I think the reason I enjoy Ghibli so much is it romanticizes the little things. It makes me want to bake, study, clean the house, garden, and more while listening to happy music and occasionally picking wildflowers and lying in the grass. It helps me find joy in day-to-day life and that’s honestly sooo important for my mental health.
To anyone who needs this post, I am sending gentle and loving energy your way. Know that grief is meant to hurt, and with time it WILL get easier (but may not go away, and that’s okay). Please utilize this post only as a supplement, and talk to a therapist or loved ones if you need to.
Being a green witch basically means you want to incorporate plants and nature into your craft! Other names include: nature witch, plant witch, garden witch, forest witch, etc.! I’ll talk about some of the basics being a green witch could entail, but this certainly isn’t an all-encompassing list!
On gardens and growing plants:
Whether you have a flourishing garden filled with everything one could possibly think of, a little windowsill herb garden with the bare essentials or one potted succulent; there’s no denying the joy that comes from helping green things grow!
A container around 2-3 feet deep and filled with soil is perfect for growing potatoes! Plop ‘em in, water them occasionally and harvest in the fall.
Plant things for the butterflies and bees!
Sage, rosemary, basil, mint, thyme, oregano and cilantro are all helpful herbs that you might consider planting.
Daffodils, marigolds, roses, sunflowers and primroses are my favorite witchy flowers.
Let’s be real, not of all of us have access to areas for planting gardens, or infinite space for indoor plants! It can make being a green witch a bit tricky.
Spider plants, lucky bamboo, air plants, aloe vera (succulents) and cacti are all pretty easy houseplants.
Terrariums are adorable and you can make them into mini gardens!
Grow one plant for each area of your life (happiness, mental health, etc) [source]
You can get bulbs for grow lights that fit into normal lamps, just be sure to put the plants directly under it!
Watering plants with rainwater will make them happy!
Find a place outside you can safely visit. Try to spend at least five or more minutes a day sitting and watching. Quiet your mind and just be. (This could be your front porch or backyard, it doesn’t have to be in the forest)
Wander on some nature trails. Visit the local body of water. Walk outside.
Start taking pictures of beautiful wild places, or wildlife.
Learn about what birds and animals live in your area, and perhaps what their tracks look like.
Climb a tree, go swimming in wild waters, take your shoes off and feel the ground beneath your feet, remove invasive plants and plant native ones, pay attention to weather patterns, collect rainwater, etc.
Get some basic plant field guides. I really like Audubon and Peterson, along with Botany in a Day.
There are also plant apps and websites.
Learn what plants have poisonous look-alikes and how to tell the difference.
Get a calendar. Go out at least once a week and document what stages the different plants are in. For example: March 4th. Oso berry leaves almost open. Nettles small but fully established. Bitter cherry has unopened flower buds. Salmonberry leaves almost open. Also worth adding where (elevation/location) which is SUPER helpful for harvesting reference later.
Pick a plant a week and research/journal it. Points include: What it looks like, what look-alikes there are, ecosystem + elevation it grows in, medicinal uses, edible uses, magical uses, etc.
Harvest plants and use them for medicine and food after safely doing research*.
I noticed that there were only small pockets of posts on helping ease dysphoria or helping you feel more at home with your gender/identity so I decided to compile what I could here!
TERFS are not welcome to interact with this post. But, I always seize the opportunity to block gross people!
Little witchy ways to help with brain fog (UPG). Brain fog is basically when you struggle with mental clarity, memory, focus, low energy, grumpiness, and the like. It’s no fun!
Using Crystals:
Pick a clear crystal, like quartz. Hold it to your temples/forehead and let it draw out the fog. Picture the fog being pulled from your head and swirling into the crystal, and the coldness of the crystal bringing clarity to your mind. (You can also do this by touching a crystal in your pocket if you’re in public!)
Using Water:
Dip your fingers in snow/moon water (tap water will do if needed) and touch any points on your face that you feel like the fog is affecting it (if that makes sense?!) I like to do: a drop on my chin, a drop on each cheekbone, one on my forehead and on both temples, and on my eyelids as well. With each drop, say a word you would like to bring back (clarity, focus, understanding, comprehension, memory, retrieval, ~ability to see~).
Using Air:
Get fresh air (even through a cracked window) and breathe deeply for one minute. Envision it swirling in your mind and clearing away any muckiness.
Using Sigils:
Find sigils for brain fog, clarity, memory, etc. and draw them in a place that you feel connects to your mind. For me, it’s my pulse points on my inner wrist (since drawing sigils on your face can be a hassle!
Non-witchy advice:
(Aka boring “have you thought about changing your entire lifestyle?” stuffs)
Evaluate your diet, and consider if there may be any foods influencing it. Have you been tested for food allergies? It’s worth considering!
Try to do light exercise at least once a day. For me this involves a little extra walking on campus, or some stretches in the morning.
Less sugary drinks, more water.
Give yourself at least 10-30 minutes before bed to wind down/think about the day/de-stress – even if it means you go to bed a little bit later. It can help sleep if you’re really busy and stressed.
Get a planner/make a to-do list.
Getting up at the first alarm is better for your clarity than hitting snooze six times (but I am guilty of the latter).
Hey witchblr and everyone else who is interested! I’ve noticed a lack of awareness when it comes to herbal remedies/medicines having side effects and interactions with medications, and realized a lot of people don’t know where to look! (All sites linked are free):
Little witchy ways to help with brain fog (UPG). Brain fog is basically when you struggle with mental clarity, memory, focus, low energy, grumpiness, and the like. It’s no fun!
Using Crystals:
Pick a clear crystal, like quartz. Hold it to your temples/forehead and let it draw out the fog. Picture the fog being pulled from your head and swirling into the crystal, and the coldness of the crystal bringing clarity to your mind. (You can also do this by touching a crystal in your pocket if you’re in public!)
Using Water:
Dip your fingers in snow/moon water (tap water will do if needed) and touch any points on your face that you feel like the fog is affecting it (if that makes sense?!) I like to do: a drop on my chin, a drop on each cheekbone, one on my forehead and on both temples, and on my eyelids as well. With each drop, say a word you would like to bring back (clarity, focus, understanding, comprehension, memory, retrieval, ~ability to see~).
Using Air:
Get fresh air (even through a cracked window) and breathe deeply for one minute. Envision it swirling in your mind and clearing away any muckiness.
Using Sigils:
Find sigils for brain fog, clarity, memory, etc. and draw them in a place that you feel connects to your mind. For me, it’s my pulse points on my inner wrist (since drawing sigils on your face can be a hassle!
Non-witchy advice:
(Aka boring “have you thought about changing your entire lifestyle?” stuffs)
Evaluate your diet, and consider if there may be any foods influencing it. Have you been tested for food allergies? It’s worth considering!
Try to do light exercise at least once a day. For me this involves a little extra walking on campus, or some stretches in the morning.
Less sugary drinks, more water.
Give yourself at least 10-30 minutes before bed to wind down/think about the day/de-stress – even if it means you go to bed a little bit later. It can help sleep if you’re really busy and stressed.
Get a planner/make a to-do list.
Getting up at the first alarm is better for your clarity than hitting snooze six times (but I am guilty of the latter).
Heatherwitch 