woodlandwhimsy

[woodlandwhimsy]

#yule

[woodlandwhimsy]

Witchy Self-Care

*pulls out draft from over a year ago* ENJOY

Hi! this is a list of witchy self-care things you can do. Most of these are pretty basic on account that i wrote this ages ago but they definitely still work. Anyways, I hope these help :)

Do the dishes and dedicate it to your house spirit (if you have one) or a deity (if you're religious)

sweep/mop your floor in the shape of sigils

add rosemary (or rosemary water/essential oils) to the water you mop with to set an intention of cleansing

taking ritual a bath/shower

cleansing your energy. it's so basic but I forget more than i'd like to admit

dedicating time to yourself. it's just as important as dedicating time to your deities/other spirits

light shadow work or going to therapy. bettering your mental health also betters your spiritual.

go outside and ground yourself

take a nap (less witchy, more, I love naps. rest is important)

work out/stretch and dedicate it to an entity

do some gratitude

take 5 minutes to just sit and turn off your devices. you can use this time for anything, just take a second to get off screens and connect with the world around you

meditate. if you can't sit still long enough to meditate, just focus on taking 3 deep breathes

when you wash your face, draw sigils on your face with the cleanser and moisturiser

^do the same as above but with your body wash and when you wash your hair

say some affirmations/manifestations while brushing your teeth

just check in with yourself and see how you're feeling spiritually, psychically and emotionally. sometimes we don't actually know how we're feeling until we sit down and actually ask ourselves.

If anyone has any more to add please comment. I'll add them to the list (with credit of course)

[woodlandwhimsy]

[woodlandwhimsy]

ʚ♡⃛ɞ Today I remove all blockages that are keeping me from my abundance

[woodlandwhimsy]

Emoji spell for getting rid of lacking mindset :

🍂⚓🥀🌩️☀️🍎🌱🌹🏅🍀🧧✨

Many struggle in the matters of abundance due to this reason. Lacking mindset roots from subconscious limitng beliefs. This spell is to clear any subconscious blocks that has to do with money and abundance in All areas of your life.

❤️ to charge / 🔁 to cast.

[woodlandwhimsy]

HEDGE WITCHCRAFT

WHAT IS A HEDGE WITCH?

A hedge witch is a witch who utilizes the practice of hedge riding. This is a magickal practice that involves spirit work and, most notably, spirit flight (astral travel/projection). The history of spirit flight is a long one and one that is found in many cultures throughout the world. The idea of spirit flight is most notably found in folk magick practices from Europe as well as Ireland and Scotland.

The reason this particular practice is called hedge riding, hedgecraft, or hedge witchcraft is due to the symbolic nature of a hedge. A hedge, if you are unware, is generally a border between two different lands. The word hedge comes from the Old English word heċġ meaning fence. The hedge in hedge witchcraft is the border between this world and the spirit world.

The word hedge in hedge witch or hedgecraft indicates a symbolic barrier between this world and the spirit world. The hedge divides the current world from the otherworld, the mundane world from the spiritual one. The hedge is the border between the material and intangible existence.

To put it in simple words, a hedge witch is one who can cross the hedges present in the world through their practices. They are able to move through the veil and interact with the spirit world and then come back to the material world. In fact, this ability of crossing is their most important one. This is often why you will hear the phrase “riding the hedge” or “flying the hedge” which is often shown in images of witches with brooms crossing over the sky.

By riding the hedge, these witches move through the veil between the two worlds. In some practices this is done to attend a great feast with other spirits, deities, familiars, and witches. These journeys to the spirit world involve the use of gateways or doors, trance, and journeying. The reasons a witch might ride the hedge vary greatly. Some employ familiars to act as guards as they cross. Some witches ride the hedge to gain knowledge that is only accessible from the spirit world and the spirits that reside there.

What Sets the Hedge Witch Apart?

People often mistake hedge witches for green witches or kitchen witches. A green or kitchen witch is often known for working with nature, their home, and their surroundings. However, an important distinction is that for a hedge witch, spirit work and work done across the hedge is the main focus of their practice.

Consequently, the hedge witch travels to the other world for their journey and practices. In hedgecraft, the witch leaves the physical world on a spirit flight through a gateway or door into the spirit world. It is highly recommended to travel with a familiar spirit during this process to guide and protect you. By moving to the spirit world, one can seek healing, answers from spirits, protection, knowledge, and even space to rest away from the stresses of the material world. They hold the power to become healers and seers as they work with the astral world to perform their magic.

Dangers

Being a hedge witch can be intense and unpredictable. It is advised for one to be confident in their skills before attempting to practice such witchcraft. It is also heavily advised to contact a familiar spirit that can travel with you. This familiar is then responsible for keeping you safe and guiding you. Just because it is the spirit world doesn’t mean it is free of dangers. One has to have patience as they move through different parts of their learning through trial and error.

On the other hand, being open to experimenting has allowed hedge witches over decades to have their own unique practices to cross realms while staying rooted in the material world. Even more so, with time, one may come to have new favorite spirits, ancestors, or guides that they would want to work with in terms of healing and foresight. There will always be realms that will yet have to be explored!

The journey to becoming a hedge witch is to trust your abilities, your instincts, and to often push your own boundaries to see beyond the veil. The practice of seeing beyond the veil holds the knowledge between the apparent and the unseen, but also all the things in life that are more below the surface. It is embarking on the journey of understanding the layers to the world around us and accessing the knowledge present in our ancestral guides.

HEDGE WITCH PRACTICES

Psychic ability attunement

Spirit communication

Spirit work (deities, ancestors, other spirits or entities)

Astral Travel

Meditation

Herbal work (using herbs and substances for dream/astral work)

Entheogens (mind altering substances to enhance or assist hedge riding - totally optional)

Familiar work

To begin, I recommend working in your home. Invite in a house spirit, cleanse your home, and reinforce your wards weekly. You need to create a safe haven before beginning any type of spirit practice.

Spend time working with the spirits of plants and crystals in your house. If you don’t have any plants, this may be the time to pick out an easy plant to care for in your home as well as some crystals. Speak to the spirit, ask it where it would like to be placed, how much care it wants, etc.

Green witchcraft is a good foundation if you want to be a hedge witch. Do some theoretical study on the properties of different herbs and work practically with the spirits of these plants. Kitchen witchery is also fun and safe to experiment with at home.

It’s also good to infuse a bit of magic into your daily routines. Make cleansing, bathing, warding, and grounding regular activities.

Hedge witches are in-tune with the seasons. Do some research into seasonal holidays and festivals of different traditions and try various activities that correlate to nature.

For example, in the spring, I tend to clean, cleanse, prune my plants, etc. As the natural world wakes up and becomes more active, so do I. In the fall, I do a lot of introspective spirit work that can be a bit darker; I also work with the shadow self and perform rituals.

Many hedge witches like to focus on healing. If you’re interested, you may want to learn about the medicinal properties of herbs as well as the spiritual properties. Start with simple concoctions such as tea or herbs to help you sleep, relax, or ground yourself.

Once you have the basics down pat and are skilled at defensive spells, you can begin attempting to cross into the spirit world. After all, being a hedge witch is all about traveling to other realms!

However, hedge jumping can be dangerous. You intrinsically open yourself up to beings that don’t behave in the same ways as those in our physical world.

Therefore, it’s essential that you know how to protect yourself before beginning your journey as a hedge witch. You should learn how to cleanse, ward, and banish. You should also learn how to cast a circle before you start any spell work or spirit work.

Astral travel, dancing, drumming, trance meditation, sigils, and the use of entheogens are all popular methods of hedge jumping.

Once you feel properly protected, experiment with astral travel. You can find great drumming beats on YouTube to help you travel astrally. The goal is to get into a deep enough trance that you can travel to spiritual realms.

Crystals for psychic development can help you on your journey, especially if you work with the spirits of the crystals. You can also use sigils to both ground you and enhance your psychic sight.

When you’re working with spirits, I recommend that you begin with your ancestors. Most ancestral spirits are very safe and will help protect you from beings who could mean you harm.

Once you have been working with your ancestors for some time, you can branch out and begin to contact other types of ghosts or spirits such as deities, angels, demons, etc.

Work with the spirits in your area. The spirits of the trees, flowers, and water right outside your door are available and are great to contact when you’re just beginning your work as a hedge witch.

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Don’t worry about the “rules” of hedge witchcraft. Try all things and experience, but always protect yourself before beginning something new.

Remember that no two hedge witches are alike. What works for others may not work for you, and that’s totally okay.

Do some experimentation and find your own path. After all, hedge witchcraft is about being authentic and connecting with both the physical and spiritual world around you.

For more information about Hedge witchery or about any other types of witchcraft, come check out the Cobalt Athenaeum discord server!

#what a good read! #hedge witch is not just another phrase for cottage witch! #witch #witchcraft #witchcraft 101 #witchblr #hedge witch

[woodlandwhimsy]

The new moon in Irish folk traditions

Photo by Lenstravelier on Unsplash

In Irish folk practices, the new moon (gealach úr in Irish) is seen as a time for setting intentions and ensuring your luck until the next new moon. What you do on the night of the new moon sets the tone for that lunar cycle.

Many of these customs are based on what you are doing when you first see the new moon so I feel it’s important to note that the Irish counted the dark moon (when no moon is visible in the sky) as its own phase, and the new moon would have been when the moon first became visible again.

The sources for these practices are all from The School’s Collection and they come from all over Ireland. They were collected by school children in the 1930s, who were tasked with interviewing their parents, grandparents, and neighbors for what folklore and customs they remembered from their childhoods. While these practices often reference Catholicism, they can also give us clues to former Pagan practices.

Growth and good luck

Whatever you are holding when you first see the new moon, you will have more of that by the next new moon (source 1, 2)

Planting at the new moon ensures growth for crops (source 1, 2)

If you have coins in your pocket when you see the new moon, turn them sunwise (east to west) three times to bring you wealth over the coming month, although in some sources it is enough just to hold or shake the coins (source 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Or you can turn whatever you have in your pocket and make a wish (source)

Or just make a wish! (source)

It was considered unlucky

To view the new moon, especially for the first time, through a mirror or glass (source 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

To view the new moon over your shoulder (source)

Unless it’s your left shoulder (source)

But the right shoulder is definitely unlucky (source 1, 2)

New moons on Saturdays are considered generally unlucky (source 1, 2)

It is unlucky to have the new moon pointed out to you by someone else (source)

Other new moon folklore

If you turn your coat inside out when you see a new moon you will have a new coat before the next new moon. source

When you see the new moon for the 1st time you should bless yourself and turn some of your clothing inside out and you will get a present. source

If you make the sign of the cross when you see the new moon you will never have a toothache. source

There is also tons of weather divination done with the moon in Irish culture. The most common piece of lore about the new moon is that if the new moon appears on its back, it means bad weather (source 1, 2), or sometimes it means a wet month. (source)

Traditional prayer upon seeing the new moon

Almost all new moon prayers start with the following stanza

I see the moon And the moon sees me God bless the moon And God bless me.

it is sometimes extended with

Grace in the kitchen, Grace in the hall. May the grace of God, Be about us all.

or

There's light in the cottage, There's light in the hall. And the glory of God, Is over us all.

(sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

In several sources it is stated that the prayer should be done on the knees, in others kneeling isn’t mentioned.

Learn more

This post just scratching the surface of some of the most popular new moon practices in Ireland. If you're interested in learning more, I can't recommend Duchas.ie enough! The Irish Pagan School is also an amazing resource and has a course all about the moon in Irish traditions.

[woodlandwhimsy]

Full Moon Ritual Ideas and Journal Prompts

Working with the Full Moon

During the full moon we have the chance to step back and reflect on all that’s been created during this past lunar cycle. It’s important to also take time to pause, reflect, and let go of what you no longer need.

The full moon is a time to embrace gratitude for what you have been given and what you have accomplished. Even if you’re not where you’d like to be, and even if you’ve had setbacks, you likely still have something you can find gratitude for and something you’ve done that you can be proud of. Appreciate your own resilience and strength.

The full moon is a time to:

Express gratitude

Reflect on what you’ve accomplished this past lunar cycle

Reflect on what has been illuminated for you this lunar cycle

Release what no longer serves you

Do your own tarot reading or get a tarot reading for the month ahead

Here are some ideas to try when putting together your own full moon ritual. You can mix and match, add or subtract to any of these. Just think of them as jumping off points for your own intuition and creativity!

1. Make a Sacred Space

For me, this is a vital step to get me into the right headspace for ritual. Surround yourself with things that taste, sound, smell, look and feel good to you and help you relax. I have certain incense and music that I only use during my moon rituals, just hearing that music or smelling that incense can instantly get me ready for ritual.

2. Ground Yourself

Grounding yourself can be done in lots of different ways, but my favorite is doing a simple body scan meditation where you feel into each part of your body one after another. Another great grounding technique is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique where you name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

3. Journaling Prompts

After grounding myself I generally start my ritual with journaling. Journaling can be a great way to connect with your gratitude, challenges and make peace with what you need to release and let go of. Every full moon I create a sacred space (even if it’s just in my house!) and spend some time journaling, with some of the following prompts:

What am I grateful for right now?

What has happened in the past month that I feel most grateful for?

What do I appreciate about my own mind, body, and spirit?

What tiny miracles show up in my world?

What do I love most about my life right now?

What do I love most about myself right now?

What obstacles and challenges have taught me meaningful life lessons recently?

What’s one of my favorite memories from the past month? What’s one of the hardest?

How have your relationships changed and grown this past month?

Was there anything holding me back from reaching my goals this month?

What did I spend too little or too much time on this month?

What do you need to surrender to this month?

I choose to let go of the things I can’t control, including…

What secrets are you holding onto and what harm are they causing?

Which relationships in your life no longer serve you?

4. Tarot Card Reading

After journaling I like to give myself a tarot reading for the month ahead. You can see the spread I use to try on your own, or get a reading from me. Make sure to record your reading and your thoughts in your tarot journal to reference later!

5. Release

The last step of my full moon ritual is releasing what I no longer need. As we move towards the waning moon, this is a great time to let go of the old to make room for the new. The simplest version of this ritual is writing what you wish to release on a piece of paper and then burning or burying it. Adding sigils to your paper or burning it with banishing herbs is a great way to enhance this ritual.

6. Closing

After releasing I normally like to do something small to close my ritual. This will vary from month to month, but anoint myself with ritual oils, or take a ritual bath to cleanse and recharge myself until the New Moon.

I hope these full moon ritual ideas and journal prompts have given you some ideas for your own full moon ritual. Working with the full moon can be extremely powerful and rewarding! Let your intuition guide you!

[woodlandwhimsy]

Happy Saturn day 🪐🖤

[woodlandwhimsy]

🫣👀🔍

#creation #strength #gratitude #sounds nice

[woodlandwhimsy]

🍠🍂Autumn Butternut & Brussel Sprout Harvest

3 cups Brussels Sprouts (healing, abundance, manifestation, growth) 3 tablespoons Olive Oil (healing, peace, protection) Salt (cleansing, protection, banishment) 1½ pound Butternut Squash (protection, warding, longevity, luck, love) 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup (spiritual healing, fortune, longevity) ½ teaspoon Cinnamon (strength, power, abundance, prosperity) 2 cups Pecan (longevity, prosperity, spiritual purification, protection) 1 cup dried Cranberries (healing, protection, love, divination)

(vegetarian.vegan)

[woodlandwhimsy]

Youth fascination with technology

[woodlandwhimsy]

Witchcraft: Warding

Warding is the method of casting a shield or barrier to defend and protect a space, person, portal, or item or to deflect potential negative energies and dangers. This is a remarkably important intention to consider and practice. Warding where you sleep, shower, rest, eat, and preform rituals along with yourself and prevent you from many unwanted experiences and encounters.

Warding Correspondences:

Colors: Black and Red. Tools: Coffin Nails, Crystals, Graveyard Dirt, Horseshoes, Iron Pikes, Talismans, and Wands. Symbols: Hamsa, Evil Eye, Pentacles, Ankh, Eye of Horus, Mars, Aries, Celtic Knot, Celtic Cross, Algiz Rune, Pentagrams, and Sigils.

Warding Methods:

Covering or sealing mirrors with Warding sigils or Fabric when not in use.

Warding yourself, the space you rest, and space you clean yourself.

Tracing Warding Sigils with your fingers on doors and walls to fortify.

Scooting in or placing an object in non-inhabited seating locations.

Warding Instruments:

Crystals:

Black Jasper, Black Jet, Black Onyx, Black Tourmaline, Bloodstone, Obsidian, Nuumite, Shungite, Smokey Quartz, Sugilite, and Tigers Eye.

Herbs:

Basil, Cinnamon, Clove, Dill, Dragons Blood, Garlic, High John the Conqueror, Rosemary, Rue, St John’s Wort, Valerian, and Vervain.

Plants:

Aloe Vera, Bamboo, Cactus, Heather, Roses, Snake Plant, Spider Plant, and the Venus Fly Trap.

[woodlandwhimsy]

[woodlandwhimsy]

SAMHAIN - "Halloween"

October 31st - November 1st the veil between the world is thinnest. Accessing magic is at its peak.

Focus on composting.

Prep your altar with acorns, apples, black candles, brooms, pumpkins, cauldron, fall herbs, nuts & berries, and/or pomegranates.

Animals - bat, black cat, owl, raven

Colors - black, gold, orange, purple, silver, white

Crystals - Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Jet, Obsidian, Onyx, Smoky Quartz

Herbs - allspice, nightshade, mandrake root, mint, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, thistle, wormwood

Trees - apple, hazel, oak, pomegranate

[woodlandwhimsy]

⛤Samhain Correspondences⛤

⛤Symbols:

Apples

Autumn flowers

Autumn leaves

Bats and Dogs

Bonfire

Candles in the window

Cats

Cauldrons

Painted pumpkins

Photos of the deceased

Pumpkins

Brooms

⛤Gods:

Anubis

Cernunnos

Cerridwen

Hades

Hecate

Isis

Osiris

The Triple Goddess

The Morrigan

⛤Colors:

Black

Orange

Red

⛤Traditional Herbs:

Artemisia

Chrysanthemum

Fern

Mint

Oak Leaves

Rosemary

Sage

Thistle Herbs

Cinnamon

⛤Incense:

Apple

Mint

Muscat

Myrrh

Patchouli

Sage

⛤Gems:

Carnelian

Obsidian

Onyx 

Snowflake Obsidian

Red Jasper

⛤Essential oils:

Cypress

Myrrh

Patchouli

[woodlandwhimsy]

#i am but a simple witch. i see water of whimsy and i reblog