Just because a spell doesn't seem to manifest exactly how you wanted doesn't mean that nothing happened.

A spell could have:

It is possible for an effective spell to not appear to have done much at all.

This could also hypothetically mean that you really do have to cast the same spell three or four times before enough underlying issues are resolved to get you what you want.

I do not think all magic necessarily works like this.

But I do think that sometimes, witches underestimate the amount of times they need to engage with magical reality in order to affect real change in the world around them.

Might stop calling them spell jars and just call them spell vessels. I’m out here using breath mint tins and empty vanilla bottles. Sometimes I just can’t be bothered and stick all of it in the pot of dirt that was once a houseplant. It’s never about the container, it’s what’s in it.

Using Electricity as Fuel in Witchcraft

{My post is Cross Posted from The Cobalt Athenaeum aka my original post}

A little tech magic trick I have taught myself is using various forms of electricity sources to tie my wards to for continuous charging, to power spells when I lack the energy and for a personal energy boost.

Warding I have tied my wards to my home's electricity. The way I did this was I drew a sigil onto a sticky pad and stuck it onto the breaker panel, really you can draw it on with your finger with an anointing oil of choice (ON THE DOOR. I REPEAT GET NOWHERE NEAR THE SWITCHES). Then placed another connecting sigil into my warding jars/placed them with the instructions for my wards. The only downside is I live in a place where my power can go out, so I always have a backup power source to keep them going. Something to keep in mind.

Spellwork I did a similar method for my spells, using a connecting conducting sigil. These sigils are easy to make, at least in theory. You can check out the ⁠what-are-sigils channel for a deeper look. You make two sigils with one as an input and the other as an output, connecting the two in a circuit-like mechanism which creates a power source for your spell. Because it is raw energy you need to fine-tune directing it otherwise it may go haywire.

Self Fueling This is fun, using the tendril method I connect with the electricity fueling my house. It’s a very simple method. You start by visualizing energy tendrils coming out of your fingers, they look like moving wiggling little tendrils of any colour. They slowly expand and reach into the walls, into the wires themselves. This can take practice to do but it is an incredibly valuable method. I suggest grounding after to get rid of any excess so you are not jittery. You can use any electrical source for this.

Would you be interested in the rest of my posts? Check out the Masterpost.

Blessings,

Juniper

Such a clever idea!

Getting Back Into Your Practice

Sometimes life is shitty and your spiritual practice doesn't take priority. Thats okay. Here are some tips for how to get back into your practice once you're feeling up for it.

I hope these helped. Remember to take things slow and dont let the pressure of getting back into it weigh you down. Magic is suppose to help not hinder.

Lukewarm take: If you want to get good at practical sorcery, you're probably going to have to do a lot of magic you don't need to do, just for the sake of practice

I do not like or support the idea that ~all~ witches are supposed to be spiritual bodybuilders who are ~supposed~ to do daily training drills.

But some people really would like to really practice certain skills related to witchcraft (as in, habitually engage with a skill for the purpose of improvement).

I'm really into sorcery, and every time I bring up the idea that to get good at it you should practice it, I feel like someone always ends up saying, "but I don't need anything."

IMO there is a very unhelpful vibe when it comes to ""practice discourse"" where it is assumed that if you don't need something, then it isn't useful to practice it.

Case in point, cleansing!

A lot of people say that you don't really need to cleanse things, not even spiritual tools; that it's a handy skill to have if you need it, but it's not necessary.

My point isn't whether or not you really need to cleanse things.

My point is the practice that cleansing can bring!

Cleanse a hundred objects, and you have a hundred more interactions with magic under your belt.

Depending on the method of cleansing you're doing, you've enchanted a hundred dishes of salt water, a hundred sticks of incense, said a hundred charms.

You've engaged your willpower and magical mind a hundred times.

You have a hundred more experiences with how working with that energy, or that correspondence, or that charm affects you; how it leaves you feeling; how it leaves the object feeling.

Imagine how effective a charm might begin to be if you use it a hundred times. Imagine the experience you might gain using ten different cleansing methods ten times each.

You've got a lot more experience with objects before and after they've been worked over.

A person who does a hundred cleansings may not begin to develop an innate sense for the spiritual grime that can accumulate in the world around us, but I imagine they'd be a lot more likely to than someone who doesn't cleanse at all.

The thing with magic is that (IMO) you can never just practice one thing at a time. If you practice cleansing, you may also be practicing enchantment, energy work, psychism, petitioning, and so forth (again, depending on your methods).

And when the time comes to cast, idk, a prosperity spell, I would put my money on a guy who has only been cleansing because he had nothing better to do, than someone who hasn't been practicing any magic at all in the same timespan.

It goes for anything. A hundred energized little rocks to change the mood of a room. A hundred bits of string to tie up an annoyance.

Maybe you don't NEED an annoyance tied up.

But if you WANT to practice magic, then what does it matter what the magic is for?

Offering Ideas!

Offerings can be so difficult to keep up with, but here are a few examples of some daily--or even weekly--offering ideas! These can be used for gods, spirits, ancestors, or any entity, really!

My favourite magical protection methods

BTW, the belief that you have to leave where you are and go somewhere in order to connect with nature is part of the problem. You can literally connect with nature anywhere; yes, even in an urban environment. You have birds, bugs, plants, weather, seasons, etc. A lot of people need to stop thinking of nature as something out there and start recognizing that it's something that's already right here.

Oh and here’s a warning! Dont tie all of your spells to your OWN energy or you will burn yourself out and be depressed and not know why!

I used to have to drink a juice after spells (like I was giving blood or some shit) because I was using my own energy for all of them. I would finish a spell and be WIPED OUT for DAYS.

Then I started doing long-term spells and realized that the drain from a glamour, a protection spell, and a luck spell all operating at the same time was not sustainable.

I’m currently experimenting with solar-powered spells and wind-powered spells :)

Omg same. That's pretty much the reason I stopped using my own energy for anything, or even doing manual "energy work" in spells at all, and went to pretty much an entirely spirit-centric paradigm.

From time to time I still end up raising a lot of energy for one spell and it makes me feel so weird all day, and instant major hunger.

Simple Ways to Practice Magick Everyday

tip jar

For the witches and pagans who need to hear it, connecting with nature is supposed to be about like, actually observing nature over long periods of time, not doing stuff like hoarding endangered bird feathers and beach sand, or just meditating out in aesthetically-pleasing locations. Can you tell me exactly when your wildflowers and weeds start blooming? When do your bugs come out of hibernation? When do migratory birds come and go? How does the air feel during different times of year? If you can't do stuff like that, you aren't connecting with nature.

Witches, listen to me.

It's more than ok to take a break.

It's necessary even.

I haven't done witchcraft since February, and you know what? I'm not worried. It'll be here, like it always is, when I'm all rested up and ready to jump in again.

Life happens to us all.

You don't have to practice constantly, and you're still a witch.

You don’t have to have fancy crystals and herbs for spell jars btw. You can use sugar, coffee grounds, leaves, acorns, etc. Don’t fall victim to witchcraft consumerism.

How Do I Disassemble A Spell Jar?

I’ve seen way too many posts about how to make one, but never any about how to take one apart.

If you buried your spell jar (or otherwise placed it somewhere not in your general vicinity), retrieve it first.

There are a few ways to go about disassembling a spell jar.

Throwing Everything Away

As simple as it sounds. I would recommend breaking the seal (melting it or even just stabbing it) before getting rid of it, to break the spell itself. Keep the jar and wash it or throw it away with the rest of it. Throw the contents into the trash (or a dumpster, if you don’t want it near you).

Returning It to Nature

Also very simple. Can only be used with natural ingredients. Do not dump in rivers. Retrieve any non-organic materials (crystals, shells, poppets, etc.) to either reuse or get rid of separately. Be sure it doesn’t include things that can harm the local wildlife.

Burning It

Empty the contents of the jar into a different, fire-safe bowl or plate. Then, burn it. Simple as that. Lighters or matches, it doesn’t matter. Be sure that you and any pets or family can’t inhale the fumes from it. This is usually used with spells that have little amounts of ingredients. Be sure to research fire safety and safety when it comes to burning herbs and other ingredients.

Putting It Into Another Container for Safekeeping

Transferring the contents into a different container. Usually done when you want to reuse the jar or size down the original jar. Break the seal, pour it into your other container, seal that, and you’re done. Super easy. Can also be used when putting a spell into a ‘dormant’ state.

Retrieving the Reusable Ingredients and Getting Rid of the Rest

What I see the most in the witch community. Reusable ingredients include crystals, shells, rocks, bones, and anything else that can be used again. Doing this is a bit harder when the jar has liquid. Break the seal and place the contents of the jar into another container. Then, pick out all of the reusable items, the ones that you want to keep. Wash them and dispose of the contents of the jar through one of the methods above.

Notes

When disassembling a spell jar, it’s always good to declare the intentions of the jar done (or dormant). If the spell could have negative consequences on your or someone else’s life, be sure to neutralize the energy you have put into the spell. Cast a counter-spell or just neutralize the spell. Please tell me if I missed anything!

This is your daily reminder:

Magic in the Mundane: Depression

Sometimes you just don’t have the energy to keep doing new things, expending power for the sake of your practice. I know how that is, and it’s okay to feel that way. But what you do is you invest in your routine.

Brushing your teeth? That’s brushing away all the foul words you’ve said about yourself. Hard to say ugly things when you’ve got sparkling chompers.

Combing your hair? That’s untangling all the negative thoughts and smoothing out the stress.

Eating a handful of lunch meat straight from the fridge? Sweet, you just made sacrifice at the altar of your body, good for you for feeding yourself you funky little magic person.

Crying in a bathroom at work? Pain is power, and your tears are salt cleansing your soul to prepare you to get out there.

Yes, it’s also helpful to have outside energy sources, lucky talismans, herbs to calm you down. I use a lot of worry stones and hang around plants a lot. But if you just can’t move, can’t think, and feel utterly powerless in the face of mental illness, don’t worry. You’ve always got a way to do magic, you’ve just got to realize it.

(as always, magic does not replace actual medicine. Talk to a therapist, talk to a friend, take your meds, drink water, and don’t ignore doctors).

Ways to get in tune with nature