Ex Penna

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)!