alest

she/any || pagan || hearth/hedge practitioner

[alterlest]

𓃶 Hello there, welcome to my blog :) My name is Al! Here’s some fun facts about me,,

⛤ i go by she/any pronouns

⛤ my favorite crystal is rhodonite

⛤ i put rosemary in almost all of the things i cook

⛤ i’ve been practicing since march of 2020

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 i’m planning to use this page to document my journey as a pagan and practitioner, and to share information with all of you on different aspects of celtic and infernal practices.

𓃶 I am a hearth and hedge practitioner who is currently working with the deities Lucifer and Gwyn ap Nudd.

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 This blog will be a friendly space to everyone- however, if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, xenophobic, etc you will be blocked no warning. i would love to answer any questions you may have about witchcraft or deity work! i’m here to share my knowledge and my experiences ♡.

[alterlest]

Hello lovelies.

I’m currently going through a near complete rebuild of my practice right now. Currently, i’m doing this for the benefit of my practice and mental health, and i’m proud of the steps i’m taking! however, i wanted to share this with you all.

I’ve never been particularly good at keeping my altars clean. Whether it was one for my ancestors, my deities, or myself. This made me feel guilty, and that guilt made me sink deeper into poor mental health. Eventually, there will be times where I not only forget to take care of the altars, but I also forget to give offerings, clean the space I live in, etc.

This piles for me. But something I was told, that I remember, and that I want to share with you is that it’s ok to fall in and out of your practice.

The Gods are patient. You don’t need to give daily or weekly offerings if that’s unmanageable for you. You don’t need to devote every waking moment to your deities.

They want you to take care of yourself first and foremost. Then you can take care of acts for them.

So, I cleaned my altar for the first time in months and I reorganized it. And i hope this blog inspires you to do the same, or at least reminds you that it’s ok to not be ok sometimes ❤️ remember that your practice is YOURS. no one else’s. personalize it, mold it, make it accessible and enjoyable for YOU.

stay safe!

[witchofrijeka]

Grounding and cleansing with Chthonic and Ouranic energies

Make yourself comfortable, whether it's laying down or sitting or whichever position suits you best. Take a deep breath and visualise a tap root growing down from the bottom of your spine and deep into the ground. Breathe out through it and feel the roots spread and reach deeper. Take a breath through the roots, and feel the breath travel up your spine and into the crown of your head. Now visualise branches spreading from the top of your head into the sky, first large ones and then thinner and thinner reaching ever upwards . Exhale through the branches and then inhale through them. Feel the breath travel down your spine and into the roots, then out into the ground. Breathe in through the roots. Breathe out through the branches.

Reverse direction and keep moving your breath up and down for as long as you like, grounding yourself and cleansing the stale energies within you.

[alterlest]

⭒✮⭒

Naberius; Valiant Marquis of Hell

some basic information.

⭒✮⭒

Who is He? ⇲

Also named Cerberus, Naberius is a fallen angel and the 24th of 72 spirits of solomon. He appears as a crow, a black crane, or a three headed dog much like his greek counterpart. Naberius is described as having a hoarse voice. He teaches about arts and sciences, skills like rhetoric, and helps to restore honor and dignity. Marquis Naberius was first mentioned by Johann Weyer in 1583. In that text, he presents himself as eloquent and amiable. It is unclear if he has a direct association with the greek Cerberus, however, Weyer considered them the same demon.

Excerpt from “The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King” (1904) ⇲

“NABERIUS. – The Twenty-fourth Spirit is Naberius. He is a most valiant Marquis, and showeth in the form of a Black Crane, fluttering about the Circle, and when he speaketh it is with a hoarse voice. He maketh men cunning in all Arts and Sciences, but especially in the Art of Rhetoric.
He restoreth lost Dignities and Honours. He governeth 19 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, which is to be worn, etc.”

-S.L. MacGregor Mathers

Experiences ⇲

From my own research, Naberius is described as a wonderful teacher who will teach rhetoric, scrying, and other skills useful to one’s practice.

He can help you restore tarnished reputations, and, as a psychopomp, is a wonderful infernal to work with when practicing death Magick.

In the same way, he can help improve your skills in divination thanks to his teachings in communication. He is useful among artists for helping spark creativity and enthusiasm about a project.

Associations ⇲

*please note that this section may contain UPG elements.

Colors: gold, yellow, red, orange

direction: East

Season: Winter

Planet: Moon

metal: Silver

element: Air

animals: birds (pigeons and corvids), dogs, wolves

zodiac: Scorpio

Offerings ⇲

*please note that this section may contain UPG elements.

Edible: green apples, strawberries, peaches, blueberries, cranberries, plums, cauliflower, green beans, spinach, turnips, elderberry tea, alfalfa tea, black and white teas, rosemary, cilantro, cinnamon, cranberry juice, orange juice, prune juice

Misc.: benzion incense, sage incense, star anise incense, juniper incense, any music, amethyst, garnet, jade, aquamarine

Enn ⇲

Enn: Eyan tasa volocur Naberius

[bodhrancomedy]

My 90yr old Irish Catholic grandpa doesn’t miss with my gender. He’s never gotten my name wrong, or my pronouns, never even faltered over it.

It’s all so natural too: son, big man, young man…

We’ve never talked about it. He’s the only one who hasn’t pushed for details. He just accepted it and carried on because it’s not a huge deal.

It’s so comforting.

[foropinionssake]

My dear that’s called Alzheimer’s

[bodhrancomedy]

I wasn’t going to respond to this, I looked at your blog. Your irrational hatred and bile directed towards trans people is palpable and pathetic. This was intended to upset me. 

But I now have a chance to talk about who my grandfather is. 

You see, I find it interesting that you claim the only way my 90yr old grandfather could possibly be so accepting is if he was dying of one of the most horrible diseases known to man, a condition which eats your brain from the inside out and turns you in an angry, scared shell of the child you once were while your family has to grieve you long before you’re dead. 

You find it easier - and evidently prefer - to believe that to accept me, my grandfather must have Alzheimer’s rather than any other reason. 

Why is that easier to believe than a man who lived through (not was born during, not was around for, lived through) the Second World War and the aftermath, seeing footage of the concentration camps and meeting refugees would be accepting? 

A poor builder and a farmer who worked alongside queer men and deaf men and the few people of colour in Northern Ireland in the 1950s and was himself barred from many places of employment and education due to his religion?

This man, whose oldest son was born the year the British army began occupying his country, who lived through the Troubles and was automatically considered suspicious and dangerous through an incident of birth? A man who helped raise six children - most of them boys and therefore in great danger of the army turning their guns on them for playing kid-games - in a time of civil war where it didn’t seem to matter which side you were on, the bombs and shootings could get you either way? A man who once was taken hostage by the IRA? 

My grandfather’s oldest son - my dad - was the first in his family to go to university and there he met and fell in love with a Protestant woman. This was before the Good Friday Agreement, when the civil war was still happening, and if my grandparents had a problem with it - they never let said to my mum. 

(My grandpa and my mum don’t really get along, but that’s more to do with me being a premature baby and tensions over my survival and disagreements on how to look after me. My mum and my Nana? Thick as thieves.) 

They certainly never let it slip to us when we came along because it wasn’t important anymore that we were something many people in Northern Ireland would have preferred to not exist. It didn’t matter. 

He voted in the Good Friday Agreement in hopes of stopping the conflict. He spent a lot of time listening to me about the bullying I was facing for being - unbeknownst to me at the time - queer and disabled. He just told me that being happy was far more important. 

Being trans? It does not matter. Of course it doesn’t matter to him because he’s seen worse things in the world. 

He’s ninety years old. He’s still out on the farm, he’s still studying history, he’s still sharp as fuck. I’ve seen someone die of Alzheimer's. I know every bit of it and it’s not him. Besides, I’ve not medically transitioned in anyway yet. He’s only seen me presenting fully masc for six days in person. Two years in total. If he had Alzheimer’s he’d be calling me by my deadname and using she/her. 

And he’s not unusual. Outside of your echo chamber, most people are fine with trans people. Most people don’t care. Most people are accepting. They may not understand, they may not use the right words, but they’re accepting. 

I do find it interesting that once again the TERF tactic is try and wrestle autonomy and self-control away from people who don’t follow your bigoted stances. Autistics must be being manipulated. Trans men are clearly confused little girls. Children obviously can’t understand their own minds and bodies. 

My grandfather must have Alzheimer's. 

Of course my view of a world I’ve seen in a Tumblr textpost must be more correct than the reality everyone else lives in. 

Have the day you deserve. 

[sammy-the-haze]

I’d like to add about my nana.

She was born in 1940 in Spain. She was sent to catholic school then married a man and came to the us in the 60s.

She’s had a long list of lovers, both men and women.

She doesn’t understand my gender. But she slips up less than almost anyone in my immediate family. I’m her grandson, su hijo, her handsome man.

People love saying that it’s Alzheimers or dementia or something else fucking with her memory. But she still speaks English and spanish perfectly (she has never ever misgendered me in spanish). She can get up and down stairs. She can read and watch tv and understand.

Old people can be accepting and loving and caring without understanding.

My nana asked me soon after I came out, “you’ll be happier this way? As a man?” When I said yes, she said okay and… that was that. Over 5 years ago. Before my mother came around. Before my lesbian aunt came around. Before my cousins disowned me. My 83 year old nana has been on my side.

[sapphicsophos]

My parents were accepting when I came out as a trans woman, how could they not be? They've been active in the queer community longer than I have been alive. My dad had some concerns about my health, my mom had some concerns about how people would treat me, but they were supportive and just wanted me to be happy. I was concerned about how my mom's side of the family would take it - we're Southern and a lot of them are conservative Baptists. My mom offered to talk to them for me, and I decided ultimately I didn't care what most of them thought but I did want her to talk to her mom, my Granny. My Granny has always only ever wanted the best for me, but I was worried that she wouldn't understand I didn't think I could handle that in person. My mom talked to her, and her only real questions were "So I call [Sophos] her now?" Yes, at the time "Is she going to change her name?" No, I changed my last name when I got married but I'm never dropping my first or middle name, and finally "Is this going to make her happy?" Yes, a million times yes. Ever since then she has only ever referred to me as her beautiful granddaughter. The first time I saw her after my mom talked to her, she asked if I wanted her to make me a dress (she's a seamstress and while her skills have declined slightly as her eyesight and manual dexterity have declined, she's still one of the best I know). This 72 year old (at the time, closer to 78 now) Southern Christian woman, who until the last couple of elections voted Republican, heard her grandchild was trans and embraced that as fully as she possibly could.

[gayfrogart]

Adding on that my grand aunt, a woman who survived the Great Depression and who lost her only son to suicide far, far too young and who was a devout Catholic to her death was more accepting of my transness and me dating people of my biosex than any other member of my family was initially.

Before my mom really came around, before my dad stopped talking about how much he didn't get it, she accepted me.

I told her, worriedly tbh, that I'd like to be called something else. And she called me that. No questions, no fussing, just a flat out okay.

[wheretfismickey]

My very catholic (as in, went to church all the time and was good friends with the priests at her parish and would invite them over all the time) great grandmother actually did have Alzheimer's, and you know what she said to me before her memory really fell apart? "Know that I accept and love you for who you are. My memory is getting bad and I might not remember your new name, but I love you and I'm happy for you". I hold that memory in a very special place and it means so much that she let me know she accepted me before she couldn't anymore. She ended up not knowing who I was at all not long after that, regardless of whether it was my birth name or my current one.

But sure, it's just the Alzheimer's that makes old people gender their trans family members correctly 🙄

[helloseptemberlune]

@foropinionssake How do you feel after taking the biggest eating in Tumblr history?

[foropinionssake]

Perfectly fine since this post was forever ago and the op and I had discussed it and I apologized. Welcome to the ancient chat tho

[bodhrancomedy]

We did not discuss it. You sent me a dm and I ignored it. I just checked your blog and your pinned post does call intersex people mutants and you’re still going on about not being able to change your gender, so… don’t pretend I gave you any blessing.

[holy-ring]

the gods are so real. the gods are so real and they love you. if you're looking for a sign that the gods are holding your hand, here it is. they are here with you. they are looking for a way to help you in the best way possible. stay strong, it's going to be okay.

[khaire-traveler]

It's my personal belief that just about every beginning pagan and polytheist who worries about upsetting their gods if they don't give enough offerings should go one or two months without giving any offerings but still politely ask their gods for assistance.

Why in the hell would I say this? It's simple, dear friends: it could hopefully show them that, hey, gods are actually a lot more chill and willing to help than mainstream paganism and polytheism would have us believe.

The gods aren't going to devour your soul for asking for their help. It's my opinion that they actually appreciate being valued and trusted enough by you for you to rely on them in your times of need. You don't need to feel guilty for asking for help - that's the main point of this post.

[teawitch]

Types of Ancestors

We're approaching Samhain so a good time to resurface this one because every year people ask - but what if my ancestors were terrible people?

So a quick rundown of other types of ancestors that we can work with. (The terms aren't mine but rather used in the community. They should help if you want to find more info on a specific type to work with.)

Ancestors of Flesh and Blood are biological ancestors (shared DNA)

Ancestors of Milk and Honey are those who nourish us (adoptive ancestors)

Ancestors of Bone are the ancestors of the land (bones of the earth connection)

Ancestors of Breath and Bread are those we share a vocation, craft or interest with.

Ancestors of Spirit and Soul are those who we share a spiritual path with.

[cherrycolaboy]

Samhain Rituals

-Make Soul Cakes

-Get Into Costume

-Leave an offering to your deity or ancestors

-Go for a walk

-Dance

-Build A Bonfire

-Visit a cemetery

-Set up a Samhain Altar

-Host A Dumb Supper

[hestiashearthfire]

You do not need a sign.

For the love of the gods, just pray. You do not need to be called. You do not need to be contacted. Just pray.

[hestiashearthfire]

Reblog to add, because someone posted #whitesupremacy on this, that I’m specifically talking about the Hellenic pantheon here.

Other pantheons might be for closed practices etc., so let’s be respectful. Remember, in some practices you do actually need a calling/initiation to partake.

Since the hashtag was commented without context, I can only guess at why it might’ve been posted, but I want to reiterate that I don’t endorse appropriation.

[alterlest]

𓃶 Hearth Magic 101

⛤ Please note!!! this post will contain my personal gnosis at some points. Magic is intimately personal and everyone’s practice is different. You may agree or disagree with me at any point during this post. However, while I am sharing this to be educational, please keep in mind that this is my personal outlook on this subject ♡

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 What Is Hearth Magic?

Hearth Magic, at its core, is magic of the home. This kind of magic differs greatly between families, cultures and traditions. When starting Hearth Magic, you must take a moment to really think about what home is to you. Your hearth can be anywhere, but generally, the hearth is seen as a place of comfort, growth, and rest.

Taking care of your home has always been important and even sacred for many people. Taking care of it magically is just another way of respecting this place that takes care of you. Your home is somewhere that protects you and those you invite in. Personally, Hearth Magic is almost like showing your gratitude to this familiar place. I would suggest doing research into how the home is taken care of in your own cultures, or watch how others in your life take care of their home and take notes!

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 How can I Practice Hearth Magic?

Just like any kind of magic, Hearth Magic will be something you incorporate into your practice in your own ways. To get started, however, here are some things you can do to:

⛤ Get into the habit of cleansing your space. This can be your whole home, or just the one specific place you consider the hearth (a bedroom, living space, kitchen, fireplace etc). You can also cleanse while doing day to day chores! incorporate moon water or intention while washing dishes, or do an herb sweep when cleaning your floors. Brooms are also important magical tools!

⛤ Try a house or home blessing/spell. For me, I made a large spell jar and incorporated ingredients commonly used in my family’s cooking, our yard, and local herbs/herbs we use a lot. This can be used as an invitation for positive energy, or a ward against negativity. This will really help set the energy of the space.

⛤ Start incorporating magic into your cooking. Kitchen magic is an easy and convenient way to keep your life a little more magical. Try adding herbs to sauces with intention, or cook in honor of spirits or deities. Easy foods to incorporate kitchen magic into (at least personally!) include sauces, soups, baked goods, and pasta dishes.

⛤ Start to decorate your home in a way that makes you happy. This doesn’t have to be any specific aesthetic; just making your space somewhere you enjoy being through decor adds to the energy!

⛤ If you like spirit work, consider the possibility that, if you live in a house, there may be a house spirit attached to the space. This can give you an extra opportunity to connect to this space and the spirits within it by honoring this entity.

☾༺♰༻☽

⛤ In all, Hearth Magic can be a very grounding and important part of your magical path if you plan to practice it. It allows you to really grow in a familiar and comfortable space, as well as providing you with a comfortable place to come back to every day, even for mundane life. ♡

☾༺♰༻☽

[cherrycolaboy]

Casual ways to connect with your deities

-Pray to them or just just talk with them and tell them about your day

-Light a candle and say your thanks

-Offer your meal/snack to them or bake/cook with them or for them

-Watch a movie in their honor

-Offer your morning drink to them or make a cup for them

-Assign them a plant and take care of it as a devotion to them

-Listen to music that reminds you of them

-Say good morning/good night

-Thank them for the things you see that you consider beautiful

[fragmentedhekatean]

fhsksvjags seeing people saying that the 'cryptids' of Europe are harmless and I'm 👁👄👁 are we talking about the same Europe

people on tiktok are trying so hard to convince u the fae are harmless but that's Victorian Propaganda and I stand by that

[that--witchling]

Quick question, is Celtic Paganism open, closed, or partially both? Because I've heard all different angles and honestly I'm so confused now.

I am not Welsh by blood but have citizenship and have lived here for the majority of my life since I was a child so does it count if I practice? I do consider myself Welsh as I've lived here for so long.

[alterlest]

as far as my own opinion goes, celtic paganism is open, just like hellenic or norse paganism. just stay respectful of the traditions and practices you surround yourself with, i see no issue with it ♡

[alterlest]

𓃶 What Is The Wild Hunt?

The Wild Hunt is a common belief among many Northern European cultures. In short, the hunt is a cavalcade of ghosts, spirits, fairies, elves, and other spiritual beings that is said to sweep across our world every year. Depending on where your beliefs come from, when it happens will differ.

It is commonly believed that the leader of The Wild Hunt is a deity or figure of importance of some kind, such as Odin/Woden in Norse and Saxon traditions, or King Arthur in British lore. Other leaders of the hunt include but are not limited to:

𖤓 Arawn or Gwyn ap Nudd, commonly seen as the Welsh lords of Annwn

𖤓 Danish king Valdemar Atterdag

𖤓 The Norse dragon slayer Sigurd

𖤓 Biblical figures like Cain, Gabriel, Herod and the devil

𖤓 Gothic king Theodoric the Great

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 What Did People Do For The Wild Hunt?

The Wild Hunt was generally seen as a bad omen; one for destruction, famine, war, plague, or the death of the one who saw it. In many traditions, witnessing the hunt would result in the viewer being abducted to Otherworld or Underworld. Other times, those who were not protected would have their souls pulled from their bodies while they sleep, and they would join the menagerie of the dead.

To avoid this fate, people in Wales, for example, began the tradition of carving pumpkins as a way to avoid being taken by the fae. In Scandinavia, offerings like bread were put outside the home as an offering to the spirits joining Odin for the hunt.

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 When is The Wild Hunt?

Depending on where your beliefs stem from, there are various answers to this question.

In Britain, The Wild Hunt is associated with the autumn season, specifically around and on Samhain/The Autumn Equinox.

Scandinavian tradition tells us that they prepared for the hunt around December, specifically Yule/The Winter Equinox.

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 What Entities Are A Part of the Wild Hunt?

Many entities are associated with the Wild Hunt in different areas. These entities include but are not limited to:

𖤓 The Fae (The Sidhe, The Tlywyth Teg, etc)

𖤓 Spirits of the Dead

𖤓 Demons

𖤓 Valkyries

𖤓 The Spirits of Huntsmen or Nobles

𖤓 Horses (sometimes with an abnormal amount of legs)

𖤓 Wolves and dogs (sometimes spiritual in nature, i.e. the Cwn Annwn)

☾༺♰༻☽

[the-cobalt-athenaeum-deactivate]

Difference Between Charms, Enchantments, Amulets, and Talismans

Charms: A charm's main magical purpose is to bring about luck, happiness, love, good fortune, health, etc. It isn't strong magic, but it's something. Ex.: "See a penny, pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck", that's a charm and it's said by school children all the time. It's an object that is spoken over to give it a little bit of magic. It doesn't have to rhyme, and it can be whispered, but it can help bring about a minor magical intention. (It's like the first-level armor you get in a video game. It's not strong, but it helps)

Enchantments: Enchantments are usually worn or carried and the objects are themselves magic. They are wearable or portable spells that effect the wearer/carrier. They can have a much larger effect than charms can, however, they are a bit more complex in the making - creating a spell, speaking over it, and whatnot.

Enchantment hows and whys can be found here.

Amulets Amulets are magical objects that protect people from evil spirits, negative energy, disease or illness, general harm, bad luck, etc. People believe that the amulet has some kind of magical power that protects the person possessing the charm.

Amulets are all different types, which includes herbs, stone, garlic, coal, horseshoes, plant or animal parts, coins, or any other metals. Amulets also include various signs and symbols. Amulets can be of the general type or can be personalized or changed according to the person going to use them.

It is often used in the form of jewelry so that it stays within the person every time and the chances of losing it becomes negligible. Amulets are natural objects and do not harm anyone. They improve the quality of life of a person having it as they satisfy the natural desired of the individual.

Talismans Talismans are magical objects supposed to give strength and power to the person possessing them. People also believe that it provides some kind of magical abilities to the person having it.

Talismans are natural amplifiers. They boost up the energy and empower the people leading them to make the right choices. Talisman is usually in a single piece, made up of gemstone or any other crystals. Talisman is a magical charm that can be customized or changed according to the person.

The talisman can be personalized according to the requirement. Some of them are supposed to bring joy and happiness, some of them bring health, some bring good quality of life, and so on.

[rosemary-snorter]

Grimoire/Book of Shadows Entry Ideas That Aren't All Basic

Do keep in mind! The basics are important!

WARNING long post ahead

Introduction

⚝ Your name

⚝ Your pronouns

⚝ How long you've been practicing

⚝ Your sun, moon and rising sign

⚝ Birth time (if applicable)

⚝ Your path (if you have a specific path)

⚝ Deities you worship/work with (if applicable)

⚝ Birth tarot card

⚝ Birth chart

How You Define Witchcraft/Magic(k)

Differences Between Wicca, Paganism, Witchcraft, Satanism, Luciferianism

The Elements

⚝ Their directions

⚝ Deities associated

⚝ Symbols

⚝ Genders associated

⚝ Seasons

Meditation/Mudras

⚝ Note: Include what culture Mudras originated from!

Casting Circles

Grounding

Omens/Good Luck/Bad Luck/Superstitions

Charging/Activating/Cleansing

Summary of The Salem Witch Trials

Folklore in Your State/Country

Protection

Warding

Different Types of Divination

Sigils

Runes

Talismans

Types of Spells

⚝ Note: I don't mean different spells, I mean different TYPES of spells. Such as spell jars, word spells, etc.

Moon Cycles

Astrology

⚝ Note: By this I mean the basics of astrology. Astrology is a lot deeper than a lotta people realize, so fitting it all in a grimoire/BOS would be almost impossible lmao

Altars

Color Correspondences

⚝ Note: I often like to refer to psychology and how colors affect the brain

List of Closed Practices

Symbols in Witchcraft

Herb Correspondences

Crystals + Crystal Grids

⚝ Examples: What crystals you can put into water, what damages crystals, where they are native to, their spiritual properties, etc.

Different Pantheons/Mythologies Across Different Cultures

Auras

Numerology

⚝ Note: NOT JUST ANGEL NUMBERS

Tarot/Oracle Spreads

Affirmations

Everyday Glamor Magic(k)

List of Books You Want/Authors You Like

Strange Dreams

Chakras

⚝ Note: Include what cultures Chakras came from

Recipes

Holidays

What Each Day of the Week Represents

What Each Month Represents

What You Believe to Happen After Death

Types of Spiritual Entities

⚝ Examples: The Fae, Tulpa, Spirit Guides, etc.

⚝ You can also include Cryptids if you are interested in those!

Sacred Geometry

Flame Candle Reading

⚝ Note: Don't stare at candle flames for too long!

Thought of any more? Reblog with some ideas!! This is Tumblr brah!!