adan-bonescrystals

[adan-bonescrystals]

from Bisan, who said we should share this as much as possible, 06/Jan/2024:

"This is a warning about pushing people in Gaza to emigrate by intimidating people and making them choose between staying and dying or leaving and living!"

CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE. CALL FOR AN END TO THE GENOCIDE.

[adan-bonescrystals]

Senate Bill 686 of the 118th Congress (The Restrict Act)

I’m honestly a bit disappointed here at Tumblr for not talking about this bill more, so I’m going to share what I’ve learned about it with you all

The link above goes to a pdf file going over the entire bill that has only been introduced atm as shown in the image just above from congress.gov.

Now, people only see this as a means to ban Tiktok, but that’s just the mask this truly cruel bill is hiding behind.

To boil it all down, this bill lets the Secretary of Commerce to have the power to ban…basically ANYTHING on the internet.

This includes hardware like video game consoles or Wifi networks as well as software and applications such as VPNs.

It also gives the government the power to monitor, basically everything you do online, private messages, posts on social media, streams, you name it, they can monitor it.

And the punishment for using, say, a VPN to access Tiktok, will result in 20 years in prison with a 1/4 million fine, a full million if you did it on purpose.

Now, I please ask you all to go to your representatives and tell them about how you don’t want this bill to be passed whatsoever. Heck, if you have to, (passively) threaten them with supporting their opponent in the next primary in any way they can. Just remember to be respectful and civil.

If you don’t want to do that, I respect that decision, and I understand that you wouldn’t want to deal with politics. But, I at least ask you to signal boost this post by reblogging it to your own followers and give any other thoughts about this that you might have in the tags or just normally.

I don’t want this lovable hellsite we all call home and made such good friends and memories on to be under the eyes of those pedophilic heathens who can’t seem to even know how to unlock a smartphone.

I thank you all for reading this, and I hope you all have a good day/night.

[adan-bonescrystals]

Protection Magic & Baneful Protections⚡️

What are Baneful Protections?

Baneful protections can be considered both a form of baneful magic and a form of protection magic. When beginning baneful work, this is usually what I recommend starting with. Baneful protections are protection spells that produce some sort of consequence when energy hits it. This can be done without the use of physical taglocks (like names or dates of birth) because energy is able to act like a taglock. For example, some of the baneful protections I have set up will reflect any energy that hits it back to its source while others trap that energy instead (so it can used later on).

It is very important that even though you are protecting yourself, you aren't accidentally tethering the energy to you. In my first baneful protection, I used my saliva to tether the protection to me but instead I tethered all the negative energy the spell had trapped to me and had a horrible case of bad luck for weeks before I realized what I had done. As a rule of thumb i personally don’t include any personal taglocks in baneful protections and always make sure to include a petition that details my exact intent for the spell.

When to use Baneful Protections:

Baneful protections can be used instead of or in conjunction with other forms of protection (see my blog posts for more information on alternative forms of protection magic). I personally didn't have any baneful protections before I was hexed (for the first time) and now I have some just as a precautionary measure. Baneful protections are most beneficial (in my opinion) if you are surrounded by a lot of negative energy or work in an environment that is mentally draining. These protections can help combat the toll that it takes and prevent much of that energy from staying with you for an extended period of time.

It is really up to you whether or not you choose to incorporate baneful protections into your practice. It is worth it to note that this spell work is considered baneful magic, so those who believe in "doing no harm" may choose to forgo this and stick to regular protections instead. Whatever you choose, be sure to do your own research before attempting any new forms of spell work.

Return-to-Sender Spells:

Mirrors- mirrors have the ability to reflect an image so they are also able to reflect energy. Putting up a mirror on your altar or incorporating a piece of a mirror into a spell is very effective at returning energy to its source.

Burning the bottom of a candle- this is a common one and it is also my preferred method at returning energy. The way I do it is by burning the top of the candle like normal and visualizing the energy that you wish to return. Once the candle is flat, I will flip it upside down and light the other end of the wick, symbolizing the return of that energy to its source. This can be done many different ways so check out what other practitioners do to come up with your own method.

Petitions- petitioning is a really great tool that I utilize in most of my spell work because it is an effective way at manifesting a specific intent. It helps if you know the name of the person who sent you the energy for this method but it is not necessary. As long as you have a clear intention and some return-to-sender oil you can make an effective spell.

Running water or rivers- running water has been viewed as being able to carry energy from place to place so it is possible to use it to return energy to its source. In the shower, you can imagine the energy running off of you, down the drain and back to the person who sent it. Another method is throwing your petition into a river and having the river carry it back to its source. (This method also works with a toilet if you are feeling especially feisty!)

*All images are from Pinterest*

#newgrim

[adan-bonescrystals]

Travel Powder : Howls Moving Castle

“Dust this powder on your sails and the winds wil favor you” -markl

Heyo! As I mentioned earlier this account was meant to be an online grimoire that would teach y’all how to make TV spells real! This is one of the first ones I made but it works pretty well.

Ingredients:

Dandelion seeds

Star Anise

Cottonwood fluff

Gossamer (optional)

Sand (preferably from a riverbank or ocean beach)

Dried clover (petals or leaves)

Confectioners sugar (optional)

Assembly:

Grind dandelion, anise, pollen and dried clover with mortar into a fine powder

Add your cottonwood and mix again

If you’ve decided to use confection sugar, add that now for sweet travels

Now add sand and gossamer and grind one last time

Once you’ve finished apply it where needed and store in a solid satchet.

I’ve used this on luggage, plane tickets, veils, tires, actual sails, dusted it on my boots, slapped it on talismans and now I keep it in my coat pocket.

It must be working too, or else the gods are willing it, I’ve never bumped into any trouble in my car, passed my drivers test on the first go, never had a flight delayed or cancelled, our hotels have got our rooms ready and none of my flights have featured crying babies. So. In contrast I feel it works just fine.

You could also use this for Aeromancy if you’re into the Artes Magicae 👉👉 blessings be and all that 🤗

#newgrim

[adan-bonescrystals]

Shadow Work • Exercise #1

Dualism and Animism

Disclaimer: This is not a work of personal opinion, merely a use of historical facts and concepts to build up a correlation. In no way, shape or form is this meant to be read as a favoring of one belief over the other, instead, the objective of this research is to provide an informed and contextualized application of a specific belief in Shadow Work.

Dualistic Belief in Witchcraft

In witchcraft and religion, Dualism means that there is a belief in two divine or supreme powers that oppose each other, and through a shock, mix or encounter they caused the World to come into existence. There are different types of dualistic views, but the concept of two opposing forces is maintained, with changes of how these forces work, which originated first and so on.

Through historic facts, we can see that the Dualistic belief originated in the Ancient World (3000 C.a) and slowly start to reappear with the passage of time, it can be seen in the Middle Eastern (Mesopotamia, Egypt and Iran) religions, as well as in Greece (Hellenistic), India (Hinduism), China (Yin and Yang).

With that brief historical contextualization, we can better understand and identify the origins of certain terms, concepts and beliefs commonly used in many actual witchcraft practices, through the focus of this research doesn’t lie in them, it would be a pity to not briefly mention them so that we can take a look at the historical roots and it’s ramifications and similarities in the actuality.

Light and Dark

We can point out the existence of a distinction between Light and Dark in many specific beliefs and religions, but to briefly explain this dualism, I’ll broaden these beliefs into the Witchcraft Umbrella, generally defined as the “The activity of performing magic to help or harm other people” (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus). In Witchcraft there is a recurring concept (that creates many discussions within the community) about Light Magick and Dark Magick. These are opposing forces, wherein in Light is said to be the ethical performing of protection, peaceful and healing magick, and in the Dark is where people define curses, hexes and practices that cause harm.

Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path

The beliefs of the dualism of the Left- and Right-Hand Path was originated in India, to distinguish those that followed certain ethical codes that abided to cultural norms (The Right Handed Path) from those that followed another specific spiritual path, seen as extreme to cultural beliefs (The Left Hand Path).

What this means is that the Right-Hand Path is one that is constructive and communitarian, the knowledge is achieved, exchanged and taught for the sake of the majority or group, as opposed to the Left-Hand Path, in which one seeks knowledge with their inner growth and enlightenment in mind.

Then, this term was integrated in western Witchcraft, and the Left-Hand Path became a representative of those who performed Dark Magick and The Right-Hand Path of those who performed Light/White Magick.

Good and Evil

Another dualistic concept, that too generates a great amount of discussion is Good and Evil. These are opposing powers, and this concept is one that can be described as an ideology in certain contexts, if described by Chauí (1981b: 3) “Ideology is a systematic body of representations e norms that “teach” us how to obtain knowledge and act, which objective is to unify thought, language and reality to the image of a dominating class.” With that said, an ideology can be applied to any belief or knowledge. And then enters the concept of Good and Evil in Witchcraft, its first historical appearance was in the Ancient World (ac 3000) in Iran, and so, we’ve completed the cycle and wound up in the topic of Dualism’s origins.

The Animistic Belief

Now, let’s revisit the Paleolithic period (2.5 Million years ago to 10.000 B.C), it is the oldest period of history, when humans were in the early stages of discovery of tools. In that period there are many evidences of traditions, such as burying the dead, that we still practice to this day. There are also evidences of a religious practice, or perhaps a world view, known as Animism.

Animism, in brief words, is the belief that everything in the World and the Universe has a distinct spiritual essence, all is alive, all breathes. It can be assumed that at the time, the concept of magick didn’t exist, because there was no concept for material or mundane, or whichever may be the antonym of magick/spiritual. Through this, we can see that there was no distinction between the spiritual and the material, they were one and the same. As such, when everything has essence and spirit, dualistic concepts held no ground in that. Instead, it was believed that there was one single “culture” that could have a variety of natures.

What that means is that the divine powers were encompassing, they were both Chaos and Order, Light and Dark, not as opposites, but as existences and compliments of each other. Good or evil was entirely based on morals and acts, but it was not an inherent of the Divine Powers. So it is safe to assume that animism is a non-dualistic belief.

With that said, many indigenous beliefs still have traces or follow animistic world views, such as Shamanism and Totenism (One can be seen in the other, but they are not necessarily the same). There are also some religions, philosophies or belies that believe in nondualism, such as some branches of Buddhism.

Nondualism applied in Shadow Work

With all that contextualization, we arrive at the final objective.

This concept can be seen as an exercise, one that suggests going back the roots of humanity and briefly forgetting many years of a shared Dualistic world view to practice and look at Shadow Work through a non-dualistic perspective.

If the Shadow is a part of us that we fundamentally consider evil, and Shadow Work is meant to balance our inner selves and promote self-knowledge and self-acceptance, it feels kind and dignified, perhaps even honorable to our common ancestors, to try and exercise a wholesome view over Shadow Work.

The Challenge here is to try and stop the ingrained thought of “This is my dark side, and it needs to breathe. It is bad, but I need to accept it to become enlightened and balanced.” and instead, slowly shift that thought to a more accepting and kinder view, a non-dualistic view of yourself in your wholeness.

A Suggested Exercise

When doing Shadow Work, let’s try and shift the previous thoughts, instead, let us try and think:

“This is my dark side, it is part of me, I may not like it or accept it at the moment, but that does not mean that my Shadow is the opposite of me. My Shadow is not Evil, and I don’t intend to work with it as one does a disease while trying to obtain a cure. My Shadow is dark, but my shadow is me, and I'll try to understand and accept it. There is no evil and there is no good within this Work, there is only me.”

I think this can be of course, altered to one’s taste and demand, as long as the point stands, and that’s a non-dualistic view of this process.

Introduction • Shadow Work: Origins, Meaning and Utility.

Images:

René Magritte – Decalcomania in Black and White

Pablo Amaringo - Forest

References:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/dualism-religion/Historical-varieties-of-religious-dualism

http://dianic.faithweb.com/lightvsdark.htm

http://www.themagickkitchen.com/light-magick-vs-dark/

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/keepingherkeys/2018/01/balance-dark-light/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-hand_path_and_right-hand_path

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_and_evil

https://study.com/academy/lesson/paleolithic-age-religion-artifacts.html

https://www.shorthistory.org/prehistory/language-and-spiritual-culture-in-old-stone-age/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/animism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondualism

[adan-bonescrystals]

Cultural Appropriation in Modern Witchcraft

Cultural appropriation occurs when cultural practices are taken out of their original context and misused by outsiders. Cultural appropriation is different from cultural sharing, which occurs naturally in any multicultural society. Eating at an Indian restaurant is not cultural appropriation. Wearing a bindi when you don’t understand its significance in Indian culture is.

Cultural appropriation is a huge issue in modern witchcraft. When you have witches using white sage to “smudge” their altars, doing meditations to balance their chakras, and calling on Santa Muerte in spells, all without making any effort to understand the cultural roots of those practices, you have a serious problem.

When trying to understand cultural appropriation in witchcraft, it’s important to understand the difference between open and closed magic systems. An open system is one that is open to exchange with outsiders — both sharing ideas/practices and taking in new ones. In terms of religion, spirituality, and witchcraft, a completely open system has no restrictions on who can practice its teachings. A closed system is one that is isolated from outside influences — usually, there is some kind of restriction on who can practice within these systems.

There are different reasons a system might be closed. Some systems require a formal training and/or initiation, but there is no restriction on who can be initiated. Reiki and some forms of Wicca operate this way. (All other forms of Wicca are completely open.) Some systems are closely tied to a complex set of cultural beliefs that may not be fully understood by outsiders, so they are closed to people outside of that culture. Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) is an example of this. Some systems require a family lineage, so you must have been born into the system to practice within it. Zoroastrianism and some forms of traditional witchcraft fall into this category. And finally, some systems are closed as a kind of self defense, usually because they have been the target of persecution from outsiders — keeping the system closed is a way to preserve beliefs and practices that might otherwise be lost. African Diaspora Religions fall into this last category.

If a belief or practice is part of a closed system, outsiders should not take part in it. It really is that simple. If you aren’t Native American, you should not be performing smudging ceremonies. If you aren’t Jewish, you should not be practicing Kabbalah or working with Lilith as your “goddess.” If you aren’t Black, you should not be practicing Hoodoo. You get the idea.

On a similar note, just because a system is open does not mean you can do whatever you want with its teachings. You should still make a point of educating yourself on the system you are practicing and take care not to take things out of their original context. Some forms of Shinto are open, but you wouldn’t involve the kami in a Wiccan- or pagan-style ritual — Shinto has its own rules for ritual, which are very different from Western paganism. If you feel called to work with a cultural system you are not already part of, you need to be willing to put in the work of respectfully learning about and preserving that system.

It is impossible to appropriate a dominant culture. For example, in the United States, white American culture is treated as the default. There is tremendous pressure on all other cultural groups to speak English, dress like white Americans, and act like white Americans. White American culture has deep roots in Protestant Christianity, and these religious influences are enforced through social norms and sometimes through laws. Many businesses are closed on Christmas and Easter, and I live in an area where it is illegal to sell alcohol on Sunday mornings. White (Christian) American culture is literally being shoved down everyone’s throats all the time. A non-Christian immigrant wearing a cable-knit sweater, taking Sundays off work, or celebrating Christmas isn’t cultural appropriation, because they are expected to adopt these elements of the dominant culture.

It is also impossible to appropriate your own culture, even if you weren’t raised in it. For example, a Latinx person who decides to learn brujeria does not need anyone’s permission to do so. That practice is a part of their cultural heritage.

Dead cultures are a gray area, but the general consensus is that you cannot appropriate a system that isn’t connected to a living culture. For example, Hellenic polytheism is very different from modern Greek culture. A non-Greek person practicing Hellenic polytheism isn’t appropriating Greek culture, because that religion hasn’t been openly practiced in Greece for thousands of years. The same goes for many other types of reconstructionist paganism (paganism based on recreating ancient beliefs and practices) such as Kemetic (Egyptian) polytheism, Celtic paganism, Norse paganism, etc.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t still make an effort to be respectful of the cultural origins of these religions. If you worship the Kemetic gods, you should probably educate yourself on at least the basic history and philosophy of Ancient Egypt. You should probably try to be faithful to the ancient beliefs in your practice. But you don’t need any sort of initiation, because there is no direct connection between the ancient religion and modern reconstruction.

So How Do We Avoid Appropriation?

Know the difference between open and closed systems, and respect if a system is closed.

If a system is open or only partially closed, try to find a teacher or mentor who is already a part of that system. If an in-person mentor isn’t possible, try to find books and other resources created by people who are actually part of that culture.

Only use items or practices in your witchcraft if you have a good understanding of their cultural, religious, and/or spiritual significance.

If a member of a culture or magic system tells you their system is closed and asks you to stop using it, listen to them.

Educate yourself on how cultural appropriation contributes to systemic racism and other social issues.

Don’t try to sneak around culture appropriation. If you burn white sage to cleanse your space, you are still appropriating Native American spiritual practices (and contributing to the overharvesting of an endangered plant), even if you don’t use the term “smudging” or appropriate the entire smudge ceremony. If something is not yours to practice, leave it alone.

Learning about other cultures is not the same as cultural appropriation. Here’s a personal example: I live fairly close to New Orleans, and I think New Orleans Voodoo is a fascinating tradition. When I visit, I like to speak to local Voodoo practitioners and learn from them about their practice. That being said, I recognize that I am not a part of that practice, and I’m not about to start incorporating elements of Voodoo into my personal practice.

As a white woman, my track record is not perfect when it comes to cultural appropriation. When I first started my witchcraft journey, I burned white sage and worked with the chakra system. I didn’t know any better, and these things were presented to me as if they were open to anyone. But now I do know better, and I’m making a conscious effort to avoid appropriation in my practice.

I’m also trying to do better for new witches just entering the world of alternative spirituality. It’s important for us to talk about things like cultural appropriation so that baby witches know from the beginning what the issues are and why they matter.

[adan-bonescrystals]

🌒Shadow Work Links🌘

Basics- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/654014700411043840

Basics/Origins- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/654014676101890048

Tips- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/654014720483999744

#shadow work

[adan-bonescrystals]

#shadow work

[adan-bonescrystals]

Shadow work 🤍

@thewitchoftheforest on instagram

@thewitchoftheforest

#shadow work

[adan-bonescrystals]

Shadow Work

Origins, Meaning and Utility

The Structure of the Mind

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

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

What is the Shadow

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

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

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

The Shadow in Witchcraft and Benefits of Shadow Work

Art: Unknown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

References:

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

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

#shadow work

[adan-bonescrystals]

"sexualizing or fantasizing about real people is bad" is still my favorite tumblr opinion

#this is so funny wtf

[adan-bonescrystals]

The Problem With Sharing Advanced Magic

The inherent problem with sharing advanced magic is exactly why we all celebrate magic: it’s personal!

When we go to 101 stuff, it’s all pretty universal. Energy balls, grounding, shielding, spirit talk, warding, cleansing. A solid practitioner who has been studying even a few weeks could tell you the basics of these commonly explained things!

Then people get bored of it, and want to move to the next step. I regularly see calls for discourse on more advanced topics, which I call “201” topics. Let’s not cast a shield, let’s cast a sentient fanged 1000 layered lotus shield with twelve spinning sigils represented by four unknown colors! Which is dope. Advanced energy work is a solid place to go and can significantly strengthen any practitioner. Then there’s the 201 of any topic; divination, spirit work, etc. How to go from beginner to adept.

And that’s where things pretty much seem to stop, and people seem to get frustrated. Where are the mystic techniques that take a practitioner from Muggle to Wizard? Where are the techniques that Make Unbelievable Shit Happen? Okay, we’ve all cast money spells. Magic is real. Woo. But I want more than a few extra dollars and hexing my enemies. I want my soul to evolve. I want to walk the worlds and learn secret songs of animals and stars. I want personal gnosis, where the spirits whisper Truth to me, instead of reading it out books. I want to birth souls and make hearts stop. I want some Real Fuckin Magic, some 301 next level shit.

I know there are a LOT of Initiated people on Tumblr who do Unbelievable Real Fuckin Shit (including me). So where are all the posts about how to do it? Where are my posts about it?

I’ve come to realize there are a lot of good reasons I don’t post “301” content. So many that I’m not even sure where to begin.

First off, it doesn’t apply to anyone but me. Ok, so I met my guiding animal spirit. Anyone can do that; I could teach you how in 300 words or less. But the lessons he teaches me, and the places he takes me, and the secrets and songs he whispers in my ear aren’t for anyone but me. I can’t make posts about him without violating the sanctity of our relationship. I can’t share the paths to the places I go without violating their safety or the trust the spirits place in me. It’s not because I’m a nasty elitist who doesn’t want other people to know cool magical secrets. It’s because I would be ejected from my path face first in to the mud if I did. Do I want people to have the same experiences I do? Yes! But you can only guide someone so far, unless you have a very trusted mentor.

I worry that people won’t respect the information I share. I suppose this is pretty big for me. I don’t want people to take my sacred animal rituals and desecrate them in honor of pagan gods. I don’t want to share a hallowed place of healing, and get a message three weeks later from a baby conjurer asking me for exclusivity rights to the holy spirits in my path. I don’t want some rude asshole messaging me telling me they’ve spoken to my guides for me and they have messages to share! (You have no idea how many times this has happened to me).

So I keep my lip zipped.

And I suppose lastly, and most vaguely, I do believe Initiation is necessary to experience certain things, so it’s kind of pointless to share because people won’t understand, believe, or accept your message unless they’ve already been there themselves. “Initiation” can mean any number of things, but I mean it in the way where the spirits or gods take you apart and put you back together as a practitioner on your path. There was a hell of a lot I just didn’t “get” until I experienced it firsthand, that no amount of books or posts or helpful bloggers could ever have pounded in to my head.

I think if you want to do “next level shit”, you have to get there on your own. And there are resources to do it. There are a lot of resources to do it. But you can only be handed the key; you have to walk the path yourself. And I think that’s why we’re lacking a lot of the info we’d like to see.

[adan-bonescrystals]

The "advanced" witch

This post that I read, really struck a chord.

I've been asked before, what it's like being an experienced or "advanced level" witch. And honestly, I never quite know how to answer this. Every now and then, I get a specific question of how do I do this or where did I learn that, and I have to really think about it. It's like driving a car. Some of it becomes automatic after a while. I don't even remember exactly how I learned to read tarot cards. It's just something that I've been doing since forever ago. A lot of the stuff, I've been doing for long enough, that I don't even think about anymore. Stuff that I just do. Stuff that's just there, in my head, in my system, a part of me. I never had a grimoire or a spell book. If it weren't for my blog, I probably still wouldn't be writing things down.

I started tarot reading 13 years ago, and decided I wanted to be a witch 10 years ago. To be perfectly honest, I feel like I'm just now starting to "get it". Sometimes, it feels like a lifetime has passed, and I don't remember when being a witch became as natural as breathing.

Yes, I was a beginner once. We all were. Everybody has to start somehow, from somewhere. Without beginners, there are no experts. But when I first started walking this path, the world was a different place. Social media wasn't a thing. Life felt a lot simpler back then. Let me just say, with all sincerity, that I applaud the new/beginner witches of today. You are braver than I was back in my days.

With all my heart, I love having this blog, and I have no intention of departing Tumblr anytime soon. But I will go ahead and admit, what you see on Tumblr is only a glimpse of the witch that I am. That's not to say I have no intention of sharing more. But it does mean that every bit of what I do share is carefully considered.

I have walked away from many debates and arguments, as well as blogs I thought were worth following. Not saying I have a thin skin. I'm in my mid 30s now. I've kind of been there and seen that. I'm a big girl. I've been through a lot and I can handle a lot more. But let's face it, I'm getting old here, and I'm a spoonie. I just don't have the mental and physical energy for internet drama. The truth is, I also don't want to share something that's personal, that's important to me, that's been cultivated by many years of practice, faith, and spirituality, only to be pounced head on by someone who's jumped on the latest cultural appropriation bandwagon or who's picked up on the most recent WitchTok fad.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm far from thinking that all or even most baby witches are trend followers or bandwagon jumpers. I have learned quite a bit from the younger folks who are newer to this whole thing, believe it or not. But the one advantage that we old farts who've been around and at this for a while do have, is life experiences. You pick up so many things along the way as you go through life, and that's something that only time will give you. I've traveled to and lived in many places. I've spent a lot of time with a wide array of people, who know a wider array of people. I've learned from them what can't be found in books or on websites. I've built many connections across the globe that have withstood time and distance. I can just talk with those people, who know more of what they're talking about than the majority of the internet, than the bloggers and influencers who might have a bit more time on their hands, than the keyboard warriors who can't seem to distinguish between popularity and authenticity.

I will say though: much of being a witch is learned and done by doing, by experimenting, by exploring. A little bit of luck, and a lot of perseverance. It wasn't easy for me in the beginning. I had no one to guide me, and resources available to me were few and far in between. So much of the knowledge I have gathered throughout the years, I did by trial and error, as well as a good deal of guess work, and then revising and tweaking back and forth along the way. This journey is deeply personal and very individualistic. Along with studying the craft, you're studying yourself. You're figuring out who you are and how your craft fits into your being. You're discovering what works for you and what doesn't. You're deciding what to keep and what to discard. This is hard to be taught. It's why if someone who's brand new to witchcraft were to approach me and ask me to teach them everything I know, I'd have to sit down and have a chat with them about why I can't simply do that. There are some things that I can walk you through, some things that I can go over with you, and some things that I can show you. But it's true that you can lead a horse to water and not make it drink. Am I willing to impart my wisdom and experience? To a degree, yes. But all the instruction and training in the world won't do much, if you don't use it, develop it, and expand it, along with stretching your potential, on your own. And it's not the same for everyone, when they're ready to make the next leap, or answer the next calling.

(Art by minland4099 on DevianArt.)

[adan-bonescrystals]

Metals and its Correspondences

Gold

Physical strength, Success, Health, Victory, Creativity, Jewels, Illumination, Enhancing

Element: Fire

Astrology: Sun

Plants: Chamomile, Heliotrope, Orange sunflower, Marigold, Frankincense

Silver

Neutral, Balance, Psychic aptitude, Dreams, Astral travel, Protection, Intuition, Protection  

Element: Water

Astrology: Moon

Plants: Viper tongue, Lady of the night, Mesquite, Willow, Bergamot, Camphor

Iron/Steel

Action, Strength, Partnership, Passion, Courage, Determination

Element: Fire

Astrology: Mars

Plants: Nettle, Garlic, Passion fruit, Parsley, Cactus, Pepper, Fir tree

Aluminum

Wisdom, Omniscience, Movement, Communication, Transport, Velocity, Cure, Motivation, Creativity

Element: Air, Water, Earth

Astrology: Mercury

Plants: Dill, Scout, Lavender, Potentilla, Vetiver Root, Hazel, Horehound

Pewter/Tin

Material logic, Good Luck, Riches, Success, Law, Business, Honor, Expansion

Element: Earth, Fire, Air, Water

Astrology: Jupiter

Plants: Clove, Hyssop, Cinnamon, Jasmine, Chestnut, Saffron, Cedar, Honeysuckle, Cumaru bean

Copper  

Love, Growth, Health, Fertility, New projects, Beauty, Sensuality, Money, Pleasure, Prosperity, Friendship

Element: Air, Earth

Astrology: Venus

Plants: Adam and Eve root, Pink, Caper, Heather, Strawberry, Tansy, Dandelion, Primrose, Apple, Yarrow

Lead

Test, Connect, Inhibit, Manifestation, Crystalize, Science, Concentration, Maturity, Invention, Pragmatic, Neutralize, Discipline, Longevity

Element: Earth, Water, Air, Fire  

Astrology: Saturn

Plants: Ivy, Hemlock, Datura, Mandrake root, Tobacco, Moss, Aconite, Myrrh

Uranium/White Gold

Eccentricity, Inventive, Links unusual ideas to reform and expand, Clear electrical energy, Bizarre happenings, Unexpected changes  

Element: Air, Water, Fire

Astrology: Uranus

Plants: Rue, Clover, Birch, Burdock Root, Ebony, Pomegranate

Platinum/Pewter

Visions, Dreams, Ideas, Fantasy, Artistic aptitude, Psychic perception, Cure, Images, Water, Illusions, Chemical changes

Element: Water

Astrology: Neptune

Plants: Lotus, Watercress, Water Lily, Seaweed, Grape

Chrome/Plutonium

Brings order to chaos, Group ideas, Subtle spell and thought manifestation, Witch power, Unite or Disintegrate

Element: Water

Astrology: Pluto

Plants: Santonina, Pilriteirom Foxglove, Ginger Root, Vanilla Seed, Swordfish, Dogwood, Sanguinaria canadensis

Brass

Action, Strength, Balance, Decisions, Reality, Shelter, Stability

Element: Air, Earth, Fire, Water

Astrology: Earth

Plants: Mostly Trees and Roots

#metal correspondences

[adan-bonescrystals]

Links to Correspondences

Animals- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643796623369125888/animal-correspondences-for-spells-and-rituals

Animals- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643796605354622977/animal-symbolism-intro-masterlist-animals-are

Animals- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643796843605671936/some-animal-correspondences

Aquatic Creatures- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643796407685431296/as-ive-been-thinking-on-making-this-for-a

Birds- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643796674473607168/bird-symbolism-part-2

Bones- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643588567239720960/bone-correspondences

Crystals (Protective)- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643795882907729921/crystals-for-protection

Crystal (Shapes)- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643795983038398465/crystal-shapes-and-correspondences-tumbled-even

Elements- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643751678235000832/the-elements-and-their-correspondences-e-a

Flowers- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643935407208267776/some-flowers-in-witchcraft

Insects- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643797144970641408/insectbug-correspondents

Liquids- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643935581964992512/the-ultimate-guide-to-potion-bases-we-all-spend-so

Metal- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/644031436346851329/metals-and-its-correspondences-gold-physical

Moon Phases- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/644028858536017920/moon-phases

Moon Water- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/644029630423171073/moon-water-correspondences

Moths- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643797030475579392/moth-correspondences

Numbers- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/643797356984287232/the-following-list-reflects-the-ancient

Water- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/644029599436685312/water-magic

Weather- https://adan-bonescrystals.tumblr.com/post/644029554053234688/weather-correspondences

[adan-bonescrystals]

🌕✨ moon water correspondences ✨🌕

taken from one of my favourite pages of my grimoire! 

moon water can be used for blessings, enhancing spells or rituals, for promoting clarity or relaxation, in love magic, wealth/prosperity magic, to increase psychic awareness, and many other purposes! but by harnessing your moon water at different times, you can then incorporate the specific traits of that time/phase/zodiac period into your spell work. 

✨new moon water ✨

the new moon is associated with new beginnings, so use new moon water in spells or rituals focusing on things like new employment, new relationships, or new homes. 

e.g. when moving into a new home, add a couple of tablespoons of new moon water to the water you would normally use to cleanse your house with!

✨waxing moon water ✨

the waxing moon is the period in which the moon is growing in size, so use waxing moon water as a way to grow the strength of your spells. waxing moon water is also beneficial in spells to promote growth (of abilities, skill, or knowledge). the power of the waxing moon also increases the potency of fertility spells, wealth, luck, business and relationship spells  

✨full moon water ✨

the full moon is the point at which the moon is at its peak, so use full moon water for spells that require an extra push of energy. also use full moon water in spells to promote strength, love, protection, health, or use in spells to strengthen spiritual gifts and achieve your dreams 

✨waning moon water ✨

the waning moon is the period in which the moon is decreasing in size, so use waning moon water for all magic intended to remove things from your life; banishing spells to rid yourself of bad habits, toxic relationships, lingering diseases, weight loss, stress, addictions and negativity 

✨dark moon water ✨

when justice is required and is not obtainable outside of your spell work, casting in the dark of the moon and adding dark moon water will help with any crosses, hexes or binding spells

✨super moon water ✨

think of full moon water x1000000…… when you need an EXTRA BIG KICK OF ENERGY for your spells, this guy has you covered 

✨lunar eclipse moon water ✨

the lunar eclipse signifies change, so when drastic change is required, the addition of lunar eclipse water draws on the phenomenal change shown during an eclipse, as the moon cycles through all of its stages in a single instance

✨zodiac* moon water ✨

full moon water also takes on the energies of the zodiac sign the full moon is in. here’s a brief rundown of those properties and/or what they can be used for:

1) full moon water in aries = couragous, positive energy; charging tools 2) full moon water in taurus = stable, earth, fertile energy 3) full moon water in gemini = positive charge, overcoming obstacles 4) full moon water in cancer = loving, maternal, protective energies 5) full moon water in leo = lucky, creative, successful energy; arts, politics 6) full moon water in virgo = practical energy; facilitates planning 7) full moon water in libra = persuasive, balancing energies; legal matters 8) full moon water in scorpio = psychic, spiritual, banishing energy  9) full moon water in sagittarius = transforming, spiritual energy; meditation 10) full moon water in capricorn = careers, politics, attaining material goods 11) full moon water in aquarius = innovative, inventive energies 12) full moon water in pisces = dreamy, psychic energy; astral projection

#moon water

[adan-bonescrystals]

🌊 Water Magic 🌊

Water is a powerful tool in witchcraft. Whether you collect it from the weather, the ocean, a lake, or from your own sink or shower, it can be used in many spells and incantations and has strong magical properties… 

–

Water Correspondences

🌊 Water: love, banishing, beauty, calm, change, compassion, creativity, emotions, femininity, fertility, flexibility, healing, intuition, meditation, psychic powers, purification, dreams, sensitivity, sadness, life

🌊 Ocean / sea water: vastness, fear, power, life, protection

🌊 Rain water: growth, power, regeneration, rebirth

🌊 Storm water: clarity, strength, purification, banishing

🌊 Lake water: abundance, unknown, wealth, spirituality

🌊 Swamp water: disease, invisibility, connection, links

🌊 River water: charging, energy, movement, power

🌊 Pond water: limitations, silence, conjuration, immobility

🌊 Melted ice: creativity, growth, harmony, motivation, purification

🌊 Melted hail: pain, curse, bad intentions, anger

🌊 Melted snow: change, balance, endings, healing, power, purity

🌊 Morning dew: love, charm, fertility, sensitivity

– 

✨ Spells & Magic

- Practice daily energy cleansing under the shower.  - If you have a bathtub, create bath spells to give you power. - Open windows when it rains.  - Make sprays with specific herbs for your home or your bed.  - Listen to waterfall / rain playlists.  - Charge jars of water under the moonlight to collect moon water. - Dress with blue colors to use the power of water. 

#water correspondences