Tag: discussion

Cleansing & Cleaning 101

Cleansing is kind of the metaphysical version of “did you turn it off and on again?” It’s sort of the ubiquitous answer for when things are off-kilter. But let’s get some real talk going.

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Cleansing works because it clears the air. Cleansing works more on a spiritual and emotional level. But it can only do so much. Want to know what the biggest form of mental clutter is? Actual clutter. Yeah, really.

You can actually test this right now. Look around right this very second. Do you see a pile of stuff you don’t know what to do with? Magazines or catalogs you haven’t recycled yet along with a random book you’re not finished reading but aren’t totally into. It’s probably right next to that thing someone gave you that you don’t particular like. Or look elsewhere and see where you continuously leave that jacket or drop your mail when you enter the door. How about that sink or fridge? Stacks of dishes or old take out containers? Clutter.

We, as a civilization, hoard things. It’s really because we’re a civilization that it happened. We’re sedentary, stationary. So we keep stuff because we can. And that tends to keeping stuff that is no longer needed or wanted.

What use is cleansing yourself of negatively spiritual when you haven’t physically cleared out all that crap that you have negative connotations for? What good is cleansing the air when there’s a sink full of dishes and the counter is a mess?

Cleaning and cleansing should go hand in hand. It sucks. Trust me I know. There’s nothing worse than feeling like crap and having to scrub your toilet. But it gets the air moving. It gets the place you live in to clear the air for you. And it helps shake up that energy again. Energy gets stale, like air. Cleaning wakes it up again.

Cleaning can be really hard for some people. It’s stressful, even, especially if you’ve let it go for so long. But! I have some inspiration for you:

Unfuck Your Habitat (also here on tumblr) can be a huge motivator for cleaning. Not only are inspiring stories shared, but there’s lots of tips for cleaning and keeping your place clean. There’s even checklists, challenges, and basics in case you’re not sure what to do (hey, don’t be embarrassed. It’s not a skill everyone learns). It’s also available on tumblr, an app is available in the iOS and Play Station, and there’s an upcoming book.

Apartment Therapy has so many articles on cleaning and decluttering. So many. Just, expect to be there a while. It’s one of those sites where I go for one article and end up thirty articles later reading about something that doesn’t even apply to me. It’s kind of hard to find what you’re looking for but The 2016 Healthy Happy Home project has monthly checklists and with January a month away, The January Cure is something to sign up for.  (Both these projects are annual on AT but the previous years are posts so you can just use those as a guide).

How to Grow the Fuck Up is a tumblr blog but it is massively useful to anyone who has been told to do an adult thing… but never knew how to do that adult thing. From what you need in a first apartment to how to write a resume, it covers the gambit. I recently just used it to double check how to write a check. I never write checks so it was nice to have that post and image to calm my anxiety down. While HtGtFU does cover cleaning and stuff like that, cleaning and cleansing is more than “I washed some dishes and burned some incense”. Getting your finances in order can be a huge cleansing/cleaning move that reduces major stress. Expand the cleaning/cleansing box!

Habitica is fantastic is you need incentive and like video games. I’m a big gamer and using the website as a sort of daily check-list has made sure that I get my shit done by 300%. Since it also allows you to set long-term goals I can post reminders of my to do list and, you know, feel super accomplished by doing that thing. (It usually helps me get those things done, save for replacing the clothesline has been on that list for over a year now. Sigh.

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So those are some sources for you. But having a little magical help can’t hurt either, right?

Enchant your soap

I enchant my dish soap with cleansing powers. When I put it on my sponge or cleaning cloth, I trace a sigil I use to cleanse the space. Then I just scrub as normal and call it a day. I tend to use/make my own cleaning agents so I can use magic that way. But on the off-chance I use something chemical or non-handmade, I’ll enchant that too.

You can also toss a pinch of cleansing herbs in a bucket of wash water. You can even add some into the washing machine (watch for staining from herbs or stick the herbs in an old sock and tie it off.) You can do a lot of low-key stuff like this than can make a major difference.

Wash water

I mentioned it above but it deserves its own category. Here’s my not-so-secret recipes for cleansing-cleaning.

All-purpose wash water

To be used on floors, walls, and general cleaning. Don’t use on wood furniture or things that react to citrus.

  • 1/4 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp orange juice
  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2-3 gallons of water

Mix and use immediately. Dump what you don’t use. Hot water and fresh juice is best but use what you’ve got.

Furniture wash water

Great for cleaning wood and things sensitive to citrus water

  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1-2 gallons water

Mix and use immediately. Dump what you don’t use. Hot water works but I tend to let it cool to warm before use.

Glass cleaner

  • 1/4 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 1/2-1 gallon water

Mix and use immediately. Dump what you don’t use. You might want to don on some gloves for this one. Wipe clean with newspaper or old printer paper.

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Cleansing sprays

I’ve mentioned this before but I love this stuff so I’m mentioned it again. You can enchant your room air fresheners or fabric fresheners to keep the scent longer or for a specific purpose. (Like to calm anxiety, better sleep, etc)

You can also make your own. The recipe below can be used on anything from fabrics to the general air itself. It’s a water mist so, you know, too much will make things wet. Go figure.

Cleansing spray

  • 5-10 drops of chosen essential oils or fragrance oils
  • Half a pinch of sea salt
  • Distilled water to fill

Fill your spray bottle halfway with warm or room temp water, add a tiny bit of sea salt and swirl until the salt dissipates in the water. Then add in your chosen essential oils or fragrance oils to taste and strength preference. I’ve used both distilled and purified water for this and noticed no real difference but I go through a 6 ounce spray bottle in less than a week so maybe I use it too fast. I recommend the distilled water just in case.

Cleaning and cleansing is a pain in the butt. I won’t hide that truth from you. No one likes washing kick boards on the cabinets or the trim behind the couch. I sometimes sing or talk my way through with a spell. In Yule: A Celebration  of Light and Warmth by Dorothy Morrison (review coming soon!) there’s a fantastic cleansing + cleaning informal ritual with little charms to say. Check it out if you’re interested.

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My biggest personal tips

Make sure you’re in the groove and mildly enjoying yourself. Once you get to hating the process, switch to some other, more fun chore. Has the reality of scrubbing tiles set in? Get up and fluff couch pillows or do laundry instead. It’s still cleaning but you don’t come away absolutely miserable. Just remember to go back later.

Take your time. Unless you need to do stuff today OR ELSE, then do a bit here and there. I tend to do most of my cleaning while waiting for water to boil.

Check lists are your friends. I’ve given some suggestions in the links above but here’s my cleaning schedule for each and every month. Surface clean is dusting, sweeping, picking up stray items, and watering plants as needed. Deep clean means all the surface cleaning stuff plus going through drawers and closets, wiping down electronics, washing floors, surfaces, baseboards, and so. The first month or two is kind of brutal but once you get do it a month or two, it’ll be much easier to keep up after that.

  1. Surface clean living room and kitchen and review gardening to do list
  2. Clean bathroom
  3. Surface clean bedroom
  4. Clean “extra” room (study, hallway, playroom, etc)
  5. Surface clean living room and kitchen
  6. Deep clean bathroom
  7. Clean windows
  8. Clean floors (sweep, mop, wash rugs)
  9. Surface clean bedrooms
  10. Deep clean living room and kitchen
  11. Clean bathroom
  12. Clean closets (hallway, linen, bathroom, bedrooms, storage areas)
  13. Clean “extra” room (study, hallway, playroom, etc)
  14. Deep clean bedroom (bedroom closet too, if not done)
  15. Surface clean living room and kitchen
  16. Deep clean bathroom
  17. Clean door knobs, light switches, cell phone covers, remotes, etc.
  18. Clean fridge and pantry
  19. Clean entryway and/or porch (hallway too, if needed)
  20. Surface clean living room and kitchen
  21. Clean bathroom
  22. Surface clean bedroom
  23. Clean floors
  24. Clean storage areas (garage, attic, junk drawer, etc)
  25. Surface clean living room
  26. Deep clean living room and kitchen (yes, again)
  27. Clean bathroom
  28. Surface clean bedroom
  29. Clean a “much needed space” (that area you’ve been ignoring or isn’t covered elsewhere
  30. Clean floors
  31. Clean outside spaces (driveway, garage, patio, porch, yard, etc)

My daily check list before bed is far less structured. It makes sure I do basic stuff but it’s full of things that might be skipped. And I have all day to complete it. I sweep often because cats and copious electronics.

  • Make bed
  • Do all dishes so the sink is empty
  • Clear off kitchen counter and/or table
  • Pick up obvious stray items
  • Write out tomorrow’s to do list
  • Plug in / turn off electronics (phone, computer, so on)
  • Personal care (brush hair/teeth/shower/etc)
  • Sweep

I don’t follow these schedules super rigorously. If I miss a day, oh well. I don’t go back and make up for it.

December may be a weird month for a post like this but it’s actually the perfect time for it. Winter holidays are here and you’re probably going to have guests over. Or you’re getting new stuff as gifts or scored on some super sale. Or guests are leaving and you really need to reclaim your space.

Cleansing during and directly after the winter holidays can save your sanity. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come home from a holiday party and just needed to air out my life. It gives you back control and it makes your life lighter.

Here’s some other good posts on cleansing:

Good luck, stay safe, and have a happy December!

How to Adapt Your Sacred Offerings for Every Season

Despite autumn starting weeks ago, it’s really just starting to feel like autumn around here. New England never really knows what it’s doing weather-wise so that’s not a surprise.. But, it does get me thinking about the practicality of offerings.

I don’t know about you but I don’t really want to do much of anything when there’s a ton of snow on the ground and it’s so cold I need thirty pounds of winter gear to check the mail. Just, no. I like you Jack Frost. Just not that bloody much. (I do all of the shoveling during the winter so that might play a part in this too.)

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There are a lot of things to consider when you’re creating an offering. You probably have to think of the appropriateness of the offering and perhaps the historical relevance of the offering. But here’s some other things to think about, in general:

 

  • Price – Can you afford this offering all year around or will it be more expensive during certain months? Will you need to save up for this thing?
  • Availability – Are fresh offerings available all year round? Are those offerings of quality? Is it just plain hard to find?
  • Temperature – Will it freeze? Will it melt or change texture in the heat? Is rot a concern?
  • Is it appropriate? – Sometimes, there are better and more appropriate offerings for deities or spirits based on what’s available right now – and what you want to achieve with that offering. A goddess of agriculture probably isn’t going to want an Oreo.

 

One thing people think of when they decorate their altars is switching out the tools and imagery according to the seasons. Like decorating your house for the holidays, many people dress their altars and sacred spaces as well.

Your offerings can also change for the season. It’s easy to throw a tiny pumpkin in the offering dish in addition to the usual but how about swapping out the usual? Switching out your usual offerings for something more seasonal can not only help your wallet but add a new dimension to your practice. Suddenly, you’re operating with the seasons which can make a significant difference, especially if your practicing is feeling static.

Want to know the secret to make easy swaps for every season? You need to think of the spirit or deity’s sphere of influence and associations. A sphere of influence is what a spirit or deity is associated with. What they can do and affected. The association are what they are associated with. Example: Freyja is a goddess of war, beauty, and magic certainly. But she drives a chariots pulled by cats and has a battle boar Hildisvíni. Those aspects of her (and many others) also play into who she is and can help you make good offerings no matter what the season is.

If I was to make an offering to Freyja in the spring, I might offer gold coins (or those chocolates in the shape of coins covered in gold foil), strawberries, spring water, and crocuses. In the summer, I’d do bouquets of fresh flowers, light wines, and bowls of ripe fruit. In autumn, as the leaves die, I’d offer the most beautiful fallen leaves I could find, bones from a homemade stew (she’s a goddess associated with death after all), perhaps some pretty stones, and homemade pastries. In winter, apples, melted snow, mulled cider, and slices of ham would grace her offering table.

Other things to think of is the quality of the offerings. Strawberries are great offerings but I find winter-born strawberries aren’t nearly as sweet as the ones found in in late spring or early summer. To me, it’s not as good of an offering because the quintessential element (sweetness) isn’t there. Additionally, here in the north, fresh out of season fruit can be very expensive when you consider what you’re actually getting (not sweet strawberries). And, since strawberries can freeze, they’re really not appropriate for outdoor offerings.

Adapting your offerings takes some initial thinking and research but it can turn your offerings into something special and fantastic each and every time you make it.

I like adjusting my offerings to what’s available. It makes me feel like I’m sharing my life and my world with those from the spirit realms. And, I’m always up for the practicality factor. And if you need inspiration for altars and offerings, check out my pinterest board dedicated just to that!

Everyday Meditation For People Who Can’t Stay Still

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I’ll be honest. I hate meditation. Or, rather, I’m super restless and I don’t like standing still for more than five minutes. I can’t even watch movies without pausing them once or twice… every half an hour.

But! I do meditate a bit each morning. Each morning, before I even get out of bed or check my phone, I do some very simple stretches to shake out the kinks in my muscles that might have developed overnight.

I might do some Sun Salutations if I’m in a yoga mood but usually I sit crossed legged in my bed with my back straight as possible and my eyes closed. I’ll do arm pumps, arc my back lean side to side, bend forward, that sort of thing. It depends on what muscles feel tight and what feels loose. I keep it slow and easy. I don’t worry about the number of times I do a move. I just do it until I feel ready to move onto the next move. I just do what feels good for my body at that particular moment in time.

While I do the simple moves, I keep my mind as empty as possible. That’s pretty easy when my brain isn’t even awake yet. If random thoughts come to me, I let them happen and make note that the thought has occurred. When I’m ready and mostly sot-of awake I move into positive affirmations and a my to do list. I’ll say something like “Today, I will be productive and bake a dozen cookies”. If my thoughts stray at this point, I just nudge them back onto what I want to be thinking of instead. Your mind will wander off. That’s perfectly normal.

Things like that can really make or break my day personally. And all this can be done while sitting on my bed and stretching. Which is kind of a life goal for me, if I’m honest.

It also wakes up my body and mind. I feel far more invigorated for those mere first five minutes and I’m far more likely to have a good, long workout or head to the gym rather than doing something halfhearted or skipping it entirely. I also grab breakfast far more often, which is something I’m guilty of skipping pretty awesome.

Anyway, this is a meditation technique that works for me so maybe it’ll work for you too!

Finding My Soul Journey

It’s really hard to just go against the grain. I constantly hear people say how hard it is. I’m not really one to speak. I have created my entire lifestyle so I don’t have to deal with that kind of difficulty. I live in my own little world and don’t much care for what others think or say. I worked very hard and sacrificed a great deal to get that kind of mentality and lifestyle.

Most people can’t or won’t do that. That isn’t a rebuke or insult. Some people can’t for practical reasons – they have family, can’t afford it, or survive within a group dynamic. Others won’t because it’s not how they want to live.

I love my lifestyle. But I’ll be the first to admit that it’s very solitary and can be very hard. And I really respect people who don’t want to live this way or cannot. You’re following your priorities. I have the luxury of being in a position where I can sacrifice things I kind of want for what I really want: freedom. It’s as essential to me as writing or witchcraft so I chase after it. I chucked away chains that tied me down – acquaintances I didn’t want to deal with just out of politeness, jobs I was unhappy with, relationships that weren’t meaningful to me, and more.

Getting to the point where I recognized that freedom was an essential need for me was a soul journey all of its own. Each person who goes through these journeys and epiphanies will have different stories to tell.

I can’t tell you how to find the catalysts to these journeys. I can’t even really tell you how I got to my own revelation. It just sort of happened. Shadow work helps, certainly, by sweeping clear the rubbish and bringing the light into forgotten places in your mind and soul. Bucking doubt and just going with the flow of things also helps. I stopped questioning myself and just did what felt best for me.

A lot of times, people embark on these journeys after a drastic change or trauma. Others, like myself, have a snowball effect all leading them to the same place. You really can wake up one day and decide to change.

Change isn’t easy. I like change. I’m a Gemini so change is second nature to me. But I don’t like change that I don’t feel in control of. It took a long time for me to recognize that giving up control is controlling the situation. I let things happen as they happened, organically, and just dealt with things as they come. I’m much happier for it. In fact, it reduced my stress level so much I was able to go off medication for chronic acid reflux. Now I can medication only when I’m stressed or eating foods my body doesn’t like. It allowed me to grieve for my late mentor and the loss of a spiritual path I no longer felt welcome in. My soul journey was healing, both physically and spiritually.

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My favorite way to use bells is to wear them!

Embarking on this soul journey won’t instantly fix your life and won’t instantly cause you to be more spiritual. It should bring a deeper understanding of yourself into focus. And from that new understanding, you can begin to alter and build you life to better suit the needs of your soul.

 

 

6 Post Election Day Recovery Tips + Tarot Spread

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No matter where you are in the world, by now you’ve heard about the close US presidential election. I try to keep politics off the website and social media accounts, for the most part. I didn’t even post a ubiquitous “I voted” sticker. However you feel about the election now, you can’t ignore the fact that many people are very scared and angry right now. My political beliefs are always the same: I just want everyone to be safe, respected, and treated equally. I want people to live their lives happily, without fear of violence or poverty. But the United States is very divided right now and that’s scary.

Waiting for the election poll results was incredibly stressful and a roller coaster of emotion. The day after I felt all the anxious energy in my home and the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness lingering. Some of you are probably feeling that too. I thought I’d put together a little guide on what you can do right now to help remove those feelings from your home and give yourself from peace and hope.

Candle Smoke

Cleanse and clean your bedding.

One of the first things I did was strip my bed and washed everything. The sheets and any pillows I used the day before were a major priority but everything, even the pillows themselves, were washed. Then I put the newly cleaned bedding back on the bed rather than go for a spare set. I did this as a sign of courage and strength – though  wounded, you can gather up yourself and keep going. You may not feel that’s wholly necessary – maybe just changing the sheets is enough but for me I needed the full wash.

I enchanted the laundry detergent with a bit of extra oomph to shift things. There will be a post on how to cleanse bedding soon but for now, simply enchanting the laundry detergent or wash water is enough.

Room air and fabric fresheners

I don’t use store-bought air or fabric fresheners all that much. I  I’m talking about a bottle of Febreeze or room sprays, for example. Clearing the air is pretty important when you’re trying to lift moods and cleanse a space.

I made up my own fabric freshener with a spray bottle, water, and a few drops of fragrance. I specifically chose lemon, lavender, apple, and rose for this bottle. Lavender is a calming agent for me and apples are comforting. Lemons, as a citrus, are great energy boosters and roses remind me of beauty, freshness, and spring. Renewal. I put a drop or two of each in the spray bottle with water, shook vigorously and sprayed chairs, curtains, and my bare mattress. Let anything you spray air-dry. I use these sorts of bottles daily on my bedding but the rest of my apartment needed it too.

Then I lit a floral candle – again, lifting the mood – and some incense to give the apartment a lingering scent.

Cleansing

I use smoke cleansing consistently, usually through incense. So I walked around with some incense to cleanse my home. That might not work for you so pick your favorite go-to cleansing method and use that first.

Then I stood in the center of my apartment, the heart of it, and took a moment to think of what I wanted my apartment to feel like. I thought of good, happy moments I wanted to fill the space with instead. It’s not unlike Harry Potter thinking of happy memories to summon a Patronus.

When I was ready I pushed out my energy in a giant pulse throughout the space, flooding it with energy and light. That’s energy cleansing. I also used a similar technique to cleanse and purge my home’s barriers.

I also washed my counters with enchanted water to cleanse them as well.

Can’t do any of that? Open a window! It breaks up the atmosphere inside your space and allows the outside world in. That might not be what you want to do right now (let the outside world in) but fresh air is a great mood booster. I also find the bustle of my neighborhood to break me out of my isolated shell more often than not.

Self-care

The day after election day was Wednesday so it was my “day off”. (I don’t actually have a day off but it’s the day I don’t plan on doing work stuff). In between loads of laundry I wore my most comfortable clothing, baked brownies, read books,  and played video games. That’s it. That’s all I did. That’s part of my self-care routine so I dove into it.

Your self-care routine may be different. Maybe you hit the gym or spend time with friends. That’s OK. Just do whatever you can to give yourself time. Everyone needs to relax at some point. Even if you only have a few minutes, take some time for self-care. Treat yourself kindly.

Cartomancy Reading

I used a Tower spread to make myself feel better too. A Tower spread is a tarot card spread based around the Tower card. Pull it and place it at the bottom of your reading space. Then shuffle the cards and draw to answer your questions and concerns. The Tower has already occurred so what happens after is what you’re reading.

I created the spread above for you all to use. The questions you ask are probably going to be personal in nature so feel free to venture off what I’ve laid out.

You don’t have to use a tarot deck for this reading. Pick any deck that has a card that works similarly as the Tower or represents the Tower.

Card readings aren’t guarantees for the future. Ask questions that give you things to do. Asking what’s going to happen isn’t as helpful as asking what you can do. Beat back hopelessness by focusing on what you can control, personally.

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Avoid the toxic and stay safe

We all know people that have wildly different beliefs than you. Maybe they’re really smug right now or maybe they’ve threatened violence on you. You’re probably realizing that your neighbors, co-workers, family, and maybe even some friends aren’t the people you thought they were. And that’s disheartening and even frightening.

Above all, stay safe. Keep yourself safe in the coming days. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Remember what you’ve learned and remember that you are worth protecting and being loved.

 

I hope these tips help you all out a little bit. Stay safe!

Shadow Work: How to Love All of Yourself

Everyone has some parts of themselves they don’t like. Many people might be quick to name something physical, like their weight, hair, or nose. But others may name something like procrastination or cowardice as their vices.

Shadow work is the mental exploration, meditation of, and reconciliation of the darker or uglier sides of yourself. It can help you find those parts of yourself and come to terms with it so you can let go of old wounds and move on healthier, cleaner, and more satisfied.

It’s not an easy process and it’s not really witchcraft or magic related. In fact, shadow work originates from Jungian psychology and was adopted into new age circles. It’s taken a life of it’s own now but it started there, officially. The concept, however, has been around forever.

Many people want to overcome and change themselves and you can totally do that but first you need to acknowledge the problem. Not just the symptoms but the root causes of the problems. If that doesn’t happen then you’re only treating the symptoms rather than the actual disease, so to speak.

So how do you do shadow work? I’ve talked a bit about my own personal method of mental shadow work but the easiest way is to write a letter to yourself. Write a truly honest (and probably bitter) letter to yourself. Or maybe to someone you need to let go of. It will be very ugly to look and and even harder to read. I’ve done this before and it’s… unpleasant. But healing. Like ripping open an infected but nearly closed wound. Painful but necessary to heal properly.

Another method is to meditate. I have some posts on meditation coming out later this month but for now here’s a quick meditation for shadow work.

Imagine yourself in a garden. It’s green, lush, and pleasant. You’re sitting on a soft blanket spread over tender grass. There are tall trees above you creating  a lush canopy. It’s late afternoon and distantly you can hear insects and birds but not near enough to disrupt you. You are utterly alone and utterly at peace. The wind rustles but you’re comfortable, pleased, content. Now go ahead and start your shadow work.

Shadow work can be done like this:

Look inward at yourself and examine your thoughts. Don’t try to force them yet. Just see where your thoughts are going. Now think of something you want to let go of or face. It may start as a simple procrastination exercise. Follow those thoughts like a mind map. You might even want to talk yourself through the whole process to trigger something. You may learn, through this mental talking to yourself, that your procrastination stems from social anxiety and that comes from childhood bullying. You may not be able to get over the trauma or anxiety but you can now work with that information. You can decide what to do now.

As said, shadow work is less a witchcraft thing and more of a personal thing. But it’s very useful in figuring yourself out and learning how to love everything about yourself.

 

NaNoWriMo Ideas for Magical Practitioners

As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve started posting small short stories here and over at my Patreon. I do a lot of originally writing and I’m a participant of National Novel Writing Month. It’s a lot of fun but very time consuming and emotionally taxing.

 

Normally, NaNoWriMo is for novel writing, as the title implies. It’s goal is to achieve a rough first draft of something with 50,000 words in a month. Which is a lot.

But there’s variations to be had. The variations aren’t wildly popular but some people hal the word goal in order to fit their schedule and others write several stories rather than one piece in order to meet the goal.

I think there’s an even greater opportunity for practitioners. This could be exactly what you need in order to record your spiritual experiences and experiments. Writing down what’s happening and what’s going on allows you to recreate the experience or experiment a second time. It allows you to fix what might have gone wrong. It gives you a chance to learn, grow, and change.

Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. It doesn’t have to make sense and it doesn’t have to be perfect. The point of NaNoWriMo is to write something. You can perfect it later.

Here’s a list of topics you can write on:

  • Tarot journal
  • Dream journal
  • Meditation journal
  • Grimoire entries
  • Spell crafting
  • Herbal study
  • Blog posts
  • Spiritual musings
  • Devotions to Deities, Gods, and Goddesses
  • Poetry for offerings
  • Songs for festivals and coven meetings
  • Prayers for Deities, Gods, and Goddesses
  • Personal association symbolism and meanings

Make no mistake. Hammering out 50,000 words in a month is a challenge. But 15,000 words is doable for most people who enjoy writing (that’s 500 a day!). 10,000 can be done in 30 days by writing 333 words.

 

Oh, and just to give you an idea on what 333 words looks like, this whole post, excluding the title and photo captions, is 333 words. If you’ve been wanting to write down some of your experiences, this may be your chance.

50 Offerings to Give a Faerie

Ever want to get in contact with the Fae? Leaving an offering is the best way. Set down something wonderful and prepare for mischief and trouble!

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  1. Water from a spring, river, or purified water
  2. Bread
  3. Honey
  4. Wine
  5. Milk or cream
  6. Alcohol
  7. Small palm-sized petite fours or cakes
  8. Unwrapped candy
  9. Meadowsweet
  10. Roses
  11. Daisies
  12. Violets
  13. Bluebells
  14. Primrose
  15. Thisledown
  16. Cowslip
  17. Pansy
  18. Foxglove
  19. St. John’s Wort
  20. Bouquets of flowers
  21. Mushrooms
  22. Strawberries
  23. Berries
  24. Elderberries
  25. Peaches
  26. Apples
  27. Plums
  28. Other fresh fruit
  29. Mint
  30. Clover
  31. Thyme
  32. Mugwort
  33. Ferns
  34. Hawthorn
  35. Willow
  36. Elder
  37. Birch
  38. Shells
  39. Feathers
  40. Coins
  41. Jewelry
  42. Silver or gold
  43. Crystals
  44. Beads
  45. Shiny objects
  46. Interesting stones
  47. Spirit house
  48. Faery garden
  49. Bells
  50. Cheerful music

Of course, these are just some of the offerings that can be made. Some fae will appreciate some gifts better than others. Some items are merely associated with the fae and may interest them, if not precisely count as an offering.

You may also want to double check whether your offerings are also good for the environment. The fae may enjoy a cookie but the wildlife probably won’t.

Remember your fairy tales! Don’t eat anything, don’t offer up your name (instead say something like “you may call me X”), and don’t agree to anything!

Have fun!

How to Talk to Spirits of the Dead

Ghosts are probably both the easiest and the hardest types of spirits to have conversations with. Partially because we expect so much and get so little.

Talking to ghosts is one of those things a lot of people want to do. I have a quick guide on how to talk to ghosts and spirits of the dead. This may not get you evidence of the paranormal but it may help you make contact.

How to find a ghost

First, you’ll need to go to a liminal place. A liminal place is somewhere between worlds. A cemetery might be a good bet but you probably have just as much success there as an old crossroad or site of death. Don’t just pick a place that looks like it should be haunted. Pick a place that has rumors of being haunted that you can legally enter. That last bit is important. Don’t trespass just to spot a ghost.

Liminal places aren’t just locations but also things. Doorways are liminal spaces. As are windows, gates, mirrors, corners, and staircases. Rest stops, crossroads, hotels, parks, and gas stations are other liminal places. You can spot ghosts and spirits there at times.

Activity will also increase when spaces are becoming liminal. So houses that are undergoing renovation, for example, will see an increase in activity.

You can, of course, ask for a ghost to come to you. If you’re doing a seance or summoning a ghost, make sure the cleanse the space first and set up protections around yourself.

Remember to sit as quietly and calmly as possible. As much as you might want to wander around in a space, you’re probably more likely to run into activity if you just sit there and are quiet. It’s not as much fun as hunting the ghost but it’s friendlier. It also allows you to get in tune with the environment so you can start noticing the unusual. Cold spots, odd sounds, that sort of thing.

How to make contact with a ghost

Bring an offering to the table. An offering of something to the ghost is a good way to show that you mean no harm. A shot of alcohol, especially clear alcohol is good. Rice, bread, tobacco, incense, and water are also good choices. A ball is good for children and animals. Leave the offering nearby and within sight but out of arm’s reach.

You can also light a candle in their honor and memory but remember your fire safety too. Don’t leave a candle unattended.

Using a calm but confident and sure voice is ideal. You might be a bit scared, especially if you’ve worked yourself up with anxiety. Talking calmly will both calm you down and show that you don’t mean any harm. You can’t do much to spirits anyway but they’re less likely to appear when you’re angry.

Feel free to ask questions and listen for answers. You can use electronic devices, divination techniques, or just listen. You can ask for responses. Avoid demanding answers. That’s not a way to start a conversation. That’s just going to anger anyone around and draw the wrong kind of attention.

Open you mind. Take a deep breath and remain calm. It’s easy to get caught up in emotions not your own. Allow yourself to drift, as if daydreaming, and let instinct and intuition rule. If you feel like walking out of a room and up a flight of stairs, do it. Don’t try to control yourself overmuch unless you’re in danger or risk hurting yourself.

The key here is to allow your mind to seek out the otherness of a spirit. You’re not looking to be possessed or even to commiserate with them. You’re looking for a conversation. Pay attention to weird thoughts not your own. They may be just passing thoughts that we all have but if they’re followed by emotions not your own or there’s a lot of thoughts, someone might be trying to communicate with you

If you feel like you’re losing control or get scared, take control of yourself completely, coming to attention. Pull away, thank the spirit, and take a few moments to ground yourself. Have some water, drink some coffee, eat some chips. Talk to someone, get a hug, or leave the area. Don’t stay connected too long or you risk partial possession and energy draining.

Mediums and other sensitive people have somewhat of an advantage here but pretty much anyone can have a conversation in this manner if given time and the right circumstances.

Divination is a popular tool to speak to the dead. You can use whatever divination method you have on hand. I tend to use pendulums or cartomancy but use a method that you’re skilled in. This isn’t the time to break out a tarot deck if you’ve never read with cards before.

Look for surface meanings. Digging deep for symbolism isn’t going to mean much to a ghost since the chances of them knowing the divination method well is unlikely. The Death card is probably going to mean death. You might want to stick with the Major Arcana if you’re using tarot cards.

Pendulums are great tools for talking to a ghost because you can get “yes” and “no” answers pretty easily. You may even be able to use the pendulum to track or find a ghost. Make sure you keep your arm and hand steady.

Working out a communication system is always a good idea, especially if you’re planning on long-term communication.

Having a ghost knock once for ‘yes’ and twice for ‘no’ is a common means of communication. Passing by a light or fussing with a light is another good one. You can do active communication by asking a question and rewinding to listen for an EVP (electronic voice phenomena) response.

I’ve even used a method of having a spirit tap my right shoulder for “yes” and left shoulder for “no”.

It may take a while to work out which system works best for you, especially if you’re limited with equipment.

Finally, remember to document everything. Whether you update a blog, write in a journal, or jot a note down on your phone, make sure you document everything. It’s unusual to have activity in one night. Instead, focus on tracking that activity over the course of a few days to determine the type of spirit around.

Spirits exist in various manners. Even ghosts are not a singular “type”. Poltergeists are more vicious than a ghost and a residual haunting is tends to be less aware than a ghost. Memories or fragments are barely conscious and tend to be something of a one note kind of haunting.

You can do research to figure out what kind of ghosts there are but you’re not going to be able to hold a conversation with a fragment or residual haunting. You’re looking for an active and aware consciousness.

Overall, the best way to talk to a ghost is to remember that they were once people. They had lives, loved ones, and jobs. They existed and, despite being dead, they’re still people. People without bodies but still people. Be respectful and patient.

Have fun!

5 Differences Between Your Imagination and Astral Travel

I think one of the number one questions I get about astral travel is how to know if you’re actually astral travelling or if you’re imagining it.

Here’s the secret – there isn’t a way to know, for sure, that you’re not imagining things.

But there is a difference, to some degree. You see, imagination is something you’re creating for yourself whereas the astral and spirit realms exist without us. That being said, dreams and your imagination are somewhat connected to the spirit and astral realms. Your spirit is somewhat connected, after all. You can affect those realms and we can create changes within those realms. It only follows that we can even create those realms with our minds.

We’re more powerful than we know, after all.

But there are ways to make sure that what you’re experiencing isn’t merely made up in your head.

  1. Is everything centric to you? We tend to play hero in our own heads. So a good way to tell if you’re making things up is to do a Mary Sue check. Does everyone love you? Does everyone hate you? Do you always succeed? Can you never be hurt or are your injuries easily remedied but seem super serious at the time? You might be making things up if this is true.
  2. Can you change form? In the astral and spirit realms, you can shape-shift but it’s fairly rare in your imagination to picture yourself as something else. Oh, it’s extremely common to imagine yourself more (or less) beautiful than you are. The change I’m referring to is turning yourself into a frog or something. Can you do that? Then you’re probably not making things up.
  3. Do the people around you live their lives without any thought to you? Spirits have lives of their own to attend to. It’s kind of unusual to daydream yourself in a crowd with no one acknowledging you unless that’s the specific things you’re intending to imagine. Spirits may acknowledge you the same way you acknowledge someone walking by you on the street. That should be the same. If that’s not the case, such as no one paying attention to you no matter what you do or everyone paying attention to you, then you’re probably making it up.
  4. Check gravity and physics. Things in the spirit and astral realms don’t operate according to physics and gravity. It’s fairly uncommon to run into this in your imagination without it being purposeful.
  5. Are you experiencing time skips? I find that time in the astral and spirit realms is fairly useless. You can live an entire day in the spirit realms but only a few minutes in the physical realm. Conversely, you can sit down to dinner with friends in the spirit realm and find that you’ve lost several hours rather than the twenty minutes you might have expected. That doesn’t happen usually with daydreams.

Bonus: consistency is sometimes hit or miss. With your imagination, you might dream up new and better ways to accomplish the core of the daydream. But with the spirit realms, that probably won’t happen. Things will stay the same. That being said, you can affect the spirit and astral realms, so you might find that things change quickly. It’s very YMMV.

It’s going to be hard to tell the difference at first but with practice, you should be able to pick up on the differences fairly easily after a while. Be patient and good luck!