🌿✨Birch Magick ✨🌿

Shadow Work

Origins, Meaning and Utility

The Structure of the Mind

Carl Jung theorized the existence of three levels/spheres in the human psyche: the Ego, representing the conscious mind, the Personal Unconscious where memories are contained and the Collective Unconscious, where all knowledge and experiences of the species are shared.

Each Sphere has in it a certain number of Archetypes, used to better describe the components of those structures, and the Shadow is one of them.

What is the Shadow

The shadow can be seen as a instinctual or primitive part of ourselves, it exists as part of the unconscious mind and is composed of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts, and shortcomings.

It is this archetype that contains all of the things that are unacceptable not only to society, but also to one's own personal morals and values, normally going against social norms and rules as well as what we personally consider right.

The Shadow is often described as the darker side of the psyche, representing wildness, chaos, and the unknown, and it is common for people to deny this element of their own psyche and instead project it on to others.

The Shadow in Witchcraft and Benefits of Shadow Work

Art: Unknown

The Shadow, in witchcraft, can represent The Unknown, hidden depth of ourselves. Speaking in terms of energy, this is an area that can be a deep source of energetic issues, because it’s locked up in the dark and always striving to reach the light.

To not work with one’s Shadow is to make it greedy and aggressive, as well as denying a big part of oneself, making everything a half of a whole.

Through that brief explanation, we can already establish the importance and role of the Shadow in witchcraft, and with that in mind, comes the concept of Shadow Work.

Shadow Work can be seen in a number of practices, meditation, trances, inner journey’s, lucid dreaming, astral travels, spells and divination.

The method can change, but the principle is simple: Centering your intent to self discovery, self knowledge and self acceptance.

Working with one’s Shadow is not only beneficial to one’s craft, as it allows one to get in touch with their intuition as well as allows for easier connection with one’s guide/guides, but it also allows for healing and acceptance of one’s feelings and needs.

Think of all aspects of life as a wheel. If there is one part bent, the wheel can turn, but with more effort. If the owner spends time fixing that bent part, the wheel will turn in a much more smooth manner.

That is what happens when you take the time to do Shadow Work, you have to put in effort, and most of the time it’s not easy, but once done, all other components on the wheel of your life will be relieved to move on without that obstacle that makes their job harder.

The Shadow is not evil, as evil is just a moral compass invented by humans. It is a part of one’s nature, and to deny it is to supress a connection with yourself.

Take the time to know and accept your shadow, and you’ll see that life will be a little easier.

References:

A Natureza da psique (Structure & Dynamics of the Psyche) by C.G. Jung

The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious by C.G. Jung

Simple Ways to Connect to The Morrigan ⚔️

~ Wear silver jewelry

~ Say hello to or smile at the crows

~ Wade barefoot in a stream

~ Surround yourself with crow or sword symbolism

~ Carry bloodstone, garnet, or obsidian with you

~ Exercise and keep your body healthy

~ Wear red, black, green, or blue

~ Read Her myths

~ Drink peppermint tea

~ Honor Her at Samhain

~ Write poetry for Her

~ Learn about war and war strategy

~ Know your power

~ Face your fears

bitches really listing Stardew Valley down as one of their calming games when you’re supposed to play it like you’re gonna die every 11 minutes, like an entire operation with at least a dozen tabs open and the townie’s favorite gifts on a spreadsheet and each crops yield-to-time ratio ranked and memorized

🧼 Witchy Reset Day 🧼

When life feels overwhelming, a reset day can be incredibly useful. 

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🏠 Reset your home 🏠

Your home can be essential to your well-being. Here’s a list to follow to start this reset day: 

- Open your windows wide open to get fresh air, and release old energies - Clean your bed sheets with fresh and scented detergent - Vacuum and de-dust every surface, clean your oven and shower and sinks - Take the trash out and declutter your living space  - Put your books back in the shelves, sort your clothes in your wardrobe - Check your fridge and pantry: throw what is old, give away what you never use

Once that is done, make a large grocery haul to fill up your house with healthy, comforting food. Light scented candles. Replace flowers from your vases and add new elements to your altar. 

Try to list everything that makes you happy and grateful in your home: the view you have from the windows, or how your bed feels so cosy after a long day, or the memories you have in your kitchen, cooking meals for your loved ones.

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🤸 Reset your body 🤸

Before doing anything else, drink a large glass of water. Yes, this seems obvious, you probably think that you’re drinking enough water. Believe me: you probably are not.

If it’s lunch time, cook whatever you feel like, with one condition: make sure your dish has enough vegetables. Eat it slowly, without looking at your phone or the TV.

Go to the bathroom and take care of everything that you’ve been scheduling for later. Make an appointment with the hairdresser, if possible. Clean up your nails, shave your face or body (only if that makes you feel good), scrub off dead skins and put on a hydrating mask. Take a long shower – make it as warm as you want but finish with cold, refreshing water.

Put on clean and comfortable clothes. Look at yourself in the mirror and make a mental list of everything that you like about yourself: the way your smile completely changes your face, or how your hair looks right after you cleaned it, or even the scars and marks you have on your body, indicating that through challenges and difficult times, you survived.

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🧘 Reset your mind 🧘

Now, sit down on your desk and take a piece of paper. Write down every tasks that have been weighing on your mind. Think about every area of your life – family, friends, work, health, gym, etc. Use this Getting Things Done Trigger List to ensure that you are not forgetting anything.

Once that is done, read through the list again. Add a star to each item that can be done in 10 minutes. Schedule the others in your calendar. Then, try to knock off as many tasks on the list as you can: make an appointment with your dentist, order a present for your brother’s birthday that is coming up, pay your electricity bills, invite your friends over for dinner, set up a date with your partner, return the clothes you just bought that didn’t fit, etc.

Then, open your computer and declutter your digital space. If your desktop looks like this, start by organizing your files. Upload the important documents in your drive, delete the unnecessary ones, sort through the mess. Open your browser and do the same with your bookmarks. Check your personal emails and unsubscribe to old newsletters that you never open. On your phone, delete the apps that you never use. Save the pictures you love on your drive.

Close your computer, turn off your phone, and clear up your papers from your desk. Pour yourself a cup of tea. You have done so much by now! Hopefully, you are feeling content and rejuvenated.

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✨ Reset your soul ✨ 

The last step is for yourself. You decide whatever you want to do now. Resetting your soul is all about self-care and spirituality, which is very personal, so I am not going to enforce anything on you. I have listed below a few steps I like to take. However, none of that is mandatory. You have to figure out by yourself what makes you feel good.

- Pour yourself a bath with scented oils and salts - Try positive affirmations with simple sentences such as “I am unique and interesting”, “My life is filled with love and happiness” - Practice meditation or light stretching for 20 minutes - Open the book that you’ve wanted to read for a long time - Close your eyes and take a well-deserved nap - Listen to a podcast while baking your favorite dessert

name aesthetic moodboard: aisha’s home

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ80wqJFVqZ

Sound Off, Texas Witches!

I’m in the planning stages of a project and I’m gonna need some help!

If you are a witch, live in Texas, and work with your surrounding land, please like or reply to this post, or send me a message please!!

I look forward to hearing from you ^^

mushroom hunting today

magick smoothie recipes

it’s actually quite easy to make a smoothie full of magick, as fruits and nuts typically have their own meanings and powers. here is a list of smoothies and the magick their ingredients possess.

milks: 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)

☾ triple berry blend

    ☼ blackberries: abundance, prosperity

    ☼ raspberries: love, fertility

    ☼ blueberries: protection, strength

☾ strawberry banana

    ☼ strawberries: overcoming barriers, good luck

    ☼ bananas: resilience, wealth, luck

☾ chocolate peanut butter

    ☼ cocoa powder: grounding, love, prosperity

    ☼ peanut butter: opportunities, wisdom

☾ summer peach-mango

    ☼ peaches: wisdom, love

    ☼ mango: romance

    ☼ bananas: luck, fortune

☾ raspberry orange

    ☼ raspberries: love, fertility

    ☼ orange juice: divination, wealth, luck

☾ cantaloupe lime

   ☼ cantaloupe: comfort, healing

   ☼ lime juice: purification, cleansing

☾ apricot almond butter

   ☼ apricot nectar: love, elegance

   ☼ almond butter: success

☾ pineapple coconut

   ☼ pineapple: luck, money

   ☼ coconut shavings: protection

☾ spinach apple banana

   ☼ spinach: money, prosperity

   ☼ apple juice: beauty, divinity

   ☼ bananas: resilience, fortune

soon it will be autumn, and i'll have a cup of warm tea, an old, unread book with crinkled pages, and the leaves would be a beautiful shade. everything would be alright again.