DO ITTTTTT! I absolutely LOVE PICASSO! I would love to see what you come up with Doll!
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@dan3 @anon59397935 thank you, I absolutely love your entries too!
Sorry this is longer than planned but you know me, if somethingās worth doing, then itās worth doing it right!
CHALLENGE ENTRY-Crystals
You never forget your first anything, and that includes crystals. I was about 12 or 13 years old, on a seaside day trip with the church (donāt remember which seaside), and we were taking a leisurely stroll through the shops. Have you ever walked past a window, stopped in your tracks, and practically moonwalked to see what caught your eye? Well, thatās what I did, and there she wasā¦ the shimmering purpleness of an amethyst cluster. It reminded me of the green synthetic Kryptonite that Richard Pryor created for Christopher Reeves in Superman III (3D printing in the 80s we were)ā¦ but it was purple!!! My little mind was blown on so many levels, even though at the time I had no idea what it was or what it was forā¦ all I knew was it called to me, and I had to have it.
What do I love about crystalsā¦ everything. First and foremostā¦ theyāre so pretty!! Literal gems created by Mother Earth herself, sooo many types and all so pretty! I love the way they gleam in the sunlight and illuminate in the moonlight, not to mention putting literal light in them. I love the different patterns and colours of the surface and withinā¦ donāt get me started on within! Have you ever taken a crystal and put it as close to your eye as you can and stared into itās depths? I mean really stared, like the Magic Eye books stare - looking past what you see, to reveal whatās hidden withinā¦ I cannot tell you how many crystals I have literally got lost in lol.
I could obviously go on, but Iāll move on now to the one thing which has worked on my last nerve from day 1ā¦ their purposes. Every crystal is used for X, Y and Z, but it can also be used for A, B, C, D and E. And what about being told that some crystals can be substituted for othersā¦ well, then why would Mother Earth have created a crystal if it can be substituted? As much as I love using my intuition and finding my own way to do things, I do like to have (at least) a generally-agreed consensus as a foundation. In our never-ending quest to put things into boxes, we humans have a tendency to create lots of boxes, then just keep adding boxes. We all have our own beliefs and systems and experiences, which adds to the richness of humanity, but it sucks when youāre trying to group things in a way that makes sense to you.
There are some crystals of course which have generally accepted purposes, for example Amethyst, most everyone uses it for intuition and healing. But there are so many crystals, and so many magick purposes weāve attached to them, and no universal list - it has overwhelmed me more than once, and Iāve just stuck with my intuition. But itās the thing I learned at a very early age - itās not what you know, itās what you can prove that matters, and I finally found a system which kind of makes sense in theory - shapes. Crystals can also be grouped by their internal crystalline structures, which never change. Iāll save you the majority of the boring science stuff - youāre welcome - and just briefly overview what Iāve learned.
There are 6 groups of crystals - picture from Wikipedia, which honestly I wish Iād found decades ago ugh lol.
Cubic - sometimes called Enhancers, they ground and stabilise energy, and assist in cleansing. Their internal crystalline structure is isometric, thought to enhance any aspect of our body, mind and life that we want to see improvement in. Examples include Lapis Lazuli, Pyrite, Fluorite, and Garnet.
Hexagonal - sometimes called Seekers, these crystals provide support while organising and balancing energy. Their internal hexagon structure is often reflected on the outside, and they provide direction and focus to achieve desiresā¦ to successfully find what you seek. Examples include the Quartzes (clear, Amethyst, Citrine), Tourmaline, agates and jaspers.
Monoclinic - sometimes known as Guardians, their focus is on the physical, for purification and theyāre thought to increase perception. The internal structure is of paralellograms, thought to work on all spiritual and physical levels, which makes them perfect to guard the home, possessions and persons. Examples include howlite, Malachite, azurite and jade.
Orthorhombic - sometimes called Releasers, these stones help with the flow of informtation and energy, with a focus on clearing and cleansing. Their diamond structure helps energy flow outwards, which aids in the releasing of energetic imbalances, including physical, psychological and spiritual. Examples include chrysocolla, prehnite, topaz and peridot.
Tetragonal - sometimes known as Magnets, they tend to have an attractive sheen, and aid with attracting something or someone like a magnet. They are often used in combination with hexagonal crystals, to help one seek then attract what they desire. Examples include rutilated quartz, rutile, chalcopyrite and vesuvianite.
Triclinic - sometimes called Warders because of their strength, which comes from the trapezium structure, this group are protective whilst aiding to open up perception to explore additional dimensions, and see through illusions. Whereas monoclinic crystals safegaurd what you value, these crystals have an outward focus, ensuring dissonant energies are not attracted to you. Examples include kyanite, moonstone, labradorite and amazonite.
The other way to group crystals is their outward shape. Now I was not a fan of geometry in school (what do you mean āprove itās a triangleā just look at it you donut), but sacred geometry is something else. Again very briefly, platonic solids are a group of shapes which were indexed (not created) by Plato; in each form, the angles between the faces and the edges are the same size, and the area of each face is the same size. There are 5 shapes, formed from 3 basic shapes - square, triangle and pentagon, and Plato used them to mathematically explain the universe. Iāll list the believed correspondences, feel free to jump into the rabbit hole yourself!
Tetrahedron, or triangular pyramid - Fire element, solar Plexus chakra, colour yellow, and a resonance of cosmic truth, balance and stability.
Hexahedron or cube - earth element, colour red, root chakra, and known for itās grounding properties, it represents solidarity, strength and order.
Octahedron - Air element, colour green and heart chakra, it resonates on a frequency of compassion and nurturing, allowing access to our true nature. Side note: its description is of 2 square-based triangles connected at their bases (exactly like the green icon above an active character in The Sims game lol), but thatās not what the google picture looks like so Iām personally confused by that but hey-ho.
Dodacahedron - element Spirit, colour gold, chakras throat, third eye and crown. It has 12 pentagonal sides and is associated with divine will, and can assist with any blocks to access our creative potential.
Icosahedron - element water, colour blue and the Sacral chakra. It has 20 triangular faces, associated with accessing higher levels of consciousness.
Iāll finish with the Crystal grid meditation I did last night, on a Metatronās Cube (symbol which contains all of the platonic solids and other sacred symbols); center clear quartz tower with chakra crystals, surrounding crystals are Amethyst and Lapis lazuli, intention crystal is labradorite and the perimeter crystal is blue goldstone. I couldnāt take a pic with the light under the plate because I used my phone torch lol, but the crystal quartz tower lit up like a crystal tree and the other crystals sparkled! The process and outcome is between me and my A-Team, but feel free to give it a try!
x Blessed Be x
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@dan3 A fair consideration. But this would be for personal use/fun and not a blatant reproduction for commercial (profitable) use, which is the essence of what copyright laws are there to protect. Youāre fine.
Also, thereās some stuff in US copyright law thatās fairly protective of anotherās creative expression, which constitutes āfair useā if a copyrighted work has been transformed into another expression. (Which is the whole point here.)
Iām not a lawyer, but unless youāre planning on opening an Etsy store, youāre pretty safe. 
Run a googly search to double check.
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Challenge Entry 3
Teachers of Magick
I thought about how much I enjoy being able to help people on the forum, here. It makes sense that I may be considered a teacher, since I feel each of you have been my teachers over the past nearly two years. Thus, I felt responsible to research what it means to be a teacher. Found this, and thought Iād share if anyone is interested.
Code of Ethics for Spiritual Guides
Preamble
People have long sought to enrich their lives and to awaken to their full
natures through spiritual practices including prayer, meditation, mind-body
disciplines, service, ritual, community liturgy, holy-day and seasonal
observances, and rites of passage. āPrimary religious practicesā are
those intended, or especially likely, to bring about exceptional states of
consciousness such as the direct experience of divinity or of cosmic unity.
In any community, there are some who feel called to assist others along
spiritual paths, and who are known as ministers, rabbis, pastors, curanderas,
shamans, priests, or other titles. We call such people āguidesā: those
experienced in some practice, familiar with the terrain, and who act to
facilitate the spiritual practices of others. A guide need not claim exclusive
or definitive knowledge of the terrain.
Spiritual practices, and especially primary religious practices, carry risks.
Therefore, when an individual chooses to practice with the assistance of a
guide, both take on special responsibilities. The Council on Spiritual Practices
proposes the following Code of Ethics for those who serve as spiritual guides.
1.[Intention] Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate
awareness, empathy, and wisdom.
2.[Serving Society] Spiritual practices are to be designed and conducted in ways
that respect the common good, with due regard for public safety, health, and
order. Because the increased awareness gained from spiritual practices can
catalyze desire for personal and social change, guides shall use special care to
help direct the energies of those they serve, as well as their own, in
responsible ways that reflect a loving regard for all life.
3.[Serving Individuals] Spiritual guides shall respect and seek to preserve the
autonomy and dignity of each person. Participation in any primary religious
practice must be voluntary and based on prior disclosure and consent given
individually by each participant while in an ordinary state of consciousness.
Disclosure shall include, at a minimum, discussion of any elements of the
practice that could reasonably be seen as presenting physical or psychological
risks. In particular, participants must be warned that primary religious
experience can be difficult and dramatically transformative.
Guides shall make reasonable preparations to protect each participantās health
and safety during spiritual practices and in the vulnerable periods that may
follow. Limits on the behaviors of participants and facilitators are to be made
clear and agreed upon in advance of any session. Appropriate customs of
confidentiality are to be established and honored.
4.[Competence] Spiritual guides shall assist with only those practices for which
they are qualified by personal experience and by training or education.
5.[Integrity] Spiritual guides shall strive to be aware of how their own belief
systems, values, needs, and limitations affect their work. During primary
religious practices, participants may be especially vulnerable to suggestion,
manipulation, and exploitation; therefore, guides pledge to protect participants
and not to allow anyone to use that vulnerability in ways that harm participants
or others.
6.[Quiet Presence] To help safeguard against the harmful consequences of
personal and organizational ambition, spiritual communities are usually better
allowed to grow through attraction rather than active promotion.
7.[Not for Profit] Spiritual practices are to be conducted in the spirit of
service. Spiritual guides shall strive to accommodate participants without
regard to their ability to pay or make donations.
8.[Tolerance] Spiritual guides shall practice openness and respect towards
people whose beliefs are in apparent contradiction to their own.
9.[Peer Review] Each guide shall seek the counsel of other guides to help ensure
the wholesomeness of his or her practices and shall offer counsel when there is
need.
This draft for public comment was released 17 October 1998. The current version
is available on the Internet at http://www.csp.org.
Copyright Ā© 1995 - 1998 Council on Spiritual Practices
Box 460820 csp@cā¦
San Francisco, CA 94146-0820 http://www.csp.org
USA
Permission is hereby given to reprint this Code, provided that the text is
reproduced complete and verbatim, including the CSP contact information,
copyright, and this notice of limited permission to reprint.
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Hiiiii! Can I be a Water Witch please?! 
xx
https://forum.spells8.com/t/lions-gate-portal-manifestation-bath/63357
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This is just amazing! I didnāt know all of this about Crystals. Thank you for sharing, Sis. My mind is just totally blown right now 
!
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Challenge Entry Three (
Spirits & Ghosts ā Spiritworker)
Iāve always believed in ghosts, I think? To be honest, I canāt remember. I do know that itās a deep-seated belief, and I have had more than my fair share of spirit encounters in my life.
When we first moved to Florida, we lived in an apartment that had the funkiest energy Iāve ever felt. It wasnāt welcoming, but it wasnāt hostile. The best way to describe it was heavy ā the complex turned out to be not great, and over time, I learned that there were always people in and out, crime, etc.
Anyway, the first night we lived in that apartment, we had what I can only describe as a spirit encounter. Thereās almost no other explanation. Our furniture hadnāt arrived yet, so we were sleeping on the floor in the bedroom. Sometime early in the morning, my child woke up and needed something, which then woke up her dad. He looked around and was upset because his pillow was missing, and he thought we had taken it. I assured him that no, we didnāt have his pillow, and I had to turn the light on and make him look around before he believed me that his pillow wasnāt even in the room.
So, mystery number one: where the heck did his pillow go?
Then, as Iām helping my child, I hear the cat meowing. I didnāt think much of it because we were in a new-to-her place. Sheās gonna find her way around, explore, etc. I ignored her for a few minutes, but it became apparent to me that wherever she was, she couldnāt get out. This obviously confused me because we didnāt have any furniture or boxes for her to get stuck in.
So, mystery number two: where the heck is the cat?
At this point, everyone is awake. Itās about 2 or 3 am, and the four of us (my mother was here, too) are going from room to room looking for 1) the missing pillow and 2) the missing cat. We opened every closet in the bedrooms. We checked the bathrooms and the showers. We checked the kitchen cabinets, and we checked the laundry room. Neither the pillow nor the cat to be found, but I could still hear the cat meowing from inside the apartment.
So, the last door I checked was a utility closet. This is where the AC unit and furnace were located. I had opened this closet when we first got there, just looking around and making a note of where everything was. The door to this closet was hard to open in general because of the way the landlord painted the door. It stuck, and it made a lot of noise when it was opened.
Anyway, I grabbed the door handle for the utility closet and tugged it open. What did I see? Well, my partnerās pillow was sitting on top of the furnace/AC unit, and the cat came walking out from behind the furnace/AC unit! When I opened that door earlier in the day, the cat hadnāt been let out of her carrier, so thereās no way should could have snuck in.
See, the reason this is so confounding is because I am an extremely light sleeper, I always have been. My partner used to make a game out of it when we were going to bed. Iād end up in bed first, and heād try to sneak into the room without me noticing. Any disruption in air flow, the way the room sounds, etc. outside of the usual will wake me up. Being in a new place, thereās no way I wouldnāt have heard that door open in the middle of the night without some sort of interference.
So, to this day, we still have no clue how that happened, or who was playing games with us. That was over five years ago! Iām pretty sure it was the spirit of a child, because I had more experiences in that apartment with a smaller, child-like spirit. There was also an older woman with long gray hair that my partner would see sitting in his desk chair in the middle of the night, and we would see shadows passing in front of the kitchen night-light from our room, though everyone would be asleep.
That place was very, very haunted!
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Challenge Entry Four (
Spirit & Aether Magick - ā± Spirit Witch)
Despite being a witch for so long, Iāve never really worked with Spirit or Aether. Itās intangible for me, and that makes it difficult for me ā why? I have no clue. Thatās just the way itās always been for me.
For this challenge, I sat down with my oracle cards and did the Going Beyond the Veil guided meditation here on Spells8. First, I asked what I should keep in mind as I move through the meditation. Then, when the meditation was over, I asked if there was anything I missed. Since this felt like a ādarkerā meditation, I chose my Spirits and Shadows Oracle. To clarify, I mean ādarkerā as in deeper, downward, the spiraling descent into the Underworld, etc.
Overall, the meditation wasnāt entirely what I expected. However, I did come away with at least one answer for myself. Overall, Iād say thatās a win!
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Challenge Five - (
Wisdom of the Witches ā Keeper of Wisdom)
The final challenge I want to do for this catch-up challenge is Wisdom of the Witches. Iāve been a witch for half my life, at this point. I had my moments where I waned for than I waxed, but like the moon, life goes in phases. Besides sharing about my life and practice on the internet (through YouTube and my website), I also share quite a bit here!
I want to take some time to answer the prompts from the original challenge, both for my own reflection as well as for anyone else who reads my answers.
ā What are the most valuable things Iāve learned on my journey so far?
The only thing that comes to mind right now is that life moves in cycles, just like the Wheel, and to try and avoid those cycles is futile. Our paths twist and turn as much as the gnarled branches of the oldest trees. We mimic nature because we are nature, and that includes our tendency to move in cycles.
ā If I could go back and tell myself one thing about magick, what would it be?
Magic will always be there, even when you canāt feel it. Having been through some dark times in my life, there were moments where I felt like my spark had left and I had ālost my magicā. I know now thatās not true, nor do I think itās possible. I canāt say past-me would have believed present-me, but it still would have been nice to hear in the moment.
ā Is there something Iād like every witch out there to know?
Practice your craft for you and you alone. Donāt compare what you do to others, because you will always come away disappointed. There will always be something you donāt know, and there will always be things you want to improve. But as soon as you turn your craft into a competition, it loses all spirit and authenticity ā and, in my opinion, that defeats the purpose of practicing magic in the first place.
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How beautiful and thought-provoking, @Nikki-Phoenix! I am in awe of your knowledge of crystals and all of their magickal properties and history.
Wow! Wonderful challenge. 
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Forgot to mark as one of my challenge entries
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CHALLENGE ENTRY 2 - Lionsgate
The Lionsgate portal is an astrological event where three important celestial events take place. Sirius the star rises in the sky and becomes visible to us. The sun is in the star sign Leo and the numerological significance of 8/8.
Sirius is the brightest star in the sky and has been important to humanity since ancient Egypt. Civilizations as far back as the dogon tribe of Africa, sumer and ancient Egypt tracked Sirius across the sky.
The symbolism of Sirius rising combined with the numerological magic of eight eight amidst the supercharged Leo season brings a sparkling spiritual window of opportunity for all zodiac signs to set intentions, embrace abundance and create new beginnings.
8 is the number of abundance and prosperity.
The sun is the planet of confidence, willpower and expression.
Leo is focused, flamboyant and fiery and embodies the courage pride and regality of the lion.
Sirius is associated with wealth, passion, honor and fame.
Lionsgate is one of the luckiest days of the year for manifesting spiritually. Visualise its high frequency high vibrational energies to instantly manifest what you want. Do a meditation On the 8th of the 8th at 8.08 am and set your timer for 8 minutes. Set up appropriate music. Set your space, Clear your mind and focus on the unlimited potential for success. After your meditation use the sheet attached and write down your 8 biggest goals and how you will achieve these.
Blessed be
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I have loved reading all your creative and wonderful entries!
@Nikki-Phoenix I love your metaphor for tarot vs oracle:
Challenge entry 1 - Card Magick
I have been mainly using oracle cards as I felt that tarot was too rough for me! But as I have been exploring the past few months, I picked up the Light Seerās tarot deck and it suits me perfectly.
The past couple of weeks Iāve been deep diving with this deck and the extended guidebook (audio version). As I meditate with each card and listen to the authorās inspiration for the artwork, I am feeling deeply connected to this deck like no others. I have a ways to go still but itās like a warm cozy blanket to return to this practice every day.
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@anon59397935 you are most welcome sis, and I know that feeling all too well! 
@WrenEve Iām glad it helped you! 
@Feathertip aww thank you, although I am still learning and adapting and recovering the teeny tiny pieces of my blown mind lol! It has been a struggle because for all of my life āeverybody saysā that this crystal is for this and that crystal is for thatā¦then to discover that may not have been totally accurate, kinda shook some foundations. But then again, it reminded me of those few times when Iāve worked with a crystal and it didnāt feel the way I had thought it would, and maybe that was the crystalās way of saying āthis aināt in my job descriptionā lol!
Itās a process, but knowing that there is always more to learn is the best place to start. Perfect example, yesterday I heard about a flaming crystal and I thought youāre taking the urine out of me, but lo and beholdā¦
O.M.Gā¦I mean, whaaaaaat??! How cool of Mother Earth to create something so awesome! Iām not so sure about the name we gave it but who am I to judge!
x Blessed Be x
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So many amazing entries about so many exciting areas of the Craft! 
These are fun to read and always send me off jumping into rabbit holes to learn more - thank you to everyone who has shared an entry (or multiple) so far 
Absolutely! Thank you for sharing the link to your entry - it makes it easy when itās time to give out the badges!
No worries, Julie! Iāve got it noted as an entry to the Fantastical Foods challenge. Thanks for sharing!
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Ooooh! Iām excited about this one! Iāve brought them together under 5 categories, but once Iām finished youāll see that itās all part of larger web. It ALL ties together 
Spirit & Aether Magick - Spirit Witch
Creative Magick ā Creative Witch
Science & Witchcraft ā Scientific Witch
Energy Work ā Energy Channeler
Magickal Traditions & Pagan Paths ā Proud of My Path
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I think the name is trying to pay homage to this beautiful crystalās unique place on the globe. Itās in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the U.P., and residents of the you-pee have become known as Yoopers. So - yeahā¦I think the powers that be were trying to be cute and now we have the Yooperlite crystal! Which is still an amazing gift from Gaia.
Michigan has a habit of naming its residents. Here in the Lower Peninsula where I live, weāre called (ahem) Trolls. The beautiful Mackinac Bridge connects the two Peninsulas, and the Lower Peninsula isā¦beneath the bridge. So weāre the trolls living under the bridge!
Hey, I like humorā¦ 
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This is wonderful @MeganB, thank you for sharing this wisdom.
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** Challenge Entry ** - I decided to keep it simple and go with something that resonates well with me ā Nature Magic.
I decided very early on in my journey that one of the main things I wanted to happen was to forge a deeper connection with nature, the land around our home (our suburban back yard) and the plants, insects, birds and animals that called it home.
I had already, since we moved into our house, created a Certified Wildlife Habitat in the back yard and provided nesting sites, food and water sources for birds, and planted (and am still adding) Texas native plants to attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies and other beneficial insects.
I honor the Goddess Gaia, and each time I go out to feed the birds, I do so in her honor and say the following prayer.
Great Goddess, Mother of All
I offer this grain and seed to these,
your children of the wing,
that they may be nourished.
Bless them with your boundless love
and let their songs of joy ring
through the fields and forests green
as they find solace and sustenance
in the bounty you provide.
In Gaiaās name
So Mote it Be.
And just recently, as Iāve been sitting out on the patio, watching hummingbirds, butterflies and bees flitting around the island beds, I wanted another little prayer to say to give thanks for the natural beauty of the garden.
Working with Co-Pilot, this is what I came up with:
Blessed be this sacred land
Where earth and sky entwine
I give my heartfelt gratitude
For every leaf and vine.
For blossoms bright and petals soft,
For roots and stones below,
For sun and rain and gentle breeze,
That help all beauty grow.
Spirits of Nature, guardians near,
I honor all you give -
In this enchanted gardenās heart,
May harmony always live.
So Mote it Be.
As well as these prayers, my practice includes rituals to give thanks for the abundance of the land, and creating spell jars to enhance my connection with nature.
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@Greenbriar!!! This is just a lovely challenge post! It is so perfect! Thank you so much for sharing Doll. Your backyard is so gorgeous. I would be out there everyday with Zeus if I lived there. Just a beautiful testament to Gaia. Great challenge entry!
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