Making An Altar Master Post

Loose Mabon incense

dried orange peels

star anise

cinnamon bark or cinnamon stick broken up

dried cedar leaf

calendula flowers

8 drops orange essential oil

5 drops cinnamon essential oil

3 drops nutmeg essential oil

Step 1

Break up chunkier ingredients, like cinnamon and dried orange peel, into smaller pieces. This will both release the scent and make them easier to burn.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a clean glass jar using a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon.

Step 2

Add essential oils, one drop at a time, mixing the incense between drops to disperse oil evenly. Store in a clean glass jar for up to 4 months.

How to Use Mabon Incense

Use your Mabon incense anyway you want to.

Here’s a few ideas:

Toss a handful in to empower your ritual bonfire.

Burn it in a cauldron or fire safe bowl on a charcoal disk.

Steep it in water and boil it on the stove for smoke-free way to release the scent of autumn in your home.

Add a small pinch into a handmade ritual candle during the melting process..

Mabon Altar Ideas & Correspondences

Mabon, also known as the Autumn Equinox, marks the midpoint between the summer and winter solstices. It's a time to celebrate the abundance of the harvest season and express gratitude for the blessings of the year. One way to honor this occasion is by setting up a Mabon altar, adorned with items and symbols that resonate with the energy of the season. Here are a few ideas for when you’re putting your altar together.

The Altar Cloth: Choose an altar cloth in rich autumnal colors such as deep red, orange, or brown. These colors represent the changing leaves and the bountiful harvest.

Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables: Incorporate apples, pumpkins, squash, and corn, or any local harvests you have in your area. These are traditional symbols of the harvest and abundance during Mabon.

Candles: Use candles in colors associated with Mabon, such as gold, yellow, orange, or deep red. These represent the changing colors of the land. Alternatively, you could use black and white candles to represent the balance of dark and light on the equinox.

Crystals: Consider placing crystals like citrine, amethyst, or jasper on your altar. These stones resonate with the energies of balance, gratitude, and abundance.

Symbols of Balance: Include items that represent the balance of day and night, such as a yin-yang symbol or two candles, one for the sun and one for the moon.

Leaves and Acorns: Collect fallen leaves and acorns to symbolize the changing season and the promise of new growth in the future.

Chalice and Bread: A chalice filled with wine or cider and a loaf of bread represent the traditional elements of water and earth, symbolizing the harvest's bounty.

Deity Representations: If you work with specific deities in your practice, add representations of them to your altar. Some gods and goddesses associated with Mabon include Demeter, Persephone, and the Green Man.

Mabon Correspondences

Colors: Deep red, orange, yellow, brown, and gold.

Herbs: Sage, marigold, hops, and thistle.

Foods: Apples, grapes, nuts, grains, and root vegetables.

Symbols: Scales, cornucopias, and the autumn wreath.

Activities: Apple picking, making wreaths, offering prayers of gratitude, and sharing a feast with loved ones.

Intentions: Reflect on balance in your life, give thanks for your blessings, and set intentions for the darker months ahead.

May you be blessed with abundance and gratitude.

my beautiful wife ibuprofen

born to always mourn the present like it’s already become a memory

passive and active energies.

the passive and active. they are opposites, but there is a part of each within the other; both energies exist in all things.

for everything, there is an equal and opposite reaction. 

energy is not created or destroyed, it is only changed. 

this is to say, all energy is one and the same; expressing and manifesting itself through different lenses, in different forms.

the passive. moon. earth.  empathy. external. value of others. shield. existence. tranquility. allowance. creativity. silence.

the active. sun. heaven. strength. internal. value of self. sword. action. strife. control. logic. expression.

neither energy is more or less important or valuable.

if you have more empathy than strength, you bring harm unto yourself.

if you have more strength than empathy, you bring harm unto others.

what is expression without creativity?

what is creativity without expression?

balance is essential.

application to the craft:

most importantly, in my opinion, is learning that balance in all things comes first from balance within. this is something that can- and often does- take a lifetime to attain. to err is human, to err with one energy is natural. but finding an overall acceptance of both energies in and around your life can help bring understanding and peace.

use energies to inform intentions, to guide focus. an active intention may require more activity in your thought, whereas a passive intention may require more tranquility.

use the natural energies of elements and existences around you to help manifest your intentions. use the passive or active phases of the moon to inform and amplify your intentions.

 Different Crystal Shapes and How To Use Them

TUMBLED

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

ABUNDANCE

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

NATURAL POINT

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

PHANTOM

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

GENERATOR

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

GEODE

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

RAW

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

PYRAMID

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

SPHERE

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

SQUARE

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

A Detailed Guide to Cleansing Your Tarot Deck

How often should I cleanse my deck and why?

Between every in-depth reading you do: they require a lot of energy and focus and can heavily impact the energy around your deck

When you get a new deck: you don’t know who has handled the deck before you or what energies surrounded it

If someone touches your deck: their energy can be easily transmitted through physical contact (which you could potentially use to your advantage if you’re reading for them)

When you see multiple cards from a recent previous reading appear in your current reading: a sign that the energies of the people you are reading for a becoming muddled

At different times of the year - equinoxes, full moons, first day of a season: routine cleansing is a great way to keep your cards in good shape

If you haven’t used it in a while: old, built up energies need to be cleared to help “wake up” your deck after it’s been sitting unused

How can I clean my deck?

With a cleansing sigil: place the deck in the on top to the sigil and write “Negative energy” or “Old energy” for removal

Passing through some sage smoke: sage is a great all around cleanser!

Shuffling while focusing on cleansing: shuffling reorganizes the cards and is a quick method for cleansing in between consecutive readings

Place a clear quartz on top: quartz, especially when charged with light from a full moon, absorbs negative and foreign energy really well

With the light of a full moon: the full moon represents new beginnings and holds strong cleansing power, place on a window sill overnight 

Meditation with a focus on cleansing: sit near or hold your deck, close your eyes, focus on your breathing (count your inhale as 1, exhale 2, inhale 3, etc until 30), then imagine a white, cleansing light enveloping your deck

Make a salt circle around your deck: can get kind of messy, but the salt will absorb negative energy, make sure to dispose of it after!

Put the cards in order (by suit, element, number, or astrology): sorting your deck will give it a fresh start, make sure all the cards are upright as well!

Knock three times: another quick way to cleanse or “wake up” your deck, especially great for after you haven’t used your deck in a while

Protection Ideas

A quick list of ideas for protective magic.

Shielding: 

Layer your shields!

Inner layer filled with light to keep you cleansed, or burn negative things or blind them

Fire layer to burn whatever approaches you with negative intent

Wind to blow things away

Brick walls to keep things out

Wall of thorny vines

Wall of daggers daring anything to come near

Inner layer of warm blankets to give you comfort

Exterior layers of mirrors to reflect things back

Exterior layer of shadow to keep you hidden

Layer of mist/fog/clouds

A physical blanket or your favorite clothes!

Perfume/cologne

Jars

Fill jars with ingredients that can protect you. Go with your gut. But here are some ideas:

Pine needles

Nails

Teeth

Iron

Thorns

Cactus needles

Holly

Thistle

Sewing needles

Mirrors

Glass shards

Pins

Egg shells

Tree bark

Wards

Protective stones in every corner of your home or room

e.g. labradorite, iron, obsidian, tiger’s eye, etc

Salt

Egg shells

Stuffed animals charmed to be guardians

Statues charmed to be guardians

Sigils in corners or over doors

Ask the stars to protect you, for they are ever watchful

Candles/fire spirits

Light bulbs! Their light has kept you safe as a child, ask and they will do the same for you no matter your age

Wind chimes

Sea shells (especially pointy ones)

Sea glass

Bells

Your plants! Be they potted indoor plants or outdoor guardians!

Glass spheres (AKA witch balls. Bad things go in, they don’ come out, put them in the sun and they burn up)

Empty bottles and jars (same as witch balls)

Windows! Let in that protective light!

Amulets

Witch’s ladders

Evil Eye jewelry

Sigils that can be made into jewelry

Enchanted stones

Just jewelry. Any jewelry. 

Enchanted knots (to tie protection to you)

 Your shoelaces, your braids, your bowtie, your tie-tie, your barrettes, etc

Friendship bracelets

Little charms for you to carry around in your pocket. Can be anything from wood to glass to stone. Marbles could be a good amulet! Get color magic involved.

Runes

Feel free to add anything!

Practical Magic: Circle Casting

If you’re brand new to witchcraft, you’re probably seeing this phrase left and right: casting the circle, or circle casting. For some, it seems fairly obvious, because casting circles is often represented in pop culture, from the Devil’s Traps in Supernatural to the circle of brooms in Practical Magic. 

However, what purpose does casting a circle serve? How do you cast a circle? Why does it have to be a circle and not, say, a square? And do I always need to cast a circle when working magick?

Well, we’ll take this in small bits!

Why should I cast a circle?

A circle serves several different purposes in witchcraft. For some, it’s a means of protection. To others, it’s a means of magnifying ritual energy. For still others, it encourages slipping into meditative consciousness. Whatever the reasons for the tradition, it remains a rather good way of getting the spell started.

In terms of protection, the circle acts sort of like a bubble. After all, it’s not just a cylindrical wall. When a witch casts the circle, he or she is envisioning the energy rising up from where it had been cast on the floor and forming a dome over the ritual space, and below the floor to encase the space in a bubble of intent. For many witches, this forms a sort of shield from outside spiritual influences, and to enter the circle after it’s been cast would require cutting a doorway into it.

As you cast your spell or work your rite, the energy you send out interacts with your altar, your tools, yourself, and your ritual space. The circle acts sort of like a can of soda that’s been shaken up. It holds in all of that energy, allowing it to increase in concentration and potency, allowing it to continuously interact with all ritual components, including the witch casting it. When the rite is done and the circle is opened, it sends all of that energy out into the world with extra force and intent, allowing it to more effectively do as the witch desires. This is particularly useful for rites and spells intended for someone else, or for spells intended to cause large changes.

Furthermore, casting a circle is usually the first or second act done in a spell - often a witch will cleanse a ritual space by asperging or smoke cleansing before casting the circle. As a result, casting the circle is an ideal start to a rite because it begins to set you into the state of mind you need for spellwork. By channeling intent and starting up the circle, you get your magical energy moving so that by the time the ritual starts, you’re already warmed up (like an athlete taking a couple of laps around the track so she can be warmed up and ready to go for practice or for the game). 

Why does it need to be a circle instead of another shape?

This largely is rooted in tradition. If you really feel that a different shape is more sacred than a circle, you’re welcome to use that instead in your practice - some cultures believed in triangles being the shape of perfection. However, in most cultures and beliefs, the circle is a rather sacred shape. We see it everywhere, the only shape that can truly be called perfect - no corners, no sharp edges, no beginnings, no endings. It is a symbol of eternity, and reflects the shape of Mother Moon and Father Sun.

The circle also has another impact in witchcraft in that it can be seen as a fertility symbol - representing the full womb. 

When casting a spell and beginning with a circle, you’re creating a sphere of energy - a magical manifestation of the principle of “as above, so below.” In a sense, you’re not casting a circle, but instead casting a sphere. It allows you to encompass your ritual space in a way where the energy can flow smoothly and freely like water. In general, other shapes don’t allow this kind of movement. Just like in Feng Shui, corners collect energy, prohibiting it from moving freely and causing it to grow stale and potentially sour into negative energy. Without the corners, you don’t have to worry about stale energy.

Do I always need to cast a circle in order to work magick?

The simple answer is no. The more accurate answer is that it largely depends upon the tradition you follow and what brand of magick you work. There are witches out there who will absolutely refuse to cast any kind of magic without the protection of the circle. Meanwhile, there are witches out there who only cast the circle for esbats and Sabbats. What feels best for you should be what dictates how frequently you cast your circles.

In my case, I always cast a circle when I am doing a full rite. Since many of my spells are done on the fly (intuition is key for me, so I don’t always write out elaborate spells), I don’t cast a circle for every working I do. Instead, with some spells I make use of circle imagery in order to provide the same effect - the pentacle is basically a mini circle. If you’ve seen the picture I showed of the protection altar I made for a friend of mine, you would notice that I have the pentacle there, but on either side of the pentacle are crystals pointing outward - through the use of imagery, and by using the crystals to project the energy, I’ve managed to cast my circle in the process of casting the spell.

When I’m working in my kitchen, I never cast full ritual circles - the pots and pans provide the shape, and I can cast the circles in the bottoms of those utensils if I need to empower the food.

I do, however, recommend casting circles any time you wish to work with spirits or any time you perform divination or healing spells. This is as much for empowerment as it is for protection.

How do I cast a circle?

Casting a circle can be as elaborate or as easy as you feel it needs to be. It can make use of actually drawing a circle on the floor, or it can be entirely energetic and felt. Ultimately, like any aspect of magick, the circle should be cast in the way that you feel it should be. The guidelines I give here are exactly that: guidelines. Work with them however you feel works best for you!

Step One: Cleanse your space

Cleansing your ritual space is necessary for any magick, depending  upon your craft. When doing a ritual spell, I always cleanse with sage smoke or asperge with holy water. When you feel your ritual space is cleansed of all negativity, you’re ready to begin the casting of the circle.

In my practice, I go around the circle a total of three times. The first time is when cleansing the space. In addition to cleansing the room, I cleanse the circle in a clockwise direction, stopping briefly at each cardinal point to allow the smoke to linger in the space. For me, this helps begin the process of casting, and enhances the visualization.

Step Two: Physical Representation (If Any)

I don’t often draw a circle on the floor. This is largely because most of my magic is intuitive. However, when working with the coven, we sometimes do lay out a circle depending upon the rite we’re working. Especially for new witches who struggle with visualization, laying out a circle can be very nifty and helpful. As such, if you’re new to witchcraft, I do recommend laying out a circle if you feel it helps. If you’re still in the broom closet and want to cast a circle discreetly, you may have to rely upon visualization alone.

Regardless, there are a couple of ways you can lay out your physical circle. The first is to only provide representations at the Corners, or Cardinal Points - North, East, South, and West. If laying out the circle is ritualized for you, it is often recommended to start in the East and move clockwise around the circle. When providing only representations at the Corners, you can either place candles in each direction, or you can provide something that represents the element associated with it (a feather for air at the east, a candle for fire at the south, a glass of water at the west, and a jar of salt for earth at the north, for instance). My coven has considered casting spells at the beach, and we all loved the idea of taking tiki torches and setting one up in each corner, lighting them as we greet each guardian.

The other way of laying a physical circle is to actually draw out the whole circle in some way. If you’re at the beach or in an area where you can draw a circle in the earth, you’re set. But other times, you may be in an area where there’s a bit of foliage, or you’re indoors and don’t have the luxury of scratching a circle into your apartment’s carpet. Depending on what kind of surface you’re using, you can pour salt around the ritual space as a circle, or you can use a protection powder (such as ground eggshells, or ground cinnamon). If laying down something that’s granulated or powdered is a bad idea, because carpets, some witches will use ribbon instead.

One of my favorite moments with my coven was when we had cast a circle on a hill for a Sabbat rite. The hill was rather overgrown, and we were working in a small, grassy clearing. Since the rite was for Imbolc, we had decided that spring flowers would be beautiful. So we took flowers and laid them out in a circle around our ritual space.

Whatever method you use, it is often easier to lay out the physical circle before casting it spiritually.

Step Three: Greeting the Quarters

The second pass around the circle is done as a means of welcoming the Quarters. If your tradition does not have guardians at the cardinal points, you may substitute as needed (welcoming the Faeries, or welcoming deity, for example) or you may omit this step entirely.

Starting at whatever direction is traditional for you (I always start in the north, but many witches prefer to start in the east), greet the guardian, welcoming it to the circle. I do this with an invocation and with the ringing of a bell. Something to the effect of:

I welcome the element of Earth to the North, that it strengthen the circle.

Or

I welcome the Guardian of the North, that it may bear witness to my work. Come in peace and love, so mote it be!

You would move in a clockwise direction around the circle, stopping at each cardinal point and welcoming its guardian or spirit in turn.

Once done, return to the altar.

Step Four: Casting the Circle

My third pass around the circle is the actual casting of it on a spiritual level. Depending upon your tradition, you would do this with a staff, sword, athame, or wand. My personal tradition is flexible - cast it with your hand if you feel that is more effective. I do, however, often cast the circle with a wand - the quartz in my wand helps to empower the circle, and I love encouraging that as much as possible.

With whatever implement you prefer in your casting hand (some traditions emphasize casting hands, others don’t; in general, your casting hand is your dominant hand or whatever hand you use to write with most often; if you’re ambidextrous, this could be either hand), start with the point you began at. Point the implement toward the floor at that point (physical circles help with this - point at the border you’ve created) and begin moving clockwise about the circle, envisioning your energy flowing outward from you, through your implement/fingertips, to the floor and creating a barrier.

Personally, I always tend to see energy as being like slow, fire-like mist that glows blue. I see it coming outward from my heart, traveling down my arm, through the wand (glowing brighter as it passes through each crystal) and then passing onto the ground where it ignites like a little wall of fire. Every witch sees it differently. That’s just how I visualize it.

Some witches will see the circle forming a sphere on its own. Great! If you feel you need to shape the sphere yourself, you can do so. Once you’ve cast the circle, go back to the altar and lift the energy upward from the floor until it closes above your head, creating a dome, and then push it downward in the same manner so that the sphere encloses the space below ground.

Visualization is key.

Congratulations! You’ve cast your circle. Some traditions will mark this in the ritual format: “Here is the border where the circle is cast none but love may enter, none but love may leave” or “The circle is cast in the presence of Goddess and God, so mote it be!”

When doing a simple spell and casting a circle for it, I acknowledge the casting quietly before setting to my work.

In Conclusion…

As you can see, casting a circle is something that can be very elaborate or very simple. It can be required for all workings or it can only be required for some. I feel that the way you cast your circle is often deeply personal. For that reason, in the steps I gave as an example above are only some of the key parts of how I cast the circle without revealing any personal details of what I do for it when not working with the coven.

Every tradition, every path, every witch casts circles differently. If you are starting out as a witch, I greatly encourage you to create your own, personalized method of casting the circle. If you keep a Book of Shadows (as most witches do), the way you cast your circle should be one of the first things that you write down in it.

All that said, may all your circles be unbroken!

Blessed Be! )O(

My favorite simple wards to guard the home

Hanging rosemary above the doorstep, and/or above doors of the house for protection.

Sprinkling a line of dried red pepper on a windowsill, to counter a curse.

Placing a mix of dried & ground eggshells and black pepper in every corner of a room to keep out unwanted spirits.

Placing a decoration representing a witch in the kitchen, to keep away illness and to favor health.

Crafting an effigie (no matter how crude!) and make it into the guardian of your home by charging it with your intent of protection by placing it near the front door.

Crafting small witch ladders to hang around the house.