Storytelling Through Tarot

Storytelling Through Tarot

I’ve noticed that a lot of other witches also enjoy fiction and writing! Tarot itself tells a story, and you can do so much with using tarot to outline your story and characters! So here’s a 13 card spread that can be shortened down to six if you need to. The order in which you lay them really depends on if you’d rather do a six or thirteen card spread. 

1-6 are the main points of the story. 

Beginning - What are things like at the beginning of the narrative? Where do your characters start?

Climax of Act One - Something has drastically changed in your MC’s life. What is it? What do they need to do now?

Midpoint: big twist! - Need a plot twist? Someone is hiding a secret? Things aren’t going as planned? This is where something unexpected happens.

Climax of Act Two - It looks like the bad guy is winning, nothing is going right. What does the most intense part of your story look like?

Wrap up - What loose ends need tied up?

End - Where are things now at the end of the story?

Now, the other cards go in between those main six points. 

Beginning

Inciting Incident - What happens that shakes up the status quo?

Second Thoughts - What’s your character thinking now with these events looming on the horizon?

Climax of Act One

Obstacle - No one said this journey was easy

Obstacle - Yup, more things to keep your hero from meeting their goal

Midpoint

Obstacle - Getting frustrated? Good.

Disaster - The “oh shit” moment

Crisis - The “no no no no no this isn’t happening” moment

Climax of Act Two

Wrap up

End

And there you go! Hope this helps!

Learn How To Craft & Cast Practical Magic

I support and promote practical witchcraft. I like deity worship and self work and cute journal spreads (@arcanas-grimoire taught me what journal spreads are the other day!), but you know what I like the most?

GETTING SHIT DONE

Hot, spicy, fiery, volcano take: Deities of witchcraft want us to do practical magic. They have set a banquet resplendent with dishes of personal agency, power, and stewardship of our own lives. They want us to feast, fingers dripping with nectar and butter. Spirits of the land miss us. They want to know us. They reach for us, yearning: what a wonderful world it would be if more humans would see them and learn from them.

Imagine, before you is a golden palace filled with tables creaking under the weight of treasures. The Goat-Footed Man has flung the doors open for you and beckons you. The indwellers of nature reach out for you.

The system & methodology of magic I am going to present to you is a lot of UPG, a lot of warbly British & American reconstruction stuff, and a heaping dose of "this is what I do and it works."

Please do not make a terrible mistake: this stuff I'm writing is NOT UNIVERSAL WITCHCRAFT BELIEFS (which don't exist). Many, many witches, with amazing and experienced practices, will probably totally disagree with me! If the stuff I'm writing makes you feel weird or uncomfortable, that is a great sign that the way I do things isn't the way you do things. Witchcraft is a galaxy and I present to you how to navigate one single island of one single planet. If the atmosphere curdles your blood, I encourage you to not dwell in this farm plot of the arcane; there is so much more out there, and something will be right for you.

The system I intend to present is inherently animistic, involves working with spirits, involves working with gods, and is suitable for beginners. Yeah, I said it. Get those spirits on the phone, let's party.

Sections

Methods of Understanding and Perceiving Magic

One-Shot vs Continuous Magic

Addition vs Subtraction

Divination Before Spellwork

Practical Magic Tech Theory

Spellcasting Altars 101

Spellcasting Altars Are a Powerful Tool For Sticky Situations

Microcosm Method of Altar Building

Cleansing Before Spellwork

An Intro into Powering Your Spells

Let's Talk Aboot Circles

DIY Charms and Spells

Saltwater Cleansing Charms

Introductory method of Circle Casting

Raising Power in Ritual and Tying It To Your Spells

Learn How To Craft & Cast Practical Magic Series

I made another spread, a more traditional fortune telling one. Hope you all enjoy it! ☘

“What I start, I finish.”

Here’s an updated version of an older sigil.

Practical Spellwork: Introductory method of Circle Casting

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

This post is basically just going to be theory and steps to craft your own circle routine.

General guidelines, superstitions, and tidbits:

Circles may be cast through walls and furniture. For the most ideal, pristine ritual, a circle will be cast in a totally wide-open, cleared area that only contains the ritual implements used in the upcoming spell. Since that's literally impossible for a vast majority of us, don't worry about it. They work fine regardless.

Circles may be cast either clockwise or counter clockwise. Justification exists for each. Whichever direction you begin casting the circle, take it down in the opposite direction. If you cast the circle counterclockwise, close the circle clockwise. If you don't know which to choose, most circles are cast clockwise for all workings of magic.

You should always try to take a circle down when you're done with it. It doesn't do to raise up a bunch of power that might be doing weird liminal shit and then just let it stay hanging about.

Circles may be cast starting at any direction of the compass (north, south, east, or west). Traditionally, east is the common quarter to begin casting any circle, and is the "default". You may choose a different corner according to intuition, or to align to the working of a spell (a "watery" spell might start casting the circle in the direction you associate with water, for example).

Circles might be cast under your own authority, or the authority of a god or higher power.

You do not have to physically turn in a circle. You can raise an arm into the air and point, or visualize, or feel energy moving around your body.

The more time you spend casting the circle, and the more effort and focus you apply to doing so, the stronger and more durable the circle will be.

Circles are generally cast around your entire ritual area. Some practitioners cast a circle around the entire room they use.

You should not cross the circle once you cast it. "Cutting doorways" is not always a good technique. Crossing the circle physically will help break it. If you must cross the circle outwards and back again, that is probably alright; recast it if you're unsure.

Take down any circle

If you're performing a three-hour ritual where a full 90 minutes is casting the circle, I trust you to be beyond the scope of this guide, and I ask you to look towards your own resources or intuition as to how to close such a behemoth.

Generally however, closing a circle is extremely easy. You usually only need to do the following:

Turn in the opposite direction that you used to open it.

While turning (mentally or physically), speak or think something like, "this circle has served its purpose; its powers may be undone - let this space return to mundanity and physicality."

Dismiss any powers you called into the circle itself, in the reverse order that you called them. (Typically this is at the cardinal points).

Five-Second Circle

Suitable when a very quick circle is deemed useful, but the casting of the circle itself isn't being relied on to induce trance or raise any significant power.

Face in any direction, or east. Point at the ground where you want the edge of the circle to be. Physically or mentally turn in a complete, 360 degree circle. As you do so, strive to visualize, feel, believe, observe, or know, that pure and vibrant energy is laid down in the circle you trace.

While you turn this circle, speak or think a charm. Here are two for your consideration or modification as you please:

I cast this circle as a fortress with a throne room, to protect me eternally, and to create space to speak to those spirits I invite. Amen.

I cast this circle under the name of [Deity name], the [epithet], whose hand elevates and shields me with infinite love, so that my spell may be forged with power and delivered with grace. By [deity name], so shall it be.

When you mentally or physically complete the 360 degree circle, visualize, feel, believe, observe, or know, that it joins together with a resounding ethereal clunk (or boom, click, ringing, etc). You may still have some of the charm left to recite, or you may already be finished. That's quite alright either way; finish the charm if there's more left to go. Once you are done reciting the charm, the circle is complete.

Take down the circle when you're done.

Tuning Circles to Different Uses

The incantation or charm you use is instrumental in defining what your circle does. With it, you never need to engage in intense visualization; the words are doing the work. This post talks about some of the different things circles are used for.

Before you can tune your circle, you need to know why you're casting it. Then, craft an incantation that fits your needs.

This circle is cast to join the worlds and the words between them.

If you're using it to hold energies in, maybe something like,

I raise a cauldron of power so my spell may steep.

Etc.

Try writing out your own incantations and practice them, then practice taking the circle down. See how they feel for you, or if they seem to do anything at all. If you like working with circles, try developing your own circle rituals for different needs.

What about circles that are... more?

Here's the ol' problemo with casting a big chonky circle with walrus-sized incantations that invoke this-or-that power:

They're extremely path specific and the formulas given to you are going to call a specific set of powers to do very specific things.

If I write a big long post on how to cast a huge circle with such-and-such incantation, that incantation has to be path specific. It has to be. No matter what the incantation says, it has to be based on some beliefs, someone's foundational ideas, and causes the circle to do something specific that my path agrees is the best thing for it to do. And if that circle also calls on powers, then there's no way at all for you to avoid working with my path as I present it to you.

If you want to call on directional powers when you cast a circle, here's how:

When you get to the cardinal direction (north/south/east/west), pause your mental or physical circumambulation. Invoke the power, maybe a bit formally, like this:

Hail to the Crimson-Tongued Serpent, Guardian of the East! You sit on a throne of rubies, you are the flame that graces mankind with life. You raise flame from the earth to animate the land. Holy Serpent, I beseech thee: Throw open the gateways to the east, and let the red spirits of fire pour forth! Sit upon the throne I have prepared for you, Lord of Fire, and gaze upon my ritual with support and adoration, and let all this be done under the gaze of the Watchful Master, the Progenitor of Elements, He Who Rules the World!

Or, if that's a bit too... weird... you can do this:

Red Snake of the East, please join me in my circle. Please open the roads to the east so that helpful spirits may hear my requests if they so choose. I ask you to do this under the name of my God, whom I know you're chill with. Thank you.

Are these two invocations going to produce the same effect?

HELL NO.

And that's the point, man. We all don't need to be casting the same circles the exact same way because we all don't need to be doing the same shit. If you want to call powers, you should probably know who you want to call and know how to call them. You shouldn't just take my word for it and call whatever random demigods I'm hustling with this winter.

So if you want to spend half an hour conjuring a really powerful circle, that should probably be because you know exactly what kind of circle you want, and therefore you're going to be the only person who knows how to word it and visualize it.

Circles are powerful tech.

Don't conjure up really weird powerful shit if you don't need it and don't know what to do with it. Just start simple and get more intense with it if its working out for you.

Here's how to dismiss those powers, if you call 'em:

When you're going in the opposite direction in order to close the circle, when you get to the place where the spirit was invoked, you can say something really simple, even if your original conjuration was long.

Hail to the Crimson-Tongued Serpent, and farewell: I thank you for arriving. Go in peace, and take your red spirits of fire with you, and close the gateways of the east behind you. This be done in the name of the Master.

Or,

Thank you, Red Snake, for coming to help me today. Please return to your home, and ensure the spirits of your domain leave with you. Goodbye.

I generally like to keep ritual invokations very similar for all forces invoked (exact same structure, swapping out names and epithets), and the same thing for dismissals - all done the same way.

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

Masterpost of Simple Beginner Friendly Potions

Here is a masterpost of a ton of potions I have in my grimoire that are simple and easy to make with simple easy to get ingredients. 

Tea Potions

Headache Relief Potion

Ginger Root

Peppermint

Lemon Wedge

Steps: Add herbs to hot water and let them steep for a few minutes. Squeeze in lemon then let the wedge and skin soak for another 1 or 2 before drinking. 

Sour Tummy Be Gone Potion

Chamomile Tea

Spearmint

Ginger Root

Spoonful of Honey

Steps: Brew tea then add herbs to it, let them steep for 5 minutes before stirring in your honey counter-clockwise to banish the cramps and sourness in your stomach. 

Deep Slumber Potion

Chamomile Tea

Lavender

Dried Rose Petals/Buds

Lemon Balm

Steps: Brew tea then add in herbs to steep for 5 to 6 minutes, add sugar or honey to taste. Drink slowly before bed in a quiet place.

“Bring Me My Own Love” Self Love Potion

Rose Water or Rose Tea

Sugar

Milk or Milk substitute 

Steps: Brew your tea or warm your rose water. Pour in milk and sugar to taste and stir it clockwise to welcome in your own love. Drink while doing something you enjoy.

Release from a Bad Day Potion

Green Tea

Catnip

Lemon Wedge

Steps: Brew and steep your tea and catnip, squeeze in your lemon and stir it counter clockwise to banish the negativity that the day has given you. Add sugar or honey to taste

Give My Heart Strength Potion

Black Tea

Orange Peel

Honey

Steps: Brew tea and let orange peel steep for 5 minutes, stir in your honey clockwise to bring yourself emotional strength.

Open My Mind Awareness Potion

Black Tea

Cinnamon

Milk or Milk substitute

(Optional) pinch of Mugwort (use with caution)

Steps: Brew tea and add ingredients. Sit in a quiet place and drink the tea slowly while centering yourself and if you can meditate.

Cleansing Potion

Moon Water

Rosemary

Thyme

Steps: Heat your moon water and let herbs steep for a minute or two before drinking. You may add sugar if you desire

Protect Me From Parasites Potion

(protects from psychic and energy parasites)

Moon Water

Rosemary 

Mint

Steps: Heat moon water and steep your herbs for 5 minutes. Drink at the start of your day.

Coffee Potions

Strength For a Big Day

Coffee

Cinnamon

Sugar to Taste

Like a Storm Confidence Potion

Coffee

Hazelnut creamer

Cinnamon

Fresh Orange peel

Spark of Creativity Potion

Coffee

2 Drops Vanilla extract

Fresh Orange Peel

Spoonful of Caramel

Romancing Myself Potion for Self Acceptance

Coffee

Hot chocolate mix

Milk

Red rose petal

To Good Friends Friendship Potion

Coffee

Caramel

Sugar

A cherry

A good friend to share it with

Hot Chocolate Potions

Warm My Bones Happiness Potion

Hot chocolate

Marshmallow/Marshmallow fluff

1 drop vanilla extract

Cherry 

To Get Through Hard Days Potion

Hot Chocolate

Cinnamon

Milk

Fresh Mint Leaf

For Enhanced Energy Potion

Hot Chocolate

Orange Peel

Gem Elixir Potions

Note! Unlike the others, these ones are NOT edible nor should they be ingested! These potions are for anointing or bath magic.

None of these potions are made with the crystals in the water! I ALWAYS put my crystals around a jar or cup of water to charge over night. SOME OF THESE CRYSTALS SHOULD NEVER GO IN WATER!!! So please just place them around your jar of water over night, not in it.

I am Beautiful Potion

Water

Angel Aura Quartz

Clear Quartz

Coconut Oil (small amount)

Peaceful Thoughts Potion

Water

Amethyst

Moonstone

Lavender

A Pinch of Luck Potion

Water

Aquamarine

Sunstone

Spearmint

Divination Improvement Potion

Water

Amethyst

Nuummite

Orange Peels