An old post from March 9, 2023.
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What works for some, doesn’t work for all.
Some beginners make the mistake of only using their tools when important matters arise--I am totally guilty of doing this and it burned me out the first time I tried to learn divination. Not all divination questions need to be super serious, nor is divination just for special occasions. In order to get good at most things, you have to practice.
Divination tools aren’t just cards and runes, they’re anything that you use for divination, even yourself. Often times I don’t use any tools at all, just me, but if things aren’t clear, the tools are certainly helpful. Sometimes just shuffling cards or runes helps me to connect and get into the right headspace for communication, but I may not actually pull anything during that session. Something that is common when someone is doing a reading with me, is that I almost always have a pendulum going, meaning that I’m holding a pendulum but not specifically talking to it. Spirit likes to talk and comment. So during the conversation with a client, Spirit may give Their two cents with simple yes, no, maybe, no answer swings. I tell the client what the swings mean and why I’m using it.
Cleansing & Protection
When you're just starting out with a tool, cleanse it. You can clean your tools in a variety of ways.
Depending on your materials, such as metals or certain crystals and rocks, remember the water/salt will harm them. Sunlight can also damage certain crystals, too. Do your research. Listed below are general ways of cleansing, which you can combine with simple or complex rituals, if you want.
If you do any of these cleansing methods, set your intentions first. Otherwise it may not work. Putting the tool in the sun/moonlight? State the reason—cleansing, charging, whatever, for divination or magick, etc. Be mindful of your spiritual work. Good practice.
Passing the tools through a cleansing smoke/incense. 1 time, 3 times, 9 times, or just until you feel it’s cleansed or that you’ve covered the tools in the smoke. I personally like I stick to numbers like 3, 9, and 13. Traditional witchy numbers and they work best for me.
Just remember to make sure that you or others around you are not allergic. Just because someone/thing is feeling uncomfortable around the smoke, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s doing it job. Allergies and sensitives are real and can be a serious thing, yall. Mundane before spiritual. My lips and tongue tingles/numbs if I use certain brands of incense or herbal bundles, thus I find other ways of cleanings.
Make sure you have proper ventilation. It is smoke after all, even if it’s sacred or incense. Mundane before spiritual. Smoke don’t care if you’re a spiritual person, it can make you dizzy and choke you.
Placing the tools inside of a circle of salt for a period of time.
A number of taps or knocks on the tool, particularly decks.
Placing the tool in the sun/moonlight.
Passing it through running water—tap, bottle, natural.
Sprinkling lustral/blessed/sun/moon water over said tool.
Using energy.
Sound like rattles, bells, singing bowls, drums.
Smudging them with ash or dry herbs, etc.
Burying them in the earth for a bit. Earth can be a great neutralizer.
There’s a lot of different ways to cleanse your tools. Do your research, try different things, just be aware of the materials you’re using.
Regularly cleanse your tools, too. Like when the answers are consistently inaccurate or confusing, or the tool feels off. Depending on how often you use your tools, it might be a good idea to cleanse them once a month, every three months, or whenever. However, there are some people who don’t cleanse them at all and have no problems! Experiment and see what works for you. I used to cleanse mine every full moon, nowadays, I cleanse them when I first get/make them and after I do in-person readings for people, especially if I let a person touch my tools. Whenever they feel like they need a cleansing. I find that ones that are Deity claimed need less-if-ever cleansings.
Next Protection, below I talk a little bit about storage and and above about cleansing with intention. Another way of protecting your tools is to program them—charging them with certain intentions. Example, for truthful answers. I like to protect mine against lying spirits. Only specific spirits, your higher self, you, guides, or gods may use the tool (if you want to do this, its not a requirement). I’m an animist, I like to put these safeguards in, because in the past I have had lying spirits use the tools (I was young, inexperienced, and I was still learning about my psychic abilities). It’s just messy. So protections, definitely.
There are other kinds of protections that you can put on your tools, such as theft protection. Especially if you’re a traveling psychic/diviner. I like to put a little added punishment on my things should some dickhead steal my stuff. I may not get my stuff back, but they’ll regret their actions.
Storing
Below I mention how I like to crochet pouches for my tools. Now you may see “rules” about how to store your tools, particularly with tarot cards. Some folks say that they have to be stored in silk or certain wooden boxes or just natural materials.
There are no rules. Just as long as your tool is protected and you have a good connection. If someone says “this is the only way!” they don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about. Smile, nod, and back away. Gate Keepers are Holier-Than-Thou Know-It-All assholes. Don’t even bother arguing. They’ve probably never tried experimenting and thinking outside of the box. Just take some author’s word as law instead of their doing their own research. Just let them have their limited beliefs. Its almost as ridiculous as the “rule” that you have to be gifted your first tarot deck. No, you don’t. If that were the case, then very few people would own decks.
I’m a crocheter and I love making pouches for my tools. I’ve been doing it since 2014-15. My tools only have wear and tear on them from me handling them, not from my natural and unnatural yarn pouches.
Especially with witchcraft you’ll see people recommending to make your own tools and so on, I sure as heck can’t make silk, but I’m a good crocheter. I love many of the pouches that I’ve made over the years. They work just fine for me and my tools.
Again, experiment and see what works best for you.
You can store yours in specific fabrics and materials.
Boxes—special woods, something simple, or you just like the design.
Given that I travel with different tools for work, boxes are just too bulky. I personally prefer my pouches. I’ll put them in a waterproof bag or container.
Their original packaging.
There are some beautiful boxes and pouches that tools can come in. If it’s a first edition/printing or just a cool box, I’ll save the box in some place safe, and make a pouch.
Bonding
Handle the tool a bit to feel the energy and imbue it with your own. Some people sleep with theirs, or carry them in a purse or bag. I just keep my tools at my desk, because I'm often there working. I also enjoy bonding with my tools by crocheting pouches for them. With a pendulum or psychic sight, I let the tools tell me what they want their pouches to look like.
Some may even do a tool interview to see how to work best with the tool. Like some of my tools are blunt, while others are gentle. Some deal with specific topics, while others might be general. This is something that you can learn just by using the tool over time, or by doing an interview.
Since I’m an animist and believe that objects have spirits, I do like to interview my tools to acknowledge the spirit within the deck, to get to know it a little bit, and to practice. Also sometimes my tools will get claimed almost right away by one of my Deities or Spirits. Most of the time, an entity will only have a claim on one tool or many tools. Or many will claim the same tool. When an entity claims a tool, I will see Their name when I touch the tool. If one claims your tools, you may see or sense something similar or different.
Hekate has claimed my Guardians of the Night deck by MJ Cullinane.
Lilith has claimed the ROAR Oracle by MJ Cullinane and my Womanrunes by Shekhinah Mountainwater, which I made with my menstrual blood.
The Norse Gods that I work with have a claim on my fluorite Elder Futhark Runes. (I also have a rune deck and a wooden blooded set which aren’t claimed by anyone.)
Dionysus has claimed my Starman Tarot by Davide De Angelis.
Ariadne has claimed my Hedgewitch Botanical Oracle by Siolo Thompson.
Persephone has claimed my Biddy Tarot.
The Cailleach has a claim on my Seasons of the Witch Imbolc oracle deck by Lorraine Anderson, Juliet Diaz, and Tijana Lukovic.
Loki has a claim on the Rebel Deck: The Oracle with Attitude; The Wild Wood Tarot by Mark Ryan, John Matthews, and Will Worthington. There’s a third tool Loki favors but I can’t recall it at the moment.
The Melissae have claimed The Bee Tarot by Kristoffer Hughes.
Hestia has claimed the Everyday Witch Oracle by Deborah Blake and Elisabeth Alba.
Medusa has claimed The Wild Unknown Archetype deck by Kim Karns.
Kuan Yin has claimed the Tarot of the Divine by Yoshi Yoshitani.
And others. These are tools that that entity is just for Them to use, but not Others. Everyone tends to use the other unclaimed tools. Also this doesn’t mean that They own everyone’s tools, just mine. Yours may not be claimed by Anyone, or maybe by different entities. Only you can learn the answers to that question.
For some people they don’t see spirits living inside of their tools, or that they’re claimed by Anyone. The tools are just tools, no different than a screw driver or a nail. There are no right or wrong answers here, just as long as the tool works for you is what’s important. We all have different beliefs and experiences, no one is more correct than the other. Let folks have their beliefs, even the Gate Keepy ones. Focus on your own path.
Part 2 is coming on April 19th - Actually Practicing!
Thanks for all of the Hearts, Follows, Subscribing, Purchases, Bookings, and Recommendations. I really do appreciate the support.
Trust in Sunna. Trust in Joy. Follow the Bees…
~ Priestess Foxlyn
I offer psychic readings if interested. I’m a Psychic Medium who can channel Deities, Spirits, and the Dead—human and animal. These entities may use pendulums, cards, runes, automatic writing/typing/drawing, possession, or energies to answer your questions. I accept venmo and trade. Click the link above for more information.
Readings will be offered on my Etsy soon.
Until then, you can email me at foxtorchphoto18@gmail.com
On April 26th, If you’re in the area of Dayton, Ohio, I’ll be at Kettering Polen Farm for Dayton Pagan Coalition’s Psychic Faire. If you’re also a local vendor, psychic, or healer, there may still be spots available.