Journal Prompt For Shadow Work #5

Shadow Work journal prompts

Shadow work works best if you are completely honest with yourself, this is a time for growth and evaluating your behaviors and what you need to change in order to be closer to a more authentic you.

In the beginning, I didn’t notice how much these questions made me really take a step back and think. I’ve spent so much time not thinking about the reactions I’ve had or what perceptions I have about situations, that I spent a lot of time writing and putting a lot of effort into each and every question.

Every time I started to journal— I have noticed a pattern, I have noticed where some of my anger and insecurities are stemming from, and why.

One of the prompts asked me to describe how I was as a child, this took me into a long loop of all the things I enjoyed doing as a child. This helped me connect with her. As I was describing how I was as a child I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the (good) memories that followed. There were some (bad) memories that showed up as well, and I journaled about them too and how it made me feel then— and now. This helped me feel connected to who I am today. It also made me realize how much I have been working for a very long time achieving who I am today. I hope these prompts helps whoever in need to start their journey into healing.

*A reminder that I am not a licensed professional and use caution, everyone has different types of trauma and how to work through it. Talk with a licensed professional if you need to. My inbox is always open as well for support*

Artist Credit: Forever-Healing (Jupiter Moon Apothecary)

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˳✧༚ ☽ witchy activities to strengthen your craft & relationship with yourself ☾ ˚✧⁎

☾ perform literally any type of self care! our energy is constantly being drained either in spellwork, studying, or everyday life. you deserve it. (take a shower, drink some water, make some food, etc. don’t underestimate the power of taking care of yourself!)

☾ get some air dry clay and have fun with creating! you can make witchy items such as a pendulum, pendants, offerings, amulets to write talismans/sigils on, etc. and it’s even better because you’re making it with your own intent!

☾ when stressed, take a moment to connect with mother nature. this can be done wherever, even inside. imagine you are sitting in the grass. your roots are intertwined with those in the earth. they are giving you energy and strength. remind yourself everything is in divine timing.

☾ decorate your bos/grimoire and make it more ‘you’! remember, perfection is a completely made up term to make people overwork themselves. it doesn’t exist. what works for you, is perfect. what’s made with your hands, and your mind, is perfect.

☾ create a witchy playlist for when you’re doing spellwork/studying witchcraft! music can be incredibly uplifting. i’ve even created a witchy playlist for my blog! (check it out if you want hehe)

☾ wake up with the sun, go to sleep with the moon. have daily conversations with them both. realize they are your friends and are always there for you.

☾ record when you make mistakes magically! i know, this sounds like a nightmare to most neurodivergents. but you can use this to your advantage! you will learn from them, and eventually figure out what’s works for you and what doesn’t. knowing what works for you will empower you.

☾ carve sigils into your furniture for further protection! (and i mean your furniture, not your parents, roommates or siblings. please don’t vandalize things that aren’t yours)

☾ don’t stress yourselves out over labels. it can be fun to be this and that, but there is absolutely NO obligation to call yourself a certain type of witch! i have some witch friends that simply vibe, and practice all types. you can simply be a witch if you’d like.

☾ create your own set of rules/reminders/moral code to follow (ex. bible). although a lot of witches that i’ve met usually all follow the same type of moral code; if you’re not hurting anyone/anything, or meddling in anyone’s life, do what you please.

☾ cleanse your room/home! you’ll feel better, and sleep better. you can do this with incense, sunlight, sound, or herbs (please only use white sage if you’re native or if it has been gifted to you by a native person).

☾ don’t let ANYONE tell you how to do magic! it’s your craft! it doesn’t concern anyone else but you. if someone tries to tell you you’re doing something wrong, pay them no mind. (unless they are telling you that you are appropriating a culture, or something of the sorts then LISTEN!!!!)

Loving yourself is not (necessarily):

Thinking you’re gorgeous

Not wanting to change anything about your body, personality, or life

Loving yourself is:

Knowing you have inherent worth regardless of your physical appearance or life circumstance

Knowing you deserve good things

Wanting to take care of yourself because you deserve good things

another rainy day at the farm…

treacherous / gold rush

astro notes rant pt.2: moon signs

leo moons are some of the calmest bitches out there. seriously, one usually thinks about virgo or capricorn moons when it comes to keeping it together and appearing collected and steady, but leo moons have the most calming effect on others in my opinion. capricorn/virgo/aquarius moons have this artificial coldness to their calm facade and lack the warmth and openness one needs in order to be emotionally contagious so even if they look as if they’re not panicking other people around them would still be worried and anxious. leo moon has this super chill attitude - their confidence doesn’t appear superhuman, on the contrary, they appear calm in a very casual and non-forced way that relaxes people and makes them feel at ease. i mean, they can be quite the drama queens sometimes but overall i’ve never seen someone so confident and good at calming others with their composure and the way they seem to remain dignified and humane under any circumstances.

aries moons have a great difficulty with putting themselves in the position of other people and understanding the situation from their point of view. even if it’s in a chart that overall indicates a great deal of empathy and an understanding nature, aries moon makes a person sort of really stuck on their own point of view when it comes to emotions and gives a feeling that’s not exactly righteousness but more like…an inability to comprehend anything beyond yourself. the emotional world of the aries moon is so dynamic it’s quite difficult and bothersome for them to try and understand the emotional worlds of others. they just want to invite someone in their own and have them share it.

the most difficult moon sign to connect to emotionally is gemini. capricorn moons may put barriers, aquarius moons may dissociate, virgo moons may be nit-picky, scorpio moons might be crazy but gemini moon is like….they move too fast in order for someone to actually know them emotionally, and if you don’t know someone emotionally how can you even connect to them?  it’s hard to keep up with gemini. pisces moons change emotionally a lot too but at least they’re open about it while gemini are kind of airy about their emotions and keep their true vulnerabilities hidden. so you see an ever-changing facade of moods that are expressed strongly and in an overwhelming manner but what’s truly happening will always be beneath the surface, just one step too far for you to grasp. gemini moon manages to be somehow both detached and overwhelming.

taurus moons are the most difficult ones to argue with. they’re a bit similar to aries in that aspect. but it’s like…they make you feel as if they truly listen to you and it appears as if they actually take into account what you’re saying. they might even say you have a point and they’ll keep your words in mind. as time passes by you realize they just have this weird ass mechanism that prevents them from admitting someone else might be right. even if rationally they see this is so, at an emotional level they really are like a brick wall that refuses to let in foreign agenda. it’s just not comfortable, you see.

capricorn moons are extremely emotionally turbulent, even more so than scorpio moons. with scorpio moons at least you know you can expect them to constantly be in some sort of turmoil and drama. cap moons fluctuate between unpredictable cycles of absolute apathy and horrifying emotional outbursts. this often creates a feeling in others that they can’t be trusted. even if cap moons do their best to hide their inner turbulence, somehow it can still be felt on a more unconscious level.

pisces is often considered a favorable position for the moon while in fact the moon is in peregrine in it. this makes it quite neutral - there is an abundance of emotions and heightened sensitivity due to pisces being a water sign but the nature of this placement is to keep the feelings in and turn them inwards rather than to express them. this may create either someone who produces very personal art constantly or someone with huge emotional blockages who has difficulty letting other people in even tho they appear to be soft and friendly on the outside. most often, it’s a weird mixture between both.

scorpio moons, despite their reputation, are often somewhere on the asexual scale. sometimes this is due to having extreme feelings or experiences connected to sex when they were little. sometimes it can be a result of being hypersexual for some time and then starting to connect all sexual experiences to this in an unpleasant way. but regardless of the reason, i’ve noticed they’re often quite withdrawn when it comes to sex and might even be repulsed of the violent feelings they associate with it. it can be often connected to the feeling of intrusion and of letting someone in that scorpio despises so much.

taurus moons like to do stuff that makes them feel comfortable for other people. f.e. if a taurus moon feels cozy when they eat pasta with melted cheese they would cook that dish for other people. but they’re extremely insensitive towards the individual needs of others and often fail to understand how something that’s not comforting to them might be comforting to another individual. they’re least likely to adjust their behavior so that it’s comfortable for you. like, whenever i’m stressed my taurus moon friend would come and hug me and I keep telling her this stresses me even further yet she keeps doing it and saying she forgot it hugging isn’t as stress-relieving for me as it is for her.

aquarius moons always feel like they’re speaking an alien language no one understands except for them when they’re expressing love and affection. it’s hard for them to get through to the ones they love. even when they’re being super open verbally, like saying plain and clear “i love you, i care about you” it comes out as if they don’t put their heart into it due to their usual state of emotional detachment.

sagittarius moons constantly put on a cheerful facade to cover their sadness. this often leads to internal bitterness and frustration which gets translated into violent urges and a certain amount of hostility towards others. they may often try to hide it and to keep being in-your-face happy but one can definitely feel an aura of suppressed anger around them. like a feeling of hair-triggered temperament lurking beneath the surface.

libra moons can be extremely manipulative. they’re the type to observe carefully patterns of behavior in people, especially in larger groups, and to create different sets of attitude towards the different types of people that would make people like them more and do as they ask. they’re extremely good at playing people until they get what they want and can utilize others’ skills which makes them good leaders…unless they decide to take advantage of you. enough with the stereotype of the soft uwu harmless libra moon that just wants y'all to feel good! wake up sheeple, they’re playing you!!!

the most sociable moon sign is sagittarius. they are very people oriented and even if they have many placements in, say, cancer or virgo or capricorn, they are still super spontaneous about their hang outs and love to meet new people. aries moons are kinda like this too, followed closely by pisces (surprise surprise) and gemini.

libra moons are the rulers of networking. these people often master the ability to connect people and show them clearly why they need others and how they can mutually use each other. they’re also great at balancing and mediating. after all, that’s all you need to have so you can maintain a good network of people.

cancer moons can be really really really selfish. they are so taken by their own emotions they have a hard time bothering with the feelings of others. it’s like…cancer moons appear on the outside like capricorn moons feel on the inside. but on the inside, cancer moons are often like capricorn moons are on the outside. virgo moons are the moms of the zodiac. always so collected but also caring, they notice every little detail and analyze everything cuz they need to be in control of the situation all the time. they feel as if they’re always one step ahead of everyone, that’s why they think they’re better at caring for others than anyone else. and honestly? they’re usually right.

i’ve often noticed cancer moons express their feelings so strongly they cause random shit to happen without wanting it - the walls may vibrate when they’re angry even if they’re not showing it verbally, people might start dropping stuff when they’re around a nervous or aggressive cancer moon. i remember when i had a cancer moon boss, every time he’d drop at work in a good mood everything seemed to work smoother - we didn’t have the tech problems we usually did, the internet connection was flawless, etc. it was some mad shit right there and i’ve seen it happen with other cancer moons too.

gemini moons have a hard time listening to others. they have so many memories and emotional reactions triggered by a single sentence and their train of thought gets completely carried away from your words. so they either interrupt you all the time and say shit that seems totally unrelated or just dissociate from your words and have to ask what the fuck were you saying all the damn time. it can be pretty frustrating.

aries moons needs to do something all the damn time. they literally can’t just sit their asses down and do nothing. they’re always picking on some shit and planning stuff. it can be a lot of fun sometimes but if you’re more on the low-energy side it can be pretty bothersome and can make you feel as if you can never catch up to them.

earth moons are always thinking about how they look in the eyes of the public. they actually quite enjoy when others envy them and like to show off with their possessions, in which they often include their partners. they love to see others staring a lot at their partner and to think shit like “yeah, i know you want them but they’re mine”. honestly, those lil bitches enjoy making others jealous of what they have.

fire moons are quite competitive when it comes to relationships and they enjoy it when they have to be compared with many other suitors by the person they have their eye on. they often go for the popular types that are liked by everyone and feel truly satisfied only when they’re picked among many others as they have proven to be the most worthy.

air moons don’t like answering questions and putting labels when it comes to relationships, quite often cuz they’re afraid they won’t be able to provide what the label expects of them. they like to live outside of expectations and schedules and to let things unfold naturally which can be quite unsettling for their partners. 

water moons are the most demanding in relationships. they are the type to push you to act as they need you to so you can fit their fantasy. scorpio moons won’t hesitate to squeeze out drama from every action of yours that they don’t approve of, pisces moons will act like a super wounded victim every time you fail to play by their rules and cancer moons play with the cold treatment like no other. BEWARE, FOLKS!!!

capricorn moons are often tired by their own calculating nature. every capricorn placement has a deeply cunning nature and always has to plan and think about what use do they have out of anything, but capricorn moons really struggle with this cuz the moon sign is responsible for our moments of relaxation and comfort and it’s quite difficult to relax when there’s this beast inside of you that never sleeps and always whispers in your ear …but what do i get out of this, what do i get out of this…. SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANNA DO SHIT CUZ IT FEELS GOOD, YOU KNOW, NOT FOR SOME LONG TERM SUPER IMPORTANT GAIN FFS!! back the fuck off scrooge!!!

Okay I know a lot of people have pointed out the 1989-esque birds on the wedding cake

But I’m seeing a lot less commotion about the same birds on the church window

And on the table cards

Basics of Kitchen and Cottage Witchcraft

Kitchen witches believe that the kitchen is a sacred place where all of the magick happens. They focus on the use of edible ingredients and kitchen tools.  A cottage witch is a witch that brings magick into the house and are protectors of the hearth and home. They bring cheer and warmth to every room they enter. Their focuses are on the family, home, and daily needs. Both the cottage and Kitchen witch believe that by honoring the home it honors the Gods and Goddesses. They bring magick into everyday life and daily chores.

Ways a Kitchen and Cottage witch can bring magick into a home:

Create a kitchen altar

Stock your shelves with herbs and spices

Bring maximum feng-shui to your home

Keep the home physically and spiritually clean

Paint the house walls in colours that bring happiness, warmth, and coziness

When making a sandwich put mustard or mayo sigils on it

When making meals add herbs that correspond to your magickal needs

Decorate the home according to the sabbats

Brew some special teas

Make your own candles, salves, and tinctures.

Make offerings to Gods and Goddesses of hearth and home.  

Ask your deities to keep your house safe and healthy.

Create your own recipes and add your own touch of magick to them

Put intent into everything you cook and clean

Make an incantation or short song to sing while you stir.

Inscribe your wooden spoons with sigils  

Carve your wooden shelves with sigils - carve them at the bottom of the cupboard to remain discreet

Craft oils, incense, soaps, potions, and salves.

Make herbal remedies

Chant while cleaning or preparing a meal

Use numerology in their practices by the number of times they stir or the number of times they knead dough.

During the mead moon, brew mead with magickal intent.

Decorate the home with your own art or art done by your children, poems, knits, woodcraft’s, paintings, quilts, diy’s, or tapestries.

Enchant your crafts.

Use weather magick, candle magick, ribbon charms, and anything else used to add magick to your home.

Honour the ancestors.

Bless the home.

Start a garden and will it with organic and in season fruits and vegetables.

Charge herbal oils by moonlight or candlelight to heal, bless the home or to clean and protect the woodwork she polishes with it.

Scatter charm bags, witches ladders, chimes, and bells around the home.

Grow an indoor jungle

Learn herbal remedies to treat MINOR injuries

If you work with meat make sure to thank and honour the animal it came from.

Sing or play music to raise good vibrations

Bake and cut cookies in shapes to match your intentions

Provide someone in need with a free meal

Volunteer at a local soup kitchen to bring magick into it

What their altar may display:

Candles

Tools used for sacred use

Four elements

Statues of the honoured deities

A doll weaved of corn

A kitchen witch’s altar is often displayed in the corner of the kitchen and is not permanent

Food made by the witch left as an offering

Some beliefs followed:

Magick is not used to inflict pain on others or block anyone’s free will

Believe in living simple lives

Believe in using organic items, products that aren’t animal tested, recycling, and composting.

Creativity is a form of devotion

Keep peace in the household

May the home always contain good food, good talk, and good company

Welcome guests into the home with open arms

Cottage and Kitchen witch superstitions/wives tales:

Stir clockwise to bring good luck

Never stir with a knife as it is considered bad luck

Place a piece of amethyst near the stove top to make the food cooked there tastes better

If an apple bursts in the oven while baking it means good luck is on its way for the cook

Eggs that are cracked while they boil is a sign that visitors are on their way

Dropping silverware means that company is coming

Spilling water on the table cloth means that rain is on its way

Seeing a spider in the house is good luck, killing it is bad luck

Wild animal tracks in the snow encircling your house is a sign of good luck and protection

When your cupboard doors are left opens it means that people are gossiping about you

If a broom drops across the doorway it means that you will soon head off on a journey

If you spill salt throw it over your left shoulder to undo any bad luck

To keep evil spirits away chop an onion in half and place it on the window sill

Chosen tools:

Wooden spoons

Knife

Bowls

Cooking pot or cauldron

A ritual knife used to only cut spiritual ties

A Fire place

Broom

Mortar and pestle

Kettle

Jars and bottles

Sewing kit

Cook books

Spells are cast to bring:

Healing

Prosperity

Protection

Abundance

Happiness

Fertility

Harmony

Peace

Deities worked with:

Hestia

Frigga

Brighid

Demeter

May your house stay warm and full of magick!

==Moonlight Academy==