbers, there’s zero script on the deck. The suits are separated by a physically shown sword, cup, wand, or coin. For the Court Cards, for example, there’s just a helm, horse, or crown to designate status. The Major Arcana has just the numbers.

But that’s also a challenge. While the symbols for the Court Cards make searching for those cards in the deck easy peasy, it also means that you have to recognize those symbols for those cards.

Same thing with the suits themselves. They’re fairly self-explanatory when you’re looking at the four suits together but sometimes I forget the sword is represented by an actually swords and not the wand. It’s a silly mistake on my part but it’s one with noting.

The deck back is absolutely beautiful. It fits in very well with the deck and makes this a great deck for adult festivals and events because it’s interesting no matter what side is being shown. The image isn’t a mirror reverse, however, so you will be able to tell the subtle difference between a reversed card and a right side up card.

Not that I think reverses matter with this deck. I’m hit or miss on whether I read a deck with reverses but this one I wouldn’t. Or, rather, I wouldn’t for most readings. I think it would be extremely situational. There may be some merit to remembering that this is a view of a faery court which is othered, separate, somewhere else. Upside down is a common indication of this realm. So, if you read with reverses, you might want to keep that idea in mind.

I think this deck could have really benefited from a companion book. The LWB included in the deck is fairly useless. I’m usually one to give the LWB a chance but this one is a fairly standard LWB so it’s kind of a waste. The box is your standard tuck box so it’s nothing exciting in that terms.

This deck isn’t one I’d overly recommend to beginners. If you love the art and are willing to learn, go for it. But the lack of words and the lack of recognizable imagery can make it a tough deck to learn with. If you’re familiar with RWS style decks, you’ll definitely pick up on the placement and shared imagery that occurs with RWS decks but otherwise, it doesn’t stand out.

When it comes to deck size and shape, the deck is narrow in width. I think some of this is a trick of the eye due to the borders but the  cards are actually 2 1/2 inches in width. The deck is almost half an inch more narrow than my Dreaming Ways Tarot. In fact, my Classic Tarot, which fits inside a cloth eyeglass sleeve, is probably the same size as this deck. Height-wise, they’re about average. This is definitely one of those decks I would have preferred larger cards though. The art is so intricate and lovely that a larger size would be good to really soak in the details without straining your eyes.

The paper stock is a bit thin. It makes the deck very easy to shuffle but the thinness has me concerned for the deck’s lifespan. Actually, the deck shuffles extremely well. Actually, I found the card somewhat slippery right out of the box. I want my cards to slid easily but not slip out of my hands when just moving the deck about.

I really like this deck. The more I use it, the more I like it. It’s not as playful as my other faery decks but I feel like it makes up for it with the lack of humans. The faeries aren’t just humans without wings. Some aren’t even humanoid and I love that. I’m a big fan of representing things as they appear in the spirit realms and this definitely has that feel to it.

Overall, would I get this again? Yes. It’s a great deck and has a lot of heart the more you look at it.

 

Fairy Lights Tarot by Lucia Mattioli © Lo Scarabeo

Be Brave (Spell Saturday #24)

Sometimes, you just need to be brave. Gathering your courage to go and do A Thing can be hard. (Although, it’s usually gathering motivation that’s harder but shh).

Here’s a spell for when you need to stop being a wimp and Do The Thing.

 

Take a deep breath. Hold your hands about a foot apart from one another in front of you and say,

“Fire around me, burning bright, passionate and true,

Water beside me, flowing free, understanding and calm,

Earth under me, steadying strong, patient and grounding

Air above me, pushing past, darting and knowing”

Now imagine the energies of all four elements to be in between your hands. If you’re god an energy manipulation, you can pull energy from the elements around you.

Take a deep breath once again. Condense the energy and move your hands closer together. Press your hands and energy into your chest. Say,

“Become with me

Grant me your courage and strength

To get me through this day.”

Now breathe out and go about your day.

Note:

  • Doing this in front of a mirror sometimes helps.
  • Doing this in front of an altar can be helpful but it isn’t required. There’s usually enough elements in the area that you don’t need to.
  • Bathrooms are great places to cast this spell. There’s water and fire (lights or electricity or even candles) on hand. Kitchens are also good places.
  • You can adapt the spell to your elemental system

Happy casting!

Spirit Destinations: How to Find Your Way in the Astral

Treading the spirit realms can be really difficult. It’s like going to another country: you don’t know the language and the culture’s a bit weird. You make stupid mistakes, and probably end up in a not-great neighborhood at some point.

 

Getting directions to anywhere in the astral is complication. Super complicated. I’ll explain. The spirit realms are always in flux. There’s always some conflict to avoid, some danger to be wary of. The topography and land itself changes at the whims of residents in the world. Wars and battles cause lots of detours. When a new ruler takes over, the entire land can shift and change. The very land itself can morph to suit the whims and personality of the ruler. The rulers become, in part, land spirits, protecting their territory from harm. It’s not unlike the story of the Fisher King. Even if the land doesn’t adjust to the ruler, there are dangers in the environment to watch for. Then there’s the people. Look at our own world. Look at all the cultures, all the taboos, all the knowledge and secrets that exist in it. Look at the hate and love we have. And we’re all humans, a single species with that much diversity. That diversity exist in every species, without fail. There are uncountable numbers of species and races in the spirit realms. You may be able to make some generalizations but most of the time, you’re a fish out of water. Add onto that each person’s own free will and individuality and you have a mess to deal with. Everyone has agendas of their own. People – and they are people – have , jobs, obligations, families, and lives to attend to. After all, how often do you pause to give strangers directions? The residents here might not pause their lives for you either. And that’s OK. We’re all people and have busy lives. Some folks will help and some won’t. Some people are nice and others are cruel. Variety makes the worlds wonderful, after all. But with all of that variety and flexibility comes a massive problem: how do you to find anything in a world that changes so much?

 

Asking directions can be a chore in and of itself. You may have to barter something just to get some complex set of instructions. Those directions might not even be accurate. Things change so often that halfway through the trip, there’s usually some change. Even if you get directions that are accurate, the names for things aren’t the same. For example, I live by an ocean when in the spirit realms. It has a lot of names: Ocean of Fallen Tears, Sea of the Giant’s Tears, Sunlight-Glances-Off-This-Body-of-Water-and-Dances-Across-the-Sands-to-Scatter-on-the-Sea-Glass- Castle-and-Dies-at-Sea (yeah, really). And that’s just the three I know. I’ve heard it called other things. The valley I live in itself doesn’t even have a name. The ruler’s been stable for years but hasn’t come up with a name yet for it. How do you give directions to a place with no name? Directions aren’t like google maps either. There often isn’t a “Take a left at exit 64 and travel 6.4 miles to veer right onto Main Street”. Instead it’s more like this: “Go to the Forest of Dean (but not that Forest of Dean, no, not that one either, that one) and talk to the fox spirit there. He’s going to try and eat you but once you deal with that, give him this ball of magic black ooze. He’ll tell you where to go next. He’s going to lie to you at first but wait a few minutes and he’ll give you your next destination.” That’s a lot of work just to get a new pair of shoes or something.

 

See? Lots and lots of complications. But, never fear. It’s not all that daunting when you have an adventurous spirit. Here’s some tips on how to somewhere in the astral.

  • Get the right directions. Ask around and see what directions people give. Spirit allies can probably provide help, if necessary. Seeking out an information broker is a good alternative. Information brokers tend to avoid giving bad directions. Their reputations rely on them go doing their jobs successfully. When in doubt, go to a trusted information broker. Just expect to pay an arm and a leg.
  • Check in often to determine your true location and get local news. Inns are specifically designed for this but roadside restaurants are surprisingly excellent too. Detour if necessary but try to stick to your directions. If you detour too much, you’ll end up somewhere else entirely usually with more trouble than you need.
  • Don’t tell everyone where you’re going. Instead, pick a location nearby where you’re heading. For example, if I was going to see the ruler of the territory, I might ask directions to the forest the ruler lives in. Save yourself trouble by being cautious with your business.
  • If you’re told not to stop, don’t stop. The best example of this in direction is from Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. “Go to the main road outside of the city and follow it away from the mountains,” said the frog. “After a while, you will come to a small pavilion made of gold, surrounded by trees made of silver with emerald leaves. Go straight past it without stopping, and don’t answer if anyone calls out to you from the pavilion. Keep on until you reach a hovel. Walk straight up to the door and knock three times, then snap your fingers and go inside. You’ll find some people there who can help you out of your difficulties if you’re polite about asking and they’re in the right mood. And that’s all.” (Page 11)
  • Landmarks aren’t always landmarks. Sometimes you’re given directions that include people as a landmark, like the fox example above.
  • Travel in groups. Traveling together will allow for more interpretations of the directions. Extremely useful when the directions are hard to fathom.
  • Hire out a means of travel. Hiring a car, ship, horse, chariot, carriage, may be expensive but worth it.  You may even hop on the bus or spirit subway to make things much faster.
  • Think in alternative means of travel. You might walk everywhere but discover that you need to fly to get over a ravine. So sprout some wings,  hover, or ask for aid as necessary.
  • Remember that the spirit worlds are intertwined with this one. It is the strangest feeling to realize that you’ve been in this subway station before in the astral.  You’ll also want to remember that the spirit world isn’t always an accurate representation of this world. Sometimes walls are missing or there’s extra doors or a staircase to nowhere. In these sorts of liminal places, you can easily slip into the spirit realms. Those with second sight can see a merging of worlds in these places as well.
  • Sometimes you can just appear there. Teleporting in the astral is totally doable. You can also slip back into you body and re-enter the astral in your destination. This is a bit like cheating when you’re suppose to be on an epic journey but it can certainly make things easier. Please note it’s rude to appear in someone’s living room so aim for a backyard or something instead.

So that’s it! That’s how you get directions in the astral. It may be really complicated but that’s the fun of it. Now get out there and explore!

Support This Crooked Crown via Patreon

Today I’m launching This Crooked Crown over on Patreon. I’ve been tinkering with this for a few months and I’m happy to be able to share this with you all.

What is Patreon?

It’s a website that allows followers to supports artists and creative peoples. You become a patron of the artist in question and in return, you’re granted access to exclusive information and items.

Why?

I love writing about witchcraft and offering items though my shops. But my love of witchcraft often wars with my love of writing in general. I’ve already achieved my goal of being a pro witch so now I’m trying to achieve my goal of being a published novelist. Being a novelist is something I’ve always wanted to do, just as much as I wanted to be a witch.

Having support from dedicated followers allows me to focus less on money and mundane concerns and more on creating words. It’ll allow me to provide more posts on magic and bring new items into the shop. I’ll be able to provide more knowledge and help more people. It’ll allow me  to craft stories and publish them.

So what kind of rewards to patrons get?

There’s multiple rewards offered, depending on how much you pledge. Pledges are monthly but you can pledge as little as $1.

Some of the rewards available right now are:

Monthly Inspiration & Encouragement Card Draw
Get $1 reward
Monthly General Positive Energy Spell Casting
Get $5 reward
Monthly Short Story
Get $5 reward
Monthly one card general reading
Get $10 reward
Monthly Periodical Novella or Novelette
Get $15 reward
Monthly Positive Energy Spell Casting Exclusively for You
Get $20 reward
Dedication to Novella & Access to Monthly Short Story & Novella
Get $25 reward
Monthly Spell Exclusively Cast for You
Get $75 reward

In addition to the above reward associated with the pledges, exclusive spells, stories, recipes, and sneak peaks will be offered for every Patreon supporter.

What kind of stories do you write?

Mostly fantasy based, heavily concentrating on magic. Write what you know, right? Science fiction and modern fantasy are also common genres.

Almost all of the reward stories shared will be distantly linked to one another. Essentially, they share a related universe which means you may see reoccurring cameo characters and concepts but different stories and characters.

Stories available for everyone may not have this thread of continuity and may vary in length to a few hundred words to short story length. I’ll try to display content warnings for each update to avoid triggers and squicks for stories.

 

 

If you have questions, you can always email me at contact@thiscrookedcrown.com.

It’s my hope that there’s enough support to focus entirely on writing and creating more for everyone to enjoy. I want to continue offering one-on-one services, such as tarot readings, but I want to share more magical stories and secrets with the world.

Thank you everyone!