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booksandwitchery · 2 days

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Taken during the 30 seconds that it wasn’t raining at the Renaissance Faire.

#renaissance #Renaissance faire #renaissance pleasure faire #paganism #witchcraft #witch #just witchy things #neopaganism #witches of tumblr #secular witchcraft #nature #pagan #naturalisticpaganism

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booksandwitchery · 11 days

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Greetings and Life Update

I really miss being on here and talking to you all! I hope everyone on Witchblr is doing well and enjoying the season.

I want to say that I have been undergoing a bit of a career change and that's why I haven't been on here as much. I have transitioned from being a librarian to...dun dun dun...a historical archivist! In February, I accepted a new position at SCV Historical Society. When I was in grad school I had no idea that museum archival work was even in the cards for me. It's crazy how much can change in just a year. This was emotionally difficult for me because I was so attached to the library and the work I was doing there. The commute, however, was slowly killing me and I didn't feel like I was being challenged. I took the new job because my intuition was firmly telling me it was the right thing to do, but it was not an easy decision.

Now that I am (more or less) adjusted to the new position and sleep schedule, I'm excited to be more active on here because everything witchcraft makes me feel at home. I'd also like to give a quick update on where I'm at on my path:

As with a lot of secular witches, I had a phase of reading about Chaos Magick and finding ways to adapt this model to my own life and practice. The idea of creating servitors and working with archetypal deities really resonated with me. I'm now reading a book called Why Woo-Woo Works: The Surprising Science Behind Meditation, Reiki, Crystals, and Other Alternative Practices by David R. Hamilton Ph.D. It really helps solidify for the reader why all religions/spiritual practices tend to work for people (at least some extent). The book pairs well with Chaos Magick and witchcraft in general because the author highlights the importance of belief in achieving your goals, getting results, living a better life, etc. He also cites a startling amount of scientific studies and lists them in the references at the end of the book (for skeptics like me that want to be sure that the author isn't stretching the truth or taking any liberties with explaining the results of the experiments).

Next--over the winter holiday, I was gifted a shitload of calligraphy supplies for some reason. So I've started to get into calligraphy and various ink colors and pens. Naturally this calligraphy hobby really has me obsessed with color magic and ink magic (I still don't know if ink magic is a thing, but it should be).

Between work and all the craziness of life, I've also been steadily working on a master list of personal correspondences. I started on paper, but soon transitioned over to a digital list because it really is a living, iterative document that can change from day-to-day. For this I've been using the whiteboard feature on Canva, and I've also been working on some other stuff on there that really deserves its own post.

I also have way too many witchcraft books to read; it's really intimidating at this point. If you have any tips on how to set up a reading schedule or reading priority list, let me know. Actually if you have any advice on how to keep up a reading habit while also keeping up with everything else, please please please throw it my way.

I've got so much to say! I could go on and on. It's good to be back.

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booksandwitchery · 25 days

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#happyapril #april fool's day #April #April fools #spring #Ostara #witchy things #paganism #witchcraft #witch #just witchy things #neopaganism #pagan #witches of tumblr #secular witchcraft #sasswitchcraft #sass witchcraft #witchblr #witchy

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booksandwitchery · 2 months

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Just noticed tonight that my labradorite slab has a lil’ heart shape. And I’ve had it for years and years. Good gracious :’)

#labradorite #crystal #crystals #just witchy things #witchvibes #witch please #witch #witchcraft #neopaganism #paganism #witches of tumblr #pagan #secular witchcraft #nature worship #shiny rocks

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booksandwitchery · 2 months

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I. What is behind me

II. What I want

III. What will guide me

IV. What I need to overcome

V. Potential result

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booksandwitchery · 2 months

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Wish me luck because I’m desperately going to need it

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booksandwitchery · 2 months

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This is a perfect example of my cat not letting me be a witch and do my witchy things. When I move her off my grimoire she just plops down on it again. Yes it’s probably time for bed, but I’m an adult and I should get to decide, damnit! Also when I get up to get tea or use the bathroom, she pushes my fountain pens off the desk.

#definitely not my familiar #just my cat child #witch problems #witchcraft #witch #just witchy things #cats #catblr #neopaganism #witches of tumblr #secular witchcraft #photography

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booksandwitchery · 3 months

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Gent, Belgium, photo by orion_concept

#architecture #travel #belgium #vintage #fog #gothic #mist #dark academia #photography

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booksandwitchery · 3 months

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Foz d’Égua, Portugal

#photography #nature #green #nature photography #nature is god #nature worship

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booksandwitchery · 3 months

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[Wiccans] are the arbiters of their own ethics; they have the responsibility and the power to choose their actions based on their own ideals rather than on rules imposed by someone else. . .Wicca is not about being comfortable all the time. It is about directing the course of your own life." - Thea Sabin, Wicca for Beginners

#not wiccan just love this quote #first book about witchcraft and paganism i ever read #changed my life #thea sabin #paganism #witchcraft #witch #just witchy things #pagan #neopaganism #witches of tumblr #secular witchcraft #witchblr #witches #magick #nature worship #magic

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booksandwitchery · 3 months

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Do you guys ever think about putting together a set of throwing bones? I first read about them in The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Natural Magick, but at the time I thought I should get comfortable with more basic divination (tarot, elder runes, etc.) before jumping into that. I have accrued so many cool trinkets that when/if I ever compile a set of personal throwing bones, I’ll hopefully have an easier time. Does anybody out there already have experience using throwing bones for divination? I’m so captivated by the idea.

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booksandwitchery · 4 months

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would you describe yourself as atheopagan + secular witch? :)

Absolutely

#atheopagan #atheopaganism #naturalistic paganism #atheist witch #secular witch

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booksandwitchery · 4 months

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Personal Correspondences

After studying witchcraft for about 18 months now, I am finally getting around to recording my list of personal correspondences. If you ever feel like you're getting witch imposter syndrome, remember that witchcraft, paganism, and occultism in general are so multifaceted and multidisciplinary. You can be heavily immersed in your path for a long time and still not have the basics down. I'm not necessarily saying that personal correspondences are basic, but I sure feel silly that I am just now taking time to establish these for myself.

I've always had a hard time with Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences and similar literature because of the pure subjectivity of everything in life. For example, I am not partial to the color purple because of bad memories from my childhood. Many other people will feel that the color purple is calming, welcoming, or friendly. If humans are all so unique and diverse (and we are), I can't agree that any list of magical correspondences is universal or should be trusted at the sacrifice of personal experience and/or intuition. I must say that this of course excludes medical or evidence-based properties of plants, herbs, chemicals, and so on.

This is just the unfinished flower section, but I've covered a lot of ground (crystals, herbs and spices, plants, trees, metals, scents, animals, etc.) and I'm excited to keep chiseling away at this master list.

I'm interested to know if any of you have made a list of personal correspondences, or if you're cool with the books just spelling them out for you. Let me know!

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booksandwitchery · 4 months

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Just a lil' something that I got for my collection. I'm so excited and so is my cat apparently

#paganism #witchcraft #witch #just witchy things #pagan #neopaganism #witches of tumblr #secular witchcraft #witches #witchblr #essential oils #aromatherapy #photography #magick #witchy vibes #witch vibes #sass witchcraft #sass witch #godless paganism

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booksandwitchery · 4 months

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Hey all, just wanted to share this spread from The Field Tarot guidebook by Hannah Elizabeth Fontana. I just think it’s so beautiful and super versatile. I’ve been vibing with this deck in general but this spread is particularly cool.

#paganism #witchcraft #witch #just witchy things #pagan #neopaganism #witches of tumblr #secular witchcraft #divination #tarot #tarot daily #dailytarot #tarot deck #tarot spread #tarot cards #tarotblr #tarot community

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booksandwitchery · 4 months

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I’ve decided to cut ties with this stupid idea that tarot needs to be practiced a certain way or it’s “wrong.” Sometimes I get decision fatigue trying to think of the right question to ask, so for the meanwhile I’ve just been asking for messages from the universe and then I write intuitively about the card. I don’t let myself worry about the meanings (though if I know them that’s a good feeling too.) I am slowly chipping away at my tendency to hold myself back for the sake of doing things “properly.”

Deck: The Field Tarot by Hannah Elizabeth Fofana

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booksandwitchery · 4 months

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#cedar wood #cedarwood #cedarwood oil #aromatherapy #essential oils #paganism #witchcraft #witch #just witchy things #pagan #neopaganism #nature #witches of tumblr #secular witchcraft #naturalistic pagan

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