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)!
Quick Link--Free Labels for Beautifying Your Jars and Bottles
Author: Quill / Labels: Quick Link Monday
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
Quick Link--Be Your Best Witchy Self Today!
Author: Quill / Labels: Quick Link Monday
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
If you're like me, you wear many hats and sometimes it takes quite the hat rack to keep them all straight. Keeping an almanac as a separate daily planner from the one I use to track dentist appointments and overtime at work is a real advantage to me. I can use it for to-do lists when getting ready for coven workshops and meetings, orchestrate the days of tasks leading up to each of the sabbats, and watch for the ideal times to make use of celestial changes.
But what about all the practitioners who must keep their witchiness separate? There are many folks out there who, for one reason or another, choose not to be public about their practices and, for that reason, would benefit from a small, personal place to arrange their work. Not everyone feels comfortable when a visiting neighbor sees that, by your kitchen calendar, tonight is your Ladies of the Burning Star meeting.
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.
To Summon the Wind
Come hither, Sir, come hither, my Lord,
Let down your locks so long and flowing.
Quick Link: Focus is Key; Here's 10 Easy Ways to Get It!
Author: Quill / Labels: Quick Link Monday
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!
Chasing Sex and Magic: The Right Way to Court the Most Elusive Types of Inspiration
Author: Quill / Labels: lessons, stories, work
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.
And
then it hits me--like a wave of hot water, like a ping in the back of my mind,
like a sound I can’t place and now must struggle to connect in my memories—I’m
suddenly alive and aware…and I want magic.
I have no urgent needs, no passionate desires to fulfill, not even a
line on my list of spells I’d like to cast, but I want magic. I want to feel it, to turn it and change it
into something new, something I can call my own. I can’t tell why but it’s happened and I can’t
turn away.
Has
this happened to you? If you’ve been
casting long enough that you have successfully managed your needs and wants,
then you probably have faced this many times. To some, it’s just another wonder of the weird
world of witchcraft. To others, though,
it’s a strange and confusing feeling.
Maybe we want it all the time; maybe we just want to be able to call it
at will. Mostly, though, we get neither. In a way, it’s like sex in a comfortable,
long-term relationship; it’s not the top of your obsessions anymore, but every
once in a while, you go wild for it! As
a witch, you’re riding a capricious wave of magical inspiration.
The
flip-side of this analogy, however, is also true. Too much familiarity and you become listless
and disinterested. There’s no spark left
and you aren’t sure how to regain it or even how you got it in the first
place. You’re stuck in the doldrums of
magical inspiration.
As you
can see, things can get a little tricky when you’re talking about what revvs us
up for both a good round of spellcasting and a roll in the hay! How can we possibly maneuver this mercurial
field? Is it even possible to bring to
it any kind of order and regularity?
Perhaps, to make things clearer, I can talk about these two topics at
the same time.
Don’t Expect,
Speculate
Both
with sex and magic, we lose the fuel to get started if we stress about it. If you say “I’ve only cast one spell in two
months. What’s wrong with me?” or “My
work should be more impressive by now!” you’re just squashing every expansive,
positive thought that once fired you up as a caster. Let expectations go.
Instead
of focusing on what isn’t going on, dig deep into what is. What are you feeling
right now? What have you been thinking
about most often lately? Where do your
daydreams lead you? Remember that magic
isn’t just for making sure your bills are paid and you shake the flu in time
for your New Year’s party; it’s about finding fulfillment and happiness. That can be big things and small.
This
works in the bedroom, too. When you set
rules for yourself or your partner on how often, how long, in what position,
etc. can be classified as “real sex” or “good sex,” get ready to be
miserable. If you’re connecting, it’s
real. If you’re enjoying it, it’s good. Forget the rest and go with it.
Start Keeping Track
If
you’re anything like me, “the other day” can refer to any span of time between
yesterday and 6 months ago. So when I
say I cast a spell the other day, you might have to allow some give in the
timeline.
Same
thing goes when you’re thinking about how long it’s been since you had a really
great, deep magical experience. You
might think that you haven’t had anything like that in years, but that might
not be the case. This is where I tell
all my students how important it is to record all your spells—from the fancy
rites to the itty-bitties—it all counts.
When you see it on paper, you’ll probably realize that you use it much
more often than you thought.
For me,
I use several spoken charms every day, test some new ones a few times a week,
regularly use formulas like powders and tinctures, work “pushes” and other
thought spells, light dressed candles on my days off work… So it’s not a cast circle and a blazing
cauldron, but it definitely is magic.
In your
relationship, you can (tactfully) do the same thing. A common complaint in married arguments is
the rarity of sex in the relationship, but it’s not often that anyone remembers
exact dates. Taking the time to really
examine how often you two actually do the deed can not only stop the fight
before it starts (if it’s more than remembered) but also give you a clear
picture of the situation (if it’s significantly less).
Experiment
Now I
don’t mean that you should run to the bookstore and grab the biggest book of
ceremonial magic they have just because it’s an avenue you haven’t yet
explored. That is not actually
experimentation, it’s just recklessness.
Don’t let anyone tell you that’s how to do things because you’ll end up
far more frustrated and disheartened than anything positive you might have
gained from the experience.
Instead,
ruminate on some ideas that have made you prick up your ears in conversation,
books whose titles you’ve heard again and again but have never read,
interesting tools and components you’ve seen in shops. Be curious again, explore with a sense of wonderment,
be new to something. Follow your curiosity and you will never lack
inspiration.
When
we’re talking about sex this could not be more important! Never leap into something because you read in
Cosmo that men love it. Most of the time you can
bet that your guy won’t. Also, just as
likely, you won’t be comfortable with have to repeat it from now on. So stick to the outer edges of what you
already know and go from there.
Keep Showing Up
This is definitely the
toughest advice a person can receive.
Writers hear it all the time: “A writer writes.” If you want to be inspired, to feel that rush
that got you here in the first place, you’re going to need to be where the
action is as often as possible. A lover
loves. A spellcaster casts spells. It’s as simple—and painfully difficult—as
that.
Even
when you don’t feel like it, even when you think you should wait because the
“perfect moment” is going to appear at any moment, get involved. Do what puts you in the center of your witchy
universe and stay there as long as you’re able.
That gray dusty lightbulb above your head will erupt in light when you’re
not expecting it. Only then will you see
that it happened because you had your hand on the switch the whole time.
The
truth is that a witch is a lover. We’re
smitten with our own being, the lightness of being a human animal engaged with
the world, the power we share with everything around us. Our spells
and all their complex intertwining
of forms, words, colors, and thought are an affair we have with some secret
force, and each time we meet this mysterious paramour, we are excited to see
what glorious offspring we might bear.
There is nothing separate from
magic and there’s nothing separate from sex.
Sex is life giving, life affirming.
Magic is life building and life expanding. You are infused with both right now, sitting
in that chair, wearing same shirt. You
had it this morning while brushing your teeth and you’ll have it tonight when
you turn out the lights. Even in the
most mundane moments, without even trying, there’s something powerful stirring
in you and you can use it whenever you wish.
Image from:
creativeboom.com/inspiration/dark-fantasy-photography-draws-inspiration-from-magical-books-and-films/
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