Witches, Lets Talk Spell Books.

witches, let’s talk spell books.

this is such a huge part of our craft, and i think its about time we talk about it.

a side note before we start, there is an amazing video that personally inspired me by a witch (herspeak) that you can watch here! i will include some of the information she gives in her video in this post for those of you who don’t have the time to watch!

first off… grimoire? book of shadows? whats the difference? what on earth even is a book of mirrors?? wait… there’s even more??

well first lets quickly talk about the different types of books!

grimoire: a textbook of magick, a reference book filled with anything you desire or need to remember (lists, correspondences, how-to’s, spells)

book of shadows: for wiccans/pagans, this can be seen as more religious, but it is typically more known for its personal/spiritual journal aspects (religious or not); some may use it for references also

book of mirrors: a book of reflections, for recording experimentation and its results including successes and failures (some like to keep their book of shadows pure with only successes)

book of light: a book used usually by wiccans/pagans that is used by eclectics, referring to light as knowledge; used for notes and information often to be shared whereas a book of shadows is personal and private (sort of makes me think of a less organized/personal grimoire)

the tree: a seax-wica (an anglo-saxon paganism) version of a book of shadows

book of ways: a devotional book for wiccans/pagans

(of course all of these things are up to further interpretation!)

back in the day when witchcraft was more ruled by covens, only one spell book was required for each coven, but now that witchcraft is often a solitary and/or personal path, witches are often encouraged to have their own! most witches will have either a book of shadows or grimoire. some witches will have both, and some will have one book that includes the aspects of both and call it one or the other.

let’s start with the basic thing nobody talks about… the book itself!

what should you use? well first off, you don’t need some big, expensive, and fancy leather book straight out of hocus pocus. if its so fancy that you aren’t going to work in it, don’t use it! you could use…

a sketchbook

you could make a book (a traveler’s notebook is a great idea)

an online book

a binder and insert pages

an old thrift store book and paint over the pages

you could even write and paint on paper and paste all over your walls and work space and make a room your ‘book’

you could choose something that relates to your field of magick if you have a defined one, get creative!

make sure your book a reflection of you. but remember, we are what makes books come alive. reading is what makes languages have purpose. without you there to read it, your book is meaningless. the connection between you and your book is beyond special from the first moment you begin working!

so where on earth do i start? if you already have one, what’s holding you back from working more?

well what interests you? if you don’t know yet, here is a wonderful masterpost of types of magick! find what you like, what sounds cool to you, what resonates with you, research it! (maybe make an entry about it and your discoveries!)

once you know your interests, don’t waste time on things you aren’t interested in. if you don’t care about herbal magick, don’t write down a seven page list of all herbs and their properties. i personally had to retry creating a grimoire a few times in order to learn that lesson.

so how do i bond and grow comfortable with my book? how do i create a connection? how do i give it my personal touch?

do what makes you happy.

create your own aesthetic. maybe ask friends around you what your aesthetic seems to be if you don’t know yourself. don’t follow that big ole leather book stereotype unless you like it. if you do, another great idea for aging your pages are coffee and tea stains on your paper. 

sleep with your book under your pillow! bond with it like you would your tarot deck. carry it around throughout the day. let it become a companion.

your book isn’t just a place to write about your craft, infuse your craft! if you like lunar magick, bathe it in moonlight. if you like herbal magick, spray your pages with an herb and water mix.

don’t stress about organization or a table of contents yet. you can put an index at the end when you know you’re done. its your book so you’ll probably have a sense of where things are anyways, but if you’re forgetful like me, use some labelled bookmarks!

in fact, don’t stress about it at all if you can! your book shouldn’t stress you out. mistakes happen. keep negative energy away. you and your book are a conjoined, powerful force! you can paste over pages, paint over them, or even just rip them out. in the wonderful words of herspeak in the aforementioned video, nothing is special until you say it is. 

remember, it might take a couple tries to get it right, and that’s okay! you might have to make a couple throughout your lifetime to hold all the knowledge you learn, so no worries.

don’t just copy and paste other peoples’ information into your book, that isn’t how you learn. take note of things that are important to you. are you memorizing or understanding? allow yourself to understand. if it shines and you find it important, write this information in your own words and in a setup you enjoy.

you don’t have to be an artist to make a beautiful book! your book is already beautiful, unique, and magickal because its yours!

here’s some ideas for pages in your book!

correspondence lists. i definitely think color correspondences are important for just about every witch! what do these things mean to you? how do they make you feel and what do you relate them to? do this with other things you find interesting!

devote a page to your sun and moon sign or maybe you and your partners signs and how they interact.

create a protection sigil just for your book.

make a page about your totem animal/spirit animal. please don’t appropriate these terms though, you can also use daemon, patronus, eomkin, or even just your personal corresponding animal.

you could make a page for each holiday, its history and dates, and add a paper pocket into the page filled with recipes.

you could collage things that make you think of a deity you like whether you’re secular or whether you participate. if enjoy and appreciate a deity, give em a page! if you worship or work with one or many, dive in much deeper and show how that relationship affects you.

paste in pictures from books or parts of posters that show what magick means to you.

practice spirit work? draw the spirit! collage the spirit. find art that makes you think of the spirit and pop it in there.

press plants you find, tape them in, bring a little greenery into your book. label them if you like. give them your own names if you don’t know your plants well.

write your dreams out, decorate in a way that feels right, use colors according to how it made you feel.

draw out the ingredients you want to use in a spell/potion/oil. dab a bit of the creation on the page.

make a page for your familiars. list any spells for them, where you found/adopted them, their breed and things about them, what’s their favorite snack, and if your familiar is cooperative, maybe try to get a paw/nose print!

make a pendulum chart.

find one of those adult coloring books. tear a few pages and stick them in either randomly or maybe in a page about meditation. when stressed, use it as a meditative practice.

chakras, what they mean to you, correspondences, and which you may need to work on. here is a fun test you can take that tells you if your chakras are under-active, over-active, or open.

any fictional/real witches or wizards that stood out to you? why?

write about magickal experiences you had as a child you can’t explain today. what about imaginary friends and were they imaginary?

get geeky. make spells about video games! inspire spells based on favorite characters and abilities or get inspiration from your favorite playable mages! get really creative with this one.

make a page about past lives if you know of any.

what do the elements mean to you? what are your favorites? which do you feel connected to?

stick envelopes in there and put recipes, spreads, all sorts of things in there to save some pages! utilize fold out pages for long chunks of information.

do you cast circles? what do you use? what do you think the energy looks like? the color? the shape if you don’t see it as a circle? draw the seen and unseen.

make a page about your spiritual or psychic gifts. how did you discover them?

make a list of things to research. cross them out as you do.

print out aesthetically pleasing pictures you find portray you and your craft. collage your personal aesthetic/witchy moodboard

i could list on and on, but i hope i’ve given you some creative inspiration! make your book what you want! keep researching and gain inspiration from others if you’re ever lost. feel free to message me if you ever have questions!

happy casting!

Can Meditation Help your Psychic Abilities?

Many people ask me how to get your psychic abilities in check. To me I feel the main way is daily meditation. To which I am not going to lie but I am behind a bit.

Even if you just start and sit for 10 minutes a day it will help. You will notice it too. First you will notice it in your dreams. Then it will carry over into your daily activities.

Some people tell me meditation is hard due to they cannot tune out the real world. Give it time. Eventually you will be able to shut oh I have to go grocery shopping, what did I forget to do today. Did I remember _____?

This is common. You just need to not to think. Just close your eyes and relax. First slowly tighten all the muscle in you body. Start with the feet and continue tightening your muscles and relaxing  them as you do this your body will start to relax. You can use calming or relaxing music. I tend to use humpback whale sounds. It is whatever your preference is.

As for your thoughts just tell your mind to shut them off.

You can also lay down and visualize a light aboce your feet and move it up to your head slowly.

If you try these practices daily it will help open yourself up more so you aren’t so stuck.

I will be posting more about each of the abilities and how to become more in tune to them.

Here in Texas it’s been hot as fuck, the ground was cracked and dry, and plants were burning to a crisp. I spend alot of time outside (usually smoking pot and meditating in the shade when it’s bearable) and i was 110% DONE with this literal hell heat. So i got some candles and did a spell to bring rain. I anointed my candles in oil and rolled them in herbs and burned them for 2 days (note: they aren’t completely burned down).

FOR THE PAST 3 DAYS ITS BEEN OVERCAST AND RAINING ON AND OFF IN THE ARLINGTON/MANSFIELD AREA AND IM SO FUCKING STOKED! For the rest of the week until Friday it’s supposed to be cloudy and rainy. Thank you Spirits, Gods, and Goddesses!

So in the light of this success i’ve decided that im gonna share this lovely spell with you all.

Im Tired of this Heat

What you will need:

3 candles-gray (clouds and lightening), dark blue (heavy rain), and light blue (winds)

Any oil correspondence with water

Herbs: eucalyptus, witches grass, lemon verbena, and i also used a very small amount of blessed salt.

Dress all three candles in oil and roll them in the herbs.

Light all 3 candles and chant:

I’m tired of this heat

Bring me clouds overhead

I’m tired of this heat

Bring me rain instead

I’m tired of this heat

Let stormy winds blow

I’m tired of this heat

Let lightening and thunder roll

I’m tired of this heat

So I call these storms to me

As i will it, so mote it be!

My Hymns and Resources

I decided to make a little directory for my hymns and such, so people looking for something specific can find it, and is accessible on desktop and mobile. I will be updating these every few hymns/resources that I post, so please make sure to go directly to my original post to see if anything new has popped up! Please note that some of these come from blogs I no longer have, meaning I deactivated them for one reason or another. Therefore, some of the links within those posts may be broken. Most of this is solely mine, unless otherwise stated (simply because I like to collect my stuff all together haha).  

Khaire!

 - Amarantos Argyris

Hymns/Devotional Writings

Hymn to Hera

Hymn to Thanatos

Hymn to Dionysos 

Hymn to Haides and Persephone 

Hymn to Hestia 

Hymn to Aphrodite After Heartbreak 

Hymn to the Household Theoi 

Nightly Offering/Hymn to the Night Theoi 

Morning Offering/Hymn to the Morning/Daytime Theoi

Hymn to Apollon, Lord of Mental Health 

Hymn to Polyhymnia 

Hymn to Apollon, Donor of Ichor

Hymn to Aphrodite of Self Love

Hymn to Poseidon of Cathartic Waves

Recycled Paper Offerings

How to Make Recycled Paper

Recipes for the main 13 (part one) // (part two) 

Recipes for Other Theoi (part one)

Essays/Experiences/Interesting Posts

Dodekatheism and Depression 

My Personal Unique Epithets for the Theoi 

My Personal Epithets for Persephone 

My Personal Epithets for Haides

Fun (and unnecessary) Ritual Wear

Resources for Beginners

Basic Supplies for Dodekatheism 

How to Pray to, Praise, and Worship the Theoi

Tips for Worshiping the Theoi When You Are Non-Verbal 

(Modernized) Ancient Ouranic Offering Ritual 

(Modernized) Nekromanteion Ritual 

How to Make Khernips (Lustral Water)

What is Miasma? 

Resources That Are Not My Own Writings/Compilations:

Magic in Ancient Greece and Rome - @bayoread

Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies - @songbirdspells

Recommended Books About Hekate - @teawitch & @the-witching-tree

Information and Tips About Persephone’s Worship (And some for Aphrodite as well) - @honorthegods

Free Academic Resources Masterpost - @secondgenerationimmigrant

Communication With the Theoi, and Why It’s Okay to Not Receive Signs/Messages - @pomegranateandivy

Site for Learning Ancient Languages - @witchofeindor

Sacredness of a Home - @baringtheaegis

The Pillars of Hellenismos (a modern interpretation of ancient Greek society) - @honorthegods

Information About Hekate - @baringtheaegis

Dodekatheist Festivals and Information - @pomegranateandivy

Household Gods - @hearthfirehandworks

The Greek Alphabet Oracle (similar to Nordic runes)

Getting Into Hellenismos (Dorms) - @baringtheaegis

Hellenion.org (Site for reconstruction of the Dodekatheistic religion with festival calendars, ritual ideas, and forums… highly recommended)

baringtheaegis.blogspot.com (This a wonderful, wonderful blog) - @baringtheaegis

elaion.org (Another group for dodekatheists with rituals, festival calendars, etc. Very wonderful as well)

Theoi.com (a site full of information about all of the gods and goddesses that we really know about. Good for basic information. Not the end-all-be-all, and as with any site, can sometimes be inaccurate, though usually great for beginner things, epithets, etc.)

My Recommended Blogs:

@pomegranateandivy

@honorthegods

@sisterofiris

@baringtheaegis

💖Today, Aphrodite urges you to write a love letter to yourself!💖

I swear, I’ve felt restless all day, and feel like I should share what she’s asked of me! So, here we go: Let’s all do something nice, and wholesome!

💋Decorate it! Whether you’re writing on paper, or in your computer, add cute margins, or sketches around the paper. Make it look good for you! Use your favorite color!

💋 Say hi! Imagine you’re sending this letter to your beloved, greet yourself with nice words!

💋What is something you love/want to love about yourself? Your amazing eyes? The hair that falls like a waterfall? Be as cheesy as you want, have fun!

💋Talk about a time you enjoyed spending time by yourself, and thank yourself for your company. You made dinner last night, and it was delicious? Talk about it, tell yourself how much you enjoyed it!

💋What are some things you absolutely love? Cats, running, procrastinating, lighting eggs on fire, whatever it is, put it there! Talk about why you love it, maybe even add pictures if you’re using a note app!

💋 If you feel specially creative, and are having fun, write a small poem to yourself! It doesn’t have to be good, it can even be funny, just write anything that will make you smile!

💋Ask yourself on a date! “Hey, me, do you maybe want to go take a shower now? Yeah? 😘”

💋Focus on having fun while writing, and just write about anything that makes you happy.

Above all, remember that even if all you can manage is “Hey, self, I wish I loved you. Take care.”, Aphrodite will be absolutely proud of you. And I’ll be too! If you feel good sharing the work you made, be sure to tag me! I’m excited about reading y’all! And I for sure will be posting mine later because it sounds really fun and wholesome.

I wrote this hymn to Hera, focusing on Her royal and motherly aspects. Feel free to reblog, and share with credit to me. Do not remove my caption, and if you want to repost it elsewhere, ask me first please. You are welcome to print and use as you please for personal use, and may use it for group rituals and such with credit to me. I hope you enjoy using it!

The background image and frame are from canva.com, and are free to use and distribute!