Ancient Ways for Modern Days
Magic for personal and collective change
Hello my fellow witches,
I cant figure out how to remove this stupid button now, I am sorry.
A quick note: You may have noticed the lack of newsletters the past couple issues. As I ease back from maternity leave and juggle new work contracts, these newsletters may shift to bi-weekly for a short time while I reclaim my calendar. Your understanding means the world to me, and I promise each issue will be worth the wait.
With that said, welcome back! In this issue we are discussing ways of working with the waning moon beyond the traditional release and reflection. This will be especially interesting for witches who are more into activism-craft, and I often share some family rituals while keeping specific trolldom arts more secretive. In this issue, I am breaking my own rules a bit by sharing a trolldom formula with you. I generally prefer to only share these with witches I am mentoring in the arts of Trolldom, so these are shared with less frequency for the safety of others,
I also hope you have a nice tea kettle at the ready, because I am going to teach you about an old family tradition that will also leave you with a tasty beverage.
Weekly Affirmation
"Through release and renewal, I become a catalyst for change that ripples beyond myself."
🌙 Current Moon Phase 🌙
The waning gibbous moon calls for release and reset. This is traditionally the time to shed what no longer serves - old habits, outdated beliefs, lingering attachments that drain more than they give. The light is fading, making space for clarity and transformation. You can use this energy to let go of what weighs you down, to unbind yourself from past cycles, and to clear the way for what’s next.
Or… you can turn this same energy outward. Just as we clear unnecessary burdens from our own lives, we can also begin dismantling the protections that shield those who hoard power at the expense of others. Oligarchies thrive on illusion, on carefully maintained layers of influence and control. But nothing lasts forever, and no fortress is unbreakable.
The waning moon is not about immediate destruction, it is about erosion, slow and steady, the first cracks in the foundation. This is the time to start the unweaving, to pull at the seams of the protections that uphold unjust power. Whether through direct action, awareness, or spiritual means, the work begins now.
🕯️ Severing Protecting Shields Ritual
Note:
This portion was inspired by A Feral Tarot (She has a Substack you can read here) who posted to Threads that right now witches should be more worried about breaking down layers of spiritual defenses around individuals over hexing them while these barriers are up. I cant find the post now, but when I do I will share it. Anyways, it gave me the idea to share a ritual with you for just that purpose.
Ritual
This ritual helps unbind protective spells around a target, eroding the layers that have been built up to leave someone more energetically naked in a sense.
In trolldom, collective magic amplifies intention - when multiple practitioners focus their energy on a single purpose, the effect grows exponentially stronger. By working together during this waning moon phase, we can channel our combined power toward breaking down the protective barriers that shield unjust systems, allowing transformative magic to flow more effectively where it's needed most.
Important Note!!
Always make sure to perform a protective ritual on yourself before performing any destructive ritual.
What is it:
This ritual is designed to sever protections, spiritual bindings, or energetic defenses around a target. A crossroads river is where two bodies of water meet, and is a powerful liminal space in trolldom and Scandinavian folk magic. It is known for dispersing energy, dissolving magical constructs, and ensuring that what is cast away cannot easily return since it flows in many different directions.
This working is particularly useful for:
Breaking through protective barriers around a person, place, or object.
Dissolving a spiritual contract or tie that makes a person difficult to influence.
Scattering protective energies so they cannot reform.
This ritual follows trolldom practices, where directionality, natural forces, and symbolic gestures all play a role in its effectiveness
What you need:
A thorny branch (rose, hawthorn or any type)—to represent piercing through defenses.
Ash from burnt protection herbs (juniper, yarrow, rowan, or elder) to symbolize the breaking down of protections.
A piece of the target’s personal energy (Uusally hair, nail, writing, or their full name on paper - you can also use a photo of them, their signature, etc).
A piece of black string soaked in vinegar for binding and dissolving.
An iron nail if available, or a knife if not to etch and sever energy.
A crossroads river a place where two or more rivers or streams meet.
Ritual Steps
1. Preparation & Inscription
At dusk, carve the target’s full name (or initials) into the thorny branch with the knife or nail. As you carve, say:
“Protection shall break, boundaries shall loosen, open and unguarded like earth in the wind”
Wrap the target’s personal item (hair, writing, etc.) around the branch and secure it with the vinegar-soaked black string. Sprinkle the ash over it while saying:
“What has kept you safe, I now loosen. What has protected you, I now scatter.”
2. Spreading it at the Crossroads River
Go to a crossroads river. Stand at the merging point and hold the bundle over the water.
Speak the following incantation (change the number to indicate how many streams the river has)
“Two rivers, two roads, two ways. What was held firm is now flowing away.”
Tear or cut the bundle into pieces (one for each river) Drop one side of the current and the other half into the opposite flow.
This ensures that whatever was protecting the target is split apart and carried in different directions, making reformation impossible.
3. Finalize the ritual:
Immediately leave the area and don’t look back. Looking back can symbolize reclaiming the energy, allowing protections to return.
Do not discuss the ritual for at least seven nights, as words can undo its effect. If necessary, reinforce it by repeating the incantation over an open flame the next evening
Why the Crossroads River?
In Scandinavian folk magic, water has the power to erase, cleanse, and scatter energy. A crossroads river amplifies this effect by creating a space of uncertainty, where energies are unmoored and cannot find their way back to their source.
Using a crossroads river for breaking protections ensures:
Protections cannot be reassembled (as they are carried in two separate directions).
Spiritual guardians tied to the person become confused and may detach.
The protective energy is dispersed into the natural world, making it difficult to reclaim.
This is why many old trolldom rituals specify that anything discarded at a crossroads must be answered, either by spirits, fate, or the forces of nature.
Protective measures
Breaking someone’s protections is not without risk, as their spiritual defenses may retaliate. To prevent backlash or unintended consequences, take the following steps:
Create a Counter-Shield
Before starting, anoint your forehead and hands with protective oil. Carry an iron object (a key, knife, or horseshoe nail) to repel spiritual forces that might resist the ritual.
Perform a Cleansing
That night, take a bath with salt, birch leaves, or mugwort to remove any lingering energy. Let your clothes from the ritual air out overnight and do not bring them into your home.
Final Reminder:
This is a powerful ritual for removing defenses, severing ties, and opening a path of influence. Water carries both freedom and finality. Once something is cast into a crossroads river, it is beyond retrieval.
Thoughts on sharing these? Send me your feedback or questions
Rune Reading of the Week: The Frozen Edge of Transformation
Power is shifting unpredictably, making the air thick with uncertainty. The structures we once relied on are on the verge of collapse. Some cling to the past, while others push to shape what comes next. This rune reading reflects this fragile moment - tracing the foundation we’ve built, the stillness holding us in place, and the transformation already unfolding.
What We Carry (Past) – Jera ᛃ
Jera, the rune of cycles and harvest, sits in our past, reminding us that everything we are experiencing now was planted long ago. The instability we feel was not born overnight; it has been cultivated, nurtured, and is now bearing fruit. Jera does not offer instant results - it is the slow wheel of cause and effect.
We have spent years shaping this reality, either intentionally or through the buildup of hatred and animosity over time. Jera asks us to recognize that no matter how tumultuous things seem, they are the result of actions - some deliberate, some neglected. What we are reaping now is a reflection of choices made, both individually and collectively.
Yet, Jera also carries the wisdom of patience. Just as crops take time to grow, change unfolds in its own rhythm. What matters now is what we choose to sow next.
Where We Stand (Present) – Isa ᛁ
Isa is the rune of ice, of stillness, of suspended animation. It tells us that we are frozen in place, unable to move forward just yet. This is the breath before the scream, the moment before the thaw.
Isa represents a time of forced patience - whether we like it or not. Many of us feel paralyzed, waiting for the next move, or simply feel stuck waiting the next revelation, the next breaking point. Political chaos, the dismantling of governance, the rise of unchecked power - these things are happening, yet there is a strange and eerie stillness in the air.
This rune is about endurance. It warns against rushing blindly forward in panic. The ice will not break before it is ready. This is a time to gather strength, to conserve energy, to sharpen one’s awareness. Those who act recklessly now may find themselves trapped beneath the ice rather than walking over it.
Isa is also a rune of clarity. Remember that beneath the surface, things are shifting. Ice preserves, but it also conceals.
The Path Forward (Future) – Eihwaz ᛇ
Eihwaz is often associated with Yggdrasil, the great tree that connects all realms, which makes it a rune of passage and protection. It tells us that we are at the edge of something vast, something unknown. We are not yet ready to cross, but we are preparing. The world is shifting. The structures we thought immovable are faltering. But just as the Yew tree withstands harsh winters and still finds a way to grow, so too will we find our path forward.
And when the moment comes (when the ice of Isa breaks, when the storm clears, when the dust settles) we will not only have endured. We will have transcended. We will not be the same people who entered this trial. We will be wiser. Stronger. Ready.
Eihwaz reminds us: we are not here to crumble under the weight of change. We are here to endure it, to shape it, and to rise beyond it.
💎 Crystal of the Week: Moldavite
Why I Selected This Stone: Moldavite has transformative energy that aligns with our intention to break down barriers and create change.
Properties:
A powerful catalyst for transformation and change
Works primarily with the heart chakra
Known for its intense vibrational energy that can be physically felt (often called the "Moldavite flush")
Incorporation:
Start slowly - Moldavite's energy can be overwhelming at first
Keep wrapped when not in use
Best used in short sessions for focused intention work
Can be combined with grounding stones if the energy feels too intense
A note from personal experience: While Moldavite is indeed powerful, it's best to approach it with respect and realistic expectations. Not everyone needs or benefits from its intense energy. Trust your intuition when working with this stone.
Norse Inspired Witchy Tip
The Tale of the Storm Kettle
Let me tell you about my grandmother's storm kettle ritual. California rarely get’s very bad winter storms, but my grandmother lived very far North where snow and storms were more commonplace. On the nights when I visited, and the winds howled like hungry wolves and rattled the windows, I would tuck under my blankets scared to come out. On a couple occasions, she would call me to the kitchen, and we would perform what she called "storm-sitting." She'd take her ancient copper kettle, fill it with water, herbs, and (when I got older) a splash of aquavit she kept stored away, and set it to simmer on this beautiful wood burning iron stove her cabin had.
As the storm raged outside, she'd sit by the fire, watching the steam rise from the kettle's spout, and listen. She said the storm spirits would whisper secrets in the whistling of the kettle.
To draw on this tradition:
Set a pot of water to simmer (any pot will do)
Add warming herbs like ginger, cinnamon, pine needles (or even some birch) - or whatever your favorite herbal blend might be
Sit with your back to a warm wall or fire
Let the steam rise as you listen to the sounds around you and interpret secrets in the whistles of steam.
Sip the warm brew when ready, feeling the heat spread through your body
After this practice, you'll feel your body warm from the inside out, and your spirit lifted by the ancient comfort of hearth magic.
That’s it for this week. May you be protected and guided in your journey 🌟
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