A lot of people struggle with getting into the point where you can actually work your magick. They find thatthoughts just keep interupting their focus, and even once they have blocked out all thoughts they still feel empty and unable to do much. A lot of problems that keep people from getting into that mindset, that state of being where they feel the magick is stress. Stress can come from anywhere and everywhere. It can be coming from family or social issues, relationships or beauty, weight or appearance, anything. First we must eliminate this stress. This can be done by doing daily yoga or taking simple steps to improve whatever situation is troubling you. Maybe you are in a situation where things just seem to be getting worse, it is time to take a step to fix it. It may seem hard and overwhelming, and you might just want to give up, but stand strong because the worse it gets then the more overwhelmed you will become and the harder it will be to fix. Once you start to eliminate these problems, step by step then you should feel that getting to that state of being where magick happens is much easier and natural. Life in general should be easier and more comfortable. All throughout this process try to meditate everyday to relieve some of the stress.
Now, there might be another reason why you just can't seem to get into that magickal mindset. You might be unaware of how to be able to get to that point. You might be lacking the desire to get to that point. It might be that you are under the influence of an entity or some sort of dark magick. If this is thecase then try purifying yourself and your home and se if this clears it up. Another reason that often keeps me from getting to that mindset is the jitters. If you are to hyper then take the time to relax each and every part of your body individually and once you are totally relaxed then try and let your mind flow away into a magickal trance. Goodluck achieving your magickal state and once you do I hope that you bask in the magick!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
tools of witchcraft
In just about everything there are tools used. In mathematics there are numbers, signs and formulas, in languages there are tools of punctuation, spelling, and conjugations, and in carpentry there are hammers, saws, and drills. So tools are everywhere, and there are tools in witchcraft just like anything else. The tools I am going to list are just some of the more common or basic ones, the ones you need to know. Often, you need tools to complete spells or rituals or casting a circle. Even if you are just reading up on witchcraft, it might talk about tools you aren't familiar with.
Athame: An athame is a ritual knife and it is one of the most common of tools. It is a double sided knife and it should only be used in rituals of good, it should never be used for dark magick(not that you should ever do dark magick) or to harm anyone or anything in any way, shape, or form. You can most likely find them in new age or occult shops or you can order them online. Once you get it then you should always purify it. This can be as simple or as complicated as you want and them you should bind it to you so only you can use it for magick. A lot of witches used to make their own athames, and if your family has a long line of practicing witches, then you might receive a family athame that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Wand: The wand is used for focusing and directing energy better. Usually it will have a crystal at the tip. The wand can be made out of wood, metal, whatever. It is very common for witches to make their own wands. Usually they get a relatively straight stick and put a crystal at the end using glue, cord, or wire of some sort. It is also common to decorate them with runes, cord or wire, or smaller crystals and gems.
Cauldron: The cauldron is a pot used to make brews, potions, concoctions, or other mixtures. They are usually made of cast iron and can be very large or tiny. I am sure you have seen pictures or movies around Halloween with a witch standing around a big pot with a roaring fire under it, usually stirring it with a stick. That big pit was a cauldron. You might have even used a plastic cauldron for a trick or treat bucket when you were younger. These are a bit harder to find. If you are lucky then you might find one in an occult or new age store. The new age store in my town has them, but they are very small. You will most likely have to order them online. It is common these days for witches to just use a stove and a big pot to make their brews. Cauldrons are rare and expensive these days.
Mortar and Pestle: The mortar and pestle consists of a bowl and a stick of rod of some sort to mash or grind up whatever you put into it, usually herbs of flowers. These are quite common. I have three in my house. One small metal one, another small wooden one, and a large stone one. Your new age or occult shop will most likely have these, and if they don't try looking in the utensil section of your local grocery store. If you still can't find them then try a big store like Walmart, K-Mart, or Target, I am sure they will have them. You can also try some small foreign stores.
Pendulum: A pendulum is some sort of weight attached to a string. In your local new age store it will usually be some sort of crystal or stone, but for cheaper you can use something as simple as a ring tied to the end of string. The point of the pendulum is to reveal hidden answers, sort of like an ouija board or a fortune teller, but you can do it by yourself. Only one flaw though, it can only give yes or no answers. If you are looking for more detailed responses, then I would recommend scrying. I made an earlier post about scrying.
Broom: Now we have all seen pictures of witches flying through the sky on a broom, but, unfortunately, that is not what brooms are used for in witchcraft. Brooms date back thousands of years and it is believed that the broom was one of the first tools used for magick. Many witches had brooms around their house to use in their magick and they could even be placed outside of the house as a sort of code to other witches and friends, telling them if they were home, busy, out, etc. Brooms were sometimes hung inside or outside the house or crossed with another broom to ward of evil and negative energy. Brooms are used to literally "sweep" away negative energy. You should use a broom to purify the area of your circle before using the space, and this can be simply accomplished by sweeping clockwise or deosil around the area. Brooms are simple to make too. Just get a stick or dowel of some sort and some thin twigs or long grass. Then tie the twigs or grass around the end of the stick using some cord or string. Now you should purify it, and you can simple do this by rubbing some salt over it and saying "I purify this tool of the craft, it shall be only used for good." This is what I did, but you can make it more complicated if you like. Then just make sure that your broom is never used for anything except magick, as all of your tools!
Athame: An athame is a ritual knife and it is one of the most common of tools. It is a double sided knife and it should only be used in rituals of good, it should never be used for dark magick(not that you should ever do dark magick) or to harm anyone or anything in any way, shape, or form. You can most likely find them in new age or occult shops or you can order them online. Once you get it then you should always purify it. This can be as simple or as complicated as you want and them you should bind it to you so only you can use it for magick. A lot of witches used to make their own athames, and if your family has a long line of practicing witches, then you might receive a family athame that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Wand: The wand is used for focusing and directing energy better. Usually it will have a crystal at the tip. The wand can be made out of wood, metal, whatever. It is very common for witches to make their own wands. Usually they get a relatively straight stick and put a crystal at the end using glue, cord, or wire of some sort. It is also common to decorate them with runes, cord or wire, or smaller crystals and gems.
Cauldron: The cauldron is a pot used to make brews, potions, concoctions, or other mixtures. They are usually made of cast iron and can be very large or tiny. I am sure you have seen pictures or movies around Halloween with a witch standing around a big pot with a roaring fire under it, usually stirring it with a stick. That big pit was a cauldron. You might have even used a plastic cauldron for a trick or treat bucket when you were younger. These are a bit harder to find. If you are lucky then you might find one in an occult or new age store. The new age store in my town has them, but they are very small. You will most likely have to order them online. It is common these days for witches to just use a stove and a big pot to make their brews. Cauldrons are rare and expensive these days.
Mortar and Pestle: The mortar and pestle consists of a bowl and a stick of rod of some sort to mash or grind up whatever you put into it, usually herbs of flowers. These are quite common. I have three in my house. One small metal one, another small wooden one, and a large stone one. Your new age or occult shop will most likely have these, and if they don't try looking in the utensil section of your local grocery store. If you still can't find them then try a big store like Walmart, K-Mart, or Target, I am sure they will have them. You can also try some small foreign stores.
Pendulum: A pendulum is some sort of weight attached to a string. In your local new age store it will usually be some sort of crystal or stone, but for cheaper you can use something as simple as a ring tied to the end of string. The point of the pendulum is to reveal hidden answers, sort of like an ouija board or a fortune teller, but you can do it by yourself. Only one flaw though, it can only give yes or no answers. If you are looking for more detailed responses, then I would recommend scrying. I made an earlier post about scrying.
Broom: Now we have all seen pictures of witches flying through the sky on a broom, but, unfortunately, that is not what brooms are used for in witchcraft. Brooms date back thousands of years and it is believed that the broom was one of the first tools used for magick. Many witches had brooms around their house to use in their magick and they could even be placed outside of the house as a sort of code to other witches and friends, telling them if they were home, busy, out, etc. Brooms were sometimes hung inside or outside the house or crossed with another broom to ward of evil and negative energy. Brooms are used to literally "sweep" away negative energy. You should use a broom to purify the area of your circle before using the space, and this can be simply accomplished by sweeping clockwise or deosil around the area. Brooms are simple to make too. Just get a stick or dowel of some sort and some thin twigs or long grass. Then tie the twigs or grass around the end of the stick using some cord or string. Now you should purify it, and you can simple do this by rubbing some salt over it and saying "I purify this tool of the craft, it shall be only used for good." This is what I did, but you can make it more complicated if you like. Then just make sure that your broom is never used for anything except magick, as all of your tools!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Conjuring Pure Energy
Ethnicity, culture, beleifs, all of these things seperate the world, but one thing every person alive has in common is energy! Energy flows through all of us and we can harness that energy and use it in magick! One of the most common and helpful things in magick is conjuring energy. I am going to teach you about the basics of conjuring energy.
First thing you want to do is cast a circle. If you are unaware of how to do this I have made an earlier entry with step by step instructions for casting and releasing a circle. Once you have succesfully cast your circle then sit down in the center of it and start with some meditation to clear your mind of all thoughts. I have made an entry on meditation also. I prefere to use the breathing method where you concentrate on nothing except your breathing and once you have banished all other thoughts from your mind and succesfully kept a clear mind for a few minutes, slowly try and unfocus on your breathing and just "be".
Now, rub your hands together until they are warm and then close them together. Imagine pure white light forming inside of them and slowly pull your hands apart, imagining the energy growing into a big sphere. If you struggle with imagining this, then just try and feel the energy. You will know that the energy is there when you get a tingling sensation in your palms. Also, your body should start to feel war, and tingly as well because the energy is flowing from your body to the space between your hands. As your energy grows then you will be able to feel it pushing against your body, it should feel warm and comforting. If you are outside then you can imagine pure white energy flowing from the plants and ground into the area between your palms, and this method works just as well, I have tried both.
Remeber, practice makes perfect so keep practicing this. Your control of energy will become much more powerful, but you must remember that it requires a lot of focus and patience. This is something that could take days, weeks, months to master, it is all in your personal skill. If you feel that you will never get it, that nothing is happening, that is normal. It might take a while to get a hang of this. Try some other sourses as well. Maybe this method isn't right for you. Whenever I learn a new technique, I usually check a few other sources so I can get some other info and advice. Also, you must keep in mind that we are working with magick, there is no instruction manual for it. The only way to work magick is for you to do it. People can give you tips and point you in the right direction, but it is you who is doing the magick. Fancy tools and spell books are useless if you don't practice the craft. This is something that is different for everyone so nobody can tell you if your progress is wrong. Magick is something that requires spiritual power, and with society rapidy becoming more technological, spiritual power is becoming a lot less common and powerful in people.
Now, back to the energy ball excercise. Once you feel that you are getting good at conjuring raw energy then try some other excersises. If you can get another person then you can try passing or thorwing your energy ball back and forth. You can try tossing it up into the air and catching it by yourself. There are all sorts of excercises that you can try, you can make them up on your own. A lot of healing uses raw energy so you can try healing people, or yourself. If you have a cut or scrape then try focusing your energy to that spot on your body. Getting a feel for working with energy is the goal here, and there is no limit to your power so practice, practice, PRACTICE!
First thing you want to do is cast a circle. If you are unaware of how to do this I have made an earlier entry with step by step instructions for casting and releasing a circle. Once you have succesfully cast your circle then sit down in the center of it and start with some meditation to clear your mind of all thoughts. I have made an entry on meditation also. I prefere to use the breathing method where you concentrate on nothing except your breathing and once you have banished all other thoughts from your mind and succesfully kept a clear mind for a few minutes, slowly try and unfocus on your breathing and just "be".
Now, rub your hands together until they are warm and then close them together. Imagine pure white light forming inside of them and slowly pull your hands apart, imagining the energy growing into a big sphere. If you struggle with imagining this, then just try and feel the energy. You will know that the energy is there when you get a tingling sensation in your palms. Also, your body should start to feel war, and tingly as well because the energy is flowing from your body to the space between your hands. As your energy grows then you will be able to feel it pushing against your body, it should feel warm and comforting. If you are outside then you can imagine pure white energy flowing from the plants and ground into the area between your palms, and this method works just as well, I have tried both.
Remeber, practice makes perfect so keep practicing this. Your control of energy will become much more powerful, but you must remember that it requires a lot of focus and patience. This is something that could take days, weeks, months to master, it is all in your personal skill. If you feel that you will never get it, that nothing is happening, that is normal. It might take a while to get a hang of this. Try some other sourses as well. Maybe this method isn't right for you. Whenever I learn a new technique, I usually check a few other sources so I can get some other info and advice. Also, you must keep in mind that we are working with magick, there is no instruction manual for it. The only way to work magick is for you to do it. People can give you tips and point you in the right direction, but it is you who is doing the magick. Fancy tools and spell books are useless if you don't practice the craft. This is something that is different for everyone so nobody can tell you if your progress is wrong. Magick is something that requires spiritual power, and with society rapidy becoming more technological, spiritual power is becoming a lot less common and powerful in people.
Now, back to the energy ball excercise. Once you feel that you are getting good at conjuring raw energy then try some other excersises. If you can get another person then you can try passing or thorwing your energy ball back and forth. You can try tossing it up into the air and catching it by yourself. There are all sorts of excercises that you can try, you can make them up on your own. A lot of healing uses raw energy so you can try healing people, or yourself. If you have a cut or scrape then try focusing your energy to that spot on your body. Getting a feel for working with energy is the goal here, and there is no limit to your power so practice, practice, PRACTICE!
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Sabbats
The Sabbats are the wiccan holidays. There are eight of them throughout the year. Each one is different and marks a different part of the year and a symbol of representation.
Samhain- Samhain, pronounced (Sowen) is on october 31st and represents the new wiccan year. Samahain is the time when the veil between our world and the realm of the dead is the thinnest and this is the time when you would invite your deceased ancestors back to pay them respect and love.
Yule- The winter solstice is on December 21st. It is the time when the day is dark for the longest.
Imbolc- February 2nd. Imbolc is the celebration to represent fertility between the Goddess and the God. It is a celebration of renewal and good fortune throughout the next year!
Spring Equinox- March 21. This is the time when spring is first coming. It represents growth and life. This is the time when you get your gardens ready and celebrate spring.
Beltane- May 11th. This is the celebration of love! What else needs to be said.
Summer Solstice- June 21. The say when daylight lasts the longest.
Lammas- August 1st. Now is the time to prepare your plants to be harvested. It is the time when autumn is coming.
Fall Equinox- September 21. Now is when the crops are being harvested form the fields and people are preparing for Samhain, for the new year, for winter.
Samhain- Samhain, pronounced (Sowen) is on october 31st and represents the new wiccan year. Samahain is the time when the veil between our world and the realm of the dead is the thinnest and this is the time when you would invite your deceased ancestors back to pay them respect and love.
Yule- The winter solstice is on December 21st. It is the time when the day is dark for the longest.
Imbolc- February 2nd. Imbolc is the celebration to represent fertility between the Goddess and the God. It is a celebration of renewal and good fortune throughout the next year!
Spring Equinox- March 21. This is the time when spring is first coming. It represents growth and life. This is the time when you get your gardens ready and celebrate spring.
Beltane- May 11th. This is the celebration of love! What else needs to be said.
Summer Solstice- June 21. The say when daylight lasts the longest.
Lammas- August 1st. Now is the time to prepare your plants to be harvested. It is the time when autumn is coming.
Fall Equinox- September 21. Now is when the crops are being harvested form the fields and people are preparing for Samhain, for the new year, for winter.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
spell to change your eyecolor
This is a nifty spell to change your eyecolor to whatever color you desire. The spell is temporary though. Now, cast a circle and inside it place three candles of the color you want your eyes to change to in a triangle. Have one of them in front of you and the other two flanking you. Now, gaze into the candle in front of you and imagine the color seeping into your eyes and dyeing them that color and then chant the following incantation:
Give my eyes a new light
let others see a change
I desire the color(desired color)
may my eyes become anew
and show myself a change
so mote it be!
Now, continue to gaze into the candle and imagine yourself with your eyes whatever color you desire them to be, and once you feel that you're done, blow out the candles and properly release the circle. Now you're done!
Give my eyes a new light
let others see a change
I desire the color(desired color)
may my eyes become anew
and show myself a change
so mote it be!
Now, continue to gaze into the candle and imagine yourself with your eyes whatever color you desire them to be, and once you feel that you're done, blow out the candles and properly release the circle. Now you're done!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
relaxing herbs
Herbs have different properties and effects of people, but some of my favorite ones are the relaxing herbs. They can help soothe aching muscles, releive stress, help you fall asleep, and a lot of them are great in teas(If you are not 100% sure that the herb isn't posionous then do not intake it in any way, shape, or form or else you could end up dead or in so much agony that you wish you were dead). These are just some of my favorites.
Spearmint
Peppermint
Gardenia
Lavender
Eucalyptus
Chamomile
Lemon Balm
Green Tea
Rose
Ginger
Catnip
Rosemary
Sage
I like to use a lot of mint. Mint tends to help calm you down, and it can also be good in releving aching muscles. My friend made a tea with catnip in it and it put her right to sleep so if you can't seem to get any sleep then try catnip. Lavender is good for soothing aching muscles. Chamomile and Green Tea helps calm you down and releive stress. Sage helps banish negative energy so it can be good if you are really angry and want to calm down. Those are just the ones I know aboutm. The other ones I haven't tried myself, but I am eager to do so.
These are just some herb combinations to make different teas out of. (Spearmint, Peppermint, Green Tea), (Lavender, Chamomile), (Catnip, Camomile), (Ginger, Lemon Balm), (Chamomile, Rose, Catnip, Lavender). Enjoy these herbs.
Spearmint
Peppermint
Gardenia
Lavender
Eucalyptus
Chamomile
Lemon Balm
Green Tea
Rose
Ginger
Catnip
Rosemary
Sage
I like to use a lot of mint. Mint tends to help calm you down, and it can also be good in releving aching muscles. My friend made a tea with catnip in it and it put her right to sleep so if you can't seem to get any sleep then try catnip. Lavender is good for soothing aching muscles. Chamomile and Green Tea helps calm you down and releive stress. Sage helps banish negative energy so it can be good if you are really angry and want to calm down. Those are just the ones I know aboutm. The other ones I haven't tried myself, but I am eager to do so.
These are just some herb combinations to make different teas out of. (Spearmint, Peppermint, Green Tea), (Lavender, Chamomile), (Catnip, Camomile), (Ginger, Lemon Balm), (Chamomile, Rose, Catnip, Lavender). Enjoy these herbs.
Monday, February 8, 2010
oil to help soothe
Okay, there are many oils to help soothe you, and this can be applied to areas of aches to soothe them, or just as a calming oil, a stress reliever. Okay here is the recipe. I made this recipe with the stovetop method, but youi could do the same with the solar method too.
Add vegetable oil to a pan which is placedin another pan with boiling water. I just used enough vegetable oil to fill my container some so I can't give any exact measurments. Add a handful or green tea leaves, spearmint leaves, and peppermint leaves. Add a few drops of pure peppermint extract. ONLY A FEW! That stuff if really concentrated and if you add too much it will be really potent. I added a bit too much so it is very potent, but very relaxing. Then just let the oil thicken, bottle it and you're done! Now, I used mint and green tea because they all came in one teabag, but you could use all sorts of combinations of herbs. Enjoy your oil!
Add vegetable oil to a pan which is placedin another pan with boiling water. I just used enough vegetable oil to fill my container some so I can't give any exact measurments. Add a handful or green tea leaves, spearmint leaves, and peppermint leaves. Add a few drops of pure peppermint extract. ONLY A FEW! That stuff if really concentrated and if you add too much it will be really potent. I added a bit too much so it is very potent, but very relaxing. Then just let the oil thicken, bottle it and you're done! Now, I used mint and green tea because they all came in one teabag, but you could use all sorts of combinations of herbs. Enjoy your oil!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
casting a circle
There are many ways to cast a circle, but I am going to go with a relatively simple one. The point of a circle is to create sacred space, a place where you can safely perform magick. Also, the magick you create stays in the circle and you can actually feel it! I am going to tell you how to cast a circle, step by step.
Step 1: Make sure you have all of the supplies! You will need at least one candle, I prefere to use five to place around the circle. You will need a small bowl of water and some salt. You will also need either a stick of incense or an athame, sword, or wand. Each of these tools represents one of the four elements. Candles are for fire, bowl of water for water, salt for earth, and the incense, athame, sword, and wand are for air.
Step 2: Begin to cast your circle. Create your boundary for the circle, either using a piece of string, a chalk line, candles as markers, or you can just imagine it(but the only problem with this is that you can accidentally go outside of it.) Now when making the boundary, make sure that there is an opening for you to step through, or if more than one person is going to be present in the circle, this opening in your circle is for when you invite them in. Now walk around the circle clockwise with each of the elements (when doing so say "I purify my circle with [element you are holding]" imagining a protective shield of white light growing around your circle and do that for all four of them and then place them around your circle with the distance between each object in relatively even increments. Now that you have cast the circle you must invite anybody else inside, and just say the words "[name of person you wish to invite into your circle], I invite you into the circle" Once everybody you wish to invite inside is present in your circle, close the opening, and if nobody else is present except for you then just close it. Now you can do whatever ritual of spell or whatever sort of offering or invocation that you choose and you can do it safely. Make sure that you DO NOT cross over the circle once it is cast because that is then breaking the protective flow of magick wich releases the circle and all of the magick that you did will come rushing out and it could have dire consequences.
Step 3: Now I will teach you how to properly release your circle. Once you have finished performing your magick, then stand up and say loudly and clearly "My magick is now complete and I will now release my circle". Gather up the objects in the order you purified your circle with them, and if you can't remember the order then just gather then up counter closkwise. Once you have done so wind up your string or eliminate you boundary, making sure to do so walking counterclockwise. If your boundary is a chalk line or candles marking the boundary then just smudge it out going counterclockwise or gather them up counterclockwise. Now you know how to effectively cast and release a circle!
Step 1: Make sure you have all of the supplies! You will need at least one candle, I prefere to use five to place around the circle. You will need a small bowl of water and some salt. You will also need either a stick of incense or an athame, sword, or wand. Each of these tools represents one of the four elements. Candles are for fire, bowl of water for water, salt for earth, and the incense, athame, sword, and wand are for air.
Step 2: Begin to cast your circle. Create your boundary for the circle, either using a piece of string, a chalk line, candles as markers, or you can just imagine it(but the only problem with this is that you can accidentally go outside of it.) Now when making the boundary, make sure that there is an opening for you to step through, or if more than one person is going to be present in the circle, this opening in your circle is for when you invite them in. Now walk around the circle clockwise with each of the elements (when doing so say "I purify my circle with [element you are holding]" imagining a protective shield of white light growing around your circle and do that for all four of them and then place them around your circle with the distance between each object in relatively even increments. Now that you have cast the circle you must invite anybody else inside, and just say the words "[name of person you wish to invite into your circle], I invite you into the circle" Once everybody you wish to invite inside is present in your circle, close the opening, and if nobody else is present except for you then just close it. Now you can do whatever ritual of spell or whatever sort of offering or invocation that you choose and you can do it safely. Make sure that you DO NOT cross over the circle once it is cast because that is then breaking the protective flow of magick wich releases the circle and all of the magick that you did will come rushing out and it could have dire consequences.
Step 3: Now I will teach you how to properly release your circle. Once you have finished performing your magick, then stand up and say loudly and clearly "My magick is now complete and I will now release my circle". Gather up the objects in the order you purified your circle with them, and if you can't remember the order then just gather then up counter closkwise. Once you have done so wind up your string or eliminate you boundary, making sure to do so walking counterclockwise. If your boundary is a chalk line or candles marking the boundary then just smudge it out going counterclockwise or gather them up counterclockwise. Now you know how to effectively cast and release a circle!
Drying herbs
Herbs play a large part in witchcraft, but preserving them can be important for the winter months when they can't be harvested. When they are dried properly, they last much longer. You can dry them by taking a bundle of the branches of the herb with the leaves still attatches and wrapping a wire or string around them and hanging them upside down for about two weeks, maybe more depending on the humidity of your area's climate. In some areas, drying herbs can be harder that in others. If your area is relatively humid then drying them without them molding might be difficult. One way to dry them is to get a dehumidifier. Also, if there is air moving then it makes it harder for the water molecules to stick to them and mold them. When they are in bright sunlight then the color fades, and as the color fades so does the oils which hold the herb's properties. Keep them in a dry, dark room. The room doesn't have to be pitch black all the time, but the less sunlight the better. Once you have effectively dried them then place them in glass jars with air tight lids. DOn't place them in areas with too much sunlight, keep them out of dirtect sunlight. Happy drying!
making oils
Oils are very useful for many witches, including myself. The herbs used to create it have properties that stay in the oil and when you use it the oils has the same effects on you as the herbs, but they are more convenient in some cases. You can rub the oil on your body and let it sink into your skin for the desired effect, unlike herbs. Also, you can use it it baths to help soothe yourself for a relaxing soak. There are two ways I am familiar with making oils. One way is to take whatever herbs you have and place them in a base oil. The base oil can be anything from olive oil, vegetable oil, almond oil, etc. Then you place the oil inside a glass jar and put a handful or two of the herbs into it. Seal it and let it sit for about two weeks in a windowsill where sun can shine on it for a large portion of the day. After two weeks then take the oil and strain out the herbs if you don't want them, it works fine either way but you might not like the feel of them rubbing against your skin when you apply it. Then it is ready to use, just make sure that you keep it sealed whenever oyu aren't using it.
The second way which ism uch faster is to use the stove method. For this you will need a double boiler, and this is easy to make if you don't have one. Get a pot and fill it halfway with water, then get a smaller pot and set it inside of the first. Let the water come to a boil on low heat, if you want you can turn it onto high, let it come ot a boil and then turn it down to low. Then put your base oil into the second pot and whatever herbs you want. Then let it sit on a low boil for about thirty to sixty minutes. If the oil starts to smoke then it is overdone. You will know that it is getting close to done when it starts to thicken slightly. When that happens take it off the heat, and like I said before you can strain the herbs out of it, or you can leave them in. The effects on you won't change whether or not you leave them in or take them out, it is all about your own personal prefrence.
Each way has its own advantage. The solar method allows the oil to steep for much longer so it will be mroe potent and more powerful. The stovetop method is much faster so if you need the oil soon it can be achieved. Enjoy your oils!
The second way which ism uch faster is to use the stove method. For this you will need a double boiler, and this is easy to make if you don't have one. Get a pot and fill it halfway with water, then get a smaller pot and set it inside of the first. Let the water come to a boil on low heat, if you want you can turn it onto high, let it come ot a boil and then turn it down to low. Then put your base oil into the second pot and whatever herbs you want. Then let it sit on a low boil for about thirty to sixty minutes. If the oil starts to smoke then it is overdone. You will know that it is getting close to done when it starts to thicken slightly. When that happens take it off the heat, and like I said before you can strain the herbs out of it, or you can leave them in. The effects on you won't change whether or not you leave them in or take them out, it is all about your own personal prefrence.
Each way has its own advantage. The solar method allows the oil to steep for much longer so it will be mroe potent and more powerful. The stovetop method is much faster so if you need the oil soon it can be achieved. Enjoy your oils!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
runes
A common use of runes is protection. Many people place them on their doors or windows for protection, which is what i did. If you don't want the runes to show up then you can write in in salt water, which is what I did or you could just trace them their with your finger, imagining them being made of pure white light. I traced the runes Thorn(protection),Peorth(magickal success), Ur(mental power), and Sol(psychism) throughout my room along with several bind runes and some other marks like pentacles, triple moons, and the sign of the horned god. They are very powerful if used correctly and I wuld advise placing some protefctive runes on your house.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
choosing your stone
Gemstones play a very large and important role in witchcraft for many people, including myself. They each have their own properties to them and can be used to aid you in different ways according to those properties, but one commonly asked question is "how do I find my stone?" Every person has a stone that they work best with, but sometimes finding it can be difficult and you are probably wondering, how am I supposed to know which one is mine? You don't chose your stone, your stone chooses you. One way of doing this is to browse through a large selection of stones and just see if any of them catch your eye, if any of them just feel right when you hold them, if you feel happy, pleased, or safe when holding it, these are all signs to let you know if the stone is right to you. Each stone has its own enrgies and vibrations and you can pick up on those. It may seem crazy, but if you hold them and clear your mind, becoming one with the stone, then you can actually feel the vibrations of the stone and some of its properties working on you! I am still working on finding my stone, but I think it might be flourite. I have this one piece of flourite and for the longest time I stared at its odd color, trying to decipher what stone it was. When I was seeing what sort of vibrations it had, I also noticed that it was making me feel very calm and relaxed, logical, and that is one of the properties of flourite. I figured all of this out later when I looked it up, but I am convinced that it is my stone. Anyway, good luck with finding your stone. If you feel like you may never find it, or that you don't have one then don't be worried or scared, once you find it then you will know it is right for you.
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