Are you overcomplicating astral travel?

Here’s the thing: By far the most common question I get from people is “how do I astral?” Which is, well, a big question. It begs other questions, like:

>Why do you want to travel

>WHERE do you want to travel

>Do you have jobs you need to do over there or are you gonna hang out

etc etc

But here’s the thing: Often people decide to travel, and then they get stuck. They try a method they maybe heard about once, and it doesn’t work, so maybe they research another method. Maybe they pick up a book on the topic, maybe the book tells them “you’ll know you’re astral traveling when you can rise out of your body and see it on your bed.”

BOOM. Imma stop you for a minute.

There it is. This is the moment the Gold Standard™ for the new person gets set in stone. The mind now says “If I’m not hovering above my body with full range of vision, I’m not Traveling, with a capital T.”

So now we have this goal. The person may feel a little more confident because there is a road map in front of them, and that map may have steps, often detailed by a book author, or maybe even a blogger here on tumblr. Maybe the person tries the steps, and fails. Maybe it takes months. Maybe it takes years, but eventually, maybe the person gets frustrated, and they give up.

“I just can’t travel”, they say, truly discouraged, or “I’m just not meant for this, if I was, I would have been hovering outside my body by now.” They maybe pack up the books and leave it be.

Perhaps you see people on tumblr or blogs that talk about full blown OBE or extreme situations, and then you internalize THEIR gold standard, and then you fail to achieve the standard. Same situation applies.

Imma stop you right here. What happened?

BUT

Here’s the secret, my bros:

1. There is no one form of “authentic” astral travel. You will find this is an epidemic with older books on the astral, when astral “travel” or astral living was equated on a wide scale with your classic OBE, or Out Of Body Experience. So in reality, what many people are trying to achieve, when they want to travel, is an OBE. Based on what books/people tell them. But that is FAR from the only way to astral–in my case, for example, I’ve never achieved full OBE–and not for lack of years of trying. (Because I thought that was How One Astral Traveled)

1-A. THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF ASTRALING BESIDES “TRAVEL”. I don’t travel because I lead an astral double-life–I “tune in”. An OBE is wrong for my circumstances, and if I would have learned that sooner, it would have helped me a lot. There are people that astral-trip only in dreams! People that astral-trip only while DAYDREAMING! People that mentally trip but never leave awareness of their body, people who can’t “see” anything there but hear everything perfectly, people who can only see the astral in black and white, people without a “form” or a body, people with only a bizarre pinprick field of vision! HONESTLY IT’S ENDLESS. Learn your style!

2. Because there is no one form of “authentic” astraling–there is no ONE WAY to achieve the travel! If you fail at going OBE, there may be a perfectly good reason you aren’t suited to that route! The failure here also lies on authors and books that imply there IS one way of authentic travel, and therefore, the user is set up for a failure situation a lot of the time. (And for example, OBE LEAVES your body open for attack or walk-ins in a lot of cases–did you ever think this was your natural energy defense system preventing you from leaving yourself a shell?)

3. Your way of travel is probably NOT going to match someone else’s, so you absolutely need to drop the gold standard now. I am NOT telling you to give up on discernment, because that will keep you alive when you reach the astral. I am telling you that if you have lofty expectations of what the astral is going to be like for you based on someone you’ve read (including me!) you need to drop it before you go, because it’s likely to fuck you up. I have listened to hundreds of different astral experiences, and I co-run the astral atlas–it’s all remarkably different for each individual based on your needs and jobs.

4. Your ideas of the astral are probably going to get blown out of the water when you get there anyway. Know this. Expect it. It will constantly surprise you and remind you that this isn’t In Your Head, and in doing so it will shatter your ideas of what it is, over and over again. 

5. Stop complicating things. If I had a nickel for every time person that came to me and asked why they can’t astral, and I gave them the idea of “Well, did you try opening a door?” and then the look of revelation descended, I’d be rich. This is not a blame on you, because I don’t blame you for this over-complication thing. We’re humans, we like to complicate everything, it makes us happy and whatnot. It makes me almost tremendously happy to shroud things in pomp and circumstance. But seriously–have you tried opening a door? Like. Visualize a door, and then open it, and then walk through. That’s how I first got to the astral.

After weeks of trying and doing all this complex shit, eventually I was told to visualize a door, and walk through. And then I was fucking there.

(Can you imagine how pissed I was, though. Like wtf I WAS TOLD MY ENTRANCE WAS TO BE GRANDIOSE AND MAGNIFICENT, not a fucking shitty wooden-ass door with nobody around to see me. Harumph, I said. I ended up in an empty field in fuck-all nowhere, if you wanted to know.)

I’m not saying it’s always easy to get to the astral. It has ways of keeping you out (or in) inside mental spaces or white rooms until you’re ready to be out on your own. This is where discernment and patience come in. But I AM saying if you find yourself failing over and over again at this thing, ask: Is it because you have an unconscious Gold Standard? Analyze why. And then, let it go. Because it’s not going to help you, it’s just going to make you anxious and perpetuate the failure cycle, trust me. And then ask: Am I overcomplicating my approach/expectations because of my gold standard? Analyze that, let it go.

Then, try an amazingly simple thing like opening a door, and stop cutting yourself off at the pass, and just let it happen.

You might be surprised at the results.

(This post is aimed at people who a) WANT to astral and b) have a hard time doing so for unknown reasons. It is not suggesting everyone should astral if they don’t want to or have no interest, if that wasn’t self-evident.)

From Magpie

Hi here at Cawandorder we have standards. We have seen the errors of places like PU and WU and decided to be open to all but not allow harassment. So please stop jumping to conclusions. Anything that is troll-ish in nature or otherwise calls to target any one user will not be published. Thanks and good night.

That’s weird then what are these 

https://cawandorder.tumblr.com/post/182559729539/im-sick-of-storm-water-witch-always-being-so

https://cawandorder.tumblr.com/post/182545448499/lunaesteria-does-the-most-bare-minimum-arts-and

https://cawandorder.tumblr.com/post/182506216799/complaining-about-orriculum-is-so-tired-like-yea

https://cawandorder.tumblr.com/post/182492441429/accept-jesus-heathens

https://cawandorder.tumblr.com/post/182416048364/honestly-lunaesteria-or-whatever-the-fuck-her-name

https://cawandorder.tumblr.com/post/182412161009/didnt-orriculum-publish-a-bunch-of-bs-and-pass-it

Catra: I don’t need friends. They disappoint me.

Scorpia: Wanna go out and-

Catra: Oh my god. Yes, please, I am so lonely

Curse Breaker Bath

This one actually came to me in a dream last night.

Draw a bath and add your ingredients, letting the herbs steep for a few minutes before adding the milk last. Let yourself soak in the bath, visualizing the negative curse energy being sucked into the water like ink running off a page, the milky white color filling your aura. Let the water drain, taking the curse with it, and shower regularly after. You can enchant your shower soap for extra cleansing power too.

Amarantos Argyris

“Hymn to Zeus Ktesios”

Tips for Hexing & Cursing

Anything Hot, Spicy, or Sour can inflict physical pain, heat, agitation, or “sourness” to the individual.

Anything you normally use for divination, dreams, or astral can be used for Illusions, Delusions, & Nightmares

Anything you use for spirit work can be used to send unhappiness, restlessness, or spirits to someone

Anything poisonous/toxic can be used to create either illness or even death.

Any number or color association you may have can be used in opposition against them.

Anything with positive aspects can be used to siphon those aspects from your target.

Personal Recommendations:

Stones

Plants

Incense/Scents

Colors

Numbers

Note: Adding salt to certain herbs or small spells (such as bay and/or basil mixed with lemon for money) can siphon that thing to you from them for a simple small hex. 

Whatever you do with information is on you. Do with it what you wish.

is a solar eclipse just artemis and apollo highfiving

Meditation for the Wild-Minded Witch

do you have ADHD? are you easily distracted? do you daydream constantly abt everything and anything? when you hear the words “you might fall asleep” in a post abt meditation, do you sigh and roll your eyes?

if you answered “yes” to any of the above, then this is the post for you!!

as someone who has type one ADHD and a crazy imaginative mind, I haven’t seen a single Intro To Meditation post that pertains to me. they’re always abt tips for visualization, or tips for not falling asleep within 5 minutes. I have insomnia you guys, I ain’t gonna be asleep in any less than 2 hours smh

without further rambling, here’s some tips and tricks for people who just can’t fucking meditate

1) listen to some goddamn music. preferably stuff you’ve listened to many times before, songs you have basically memorized so you don’t get distracted by how unique this new sound is, or how cool that voice was right there. listen to your favorites!! listen to songs in foreign languages, so you aren’t focused on the words but more the feeling they give. blast that shit through your most comfortable earbuds, tune everything else out

2) don’t sit outside. trust me. too many extra sensory bits and shit that you just don’t need rn. miss me with that wind and bugs and prickly grass.

3) tired of the “visualize a door” method? visualize yourself dancing! find one good dance song that you’ll only use when trying to meditate, and choreograph your own little routine! imagine urself dancing outside on a chilly autumn day- the air smells crisp and the leaves crack and almost hurt beneath your feet and every once in a while your arms hit a twig or branch. imagine it’s spring and there’s cold dew on the soft new grass and the sun is making your bare arms tingly, a warm breeze tugs at your hair and clothes. get creative! the hardest part is imagining yourself *in* your body, looking out, instead of watching urself dance like it’s a movie.

4) sit in the car!! oh my god!! do this!! the passenger seat of the car opens a world of possibilities, and you probably won’t even have to close your eyes because damn, look at you, you’re already off daydreaming abt god knows what and completely ignoring everything around you!! if cars are good for anything, it’s daydreaming. now all you gotta do is figure out how to switch your daydreaming off and turn meditating on.

5) school age witch? meditate in the morning on the bus. if you trust the other kids riding with you enough, do it on the way home too (warning: may suddenly find urself interrupted by flying paper balls or gross laughing. this is why we meditate in the mornings when everyone’s half asleep still)

6) it’s okay if a stray thought drifts in every once in a while, so don’t get upset over it.

7) your leg bouncing? scalp itch? eye twitching? keep bouncing it! scratch your head! rub your eyes!! trying to ignore these things will take more effort than it will to just take care of them. make sure youre comfortable

8) extending on that point, if you find your overall position uncomfortable, just move dude. it’s okay, just cause you aren’t laying with ur arms at ur sides and legs perfectly straight doesn’t mean you won’t get some meaningful meditation in

I was hoping to get 10 points but I’m suddenly lacking motivation and getting bored with typing this. guess that’s the proof for you that I have ADHD? I hope these help! feel free to add on your own tips for meditation! and like always, don’t beat urself up if nothing seems to be helping. I’ve been trying for three years and I still struggle very much to meditate, and be confident that what I’m seeing isn’t just my Wild Wild imagination, and is instead the astral or whatever else I’m looking for. take your time, and good luck! ✨🌊🥀

This is your obligatory Hermes love post

Reblog if you really love Hermes, like if you really love Hermes.

Literally cannot ignore or I will get the shit pranked out of me.

this is worse than those fricking chain posts

The Spiritual Roller Coaster

This post is based off of my experiences. YMMV.

In any normal skill, you advance and progress at a predictable rate. You practice the piano for 30 minutes a day and you can expect to progress at a steady rate.

That’s not how it works for spirituality, however!

Spirituality is like a roller coaster. You can advance at rapid rates, have plateaus, and even drop down.

This can be immensely frustrating for people who are trying hard to advance, especially following an intense period of growth or an “upswing” in magical power. Not to mention the ennui that can result from a “drop” or period of stagnation.

BREAKTHROUGHS can happen surrounding an initiation, a period of intense revelation, following hard work, after drug use, or as fated by your natural spiritual cycle. This period makes you feel like you have reached the “next step” in your practice. Following the roller coaster analogy, it feels like you are zooming “up” and forward on your path. New spiritual abilities, greater strength and endurance, and a shift in perspective may happen following a breakthrough.

GROWTH is a natural state that occurs when you put a focus on improving yourself both physically and spiritually. The more you learn and practice, the more fulfilling and likely to occur a phase of growth is. Growth is not as intense as a breakthrough, but it is more stable, less intense, and very satisfying.

PLATEAU is a phase where growth does not seem to be happening. A plateau phase is likely to occur after a long period of growth. A plateau is a phase where you can seek rest, stabilization, and grounding. It is a place where you can explore your new powers and abilities, and see what you can really do. Plateaus are often frustrating for people who would like to see continual growth without breaks, but it is an important phase which reminds us that rest is necessary. A plateau is an excellent opportunity to test what you know and become familiar with your spiritual path and magical powers.

DOWNSWING is a frustrating phase that I relate to ‘cocooning’. Sometimes it is necessary for us to withdraw and focus on the physical while our spiritual powers can rest and evolve. A downswing may occur immediately after a big breakthrough so new powers have a chance to assimilate. A downswing is like turning the water off so pluming can be safely fixed and improved. Sometimes, downswings are not related to spiritual advancement and are just a natural period of darkness. While it can be scary to feel as though you have lost your connection and powers, rest assured that a downswing such as the ones I am speaking of are temporary. If a downswing occurs after a breakthrough, a period of growth is likely to follow.

Love

An infographic on creating sigils with a codebook! The basic idea is having a set of sigil ‘components’ that you can use in tandem with each other to create sigils unique to you that can be completed quickly and easily. 

Your ‘codebook’ can be written out in a literal book, or saved as a file on your computer or phone, even memorised if that’s what works best for you! This method is all about your personal preferences and ideas.

This is neat!

does anyone know how to cleanse online tarot cards?

mine have a lot of negative energy

Is it a phone app, like Galaxy Tarot?

I think regardless you can cleanse the device you use to read them?

But if it’s an app, maybe uninstalling and then reinstalling the program would be a way to “cleanse” it. 

Wish you luck!

Clearing the program or app cache might also do it. The saved data - but you might lose any saved readings. You can also do that for browser-based cards. Check the app management or browser history for where you can do that. 

You may also want to try an energy cleansing or a light smoke cleansing over the device used (not too close though. Some devices really dislike smoke and shit)

Turn your phone off and turn it back on imo

Mugwort Wanderings on Forgotten Paths

Its on these cold days, where the dim light grows ever stronger and the woods seem to sigh in the evening’s early twilight, that I find myself thinking about the edges of the landscape. That subtle form that is just beyond our reach, just outside of our touch. Those moments we linger at the edge of a glade, or near a fallen tree in the bracken. Hearing the silence that is full of noise, a quiet rush of unexpected sounds hiding under the frequencies of our breath, behind the rustle of the leaves, taunting us from the treetops and river’s edge like a youthful lover.

The walks I take are often accompanied by my pipe. Full of some herbs gathered here or there depending on the time of year (and never tobacco). One herb that I find helps me come closer to the landscape’s edge is Mugwort (artemisia vulgaris).

A timeless herb used by men as far back as we have stories to tell, mugwort is mentioned by name in the Nine Herbs Charm as a favorite of Odin. Listed in herbals since the dawn of printing, mugwort is a versatile herb whose uses range from beer flavoring to medical treatment. But I find that a pipeful of mugwort is a perfect harmonizer with the natural landscape. It has a mild calming effect that syncs ones thoughts to the rustle of the trees, the conversations of the birds and the yawning decay of the forest floor.

“Remember, Mugwort, what you have revealed, What you set out in mighty revelation, ‘The First’ you are called, oldest of herbs, You have might against three and against thirty, You have might against venom and elf-shot, You have might against the darkness that fares over the land.” - ‘The Nine Herbs Charm’, from the Lacnunga

The entheogenic uses of mugwort are reported as early as Pliny, and throughout Europe its fame as a curative, spirit ward, and tonic are well known. It is in its chemical similarity to its cousin, wormwood (artemisia absinthium), that we find its power. Thujone, an active ingredient that affects the cannibinoid receptors in humans is the culprit responsible for much of the activity report in absinthe, as well as in mugwort. Little surprise that absinthe was marketed under the title “the Green Fairy”.

There is quite a conscious connection between the shifted paradigm of thujone and the folklore of that land of the sidhe. Mugwort is not strong as far as contemporary entheogens go, but its understated effect is belied by its ability to tune one’s thoughts directly to that shimmering field of energy we stumble upon in forest and seashore. It is a key, able to open the doors in the landscape, for those who seek to walk on the other side of the mirror, so to speak.

After a pipe of mugwort on a winter’s day the landscape opens up, reveals itself like a crack in the world. The birds and trees telling a story, the ferns and fungi preparing a path on which to explore that vast terrain of myth. The sky itself seems to laugh as you glide along, footsteps a drum rhythm beating the skin of the world. A brightness in the air, followed by a listless energy and a desire to explore.

It fades, as all things must, after a short while. We find ourselves once again on this side of the hedge, the sounds of the world familiar again and full of nonsense and pomp. The whispers of the woods having moved on, seeking others who stumble on its forgotten paths.