🕛 Witchy CHALLENGE ~ Catch-Up!

jayne · March 14, 2025, 12:31am

Challenge entry 2

I enjoy making sigils, using the worksheets provided by Amy at Magical Crafting.

There are a few different ways that they can be done, but I find the easiest for me to use the witch’s grid.

First of all, you write out your intention. Then you remove all the vowels and any letters that are repeated. These are the letters you work with for your sigil.

Depending on which way you are creating it, you might note all the different lines and shapes of the letters, and combine them in a way which appeals to you to come up with a personalized sigil. I’m not very good at doing it that way.

The way I usually do it is to take my final letters and refer to a grid which designates each letter as a number. Then, using the witch’s grid, I place a dot in the area associated with the first letter/number, followed by the second etc. Then I draw a line between the dots - it can be straight, curved, whatever you want. I keep doing that until I have added all the letters, but usually draw it a few times before I am happy with the end result.

Not sure that I described it very well, but hopefully you get the idea.

georgia · March 14, 2025, 1:40am

Challenge Entry

Polyglot.

I’m listening to an old CD of Triskelle d’Or, today- a favorite dance band when I visited France in high school. I thought I’d follow the flow and request health in French, even if it is a bit clumsy.

L’Esprit qui a cree,
Le feu,
L’air,
La terre,
L’eau,
Donnez moi la bonne sante,
S’il vous plait.

I do not have accents on this tablet, so my French teacher would say several words are misspelled. Pardonnez moi, Mademoiselle Purvis.

little.elf.queen · March 14, 2025, 2:03am

Challenge Entry #3 - Lunar Witch

I am so excited about this one! This is my first recognized full moon as a baby witch! I missed last month’s due to sickness and I am looking forward to this full moon!

I’ve decided to make moon water, but what’s more awesome is that this is a blood moon! (I even did a Lunar eclipse tarot spread! But I used that spread for a different challenge I’ll post soon lol)

I plan to use the moon water to:
-Enhance my spell and ritual work
-Drink to help enhance my intuition and emotional healing
-And to create a connection

I will also be using the full moon to charge my selenite!

Blessed be!

little.elf.queen · March 14, 2025, 2:57am

Challenge Entry #4 - Nordic Practitioner

I am still very brand new to Norse Paganism, but it definitely called to me. I think it has always called to me.

When I was younger, I learned the Runes and their names, could write with them until my mother found out and forbid me to continue to do so (I had no idea that is was seen as bad to my Christianity at the time, I was maybe 12/13.) I made myself forget them, but I’ve been able to pick them up again. Not completely, but it’s like riding a bike lol.

I’ve always loved Norse mythology, but never tried to learn more, again, from the fear instilled in me.

And lastly, I’ve always seen pairs of Ravens, chocking it up to “I live(at the time) in Maryland, that’s why.” I know that the All-Father watches me, I asked my runes and for signs. I’m not sure if it’s from curiosity or for protection, but I feel very honored. (he has said he’s not ready to work with me just yet I have some growing to do with Freyja)

Speaking of: As some of you know, I did a deity spread with my tarot deck and learned that the beautiful, mighty and magnificent Freyja reached out to me.

I have an altar dedicated to the mighty Freyja in which I have the following offerings: cat blood, hair and shed claws (all naturally collected, the blood is from the pictured stinky head scratching himself open ), black amber, citrine, red and white rose petals, a golden pig, rose quartz rabbit, crow’s feather, shells, a pretty rock, a fancy/pretty hair piece, and dried jasmine flower. It is all in a cat shaped offering bowl that I was blessed to find (I’m very sure she led me to it lmao).

Freyja is very sassy, but very honest and to straight the point. She has been helping me practice my divination and intuition skills, she’s also working with me as I re-learn how to love myself. Very much a tough love situation. Plus she helped rekindle some sparks with the hubs.

The biggest thing is that she’s been urging me to protect my home, almost as if preparing for battle. If you don’t know, Freyja is the goddess of both love and war. I’m not sure what’s coming, but I’ve taken steps in warding and protecting my family and home. (And to bring some health, wealth, and abundance in!) It started with a sleep sachet for my son (it’s another challenge entry above) to drawing bind runes on my doorways.

I also do daily rune readings and cards pulls specifically to communicate with Freyja almost everyday.

And I use them in spreads I find to, because the more I do, the more I learn. Here is my lunar eclipse tarot spread that I

Anyways, I definitely consider myself a baby Nordic Practitioner.

Nikki-Phoenix · March 14, 2025, 9:06pm

CHALLENGE ENTRY

I have been fascinated with Egypt since I was 9, when I first saw hieroglyphs on tv - I remember thinking how beautiful and fascinating they were. When I was 11, I watched Stargate and I was hooked. The more I looked, the more fascinated I became - especially the myths and legends, and the magick. And don’t get me started on the Pyramids…

I was lucky enough to go to Egypt in 2007, and it was everything I’d dreamed of and more. My partner at the time was also a keen traveller, so we did the touristy stuff but we also spent a lot of time hanging out with locals, learning their customs, what they do and why they do it.

Quad-biking across the desert

A local said I looked like a princess, and he dressed me like one

The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx

I mentioned in another post how intense it was going into the pyramid, I still remember the feeling, numerous energies in a tiny embalming room at the bottom of the smallest pyramid…I don’t think I’ll ever forget it!

My main interest lately has been Isis; I now know she’s been with me all of my life, and apparently there’s a high probability that a past life was in Egypt, which is awesome if it’s true.

I won’t share the whole thing, as I feel it’s kind of between me and my Lady, but here’s the prayer I made for her:

Great Goddess Isis, Queen of the Heavens
I pray for your guidance, protection and blessings.
As I walk this path, I pray for your favour,
Empowered with Your strength, I will not waiver.
Allow me to bask in Your grace and love,
Let me be filled with Your light from above.
When the road gets dark, show me the way,
Lest the trials of life lead me astray.
Help me to trust in my magic and power,
Nurture my growth with each passing hour.
Goddess of magick, I pray to Thee,
Release the Magician that lies within me.

x Blessed Be x

dan3 · March 14, 2025, 11:01pm

Gah! I first read the heading on this post as a chance to comment on previous challenges… not do challenges. Welcome to my mind! I do have a couple I wanted to try and will get right to them. Thank you!

dan3 · March 14, 2025, 11:42pm

Loved your ‘princess’ gear and your prayer.

little.elf.queen · March 15, 2025, 12:49am

Challenge #5 - Mountain Witch

I am hoping this counts.

I’ve lived in the Appalachian Mountains my whole life, cradled by their misty peaks and winding hollows. Here, folklore isn’t just stories—it’s woven into everyday life. Don’t whistle at night, close your blinds after sundown, never look outside if you hear something call your name. Even in my sheltered Christian upbringing, these warnings lingered alongside the home remedies and superstitions passed down like family heirlooms. The mountains hum with old wisdom, and this challenge felt like the perfect way to deepen my connection with the land I’ve always known.

For my entry, I spent about twenty minutes grounding myself, feeling the cool, steady pulse of the earth beneath me while inhaling the crisp mountain air. There’s something powerful about rooting yourself in a place that has seen countless lives come and go, where the trees whisper secrets older than memory. To further immerse myself, I picked up three books on Appalachian Mountain magick and have already started digging in. There’s a unique energy here—wild, unyielding, and deeply tied to the earth. I can’t wait to explore it more.

here’s some pics. I can’t find any older photos

georgia · March 15, 2025, 1:52am

Beautiful princess! You had an awesome experience!

Jeannie1 · March 15, 2025, 3:25am

Never tried deckable app! I’ll have to try it! Marvelous, thank you!
For me I’m trying to figure out what badges I have so far

I didn’t realize I had so many and now I have to figure out which one I can out of five!!

@BryWisteria

Wow That’s a great memory! Thank you for sharing!
@little.elf.queen

Very relaxing and magikal in the mountains with the crisp air! Something shamanic feels! I would love to go there!

Jeannie

dan3 · March 15, 2025, 4:20am

Witch Challenge 1 - Multilingual Magic

I am not multilingual although I can order a quarter pounder and fries in four languages Most who study different languages realize that some things just work better in a particular language. Spanish is prevalent in the US and I suspect some of you speak it so I chose that one for an example.

I’m researching a 9 tailed fox called a Kitsune who is a spirit under the Inari deity in Japanese culture. A Kitsune is a trickster and can be reliable and helpful or a bit of a jerk.

[image is AI generated]

I’ve picked up Spanish through formal and informal study and in several trips to Mexico and South America. There are tons of different cultures but almost everyone I met was really beautiful.

Uru native on a Lake Titicaca floating island. I was on the island for about six hours and she never lost that smile. To learn more about the Uru, see Uru

OK… here is the chant, first in English and then Spanish.

Nimble fox, come play,
in the shadows, I want to talk.
Trick and magic, come to me,
cunning Kitsune, I called you here.

In Spanish:

Zorro ágil, ven a jugar,
en la sombra, quiero hablar.
Truco y magia, ven a mí,
Kitsune astuto, te llamé aquí.

The easiest distinction between the two is that the Spanish one (the original language) rhymes and, if you understand Spanish, it sounds better even without the rhymes. Of course, the simple English version could be modified to rhyme but I prefer the Spanish version - it sounds pretty cool.

I hope Kitsune digs Spanish.

Jeannie1 · March 15, 2025, 5:39am

I am interested in culture myself, and a foxy smile
They seem really nice to be around, thank you for sharing your magnetic field!!!

For this season of catch up I decided to
play with some “Creative Magick”#1

I decided to make an intent for the full moon, the blood moon eclipse!!!
I Took a shower today and use my salt scrub to get all the negative energies off of me which is awesome to use when you’re doing magic so that way you don’t put that negative energy in your magic!

I used rosemary

I also used juniper which, in fact, I found on Pinterest a list of uses and correspondences for Juniper
I

Heres my sigil and my intent is manifesting!
Jeannie

Artemisia · March 15, 2025, 10:51pm

Challenge Entry #5 - Teachers of Magick – Student of Magick

Since I have never known a mentor or had a teacher, I decided to answer the prompts for this challenge.

→ Was there someone who influenced my decision to practice magick?

Not as such. I was raised Roman Catholic by my mother who was raised the same by her mother. But by the same token, there were the ones that told me tales of brownies, fairies, will o’ wisps, selkies and the like. From them I learned which red clovers were edible, when honeysuckle flowers were ready to suck out the nectar, how to catch fireflies, press flowers, learn to wish on the evening star, stamp (like your thumb, place the thumbprint in the palm of the opposite hand, make a fist and stamp it into the palm) 10 white horses to make a wish, learned all the fairytales and tell which birds brought which messages.

→ Do I have a parent/grandparent/sibling/neighbor/friend/etc who helped me on my journey?

Oops, I didn’t read ahead but yes, my grandmother, as I mentioned above.

→ Is there a magickal/occult author whose works I was able to learn from?

My first introduction was books by both Raymond Buckland and Scott Cunningham. I devoured the information and chose my self initiation ritual from Cunningham’s book. Over time, as the internet developed, I found other sources and authors.

→ Is there a prominent figure- historical or fantastical- who inspired me?

I suppose I was always fascinated with the tales of Circe, Medea, and endlessly lost in the world of Grimm fairytales.

→ Do I have a student-teacher relationship with my deity/deities or guardian spirits?

No, I don’t think I would call it a student-teacher relationship

→ Have I learned from others, myself, or a mix of both?

Both.
I have to say that the number one source that I’ve learned from and continue to do so is Spells8 and this forum! The challenges expand my knowledge and comfort zone. I love being able to ask questions of others and learn from their experiences. I also am learning on my own as I grow and experiment. Learning to be more confident and comfortable, learning to make and strengthen new connections in the spirit world.

Artemisia · March 15, 2025, 11:00pm

I may have to pick your brain so to speak as both my grandmother and mother grew up in the Appalachians and were devout Roman Catholic. I was born in Ohio but moved out west at an early age, so I only had sporadic visits back to Kentucky and Ohio. But I grew up learning the superstitions and lore about herbs. I currently live in NC but in the flat Piedmont area. My practice has shifted more to a local one, which is still a work in progress. It’s odd to look back at the things they shared and realize how much of that was Appalachian folklore despite being catholic.

You’ll have to tell me what you think of the books. I’m on the hunt for a good resource that might aid me in my practice.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful post! It definitely caught my attention

georgia · March 16, 2025, 2:23am

I have seen people do this, but I didn’t understand why. Could you please share the lore of it? Mom used it to indicate power over others, keeping people under the powerful person’s thumb. I’m sure that wasn’t the original meaning.

Thank you. I enjoy learning from you, too!

little.elf.queen · March 16, 2025, 2:49am

Pick my brain any time you like! Many-a-strange and wonderful things have happened here lol.
I grew up in MD, I’m in PA now and also spent a good chunk of my childhood summers in WV.

This for me too, though I was raised pentecostal christian.

I will def let you know what I think about the books! I have a few others saved in my amazon cart too lmao.

I’m glad you liked it! I was so excited for this challenge out of the other 4 I did lol.

Artemisia · March 16, 2025, 4:18pm

dan3 · March 16, 2025, 4:46pm

I love your answer to this Challenge! Thank you for a lovely story and explanation!

georgia · March 16, 2025, 9:20pm

Challenge Entry 2
Natural Health and Healing

Let me start by saying that my body doesn’t react like yours or anyone else’s. Do not follow blindly. Please do your own research and listen to what is best for you.

I am allergic to sulphur, sulpha drugs, and vitamin A. Most of Western medicine is based on sulphur as a healer rather than a poison, so I cannot follow the directions of a doctor. This makes things tricky, more painful, and longer lasting for me. Trust me, you do not want this. At the same time, maybe there are some things I do which may help others if they are aware if them.

There are still some things I can do to help myself. Most of what people think of as earth healing are related to herbs, but that is not all the earth has to offer.

The human body is 60% water. A person does have the ability to manipulate that. It is most often to the negative in the long run.

When I get pinkeye, crying helps wash the germ out of my eyes. It seems like my tears sting my skin, so it is best to wipe away the tears as soon as possible instead of letting them run down my face. One napkin, tissue or rag per eye, and never the twain shall meet.

During the itch part of the illness, I spray peroxide on a napkin, again one per eye, and use the napkin as an eyelid patch for a moment to kill the germs, ease the itch, and help heal the skin. *Do not put peroxide directly in the eye!

After using the patch, I apply aloe gel- alcohol free because the aloe stings enough without! The aloe eases the itch, dries the rash, and moisturizes the skin.

When I have the flu, I have to be super careful I don’t get lung complications. Thus, I use gravity to help break up the goop and get it out of my system before it travels down within me. That means sleeping in a chair rather than in bed. Bad on the legs, but good on the lungs.

The best way to use gravity on the sinuses or lungs is to lie down on one side and switch hourly. I found that lying on the stomach eases the feeling of drowning. It is counter intuitive, but it works

When my legs swell, I take celery. I keep celery powder or seed in the house and fill my own pills for those times I cannot get fresh celery. I avoid celery salt because the salt causes the body to retain water- the opposite of what the celery is working to do. I’ve noticed that celery works best after the pills are done, so I generally take 4-5 days, rest a few days so the celery comes out of my system, and return to the pills only when I need them.

Gravity is a tool when the legs have swollen, too. Doctors tell people to put their legs up at every chance. This most often means to get the feet above the level of the heart. That only happens in bed.

dan3 · March 16, 2025, 10:49pm

Witchy Challenge #2 Metal Worker

One of my many hobbies is actually simple metal working. So for this challenge, I will show you a very modest piece that I made… but because I made it, I identify with it easily. I will also show you something that does have a bit of mystery and magic to it that you can verify (with a little effort).

Part 1

The first item is but a modest candle holder made from a solid aluminum bar. It has become my favorite witchy item. If I need to light a candle, this is the puppy I use. It speaks to me… sorta.

Here is a closer picture of it that I used today for wishing a friend comfort.

It is heavy so it won’t fall over and it would take a LOT to break it.

Part 2

I’ve mentioned that I dowse and here is a simple way to make metal dowsing rods (I will post a video of them working after this)

Get 30 inches (76cm) of brass rod. about 2 mm in diameter.
Get two pieces of brass or hard copper 3 mm i.d. tube about 5 inches (12.7 cm) long.
Put the rod in the tube and bend the end of it so it doesn’t slip out. Bend the other end at a 90 degree angle.

You should have about 24 inches of rod sticking out of the brass handles.

Not everyone can make these work but many can and I suspect a high proportion of Spells8 people can. Remember, intent is everything. If you know it will work, it probably will. This is a video I did this afternoon that uses the rod set I described.

They are great for finding large objects - even when they are fairly deep in the ground. They won’t find coins unless there is a bag of them but they will detect buried pipe, electric lines, disused wells, water, any large cavity, etc.