The Beginnings of a Grimoire

I have finally started working on my grimoire. I took an old book with religious, medieval poetry and imagery and I'm repurposing it. The perfectionist in me was just not able to use a blank journal. Plus, this book reached out to me (I literally bumped into it and knocked it off the shelf) and I knew I needed to use it.

So far, I have finished my front and back cover, my inner cover pages, and my Beltane page with my prayer to Freya. The group of witches that I meet up with almost weekly have started working on their grimoires as well, so its a nice meeting of witches participating in their own path-making but also collectively pouring our energies into what we are doing. Its been very theraputic for me, both emotionally and physically, and I know it has for the others. We share our ideas for our grimoires, our supplies, and our emotions with each other in a safe space.

I have a list of things I want to include in my grimoire that I will share here:

• Book blessing page, as well as a "divert your eyes" curse for those who do not have permission to take or look at my grimoire.
• Depression Sigil w/ text & Anxiety Sigil w/text page.
• Moon Window page (will include all phases of the moon as well as correspondences for those phases.
• Full Moon calendar page.
• Daily Correspondences.
• Goddesses Pages.
• Nine Noble Truths.
• Altar Page.
• Runes.
• Pet/Familiar Protection Pages for Smaug and Eriana.
• Sex Magick Pages.
• Handfast Page w/ blood ritual.
• Tea Recipes page.
• Incense pages.
• Calming spell.
• Organization spell.
• Motivational page.
• Calling the Corners.
• Candle Magic.
• Tarot information pages w/pocket for tarot spreads.
• Wheel of the Year page.
• Sabbaths pages (Starting with Imbolc and ending with Yule).

These are my current ideas but they will change and expand as I continue working. I'm not artsy, and typically I don't ever feel like I'm good at something (hobby-wise) but for me, this has been something I've been pouring my heart into as I slowly work and research.

Got a grimoire? Book of Shadows? Book of Intentions? Want to share it? Feel free to comment below!

As always, blessed be with love and light;

~ The Nerdy Witch.

Back

Hello all!

I just wanted to post to let you all know I am still around. I had to have thyroid surgery last Thursday (04/06) and I was (and still am) recovering for about a week. Luckily, everything went well and my recovery has honestly been the worst part of it all due to not being able to sleep comfortably or really do much in terms of eating.

But, the posts will continue starting Sunday, May 7th.

Blessed Be.

A Spell to Help Someone Flower - How to Help Someone Find Their Potential.

Everyone has potential, but not all of us are comfortable reaching it. Sometimes situations stop us, sometimes it’s other people, and sometimes, it’s yourself. If you can’t see the potential that you hold, how can you let it shine through? This spell can be used on either you or someone else, to help them reach their potential, to “flower”. Wait and watch this spell blossom! 

What you’ll need: 

• Rose water
• Dried Jasmine Blossom (preferred, but not required! Pre-packaged tea works just fine!)
• Honey
• Taglock 
• Dirt
• Seeds (optional)

Take your rosewater and bring it to a boil. Put your jasmine in a cup and pour the rose water over it– If you have a blossom, you can watch “bloom” with the water as the tea brews. Take this time to put your intent into the mixture. Imagine your target becoming all that they can be, overcoming the odds and pushing through like a sprout in the spring. Visualize their abilities/desired trait growing, up and up and up, until finally a blossom peeks out at the top. Then, as you add in the honey and stir clockwise, feel the flower bloom. The honey is used to attract good things to your target, like bees to your new flower. 

As a final step, solidify the association between the spell and your target by pouring some (if not all) over your taglock. Your taglock should then be buried (not necessarily outside if you don’t want– putting it in a container is fine! The dirt is the important part.) This is you ‘planting’ the spell. If you want to put seeds in and watch it literally grow, go for it! Sometimes a little real-world action helps solidify intent, especially in the long run. Just make sure to take good care of your plant! 

If the spell is for yourself, feel free to drink any of the mixture that you’ve not poured over the taglock. 

Incense Meanings - A Small Composite List.

African Violet Burned for protection and to promote spirituality within the home.

Amber Love Comfort, happiness and healing.

Ambergris Dreams, aphrodisiac

Angelica Protection, harmony, integration, insight, understanding, stability and meditation.

Anise Emotional balance.

Apple Blossom Happiness, love and friendship.

Basil For concentration, assertiveness, decisiveness, trust, integrity, enthusiasm, mental clarity, cheerfulness, confidence, courage to attract fidelity, love, good luck, sympathy, and wealth.

Bay To facilitate the psychic powers, and to induce prophetic dream visions.

Bayberry Protection, prosperity, happiness, control and to attract money.

Benzoin Astral projection, purification, clears negative energy, emotional balance, eases sadness, depression, weariness, grief, anger and anxiety.

Bergamot For money, prosperity, uplifting of spirits, joy, protection, concentration, alertness, confidence, balance, strength, courage, motivation and assertiveness

Blue Berry To keep unwanted influences away from your home and property.

Cardamom Mental clarity, concentration, confidence, courage, enthusiasm and motivation.

Carnation Protection, strength, healing, love and lust, traditionally used for healing.

Cedar Burned for purification, to stimulate or strengthen the psychic powers, attract love, prevent nightmares, healing, purification, protection, money, balance, grounding, clarity, insight and wisdom.

Chamomile Harmony, peace, calm, spiritual, and inner peace.

Cherry To attract and stimulate love.

Cinnamon Stimulation, wealth, prosperity, business success, strength, lust, healing, to attract money, stimulate and strengthen the psychic powers and to aid in healing. To gain wealth and success.

Citron Burned in rituals to aid healing and also to strengthen psychic powers.

Citronella Cleansing, warding off, healing.

Clove Pain relief, intellectual stimulation, business success, wealth, prosperity, divination, exorcism, protection, eases fears, improves memory and focus.

Coconut Burn for protection and purification.

Copal For love, purification, uplifting spirits, protection, spirituality, and to attract love.

Cypress Strength, comfort, healing, eases anxiety and stress, self-assurance, confidence, physical vitality, willpower and concentration.

Damiana Burned to facilitate psychic visions.

Dittany of Crete Astral projection and divination.

Dragon’s Blood Protection, purification, courage, dispel negativity, attract love, enhance psychic awareness.

Elecampane Burned to strengthen the clairvoyant powers and scrying abilities.

Eucalyptus Healing, purification and protection.

Frankincense Spirituality, astral strength, protection, consecration courage, dispel negativity, aid to meditation, induce psychic visions and attract good luck.

Gardenia Peace, love and healing.

Ginger Wealth, lust and love.

Hibiscus Divination, love and lust to attract love.

Honeysuckle Money, happiness, friendship, healing, for good health, luck, and psychic power.

Hyacinth Happiness and protection.

Jasmine Love, money, dreams, purification, wisdom, skills, astral projection, to attract love and money, for luck in general, especially in matters relating to love.

Juniper Calming, protection, healing, to increase psychic powers and to break the curses and hexes cast by evil.

Lavender Cleansing, healing, love, happiness, relaxation, to induce rest and sleep, and to attract love.

Lemon Healing, love and purification.

Lemongrass Mental clarity.

Lilac Soothing, increase psychic powers and to attract harmony into one’s life.

Lotus Elevates mood, protection, spirituality, healing, meditation for inner peace and outer harmony, to aid in meditation and open the mind’s eye.

Mace To stimulate or increase psychic powers.

Mint To increase sexual desire and attract money.

Musk Aphrodisiac, prosperity, courage, creates a sensual atmosphere. For courage and vitality, or to heighten sensual passion.

Myrrh Spirituality, meditation, healing and consecration. An ancient incense for protection, healing, purification and spirituality.

Nutmeg Burned to aid meditation, stimulate or increase the psychic powers and attract prosperity.

Oak-moss To attract money.

Orange Divination, love, luck, money.

Patchouli Money, growth, love, mastery, sensuality to attract money and love, and also to promote fertility.

Passionflower For peace of mind, this sweet scent will soothe troubles and aid in sleep.

Peppermint Energy, mental stimulant, healing.

Pine Grounding, strength, cleansing, healing and to attract money.

Poppy Seeds Burned to promote female fertility, and to attract love, good luck, and money.

Rose Love, house blessing, fertility, healing to increase courage, induce prophetic dreams, and attract love to return calm energies to the home.

Rose Courage and protection.

Rosemary Remembrance, memory, energy, healing to purify, aid in healing, prevent nightmares, preserve youthfulness, dispel depression.

Rue Burned to help restore health.

Sage Wisdom, Clarity and purification.

Sandalwood Spirituality, healing, protection, astral projection to heal and protect, also for purification.

Strawberry Love, luck and friendship.

Sweet Pea Friendship, love and courage.

Tangerine A solar aroma used to attract prosperity.

Vanilla Lust, mental flexability, stimulate amorous appetites and enhance memory.

Vetivert Money, peace and love.

Violet Wisdom, luck, love, protection and healing.

Yarrow For courage.

Ylang-Ylang For love, harmony and euphoria.

Cheap, Easy Ways to Decorate Your Altar for the Sabbaths.

• 
  
• As a broke ass college student, I found that trying to decorate my altar was a challenge. I was incredibly envious of the altars I saw others possessing and felt I HAD to have one just as good. I have learned since then that my altar is perfect the way it is, with the most inexpensive things to represent my intentions for that altar.
• Imbolc/Candlemas: seeds or bulbs, candles, red and white
• Ostara: flowers, eggs, milk, honey
• Beltane: flowers, ribbons, acorns
• Litha: oak leaves, sun symbols, sunflowers
• Lammas: bread, wheat, beer, honey, corn dolls, iron
• Mabon: fall leaves, cornstalks, grapes and grape vines, pomegranates, apples
• Samhain: tarot cards, mirror, food offerings, mulled wine, dark bread
• Yule: holly, pine cones, mistletoe, fruits, nuts, bells

Wolf Guardian Protection Powder.

Protection powder that can be used for forest, hearth, or protection witchcraft. Protects the home and space, and bites spiritual intruders that persist to annoy/attack you. 

Forest ingredients:

• Angelica Root.
• Pine.
• Yarrow.
• White Oak Bark.
• Rowan Berries.
• Agrimonia.
• Hyssop.

For the wolf’s bite:

• Blackthorn Horns.
• Rose thorns.
• Holly leaves.
• Nettles (Stinging).

Grind ingredients as much as possible using a mortar and pestle. Grind the base forest ingredients first and then the ones for the bite, and here focus on the energy of “fighting back”. Be careful with thorns and stinging nettle so use gloves when grinding and when using the powder in the future (so best not to use on the skin, but rather sprinkle it on the ground).

Once you are done, store the powder into a jar or bottle and attach wolf imagery to it or associations. Powder can be optionally charged with a sigil or holding the bottle/jar in one’s hand and growling with it or howling (to heighten the effects of the defensive energy). 

Use:

• As wards for a room or the home.
• Mix with salt for circle casting.
• Stir with water to form a paste and mark it against windows or doors.
• Placed in a wearable vial to charge shields.
• Aid other protective spellwork.

Tea for Lust and Romance.

Brew these ingredients into a tea for those nights you don’t intend to turn in early.

• Ginseng
• Rose Petals or Buds
• Jasmine 
• Orange Rinds

While drinking the tea, meditate or think about the night ahead or imagine the person you'll be sharing it with.

NSFW - Not Safe for Witches; Staying Safe in Your Magick.

A lot of this may seem like common sense, but it needs to be repeated. Stay safe, friends.

Don’t leave candles burning unattended. Do you want to burn your house down? That’s how you burn your house down. Get a candle snuffer if you’re uncomfortable blowing out your candles or you can use LED candles instead.

If you get a strange reaction to your incense, oils, or herbs, please talk to your doctor. There’s a lot of stuff that you might not realize you’re allergic to. Some people refuse to admit when they have an adverse reaction to their supplies. Don’t be silly. You can swap out any of your supplies for something else that won’t affect your health.

Speaking of doctors, don't stop listening to your doctor. While natural herbs, meditation, and essential oils are great, please don't stop taking your medication because you think magick is going to cure you of all ailments.

If you practice blood magick, always sanitize your instruments and wounds, or wait to use the blood from accidental wounds. Study first aid until it’s as fluent as a strongly studied second language if you practice blood magick. Stay safe medically, the same goes for sex magick.

Are you foraging for things to use in your craft at a local park or beach? Buy a field guide from your local book shop or borrow one from your local library. It’ll help you discern what’s safe to touch, take, and use from what could potentially result in hives, illness, or worse. I have heard of other witches photocopying or drawing images of what they see to add to their Book of Shadows/Grimoire later on for reference. 

Don’t burn anything you have not fully researched. If you’re not sure if that leaf you found could cause your dog to have a seizure or cause you to go blind, find out what it is first. Research is a witch’s best friend.

Pet-safe your practice. If you have pets that may wander into your space, make sure that nothing you’re using can make them sick. This applies to small pets like hamsters and the like who may be restricted to cages and can’t be away from your space while you’re practicing as well. Some incense can be incredibly strong for animals. To add to this point, babies aren't pets but also baby-proof your practice as well.

Watch where you go. If you’re going to practice outside, make sure you’re not trespassing on anyone’s property. Safety includes keeping yourself safe from the law too.

Use common sense and intuition. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. As witches, all of our magick is based off intuition and intention; so be careful.

Have some safety witch tips? Share below in the comments!

Surviving a Personal Ragnarok - or Overcoming a Traumatic Event.

We all go through chapters and moments of strife, challenge, and struggle all throughout our lives. Those moments when we feel our world is caving in, crashing down, and nothing could possibly come out from it for the better. These are moments we feel it would be easier to give up; but that is not the case. We are strong. You are strong. 

Here is my list on how to survive your own Ragnarok:

1. Learn to Say No // It is okay to not be able to give another ounce of strength and to just hunker down with blankets and soup. It’s okay to say “I cannot take one more thing right now. I’m sorry”. This is a time where your own health, mental and physical, need to be taken care of as well. You are not a bad person for needing to think for yourself.
2. Do One Thing Every Day That Brings Your Soul Rest // This could be drawing, painting, knitting, cooking, cleaning, reading, or hiking. Literally anything that makes you happy and brings you joy and comfort - do it.
3. Be Gentle With Yourself // Don’t overestimate what you THINK you should be capable of. Your body is exhausted, your mind is frazzled. Stress has an incredible impact on the body. Take things slow. Don't underestimate yourself either.
4. Don’t Measure Yourself Next to Others // How someone else deals with their problems is not going to be the same as yours and visa versa. You are your own person.
5. Sleep // This seems to be the major thing we neglect to give ourselves enough of, especially when we are going through something emotionally draining. Sleep as much as you need. Give yourself nine hours of guiltless, restful sleep. Your body and brain will thank you for it. 
6. Journal // We can feel frozen by all of the emotions we cannot put into words. Write them out. They don’t need to make sense, just write. Journaling can help us process through all of our unspoken thoughts and feelings. No one will ever read it unless you want to share it with others.
7. Practice Self Love // Whatever that means to you. Take baths, take walks, binge watch shows, eat your favorite food, say positive things about yourself, watch your favorite "feel good" movies and shows, etc. 
8. Know That This Phase That You are Going Through, This Battle, This War, Won’t Last Forever // Nothing does. It may permanently change you, It may permanently change your life. But we humans are adaptable. You will find a new normal, a new balance, and find peace again. As cliche as it is, you will find yourself stronger from this battle.

Timing Correspondences.

Cursing - Tuesday/Saturday, Waning/Dark Moon
Protection - Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, Waxing/Full Moon
Cleansing - Monday/Saturday, Waning Moon/Blue Moon
Banishing - Saturday, Waning Moon/Dark Moon
Binding - Tuesday/Saturday, Waning Moon/Full Moon
Healing - Monday/Thursday/Sunday, Full Moon/Blue Moon
Enhanced Psychic Power - Monday, Full Moon/Blue Moon
Love/Friendship - Friday, New Moon/Waxing Moon
Manifestation/Power - Monday/Tuesday, Full Moon/Black Moon
Success - Thursday/Sunday, Waxing Moon/Blue Moon
Luck - Wednesday, Waxing Moon/Blue Moon
Wealth - Wednesday/Thursday/Sunday, Waxing Moon
Peace - Monday, Waning/New Moon
Courage/Strength - Tuesday, Waxing/Full Moon
Intelligence/Wisdom - Monday/Wednesday, Waxing/Full Moon

As someone who prefers to work with the Moon and considers themselves a Nocturnal witch, I found these correspondences to work well with my preference and intention.

Witches’ Almanac - Aries Season (March 21st - April 19th).

Welcoming the season of the ram! As an Aries, I'm very excited to participate in the suggestions below!

March 21st: Vernal Equinox

March 22nd: Celebrate

March 24th: Plan your garden

March 26th: Enjoy fine dreams

March 27th: New Moon

March 28th: Waxing Moon

March 31st: Tease a friend

April 1st: April Fools Day

April 3rd: First Quarter Moon

April 5th: Read the Tarot

April 7th: Post to a loved one

April 9th: Plant seeds

April 10th: Cast a spell

April 11th: Full Moon (Seed Moon)

April 12th: Waning Moon

April 13th: Reveal nothing

April 15th: Light a blue candle

April 17th: Knit, weave or braid 

April 19th: Third Quarter Moon

Inconsistency.

I do apologize for the lack of posts the past few days. I have had some medical issues arise that have become the focus of my life currently. I do have some posts ready (just need to be reviewed before posting) so expect some new posts within the next day or so.

Upcoming Posts:

• "Introduce Yourself" - New Deck Tarot Spread
• Timing Correspondences
• My Favorite Tea Recipe
• Witchy Tips for the City/Apartment/Dorm Witch
• A Playlist of My Favorite Witch-themed/Aesthetic Songs

Again, thank you all for your support.

Blessed be, from your Nerdy Witch.

Witchcraft & Depression; You Are Still Magical.

I realize this is a topic I’ve seen, but not covered in a way that gives you any consolation or usefulness when you’re depressed. I see “little rituals” and “how to do more with less energy” but rarely addressed is the “how to do anything with nothing” that comes with deep depression. 

So, when you’re in your depression, with offerings rotting in your ceremony bowls, candles burned down to nubs, your tarot deck missing, your supplies in disarray and decay, I want to tell you, you’re still magical.

Magic comes from different sources, the world around you, the deities you follow and deep within you. When you’re in a depression, the magic within you often feels like it is deep beneath the bottom of dried up well. It may seem like your Gods and Goddesses have forsaken you and you just can’t feel the hum of magic in the world around you. However, don't fret, it has not gone away. The sun might shine just right one day, or you’ll feel an easing in your soul after a good cry, or one little thing goes just right, your Gods and Goddesses might be giving you a sign. You are still magical. Like a dry river bed before a week of rain, you are full of potential. It might take a long time, and you might ache in your soul for your magic to return; it will, in due time. Magic likes to rest, and Gods may go to sleep. Even the natural world lies dormant once in a while. Take this time to allow yourself self-care. Take this time to dedicate to yourself.

Your magic is not gone. Your deities have not abandoned you. Your magic has not left this world. Even when you cannot do anything but exist, You Are Still Magical.