I Wanna Hide My Face In Someone’s Neck And Sleep

How To: Make Ink from Flowers

This is by far the most abundant ink I have in my house is that of inks made from flowers. This is the easiest and fastest inks to be made and require the least amount of materials to produce brilliant and soft colors. The inks from flowers can be either stunning and dark, or a lighter and more pale like one would expect from watercolor. Flower inks don’t last as long as inks produced from berries or nuts, and being left in the sunlight will fade their colors faster, but since this ink is so fast and easy to make, it can always be in supply. The shelf life of this ink is about a month if kept in the dark, but this is dependent on the color itself.

Materials:

Glass containers (preferably mason jars or drinking cups)

A pestle or other wooden tool (to crush the flowers with)

Boiling water

Cheese cloth

Rubbing Alcohol or 100 Proof Vodka

Glass storage container

Optional: Gum Arabic

Steps:

First, gather the flower petals of choice for the color desired (note some flower ink isn’t the same color as the flower petals).

Take these petals and crush them into the glass container, stuffing as many as you can in 1/3rd of the container as possible. The more crushed the petals, the more color will come out.

Fill the container with just enough boiling water to barely cover the flower petals. Do not fill the container, as this will dull the ink.

Set this container aside to brew overnight (I actually leave mine in the window to brew for 24 hours).

Strain the flower petals from the liquid, pouring the colored ink into a clean glass storage container.

Add 1 part alcohol to the container and shake gently (do not shake hard enough to form bubbles).

Optional: You may add Gum Arabic to give the ink a thicker consistency.

A recommendations on flowers, I have found that roses and other soft petaled flowers make a stronger ink.

Secular Celebrations - Yule

At the very end of the Gregorian calendar comes the winter solstice and Yule. Technically, this is the FIRST holiday on the Wheel, since Samhain is the boundary between the old year and the new. But since most of us have to follow the January to December schedule in our day-to-day lives, we’ll end with Yule.

The winter solstice is a time when we focus on hunkering down and staying warm. We look to the homestead, we take care of our families, and we make sure our communities are surviving the winter as comfortably as possible. This is one of the times that the Wild Hunt was said to ride, their presence indicated by howling winds and stormy nights when it wasn’t safe to venture out. All manner of entities personifying hunger and cold and death stalk the landscapes of winter mythology, so we fortify our homes however we can and indulge in a little midwinter revelry to keep ourselves going until the spring.

Decorate with pine bunting, pine cones, holly, mistletoe, snow symbols, fairy lights, electric candles, ribbons, streamers, local fauna active during winter, whatever you like. There are plenty of Christmas wreaths out there, so don’t be afraid to make a witchy one with a big old star in the middle. Make sure that any ACTUAL foliage is kept away from the pets, and of course, observe fire safety for any lights you put up. Way too many house fires are caused by electrical shorts in holiday lights, so be extra careful. Do NOT plug an extension cord into a power strip. And go easy on the plastic glitter. Anathema to some, I know, but the more of that we can keep out of the waste cycle and the water system, the less will end up in the oceans.

If you have a fireplace, you can burn a symbolic log “to drive the cold winter away.” Or, if you only have a cauldron or a burning bowl, you can find an outdoor space to burn some twigs and incense for the same purpose. Or you can light some candles with appropriately wintry scents. Or, if you can’t burn anything at all, an LED candle left alight overnight on the altar should do the trick. The whole idea is to symbolize keeping warmth in the home, keeping the dark and the cold at bay, and keeping the home fires literally burning for those who must be elsewhere. However you manage this is fine.

Spend time with your near-and-dear, if you can. Eat good food, drink good wine, and do cozy things. Share treasured memories, and tell stories. Fun fact: Yule and Christmas are another traditional time of year for ghost stories, so feel free to pull those out again. If there’s a family tradition of feasting and gift-giving, lean into it. There are a lot of Christian traditions from Christmas that have made their way into the secular sphere. Sure, they still have some religious associations, but I know plenty of atheists who still exchange presents because it’s FUN. You can also give gifts to others by contributing to charitable organizations, donating to clothing drives and food pantries, or through random acts of kindness to those who need it.

Charity and compassion should be emphasized during this time of year. I mean, you should be charitable and compassionate ALL year when you can manage it, that’s just common decency. But especially when it’s cold and people are feeling that lack of money or resources and we’re surrounded by all these super-capitalistic ad campaigns telling us that our love for others is worth only as much as the kitchen appliances and diamond jewelry we put under the tree….yeah, maybe bring something a little more altruistic to the table. It doesn’t have to be huge, it doesn’t have to be performative. Just look for those opportunities to help someone out or make their life a little easier. You’ll know them when you see them.

If you’re crafty, pull out those projects you’ve been saving for a rainy day. We often spend a lot of time cooped up in the house during cold weather, the more so in 2020 with the various lockdowns, so why not turn it into something productive? Fix something, create something new, work on that scarf you’ve been meaning to finish since last winter. Make a pinecone feeder for the local birds, or scatter some nuts and dried berries for any critters that happen to be out and about. Do winter crafts with your kids to keep them occupied, if they happen to get bored of watching Frozen 2 for the hundredth time this week. (Hey, I only have nieces and a nephew, but I’ve still heard the horror stories.)

Let me pause a moment to address the proverbial elephant in the room. And this MIGHT be dipping a toe into the religion pool, but it’s an issue that a lot of us face. Late December can be a tough time for witches who were raised Christian but are, for one reason or another, disconnected from the faith or the Church at present. There’s the constant symbolism in music and decorations all around, pressure from our friends and families, people gnashing their teeth about red coffee cups, and so on. And we’re not even going to talk about the annual arguments over who stole whose holidays. If you know me, you know exactly how salty I can get on the topic, and we don’t have time for that today. This is about finding ways to celebrate, not my personal rage over people who don’t understand the difference between conflation and syncretism, and can’t be arsed to read history that doesn’t come from-...

Ooooo deep cleansing breath. Come on, Bree, you promised. (-hiss- I LIED.)

ANYWAY. Yule is a time when it might be worth remembering literally anything positive that came out of your experience with Christianity. Some of us have it, some of us don’t, that’s purely a personal matter. Some of us miss the carols, okay? There can be a lot of nostalgia involved in the season that’s disconnected from whatever trauma or differences in belief led to that split. And if you want to pause and remember that fondly, that’s okay. I will fully confess to singing along to Christmas hymns on the radio in my car at top volume because that’s a big part of the season for me and always has been. Heck, I might even attend a service at the local Unitarian church. They’re nice and non-denominational and they focus much more on the meaning behind the season than any particular holiday. So if you feel the need for that fellowship, see if there’s a UU church near you, or a virtual service online. There’s nothing wrong with revisiting your roots.

Moving back into witchcraft territory, you can collect clean snow and icicles to melt for winter moon water. This isn’t really much different from moon water you’d make at any other time of year, but it’s another method of gathering the base material. Also, icicles are great for any water you’re setting aside for more aggressive or protective purposes. The fact that they look like hanging spears isn’t lost on me.

Check your household protections and see if anything needs shoring up. Like I said, I cast my wards every year at Samhain, but they always seem to need a bit of detail work by the time Yule rolls around. Or heck, you might find Yule a more appropriate time to perform that casting, or maybe you refresh your wards at every holiday, who knows. Whatever works for you, as long as you remember to do it at some point. Cleanse your thresholds and the corners of your home, at the very least, just for good measure. But don’t go sweeping anything out the door. That’s sweeping away your good luck for next year.

And speaking of New Year’s, if the year you’ve had has been particularly….well, like the year we’ve had, you can also burn the year in effigy and cleanse with incense for a fresh start. Just write it on a piece of paper and burn that S.O.B. in the cauldron. While you’re at it, you can symbolically burn lingering worries, bad habits, bad memories, and regrets with either candle flame or a burning bowl. And yes, that includes all those negative things you think about yourself that you wish would go away.

And finally, reflect on the year as a whole, with all the joys and lessons it’s brought you. What memories have you made? What has brought you joy? What do you regret? What have you learned? What skills have you developed and how will you use them? What improvements do you still wish to make? And what do you want to do with the coming year?

And around and around it goes….

Like I said at the beginning, this is by no means exhaustive. These are just some basic ideas to get you started. You can make your own celebrations and your own traditions as you, either by building off of existing ones or by creating something new. As long as it has meaning to you and marks the occasions you deem important in ways that are fun and festive, it’s all good. This is something I’d love to see more often as a discussion - personal traditions, things that are unique to families or particular regions or individual witches, all the places they intersect, and all the various ways that we celebrate ourselves and each other and our craft.

- Hex Positive, Ep. 011 - Secular Celebrations (November 1, 2020)

Other Posts In This Series:

Imbolc

Spring Equinox

Beltane

Midsummer

Lughnasadh

Autumn Equinox

Samhain

Yule

Having trouble remembering what the Signs and planets mean?

Here’s a cheat sheet!

The Zodiac Signs: These key phrases express what the basic nature of each of the signs at their core. Sometimes it’s what most important to them, usually it’s what’s second nature for them to focus on.

Aries: I am

Taurus: I possess

Gemini: I think

Cancer: I feel

Leo: I will

Virgo: I analyze

Libra: I balance

Scorpio: I desire

Sagittarius: I see

Capricorn: I use

Aquarius: I theorize

Pisces: I believe

The Planets: These key phrases express what the basic sphere of personality each planet is designated to.

Sun: As a whole, I am- | I behave-

Moon: I deal with emotions by- | In order to be happy, I need-

Mercury: I communicate through- | I learn by-

Venus: I value- | In romance, I-

Mars: I am passionate about- | I deal with anger by-

Jupiter: I am luckiest when- | I expand through-

Saturn: I view my limitations as- | I feel responsible about-

Uranus: I rebel- | I progress towards-

Neptune: I feel enlightened when- | I lose touch with reality-

Pluto: I transform- | I seek power by-

The Houses: These key phrases express the fields of our lives the houses govern.

1st House: Self

2nd House: Possessions

3rd House: Communication

4th House: Home

5th House: Pleasure

6th House: Health

7th House: Partnership

8th House: Sex

9th House: Philosophy

10th House: Social Status

11th House: Friendships

12th House: Subconscious

Apple: spirit work, offerings, love, healing, beauty, wisdom, harvest

Apricot: love, self love

Avocado: beauty, love, lust, fertility, spell work

Banana: wealth, luck, spirituality, religion, masculinity

Blueberry: protection, banishment, curses

Blackberry: protection, fertility, femininity, funerals, afterlife, moving on

Cantaloupe: spell work, protection, grounding, energy work

Cherry: lust, love, fertility

Clementine: childhood, dreams

Coconut: protection, cleansing, femininity

Cranberry: holidays, blood magic, spirit work

Date: fertility, luck, money

Dragon fruit: lust, passion, spell work

Durian: curses, cleansing, protection

Fig: happiness, divination, love

Grapefruit: cleansing

Grape: money, spell work, fertility, offerings

Guava: love, self love, lust

Honeydew: cleansing, energy, love

Jackfruit: divination, spell work, happiness

Kiwifruit: health, love, lust, happiness

Kumquat: luck, health, money

Lemon: cleansing, purification, protection, curse breaking

Lime: cleansing, protection, love

Lychee: love, self love, femininity, beauty

Mango: love, lust, fertility

Nectarine: love, self love, spell work

Orange: cleansing, protection, divination

Papaya: curse breaking, banishing, spirit work, love

Passion fruit: lust, love, passion

Peach: fertility, love, happiness, spirit work

Pear: offerings, happiness, luck, money, confidence

Persimmon: healing, love, luck, protection

Pineapple: protection, health, offerings, money, luck

Plantain: fertility, masculinity, lust, passion

Plum: love, healing, offerings

Pomegranate: offerings, blood magic, fertility, divination, spell work

Prune: cleansing, protection

Raspberry: love, dreams, health

Strawberry: love, wishes, dreams, happiness

Starfruit: lunar/solar magic, spell work, cleansing

Tangerine: solar magic, strength, energy work

Tomato: protection, cleansing, love, passion

Watermelon: healing, femininity, lust, love, spirit work, cleansing

when the whole house got the autism

reminders for new witches

🗝 your path is your own. You do not have to force your craft to be like those of the witches you see or admire.

🗝 if you dont know what kind of witch to be, simply pursue whatever interests you. Subjects you are passionate about are the ones your magic will be strongest from.

🗝 unless you follow a specific tradition, there is no set of rules or requirements to witchcraft. There is more freedom and versatility in witchcraft than you think.

🗝 though you may want, you do not truly need anything, be it an altar, a deity to worship, tools of the craft or herbs. You alone are enough.

•THINGS EVERY NEW WITCH SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WITCHCRAFT•

-PART ONE-

If you’re a new witch, you probably aren’t too sure where to start.

“Which path should I follow?” “Do I have to be wiccan to be a witch?” “When can I join a coven?” “What should I learn first?” “Can I be a witch if I’m a guy?”

First of all, we’ve all been there, so don’t worry. This is a journey we all take. Witchcraft is what you make it.

•RELIGION•

You absolutely DON’T have to be religious to be a witch. I personally am an athiest, so I don’t involve any deities in my craft, however many people do. Witchcraft as it is, is entirely separate to religion, however lots of people choose to practice the two together.

•GENDER•

You DON’T have to be female to be a witch. Anyone who says that is a liar, or misinformed. Your gender doesn’t impact your craft unless you want it too, and if you wish you can even omit all gendered associations from your craft, as I myself do.

There are also arguments surrounding the word “witch”, so to clear it up, the word “witch” itself is gender neutral, so you have the right to identify with that word, regardless of your gender.

•PATHS•

There are many paths a witch can follow, however lots of modern witches are eclectic (take parts from different paths) and wish to have their own tailored path. As an eclectic witch myself, I can’t tell you too much about paths, however there are many pages on the internet that can help you. None of these paths are wrong to follow, and we all have different interpretations.

•COVENS•

Once again, you don’t need to be part of a coven to be a witch. Many people choose to be part of them, however many people choose to be solitary. Being a solitary witch does not exclude you from talking to other witches, or working with other witches from time to time. There are many places for witches to socialise, both on the internet and in person. If you are concerned about learning without a coven, then I would advise you to look into discord. Although most are not covens, there are several witchy servers there, and many are happy to help new witches.

I hope that this has helped answer some of the questions new witches have. This is just the first post in a series, so there are definetely more to lookout for. I wish you the best luck with your craft, and feel free to ask any questions in the comments.

- spindriiffftttttt

BABY WITCH FAQ ~ 2

a masterpost by noonymoon

click here for part one

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what can it mean being drawn to an element?

spirit work – a few essential and basic tips

soul work – some methods for doing soul related work

crystals – how to identify lemurian crystals

i am feeling spiritually drained and i have nightmares

crystals – ideas to protect your crystals from breaking

nature offerings – what to leave and not leave in nature

full moon eclipse – are spells recommended in such nights?

full moon eclipse – is charging recommended in such nights?

spells – what’s your take on these types of magic?

water magic – does moon water with a cloudy sky work?

low spoons – some methods to refresh your spiritual energy

secret witch – i can’t perform spells because i don’t have…

crystals – how can i learn more about crystals?

sun magic – how to appreciate the sun in many ways

soul work – is it possible to remember things or feel familiar?

witchy books – a few books that i can recommend

a few thoughts on the elements and our souls

anxiety – aroma therapy and some other pointers

spells – creative witchcraft is amazing

spells – all the things you can do with words

angels – some words on angels, spirits and guides

astral work – i’ve experienced a ringing in my ear

energy work – how to keep your third eye healthy

divination – tarot cards that pop up at you

crystals – this one crystal makes me nauseous

sigils – some cool things to know about them

crystals – why do i loose the crystals that i like the most?

spells – can you do any magic with clouds?

divination – some really good pointers for pendulum work

grimoire – read this if you are struggling with your grimoire

dreams – i am dreaming of having angel wings and flying

deity work – i want to do something nice for Aphrodite

spirit work – how can i find out about my spirit guide?

spirit work – thought on fae work for beginners

is it possible that certain months hold specific meanings?

spirit work – how did you know about your spirit guide?

divination – some of my favourite tarot decks

crystals – i always get a headache with hematite

synchronicities – what does the number 42 mean?

soul work – how do i find out how many lives i’ve had?

soul work – how do i find out more about my past lives?

divination – how long should i practice before digging deep?

spiritual growth – how do one get in touch with the higher self?

soul work – how do i find stuff out without divination?

mental health - can i still have intuition and magical powers?

angels – how to go about the whole angel topic

spiritual growth – what’s it like to feel the higher self?

spirit work – some words on deities, spirits and guides

soul work – how important your original soul self is

synchronicities – angel numbers and how to read them

altars – what can i put on an altar for spring?

cleansing – general thoughts on cleansing a room

witchcraft isn’t always doing spells and rituals - it’s much more

grimoire – of course you can have an electronic grimoire

astrology – basic explanation of the zodiac and chart

divination – example reading for how to do Lenormand

potions – some basic beginner advice for simple potions

personal growth – how to deal with anger and frustration

astrology – some thoughts on planets in retrograde

astrology – what are planetary influences?

spells – some advice on how to heal a broken heart

synchronicities – seeing your birthday numbers

synchronicities – seeing certain letters or initials everywhere

spells – gender validation spell for LGBTQ+ witches

soul work – does it work with only tarot cards?

flowers – and general thoughts on correspondences

herbs – do i have to pick herbs in some special way?

astrology – thoughts on compatibility and romance

shops – members of our community with witch shops

soul work – what is possible? past lives as animals?

crystals – to lift up someones vitality and mental state

manifestation – thoughts on my birthday manifestation

full moon – the moon and the energies of the zodiac

soul work – can you feel a soulmate somehow?

aphantasia – how to be magical nonetheless

magical girl – some cute magical girl content of mine

spells – some ideas for binding spells to prevent harm

water magic – some thoughts on moon water

cleansing – can i cleanse with candle smoke?

grimoire – group grimoire with trusted witches // updated on April 30th 2019

divination – how to pick your first tarot deck

beginner witchcraft advice on books

divination – general advice on reading cards

synchronicities – some tips for angel numbers

divination – creative advice for shufflemancy

divination – trust your intuition & do pendulum

ways to cleanse without smoke and essential oils

angels – in my opinion fallen angels aren’t a thing

spirit work – some words on fae and protection

energy work – meditation is a good start

crystals – some thoughts on crystal grids

dream work – tarot and dream interpretation

synchronicities – numerology & angel numbers

spirit work – personal thoughts on material offerings

you will never have to do something that scares you

cleansing – do you think i did this right…?

sigils – the “forgetting method” isn’t the only method

soul work – some general angel soul wisdom

dream work – dreaming of the “death” tarot card

energy work – cleansing and grounding

aphantasia – how to work around some things

divination – some ways to bond with your deck

hearing weird things with tarot deck under pillow

divination – painting your own tarot deck

clair-abilities – knowing peoples intentions

spirit work – my personal views on spirit conjuring

astrology – how to read your natal chart, easy!

clair-abilities – what could this experience mean?

crystals – what i personally love to do with them

can i use a pocket knife as an athame?

general advice on how to roll with your own craft

advice on how to enchant objects effectively

clair-abilities – some thoughts on being an empath

crystals – moss agate to keep your plants healthy

spells – can ingredients energies go bad?

divination – starting tarot with a traditional deck

crystals – what to look out for when purchasing online

spells – the entire moon cycle and its meanings

deity work – always investigate what you feel drawn to

crystals – few words on real and fake crystals

divination – the major arcana of the tarot

divination – how do people read for others online?

spirit work – how to reach out to your guides

angels – how to have faith and how to believe

magical powers only come at the age of 16….?

spirit work – can i worship nymphs?

my personal beliefs around worship and deities

crystals – i get a headache with this one crystal

really small advice on being a secret witch

clair-abilities – working with your intuition and skills

for what could i use sea shells and sand?

angels – communication through music and writing

divination – how to cleanse your tarot deck

soul work – experiences with the higher self

spirit work – the relationship with your guides

spells – black moon, dark moon and blue moon

being a witch and feeling anxious and disconnected

soul work – how to find out about past lives

angels – was this a real angel encounter…?

divination – pendulum letter board

astral work – is astral work a safe practice?

angels – how to find out about your angels

pointers on how to create a witch work space!

how to be spiritual despite nothing seems to work

dreams – what could it mean to dream about uranus

aphantasia – meeting my guides despite having it

human 101 – how to be kind in our community

divination – my deck was acting really weird

crystals – thoughts on lepidolite crystals

crystals – some crystals for working with angels

crystals – what exactly are lemurian crystals..?

.

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updated on nov 8th 2019

Witchy Tips: Meditation

Meditation IS:

✔️ A way to improve your focus and concentration

✔️ An excellent way to ground yourself

✔️ A good way to raise energy

✔️ An effective calming exercise

✔️ A method of strengthening your empathetic abilities

Meditation is NOT:

🚫 Thinking of nothing

🚫 Clearing your mind completely

Things you need to meditate:

✔️ Yourself

That’s it. You don’t need candles or crystals or a mantra or a yoga mat or a special outfit or anything.

You don’t even need to be able to do the thing where you cross your legs with your feet up on your thighs. You can meditate lying down, sitting up, kneeling, regular cross legged, or even standing. Just so you’re not in a position where you’ll lose circulation, you’ll be fine.

Kinds of meditation

Yup, there’s kinds. Lots of kinds. Way too many to list in this post. Do your research, find a kind that works for your needs. Practice a bunch of different ones! The kind I recommend for a beginner is called Mindfulness Meditation.

Mindful meditation is about staying in the present moment, rather than ruminating on the past or worrying about the future. Like any kind of meditation, it improves your focus and concentration. It’s also been shown to increase your empathic connection with the world around you. Once you achieve a mindful state, you can move into any other kind of meditation you want.

The guide below is for mindful meditation.

How to Meditate

Go to a quiet place and find a comfortable position that you can keep up for a few minutes without getting sore or losing your balance.

Close your eyes and begin breathing steadily through your nose.

Focus on your breath as it moves through your nose. Try to follow it from moment to moment, rather than lingering on a past sensation or anticipating a future one. The breath is dynamic; it moves with you through time. Try to synchronize your focus with your breath so that they both exist in the present moment.

When you have a feeling, an emotion, or a thought, acknowledge it, accept it, and then go back to focusing on your breath.

If you find you have become distracted, bring back your focus by counting to 10: each odd number is an inhale, while evens are exhales.

Do not be discouraged if you become distracted often; meditation is not something that comes naturally: it has to be practiced. The present moment is hard to hang on to, because it requires not hanging on to anything. The present moment is always slipping by, and it will take practice to teach your mind to acknowledge and dismiss each moment rather than trying to linger. Try aiming for one minute of focused meditation, and increase the time little by little as your concentration improves.

Eventually, you’ll be able to meditate in noisy places, with your eyes open, using focus tools like candles or crystals, you can start employing visualization or mantras if you want; the sky is the limit. But before you can do any of that, you have to be able to concentrate. Simple quiet, eyes-closed meditation that focuses on the breath is a good way to get you there.

Happy meditating!