30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, day 31

30 days of magical roots challenge

"So many of us get stuck in a rut over the years of our magical practice, and this is a fun way to revisit some basics."

Day 1: Divination
Day 2: Grounding
Day 3: Centering/Breath-work
Day 4: Intentions
Day 5: Energy work
Day 6: Shielding
Day 7: Yoga pose
Day 8: Meditation
Day 9: Daily practices
Day 10: Herb/Plant/Tree
Day 11: Write a spell (& perform it for bonus points!)
Day 12: Deity
Day 13: Stone/Crystal
Day 14: Incense
Day 15: Kitchen Witchery
Day 16: Connect with Mother Earth
Day 17: Raise some energy
Day 18: Elemental magic
Day 19: Sacred Space/Circle Casting
Day 20: Ethics
Day 21: Symbols
Day 22: Self-Purification
Day 23: Book of Shadows/Grimoire
Day 24: Sabbats
Day 25: Esbats
Day 26: Create a sigil
Day 27: Healing
Day 28: Magical Podcasts
Day 29: Astrology
Day 30: Make a commitment to yourself

Some points from "Daily Practices"

"carry something blue on you, it wards off negativity"

"bless the food you eat, thank the life that was given to support yours"

"Change your computer desktop, password, etc. to something that reflects or reminds you of the season, a current spiritual goal, or a particular deity."

"Consider a simple physical act or decoration that is meaningful to you. A piece of jewelry dedicated to a particular deity, a choice in how you wear your hair, a tattoo, a special way of painting nails..."

"eat seasonally"

Try to infuse your everyday practice with spiritual meaning, like add a cleansing ritual to your morning shower. Add cleansing ritual to your home cleaning practice and dedicate it to a deity. Add a ritual to your exercise practice. Add trans-like meditation to every monotonous practice, from washing the dishes to exercise. See that the colors of things you use fit the magical purpose of what you do with the things, like at your workplace, you could choose a green planner for economical growth and prosperity.

15 ways to do witchcraft every day

Everyday Magic; witchcraft for busy lives 

Some things I have been thinking about, or missing from the list. 

* more focus on herbalism, plants, gardening, devas etc. Connection with the plant based lifeforms.

* Connection with the other kind of lifeforms, like angels and fairies, elementals and such. There's this book, by D.J.Conway, "Magical, Mystical Creatures".
I also really recommend the first chapters of The Findhorn Garden, that is, the stories of Eileen Caddy, Peter Caddy, Dorothy Maclean and Robert Ogilvie Crombie. Then you can stop, the rest is just... New Age Crap. Eileen Caddy speaks about her connection to God, which is the kind of connection I want. Dorothy speaks about the devas and ROC about fauns and other such creatures. That is what I want with my relation to the other lifeforms on this planet.
So this also includes channeling and communicating with spirits. 

* I want to really get my spellwork in order. To me being a witch is using magic, not just "I could if I wanted, bothered to..."
* this also includes potions, charms, amulets, talismans and other such witchy things

* connection with the elements, elemental magic, and not just elementals, but the elements.

* dreamwork

* divination - I want more of that

* energy work

I also find this blog interesting from this point of view. Magick 365
Everyday Witchcraft for a dorm room witch

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 30

"Add rose petals to sangria for love."

Wild rose petal sangria

magical qualities of rose

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 29

"Hang a silver bell on your front door knob for good luck"

Feng Shui bells 

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 28

"Paint sigils on your mailbox."

Ok... so... why?

How to paint a metal mailbox

What ever you do; remember this:

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 27

 "Inscribe sigils on the bottom of your pie crust before pouring in the filling."

sigil magic
rune magic

There's all kinds of symbols, signs, seals and letters to be inscribed on pie crust and other objects for different purposes.

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 26

"Do a tarot reading first thing Saturday morning to lend some grounded perspective to the weekend."

Fool’s Journey: Ways to Make Tarot Part of Your Daily Routine in 2016
Deepening your Daily Draw Practice
7 Ways Doing a Daily Tarot or Oracle Card Draw Can Improve Your Life
 

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 25

Burn sage or cedar first thing in the morning to start your day off fresh.

The ancient art of sage burning

how to make your own smudge sticks (or bundles)

sacred scents - about incense, essential oils and their use in magic
how to make and use your own incense

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 24

Place crystal grids for protection or abundance in the bottoms of pots before planting.

Crystal grid of protection
Crystal grids

Er... I don't think so. Sounds like a lot of work and resources for little gain... maybe one could put a protection or abundance crystal in the bottom of pots, or what ever one wishes to attract to one's life. And perhaps one could paint the pots in an appropriate color, and add appropriate decoration etc.
But the crystal grid of protection for personal protection isn't a bad idea.
Also, learning to use the crystal grids is a good idea.

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 23

"Make your own scented candles with oils and herbs to infuse them with particular magickal properties."

Making scented candles
Create Your Own Magic Candles For Spells And Rituals
An Introduction to Candle Magic

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 22

"Wear a crystal pendulum as a necklace so you’re always ready to do a little scrying."

 One thing about that, though... the chain might obstruct a little in scrying, so choose a chain that you can move so that it can hang in the clasp while you are using it as a pendulum, and choose a thin chain.

 Pendulum Scrying: How to Use a Pendulum for Divination

Now, this is not a crystal but a specially created divination pendant. The glass vial has been filled with mugwort and yarrow, but it looks like the bottle can be opened and filled with something else, for example, if one wishes to look for gold, one can place a small amount of gold in the vial, aso.

Divination Pendulum by Devonian Mists

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 21

Go outside on a new moon and look up at the dark sky.

New Moon Rituals

Celebrate the New Moon

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 20

Place drops of essential oils from the companion plants of the plants in your garden 

into your watering can to give your garden a little boost.

What is companion planting?
 

Tagetes Erecta by Mauricia Mercadante

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 19

"Carry a small pocket sized journal with you to act as a portable grimoire".

A grimoire is "a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and how to summon or invoke supernatural entities such as angels, spirits, and demons."

Do you have a "normal size" version of it? A lot of people don't. Now-a-days a lot of people keep all this information in their online bookmarks or in separate books in their bookshelves.

So, what about making yourself a grimoire or book of shadows and starting to use it, actively?

Actively and intentionally write a spell for every day, and see if it works, document the results, and make changes, and try to create spells that actually work for you. Note the date and weather and moon phase and astrological information, and any other circumstance that might have magical impact to your spell.
Try to create magical objects like talismans and amulets.
Write down your divinations, and get regular with it.
Experiment with summoning - or communicating - with magical, mystical, mythical beings and entities and record your experiments. 

Now, carrying a notebook about your magical observations, ideas and spells you happen to encounter, is not a bad idea, but get a regular size BOS as well, and USE IT.

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 18

"Make your own toiletries, like soap and toner, 

with essential oils, alcohol-free witch hazel and other natural materials. 

This way, not only can you control what you’re putting on your skin, 

but you can include a few magickal ingredients as well!"

Yes, making potions and lotions has always been very witchy :-D

Making your own toiletries

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 17

"Keep track of your sleep and menstrual cycles and moods to see how the moon phases affect you."

Menstrual cycle chart
How to use a sleep diary

4 Ways to Honor The Power Of Menses
Discussion about menstruation and magick

Now, this is a good place to remind people of keeping a dream journal as everyday magic.

 

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 16

"Purchase or make a piece of jewelry from a protective stone like smoky quartz or obsidian."

How to make wire wrapped stone pendants
works with any stone, crystal, clump of material, plastic toys etc.

Obsidian arrowhead tree of life wire wrapped pendant

by Lone Wolf Boutique at Wanelo

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 15

"Keep mini altars in rooms you use regularly like the bathroom and kitchen
so you’re always close to a few special, spiritual items."

Altar Set-Up for Beginners and Witches on a Budget

7 Pooja rooms dedicated to 7 different Gods

Gaia Mini Wall Altar by EarthStarStudios

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 14

"Carve sigils into the sand at the beach and let the tides release them into the universe."

Now, I get this really bad feeling in my chest whenever sigil magic is mentioned. I will not be doing that, ever. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't or can't. Listen to the signals of your own body.

Here's a short description and how-to: Sigil magic

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 13

"Choose a Major Arcana tarot card that represents the ideal outcome of a situation and place it on your altar to remind yourself what you’re working toward."

More about drawing the card of the day

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 12

"Sleep outside under the stars and look for constellations and shooting stars."

During August there's the Perseid meteor shower, and it is at its peak this night.

There are several astronomical calendars for the celestial events online, for hobby astronomers. They give you information about things like lunar eclipses and meteor showers, which are, of course, something worth to stay up for.
Learn the constellations so that you can use the information given here, they give the different constellations are points of orientation, and if you don't know where Cassiopeia is, it might be hard to find the Perseids :-D

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 11

"Watch Practical Magic. At least once a month."

Or some other movie that makes you feel witchy and magical and wanting to add more magic to your life. Practical Magic is a really good choice for that.

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 10

"Have tantric sex with a loving partner."

You can be your own loving partner if you don't have anyone else.

I love Rosie. :-)

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 9

"Plant lavender by your garden gate for luck"   

Magickal gardening around the world

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 8

"Bless your kitchen utensils, such as spatulas and wooden spoons,
that all the food you make with them will promote healing and love."

You do this by for example anointing them with olive oil. You take a drop of olive oil on your finger and trace a holy symbol, such as a cross or pentagram, on the kitchen utensil and appliances. As you do so, concentrate on what you wish from the thing; many years of service, delicious food, love between all who eat the food prepared with these things. What ever it is you wish.

BTW, choose all the things in your kitchen by their witchy appearance as well. Most things come in all kinds of appearances now-a-days and it shouldn't be difficult to find things that "look right". This simple thing is also magic, even though it's more stage magic than witch magic. Your clothes, your environment, the things you use, make you feel more witchy, which makes you be more witchy. Headology, as Terry Pratchett would have said. ;-)

Wood carving by Giles Newman

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 7

"Plant a cactus by your garden gate for protection."

 That's very cruel to the poor cactus in most parts of the world... but what you can do is to put a gargoyle by the entryway of your home and garden for protection. They have all kinds of these, from cute to grotesque.
There are also other ways of protecting the doorways, like putting holly by all the entries at Yuletide. Don't forget the fireplace ;-)

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 6

"Go outside on a full moon and look up at the bright sky."

Create your own Esbat ritual and tradition and start celebrating the full moon, the beauty of it and the influence of it.

The name "Esbat" comes from French esbattre, which means to flap one's wings; to attack; to battle and to have fun, enjoy oneself, to frolic - so go out on this night and flap around a little. Or a lot.
It's time to embrace the animal in you and let your hair grow. Be a little lunatic.

Full moon magic is about families, especially mothers and their children - even your inner child and inner mother; wholeness and fulfillment; psychic awareness and intuition

Drawing Down the Moon

Cakes and Ale

Moon in astrology - find out your moon sign and what it means, and celebrate that part of you on this day

Here's some moon superstition:
◯ Hang your laundry to dry under the full moon and it will get brighter
◯ Avoid arguing with people, any kind of interaction that might lead to arguments
◯ If you are sick, stay away from the light of full moon. If you are healthy, bathe in the light of full moon. Full moon is believed to fix the state.
◯ Don't sleep under the full moon; it might bring sickness and ill health. (Fixing the sleeping state...)
◯ Don't look at the moon over your left shoulder, it's bad luck. Looking at the moon over your right shoulder is good luck.
◯ Don't disrespect the moon. Never swear at moon or show it the finger, or other such things.


Researching moon deities and their respective areas of patronage gives you more insight to moon.

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 5

Find a crystal necklace you really love and charge it under the full moon.
Wear it the rest of the month to bring the energy of the full moon with you. 

 Full moon crystal cleanse

Kyanite necklace by Little Sycamore

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 4

"Take a full moon retreat at least once a year to recenter yourself and reconnect with your spirituality."

 Now, I haven't been able to find a DIY full moon retreat, so here's one:

It is possible to have a retreat at your home, without ever leaving it, but it is essential that EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE is in it.
So, if you have a SO who isn't interested, he/she must go somewhere else, or promise to stay in the other end of the home, hidden and not to talk to you, not to disturb you, stay as quiet and unobtrusive as possible. If he/she isn't willing to do this, you should consider why you are having this important relationship with someone who doesn't respect you as much as he/she should...
You should be able to get your kids and pets to stay over at someone else's house.

1. Decide for how long you want to do this.

It is recommended that it lasts at least 6 hours, preferably a whole day, but could take the whole weekend.  (This month is great for this, as the full moon is on Sunday. (Actually, it's on Monday, but it's "full enough" on Sunday for you to reap all the benefits of the magical influence of full moon.) You can start preparing today, do all the work tomorrow, and spend the whole Sunday in your retreat. If you missed this time, next time full moon is on Sunday is in December, December 3rd.)

2. Plan the food.

There are two things to think about with the food. The first is that this is a retreat, which means that your food should be healthy or luxurious or both. What do you imagine people eat at a retreat? What would you want to eat at a retreat? The other one is that after having the yoga session, there is to be a feast under the full moon. What is "feast" to you?

Also, if you start your retreat with breakfast, would you prefer a brunch? And would you like a drink at the brunch, like Mimosa, Kir or Bellini?

See that you have all the dishes and utensils needed to make the food, serve the food and eat the food with. For a weekend retreat, it's possible for you to borrow singles from your friends and relatives, you don't need to buy everything. But it is also possible, that if you plan on doing this by every full moon, you might want to start collecting a Full Moon Retreat Box with all the special dishes for this occasion... or why not treat you with special dishes and such the whole year? You could as well be eating on a good, beautiful plate every day as on a cheap IKEA thing. 

Purchase the ingredients and prepare the meals as much as you can, so that it's practically just mixing the smoothies and whisking together the salad dressing.
This is also one thing you need to consider when choosing the meals. It should be something you can put together quickly so that you can focus on enjoying the food, and the quality of the meal shouldn't suffer because most of it has been prepared before.
Which means that you won't be storing the salad with the dressing, unless the dressing is to be soaked in the salad. You won't be serving freezer meals with rubbery potatoes and sauce all soaked up in the vegetables.
Now, it is possible that you enjoy cooking, and then that could be part of the retreat; the possibility to actually spend the whole day in the kitchen cooking, and then enjoying the food as it is prepared. (You probably need to begin with the dessert and make it ready so that you can just whisk it up and serve after you have enjoyed the main dish.)

3. Plan the clothes

Yeah... :-)
You need clothes to yoga in.
You need clothes to meditate in.
You need clothes to intake your meals. I mean, it's a retreat, treat yourself! Wear the best, softest, coolest, nicest, prettiest clothes you can imagine people wear when they eat breakfast/brunch/lunch/dinner/supper/whatever you plan on eating. :-D
And then you need the clothes when you are dancing in the moonlight. 
Now, it's a private retreat, so you can wear anything. Or nothing. It's totally up to you. But I would dress up. Just saying.

Also, most people want to wear all white at Full Moon Retreats

4. Stage your home
Clean your home - or at least the area where you will be. Create hotel class cleanliness and uncluttered space. Put away all unnecessary things, even when it means moving furniture and packing knick-knacks in boxes, and then you will need to unpack things. It will be worth it.
Create an environment that is what you imagine a top class retreat environment to be.
Add something pleasant and relaxing to see, something pleasant and relaxing to smell, something pleasant and relaxing to hear.

5. Unplug the phones, shut down your mobile phone and unscrew the doorbell. Remember to undo this after the retreat. 
The only time you are allowed to use the computer is if you don't know how to do the moon salutation and need guidance, or if you plan on doing a moon meditation and need someone to lead you. If this is the case, see that you have a good video uploaded and ready to be played, and you won't go anywhere else.

6. Start the day by taking a long walk in a forest (or another kind of natural environment of your liking, like the beach or meadows). Take it as early as you wake up (preferably at sunrise) and as far away from traffic, urban environment and people as you can.

7. Journal.
I suggest mindful art journaling.

8. Self-healing

8. Yoga
Moon salutation
Do it 108 times. Why? Because the moon is worth it, and so are you. Here's "why" to the "New Year 108 Sun Salutations" traditions, and the same reasons go for the Moon Salutations.

9 Full moon meditation
There are several on YouTube. Pick your favorite.

10. Sing
Compose your own song to the moon and sing it to her. It doesn't matter if you sing like a crow and it doesn't matter if most of your song is copies of other songs. What matters is that you sing a song to the Moon, that you tell the moon what she means to you with your own words - or words you have chosen yourself - and that you sing. Singing is very healing.

11. Dance
Dance under the moon. Dance like no-one's watching and you are the most amazing dancer there ever was. .
Dancing is very healing as well.  

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 3

Carry a chrysocolla stone in your pocket to dissipate conflict and help you communicate harmoniously.

Learn to use the stones, crystals and minerals in your everyday life. It's not just one specific stone for one specific purpose, there's hundreds of stones you can use in many purposes in your everyday life, and most of these are accessible to most people living in Western society.

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 2

"Keep a roller ball of lavender essential oil at your desk
so you can rub it on your wrists whenever work gets a little too stressful.
To make this extra soothing, you could bless the bottle with moonwater."

31+ Ways to Use Essential Oils in Everyday Life

What is moonwater and how to make it
 

photo credit: Lisa Marie Rosati

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday

30 Days to Add Magic to Every Day, Day 1

 "Pick dandelions and make a wish."

Now it's August so there won't be that many dandelions to make a wish upon :-D
 Blowing the dandelion seeds off is divination in two different ways. One is the idea that "if you manage to blow all the seeds off in one blow, you will get married (or have your wish become true)". It doesn't always happen, but most often, and it's highly probable people will get married if they wish to. The other is that the little seeds fly away and disappear from sight, and it is believed they are carrying your wish with them - to God? Fairies? Your beloved, to whisper your wish into his/her ear?

Here's 10 more "things" to wish upon 

So is this a scientific truth? Not likely, but being a witch and adding magic in your life isn't about scientific truths and facts. It's about beliefs and superstitions.

A lot of people have difficulties with this. Our society is so focused on the worship of science and skepticism that we are forgetting the values of storytelling, imagination, the mere enjoying of things without the need to figure out how things work and what makes them tick. It's like rainbows. Knowing it's an optical effect with sunlight and raindrops doesn't make it less or more wonderful. I always get happy when I see rainbows. They really have no other purpose.
Or glitter. I love the opalescence, iridescence, all that is "just" an optical quality of the surface. So what?

Is wishing upon a dandelion, star or birthday candles somehow bad? Of course not. I'm sure some people will start whining about the consequences and slippery slope to perdition, but those concerns can - and should - be countered in other ways than forbidding superstitions or mocking people "doing stupid things".
In my reality there is both God and fairies, because I like it that way. It doesn't mean I'm sitting on my fat ass and waiting for someone or something to serve me everything I need and want on a silver platter decorated with unicorns and stars. It means that I believe in underlying goodness. It means that when bad things happen, I will get OK again. Everything will be OK. I choose to believe God made dandelions into small balls of flying things just so that humans could try to blow all the little parachoots away. Scientifically it's just one way of spreading the seeds, but believing there is a God who invented this and made it happen doesn't take anything away from the science. Sure, evolution, but that's how God makes things.
And if I want to think I can make a wish and somehow blowing the dandelion seeds helps the wish come true, what bad is in that? Nothing. If you think there is, you should really check your ideas of what is your business and what not.

The purpose with all this is not for people to base their lives on wishful thinking, sitting and waiting for someone or something to give you everything you need and want in life. It's to embrace the unknown as something positive. It's to add some glitter and rainbows to your life, magic, myths and mystery.

Based on The Witch of Lupine Hollow: 30 Ways to Live a More Magickal Life Everyday