Be True to You! by Silver RavenWolf

Be True to You by Silver RavenWolf – Ritual and Easy Felt Pocket Spellbook

Update 12 August 2025 - Pattern supplied at end of article.

Felt Pocket Booklet - 9 Bay Leaves - Handmade Paper brewed on a Gemini New Moon

Want a rewarding journey? Be true to yourself. Yeah. I know. It ain't easy. You have to navigate all those inner feelings of inadequacy, and then there's the peanut gallery of broken and damaged folk who try to sharpen their teeth on your self-esteem. Who needs to watch horror movies, right? There's enough blood sucking going on in social media to feed an army of vampires (and then some).

Being true to yourself takes courage. It’s all about embracing who you are—your beliefs, your values, your passions...without worrying about what others might think. Well, that's what the self-help stuff says. Except you are going to worry. At first. Until you put everything in perspective. Doing that - looking without fear - becomes a unique challenge that can be met with amazing grace if you use your innate talents and focus on that vibrant feeling you get when you are in the zone of creation.

On the precipice of 69, I can tell you -- Let your true self shine. Be you. Own you! It is okay. You wanna wear that hat? Have at it! Interested in snakes and alligator print dresses?  Yessir! Purple hair?  Okay! Always wanted to go to (dream destination) – arrange it!   In fact, you need to do this. You NEED to be you!  Yup!  Being you is a need as great as finding shelter, embracing love, and stocking the food cabinet.

When you squeeze, cradle, enfold, and grab the wondrous totality of yourself, you gain a sense of clarity and confidence that helps you navigate life’s ups and downs. Being authentic feels great and brings you a sense of inner peace. If you live in harmony with your actual identity instead of bending to fit into someone else's mold, an awful lot of mental junk falls away.

Trust me on this. I know.  Own yourself.  Hold your head high.  Be you!

Of course, staying true to yourself can sometimes feel challenging. Many of us worry about judgment or rejection, which can make it tempting to hide parts of ourselves (or most of ourselves, or heck, even all of ourselves) from the world. Stop worrying about "if somebody loves you" -- and love yourself. And one way to do that is to "be you" with excitement and joy.  

Being a magickal person, sometimes finding a supportive circle of friends who have the same interests as yourself can be difficult, which exacerbates feelings of loneliness, and in a moment of desperation, you think it is okay to hit that like button on that post where some idiot is chewing the life out of a rival.  Poison.

Yeah. Not good.

You know? It is okay to be picky. Feel proud of yourself that you wish to choose to surround yourself with encouraging people rather than run with the pack of egomaniacs, gossip mongers, and self-haters. You know? Sharing your authenticity? Can actually inspire others to do the same. The magick of you creates a beautiful ripple effect of openness and acceptance. Be you! Be you! Be you!

Being true to you is a personal adventure that’s constantly evolving. It isn't egotistical to embrace the real you by taking the time for reflection and to give big hugs to the parts of yourself that you might find difficult to show. As you continue on this path, you’ll likely see greater joy and fulfillment in your life, a feeling that will uplift you and those around you. The more you celebrate your uniqueness, the more your relationships will thrive on genuine understanding and respect. The more exciting, lovely, and interesting folks will be drawn to you, and all will have mutual gain.  

Real magickal power comes from celebrating the accomplishments of others, rather than wallowing in the pit of condemnation, and brings unbelievable freedom from fear, anger, and pessimism. By being yourself, owning who and what you are with joy, puts you in tune with the healing vibrations of nature, where true happiness blossoms -- eyes of flowers see flowers. You always have the choice. What do you see?

I wrote the above article on this last full moon and let it sit for a day or two. I like to sleep on what I've created, clearing out those mental cobwebs so I can review the writing with more clarity. Sometimes, you become so invested in the prose that you forget the rose (the real meaning of the work).

Short Ritual for Self-Awareness and Manifestation

What You'll Need

- 9 bay leaves

- A candle color, type, and style of your choice

- A small felt pocket or pouch (I made mine, look below for brief, easy instructions)

- Indelible Marker

- A slip of paper with your name and birth date on it.

Find a harmonious, peaceful place where you feel relaxed and won’t be interrupted. Place your candle in front of you and set the felt pocket on your altar or flat surface. Take a deep breath. Let the movement of air in and out of your body help clear your mind and get in the right headspace.

Set Your Intention: Hold your candle in both hands and take a moment to focus on what you want from this ritual. Picture your unique talents and the wishes you’d love to see come to life. When you are ready, light your candle. Place your name, birthdate, and birth time (if you have it) inside the pocket of your little felt book (see how-to instructions below), OR place this information in a conjure bag of your choice.

Use Bay Leaves as Spell Vehicles

Celebrate Your Talents/Strengths:

Choose one bay leaf and jot down a talent or strength that you cherish about yourself. Do this for four bay leaves total. Maybe you’ll write "Creativity," "Empathy," "Resilience," or "Leadership." Most importantly, this talent should be an energy that elevates your self-esteem when you think of it. While you write, imagine each talent glowing brightly within you. Feel grateful for these exceptional qualities! When you finish writing, blow on the leaves 9 times, then say, "I live in harmony with these traits where all is prepared for me." Repeat this statement 9 times.

Express Your Wishes/Traits:

On the other five bay leaves, write down the wishes you want to fulfill or traits you’d like to enhance. Think along the lines of "Confidence," "Courage," "Clarity," "Joy," or "Patience". Goals like "Wealth", "Healing", "New Car", and "New Home" are also acceptable. The five wishes in total represent your willingness to change, to elevate yourself, and to try new experiences when working toward those goals. As you write each goal, picture how wonderful your life will be when these traits are part of you. Blow on these leaves 9 times. Say: "I live in harmony with these goals, where all is prepared for me." If you feel lumping these ideas all together may muddy the magickal waters, then do each leaf separately. I know this will take longer, but you may find it worth it. For example: "I accept total natural healing for my body, mind, and soul, where all is prepared for me." Take your time when wording your goals. Each statement should be said 9 times.

Put the Bay Leaves in Your Felt Pocket or Conjure Bag

Take the felt pocket (simple instructions given below) and gently place all nine bay leaves inside. You could say something uplifting like, "I embrace my strengths and welcome the growth of these wishes in my life, where all is prepared for me."

Closing Your Ritual

When you’re ready, extinguish the candle with gratitude. Keep your pocket with the bay leaves somewhere special so you can see it often—a little reminder of your active desire to enhance your journey! Don't think of "when will this happen." Instead, say that last statement again: "I embrace my strengths and welcome the growth of these wishes in my life, where all is prepared for me."

As you go about your day, revisit those incredible qualities and wishes you’ve written down. Allow yourself to shine in your strengths and take tiny steps toward making your wishes come true. As I often remind myself, one step, one step, one step. Just one. That's okay. This Self-Awareness and Manifestation ritual is a lovely way to acknowledge your gifts and express your intentions for positive change. Embrace the journey and trust that wonderful things are on their way to you! Enjoy the process!

Easy Felt Book/Pocket Instructions

You will need:

1 piece of felt (the color is up to you)

Scissors

Needle and Thread (or sewing machine). Even a glue gun will work if you are careful.

Embellishments - I used Iron-On Glitter Symbols that I made created with my Cricut Machine and a skeleton charm I painted and sealed with resin to honor my ancestors- You choose what feels right to you

Velcro-type fastener – I worked with the easy glue type, so that I could close the book/pocket (not necessary but I like things neat and tidy, lol)

Iron

Pocket/Book Measurements

Totally up to you. This is what I used with the scraps I had.

Body: 8.5 inches wide by 3.75 inches long

Pocket: 4 inches wide by 3.5 inches long (make sure the pocket fits nicely on one side of your little book.  

Inner Pocket - Edge Stitch on 3 Sides (or glue)

Super Simple Instructions

Really for sure, you can’t get much easier than these which makes this project great for kids, a coven meeting, family get-together, or part of a bigger ritual.

Step One:  Fold the 8.5-inch body in half, so that it looks like a little book. Press.

Step Two:  Open the body. Affix the pocket, making sure to stay away from the folded crease. Step Three:  Stitch three sides or glue. Add velcro-type closure if you like.

Step Four:  Now...decorate! Done!

This project makes a super creative spell or ritual vehicle. Perfect for friends or family. Doesn't take long to make. Won't break the bank, particularly over the holidays when money is so tight. Can be employed for a sick person, blessed, and sent easily in the mail with a lovely note.  

Being true to yourself, standing tall, and owning who you are is the most freeing course of action you will ever take in your life.  Be you.  Feet firm.  Arms outstretched in a delightful embrace of the vibrancy of what is.  It is from this place of power, where you stand atop the waterfall of life feeling the mist and raw energy of your own manifestation, that you will dive into joy where all is prepared for you. I know. I've done it.

Note:  The phrase "Where all is prepared for you" in this ritual is a concept often associated with Florence Scovel Shinn’s work, particularly in her book “The Game of Life and How to Play It”, first produced by herself in 1925. It reflects the idea that the universe has already provided everything needed for one's success and well-being. This concept, rolled out by a plethora of authors in a variety of religious (or non) platforms since that time, is linked to the belief that thought manifests reality, and that by aligning one's thoughts and actions with their desires, they can access the abundance that is already available from the sea of potential.  Florence was an educated artist, illustrator, and a New Thought spiritual teacher.  Her work has fascinated me for years, and I have incorporated many of her techniques in my private experiments.  “The Game of Life and How to Play It” was produced 100 years ago this year, giving us a peek into the growing mysticism of the roaring twenties.  I thought it truly apropos to highlight her philosophy in this article, given we are embracing our own exciting roaring twenties!   

Fall News from WhisperMagick.com - Selected tea candles are on sale for a limited time! Be sure to check our selection and order today!

If you order Florence's book from the link provided, I do receive a percentage from the sale.

copyright srw 2025 - Felt Spellbook Pattern