Hi! We're Arianna and Katie and we like casting spells and giving advice. So we're combining those interests here, in Witches' Counsel, where you can send us any problems, hang-ups, fears, etc., and we will do everything in our ~power~ to help. Reach us at witches@buzzfeed.com.
Dear Witches,
Do you have any magical remedies for hangovers?? Much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Auror that drank too much firewhiskey
Dear Auror (we're not giving you a nickname that fits our usual mold because we liked yours too much to change),
Chances are, that unless you've given yourself the worst hangover of the century, you'll be good as new by the time our letter reaches you. Unlike most of the problems we're asked to address, the hangover is inherently a short-term problem. That does not mean we think it a waste to have written us — after all, only the most dire of hangovers could lead someone to email a couple of internet witches for help at 11:21 a.m. on a Wednesday.
We'd be remiss if we didn't say that a hangover is best eradicated by prevention, not after the fact. It's your body's way of telling you that you drank too much booze and not enough water. It feels bad because it's not a great thing to have done to yourself. However! We, too, like a glass of wine or four now and again, and we, too, have woken up pleading to Gaia and ordering toast on Seamless. Shit happens.
But NEXT time, here's an excellent little hangover remedy recommended by our colleague, Tracy Clayton: when you get home from your big night out, drink a full glass of water. And THEN, set your phone alarm for four hours from then. (I know, I know, but you'll thank yourself in the morning.) When the alarm goes off, drink another full glass of water. And then go back to sleep. If you have enough of your wits about you, fill up that second glass of water ahead of time, and leave it on your nightstand. That way you won't even have to get out of bed. Wake up, drink, go back to bed. You'll be, in Tracy's words, fresh as a daisy.
Still, a little dose of magic can't hurt, so here's what we did for you. And remember, if this spell arrives a little too late for the hangover you wrote to us about, we bet it'll come in handy again down the road — and we have a feeling we might have some other readers who might benefit from it, too.
We burned a little bit of Healing incense from Enchantments, and spoke the following incantation over it:
Calling spirits who aren't too busy
Save [your name] from feeling dizzy
Begone headache, nausea, dehydration
And help her practice moderation.
Beyond that? Ibuprofen, rest, French fries, and Netflix. Feel better.
Goddess bless,
The Witches
Dear Witches
I'm in high school and for years I've been going to a camp for the summer. Just an average sleep away camp. This year, I got into an elite program for teens who want to work at the camp. It would look good on college applications and I'll probably have fun and feel fulfilled. But, none of my good friends are going and I don't fit in with the group of teens I'll be working with. Also, I don't want my parents to have to pay so much for it. I feel stuck and I don't want to regret not going but I also think I've grown out of camp. Should I go and stay faithful to a place I once called home or should I move on, grow up and save the money? I guess I just don't know what to do with my summer and I have to stay active in order to feel good. But my gut is telling me it'll be a lot easier to not go to camp. Any suggestions?
Sincerely,
Unsatisfied Sally
Dear Unsatisfied Sally,
So there's this really interesting book by Daniel Gilbert which came out a few years ago [Witches' Note: A quick Google search shows it was actually close to ten years ago; we feel old.] called Stumbling on Happiness and it's about the psychology of happiness in general, and, more specifically, the problem of trying to predict what will make your future self happy. Basically, we as humans are really bad at it. Mostly we're really bad at imagining, accurately, what the future and our future selves will look like. But of course we all still try to do it. How else do we know how to make decisions?
Unfortunately, we don't have any witchy abilities to look into the future. (JK, that is very fortunate, that would be a nightmare.) What we can do is put together a spell to enhance your own focus and intuition, and encourage clear judgment, all of which should help you come to a decision you can trust. Here's what we did:
We carved a white candle (for truth and clarity) with your name, zodiac symbol, and an eye (for vision). Then, when we lit it, we recited a spell for judgment, from Everyday Magic by Dorothy Morrison:
Ancient Hag, Wise Grandmother
You of WIsdom, like no other,
Help [your name] weigh choices with precision,
To make a good and fair decision.
Show her what she needs to see,
Shed some light on what should be.
And should she turn a deafened ear
Open it so she can hear
Help her feel what she should know.
Show her now which way to go.
Guide her in what she must do.
This, Old Crone, we ask of You.
But let's get back to the decision at hand. You've listed the pros for both (go to camp: good for college applications, feel loyal, have fun [maybe??]; stay home: save money, "move on," have fun [maybe??]) and your letter doesn't really lean in favor of one or other — which is to say we don't have insight about this specific dilemma beyond what you already know. More broadly, though:
1. Making a decision out of fear can be a sure-fire way to hold yourself back. So, if you think you are only staying home because you're worried you won't get along with your co-counselors; or that you're only going because moving on and growing up is scary — which, yes, it is! — consider doing the opposite. Do the thing that scares you a little.
2. Either way, you'll be fine. This sounds kind of dismissive but it's true. You're right — if you go to camp, you'll probably have fun. If you stay home and find other ways to be active (maybe take up hiking, or biking, or swimming, or some local soccer team) you'll probably have fun. There's no way to know which scenario will be more fun, because neither scenario is real unless you do them. And there's some freedom in that.
Your letter is so thoughtful and intuitive, so we trust — regardless of how you spend your summer — that you'll be getting the most out of it. You just have to trust that, too!
Goddess bless,
The Witches
Got a problem for the Witches?
Send your questions and concerns to witches@buzzfeed.com.