A Year and a Day of Everyday Magic, by Deborah Blake
Praise for A Year and a Day of Everyday Magic
“Reading this book felt like happening upon the grimoire of a wise, gentle crone, written to personally guide me to create the most magical year for myself. Without a doubt, this is a staple every witch—new or experienced—should have on their bookshelf!”
— amanda lovelace , author of Make Your Own Magic
“Deborah Blake offers magical tips and techniques to help readers achieve maximum witchification. Blake’s writing is accessible, reliable, down-to-earth, and packed with enchantment. Recommended!”
— Judika Illes , author of Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells
About the Author
Deborah Blake is the award-winning author of The Goddess Is in the Details, Everyday Witchcraft, and numerous other books from Llewellyn, along with a popular tarot deck. She has published articles in Llewellyn annuals, and her ongoing column, “Everyday Witchcraft,” is featured in Witches & Pagans magazine. She can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, and www.deborahblakeauthor.com.
She lives in a 130-year-old farmhouse in rural upstate New York with various cats who supervise all her activities, magickal and mundane.
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024038472
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024038473
Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd. does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business transactions between our authors and the public.
All mail addressed to the author is forwarded but the publisher cannot, unless specifically instructed by the author, give out an address or phone number.
Any internet references contained in this work are current at publication time, but the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific location will continue to be maintained. Please refer to the publisher’s website for links to authors’ websites and other sources.
A brief note on candle and herb safety: Candles and herbs are a wonderful component of a Witchcraft practice, but please keep in mind that both should be used with caution. Candles should always be burned in or on firesafe containers and never left unattended. Herbs, although they are natural, may not be safe for ingestion by people or pets. Enjoy your practice, but stay safe and keep those you love safe. There are a number of topics that deal with mental health. While I hope they will be helpful, they are not intended to be a substitute for doctors, counselors, or any medications you happen to be prescribed. If you are struggling, please seek help from qualified professionals.
I ntroduct I on 1 J anuary 5 F ebruary 37 M arch 67 a pr I l 99 M ay 131 J une 163 J uly 195 a ugust 227
s epte M ber 259 o ctober 291 n ove M ber 323 d ece M ber 355 b onus d ay 387 a ppend I x 389 b I bl I ography 401 o nl I ne r esources 403
Introduction
Back in 2017, which seems a long time ago now, I put out A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft: 366 Ways to Witchify Your Life.
I wrote it for a couple of different reasons. For one thing, I happened to love 365-day books, and I have quite a few of them on my own shelves. They’re fun and easy to use, and they’re great for people like me who want to be inspired or informed but don’t always have time to sit down and read large chunks of books every day. I have books on goddesses, spiritual quotes, poetry, and so much more.
The other reason I wrote it was because it was fun to take bits and pieces of all the things I’d learned over the course of my Witchcraft practice and share them with my readers. Also, they let me put a cat on the cover. So there’s that.
Fast-forward a number of years later, and I started getting messages from people saying how much they loved that first book, but hey, it had been a while now, and they’d used it over and over for each year, and couldn’t I maybe consider doing another one so they’d have a new bunch of things to read and do?
It turns out, I could. And here you go. Thanks for asking for it!
Obviously, I didn’t want to write exactly the same type of year-and-a-day book I did the last time. Not only would
that be boring, but it would defeat the purpose of giving my readers something new. So while there are a few things that are the same, I’ve taken a slightly different approach this time around. Instead of having mostly facts or information, with a “try this” suggestion at the bottom of the page, I’ve switched things around so there will be a little info to start, with the main portion devoted to some simple and easy action you can take. (Or not. Your choice.)
There are some repeating themes that start at the beginning and go throughout the book, usually one or two in a month. I also have topics on using tools, stone magic and herb magic and kitchen magic and bathroom magic (hey, we all spend a lot of time in that room, might as well make use of it), as well as a focus on mental health magic, because let’s face it, it has been a rough bunch of years.
I’ve included a focus on spirit too, which includes affirmations and meditations, journaling prompts, and suggestions for ways to connect with specific deities and nature in general. While a few of the actions are suggestions for things to think about or focus on, as opposed to actually doing a specific task, for the most part, this book is more about doing something small every day, and less a bunch of facts most of you probably know already.
The book includes mini rituals and spells, quick craft projects, recipes, and an assortment of other fun or interesting or edu-
cational topics. I’ve tossed in some cool tarot card activities too—if you don’t happen to have a deck on hand, you can always print off a picture of the card online. Hopefully you will find most, if not all, of it helpful and amusing. That’s the plan, anyway. Obviously, not every topic will appeal to everyone, so feel free to skip the ones you aren’t interested in, or do the ones you like more than one time. This is your book, and there are no rules.
While there are some topics that are tied to specific days or times of year, much of the book can be used on any day in any month, so feel free to bounce around a bit if you don’t feel like starting at the beginning and going straight through to the end. Who knows what might inspire you if you open the book to a random page? Of course, you can also start on January first and work your way through. As with everything else in your Witchcraft practice, it is up to you. As a helpful aid, there is an appendix at the back of the book that lists all the topics under various categories, so if you’re in the mood for a particular type of spell or activity, you can find it more easily.
Every month has a full moon page, but since the dates for the full moons change every year, I’ve placed the full moon topic for each month on the third day. You can just swap the page for the actual full moon for whatever falls on that date. For instance, if the full moon is on the eighteenth, you’d do the full moon then and the activity for the eighteenth on the third. The same goes for holidays, which
may vary a couple of days in either direction from the day on which I have them listed. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, you can swap for the appropriate holiday for your calendar too.
I hope you have a wonderful year and a day, both inside these pages and in the rest of your life. Many blessings on your journey, and as always, thanks for taking me along for the ride.
Deborah Blake
January
January 1
New Year’s Day
It’s the beginning of a new year. Many witches celebrate Samhain as the witch’s New Year, but even so, most of us acknowledge the significance of this calendar date as well. If you are just starting this book, it is a great time to kick off a new 365 days as a witch, walking your path every day with purpose and intent.
What does that look like to you? Maybe you have an idea in mind of the things you want to change and improve. Or maybe you want to focus on your spiritual life more than you have in the past. Maybe you just know you are looking for … something.
Grab a piece of paper or an empty notebook. If you like to journal (or want to give it a try), today is the perfect day to start fresh, with a blank book and an open heart. If you have a fancy pen, this might be a good time to break it out and just start writing. Depending on your style, you might want to make a list of all the things you want to achieve in the year ahead, or simply jot down ideas as they pop into your head.
For now, don’t worry about whether or not what you hope for is practical or realistic. Just write down everything that comes to mind that you would like to achieve this year. There is plenty of time for serious plans later. Today, it is okay to dream.
January 2
Pick a Project
No matter how many things you want to achieve this year, it can be good to focus some of your attention on one big project. One big goal. Whether or not that is a practical issue or a spiritual one, you can use magic to help you accomplish it.
Today, think about what you want. A change of career? A new relationship? Some form of self-improvement? Another cat? (Sorry, maybe that’s just me. And no.) It doesn’t have to be something huge. Maybe you want to sort through all the accumulated crap in your house and get rid of things you don’t need, decluttering your space and psyche. (Wait, that might be me again. But it’s not a bad idea.)
Pick one project and write it down in your journal or in BIG letters on the front of the refrigerator so you won’t forget. You can change your mind later if you decide this project isn’t the right one, but for now, set the intention to accomplish this one thing, whatever it is.
Then do one practical thing that will move you a tiny step closer to achieving your goal, and say this short spell:
With this step, the first of many, I set my feet upon the path to success and achievement. My intentions are set, my magic is strong, and I am unstoppable.
Take a moment to see yourself actually accomplishing your goal. Make the image as clear as you can, and feel the truth of that achievement settle into your bones.
January 3
January Full Moon
The full moon in January has traditionally been referred to as the Wolf Moon, although it is also sometimes known as the Storm Moon, or the Moon After Yule. The Wolf Moon gets its name from the more obvious presence of wolves closer to civilization due to the lack of food, but also because it is a time to stay close to pack or family. Storm Moon is pretty self-explanatory, especially if you live in places that get snow or other unsettled weather. This full moon is a good time to do magic to resolve family issues or to work on improving closeness with those you consider “pack.” You can also try magic to quiet the storms of your life, metaphorically speaking, or your own inner storms. The January full moon is perfect for selfreflection, meditation, journeying, and spells for peace.
January 4 Eos
Eos is the Greek goddess of the dawn who rules over light, rejuvenation, and new beginnings. Her brother is the sun, for whom she opens the gate of the day, and her children are the four elemental winds. This is one connected goddess. It is common for her to be depicted driving a chariot as she brings in the winds that wash away the troubles of the past to make room for positive change.
If you want to connect with Eos, you are going to have to get up early, but I think it will be worth it. As the sun rises, go outside or look out a window (if it is warm enough out, by all means open it so you can feel the breeze). Feel the potential that lies within every fresh new day, and greet Eos by saying these words, or whatever comes to you:
Beautiful Eos, I greet you at the beginning of a new day, and ask that you send me the best day possible. Send the winds to blow away that which no longer works for my benefit, and grant me rejuvenation and new beginnings so that I might make the most of this day and all that follow. So mote it be.
Then spend a few minutes enjoying the sunrise.
January
5
The White Candle
Candles come in many shapes, sizes, and, of course, colors. We often use specific colors for magical work to aid in focus on a particular goal, or to boost the power of a spell, or sometimes just because it feels right.
But what do you do if you don’t have the color candle a spell calls for, or if you can’t decide which one would be best?
The white candle is your friend. It can be used for general magical work (such as lunar magic) or in the place of any other candle. Yes, even black. If you still want a touch of color, you can tie a piece of colored string, ribbon, or thread around the bottom of a white candle (making sure it won’t catch fire) to symbolize the particular color you want.
A white candle can also be quite soothing. Light a white candle and sit or stand in front of it. Watch the way the flame dances. Feel the calm neutral energy of the white wax. As you focus on the candle, take a few slow, deep breaths and envision its calming energy reaching out and encompassing you. If you can do this on the night of the full moon, even better. But even if you can’t, you can imagine the white candle reflecting the moon’s light and power and absorb that into yourself.
January 6
Divination Experimentation
Divination is, for many of us, an integral part of our magical practice. It can be tricky, and different types of divination may work better for some people than for others, but it is something most people can do in one form or another. It can be a serious and useful tool, but it can also be fun. If you haven’t tried it much, you may want to experiment with various forms of divination to see which ones appeal to you the most, and which ones you are best at using. Don’t stress about getting things right; consider this research.
Gather together as many different kinds of divination tools as you can. These may include tarot cards (more than one deck, if you have multiple), oracle cards, rune stones, a pendulum, a scrying mirror, tea leaves … whatever you have. Although personally, I’d stay away from the Ouija board. Then choose a simple question and ask it using each of the tools you have available. You can even ask a question you already know the answer to, if you want.
Do you get the same answer each time? Do they agree or disagree? Is there one that feels more comfortable to use or consistently gives you more accurate answers? You can learn a lot from playing around with divination. It may work better for you on some days than on others, so if you’re not feeling it today, don’t worry. Just try again some other time.
January 7
I Am Fully Present in My Own Life
Affirmations are simple statements, always said in the present tense, that are intended to create positive change and growth. The idea is that if you say them often enough, you can replace negative thoughts (who doesn’t have those?) with positive ones. Repeat this one, and the others in the book, whenever you feel the need. Create the truth you want in your life. Take a deep breath and say, “I am fully present in my own life.”
Body, Mind & Spirit / Witchcraft
“A staple every witch—new or experienced—should have on their bookshelf!”
—Amanda Lovelace, author of Make Your Own Magic
Invite a Little More Magic into Each Day
Explore 366 quick activities that you can follow chronologically through the year or dip into as time allows. This follow-up to A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft includes spells, rituals, meditations, crafts, recipes, and journal prompts you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. You’ll find ideas to:
• Design a labyrinth
• Build an ancestor altar
• Carve intention into candles
• Make a besom • Grow a moon garden
• Fold paper airplane magic • Wish with bubbles
• Chant to the Goddess
• Boost psychic power
In addition to the daily inspirations, Deborah Blake offers activities for full moons, holidays, and other special occasions. With this book, you can explore your magic and expand your practice, even during the busiest times.
“Accessible, reliable, down-to-earth, and packed with enchantment.”
—Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells
Deborah Blake is the author of seventeen books on modern Witchcraft, including The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows and Llewellyn’s Little Book of Spellcraft. She is also the creator of Everyday Witch Tarot and several other tarot and oracle decks. Deborah lives in upstate New York with numerous cats who supervise all her activities, both magical and mundane.Visit her at DeborahBlakeAuthor.com.
