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Secret witch: Are you in the broom closet?

April 10, 2019Spells

I loved so much this article by Donyae Coles in the Spriral Nature Magazine as explain many of us experience. As the writer, I am open about my practice, but I don’t go to the streets with a sign saying “I am a witch”. If you ask me, I wont deny, just that. But this isn’t the case for everyone. For a variety of reasons, may people are “stuck in the broom closet” and have to keep their practice secret. This need for secrecy can be very hard to practice under, not only emotionally but also from a practical standpoint.

There are many valid reasons not to share your practice and they should be respected, it is not for us to judge anyone else’s journey. We do not live their lives, we do not follow their paths.

Here are some tips to help people practice in secret.

1. Getting an education as a secret witch

Many new practitioners who aren’t sure where to start (but must stay secret) often are at a loss as to how to learn more about the work without exposing themselves. One of the simplest things to do is to read, but keeping an occult library would probably blow your cover.

The good news is that there are tonnes of resources available online. Not just blogs and websites (like the one you’re reading now!), but also a huge selection of books! Another option is to purchase ebooks for things that you are interested in learning about. Many of the larger publishers in the metaphysical realm offer their titles in ebook form that can easily be purchased from sites like Amazon of Google Books.

Finally, don’t discount online groups and forums. These places usually have files that they share and people are always willing to help those who are looking for information. Not all groups are meant for everyone though, so try a bunch and see what fits!

2. Altar spaces and sacred spaces

One of the biggest issues for people who are practicing in secret is the altar. Regardless of which practices you follow, many of them call for the use of an altar and even if ultimately the practitioner moves away from such practices, many people just starting out wish to have one.

Simple altars generally include representations of the four elements, icons or representations of deities or our ancestors and at least a small space for offerings. These are just some basic staples. Representations can be pictures or even small jars filled with the elements along with candles or incense. Read my post: Altar Set-Up for Beginners and Witches on a Budget to have more ideas :D!

There are many options for building one for more discreet practice. One basic suggestion is to place the altar in a closet, if you at least have your own room, that way it will not be on display. Another option for a larger altar is to build it inside of a box or suitcase that can be hidden under the bed when not in use. This solution works very well for those who at least have their own bedroom to function in.

For people who do not have their own room, it is still possible to have an altar! Small altars made from small boxes, even mint tins, are very popular. By using smaller vials or relying on just pictures and drawings, you can make a simple, functional altar.

A final solution for those who absolutely cannot have a physical altar is to create a virtual one. Either by using elements you found on the web to create a photo collage, or setting up a temporary altar and snapping a photo. This isn’t the greatest option as altars should ideally be “living” spaces where you move, add, and change things as part of your practice, but for people in a tight spot, it is a solid choice

3. Making offerings in secret

If you do have to rely on a digital altar space or one that cannot be out in the open, making offerings can be a bit tricky. After all, you can’t just set a plate in front of your nana’s photo and call it a day! But don’t worry, there are many other ways to send your offerings.

The first is simple, although food and drink are some of the most basic offerings we make, you can also offer your prayers, the lighting of a candle or your own meditation as a form of vernation. This option works for honouring both gods and ancestors. They will understand your constraints as long as you are diligent in your work and honest with what you can give.

Another solution is to make your offerings at a place that is associated with them. For ancestors, a trip to their graves (if possible) is something that would not raise suspicion in most communities. Taking flowers once a week to a cemetery is a very commonplace activity and people wouldn’t bat an eye.

If you’re dealing with deities or other natural spirits, then you can simply go to places that are associated with them. This means, for example, that if you want to make an offering to Oshun (a very popular Orisha), you could go to a river and leave her offering for her. Or, if you were hoping to commune with Dionysus, hit up a wine bar. The key is to find the things which is associated with them, where their energy would gather and go there.

Get to know who you are worshipping and get creative! There are a million and one places where a deity’s energy might be felt outside of the obvious ones, like parks and streams. Think about what your chosen deity likes and go where you can find that thing!

In some locations, it is much easier to leave offerings than others. Obviously in a park or by a river, for example, it would be very easy to leave something (just make sure that whatever you are leaving will not harm the environment!), but in a shop or public place, it might be a bit harder to do so discreetly. In public places, you may only be able to offer a prayer or devotion to your deity but that is better than nothing at all. Take advantage of this post regarding celebrations: Hold an Imbolc Candle Ritual for Solitaries, Yule Rituals [that Anyone can Perform] & What do Wiccans believe? A beginner’s guide to Wicca.

4. Doing the work as a secret witch

Other hurdle for people who must keep their practice secret is actually doing the work of the craft. For people who practice forms of chaos magick or just general worship, they may not need to engage in any actual rituals or spells. For other paths, actually completing rituals and casting are important parts of their practice and many people who must do so in secret feel as if they aren’t really following their paths because they cannot do so.

Although very blatant things like sigils scrawled on your walls, talismans around your neck, and iron cauldrons boiling over the fire may tip people off to what you’re doing, it is very possible to do work in secret. The first step is throwing out any preconceived notions of what the craft looks like. Forget about dancing naked in the moonlight, wearing pentagram everything, or swapping out your deodorant for a permeant aura of Nag Champa incense. None of those stereotypical things are needed to practice and you are more than welcome to do them later when you can be more open. For now, let’s concentrate on what you can do.

5. Low key divination

Finally, there’s the act of divination (check my store for ideas). Many people who embrace this lifestyle practice some form of divination as a way to help guide them, commune with the higher and lower planes, practice meditation, or even see how spell work will go for them. The problem with most divination is that you need tools and these leave the secret witch open for discovery.

The easiest-to-hide form of divinatory tools is perhaps the pendulum. The types you can purchase from shops made from crystals, stones, and fine metals are lovely but you don’t need these to practice this art. You can make a pendulum from just about anything and a piece of string. A ring, a key, a nail, tied to a string and there you go! It’s also very easy to make a pendulum board or mat. Check this: Pendulum Witchcraft: How to Make and Use a Pendulum

Scyring can also be done with limited tools, however, it does take some alone time so this is only an option for people who are able to be alone and meditate comfortably. It can be done outside or even by staring at a screen, but if anyone will wonder why you’re staring at a screen for so long, it may not be the best option.

Tarot cards are the most popular option for divination but keeping a deck can be hard for people living in secret. There are online tarot decks available that can be used through apps, such as the Golden Thread Tarot7 (which is free), but this may not give people the full feeling. Learning about cartomancy, reading with standard playing cards — you can learn the techniques from Fortune-Telling by Cards by P.R.S. Foli,8 a book available online for free. Suggested to read: Introduction to Tarot Reading: Suits and Cards

Standing in your power, even in secret

As I mentioned earlier, secret witches and people trapped in the broom closet get a lot of guff from those who have the privilege to be open about their practices. It’s hard when you feel like you can’t really be who you are and do the things that would fulfil you as a person.

These tips and tricks are meant to help you find ways to practice while keeping your mental and physical health safe from bullying and harm. Not everyone understands this lifestyle and some still outright fear it due to ignorance, however, don’t let that stop you from exploring, even if you have to do so in secret.

Witchy Definition: Chakra

April 4, 2019Spells

As started yesterday with the article Witchy Definition: Energy, today a new word: Chakra, ‘wheel or circle’. Each of the centers of spiritual power in the human body, usually considered to be seven. This word was borrowed from Hinduism after the westward movement of yoga. Followers of this tradition believe there are seven wheels (or “chakras”) of energy spinning within the body, and that each wheel relates to different physical, emotional, and spiritual issues. When they aren’t functioning properly (or “aligned”), things get out of whack in number.

Chakras are the circular vortexes of energy that are placed in seven different points on the spinal column. All the seven chakras are connected to the various organs and glands within the body. These chakras are responsible for disturbing the life energy, which is also known as Qi or Praana.

In a future post I will explain the 7 chakras and how to maintain them aligned.

Witchy Definition: Energy

April 2, 2019Spells

To make it simple, I will be doing research of few words we usually use. At this moment, let define the word Energy.

You may also think in energy like vibration, vibes or aura. Most likely to hear this used in reference to how someone or something else makes you feel (this happens all the time to me). For example, maybe a place has “good” or “bad” energy. Basically, “energy” is an essential quality you can’t quite put your finger on, but you intuitively know exists.

Energy can also refer to your physical vitality. Spirituality is a great way to practice self-care, especially if you’re feeling drained. Many people use mystical tools like tarot cards or crystals to help them focus their physical energy during meditation. Is like the wind and it always changes direction.

But because it always change and your energy can be influenced by externals, you must keep it clean. Read my other post: How to clean yourself, gems, crystals, objects and more. this will help you to understand how to keep all your circle clean and pure.

What It Means to Be a Witch

March 30, 2019Spells

Many people has make me this question: How to be a witch? But, really…. do you know what means to be one?

Sure, we’ve heard of Wicca, but not every witch we’ve know identifies as Wiccan . This article by Veva Papisola in TeenVouge explains why the majority of witches we know today aren’t Wiccan at all.

Depending on your religious background, there may be a little or a lot of information about your beliefs floating around in the world. When you’re a witch, there is a lot of information, but a lot if it isn’t necessarily accurate. Most of us have some idea of what a fictional witch might be, and that idea likely comes from stories we heard when we were kids and various depictions in pop culture.

Melissa Madaras, a witch and the owner of Brooklyn’s metaphysical shop and space Catland, to help us learn more. One of the first things she told Teen Vogue was that she can’t speak for all witches, because every witch is a witch for their own reason, and every witch practices in their own way. That’s why this video, created by bicephaly pictures for Teen Vogue, explains just that.

How to clean yourself, gems, crystals, objects and more.

March 28, 2019Spells

Clean everything and regularly. We in general, give off negative or positive energy when we’re in good or bad moods. Traumatic events leave energetic ‘stains’ which give off poor energy. Gas mains, water pipes, running water under your house, electricity pylons – all give off negative energy. You don’t want anyone energy in your live. Protect your and nurture it.

Water, Salt and incense will be your best friends here. But there’s more.

What to clean? Gems, crystals, pendulums, jewelry and other objects
Tools: The Sun and Moon or Earth

Place your gems, crystals, pendulums, jewelry, all types of objects, in a place where they will be fully exposed to the energizing rays of the sun and moon. Even if the day is cloudy or you cannot see the moon, their rays will energize the stones as long as they are directly exposed to these elements of nature. They will normally be cleansed within 24 hours of exposure.

However, stones such as black tourmaline which are being used to deflect negative energies or help release negative energies in your physical and energetic bodies, may require up to 48 hours to become fully cleansed and regenerated. Stones such as aquamarine and amethyst will fade in the sun so you will have to use another method for cleansing and regenerating these gemstones.

You can also place your gems, crystals, jewelry, whatever, in the earth, either directly into the earth or you can place the gems and crystals into a cloth covering, preferably a natural fabric such as cotton or wool or silk. Leave the gem or crystal buried for at least 24 hours to ensure that they become fully re-energized. If possible, find a spot where the soil is not being spread with chemicals through fertilizers or pesticides. This cleanses all negative energies and re-energizes the stones.

What to clean? Yourself
Tools: Bath salts, Candle, bowl or base

First, take a bath to prepare yourself physically for the spiritual cleansing using bath salts you can use also essential oils like lavender, rose petals, chamomile, cinnamon. Be creative and with purpose!

Second, write down the aspects of your life that you wish to cleanse. Focus on items that contribute to negativity and keep you stuck. Include everything that needs to be released to clear your spirit. Then as third step, meditate on the list of negatives you just created. Envision the negativity in your life dissolving, turning to dust and blowing away on the wind and repeat a mantra such as, “I release all that is negative in my life. I release its power over me. I reclaim the power of my spirit.”

Forth, burn the list while repeating: “I am purified by the flame. My spirit is cleansed and freed”. As you do this, imagine everything negative rising up from your spirit and vaporizing.

Also I invite you to visit my article “9 Ways to Cleanse Negativity” and the “Wicca Basics and the 3 C’s: Cleansing, Consecrating and Charging“.

What do Wiccans believe? A beginner’s guide to Wicca

March 26, 2019Spells

Do you want to learn more about Wicca? You have come to the right place. This is a very deep and interesting subject, with lots of information available online. Unfortunately, not always this information is really accurate.

In this article Claire Lampen from The Daily Dot gives us a basic but very nice description about Wicca religion (perfect for beginners). Not everything is here of course, but it will give you a better understanding about our beloved religion (from a perspective of a non-wiccan reporter).

For the past few years, we’ve been enjoying an extended season of the witch, magical proclivities having gained quite a bit of pop culture traction. While the sudden flood of amateur interest may frustrate legitimate, long-practicing witches, it doesn’t show any signs of stopping anytime soon. Which means demand for primers on the basics, like Wiccans—what do they believe? Are all Wiccans witches and vice versa? Might I be a Wiccan and not even know it? What even is Wicca, anyway?

Well. Wicca, a pagan belief system centered on the worship of the natural and, often, of a God and a Goddess, emphasizes a strong connection with the earth and derives magic from it. Because magic is central to Wicca, according to Witchcraft.org, every Wiccan is a witch but not every witch is a Wiccan.

Although Wicca is a decentralized religion often led by solitary practitioners, there are a few central tenets that dictate the Wiccan belief system, at least in the United States. At a 1973 conference of more than 70 Wiccans from different Wiccan subsets, the temporarily convened Council of American Witches hammered down 13 core principles that many U.S. Wiccans still recognize decades later.

A beginner’s guide to Wicca and Wiccan beliefs

What do Wiccans believe?

Wicca is hardly a staunch or strict belief system— and that’s a huge part of what gives Wiccan beliefs mass appeal to people of diverse religious backgrounds. It’s not uncommon for individual practitioners or covens to write their own interpretations of the Wiccan code of conduct. However, as in any religion, there are a few key rules and principles that most all Wiccans stick to, whether they practice alone or in a coven. There are two key rules that are typically the most important:

1) Wiccan Rede

Originally part of a 26-line poem, the Wiccan Rede outlines the key moral system in Wicca. It reads “An it harm none, do what ye will.” It has also been written as “That it harm none, do as thou wilt.” In most interpretations, it’s similar to the “golden rule”—treat others as you’d like to be treated.

2) Rule of Three

The Wiccan three-fold law isn’t just a tenet of Wiccan beliefs. The idea is that whatever energy you put out into the world, spiritual or otherwise, it will come back to you three times. This is also often referred to as karma.

The 13 principles of Wicca

According to Pagan Path, the 13 principles of Wicca are these:

We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters. Usually in the form of Sabbat and Esbat celebrations.
We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called “supernatural”, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity as masculine and feminine and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
We recognize both outer worlds and inner or psychological worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.-and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
We see religion, magick, and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it—a worldview and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft-the Wiccan Way.
Calling oneself “Witch” does not make a Witch—but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.
Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be “the only way” and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as “Satan” or “the Devil”, as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

Variations in belief

According to ReligiousTolerance.org, there are still variations in Wiccan beliefs depending on the individual practicing. Some worship only one deity, often the Goddess alone, some worship a full spectrum of pagan gods, some see the universe itself as a god, some question the existence of a deity, and some flat-out don’t buy into any kind of God at all.

One common misconception is that Wiccans worship the devil, when in fact they have no equivalent to Catholicism’s hell-bound overlord. Unifying Wiccan beliefs include gender equality, the power of human sexuality, respect for nature, and certain latitude in personal autonomy—so long as doing what you want doesn’t harm anyone else. Practicing Wiccans also believe in the law of karma, which is to say, whatever good or bad thing a person does will come back to them thrice as strong.

What is witchcraft?

Witchcraft, distinctly different from Wicca, is “the magical manipulation of energy to bring about change,” in the words of my new favorite website, Witchipedia. Witches might derive that power from nature—think crystals, herbs, plants, feathers—or from themselves, but regardless, they practice magic by casting spells and performing rituals.

Are there Wiccan holidays?

Many Wiccans refer to the Wheel of the Year, which represents an annual cycle of seasonal festivals observed by Pagans. Solstices and equinoxes mark the significant holidays throughout the year, which Wiccans also refer to as sabbats.

Yule

The winter solstice marks Yule every year, but the exact date varies. Depending on the Gregorian calendar, Yule could fall between Dec. 20 and Dec. 23. According to Wicca.com, the Yule tradition celebrates the rebirth of the sun by lighting a Yule log, which is meant to burn throughout the first night of solstice and smolder for 12 days. Many of the Pagan traditions of Yule are identified with Christmas today, like hanging mistletoe, poinsettias, evergreen boughs and holly decorations, and decorating a Christmas tree.

Samhain

Probably the biggest and most important Wiccan holiday, Samhain is celebrated on Oct. 31 and is also known as All Hallow’s Eve, Hallows, or the Feast of the Dead, according to Wicca.com.

It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands.

Some of the most recognizable traditions of Samhain include leaving food offerings and altars for the wandering dead, dressing in costume, playing tricks or pranking one another, and celebrating with a large bonfire.

There you have it. Happy hexing.

Original Source (Article and Images): The Daily Dot

9 Things You Should Know About Wicca and Modern Witchcraft

February 21, 2019Spells

Are you interested in Wicca and Modern Witchcraft? The following article by Joe Carter shows some interesting facts about the modern wiccan / witchcraft movement and its history. Source: thegospelcoalition.org

A growing number of young women—driven by feminist politics and the #MeToo movement—are being drawn to a new brand of witchcraft, according to a report by NBC News. Here are nine things you should know about Wicca and modern witchcraft.

1. Witchcraft refers to the worldview, religion, and practices associated with using rituals that are believed to harness and focus cosmic or psychic energies to bring about some desired change. Modern witchcraft is the largest and most common subset of neo-paganism, a diverse group of religious movements that claim to be derived from historical pagan religions.

2. Within the witchcraft revival movement, the largest subset is Wicca. The 2008 American Religious Identification Survey estimated that in the United States there were about 600,000 neo-pagans, with about half identifying as Wiccan. Some estimates conclude that in 2017 there were more than 3 million practicing Wiccans.

3. In modern usage, the term “witch” is considered gender-neutral and can apply to either men or women. The term “warlock” is often considered a derogatory term as the original usage of the term meant “oath-breaker.” A group of witches who meet together regularly are known as a “coven.” Some witches believe a coven must have 13 or fewer members, though not less than three.

4. Wicca was created in the 1940s by Gerald Brosseau Gardner (1884-1964), a retired British civil servant an ordained minister in the Christian sect known as the Ancient British Church. Gardner is considered the “father of modern witchcraft,” though his neo-pagan beliefs had almost not connection to older forms of witchcraft. His brand of wiccanism (sometimes referred to as Gardnerian Wicca or Gardnerian witchcraft) was taken from more modern influences, such as Freemasonry, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the English occultist Aleister Crowley. Gardner referred to his belief-system as “witchcraft” and a “witch-cult,” and the term “Wicca” didn’t appear until 1962.

5. In the 1960s and 1970, Wicca spread from the U.K. to other English-speaking countries, became associated with the burgeoning feminist and environmental movements, and split into various “traditions.” From Gardnerian Wicca sprang such offshoots as Alexandrian Wicca, Algard Wicca, Georgian Wicca, Druidic Wicca, Seax-Wica, and Eclectic Wicca.

6. The U.S. government first officially recognized Wicca as a religion in 1985. In a court case involving a prisoner (Dettmer v. Landon), the federal government argued that the doctrine of the Church of Wicca was not a religion because it is a “conglomeration” of “various aspects of the occult, such as faith healing, self-hypnosis, tarot card reading, and spell casting, none of which would be considered religious practices standing alone.” The court noted that the government was essentially arguing “that because it finds witchcraft to be illogical and internally inconsistent, witchcraft cannot be a religion.” The appeals court ruled that, “the Church of Wicca occupies a place in the lives of its members parallel to that of more conventional religions. Consequently, its doctrine must be considered a religion.”

7. A commonly shared core belief of Wicca (as well as other forms of modern witchcraft) is the acceptance and practice of magic. The Wiccan view is similar to that of Aleister Crowley, who defined magic as “the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will.” As Wesley Baines says, “Many believe magic to be simply another law of nature, albeit one that is poorly understood and written off as fakery. As such, magic is not supernatural, but just as natural as gravity and wind, and often involve a combination of invocations, movement, music, meditation, and tools.” And as one Wiccan site explains, “Magick [sic] is another word for transformation, creation, and manifestation. Wicca magick is a tool we use to act on the subtle—or energy, or quantum—level of reality. The quantum level is the causal realm. It is the subtle influences at the quantum level that decide which way reality will go.”

8. Aside from a belief in magic, there are few beliefs that all Wiccan traditions share. The belief most commonly associated with Wicca is a variation of the Wiccan Rede (“rede” is from the Middle English, meaning “advice” or “counsel”). Believed to have been formulated by the Wiccan priestess Doreen Valiente in the early 1960s, the Wiccan Rede is stated as, “An’ it harm none, do what ye will.” Variations on the rede include “That it harm none, do as thou wilt” and “Do what you will, so long as it harms none.”

9. In its older forms, Wicca holds a duotheistic belief system that includes a female Mother Goddess and a male Horned God. As Wicca has became more influenced by feminism, though, it has become more oriented toward goddess worship. As Jone Salomonsen concludes, “Witches perceive of themselves as having left the Father’s House (Jewish and Christian religion) and returned ‘home’ to the Self (Goddess religion) with a call to heal western women’s (and men’s) alienation from community and spirituality and to become benders of human and societal developments.” This flexibility in excluding/including deities has, as Michael F. Strmiska says, “allowed people with interest in different deities and religious traditions to customize Wicca to suit their specific interests, thus enhancing the religion’s appeal to a broad and growing membership.”

Witchy Soap Making

February 19, 2019Spells

As witches, many times we like to do our own crafting tools and ingredients. Personally I feel like doing this helps a lot on spell/ritual effectiveness. After all it’s all about transfers of energy. So if I make, say, a candle I use for a spell it already has the right energy and intentions for making the spell work. But making your own tools and ingredients may require some additional training.

In this article, “The Sunflower Witch” shows in detail how to make your own witchy soap. You could use this to learn the basics and do some additional experimentation on your own. You may read more about The Sunflower Witch on her Tumblr blog. Have you tried making your own witchy soap or other witchy things? Would you like to see more “crafty” articles like this? Let us know in the comments below!

Hello Witches! So awhile ago I posted some pictures of my Yule soaps cooling and a bunch of yall wanted to know my methods so here ya go! (This is going to be a longggg post guys and I’m on mobile so no page breaks sorry.)

First thing you will need to do is choose your soap base. I use glycerin because it draws moisture into itself (which is great for locking moisture into your skin. Also it lathers BEAUTIFULLY for shaving) and because lye based soaps are a bit too chemically intense for me.

Glycerin melt and pour soap bases are widely available online (read Amazon😍) and come in a wide variety. You have shea butter glycerin soap, goats milk glycerin soap, honey glycerin soap, and soooo many more. I usually use goats milk glycerin BUT if you want to witch it up you can certainly use your own correspondences.

Next choosing scents. I use essential oils in my soaps (which if you havent read the posts that circulate every now and then you should use SPARINGLY and properly diluted. A teaspoon of rosemary oil in a pound of soup is alright. But be careful for skin reactants and please don’t burn yourself). However when properly diluted, essential oils really add a lovely scent to your soaps that can last on the skin for hoursss.

(Side note: NOW is my favorite brand and I’ve never had any issues with them. I have with other brands though. Be sure to pick a good quality brand that doesn’t contain alcohol or other questionable ingredients.)

When choosing scents, there are a few things to keep in mind (which you can find pretty easily as perfumers basics online). You want three types of oils in your mixings to create a signature scent^tm. A base note, a middle note, and a top note. Base notes generally consist of your woodsy patchoulis, cederwoods, cloves and the like. Mid notes would be more citrusy or a little lighter in nature like your lavenders, oranges and lemongrasses. And for top notes these are usually more floral like jasmine, ylang ylang and lemon verbena.

The purpose of combining scents like this, is because the top notes are what you first smell from the scent, but are also what evaporate most quickly, then the mid notes and so on.

Some of my favorite combos are (for two pound at a time pours)

4 tsp Vanilla Essential oil

1 tsp Orange Essential Oil

¼ tsp Clove Essential oil

1 tsp Patchouli Essential Oil

2 tsp Lavender Essential oil

2 tsp Vanilla Essential oil

(I like vanilla okay?)

1 tsp Orange Essential oil

2 tsp Tangerine Essential oil

1 tsp Bergamot Essential oil

(This one doesn’t have all of the notes, but it smells sooo refreshing)

If the scents arent strong enough, you can always add a little more. When diluted in two pounds of soap a little more wont hurt.

The last element of your soap is mostly for visual purposes, though you can certainly make it witchy, and includes things like coloring, flowers and salts. One of my more recent soaps pictured here

Is orange because of the tumeric I used while mixing the soap (this is the tangerine orange soap). However, mica powders and edible glitters can also be added for an extra punch. The soap above it included crushed lavender flowers (the lavender patchouli soap) and the one above that (men’s shaving soap) sodium sodium bentonite clay.

Alright so now you know what kind of soap base youre using and have picked your scents and inclusions, you are ready to begin!

You will need a double boiler OR a pot large enough for a large metal bowl to melt your soap in.
Your soap (I use about two pounds) cut up in smaller cubes for ease of melting.
A spatula to stir with.
A whisk or fork.
Your essential oils.
Your inclusions.
A mold. (I use the disposable tin bread pans a lot of the time and they work just fine.)
Something to cut your soap. (This can be a knife or a special tool its up to you)

First things first on about medium heat, heat your water to begin melting your soap. DO NOT GET WATER IN YOUR SOAP. A glycerin soap pour can be ruined by water faster than you can say quidditch.

While that’s melting, you’re going to want to prepare your inclusions. Pictured here is blue mica powder and pink Himalayan salt. I like to mix it with a mortar and pestle to be sure everything is completely incorporated.

Now after your soup is evenly melted, you’ll want to add in your powders and whisk it together well in order to avoid lumps. (Think pancake batter. Below is the example with the blue mica powder and Himalayan salt.

After this step, you’ll want to remove your mixture from the heat and allow it to cool off before adding in your essential oils. If the oils are added too quickly, the scents will burn off and you’ll be left with scentless albeit colorful soap.

Once this is done and your soap is wafting tempting notes of citrus or warm spicy cloves in your face, pour the soap into your molds. As you can see from the molds pictured now is the time to add flowers or other (skin and plumbing safe) decorations. If topping your soap with salt i would wait until a thin film starts to form so it stays on top better.

After this step is done, you’ll need to wait for the soaps to completely firm and set. Depending on the thickness of your soap, this could be anywhere from a few hours to overnight. I usually wait overnight so that i can be sure everything is set enough to cut. (Side note as with candles, soap should not be cooled in the refrigerator. Firstly because it can cause uneven cooling and a large hollow hole in the middle and secondly because when the soap comes out and begins to sweat it can ruin your soap batch.)

After you’ve let your soap set, its time to cut it into bath soap size slices; about an inch to an inch and a half is usually a good bet depending on how thick your soap is. Pictured is above mentioned fancy cutting tool, but you can just as easily use a good knife, just watch out for fingers.

And there you have your finished product!! I like to wrap my soaps in seran or plastic wrap to help keep the scents fresh, but wax paper would probably work as well.

I hope you all enjoy your soaps lovelies and if you do make any please tag me so i can see! 🌻