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How to Tell If You’ve Been Cursed

Being cursed is one of the the most fearful things for a practitioner or superstitious person. I’ll be honest with you: I’m pro-curse and I’ve been cursed in the past at least a dozen times. It’s a thing, it has a history, and people kind of need to get over hating on those people who do decide to curse.

I am passionate about education. And I feel that even if you’re not going to curse someone ever you still need to know how curses work so you can create effective protections. Knowing how you can be hurt is one of the best ways to prevent being hurt, after all.

Plus, even if you’re not going to curse someone that doesn’t mean someone else won’t curse you. It’s a two way street after all.

What is a curse?

A curse is a prayer, utterance, or spell with the intent to cause harm, trouble, or ill luck to befall another. The word hex has an Pennsylvania origin, from what I can tell, and it meant from meaning simply ‘witch’ or ‘to practice witchcraft’ to ‘to cast a spell on’ and now it has a darker meaning. That probably comes from the ill-reputation that magic workers had for a long time, if I had to hazard a guess. I personally define hex as a short-term spell meant to cause mischief and trouble. Like a casual curse or minor vengeance. But it is regional speech so you’re probably better off just using the word curse and calling it a day.

So what are the symptoms of a curse?

Curses can be really casual such as spilling coffee on yourself. An extreme example would be someone who spills coffee on themselves, has a car break down, has the tow truck driver drop the tow bar ON THE CAR crushing it, is late for work, finds out they’re being laid off, and has a lover break up with them on the same day.

Other things to look for:

Nightmares

Trouble sleeping

Loss of energy (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and so on)

Sudden legal troubles

Sudden relationship troubles

Sudden medical issues

Sudden financial issues

Random pain and aches

Scattered mind and unable to gather your thoughts, confusion, disorientation

Bad luck

Generally, it’s a culmination of several of these things at once. Please, please, please, check with doctors when you’re feeling aches, pain, or medical issues. Whether something medical is induce via a curse doesn’t mean that the curse breaking will actually REMOVE those issues. Same goes for any other issues that crop up. You’ll still have to deal with that shit. Removing the curse or hex means that nothing additional should crop up (beyond the normal “shit happens, that’s life” kind of deal)

How to tell if you’re cursed

The above symptoms should occur consistently and suddenly. They are persistent. You don’t ever catch a break. There are curses that last years and years but they are very rare. Most end up fading out over time. By and large, you can counter a curse simply by changing your lifestyle or behavior (but not always).

I’m going to be honest. There are some curses or hexes that won’t register because they’ve been designed to avoid detection. If you think this might be the case, simply move onto hex breaking and curse removal methods, followed by cleansing and protection.

However, there are some methods to determine if you’ve been cursed. Divination is the easiest way to go about it. Tarot cards, oracle cards, pendulums – you pick whatever method works best for you.

For a deity and/or spirit workers, I would ask for a sign of some kind within the next three days to confirm that there’s a curse. And then pray for help with the removal.

If you’re unsure still or want to be extra sure, just skip right onto the curse breaking and hex removing methods. Remember, don’t panic. You are your own worse enemy when you panic. (I know that’s nearly impossible for some folks with paranoia or anxiety but it’s something to keep in mind)

How much do I have to worry about curses? Really?

You probably aren’t cursed. It’s just bad luck which happens to everyone. If you’re not a practitioner, then it’s even more likely that you’re not cursed. Sometimes bad shit just happens. But, when you deal with other practitioners, don’t be surprised to find that you’ve annoyed one of them and they fired back at you. I’m not saying that curses or hexes never happen, they absolutely do, but they’re not super common either.

But if you want to take some preventative measures, it can’t hurt either, right?

Originally posted here. Adapted from my original ask here.

altars for greek gods

this post includes hades, persephone, artemis, apollo, aphrodite, hermes, and hekate. for part 2 including zeus, hera, poseidon, hestia, hephaestus, dionysus, ares, demeter, and athena click here, for the titans and protogenoi click here.

keep in mind that this is largely UPG, new age stuff, and historically accurate offerings to the gods include meat, wine, grain (specifically barley), honey, and incense (myrrh and frankincense).

colors can be used for candles, banners, decor, whatever you want

HADES

Colors: black, red, and white for association with death. purple and metallics for association with riches/wealth

Offerings: mint, asphodel, white poplar, pomegranate, coffee, cinnamon, elm, money, chocolate

Crystals: gemstones, black crystals (obsidian, black tourmaline, smokey quartz, etc.), pyrite, hematite, labradorite

Animals: black ram, owl, serpent, Cerberus

PERSEPHONE

Colors: purple, pink, yellow, green for association with springtime. black and metallics for association with Hades. white for purity.

Offerings: pomegranate, flowers, grains, asphodel, lavender, rosemary

Crystals: amethyst, gemstones, moss/tree agate, milk quartz, jade, lepidolite

Animals: deer, ram, bat, talking birds (including parrots)

APHRODITE

Colors: red and pink for love/sexuality. white and blue for association with the ocean. gold for association with, well, gold.

Offerings: roses, chocolate, shells, myrrh, gold

Crystals: rose quartz, pearl, emerald, opal, aquamarine, rhodonite, rhodochrosite, ocean jasper, morganite

Animals: swan, dove, hare

ARTEMIS

Colors: white, blue, black, and grey for association with the heavens. brown and green for association with nature/the hunt.

Offerings: moon shaped foods, frankincense, cypress, mugwort, amaranth

Crystals: morganite, moonstone, aventurine, selenite, celestite, moss/tree agate, amethyst, quartz (specific dendritic), labradorite, silver

Animals: deer, wolf, wild boar

APOLLO

Colors: yellow, white, and blue for association with the heavens. red, orange, and pink for healing. purple and green for the Oracle

Offerings: sun shaped foods, bay leaves, laurel, cypress, playing music, poetry

Crystals: sunstone, amber, calcite (specifically honey and yellow), quartz (specifically rutilated or clear), rose quartz, silver

Animals: cow, snake, hawk, crow/raven, cicada, swan, bees

HERMES

Colors: green and gold for money/luck. white and brown for travels.

Offerings: money, crocus/saffron, strawberries

Crystals: jade, malachite, fluorite, pyrite, lapis lazuli, citrine, alexandrite

Animals: tortoise, ram

HEKATE

Colors: purple, blue, and green for magic. red and black for association with underworld

Offerings: garlic, saffron, crossroad dirt, black salt, ashes, sage, cedar, yew

Crystals: labradorite, obsidian, hematite, black tourmaline, amethyst, bloodstone, serpentine, lepidolite

Animals: wolf, boar, serpent, lion, horse, cow

Raise your hand if you love swords 🗡️

The use of knives and blades has historically played a hugely important role in many magical practices. In the modern day, when most people think of magic and knives, they think of the Wiccan Athame—and while there is a lot of interesting lore there, learning about the use of blades in Jewish magic is absolutely crucial!

Whether you’re sleeping with a brand new blade beneath your pillow in order to suss out the evil eye or swinging a carved sword above your head to protect your newborn from the powers that be, these traditions are long standing and deserve to be talked about!

If you’re still here, use code “Swords” on the Jewitches website for a percentage of your order!

Morning Prayer

God of love, as dawn breaks, we praise you; you are one, called by many names. Cleanse us of selfishness as we start this day anew. May our hands be your hands, doing good upon the earth. 

Opening Salutation: 1. From Spring equinox to autumn equinox The sun is bright and the days are long. Blessed are you, Regina Caeli, triumphant Mother of Life and Growth! Hail to Persephone, Mystical Rose, Maiden of Flowers, Ave! 

2. from autumn equinox to spring equinox The moon is bright and the nights are long. Blessed are you, Mater Dolorosa, Dark Mother of Death and Rebirth. Hail to Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, Lady of Skulls, Ave! 

Prayer of Protection (from the Lorica of St Patrick) I bind unto myself today the virtues of the starlit Heaven, The glorious sun's life-giving ray, The whiteness of the moon at even, The flashing of the lightning free, The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks, The stable earth, the deep salt sea, Around the old eternal rocks.

Day of the Week Prayer

link to day of the week prayers

Litany: Virgo Rosarum, Oh Maiden of Roses, upon this new day we offer this garland of litanies to you. Virgo Sanctissima, Oh Maiden Most Holy, bless us. Virgo Immaculata, Oh Maiden Immaculate, cleanse us. Virgo Veneranda. Oh Maiden Most Venerable, guide us. Virgo Fortissima, Oh Maiden Most Strong, defend us. Virgo Splendidissima, Oh Maiden Most Shining, inspire us. Virgo Ferocissima, Oh Maiden Most Wild, invigorate us. 

Prayer to God the Father:  (from the Book of Common Prayer) Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of Peace, as children of one Mother. Amen.

Closing

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us as we forgive others. Lead us not into separation but deliver us into love.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Child, and to the Holy Mother. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

devotional acts for Lord Apollon if you can’t have an altar or want to feel closer to Him:

listen to music!

sit out in the sun

write poetry

draw Him! you may not be the best at drawing but i’m sure He’d like to know how you depict Him

dance to music

create a playlist for Him (songs that remind you of Him or ones that you think he would enjoy)

sing along to music (you may not like your singing as the god of music, He would appreciate it)

if you take any medication, take it if you haven’t already!

being kind to people

celebrating pride

reading poetry if you don’t know how to write (or are too lazy to learn. it’s okay.)

listening to lyre music

maybe learn the lyre if you have the time (and money)

eating citrus fruits

painting

taking care of yourself. He is the god of healing, He would want you to be healthy

every 7th of the month, celebrate Him!

if you have money, donate to LGBTQ+ people in need

Tongue Control Spell (3)

The following spell counters gossip, slander, and testimony against you. It is most powerful if performed standing at the center of a crossroad, however it may also be accomplished standing at a window. A sudden gust of wind is an extremely auspicious omen.

Blend a pinch of white sugar, a pinch of flour, and a pinch of fine ground salt.

Hold the powder in the palm of your hand while visualizing your desired outcome. Direct your petition to the deity of your choice, if necessary. (If you’d like spiritual assistance but are unsure who to beseech, the archangel Michael and the orisha Ogun, warriors who despise lies, are recommended, as is Ma’at, Egyptian dispenser of ultimate justice.)

Chant: I am innocent of the accusations! [Deity’s name] protect me!

Allow the powders to fly out of your hand.

(from The Element Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells by Judika Illes)

The Coven: Sha'bat

Do you know your soul kin?

Probably not, if you belong to a New Age, neopagan path that avoids violently the harsh truths of spirituality.

Your soul kin are a diverse group that includes your best friends and your worst enemies.

What they have in common is that before you were born, your higher self signed a contract with them to help you achieve your purpose in this incarnation.

Your best friends, which include your most loyal family and teachers, are meant to nurture and support you.

Your worst enemies, which include the most toxic friends and lovers, are meant to push you to step into your power.

Your soulmate is not among your soul kin because you are two halves of a single soul. You are not separate but one, meant to reunite after you have learned the hardest lessons in life.

If your subconscious is open to recognizing your soul kin, especially those with a villainous role, it is easy to identify them.

They are those who encouraged you to abandon your weaknesses, either by cheering you on or booing you. They are the people who made you stronger, whether through their love or the suffering they caused.

As always, the stars and your hands provide clues.

To illustrate, I am a Scorpio Sun and a Libra Moon. One of my soul kin is a Libra Sun and a Scorpio Moon. A mirror image.

Another seemed to have been born a day after I was. But upon adjusting for the time difference in our countries of birth, we found out that we were born at the exact same moment.

And when we put our hands together, wherever there is damage in one, there is strength in the other.

One of my soul kin has a short life line. Where his fades, mine thickens, compensating for what he lacks.

Another has tridents in her left palm in the exact places I have them in my right.

If you know where to look, you too will find that your soul kin’s maps of destiny echo your own.

My soul kin and I like to meet in our dreams. In that realm between the conscious mind and the higher self. In the backstage of this incarnation, where we can shed our roles and speak off the record.