Tag: Witchcraft 101

Spells, posts, and other information for newbie witches and magical practitioners

30 Items to Move Into Your New Home First – Basket of Blessings


“Basket of Blessings” – a superstition based ritual process of selecting various items to bring into your new home first, as a means of encouraging various sympathetic magic results, such as luck, wealth, abundance, health, and so on.

I’ve covered this topic before here and here on Patreon. That post is great and covers a lot more of the in-depth ideas, including practical things to move in first as well as what to NOT move in. This list is simple, but fast with explanations on why the stuff is on the list.

This is a common concept in other cultures. I don’t know what this entire concept is called, but I’ve decided to called this “Basket of Blessings”. Yes, I’m coining the term for this concept. You heard it here first. The idea is that the first thing you’re carrying in is a collection of items intended to bring good luck, prosperity, blessings, abundance, and other assorted good vibes.

A few examples: A student might carrying in books, blank paper, and pens to encourage a scholarly pursuits. A person moving into their first apartment might want to bring things to encourage luck, such as a four leaf clover, and comfort, such as a favorite blanket. You get the idea. It’s intended to say “this is what I want my home to be like”.

It has a secondary goal of being something to keep the home occupied when you aren’t there. For someone who might be moving in over a duration (like moving a storage unit over a week or having to travel hours to the new house from the old house), these items will let the house feel not so cold and lonely.

(Crafting a house guardian will also help in this endeavor, but that’s a whole different post.)

Pick any choose whatever you want / need off the list. Remember, this is what YOU want for YOUR home, so get creative in personalizing this process.

  1. Drinking water – so you’ll always have clean water
  2. Purified water, blessed water, moon water, holy water, etc – for blessings and magical cleansing
  3. Coins, paper money, cash – for abundance and wealth
  4. Silver (coins, jewelry, dishes, etc) – for abundance and wealth
  5. Gold (coins, jewelry, etc) – for abundance and wealth
  6. Crystals, jewels, and gemstones (jewelry, loose crystals) – for abundance and wealth – double check correspondences for gemstones
  7. Steel (spoons, plates, etc. No knives) – for stability and protection
  8. Cast iron (pots, charms, etc) – protection
  9. Bread – so you’ll never go hungry
  10. Rice – so you’ll never go hungry
  11. Fresh fruits and berries – so you’ll never go hungry
  12. Fresh herbs – so you’ll never go hungry
  13. Oranges – for luck, health and to never go hungry
  14. Basil – luck and money
  15. Rosemary – health
  16. Sugar – for sweetness, money, and food
  17. Honey – sweetness and food
  18. Chocolate – sweetness, treats, food, wealth
  19. Coffee and/or tea – for welcoming guests, abundance, productivity, wealth, food, etc.
  20. Salt – cleansing, money
  21. Alcohol, wine, alcoholic offering, non-alcoholic beverage offering
  22. Fresh cut flowers – beauty
  23. House plant, money plant, potted herbs, potted fruit trees
  24. Books – for knowledge, religious purposes, cookbook, divination, a gain a certain sort of lifestyle or energy, etc
  25. LED candle, lamp – so there’s always a light on to welcome you home
  26. Blanket – for warmth
  27. Picture of the household members – for family happiness
  28. New broom – for a fresh start
  29. Bells – for cleansing
  30. Luck charms and other magical charms – for luck and assorted purposes

Put things together. If you’re bringing in fresh cut flowers and fresh sprigs of herbs, put them in the same vase. All the food and drinks can go in a box to be snacked on during the move or be easily used in the morning. Put together a witch jar with all of your crystals, coins, luck charms, and so on so it’s all contained for right now. You can dismantle the jar (or box or whatever) at a later date.

You can also just shove it all in a tote bag and call it a day. It doesn’t have to be fancy if you don’t have the energy for it.

If you’re running out of boxes, toss all the stuff in the blanket, wrap it up, and bring it in just like that. Use this first box to keep bottled water so you and your movers know where the water is (just don’t keep the money there too, yeah?)

When gathering these things, I like to put them in a basket or a box and “present” them to the house. Sometimes having two boxes is better. One with all the expensive stuff that can be tucked in a closet or cupboard during the moving process and another for the more household stuff or plants.

"Basket of Blessings" - A superstition based ritual process of selecting various items to bring into your new home first, as a means of encouraging various sympathetic magic results, such as luck, wealth, abundance, health, and so on.

Again, this topic has a related post here and here on Patreon. It was public first as early access over on my Patreon. Link for that post is here.

Patreon | thiscrookedcrown.com

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New Year Cleansing / Cleaning Checklist

It’s a new year. Lots of people like to start the new year off by a good cleansing. But how about your house?

You can absolutely cleanse your home with your normal methods – sound, smoke, energy, or whatever you use. But one of the best ways to clear out stale energy and get yourself off to the right start in a new year, is combining cleaning and cleansing.

Spring cleaning might be more common for some people, using the mild weather as a chance to air out the home without losing precious heat or inviting the wet chill. But I prefer to do deep cleaning on my house at the new year instead, saving the spring for the garden.

Before you continue, this whole list may take a few days to get through, depending on how cluttered or disorganized your house is and how much energy you have to spare. Work at your own pace.

Here’s my order list on getting a good cleansing/cleaning done.

1) Keep a notepad and pen nearby these piles or located in a central area (like by the fridge) so you can write down other chores as they come to you.

2) Arrange locations for the following piles. These locations can be piles on your dining room table. It can be cardboard boxes, totes, bags, or whatever. You might need more piles or less.

Homeless stuff – is for things that don’t have a place. Maybe it’s a pair of gloves or a decor piece. The items are things that have no specific location, but you still want to keep them.

Donations – stuff that is in good condition that can be donated to local shelters, community centers, donation bins, etc. If you plan on donating stuff via the internet, like facebook marketplace, keep that stuff in the same area but slightly separate. You know it’ll take time to upload that stuff online.

Trash – stuff that is broken or is simply trash.

Recycling – your recycling program may be different from mine. Check your region’s recycling program and see when/if they do pick ups or where you can drop off your recycling. They may recycle things like old electronics, holiday lights, tires, mattresses, fridges, and so on. Sometimes they’ll charge you, other times they won’t. If that doesn’t work for you, you may be able to list stuff online for people to come and take away. Junk companies may also be available in your region. They come and take away all sorts of things and you usually have to pay by the weight of the stuff.

Special disposal – some items can’t just simply be tossed. They must be recycled or disposed of in a certain way. Paint is famous for this, but so are many chemicals. Many community centers or recycling centers will have special days every few months where they’ll take on those special disposals. The services are almost always free. I’ve even been to some where it was completely no contact and no speaking. I just waited in line for my turn in my car, they took all the stuff out of my trunk, and I drove away.

Shredding – if you shred your sensitive documents, but have inevitably fallen behind on it, this is that pile. If you don’t shred, maybe you should consider it. If not, your community might have shredding available during certain times of the year.

Family and Friends – this is stuff you want to give to certain people. Or return borrowed stuff.

Returns – stuff you need to return to stores but keep leaving the house without grabbing said item.

Fixing box – this is a box of stuff that’s broken in some way and needs fixing. It could be a window frame that needs a new screen, a shirt without a button, a bag without a zipper, etc. It’s stuff that you think “I can fix that!” and you never do.

3) Pick up stray items and put them away. If they don’t have anywhere to go, dump them in the homeless stuff area for now. This includes your kids’ toys, your craft project, your pets’ toys, the weights you keep tripping on, the dishes in the sink, and the laundry that needs to be put away.

You may wish to make special note of things that constantly appear in the same location. If your roommate constantly throws their coat on the stair rail, then maybe put up a coat rack or coat hook nearby to fix that probably. Is it as aesthetic? Probably not, but it won’t be as annoying.

4) Open a window up a bit, if possible. If not possible, turn on a fan. Clean your fan before you turn it on, if it isn’t already clean.

5) Dust and clean the ceiling fixtures, ceiling fans, the tops of doors and windows, and anything above your head. Do this before the floors to avoid cleaning the floors twice.

6) Dust everything else.

7) Sweep every floor. Do a really good job of this. Pull furniture from the wall if possible to sweep under it, break out the vacuum cleaner, get the trim work too. This is BY FAR the most important cleaning step. You can skip EVERYTHING else on this list, but sweeping is a must. You’ll be surprise by how just cleaning the floors of dust will make a massive difference in your spaces, regardless of the amount of magic used.

8) Rearrange furniture as needed. Consider the best layouts for energy flow and what’s the best flow for you. This is also the time to make the bed and generally make the place look as neutral as possible. It doesn’t have to be showroom ready, but it shouldn’t be piled with stuff yet.

9) Wash the floors. I tend to add a bit of magically infused water into my mop water to clean the floors.

10) Wash the windows (yes, really.) I use magically infused water for this too.

11) Wash the laundry. By this point you may have a heap of clothing dirty from cleaning, but you may have also noticed that the curtains need washing, the couch’s throws are furry from pets, and somehow, you’re out of clean socks. Do a few rounds of laundry as needed. You can add some magically infused water into the laundry too.

12) Go through storage areas. Tackle that junk drawer, closet, etc. You might not need to deep dive here or you can slowly go through every box in your basement. The choice is yours. Re-home things into the various places it needs to be in or the piles.

13) Do something with those piles of stuff. Put the stuff in your car to donation, recycle, etc. (You will absolutely do it more readily if it’s in your car). If you don’t have a car, put it next to the door as much as possible, so you can grab it more easily as you leave. Bags, like shopping bags, make this much easier.

For some piles, you’ll need to decide what to do with it all. For the homeless stuff, find a place for it or sit and think about why you don’t have a space for it. For the broken stuff, figure out if you’re really going to fix that thing or if you’re just holding onto it because it’s too expensive or sentimental to throw away. Maybe learn to fix it yourself or put it somewhere in a storage space for when the opportunity to get it fixed is available. Do that with intention. Don’t just shove it in a closet.

14) Take a cleansing shower.

15) Cleanse your home in your preferred method.

Afterwards, I tend to bring home a bouquet of cut organically grown flowers or a new house plant to bring new life into the space. I’ll also cook a good dinner for myself, making sure to clean up entirely afterwards.

Robot cleaning is common these days. If you want to do a cleansing / cleaning, give the robot a break and do it by hand. If you can’t/want, that’s fine. Create a cleansing and uplifting powder and sprinkle it in the corners of each room to have your little robot friend clean up. Alternatively, placing a cleansing sigil on top of your robot can do the same thing.

This may not be entirely easy with roommates or housemates in the way. If all you can do is one room, then that’s better than not doing it at all. If you can’t do a whole room, just clean and cleanse your sleeping space and your working space (like your bed and desk).

You may also want to cleanse your car, but I tend to wait until spring for that one.

Cleansing Door Bell Knot Spell

A simple knot spell to cleanse and protect your space every time you open the door.

The best part of this spell is that it will cleanse and protect the space daily. It’s also super easy for beginners and simple to customize.

Make sure you read the notes for color variances and tips!

What you’ll need:

  • Five white pieces of cord, yarn, embroidery floss, rope, etc.
  • One brown piece of cord, yarn, embroidery floss, rope, etc.
  • One black piece of cord, yarn embroidery floss, rope, etc.
  • One blue piece of cord, yarn, embroidery floss, rope, etc.
  • One green piece of cord, yarn, embroidery floss, rope, etc.
  • One yellow or gold piece of cord, yarn, embroidery floss, rope, etc.
  • Bell

Collect your cords together and knot them once at the top while saying “This spell has begun.”

Make second knot while saying, “This space is home.”

Make third knot while saying, “This space is mine.”

Make a fourth knot while saying, “This space is happy.”

Make a fifth knot while saying, “This space is safe”

Make a six knot while saying, “This space is protected”

Make a seventh knot while saying, “This space is clean.”

Make an eight knot while saying, “This space is cleansed.”

For the ninth and final knot, slid the bell onto the cords and knot it along or above the final knot. Do this while saying, “Every time this bell rings, this spell begins again.”

Nail or pin the knotted spell above the door or on the door knob.

Notes:

  • Use your own color association to pick cord colors.
  • You can always add more while or just use plain while cord for this spell
  • You can enchant each cord first for your purposes.
  • You can soak the cord material in cleaning water, moon water, or enchanted water to add a bit of extra magic. You can wash the bell the same way.
  • The bell doesn’t need to be big or fancy, but brass is a good choice if you’re going to buy a bell specifically for this spell.
  • You can write or engrave on the bell for added magic.
  • You can add beads to the cord, but make sure they aren’t beads that will break or annoy you when banging into the door.
  • If you’d prefer, you can braid, crochet, or otherwise interweave the cords in whatever way you like. I usually braid it, but to each their own.
  • I like to work in a finished loop at the top of the cord spell sometimes to give the cord spell something to hang from, not unlike a loop in a macramé plant hanger, but I’ve also just used a push pin to pin the spell to the wall.
  • Tying it on the doorknob works well, but make sure it won’t get in the way of opening and closing the door.

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Adding Ritual to Your Readings

Adding Ritual to Your Readings (or Anything Else)

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For me, and for many diviners (especially cartomancers), readings are a normal part of the day. You draw a card in between getting coffee and brushing your teeth. You do a reading for a client in your PJs and with a comfort watch on the TV.

But burnout can ruin even the most casual things. When that happens, it may be time to make that thing more ritualized to bring it a stronger foundation and make it special. Not romanticized, necessarily, but ritualized, to make it important and worth connecting to in a different way.

Adding Ritual to Your Readings

I am not a big ceremonial magician. There are some things in my practice that have become ritualized, because that’s the process that works best for me. Mostly, I save the ritualized and ceremonial bits for my religious practice. As a secular witch, my spell crafting and magic casting is entirely separate. My altars are over there and my workspace is in another direction. In a perfect world, I’d have my altars in a separate room (or at least an alcove with a door) from my workspace.

For me, divination is not inherently the same as witchcraft. I’ve always been something of a seer, with visions and psychic insight, and perhaps that’s why scrying is so easy for me and tarot is not. In fact, most of the time, I don’t use tarot at all, I use oracle cards because they often have less traditional symbolism behind them. That’s a me-specific thing though and something I’m working on. But I think it’s also part of the problem. I don’t use ritual in any of that. I scry in windows and cereal bowls of water. I scry in fancy mirrors and polished stone. It’s just ordinary to me.

That isn’t to say that divination can’t be central to someone’s witchcraft practice or religious practice. Divination is used in many religions and spiritual practices without the witchcraft element. There are many Christians who are very against witchcraft but may also use divination, such as Bibliomancy, where they use the Bible to divine some sort of answer.

For me, personally though, my divination is a third, separate category. It’s a bridge that can be used in my witchcraft and my religious practices, but it’s also a stand-alone thing. I can use my cards to foretell my plans for the week, a perfectly mundane question, but I could use the same deck to channel a deity or cast a spell. (Probably not the same deck. I’m… odd about using cards for spellcasting. I have decks set aside exclusively for that purpose, but I digress.)

For years, as a professional witch, one of my main avenues of income was readings. I used a lot of methods, but card readings, cartomancy, was the mainstay. Until I burned out of it. I started to actively dislike it and then I simply… didn’t. The few times I would use it, for beloved clients or myself, I’d be happy to get back into it. But it wasn’t something that I adored anymore. I couldn’t just sit on my couch and read cards. It didn’t work for me anymore. I just wasn’t connecting, even with my most vocal of decks.

Until I ritualized it.

I started to darken the room, so I could focus. I know my brain will allow my attention to drift if there’s something it can see, but if all there is to see is the cards, a lamp, and my laptop, then that’s what I have. I knew this worked for me, because that’s how I focus when I need to complete a computerized task. Doing this for readings got me through the bad times and the crunch times. Falling onto it as a default setting for any reading worked for me.

Then I added a scarf. I don’t veil often, but I do for readings. I have a gauze and lace infinity scarf I use as a hood and veil during readings. Sometimes, I even drape it over my eyes in addition to my head, so all I can see is what I’m typing, the divination method in front of me.

That didn’t fix everything, though, so I started listening to nature sounds or, even better for me, drumming sounds. An hour long loop of drumming with headphones on blocked out everything. It was perfect.

Now, my ritual consists of setting up a comfortable seat, putting on darkness friendly lighting and lamps, if needed. I will sometimes light candles or LED candles, for a bit of something different.

Putting my phone on do not disturb and playing a drumming song. I have water, tea, and crackers to keep me going. I swear a warm shawl, because I get very cold when doing readings, and my head scarf. I have a lap desk for my laptop to sit on. I remove all chances of distraction and just sit and do the readings. For me, this works perfectly.

I was trying so hard to get back into readings like I use to be, casually doing the work as a part of my day. Just doing readings at my desk. But that didn’t work for me now, so I tried new things until I hit on something I like.

So if you’ve been struggling to get back into an aspect of something you love, like divination or spellcasting, or prayer or even a hobby, try to ritualize it differently. Make it a special event, add something to it to make it important and dedicate time alone to that task.

Or, alternatively, if you’re struggling because of the ritual, drop it or simplify it for a while. It might help break through that blockage.

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25 Witchy Journal Prompts

Here’s a list of journaling prompts you might not have seen before. They have a witchy flair to them.

Note, the prompts are called “witchy”, but they can be for any kind of magical practitioner, witchy, Wiccan, and so on.

  1. How do I define magic?
  2. How do I define witch / magical practitioner / Wiccan / etc for myself?
  3. How does my spiritual or religious path reflect and/or influence my magical practice?
  4. How do I bring magic into my daily life?
  5. What spells do I cast on a daily basis?
  6. What spells would I like to cast on a daily basis?
  7. What spells do I consider immoral for myself?
  8. How has my magical path progressed and grown over time?
  9. What traditions do I have in my magical practice?
  10. What has been my most important, profound, or awe inspiring experience with magic?
  11. What is my moment where I finally feel like magic is real?
  12. What is my moment of doubt, where I question if everything is real?
  13. What are my fears surrounding magic?
  14. What taboos or superstitions do I follow?
  15. What’s my role in the magic within the community? Am I a teacher? Student? Researcher? Healer? Leader? Everyday user?
  16. What role do tools (wands, cauldrons, brooms, crystals, etc) play in my magical practice?
  17. What role does nature or the elements have in magic for me?
  18. What role do spirits have in magic for me?
  19. How has meditation and/or prayers influenced my magic?
  20. What can I do to bring more magic into my daily life?
  21. What can I do to connect with my magic more?
  22. What do I wish my altar or magical workspace looked like?
  23. In a perfect world, what is my magical life like?
  24. What do I really want right now? Object, goal, concept, etc.
  25. What is my magical goal for this year?

Add other questions and thoughts as you journal! This is about exploring you and your practice, not just answering the question!

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New Year Magical Reset

It’s the new year! Here’s a quick list of tasks you can tackle to set yourself up for a great new year.

Cleansing yourself.

Taking time for yourself at the beginning of the year can really help set yourself up for a continuing habit of making space for yourself for the rest of the year.

A cleansing bath or shower is a great start, but you can tailor this to your preferences. Maybe a kickass ritual or dance party is a cleansing method you’d prefer.

Cleanse and reset your space

Cleanse your home, your workspace, your altar or magical workspace, and your vehicle. Use any method of cleansing that you’d prefer. Citrus and uplifting scents are especially good, as they can lift the moods.

Update and organize your altar as needed

Most practitioners update their altar or magical workspace seasonally or at their holidays. Resetting it at the new year is also a good idea, as it gives you a chance to organize, clean, and repair altar items when you’re not scurrying to set up your altar for the next holiday.

Toss out any out-of-date herbs and spells

This is a great time to go through your herbal cabinet and toss any ingredients that are no longer usable. Even dried herbs have experiation dates and even if you don’t consume them, really old herbs aren’t best practice for spellwork.

Especially toss out or compost the expired herbs if you make potions or other edibles.

If you use spell jars or other spells that have some sort of component sitting on a shelf, weed through that too. Do you really need that candle stub from three years ago?

Rehome any magical tools that no longer resonate with you

Magical practitioners can turn into dragons, hoarding magical tools they haven’t even looked at in five years. This is a great time to rehome those magical tools. Sell, donate, or give away decks of cards, crystals, books, magic mirrors, excess jars, brooms, witchy jewelry and clothing, and so on.

Renew your protection spells

Most long-term protection spells will need a renewal of some kind. Might as well do it on the new year so you don’t forget to do it at all.

Self-care spells

Like the cleansing yourself section, this is a great time to focus on self-care, beauty, and self-improvement spells.

Motivation spells (for those new year resolutions)

Cast motivation spells so you can stick to those new year resolutions or intentions. It’s also good to tackle that long-due project that needs doing.

Good Luck Spells

The new year is an excellent time to cast good luck and lucky spells.

Health spells

Wishing someone good health for the new year is very common. Health boosting spells are always a good choice for spells at any time of year, but it’s especially nice at the start of the new year.

Make herbal bath salts

A craft that’s easy to do and personalized for you. Bath salts can be used for self-care, but they can also be used as prep before a big ritual or to give a bit of magical intention to your day without doing a big spell.

Bath salts that boost health, good luck, motivation, and so on double up on your potential new year tasks.

Set up your (witchy) journal or planner

Make note in your journal or planner the full moons, new moon, other astronomical or astrological events, and each holiday you celebrate.

There are ready-made journals and planners out there, but you can also make some for yourself or doctor up an online calendar for your purposes too.

Intentions or Resolutions for the year

If you make a resolution or intention, this is the time to declare it. Make a post-it note or something similar and place it on your fridge or in your bathroom to remind yourself of your goals.

New Year Rituals

New Year Rituals tend to be about renewal. They can also be about closing out the previous year, gaining new opportunities, or bringing good luck and fortune for the new year.

Divinations

Many divinations are traditionally casted on the new year. It’s also a great time to grab a reading to predict how your year is going to go.

What other tasks do you complete during the new year?

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Renewing Cleansing Shower Spell

A shower cleansing or renewal spell or meditation is a commonly run into concept. People have been using them for years and similar concepts are found all over the place, some deeply rooted in religion and tradition.

This spell is not new grounds. It doesn’t have to be. If it resonates with you, then it does its job.

This is less a cleansing spell, and more of a renewal spell. It lives firmly in the arena of energy manipulation. Once you get use to doing it, the practice will feel less forced and more seamless. A part of the showering experience.

First, go ahead and prep for your shower. This can be pinning up hair, undressing, getting the towels out. Whatever. Try and keep your mind serene during this time. If you’re use to meditation, the idea of recognizing the thoughts and letting them go should apply here. It’s not that you don’t want to think, it’s that you don’t want to linger on any speciic thoughts right now.

Once you’re in the shower, go ahead and rinse off first. While doing this, imagine all the grim and sludge running off you. Think of the bad experiences you’ve had, the unpleasant emotions you’ve held onto, the resentments, regrets, and so on. Any unwanted energy should slid of you.

Once you fee like you’ve cleared the energetic sludge from yourself, go ahead with your usual showering stuff. Soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc.

When you’re about finished with the shower, picture yourself drawing energy from the water itself. The water is its own element, so draw power from the strength and gentleness water can provide. Cycle this energy up and down your body, moving it along your limbs and blood stream. This is energy manipulationIf you’re familiar with auras, then it will feel like your aura has been cleansed and balancing.

If you’re unfamiliar with how energy manipulation works, concentrate on a part of your body, such as your hand for a moment and push internally, focusing the energy to gather in your hand. It may feel warm or tingly.

When you’ve cycled the energy through your body a few times, you can finish up your shower and get on with the day.

NOTES:

  • You can use affirmations, meditation, chanting, or spellwork during the shower to focus the ritual.
  • Using different scented shampoos, soaps, etc to double up on your purpose for the day is also a good idea. Use vanilla for a meeting and fruit or flower scented stuff for date night.

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13 Easy Spells for Halloween

13 Easy Spells for Halloween

Happy Halloween! Here’s 13 spells to use on Halloween. There are many spells that are suppose to work best on Halloween. There’s wishing spells, love spells, luck spells, divination, and more. Most I’ve pulled from Judika Illes’ The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells and I’ve included the sources when possible.

I’m mostly sharing spells that would be fun to try in a secular context, spur of the moments, or with little prep. Most of them are easy enough beginners, laypersons, or the curious can try with little to no knowledge or tools. A few can even be tried at parties or with children.

Additionally, dumb suppers or dumb dinners are very common on Halloween as a means of ancestor worship. Depending on the tradition, either a table setting is placed for the person you wish to invite at your regular sit-down dinner, or a special meal is planned with the exact intention of inviting a spirit or spirits or ancestors. A more casual approach would be to set a plate, glass, and  utensils off the side at a party so the spirit may help themselves. There’s lots of rituals posted about this rituals, so have a quick google to see if one of these rituals is right for you.

Fallng Leaves Wish

“If you can carch a leaf falling from a tree before it touches the ground, on Hallowe’en, you can have a wish.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionry of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 230

Note, other versions of this supersition say it can be done any time of the autumn season and that it grants good luck, a good day, or a good year instead of a wish.

Halloween Wishing Spell

“At midnight on Halloween stand naked before a mirror in a room lit only by a single candle. Silently make your secret wish. Don’t speak until morning.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 763.

Halloween Apple Luck Spell

“After nightfall on October 31st, each member of the household receives and apple. Apples may be distributed by hand or you may bob for them, as desired. Everyone must eat their one for a year of good luck.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 738

Halloween Candle Luck Spell

“At midnight on October 31st, burn orange and black candles. Allow them to burn out naturally to receive a year of good luck.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 738

Halloween [Love] Spell

“1. Write your romantic affirmations and aspiration on a piece of paper.

2. Fold it up over either a lump of dragon’s blood resin or some dragon’s blood powder.

3. Toss it into the fire on Halloween night. “

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 639

Pricking a Candle on Halloween

“Get a candle, set it up, and light it, and stick pins in it – every pin has to have a ‘ditty’ said (this ‘ditty’ is forgotten, unfortunately, but each pin seems to stand for a separate man known to the charm worker.) The candle burns down first to one pin then to another ehen it gets to the right man the door will open and he will appear.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 55

Three Dishes Divination

“Take three dishes, put clean water in one, foul water in another, and leave the third empty: blind-fold a person, and lead him to the hearth were the dishes are ranged; he (or she) dips the left hand: if by chance in the clean water, the future husband or wife will come to the bar of Matrimoney a maid; if in the foul, a widow; if in the empty dish, it foretells, with equal certainty, no marriage at all. It is repeated three times, and every time the arrangement of the dishes is altered.”

Souce: Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 120

Wind Divination

“According to Welsh tradition, anyone going to a crossroads on Hallowe’en and listening carefully to the wind may learn what the next year has in store and, when the church clock strikes midnight, will hear a list of the names of those who are to die in the locality over the next twelve months.”

Source: Pickering, David. Cassell Dictionary of Supersitions. Cassell 1995. Page 125-6

Ivy Leaf Divination

“The following Hallowe’en charm was practised recently, to satisfy a morbid desire to know if any member of the family would die during the coming year. An ivy leaf was taken for each one and placed in a bowl of water, to remain all night. The leaves were marked, so that each person knew his or her own, and it was believed that any to die soon would have a coffin marked on the leaf in the morning.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 214

Love Oracle (13) Halloween Daphnomancy

“1. Sit before a low but steady fire in the fireplace. Gaze into the flame.

2. Focus on your beloved or on your desires. Formulate your question.

3. Have a small supply of bay leaves at hand. Without taking your eyes off the fire and your mind from your desire, toss a small handful of bay leaves into the fire.

4. Chant:

“Laurel leaves that burn in the fire.

Draw to me my heart’s desire.”

5. Once the flames die down, repeat again for a total of three repetitions.

If the flames shoot up, or leaves crackle and pop, you’ve received very auspicious signs: your wishes will be fulfilled. However, quiet leaves and dim flames counsel patience or perhaps a change of plans.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 319

Mirror Divination to See Your Future Spouse

“Take a candle, and go alone to a looking-glass; eat an apple before it and some traditions say, you should comb your hair all the time; the face of your conjugal companion, to be, will be seen in the glass, as if peeping over your shoulder.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 252

“Stand before a looking-glass, combing your hair with one hand and eating an apple held in the other, when the face of the man you are to marry will be seen in the glass looking over your shoulder.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 252

“Superstition suggest that, if a girl stands before a mirror while eating and apple and combing her hair at midnight on Hallowe’en, her future husband’s immage will be reflected in the glass over her left shoulder.”

Source: Pickering, David. Cassell Dictionary of Supersitions. Cassell 1995. Page 126

Note, this is a very common divination mentioned throughout history.

Garlic Protection

“Garlic, hung about the house on All Hallows Eve, will keep away evil spirits.”

Source: Opie, Iona & Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press 1992 edition. Page 172

Pacify Ghost Halloween Spell

“At midnight on Halloween bury apples at crossroads to feed hungry ghosts.”

Source: Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Harper Collins 2008 edition. Page 281

Hope you have a happy Halloween!

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Updated the Glossary

Hi folks! I’ve updated the glossary.

Didn’t know there was a glossary? There is It’s small right now, but it’s a long-term project. I write them as I go or as people ask for definitions.

I’ve added energy, aura, polytheism, hard polytheism, soft polytheism, secular, magical practitioner, practitioner, and a few others. I’ve also included my specific beliefs on energy and examples of some of the terms.

Let me know if the definitions aren’t super clear by dropping an email or commenting on this post.

If there’s a term you want to know or need a definition before, you can drop an email or comment below to let me know!

Thanks for your support, friends!

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23 Magic Spells for the New Year

Happy new year! Here’s a quick list of spells (and other magical things) you might want to cast to get the new year off to a fantastic start.

Keep in mind that many of these spells can be cast on yourself, your home, business, workspace, vehicle, friends, family, pets, loved ones, and so on. 

01 Cleanse with energy, energetic healing, or reiki

02 Cleanse with sound (bells, music, chanting, verbal meditations)

03 Cleanse with smoke

04 Cleanse with water

05 Ritualized bath for cleansing, good luck, etc

06 Renew persistent / permanent spells. (Example, a spell on the bathroom mirror to boost self confidence or the spell on your business’ door to increase customer sales).

07 Cleanse with a broom

08 Good luck spells

09 Blessings

10 Add or renew wards and protection spells

11 Prosperity, wealth, and abundance spells

12 Meditation in general, but try a different style of meditation than what you normally use.

13 Financial boosting spells

14 Motivation spell (this is good for those new year’s resolutions)

15 Oathing (to yourself, your gods, etc)

16 Dedications / benedictions

17 Divination such as tarot card readings

18 Make a blessings jar. Write down something your grateful for or whenever something good happens on a piece of paper and add it to an empty jar on a shelf. At the end of the year, burn the papers to add prosperity to the coming year. You can do this same idea with any kind of spell.

19 Add or renew the spells on your wardrobe, jewelry, shoes, etc

20 Deep clean your ritual and/or altar space

21 Make potions or bath salt for traits or spells you want in your life (example: sugar scrub to increase love, salt scrub to keep bad vibes away, a tea potion to increase healthy dietary choices, etc)

22 Inventory and organize your magical and/or spiritual supplies (candles, incense, etc). Donate what you don’t need, if possible.

23 Journal the kind of year you want to have, but coat your words with energy, turning your words into a spell.

Bonus! Try to head outside, weather and ability permitting, to go for a walk and get some fresh air.