Win 1 of 3 copies of Wednesday is for Witch
And read to learn more about self-care and witchcraft.
This guest post is written by Lyra Penrose, author of Wednesday is for Witch: A Spell a Day for Good Witch Vibes.
Even if you might not believe in witchcraft, it is interesting to learn how it is similar to self-care.
Hi, I’m Lyra. I’m a white witch which means I cast spells for healing and positive outcomes, and I use natural materials and elements in my craft. My book Wednesday is for Witch: A Spell a Day for Good Witch Vibes is a compilation of spells and rituals that anyone can try. My aim for this book is to show how simple it is to weave magic into your everyday life.
I started out learning about spells and rituals out of a need to become more immersed in the natural world and discover more about its holistic benefits and how it could help me feel more positive and in control of my life. I have always been sensitive to nature and the turning of the seasons, and for me practising witchcraft and casting spells felt like a natural progression to a more magical and balanced life. I began by researching and experimenting with herbal remedies that would have a positive effect on me. I used mindfulness techniques and forest bathing to energise and centre myself and I studied the work of medieval apothecarists and even joined a coven of white witches – which is easier than it sounds with social media! I learnt how to listen to my intuition and read signs from the universe, to sense vibrations from crystals, and use affirmations to manifest good things into my life.
This newfound knowledge came at a good time as I had recently had some big life changes – I had moved into a new house with my partner, but then we split up shortly after, and the new house didn’t feel like home, so I learned about smudge sticks and bought some herb plants – it was so exciting to make my first smudge sticks with sage leaves picked from my kitchen windowsill and then smudge away the bad vibes in the house! The effect was literally magical – it was like a fog had lifted and the house felt warm and cosy for the first time – I was home! I also placed rose quartz around the house for healing and nurturing energy and carried around a Tiger’s Eye to give me inner strength. I felt empowered and started to feel like myself again, and this gave me the push to develop my skills as a herbalist and crystal healer so that I could help others.
Witchcraft for self-care is a huge trend nowadays, but that’s because there is a real synergy between mindfulness and spellcasting – it’s the ability to focus on being in the moment and tune out the ‘noise’ and find peace and focus. The great thing about spell casting is that you don’t have to work to a set recipe or list of instructions – the magic that you create is entirely personal to you, for example, if I were to ask you to intuitively pick a lucky charm on a walk, such as a leaf or pebble that resonated with you, no two people would pick the same thing.
My advice for anyone starting out as a white witch is trust your intuition, try everything, and see what feels right for you. You don’t need lots of expensive equipment or a pointy hat or a broomstick – but you can have those if you want to!
We are now offering 3 lucky readers a chance to own a copy of Wednesday is a Witch. To enter the giveaway, simply follow the instructions in the tweet below:
https://twitter.com/unitedbybks/status/1716751385381740712
