Been Seeing The Name "Camila" Everywhere. Paranoid Omen Sense Wonders Why.

i do think id look good as fuck after receiving an obviously lethal blow. like i feel id do a great job looking down at my body to see a gaping hole in it, making eye contact with you, saying “oh” very quietly before i keel over… stuff like that

redemption arcs are kinda cringe if you think about it. oh youre powerful and evil and now… want to be a bummer and sad about it? lol what are you catholic

What are the Claires?

Chances are you've probably heard of the claires before (like clairvoyance), but what are they?

Essentially, they are six different spiritual abilities based on six senses.

Clairvoyance

Clairvoyance comes from the words clair (clear) and voyance (vision). This clair is the power to gain information through sight. If you are clairvoyant, you might gain information about something through pictures in your minds eye.

Clairaudience

Clairaudience comes from the words clair (clear) and audience (hearing). This clair is the power to gain information by sound. If you are clairaudient, you may gain information through sound or music in your mind's voice.

Clairsentience

Clairsentience comes from the words clair (clear) and sentience (feeling). This clair is the power to sense other people's emotions without seeing, hearing, or touching them. If you are clairsentient, you may often have "gut feelings", or may easily tune into the emotional energies around you.

Clairalience

Clairalience comes from the words clair (clear) and alience (smell). This clair is the power to smell things that aren't actually there. If you are clairalient, you may smell things such as perfume or cigarette smoke when there isn't any, which may alert you of a spiritual presence.

Clairguastance

Clairguastance comes from the words clair (clear) and gustance (taste). This clair is the power to taste things that aren't actually there. Like with clairalience, you may taste something to alert you of a spiritual prescence.

Claircognizance

Claircognizance comes from the words clair (clear) and cognizance (knowing). This clair is the power to gain information on things we normally wouldn't know about. If you are claircognizant, you may have instances where information pops into your head, such as a premonition.

green magick for the home

an apple can be used for a simple house blessing; cut an apple in half, and eat one half in your home. place the other outside, in the backyard or front porch, as an offering to good spirits for protection and warm energy.

bay leaves can be placed in the corners of a room to banish evil from it and protect those within it.

a cactus can be grown near a house to offer strong protection; even stronger protection is gained by planting cacti at all for corners of the home.

planting catnip in the garden, or hanging it above your door, will attract good spirits and good luck.

chamomile can be sprinkled about in the home to break curses and unwanted spells cast on or in the home.

cilantro brings peace and harmony to a home.

clover can be sprinkled around a home to banish unwanted spirits.

garlic can be hung in a home to bring its inhabitants closer together.

ivy plants can be hung to deter unwanted guests.

lavender can be burned and its ashes sprinkled about to cultivate rest and tranquility within the home.

orange peel can be placed in windowsills to bless the house with angel and sun energy.

peppermint can be burned as a smoke cleanser to remove illness and negative energy from a new home.

a sprig of pine can be hung in the home to bless it and its inhabitants.

sachets of saffron can bring happiness to the home.

thyme burned or hung inside brings good health to its residents.

Intro to Spirit Work

Throughout history those who practice magic have had a close connection to the spirit world, from fairy doctors who were said to learn their craft from the fae, to ceremonial magicians invoking angels and demons, to witches working with familiar spirits. To practice magic is to open yourself to this connection and to become aware of a whole new world of intelligent beings.

In modern Western culture, there’s a lot of fear around working with spirits. There are countless horror stories about malevolent hauntings, seances gone wrong, and violent possessions. It’s easy to see why many new witches are reluctant to work with spirits.

Ironically, in most other times and places, the spirit world was and is accepted as a normal part of life. All over the world, since before recorded history, people have honored their ancestors, left offerings for local land spirits, and built relationships with deities. We’re actually the weirdos for not having a healthy relationship with the spirits around us.

I personally have found working with spirits to be incredibly rewarding, and being aware of the spirits around me adds a lot of depth to my spiritual practice and my witchcraft. As long as you do your research, keep your wits about you, and are polite, you have nothing to fear and everything to gain from working with spirits.

Some Philosophy Terms

Animism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “attribution of conscious life to objects in and phenomena of nature or to inanimate objects.” An animist believes that all things have a spirit, from animals and plants to rocks and even man-made objects. Animism is a big part of many magical practices, especially in folk magic. It’s also a part of several modern religions, including Shinto and Anito. I personally am an animist, and my magic includes connecting with the spirits of the plants, crystals, and objects I work with.

Pantheism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe.” A pantheist believes that the physical world is the Divine. Whereas an animist believes that all things have their own spirit, a pantheist believes that the entire world shares a single, divine spirit. Many Wiccans are pantheists, and in some cases pantheism can coexist with animism (all things are both individual spirits and part of the divine whole).

Panentheism: defined by Merriam-Webster as “the doctrine that God includes the world as a part though not the whole of his being.” A panentheist believes that the world is a part of the divine, but that there is also a part of the divine that exists beyond the physical world. Some Christian groups are panentheists. Another example of panentheism is ancient Egyptian religion, where natural objects like the sky and the sun were seen as the bodies (but not the souls) of the gods.

Which of these philosophies you resonate with will shape how you interact with spirits and the spirit world.

Types of Spirits

This is not by any means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the types of spirits witches commonly encounter or work with:

Ancestors: deceased human spirits, especially those with a familial link to you. Ancestor veneration is a huge part of some magic systems, as well as many religions. Some witches ask their ancestors for help in every single spell or ritual, while others honor their ancestors on certain days, like on Samhain or on a deceased loved one’s birthday. Honoring the ancestors is a good place to start with spirit work because they already have a connection to you and are more likely to be willing to help you. However, working with ancestors can be difficult if you don’t know your family’s history or if you don’t feel close to your family. As author Aaron Oberon says, “Sometimes ancestor work is undoing the blocks our ancestors have built.”

To begin connecting with your ancestors, start by researching your family history. Ask your living relatives about their parents and grandparents. Try your hand at genealogy research and see how far back you can trace your family. If you feel called to do so, you can create a special altar to honor your ancestors. Light candles and leave out offerings of food that your ancestors enjoyed while they were alive.

Land Spirits: spirits that embody and are connected to a natural object or landmark. There are many, many types of land spirits, from individual tree and plant spirits to the spirits of great mountains and rivers. Some land spirits are even worshiped as gods – like Hapi, the Egyptian god of the Nile. Some modern witches even choose to recognize cryptids like Mothman or the Jersey Devil as land spirits! Working with your local land spirits can help you develop a deeper connection to your environment and can make your magic feel more localized and personal.

To begin connecting with land spirits, start by learning about the biology and folklore of your local area. Offerings for land spirits are usually left outside, so be sure to offer things that won’t harm local wildlife. Wild bird seed, fresh fruit, and unsalted peanuts are a few examples of safe offerings.

Spirits of Place: spirits tied to a specific building or location. Unlike land spirits, these beings aren’t always connected to a natural feature. Houses and other buildings can have their own spirits that embody the energy of that place. In Germanic folklore, these spirits are called house wights or husvaettir, and in English folklore they’re called brownies. For people who grew up in non-animist cultures, it can feel strange to leave offerings for the spirit of a man-made building, but there’s a long history of these types of spirits being honored all over the world. I personally see house wights as being similar to land spirits.

If you want to begin connecting with the spirits of your home, start by greeting them by name and leaving out an offering for them. Establishing a relationship with the spirits of your living space can help you create a more harmonious and productive home. Traditional offerings for house wights include dishes of cream, grain-based porridge (like oatmeal or grits), and clean water.

Animal Spirits: the spirit of a specific animal, the archetypal Spirit (with a capital “S”) of an entire species of animal, or an individual spirit that appears as an animal. The concept of animal spirits that act as protectors and guides is found in many cultures, especially those with shamanic traditions. In Norse mythology, fylgjur were protector spirits who often appeared as animals. In British Traditional Witchcraft, witches work with familiar spirits that often take on animal forms. It’s worth noting that the terms “spirit animal” and “totem animal” come from Native American spiritual traditions and should not be used by people who don’t belong to those cultures. The concept of animal guides exists in other cultures, so there’s no reason to appropriate indigenous words and ideas. In my experience, animal spirits are often friendly and easy to connect with, so this is a good place to start for witches who are new to spirit work.

If you’d like to work with animal spirits, you can begin by connecting to the animals that are local to your area. You may feel called to bring a part of the animal you’re connecting with into your sacred space – for example, I keep crow feathers on my altar. Offerings depend on the type of animal spirit you’re connecting to – some require only fresh water, while some traditions state that familiars should be fed with blood (not human). Use your intuition to choose what works for you.

Fairies: fairies are a specific kind of land spirit, and most fairy lore is based on mythology and folklore from the British Isles. Fairies have a reputation in modern pop culture as being sweet, friendly creatures – some authors even compare them to angels! However, I think it’s important to remember that historically, fairies were known for being mischievous and sometimes dangerous. In folklore, fairies are less Tinkerbell and more Spiderwick Chronicles. As author Morgan Daimler says, “They can be cruel and vicious, or generous and kind. Some of them are helpful. Some are indifferent. And some of them think we make a very tasty meal indeed.” For this reason, fairies should be approached with caution.

If you want to honor the fairies in your practice, I recommend checking out Morgan Daimler’s books – they have several on this subject that are both easy to read and well-researched. There are a lot of rules for working with fairies, such as not telling them your full name and not saying “thank you” to a fairy, so this is one type of spirit that you should definitely research before beginning to work with them.

Angels: divine messengers; spirits of love and light that come from the Divine and have no physical form. Strictly speaking, “angel” refers to a messenger of the Abrahamic God, but there are other spirits from other religious traditions that fill a similar role. Angels and similar spirits embody divine love, and as such they are both incredibly powerful and incredibly supportive. Because of their loving nature, working with angels is a good place to start spirit work. Some witches who have had negative experiences with Christianity, Judaism, or Islam may feel uncomfortable working with angels. I have personally found that angels don’t really care how you identify in terms of religion, and have had good experiences with Christian angels even though I identify as pagan. However, your experiences may be different, so please don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable!

There are a lot of bad resources floating around the Internet when it comes to angels. If you’re interested in working with them, I recommend Chantel Lysette’s books Azrael Loves Chocolate and The Angel Code. There’s also a YouTube channel called Ask Angels with Melanie Beckler – I don’t agree with 100% of her ideas, but it’s a decent free resource. Offerings to angels are typically non-physical, like the light from a candle or the smoke from incense.

Demons: spirits of mischief, strife, and/or evil with no physical form. In Western culture, we associate the word “demon” with Christianity, but demons appear in many other religions, including Hinduism and Kemetic paganism. I personally define “demon” as a spirit who: 1.) is not and never was human, and 2.) is antagonistic towards humans. Most witches only deal with demons when they’re trying to get rid of one. However, there are some magic traditions, such as Goetic Magic, that call on demons in magical rituals. Let me just say this: in my experience, there are very few reasons why someone would want to work with a demon, and doing so is as dangerous for the person doing the summoning as it is for the intended victim. I definitely recommend that new witches stay away from these spirits. (But it should be noted that demons are not the same thing as dark deities!)

If you need to get rid of a demon, sulfur is used in American traditions to banish them. (It may also banish helpful spirits, so keep that in mind.) Blessed water is used to repel demons in several cultures. You can also call on an angel or deity for protection.

Deities: powerful, divine spirits who are worshiped as gods. Deities vary a lot from culture to culture, and each deity has their own personality, moral code, and mannerisms. I have found working with deities to be very fulfilling, as deities allow us to put a human face on the Divine. It’s much easier to form a relationship with, say, Odin than it is with an abstract divine force, at least in my experience. Aside from spiritually fulfilling relationships, deities can also be powerful allies in magic. It’s worth noting that very few deities are 100% good or 100% bad – they’re more nuanced than that. Just like anyone else, deities have strengths and weaknesses. (Yes, even the Abrahamic God. Read the Old Testament sometime and tell me God doesn’t have flaws.)

If you are interested in working with deities, start by doing research into the pantheons you feel drawn to. Were you obsessed with Greek mythology as a kid? (Or Norse? Or Egyptian? Or any other culture?) Read up on it! Find out how those deities were worshiped historically, and use that as a starting point for building your own practice. Offerings for deities vary from culture to culture, but I’ve found that fresh, clean water seems to be pretty much universally accepted.

This post ended up just being a whole lot of vocab, but I wanted to get some definitions straight before I start writing about how to connect with the spirit world. In my next post, I’ll talk about how to introduce yourself to different types of spirits and etiquette for maintaining a healthy relationship!

Resources:

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

A Practical Heathen’s Guide to Asatru by Patricia M. Lafayllve

Where the Hawthorn Grows by Morgan Daimler

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

Temple of the Cosmos by Jeremy Naydler

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael’s A Jock: An Insider’s Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like by Chantel Lysette

The amazing sci-fi concept artworks and environment designs of Pierre Deschamps - https://www.this-is-cool.co.uk/the-amazing-sci-fi-concept-artworks-of-pierre-deschamps/

Future city Art of Serge Pellé

The opposite of “manic pixie dream girl” is “depressed goblin nightmare man,” and, judging by this site, it’s just as attractive to some.

Throwin’ the Bones

Of the divinatory techniques with which I am familiar, bones are my personal favorite. Yes, they have that very witchy vibe – but it’s more than that; the bones are honest. They don’t sugar coat, and while they have to be interpreted, once you know how to read them – there’s little room for interpretation. They are very direct and are much better suited to answering yes or no questions than tarot. With a little imaginative methodology, there few questions the bones can’t answer. And even fewer they won’t answer (as tarot cards can be known to do). A few examples of things I think the bones are better at answering than tarot: questions involving time, questions regarding health, sickness and maledictions; they present a broader grasp to any given situation – incorporating things outside of the question presented and how these things relate to the question or the reading, showing the interconnectedness of life – and how these things all relate back.

Our countless cultures have countless methods for collecting and reading the Bones – and I can only rightly attest to my own methodology: one in which the Bones need not necessarily consist solely of bones, but a collection of gathered trinkets and curios, all with their own meaning, their own story and their own energy. My collection consists of: bones (bare and painted), coins, stones, shells, jewelry, twigs, buttons, animal teeth and other squabbles. The only rule I implement is that the item can be easily gathered and (safely) tossed without breakage or injury (save your razor-blades and glass shards for witches’ bottles!).

Collecting the Bones and Bobbles

Most any small bones will do, though its recommended that you use bones that haven’t been cooked, as cooked bones have a tendency to get very brittle – especially in the case of chicken, which is quite common. In my collection I have a number of different animal bones: most are chicken, but I also have some raccoon and possum bones, as well as teeth and claws. I built a “base” of bones, but am continuously adding or replacing as I see fit.

A short list of “Bones” I like to include – most of which serve as my “base” bones:

Self Bone – used for the reader

Other Bone – used to represent another person or the person you are reading

Magic Bone – represents the need for or use of magic

“Evil” Bone – malicious or hateful acts, disadvantageous behavior

Love Bone – represents romantic love

Male Bone – represents male fertility, masculinity, sexuality or a man

Female Bone – represents female fertility, femininity, sexuality or a woman

Health Bone – represents physical or mental health

Wealth Bone – represents financial standing or monetary issues

Family Bone – represents familial connections or a family member

Fate Bone – represents destiny and your lifepath (I use a shell for this: open side up means an event can be altered, destiny is not set in stone; open side down, this path must be walked – prepare in lieu of fighting)

“Key” Bone – (I actually use a small key) which represents the key to any given situation, the remedy or problem at hand and its cause

This list is by no means comprehensive and I have many more bones in my collection with more menial meanings. This is simply a small list of options to be added to and adapted by whosoever casts the bones.

Reading the Bones

There is no right or wrong way to read the bones, there is simply your way and their way. Below I will dictate how it is that I do a general reading – again, this is just an example of one way, take and adapt to fit your own unique style or tradition!

Begin by collecting your bones into your hand. I keep mine in a leather pouch, but don’t like to toss them directly from the bag as it doesn’t allow for much control – i.e. the bones fall out either in a massive, unreadable pile or they fly out in such a scattered way nothing is close enough to read. Throwing them from the hand allows for a rather contained casting, and one that can be read easily. I do not include the Self or Other bone, instead, the Self Bone is placed before the caster and the Other Bones is placed either in front of the person you’re reading for or simply in the middle of the casting area. When reading for yourself, place the Self Bone in the center and discard the Other Bone.

Throw the Bones. This can be done on a square of cloth on which a circle (or any number of complex shapes) has been drawn or simply upon a flat table. If throwing in a circle, discard all bones that fall outside of it. These bones are null for the reading, though they can also be read as “far from the person’s mind/current situation.”

Interpret the Bones. This is done by noting the location and connection of the bones present. For instance, note the Love Bones proximity to the Other Bones and the Male Bone. This could be interpreted as being the male love of the querent – but if the “Evil” bones is introduced, this could symbol ulterior motives or a hostile or explosive relationship. Read based on both their proximity to the Other Bone – the closer, the higher priority the matter is – and their relation to one another. It’s very much like investigating a big puzzle, putting it together piece by piece to form a comprehensive understanding of their life or situation. Also not their relation based on the third dimension: x bone seems to be overlapping y bone – is the x issue eclipsing an underlying problem or truth represented by y? It depends. Only through practice will you find clarity.

Convey the message. I always like to spend a few moments making a variety of “hmm” noises when reading for others – it builds up their anticipation. Or you can throw in the occasional gasp or snarky smirk. Their responses are usually hilarious – even more so when yours are genuine! If you are reading on your own, it may be a good idea to sketch out a general map of the readings as opposed to taking a picture as often bones overlie others, which makes for a rather misleading photo representation. You might also find jotting down notes rewarding, especially in synthesizing a cohesive read.

Once you’ve garnered all the information you can from that particular toss, feel free to specify: take the bone/situation you wish to examine and toss the rest again over it/them, reading the others through that particular lens. I.E. Who is this person mentioned? What are their qualities? What is the nature of this love? What magic is being referenced here? Follow that rabbit hole as far as you wish, building your understanding.

Do not be afraid to adjust your style! Want to narrow down a time frame? Make a sort of timeline with the bones. Wish to determine the source of an ailment? Shape the bones into the form of a body. I find the bones allow for far more creativity and ingenuity than cards. And above all – TRUST YOUR GUT.

Photos: These are photos of my “base” bones when I first started reading; since then they have probably doubled (if not tripled) in number and do not incorporate my other animal bones, claws or teeth. 

Portrait of Captain Flint from Black Sails!