SAUCY SATURDAY TODAY !!

SO REAL AND TRUE!! THIS ONE GOES OUT TO MY STENT THAT HAS BEEN CAUSING ME BLADDER SPASMS THAT ARE JUST INCONVENIENT ENOUGH TO FORCE ME TO STAY AWAKE EVERY OTHER NIGHT

Practical Magic Tech: Spellcasting Altars (101)

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

This is a 101 theory post. Go to the masterpost to find actionable steps for altar building and consecration.

Loosely defined (remember, we aren't trying to label everyone, we just want to clear the weeds in our corner of the magical universe), an altar is a sacred space used to facilitate two-way communication and movement with the unseen worlds.

Altars are often built to house and honor gods and spirits. There is a fairly significant difference between someone building an altar or shrine to honor their god(s), and a spellcasting altar for witchcraft.

Our goal with a spellcasting altar is not really to honor anything. We can build a separate altar or shrine to honor a god if we would like to do so.

Instead, for the purposes of this series, a spellcasting altar is:

A hardwired connection to the otherworld,

Which makes gathering metaphysical energy easier, and

Drawing power out of the ethereal and grounding it into physical objects is easier, which means

Successful manifestation is easier.

Delivering targeted spells is easier.

Also, it's beacon that naturally accumulates and collects spiritual power (this is why people can put things on their altars to automatically charge them).

And it's powerful method of classical conditioning.

Classical Conditioning: It's Hella Useful

If you use a spellcasting altar for most of your spellwork, after a little while just being in its presence is going to click you into a magical headspace.

Yes, spellcasting altars are imbued with actual magical power and have very useful metaphysical properties. But their utility extends beyond the metaphysical.

Also they're a great place to store all your spellcasting stuff.

(By the way: try using a specific stimulus, such as an earthy grounding scent or wearing a headband, every time you practice grounding, centering, and exiting a magical headspace. It's a really really helpful tool)

Does it need to be a physical altar?

No. A physical altar is only one piece of spellcasting "tech". If that tech is not viable for you, you have many other techs to draw upon.

Digital altars can also hold metaphysical energy. True magic can be done through web pages. Ask anyone who's been in an occult server on the rough side of the web.

All that being said, you don't necessarily need any altar. They're a handy tool but no one tool is everything.

Let your path serve you, not the other way around.

What about size? What about shoebox or mint tin altars?

Oh boy, get ready for my favorite hill to die on!:

Spellcasting altars are nothing more than container spells.

In a jar spell you take, idk, some rosemary for sleep protection, some iron nails against nightmares, and some lavender for sweet dreams. You put them all together in a jar and consecrate them to your intent and those independent components come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts in order to effect magical change.

In a spellcasting altar, maybe you take a candle for connection to the otherworld, a crystal to accumulate energies, and little colorful stones to represent the Western buildingblock elements (fire, earth, air, water). You put them all together on a specially marked flat surface and consecrate them to your intent and those independent components come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts in order to effect magical change.

When you cast a container spell, you are linking up a variety of powers to work together in the long term. And nobody is out there telling you to get a gallon-sized glass jar. In fact it's popular to use the teeniest little jars possible.

Get yourself a mint tin if that's what you prefer. Hell, a matchbook with a sigil drawn inside. Make your altar into a notebook or a tumblr blog. All that is necessary is that you find it to be useful; that it gives you more back than what it takes to use it.

But I do have one thing to say in support of the classic on a shelf/flat surface altar: They're kind of like hypersigils, and that's really handy

What if you made a container spell for general prosperity, and then put that container spell inside a bigger container spell for general empowerment of everything placed inside of it?

That's what a spellcasting altar is!

It's a big cauldron of power designed to help you manifest your desires and link power to objects in the way that you choose. Start adding other finished spells back into it, and it's like a magical combo move that multiplies power and makes it easier for you to manage everything there.

Too much volatility and movement in your financial life? Take some of the prosperity stuff off of your altar - and just like that, the magic in your life has shifted.

All your spells are lagging and there's not much motion? Light a spicy, fiery candle on your altar to give everything there a tangy boost.

Feeling irritated by someone? Print out a picture of them and place it on your altar, facing away from you. No spellcasting, chanting, or ritual required - an act of magic was done because an action was taken in a magical place designed to manifest every intent you put within it.

The real benefit of spellcasting altars is that they do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

You're probably not interested in practical magic because your life is great and you already have enough time, energy, interest, or ability to manage everything in a mundane way agreed upon by Society.

I actually think there's a pretty good chance that you're interested in practical magic because there's not enough of you to go around to deal with things in a mundane way.

Magic is real, and real things tend to take real work.

So how is it helpful to turn to a new methodology of managing your life, when it takes just as much time and energy as you were spending before?

Spellcasting altars, even small ones, even digital ones, help us out. They automatically collect power for us to use later on, so we don't have to drink our precious Get Stuff Done juice. They house doors to the otherworld you can just open and close, instead of having to create the door every time you need it. They help us automatically get into the spellcasting mindset through a hardwire connection to the otherworld and the magic of classical conditioning.

Spellcasting altars do specific things and fill specific needs. Therefore, they're not going to be necessary or even useful for everybody. Try them out and see if they're useful for you. If so; a tool has been added to your toolbox. If not; you have considered and discounted something unhelpful, and now you can move on to better things.

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

Curses and Hexes

Cursing is one of the most ancient forms of magic — and one of the most controversial. Whereas most magic is constructive (used to manifest or attract things), cursing is destructive (used to cause misfortune or harm).

Technically speaking, curses and hexes are similar but different types of spells. A curse consists of written or spoken words, sometimes combined with gestures. A hex is a ritual involving material items. However, most modern witches use the terms interchangeably, as I do in this post.

The fastest way to start a debate in any witchy community is to bring up the topic of cursing. It seems like everyone has strong opinions on the subject, either for or against. For your practice, all that matters is what you believe.

So, When Is It Okay to Curse Someone?

This is a tricky question, and the answer depends on the witch.

There are some witches who believe that intentionally causing harm or misfortune to another person is always wrong, and will never cast curses for this reason. This is an entirely valid position! If you fall into this camp, know that you’re in good company.

Other witches believe that cursing is acceptable when it’s truly warranted by the situation, such as when your life or livelihood is in danger. Others believe that cursing is simply a means to an end, and can be done with good intention (cursing your friend’s unfaithful partner to get them to stop cheating, for example).

The one thing that most witches seem to agree on is that curses are serious stuff, and should not be taken lightly. Unlike other types of magic, curses are fueled by negative emotions like hate, anger, and heartbreak. This makes them very powerful, but also very draining for the witch casting them. Cursing someone means reliving any trauma you suffered at their hands in order to use those memories as fuel for the fire. Some people aren’t willing to put themselves through such an ordeal, which again, is entirely fair.

Because curses are fueled by such strong emotions, they’re powerful and volatile. They’re like the nitro fuel of witchcraft — if you don’t know what you’re doing and aren’t careful, someone could get seriously hurt. That someone could be you.

My personal view on cursing is essentially the same as my view on physical violence. It’s not the answer to all, or even most, problems, and it sometimes makes the situation worse instead of better. It should never be your first option, but it might very well be your last resort. If someone is holding you at gunpoint, you’re entitled to use violence to protect yourself. Likewise, if someone is putting you or a loved-one in life-threatening danger, you’re entitled to use whatever magical means necessary for protection.

Before You Curse

If you think there’s someone in your life who deserves to be cursed, go through the following criteria to decide if cursing is really the most appropriate action.

Sleep on it. When we’re in the heat of the moment, we sometimes say or do things we don’t mean. If you think you’re angry enough with someone to curse them, give it a couple of days before you reach for the vinegar and chili peppers. Give yourself time to cool off and clear your head. If, after a week, you still feel like a curse is warranted, move on to the next step.

Think about your own motives. Why do you want to curse this person? What did they do to make you angry enough that you’re willing to use magic to harm them in some way? If it’s a minor annoyance, like cutting you off in traffic, a curse probably isn’t appropriate. Likewise, if your motivations are petty or catty in nature — like cursing someone because they beat you out for a promotion — I highly encourage you to stop and do some self-reflection. For one thing, you may not be able to conjure enough genuine hatred and anger for an effective curse. For another, in these situations you may find it more helpful to do some work on yourself (working on anger issues, learning to gracefully accept failure, etc.) rather than lashing out at someone else.

Ask yourself if this situation matters in the long run. It may feel incredibly important now, but try to take a step back and look at the big picture. Will this person matter in a year? Five years? Ten? Are they important enough to warrant allowing yourself to channel enough negative energy for a curse? (If this person is putting your life, livelihood, or safety at risk, the answer to all of these questions is YES!)

Make sure your anger is directed at the right person. Who is really responsible for the pain you’re feeling? For example, if your significant other cheats on you, your first reaction may be to curse the person who “stole” them from you. But you aren’t really upset with this person — you’re hurt because your partner betrayed your trust. I’m not convinced that a cheating partner is a serious enough reason to cast a curse (again, will it really matter in ten years?) but if you decide to do so, at least make sure it’s directed at the person who is truly responsible for your pain.

Consider doing a banishing instead. In situations where a person is a danger to you or your loved ones, sometimes the best option is to give them a magical push out of your life. A banishing does what the name implies — it banishes a person or thing from your life. Unlike a curse, a banishing does not cause harm or misfortune to the person being targeted. It simply removes them from your life.

You can perform a simple yet effective banishing with a piece of paper, a pen, cayenne pepper, and dried lavender. Write the name of the person or thing you want to banish on the paper. Look down at the name and say, out loud, “[Name], you are no longer welcome in my life.” Sprinkle a bit of cayenne on the paper and instruct it to burn this person out of your life. Sprinkle a bit of lavender on the paper and instruct it to bring you peace and healing. Fold the paper up to create a little packet around the herbs, then take it outside and burn it to ash. (Be careful — cayenne smoke burns!) As the paper burns say, “I banish [name] from my life, never to return.” Scatter the leftover ashes on a busy road.

Consider doing a binding instead. Maybe you don’t necessarily need someone out of your life, but you do need to take away their power to cause harm. In this case, a binding is your best bet. A binding is a spell that “binds up” someone’s power, preventing them from taking certain actions. This can be useful for dealing with people who are toxic or abusive. Like a banishing, binding does not cause harm or misfortune to the target.

You can perform a simple binding charm with a photograph of your target, a pen, and red or black thread. Write your target’s full name (or as much of it as you know) across the bottom of the photo. Look down at the photo. Say, out loud, “[Name], I bind you. I bind up your power, so that you can no longer ______.” Fold the paper up as small as possible. Then, begin to wrap the thread around the folded paper. As you do, say, “[Name], I bind you.” Continue wrapping until the thread completely covers the paper — there should be no paper visible.

For whatever reason, some people seem to have a natural resistance to banishing and binding. You may find that your spell works for a while, but the person you tried to banish/bind eventually returns to their old ways. There’s some debate about why this happens — some say it’s because these people are narcissists or energy vampires, while others think it has something to do with their force of will. Personally, I think it’s because some people are so nasty and hateful that it takes nasty, hateful magic to get rid of them for good. If you find yourself dealing with one of these people, and your banishings and bindings aren’t sticking, you may want to move on to a full-fledged curse.

Creating an Effective Curse

Okay, you’ve done your self-reflection, you’ve considered or attempted a banishing and/or binding, and you still feel like cursing is your best/only option. In that case, here are some general guidelines for making sure that your curse is appropriate, effective, and ethical.

Be VERY specific. Don’t just lob a ball of negative energy at someone and expect it to do what you want. Be very, very clear about your intent for this curse. Use precise and specific language. Make it painfully obvious what you want to happen and how you want it to unfold.

For example, when writing a petition or incantation, don’t just say, “[Name] is cursed.” Instead use something like, “Should [Name] ever contact or harass me again, he/she/they is cursed. Let him/her/them feel what I have felt and suffer as I have suffered.” You could get even more specific and detailed if you wanted to, but the important thing is to establish some basic parameters for the powerful dark energy you’re unleashing.

Make sure the punishment fits the crime. A curse to cause sexual impotence probably isn’t appropriate for an abusive boss… unless that boss is sexually harassing their employees. In that case, sticking a few pins in a rotting cucumber may be just what the situation calls for. (Yes, that’s a real curse. Yes, the cucumber represents what you think it represents.)

Making sure the punishment fits the crime also means being honest about how serious of a curse is deserved. Do you really need to ruin this person’s life to get them out of your hair, or will a mild inconvenience do? As strange as the idea of a curse being fair sounds, avoiding overkill will not only maintain balance but will keep you from expending more energy than you have to.

Make sure your curse is only affecting your target and not anyone around them. When it comes to curses, family, friends, and coworkers can sometimes get caught in the crossfire. To avoid this, make sure your spell is targeted to a specific person by personalizing it as much as possible. Include photos of your target, their full legal name (or as much of their full name as you know), and a taglock if you can get it. You may even want to include a line in your petition or incantation specifying that this curse will only affect the desired target and not their friends and associates.

Set clear conditions/parameters. The most effective curses are situational. Think of it as laying an energetic trap in or around a certain situation — this is more efficient and uses up less of your energy than if you were to just cast a blanket curse that affects every area of the target’s life. Curse parameters take the form of, “If [name] does x, they will be met with y.”

Setting parameters also makes sure your curse is truly deserved. For example, maybe your friend has an abusive ex-spouse, and you want to use a curse to keep your friend safe. If the ex-spouse is already leaving your friend alone, there’s no reason for a curse. But if they aren’t leaving your friend alone, they deserve to be met with vicious, magical resistance. For this situation, you may want to use an incantation like, “Should [ex-spouse] ever approach or contact [your friend], they are cursed with discomfort, unrest, and legal trouble. Let them be hunted and put down like a rabid dog.” This ensures that if, at any point in the future, the ex-spouse starts harassing your friend again, the curse will immediately go into action.

Don’t attach yourself to the curse. Perhaps the most important part of cursing is making sure you keep the energy of the curse separate from your own energy. Revenge is a double-edged sword, so you need to take precautions to make sure you don’t hurt yourself.

Any time you cast a curse, you want to limit its connection to you as much as possible. Don’t include any of your own personal effects in the spell. You may also want to avoid using tools that hold a special place in your practice. For example, you may not want to use your altar as a place to craft curses. You may want to use materials that can be disposed of easily. Make sure to dispose of curse remains somewhere outside your home, such as at a busy road.

After casting a curse, it’s important to set aside some time for self-care. Start with a thorough cleansing. This can be as simple as taking a bath in salt water (or dumping a bucket of salt water over your head in the shower, if you don’t have a tub), but if you would rather do a full-fledged cleansing ritual, even better! It’s important to do something to remove any lingering negativity from your energy field, and to make sure the curse doesn’t attach to you in any way.

Cursing is intense, emotional, draining work. After casting a curse, take at least a few hours to rest and be kind to yourself. Eat your favorite foods. Take a nap. Read a book or watch a movie. Do whatever you need to do to make yourself feel good.

You may want to do some inner work after cursing to help process the intense emotions involved in this kind of magic. This can be journaling, meditation, energy work, or some other healing modality. If you’ve experienced serious trauma, you may want to consider speaking to a therapist or counselor in addition to doing work on your own.

Resources:

Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison

Of Blood and Bones by Kate Freuler

New World Witchery podcast, “Episode 102 — Evil”

Witchy Questions

1. Are you solitary or in a coven? -solitary, you think i have time for humans? 2. Do you consider yourself Wiccan, Pagan, witch, or other? -Idk someone who said fuck other religions and said revive the old gods 3. What is your zodiac sign? -Gemini 4. Do you have a Patron God/dess? -I don’t, but I am open to it 5. Do you work with a Pantheon? -No, but I am looking into the norse pantheon  6. Do you use tarot, palmistry, or any other kind of divination? -tarot and rune stones 7. What are some of your favorite herbs to use in your practice? (if any) -bergamont and I use incense 8. How would you define your craft? -idk i diy religion  9. Do you curse? If not, do you accept others who do? -No, i haven't tried but I would if i was motivated for it 10. How long have you been practicing? -5 years? I guess? I don’t count 11. Do you currently or have you ever had any familiars? -lmao i wish 12. Do you believe in Karma or Reincarnation? -Karma yes, I am not sure about reincarnation 13. Do you have a magical name? -how do you find that? 14. Are you “out of the broom closet”? -Yeah, but im not sure how much my dad thinks im serious   15. What was the last spell you performed? -A positivity jar  16. Would you consider yourself knowledgeable? -about mythology yes but actual witchcraft? Kinda.  17. Do you write your own spells? -im not that original lol  18. Do you have a book of shadows? If so, how is it written and/or set up? -I do but its kinda just a book i occasionally write in  19. Do you worship nature? -somewhat, but its not a focus  20. What is your favorite gemstone? -umbalite and labradorite 21. Do you use feathers, claws, fur, pelt, skeletons/bones, or any other animal body part for magical work? -feathers and naturally fell from a bird  22. Do you have an altar? -yes 23. What is your preferred element? -fire 24. Do you consider yourself an Alchemist? -no 25. Are you any other type of magical practitioner besides a witch? -idk  26. What got you interested in witchcraft? -lmao percy jackson 27. Have you ever performed a spell or ritual with the company of anyone who was not a witch? -no 28. Have you ever used Ouija? -Yup, at school in the hallway  29. Do you consider yourself a psychic? -pfft no 30. Do you have a spirit guide? If so, what is it? -no, but I am looking into it 31. What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started? -Not everything is black and white, you can do your own thing 32. Do you celebrate the Sabbats? If so which one is your favorite? -Yeah, although mildly. My favorite is Samhain 33. Would you ever teach witchcraft to your children? -yes but i would never force it on them 34. Do you meditate? -I try too but not often    35. What is your favorite season? -autumn 36. What is your favorite type of magick to preform? -Nature based magic 37. How do you incorporate your spirituality into your daily life? -Appreciate nature  38. What is your favorite witchy movie? -Kiki's Delivery Service 39. What is your favorite witchy book, both fiction and non-fiction. Why? -The Raven Boys because it is fucking amazing 40. What is the first spell you ever preformed? Successful or not. -some shitty rain spell from a childs book 41. What’s the craziest witchcraft-related thing that’s happened to you? -when i was in Senior Kindergarten I saw a “fairy” 42. What is your favorite type of candle to use? -beesewax 43. What is your favorite witchy tool? -candles 44. Do you or have you ever made your own witchy tools? -I use a rock to grind shit because i dont have a pestle and mortar  45. Have you ever worked with any magical creatures such as the fae or spirits? -I want to try working with fae but I need to learn more 46. Do you practice color magic? -yes, a bit 47. Do you or have you ever had a witchy teacher or mentor of any kind? -No, I think? I have older online witchy people I talk to but no mentor 48. What is your preferred way of shopping for witchcraft supplies? -In person, but somethings you can only get online 49. Do you believe in predestination or fate? -I guess? I think that life has a story that gives you options and a new story starts on what you choose, kinda like an RPG 50. What do you do to reconnect when you are feeling out of touch with your practice? -Read into it and appreciate it more 51. Have you ever had any supernatural experiences? -yes, at my grandmas funeral     52. What is your biggest witchy pet peeve? -”I CAn PrAcTiCe CLoSEd ReligIoNs If i aM rEsPeCtFul” 53. Do you like incense? If so what’s your favorite scent? -bergamont    54. Do you keep a dream journal of any kind? -no but I should 55. What has been your biggest witchcraft disaster? -spilling wax on myself    56. What has been your biggest witchcraft success? -not burning the house down    57. What in your practice do you do that you may feel silly or embarrassed about? -chanting shit in my room    58. Do you believe that you can be an atheist, Christian, Muslim or some other faith and still be a witch too? -yup    59. Do you ever feel insecure, unsure or even scared of spell work? -of course, its dealing with things that dont have 100% safety measures    60. Do you ever hold yourself to a standard in your witchcraft that you feel you may never obtain? -lmao I one day want to be a teacher but I never feel knowledgeable enough for that     61. What is something witch related that you want right now? -my own pestle and mortar    62. What is your rune of choice? - Hagalaz   63. What is your tarot card of choice? -the empress    64. Do you use essential oils? If so what is your favorite? -Lemongrass 65. Have you ever taken any kind of witchcraft or pagan courses? -no   66. Do you wear pagan jewelry in public? -Yup, I have a cheap ass pentagram necklace    67. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your faith or being a witch? 68. Do you read or subscribe to any pagan magazines? -no because I am poor and where would I find one?    69. Do you think it’s important to know the history of paganism and witchcraft? -yes 70. What are your favorite things about being a witch? -those scared looks that karens give you, even though you are eating cupcakes and smiling    71. What are your least favorite things about being a witch? -the amount of people who keep on trying to make you christian      72. Do you listen to any pagan music? If so who is your favorite singer/band? -heatherdale    73. Do you celebrate the sabbats? If so, how? -yes, by lighting candles and making tea 74. Do you ever work skyclad? -I want to be but nooo 75. Do you think witchcraft has improved your life? If so, how? -makes me happier 76. Where do you draw inspiration from for your practice? -other witches and what makes me happy 77. Do you believe in ‘fantasy’ creatures? (Unicorns, fairies, elves, gnomes, ghosts, etc) -The fae yes, but like celtic like ones 78. What’s your favorite sigil/symbol? -I have none    79. Do you use blood magick in your practice? Why or why not? -No, because I am not ready for it   80. Could you ever be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t support your practice? -Hahahaha no, if you dont respect my religion I dont have time for you    81. In what area or subject would you most like your craft to grow? -meditation and divination     82. What’s your favorite candle scent? Do you use it in your practice? -beesewax 83. Do you have a pre-ritual ritual? (I.e. Something you do before rituals to prepare yourself for them). If so what is it? -have a bath 84. What real life witch most inspires your practice? @spellchased 85. What is your favorite method of communicating with deity? -meditation and a yes-no pendulum 86. How do you like to organize all your witchy items and ingredients? -in jars and by aesthetics    87. Do you have any witches in your family that you know of? -my mom is interested in druidry but doesn't call herself one    88. How have you created your path? What is unique about it? -I dont know? I just did what felt right.    89. Do you feel you have any natural gifts or affinities (premonitions, hearing spirits, etc.) that led you toward the craft? If so what are they? -No    90. Do you believe you can initiate yourself or do you have to be initiated by another witch or coven? -with closed practices you need to be initiated, but with open religions thats not the case 91. When you first started out in your path what was the first thing or things you bought? -incense tray and incense    92. What is the most spiritual or magickal place you’ve been? -The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul     93. What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who is searching for their matron and patron deities? -Read. Just read a lot.    94. What techniques do you use to 'get in the zone’ for meditation? -Silence and deep breathing 95. Did visualization come easily to you or did you have to practice at it? -I need to practice it     96. Do you prefer day or night? Why? -night because i dont sleep 97. What do you think is the best time and place to do spell work? -My best time is the full moon at midnight  98. How did you feel when you cast your first circle? Did you stumble or did it go smoothly? -It was okay, nothing special     99. Do you believe witchcraft gets easier with time and practice? -old practices become easy, but you learn more complicated things 100. Do you believe in many gods or one God with many faces? 101. Do you eat meat, eggs and dairy? -I eat cheese, eggs and fish 102. What is your favorite color and why?  -purple, blue and yellow because its pretty 103. What is the one question you get asked most by non-practitioners or non-pagans? How do you usually respond? -why dont you respect Jesus? Because he did nothing for me Susan.  104. Which of your five senses would you say is your strongest? -sight 105. What is a pagan or witchcraft rule that you preach but don’t practice? -Karma, I keep on doing shitty things 

@prettyalice13

Silva Occultatum - Chapter 1

Summary: An orphaned Omega learns how to live on her own after losing her parents, and dives headfirst into the world of the supernatural and witchcraft. Pairing: None in this chapter yet Word Count: 2318 Warnings: Mild angst, mention of deceased parents and violence, fluff  A/N: Welcome to a new adventure! Make sure you keep your arms and legs inside the story at all times, there are no seat belts on this ride. I hope you all enjoy the names of the furry friends, I know I did. :) Beta’d by the stunning @saxxxology and if you want to be tagged in this series, please send me an ask! 

Silva Occultatum Masterlist — Complete Masterlist

After all the promises and hard work throughout your life, you never expected to be here.

Losing your parents was hard enough, but a scared Omega in the foster care system? They would have broken you down until there was nothing left but dust and heartbreak. You may have lost a part of your soul, but sometimes things have to end in order for them to begin.

Life hadn’t been normal for a long time. An orphaned Omega had two choices: submit or flee, and you chose the latter. Your parents, both police officers, were killed in a fire on the job when you were sixteen, leaving you with their sizeable life insurance policy payouts along with their pensions. It wasn’t an extravagant lifestyle, but it was enough to keep you comfortable.

Once you were settled in a long-term motel several states away from where your parents died, you attempted to get more information from your family and friends of your parents, but every place you turned ended up in dead ends. Even though you were still a teenager, and you should have accepted the “official” cause of death for both of them, you knew something didn’t feel right.

After a few weeks of self-taught hacking skills and bribes, you managed to get the Rockford Police Department’s file on the fire, and your suspicions were confirmed. The fire didn’t kill your parents; they had been viciously murdered and the fire was set to cover it up. The medical examiner reported various gashes and cuts like there was a struggle, and both their hearts were missing. The police refused to treat it as a homicide, saying it was best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Yeah, right. Not a chance in Hell.

It didn’t take much researching before you came across the supernatural. Sliced flesh and missing hearts pointed to a werewolf, and there were several articles you found that said newer werewolves can’t control their urge to kill, which leads to others covering up the murders to avoid detection by hunters. Hunters were an interesting topic, but your attention was quickly drawn even deeper down the rabbit hole.

Once that door opened, you spent months alone in your motel room digging up lore about the monsters that lurked in the night. You were terrified and intrigued, and when you came across information about witches, that peaked your interest. Being an Omega, you were basically at a genetic disadvantage. Any Alpha could smell you a mile away when you were in heat, and suppressants only helped for a short amount of time; an Omega could die if they suppressed a heat for too long or went too long without being claimed.

It was obvious that nobody outside the supernatural world wanted to help you avenge your parents murder, and when you found a spell that could basically turn off your heats with no repercussions, you were sold. One unlucky rabbit and several herbs from various countries later, you were now essentially a Beta and could live your life how you wanted: alone, helping others through the internet, while developing new spells and potions to help these hunters you’ve come to learn so much about. One downside of the spell, however, was that if the right Alpha came along, the spell would break, which in the end drove you into seclusion deep in the wilderness of Wyoming.

After moving into a sizable cabin far away from the camping hotspots, you hooked up WiFi, started a garden, and made sure that nobody in the small town almost fifty miles away knew who you were or where you lived. They had questions at first, but once they realized you never spoke, the whispers started. It used to bother you, but you only smiled and ignored them, driving back to the safety of your cabin at the end of the day.

It was slow going at first, a lot of hunters you came across on message boards backed out when they found out you were a witch, some even threatened to find you and kill you, but over the years you began to earn a name for yourself. The power inside you grew, and along with that, so did your loneliness. After one too many nights tossing and turning, you began to research a solution to your problem. Magic helped your Omega problem… but why couldn’t it cure your loneliness?

After what felt like weeks of searching, a spell caught your eye. It would allow you to communicate with animals telepathically. While it seemed like the perfect spell since you were surrounded by a vast forest, the warnings made you hesitate. It cautioned that the spell connected your soul with whatever animal you communicated with, so whatever they feel, you would feel as well and vice versa, albeit not as intense. It didn’t mean just emotionally, it also meant physically. If an animal that you were connected with died, a part of your soul would burn away along with them.

Most people would have shook their head and continued looking, but the temptation of being able to talk to someone or something was too great for you to resist, and you slowly began gathering ingredients. There were several friends you met during your travels through cyberspace, and even fewer that you trusted with the address of your P.O. Box in town, but with a spell this complicated, you needed all the help you could get.

It took almost three months to gather all the ingredients, costing you more than a few IOU’s when some were way above your financial standing. By the time you were ready, the solitude had really taken a toll on you. This spell would give you the friends you so desperately needed while making sure no human would find out your secret. You were perfectly content being labelled as the recluse in the mountains, but if the townsfolk found out you were an Omega witch casting spells and selling illegal herbs and potions on the internet, they’d have you arrested and committed to a psych ward.

If there was one thing you knew, animals didn’t judge. They didn’t care what you looked like, what your presentation was, or what you did for a living. You kept repeating that over and over to yourself as you drank the surprisingly sweet potion and read off the several words in Latin from the scanned copy of a spellbook you found. Once you finished the last word of the spell, you immediately blacked out as your mind was overwhelmed with words, languages, and emotions.

You woke up eleven days later in the same spot you blacked out in, your brain foggy and vision blurry, with sore muscles all over your body. It was night outside, but you could see the shape of something next to you, making your eyes shoot open. There was a large deer in your living room staring at you, and he was still there after you blinked rapidly and rubbed your eyes. He was beautiful, light brown fur with a large rack of antlers, and you froze as the animal leaned in, focusing his large black eyes on you.

“Alive?”

The loud voice made you jump and look around, ready to immobilize any intruder that may have found your cabin. It took you a few seconds to realize that the voice came from inside your head. You swallowed, trying to soothe your dry throat, and you turned back to the deer.

“Yes, I am. Can you hear me?” you asked out loud, only hearing crickets and the occasional tree frog with your natural hearing.

“Yes. Friends worried, happy you are safe,” the voice invaded your mind once more, making you wince at the volume. That was one thing the spell didn’t include, volume control on the telepathy.

His words made you pause for a moment before turning to look at him. “Friends?”

That was the first time you had met Artemis, and it wouldn’t be the last. His friends consisted of a gray wolf, an eagle, a grizzly bear, and a fox. While they didn’t understand the concept of naming them at first, you were able to convince them to allow you to use those names to easily call for them if you were in distress.

Artemis was the deer, an orphaned stag that reminded you of yourself. His parents were killed by hunters, leaving him to fend for himself. Over the next six years, you got to know him, and eventually found out that another side effect of your telepathy was extending the lifespans of the animals you connect with. Their soul mixed with yours, and part of your life force fed their own.

There were dogs in the town you grew up in, and you wanted to be a veterinarian at one point in your childhood. No domestic canine could prepare you for meeting the massive gray wolf you came to refer as Skadi. She was quite large for a female wolf, standing a sturdy three and a half feet tall with a gorgeous silver coat dusted with spots of dark grey around her head. She spoke in one or two word sentences, but it always made communicating with her efficient and easy, especially when she was hungry.

The eagle was one of the toughest animal to converse with, since the animal’s intelligence was directly linked to their ability to communicate. The more intelligent the animal, the easier understanding their thoughts. Naming him Aetos was the easiest thing you did, and it took a long time for the two of you to develop a kind of shorthand to communicate. He was stubborn, solitary, and annoying if he wanted to be… basically you in bird form.

The most terrifying introduction belonged to the grizzly bear, affectionately named Bjorn. Calling him massive didn’t really do justice. It took you a long time to feel safe around a creature so terrifying, but once that feeling of comfort was exchanged between the two of you, you realized how much of a giant fluff ball he actually was. On particularly brutal Wyoming winter nights, Bjorn would curl up next to you and keep you warm, buried deep in his thick fur.

The small red fox was the most recent addition to your group, and once you called out for her and told her it was safe, she skittered across your porch and into your lap, nuzzling into you for warmth. It only took you a few days to name her Tokala, and she accepted her new title with pride once you introduced her to the delicious stylings of Fancy Feast. Who knew foxes enjoyed cat food?

Although some of these animals were natural predators, they never showed any type of aggression toward you or each other. When you asked Artemis why that was, he said that your abilities had brought them together, and because you were linked to each of them, they in turn were linked to each other. It was a very diverse group, but they were your friends, and you wouldn’t trade it for the world.

It had been six years since you first woke up to a confused deer in your living room, and you were as content as could be. While the animals were free to come and go as they pleased, most of them made a point to come visit you at least once a day, with the exception of Skadi; she was more of a house dog than wolf at this point, and treated you as part of her pack. She was a female Alpha, which you found out is the reason she was exiled from her pack in the first place. 

The first rays of sunshine were streaming through the old wooden blinds, making you squint and roll away from the offending light. It was way too early to be up, but you knew it was only a matter of time before she heard you shifting and came to wake you. As if on cue, loud thumps thundered down the hallway before your heard the door pushed open.

“Awake?”

“I am now,” you groaned, throwing a pillow at Skadi where she was currently sitting just inside your door. She caught the pillow in her mouth with ease, covering it in slobber, and you made a mental note to have the pillowcase cleaned the next time you did laundry.

“Hungry,” her voice echoed through your mind and you grinned, sitting up and patting the bed, trying to coax her up to sit with you.

“I know, Skad, but you need to be brushed,” you said sternly, “it’s getting cold, you’re packing on fur, and I’d rather not have to use the vacuum on you again.” The wolf growled at the mention of the vacuum and you rolled your eyes. “Alright, let’s go get you and the others some food.”

Pulling on your threadbare robe, you rolled off the bed and followed Skadi down the hallway and into the kitchen, mindlessly filling a tea kettle with hot water and setting it on the stove. Coffee was something you couldn’t grow yourself, and tea was the next best thing. Your garden was sizable, filled with various fruits and vegetables, and you even managed to build a small greenhouse to grow exotic herbs and rare spell ingredients for your loyal followers online.

While you were a lot more popular now than you were back six years ago, nobody ever knew where you lived or your real name, and you kept it that way. The people you communicated with online only referred to you as Nyx, a character from a comic book you read as a child. There had been several attempts made to hack you or locate you via magic, but your self-taught knowledge of concealment spells and computer skills ensured you remained completely hidden.

Or so you thought.

Forever: @katymacsupernatural @queen-of-deans-booty @your-modern-shakespeare @wh1sp3r1ng-impala @wheresthekillswitch @holyfuckloueh @just-another-busy-fangirl @growningupgeek @trashimaginezblog @jensen-gal @spnbaby-67 @mizzezm @there-must-be-a-lock @atc74 @mereka18 @pilaxia @supernatural-jackles @impala-dreamer @bambi95-blog @wonderfulworldofwinchester @batmmgray @brooke-supernatural16 @dwgrl1903 @hey-bxtch @turnttoverr @kittenofdoomage @leanbeankeane @emoryhemsworth @xalgaliareptx @mhnfatima @bi-e-ne @speakinvain @pebblesz892 @kararanae23 @kassablanca13 @mogaruke @tockettt @quiessilva-meriff @wildefire @waywardbaby @serienjunkiegirl @alexwinchester23 @mrswhozeewhatsis @stars-and-seas @jaremish @ellen-reincarnated1967 @nyxveracity @andkatiethings @bamby0304 @deathtonormalcy56 @winchesterprincessbride @adoptdontshoppets

ABO tags: @kawaiilivkitty

Silva Occulatatum tags: @all-is-lost-hope-remains @sofreddie @emoryhemsworth @ronja-uebrick @surmya1907 @sexykitten253 @gryffindorable713 @escalatorpeep @harley-kitty-queen @ladylachesis @aw3som3-here4theweird @validatedstandby @bloodydaydreamer @thegrungequeer @gaylemonshark @childishhoe @-lovepeacenhope- @sovndinsilenxe @kinkylittlebrynn @dizzy-sunshine @multifandombackpack @winecatsandpizza @akk4rin @missjenniferb @highlyyyysensitiveperson

Mommy Issues

Pairing: Rowena x reader

Summary: Mary disapproves of Rowena’s relationship with reader.

Editor: @oswinthestrange

A/N: This story is inspired by the lovely stories written by @oswinthestrange: Caught in a Compromising Position, Conflict Rises, and Hollow Apologies.

Read on AO3.

Mary Winchester was livid.

Not only was her only daughter leaving only a day after Mary had returned from an alternate world — a world she'd spent nearly a year in — but she was also in a relationship with a witch. And not just any witch — out of all people, you had the audacity to fall for one of the most powerful witches alive, mother of former King of Hell himself.

You could have spat on her as well while you were at it. In Mary's mind, there was nothing worse for a hunter than to get involved with a monster they were supposed to kill. The fact that Rowena, in her current state, was the furthest thing from a monster meant very little to her. She was a witch, a wicked one at that, with enough blood on her hands to drown a city the size of New York. She was a thing, an it, an animal who needed to be put down.

Right.

Let someone try. You dared them. Let them try to lay a hand on Rowena. Let them even look at her wrong. You'd killed for her before. Doing so again wouldn't faze you. In fact, you'd sleep better knowing a threat had been eliminated.

Much to your mother's annoyance, you didn't give a damn what she thought. You were an adult, a grown woman who'd lived her whole life without her. You could make your own decisions.

Hell, even if you were a teenager, the woman before you would have had no right to order you around.

"You can't just leave!" Mary argued, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

"Watch me," you said. A few more shirts and pieces of underwear, and you were done; done with the stale air of this bunker, suffocating you with every breath you took, done with Dean criticizing your relationship every single day and Sam playing the mediator to keep the peace, done with hunting and death and disappointment. Done with your mother.

All you wanted was some peace. You weren't a bad hunter, but the life was never something you'd have chosen for yourself. Sam was okay with John practically disowning him. You weren't. Solitude would have killed you; with your less than stellar social skills, you never would have found friends to replace your family. So you stayed. Year after year, you kept telling yourself you'd quit, but you were never brave enough to actually do it. Where would you go? Who would you turn to? Having graduated high school with barely passing grades and so many absences you had to bullshit your way into justifying, and with no working experience (hunting monsters didn't count in the eyes of the law) or friends to help you with employment, you didn't have that many prospects. You never would have made it alone.

You had Rowena now. You had someone you loved, someone you trusted at your side; someone you knew would never turn her back on you no matter what obstacle you stumbled across. The first person you weren't blood-related to that you considered family.

You'd always had a love for magic. Witchcraft, though, was frowned upon in hunting communities, in hunting families. Witches were evil, everyone had said. Right. Of course. There was never any point in arguing, lest you wanted to be accused of being a traitor. Meeting Rowena had changed that. You'd finally gotten a chance to do something you loved, to be something you loved. Witch Y/N Winchester had quite a nice ring to it.

"What about your brothers?" Mary asked.

"Sam and Dean are big boys. They're more than capable to hunt without me." As they'd done a hundred times. You frowned at the empty drawer. "Rowena, did you see my scarf?"

"It's in my bag," Rowena answered from the other corner of the room, packing her own bag. Another thing mother dearest hadn't been the happiest about; her daughter, sharing a room a with a witch? Unacceptable! "You lent it to me last week, remember?"

"Right," you said.

Mary ignored the interaction. "And what about me?"

Four simple words, and they were enough to ignite a spark deep inside you. A wildfire of anger burned through you, spreading through your body like poison in your veins. Fingers balling into tight fists and teeth clenching, you whirled around to face your mother.

"What about you?" Some nerve she had to even ask that. "Are you serious?"

She had been the one to leave last year. She had been the one to join the British Men of Letters behind your and your brothers' backs. Had Sam and Dean not talked her into returning, she would have remained in the alternate world with her new family, sealed away from you for good.

"You almost stayed in that shithole world, and you're giving me grief for going on a road trip?!"

Mary had the decency to look ashamed. Just a tad, barely noticeable, but shame was shame. 'That's different."

Of course. Favorite line of parents all over the world. It was always different when they did it. "Why? Because I'm dating a witch?"

Rowena, having kept her head down throughout the argument to give the two of you some space, looked up at the mention of her. Her eyes traveled from you to Mary back and forth, curious, a tiny bit worried. You'd warned her about your mother not approving of the relationship; if Dean still had a hard time accepting it, Mary would be a hundred times worse.

Your mother sighed. "She's not good for you, Y/N."

"You don't know her," you argued. People always seemed ready to judge Rowena without bothering to get to know her. It was easier to hate her than to give her a chance to prove herself.

"I've heard about the things she's done."

"But you don't know her!"

"I know she's a witch, and she's got blood on her hands," Mary said.

"And I don't? You, Sam, Dean; none of you have any blood on yours?" If she wanted to judge Rowena, she had to judge herself and her children just as harshly. There wasn't a thing Rowena had done that one of you hadn't. All of you were killers. All of you had spilled innocent blood. Let he or she who was without sin cast the first stone.

"None of us have done half the things she has," Mary argued.

"Bullshit!"

At the very least, Rowena had never attempted to participate in genocide. Something that couldn't be said for your brothers and mother.

"She's leading you down a dangerous path!" Mary said.

"She's changed!" you said. Rowena had redeemed herself, and you would never tire of saying it out loud. Not until people got it in their thick heads. Your girl wasn't a wicked witch anymore.

Mary gave you a dirty look. "If that was true, she wouldn't have tried to drag you into her… practices." She spat the word 'practices' as if it was dirty, as if the mere thought of witchcraft made her stomach churn with disgust.

Rowena shot her a glare as deadly and sharp as a knife, the kind that had to have killed before. "If you knew your daughter at all, you would know she's always had a fondness for magic." She'd promised to be on her best behavior, but enough was enough. You'd asked her to be nice, to not start anything, and she'd done a splendid job. Whatever followed, Mary had brought on herself.

Keeping the peace was important, but you'd never ask your girlfriend to bow her head like a dog in the face of insults — even if those insults were thrown by the members of your family. She deserved respect, as a person, as a woman, as your girlfriend. Dean had learned that, sort of, and so would Mary. And if she refused… Well, it wouldn't be the first time that you'd cut a toxic person out of your life.

"This doesn't involve you!" Mary said.

"It does when you bash me and my craft!" Rowena shot back.

"Your craft?" Mary scoffed. "You make it sound like an art."

"It is an art. A beautiful, fine one not many have natural talent for." She gave you a look of pride, of admiration. No one had ever given you that look before. "Y/N was born for it."

Marty's features twisted into a look one made when they smelled something disgusting. "My daughter was born human!" she insisted, and looked ready to fight to prove her words.

"What are witches, if not human?" Rowena asked, though she knew what the answer would be. Nothing else could be expected from a bigot.

"Monsters! You're monsters!" Mary said. "I'm not letting you turn my daughter into one!"

"Don't talk to her like that!" you barked. Rowena was a lot of things, but she wasn't a monster. Not anymore.

Your mother turned to you. "Can't you see she's manipulating you, Y/N? Maybe she even cast a spell on you!"

You shook her head. "She didn't do anything." You took a deep breath. "I want this. I've always wanted it."

"You didn't!"

How would she know? She'd been dead for over thirty years, and when she'd come back to life, the first thing she did was run away. She didn't know you. Rowena did. Rowena knew you to your core, to the bottom of your soul. She never judged you, never looked at you wrong. Even when you were enemies, not once had she said a bad thing about you. She respected your decisions. She loved you as you were, and didn't try — or want, for that matter — to change a thing about you.

Something that couldn't be said for your mother.

She may have given birth to you, but she wasn't your family. Not really. Rowena, on the other hand, was.

The realization made your stomach twist with unease. Your own mother, and she knew you — wanted to know you — less than the woman who used to be your enemy.

"How would you know? You were dead!" you said. The reminder hurt; your entire life all you wished for was your mother. If only you'd known what she was really like. Your father had made her out to be a saint. Maybe she was, once upon a time. Or maybe John had fed you lies. It wouldn't have been the worst thing he'd done as a parent. You took a deep breath. "And when you came back, you ran away! Not once did you try to get to know me!"

Mary sighed, a look of hurt passing over her face. From a certain angle it might have looked like guilt. Might have.

Tears pickled at your eyes, but you held them back. You wouldn't break in front of her. You wouldn't let her see you at your weakest, at your most vulnerable. You could be strong for just a little more, until you and Rowena were safe and, most important of all, alone in your tiny car, ready to start the next chapter of your lives.

"I want this, mom," you said after a few moments of silence, giving her time for your words to sink in. "I want to be a witch."

"How can you want that?" Mary asked, tone as anguished as the look that settled on her face. She didn't understand. She didn't want to understand.

You shrugged. "I just do. It's my decision. Respect it."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

The words stung. "If you really loved me, you would." A real mother would.

"I love you and your brothers more than anything in the world."

"As long as we're obedient little soldiers, right?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it," she said, stare pointed, expression firm.

"Right." A slight chuckle escaped you, memories of your childhood flooding your mind. "You're just like dad. I thought you were different, but turns out, you're just like him."

He, too, put his wishes above yours. His love, just like Mary's, it seemed, was conditional. You either lived by his rules, or not at all. His word was law. He knew best. He knew you better than you knew yourself. He knew what you wanted, what you needed and dreamed and aspired to. He knew it all.

Right.

Sam had made the right decision when he'd decided to get out.

And so had you.

"John made mistakes—" Mary tried, but you cut her off.

"I don't give a damn about him and his 'mistakes!'" you exclaimed, forming quotation marks with your fingers to emphasize the last word. "And…" You took a large, deep breath for courage. Your eyes trailed downwards, then met hers once more, strong, determined. "If you can't accept this, then I don't give a damn about you, either."

Mary gulped. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I love Rowena, and I want to be a witch." Rowena gave you a proud, encouraging smile. You responded with a small smile of your own. "I love you, mom, but… I love her more. I love me more. I'm done letting other people make decisions for me. This is my life."

"You can't be serious," Mary said, startled by your words.

"Deadly," you said. It was honesty hour. You were done playing good, obedient little girl.

"I'm your family!"

"Rowena is my family, as well." A more loving, supporting family than your blood one.

"She'll stab you in the back the first chance she gets!"

That wasn't her anymore. Rowena had changed. She still had a long way to go, but she was working on her redemption.

"She won't," you said. "She's changed."

"You're willing to bet your life on that?"

"I am." Because you knew there was no threat. Your life was safe in Rowena's hands. Safer than it would have been in Mary's.

"Despite everything she's done?"

"Despite everything." Checking to make sure you packed everything, you zipped up your bag, then took hold of Rowena's hand and squeezed tightly.

"You're a fool," Mary said.

You shrugged. "Says you."

"You're throwing your life away."

"Quite the contrary; my life is only just beginning."

"And what about our lives? Are we just supposed to accept losing one of our own?"

"You're not losing me, mom. We can talk on the phone every day, if you want."

"But it won't be you." A tear slid down Mary's cheek. "It-it will be a witch."

"Witch or not, I'll still be me," you pointed out. It wasn't like your soul would disappear and a demon would take its place in your body. You would be you; with a few magical abilities and an allergy to iron added to the mix, but still you. You would still be that baby your mother held when you were little, still that little girl she used to dance with in the kitchen while preparing dinner.

Mary shook her head, adamant, defiant. "You won't. Once you dabble in magic, there's no going back."

"Maybe I don't want to go back," you told her.

"You have to make a choice, then." She looked at you, eyes wounded, hurt, as if the entire world's grief and sorrow settled in them. She looked to be on the verge of falling apart. "Us or her."

Your eyes widened, shock spreading over your face like a splash of paint. "What?"

Mary swallowed, then cleared her throat. "Your family or the witch. You can't have it both ways, Y/N."

Your family or the witch.

Your family or the witch.

Your family or the witch.

She wanted you to choose.

Your own mother, who supposedly loved you more than life itself, had given you an ultimatum.

You knew it was a possibility, but never, in your wildest dreams, have you thought she would actually do it.

Rowena loved you as you were.

Mary loved the idea of you.

Rowena accepted your flaws.

Mary made up flaws where there weren't any.

Rowena encouraged you to follow your dreams.

Mary wanted you to suppress your dreams if they happened to not align with hers.

Rowena knew your favorite songs, books, movies, and TV shows by heart, even though your interests greatly differed from hers.

Mary could list two cartoons and one song you liked when you were a child.

Rowena answered when you called in need, and held you when you cried, and did everything in her power to get you back on your feet.

Mary had been too busy planning genocide with the British Men of Letters to even answer a text message.

Rowena, despite centuries of building walls and hiding her emotions, had opened up and allowed you to see her as she was. She was terrified; terrified of betrayal, of being taken advantage of, for that was all she'd ever known. And still, she let you in, let you get to know her, let herself love you even though it went against all the principles she'd held for centuries.

Mary had wanted to stay in a war-torn world with a bunch of strangers, principles over family.

With Rowena you had a future.

Mary, on the other hand, brought nothing but pain and disappointment into your life.

Mary may have brought you into this world, but she didn't understand you. Rowena did. And when she didn't understand, she did her best to try. Because she loved you. She wanted to know everything about you, about your life, about you most beautiful dreams and worst fears. She wanted to know it all.

Mary didn't even pretend to try. She was convinced she knew better, convinced she knew you despite never even bothering to get to know you.

Your grip on Rowena's hand tightened, half instinct and half intent. Ignoring the hammer-like pounding of your heart and steadying your breathing to get the words out without stumbling, you said. "That's an easy choice to make."

You and Rowena grabbed your bags and, looking around the room one last time to make sure you packed everything of importance, you left.

You left the bunker.

You left the memories, good and bad, behind, hoping to never revisit them again.

You left your life.

You left your family.

You left your mother.

As soon as you were in your car, far away from nosy eyes and ears, you collapsed into Rowena's arms and cried. You cried and wailed and sobbed, let everything aching and bad out, emptied your heart of all the pain that had gathered inside it. Rowena held you to her, hands gently tapping your back, words of comfort slipping from her lips in tender, soothing whispers.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked when you calmed down.

Pulling away from the embrace, you straightened up in your seat. Tears had finally stopped flowing, their remnants drying on your puffed up cheeks. You looked at Rowena, and the truth of the words you were about to say pooled in your eyes before you managed to utter a single one. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

Rowena beamed. You smiled, bright as a sunshine. Starting the car, you drove out of the garage, onto the open road, on your way to a brand new life. The life you'd always wanted, with the woman you loved the most in the whole wide world.

Tags: Tags: @werewolfbarbie @oswinthestrange @darktweet @songofthecagedmoose @apurdyfulmind @getthesalt-sam @metallihca @royalrowena @salembitchtrials @jay-eris @hellsmother @elizabeth-effie @victoriasagittariablack @rowenaswife @dropsofpetrichor @fromflametofire @xfireandsin @liddell-alien @elaspn @cas-loves-dean-and-i-love-him @faeyla @hotdiggitydammit @1-800multifandom @darkhumorsblog

Your response to that asker’s question about sleep magic was pretty denigrating! Assuming the worst of someone - especially less experienced than you - seems to be pervasive in this community. The wording of their question may have been “clunky” in your eyes but this is probably new/not obvious for them as it is for you & they’re not a bad person by default for needing to have concepts introduced for the first time. Talks about consent are important but that attitude can just turn people away.

Denigrate: to criticize unfairly; to disparage

Disparage: to regard or represent as being of little worth.

I...disagree. I kind of did the opposite and probably read more into the question than was meant to. I feel I put more weight into it than anything, especially if you’re accusing me of belittling the seriousness of an ask.

I will admit that re-reading it, I did forget to answer the question as I had in the first few drafts: “No, a sleep spell to assist with sleeping isn’t a curse.”

Now, follow up: you’re assuming they’re inexperienced/less experienced than me. I did not, in fact, my response was that of treating them as an equal. Re-read their question…at no point did they say “I’m new; I need advice; I’m newer to this side of witchcraft; I don’t know how to do this etc” They also never asked something like “How do I cast a sleep spell, are there herbal teas that may help with sleep, is there a way that a sleep spell could mutate into a curse?”

I did the opposite of saying it was of little worth, I put more worth into it by showing why the phrasing was concerning to me. Including: Consent, Medical Advice, and negative/baneful magic directed towards a minor or a family member. If you don’t think those are issues, then that’s your choice, but they are for me.

I also acknowledged that I may not have understood what they meant, this probably wasn’t the response they were expecting, and I asked them to re-phrase it, and send the ask again.

If you want to speak about generalizations and negative things observed in “the community”, then ask why I’m supposed to know the context, deeper meaning, motivations and answer to every ask I receive and deliver a perfect answer based on one to two sentences.

I try my best, of showing my logic, taking myself off any pedestals and showing I’m a real person. Trying to help, and making it very clear that I can only answer based on what I’m given.

I asked them to rephrase and re-ask if I misunderstood. Couple other things to think about:

me expressing concern is not criticism. I never said “That’s wrong! Bad witch bad! You’re a naughty person how dare you ask that?!” Because that’s not what I feel.

I’ve admitted before when I’m wrong, and asked for clarification, assistance in understanding and how to be better. I did that in that post.

You assuming the worst about me is hypocritical.

Can you admit when you’re wrong, ask for help in understanding, and admit that your criticism of me is disparaging actual concerns I have for the well being of the child and the person casting? Can you admit you’re belittling not only me, but the anon who asked, by assuming they’re inexperienced?

So, here’s my takeaway: When I have bare minimum of information, I can only respond based on that, and I will be wrong at times. I take ownership of that, but I share it with the person asking because I am not a mind reader and if the situation isn’t shared in detail, how can I give a detailed response?

When I get direct message questions, I have a conversation to gain context, access to ingredients, their comfort level and compare to my experience, how I would do something and help formulate what they can do based on the help they’re asking for.

Help me help you guys. If you have a question, send multiple anons labeled 1/3, 2/3, /3/3 or whatever!I’ll screenshot the asks and make a post with all the info and my response. Send me a message and have a conversation with me. I assume it’s private unless you tell me otherwise and won’t post it publicly...just ask any of the literal hundreds of people who’ve messaged me, but you can’t because they’re private conversations.

And to this anon...please don’t villify me for answering something different than you would. Please don’t talk down to me because I have my comfort zone of what I will share advice wise and from my practice. Please don’t put out me on a pedestal, making it seem like I’m turning people away from witchcraft. I’m not the witch pope, I’m just a guy who works two jobs who doesn’t have any days off who runs this blog and helps where I can.

Attacking people who’s hearts are in the right place is an issue in “the community�� as you put it. Not the guy who tries to answer questions honestly and without mystery.

Here’s the post in question. If the anon who asked originally has any follow up info you want to provide, or you want advice on how to do a sleep spell, let me know!

🦇Cheers, Barberwitch

Snippets rants: If you don’t think curses are harmful, try asking the victim of one

Rant sparked by yet more moral relativism about curses from some witchy blog online. While it’s true that magic, as we call it in the witchcraft community, is neither dark or light, what the writers seem to leave out is the part about the spell itself and what you seek to bring into being. Keep reading only if you’re interested in this topic. Also personal info below.

For many, the whole concept of magic and spells being real is completely foreign, and I respect that. However, the concept of harm vs heal, negative vs positive is something I think we’re all quite familiar with. We see the effects of this in political parties, religious groups and individuals that we meet in everyday life. Some people have a natural “shine” to them (positive) or “darkness” (negative) that the ones who are good at reading people or who are sensitive to other people’s energy can easily pick up on.

Some of them we want to be around more so we can bask in their light, and others we avoid entirely.

Psychological studies have, for decades, revealed the workings of the human mind, including toxic people and the effect they have on others. These effects are undeniably harmful. and can lead to severe, psychological damage. It can take years, even decades of treatment, to heal from it.

As someone who has worked positive rituals and spells since I was 16, I can tell you that it’s had a profoundly beneficial effect on my mental state and life overall. I kid you not, I was seriously contemplating suicide around the time I started. I never got psychiatric treatment, however, instead I met a healer who worked her magic on me and dragged me out of the ditch I was in. After that it was all rituals, spells, some minor coaching and the right social interactions that helped me fix the rest.

Keep in mind I’m not recommending this as an end-all treatment for mental illness. Professional, psychiatric treatment should always be your first choice. This is simply how it worked for me.

There were real, phsyical effects to this as well. I could feel the healing take place when it did, I managed to build up my confidence and feeling of self-worth and, as a friend of mine said, I’d gained a spark in my eyes that I hadn’t had before.

Of course, the scientific evidence for it are circumstantial, at best, and I’m sure there will be people who say it was “only in my mind”. However, mental illness is NOT “only in the mind”, and it healed. Completely.

Then two former coven sisters of mine decided to work curses against me.

If I was to describe it, it was like being in a really bad Hollywood exorcist movie. Brooms fell by themselves, the phone at work fell off the hook by itself, I got a rash on my body in a place that it made no sense for there to be a rash (even my doctor commented upon how strange it was), I got chronic pain in my left foot in the same area where one of the aforementioned witches “coincidentally” had chronic pain, I had trouble sleeping, my stress levels were extremely high and inflammation in my back was frequent.

Looking back now, I realise I was extremely lucky that I didn’t suffer a heart attack on top of it, especially considering that my father’s side of the family has a hereditary heart condition that more times than not will lead to heart failure.

On a metaphysical level, the way the energy of the curse itself felt was sickening, nauseating and... dark. There’s really no other way to describe the sensation. And the worst part? The curse came from good intentions.

Two other witches did card readings on the issue and, independently of each other they both turned up good intentions as the motivation. The witches cursing me had genuinely convinced themselves that they were doing good work by this attack. They believed that I was dangerous and had to be stopped, though from what I’m not sure, getting a job? One of them even enjoyed making me suffer.

I won’t go into detail about how I got it all to stop, but once it did, I still had high stress levels, pain in my foot, a rash and trouble sleeping. I then had 1 hour’s aromatherapy when I visited a friend of mine in December, and I’ll never forget that experience. I suffered severe cramps in my abdomen, my hands turned freezing cold, almost like ice, and my nose got all stuffy. I was in so much pain afterwards that I couldn’t move. The pain lasted for several days until I finally managed to relax my lower back long enough for the muscles there to let up.

After that, I slept like a baby, the pain in my foot was gone, the rash was gone and I haven’t had inflammation in my back since. However, I still remember how I needed help just to turn over on my back. That doesn’t come from a few months of work-related stress alone.

What these witch bloggers will have you believe is that because of moral relativism, curses aren’t really bad, dark magic isn’t really bad and you’re just intolerant of other people’s beliefs if you think so. However, as someone who was subjected to curses for several years, unaware of it most of the time, even, I can say that they’re flat-out wrong. Not only did it bring me to the brink of something that potentially could have killed me, but it’s had negative effects on the witches working the curses, too. Not only are they stuck in a pattern of self-destructive deceit, but they also turned what had once been a thriving coven into a toxic cult. There’s only mistrust, fear and drama-feeding left and the one in charge of it all, the one who started the whole thing, her negativity has physically manifested in her appearance. The spark in her eyes is gone, she looks dead on the inside and she’s regained the weight she lost those years ago.

Believe in curses or not, but claiming that they’re okay from a moral (or non-moral, which is what moral relativism is) viewpoint is to completely disregard the victims of the curses as well as the witches who cast them. Plus, it makes you an enabler of toxic abuse and the spread of toxicity within the community.

Trashy M!A list I made YaY :3

Please be respectful and courteous to others. If you re-blog this from someone, please send a M!A in their ask box

-----Mental and Social M!As -----

LEEROOOY JENKINS: Muse is rebellious and making poor choices.

Grrr: muse has become suddenly and inexplicably violent toward everyone and everything.

Guardian: muse becomes overprotective of [anon’s choice].

Now we have bad blood: muse feelings became... opposite? If she/he/they liked someone they now hate them, if they hate someone, they now like them.

Friendly Greeter: muse has forgotten everyone he/she/they know, and if they see them they will be all-too happy to introduce themselves.

My Name Is: Everytime someone says the muse's name, he/she/they must slap that person in the face.

Hot: muse becomes hot-blooded and hot-tempered.

Mongrel: Muse is very impulsive and won't think things through.

They speaking to me: muse starts hearing voices in her/his/their head

Titanic: muse falls in love with the next person that helps he/she/them with something.

The snake with blue eyes: muse is dressed all preppy/frilly but acts like a bad boy/girl/person

Daydream dressed as a nightmare: muse is dressed all dark/gothic but acts all perky

Weredoggy: muse now behaves like a dog; they play fetch, loyal, they bark, they chase squirrels, and love being pet as well as other dog like qualities.

Jumping Frenchmen: muse is easily startled and has a tendency to follow commands that are given very abruptly.

The Tongue of Animalia: muse can communicate with animals.

Thou Wretched Fool!: muse believes they/he/she are a medieval knight.

Fire is bad: Muse now has a fear of fire and will shy away from anyone with any source of fire.

Bonjour: Muse becomes very romantic and flirty

Jeremy No: Muse has become suddenly and inexplicably violent toward everyone and everything.

Hunter: muse goes out hunting and presents their kills to the one she/he/they love

Mankind's Best Friend: Muse feels the need to keep her/his/their pet or some animal with them at all times. Anon may choose which animal Muse desires.

----- Physical M!As -----

Speaking no evil: Muse can not speak

See no Evil: Muse is now blind

Hear no Evil: Muse cannot hear anything. This concludes their own thoughts and any telpicathivc

Ring bing ring: muse has a bell tied to their neck that cannot be removed

Is that an angel?: muse has a large pair of pure white angel wings and a golden barb wire halo that is dimly glowing. The muse can also float.

Dwarf: Muse is 4ft tall and is obsessed with dig holes. They also are in love with pickaxes and axes.

Taur: muse becomes a centaur, but with the waist and lower body of the animal Anon chooses. Upper body of a human, waist down the body of an animal on all fours.

Fireheart: muse turns into a giant fire breathing dragon.

Poisonheart: muse turns into a wyvern with a poisonous tail and can’t breathe fire.

Are you jealous: Muse now has a long, scraggly beard, regardless of gender.

Mew: muse grows cat-ears and a tail and develop cattish mannerisms

Trickster: Muse becomes a Kitsune

Way Beyond the Boundary: muse is either a cambion or a demon hunter (anon decides which.)

Power of three: muse splits into three versions of her/his/them selfs. Negetive (bad), neutral, and positive (good).

I choose you: muse turns into a Pokémon

Mr. Hyde: Muse will be split into two identical individuals, one good, the other evil, and they are aware of eachother's presence and of the split.

I believe I can fly: Muse now has wings but they are unable to use them for flight.

Butter: Muse sprouts butterfly-shaped wings.

Where am I?!?!: muse become invisible but the spell immediately ends when they attack someone or cast a spell.

Burning Up: Muse feels extremely hot and can't seem to get cool.

GO FAST: muse can run as fast as a thoroughbred horse. ( 44 mph)

Bioluminesence: Muse now glows in the dark

Lying tongue and the aura of truth: muse splits into two. The two looks the same and acts the same but one of them can only tell lies and the other can only tell the truth.

Sea Monkey: muse turns into a brine shrimp

Detoxifier: muse splits into two versions of his/her/their selves. One version is toxic while the other version is heathy but it’s the muses version of what is healthy about themselves.

Romania: Muse is now a vampire.

Round and Round: Muse has become horribly dizzy and can’t stand up without stumbling.

-----Horror M!As -----

Cold Blooded: muse has a sudden drive for revenge. Every wrong doing they’ve had against them, every lie and rumour made they will seek out to make right

Ring of Fire: muse can only see their fears and phobias around them.

The Hunter: Your muse is being hunted down mercilessly. Anyone your muse comes into contact with is also subject to being a target.

The Mirror: muse soul is trapped in a mirror and their body has been possessed by some strange entity.

The Russian Sleep Experiment: muse can’t sleep, and is slowly losing their grip on reality.

The screaming: The muse hears constant screams and torment from mistakes they’ve made or ghosts from their past.

Scars: all physical scars muse has are started to burn.

Who’s There?: muse get the unsettling feel that someone or something is watching them. Inanition muse keeps seeing shadowy figures in the corner of their eye.

They speaking to me: muse starts hearing voices in her/his/their head

Seeing Double: Muse has run into a shapeshifter. The shapeshifter has captured the muse, tide them up, and hidden he/she/them underground. The shapeshifter has replaced your muse.

Smile: muse cannot stop smiling, even when it hurts their cheeks.

Chocolate touch: everything that her/he/their touch will their lips immediately turns into chocolate

Deadly Years: the muse begins rapidly aging

The floor is lava: muse cannot touch the floor. If they do, they get 3rd° burns.

Crossroad: muse goes to a crossroads to sell their soul. How much time they get depends on the mun (If muse has little to no soul or is an angel they become a crossroads demon. Also the mun decides if their muse takes the deal or not)

Baby it's cold outside: Muse has been kidnap by another muse of the anonymous choice

Bloody Hell No: Muse is covered in random, painful wounds, with no explanation to why they were inflicted.

—disturbing M!As -----

Feather?!?!: muse can’t stop cough up feathers.

Scars: all physical scars muse has are started to burn.

SMILE: muse cannot stop smiling, even when it hurts their cheeks and even when they have negative emotions.

Petrified: muse slowly starts turning to stone. They have to find someone who can cure them before they're completely petrified.

Waxing: muse losses all her/his/their body hair

Can’t stop Dancing: muse keeps dancing until they pass out or dance them self’s to death

Bam Pregnent: muse has a plastic baby’s head, arms, and legs glued on the outside of their belly!!!

Liquid: muse’s breath smells like liquid manurer. The only cure is time (3 hours).

For Science!: Muse suddenly has the urge to become a test subject. Anon may choose who's subject he is.

Nice Boxers: Muse believes they are stripped down to their underwear, even if they are fully clothed.

Lying Flower: every time the muse lies a red/black flower appears somewhere on their body.

blah flowers blah curse: muse is coughing up tulips and the only cure is a romantic French kiss from the person they have a crush on. ( if your muse is asexual or has no crush or the crush is dead, they can get rid of the cursed by kiss a silver mirror )

The Rapture: muse gets possessed by an angel. If they’re already an angel, someone else knocks them out of their vessel and takes their place for a couple of hours or longer. (mun besides)

Zippy: Muse has a literal zip for a mouth.

Burning Up: Muse feels extremely hot and can't seem to get cool.

Enemy: Muse takes the appearance of someone they hate for 16 hours

meoo: muse hallucinates that everyone they talk to is a cat

My Precious!!!!: An item becomes very important to the muse. If they lose it, they're convinced they'll die!

-----that’s something M!As -----

Hit Me: Muse is now completely drunk and will not suffer any hangover

Salem: Muse keeps accusing people of witchcraft.

What the: Muse can hear the Mun’s voice like an angel (or devil) on their shoulder for a day.

Un-armed!: Muse cannot pick up or use any weapon.

Karkat?: muse must YELL EVERYTHING THEY SAY!

Hehehe: Muse is slightly tipsy and very festive.

Rhyme Time: muse can only speak in rhyme

Flesh: muse suddenly has a overwhelming desire to eat raw meat and lots of it. They are also allergic to all vegetables.

Silent Treatment: Muse is mute and grumpy

Egg: Muse finds a large egg and does not know what to do with it

Un-armed!: Muse cannot pick up or use any weapon.

I Am The Cure: muse is stuck in a plague doctor outfit

Soulless : Muse has no soul.

Loop: Muse is stuck in a cycle of repeating themselves.

Sweet Tooth: Muse has the urge to bake and eat sweet foods.

It’s just a flesh wound: muse cannot feeling pain and cannot die from blood loss.

I’m BBOORRED!!!: muse cannot stop feeling bored with everything

Greece: Wherever the muse goes, a group of cats will follow them.

Feelings!!!!: muse can read other peoples’ emotions and if anyone in ten feet is in pain Muse feels the pain too

I Like Birds: Any bird near the muse will follow them around

Fuck you: Muse can't stop saying the word fuck in every sentence

Yaeaua: Muse has to be literally led by the hand everywhere. If left alone, they will just stay in one spot.

Animal Suits!: Anon chooses an animal that the muse must dress up as for a specified amount of time

I Like Birb: Any bird near the muse will follow her/him/them around

2019 (Buffy/Angel Eden studios)

Lawrence Myers (January)

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

The cameras never stopped, but years at the firm led to an impeccable public persona. It was a large part of how a two term representative got picked out as VP, but then again, a little help from the Senior Partners goes a long way. He gave a picture perfect smile to the judge, bigger than the tight control he normally displayed, but still just as false.

It would be a while before he got to a place of privacy, something that made him begin to clench his jaw after a while. The American people were desperately pathetic, constantly delaying anything worthwhile, and he needed to get out.

Lawrence smoothed his salt and pepper hair, the only gesture he allowed himself, and largely as a joke for the press. His assistant was hovering in the periphery, and there was nothing he’d rather be doing than delegating long-awaited tasks.

He gestured to Mallory; an hour in and it was far past time to get the hell out of there. No more shmoozing, no more firing up the very amenable base. It was time.

“Sir, we’ve got a meet-and-greet in Virginia next--” Mallory began.

“Stop and listen,” President Myers said, his genial mask slipping into the authoritative annoyance he’d honed so well, “Call my guys at Homeland Security and ICE. I want all funding to IDRS halted and deferred to them.”

“Of course,” his assistant knew better than to respond with hesitation or confusion, “We’ll work up a press release too.”

“America solves its own problems, we don’t need INTERPOL junior here doing whatever the fuck they want,” he declared, “I don’t care who it needs to go through, we’ll start with an executive order if I have to.” “Absolutely,” Mallory complied, writing everything down, “And about the rally--”

“Fucking rallies,” his brow creased, conjuring up the lines in his brow that should have been deeper at 50, “That horseshit needs to be cut in half if we’re gonna get anything done this year.”

“Of course.”

A New, Confused Hope (March)

The tones of the aggravating electric chime rang again. Probably some lookie-loo or new witch seeking locally grown sage. Luckily, it does well enough in pots, so Logan always had a supply for the newly witchy.

He sniffed. Among the incenses and minty goodness of the growing sage, he caught a distinct eau de troll, and... “Hey, Aszea, try not to get vamp dust everywhere,” he called out without looking to the front of the shop.

“Logan, is Janis in? We have a kind of a situation,” the giant woman responded.

The way Aszea said situation made his ears perk, and probably would have without extra sensitive hearing. He placed his book down and made his way to the front, and was a little surprised that there were two people, and that the young woman with the troll was actually the one who smelled of dead vampires.

“Wwwwwwwhat?” Logan looked confused.

“So this is Emily.” Aszea put a hand softly on the girl’s shoulders, “She’s a sophomore at the catholic school, and she just killed like, three vampires.”

“Wait, really?” Logan moved around the counter, “That sounds like Slayer stuff, but--” “Right, she had a little assistance,” Aszea looked indignant, “But I told her about the Augury, and that we may be able to help her learn about what’s going on, and that, while it’s weird to have adult friends...”

“Having adult employers would be a good cover for a new Potential,” Logan knew immediately. He realized he’d carried a crystal ball out from stock, and set it down on an empty stand. “Twenty hours a week of magical supervision, little to no suspicion.”

“Twenty paid hours,” Aszea pointed out.

“Can you help me?” the girl’s eyes finally flickered up from her thousand yard stare. She was still in shock over what had happened, and Logan felt all the deeply bittersweet memories of watching someone learn some truth about the world lean a little more bitter when they locked eyes.

“Of course,” he said as softly as he could, “Just let me text the boss lady.”

Bad Actors (September)

“Well, shit!” Janis cursed, double-checking her phone.

“More amateur mages mucking up the mojo?” Logan asked, leaning over the counter.

“No, this was a test,” Janis held a finger in the air, “Someone is doing this on purpose, poisoning the well, and Iiiiiiiiii...”

Her face fell as she knew she’d have to admit something.

“Don’t know what to do about it?” Logan cut into her thought break.

“Yes, thanks, I was going to say that,” Janis twisted her mouth up, “Did you find the sleep daught?”

“Yeah, but I gotta skip it, Asz said there’s an inordinate amount of undead lately so I’ll be off the leash,” he said without looking at her.

“Any better at it? Can’t have you biting our only Slayer ally,” Janis crossed her arms, partly to glower and mostly to stop staring into her phone.

“I’ll tell you when you figure out what’s going on with the Tumblr coven.”

It was often tempting to throw annoying hexes at Logan, but ever since Myers ascended to the presidency, everything had been looking worse for the magical community, and she couldn’t afford to piss off any allies, even her werewolf store clerk.

“Who’d have thought I’d be curious as to where Phil went since January, huh?” she brushed a lock of hair out of her face, a small act of control in her increasingly chaotic life.

All Saints’ Order (November)

Brian raised his hands in victory. The molotov had crashed through the heathen storefront, and a small fire began taking hold inside. The Augury would be cleansed from his city.

Around him, his brothers cheered, hoisting their various weapons into the air, yells of “Hail Myers!” amongst the more enthusiastic wordlessness. They’d save their country, he knew, they’d start the next crusade, they’d burn--

Janis ended the spell.

“What’s happening?” Emily spoke up.

“We’re minus one shop and plus one openly fascistic anti-magic movement,” Janis responded flatly.

“Fuck,” was Aszea’s whole contribution the conversation.

*****************

So the last post was a couple years ago, and I’ve been watching a lot of Buffy, so here’s some setting update.

Lawrence Myers, 46th president of the United States, was a lawyer at a little firm known as Wolfram & Hart, and spent two terms as a representative for the state of Nevada before being courted, seemingly at random, as VP. When a very unexpected death opened up a vacancy in the White House, his administration fed on the zeitgeist of right wing American concerns and interests: a desire for law and order, fed by a covert program that produced chaos in the form of systematically sired mobs of vampires; fear and revulsion at the statistics of religion, that “witch” was now outpacing the growth of more “traditional” religious tendencies (see: christian denominations); and retaliation, essentially encouraged by the White House with its failure to criticize vigilante actions against apparently “satanic” sorts, such as middle class store owners or their working class superpowered/strange employees. Meanwhile, already prestigious or successful warlocks and demonic allies remained untouched by the ignorant sycophants.

Janis Morad, witch, demonologist, former entrepreneur. “Technopagan” is a term of the past, largely discarded in favor just plain ole witch, and Janis made her first sales online when Certain Social Websites started making witchcraft aesthetic. Using mundane practitioners to fund her own actual magickal ventures, she was largely able to fly under the radar until the All Saints’ executive order, which was supposed to fund governmental policing of Weird Stuff, but also just kind of invigorated an irate and clueless portion of the populace.

Logan Benson, werewolf. He was bit shortly before going to work with Janis, and has been pacified in his wolf phases by Janis’ alchemical experimentations. He’s been more and more eager to help out Aszea on nights as she seems immune to lycanthropy and is both tough and regenerative enough to survive the more mundane mauling that happened when he and the troll first met.

Emily Szymanski, Slayer. She’s mostly around because I had an idea that I liked-- that the Slayer Potential awakening spell was for extant Slayer Potentials when it was cast, not every one of them since. That being the case (how generous of me to myself), beginning in 2018 or later is the perfect time-- as Potentials come into age fifteen years later, we could be seeing one brand new Slayer for every one that has died since s7 of Buffy. This opens things up to a classic high school Slayer experience that we’re familiar with, while also still seeing a few “grizzled” vets in their mid to late twenties. I tend to assume “The life of a Slayer is brutally short,” but you don’t have to.

Generally speaking, she’s timid, I envisioned her as a nerdy Slayer, which will be fleshed out and statted when I get to it.

Aszea, troll. She was transformed from her assigned gender at birth through a wish-- one that she did not word carefully enough despite assuming she’d been quite particular. She wished to be a woman, but not specifically a human woman, and whoops. Now she mostly patrols and is the big muscle of the group.

Beyond this post, it’ll be set concurrent to whenever I’m writing, which is why I wanted to jump past all the time I didn’t include since the first two posts. Characters will have character sheets whenever they get their own story.

I’m curious, and I don’t mean to sound rude at all so if I do I apologize for that, it isn’t my intention, why would a witch who worships God immediately be condemned? Because in certain cases, like mine, I don’t ever have the energy to cast spells or anything and about 90-95% of my craft is just relying on metaphysical properties of things like crystals and plants and oils to help boost a certain thing for me and to help me feel more in tune with said certain thing. There are many different 1/2

2/2 forms of witchcraft and for some people, like spoonies for example, it isn’t trying to “tale control of what isn’t mine to control.” I don’t try to know the future or even assume things like tarot tell me the future, I actually think the opposite of that. I look to tarot more for guidance and advice. I’m not Christian in any way but I’m very close with a few Christians so I wanted to clear this up because many witches I’ve encountered, myself included, don’t do what you accuse us of doing.   —Hello there,You don’t sound rude at all, don’t worry! Respectful discussion is always welcome here, including from those who may not necessarily agree with everything I say. Witchcraft is deemed a sin by God, therefore one can’t logically use something He hates and has deemed an abomination as a form of worship/connecting with Him. It’s the same as someone saying one can use sexual immorality, drunkenness, murder, theft, or any other sin you can think of as a means of “worship”. It just isn’t compatible and doesn’t make sense. To give a loose comparison, think of it this way - if someone you loved and cared deeply for approached you and infected you with a disease as a means of showing their thanks to you, how would you react? I know I would be upset and disgusted, and ask how anyone could think I would appreciate something so horrible as an means of supposedly showing appreciation or thanks to me. That’s how God sees someone claiming they are using sin, something He is disgusted by and hates, as a means of worshiping or connecting with Him. Relating to this example I gave, sin is described in scripture as a disease with sores and raw wounds. He literally sees sin as a festering disease - one that will ultimately destroy a person. And this is why Christ went so far as to die in our place on the cross so that we can be saved from it - if we accept Him as our Savior.  The examples of witchcraft I listed in previous asks was not an exhaustive list. I just named some examples to get my point across, but I very much meant that all forms of witchcraft are sinful. As you have said yourself above, witchcraft is not just limited to casting spells/curses. The truth is, witchcraft is an idol (something that comes before God and/or in the place that God rightfully holds; and idolatry is a type of sin). Even though you say you aren’t trying to control things that aren’t yours to control, the examples you listed seem very much to fall into the category of trying to maintain control over things. Seeking plants, crystals, and oils with the belief that they help you with certain situations is idolatry because we are supposed to seek Him for the things we need help with. And those objects are actually being sought after for a means of supernatural control because you are using them in an attempt to push a situation in the direction you desire/enhance your understanding. Regarding your example of tarot cards - even if it’s not for the purpose of seeking events that will take place in the future, seeking tarot cards for advice and guidance is idolatry because we are supposed to seek Him for advice and guidance through delving into the Word (which is inspired by God Himself) and communicating to Him through prayer. Tarot cards are also being used as a means of control in this situation because they are being used in an attempt to gain supernatural insight/understanding in the form of advice and guidance you hope to attain from the cards, regarding a situation you wish to be lead in a direction that you desire. To address what you said about spoonies, I wasn’t sure what that term meant so I looked it up for my own understanding. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a spoonie is someone who has a chronic disease/illness (which can fall into the category of a physical or mental illness). The term “spoonie” originated from the spoon theory, which is a theory involving energy levels and a reduction of energy levels in chronically ill individuals. It seems that those who practice witchcraft have adopted this term into their practice for individuals who both identify as a witch and have a chronic illness. Therefore, a spoonie witch is someone who wants to practice witchcraft, but the effects of their chronic illness may limit their ability to do so. However, those who identify themselves as spoonie witches are still actively practicing witchcraft. In fact, from what I’ve read, they seem to be seeking out tips and methods to practice witchcraft in a way that suits the limitations their individual disabilities place on them (e.g.: sitting instead of standing when casting spells, casting spells more quickly, “bed magick” tips such as sleeping with crystals under the pillow or ensuring easy access to other witchcraft paraphernalia near the bed for those who are bed ridden and still want to perform witchcraft, suggestions to draw sigils, which are drawings and paintings considered to have magic power, or read magic books on days when they are feeling particularly tired from their illness, etc). Witchcraft is still taking place, even if a person’s level of functioning is limited by their chronic illness. It’s still just as sinful as a person who has the capability to do more involved acts of witchcraft. In His eyes, sin is sin. It’s all equally destructive.. a person who just has the energy to put crystals under their pillows and read magic books is just as guilty of witchcraft as a person who is casting spells/curses. To address what you said about condemnation, we are all equally condemned to hell and eternal destruction. We are all born into this world with a sinful nature and nothing we can do in our own power can save us from the debt of our sin. That is why Christ died for the forgiveness of sins and in order to be forgiven, we need to seek Him with a heart that recognizes its sin and need for a Savior. The sins I struggle with (as well as the sins anyone else struggles with) are just as destructive as the sin of witchcraft. The only difference between a Christian and someone who is caught up in the sin of witchcraft (or any other sin for that matter) is that the Christian has recognized their sin is wrong and needs to be resisted, and has put their faith in Christ to be made a new creation washed clean of sin. Conversely, the person actively practicing witchcraft (or actively embracing any other type of sin) doesn’t see any wrong their actions and doesn’t recognize that they need to be saved/can’t save themselves. And if a person claims to be a Christian yet actively embraces a sin, that’s a spiritual warning sign that this person isn’t actually following Christ, doesn’t know what His Word says or chooses to ignore what it says, and hasn’t had a true encounter with the Living God. However, the opportunity to accept Christ for salvation and the free gift of eternal life is always available to everyone for as long as they are alive. It’s only too late is when time in this life runs out because once we finish here, we face Him for judgment and whether we made the decision during our life to accept or reject Christ determines whether or not we are saved.I hope this helped to answer your questions.. Please do not hesitate to send me more messages if you wish to discuss this further or have any additional questions.     

9 Ways to Witch Better in 2019

by Courtney Weber

As you work on your 2019 resolutions, you may want to include some ways to Witch better in the new year. Some of these are about making yourself an even better Witch, Magickally. Some of these include how to be a better Witch in your community. Both are important, and all are easy to do. Happy (secular) New Year!

1.) Study the Magickal properties of five plants native or abundant in your region.

Pagans spend a lot of money and resources ordering herbs online. While this may have its purpose once in a while, shipping takes a toll on the environment. While being mindful that some native plants are endangered and shouldn’t be harvested, you likely have a bunch of Magickal herbs, flowers, or other plants in your park or yard that are fine to collect. I’ve had a great time exploring the protective energies of blackberry brambles and the cleansing properties of lemon balm, both of which are plentiful in my overgrown yard. Check for possible protected status before harvesting plants and don’t ingest anything unless a certified herbalist gives you the green light!

2.) Shake up your reading and follow list.

Take a long look at the Pagan authors you’re reading and Witches you’re following on social media. Are they mostly white? Cis-gendered? Heterosexual? Make a commitment to make sure at least half of the Witches you read and follow are people of colour and/or queer and/or gender non-conforming. If you don’t know where to begin, Crystal Blanton wrote a column that about several influential Pagans of colour. Yvonne Aburrow’s list is a few years old now, but still has great resources if you’re looking for queer or trans Witches and authors. Also, if you tend to buy more mass-market Pagan books, pick up a few self or independently published books. If you only shop for the latter, try a mass-market one this year.

3.) Pick one thing that breaks your heart and commit to using Magick to address it.

Deforestation? Children dying at the border? Poverty? Homelessness? Use your votes, write letters, volunteer–don’t skip the ground work, but include Magick, too. Well-intentioned Witches might cast spells that say “Shine light into shadow” or “Bring peace to the world,” but Magick is most effective when it is direct. Consider creating a sigil or even a whole altar to one cause that breaks your heart and feed it throughout the year.

4.) Support your local Metaphysical bookstore

Small bookstores may be on the rise, but let’s not take that for granted! Pagan and Metaphysical bookstores have long been the backbone of the Magickal community. A quick click-to-order on Amazon may be tempting, but nothing compares to the smell of a good bookstore or the conversation you’ll have with the workers or other customers while you shop.

5.) Attend at least three rituals or events led by other Pagans

If you are in a closed group or have a regular open Circle you attend, it’s easy to get into a rut. Try attending three new events. Supporting others is good for the community and ultimately, can be helpful for our practices, too. It might teach us something new to add to our own work…or even reminds us of what to avoid.

6.) Learn something from a child and something from an Elder

Do you have a Magickal child or know someone who does? Ask them to teach you a spell. It might be informative–it’s sure to be cute. Be sure to also sit down with an elder this year and ask them to teach you a few things, too. We Pagans are awfully quick to disregard our Elders, and may not have them for long. A quick conversation will mean a lot to them, and to you. You’ll definitely learn something.

7.) Check in with your Spirits and/or Deities every day

You don’t have to do much. Most of us work hard, long days and don’t have much energy for hours of chanting at a carefully tended altar. Recently I wrote a blog on Witching When Tired. Sometimes, all you need to do is take 30 second and tell your Spirits or Deities that you’re there and you’re listening.

8.) Honour the Ancestors

Same thing. You don’t have to do much. Commit to creating even a little space in your life every day to let them know you continue to honour them.

9.) Honour, love, and respect yourself

The Witch’s most powerful tool is their own self. Drink water. Eat. Sleep. Say no when you’ve had enough. Say yes when you haven’t. Make the commitment to honour yourself as your most valuable Witchcraft tool.

Goddess Bless! GrannyMoon

★☽✪☾★ http://GoddessSchool.com https://twitter.com/GrannyMooninVA https://grannymoon.wordpress.com/

https://groups.io/g/HerbalWitchesCauldron

hey! im totally new to the whole witch and tarot thing but i'm so interested in it!! got any tips for an aspiring witch who legit decided she wanted to start this journey today? My mind is open to anything 😊

WARNING!: Long post is long…

Hi there! Firstly, I want to welcome you and congratulate you on taking your first steps on this journey! I’m absolutely flattered that you chose to come to me for advice, though truthfully, I’m still an aspiring baby witch myself. I’m no expert in any field, metaphysical or otherwise,—though even many witches with years of experience are still on a journey of learning and self-discovery themselves and would claim the same: that they aren’t by any means an expert at what they do, just that they have more experience in some things—and though I can’t give you any real witchy advice on how to cast circles or write spells or charge your tools, I CAN tell you what I’ve learned thus far into my own journey into my own craft. Please keep in mind that much of this information is what I’ve learned on my time on Tumblr and most of this can be found (and much more easily summarized for convenience) in the posts in the witchcraft 101 tag.

You’ve already accomplished one of the first things I would have suggested, and that’s to have an open mind. That you’ve taken such an interest into this path of life says a lot. Always keep your mind open to this path; and not just this path, but the many diverging and branching paths of witchcraft. You can do so much by seeing what intrigues you and researching it. And don’t just research one area, but see what else speaks to you. You’re interested in tarot; maybe that will lead to interest in some other forms of divination, too; scrying, pendulum work, rune stones. Maybe that will lead to an interest in the history behind the tools, or to corresponding crystals, herbs, planets, constellations, gods, goddesses, candle colors, sigils, EMOJI spells! Your options are limitless! Don’t be afraid to dabble. Dip your toe into the waters of witchcraft; you never know which pool you’ll be ready to jump into!

However, on that note, it is important to be aware that there are certain areas that you may find yourself cut off from. Certain religions and spiritual paths are deemed “closed”, meaning that unless you are already born into them or initiated into them, it’s considered appropriative and highly offensive to use elements of those religions. There are also certain terms that are considered as appropriation, racial slurs or just looked down upon in bad taste; “spirit or totem animals”, “sage smudging”, the misconception of the term “karma”, as well as the word “gypsy” are all examples of these. In summary, just be respectful of closed religions/cultures and be mindful of what you say.

On the subject of research, it’s also a good idea to expand your horizons on that front. Be aware that not everything you’ll find on Tumblr—or the internet in general—will be 100% true. Some people can claim they know the secrets of the universe and that their way is the right way (9 times out of 10, these people are the scam-artists you’ll hear about when skeptics talk about psychics, diviners, and witches) but the truth is that, just like art, there’s really no right or wrong way to practice magick. With magick, there’s no end all, be all. It’s diverse and what works for one person doesn’t have to work for you; some witches are more traditionalist in their witchery, some prefer modern technology for their craft, some use expensive and fancy tools, some use whatever they can find laying around, some don’t use any tools at all and simply use their belief and intent to harness their magick. Some witches incorporate religion into their craft, and some don’t; some are Pagan, some are Wiccan, some are Christian, some worship the Greek pantheon, others the Norse pantheon, and some choose to worship a variety of gods/goddesses from MANY religions. Some witches are okay with casting curses, others not so much. And all of this is okay because their path is theirs and yours will become yours. It’s important to respect everyone’s own individual path, even if it clashes with your own beliefs; That’s just being a good noodle. :)

Also, don’t feel as though you have to lump yourself into a category. I know some people identify as sea witches, storm witches, cosmic witches, hedge witches, pop culture witches; it seems that the possibilities are endless and it can honestly feel kind of overwhelming if you’re just starting out with no real direction. You may feel compelled to label yourself and your craft, but it’s really not necessary. A lot of times in life, we feel the need to label ourselves as others outside our personal bubble may label us. Just like in high school, the jocks, the cheerleaders, the goths, the nerds, etc. etc. But it’s not really THAT import. So don’t ever stress over the whole “but what kind of witch am I?” debacle. Keep your options open to find what speaks to you, whether it’s one path or many.

One more thing on the subject of general witchery; you’ll probably see it blasted on most every witchcraft 101 post you’ll find but: Witchcraft and magick is not a substitute for professional medical advice or practices. It’s always best to consult a doctor or psychological expert on such matters (admittedly to me this is really just common sense but still it must be said; I do not condone replacing medication with spellcraft). If anything, think of it like this; when you fall and scrape your knee as a child, witchcraft is NOT your bandaid nor your antiseptic. Instead, witchcraft is the kiss your mother or father places upon your treated and bandaged wound to make you smile again. Make sense? I sure hope so…

Now, you DID also ask for tarot advice. I’m still learning the general meanings of the cards (albeit very slowly, because, unfortunately, I keep distracting myself with failed attempts to multitask) but I’d say that would be your first step there. Learn the meanings of the cards, and not only memorize them, but learn for yourself what they mean to YOU. The tarot is a powerful tool, using imagery that pokes around at our own intuition in order to give us the answers we’re looking for. Make your own personal connections and associations with the cards, the imagery and the symbolism. Many of the cards have generally the same traditional meanings, though some artists and authors throw in their own spin on things from time to time.

A good starter deck is the Universal Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, which you probably either already have or can easily purchase from your local Barnes and Noble (also, a myth that most amongst the tarot community will say is untrue is that you need to be gifted your first deck. I would say don’t wait for someone to randomly hand you a deck; if you really want it, nothing is stopping you from obtaining one yourself; besides, it’s a really specific and rather unorthodox gift of choice that I wouldn’t expect anyone who isn’t already interested in the subject would ever buy for someone else) BUT feel free to browse around and see which deck calls to you. Truthfully, my first deck was the Zerner-Faber Tarot Deck (which I’ve since lost and still can’t find…), and since becoming interested in the subject of tarot reading, I’ve gotten four more decks, each vastly different in style and theme that the last.

You’ll find a lot of other witches who perform tarot readings will give you various tips and sometimes contradictory advice from what each other is saying. Sometimes they’ll say you HAVE to cleanse your deck after every reading, and others will say the only cleansing they performed was when they first bought it; you HAVE to shuffle it yourself, or you can let the person you’re reading for shuffle, or you can ONLY read for yourself and not for others. With this, I say, learn for yourself what your style is and how you and your deck connect. Spend time with it. A good way to learn about your deck is through a tarot deck interview spread (though some witches will tell you that it’s almost kind of awkward to put your deck on the spot for answers about itself like this; again, do whatever you feel comfortable with, whatever works for you is more than enough). You can find a lot of good spreads in the tarot spread tag on Tumblr, as well as other neat tips and cheat sheets for learning the cards.

Another good tool is the Labyrinthos Academy app for your phone; it’s a totally free app that helps you memorize the general meanings of the cards through little lessons and “homework assignments”, kind of like a free tarot workshop. The art style is really cute, to boot. ^^

Another really good resource for information regarding the tarot is BiddyTarot. I believe they have a Tumblr account, as well as an Instagram and website where you can learn the cards, meanings, spreads and assorted fun tips for readings. (I’m on mobile as I write this whole spiel, so I can’t exactly post any links; also I’m not 100% Tumblr savvy so I don’t really know how to put links in general…)

So, I think that will do it for now for what I can tell you. If you have any more questions or want more in depth research, you can check the witchcraft 101 tags on Tumblr for more information. I’m sorry if my explanation was really long and overly boring (it’s 3am and my brain is trying desperately to sleep at the moment, but I won’t let it) and if I missed anything important, be sure to let me know. It’s always nice to meet others who have chosen this path, and so it’s been my pleasure to welcome you to this community! Thank you so much for coming to me with this question and I hope that your path leads you to the answers that you seek.

Wishing you all the best in your craft!

🗝🔮✨