Actual Magical Advice (*it's Not About Fire Safety)

actual magical advice (*it's not about fire safety)

Ok I've had my fill of shitposting so here's something that might actually be helpful:

We all work in various ways of course, but I find that making permanent spell vessels and charging them when you need them is a really great way to deal with having too low time/space/energy to cast spells on an as-needed basis.

When I say a spell "vessel" I mean a physical object which is not destroyed in order to complete or activate a spell. So a candle which has to be burned down, a knot which has to be untied, etc., don't count for the type of thing I'm talking about right now.

The kinds of "vessels" I'm talking about are things like witch ladders, poppets, container spells (bags, boxes, jars, bottles, etc.), enchanted jewelry or figurines, manifestation boxes, and so on.

These objects don't have to look "witchy" at all and can easily be made stealthy.

In order to be useful time and time again, I find my own vessels tend to employ more general intent. For example, I might make a "vessel of ill-will" but I wouldn't make a "get Becky from accounting to suffer the consequences of her actions" vessel.

So there are limitations to this system - pre-making stuff for later use means that it's only going to cover generalities.

Another downfall to this method is if a person has really energy-intensive methods of charging, or if they're already struggling to accomplish manifestation due to issues properly gathering and applying energy.

The benefit for me is that my method of charging is very low-energy for me, so once I've spent the energy making the vessel, recharging it when it runs out of batteries is pretty simple. But if someone's personal charging method leaves them exhausted for a couple of days, the benefits to this system dwindle.

In addition, if someone's magical fatigue/difficulty manifesting has to do with not yet having figured out how to cast spells in a way that works for them, then of course this in and of itself won't fix anything.

All that being said, I do think there are lots of benefits to working this way, including:

having time to experiment with and develop spells for the future (as opposed to emergency casting on current situations),

being able to more rapidly respond to situations as they arise (not needing time to research/develop/cast an entire spell; just charging a vessel instead), and,

spell vessels accumulating greater power over longer periods of time that might be very difficult to achieve for one-off spells.

IMO the benefits list does get pretty long but also pretty specific, like, it's a great way to test your energy-raising and charging abilities because you're eliminating the variable of the vessel in your work.

And, you can still cast as many one-off spells as you want towards a goal while the long-term vessel is activated.

And, you can practice magic on lots of stuff that you're not actively dealing with right now.

And, you can get into experimenting with managing and caring for long-term magical objects, which in and of itself is a pool of knowledge. Stuff like that.

So anyway yeah if you're someone who struggles with figuring out how to employ more magic in your life start catching those spells like pokemon and leaving some of them in the PC until needed.

WHAT IS SPIRIT WORK?

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spirit work is how it sounds, working with spirits. these spirits can be spirits of plants, people, animals, mythical beings/creatures, familiars, and otherworldly spirits. it is communing with these spirits, building a relationship with them (forming trust) and asking for their aid (be that in protection, spell work, etc). 

TYPES OF SPIRITS ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

now i should preface this with the types and branching of spirits is vast and wide, and it is dependent on culture, tradition, and religion. i am going to be focusing on animism and the undead spirits, but i will briefly touch on other important/highlighted entities. 

:  ̗̀➛ plant/flora spirits; spirits that are of trees, plants, flowers, rocks, etc. things found in nature that aren’t mammals or animals. most common/popular examples being nymph spirits.

:  ̗̀➛ animal/fauna spirits; spirits of mammals, bugs, birds, and reptiles - spirits of the animal kingdom excluding humans. 

:  ̗̀➛ house/domestic spirits; house spirits have the potential and possibility to be human, but they can also be non-human. domestic spirits (in rome they’re called domestici lares) are guardians of a household and generally the protectors of the home and even the hearth (depending on mythos and region). a common/popular example being saints. 

:  ̗̀➛ tutelary spirits; tutelary/guardian spirits are exactly how they sound, they’re guardians. these spirits can be guardians of a specific place (like a temple or holy ground, see Shi lions), graveyards (this can be any spirit but the most famous is a gargoyle), or of a person (like guardian angels, but any spirit could be a guardian, such as gryphs)

:  ̗̀➛ human spirits/shades; a human soul can and is defined many ways and varies from person to person and tradition to tradition, but human spirits (aka shades, ghosts, etc) can and do reside in our realm alongside the spirit realm (via transport, normally by liminal spots or the aid of a psychopomp, but some can travel on their own). 

:  ̗̀➛ vampiric spirits; vampiric spirits are spirits who drain energy in order to survive or gain strength. back in the day they were known to cause sickness, health issues, and low immune systems, etc. most common/well known spirits are vampires/vampyres, succubi/incubi, some umbra/shadow people, and as i like to call them - dream wyrms. 

:  ̗̀➛ infernus spirits; infernus spirits are those relating to the underworld, this can at times overlap into the demonic, but not all of the demonic are infernus. infernus spirits are mostly those who aid as psychopomps, but they can be the servants and attendants of infernal or chthonic deities. 

:  ̗̀➛ mythical creature spirits; mythical creatures or legendary beasts are those who are not of this plane and reside in the spiritual world. some can be worked with while some cannot (such as faer folk, a note about faer folk is that it’s best to just leave them alone, or yokai). 

:  ̗̀➛ familiar spirits; familiars are spirits/entities who are shapeshifters and sometimes called demons who create a pact with a practitioner/witch/mage/etc. in order to aid them in magical practice and even protection. 

BASICS OF SPIRIT WORK

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it’s important to know and note the basics of spirit work in order to start spirit work. so here are the foundations of what is needed to know for proper and safe spirit work. 

section i. cleansing

let’s firstly begin with what cleansing is and why witches do it. cleansing is a way of forcing negative energy out of an area or person. cleansing is an act that is sort of like a reset button. think of it like showering! you shower because during the day you collected dust, dirt, sweat, etc. and you want to be clean so you take a shower! cleansing is similar, you collect negative energy from weeks of active or inactive craftmenship and even spirits or other entities can latch onto you and your home which then drains your energy. cleansing is needed to keep your space clean and easy to manage energies. it’s important to cleanse yourself, your space and even items. cleansing is important for all magic arguably, but especially spirit work. there are plenty of methods to cleanse, the most popular is smoke (do note it’s important to not smudge smudging is a closed practice to natives and indigenous in north america). but there are other methods such as sound, air/wind, energy work, and water. 

section ii. banishing

banishing is also an important skill to have in your back pocket. banishing is is a more forceful means of cleansing. it’s to forcefully remove an entity and less “nice”. banishing can be done in rituals, spells, using fire (writing the name or being down and burning the paper), air (writing the name or being down and tossing it in the wind), earth (writing the name or being down and burying it), water (writing the name down and tossing it in the sea or river, drowning the paper, etc), etc! loads of ways to banish and more i didn’t mention! 

section iii. grounding

grounding is an extremely important part of spirit work. grounding keeps you in a stable mindset and energy wise keeps you balanced. ways of grounding can be dancing, shaking your hands and feet, stomping/jumping, meditating, taking a walk, listening to music, etc. 

section iv. circle casting/closing

circle casting is important, especially for beginners, it creates a wall and safe zone for yourself and the spirit. one of the easiest ways (physical circles) is to pour a circle of salt around you, candles or crystals at four points (in the position of a pentacle), etc. as far as mental/energy ones, some use their finger or a wand and do a complete circle around them, or, a circle and a pentacle (pentagram). while casting circles some people call upon and evoke deities, angels, the watchers/watch towers, spirit guides, elements, etc. for protection and ensuring safety. some believe you must cast a circle starting north and finish at west, some don’t. no matter where you start the circle you must start and end the circle at the same point, going the opposite direction than what you started with when casting, will close the circle. so if i casted my circle clockwise, i would close it counterclockwise and end at the same point i started with. 

section v. further protection

casting a circle isn’t the only method of protection that should be precautioned, there are also the means of protection such as layering warding (which is a lesson in itself). some examples of warding are; energetic wards, spell jars, spell bags, charms, crystals, sigils, and house guardians to name a few. you can also veil during spirit work, but it’s not necessary. 

section vi. boundaries

setting boundaries with spirits is super important, especially if they’re staying long term (but even if it’s short term have boundaries!) so say you don’t like it when spirits knock, establish the boundary politely of “i don’t like it when you knock at night or during the day, so please don’t do that.” remember, be polite, but be firm too. and if you want a spirit gone tell them sternly! 

section vii. what are vessels?

vessels are what ground spirits and help to stabilize them in our plane, a vessel can be anything too, such as jewelry, dolls, a pen, bones, literally anything. an anchor is similar to a vessel, but an anchor doesn’t “house” the spirit, more so provides it a free range and source of stability. conduits channel the spirits energy, it can be symbols, sigils or other iconography to channel and then utilize a spirits energy. these are all important tools and things to know when it comes to spirit work.

SPIRIT ETIQUETTE

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In General

:  ̗̀➛be assertive, but be polite

:  ̗̀➛ do not forcefully bind a spirit to an anchor, vessel, or conduit alike

:  ̗̀➛ always use consent when it comes to using vessels, anchors, or conduits

:  ̗̀➛ ask and negotiate, come to a compromise, have firm boundaries too

:  ̗̀➛don’t forget to feed and provide energy for any vampiric or even familiar spirits

:  ̗̀➛ make a schedule if you really need to/set reminders on when communication is and isn’t ok

:  ̗̀➛ don’t sell, show, or give away spirits 

House Spirits 

:  ̗̀➛ be polite 

: ̗̀➛ treat them like you would treat a living breathing human 

: ̗̀➛ when entering a house, i normally like to whisper a quiet greeting or even in my mind saying “hello”, “good day”, “good afternoon”, “good morning” etc. 

: ̗̀➛ depending on your belief, greet the house guardian 

: ̗̀➛ light a candle to them, do divination, learn about them! 

Graveyard

 : ̗̀➛ don’t take what’s not yours, it’s impolite 

: ̗̀➛ have manners, people from all centuries probably reside there 

: ̗̀➛ greet & give offerings to the guardian at the front gate (this can be a tree, a specific spirit, animal spirits, etc.) 

: ̗̀➛ treat them like they’re people 

: ̗̀➛ dont step on the grass (this is respectful to the dead and their families) 

Landmarks (i.e. lakes, forest, plains, oceans, etc.) 

: ̗̀➛ introduce yourself & say a greeting 

: ̗̀➛ spend quality time & respect boundaries

 : ̗̀➛ offer things that will benefit them / the area (i.e. water, compost, etc) 

: ̗̀➛ don’t be shy to strike up conversation and divination

What to Do With Your Spell Jar?

There are a few different options now that you’ve cast your jar spell. Basically, you can bury it, hide it, toss it in water, keep it on your altar, or dismantle it. Which you choose depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Bury the jar if . . .

You are seeking permanent protection or to break or repel a curse. This will stand sentry on your property and protect you (or on the property of the person for whom you cast the jar spell). If you don’t have land of your own, you can bury it in a flower pot of soil left by your doorstep.

You want your jar to be a ‘magnet’ of sorts to continue to draw things to you (attention, health, wealth, etc.). Bury it on your property or the property of the person you’re casting for and be done with it.

You are trying to rid yourself of something (or rid the person you’re casting for of something), like a disease or bad habit. Bury the jar at a crossroads, don’t look back, and (ideally) never return.

You are casting a spell on another unbeknownst to them (but remember your ethics!). Bury it on their property—ideally somewhere they cross over every day, like beneath their doorstep.

Note: If you were doing some major cursing to harm another, you could bury it in a graveyard (not something I personally recommend, by the way; but I’m just passing on the information).

Hide the jar if . . .

You want to bury it, but burying it is not an option. Hey, I am originally from New York City—I understand you can’t bury a jar easily when you live in an apartment. If this is the case, just hide it deep in the home somewhere—inside a wall, in the junk closet, or wherever it won’t be disturbed.

You plan on dismantling it sometime in the future, which will disengage the spell when done properly.

Toss the jar in water if . . . *

Using it to banish or exorcise any entities, or if you are working with any ‘questionable’ entities (again, not recommended, just passing on the information). Running natural water sources will purify it and protect you from their return.

It’s successfully removed a curse, a disease, a bad habit, etc.; this is an alternative to burying it at a crossroad. Keep in mind you could be fined for littering if you’re just tossing stuff into local waters.

*Tip: If it floats, puncture the cap with a hole or tie it to a weight.

Keep the jar on your altar if . . .

. . . your goal is an ongoing one that you’d like to keep working on. You can continue to burn candles over the mouth of the jar or shake it while saying your chant to keep it working for you.

Alternatively, if you have a shrine to your God/dess and sought their aid, you can keep it there. Again, shake it occasionally while chanting to keep the power going.

This is actually a good option for spells that are going to require a great deal of time and effort—for example, if you were to do a jar spell to help you pass tests, you might keep it on your altar all through college. You might repeat your chant, burn a candle or shake it the night before exams. This is better than making a new spell for every exam.

Dismantle the jar if . . .

. . . the spell's power is no longer necessary and you’d like the effects to stop. For example, if you cast a jar spell to attract love, you might have had many interests for a while. Now, you are getting married and you don’t want to attract any more potential lovers. So you would dismantle the spell.

To do this, remove the contents and bury them at a crossroads or into running water, clean the container and dispose of it. With a proper cleansing, you could re-use it.

Warning: It’s not generally a good idea to dismantle a jar used for cursing or hexing, or one for breaking a curse or hex, unless you really know what you’re doing. Just bury it at the crossroads or in running water and be done with it.

Do Not Burn Your Spell Jar

One thing I do not recommend is throwing it into a fire, as is mentioned in some sources. This was, in particular, a method of cursing and curse-breaking; the Witch would throw the jar into the fire and when it burst, it meant the curse was working (torturing the person it is cast on) or it meant the curse you were lifting has broken.

This is not necessary, and not a safe option at all. However, if you do dismantle a jar spell and have some components left over (ribbon, paper, etc.), you could burn those items after it’s dismantled if you have a safe means of doing so.

Exemplore

How to Cast a Jar Spell: Witchcraft for Beginners

Jar spells are so versatile! Once you learn the basics, you can use the techniques for just about any magical goal. Here is a thorough, step

Beginner witch research list

History of witchcraft

Types of witches 

Book of shadows and grimoire and how to make your own

Altars and altar tools

Types of spells

Psychic protection, protections spells, home and house and protection

Shadow work

Banishing

Protective herbs

Grounding, centering and meditation.

Moon phases and how they can be incorporated into spells

magickal/witches tools

Candle colour correlations/ colour correlations in witchcraft

Herbology

Crystals

Types of divination- tarot, pendulum, runes ect

Astrology

Dream interpretation

Reasons why a spell or ritual may fail 

How to fix a spell if it goes wrong or ask a fellow witch for advice

The elements and how to connect to them

Understanding substituting and how to rework rituals and spells

Affirmations

Pentagram, pentacle and the goat of mendes

The laws of magick

The law of attraction

dangerous / poisonous/ toxic herbs!

Crystal care

auras/ aura reading

Folklores,superstitions and wivestales

Different deities in different cultures

Chakras

Alchemy

Seals

Familiars

Sigils and talsimans

energies/ energy work

Solitary vs coven/group witchcraft

sabbats/ esbats- if you’re interested in that.

Faeries

Lucid dreaming/astral projection

Working with spirits, angels, deities and 

Steps to take to make sure you are working with certain angels and deities or spirits.

Methods for opening the third eye and other chakras

Chaos magick

Personal spirit guides

How to find your spirit guides and guardian angels

The higher self

Taglocks and magick links

Lightworkers

Symptoms of being cursed/ hex

How to remove a curse or hex/return to sender

Empaths

Symbols

Types of water(moonwater ect)

Writing your own spells

Cord or knot magick

Ritual structures

How to cleanse your space and cleansing herbs

Do not try hex ,cursing or any type of baneful magic as a beginner witch! It can backfire and go wrong if you’re not prepared! But knowing the symptoms and how to send one back can be very useful

Rituals under 5 mins

Here are a few suggestions for some ritual work that is under 5 minutes. Simple and quick!

Visualize your keys unlocking opportunities anytime you use them.

Use some herbal smoke, an incense, or diffuser to cleanse your home.

Turn your shower/bath into a cleansing opportunity to wash away all the negativities. Visualize the water as golden rain removing the bad.

Bless your morning coffee/tea with good vibes to be productive and creative for the day.

Close your eyes and take 7 deep breaths. One for every Chakra. Imagine each Chakra becoming aligned with each breath.

Bless your food with gratitude.

Set your intention for the day when you first wake up with an affirmation.