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my favourite genre is women setting fire to their tormentor's homes/buildings and then walking out surrounded by flames

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Moonandcactus

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When I think about a Greek goddess with whom people can identify the Wiccan Triple Goddess, Hecate makes sense, sure, but hear me out on this: Hera is a very good fit as a triple goddess too, even better, in my opinion, than Hecate, despite the latter literally being represented with three bodies.

Hera’s cult in Stymphalia identified her as going through a three-fold cycle where she goes through the phase of Pais (“child”), Teleia (“complete”, here referring to her as a wife and a mother. She notably shares this one with Zeus), and Chera (“widow”/“absent”, which refers to her separation from her husband in multiple myths).

This Wiccan Triple Goddess, with her Maiden-Mother-Crone cycle, sounds a little too similar to the Pais-Teleia-Chera aspects of Hera’s cult in Stymphalia.

I’m not trying to make a point here, just pointing out the similarities between the two.

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pssssst hey. hey. free and expansive database of folk and fairy tales. you can thank me later

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“Sometimes the world of the living gets mixed up with the world of the dead.”

The Others (2001) dir. Alejandro Amenábar

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Bewitching Your Coffee

I am 100% a coffee drinker. I love drinking it black, I love it in lattes and cappucini (yes, that's the actual plural of cappucino), and I especially love the experience of sharing coffee with another person. And, like everything that comes out of my kitchen, I like finding ways to make coffee more magical.

But even though coffee is a daily essential for a lot of us and has a long history in folk magic, people don't talk about it nearly as much as tea magic. I did some digging, and this post contains my research into the magic and lore of coffee and the things we like to add to coffee. I hope my fellow kitchen witches find this helpful!

Correspondences of Coffee and Common Coffee Add-ons

Coffee: Used for grounding and to anchor a spell in the physical world. Useful in spells for mental clarity and enhancing psychic senses. Used in several types of American folk magic as an offering for spirits. Author Starr Casas uses coffee for powerful cleansing and blockbusting in her Southern folk magic practice. Because of its association with energy and movement, coffee can be used to add strength to spells. I personally associate coffee with the Earth and Air elements and with the planet Uranus.

Milk has different correspondences based on whether you are using cow's milk or a plant-based milk.

Cow's Milk: Associated with nurturing, love, and abundance. In pagan Ireland, offering someone milk was an effective blessing. Milk and cream are said to be favorite offerings of fairies. I associate cow's milk with the Water element and the Moon.

Soy Milk: Soy may have been a sacred food crop in ancient China and is associated with blessings. During the Japanese festival Setsubun, soy beans are used to repel bad spirits and draw good fortune in a practice called mamemaki -- soy products can be used in spells for protection or good fortune. Use soy milk or other soy products in spells for success, good luck, and prosperity. I personally associate soy milk with the Earth element and with the planet Jupiter.

Almond Milk: Associated with prosperity, wealth, and success in business, as well as with increasing wisdom. Almond milk and other almond products are associated with the Air element and the planet Mercury.

Coconut Milk: Associated with purification, healing, and protection. In African American magic traditions, coconut can be used for peaceful home work and protection work, as well as ancestor offerings. Coconut is associated with the Water element and the moon.

Oatmilk: Associated with prosperity and money magic. Oats are associated with the Earth element and the planet Venus.

Sweeteners attract sweetness and good fortune. Different sweeteners have their own associations.

Sugar: Associated with love and lust. In Southern folk magic, sugar is sometimes used in money work. Sugar is associated with the Water element and the planet Venus.

Brown Sugar: Has the same associations as regular sugar, but works more slowly because it contains molasses.

Honey: Associated with home, family, love, and blessings. In Southern folk magic, honey is sometimes used in domination or control work, especially honeycomb. I personally associate honey with the Water element and with the planet Venus.

Maple Syrup: Associated with love, money, and long life. I personally associate maple with new life and transformation based on Robin Wall Kimmerer's writings about them in Braiding Sweetgrass. Associated with the Air element and the planet Jupiter.

Artificial Sweeteners (Splenda, xylitol, and other man-made sweeteners): There's very little written about the magical uses of these sweeteners, but I personally associate them with creativity, innovation, and new discoveries. I associate these sweeteners with the Air element and the planets Mercury and Uranus.

Caramel* is actually made from sugar, which is cooked over low heat until it caramelizes, or turns brown. Caramel has the same magical associations as sugar, but with a stronger connection to Fire energy and to transformation.

*Note: In the US, "caramel" is often made with corn syrup. For example, the caramel drizzle at Starbucks is basically 100% corn syrup, or at least was when I worked there a few years back. This isn't to say you can't work magically with corn syrup-based caramel, but the energy will be different. I don't have experience here because I have a corn allergy, so I'd love to hear if anyone has experience working with corn syrup in witchcraft!

Chocolate** is originally from Latin America and was an important ceremonial drink in Mayan culture. In Mexica (Aztec) culture, chocolate was used as currency and was said to be a gift from the gods. It was associated with the devil and with witchcraft when it was first brought to Spain by colonizers. Later, during the Renaissance, it was seen as a miracle cure for all kinds of medical conditions. Based on its history, chocolate can be used in magic for love, sex, energy, spirituality, magical abilities, and healing. I personally associate chocolate with the Fire element and with the Sun.

**Note: Scott Cunningham includes a note on "chocolate" in his book on magical herbs, but this is actually carob, Jacaranda procera. The cacao tree, which produces chocolate, is Theobroma cacao.

Cinnamon is associated with success, healing, adding power to spells, spirituality, wealth, and protection. Cinnamon is important in Christian folk magic because of its use in the Bible. In Southern folk magic, cinnamon is used for money, luck, and lust and is said to work very fast. It can also be used for blessings and protection spells. It is associated with the Fire element and the Sun.

Clove is probably most famous for its use in spells to stop gossip, but it is also used to drive away harmful spirits and to attract wealth. It is also sometimes used in love and sex magic and for successful business work. It is connected to the Fire element and the planet Jupiter.

Ginger adds power to spells and situations. It is used in spells for love, money, success, and healing, but it can be included in any spell to add power or make results happen faster. Ginger is associated with Fire and with the planet Mars.

Hazelnuts have long been used in Western European folk charms for luck and good fortune. It is said that eating hazelnuts makes you wise and can increase fertility. Hazel is also associated with protection and with granting wishes. It is connected to the Air element and the Sun.

Lavender is used in love spells, especially spells to attract a masculine partner. It also has a strong association with peacefulness and with calming emotions. It is sometimes used for protection and is said to both attract and banish spirits, depending on the source. Lavender has a long historic connection to the queer community. It is associated with Air and the planet Mercury.

Nutmeg is most famous as a good luck charm, but it is also used for healing, money, and success. In Southern folk magic, it is used mostly for money, success, and good luck. It is associated with Fire and with Jupiter.

Peppermint is commonly used in healing magic, but it can also be used for purification, attracting good spirits, divination, love, and money. In Southern folk magic, peppermint is used for hex breaking. It is associated with Fire and the planet Mercury.

Vanilla is strongly associated with love and comfort. It can sometimes be used in lust spells. Scott Cunningham mentions using vanilla to replenish lost energy. It is associated with the Water element and the planet Venus.

Magical Coffee Brews

With these ingredient correspondences, you can easily mix a spell into a coffee drink. For example, a pumpkin spice latte (which is made with pumpkin pie spice, i.e., a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves) can be a spell for money and success. A lavender latte with oatmilk could be an excellent love spell, especially for queer love. A peppermint mocha (coffee with chocolate) could be a healing spell. There are lots of possibilities for a magic brew!

Sources:

Witchcraft for Everyone by Sam Wise

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

Hoodoo Herbal by Starr Casas

Jambalaya by Luisah Teish

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Wikipedia article for soybeans

Wikipedia article for Setsubun

"History of Chocolate" on History.com

"Chocolate: From witchcraft to miracle worker in early modern Europe" by Erin Alice Cowling, published in The Conversation

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General Advice for Beginner Witches

A brief masterpost of some of my advice posts for beginner witches and the episodes of my podcast dealing with the same. (There is UPG here, particularly where marked, as I base a good deal of my advice on my own experience and observations of other witches.)

Hex Positive Podcast Episodes

Hex Positive, Ep. 04 - Advice for Beginner Witches (July 2020)

Hex Positive, Eps. 6-7 - Come In For A Spell 1 & 2 (Sept 2020)

Hex Positive, Ep. 12 - Witching From The Broom Closet (Jan 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 24 - Warding A Witchy Home (Dec 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 27 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday (March 2022)

General Tips & Advice

I Feel Like I Might Be A Witch...But I Don't Know

I Have Mental Health Issues - Can I Still Be A Witch?

Can I Still Be A Witch And Use Magic If I Take Medication?

How Do I Teach Myself To Believe In Magic?

How Does Magic Work? (upg ahoy)

Will I Be Possessed Or Haunted If I Try Witchcraft?

What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?

How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?

How Do I Organize My Study Materials?

How Do I Contact A Deity?

How Do I Worship My Deity If I Can't Have An Altar?

Tips On Working With Deities And Spirits (here be upg)

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I'm In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I've Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

My Candle Is Flickering - Does It Mean Something Bad?

How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?

What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?

Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?

What Should I Do If I REALLY Want To Hex Someone?

How Do I Know / What Do I Do If I've Been Hexed?

How Do I Become More Skilled And More Powerful?

How Do I Know When I'm Ready For The Next Step In My Practice?

Additional Tips For Developing Your Practice

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Tips on How to Visualize and Construct Basic Wards

Practicing Your Warding Technique

Cleansing Before Warding / Warding A Shared Space

Refreshing / Patching Existing Wards

Non-Appropriative Herbs for Smoke-Cleansing

Smokeless Cleansing / Other Methods

Recommended Reading & Book Suggestions

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Spirit Communication Tips

Since I just opened my spirit companion shop recently, I wanted to share some tips for you guys! These tips will generally help in connecting with unbound spirits, but can be useful in spirit communication with companions as well!

Things to keep in mind before doing any sort of spirit work:

Believe in yourself, belief holds power

Let go of doubt, stop worrying about accuracy

Your intent holds incredible power, be aware of it

Feel and sense first, analyse last

Release all expectations of what will happen

Release all tension and preconceived notions

Balance your energy, empty your mind

Research personality ties of colours/elements/etc

Don’t rely on divination, especially not at first

As for the communication with a spirit:

Find your intent for spirit communication. Attempt to picture it in your mind, try to perceive it the best way you can. It does not need to be anything specific, but what you think is what you invite, more or less. Understand well what you want to draw to you, and make sure you don’t let your mind wander while you are doing this. If you wish to communicate with a companion, picture them, their energy, and what you want out of the communication with them.

You can also create a visual space in your mind to have your conversation in. This is more along the lines of astral travel, but you will receive the same sort of impressions, it just might appear more fluid. Typically this takes a lot more focus though and you’ll miss out on impressions outside of visual impressions. I don’t suggest this for communicating with a spirit that you are unfamiliar with.

Associate your intent with something physical. If you want to communicate with a spirit that is emotionally forward, you will probably want a spirit of the water element. Having a cup or bowl of water will assist in drawing a spirit of that nature to you by giving them another medium. Be as creative as you wish with this, whatever physically expresses your desire for spirit communication will do. In the case of a spirit companion, this will suffice as an offering or a gift to them!

Contact can come through in small pieces, or large chucks of information, and is often garbled and hard to process. Let the information come to you but don’t process it as it does. Also be patient! When just starting out you might only get the impression of a colour, or a feeling! Do not be discouraged.

Spirit communication can happen by request, but it can also happen quite randomly. Always be aware that a spirit can communicate with you at any time, if for whatever reason they are drawn to the activity you are doing, or your energy.

Some contact may seem insignificant, but don’t dismiss any impressions, even if they are simply of a certain colour or smell, they most always have a deeper meaning

Contact may be visual, audible, or sensory, don’t dismiss the medium of communication either. It can be a combination of all of the above, or even just one of the above. 

Contact might not be triggered when you expect it to! Even a change in the weather, or a song on the radio can pave the path to having an impression or contact from a spirit. If you’re not seeing results, spice things up a bit, try a slightly different approach!

Go with your first thought of belief, don’t second guess or question anything, not yet anyway. Feel and sense first.

Pay attention to patterns and coincidence! Having a good understanding of mathematical probability will help you distinguish when a spirit is influencing your environment and when they are not. This is particularly useful during divination! I always know a spirit isn’t communicating with me, or is not at a good energy level to communicate because the results are random and don’t follow a pattern that makes sense. So I think it is important to keep an eye out for patterns and coincidence in your life, even though it is not directly obvious as communication, it is.

Write it all down, don’t think about it just write down everything that comes to mind, scribble all the impressions that come to you no matter how much sense they make at the time. They’re all puzzle pieces to a puzzle that you’ll process later, might be months later. Do not dismiss anything as not spirit contact if that is the first thing that comes to mind. You do not need to confirm it, just write it down! If it becomes a pattern that is your confirmation.

Hold off on divination until you have experienced impressions from a spirit, and have some understanding of their energy and a pattern of their behaviour. When starting to confirm your spirit communication with divination, ask questions you already know the answer to! It will take time to channel the spirit through a reading, so don’t ask hard questions until you see a pattern of accurate results. I wish it was as simple as just doing a reading with a spirit you don’t know, but it takes familiarity for an extremely accurate reading.

Practice all of this often, even if you don’t get results, results and better accuracy come with time. It takes a considerable amount of energy to receive information from a spirit, which only comes with practice and becoming accustomed to doing so.

I hope this assists at least some of you in your spirit work and with your companions! Don’t forget that my ask box is always open, no matter how silly your question might seem!

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Clean House Powder

Intent: To cleanse a dwelling of negativity, “heaviness,” stale energy, bad atmosphere, etc.

Ingredients:

Lemon Peel

Solomon’s Seal Root

Cayenne Pepper

 Arrow Root

Blue Vervain

White Oak

Sage (any color)

Salt (both black & white)

Materials:

Mortar & Pestle (or spice grinder)

Funnel

Mesh Strainer

Collection Dish

Container

Note: Powdered versions of most herbs are available online. I recommend such sites as Starwest Botanicals and Penn Herbs for the quality products at reasonable prices. Also, if you can get your hands on a good spice grinder, you can make your own powder from dried herb products. Grind each ingredient separately to produce fine powder. Sieve the material through the mesh strainer into the collection dish; this removes the larger unground pieces and gives you cleaner powdered herb. (Pro-Tip: Putting a funnel under the mesh strainer reduces lost material and makes collection much easier.) Combine the component powders in the collection dish, mix well, and bottle immediately. For volume, go heavier on the less expensive or more easily available materials like Lemon Peel, Cayenne, and Salt. Otherwise, combine in more or less even amounts. Sprinkle a pinch in the corner of each room to dispel heaviness and clear the air, so to speak. Useful for spring cleaning and touch-up jobs throughout the year. Add to floor washes, incenses, or charms for general cleansing and purification of the home.

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Most recent version of the tree showing all paths with updated sigils.

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Worship of the Female Form by Alméry Lobel-Riche

early 20th century

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Solid advice!

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Witchy General Info Master Post

Here you'll find many posts related to witchcraft, witchy history, and magic! These could be helpful for beginners or even seasoned witches that may be curious about these topics.

Rule of Thumb for Learning Witchcraft

Research Tips for Witchcraft

Which Witch? - Let's Talk Labels! (Types of witches)

Energy Across Cultures - Coin's Notes pt1

Definitions in Modern Magical Context

Coffee and Tea Magic

Spell Types

The Fae

Full Moon Meanings

Moon Phase Magic

Genius Loci

What I Wish I Knew When I was Younger

Broke Witch Tips

Familiars in Witchcraft

Familiars in History

How to Make Your Day Magical

Intention and Magic

Witchy Red Flags

Magical Misconceptions

What I Wish I Knew as a Beginner Witch

To Those Getting Started or Interested in Celtic Witchcraft

Cleansing yourself? Not necessary!

Enjoy my posts? Consider leaving me a tip on my ko-fi!~

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Btw, the use of something in modern witchcraft and paganism can still be appropriative even if it's "open" or "widespread"