A Practical Guide to Herbology

Lesson Two: Healing with Aromatherapy

Among our senses, one of the most-looked over and powerful is our sense of smell. Aromas can help us recall happy memories - baking cookies with loved ones during the holiday season, the perfume or cologne of a loved one - as well as unpleasant memories. Through psychology, we’ve proven that, when recreating a scene, scents can be our most powerful allies in recalling past events in our lives.

Aromatherapy is the art of using scents to heal the body, mind and soul. We use scents in healing rituals, magic and spirituality frequently - it even manifests in religious practices such as Christianity when a pastor cleanses a space with incense.

Scents and Sensibility

Working with essential oils is really quite easy, but here are some precautions to take.

Dilute

It’s important to dilute your essential oils in a carrier oil before using them therapeutically. You should rarely apply an undiluted essential oil to your skin.

By diluting your essential oils in a carrier oil, you get a lot more use out of them and you also prevent skin irritations. Some common types of carrier oils are grapeseed, olive, flaxseed, almond and sesame oil. Use 30mL (2 tbsp) of carrier oil per 5-10 drops of essential oil.

Storage

Essential oils need to be kept away from light and air. It’s best to store them in dark-tinted bottles to prevent light penetration. With proper storage, most essential oils can last 1-2 years. However, citrus oils should not be used after 6-9 months.

Allergies

Before working with essential oils, be sure to do a skin allergy test. Many people have sensitive skin and it’s important to take precautions and avoid allergic reactions to both essential oils and carrier oils.

To test for allergies, simply place a drop of your chosen carrier oil on your skin. Check and see if there is a reaction over the course of 12 hours. Place one drop of essential oil in 15 drops of carrier oil and apply to your chest. Check and see if there is a reaction over the course of 12 hours. If there is no reaction, then you likely have no allergy to the plant or the oil.

Precautions

Please avoid essential oils if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Specifically, avoid: cardamom, coriander, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lemon balm, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, neroli, palmarosa, petitgrain, spearmint and ylang-ylang.

If you have sensitive or dry skin, it is best to avoid the following essential oils: black pepper, cinnamon, clove, grapefruit, lemon, lemon balm, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, orange, peppermint and spearmint. 

Healing with Essential Oils

When starting out with using essential oils for health purposes, it’s important to address one symptom or issue at a time. Limit your selection to a few different oils until you become more familiar with your tools. Once you get comfortable, start experimenting with making your own blends. As time goes by, you’ll see what works best for your body and you!

Stress

Stress often has the side effects of anxiety, upset stomach, heart palpitations and rapid breathing. One of the most common essential oils used to alleviate stress is peppermint - it relaxes the mind and body. Lavender is another good choice as it relaxes muscles and the vapors help regulate breathing.

Pain and Muscle Tension

Muscle tension and pain are something most of us are familiar with. When using essential oils to address this particular issue, it’s best to create a massage oil to rub the affected area. If you’re trying to relax muscles and ease pain, allspice and geranium are great choices.

Chest Congestion

Flus, colds, respiratory illnesses - we’re no stranger to those during the winter months. To use essential oils to treat this, apply a few drops of diluted oil across the chest and massage into the skin. I tend to use eucalyptus, but thyme is another great choice!

Concentration and Focus

Everyone experiences difficulties with focus and concentration; stress, lack of sleep, anxiety and depression are just a few possible culprits. To use essential oils for this, apply a few drops to the temples, middle of the forehead and the base of the neck. Rosemary and spearmint are great choices for this as they help you relax while improving mental clarity.

Fatigue

At the end of the day, many of us feel exhausted from school, work and just life in general. To help with this, place a few drops of essential oil on your wrists and rub them in. Citrus oils like lemon and lime work really well since they uplift mood, relieve fatigue and provide mental clarity and focus.

Insomnia

Sometimes we just can’t fall asleep. Place a few drops of essential oil on your forehead and at the base of your neck. Lemon balm and ylang-ylang are good choices for this as they promote restful sleep and reduce stress and anxiety.

Anxiety

This issue typically involves both the physical and mental parts of the body. To help alleviate anxiety, place a drop of essential oil on the forehead, base of the neck, wrists and along the collarbone or upper chest. Chamomile, lavender and lemon balm are excellent choices.

Recipes

Anxiety Relief 5 drops chamomile oil 5 drops lemongrass oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Stress Relief 5 drops peppermint oil 5 drops lavender oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Muscle-Tension Relief ½ tbsp ground allspice ½ tbsp ground nutmeg 5 drops geranium oil ½ cup carrier oil

Muscle Pain Relief ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp ground turmeric 5 drops rose oil 5 drops tea tree oil ½ cup carrier oil

Chest Congestion Relief 5 drops eucalyptus oil 5 drops pine oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Mucus Killer 2 tbsp nettle leaves 5 drops frankincense oil 2 cups carrier oil

Focus and Concentration ½ tbsp ground myrrh 5 drops rosemary oil 2 cups carrier oil

Mental Strength and Clarity 1 tbsp dried rosemary 5 drops peppermint oil 5 drops spearmint oil 2 cups carrier oil

Energizer ½ tbsp dried juniper berries 5 drops thyme oil 2 cups carrier oil

Citrus Energy 5 drops lemon oil 5 drops lime oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Sleep Easy 5 drops lemon balm oil 5 drops ylang-ylang oil 2 tbsp carrier oil

Digestion Relief ½ tbsp dried catnip 5 drops ginger oil 5 drops spearmint oil 2 cups carrier oil

Common Essential Oils for Health and Wellness

Allspice: Reduces stress, calms, relaxes tight muscles, uplifts mood, improves digestion, natural disinfectant

Basil: Calms, relieves pain, relieves fatigue, improves mental clarity, purifies the body

Cardamom: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, improves digestion, improves mental clarity and memory

Catnip: Anti-diarrheal, relieves indigestion, relieves anxiety, uplifts mood

Chamomile: Reduces anxiety, promotes restful sleep and relaxation, relieves pain

Cinnamon: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, natural disinfectant, improves digestion, increases appetite

Clove: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, improves mental clarity, improves digestion, natural disinfectant

Coriander: Relieves pain, relieves fatigue, improves digestion, improves mental clarity and memory

Eucalyptus: Breaks up congestion, relieves pain, natural disinfectant, vapors help with breathing (asthma)

Frankincense: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, improves digestion, expectorant, sedative

Geranium: Relieves stress and tension, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, soothes itchy skin

Ginger: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, improves digestion, increases appetite

Juniper berries: Relieves pain, energizes, improves mental clarity and memory, anti-inflammatory, repels insects, soothes insect bites

Lavender: Relieves stress and anxiety, promotes restful sleep, uplifts mood, balances mood swings, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, natural disinfectant, breaks up congestion

Lemon: Balances the nervous system, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, improves mental clarity and memory, natural disinfectant

Lemon balm: Relieves anxiety and stress, promotes restful sleep

Lemongrass: Calms, balances nervous system, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, natural disinfectant, repels insects

Lime: Relieves fatigue, uplifts mood, natural disinfectant, improves mental clarity and memory

Mandarin: Reduces stress and tension, calms, uplifts mood

Myrrh: Helpful in meditation, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, aids in healing skin

Neroli and Orange blossom: Removes nervous tension, promotes restful sleep

Nutmeg: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, improves digestion

Palmarosa: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, uplifts mood, helps regenerate skin, anti-inflammatory

Peppermint: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, breaks up congestion, anti-inflammatory, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, increases appetite, soothes itchy skin, improves mental clarity and memory

Petitgrain: Reduces anxiety and stress, promotes restful sleep, uplifts mood, improves mental clarity and memory

Pine: Lessens pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, breaks up congestion, natural disinfectant, improves mental clarity and memory

Rose: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, anti-inflammatory, aids in healing skin

Rosemary: Relieves pain, stimulates nerves, relieves fatigue, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, improves mental clarity and memory, natural disinfectant, repels insects

Spearmint: Relieves pain, uplifts mood, relieves fatigue, breaks up congestion, anti-inflammatory, vapors help with breathing, improves digestion, improves appetite, improves mental clarity and memory, soothes itchy skin

Tea Tree: Relieves pain, natural disinfectant, aids in healing skin, vapors help with breathing

Thyme: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, uplifts mood, breaks up congestion, anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, increases appetite, improves mental clarity and memory, natural disinfectant

Ylang-Ylang: Relaxes tight muscles, relieves pain, promotes restful sleep, uplifts mood, natural disinfectant —————————————– Images are under the Creative Commons License. Information is from a variety of books, websites and my personal experience working with essential oils.

Updated 7 March 2018 to include more warnings and to be consistent with other posts in this series of lessons.

Warnings:  

Do not apply undiluted essential oils directly to your skin. They are incredibly potent and are likely to cause irritation, burns and permanent scars. You must utilize an appropriate carrier oil for dilution - water is not acceptable.

Essential oils are not edible - DO NOT INGEST THEM. They are not used in tinctures, extracts or anything meant to be taken internally.

Diffusing essential oils can be toxic to your pets. Please do extensive research on which types of oils are not harmful to your pets.

Do your own research regarding medicinal plants and usage, especially if you are sensitive or have allergies of any kind. If you are on medication(s), consult a doctor before use.

Finally, aromatherapy is not a  substitution for professional medical and psychiatric aid. If you are experiencing any prolonged health and/or mental health issues, SEE A DOCTOR.

A Practical Guide to Herbology

Lesson One: Medicinal Teas

When I was first starting out with herbology, I was living in a small village in Croatia with a total population of less than 100 people. We depended on homemade teas, salves and medicines to heal us since the nearest hospital was two hours away. We treated ourselves with the power of herbs, gifted to us by the Earth.

These days, we can purchase all the tools we need to grow both common and exotic plants. Dried herbs are also another good option, especially for those that cannot grow their own. And with these tools, we can craft our own medicines. 

For the first lesson, I’m going to focus on something simple: the art of crafting medicinal tea. 

Creating Tea Blends

When starting out with creating medicinal teas, it’s important to understand how each ingredient interacts with our bodies. Be sure that you’re not allergic to any of your herbs and that they won’t interact poorly with any prescribed medications that you’re on. For example, those who are diabetic should not take angelica root; folks who are allergic to ragweed should avoid chamomile. 

Here’s a list of common herbs and their functions for the purposes of crafting medicinal teas:

Angelica Root: Soothes colds and flu, reduces phlegm and fever. (Do not use if you are diabetic)

Basil: Eases headaches, indigestion, muscle spasms, insomnia; reduces stress and tension

Blackberry Leaves or Roots: Reduces diarrhea

Catnip: Soothes teething pain, colic, diarrhea, indigestion, anxiety, insomnia. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on Lithium or sedatives)

Calendula (marigold): Reduces fevers, soothes indigestion, gastrointestinal cramps, flu; antiseptic. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on sedatives)

Cayenne Pepper: Soothes coughs, colds, arthritis (topical), nerve pain, fever, flu; expectorant. (Avoid taking with medications that contain Theophylline).

Chamomile: Reduces insomnia, anxiety, stress, fever, indigestion; aids with sleep and pain relief. (May decrease effectiveness of birth control pills and some cancer medications, may increase the effects of warfarin; avoid if you are taking medications for your liver)

Cinnamon Bark: Soothes sore throats and coughs; anti-inflammatory (Avoid taking with diabetes medications)

Dandelion Root: Detoxifying, aids digestion, relieves constipation, laxative. (Avoid if on antibiotics, lithium or water pills)

Dandelion Leaf: Mild diuretic, potassium-rich (Avoid if on medication for liver)

Elderberries: Wards off colds and flu

Ginger: Eases morning sickness, nausea, colic, indigestion, diarrhea, fever, sore throats. (Avoid taking with medications that slow blood clotting)

Ginkgo: Relieves anxiety, vertigo, tinnitus; improves circulation, helps concentration; helps PMS. (Avoid taking with ibuprofen or with medications that slow blood clotting; numerous medications have interactions with ginkgo so speak to your specialist before use)

Ginseng: Aphrodisiac, mild stimulant, boosts immune system. (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting, and avoid taking with diabetes medications or with MAO inhibitors)

Goldenrod: Relieves gout and cramps

Lavender: Reduces anxiety, headaches, tension, stress, indigestion, IBS; antibacterial; antiseptic; disinfectant (May cause drowsiness; avoid if on sedatives)

Lemon balm: Relieves anxiety, cold sores, colic, insomnia, restlessness, indigestion; boosts memory (May cause drowsiness, avoid taking with sedatives)

Nettle: Reduces hay fever and arthritis; diuretic. (Avoid taking with diabetes medications, medications for high BP, sedatives, medications that slow blood clotting, and lithium)

Peppermint: Relieves nausea, anxiety, indigestion, IBS, colic, diarrhea, fever, coughs, colds; anesthetic (Avoid if you have acid-reflux disease; avoid taking with cyclosporine; avoid if on liver medications)

Pine Needles: Expectorant; antiseptic; relieves coughs, colds, fever and congestion

Rosemary: Improves focus, memory, concentration, BP, circulation; antiseptic; antidepressant; eases indigestion

Thyme: Antibacterial, antiseptic, eases coughs and colds, expectorant (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting)

Recipes

For those starting out, here are a few recipes for common ailments. As you start making your own teas, you’ll learn which blends of herbs work best for your body. Keep track of which ingredients and combinations are successful - with each steep, you get closer and closer to crafting your perfect personalized medicine cabinet.

Anxiety Relief - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp lemon balm Cold Relief - ½ tsp elderberry flower - ½ tsp thyme Mood Booster - ½ tsp lavender - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp rosemary Cramp Relief - ½ tsp basil - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp goldenrod Indigestion Relief - ½ tsp ginger - ½ tsp lemon balm - ½ tsp peppermint Expectorant - ½ tsp pine needles - ½ tsp nettle leaf - ½ tsp angelica root Insomnia - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp lavender Sore Throat Relief - ½ tsp cinnamon (or half a stick) - ½ tsp ginger - 1 tbsp honey Fever Break - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper - ½ tsp angelica root Flu Relief - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp lemon balm

—————————————————————————–

Photographs are under the Creative Commons License. Content is from my grimoire and is embedded with information from a variety of sources over the years. 

Updated 7 March 2018 with relevant warnings and to be consistent with other posts in this series.

Warnings:  All plant material should be sourced appropriately and responsibly for your own safety and well-being. Be certain that you are purchasing food-grade ingredients from a reliable retailer or supplier. Along these lines, not all dried herbs are meant for consumption so please be on the lookout for “external use only” labels - you do not want those products for this.

Do your own research regarding medicinal plants and usage, especially if you are sensitive or have allergies of any kind. If you are on medication(s), consult a doctor before use.

Finally, medicinal teas are a health supplement and not a substitution for professional medical and psychiatric aid. If you are experiencing any prolonged health and/or mental health issues, SEE A DOCTOR.

Crystals for Beginners 💎

This is a list of crystals that are commonly known, generally easy to get a hold of, and have multiple uses.

Cleansing and Charging Crystals - a good rule of thumb is that if you’re not sure if you can place your crystals in water, salt, or direct sunlight because it might damage the stone, use moonlight or starlight instead. You can also place your crystals in a dry bath of herbs and flowers, or pass them through incense smoke.

Crystal Resources:

Lavenderwhisp’s Types of Witches Master Post

Add on anything missed!

Witch: magical practitioner

Elemental Witch: Witches who work around the 5 elements: Water, Earth, Air, Fire, and Spirit.

Earth Witch: Witches who specifically work with their magic around the element of Earth, through grounding exercises, rock/soil collecting, crystal magic, and Green Witchery. Earth zodiac signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Types of Earth Witches: Green Witch: use plants/herbs/flowers in herbal and natural magic, such as using them in spells and creating remedies with them. Garden Witch: A version of a Green Witch, they enjoy working with the earth through gardening and using their herbs and plants to help and care for their families and loved ones. Flora Witch: Similar to the above witches, they work with flowers in their practice. Their Book of Shadows would likely be full of Green Witchery, such as than herbs and herbal recipes, and flower classifications and associations. Marijuana Witch: A type of Green Witch, Marijuana has been used for spiritual and medicinal purposes throughout history. These witches use marijuana for magical purposes and use herbal recipes with marijuana. Rock Witch: Witches who work with all rocks, including stones and crystals. They enjoy geology and their Book of Shadows is full of geology and crystal healing. They are most likely involved in a scientific field, such as geography or archaeology where they can be close to the Earth. Crystal Witch: Witches who work with stones and crystals, such as through crystal healing. Their Book of Shadows will most likely have information about the stones, chakra balance, and crystal meditation. Forest Witch: A witch who enjoys the company of trees and live amongst them. The seclusion is perfect for cottage magic and tree magic. They also enjoy the company of fey and woodland animals, and use local plants. Swamp Witch: Witches who live within the swamps, use swamp plants, and enjoy the company of swamp animals. Desert Witch: A witch who lives in the desert, enjoys the natural desert scenery, uses desert plants, bones, sand in their practice, collects desert rocks, and befriend desert animals such as snakes, lizards, and scorpions. They also tend to use the elements of Wind and Fire as well as Earth in their practice. They normally worship desert deities and study desert lore in their area. Sand Witch: Sand witches live where a lot of sand is in the local earth, such as the desert or the beach. Their home is filled with different types of sand and rocks. Water Witch: Witches who work with the element of Water. Water magic includes water scrying, collecting water, swimming and other water-related actives. Water zodiac signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Types of Water Witches:

Sea Witch: They work with magic and deities around the ocean and oceanic world. The practice sea magic using seashells and bones, sea weed, beach sand, driftwood, ocean water, etc. They also may worship sea deities and enjoy the imagery of sea creatures.

Ice/Arctic Witch: A witch who lives amongst snow covered land for most of the year or have a deep appreciation for the cold and snow. They worship ice deities, use snow water, and enjoy the cold. 

River/stream/spring witch: Witches who work with running water, worship river deities, and study local river lore.

Lake witch: Witches who live around a lake. They fish, befriend frogs, observe wildlife, canoe or kayak in their spare time, and swim to feel grounded. They may worship water/lake deities and study local lake lore. Bath Witch: Another type of water witch, but much more domestic. These witches enjoy the calming effect of bathing, make bath salts, and enjoy bath magic. Air/Wind Witch: Witches who center around the element of Air. They work with wind, using tools, symbols, and deities associated with Air. Air zodiac signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Fire Witch: Witches who focus on the element of Fire and fire magic, such as candle magic, and may worship deities associated with fire. Fire zodiac signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius 

Other Natural Witch types: 

Seasonal Witch: Witches who draw magic during a specific time of the year. They are known as Winter, Fall, Spring and Summer witches who have a deep connection to the season they love. A seasonal witch gains most of their power during and from the season they identify with. For example, a person who loves the heat and sunshine of summer will soak up the rays and become very magical during the summer. They practice magic throughout they year, but they have that favorite season, like we all do. They would incorporate seasonal specific plants, symbols, colors,deities, and so on. Their work could also be affected depending on where they live, such as one season occurs for a longer period of time more than any others instead of the distinct 4 seasons. North Witch: North witches identify with the direction of North and the symbolism it represents, such as infinite possibilities, earth, creativity, and home. East Witch: East witches worship the East Cardinal Direction and the associations East represents, such as the future, air, communication, and trust. West Witch: West witches identify with the direction of West and its associations of the past, confidence, water, emotion, and the psyche. South Witch: South witches enjoy the direction of South and its representation of the present, fire, energy, physical strength, and health. Sun Witch: A witch who enjoys sunshine, works with spell work involving the sun during the daytime, and sun deities. Lunar/Moon Witch: A witch who draws magic from the moon. They are nocturnal witches and closely follow the phases of the moon, and do magic according to the lunar calendar. They also tend to worship deities associated with the moon. Astronomical/Space Witch: Witches who focus on the planets and stars. Their Book of Shadows will have information about each planet, the zodiac and astrology, and the enjoy nocturnal magic based on astronomical charts and the alignment of the planets. Nocturnal Witch: A witch who works with nocturnal deities and magical work at night. They find solace in darkness, the darker side of life, and normally wear dark colors. There is a great book by Konstantinos called Nocturnal Witchcraft. Storm/Weather Witch: Witches who combine one’s energy with the energy of the weather and storms. They collect rain water, utilize the energy of a lightning storm, and so on. Animal Witch: Witches who have a deep appreciation for all animals and use animal materials, draw on their energy, and most of the time worship animal deities. Animal witches can worship and draw from any type of animal, but here are some popular examples. Empath Witch: An empath is a form of psychic who can feel other peoples feelings. It’s a knowing that goes way beyond intuition or gut feelings, even though that is how many would describe the knowing. Gray witch: Also known as a neutral witch, practices magic that does not harm nor benefit others. They will mostly benefit and harm at the same time, creating a neutral or balanced effect. They believe a witch who cannot curse, cannot heal, Also, to them nature is not completely positive, nor completely negative, it is neutral and balanced. Dream Witch: Witches who use their magic in dreams and to restore the body throughout the night often drawing energy from the moon or darkness while they sleep. These witches often keep dream journals and enjoy meditation. Specialty Witch types: Divination Witch: Witches who work with practices of divination, such as tarot readings, palmistry, tea leaf reading, and so on. Hedge Witch: Also known as shamans. They use a type of magic that is oriented around the spiritual world. Astral travel/projection, lucid dreaming, spirit-work, healing, and out-of-body experiences are some of the magic they do. Angelic Witch: Witches who work with and worship angels, such as the Archangels, guardian angels, and throne angels. Fairie/Faery/Fey Witch: Witches who communicate and work with the fey, such as calling on them and leaving them offerings regularly to thank them for their assistance. They study fairy and elemental spirit lore, especially in regards to their local area. Kitchen Witch: Witches who enjoy working in the kitchen and put their magic into herbal mixtures, brewing, baking, and cooking. Cottage Witch: A lot like a kitchen witch, they enjoy being in their home and doing things for their loved ones. Urban Witch: Witches who live in a urban environment and use more modern practices of magic. They may substitute traditional ingredients with modern ones, use traditional tools but in a new way, such as wearing sigils on their clothing or as a tattoo, use electronic sources, and have their Book of Shadows on their computer. Urban witchery is all about combining the old with the new. Religious Witch: Witches who practice their religious beliefs in cohesion with their craft. Common Types of Religious Witches: Pagan Witch: A Pagan formally means a person who worships more than one deity. Paganism is also normally an umbrella term for any religion other than the Abrahamic religions. Wiccan: Wicca is a modern Pagan religion. Wiccans worship nature and use magic for positive unharmful change. Wiccans follow the Wiccan Rede, which simply states that you will not use magic to harm others or yourself. Wiccans worship a God and Goddess, along with other Pagan deities, who embody femininity and masculinity. Wiccans have a calendar of 8 Pagan holidays and Wiccan traditions were influenced by many sources, such as Celtic traditions. Thelemic Witches: The Thelema philosophy is a precursor to Wicca created in the early 1900s, and has similar tenants to Wicca, such as “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will.” Modern Thelemics may practice more than one religion and worship other deities than the 3 main Egyptian deities in their texts, Nuit, Hadit and Ra-Hoor-Khuit. Witchcraft is also part of the Thelemic religion. Satanic Witch: Satanism includes symbolic association with, or admiration for, Satan, whom Satanists see as an inspiring and liberating figure. Satanic witches don’t always worship Satan, but rather follow the beliefs preached in Satanism. Christian Witch: Christian witches follow the teachings of Christ and worship God and Jesus through witchcraft. Jewish Witch: Another kind of Abrahamic witch, these witches follow the teachings within the Torah and worship God through using their witchcraft. Kemetic Witch: Kemetist witches practice a modern religion based upon the ancient Egyptian family of gods/goddesses and ancient Egyptian ritual practice. The Kemetic religion is primarily polytheistic. Depending on the practitioner, it can be hard polytheism to soft polytheism. The type of craft a Kemetic is most likely to practice is called Heka. It utilizes words and images to get things done. It is also important to note that the culture/religion is open to all people of different walks of life, anyone can be Kemetic, it was a open culture when it was alive. More important than the gods, the entire goal of the religion, is to uphold Ma'at. Ma'at is usually generalized as justice and being honest. Some Kemetics do not worship gods, but focuses on upholding Ma'at. In short, Kemetism is a reconstruction of the Ancient Egyptian religion. Buddhist Witch: A witch or Wiccan who also identifies as Buddhist. These witches believe all life is sacred, they practice compassion and nonviolence, and their ultimate goal on their spiritual path is to find Enlightenment. Many witches incorporate meditation into their witchcraft and many Wiccans also believe in reincarnation like Buddhists. Many witches and Wiccans also believe in karma, a Buddhist philosophy. Buddhism really works hand in hand with the already highly spiritual and natural Craft. Regionally Specific Witchery: most were originally tribal based and feature many similarities, such as Paganism and similar craft practices

Europe

Norse: Norse witches worship Norse deities. Witchcraft was very important in ancient Viking culture and a normal part of their everyday life. Warrior shamanism, runes, and sacrifices to the Gods were just some of their important practices. 

Heathen Witch:Heathenry is Norse/Anglo-Saxon/any Germanic Paganism, also called Asatrú: Ásatrú is a polytheistic faith based on pre-Christian Northern European Pagan beliefs. Emphasis on historical accuracy and the heroic tales as recorded in texts and personal honor, truth and integrity are considered to be some of the highest virtues.

Druid: Druidry means following a spiritual path rooted in the green Earth and hails from the United Kingdom. It means participating in Celtic wisdom teachings, but embracing the contributions of many peoples and times. Druids worship Celtic deities and practice earth based magic. Hellenic Witch: Witches who are Hellenic or Greek Pagans (Hellenists, Hellenes, Hellenism) are generally polytheists who worship the ancient Greek Olympian gods. Offerings to the Gods are an extremely important element of ritual practice. Hellenismos consider hospitality of great important and place great value on the study and use of classical Greek philosophical texts. Roman Witch: Roman Pagan witches practice Religio Romana, the pre-Christian religion of Rome. The modern religion reconstructs the ancient faith of Rome and its gods, goddesses and rituals as closely as possible. Every attempt is based on historical accuracy and archaeological evidence. Like their friends the Hellenic Witches focus on the original classical texts, writers and language of their ancestors. Italian Witch: Strega (Stregheria, La Vecchia Religione, “The Old Religion”), Italian witches practice a form of Witchcraft that encompasses elements of the pre-Christian European magical teachings and ancient Etruscan and Tuscan religions. Many modern Italian Witches today, especially those who still reside in Italy, are Christians who also practice their Old Religion. Slavic Witches: Today, old techniques of divination, magic, soul travel and healing is known from their ancestors and their native faith Rodnovery. These families, the volkhvy, who have “witchblood” have ancestors from ancient Rodnover priesthood. They are considered masters of a much larger tradition in Russia called koldovstvo, or chaklynstvo. One does not have to possess the lineage of the volkhvy to practice koldovstvo. The Russian volkhvy are thought to be descended from shamans who could shape-shift into bears and wolves, while in Macedonia and Bulgaria they are considered to be descended from dragons. Slavic witches also revere Baba Yaga, one of the most important witch lore figures in Slavic culture, who commonly appears as an old crone who flies within a mortar and holds a pestle. She has many faces, like the Wiccan triple Goddess, such as an Earth Goddess or a symbol of Death.

Africa

African Witch: African witchcraft varies region to region of the African continent and can be tribally specific. African witchcraft normally delves in spirit work and shamanism. The most well known type of African witchcraft is Voodoo (Vodou). Voodoo is an ancient West African religion based on spirit work. Voodoo is a religion of spirits. Voodooists believe that the world of humans is shared by the world of the spirits. When a person dies, his spirit passed to the world of the unseen but is still able to see the human world. Spirits, it is believed, in some cases can even impact the world of the living. They also seen as witch doctors in their communities who can heal, work with divination, and give their customers charms and amulets to bring them luck, love, harm to others, and so on.

The Americas

Native American Witch: Each region and tribe of Native Americans have its own unique kind of witchcraft. Each tribe has their own rituals, performed ceremonies, and ritual outfits. They each have their own tools, carvings, and totem poles. In spite of all their differences, Native Americans share a sense of oneness with their land, practice herbology, and hunt, use, and honor animals of Native America. A common magical practice known to have roots in Native American magic is the practice of smudging. Appalachian Witches:Witches within the Appalachian Mountains are a very isolated family from most other people. For most it is a family tradition to practice and they hand down a Grimoire, that are most likely written in a language early members created during a time when they couldn’t read/write English. Isolated witch groups and families can be found in any part of the world where geography isolates them, or did isolate the past generations, from the rest of the world. Haitian Vodou: A sect of African Voodoo, they believe in a supreme creator, Bondye, and worship the spirits subservient to him, the Loa. Every Loa is responsible for a particular aspect of life and they cultivate a relationship and worship them much like Pagans worship their Gods and Goddesses. Haitian religious culture is derived from the Kongolese tradition of kanga, the practice of tying one’s soul to something tangible, which is evident in Haitian Vodou. Fearing an uprising in opposition to the US occupation of Haiti, political and religious elites, along with Hollywood and the film industry, sought to trivialize the practice of Vodou. After the Haitian Revolution, many Haitians fled as refugees to New Orleans. Free and enslaved Haitians who moved to New Orleans brought their religious beliefs with them and reinvigorated the Voodoo practices that were already present in the city. Eventually, Voodoo in New Orleans became hidden and the magical components were left present in the public sphere. This created what is called hoodoo in the southern part of the United States. Louisiana Voodoo: A sect of African Voodoo, knowledge of herbs, poisons, the ritual creation of charms and amulets, and the intension to protect oneself or harm others are key elements of Louisiana Voodoo. Voodoo queens have great power in their communities, are ritual leaders, and draw crowds to buy their magical products, such as “gris gris” amulets and spells that will grant the customers desire. There also Voodoo kings, their male equivalent. American Hoodoo: A sect of Louisiana Voodoo that is ever evolving. Hoodoo practitioners use gris-gris items, such as amulets and charms, to cure their customers ailments, bring them luck and love, and whatever they desire. Some work closely with the Bible, and have said to see Moses as magical figure. Bruja/Brujo Witches:cWitches who practice witchcraft, brujeria, who are descended from, or live in Spanish speaking South America. Santeria and Folk Catholicism are practiced in nearly all of Latin America. They are worshipers, healers, priests, priestesses, and witches. For practice, they buy their goods at shops called Botanicas

Brazilian Shamanism(“Pajé”): Like other tribal or local shaman, they work with the spirit world,work with divination, and are seen as healers. Shamanism is often hereditary in Brazil and they work with a specific animals spirit to derive power from, such as the jaguar. Umbanda is the incorporation of catholic saints with the beliefs of afro-brazilians religions.

Kahunas of Hawaii: Like other shamans, they invoke spiritual help, conduct rituals, and have Pagan local gods who are given offerings. They also have various crafts of Kahunas, such as a high priest, dream interpreter, and reader of the skies. To the Kahunas, and many witches today and in the past, the subconscious is your greatest ally or greatest foe for achieving health, wealth, and happiness.

Asia

Japanese Witch: The Pagan Japanese religion of Shinto is shamanistic. Witch is a very positive term in Japan. Japanese witchcraft is commonly separate into two types: those who familiar snakes and those who familiar foxes. Korean Shamans( Muism or Sinism): Sinism is Pagan shamanism pre-dating Buddhism and Confucianism. The Mu, also known as magician, medicine man, mystic or poet, have the ability to will people into a trance state and astral project. The Mu provides physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. These shamans emphasize holistic living. There are different types of Mu and they are link to the mother goddess associated with a mountain. Each region has a different mountain association, thus a different goddess associated with that region. They make sacrifices to the gods, worship ancestors, sing songs, and meditate. Chinese Wuism: Chinese shamanism, also called Wuism, was first recorded in the Shang dynasty. These men and women are seen to meditate with the powers to generate things, worship ancestors, and can communicate with the spirits. Gods of nature are prominent in Wuism.

Filipino Witch: Kulam is a form of folk magic from the Phiippines. It emphasizes personal power and the secret knowledge of Magica Baja. Like other witches they practice candle magic, scrying, spell work, and a mangkukulam, a version of the Voodoo doll. They also are witch doctors like other folk magic practitioners who uses divination to diagnose a victim and try to cure them.

Eclectic Witch: Most modern witches follow many practices, traditions, may be religious or secular, and go by many titles.

50 Simple Charms

Beginner Witch Tips

Read. Before you even think about practicing magick, you need to study. It sounds tedious, I know, but witchcraft is not a trivial undertaking. 

Start a grimoire/Book of Shadows/Journal. You’ll need a safe place to keep all of the information you’ve gathered safe, and a grimoire (as I call mine), is essentially a notebook for that exact purpose. It doesn’t have to be fancy (though you’re welcome to make it as ostentatious as you like), – it can be a bullet journal if that’s easy for you. Within your grimoire, you should keep all gathered information, spells, failures, successes, records of work you’ve done, etc,. Anything that pertains to your craft.

Don’t put pressure on yourself to pick a path. You might see a lot of witches who class themselves as one thing or another, e.g., storm witches, kitchen witches, elemental witches, spirit/divination witches; green witches; cosmic witches, and so on.That is cool and their prerogative, but you will also see witches known as eclectic. Eclectic Witches, are simply witches who choose to practise many different types of magick and forge their own path, instead of following only one, or following a pre-established path. Basically, there is no need at all, whatsoever, to label yourself. With many of us, our paths found us in time. 

Research paths, secular witchcraft and religious witchcraft.Witchcraft alone, is a practice. However, some paths are indeed religious, such as Wicca. Make sure you know the difference before you begin actively practicing and before you decide on your path, if you do choose to do so.

Carry a little notebook on your person.You can’t always carry your grimoire with you, so I personally like to carry a tiny little notebook with me, for those moments when inspiration takes me, or if something captures my imagination or attention. You can add it to your grimoire/BoS later.

Oh, and one more thing: don’t ever stop learning and reading and recording. Witchcraft is a path of continuous learning.

Things to Research:

Easy Practices for New Witches:

Beginner Witchcraft - UPDATE

A common post request.

How to begin:

Topics to research:    

Things to practice:

Remember:

May the moon light your path!

==Moonlight Academy==

Master Post for Beginner Witches

Remember that you don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with, and this list isn’t a requirement for witchcraft, just suggestions. Don’t let ANYONE invalidate you as a witch. Whether you have been doing this for 5 mins or 50 years, you are still a witch. Special love, energy, and snaps sent to all the people responsible for these amazing posts: ♥

Basic Information/Anthology etc.

• Good things to research when you don’t know where to research (START HERE)

• Types of Witches & Witchcraft

• The Boring but IMPORTANT Basics of Witchcraft

• Beginner Witchcraft

• Crystals to Have on Your Altar (Altars aren’t required but if you do use one, this may be helpful)

• Familiars (The Who What Hows)

• The Goddess and the God (If following a Wicca Path, and just remember you need to find the path just for you. No one else can tell you how/who to worship)

Spell/Ritual Work

• Ways to Cleanse

• Magick of the Moon Phases (Familiarize yourself with this, many witches use the phases of the moon for spells, rituals, etc)

• Spirit Work for beginners 

• Crystal Cleansing (Important if you are going to work with crystals)

• Salt & Witchcraft (You know witches love their salt)

• Spell Writing Tips for Beginners

• Divination Tips for Beginners

• Spell Loopholes (A Must Read)

• Reading a Candle

• Color Magick (Lots of great ideas on how to include color witchcraft in your daily routine)

• Simple beginner Spells 

• 50 simple Charms

Stock Up & Set Up! (Materials, meanings, etc.)

• Basic Herbs List

• Magical Correspondence and foods

• Cleansing and Charging Items

• Some Crystals for Beginners

• Crystals/Stones Grouped by Use

• Witchcraft Basics plants

Hypothetical routine(s) and stuff for a baby witch to do

So a lot of people I think are feeling that once you become a witch you need to do lots of things, but they aren’t terribly sure what it is they are ‘supposed’ to do. Here are just a few little ideas for things you could do, if you wanted to.

During creative free time:

During research time:

During practice time:

During upkeep time:

After waking up for the day:

During snacks and meals:

Before going to bed for the day:

That was all I could think of. Add more if you think of some!