Let’s have some refreshment – wisdom from a witch.
[screams, cries of “witch hunt! witch hunt!”]
No no no no, not that kind, and not the kind who object to sexism; the other kind.
While a big part of magic is claiming the parts of ourselves that are powerful, for me it’s also about discovering a solid set of tools to heal myself and my community. So however you identify on the witchy spectrum, here are five simple witchy practices that anyone can do to take care of themselves, and that most of us should be doing more often.
Eye of newt, toe of frog? No, casting circles of protection.
Each and every one of us has the right to decide what kind of energy we want surrounding us. Circles of protection help with that. You can put them around your bedroom or your whole house (provided you have permission of everyone who lives there). You can even put them around event spaces. You can cast them for just a night or you can put one up permanently.
Putting up a circle is taking a giant stand for your own mental and psychic well being. If you are a sensitive person this is almost essential.
Here are some simple ways to put some protection around your home or room:
- Hang herb bundles on the doors. Rosemary works great for this.
- Put four large and protective rocks at each corner of your yard (if you have one) and gently pour a little water over each one, asking them to protect your home.
What if they say no? What do I do then?
- Stand in the center of a room and rotate clockwise as you visualize a white light moving to surround the entire space. If you do this one, remember to take it down at the end of the night, circles like this can be draining if left up too long.
I love it when they do that – pretend the magic is dangerous if you do it too hard or too long or too cold. It’s so transparent. “If there’s a warning it must be real!”
- Ward your doors and windows by putting a tiny protective symbol on the glass. Eyeliner works great for this if you have some around.
I will admit I was skeptical when I first started working with circles of protection, but they really do work. Having a protected home makes it feel like I have a haven to escape to. I also think it really has literally saved me from being robbed a few times, but that is another story.
That’s another one – “I was skeptical at first but by golly if it didn’t work!”
Another thing you can do is grounding. Then people will say about you, “She is so grounded.”
Grounding is the process of literally getting in connection with the earth; the ground. The earth is like a big neutral absorbing force. That’s why we ground electrical systems, because the earth actually absorbs and dissipates electricity. It does that with us, too. Grounding reminds us that we have bodies, that we are made of solid material, and that we need some care and feeding from time to time.
The easiest way to ground is to actually put your bare feet on the ground. But if you live anywhere other than the tropics, that may not be so easy to do all year round. Another method of grounding is to do a visualization where you place your feet on the floor and imagine roots growing from the bottoms of your feet. Visualize them actually going through the floor of where you live, and traveling through everything that separates you from the earth, and see them actually going into the earth.
And when you’ve done that – well you’re grounded. I was skeptical at first but you know what, it works. I haven’t tried it, but I can tell just by looking.
Here’s the author’s blurb:
Allison Carr is a witch, writer, healer, and queer. She holds a master’s degree in Chinese Medicine and is currently a stay-at-home-mom. She writes articles and teaches workshops on self-acceptence, healing, magic and spirituality. She lives in Santa Barbara with her partner and their son. For more information find her at her blog.
Allison has written 1 articles for us.
Well I’m refreshed.