Vegetable Correspondences

🥕Vegetable Correspondences🥕

Artichoke- Love, lust, personal growth, protection, safety, sexual desires, temptation Asparagus- Aphrodisiac, cleansing, fertility, healing, lust, sex, power, unfaithfulness Avocado- Beauty, love, lust Beans- Decision making, grounding, love, lust, prosperity, protection Beet- Beauty, blood, desire, fertility, healing, love, passion, relationships, sexual energy

Bellpepper:

Red- Love, strength

Yellow- Intelligence, energy, focus, creativity

Green- Money

Broccoli- Healing, health, leadership, physical strength, prosperity, protection, wealth Brussels Sprouts- Determination, endurance, health, protection, stability, strength Cabbage- Anti-nightmare, fertility, lunar presence, money, prosperity, protection, sleep Carrots- Desire, dispel illusions, fertility, healing, lust, sexuality, protection, visions Cauliflower- Emotions, feminine energy, growth, lunar energy, personal protection Celery- Calming, concentration, lust, mental clarity, passion, peace, psychic awareness, sexuality Corn- Abundance, blessings, fertility, luck, prosperity, protection, rituals,  spirituality Cucumber- Calming, chastity, fertility, healing, hinders lust, peace, relaxation, stress relief Eggplant- Hoodoo, money, prosperity, sexuality, wealth Horseradish- Anti-negativity, breaks hexes, energy, passion, protection, purification Kale- Healing, strength Leek- Anti-impurity, exorcisms, friendships, healing, love, protection, purification, strength Lettuce- Astral travel, divination, love, lunar magick, meditation, protection, sex, sleep

Mushrooms:

Button- Protection

Chanterelle- Love, romance, protection

Chicken of the Woods- New beginnings

Enoki- Psychic power

Morel- Protection, memory, clarity

Oyster- Prosperity, protection, psychic abilities

Portabella- Strength

Shiitake- Healing, love, divination

Olive- Fertility, healing, lust, peace, protection, spirituality Onion- Anti-negativity, dreams, endurance, health, lust, money, prosperity, protection, stability Pea- Love Potato- Energy, healing, hoodoo, luck, money, poppet, stability, wealth Pumpkin- Banishing, divination, love, lunar magick, prosperity, protection, rebirth, wishes Radish- Breaks curses, fire magick, lust, protection Spinach- Prosperity Squash- Spirituality Sweet Potato- Friendship, harmony, grounding, nurturing, sensuality Tomato- Anti-negativity,creativity, love, offerings, passion, prosperity,  protection, repel evil Turnip- Death, ending relationships, fertility, protection, sexual energy Zucchini- Faithfulness, fertility, lust, prosperity, protection, relationships, sex magick

Happy Samhain! Time to pull out your tarot deck and get shamed by your grandma!

Money Bowl

How to Create a Money Bowl

You will need:

Bowl

Rice - for abundance

Money Oil

Coins, cash, etc. (This can even be paper with dollar signs/money signs written in green or gold.)

Cinnamon sticks - for money

A green candle - for money, prosperity, abundance, wealth

Bay leaves

Basil (or other money related herbs and spices)

Pyrite - to attract money and prosperity

Clear Quartz - to amplify the spellwork

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Fill your bowl with rice up to a height you're comfortable with.

On a separate plate or napkin, layout the basil. (You can add any other spices or herbs that will help with your money bowl.) Dress the candle with your money oil. (This can be purchased pre-made from your local magick shop or you can make your own. If you don't have any, you can use whatever oil you have on hand.) Roll the candle in the herbs and make sure it's coated well.

Place the candle at the center of the bowl and start placing your stuff inside! I used rolled up cash (whatever amount you'd like), cinnamon sticks, basil with my petitions written on them, etc. Feel free to add more money-drawing items or remove what you feel isn't serving you.

Decorate your box with crystals and other items. I used a pyrite elephant and pyrite cluster since pyrite is associated with money and wealth, but I also used a clear quartz to amplify the shellwork and boost the money-drawing power.

I placed my bowl on top of my clear box with tips from the place I bartend at, but you can put your bowl wherever makes sense to you. The key is to "work" the bowl and continue to add/remove items, light the candle, add drops of oil, replace an old candle with a new one, etc. Since I have my bowl sitting on top of my money box, inserting money into the box is like I'm "feeding" the box/bowl with that energy.

I think the most important part to remember is that this bowl is personal and entirely up to you. Everyone's bowl will look different and people will "work" their bowls differently, which I think is really cool. There is no right or wrong way to make a money bowl, but it is a lot of trial and error. I'd love to hear what other people would use in their money bowl, so feel free to comment below to let me know!

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The correspondences listed above and noted in the description can be found in Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences.

Seasonal Divination: Halloween/Samhain

I do divination throughout the year. Occasional single-card draws to see how a day will go, three-card spreads to answer questions, spirit communication with all sorts of methods, readings for others... Divination of all sorts (particularly tarot) is a pillar of my practice.

For some holidays, though, I like to do extra divinations that are specific to that holiday. New Year's Eve and Day, the Equinoxes, Midsummer, and the day of the first snowfall are examples of days I mark with special divinations.

The biggest one for me, and for many witches, is Halloween. Like a lot of others, my practice was born (and reborn!) around this time of year. Something about the atmosphere and the changing season encourages introspection and connection to the realm of magic. Whether you believe in the thinning veil or not (personally, I'm dubious about it), there is an energy to the days surrounding Halloween that can't be denied.

In my practice, I don't do Samhain or consider this to be my new year. Rather, this is the turning point where the weather tips into cold. It's a time of anticipation. Preparations for the dark half of the year start at the Autumn Equinox, but they become more urgent and real around Halloween as we take in the last fruit and vegetable harvests of the year.

Halloween is a big day for spirit work for me. This is the day when I call on my spirits to give me guidance and advice -- whatever they want to say. I don't ask any questions. I just draw and interpret using a standard spread.

The Spread

You can technically use this at any time of year, but I recently redesigned this spread specifically for Halloween and spirit work purposes.

This is an eight-card spread intended to receive general advice and guidance from spirits. In particular, I'm looking for advice I either missed, ignored, or didn't understand previously.

The cards, in order, are:

Me (or the querent), one card (1)

Opportunities, two cards (2 & 3)

Areas of growth, two cards (4 & 5)

Obstacles or warnings, two cards, one to modify opportunities, one to modify growth (6 & 7)

Wild card, the certified "yell at me" card, intended to let my saucier spirits say whatever they want within the spread (8)

So, the spread ends up looking something like this:

Using the Spread

Often, even divination is pretty casual for me. But this, like other special holiday spreads, requires a bit more involvement. Note that it doesn't really matter what time of day this reading is done, but I typically do it after nightfall.

First, I light at least one candle. Several is ideal, but one will do in a pinch. I prefer to do this at an altar or in a space that's been set up specifically for spirits to visit and use. I'll set out an offering such as whisky, coffee, bread, or cookies for the spirits in return for their wisdom. Remember: Even if your relationship isn't purely transactional, it's respectful to give something in return for a spirit's efforts.

Next, select a deck. Any deck will do, but I prefer ones that my spirits are particularly attached to. For me, this is usually my Deviant Moon Tarot, which you can see pictured above.

Now, we shuffle. I like to shuffle for jumpers, but you can do it however you like best. If no jumpers pop out, that's usually a sign that there's no message for me right now, and I ought to try again later. But sometimes, I'll feel called to stop and draw or pick a card from somewhere random in the middle of the deck. It all depends on which spirit sets their influence in the moment. Set the cards down in order as they jump or are drawn.

Once all the cards are down, interpret as usual.

The self card represents me (or you, as the case may be). It's where I am right now in the moment, how I'm feeling, and my current status.

The two opportunity cards are just that -- opportunities. These are things coming up that I should take advantage of. They could pertain to relationships, money, or life in general.

The growth cards are more personal. These are areas of focus to improve myself and grow as a person. Whether it's in relationships, spirituality, self-love, or something else, these cards represent the path of development.

The obstacle cards correspond to the opportunities or growth areas they sit between, representing the things that stand in their way. They show possible conflicts, problems, and things that will prevent growth or opportunities from reaching me, or things that will prevent me from taking those opportunities.

The wild card is a bit different. This card is intended to be a sort of "free space" for the spirits to use to say whatever they want. It could have to do with literally anything. Often, this card ends up being a message I missed or misinterpreted at the time I originally saw it, redelivered with a bit of attitude.

Take notes on your observations. I write down everything, whether I think it's relevant or not. I'll also take a picture of the spread to paste into my digital grimoire. Everything speaks. This reading looks at the next several months. Every so often, I'll come back to these notes to see how accurate it was and draw on the wisdom offered.

Once your reading is complete, thank your spirits. Sit with them for a while before blowing out the candles (or snuffing them, whichever you prefer) and cleaning up the space.

I hope this spread is useful to you! If you enjoyed this post or use this spread, please consider dropping a tip in my tip jar. Every contribution helps me keep making posts like this!

Also, if you have time, please check out my Divination Theory Survey! I'm studying sentiments surrounding digital divination and the efficacy of digital divination tools (like shufflemancy, tarot apps, and the like). Every response helps the research!

Happy Halloween!

✨🍂🪔 Blessed SAMHAIN 🪔🍂✨

May your honor those who passed this year and all the ancestors 

May the thinning of the veils allow for the wisdom of the ancestors to imbue you

May you be intimate with your darkness and find inspiration and resilience in it

May recollections of what has been fuel your attunement to and excitement for what is to be

May the turning of the year shower you with peace, clarity, strength, vision, and joy

May your Soul's wishes manifest as plentiful as seeds of a lush pomegranate

May the new cycle come bearing abundant fruits, gifts, and rewards for you

May you find wholeness and bliss in honoring all your relations, mother Earth, and Self

May you joyfully embrace the infinite cycles of life - birth, death, rebirth

May this Samhain cleanse your mind, heart, and being!

Witches in History - Podcast Recs

If you prefer your history lessons in podcast form, here’s a list of audio treats about witches, witch trials, and witch panics, from antiquity to the modern day. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!

I will update this list as I find new examples. Feel free to add your own!

(Last Updated October 16, 2023 - Full post under Read More)

Witches & Witch Trials in History

Hex Positive

Ep. 3 - Hex Positive June 1, 2020 Bree delves into what it means to be Hex Positive, as well as discussing and dismantling some of the confusion surrounding the use of hexes and curses. Just what IS the Threefold Law, anyway? The answer may surprise you.

Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope. This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!

Ep. 20 - Witchcraft and the Law September 1, 2021 A discussion of the history of witchcraft-related laws and how changing views on magic, religion, and superstition first denied the existence of witches, then panicked over their alleged activities, and finally settled into something resembling common sense. This is a long slog, encompassing over 3000 years of history from a broomstick-height view, and I get off on a few tangents where history crosses paths with modern issues. But if you’re a history buff, you’re gonna love this episode!

Ep. 21 - Witchcraft and Modern Law September 21, 2021 A follow-up to Ep. 20, this time dealing with modern legal codes that may affect our practices even if they don’t deal with witchcraft directly. There is also some discussion of 20th-century events missed in the previous episode, as well as a brief overview of witch hunts still occurring in some parts of the world today.

Ep. 22 - Bree and Lozzie vs the Witch Hunters October 1, 2021 Bree NicGarran and guest host Lozzie Stardust run down the history and many misdeeds of notorious witch hunters Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne.

Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.

Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Bree puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter  and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first  – the bunny or the egg?

Ep. 036 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921…which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement. Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins me in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray’s various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.

BS-Free Witchcraft

Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)

Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.

Ep. 33: The Wheel of the Year March 27, 2021 After two fairly depressing episodes, it’s time to move on to something a little less bleak. This time around we’re talking about the Wheel of the Year! Well, at least the basic idea. Where did it come from, who slapped these eight holidays together, and are they really something every witch needs to give a crap about? (Minor spoiler, the answer to that last question is a firm “no.”)

Ep. 39. - Mabon and Aidan Kelly Sept. 25, 2021 In the last few years there has been some minor push back against using the name “Mabon” for the Autumnal Equinox. In this episode we’re going to talk about how Mabon got its name, who came up with the name, and why exactly a small group of British Traditional Wiccans are so mad about it. (Spoiler: it’s because a bunch of Gardnerian Wiccans are mad at Aidan Kelly.)

Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 As long as I can remember, people have been debating whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in new age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. Like I’ve run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and I’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – I don’t think you should.

Ep. 53 - Modern Witchcraft History Nov. 26, 2022 This episode of BS-Free Witchcraft is actually a panel from CritWitchCon 2022 this last October. Spend an hour with Alex Wrekk, Bree NicGarran, Lozzie Stardust, and Trae Dorn as they talk about the history of modern witchcraft. Also you get to list to Trae speed run like 130 years of history in under five minutes. [It was epic.]

Ep. 54 - A Conversation with Aidan Kelly Dec. 31, 2022 Trae sits down with Aidan Kelly (yes THE Aidan Kelly) to discuss the September 2021 episode listed above and set the record straight about Kelly’s new Wheel of the Year.

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