3. Is there a particular element you seem to gravitate towards or work with most?
Great question and one somewhat hard to answer. I, personally, am very airy – but of the elements I work with most often, undoubtedly: Fire. And I think that plays into my natural affinity for air. I feed the fire. Of the elements, water is the one I work with least. While I wouldn’t call it a phobia, I have a notable distaste for water.
5. Are there any paths, practices or types of magic you are inexperienced, but very interested in?
You know, I’ve always been extraordinarily interested in Palo Mayombe and Santeria, but being I’m not in such a place to delve into initiatory crafts, I guess that’ll just have to wait.
11. Are you open about your beliefs or are they mostly kept in the broom closet?
I’d like to say that I’m an open book, but that isn’t necessarily true. More like a closed book. Completely open to any who show curiosity enough to crack the proverbial pages.
10. If you could live any three places, where would you live?
Oh, this one is easy. New Orleans, Mexico City or just Brazil…
12. Have you ever run into any stereotypes or problems relating to your beliefs?
Well, aside from constantly being perceived as Wiccan – yes and no. Yes, in that I seem to be constantly mislabeled, or misconstrued based on the general witchy stereotypes: you know, Neo-Spiritualism and other misconceptions based on the appropriative “hippie” culture in the midst of its revival; but in the same way, no, because these misgivings act as a sort of cloak that hide my true beliefs from those who would prefer not to understand. As such, misunderstanding or stereotyping acts almost as a protective measure. And easily helps me narrow down those who I choose to keep closer to me – i.e. Those who show genuine interest and can manage a philosophical debate, as much of my spirituality is philosophy.
Flood my ask box, you guys!
1. What would you classify your path as?
2. What deities (if any) do you worship, study, honor, feel drawn to, etc?
3. Is there a particular element you seem to gravitate towards or work with most?
4. Is there an element you work with the least?
5. Are there any paths, practices or types of magic you are inexperienced, but very interested in?
6. What tools do you use?
7. Do you use altars or shrines?
8. If you celebrate the sabbats, which is your favorite?
9. Have you found any music that relates to your craft or that helps you work and express?
10. If you could live any three places, where would you live?
11. Are you open about your beliefs or are they mostly kept in the broom closet?
12. Have you ever run into any stereotypes or problems relating to your beliefs?
13. Do you have any ‘witchy’ things you do daily?
14. Is there a particular time you prefer to work? (Night, day, dusk, dawn, seasons, am, pm, etc.)
15. Do you work with others, by yourself, or sort of a mix?
16. If there was one thing you could change or have happen in the craft community, what would it be (if anything)?
17. Do you work with plants? If so, how do you use them? Do you grow your own or buy them? Fresh, dried?
18. Any familiars?
19. Are there any quotes, lyrics, poems or passages from a book that resonate with you in regards to your craft?
20. Is there anything in particular you study or know a lot about?
As far as supplies go – you can’t get much simpler than this. It only requires one item, and one that can easily be found in most houses or picked up for a dollar-or-so at any convenience store (even a gas station, for that matter). The ritual itself works in much the same way as those that utilize magnets or lodestones, of which I’m sure most are familiar.
Items Needed
(1) Deck of standard playing cards
Instructions
1. Open the deck, if you haven’t already and search through for a card that represents you in both likeness and temperament. For assistance, you may wish to consult my tutorial on Divination With Playing Cards, which sum up each card’s spiritual characteristics (in my view, however, your own interpretation is both welcome and encouraged). When you have decided on the card, remove it from the deck and lay it aside for later.
2. Hunt through the deck again, now choosing a card for your suitor. This can be used to specify a specific person or used to represent someone with specific characteristics to draw to you (again, you may find my tutorial useful) and once found, set the card aside. You can also utilize more than one card, but that makes things more difficult. I recommend choosing just one and imbuing it with further characteristics. If you are dead-set on using more than one, use the main card as a face and back it with the other cards, but make sure that when you relocate the face card you bring the backing cards along with it. The specifics of which will be covered later.
3. On the back of the two cards, draw the following sigil:
4. After drawing the sigil, name each of the two cards and what/who they represent – this can be done magically or the names can be written on the card. Do not skip this step, it is important. This is what binds the two together – both the card with the person and one person to the other.
5. Arrange the rest of the cards from lowest 2s, 3s, 4s … J’s, Q’s, K’s, A’s into two piles. Two of each in either pile, in such a way the Aces make up the center most point of the deck. One half will descend and the other ascend in value. Ensure that all cards face in the same direction of your card. This is a symbol of your influence on the situation. The only card that will be face up will be that (or those) of your suitor. Begin with the cards on the outermost limits of the pile and place them all back in the box.
The cards (sans the two cards representing the each of the lovers) should thus be arranged:
2 2 | 3 3 | 4 4 | 5 5 | 6 6 | 7 7 | 8 8 | 9 9 | 10 10 | J J | Q Q | K K | A A | X
X | A A | K K | Q Q | J J | 10 10 | 9 9 | 8 8 | 7 7 | 6 6 | 5 5 | 4 4 | 3 3 | 2 2
*”|” represents the spaces in which the either “person card” shall be placed from day to day – skipping pairs, not individual cards, “X”s represent their final destination
6. Each day, at roughly the same time bring your cards one set closer – ie. Moving them from in front of the twos, to in front of the threes, etc. over 13 days. On the 13th day, they should be facing one another. Seal the two together with wax, glue, etc. if you wish, and leave the entire deck at a crossroads, street corner, or bury it near your bedroom window.
This is a compiled list of all the works I’ve posted here thus far. I will attempt to do my best to reblog this periodically with updates, in hopes of making more blog more easily navigated. You’ll find below the links to all my (applicable) posts – arranged alphabetically and by category instead of simply chronologically. Hopeful this will be helpful!
Mark the sigil upon a slip of paper, and gather thereon a bed of dried rose petals – red for passion and romance, pink for youthful tenderness and infatuation, coral for a touch of both – and an affect of he/she whose heart you seek to soften. Burn the purse, and as you do, recite the spell as follows. When all is done scatter the ashes at their foot-tracks.
Embrace love – touch Love’s embrace: Chill of winter-heart – Erase; Barren stem, Nigh thorn nor spade Imbibe the rose of – Ecstasy;
Flame ignite Thy hallowed blossoms Beat the root in hollow chasms I am blood – There-in cathedral Breathing white the votive flames
Well, I can’t see why not – so long as you are prepared to spend a life with oracular premonitions. Which I’m not entirely sure I’d like, but if that’s up your alley, by all means!
I understand. It is hard to find figures that relate to everyone. You may find it more beneficial to use figures that work for YOU, but ones whose stories are easily accessed. Then, not only do you get to utilize those closest to you, but those who use the deck are able to learn something new and apply it to their own craft.
The Qedavian Apocrypha 