Hey, guys.
Starting last month, I've been practicing witchcraft a bit. I've mostly been doing it out of curiosity rather than devotion. I haven't really done much with it, just some kitchen witchcraft (spells in the form of foods) and sigils, but for Ostara (the celebration of the Spring Equinox), I did say a brief prayer, and I left an offering to the fae (mostly just as a joking experiment) of a half slice of bread covered in honey surrounded by flowers. Like I said, I don't do much with witchcraft, and I don't know how much I really believe in it, but I'm genuinely curious about it.
The next morning after my Ostara celebration, I found this bundle of sticks on my "altar" (the side of a brick fire pit) bound together with some sort of flexible black wood. I'm not sure if you can tell by the picture, but the sticks slightly burnt on the ends, despite the fire pit not having been used. I pretty much ignored it, because I assumed they were for something my stepdad was doing or that he was planning on burning them.
Well, today my stepdad asked me what I was doing with my bundle of sticks, and if he could burn them. I told him I thought they were his, but he told me he thought they were mine. My mom also thought they were mine.
My stepdad thinks some kids were probably trying to be edgy by leaving a bundle of sticks by someone's house, but I don't know if that's true. My backyard (where the fire pit is) is kind of obscured to where most people wouldn't see it immediately, and I really don't know what would really be edgy about a bundle of sticks.
I know it's probably nothing, but I'm genuinely curious about them. Do you guys think it's nothing, or do you think it has something to do with the witchcraft I've been experimenting with? Like I said, I've only ever done very mild magick, and I've never done anything that's meant to harm people, not to mention that I don't have any strong beliefs when it comes to magick. Does it have any meaning, or is it nothing?
>>17590553
The answer is obvious. You're a faggot
That's a bunch of sticks bundled together with a black hairband. You can clearly see the metal of the hairband.
(Who uses the hairbands with metal in them anymore anyways?)
Nice try, op.
But srsly, if it's just a joke to you, you should probably stop.
Clearly you took time to look up appropriate offerings to use for faes and for ostara. Usually people don't do that "if they are just joking".
I know some people are super srs business about this stuff, and the other half is going to be like "stupid fag magic is dumb". But just a word of caution, don't fuck with this shit for some big joke. Like faes are the last things you want to offend first.
As for your sticks, because they are bound with a hair tie, I can't take their "gift" in response srsly. I'm just here to warn you in a friendly manner.
Is this a joke I guess? A bundle of sticks is called a faggot OP. They are calling you a faggot.
>>17590602
I'm not gonna lie, part of me has some weird belief in paranormal and magical entities. I just really don't like having it. I'm a bit insecure about it, but I genuinely did want to please the fae, if they happened to be real.
Also, it's not actually a hairband. I'll post a closeup so you can see it better. some of the black bark is peeled off on one side, so you can see the wood in it. Posting it in just a sec.
>>17590595
You know, I was anticipating this exact response. Trust me, there were plenty of faggot jokes in my household when we found the bundle.
>>17590604
For beings known as "fairies", they're really not ones to speak...
>>17590624
Here's a closer view of the thing it's wrapped with. I'm not sure what kind of wood it is, but it's dark, and it's kind of stiff. I'm not sure how it got wrapped around it, unless it was once softer or something.
I tried to see how much the binding would stretch without it breaking, and this is about how much I could get.
>>17590553
Op... here's my intuitive read on the situation: someone in the area who is very attuned to these things detected that you left that offering out. They thought it was very sweet, and so left you this bundle as a kind of "hey man back at ya" kind of thing.
Keep it. Treat it as a good luck charm. There's good vibes there.
Don't take it apart if you haven't already. That would be.. well not dangerous, but a bit ugly.
>>17590700
I was hoping it was a good sign. I'll definitely keep it. Touching it and being around it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable, and I'm usually good at detecting when something's off paranormally (telling when a place is haunted, for example). Thanks!
>>17590663
Ah. Sorry about that, bro.
Living in the country, that's a vine off of a tree. It's dark because it was cut off and not alive anymore.
As for me, I don't think someone "intuitive" "felt" you doing stuff, and left you this to be like "what's up". If it was, I doubt it'd be a good thing.
Just post updates if anything else appears or happens. If something happens once, it's chance. If something happens more than that, then that's a whole new ball game.
>>17590722
tell us if anything happens buddy!
>>17590722
NP... and I ... hey more about the person who left it: don't expect to run into them again.
They really remind me of this lady I ran into once called "Janet"... she was one of those psychics who is SO in tune that she comes off as a total nutjob, really airy-fairy... but she saw through time and space. Saw stuff nobody else in the room full of psychics saw. Others brushed her off but she was the real deal.
I got the sense she was one of many... these nomadic solitary people, always travelling... I don't know what you'd call them. But anyway, the person who left it feels a lot like that to me.
>>17590753
Too much /x/ dude. Take a break. You're getting paranoid.
>>17590753
Makes sense. I'll look around outside and see if there are any trees around here it may have been from.
I'm honestly really curious about it. I'll keep an eye out, and I may leave another offering just to see if anything further happens. That may mean the difference between coincidence and intent. Thanks!
>>17590758
Interesting! So you think there's a connection between her kind and my experience? I'll definitely keep that in mind, and I'll try to keep an eye out in case anything else were to happen.
What do the sticks smell like. Serious question. They look like they might be herb stems, clipped from a garden to prep for the new growing season. Rosemary maybe.
>>17590789
I just smelled them, and they kind of smell like cut grass. Then again, my stepdad mowed today. The burnt tips of the sticks don't really have an easy smell to describe, but they smell fresh. I can't really sense any herb smells or anything, unfortunately.
>>17590758
Uh... read your post. Me too much /x/?
See, I believe we come from the two very different sides of the many /x/ subcultures.
There are the sensible "pagan"/"believers"/"whatever", that also put common sense in with their beliefs.
And then there is you right now trying to describe the person who supposedly found Op and where op lives just to leave a good luck charm on their property, down to how she acts. I don't care how "intuitive" you are, but that's a bit like the "out there pagans/whatever" of /x/.
If someone I don't know is going to randomly seek me out, wander into my property, and just "leave a gift", I'm going to have a problem. That's not paranoia... that's common sense.
>>17590803
They look like the tiny limbs that often fall off the trees. Or if someone was trying to make the tree look more shapely.
Ask if your step dad if he trimmed any trees or bushes, or if any limbs were getting in the way of any power lines and the electric company cut any trees.
I can't remember what tree has brittle stringly pulp like I see one "stick" has. But none of these look like herb roots to me.
>>17590836
>>17590836
As far as I know he hasn't been doing any trimming, but I'll ask to be sure. I'll look around outside to see if any of the sticks match any of the plants out there. We have both trees and bushes outside, so there's a chance it could be from them.
>>17590836
Excuse me, sorry. I recant my statement about it being a certain type of tree.
More than likely it was an older limb that was already in an advanced stage of decay. It happens when certain fungi get into wood.
>>17590846
Makes sense. I'll further examine the sticks to see if there's anything that looks like decay.
>>17590839
Since they look like older limbs, and the aging on the vine... they are old. So it could have came from limbs and shit from years ago.
I'm actually more concerned about this the more I actively think about it, in case it was a random stranger.
Advice as of now is still similar to the one earlier.
If you aren't trolling, be watchful and keep track of things. If it's from fae, you're probably straight. But I'm not like other anon. If it's actually someone else, I don't like it at all.
It's an old bundle. The vine dried to the sticks and the bundle had time to start to decay. That doesn't spell positive to me.
>>17590874
Interesting interpretation. I'll be honest, I don't have any known enemies, and I don't know if there's anyone out there who genuinely dislikes me, but there's always a chance.
I also live with my mom and stepdad, and they're extremely private people. My stepdad is loved by everyone (he is a sociopath who doesn't care for people, but he's good at acting like he does), and is well-known in my town (it's a small town), and my mom is also pretty much liked by everyone. Then again, you never know, but I'm not sure if anyone we know put it there.
>>17590553
Won't work, waste of time, nothing to do with magic
>>17590906
Probably not, but I still found it to be an interesting coincidence.
>>17590553
>mostly just as a joking experiment
Ya' done good OP, ya' done good.
>>17590553
>I told him I thought they were his, but he told me he thought they were mine.
Pffffffttthahahahahahahaha, classic Fae moment.
>>17590553
All of its bullshit and is just there to focus your mind on what you want done. And then if you don't really understand whats going on nothing will happen.
Just go to the source and study alchemy and hermeticism. Thats where all this shit comes from, bro.
>>17590956
Oh fae.
You done good. Real good on this one.
>>17590970
In other words all ritual/spells are meaningless to perform if you know what its about.
Stop before you embarrass yourself.
/thread
>>17590553
OP where do you live? Approximately, dont need your address or anything.
>>17590970
>go to the source and study alchemy and hermeticism. Thats where all this shit comes from, bro.
>pagan traditions and folk magic
>come from hermeticism and alchemy
What? That doesn't even make chronological sense.
>>17591000
I'm from Southern Illinois, and I live in a pretty small town.
>>17590595
Basically the Fae acknowledging 4chan culture.
>>17590628
>this exact response
The Fae have a way of finding people that'll do everything in their power to avoid the elephant in the room. Your post was splendid in avoiding the pun.
>>17590633
Not all Fae are fairies, OP.
>>17590753
Not all Fae are dicks, anon.
>>17590758
You feel what you want to feel.
>>17590780
Alls I feel is the emptiness of never knowing that it was a Fae. This is a sure sign it was the Fae.
>>17590819
>having a double standard for the Fae
>>17591008
At least it's not as bad as what the fairy Queen did.
I still don't know how the fuck I'm supposed to tell anyone about my beliefs in the paranormal.
>>17591005
>iilinois
well that's interesting, y'all have a shit ton of witch lore.
Without identifying the wood I cant really tell you much.
Its not wound properly, or with the proper material to be an uncrossing bundle or any amulet or talisman I recognize.
Can you at all tell what the wood is? That would make all the difference.
>>17591080
We do? I guess I'm not educated on the lore around here as well as I should be. The only lore I know much of is involving Charlie Berger haunting the local jail, actually.
I don't know much about wood or trees, unfortunately. However, I can go outside and look at the trees and bushes out there to see if any of them match. Then I can go from there and identify the tree.
>>17591466
the only reason I ask is because with the sympathetic magic you see in most witchcraft, hoodoo, or clever traditions, the "energy" of the wood could tell you a lot about what the bundle is intended for. A bundle of ash, would be very different from a bundle of blackthorne or oak.
The fact that its burnt/charred at one end makes me wonder if this isnt some kind of incense or "smudge stick" style thing.
Currently I have no idea how this got onto your property whatever it is.
Im not saying it wasn't fae, Im just saying there are more likely candidates.
An uncrossing bundle (a hex breaking charm) would have been wound differently, (specifically, it would have been wound more times). And traditionally it's to be discarded of at a crossroads or a running stream. Unless your yard is right next to a crossroads and it managed to fall into your yard, Im not sure how it got there unless it was intentionally placed.
As for intentional placement, generally charms or amulets/talismans of these types (stick bundles) are almost always protective or beneficial in nature and not hexing or destructive.
Any information about nearby crossroads or what kind of wood its made of would be helpful.
>>17591481
I think I found a match. This is a bush in my backyard, close to the place I used as my offering "altar". In the early spring, it has hot pink/reddish flowers, but I'm not exactly sure what the bush is called.
>>17591005
Please don't tell me you live in Charleston
And if you do, please don't be my family
>>17591849
I don't, don't worry.
>>17591008
Negative, ghostrider.
I was never talking about the fae and/or fairies.
If you read above text from another user, they were talking about an actual person leaving this as a good luck charm or some shit. I was not okay with the thought of an ACTUAL PHYSICAL HUMAN STRANGER LEAVING A "GIFT".
I'm totally cool with the fae/fairies... I just didn't want op fucking with something they thought as more of a joke.
>>17591859
Good good.
When people start talking about living in downstate IL, I start noping.
>>17591564
Can you tell me what you did in the named witchcraft ritual or whatever, u got my attention and i want to try it!
>>17591865
I have to admit, the idea of a stranger (at least, one that wasn't just a kid dicking around) leaving it there never even crossed my mind, despite it being the most realistic case. At this point, if it was a person, I'm just wondering why they did it.
>>17591877
It was a pretty simple ritual. I left a plate with a slice of bread covered in honey on my firepit (it makes for a good makeshift altar), and surrounded it with flowers (mostly dandelions and flowers that grow in the wild). I also put an artificial candle by it. The prayer that I said was on this website: http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/the_wheel_of_the_year/ostara_-_spring_equinox.asp
I have no idea if the sticks have anything to do with it, but if you'd like to try it, go ahead. The prayer might not be relevant after Ostara, but you can still leave an offering if you feel like it.
>>17591875
No worries. I'm about 2 hours south of Charleston.
>>17591005
Makanda pops up on /x/ all the time. Not there by any chance?
>>17591895
I've actually never heard of Makanda. I'm about 40 minutes north of there, Google says.
>>17591889
I think most posters don't realize how small it is, it seems possible that a critter ran off with someone's little art project and dropped there.
>>17591889
What kind of offering are we talking?
Also thank you a lot for the detailed answer!
>>17591914
Interesting theory, I have to say. Also, I'll try to post a picture of it in my hand for size reference.
>>17591921
No problem! The offering I left was the bread and honey. Some sites said they like sweet things. They also said that if an animal eats them, it may be a fairy in an animal form, and that they may not physically eat it, but may take the food's energy.
>>17591907
It's a little town in the Shawnee by giant city lodge. Part of it seems to be a little haven for hippies/newagers/artists.
>>17591931
Sounds interesting. I've been to the Shawnee forest for the yearly reenactments they have there, but that's about the extent of my experience with the area.
>>17591893
Mount Vernon or Sikeston?
>>17591973
I'm actually from Benton. Pretty close, though.
>>17591987
I feel justified in knowing location distances of my homestate.
You should look into local lore around your area to see what you dig up.
>>17592023
I will, actually. There are some books at the local library that are about Southern Illinois hauntings and things, and I may go tomorrow and check some out. Most lore about Benton is involving Charlie Berger, since he was killed here, but I'm sure there's more out there.
Speaking of Southern Illinois and the paranormal, my mom (who grew up in Royalton, Illinois) had a cousin who lived in a house where an old Italian woman named Ms. Venetti (not sure about spelling) used to live. Every Halloween she left food to feed the spirits they say. My mom and her aunt knew the house was haunted, but her cousin was the only one who didn't feel anything. Just something I found interesting that isn't really in the mainstream local lore.
What are these food things you started out with op?
>>17592109
What do you mean by food things?
>>17592126
The spells in the form of foods
>>17592209
Oh! Look up kitchen witchcraft. It's basically utilizing herbs, spices, and other foods with "magical" qualities to make foods with magick energy. It's probably the safest form of witchcraft, plus it's rooted in science in a lot of ways. Certain ingredients are said to have certain magical properties. For example, cinnamon is supposedly good for success and healing, and mint is supposedly good for wealth.
Since kitchen witchcraft is so safe and easy (you pretty much only use things you'd find in your kitchen), it's where I started with witchcraft.
>>17592209
Not op.
But by using ingredients with certain properties, using your "tools" (instead of athames, you use say, a butter knife), focusing your intent into your project (which is most important), and, if you really want to, say a little chant, your food or whatever you're making essentially becomes the spell itself.
Kitchen witchcraft came about after the need came up to really hide what you were doing in the witch hunting era. As long as you have a firm grasp on herbology, their symbolism and correspondences, you can basically do kitchen witchcraft.
Also a plus for housewives that don't want their husbands to figure out they want to be a witch now.
So yea. Food spells.
>>17590553
>Genuinely believes in witchcraft
Am I the only non-nutcase on /x/?
>>17592291
Well, considering that /x/ is a board about things that are outside common belief, I would say that you probably are.
>>17592291
He didn't say he genuinely believes in witchcraft, he said he was genuinely curious about witchcraft you fucking asshole.
>>17591928
Interesting!
I, such as you find this very intriguing.
Gonna definitely try it out, not believing in "witchcraft" so to say, but wanna, like you, try it out. Have a nice sunday mate, please do update if something else happens with your witchcrafting and/or can provide any tips please do tht aswell. Cheers.
>>17590553
>practicing witchcraft
Making fags is witchcraft now?
>>17592819
No problem! If anything else happens, I'll let you guys know.
>>17593056
Probably not, but the coincidence was too weird for me to be able to ignore it. In the small chance that it had some sort of significance, I wanted to be sure I knew about it.
>>17591865
>I'm totally cool with the fae/fairies...
That's what makes it a double standard though. The Fae are basically strangers that same way anyone else is.
>>17594694
I have to say, though, I'd much rather it be a magical stranger than a regular stranger. Equally weird, but way cooler.
Wait a minute. You faggots actually think magic -- sorry, MAGICKQUE -- is fucking real? I thought that shit was limited to fucking tumblr.
Fae? Fucking FAE? Are you fucking kidding me? I know this is /x/ but jesus christ have some fucking self respect
>>17594694
Perhaps a double standard for "supernatural beings", I admit. Though they wouldn't really be "strangers" if they are from the area.
But I don't want any fucking people just wandering in like they owned the joint. Not the same thing to me as an interaction between the fae/what have you.
>>17595320
Let's face it, on a board where half the people believe in bigfoot, I really don't think the concept of fae is all that strange. Besides, I didn't specifically say I believed in them, I just said I was doing some experimenting. Maybe they're real, maybe they're not. I mostly made this post for the coincidence of finding the sticks the day after the ritual. /x/ is a paranormal board, so you shouldn't be surprised to see things that are involving the paranormal.
>>17595320
Have you seriously never scrolled through /x/?
This is one of them more tame "magic" threads.
Plus, this is goddamn /x/. Chill your shit.
