˳✧༚ ☽ witchy activities to strengthen your craft & relationship with yourself ☾ ˚✧⁎
☾ perform literally any type of self care! our energy is constantly being drained either in spellwork, studying, or everyday life. you deserve it. (take a shower, drink some water, make some food, etc. don’t underestimate the power of taking care of yourself!)
☾ get some air dry clay and have fun with creating! you can make witchy items such as a pendulum, pendants, offerings, amulets to write talismans/sigils on, etc. and it’s even better because you’re making it with your own intent!
☾ when stressed, take a moment to connect with mother nature. this can be done wherever, even inside. imagine you are sitting in the grass. your roots are intertwined with those in the earth. they are giving you energy and strength. remind yourself everything is in divine timing.
☾ decorate your bos/grimoire and make it more ‘you’! remember, perfection is a completely made up term to make people overwork themselves. it doesn’t exist. what works for you, is perfect. what’s made with your hands, and your mind, is perfect.
☾ create a witchy playlist for when you’re doing spellwork/studying witchcraft! music can be incredibly uplifting. i’ve even created a witchy playlist for my blog! (check it out if you want hehe)
☾ wake up with the sun, go to sleep with the moon. have daily conversations with them both. realize they are your friends and are always there for you.
☾ record when you make mistakes magically! i know, this sounds like a nightmare to most neurodivergents. but you can use this to your advantage! you will learn from them, and eventually figure out what’s works for you and what doesn’t. knowing what works for you will empower you.
☾ carve sigils into your furniture for further protection! (and i mean your furniture, not your parents, roommates or siblings. please don’t vandalize things that aren’t yours)
☾ don’t stress yourselves out over labels. it can be fun to be this and that, but there is absolutely NO obligation to call yourself a certain type of witch! i have some witch friends that simply vibe, and practice all types. you can simply be a witch if you’d like.
☾ create your own set of rules/reminders/moral code to follow (ex. bible). although a lot of witches that i’ve met usually all follow the same type of moral code; if you’re not hurting anyone/anything, or meddling in anyone’s life, do what you please.
☾ cleanse your room/home! you’ll feel better, and sleep better. you can do this with incense, sunlight, sound, or herbs (please only use white sage if you’re native or if it has been gifted to you by a native person).
☾ don’t let ANYONE tell you how to do magic! it’s your craft! it doesn’t concern anyone else but you. if someone tries to tell you you’re doing something wrong, pay them no mind. (unless they are telling you that you are appropriating a culture, or something of the sorts then LISTEN!!!!)
enjoying your coffee, latte or mocha in the morning can be a small ritual of its own. coffee as a fruit, as well as what flavors and milks you choose to enjoy with it, all have magickal properties that can work well together.
coffee magick
the magickal properties of coffee include: grounding, peace of mind, overcoming negativity, and breaking curses. it is also commonly used as an offering to ancestors, spirits and deities.
coffee can also be used for divination; it’s said that bubbles in your cup of black coffee are a sign of good luck (and extra luck if you can catch the bubbles with a spoon and eat them!).
coffee and espresso are also a great way to fertilize your garden and charge your herbs with higher energy!
flavor magick
sugar: used to “sweeten” both literally and magically! brings positivity.
vanilla: promotes happiness, calmness and love
hazelnut: brings you spiritual
chocolate: emotional release, prosperity
cinnamon: attracting wealth, passion
milk magick
cow milk (comfort, protection), almond milk (good luck), soy milk (psychic awareness), rice milk (blessings, prosperity), coconut milk (purification, protection), cashew milk (money), oat milk (prosperity, wealth)
Sheep Lake to Sourdough Gap, July 2021
I understand that these are not exactly all witchy but this is about intergreting your everyday life in your practice and appreciating as well as finding magick in the most mundane and simple things that we often miss out on. ♡
1. When you wake up, before grabbing your phone or getting out of bed, take a few seconds to breathe, and stretch all your limbs.
2. Say ‘’thank you’’ to your god/goddess/deity, or simply to acknowledge how lucky you are to live another day.
3. Open the window regardless of the weather and take a big breath of fresh air. This will not only cleanse the room but also your body.
4. If it’s raining outside or snowing, take a minute to admire the beauty of it.
5. Pick wildflowers (please don’t pick any endangered flowers or toxic ones, do your research).
6. Dry said wildflowers and put them in your Book of Shadows or any book or journal you are using.
7. Go for a walk in nature during the day and during the night as well.
8. Sunbathe.
9. Moonbathe.
10. Light lots of candles.
11. If your room needs a cleaning, try to make your own household products naturally using your favorite scents and clean your room with them.
12. Change your bed sheets and pillowcases.
13. If you have a clothing line, hang your clothes, blankets, sheets, comforters, pillowcases, underwear outside. Visualize the wind cleansing them.
14. Grow your own favorite herbs.
15. Buy a succulent.
16. Dry your herbs and save them for bath magick, spells, teas or rituals.
17. Sweep the floor and visualize yourself sweeping off all negativity out of the room.
18. Sprinkle sea salt over areas that you feel have a negative energy to purify them.
19. Make your own purifying/cleansing spray.
20. Take a hot, soothing bath. I am a sea witch so I find this particularly helpful when I miss the ocean/the beach. (Don’t forget to add herbs, essential oils, sea salt, flowers, crystals, or anything that has magickal properties for a magickal bath)
21. Sip a cup of your favorite herbal tea.
22. For kitchen witches, try brewing your own tea, and cooking meals with intention and magickal ingredients.
23. Make charm bags.
24. Water your herb garden by hand.
25. Show the people you love that you love them.
26. Show some love to your pets and spend a few extra minutes with them.
27. Light up your favorite incense.
28. Keep a small bag of your favorite herb (for example: lavender) in a drawer, so when you feel stressed, just pop the bag open for a deep breath of calming aromatherapy.
29. When you take a shower, visualize the water neutralizing your energy and washing off all the bad stuff.
30. Bless your morning coffee or tea.
31. Keep a daily journal, whether it’s a Book of Shadows, a daily planner/organizer or a dream journal.
32. If you wanna be low-key and discrete about your craft, draw small sigils all over everything. Your school notebooks, pencil cases, journals, shoes, etc.
33. Read lots of books about magick and form your own opinion/path/views/beliefs.
34. If you read fictional stories, allow yourself to get lost in them and let your mind wander and escape.
35. Put on your favorite clothes, makeup, shoes, or whatever little thing that makes you feel fabulous, even if you’re staying in.
36. Be proud of your body.
37. Practice self-care.
38. Take time to unplug and spend time with yourself. (that includes smartphones, iPads, laptops, tablets, desktops, and all electronics/little gadgets we lug around on a daily basis.)
39. Go to the beach
40. Go to the forest.
41. Go to the desert.
42. Go to the mountains.
43. If it’s warm outside, make a bonfire and admire the flames. If it’s winter and you have a fireplace, light it up.
44. Go somewhere you’ve never visited before.
45. Go camping if you can, by yourself or with friends.
46. Stargaze.
47. Breathe.
48. Dance.
49. Dance in the rain.
50. Sing.
51. Go outside in a snowstorm (but don’t drive and most importantly know if it’s safe or not. Be careful.)
52. Plant a vegetable garden, even if it’s just a pot of tomatoes.
53. Walk barefoot and feel the earth under your feet.
54. Pull weeds.
55. Adopt an animal from the shelter.
56. Practice yoga.
57. Eat healthy, but if you wanna eat that last piece of cake, do it. Life is short.
58. Exercise.
59. Start a new hobby.
60. Mix your own perfume.
61.Make your own candle.
62. Make your own essential oil.
63. Make your own soap.
64. Lay down and listen to your favorite music. (Mine is video game music, it’s just soothing for me.
65. Take a day just for you without answering the phone.
66. Pick dandelions and make a wish.
67. Carry crystals/stones with your in your pocket.
68. Learn how to do tarot readings.
69. Collect rain, sun, snow water.
70. Plant lavender or rosemary for protection and luck.
71. Bless your kitchen utensils, such as spatulas and wooden spoons, that all the food you make with them will promote healing and love.
72. Charge your crystals under the full moon.
73. Have tantric sex with a loving partner.
74. Carve sigils into the sand at the beach and let the tides release them into the universe.
75. Re-arrange your altar.
76. Keep track of your sleep and menstrual cycles and moods to see how the moon phases affect you.
77. Be open minded to the retrogrades.
78. Go outside on any phase of the moon and take in all its beauty.
79. Keep your pendulum with you as a necklace so you’re always ready to do a little scrying.
80. Burn sage or cedar first thing in the morning to start your day off fresh.
81. Look for constellations and learn them.
82. Paint sigils on your mailbox.
83. Hang wood chimes, or a silver bell on your front door knob for luck.
84. Tuck a sprig of lavender under your pillow before bed to promote peaceful sleep.
85. Watch a meteor shower with someone you care about.
86. Buy new candles.
87. Water your plants in your garden counterclockwise to banish negativity from the space.
88. Paint your nails a color associated with the intention of your spell or ritual before you begin so that your hands become your wand.
89. Plant red geraniums by your front door as this is a traditional sign of witches.
90. Bless more than water and crystals on the night of the full moon: set out your essential oils, nail polish, or a special bottle of champagne too.
91. Dry your vegetables or plants and incorporate them into a charm bag.
92. Wash your windows with moon water for extra clarity.
93. Use sun water when you brew tea for a magickal experience.
94. Stir sugar into your tea or coffee with intention, willing sweetness into your day and life.
95. Draw sigils or write a brief protection spell on the inside of your dog or cat’s collar.
96. Soak in a milk bath (or just soak your fingers in a bowl of warm milk) on the full moon to embrace the feminine energy. Plus you’ll come away with silky, soft skin.
97.Hang up palmistry and astrology charts in your home for easy reference and pretty, witchy decor.
98. Line your windowsills with protective crystals.
99. Make censing sticks for the seasons, using chamomile buds for spring, lavender for summer, sage for fall and pine for winter.
100. Just be you and love yourself. Don’t forget you are made of stardust. You are magickal and amazing.
Magic/Witchcraft Masterposts: An Leabhar na Draíochta (The Mori Witch’s Book of Magick) Witchcraft 102 Masterpost Gender Magic Rejuvenating Witchcraft witch self care masterpost! Love Magick Masterpost Beauty Magic Masterpost Valentine's Witchery Ultimate Protection Magic Masterpost; Part 1 Ultimate Protection Magic Masterpost, Part 2 coffee witchcraft Gentle Witchcraft Periods suck. Witchcraft helps. Travel Witchery Housewarming Magic Sick Witchery Witchcraft for the grieving Self-Care Tips Masterpost Energy Work Masterpost Energy Work Masterpost Protection Magick (A Masterpost) Tea Magic Drink Magic Masterpost
Some Types of Magic: Types of Magic Sympathetic Magic Knot, Thread & Cord Magic Sex Magic Witchcraft 101: Binding Magick Witchcraft 101: Uncrossing Hearth Witchery Ideas House Witch’s Chores and Witchy Home Quick Kitchen Witchcraft
Helpful Information: Liminal Spaces in Witchcraft Liminality & Liminal Spaces Consent vs Defending Sovereignty Law of Return Energy Work Terminology Energy Manipulation Guide: Sensing Energy Signs you may have been cursed/hexed Charms - Magic Without Tools Shadow Work 10 Prompts for Shadow Work A Long List of Ways to Spiritually Protect Yourself Localizing Your Practice Witchcraft 101: Veiling What to use when in witchcraft Some things you can keep track of as a witch Tapping Into Your Psychic Senses What are the Claires?
Witchcraft Practice in General: Grounding & Centering CENTERING Visualization Manifesting! Magical Journaling Gentle witch little things Manifest your dreams and desires Reconnecting with your craft Witchy Journal Prompts Become inspired again in your craft Come on, let's go for a walk and talk about Intuition Mindfulness Spiritual Burnout: Tips and Reminders What to do when you fell out with your practice Mundane Magic: Laundry Edition Mundane Magic: Office Edition Mundane Magic: Hand Washing Witchy “Planner” Magical Parenting Meditation: myths vs reality Write your Witchcraft Toxic Positivity Spiritual Bypassing & Why It’s Harmful Toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing in the witch and spiritual communities Racist Stereotypes About Magic witchcraft and the law Traditional Witchcraft is regional witchcraft How to make offerings to the Major Spirits (i.e. Gods), the Animal Familiar or the Household Fairy... with GIFs :)
Various Witchy Tips: Witch Tips for City Witches Magickal and Non-Magickal Tips for Writing Tips for the traveling witch Artsy Witch Ideas/Tips Glamour Witchcraft Tips
My Witchcraft Practice: Mentoring - something for experienced witches to consider Let's talk about ableism Let's talk about witchcraft and emotions The "advanced" witch The Empathic Witch Advice to witches and Pagans who wish to be allies Frequently Asked Questions For The Modern Day Witch Karma, what exactly is it? Meditation tips
Four years, with a few multi-month long breaks, and I've finally finished the 'Epic' Pokémon cross stitch.
On 18ct aida fabric with a 16oz soda can for scale!
This plant is generally considered a “weed” even though it is a superfood with many health benefits, and you probably have some growing near your home.
Purslane has some of the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids of any foods on the planet, and also contains vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants.
The entire plant is edible, and has a lemony/peppery taste.
Magickal Properties:
Element: Water
Planet: Moon
Feminine
Correspondence: love, luck, protection, happiness, sleep
Place under pillow/near bed to ward off nightmares
Carry with you to attract luck and love and to protect against evil/negative energy
Grow in your home to bring happiness and protection to it
Culinary Uses:
Add to salad, or eat by itself as a salad
Add to salsa
Add to scrambled eggs or omelets
Purslane pesto
Brew into tea
Sauté in oil of your choice
Happy Foraging!
Peaceful moments ☕️💭
IG: jaye.chantelle
Painting study of this fairy portal
•water risings tend to have a lot of trauma especially in the realm of emotions due to their water houses falling on the cusp of air/earth signs and their “water rising” is merely a unconscious reaction to the trauma they see in others—hence why they come across as either nurturing or mysterious as that is their response to the trauma they experienced.
•Virgo and Gemini have a natural connection and can easily interpret the ideas and concepts that the other is making out.
•the sign born in the year of that designated Pluto sign tend to be the most mature and or intense of the bunch. The elements aligned with that sign as well to a lesser extent. Ex. Pluto in sag gen; Sagittarius placements and or sun in sag born during this time are far more intense then they’ve previously been and have a more raw Plutonian energy along with the Leo and Aries of this generation. Cancer/Scorpio/Pisces born during the Pluto in Scorpio generation are far more intense then they’ve been and so on. This applies as well to signs sextile/trine the sign itself. And even more so for signs square and or opposite in close degrees.
•your Lilith sign and the house it’s sits in shows where you will face your greatest battle. It also shows what brings the darkness out in you. Ex: Lilith in the 8th might start to find themselves becoming more ravenous and even controlling once sex is involved. Lilith in the 4th might find that family brings the worse out of them and might be the types to grow hatred toward communities and even churches once introduced.
•5th house: is the more simple you, the playful you and the you people date within the first few months.
•The 7th house: is the you people notice immediately, the you that’s out of your line of sight! They see this in tandem with your rising which creates a contradiction. A Capricorn rising seems stern but also in need of comfort. A cancer rising seems nurturing but also out of reach.
•Your 8th house: is the you that appears once trust is reached, the you after years of being with someone. This is why marriages change and relationships transform because the real us comes into play.
•Your 8th house is your traumas so you want to deal with this before settling down with someone as they’ll make center stage.
•Juno in Scorpio or in aspects to Pluto can show that you need and crave transformation in your relationships and may even force breakups and or tension in order for you and your lover to constantly grow.
•Neptune above the ic can show highly attuned spiritual abilities but can show a lack of grounding to this world and even someone who isn’t really here.
•Pluto below the ic can show a native who’s in tune with their power as well as themselves.
•Pluto above the ic tends to project Pluto’s traits on to others whilst finding it hard to see those traits in themselves.
•venus is how we want to be pleased sexually and what arouses us in a seductive manner. Mars is how we go about expressing our sexuality and or what turns us on in a more lustful way. Ex mars in Virgo will be turned on when they feel as though they deserve it and when their s/o is gentle and sensual with them. Whilst their venus in Scorpio will be at their mercy if they’re intense and overwhelming along with that.
•earth risings are very intune with their sexuality and have a very big appetite for sex due to their water houses being in fire signs! So sex is both a passionate yet emotionally fulfilling experience for them.
•fire risings tend to get lost in the act of sex and can have trouble separating the experience from their ego and that of their lovers due to their water houses being in the sign as well causing their more fiery tendencies to disappear once in love! Which is often why people can wonder why fire signs become more submissive and or passive aggressive once in love.
•sun square Pluto can produce someone who’s both magnetic and soulful but also someone who’s extremely intense and someone you’ll never be able to control no matter how cunning and manipulative you might be—they just always know what’s happening even if they don’t say a word.
•moon square Pluto is someone who has a complex and even destructive emotional world! They can see through the hidden in others and can be very good parents because of their ability to see the pain in others.
•mercury and venus square Pluto are cunning in social situations often able to bewitch a crowd with nothing more than a smile but what they succeed in the public they lack in themselves and can have a hard time understanding their own motives and or desires
•mars square Pluto are very cozy in they sexuality! Be it same sex or otherwise! That being said they’re extremely private and those that aren’t necessarily “out” yet May shy away from someone who’s asking them to do so early on as they like to have control over what they put out into the world especially something as sacred to them as who and what they fuck.
•sign lords can vastly influence how a sign is expressed! Ex: a aqua moon in the third decan is ruled by Uranus and Venus correct? Now place Uranus in the 10th house(Capricorn/Saturn influence) and venus In the 6th house(Virgo/mercury influence) this person is going to come across far more grounded and even more serious/somber than most aqua moons. Or take a Aries moon in the first decan which is ruled by mars correct? Let’s put their mars in the 12th house and have it be mars in cancer—so this native is far more emotionally cautious and receptive than most Aries moons along with maybe their Aries moon already being situated somewhere like the 10th house which adds grounding to all of this.
•12th house is sex on instinct! It’s what you already know how to do and what you desire on a soulful level. 8th house is how you have sex in order to merge with someone! This is the real way you have sex when you are connected to someone. The 4th house is how you crave to be treated during sex! This is how you nurture during sex and or can give insight as to how gentle and or loving will be about the act based on their upbringing.
•Pluto/mercury/Neptune/venus/Saturn in the 7th can have really nice butts be it any gender! Mercury/Neptune and Saturn are more petite and small but Shapley whilst Pluto and venus are more plump and or curvy.
•having more than 4 planets in someone’s 8th house is a sign of a karmic meeting and something that needs to be resolved between the two. Having two or three planets in someone’s 2nd house romantically can show deep loyalty and love that creates an unbreakable bond as well as a connection based on equal give and take out of wanting to do so not out of needing to do so. Planets in one another’s 11th house even if it only hits once can show deep familiarity and love between two people as friends and lovers!
•in synastry it’s good if the house your personal plants fall in is present in synastry or of the similar house elements. Ex: venus in the 6th house would love 2nd house and 10th house synastry and to some extent water! Mars in a fire house might love a lot of 5th/9th/1st house!
•the signs your personal planets fall in are also important! For ex: a Aquarius moon might like mercury aspects and venus aspects in synastry or even Saturn. Or someone falling in their 11th/3rd/7th Houses.
•SYNASTRY IS FELT BOTH WAYS. House person feels it as if they were the planet and planet person feels it as if they were the sign itself! Both parties and how they react to one another depends on if they like one another, the nature of the relationship and wether or not they’re comfortable with the themes associated with the house overlay in question! So if one of you is more Plutonian and the other is more airy you’re going to feel that 8th house overlay differently from one another but you’re both still feeling it.
•composite and synastry progressed show how you guys have grown overtime and it doesn’t replace the natal synastry or composite it just shows how those energies have grown to manifest as time has gone by. Composite mars in the 3rd moving to the 2nd house I’m progressed shows that you’re growing to be more patient with one another as well as putting more value into security and comfort with one another! Less into “brainstorming” and more into sensual moments with each other. You’re still talkative and bubbly as you were but it’s channeled more into the theme of security and you’ve learned to allow one another to speak!
•NO ASPECT DETERMINES WHO YOU ARE! It’s a blueprint to yourself! Like a map of sorts so you do with it what you will but using the aspect as an excuse for your tom foolery is not what astrology is for it’s for self discovery and positive growth!
•Gemini sun struggle less with remaining focused on situations than Gemini moon and Venus.
•cancer sun is more emotive than cancer moons
•Aries suns are less impulsive and Carry a more relaxed energy than that of Aries moons who are far more impulsive and even energetic than their counterparts.
•Capricorn moons and Scorpio moons along with Aquarius moons aren’t the types to say they love you first and would rather show you than tell you.
•sun in the fire houses heals very quickly and have a high vitality. Sun in the earth houses have very sensual and intune body chemistry making it easy for them to sense issues in their bodies. Sun in the water houses can have influential energy even to the extent that it can feel like a wave washing over when they’re around—but they also seem less “here” than the rest of us. Sun in air houses often read body language better than anyone! Which is part of what makes them so likable in crowds because of how well they use this skill to navigate around them.
In spirit work, we often connect with the spirits that have crossed over and are present in the physical world. However, there are also ways to cross over into the spirit world and connect with spirits in their home environment.
As I mentioned in a previous post, a pathworking is a specific type of meditation where you go on a psychic journey, but are still anchored to your physical body. It’s sort of like dipping your toes into the spirit world.
There are two important elements to a pathworking: a clear entrance/exit point and a way to retrace your steps. Pathworking journeys are typically cyclical — there is both a journey out and a return where you go back the way you came. This makes it easier to fully return your consciousness to your body, and failing to do so can cause you to feel disoriented upon the return.
Your entry/exit point can be absolutely anything, but common examples include a door, a gateway, a tree (or sometimes The World Tree), a cave/tunnel, or a natural landmark like a beach or mountaintop. What’s important is that it’s recognizable and easy to find your way back to.
If you want to try pathworking, make a rough “road map” of your journey beforehand. This doesn’t have to be super specific, but it should contain the following: a goal for the pathworking (such as to connect with a certain spirit), an entry/exit point, and a general idea for the route you’re going to take. If you’re worried about getting lost, author Thea Sabin recommends using “the Theseus trick.” Like in the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, you can tie a golden thread or rope to your entry point and the other end to your astral body. If you get lost, you can follow the thread back.
Pathworking is fairly beginner friendly, and I highly, highly, highly recommend starting with pathworking and becoming comfortable with this method before trying astral travel. Even for more advanced witches, pathworking is often a better option than astral travel because it’s less involved and requires a little bit less effort. I personally prefer pathworking for most situations.
Before you begin, establish a clear goal for your pathworking and write out a rough “road map.” At the very least, you should know what your purpose is, where your entry point is, and how to find your way back.
Begin in a dark, quiet room. Cleanse the room by burning incense, diffusing or spraying essential oils, or using a ritual broom to sweep out old energy.
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and begin meditating. You may want to play meditation music, practice breathing techniques, or use some other method to help you reach a meditative state.
Once you reach a meditative state (you should know what this feels like if you have experience with meditation), see yourself standing at your entry point. This is your entrance to the astral realm.
Set out on your pathworking.
When you are ready to leave the astral realm, you will need to find your way back to your entry point. Once you reach your entry point, it should be fairly easy to return to your body.
Once you’re fully present in your physical body, use your favorite method to ground yourself.
Write down everything you experienced during your pathworking in a journal.
If pathworking is dipping your toes into the spirit world, astral travel is diving in the deep end. Also called spirit flight and hedge riding, astral travel includes actually sending your soul/consciousness out of your body and into the spirit world. As you might guess, this is more complicated and requires more effort than pathworking. For this reason, astral travel is not beginner-friendly. If you are completely new to meditation, witchcraft, and spirit work, it’s best to learn to pathwork before you attempt astral travel.
A word of warning: you may want to avoid astral travel at times when you’re in a very vulnerable or volatile emotional state. Some days you just aren’t up for it, and that’s okay. On those days, a pathworking or another form of spirit work may be a better option.
In astral travel, a trigger of some kind is used to help disconnect the soul from the physical body. Common triggers include drumming, special music, shaking a rattle, chanting, and dancing.
You can find shamanic drumming tracks on YouTube that can help you achieve astral travel. If you find that repetitive motion helps you trance out, you may look into getting a small drum or rattle to play.
In many cultures, those who travel into the spirit world do so with the guidance and protection of an animal spirit. From the Norse fylgja, to the shamanic power animal, to the witch’s familiar, history is full of examples of these types of guides.
Before you begin astral travel, do a pathworking to meet your animal guide. It’s important to note that you aren’t choosing an animal guide — only meeting one that has always been with you. Your guide may be an animal that you like or identify with, or it may not. When I first began experimenting with astral travel, my guide was a coyote — an animal I had never identified with before, but who I learned was deeply connected to my inner self.
It’s important to always have your animal guide with you when going on astral journeys, as they are an important source of protection and power. They may also literally guide you to the things you need to see and the spirits you need to meet.
Historical accounts describe witches using “flying ointment” to help them achieve spirit flight. These traditional flying ointments contained toxic and/or hallucinogenic plants like belladonna, datura, henbane, mandrake, and opium poppies. For obvious reasons, most modern witches do not use these herbs.
Please do not try to create your own flying ointment with poisonous plants. If you’re a true traditionalist and feel like you just have to try a historically accurate flying ointment, Bane Folk Apothecary sells several. Bane Folk is run by Sarah Anne Lawless, a kickass witch who knows her stuff and produces safe, medicinal products inspired by traditional flying ointment formulas. I am usually very pro-DIY, especially when it comes to witchcraft, but this is one case where it really is best to defer to a professional.
To create a modern, non-toxic flying ointment: heat eight ounces (or one cup) of poppy seed oil over low heat on the stove. Once the oil is warm, add 2 ounces (or ¼ cup) of beeswax into the oil. (Use carnauba wax for a vegan alternative.) Take the mixture off the heat, and allow it to cool off a bit. Once it has cooled (but before it’s begun to solidify), add nine drops each of mugwort essential oil, star anise essential oil, and peppermint essential oil. Pour the mixture into a mason jar and seal tightly. To extend your ointment’s shelf life, add a few drops of Vitamin E oil and store in the refrigerator. If you don’t have access to essential oils or prefer a more traditional method, you can buy dry herbs and infuse them into your oil instead — to do this, crush up 2.5 ounces (or 1/3 cup) each of dried mugwort, star anise, and peppermint and add them to a mason jar; add enough oil to the jar to cover the herbs completely, with about an inch of oil above them; seal the jar and place it in a sunny window for 2-3 weeks to infuse; and finally, strain the herbs out of the oil with a mesh sieve or a cheesecloth. You can then add your Vitamin E oil and beeswax to create an ointment.
This modern recipe does not contain hallucinogens, but it does contain plants that are commonly used in magic to increase psychic abilities and aid in astral travel. You can say an incantation over this ointment while making it to add some extra magical potency. Applying the flying ointment can also become a sort of ritual that prepares you for spirit flight by helping you slip into a more spiritual head space.
Before you begin, know why you are journeying to the spirit world. You should always have a clear goal for your astral journeys.
Begin in a dark, quiet room. Cleanse the room by burning incense (mugwort incense aids in astral travel), diffusing or spraying essential oils, or using a ritual broom to sweep out old energy.
Use your favorite method to ground yourself.
If you are choosing to use a flying ointment, rub it on your skin now.
Hold a protective item in one of your hands. I like physical items for protection during spirit flight, because they can ground you and help you find your way back to your body. Examples of protective items include a sprig of rue, a piece of iron, or a protective crystal like black tourmaline. If you ever feel scared or uncomfortable during your journey, you can bring this object into the astral realm to protect you. It will also keep your body safe while your consciousness is occupied.
Start up your trigger, whether this is drumming, rattling, dancing, etc.
Allow yourself to drift into a trance state, and then to disconnect from your body.
Call your animal guide to you.
Set out on your journey in the spirit world.
When you are ready, feel yourself returning to your physical body. Allow yourself to come back slowly — don’t rush it.
Ground yourself. One good way to ground after astral travel is by eating a snack.
Write down your experiences in a journal.
Resources:
Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin
Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon
Hedge Riding by Harmonia Saille
“How to Make Herb-Infused Oils for Culinary & Body Care Use” and “How to Make Herbal Salves” from the Mountain Rose Herbs blog
she/hereclectic witchcrafttaurus sun / aquarius moon / aquarius risingmother of two
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