Remember That Every Dollop Of Lotion You Rub On Your Skin, Every Little Nap You Take To Be Well Again,

Remember that every dollop of lotion you rub on your skin, every little nap you take to be well again, every glass of water you drink to take care of yourself, is blessed by Aphrodite. She’s always there to have a moment with you.

aphrodite 🐚 offerings / devotional acts

offerings

◇ shells ◇ ocean imagery ◇ swan/dove/sparrow/goose imagery ◇ angel/cherub imagery ◇ heart imagery ◇ valentine's day gifts ◇ imagery/paintings of her ◇ roses/rose imagery ◇ rosehips/rose thorns ◇ rose quartz, amethyst, blue lace agate, ruby, moonstone ◇ skincare/hair care/body care ◇ perfume/cologne ◇ hair brush ◇ mirrors ◇ makeup ◇ water (moon/salt/sea water) ◇ honey ◇ wine ◇ hot chocolate/any chocolates ◇ apples ◇ strawberries/raspberries

devotional acts

◇ give compliments to strangers ◇ dedicate a glass of water to her ◇ collect all types of pretty things ◇ plan your outfits, wear things that make you feel like you ◇ wear jewelry that reminds you of her ◇ create a skincare and body care routine ◇ watch romantic movies or read romantic books ◇ listen to music that makes you feel good, dance to it if you are able ◇ give yourself love, forgive yourself for any mistakes ◇ wear perfume/cologne dedicated to her ◇ fall asleep to sounds of ocean waves or birdsong ◇ take a bath devoted to her ◇ spend time with your loved ones ◇ pour your heart out to someone, or pour your heart out in a journal ◇ donate to women's shelters ◇ create a Pinterest board ◇ eat foods that she likes (strawberries, chocolates, apples, & raspberries) ◇ write poetry about her ◇ talk to her ◇ create a playlist dedicated to her ◇ have a chapstick/lip gloss dedicated to her ◇ paint or draw something that reminds you of her

these are just a compilation of a lot of things i have read, as well as some things that work for me :)

Quantifying Your Craft: Witchcraft Journaling Questions (Autumn 2024)

I'm planning to do something like this every season around the equinox to see how my practice has changed.

General

Do you follow any paths or traditions?

🦇 No

How would you classify your practice?

🦇 I could call myself as a beginner practicioner. You can say you can play an instrument just because you know how to play a chord. I use whatever I have available to me and things I can do without anyone noticing. I am very experimental. I like to see things for myself and write my own spells, as others are usually not accessible to me.

Do you work with any deities?

🦇 When it comes to witchcraft, I've worked with Goddess Aphrodite once. Other than no. I need to get to it again some time.

Do you work by yourself or with others?

🦇 I work by myself as that's what I have available to me. But I would really like to have friends to celebrate special days with.

For how long have you been practicing?

🦇 I think I only got myself to believe in it towards the end of last year, but I only really started practicing this year.

Working Space

Do you have an altar?

🦇 No, I would love to have one but I don't live on my own and I practice in secret. I might decorate my room properly, fill it with enchanted items and turn it into an altar though. I have other things to handle first. I might get a little travel altar when I go to university.

Do you have a dedicated workspace or a space for magical workings outside of your home?

🦇 I don't have a dedicated space but I do my workings inside. I live somewhere where it's impossible to do anything without being interrupted. Unless the area is so deserted that there aren't even drunks outside.

If you could describe your ideal workspace, what would it look like?

🦇 I would like to have everything I use often in one place to find quickly. A notebook full of my spells, herbs I already have access to like mint, cloves, chilli peppers and salt. Maybe some candles. The playing cards I use for divination. A bowl to put things in. Some matches because I prefer them to lighters. Ropes and beads. Flowers I've gathered from the side of the road. The Harry Potter wand my cousins 3D printed for me as a birthday gift. A ritual dagger would be so cool, but unfortunately it has to be fake because I can't be trusted around sharp objects. I can imagine it placed nicely on a purple tablecloth.

Tools

Do you have tools that you work with?

🦇 I have a deck of playing cards. I'm using the one I already had at home. It does the job. One more thing I gotta figure out. When there are people home however, I use the deck of cards website. Still works. I haven't looked into how to use the wand I had talked about yet. Another thing on my to do list.

What do you use the most frequently? Do you have favorites?

🦇 I really like cloves. It's easy to have them around all the time because I can't chew gum and it's an alternative for bad breath.

Do you make or grow any of your components?

🦇 I don't grow anything just yet. I just use what I have at home. I do have some ideas in mind though.

Where do you acquire the things you need for magic?

🦇 I just use whatever I have at home or collect things from the plants outside.

What are your favorite sources of information?

🦇 I can't buy books so I like to watch long form videos on YouTube. I also like to meditate on things I use as correspondences.

Do you have a ritual garb or jewelry that connects you to your craft?

🦇 No but this is a good idea. I should make a bracelet or necklace to wear when I want to get in the mood for spell work.

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft is a complicated business. There are lots of moving parts, dozens of things to study, and so much information to try and keep straight in your head. It’s easy to become overwhelmed. Sometimes we forget things. Not just when the full moon is (although plenty of us do) but what it is we want to do with our craft.

And sometimes we feel like we’ve lost our drive. Like whatever moved us to become witches in the first place has somehow slipped away, leaving us with just the dregs. Sometimes we feel stuck, unable to make progress. It’s easy to become frustrated too, but it’s important to push on.

To that end, I offer this exercise.

Choose a journal or open a word document and begin quantifying your craft.

Start by outlining the broad concepts. Do you follow a particular path or tradition? How would you classify your craft, i.e. green witchcraft, cottagecraft, sea witch, lunar witch, and so on? Do you work with any deities, and if so, which ones? Do you work alone or with others? How long have you been practicing? What, to you, is the most important aspect of your craft?

Then get into your working space. Do you have an altar? If so, what’s on it and why? Do you have a dedicated workspace, or a place you go to work magic outside of your home? If you could describe your ideal workspace, what would it look like? 

Next, describe your tools. Do you have cards or runes or a wand or other specialized tools that you work with? What do you use most frequently? Do you have favorites? Do you make or grow any of your components? Where do you acquire the things you use in your magic, if you can’t make them at home? Do you have a personal library? What are your favorite sources of information? Do you have ritual garb or jewelry that connects you with your craft?

Sketch out your year as a witch. What holidays do you observe and how do you celebrate them? What seasonal festivals or special occasions do you mark? Which ones do you enjoy the most? Is there a time of year when you feel more energized?

Once you have all of this recorded, think back to what first interested you in magic and witchcraft and describe that. Was it a movie? A favorite book? A personal experience? Were you raised in the craft or did you come to it on your own? What made you decide to become a witch?

Then think about how you’ve progressed since you started. Have you achieved a particular goal you set when you began, or are you closer to achieving it then you were? What have you gotten really good at? Where are you still struggling? Where would you like to be a year from now? Are there things you’d like to try but haven’t yet?

And of course, if anything else occurs to you, record that too.

There is no need to share these thoughts with anyone if you don’t want to. This is purely a personal exercise, to help you understand where you are, where you’ve come from, and where you want to go. Quantifying this information might provide some much-needed inspiration, in addition to helping you solidify any nebulous thoughts that might be floating around. It’s much easier to progress in your craft if you have an outline for what you’re already doing.

Happy Witching!

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Want more witchcraft exercises? Check out the masterpost here.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

Turkish adaptation:

Afrodit,

Seni açan bir gülde görüyorum,

Zarif kokusu havada yayılan

Seni pembe tonlarda görüyorum,

Gökyüzünü sessiz bir şafakta öpen

Seni sevgilimin gülüşünde görüyorum,

Hareketli bir şarkı ve ve parlak gözlerle

September 12th, 2024

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