Ex Penna

As you well know I am enamored with spoken charms and this is one of my very favorites.

To find power in a spell, first there must be beauty.  To find beauty, you need only be struck by the subject's uniqueness, its ability to radiate a deep well of self-awareness, shining like the refraction of moonlight on the walls of a watery cave.  That sparkle is beauty and the inspiration that stems from its power.

This charm, originating in the Finnish epic Kalevala, has an incredible amount of just such glow.  Though simple in language and lacking in direct imagery, it is a joy to speak, to feel on the lips, to read, to share.  How could such excitement fail to spread when it is used magically?  Remember this the next time you're driving a foggy road or, perhaps, beset with a more creative, metaphorical fog of mind or spirit.

Remember and recite.

To Banish Mists

Oh how I love Aeclectic Tarot!  If you read the cards ad somehow haven't been there yet, stop what you're doing (except for reading my blog, of course) and go there straight away!  Deck reviews, card images (for those of us who like to see more than the box's one or two sample images before we buy), tons of articles, and discussions make this the perfect hang out for tarot lovers.  But this is especially fun: new and unique spreads!

If you're ready to branch out and try something different from the same old Celtic Cross, give these a go!

Unusual Tarot Spreads

It just might be me.  Or you.  Let me explain.

In the most simplistic terms, magic is freedom and those who use it to better their lives are free.  We have realized our right to be happy, our right to withhold ourselves from those who don't deserve us, our right to choose the course of our lives.  We are self-aware and capable of handling the responsibility of being so.  That is the very nature of freedom, and to the establishment under which we live, it is a terror.

Those who are free don't feel the need to do what others do.  They don't rely on convention to train and control them.  They don't want what others want.  They are unpredictable, and that's a scary thing.  Are you that sort of unpredictable?  Do you go your own way no matter where it may lead?  Take a look at the following list of brave and bold thoughts that just such a person thinks and see just how dangerous you are!

1. Your Rules are for You

A witch doesn't have to subscribe to your ideas of right and wrong.  Not only do many of us take our magical practice as a spiritual discipline--and therefore hold values separate and distinct from other belief systems--but we also have a unique understanding of how right and wrong are measured, what happens in the event of each, and how imbalances are rectified. 

Because we have these feelings of our own, we're not waiting to be given limits by society.  Because we see how we are different, we know that options exist and are not afraid to choose. 

2. Doing What Needs Done Does Not Mean Waiting for Karma

Sitting on my ass was not in the brochure.  A powerful person who watches wrongs be committed, and then does nothing to prevent, stop, or serve justice for it, is culpable for that wrong.

Occultists are powerful people with talent and training behind us.  We can and should make things right.  I would never let the greater suffering of harm against an innocent exist just to spare myself possible retribution for harm against the guilty.  That's the price I pay for desiring the knowledge I now have.  If I can do something, I must do something.

3. It Doesn't Matter if We Agree

I genuinely don't care if we can't find common ground.  I didn't ask your permission any more than you asked mine.

That sounds a little harsh, but completely true.  I feel this way whether I'm being scorned by religious types who disapprove of my lack of godliness (despite following many more gods than them! Hmmmph!) or discussing my outsider attitudes with other magical folk.  We can talk about it but when it comes to being capital-R Right, I am going to throw up both hands and call it a day.  It isn't something that can be decided by two humans with disparate beliefs in intangible topics.

And I've got things to do, kid, I can't stand around arguing all day.

4. Freedom Gives Me Strength

I like--no, wait---I adore setting my own standards.   The gift of freedom is that I can choose what I personally feel is important, what is my weight in the world, and how I know if I'm doing the right thing or not.  That's far more than fear of divine smite.

5. Wisdom is Actually Really Simple

Because I Have Experienced, I Have Learned. Because I Learned, I am Wise.

It's just that easy.  And exactly that painful.

If you don't dare, you'll never understand, and understanding is the basis of all the great things humanity wishes for itself.  You must go into the scary, dangerous places to find treasure.  And this goes double for the places that the world around you keeps telling you is scary.  Don't follow in the fears of others.

6. I Have a Low Tolerance for Bullshit in My Personal Life

Ya know, I might cast a low-level curse on you just because you annoy me.  That's what the Evil Eye is all about, so don't start getting high and mighty on me!  I'll tell you like it is and then, if that's not enough, I'll mess up your world.  Simple as that. 

Witches must realize that who we are in magical terms is the same damn person we are in the mundane.  If you're a horrible bitch to me when you see me in the neighborhood, but then look down your nose at the thought of hexing because you'd never taint your soul that way, you've totally missed the train on your own ethical code.  And though you revile mine, I'm actually living by it.  Go figure.

So there's the rub--my love of all shades of magic can be unpopular in certain occult circles, but I dole out wickedness in my magic to the same degree that I do as a regular person.  I wouldn't run up to a stranger and punch them in the face, and neither would I cast a curse on someone who had done me no wrong.

The simple fact is that if you are in my way enough, bad enough, mean enough, and detrimental enough for me to bitch you out in regular life, then you can definitely expect a healthy dose of black magic coming your way.  Consider yourself warned.

7. However, I Have a Much Higher Tolerance for It in My Professional Work

This is where being objective really comes into play.

I'm not going to agree to curse your cousin Debbie just because she made you look stupid at the last family reunion.  Get your shit together.  I will offer advice--maybe a free tarot reading, too--but I'm not ruining people's lives over your small, unpleasant experience. 

Unless you pay me really well--then we'll do this thing!

And there's the other side of being a business--I'm selling what you're buying and not the other way around.  I set my limits on what I'll do with my magic, naturally, but sometimes the line drawn can be moved as the price rises.  I've turned down offers to blight, to disease, to tear relationships apart--and I've said no.  And then again, for other situations, for much, much higher fees, I've done all those things and been pleased at the results.



Real morality is complex and real freedom is almost frightful.  The level of accountability that comes with both is too much for some people, and defiantly too much for some witches.  But for those of us who tread outside the norm and dare to find our own way to the great repository of wisdom waiting for us all, the rewards are too great to ignore, the call to adventure too thrilling to let pass by unanswered.


Images from:
giphy.com/gifs/strength-tarot-cards
folkmagicfestival.com/2016-folk-magic-festival-schedule-of-events
gothicandamazing.tumblr.com

Continuing in the vein of my adoration for Hoodoo is this week's offering: Hot Foot powder.  If you've never heard if it before, sit yourself down and get ready.  If you have, well, watch where you walk.

Do you have shitty neighbors?  Hot Foot them. 

Does your co-worker annoy you, sabotage you, or get in your way?  Hot foot them. 

Is that ex-friend still hanging around talking smack about you to others?  Hot Foot them. 


The swifter you clear out what threatens to derail your success, the easier it is to achieve it.



Now before you go at me with a wagging finger and disapproving glare for giving unwelcome people the boot, consider how affecting they can be.  Consider the stress they cause, the ensuing arguments, misunderstandings, and undue tension just from their presence.  You're not killing anybody, merely relocating them.  That can actually be a good thing, if they choose to see it that way.

But that's not your problem.  They are your problem and the solution is to make them disappear.  So here we go.

This is another formula without exact measurements and ingredients, but there are a few herbs that must be present in the basic recipe: hot pepper, sulphur, and salt.  Everything else--including the amounts--is a matter of individual tradition and taste.  I've seen others use High John root, Black Mustard, gunpowder (to make it work even faster), wasps' nests (to make it meaner), and the toxic Bluestone.  Here is the one I use:

Hot Foot Powder

Graphology, in case you weren't aware, is the study of one's handwriting (also called "handwriting analysis") to determine the writer's personality.  Every nuance of the script holds information about one's outlook, goals, and secret feelings.  Though not actually a form of divination, it does have similarities with skills familiar to the occultist like tea leaf reading.  If you'd like to give it a try, the Internet Archive has uploaded this 1922 classic from Clifford Howard.

What's more, because it was scanned page by page, you can see the original handwriting examples as they actually appear in the book while also enjoying a true to life paper experience (something in which book-lovers like myself take a special delight).

Graphology: How to Read Character from Handwriting, with Full Explanation of the Science, and Many Examples Fully Analyzed

Whether you're a newcomer to the practice or this piques a long-time interest, Graphology is a fascinating read that should not be missed!

Let's be clear: I love occult shops.  There was a time when I, like many other practitioners, was penniless and couldn't afford anything in them.  And there was a time when I lived so deep in nowhere-land that, even if I could afford it, none were available to me (and yes, that means I lived *gasp* pre-internet for most of my life).

Now that I am a few years older, wiser, better traveled, and more prosperous, I take every opportunity I can to slow down and walk every inch of the occult shops I find.  They're always overflowing with inspiration and you're certain to come out ready to cast your fingers off!

But what if you're stuck in my former state?  What if rarity and poverty removes such opportunities?  Then it's time to take a trip to the mundane farmer's market instead and look at it with a magical eye!

Bewitching the Farmer's Market

Fresh Eggs

Eggs are a classic for cleansings of home, self, and spirit.  They're also oddly effective at cursing, and fresh laid eggs are required for this purpose almost exclusively, most likely so that the egg doesn't retain any connections to your own home.

  

Unfortunately, too many rooms are sadly wasted when their owners set out to make them magical.  Proud witches will show you photos of spaces full of cheap, pretty knickknacks and handfuls of vaguely occult cultural references from around the world.  That doesn't reflect them.  Hell, that doesn't reflect anyone; it's only scratching the surface of what they think they should be doing. 

• Is this shared space?  If so, how often will both owners be using it?  If it's shared by function (such as in a bedroom), at what times of day will the room be engaged in each? 
• Do you need room enough for rituals? 
• Will you host guests or clients here? 
• Do you have coven items that need to be stored? 
• Are you making and/or selling items out of this space? 

I seem to be the only witch who isn't amazed by the idea of using birthday candles for spells.  There are tons of reasons why it's dumb, but here's just a few:

1. First, it's unlikely that you have only two minutes in which to cast a spell and this is what you chose.  You must realize that there is a big wide world of magic at your disposal and many varieties of spellcasting are quicker than candle spells.  Next time, think about spoken charms, formulas, knots, sigils, or even the use of thoughtforms and golems.  You can do better!
2. Birthday candles don't come in many colors, and what you can find are either pastel, covered in glitter, or decorated with other colors in grooves or stripes.  You need a gray candle?  A brown one?  Good luck.
3. You can't use them for some of the most interesting and powerful methods of candle spells, namely inscribing and loading.  I guess you can dress and dust them, but you'll spend twice as long doing so as it takes for the candle to burn.
4. Unless you're sticking that thing in a cake, get ready to have a hard time making it stand upright the whole time.
5. If you've tried to get around any of these problems just so you can keep saying that they're a workable substitute, you're trying too hard. 

• Pop out the candle from its tin

• Remove the wick and set aside

• Fill a frying pan with 1/2 inch of water and heat on medium-low on the stove top
• Put the empty tins in the pan.  They should float on the water at this point.

• Dye your candles to match your intention: Sprinkle shavings from crayons in each tin (or, if you're a pro like me, just add liquid candle dye)

• Add a few drops of condition oils and/or powders or finely ground herbs to match your intention
• Drop into each tin the chunk of white wax
• Allow the warm water to slowly melt the wax (without boiling! It's too messy and can flip over your tins)

• Once all the wax is melted, and the color is to your liking, remove from the heat and let cool
• Before the candles solidify, put the wicks back in the center of each one.

• Sprinkle each candle with powders or ground herbs.  Make sure that the surface is cooled and solid or everything you add will just sink to the bottom.  I like to include some glitter, too!

• Now you're ready to cast a quickie spell any time, anywhere in style and with results as strong as a full-sized candle!

Free Dictionary of Occult Symbols PDF


A classic of its kind, The Dictionary of Occult, Hermetic, and Alchemical Sigils is a must-have for your magical library.


In this orderly (and you know how I love that!) collection of symbols can be found not only a great deal of rarely discussed information and origins but also all known variations, several magical alphabets, and an extensive bibliography for further reading.  You will want a printed copy of this, post haste!*







*Note, however, that in a scanning quirk, page 291 appears upside down.  If you make your own, switch it before binding.

After a rousing discussion on the endless   friend of mine at work presented me with an interesting concept: anything can be turned into fanfiction.  When I noted that I only write non-fiction, she doubled down on her statement.  She could most certainly--given time and a quiet room--create fanficton even from writing which has no characters and no narrative.  Wow.  Those are strong words and I ruminated over that idea for a long time.  I might just take her up on that, actually.

But now I think I understand how I can do something in a similar way, though I be only a non-fic reader and writer; I will give the same treatment to morph non-magical articles into magical ones.  So, in honor of the person who presented the idea to me, Melanie, and the workplace we share, I'll be using one of our company newsletters as the basis for the next few weekly articles.  While the origins of each of them are purely mundane, the information I add to them is all witchcraft!  Enjoy!

4 Tips to Make Spell Planning Easier

Tip 1: Gather a Wide Array of Spells

The best way to be prepared is to have plenty of options.  Read lots of spellbooks; keep an exemplary collection and read it thoroughly.  If you can do this, you'll have plenty of ways to deal with any situation that may arise.  As you read through each book, take note of spells which address the kind of problems you're likely to have.  Keep these notes organized and ready to use, should you have need of them.

Tip 2: Maintain Regular Planning

Tip 3: Make Ahead Some "Anytime" Magic, Too

Tip 4: Keep a Calendar Only for Magic

This is something that I simply cannot say enough about: the magical disclaimer.

Now, I understand the thought process behind the standards in this category, such as the psychic hotline's "For entertainment purposes only" and the herbalist's "This information is not meant as a substitute for professional medical treatment."  The law is not written for casters but for the public safety from injury and scams.  So, I got that.  No contest, that kind of thing should be part of our common compliance.

Then there's the authors who want to make sure we don't do bad things with the grand witchcraft to which--they reassure us--they are privy.  I've read more than one author who went on at length about all the black magic they knew, but were determined not to share for fear of the awful results upon our innocent little karma and auras and...other mystical stuff...hell, I'm bored just typing it!  Either bring everything you've got to the page or don't.  I don't want your hints and suggestions at what you aren't writing!  (I feel that I'm in the majority on this one unless, of course, you're one of those awful readers who give one-star reviews to witchcraft books that don't "follow the Rede."  For the love of Benji, people, stop doing that!)

So, here's the deal: I'm in the process of trying to get myself in print.  It's a loooong process, even just for e-books but much, much more so if I will manage to get signed by a publisher, so don't get all in a tizzy just yet.  But I promise you that when I do, and you get your hands on a fresh copy of my book, you will see exactly ZERO condemnations of how you choose to use the information inside.  I'm not going to tell you that stove tops are hot or that knives are sharp or any of that.  You're on your own, kids!  I trust you.




Images from:
comediva.com

Free Vintage Label Download


A beautiful room deserves beautiful things and your magical room is no exception.  Organize in style with these classic--and original--labels for all your herbs, formulae, and spell components!

I won't keep you here chatting; go print these now (and you can even add the original font included, as well)!

This is one herb that I feel absolutely must be in my cupboard.  I know for sure now, because I've been without for some time and it's driving me mad!  My local herb shop closed so all my purchases have to be through the mail, which I am slow to adopt.  So here I am, juniper-less and imploring you not to follow my example.

So why is this one plant so essential?

First, for my fellow incense and powder makers, it doesn't seem to matter much if you use the berries or greens, as both are highly scented and carry magical associations. 

And its magical associations are so useful that you'll be calling on this herb time and time again: protection from all manner of harm--including evil emanations, ghosts, accidents, illness, and thieves--plus blessing, inspiring and holding love, improving sexual relations, heightening the psychic senses, and breaking curses.

Now, you and I had both better head out to fill our supplies!




















Images from:

roundthecauldron.blogspot.com

13 Tips for Being the Best Witch You Can Be


I found this list some time ago and absolutely fell in love!  Take some quiet time with it and see how it relates to you and your current practice.  Write a short version on a post-it note for your car dashboard, your bathroom mirror, your office desk.  Write about it in your BoS.  Talk with other practitioners about it.  Journal and expound on your thoughts of each of the thirteen points made.  How can you make this advice work into your life? What can you add to it?

No matter what you decide to do with what you see here--keep it, toss it, ruminate or rage about it--let it get you thinking.  That is, after all, the highest activity of seeking betterment of any kind.

Um...unless you've never read a word I've written before--yes!  An emphatic yes for always having an up-to-date almanac at hand.  But since there's so much more to say on the topic, let's talk about all the reasons why you should have one.

To be clear, I'm talking about any almanac designed for practitioners (so, no, not the Farmer's).  I have my preferences, naturally, but any of those on the market have the same basic set-up and therefore are all amazing.  No worries if you haven't chosen one for yourself; I wrap up with a list and links of those that I've discovered.

 

1.  Not Just an Almanac

While the dated pages are the real reason you bought the thing, everything else is simply amazing.  The rest of the book is filled with articles and bits of information that can range from herbal correspondences, seasonal recipes, magical handcraft ideas, rituals, simple spells, q&a--you name it.  It's super handy to grab this for a quick read while you're currently between books, waiting for the next issue of Witches and Pagans, or just have enough time for something short.

Plus you'll be keeping up with the current topics in the magical community. 

Plus they're usually written by big name authors (I highly recommend scanning through the front page of contributor bios before buying.  It's weirdly fun for me to get excited over one of my favorite authors being in the latest almanac and saving their article for last, like a super sweet dessert.  I know, I know--but I did admit already that it was weird).

2.  Cast More Spells in General

When you're able to really think about all the things you'd like to see happen in your future, and then plan for them in order of importance, you're more likely to see those great things manifest.  You may be thinking about how important it is to cast a spell for that possible raise at work, but to see it written down--a specific date and time--means that you have an appointment to show up, cast big, and get things done. 

What's more, when you take a look at the current month and see it looking sparse, you might start to consider the spells you can cast for the less-than-urgent issues in your life.  This means that you'll work magic into your life on a more consistent basis and you'll also whittle down the great to-do list of things you'd like to see happen in your life. 

As an aside, I'd like to mention that it is not only a practitioner's option to use magic, it is their duty to use it.  To have in your possession a tool which could vastly improve your life and the lives of everyone around you, and to use it only when everything else fails, is an error somewhere between stupidity and selfishness.  I do not subscribe to the notion that spells are only for the really big dangers in life; they are for that, but also for the little things--the everyday wonders and blunders, the hopes and goals we want for our futures, the pleasant things we want right now, the sweet burst of happiness and accomplishment that keeps us going in life.  Magic is, in short, for everyone and every desire.  If you want it, make it happen.

3.  Get Better at Good Timing

Almanacs generally have timing information in the back so it's a one-stop reference for how to get the very best from your spells.  Time based on moon phase, sign, day of the week, planetary hour, or any combination thereof, with ease. 

I especially love how timing by the moon offers so many options.  (At this point, you may like to swing by the shop and pick up my timing chart, Magic in the Moon Signs) This means that not only can you choose which exact aspect of the issue you want to be at the forefront of your magic, but doing so gives you a number of days in the month to choose from, so that your spell doesn't compete with other events in your life.

So, let's imagine this: Nancy is an artist and she wants to cast a spell to make her latest public project a success.  She could choose to cast on a Thursday when the moon is in Pisces to ensure that the project will be a financial success with many generous backers.  Or she could decide that it's more important that the art itself succeed, making a deep and personal connection to her audience.  In that case, she might like to try a Monday Sagittarius, Taurus, or Cancer moon.  If she just wanted to be able to get her point across without hindrance--leaving the audience and philanthropists to think what they will--she might opt for Sunday spell under Virgo or Libra.  And that's before she even decides on planetary hours.  That's a lot of options! 

4.  The Ideal Way to Keep Track of Your (Possibly Clandestine) Second Life

5. Quickly Chart Your Manifesting Time and Rate of Success

While this sort of information isn't important to every caster, it's a big one for professionals and similarly-minded personal practitioners.  Of course, knowing how long it takes for a spell to do its job is something we should all care about because there might come a time when exact dates are essential to your desires.  Imagine leisurely using up your last two weeks to plan how you want to cast for a raise at work without the knowledge that your prior money spells took a month before you saw results! 

6. It Can Also Be a Magical Diary

I have a filing cabinet drawer stuffed with my old almanacs purely for this reason; I just can't bear to throw them away!  I think about clearing them all out at times, but then I pick up one and flip through, seeing entries like "Tuesday--Protection: talismans, smudge, doorstep wash" and "DDTM ointment made" and "The Poke Root spell on the 4th may have a cruel twist; the Jackball is filled with moths who died in the candle flame", and I get a twitch of pleasant nostalgia and put them back in the drawer unharmed.

It is a sadly underappreciated aspect of magical practice to look back and reflect.  We should always be aware not only of where we are going, but from whence we have come.  There is something quite satisfying in reading over your old spells, remembering the trials that brought about the need for the spell and also the triumphant calm which followed its success.  You were a different person then, but everything that that You went through has led you here. 

7. There's a Bunch to Choose From

If you're a fan of variety, you'll feel right at home here.  There are so many general and specific almanacs on the shelves that you can try them all until you find the one that is just right for you.  Check these out:

Witches Almanac

The Witches Companion

Witches' Spell-a-Day Almanac

Magical Almanac

Sabbats Almanac

Herbal Almanac

Sun Sign Book

Moon Sign Book

Witches Datebook



Images from:
rebloggy.com
cosgeek.blogspot.com

Here in central Pennsylvania, August is hot and humid.  We're right in the midst of a sticky, sunny summer with few reprieves and fewer rains. 

It can be hard to stand the heat (or worse, work in it!), so here's a little traditional Malayan charm (as recorded in Walter William Skeat's "Malay Magic" of 1900) to cheer you while you're outdoors.

10 Websites that Will Help Drown Out the Noise So You Can Stay Focused



I am fortunate to have a room that I can dedicate to my practice.  There, I can carefully craft every aspect of the way it looks, smells, and feels to be exactly what I need to feel confident and competent as a witch.  The one thing I can't always control is how it sounds.  And there are times when that is all that seems to matter.

You see, I have a husband and kids and pets and they all have lives that create varying levels of noise in our house.  There's phone conversations, running in and out of the house, pots and pans clanging in the kitchen, talking, laughing, radio music, and movies playing on TV.  We live near a road which connects to a highway, so there's traffic noise as well as the occasional emergency vehicle on their way to the hospitals in the city. 

When I lay it all out like that, it makes this place seem like an endless chaos, which it is not.  But when I'm trying to concentrate, that's all I can think.  When the noise is all I hear, the chances of me making effective magic--despite having every other prerequisite--go right down to nothing.  And your own household might be far louder than mine!

To that end, I offer these helpful and creative sites that have but one goal: instantly block out the world so you can get things done.  And they do it well.  I'm a longtime Coffeetivity user for writing manuscripts, but have become a recent fan of Soundrown and Focus@Will for magic as well.  

Give one a whirl the next time you're working spells, writing in your BoS, trying out mental exercises, creating magical items, or compounding formulas.  You'll be amazed at the results!

It’s a quiet night at home.  I pass by the window on my way to sit with another cup of tea and catch a brief glimpse of the world outside.  Dark streets are painted a glossy ebony black with the rain that has been falling in silent sheets all day.  Jewel-like studs of color pop from shop signs, traffic lights and give a heartbeat to the otherwise lifeless, motionless scene.