Charms And How To Make Them

Properties of Plants

I have condensed some info I’ve gathered to put into my grimoire. Below is from multiple posts that I organized for my own personal use. I’m uploading it since I already typed it and might as well. I hope this comes in handy for someone!

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Binding someone’s mouth.

objective: to make it someone can’t talk about you, too you, or at all depending on what you want. This can be with a real physical poppet, but it can also be done as a quick visualization in your head. It has been effective for me done both ways.

Get a poppet to represent the person you are binding. It’s better to make it yourself and fill it with things that represent/symbolize that person to make it more personal to them.

Put red thread on a sewing needle and start sewing the mouth of a doll. Chant, “Open lips say too much. So i seal your mouth; I bind it shut.”

 Tie off the thread at the end of the mouth. Hide the poppet away somewhere it won’t be bothered or messed with.

To remove the binding cut the thread from the poppet’s mouth.

how to read candle flames

How to read candle flames  

High steady flame: yes 

Low steady flame: no 

Dancing flame: reground and put more focus towards your spell/question 

Violent flickering flame: strong no do not reattempt this spell or ask this question again 

Sputtering crackling flame: there is a more complex answer than a yes or no it could mean maybe or possibly 

Dual flame: thinking, wait for the answer 

Left leaning: yes 

Right leaning: no 

Will not light: try another time 

Will not go out: you are not done with your spell or question yet 

Candle goes out before you are done: wait now is not the right time  

Working with Plants

1. Start your own Herbal. There are some great books out there, but recording your own experiences/uses/collected lore for herbs is invaluable. Draw, press or take photos of the plants you include. 

2. Learn about plants by seeing them with your own eyes. Visit botanical gardens, nurseries, garden centres and parks to see the plants in situ and (hopefully) correctly labelled. The human brain has an amazing memory for plants, it is a survival skill to be able to identify them. When you walk through a park or garden, notice the plants and identify those you know to re-establish this memory.

3. Grow things. Be as ambitious as your space, money and time allow. Collect plants that are hard to find, appeal to you and suit your climate. Go beyond culinary herbs. Be aware of where you plant things in the garden, both directionally and symbolically. Plants you have grown are constantly receiving offerings of your time, energy and resources and are therefore more likely to be willing to assist you.

4. Plants will die. Even the most experienced gardener will lose plants. Accept it. Don’t just buy a few seedlings and then decide you lack a green thumb because they all died. Some herbs are annuals, that means they only live for a season, some plants are deciduous, some will simply not be suited to your climate or area and fail to thrive. Be patient and persistent and become a student of gardening as well has herbcraft.

5. Work in depth with a particular herb or tree to discover its secrets. Read everything you can about it, research folklore and planetary correspondences, consume it raw, dried, as a tea and a tincture. Prepare a spagyric essence from it. Burn it as incense. Infuse oil with it. Grow it, talk to it, dream about it. Watch how it changes through the seasons, collect its seeds, smell its flowers. Do this until you know it inside out, and then begin again with another. 

6. Substituting herbs is tricky business. No, you can not replace all flowers with lavender or all herbs with rosemary. That is lazy nonsense. Put some actual effort into getting the herbs you need for a spell, and if you genuinely can’t acquire them find something botanically related, energetically similar or at very least ruled by the same planet.

7. Treat herbs and trees as spirits, with respect and humility. Ask before your take, leave offerings, communicate, bond with them and you will be rewarded with gifts and wisdom and powerful ingredients for your spells.

8. Poisonous herbs and strong entheogens are for advanced practitioners. Don’t just start growing or using them because you want to be taken seriously. Some of these plants are tricksters, they can be very seductive. They are quite capable of controlling you. Be wary.

9. When harvesting for magical use, think not only what the plant is but where it is growing. A tree on a university campus will have different properties to the same kind found in a graveyard. A herb growing at the crossroads is different to one found by a stream. 

10. Expand your learning and awareness beyond trees and herbs. Learn the lore of mosses, lichens, fungi and seaweeds. Parasitic and carnivorous plants. Get to know the plants that grow locally, even if they are far removed from those found in your books.

11. Check your sources when it comes to lore. If a book tells you lavender is good for love spells, question it. Try to discover where the information came from, look up the older herbals, read books of plant folklore, investigate planetary and elemental correspondences based on the nature and virtues of the plant, not just what Cunningham says. 

12. Develop relationships not only with individual trees and herbs, but with particular species. Plants can be spirit guides in the way that animals can. There is an oak tree, and then there is Oak. They can teach, guide and protect. Having a handful of plant allies you know intimately and fashioning your tools from their wood, planting them around your house and visiting them in the wild will make your connection to those spirits all the stronger.

Small Things To Contact Spirits About

…If you want to flex your communication muscles but don’t want to be cutting deals or making things complicated for now. Just little things to try.

Let me hear a love story

Show me a song from your people

Tell me something you did today that you are proud of

Let me draw a portrait of you

Tell me a little about your culture

Ask me any questions you may have about human culture (and I will answer them, if I can.)

Look at this song/story/poem I wrote, tell me what you think.

Tell me my local reputation, if I have one.

Tell me your story (and if desired, I will record it and pass it on for more to see.)

Share a joke.

Let me admire your beauty/grace/powerful appearance/plumage/scales/wings/great personality

Tell me about your friends

What is your one big token of advice?

Teach me how to make my home more welcoming for you (while still being safe for me.)

💋💘 Enhance Your Love- Jar Spell 💘💋

so i made this lil jar for me and my boyfriend, to enhance our love. (please dont use this for the intent of forcing love on someone that hasnt consented/wants something like this). anyway heres the materials i used and how i thrust my intentions and love into it;

💕 Ingredients (from bottom to top): 💕

pink salt (love, cleansing)

rosemary (protection, love, lust, purification, healing)

marjoram (protection, love, happiness, health)

chickweed (fidelity, love)

catnip (love, beauty, happiness)

senna leaf (love)

blue verbena vervain (aphrodisiac, protection, cleansing)

rose hips (love, peace)

💖 Materials: 💖

jar (i would use a heart shaped one for purely aesthetics but i dont have one)

red/pink candle to seal it; for love magic (additionally, you could seal it with red or pink ribbon or yarn or string)

white candle (optional) for purity/cleansing

tumbled rose quartz on top (for a calm flow of energy; love)

🔥 What to do: 🔥

💞 okay so first i lit my white candle and got all my supplies together and i was thinking about my boyfriend, and cute things and generally happy thoughts, and where i’d like to go further with our relationship. i put everything in the jar one at a time, still thinking about my intent (to enhance our love). that could either be our happiness or anything else that comes with a love spell (nsfw). HOWEVER, you can even talk to your jar, gush about your love interest, anything you want. you can put a taglock inside/around the jar too. i didn’t though, mainly because i keep the jar around things my boyfriend has given to me (love notes, doodles, etc.)

💞 next, drip the candle or tie your ribbon or string around the jar. think about how this is binding you together stronger than ever. about how much closer to your lover you’re getting and the warmth you feel from it.

💞 lastly, if you want to include this step, stick your rose quartz on the cooling wax to be the pinnacle of your jar, sending lovely soft vibrations of love. another additional thing you can do is leave the jar in the moonlight (full moon is best). im not wiccan or pagan, but of course you can incorporate an incantation or request help from a spirit or deity, or whatever you wish to do.

💞 lastly, you don’t have to follow this spell to a T. you can swap out anything you need to, add things if you need to or want to. this is YOUR love spell for YOUR lover and you can personalize this however you want! this is by no means a strict spell.

💞additionally, i would LOVE if you made something like this, or used this and sent me a photo of it or wrote a little message about it!💞

🍃friendship spells by orriculum

seeds for new friends - spell to attract new friends

bring us closer spell - to give you opportunities to make friends w/someone

cold shoulder spell - to break a friendship

empathy spell - a spell to let emotions/empathy flow between two people

long distance spell - to preserve a bond even as the people are separated by distance

nostalgia spell - to resurface old, fond memories in someone else

stay with me spell - to strengthen a bond and ensure communication

friendship fastening - hand fasting spell for close friends

stevonnie fushion - to meld with a friend for a short while

death stranding bonds potion -  a potion be for strengthening bonds

fries friendship ritual -  simple spell of binding friendships.

contagious laughter - to bring happiness to your loved ones and friends

last updated 10/4/2017

Nonverbal Witchcraft

For my witches who cannot speak, struggle to speak, or choose to remain quiet.

This post is a compilation of ideas and personal methods from fellow nonverbal witches. Not everything may fit for you, but hopefully it will give you a starting point!

Spells:

Write the words and focus your energy on bringing them into being. You could burn the piece of paper to finish off the spell. One contributor also mentions burying the paper. 

Our thoughts are powerful. Focus, and say the words in your mind.

You can also mouth the words without speaking them, if that helps you.

Whispering is also great if that works for you!

Find power in silence, use it as its own tool.

Use instruments to create certain rhythms for different spells, instead of chanting. 

If sound is helpful, play music that you feel relates/connects you to the spell.

Cast circles and finalize spells by snapping.

Sigils are concentrated intention–use that to your advantage. They can absolutely be a base for spellwork. 

Use a power source; the elements (candles, soil, the air around you, a bowl of water, etc.), crystals, burning herbs, etc.

To feel energy without using words to confirm: use tools that have stronger energy that you can physically feel.  

Make spell candles, jars or sachets. 

Use sign language! I’m of the opinion that everyone should at least learn the basics, and there are plenty of free resources out there!

Specific spells:

Casting a circle: “You can cast a circle by walking in a circle and visualizing your footsteps imprinting on the earth below, creating a barrier of light (color chosen to correspond to intention at the time), walk the circle 3 times and see the barrier in your mind forming a perfect sphere around your work space, becoming brighter and stronger each step you take.”*

To banish: write the things you wish to banish on a piece of paper, light them on fire with a black candle and place in a burn bowl. 

To release and invite: use two pieces of paper. On one, write down everything you’d like to release from your life. On the other, write down everything you’d like to invite into your life. Burn the release paper and dispose of the ashes, keep the invite paper. (Optional: I like to do this on the new moon, and have a black candle above the release paper and a white candle above the invite paper).

Protective charm: (click here)

To raise you out of a dark place: (click here)

Spell of destruction: (click here)

Energy work:

Use a cajon, bells, singing bowl, steel tongue drum/moondrum, or other instruments to raise energy!

“I have a specific snapping rhythm that is ‘magic time’. When I snap the rhythm once or three times it’s go time and I fall into the zone.”*

“For energy work and to raise energy I dance and as my heartbeat gets louder in my ears I mentally chant with it, focusing on a short phrase, intention, or incantation with the energy I physically raised and the meditative repetition of my mind.”*

Use a power source; the elements, crystals, burning herbs, etc.

Most energy work involves movement, rather than words (click here for energy work with restricted movement).

Other ideas:

Worship: write letters, devote your actions, decorate an altar. Prayers don’t need to be spoken! Or write your prayers and place them on an altar, burn them, or keep them. (Bedridden worship)

Divination doesn’t require spoken word, especially once you have a bond with your tools. You can always use writing, sigils, or your thoughts to channel your intent/question. (Bedridden divination)

Charge crystals with your intent and wear them/carry them in a pouch. 

Kitchen witchcraft, garden magic, tea magic, etc. etc. 

Utilize the correspondences of the items in your life. 

You may also like:

Bedridden witch series

Bedridden witch: Discreet edition

Limited hand mobility + witchcraft

Spoonie witch masterpost

Sigils: (pain + symptoms) (mental illness + energy) (healing + misc.) 

Chronically ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

Mentally ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

With suggestions and contributions from: 

@mynameisvernal, @melinoealtar, @steffithesciencewitch​, @the-corset-witch​*, @healing-sun-witch​ and anonymous. Thank you!

**Do not repost or share on other platforms - reblogging is okay!**

sunlight confidence spell jar

This is a powerful spell jar recipe for witches that need a confidence boost. Whether within the context of self-love and body acceptance, or if you need a little boost for a first date or a job interview, this jar will be an essential magick tool. You will need:

- A jar that seals well

- Ginger root (adventure, personal confidence, prosperity)

- Honeysuckle (strong confidence, intuition)

- Thyme (courage, strength)

- Gold glitter (power, radiance, happiness)

- Citrine (enlightenment, optimism, warmth)

- A small lock of your hair or other magical taglock to represent you

Allow the jar to charge in the sunlight as often as possible. The citrine in the jar will retain that energy and fill your space with an aura of confidence, self-love and courage.

Y’all asked for it so y’all gonna get it! I’mma start off with the barebones essentials and work my way to basic definitions. Sit down on something comfy and get yourself your warm beverage of choice and maybe grab a notebook because here goes.

What are runes?

Runic alphabets have been around since about 150 AD and used as a writing system by a lot of Germanic languages. These systems were eventually phased out, slowly but surely, with the progressive Christianisation that started around 700-1100 AD. The three most commonly known (and used?) Are the Elder Futhark, the Younger Futhark and Futhorc.

Runes aren’t, themselves, broadly meant for divination, thought there are a few passages in the Eddas that mention Odin “finding” and using them.

Alright, so which alphabet should I use?

Whichever one you want! I prefer using the Elder Futhark, because it’s the first alphabet I learned and got familiar with, but that doesn’t at all stop you from using the Younger Futhark or Futhorc. I’d heavily suggest making sure you read up on the differences in each alphabet though; Ansuz, for example, won’t look the same, mean the same or even be called the same from one alphabet to another. 

Familiarize yourself with each of them if you want/can, and choose based on your own preferences and criteria. Always work with what feels best for you!

But I’m not really familiar with Germanic traditions / I’m a baby witch, should or can I use runes for divination?

This is the concept that got my goat real good the first time. You do not, in any way, shape or form, need to be experienced to cast runes. This is a notion that is outdated and perpetuated by gatekeepers and exclusionists. No one gives a flying flip how long you’ve been practicing witchcraft, or if you even practice at all!

Divination should be seen as a tool to further yourself and/or your craft. It can be used by itself or in conjunction with other activities, practices or beliefs. I was 15 when I started learning about runes (dear god that was literally over ten years ago) and I had no idea what I was doing back then. I read up as much as I could about the system I was wanting to use and, once I was comfortable with it, I started doing small readings.

It shouldn’t matter how new or familiar you are to divination, rune casting or Germanic traditions. If rune casting feels right to you, you are more than free to use whatever divination method feels right to you.

What should I do before I start a reading?

As a Norse Pagan, I usually invoke my patron deities (Baldr and Loki, in this case), as well as Odin and Freyja, sometimes Gullveig/Heiðr because reasons. I have no idea whether or not this has any actual bearing on the reading itself, as mine were as accurate before I converted as they are now.

Making sure you’re in a quiet and/or comfortable space is also a good idea, even if that just means popping in some earphones and listening to something that makes you focus and feel calm.

This is also a good time to mention that cleansing your runes (stone, bone, wood or otherwise) is a very good idea. I typically do this with candles, incense, a bowl of water and a point of quartz for each element. I don’t do this nearly as often as I probably should, since most people suggest cleansing them after each reading… but, whatever, being lax with that hasn’t bitten me in the ass so far. So if you’re a spoonie, don’t worry: cleanse your runes when you feel they need to be cleansed, and that’s it.

Alright, I think I’m ready; how do I start reading?

Let me start by saying that the bullshit about never reading yourself? It’s just that. Bullshit. Do readings on yourself if you want to. Who the hell is going to stop you. Do whatever you want.

On that note, there are a few ways to cast runes, though these probably aren’t close to being the only ones: 

Intuitively choosing the stones Lay the runes down on a flat surface and let your hand hover over them and pick out the ones that feel right. You can either pick them in order of the spread you’re using, or place the runes where you feel they belong on the spread.

Throwing the stones Make sure you have a large flat surface to work with (preferably the floor honestly) where you won’t drop, scatter or lose a rune. You can use a mat underneath, and read the stones that fall on the corresponding positions in the spread or circle. (You can find many of these with a quick google search, or make your own mat!) Otherwise, you can take the first stones you see facing up and lay those out according to your spread.

Picking them blindly Either you or the person you’re reading pull stones blinding out of a pouch, bag or other container, and lay them out according to the spread you’re using. Pretty straightforward.

If you can think of another method, literally nothing is stopping you from using that instead. The runes are acting as a universal translator for whatever it is you’re tapping into. They’re just a tool to receive a message. How you choose to receive that message is completely up to you!

So I’ve got my runes laid out, now what?

Now comes the fun part. I can only really give you a good run-down of the Elder Futhark, and though it’s a good starting point, I would highly advise you do your own research on whatever alphabet you want to use. Wikipedia is a great place to start, but don’t stop there: look at several different websites and lists and compare. Combine and condense the information for yourself, and get to learn the definitions and meanings for yourself!

ᚠ Fehu • catle wealth, money, hard work paying off, can represent spiritual wealth reversed: effort gone to waste, natural and/or financial loss, greed

ᚢ Uruz • ox physical strength and speed, great energy, courage, masculine reversed: physical weakness, illness, violence, misdirected aggression

ᚦ Thurisaz • thor reactive, destructive and/or defensive force, tendency towards change reversed: dangerous compulsions, betrayal and malice, lies, spite

ᚨ Ansuz • of the Æsir  revelations, intuition, signs and signals, wisdom, power of words/names reversed: misunderstandings, delusions and vanity

ᚱ Raido • chariot physical/spiritual journeys, transition, seeing the bigger picture reversed: crisis, maybe due to stagnation, unwanted disruption

ᚲ Kaunan • torch creativity and inspiration, power of transformation, power of life reversed: instability, lack of creativity, false hope revealed, disillusionment

ᚷ Gebo • gift gifts in the form of sacrifice or generosity, contracts, partnerships reversed/opposed: greed, isolation and dependence, over-sacrifice

ᚹ Wunjo • joy comfort, pleasure, companionship, possibility of going over the top reversed: sorrow and alienation, growing distance, raging frenzy

ᚺ Hagalaz • hail wrath of nature, destruction for the sake of creation, natural order reversed: natural disasters, powerlessness, suffering

ᚾ Naudiz • need strength/growth from hardships, survival, determination reversed: deprivation and emotional starvation, constraints/restraints

ᛁ Isaz • ice challenges and frustration, psychological block, anticipation reversed/opposed: can oppose other runes with malice and treachery 

ᛃ Jera • good year hard work is fruitful, peace, happiness and relief, breaking the cycle reversed: sudden setbacks and bad timing

ᛈ Pertho • vagina secrets, mysteries, undiscovered abilities, choosing your own path reversed: stagnation, isolation and loneliness

ᛇ E/ihwaz • yew tree strength, stability, endurance, trustworthiness, your goal is realistic reversed: confusion, dissatisfaction and weakness of the mind

ᛉ Algiz • elk shield, the instinct to protect yourself/others, connection to the gods reversed: hidden dangers, loss of link to the divine, turning away

ᛊ Suwilo • the sun success and goals achieved, you have the power you need to succeed reversed/opposed: deception, false goals, gullibility, divine wrath

ᛏ Tiwaz • tyr honour and leadership, authority, success in competitions reversed: artistic block, over-analysis and sacrifice, imbalance/conflict

ᛒ Berkana • birch tree fertility in a broad sense, personal/physical growth, new beginnings reversed: family/relationship issues, anxiety over loved ones, abandon

ᛖ Ehwaz • horse steady and gradual progress, teamwork/loyalty, relationships reversed: reckless haste and its consequences, restlessness

ᛗ Mannaz • mankind the self, the human race, your attitude toward others and vice-versa, social awareness, altruism reversed: mortality, self-deception, cunning and manipulation

ᛚ Laguz • water literal/metaphorical flow, imagination, the unknown, chance of loss reversed: confusion/uncertainty, may be making the wrong choice

ᛝ Ingwaz • probably freyr warmth and love in general, tying loose ends, relief, freedom to move reversed: moving without change, fruitless effort, helpelessness

ᛞ Dagaz • dawn breakthroughs and clarity, security, power to change and grow, the ideal reversed/opposed: endings and coming round full circle

ᛟ Othila • inheritance ancestral property, what is most important, spiritual heritage and safety reversed: slavery, homelessness, bad karma, what one is unwillingly bound to

Phew! What a list. These are just brief descriptions and meanings that I’ve been able to compile and condense over the years.

But, what does “opposed” mean?

I see where you’re coming from. As a baby diviner, I, also, was confused by this. But let me explain how I’ve come to understand it! 

Sometimes, if you’re doing a set spread, you’ll have a spot for things like, “what will oppose you”, or “what you need to avoid”. Things like that. If, say, a rune like Suwilo was found in something like that, you’d want to try and keep a sharp mind to avoid deceptions or letting yourself be too gullible.

When runes don’t have a reversed form, their position in your spread will usually determine what they mean. (Though really this is true for literally any rune.)

Anything else I should know?

The best advice I can ever give anyone is to always do what you feel is right. If you find yourself wondering, “Should I do this? Is this right?” If you question yourself at all, you should probably not to the thing and go with something else.

It’s also important to mention that the names I have for the runes may not be the ones that you’ve learned to know them by; a lot of runes can go by different names depending on who you ask and where you look. Do your research, and know the runes by the names you feel are best! (And preferably historically accurate.)

As always, if you have any questions regarding runes and how to read them, please ask me! My ask box is literally always open and almost always empty.

ᚺᛖᛁᛚᛚ ∙ ᛟᚲ ∙ ᛋᛇᛚᛚ