It Needed To Be Made.

Classics students are the most fucking insufferable people. You make one reference to mythology, and they jump on you like a pack of wolves, looking for one mistake that they can correct. If you tell them you like a myth retelling, they automatically tell you how horrible the research/characterization was. And God help you if you mention an Ovidism or some other Roman interpretation of myth and say it's actually how the Greeks thought.

-me about myself, a classics student

Pendulum Basics

Hey, friends! To celebrate my new pendulum, I’m doing a Pendulum Basics post giving a run down on tips and information about pendulums! 

What even are pendulums? 

Pendulums are tools of divination primarily used to answer yes/no/maybe questions, and sometimes used with a pendulum board for more in depth answers, to communicate with spirits, or find lost items. They’re great beginner tools!

Pendulums are made of a string or chain with an object freely hanging from one end. Many pendulums have crystal points and use silver or gold chain, but it can be simple as a necklace pendant or a string and needle/bead/button/coin. Often, pendulums also have a small bead on the other end of the chain to make it easier to hold. 

Pendulums are held by one end so the crystal or object can swing, spin, circle, or shake freely. The movement of the object determines the answer.

How do I use a pendulum?

The best way to get clear and accurate answers is by making sure you’re holding your pendulum with a steady hand. You can hold one end of the chain between your pointer finger and thumb on your dominant hand. If you have a bead or similar object on the end, you have the option of holding the end of the chain between your pointer and middle fingers with the bead above your fingers. Do whatever is most comfortable for you, as long as your crystal/object is freely dangling where it won’t hit anything. 

To keep your hand steady, prop your elbow on a stable surface like a table. Rest your dangling object in your non-dominant hand while you ask the question. Drop your non-dominant hand downwards so it’s no longer touching the pendulum when you’re ready for the answer. Make sure you aren’t hitting the crystal when moving your non-dominant hand away!

What means yes, what means no?

That depends on your pendulum! All pendulums have different personalities. My pendulum swings back and forth in a straight line for no, makes small circles for yes, and shakes for maybe or don’t know. Some pendulums will do the reverse or make clockwise circles for yes, counter-clockwise for no or vice versa!

The best way to find out how your pendulum communicates is to ask basic questions you already know the answer to and see how it responds. For example “Do I have (color) hair?” or “Am I eight feet tall?” You can also say “Show me yes,” and “Show me no.”

Remember that it will take time for your energies to align so don’t worry if your first few questions are unclear. 

Where can I get a pendulum?

Many big online stores such as Etsy, Amazon, and eBay sell pendulums for varying prices. There are also independent sellers with their own websites that sell pendulums. You could also go to your local crystal or spiritual shop and see which one calls to you, which I recommend if that’s an option. 

Don’t forget to cleanse your pendulum first thing. A couple tester questions first are fine, but cleanse as soon as you’re able. Sage, salt, moonlight, sunlight, and meditation are all good options. Make sure your object can be exposed to whatever you’re using to cleanse. For example, some crystals will loose their color if out in the sun too long. 

You can also make your own pendulum. If you do make it yourself, you’ll only have to cleanse the materials that haven’t already been cleansed. For example, if you already have cleansed silver chain, but bought a new crystal, cleanse the crystal!

Final Tips

Don’t do anything you aren’t comfortable with. You don’t have to ask any questions you don’t want to, even if a client or friend is pushing you.  This is your craft!

Some crystals or objects might be better for certain questions. For example, a rose quartz pendulum would be great for love questions. You definitely do not need a rose quartz pendulum for love questions though!

Practice, practice, practice! Don’t be discouraged if you and your pendulum don’t sync right away. Learning divination takes time.

Cleanse regularly, especially if you encounter a lot of negative energy. If your pendulum starts acting up, that might mean it needs a cleansing. 

Work up to harder questions. Start with simple stuff like “Should I wear my hair up today?” or “Should I read this book?” and gradually move towards questions about love, work, etc. 

Don’t overwork your pendulum. Too much energy flowing through the crystal could break it!

If communicating with spirits or other entities, always dismiss everyone at the end of your session! You don’t want to unwittingly invite unwanted house guests. 

Thank you pendulum. It does a lot of hard work for you! Show your appreciation every once in a while. 

Basics Series | Ask Box | Tarot Readings | Tip Jar | Ko-Fi 

One facet of female solidarity that needs more discussion is anti consumerism and anti consumption. Our current western mindset is one of obtaining as much as possible, both as a show of wealth and for personal comfort. However, much of what we buy (for example, fast fashion) is produced in a non-transparent supply chain that frequently relies on female and Global South labor to make goods cheap and easily affordable, and thus more tempting for the consumer. These low wages that are paid to workers result in economic desperation and trap women in poorly paid, often abusive positions. Additionally, women and children are the most at risk from the negative effects of climate change, which is exacerbated by industrialization and over production.

By consuming less we reduce support for these predatory supply chains and their deleterious effects on the environment. Ideally if we buy goods, they are from female owned businesses whenever possible. Personally I also avoid spending money on items that enforce the beauty standard (this includes makeup, uncomfortable or impractical clothes or shoes, and cosmetic procedures). Essentially, what ways could you support female solidarity through consumption habits?

saw this on instagram (@xx_revolt) and thought i could share it ❤️‍🩹

“Why’d you do that?” Please remember that I am using what I’ve seen in humans to mimic them

I just want to be beautiful and disgustingly overeducated ✨

Broke Witch Tips - Magic on a Budget

As capitalism sets its sights on the witchcraft community, it’s easy to get caught up in all the stuff that companies try to sell you.

Alas, not all of us have the money to spend on expensive items. If we're being honest, you probably don't need such items to begin with.

For those that are curious, however, let's talk about how to do magic on a budget.

First things first, reframe what you think magic is.

Magic is not what you buy.

It’s not pricey crystals, expensive altar tools, and pretty bottles. As fun as those are, they aren't necessary to practice magic.

All you need to create magic is yourself, your intentions, and your actions.

Still, I said I would talk about how to do magic on a budget, so here are some tips that I have picked up along the way as a broke witch.

Broke Witch Tips

Upcycle what you already have into magical tools. Plenty of the stuff you already own can be used for magic. Make a simmer pot in that old cooking pot. Use the kitchen spices as your herbs in spells.

Thrift stores are great for finding cool bottles and boxes to put your herbs and other magical items in. Also great for spell bottles/jars!

You don’t need every herb under the sun, many of the most accessible (and cheapest) herbs have similar, if not the same, correspondences as the expensive ones.

Buy herbs from the grocery store or farmers market, if possible.

If you have a green thumb, grow the herbs yourself!

Tarot cards can be expensive, but you can use a deck of regular playing cards for cartomancy if needed! There are also options such as tarot apps and websites that allow you to use their digital tarot decks for free.

Make your own tarot or oracle deck if you're artistic and have the time/energy to do so!

You don’t need to have an expensive cast-iron cauldron, just find a fire safe bowl or container. For me, I use a handmade bowl that I got at a fair in my hometown! Works like a charm.

The dollar store is a great place to find inexpensive candles, usually they’re tea lights but you might get lucky and even find some chime candles.

If you're working with deities: plenty of them like hand-made items for offerings! So you don’t need to go out and break the bank just to buy an expensive statue.

This is not a post to shame the folks who own expensive things for witchcraft. I’m sure most of us would agree that if we had the money to go all out, we certainly would! This is just a post for those of us that can’t afford costly goods but would still like to have physical items when practicing magic.

Feel free to add your tips for practicing low-cost magic!

Have a lovely day <3

Hey guys I figured out how my school bullies knew I was weird

On the topic of not wearing makeup, look, I know it’s hard to give it up. It’s hard when you’ve grown used to how your face looks with it on and you find your natural face to look…..off. Washed out. Not right. Icky. I get it.

But look. I am 42 years old, I have not exactly taken the best care of myself (WAY too much drinking/drugs/partying in my 20’s and 30’s) I don’t exercise nearly as much as I should and I’m just…..man, I’m just making it through each day. I don’t do facials or microdermabrasion or any of that shit. I have a vitamin c facial cleanser, rose water toner, and a vitamin c moisturizer. That’s it. I don’t wear makeup, I don’t do masks and treatments and peels on my face. I wear a sunhat with built in SPF when I’m outdoors and that is literally the full extent of what I do for my face.

And you gyns…..the number of times I have been mistaken for being AT LEAST ten years younger than I am is ASTOUNDING. I gave up makeup and let my skin heal and suddenly I went from “Oh you say you’re in your 40’s? That tracks” to “Bull fucking SHIT you’re 42!!! You’re maybe 30, TOPS, what the hell??” When I was still wearing makeup I once got mistaken for my husband’s MOTHER, okay?? And that man has silver all throughout his fucking hair.

Look, nobody really knows what any particular age looks like on any individual. I’ve known women in their 60’s that passed as peers of mine in my 20’s because they had gorgeous high cheekbones and skin like porcelain. I’ve known teenage boys that looked like fucking narcs. Nobody knows what any age is “supposed” to look like. But I CAN tell you that if you give up makeup and let your skin heal, you will look healthier and more vibrant than you ever have at any point with a layer of chemicals on your face. Maybe you’ll look younger maybe not, who cares? But your skin WILL be healthier, and it will show.

It’s hard to take the first step, and if you aren’t able to do it over a holiday break, you’ll probably have to accept that you’ll get some looks and comments from your peers. But I cannot stress enough how, once you make the adjustment, you’ll grow so used to and in love with your natural face that the idea of putting makeup on will disgust you; it will look weird and clownish and as “not right” as your natural face once did to you.

And the more of us that eschew makeup, the easier it will get for other women to follow in our footsteps. We lead by example and the more of us not wearing makeup there are, the more normal it will seem for other women.

If you can’t give it all up at once, try to scale it back. Ditch the eyeshadow and just do mascara. Ditch the concealer and just do a light foundation. Scale it back at your own pace, but with the end goal always being to completely eliminate it.

You will feel so much better for it. Eventually. Just push through to the other side.