Any Witches Here ? Part 2

[speakout]

Or Wiccans. or Pagans? Or anyone who is interested in a magical path or feels some magical stirrings.

A place for support, learning, swapping ideas and magical inspiration

All welcome.

Gosh I love your hare speakout It looks very content there amongst the hypericum and nodding foxgloves. I have always loved hares and happened upon a field of hares when walking away from Stonehenge once. Happy memories.

Am particularly fond of the imagery of moon-gazing hares too.

So autumnal here too. I love it! Nothing like being cosy.

So I mentioned that last week I had a go at a wealth/abundance spell for a friend who really needs it. The next day she gave me a refund for something I bought from her (trying to be vague) - did I somehow word my spell wrong?! I feel really bad!

I love reading this thread and seeing it grow.

Thank you @zaphodbebblebrox. I will look into that.
I’m suprised about the hares. We went for a walk recently and a hare sat on DDs foot. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I wouldn’t have believed it. I’d never even seen a hare before!!

Your DD sounds really special @mrsnolasco. What an amazing hare encounter. She's very lucky to have you in her life too, someone who wants to nurture her instincts. I was a little bit like her when I was younger, and no adult ever really took me seriously and I think I lost whatever gifts I may have had.

I still collect special sticks, stones, feathers and when I saw a boyfriend's similiar collection on his bedroom window sill, I knew he was the man for me!

My goodness this cosy kitchen is expanding quickly by the day. I'm just off to collect more eggs from our chooks, to keep the aga cakes ticking along Budge up everyone. the kettle's going on again. I'm sure speakout will arrive with soon with a homemade candle.

@speakout Quick Q. Did you buy your hare recently? I'm rather fond of it and wondered if they were still available? Don't want to drum up volunteers to go out hunting for me in vain

I have two, I bought one 6 months ago, the other I bought last week.
My local Poundland shop have had them in stock pretty constantly for the past few months.

A pair of hares! How wonderful. Back on sale last week too, ooh! Just had a quick online browse and there seems to be similiar models about for sale. I think speakout it was the setting, your lush green garden with the foxgloves, that appealed to me

Does anyone here have a talent in picking up vibrations from inanimate objects? Before I buy something, I like to hold it in my hand first to see if it feels right. I'm always drawn to well-loved, well-worn older items and would be really happy if they could speak and tell me about their previous owners. Does that sound odd? My whole house is made up of other people's possessions that needed a new home. I always find out the history first if I can and like to think about that person when I'm using them. I.e. Old knitting needles, or an old watercolour kit from Freecycle. I'm not able to 'read' them myself though.

Hares are very important to me. My youngest son is my 'hare baby'. They have been a recurring symbol through my life.

I'm full of cold, feeling the most unwell I have for some time. I am resting and taking lots of elder syrup. The last of my stock, fortunately the berries are just coming ripe for a new batch.

Loving the excitement for autumn and appreciation of hares here- I share both

I'm going to read up on herbal remedies- feeling in need of a boost!

Hi. I'm quite new here but did join late on the old thread 😊. I love hares too, they always seem magical to me. Saw my first one in RL with my daughter at the start of the summer 🐰.

Today me and oh drove to Bristol as I've been wanting to get a new car. My Lo was born in April and it's been a pita getting her seat in and out of the back of a 2 dr Renault Clio. Plus with 3 kids, it's not big enough for holidays etc. We went in oh's van as he's not insured to drive my car back. The whole morning I'd been feeling a bit nervous for some reason.. we stopped on a housing estate so I could feed and change Lo. Just before this I'd seen one magpie, but it was the second time I'd seen a single magpie that morning. I did the salute and greeting to try and 'counteract' any bad luck and muttered under my breath that I hoped it wasn't an omen! (Oh is not like me and doesn't believe in all this sort of thing). When we got back to the van it wouldn't start! I thought. I knew it. Eventually 2 bin men appeared and I asked them to help push the van back so we could get it on a slope and bump start it. They obliged and luckily another man who one of them happened to know was cycling down the rd and they stopped him and asked him to help. Thankfully it got going. We just decided to go home though. I thought it wasn't meant to be for me to buy a new car that day. Does anyone else ever seen or feel omens? I'm also thinking maybe something was happening with the planets which may have made it unfavourable today?

Any one preform candle magic and got results? X

Just popping in to our nourishing space for a cup of tea and to ground myself for the day ahead.

My recent workings to banish negative patterns/influences have been successful in achieving some powerful clearing. I'm now in the space in between- at the beginning stages of baby steps towards the new. It's quite a void at present. I know it's for the best but of course it is the unknown, which can be a lonely and scary place to be. Refocusing and self care are essential parts of my journey right now; keeping faith that I've created space for better things ahead. It's not easy but it's the right thing to do. I'm glad of this space

Those are some powerful signs Alpha interesting that you felt it wasn't right from the start of the day. Very strong intuition demanding to be listened to!

FlowerPower yes, any form of magic can yield powerful results. For me it's about the strength and focus you put into it rather than which specific tools you use. Having said that, I find candles to be very important tools in my practice- I rarely do any work without them

AlphaJuno Very frustrating for you! Are you going to try again? My OH car needs replacing ( it's 15 years old now and very high mileage) so we are about to embark on the same exercise.

FlowerPower66 - yes. Candle magic can work very well for some things. Are you having problems?

Yesterday was a bit of a bust shopping wise. I wanted some frankincense as I'm very low but the chap who runs a specialist shop in Glastonbury wouldn't let me through the door as I had a dog. It was a bit of a Pretty Woman moment for him though as I've just ordered a kilo online. His shop was empty although the town was quite busy. I suspect he'll be a short lived venture. So other than some essential oil from Starchild (who do allow dogs!) I came home empty handed.

Elderberry picking is on the agenda here today . Have a good witchy day everyone

One day, I'll be able to read other PP's, remember the Q's and reply. Until then, I just wanted to share how extraordinary stumbling across a magical, spiritual thread like this (& the previous one) has been for me.

Not only do I keep coming across candles, crystals, hagstones, oils, horseshoes, antique keys and herbs about the place, I have also just found a pentagram I made out of willow some years back. Didn't even realise that at the time. It sort of feels right to gather them all up and keep them in a special basket ready for an altar.

Feeling very envious of all your harvesting, mixing, candle-making, cooking and creating. I am doing this in my imagination too, so enjoying all your stories. I got someone to help me harvest jasmine flowers in a good hour back in the summer (I was laid on a bench underneath) and am enjoying the scent of this in a misting bottle, despite the long relapse I had after the harvest

Talking of scents, I have been adding oils to my therapy salt baths and imagining stirring up healing, warmth, magic & love when I stir in the epsom salts - they bubble!

Was just thinking yesterday how much I miss the scent of the garden and how I wish I had roses and could add some petals to my baths. By the end of the day, someone had delivered a gorgeous jam jar of some of my favourite garden flowers -left over from an event at the weekend. They don't even know me, it was a friend of a friend!

The flowers are next to my bed and there is one amazing creamy apricot aromatic rose that I started to catch a scent of through the night. How beautiful! This morning it's already dropping the petals..... guess where they're going later!

So when I wrote on this thread that my chronic illness is an opportunity to stop and smell the roses, I didn't realise I would actually be doing just that this week! Amazing.

Thank you for sharing the magic and bringing such comfort into my little isolated bubble away from the rest of the world. For you all fragrantly scented of course

So many cross posts during the hours of writing my bit . Best wishes to you all!

The fear of arrogance

It seems my main obstacle to allowing my mind to accept personal power is my fear to be arrogant.

I am progressing with my studies and am reliving an experience I had at ten years of age (a long time ago, but as vivid as if it had happened yesterday) I wish I could write about it but I can't.

As a child, I can't quite recall that it made me religious but I know I realised something unbelievable had happened and, I assume, I believed it had been God but that part I don't actually remember. Fast forward to being a young woman, I vaguely thought it could have been the influence of my ancestors/spirit realm. Even in my years of atheism I couldn't dismiss it as mere coincidence.

Okay, now the struggle. I'm reliving what happened and I'm starting to wonder if, in fact, it was actually me who caused it. As soon as the thought pops into my head I immediately squash it because I feel arrogant, ungrateful (?) and, quite frankly, deluded.

Is this a common struggle when someone begins on the path? I wonder if I'm alone in this.

Marking my place to catch up.
Sort of related, I'm in the middle of reading "code red" atm and waiting to get my coil out

EnchantersNightshade how lovely to hear of your fragrant week.

I can sense your frustrations, but also positivity in your words.

Small magical acts are just as important as huge complex rituals, harvesting tons of stuff, making preserves and potions.

Great if that is your thing, but we don't all have the energy or inclination to tackle big projects.

And many of us to choose other aspects of a path.
A small thing like taking and drying petals from a single rose can manifest our intent.
Buy a Tarot pack you are drawn to and read the deck like a book, get to know the characters.
You may like to draw cards for yourself or others- there are lots of Facebook groups where people learning Tarot will make draws and simple interpretations for others.

I read a lot and learn a great deal from youtube, there are a lot of inspiring other wiccans and witches who share lots of great stuff.

I guess I am saying is that your work is valuable, your path profound, even if it means a little nod to the earth or the goddess, or yourself once or twice a week.

Have a Blessed day everyone.

Thanks @Elphame I am just wanting to know how people prepare the candle what they do either chanting or pray.
Do they let the candle burn right down and stay with it or I've heard Birthday candles can be used
Also what do people wish for and has it worked out x

Also @Zaphodbebblebrox thanks x

FlowerPower66

Candles are commonly used in lots of ways in magic, witchcraft and ritual.

As you say wishing on a birthday candle is a small type of magic too.

Candles can form the whole of a spell, part of a spell, lit as a blessing, an offering, a thanks can be a part of a ritual.

Imparting some intent into a candle will help an intention, making your own candles, anointing with oils, sprinkling incense into a flame as it burns.
Candles can be coloured or white etched with sigils, words, symbols, tied with hair or simple coloured cotton.

Whether you extinguish or burn right down is a personal choice.
Sometimes I use a whole mini votive or a pillar candle.
You may like to keep a candle for a specific purpose. You may like to cleanse a candle and re use it.

I lit a pillar candle everytime the cave divers went into rescue the boys in Thailand recently.

When the rescue came to a happy conclusion I melted the candle down, mixed with essential oils and made a new candle which I keep as a way of thanking and honouring the Goddess and the Earth.

I often just light a single flame to connect to energies.

Candles are very useful tools.

Thank you for the protection advice. I will definitely use the visualisations. I’m also practicing grounding in the mornings. Then when I get home get in the habit of changing out of work uniform and practice a small cleansing tea ritual to end the work day.

Enchanters Nightshade what a lovely post. I wish I had something profound to add but I think it has all been said and I hope you can feel the positive support this group provides.

There seems to be so much experience here in this group. But there were also many posters speaking up who felt they were drawn to this path but for now regarded themselves as newcomers to paganism/witchcraft, etc.

I hope I’m not being too intrusive to ask this, but who here considers themselves to be new to this path and what steps have you been taking to grow further? I’m more than happy to flag myself up as a novice and say although I feel I’ve always been walking this path on some subconscious level, now I’ve ‘woken’ up to it on a more conscious level I seem to be experiencing an overload of information and thoughts and ideas and I’m trying to pull the reins on my own mind as it were.

I’m thinking therefore I need start very small. Observe the seasons more closely, feel the elements more carefully. Grow and nurture plant life. Learn to meditate. Learn more of Folk-Lore and how stories and symbols connect. I’m currently reading a book that suggests a similar starting point.

I’m very much an ‘air’ person and I’m excited by ideas and whip around like a tornado, circling round and round with words and ideas but never getting back down to the ground and actually doing.

Any fellow newcomers to the path wish to share their first faltering steps? Any of the wise and wonderful amongst you here have any thoughts?

Apologies for always writing such long posts! Like I said, I’m all air, and most of it is hot and coming from my mouth!

FitzsFool

You are wise.

Each magical journey is unique to every one of us, even those who have been practicing for decades no little about some aspects and are learning about others.
We all have different skills, different interests.
I don't know much about weaving as a magical art, I have never attempted astral travel, other areas interest me more, and some I have no skill in whatsoever!.

So although we can hopefully help and pass on information, there is no "right" way- apart from trusting your instincts and following your heart.

Read as much as you can, but I would hesitate even to make book recommendations, I think when we open our hearts the books we need will find us.
Charity shops are great places for this- some of my more treasured books on witchcraft are the ones that have literally fallen off the shelves into my hands!
Similarly brilliant places for finding materials and equipment, I have found a small cauldon, mortar and pestle and lots of crystals, clay tiles, beautiful glass bowls to use in my work. I often find lots of unopened boxes of candles too.
Bargain shops are great for supplies, some of you saw my hare, but I buy votives, pillar candles, ribbon, incense, string, glue, herbs, feathers, salt, twine, lots of treasures for pennies.

So above all trust yourself.