Shivian Morgan

sewingwitch: khalheyokha: nwyfre: nwyfre: heymonster: Now...

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:37:53 -0500

khalheyokha:

nwyfre:

nwyfre:

heymonster:

Now the question is what am I going to do with all that curse money?

… Pssst, hey Emma, I found something for you. It doesn’t even have to be a deterrent, just a really efficient method of saving!

reblogging again because Emma hasn’t seen it yet >:c

I can’t even.

Dying rn

my life.

WitchTip: get off your butt and do something other than just witchcraft to change your fate :-)

Wed, 08 May 2013 10:50:14 -0500

WitchTip: get off your butt and do something other than just witchcraft to change your fate :-)

WitchTip: journaling at your altar can be a great way to disconnect from your day-to-day life that...

Mon, 06 May 2013 23:08:31 -0500

WitchTip: journaling at your altar can be a great way to disconnect from your day-to-day life that occurs at your desk, couch, etc. Unplug!

WitchTip: Exercise can not only stimulate the body and blood, but also raise forth the witch’s...

Sun, 05 May 2013 23:32:47 -0500

WitchTip: Exercise can not only stimulate the body and blood, but also raise forth the witch’s might. Add it to one’s practice and explore!

For my beautiful husband, on our 1 year anniversary. May this...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:25:39 -0500

For my beautiful husband, on our 1 year anniversary. May this video be not only a reminder of our past, but a guiding star towards our future. A year married to you has been bliss, I look forward to the joy that all of those in the future shall bring to us both!

For Boston

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:45:17 -0500

I evoke thee, deathless ones!

Cast wrathful justice upon those who brought harm to the innocent peoples of Boston!

Akah! Zakah! Jez Kabar!

IT’S FINALLY HERE! Grab your copies today! The Oh My Gods!...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:29:04 -0600

IT’S FINALLY HERE! Grab your copies today!

The Oh My Gods! Omnibus
Now Available!
http://ohmygods.co.uk

Launch Celebration! Open to the Public!
March 8th, 11pm in Chicago, IL
Details: http://shvn.co/XCI7pq

WitchTip: Cracked wooden tool? Powder appropriate witching herbs, mix with molden beeswax, fill the...

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:12:25 -0600

WitchTip: Cracked wooden tool? Powder appropriate witching herbs, mix with molden beeswax, fill the crack, have a better tool than before.

We now have 900 entries in the Omnibus Giveaway! AWESOME! That...

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:43:39 -0600

We now have 900 entries in the Omnibus Giveaway! AWESOME! That means I’ll be giving away NINE copies of the Omnibus instead of just one! Keep sharing this with friends: the more people that enter, the more prizes will be given away!

Contest ends March 1st!

The Great Omnibus Giveaway!
Enter to win both volumes of the
Oh My Gods! Omnibus (digital download)
http://goo.gl/jL5D8
As more people enter,
More prizes will be given away!

Throwing cards and reading omens by the black candle of Fate...

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:47:00 -0600

Throwing cards and reading omens by the black candle of Fate that rises forth from the hand of Destiny.

(the deck)

When To Ditch A Spell

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:38:00 -0600

Often witches will remark to themselves that if one does a spell once, and it fails, to ditch it entirely and seek something else. I don’t entirely agree with this.

Based on my personal praxis, the experiences of that of my mentors, and the experiences of that of my students, spellcraft is a many headed hydra that can “fail” for any number of reasons.

Firstly, and most obvious, is that you must desire the outcome being worked towards. If you don’t truly and deeply long for the outcome, then the energy you put forth into the working will be minimal at best. Even if the ritual is for a friend or client, you have to long for their desire to happen for them. Complete and utter detachment, in my worldview, does not beget the work. Of course, don’t become so enthralled with your goal that you lose control, or focus, either.

To this point, as well, ensure your energetic body (and the space to which you will be working) is cleansed, purified, and aligned with your magickal intentions. You can’t work a spell if you’re all knotted up with blockages, or if your space is icky with energetic nastyness (or physical clutter).

Second, and what many people attribute to nearly all spells failing, is that the proper spellcraft needs to be worked: correct spirits & gods called, appropriate candle colors, corresponding herbal ingredients, etc. Of course, I’ve known many a witch to work a spell with inaccurate (or absent) ‘required’ components, only to achieve the goals they intended (or surpass them). So, don’t put too much weight on acquiring (or utilizing) the proper components, as they aren’t the only part of any spellcraft… but on the flipside, ensure you aren’t working with entirely inaccurate entities or components.

To this, ensure that anything you’re seeking the aide of is already an ally or is receiving a great pay-day to help you (this includes plant spirits, land spirits, etc). Building a relationship or trying to convince a spirit, god, or other entity to aide you, while also doing the work at-hand, will usually cause one (or both) to fail. Entities need to get fed too, and most don’t like to work for free (even gods) or work for just anyone (would you?). If you can plan out spell work into the further future, then build a repoire with the entities you’re going to be asking for help from now. Even if you can’t plan that far ahead, there’s no time like the present to start using your daily devotional time to get in touch with, and become friends with, such entities & gods. You are doing your daily devotionals, right?

The “tides” must be setup in such a way as to benefit your craft. By this I refer to the energetic tides, be they seasonal, lunar, solar, astrological, theological, and more. As with all things, consult your tradition & worldview for the tides which reflect upon your work, your spirits, your world. If a modern neopagan is attempting to do a “new relationship” spell during a waning moon when the Sun is in the astrological sign that they clash with the most… they might not get the outcome we’re desiring (if any at all). Of course, the tides can always be fought against (just as one can paddle upstream); but fighting-against-the-tides requires much more energy, often being a lost cause. Plan your spellwork accordingly.

The spell should match / fit with your worldview, your tradition, your pantheon, etc. Don’t pull an old Egyptian spell if you practice a Celtic Reconstructionist Tradition, or don’t call upon Thor when your pantheon is the Babylonian gods. Additionally, each Tradition / Worldview has it’s own meanings and attributions for various herbs, stones, tools, etc. If a spell has you using a tool or ritual component in a way which doesn’t align with your faith, it can cause problems. For instance: perhaps for your worldview lavender means cleansing, so using it to get a new job ‘because a book said so’ might not be in your best interest, as you’ll be fighting (again) against the ‘tides’ of your tradition / worldview.

And last, but not least (perhaps the most important of all): conduct divination. Perform divination both before you even begin the working (once you know the working you wish to do, and the goal you are looking to attain) and the moment it is concluded. Many times we allow our own lust for an outcome cloud our judgement and perceptions before / after spellcraft, resulting in poor decisions. This point is made even stronger if you can have a friend, who is unattached to the spellcraft or goal (or doesn’t even know anything about it), perform the reading for you.

Yet, despite all the reasons a spell can “fail” - often I’ve seen spells manifest for individuals who give the most flippant of reasons and perform them during the worst of energetic timings. This isn’t to say that “none of this matters” - as in my experience it absolutely does. Conducting a spell during proper alignments, with a pantheon you have a repoire with, using elements that properly correspond with your intention, can turn a simple softly mumbled into a mighty roar! I simply mention that, no matter what you do (properly or improperly) we should always remember that the universe, and it’s spirits, are fickle and funny, often appearing to be full of random chance and completely out of control of the witch. Simply because someone gets lucky (or has a streak of bad luck), doesn’t mean the universe is entirely random. Use your knowledge to craft your spell with the most precision available to you and your level of experience, and you will usually be rewarded.

Find your mirth.
Be amazing!

Okay, I've just been curious about this for awhile. Is Shivian your birth name or your craft name (if you even have one)?

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:24:36 -0600

I was not legally born with the name Shivian :-) it was given to me by spirits and I use it in all walks of life (including my professional career)

Four new identical sigilic talismans (for my brothers on the...

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:56:15 -0600

Four new identical sigilic talismans (for my brothers on the path) with which to call forth the Witching Compass, draw out the spirits standing watch at the Great Roads, and manifest the holy acre.

Sigilic talisman made up of several Shen Tay’ll sigils in...

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:10:50 -0600

Sigilic talisman made up of several Shen Tay’ll sigils in bronze ink (metallic & reflective) which act as a manifold spell to aide the witch in spirit flight to the celestials in order to seek steller gnosis amongst the firmament.

Created this weekend using new folded ruling pen and acrylic inks.

We now have 700 entries in the Omnibus Giveaway! AWESOME! That...

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:22:24 -0600

We now have 700 entries in the Omnibus Giveaway! AWESOME! That means I’ll be giving away SEVEN copies of the Omnibus instead of just one! Keep sharing this with friends: the more people that enter, the more prizes will be given away!

The Great Omnibus Giveaway!
Enter to win both volumes of the
Oh My Gods! Omnibus (digital download)
http://goo.gl/jL5D8
As more people enter,
More prizes will be given away!

Pens, Inks, and Papers

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 21:13:00 -0600

Recently people asked me what pens I use, and the new acrylic inks I just got (and love), etc. I figured tossing it all into one big post could be helpful for some people.

My standard go-to pen is a calligraphy dip pen that can hold any nib. There are lots of styles out there - http://shvn.co/YiLNu7

Into that calligraphy dip pen, my standard go-to nib is just a regular spoon pointed tip that come in tons of varieties, and are available everywhere. I use the 513EF Globe Nib by Speedball - http://shvn.co/YiM3Jx

Recently I picked up a Folded Ruling nib after swooning over them being used online in YouTube videos for a while, and I’m adoring it and the character it can bring to my strokes - http://shvn.co/YiQm7G

The acrylic inks I’m loving are the FW Acrylic Artists Ink available in tons of colors, including metallic / reflective options - http://shvn.co/YiM7sS

Often I’ll pour out some ink into a small container, enchant it with herb, oil, and other magickal materia before dipping in my pen and beginning the Work of inscribing a sigil. In such instances, these teeny tiny little containers are great for holding small amounts of ink that you pour into them from the source bottle and then enchant and modify - http://shvn.co/YiNyHG

When I’m crafting out sigilic talismans for personal use (or to mail out to others) I usually utilize Fabriano Medioevalis Stationery. The Reply Single Cards (10073-1080), Square Single Cards (10073-1047) and Regular Single Cards (10032-1040) are my favorite sizes to work with. The paper is rather high end, both in price and in quality, so I wouldn’t recommend it to those just starting out or those needing paper to practice on - http://shvn.co/YiMGmm

If you’re just starting out, and unsure what to pick up, I’d suggest starting off with a standard nib holder - http://shvn.co/Y2quvX - a 513 Globe Nib - http://shvn.co/Y2qw77 - and some black acrylic ink - http://shvn.co/Y2qwUx - or some regular black ink - http://shvn.co/V84rXY

If you already know you like dip pens, but don’t know what nibs to get, I’d suggest this Student Set as it contains a ton of great nibs and a pen to shove them into as well - http://shvn.co/V83Lln

Happy inking!

spiritusarcanum: Ritualis Nox by Matthew Venus Holy shit....

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:04:06 -0600

spiritusarcanum:

Ritualis Nox by Matthew Venus

Holy shit. I’m Srsly speachless. ((drool))

Altar at the crossroads (of the apartment) adorned with 2 new...

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:43:29 -0600

Altar at the crossroads (of the apartment) adorned with 2 new sigilic talismans for the season. One with ink as dark as midnight, the other with silver ink that glimmers in candlelight.

Do either of them call to you?
What mysteries do they speak to you?

The Cauldron: A Tool of Water

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:32:00 -0600

A discourse into the concept of tools building up a powerful force, and containing indwelling spirits, due to continuous exposure within an intentionally narrow magickal foci.

There is a powerful trend within the neopagan community to regard the cauldron as a tool of “spirit” and / or to not only use it for the containment of fluids, but often (sometimes primarily) to use it to contain flame and / or incense - tasks which are often tied to three entirely different magickal realms of influence (water, fire, and air respectively).

I, however, do not ascribe to this perspective. Within my worldview a cauldron is (and only is) a tool of water used to contain fluids, act as a ‘womb’ of magick, hold waters to become a scrying mirror, and / or brew potions. Vessels which contain fire or incense are (respectively) braziers or censers, and such actions are not performed within a vessel dedicated to cauldron work.

Tools utilized within a specific magickal foci (be it an elemental alignment, healing, divination, etc) builds up those energies within it. Over times the potent force within it becomes denser and denser with those energies to which it’s repeatedly exposed.

On a longer scale (months of exposure, in general) a tool’s energies can become so thick and potent that it begins to attract spirits relevant to it’s intention unto itself; eg: a shew stone attracting a spirit (or spirits) of divination. These spirits often take up residence within the object (like-attracts-like) seeing the object as a suitable home for them, as the energies of you, the tool, and the spirit are all in natural harmony. Of course, a witch is free to banish the (generally helpful) spirit at any time, but as there is an automatic resonance (the whole reason the spirit came in the first place) it is often within the witch’s best interest to work with the spirit to perform magick with their aide.

Additionally, this spirit-attraction is also often implied (or inherent within acts such as severing a tree branch for a wand without allowing it to touch the ground; therein trapping the genius of the tree within the branch for it’s aide in future work, rather than simply having a “dead stick.”

When a tool builds up these energies over time (especially once it contains an indwelling spirit) any magicks worked that remain within it’s realm of expertise become more powerful with less effort. Not only do you have a tool that is perfectly in-tune with the intention you’re seeking, but often a helpful spirit who harmonizes well with your own energies, has a deep knowledge of how to move about in it’s realm, and is interested in aiding your working for the benefit of you both.

However, were one to vary the energies a tool is exposed to amongst multiple disperate foci, the tool with often hold onto no charge whatsoever. This leads the tool to not only being of little-to-no added benefit as a ritual item, as it won’t aide the working due to built up energies (like-working-upon-like) nor be able to ever become a suitable spirit-house.

Sometimes I wonder if this is why so many witches don’t seem to find much ‘benefit’ to working with tools (many eschewing them altogether). They do not understand (or don’t practice) the worldview that a tool can become a powerful long-term repository for magickal potentia.

Of course, an empowered tool does not become a lazy-witch’s solution: the initial push for any magick must always be accomplished by the witch (not to mention the number of acts that tools will rarely, if ever, greatly aide). Further, of course, I am not advocating for a witch to surround themselves with tools, become tool-hoarders, or to never do a rite without tools. The witch can (and should) always be able to work magick on their own without the benefit of any tools; the tools & spirits only aide: you are the catalyst, you are the spark. Additionally, the more (empowered) tools you have, the more spirits you have to feed, focus on, etc. Keep your tools minimal, focused, and active. If you aren’t using a tool often, or it’s not your focus, put it away out of sight (or remove it from your life entirely).

As an aside, I’ll occasionally hear discussion points made that a cauldron is ‘different’ or ‘allowed’ to hold flame, burn incense, hold waters (etc) because its’ forged using all four elements’. However, the argument can be made that many (or, all) ritual tools are created using all four elements (athame, incense burner, sickle, statues, jewelry, etc). Yet, we would find it an odd and disjoined use of the energies to use an athame for water magick, a paten for air workings, or a roaring bonfire for earth magick. We clearly agree that we don’t utilize tools solely based off of their physical components & creation process, so the cauldron should not be treated any differently.

In the end, through discussions with others, my perception remains that many neopagans have realized the ease and versatility that a metal vessel holds for burning fire or incense. This is a wonderful revelation for many of us! Yet, for varying reasons, many neopagans decide to not purchase multiple tools to accomplish radically different magickal tasks. They will often, then, create (or parrot) reasons (excuses?) for their conflagrated ’cauldron’ that is held water last ritual, fire this ritual, and incense next ritual.

If you want to contain flames within a vessel, acquire a pot and call it what it is: a brazier. If you want to burn incense within a vessel then call it what it is: a censer. We have wonderful & amazing tools we can use for these ritual actions that were created by, and handed down, from our ancestors. I do not feel that there is a need to conflate the brazer and censer with the cauldron, and / or create an “all in one” ritual tool.

And who knows… maybe after reading about my worldview & perspective, you no longer see a reason to conflagrate them either!

Either way:
Find your happiness,
Follow your bliss.

The first photos for the upcoming hardcover edition of the Oh My...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:09:00 -0600

The first photos for the upcoming hardcover edition of the Oh My Gods! Omnibus, available everywhere March 7th, 2013.

Visit http://ohmygods.co.uk for more info.