Urban Witchery
The trees along this city street,
Save for traffic and the trains,
Would make a sound as thin and sweet,
As trees in country lanes.
City Trees by Edna St. Vincent Millay
I am happiest when I am far from the city with its crush of traffic, people and noise. I like hiking in Sedona on some hidden paths I know in the Secret Mountain Wilderness area, and my dream would be to live and work far away from urban life and its struggles. Unfortunately, I have a few years at the least until I can move from the big city. What is a witch to do?
I practice a sort of urban witchery as a resident of a large city. Here are a few of my favorite ways to practice witchcraft in an urban setting.
1. Clip important things to Evernote: Evernote is an app which allows you to clip articles, links, handwritten notes, voice, text and photo notes and syncs automatically across all of your devices. There are even some people who use it as their book of shadows or grimoire. You can also collaborate with others in a shared notebook or save articles to read later. I use the web clipper on my laptop which allows me to save things that I find by clicking a little button. I can look at these immediately on all my devices.
2. Use a tarot app: I use Galaxy Tarot on my phone. It is a great app with different spreads and a journal where you can save your readings. This is probably the best free tarot app out there. If divination with runes is more your thing there is also a Galaxy Runes app.
3. Make and carry and amulet, talisman or good luck charm: I carry a four leaf clover charm most days. It’s a smooth little piece that easily slips into a pocket and it nice to hold during the day. An amulet or talisman is also a great idea for an urban witch on the go.
4. Embroider protective or other sigils onto clothing: If you’re good with needle and thread, or even if you aren’t, stitching a sigil or symbol into your clothing can be a great source of magic.
5. Give regular offerings to the spirits of the land: This is probably the most regular ritual I do. I basically go out to my yard near my rose bushes and take a stick or cone of incense with me and offer it to the spirits of the land. When I first started this practice I was surprised how the incense filled the space of my side yard. It is beautiful. It also takes about 10 minutes, and if you light your incense in a rocky area it will burn out safely. This can be easily practiced in any outdoor space in your city and you can make it as simple or complex a ritual as you would like.
6. Find and use unique urban witch products: Here is some amazing urban witchery that I love. Professor Pam’s Urban Divination Deck is a gold on black oracle deck that uses common urban symbols and happenings to guide your readings. This is a wonderful deck for the urban witch. It has city oriented cards like “The Suspicious Puddle,” and “Free Newspaper.”
These etched brass shield pins are also from the same shop. These are great for shielding you from big city life.
However entrenched you are in urban life, know that at some stage to recharge yourself you will have to get away into the natural world. Cities tend to weigh us down eventually, so make time to drive far away from the hustle and bustle and soak up some solitude.
The Darkling Woods 