Forum How-To 💬 Guides for Using the Forum!

There have been some amazing guides written here in the forum! You might have seen a few of them, those that you needed to read for yourself. You might have missed a few as sometimes happens in a forum where posts can move quickly. Or maybe you’re new to the forum and just want to look through all the guides! Those are all perfectly good reasons to be here reading this post right now.

The purpose of this post is to gather all of the helpful guides the mod team has created in one easy-to-reference space. I am also creating little descriptions for each section just in case you have any questions about those, too!

This post is split into two different sections, Forum Categories and Forum Guides. Scroll down to see them all!

Forum Categories

:warning: Please Note:

→ All categories are publicly available and viewable by anyone online except A Sacred Space and Energy Exchange!

Introductions (Introductions)
If you’re new, this is where you’ll post your introductions – only if you want, of course! Many members also greet new members here. We’ve got an awesome group of people here that are very welcoming!

Site Feedback and Announcements (Site Feedback & Announcements)
This is where you are right now! This category is for questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions about the forum and Spells8 in general. This is also the place where forum staff, us moderators and admins, will post forum announcements!

General Discussion (General Discussion)
Use this section for any general discussion that doesn’t fit into a different category. This can be random happenings in your day, fun things you want to share, or questions you have that aren’t related to your Craft. Just be sure you follow the guidelines!

Witchy Wisdom (Witchy Wisdom)
Did you learn something new and you want to talk about it? Do you want to share something you’re knowledgeable about? This is the perfect place to do that! You can research topics you’d like, share about them with other members, post pictures, ideas, videos, etc.

Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Got a burning question? Or just want to know the best substitute for that random, extremely expensive and obscure spell ingredient? This is the category for you!

Recipes (Recipes)
In this category, you can share, recommend, and discuss recipes. And what kind of recipes? Well, any of them! Spells, potions, cooking, baking, etc. You can also get help with your own recipes, too!

Activities (Activities)
If you’ve got the welcome message that I send to all new members, you’ll know we have so many activities that happen in the forum! Most of those will take place here!

Recommendations (Recommendations)
Do you have a service/product/book/shop to recommend? Shopping for something? Can’t decide which one to buy? Need advice? Ask away! We also have a post in this category dedicated to the shops of our members because buying local and shopping small is important!

Energy Exchange (Energy Exchange) (private category for logged-in users only)
Use this category to make requests or offer distance healing, prayers and to send positive energy to others who may need it. Share words of encouragement, empathy, support and happy thoughts with those who are going through a difficult time.

Sacred Space (A Sacred Space) (private category for logged-in users only)
This category is for logged-in and active members only. In this space, we can share more personal writings, conversations, or anything you don’t want publicly available. While it is a place you can share more personal information and subjects, please always remember to keep safety in mind.


Forum Guides

There are a lot of cool things we can do here in the forum such as including pictures, linking to outside websites, and bookmarking posts! We’ve put together this handy list of guides to help YOU make the most of your time here with the Infinite Roots Coven :infinite_roots:

Table of Contents (with links!)


Adding pictures to Posts

Sometimes you might want to spice up your post with pictures, share your fancy new tools, or show us all the wonderful spells you’ve done! Well, you need to know how to add pictures! We have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: How to Add Pictures to Posts :camera_flash: All the ways!

Replying to Multiple People in One Post

Sometimes you’ll want to reply to many people all at the same time. Rather than leaving a million separate comments, did you know you can reply to a lot of people all in one comment? We have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: Replying to Many People

Creating a New Discussion

Ready to hop in and start talking with your coven mates? You’ll need to know how to create a new discussion! We have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: Using the Forum: How to Make a New Discussion

Giving Credit With a Source

It happens to us all. We run across an amazing thing that we just have to share! That’s great, and we are so excited that you think about us here in the coven! It’s very important that when you share things from outside sources, you give the artists, authors, and other creators credit where credit is due. It’s the right thing to do and we have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: Content Ownership: How to Source/Give Credit

Bookmark your Favorites

Just like a web browser, Spells8 has the capacity to create bookmarks and set reminders. If you want to reply to a post but don’t have the time, set a bookmark and get a reminder! We have two guides for that :wink:

→ Guide: Bookmarks and Post Reminders in the Spells8 Forum
→ Guide: Step-by-Step Bookmarks on a Mobile Device in the Spells8 Forum
→ Video Guide: How to Bookmark Lessons on Spells8.com

Using a WikiPost and Making Edits

We use Wiki posts here on the forum in a few places. A Wiki post is one that is editable by all members of the coven. This is mostly used for the book club where we can all include the books we are reading without having to create a comment of our own. It’s a good thing to know and we have two guides for that :wink:

→ Guide: Wiki Post Example One
→ Guide: Wiki Post Example Two

This guide is quick and easy, and it doesn’t even require you to go to another post! Knowing how to add links is a fun way to share more info here and, of course, we have a guide for that :wink:

  1. While typing up your post, click on the hyperlink symbol (:link:) in the toolbox bar above.
  2. Paste the URL to the website of the content you are sharing
  3. In the second box, type the name of the site or source you are linking to.
  4. Click “OK”!

Get Acquainted with Discobot!

Discobot is our fun little bot here on the forum that can help you with any questions you have about using the forum. There’s a beginner tutorial that comes with a neat little certificate for completing it! We have a guide for working with Discobot as a beginner :wink:

→ Guide: Start the Interactive Forum Tutorial with Discobot

There’s also a more advanced tutorial that comes with Discobot. Here, he shows you how to do more complicated things on the forum like editing posts and deleting your own comments. Completing that tutorial also gives you a fancy certificate, and we have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: Start the Interactive Forum Tutorial with Discobot

Using the Search Function

Over the course of time, our posts here with Infinite Roots and Spells8 have grown so much! We have talked about everything from altars, hexes, protections, and spell jars. Did you know we have a search function? It’s a very handy tool for you to know about, especially if you want to ask a question. Maybe your question has been asked before! Don’t worry, we have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: How to Use the Search Function :mag:

Changing your Username

Chances are if you joined without messing with your username, it’s some random amalgamation of your first name and a number. You can change your username on your own within the first 14 days of joining. After that, you have to ask one of the moderators. Changing your name on your own is super easy and we have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: How to Change Your Username on Spells8

Changing your Account Name (not your username)

Internet privacy is important and sometimes we don’t want our full name displayed on our forum profile. That’s okay! In order to accommodate that, you can change your name on the Spells8 website. And don’t worry, we have a guide for that :wink:

→ Guide: How to Change Your Account Name on Spells8

Make your Profile Private

In the name of internet privacy, Spells8 has the option to make your profile private. This will hide everything on your profile except your username and name. You can do this at any time for any reason! And of course, we have a tutorial for that!

→ Guide: How To Make Your Profile Private - Tutorial

Choosing a Solution to a Q&A Post

In our Q&A category, you can ask all kinds of questions about your practice, the Gods, or the world. If you want to get really deep, you might ask about the meaning of the universe, though I don’t think choosing a solution to that question would be possible! But did you know that you can select someone’s comment as a solution to your question? This lets others know that you’ve chosen what you think is the best answer to your question. It is entirely optional, but still good to know! And yup, we’ve got a guide for that, too :wink:

→ Guide: Choosing a Solution - Forum Guide!

Using the Tag System

The forum has a new(ish) feature that allows us to use tags! You can see tags next to the title of some posts. These work just like tags on any other social media platform. Want to see altars? Use the altars tag! And don’t worry, we have a guide for using tags, too :wink:

→ Guide: :new: Forum Feature: Announcing the Tagging System!

Changing Your Profile and Profile Picture

The forum has a wonderful feature that allows us all to display a section about us, our general location, and even a website we may own. We even have the option to add in our profile pictures so we can see each other’s beautiful faces (if you want, of course). Don’t worry, we have a guide for this now! :wink:

→ Guide:Updating your Profile and Picture [Tutorial]

Adding a Moderator to a Private Message

While we hope it never happens, sometimes it may be necessary to add a moderator to a private conversation that you are having with someone else. This can be for a variety of reasons – someone is breaking the rules, you are being harassed, or you need help handling a sensitive situation. Luckily there is a very easy way to add a moderator to your message! We have a guide for this! :wink:

→ Guide: Adding Mods to a Private Message

Turning Off your Messages and Muting Messages

In other cases, you may not want to be contacted by other members of the forum privately. This is okay! That is well within your rights to set that boundary. In order to help you maintain that boundary, we have a setting here on the forum that will not let others send you messages. We have a guide for that, too! :wink:

→ Guide: Turning off Messages and Muting Messages

Write Your Own Custom Status and Set Your Custom Emoji

Did you know you can write a little status message and choose an emoji that matches your mood? They will appear next to your username and chosen title anywhere you post in the forum!

→ Guide: How to Write Your Own Custom Status and Set Your Custom Emoji

Using the Forum Safety Features to Share Sensitive Content

Do you want to share something close to your heart, but are worried that it might be sensitive or potentially triggering for others? To help keep the forum safe and comfortable for everyone, here is a guide about forum safety features to use when posting sensitive content (as well as information about what isn’t okay to share in this space).

→ Guide: Forum Safety Features: Talking about Trauma

Trigger Warnings: How to Use Them, When to Use Them, & Muting Tags

Here at Spells8, we want everyone to be comfortable and safe to share their lives and practices. In order to do so, the moderator team has created a new tag for trigger warnings. We have also created a short guide on how and when to use these warnings for the safety of all our coven members. This guide also shows you how to mute certain tags that may be triggering to you!

→ Guide: Trigger Warning Tag & How to Use a Trigger Warning

Content Safety - When and How to Mention Mature Content in the Forum

The Spells8 Forum is primarily a place to discuss magick and share resources for magickal education. In order to provide these resources and share encouragement with as many people as possible, members here may be as young as 13 years old (the minimum age required to create an account). With minors in our community, we must be mindful and respectful about the type of content we are posting.

There may come a time when certain topics of a more mature (but non-explicit) nature are relative to a discussion and are necessary for context. In response to those situations, there are guidelines in place around sharing mature content within the forum.

→ Guide: Content Safety - Talking About Mature Topics in the Forum

How to Flag Posts

See something that shouldn’t be shared in the forum or in a private message? Flags are the fastest and most efficient way to bring posts that violate the Forum Guidelines to the Mod Team for review.

Learn more about when to use them and how to set flags.

→ :triangular_flag_on_post: All About Flags! How to Use the Flagging Feature in the Forum


Whew, I know that was a lot, and thank you for reading it all! I mean, if you read it all you get a delicious cookie :cookie: and my appreciation.

Is there a guide you think would be helpful? Let us know here and we’ll get started on that one, too!

27 Likes

WOW. That’s a lot of work you did, thank you so much! I don’t think you missed anything right off. You did a great job!

10 Likes

Thank you for posting this! Great job with all the work put into this post! :two_hearts:

10 Likes

Thank you @MeganB its like your reading my mind :smiling_face:
with some off the questions i was unsure off!! :white_heart: :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

10 Likes

@Amethyst – It was a bit of work but totally worth it!

@Susurrus – Of course, and thank you!

@Isis_2222 – I’m glad it was helpful! If you find yourself needing another guide or walkthrough, just let us know :blush:

11 Likes

This is amazing, @MeganB- what a great resource! :partying_face: You put a lot of time and effort into crafting the guides and I know they will be super helpful for members both current and future. Thanks so much for all of your amazing work! :sparkling_heart: :blush:

11 Likes

We’ve had an uptick in new members so I just thought I’d bump this for everyone to see :blush:

10 Likes

Amazing! I do have a question if you could tell me if it is within this Forum How-To- Guides for using the form:

Sometimes I forget if I had already posted a reply back to someone. Is there any way I can tell so I am not replying back to the same person more than once. Thank you, Megan. Blessed Be

10 Likes

I just saw this question, so I hope you don’t mind if I jump in here too! :blush:

I know it can be tricky to keep track of responses, especially in very long discussions like the challenges! To the best of my knowledge, the fastest way to check to see if you have already replied to someone is to use the Search Tool (the little magnifying glass :mag: on the top right of your screen) when you are in a discussion.

If you type in your username and then click “:mag_right: in this topic”, you will get a list of all your posts and mentions within that discussion- you can quickly see who you already replied to, and anytime anyone mentioned you by name (aka who you might still need to reply to).

To keep things easy to find, you can always reply to multiple people within the same post- it will help you if you ever need to go back and see past conversations! There is a special guide called Replying to Multiple People with instructions about how to do this :grinning: :+1:

I hope that can help you!

Much love and many blessings :sparkles:

10 Likes

Thank you so much! Just when I thought things could not get any worse…they did. So, I am trying to keep up to date with everything and everyone, taking short cuts when available. Next, I need to get a printer. I like to have hard copies so I can pin them to a board, or in a file.
Thank you again, Blessed Be.
Medea

10 Likes

You’re very welcome, @Medea! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: It sounds like, despite the challenges you are currently facing, you are making the most of situation and finding creative ways to keep moving forward. Good for you- I hope things continue onwards and upwards in positive ways for you :pray::two_hearts:

Blessed be! :sparkles:

10 Likes

HI! I know we have users that are new or more active than others or even just curious, so I am just bumping this post for anyone that may have questions about using the functions in the forum! :smiling_face:

10 Likes

Bumping! :revolving_hearts:

We have a lot of new faces around the forum – how exciting! :clap: :tada: For anyone that’s struggling to learn the ropes or needs a tutorial, this is the post for you.

Let us know if you have any questions!

10 Likes

I’m so glad that I came across this, I have been wondering about a couple of those :heart: :unicorn: :relieved: :sparkles:

10 Likes

I’m glad I bumped it just in time! :heart:

10 Likes

But I still can’t figure out how to create a hyperlink to a spell :woman_facepalming:t2:

10 Likes

That’s it, I give up

9 Likes

To create a hyperlink, you need the URL.

For example, I can put the URL for your reply here.

https://forum.spells8.com/t/forum-how-to-guides-for-using-the-forum/19894/23?u=meganb

and then the forum will turn it into a link like this.

→ Forum How-To 💬 Guides for Using the Forum! - #23 by Nixi

Or I can use the forum coding thing (words are escaping me right now) to make it look the way you want.

[Here is my link](https://forum.spells8.com/t/forum-how-to-guides-for-using-the-forum/19894/23?u=meganb)

and that turns into this!

→ [Here is my link](https://forum.spells8.com/t/forum-how-to-guides-for-usin

9 Likes