The SeaWyrm's Cove

I do Energy work, Spirit work, Draconic magick, Paganism, Witchcraft. Here I share knowledge and tips on these subjects! Feel free to ask questions.

[ambermotta]

An Introduction

Hello! My name is Amber.

I grew up in a spiritualistic household. During my early teen years I started to explore other religions and philosophies, which got me into Lokeanism, paganism, and witchcraft.

Fast forward over 10 years and my practice has become more focused on understanding spirits and energy rather than looking at it through strictly religious/pagan lenses, though I still use a lot of pagan/witchcraft terms for convenience and force of habit.

I used to do tarot readings professionally, but now I only do it for myself and for close friends.

Please do not ask for readings here.

I love sharing knowledge, that's why I have created this blog!

[servantofthefates]

Strict Tarot Rules My Grandma Taught Me

Sweep the floor with a whisk broom before every reading. It shows respect for the old gods who will be coming in.

Answer only three questions for a querent in one seating. Revealing too much sacred information will dilute its meaning.

Always use the Celtic Cross for a personal reading. “You cannot truly appreciate the weight of the advice you are giving if you don’t fully understand the way the querent is feeling.”

Make an offering to the querent’s higher self before proceeding. “The body may want a reading, but the soul may be unwilling.” A piece of chocolate or anything sweet should be appropriate.

Ensure the querent’s hands are clean. Prepare a hot towel or a water basin. It rids their body of negative energy and keeps your cards from getting dirty.

Dim the lights before you deal the cards. “The Fates live next to Hades. They are not used to harsh lighting.”

Play soft and quiet music. It calms the mind and encourages the querent to bravely tell you what they really seek.

You shuffle, they cut. Shuffling lets the cards connect you to the source. Cutting allows the cards to feel the querent’s life force.

Honesty is better than sympathy. Exaggerating hopes and softening harsh truths do more harm than good.

Never forget to thank your cards afterwards. “The messages come from the goddesses, yes. But your cards make the effort to speak them in the way you can understand best.”

[ambermotta]

This. This is so so important, I can say from experience that I get better readings follow even a few of these guidelines.

[lostinvasileios]

Learning is hard.

It's gonna take time.

And, if you're like me, that most likely isn't what you want to hear.

Or it can even seem scary to hear that.

But, beginning something new is always going to take a while to get a grasp of.

And good things are always worth waiting for, worth practicing for.

You don't need to learn everything instantly.

You don't need to master every single skill or trick out there.

You don't need to do everything by the book.

You don't need to follow every single rule people put out.

You don't need to be scared of time, because ultimately your journey is weaved for you specifically. Not your friend, not your idols, you. So embrace it, experience it.

It's gonna get bad, it's gonna get really good, and you're going to have mundane times too.

You're going to get frustrated, confused, feel "stuck", and everything in between.

You're going to feel euphoric, safe, and adventurous.

All of it is apart of the process to shape you out into the best you for the journey you're on.

You're doing fine, everything's okay.

[ambermotta]

Finding "Your Path" — Not as Straightforward as it Seems

In the pagan and witchcraft community, you will often see or even be asked about "your path", and may eventually wonder which one you are on.

Today's post is about reflecting on this subject, rather than providing information.

As such, please keep in mind I only speak for myself.

What is a "Path"?

The definition of path may change from person to person. It can be what type of magic you do, the deities you worship, the many branches within your religion or even the esoteric orders you have joined.

Are you a green witch? Sea witch? Norse pagan? Crystal witch? Rosacrucian? Tarot reader?

A lot of beginners will get caught up on these terms and find themselves in a bit of an identity crisis. "What the heck am I?" is something I'm sure many people can resonate with.

I would like to invite you to look at things from a different perspective regarding what "the path" is all about. Of course, you are welcome to disagree and have different interpretations.

Your path ≠ Your labels

We have hundreds and hundreds of labels we use for every sort of thing in our lives. You can be a father, co-worker, genderqueer, bisexual, animal lover, sculptor, gym rat... all at the same time, though not necessarily in the same contexts. Yet none of these could fully describe who you are. In paganism and witchcraft, the same applies.

We might be called to (or pressured into) choose one or a few labels to describe who we are and what we do, then find ourselves seeing a lot of labels fit but not fully or not on their own. This might make us feel lost and unsure of what "our path" is.

This is just how things are. Labels can't possibly be all-encompassing. And one label can hardly describe the path you are walking. No two persons calling themselves a grey witch or a hellenic pagan have walked the same path. Even their current personal practices are probably different.

The label might be the same, but the whole living experience behind them is not. They may share similarities, but they are still singular.

What is "My Path" then?

We tend to see paths as traditions, ethics, codes and practices we follow, but I will ask you to put that aside for now. I want to share something I've experienced with you a few years ago.

I once told a wise spirit "I don't know what my path is, I'm afraid I'm walking down the wrong one".

At the time, I thought of my path as a road I walked to achieve a certain goal, and as my religion, my practices. I often found myself feeling drawn to many things at once and somehow failing at following any of them through. I thought my path was a mess, and that I was lost.

The spirit answered, in sum: "your path is the path you are treading right now. It is what you make of it".

Sidenote: for those wondering, the spirit was talking through a trusted medium in serious and proper ritualistic setting.

What he said was simple, right? But what does it actually mean?

I am constantly walking down my own path. No matter if it can be categorized as "right" or "wrong", it is my path, my journey, my own growth... With all of its twists and turns. My path can't be wrong because there is no right path either.

It is not a set, definite thing, and instead a continuum of experiences. It was, it is, and it will be.

We tend to see "our path" as a means to an end, a road meant to take us to a destination. We think that if we are not doing something we think we are meant to do, that we are in the wrong path.

I believe this is because we mistake our path with our purpose. We can have a life purpose, or even a fate, but these are not inherently our path.

Try to look at your path as a continuum of your own experience, instead of a means of achieving something. It's not immutable, or a predestination, or even what you are.

Think of it as the ground you walk on... no matter where you go, you'll always be standing on it. It may change its appearance or its characteristics, but it's still ground.

The ground you have walked, the ground you currently stand on, and the ground you'll walk upon is unique to you. No one could follow your exact footsteps or walk the same way as you did. And it exists as long as you continue experiencing things.

So what does it all mean?

It is what you make of it. If you are like I was, maybe this reflection will resonate with you, and maybe one day it will bring you some peace of mind (at least as far as this matter is concerned).

Colloquially, people will still ask about your path reffering to your practice, religion, etc. But I hope that internally, you feel less bound by the constraints that labelling yourself can put upon you.

Remember Your Path is unique to you, with all its twists, turns and your perceptions of them.

Don't feel pressured into "choosing a path" or "finding your path". Enjoy the beautiful singularity that it already is.

If you feel like you need to find your path, try to take a look at it as a whole. Reflect upon where you are, where you have been, and where your heart tells you you are heading to.

And if you feel you don't like your path right now, well, that's a sign maybe it's time to stir it in a different direction. One that you can feel proud of, someday.

Thank you for reading!

[ambermotta]

Draconic Offerings – A Personal Insight

Offerings are a way of showing goodwill and honoring spiritual beings. Even more than that, taking some time to give an offering also means you are dedicating a moment of your day to thinking about them, which makes attuning to their energy easier and keeps the relationship you have with them alive.

Offerings are versatile and personal. Today I thought to share my own POV on giving offerings to dragons.

So remember: this is just my experience (or "UPG"). Other folks may have different insights!

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In my own experience dragons seem to like a variety of things, from simple to shiny, which to me reflects both their humble wisdom and love for beauty.

Natural beauties seem to captivate them most: pearls, crystals, metals, colorful patterns. Anything that gleams and projects lively colors.

They also seem to enjoy humbler natural offerings, such as stones (bonus points if they are an interesting shape or from an important place) and wood from powerful trees, such as willow or oak.

Offering Elements (like fire, water) feels pretty powerful especially when doing magical work. If the dragon in question is associated with a particular element, offerings of that element feel best but they seem to accept all elements still.

Food can be a great offering, but I feel like they don't make it such a big deal. To me, offering elements feels the best.

I'd try to figure out what they like before offering anything specific. If you can't, go for something more generalist until you get to know the dragon better. To me, it feels like food is a bit less essential to them when compared to other spiritual beings.

If you decide to work with them long term, it may be good to dedicate a space for them and do weekly or monthly offerings.

So here's my list of offerings I associate with dragons:

Water

Fire

Incense — which one varies, I like offering them according to the dragon. Though I know Dragon's Blood is a popular one and I like it

Shinies — pearls, shells, jewelry

Gemstones

Crystals

Metals

Stones and wood — especially if it has strong magical properties

Potent herbs

Food offerings:

I think of rich flavors and warm food. You could share a meal with them

Meat

Sweet fruits

I don't feel particularly strong for bread, milk and cookies, but they are under the "generally acceptable offerings" for most cultures. So I think you can give them if you're short on supplies or unsure, but I'd ask the dragon what they prefer

Alcohol — I have never offered any alcoholic drinks to dragons, but they might be appropriate. I would ask

Overall, as I have mentioned in another post, the dragons I work with don't really make a fuss about offerings. I give them because I want to share with them.

I do however use offerings in our magical work together, usually to power up the ritual, and on that note, offering corresponding elements feel the best.

Important Sidenote:

Be mindful that whenever you want to take anything from nature you must ask the local spirits for permission and make sure it's legal in your region.

You don't want to be taking anything too important for the survival of the ecosystem (even a fallen branch can be crucial for some organisms), and you also don't want to leave behind anything that could harm it.

I mentioned shells as offerings — unfortunately, taking them does have an impact in the ecosystem so I disencourage it. Their calcium is important for the ocean's chemical cycles and the shells themselves are used by other organisms, so be mindful of that.

Final Considerations

There is not really too much to say about this, really. That is because offerings are very personal things.

One man's junk can be another man's treasure.

One dragon may like simple offerings, another one may like something fancier. You can offer an old necklace which has a deep meaning to you, or a simple food offering.

What matters is that you make your offering special for you and the dragon, and if you're unsure about what they like, by all means ask!

Or adopt the good old trial and error method.

And lastly, do take the opportunity to connect with your dragon. Don't just say "here you go" and call it a day. Make it special! Spend some time with them!

They'll enjoy it more if you put more time, effort and meaning into it.

Thank you for reading!

[ambermotta]

Do you physically see your dragons? /gen /friendly

I do not physically see them. In fact, this sort of clairvoyance is not really as common as it may seem. It usually requires a lot of practice, or training. Those who can do so without those are exceptions to the norm.

One thing is to have such an experience once or twice in your life (that's usually the case), it's another thing entirely to see spiritual beings "as if physical" frequently. I've only experienced it once, and it wasn't dragons.

I see them "in my mind's eye", as they say it. Sometimes it's images suddenly flashing in my thoughts, sometimes they come in dreams, but I most often see them during meditations or spiritual work when I'm focused and my eyes are closed, or in trance state.

[ambermotta]

6 Types of Protection Magick

There are many ways one can do protective magick. In this post I'll be going into 6 of the most common and accessible ones!

Please understand that even one "protection magick type" can be done in an infinity of ways, some of which are closed to certain practices.

Disclaimer: based on my experience and research. I don't claim to know all truth. Further study is encouraged!

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#1 — Magic circle

The magic circle consists of creating a protection and delimiting a sacred space for magic and/or ritual.

The magic circle is probably one of the most popular protection methods thanks to its encouraged use in Wicca. However, other traditions have made use of similar concepts, such as in the afro-brazillian Umbanda concept of "chain".

The circle can be physically drawn on the ground, delimited by the members inside the circle, or visualized.

Casting one is fairly simple since it can be done in different ways, either in groups or solitary practice. You can use tools such as wands, chalk or physical objects to draw it, but what matters most is intention and successful visualization.

Before casting a circle it's important to have everything you will need already within grasp and inside the circle, since once created it is advisable that no one leaves it until the work is complete.

#2 — Amulets, and Enchanted Items

Enchanted Items are a very popular and effective form of magic, especially for personal use. These are often common objects that have been enchanted for protection.

They are often necklaces, rings and other jewelry since these are the most practical to carry around without suspicion. However, they can be any object.

Amulets can be created via enchanting, charms, or by asking deities and spirits to bless them with protective qualities.

The material and imagery used to create the talisman is also important in determining the kind of job it wants to do.

#3 — Sigils and other drawn Symbols

Sigils and Symbols can be used both for personal protection and for warding spaces. Here I am also including Runes.

They can be carved into objects, drawn upon skin and surfaces, or even tattooed.

However, before using any sigil, symbol or rune it is of extreme importance that you know exactly what they do, and know as much about them as possible. Especially if you plan on drawing them on your skin (either temporarily or permanently).

Unless specifically used only for protection purposes, inadequate use of them can lead to disaster. Even then, the type of protection they bring can vary.

For example, a protection sigil that works by hiding you from threats is different from a sigil that fights threats that come to you. It's important to set or to know how their protection work so that you do not come across unwanted results.

#4 — Prayer

My definition of praying: focusing on sending a message to a higher spiritual power, be it an entity, deity or energy.

Prayers are a great way of manifesting protection, though since you are asking for it to a higher power you must understand that it may choose to not grant it, or not grant it in the way you expect.

Plus, it is very important to know where you stand with this energy or entity. Do you work with them already? For how long? What is the nature of the relationship? Do you truly know them well enough to ask them for this? Is it really appropriate?

Cultivating a good relationship and having manners can be decisive factors for manifesting this sort of protection. Plus, it's always good to "give back" in some way. To receive something, something must be given eventually.

#5 — Affirmations and Visualizations

Words and the mind have innate power. Affirmations and visualizations are great ways to manifest protections because they rely only on yourself.

They are easier to do right if you use them together with other methods, or if you have physical representations of the work being done. To be successful one must focus, "feel" them happening, and maintaining that without help can be difficult. Frequent practice will help you get the hang of it.

There are also techniques that make affirmations and visualizations both more powerful and easier to accomplish.

#6 — Warding

Warding is when you set up a semi-permanent protection in a specific place, such as your house.

It can be done in many different ways. One of the most common is to have an object or place designated as the "holder" of the ward, which should be well kept.

Warding will be more powerful if you are frequently cleansing the space and recharging the ward. Leaving it alone for too long can weaken in or make it lose its properties altogether.

Some plants are used for this kind of protection, since they (usually) stay in place, can be powerful magical allies, and you'll be checking on them often anyway. The ones usued are often those with thorns, threatening-looking leaves, or even poison.

Note: always be very careful about bringing poisonous plants home, especially if you have children or pets.

Conclusion

This was an overview of the most common types of protective magick. A lot of protection spells and works fall somewhere within these categories, or are a combination of them.

Each tradition has a certain way of going about spiritual protection, so if you are exploring an specific path, I encourage you to not only research about protection in general but to also look into what unique techniques your path has to offer!

Many blessings and thank you for reading! ♡

[ambermotta]

Working with Dragons — My POV

When you look up "draconic magick" or "dragon magick" there is not really a lot to read. In fact, a lot of the info you'll find looks like a copy-paste from one another.

So I thought I would bring my own insight into what working with dragons feels like to me. Not exactly an informative post, just a "personal experience" one.

I believe it is important for newcomers to read about variety of experiences because otherwise, they might start feeling their practice is "wrong" if things are different for them.

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If it wasn't clear already...

UPG WARNING!!!

This is my experience only, other practitioners WILL have different takes on working with dragons.

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Regarding Identity

For the majority of my journey with dragons, I have only worked with one dragon. They reached out to me, but took me years to finally feel ready to work with them, and since I was still a bit insecure, I didn't really seek out other dragons.

By the way, I use they/them pronouns because I don't feel a particular gender signature coming from them.

They are strongly tied to energies of the ocean and I have only seen them as very serpent-like.

The other main dragon I have worked with, who showed up a lot later, is a dragon strongly associated with fire and protection, and his energy is mostly masculine from what I can tell.

As of now, this is what I can share about them. One of the things you'll see being talked about dragons is that you should not talk about the ones you work with unless they give you permission to, and for the most part, this has also been my experience.

They can be quite secretive — I had the ocean dragon very often remind me to stay quiet about the work I'm doing, and be very careful about what I share. Not just about them, but about myself.

Some things need not be secret forever, but when they ARE supposed to be done quietly, I will get the nagging, almost intrusive feeling, of keeping my mouth shut whenever I am itching to say something I shouldn't.

They have also shown to be secretive when we work together, as in I'm instructed to do something a certain way but not told why until the work is done.

And I understand why afterwards.

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Demanding?

From all dragons I have worked with, they have always been quite insistent. Be it regarding how something should be done, how to behave, or on what to get.

Please do not misinterpret this as being pushy or forcing boundaries.

What I mean is that some spiritual beings can be very subtle with their messages when they want to tell you something... But for me, dragons aren't subtle. They keep sending signs and messages until I get it.

by Kou Takano

As for being demanding, it depends on your relationship with them.

They were not demanding at first because I was still unsure of what I wanted, but once I decided to commit, they definitely started communicating more and giving instructions on work we should do together.

So there's a greater degree of commitment that we both respect.

As for being "demanding" with offerings, to me they seldom ask for those. If I do it it's because I want to, not because they have asked or shown they needed it. In terms of spiritual beings I have met, they seem to be the least interested in offerings or praise. But again, this is just my experience.

_________________♡♤◇♧_________________

Personality

It can vary drastically from one dragon to another.

For me, the Ocean Dragon is serene, regal, mysterious, but standing in their presence can also feel scary and can make you feel small. They also have a more turbulent side.

The fire dragon feels much more assertive, fierce, loyal, but at the same time less "massive" in size and less intimidating somehow. They remind me of a knight or paladin archetype to be fair.

by Carolina-eade on Deviantart

So I assume that personality and energy signature, as well as your relationship with them, will change drastically from one dragon to another.

I have not experienced finicky, prideful, or petty behaviour from them. Dragons are often considered in media and mythology to have big egos, but to me, they feel the exact opposite... wise and humble, but their presence is so massive I feel one must be very careful not to mistake their good disposition for weakness.

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Conduct when working with dragons

I find that while they are wondrous and inspiring, their energy can feel intimidating, and maybe because of that I feel like I must be more serious when working with them. I am not necessarily being formal around them, but I do have a great deal of respect for them and other creatures in their presence.

It feels more like respecting the elders than an authority figure though.

As for magical conduct, I have never had to work with them on anything that did harm to others. In fact, they have heavily aided me in works that focused on helping others.

They have also helped me through my fair share of shadow work. So, both right and left hand path.

You may see some folks claiming that dragons have no qualms with helping mages with "dark magic" and that you actually must work on keeping balance, "working on both sides of the coin" if you will.

They have never demanded that of me, though I recognize it could just be in respect for my decision of not wanting to do most baneful work.

I can't say I fully understand their nature and moral compass yet.

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Types of Dragons

So far, they seem to come in all sorts of shapes. The traditional western-type dragon is far from being the only one or the most common one. Some may look much more like snakes or birds than to winged lizards.

I can see some elemental associations, but I don't think they are restricted to working with just one element.

Unfortunately, since I don't know many dragons, I am not sure if they are always tied to an element or how many types there are.

However, the ones I met did seem to "dwell" in certain environments. The ocean dragon I only see in water, and the fire dragon I have seen on top of a rocky hill, looking down a vast, dry, sunny field.

As for dragon guardians of the elements, directions, etc – I haven't met them, haven't worked with them, so I don't know if there is such a thing.

by Kou Takano

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Mythological Dragons

I have not met a lot of people who worked with widely known dragons, such as Tiamat, Fáfnir from norse mythology, or Yamata-no-Orochi from japanese tales.

But I feel working with them would be a singular experience, just as it is with any other dragon (or spiritual being for that matter). It could be easier considering you would have at least an idea of who they are and what they may like, either from "lore", ancient worship, or SPG (Shared Personal Gnosis).

This is still something I'm thinking about exploring in the future.

Fáfnir, found on Harreira.com

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Conclusion

This was just an overview of what working with them feels like to me. I'm definitely not as experienced as some other folks I've talked to, and my practice is constantly constantly evolving.

So far, it's been great! I'd love to hear from other people on draconic magick.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Or share your experiences as well!

Thank you for reading!

[buggywiththefolkmagic]

Scams Within The Witchcraft Community

This is by no means a complete list, but here is a rough couple of examples and methods for figuring out what's legit and what's a scam! TW: Mentions of death, blood, and threats below. Today I’ll be going over key things to look for, things to avoid, and how to deduct if someone’s services are legitimate! Unfortunately scams are everywhere and that includes within the Witchcraft community. There’s quite a few different scams floating around out there, below I’m going to list some of them and then list different things to notice and be skeptical about. The most common scam is readings via DM/PM on instagram, tumblr, social medias like that. They’ll contact you via DM/PM and claim their ancestors, guides, intuition, etc, etc called them to contact you for a reading. The reading itself might be free...but the information they nd will not be. They’ll claim you have something attached to you, a curse, evil spirit, tar spirit, demon, Djinn, family curse, a curse from an ex, etc, etc. And that you’ll need to pay them in order for them to get rid of it for you. In short: They seduce you into conversations by promising something free, and then pressure and scare you into paying them to ‘make this bad thing’ go away. If this ever happens just block and report them and move on. ALSO: If you do want a reading from a reader you follow...make sure it’s not a copied account! Big follower base instagram accounts get copies made of them all the time, do your research before reaching out! How can you tell a reader/practioner is fake? Just one of these warning signs doesn’t mean it’s fake, use intuition. Does the reader/practioner have any sort of personal information on their page? Where are they from? Are there photos of themselves and not stock-image photos? Did you find the practitioner through a youtube comment? Did the comment seem...super copy and pasted? Like so? What sort of reviews do they have elsewhere? MASSIVE RED FLAG. These are comments leading to what we like to call the ‘African Priest’ scammer. More info on them below! When you talk to them...do they ignore your comments or questions about them? Do they seem a little...botlike? Below is an example of a scam-bait youtube comment found on a witchy influencer's video.

SPELL SCAMS: Below is a screenshot of some obvious spell scams available on Etsy right now.

How much is the spell? If it’s an ungodly amount, like above...it will likely be a scam. What does talking to the spellcaster sound like? Are they applying pressure or stating that they need more ingredients than what you already paid for? Also a scam. Have they asked you for personal information? A full name/date of birth/photograph/mother’s maiden name/etc, etc? This is an identity fraud, they will likely sell it to the highest bidder or use it to apply for things. Please remember to be safe and keep personal information...personal. If the spellcaster insists that you don’t talk about the spell, don’t go to anyone else, or that if you back out they’ll send their ‘spirits’ or ‘demons’ after you or even harm you spiritually? Cleanse and GTFO. Block them with every method available, and don’t worry or fret. It’s a classic scam tactic, and you can see it within other groups of people as well.

The African Appropriating Priest Scam:

The person will make very outrageous claims for what their magic can do. Sometimes they’ll go to the extremes of faith-healing...get you out of a wheelchair, or they’ve brought the dead to life. Most of the time they tend to say they’ll get your ex to be obsessed with you, make you into a millionaire, get you that dream job or funds with no effort, etc. Usually the African Appropriating scammer will claim to use Vodou or some ‘ancient practice’, but yet have no knowledge on the practice if actually asked about it.

They’ll then state the cost of the spell, usually a couple hundred dollars, and that they’ll need to buy specific ingredients from particular African countries, send you pictures that are easily traceable of a hut with bones in the ceiling or something vaguely aesthetic like that, and claim this is their workspace.

The usage of over-familiarity, love, dear, precious, is also common instead of using your name. Then they’ll give you specic instructions, sometimes it’s payment via gift cards, or it’s ‘avoid driving for a week’ or other off the wall commentaries that don’t make sense in the grand scheme of things. Afterwards if you back out, they’ll claim they are sending spirits, Djinn, demons, or even whole deities after you for ‘breaking a pact’. This is a lie, and just a scare tactic. Again...just block and move on. No need to fret! Selling Entities/Changes to Your Person Scam:

This one’s a bit on the odder side, but stick with me! This is actually a pretty big scam right now. I am also not saying you can't buy a VESSEL that houses a spirit such as a porcelain doll, haunted object, etc, etc. This is a bit different you'll find.

Some people in some discord servers or communities will claim to sell you entities. The same groups may also claim they can change you from masc to fem, or visa versa, or give you an ego death. Below is some examples of one of these servers/offering up for sale:

Now that you’ve seen some examples, it shouldn’t take much for you to realize how scammy this seems. Not only is there stolen artwork being used...but frankly the descriptions of what will happen are...unbelievable at best. Some of these ads can even seem like they’re just selling you some sort of original character cooked up for a fantasy novel...you would be very correct on that last part. Do yourself a favor and just...don’t buy things you can’t tangibly touch or get proof of in some way, shape, or form, okay? Let me be abundantly clear: If witchcraft could change your gender in a snap, or heal all of your mental wounds, trust me, it wouldn’t be some long kept secret somewhere. Same goes for healing or even in some cases...turning you into a werewolf, vampire, demon, etc, etc. How to tell a legitimate spellcaster/reader:

The reader or spellcaster will be willing to go outside of DMs for readings or work. They’ll be willing to send photographs, videos, instagram stories, or meet with you via skype or zoom. The spellcaster will have distinct methodologies, and will likely explain what will happen step by step instead of being vague or just saying to ‘let the magic work’. A real worker will likely show you their labor for you. The prices seem reasonable. A few dollars or a few tens of dollars for a reading or work is quite reasonable. If they’re willing to work with you on prices is also a very good sign. Has the practitioner set boundaries or asked you questions about what you’re comfortable with? If you set boundaries are they willing to work with that? What is setting up an appointment with them like? Are they giving you options but making it clear they have books already? Is the practitioner or reader willing to talk with you one on one and make a personal connection? Do they seem reasonable? Now that we’ve gone over some things to look for and look OUT for, hopefully this will help you in the future if you start searching for practitioners to interact with and support. Don’t be afraid to ask others if something seems off or weird!

Edit: Edits to this lesson have been made with thanks to @artinvain who was kind enough to point out some problematic language being used. I am always learning and appreciate anyone who points that out to me.

[ambermotta]

Lokean Holidays

art by Sceith-A

With holiday season coming up across all cultures, I have decided to do a little something in honor of one of my own dedicated deities — Loki. Following the holiday theme (and looking forward to one of my favorite Loki festivals), today's post is all about Loki-specific holidays.

I will start off by saying that He does not have any known traditional holidays. We have no surviving evidence of any Loki-specific Holidays, and few evidence of Loki even being worshipped in ancient times.

So keep in mind these are all modern holidays that many lokeans (those who follow Loki) have adopted.

It's also important to note that not every lokean follows all, if any of these.

And lastly, I won't mention any of the usual norse pagan holidays, but you can definitely still honor Loki on those alongside other norse deities. It's just that they are not specific to him.

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Loki Fool's Day

April 1st

This was probably one of the first lokean holidays created, in honor of Loki as a Trickster and deity of Mischief.

It was proposed by Dagulf Loptson in his book "Playing with Fire", but I believe many of Loki's followers already thought of Loki during April Fool's before that.

Ideas:

Have fun

Play games

Make jokes and pull tricks

Reflect on Loki as a trickster deity and the trickster archetype in all its forms

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Lokabrenna

July – August (roughly)

The star Sirius was known to the norse people as Lokabrenna ("burning done by Loki", "Loki's torch"). The star would be gone for one half of the year, so when it reappeared at its highest point, that would be the date of Lokabrenna. Because of the connection to Loki's name, the day of Lokabrenna became a modern lokean holiday.

The date varies because it's connected to when the star Sirius shows up in the sky, so it depends on location.

In the southern hemisphere, Sirius can be seen throughout the year. In this case, Lokabrenna can be celebrated when it shows during both morning and evening, rising with the Sun.

You can adopt a date between the beginning of July to the end of August for convenience.

The following reddit post (at r/lokean) details one way you can find out the day of Lokabrenna for your location:

Ideas:

Prapare a ritual for Loki

Celebrate the comming season (summer in northern hemisphere, winter in southern hemisphere)

Meditate on Loki as a fire good and bringer of light, knowledge and creativity

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Loki Sponge Cake Day

September 4th

TW: brief mention of bullying

This holiday popped up in the community as an anti-bullying holiday. Basically, this happened because someone got mad at a lokean who got some store bought sponge cake as an offering to Loki and shamed them for it.

So this is a holiday to commemorate modern offerings and promote anti-bullying.

Ideas:

Anti-bullying awareness.

Get some store bought cake or other modern stuff to give as offerings and celebrate

Reflect on Loki as a deity of the Outcasts

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Loki's Holiday

December 13th

This holiday was proposed by Dagulf Loptson in his book "Playing with Fire".

This is because, on Dec 13th in Scandinavia, there is the feast of St. Lucia and the festival of light, which would symbolize the coming of light in the midst of darkness.

In his book Loptson states that he had asked Loki if there was a special day he could celebrate him, and the answer was Dec 13th, which he later learned was the day of St. Lucia.

So yes, this is the author's UPG, but it was widely adopted by the community.

In scandinavian countries the date also used to mark the Winter Solstice. As the longest night of the year, it was believed that all sorts of foul creatures would roam the earth, and the bringing of light could symbolize safety and the hope of warmer days to come.

While Loki and Lucia may not be directly related, they share a relation in the sense that they may come as "light bearers". Thus, many lokeans find it fitting to honor Loki on this day.

Ideas:

Celebrate the coming of light and Loki as a deity that brings fire, warmth and light

Give gingerbread treats, cakes, cookies, sweets, etc, as offerings

Celebrate with other Lokeans!

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Loki and Sigyn — 4th Day of Yule

December 23th

art by Ksenia Svincova

There is actually very little information on this holiday and how it came to be, and not many lokeans celebrate it.

So you may take this with a grain of salt.

From what I could find this one is actually tied to celebrating the 4th day of Yule and it honors both Loki and Sigyn.

It is a day to celebrate love (especially queer love) and devotion, as Sigyn loved Loki unconditionally, despite everything that he did and that had happened to him.

Supposedly, it also coincides with Saturnalia (Roman holiday, Dec 17th-23th), a day where social order is turned upside down — which is very much a Loki thing to do, as demonstrated in Lokasenna.

That said, I personally don't think the correlation with Saturnalia fits most heathens' practice. But Sigyn and Loki's relationship is highly defined by Her actions after Lokasenna, so I can see how you could make a connection.

Ideas:

Celebrate love, queer love

Pour libations

Do healing work and cleansing rituals

Celebrate Loki and Sigyn's union

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That concludes this post. Even if you do not work with, worship, or follow Loki, I hope you enjoyed the post!

Thank you for reading!

[ambermotta]

How to not Kill your Crystals — Crystal Safety

How often have you looked up online and saw "to cleanse your crystals, use moonwater!", or "bury your crystals!"?

And how often did you hear of someone whose crystal ended up bleached, or entirely dissolved? (I'm looking at you, selenite)

Long post ahead but it's worth it, I promise

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Introduction

There are many methods of cleansing and charging crystals, but what beginner witches and pagans may not realize is that not every method is appropriate for every crystal.

While some methods are generally more harmless than others, if you don't know some of your crystal's basic properties, you might end up damaging them or even yourself!

So in this post I'll go through some general considerations and then list some cleansing & charging methods: the failproof, the ones you have to consider crystal safety, and the possibly harmful ones. Lastly, I'll list what you should NEVER do with your crystals.

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So what's wrong with Moonwater?

There is nothing wrong with moon or sun energy itself. What can be dangerous is Water and Sunlight. It's all about physics and chemistry.

Water

Some crystals dissolve or release toxic chemicals in water. Some examples are Selenite & and Desert Rose (which is a type of Selenite), and Hematite. That means you should never leave them near water, humidity, wash them, or put them inside any elixirs.

Sidenote on elixirs: if you are going to ingest any type of water that has been in contact with crystals, you MUST do a through research to make sure they don't release ANY chemicals in the water.

Plus you can infuse water with crystal energy without them touching the water.

by celestialearthminerals

The Sun

As for Sunlight, it can bleach your crystals and alter the coloration over time. The heat can also greatly damage them! An example of crystals that shouldn't be exposed to the sun is quartz. Pretty much all kinds, including amethyst and citrine.

Fun fact: burned amethyst clusters are very often sold as citrine. They have a burned yellow/brown/orange aspect to them, like in this image.

Real citrine has lighter yellow and orange tones.

burned amethyst – fake citrine

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Fail proof Cleansing & Charging

Nothing can go wrong with them when it comes to crystal safety. The worst that can happen is performing them poorly, which could affect cleansing and charging effectiveness.

Smoke

There's no way to go wrong here. You can light an incense or burn herbs of your choosing, pick up a crystal, and cleanse them with the smoke. You can use energetic herbs such as rosemary to charge them.

Tip: You can choose the herbs and incense based on your stones properties! (For example, use a fiery herb to charge a fiery crystal)

Sound

There are many ways to go about this. Singing bowls, affirmations, vocal singing, bells, prayer, chanting, galdr (rune chanting), calming and uplifting music...

Choose your sound, cleanse your space, set your intention, and let Sound do its job. If you are going to charge the crystals yourself using a method such as chanting to your stones, cleansing yourself first and having a ritualistic setup would be nice. It can help you focus and make sure you will only send positive energies to your crystals.

Reiki and Energy work

Absolutely no way to go wrong. Reiki is a wonderful cleasing/charging method.

You would have to be initiated in order to do Reiki, but if you can't afford that, any kind of energy work and energy manipulation will do. Just make sure to prepare yourself beforehand and focus on what you are doing.

You can use tools to help in energy manipulation, such as an athame or wand.

Water Glass Cleansing

You are NOT going to put your crystals INSIDE the water glass. That's why this is a safe cleansing method.

Fill a glass of water and set your intentions for the water to absorb all negativity from your crystals, then leave your stones & crystals near your glass of water for a few hours.

It is preferable to use a transparent glass. It doesn't have to be, but it is better. I also wouldn't recommend plastic of any kind.

Once you are done, dispose of the water, thanking it for its help, and wash the glass before using it again.

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Consider Crystal Safety with These

They are commonly believed to be harmless (and that's mostly true), but give them some thought anyway. I will explain why.

Immersing in Salt

Salt has strong cleansing properties. You can fill a small bowl with enough salt to bury your crystals and leave them there for a few hours to a day. You could also use salt water the same way.

Why be careful?

Salt can trigger chemical reactions in some crystals. I'm mainly talking about salt water, but just to be safe, it might be best to have caution with solid salt as well.

Burying in Earth

Burying crystals (especially if close to a plant or tree) is a popular cleansing/charging method. After all, they came from the earth! Who else could take better care of them?

You can leave your crystals buried outside for a few hours to a day and let the planet do its job.

Why be careful?

If you are going to leave crystals outside beneath the earth, you shouldn't have to worry about the Sun. It is WATER that you should worry about.

If it rains, the water will reach your crystals. If want to bury non water-safe crystals, make sure rain won't get to them.

Tip #1: Don't forget where you buried them

Tip #2: An alternative to burying outside is to bury crystals on your household plant's pot. You can even match the plant's own properties to the energy you want to work on your crystal.

Moonlight Bath

Not moon water, just moonlight. Just let your crystals bask in moonlight... It is almost failproof.

Why be careful?

I say it's almost failproof because it can only fail if you forget your crystals outside until the sun is out, or until it rains.

If you think you are prone to forgetting to collect your crystals before the sun shines, do this early in the night and set an alarm to collect your crystals in a few hours.

Tip: you can still cleanse and charge with Moon energy even if the weather is not favorable. Just be careful with rain.

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Possibly Harmful Methods

For these, you NEED to know your crystals before you do them. Especially the ones involving water and heat, you should take into consideration your own health due to possible chemical releases!

Sun charging

While it can be great to have sun energy on some of your crystals, this is one of the unsafest methods for the crystals. A lot of them will bleach, change color and even crack after prolonged sunlight exposure. If you're leaving crystals in the Sun, I suggest you leave them out for no more than an hour.

Also, watch out for weather changes if you have a crystal that is not waterproof.

Sidenote: if you have crystal necklaces, remember you might also accidentally expose them to sunlight and rain when you wear them outdoors.

Sun water

Can't have your crystals in the Sun, but it's a fire crystal so you would like it to be charged with sun energy?

If they are water safe, make some sun water, fill a bowl with it, and let your crystals sit in it for a few hours.

Moon water

As long as your crystal is waterproof, it should be fine. Just fill a bowl with moon water and let your crystals be for a few hours.

If you don't know if your crystals are water safe, it's best not to risk it.

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Never Ever...

... Expose your crystals to intense heat

No candles, no hot water, no intense sunlight. Not only you will very likely damage your crystal, intense heat and burning of crystals can release toxic fumes.

... Use chemicals to clean crystals

No soaps, alcohol, detergents, salts, etc. They might trigger chemical reactions when in contact with some crystals. So unless you know exactly what you're doing, keep these away from them.

... Touch dissolved crystal water

If you put your crystal in water and a chemical reaction happened, it's best to not touch the water. It could cause skin irritation and intoxication.

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Conclusion

Sometimes we leave crystals outside so that they can be bestowed Nature's blessings, and we forget about them. It happens, as do all accidents.

But you can avoid a lot of damage (yours and theirs) by simply studying about them before submitting them to anything that could be potentially harmful.

Remember your crystals need a lot of love and care, and that goes for their physical care, too. They are unique because of their physical and chemical properties as well, not just spiritual ones.

Thank you for reading and love your crystals!

[ambermotta]

I'm using Google Translate to write this, if there's any error that's the reason.

Helloo, I hope you are well 🤍 I have a question that comes to my mind all the time but I didn't know exactly where to find that answer, so why not ask someone more experienced? hehe

I started studying about witchcraft, gods/goddesses and the like a while ago, but it's really only been theory, since because of my parents I still can't practice freely. Do you think there are ways for me to start this journey now, or do you think it would be more appropriate for me to wait?

I would love to start worshiping a specific Goddess that caught my attention and really had an impact on me. Would I be able to do this discreetly? 😭

Thank you for your timee 🤍

Hi! Sorry if I took a bit too long to answer, I hadn't seen the notification 😅

Answering your question: Yes, you can start now if you wish, but that will come with limitations. If you think it's too hard, frustrating, or dangerous to practice "undercover", then it may be best to wait.

There are a lot of tools and excuses for the undercover witch:

Crystals: "I find them beautiful/ they bring me peace/ it's decorative"

Deity imagery: "I really liked this artwork/I like X mythology a lot/ it's decorative"

Altars: they can be very hard to lie about. Buy you can have a portable altar, or a box altar. Plus, they don't need to be fancy at all. Virtual altars are also an option!

As for limitations, these often include:

Not being able to light candles and incenses.

Alternatives: fake electric candles, rbg lights, essential oils and other fragrances.

Elaborate rituals are hard

Alternatives: be simple and practical. Prayers and visualization are your best friends. Do your stuff while your parents are away or sleeping.

Resources can be scarce

Alternatives: be creative so that you can improvise. You can get a lot of mundane items and give them magical/sacred properties. As for deity offerings, stick to "simple but meaningful". If it's edible, you can eat it in ritual or after you're done with your prayers (depends on deity and culture – do your research)

I personally think worshipping a deity is easier to do discretely than doing witchcraft. Worshipping can be just a prayer, sharing a cup of tea with your deity and doing devotional acts in their honor. It can be as simple or complex as you like. It's a very intimate thing between you and the deity.

Witchcraft may require more "materials" depending on how you plan to do things and some of your stuff can really give you away. That's just my personal opinion though.

Over half the time I've been a pagan witch, I was doing it all in secret. My parents were into spirituality, but it wasn't until like.. 3 years ago that they started to be more open-minded about religions other than their own. In their mind pagan gods didn't exist and witchcraft was dangerous (even though they did it themselves, they just did not see it that way).

I was lucky I could get away with lighting candles and incenses, but living in a very busy household I felt like I really couldn't do most of what I wanted. It was hard, and frustrating. But I still kept my deities close to heart and did what I could.

With all that being said, here are some questions for you to ask yourself, to help you decide what you want to do:

Is it dangerous to get caught? If your family is extremely intolerant to the point where it can be dangerous for you, then waiting until you're more independent is probably better.

Are you okay with having limited resources?

Are you okay with hiding stuff?

Are you ready to deal with your parents if they they find out?

Could you answer their questions calmly and within reason?

I sincerely hope I was able to answer your question and give you some insight ❤️

Living in the "broom closet" has its challenges, but it can be equally rewarding.

Remember you can always start small, and if you feel it won't work out, you call it off until you're ready.

[ambermotta]

Cleansing Basics – Crash Course

What is cleansing? When should I do it? How do I do it?

These are some of the questions I'll be tackling today. I hope this post will be useful to those who are not quite familiar with how to cleanse and why it's important for any witch or pagan practice!

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Long post based on my experience and research. Meant to be informative. I don't claim to know the absolute truth.

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What is cleansing?

Cleansing is clearing away energy from someone, something or somewhere.

When should I cleanse?

Whenever you need to clear away energy.

Personal opinion: you should cleanse yourself and your house at least weekly.

It is generally recommended that you periodically cleanse magical items and cleanse before and after any type of magical/ spiritual work. Cleansing before contacting deities (even if it's just prayer) is also considered "standard protocol" in some cultures, like in Hellenic paganism and Shintoism.

From my personal experience I do feel I can connect better with spiritual beings when I cleanse beforehand, but I believe my emotional state has a bigger influence on the matter. Cleansing generally calms me down too so –

Why should I cleanse?

The number one reason you'll see cleansing everywhere is because it is a way to help get rid of excess negative energy.

I'm not going to say you can clear away all of it because as living humans, we are constantly emanating energy and a lot of times it is "negative" energy. Which is okay, it's part of being alive. Plus, there are other factors that come into play.

However, cleansing often can help you stay in touch with spirituality and ease your mind since you'll be getting rid of excess (and oftentimes unwated) energy.

Cleansing also comes into play when you want to clear away any other kind of energy, for example, when you get a new magical tool (such as a tarot deck) or finish a magical working. You don't necessarily want the energy that was on that object or that spell sticking to you all day, you know?

How to prepare for cleansing?

First of all, gather your stuff. Gather everything you need and try to avoid interruptions.

I personally recommend you always do a physical cleaning up of whatever you are going to cleanse. Tidy up your house, take a shower, and clean your magical items (if possible).

Dirt and clutter feel bad, and it can distract the mind. Starting your cleansing in the physical plane can definitely make it more powerful in the astral too.

How do I cleanse?

Most cultures/religions/spiritual practices have their own way of doing things (ex: hellenic pagans have khernips), so first of all, do your research! And respect the fact that some things are out of your reach.

There are A LOT of techniques you can use to cleanse that are not particularly tied to a single culture and that can be done in many different ways. I'll quickly go through some of them, but it is by no means an extensive list.

Cleansing with the 4 elements:

Earth: I've mainly seen this in two ways, which are sending energy to the earth (something like grounding) and burrying objects.

Fire: commonly used together with air in smoke cleansing. There's also energy work that pulls energy and sends it towards the fire for cleansing (either a candle, a bonfire, or a visualization flame)

Water: mostly used for cleansing yourself or objects. It can be through herb baths and showers, rain/sea/river water, salt water, or sacred waters. For cleansing spaces, there are things such as water spray bottles and floor washes (though I've only seen this one being used in hoodoo). Careful with objects, some may not be resistant to water.

Air: generally the most common for cleansing spaces or people. Usually achieved by lighting up incense or herbs with cleansing properties and using the smoke to cleanse.

Sidenote: burning a herbs ≠ from smudging. Smudging is a native american practice that is closed to their people. Don't smudge, don't call some herb-burning smudging. It's not the same thing. Stick with what's appropriate for your culture.

Sun and moon: using sunlight or moonlight to cleanse (and often charge) yourself or objects. Always make sure what you are cleansing can actually be left in the sun and handle weather.

Crystals: Some crystals have cleansing properties, usually back ones (onyx, obsidian, black tourmaline), smoky quartz, and selenite, to name a few. Keep in mind that they usually need to be cleansed periodically, too.

Sound: Praying, chanting, singing, music, and using bells or drums are some ways you can use sound to cleanse.

Visualization: There are many techniques used for cleansing this way. While it can be effective, it is definitely not for everyone as a lot of people will find that using tools is easier and more consistent. Visualization requires some practice and a lot of focus.

What to do after cleansing?

That depends on your objective.

If you are cleansing a space, such as your home, and you want to keep it "clean" for longer, you can cast a protection spell.

If you are cleansing yourself or an object, you may want to do a Charging of some sort. When you cleanse, you are getting something out, which opens up space for the new, so you can use this as an opportunity to "fill in" with another type of energy.

Conclusion

Cleansing is very versatile and unique to each practice. There are a lot of things you can do that are fairly neutral, but in general, cleansing always has the same purpose and is done in a similar fashion.

Knowing what your tradition (if you have one) usually does to cleanse objects, people, and places can be very enriching, so do your research!

Thank you for reading!

[ambermotta]

Protection Magic: Some Important Concepts

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Long post based on my experience and research. Meant to be informative. I don't claim to know the absolute truth.

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Protection magic is any type of work meant to protect A from B, and there are many ways that this can be done: prayers, charms, talismans, tokens, casting circles, setting up wards, visualization. The list can go on and on because it can be done in many different ways and combining many different methods.

But methods are not the topic of this post today. No, today I would like to talk about some key concepts to keep in mind before getting started on making protections and keeping them effective.

The Importance of Cleansing

Before doing any protection work I like to do a cleansing. Imagine you have an open water bottle, and because it was open, a lot of dirt has found its way into it over time. You decide to seal the bottle so no dirt comes in, but you don't pour out the old water, so you end up sealing it in. Yes, you'll keep more dirt from coming in, but the muck is still there.

It is easier to see this being applied to a physical location, but I personally also apply this to personal protective tokens. I feel they work better when you are taking care of your energies by doing regular cleanses and managing internal negativity.

Important Definitions

Protection ≠ Banishing ≠ Cleansing

I feel a lot of people are under the impression that these are all the same. I think they all work together towards a similar goal, but their jobs are different.

Protection: protecting something from something

Banishing: driving out entities

Cleansing: clearing out energy

You can do cleansing, banishing, and protection at the same time, but that doesn't mean they are the same. You can do a ritual including all of them, but you can also just do a cleansing or just do warding (which is a form of protection).

Note: cleansing is not restricted to “negative energy”. You can cleanse any kind of energy. Exemple: a friend of yours decides tarot is not for them and hands down their deck to you. If you wanna work with that deck it is highly advisable that you do a thorough cleansing of it and then infuse it/consecrate it with the energies you want. It's not that your friend has “bad” energy, it's just that you might not want to work with the same energies they have, or use a tool that has someone else's energy in it.

Not Necessarily a Lazy Job

One important thing with protection magic is that no matter how strong or how successful are at doing it is that it is not failproof. I have yet to see protection work that lasts forever, and there may be a few reasons for it.

Negativity also comes from within

Imagine you have a fish inside an open fish tank. Just like the bottle example earlier, you decide to put a lid on so you prevent leaves from falling into the tank and polluting the water. However, there's a fish, a living being in there, and it produces waste. It is impossible for the fish to live without producing waste. If you don’t regularly clean the water, ammonia and fecal matter will build up.

In this analogy, you are the fish. I am the fish. Humans literally cannot live without ever having a negative thought or feeling, it is part of our existence and we have to live with it. No one lives in constant bliss.

That doesn't mean we have to live in the muck though. That's why cleansing yourself is important.

No one is immune to the environment

Here I have another analogy for you. Imagine you're facing a harsh winter, but you are safe in the security and warmth of your house. Your house is protected from the cold so you don't even mind it. However, you have to go outside. You dress up, go out and you feel very, very cold. You could perhaps wear something warmer, but it will never feel the same as home. Yet it is better than going outside naked, no?

Same thing for energies. You can have protection, but depending on how strong the energy in the environment is you are sure to feel it to at least some degree. However it's best to have some protection than no protection at all.

And there is a difference between Feeling an energy and dwelling in it vs Feeling an energy and not letting it latch onto you.

Energy can wear off, and new energy can build up

Energy is ever changing, ever moving. If you do a strong protection spell once, it can last for a long while, but if you forget about it it will likely lose a lot of its strength over time. Some of what you put out there might wear off and be substituted by something else. The energy can also grow stale, which means it becomes less effective.

But if you do a strong spell every month you will not only make your protections stronger, but also constantly renew the energies and not let them stagnate.

So keep doing cleanses and every now and then give a boost to your protections so they are refreshed and recharged.

Note on "Negative Energy"

One of the main reasons someone might choose to do a protection ritual and a cleansing is to ward off negative energy. But is that really needed? What is "negative energy"?

Negative energy might feel like a sense of heaviness, dread, pain, sadness, feeling ill, angry, sad or anxious. Emotions produce and attract what we can call "negative energy", the same way it can make us feel those things.

And while I personally think nobody wants to feel them, we must understand they are not always bad at their core.

The uncomfortable feelings they can cause may also be a gateway for healing and transformation. Pain tells us there is something that needs to be worked on, that needs change.

If you are feeling negative, ask yourself why. Why does this bother me? What makes me feel this way? What can I learn from this pain?

If you happen to feel negative energy, it is good to cleanse and protect. But I advise you to always look for the source to see what can be done about it or what you can learn from it. Don't just try to use spellcasting to run away from your shit. Own your shit. Deal with it.

Otherwise, it will keep coming back no matter how much protection you have.

Conclusion

It is impossible to always be free from “negative energy” all the time, no matter how strong your protections are. But protections can absorb some of the blows that you would otherwise take and ease the ones you were going to take no matter what.

Protection magic alone will not solve all your problems. It is a great tool to help you keep your center and remain grounded, but it is not usually something you do once and forget. It is a continuous, ever evolving work, meant to be used in conjunction with other types of spellwork.

And most importantly, it can give you some comfort through the many trials of life.

Thank you for reading, and good luck on your path! ♡

[taking-thyme]

The Structure of a Pagan Prayer

When appealing to a deity or making an offering, it’s wise to know how this was traditionally done in the past so you can be as respectful as possible and build a true reciprocity with the gods. This type of prayer structure is found in all manner of pagan religions from Norse paganism, Hellenic (Greek) polytheism, Kemetic (Egyptian) prayer and so on. I got the inspiration and much of the information here from @Ocean Keltoi on Youtube who is a fantastic scholar and Norse heathen who actively stands against prejudice and is all around a wonderful resource. 

Now, there are three main elements of a pagan prayer, which should be done in this order:

1. The Invocation. This is where you call upon the specific god you’re hoping to connect with. Think of it as writing the name and address on your letter to the Gods - it lets the deity know that this prayer is directed at them, which is important in a polytheistic religion with many gods. To start your invocation, address the deity directly by name, or use an epithet or kenning that they're known by. It's especially wise to choose an epithet that relates to what you're praying for, like using one of Apollo's healer epithets while addressing him in a prayer about a loved one's sickness,  for instance. It’s also a good idea to praise them highly and with a certain air of reverence. These are ancient deities after all. 

2. The Argument. Here you give your reasons for why a deity should fulfill your request and favor you. If you’ve brought offerings, cite them here. You can also include reasons for why you’re reaching out, such as love in a prayer for Aphrodite or matters of justice with the god Tyr. This is where you make your case to them. And if you’re reaching out to a deity you don’t have a working relationship with, which let’s be honest will be the case many more times than we’d like, then you can tell them this here also. A good example might be “Oh Tyr, one-handed war god and son of Odin, though we have not met before I have heard your name and been called to it…”

3. The Request. Finally you ask the gods to look kindly on your request and to grant you their blessing. Again, be as respectful and reverent as possible towards them. 

Prayer Example: “Grey-eyed Athena, daughter of thundering Zeus, if ever I have poured out sweet wine for you, look kindly on me and grant me your wisdom.”

How to stand when making the prayer

This depends on which God you’re reaching out to and, of course, your own personal comfort. The most common ways of praying are to stand and perform some gesture of reverence, kneel while praying and even prostrate, kneeling fully on the ground with your head down as you appeal to the gods. Some might also choose to wear veils when performing prayers or rituals for deities, though this is naturally up to the individual. 

In Hellenic tradition, if you’re praying to an Ouranic god (deities of the heavens) you would traditionally wear your hair up and stand with your arms raised to the heavens while reciting your prayer. Meanwhile, if you are praying to a Chthonic god (deities of the underworld), you would kneel and face downwards towards the Earth with your hair flowing freely. 

Some Norse sources tell of ancient pagans prostrating before the gods, and yet this is still not entirely necessary. Pray however you see fit and what is most comfortable for you at the moment. 

^ This is what prostrating looks like

Sources:

Ocean Keltoi's video on pagan prayers

Hearth and Fire Work's blog post on Hellenic prayer structure

[ambermotta]

Great information on how to conduct simple pagan prayers. Especially useful if you need to improvise!

[ambermotta]

Offerings: What's, How's, When's, and Why's

Below are some of the most common questions regarding offerings!

Disclaimer: Long post. This is based on my experience and research. I don't claim to know the absolute truth.

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TL,DR: A lot of things about offerings are flexible, subjective, and depend on culture, personal beliefs, and mundane constraints. While there are general considerations and guidelines, you will always have to do deeper research in order for the offerings to fit what you are doing and what is within your reach.

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Why make Offerings?

There are many ways to see offerings and it can vary depending on personal beliefs and religion. Some of the most common reasons people make them:

Energy exchange: you give something to receive something. This can be seen as payment, fair trade or as a way to keep balance.

Thanksgiving: you give offerings as a way of giving thanks

Honoring: you give offerings as a way to pay respect

All of the above

When to make Offerings?

It is advisable to make offerings whenever you are doing spiritual work with any kind of spirit. You can make the offering before, during or after your work.

You can also make offerings a standalone thing for praising, honoring or thanksgiving spiritual beings.

What happens to the offerings? "Why do spiritual beings need food"?

Spiritual beings also use energy. Just as you use energy to do any activity, spirits also use energy for their own purposes. When you make an offering you are offering them energy, just as when you eat you are fueling your organic needs.

If you are asking a spirit to help you they may even use the energy from your offerings to fuel the magic needed for what you asked.

They don't need energy to live like we do (they don't die), but we all use energy in some way for some purpose. When you give proper offerings, aligned with the energy you need and the type of work, you can make your magickal workings stronger and develop deeper bonds with the spirits.

The spirits are not going to literally eat food you give them, but you may notice changes in "how it feels/looks like" that are subtle.

For example, when I was a child my parents pointed out that when flowers (such as a rose) are used in strong, successful magical workings they dry after a while but the petals don't fall. It tends to preserve its original aspect.

Of course, it's not an exact science, but you may observe some weird things.

How long should I leave offerings out?

Depends. Some rituals and traditions may ask you to leave them for a few days, some are to be consumed during or after the ritual. If not specified you may leave them for a day or dispose of them the next morning. Non-organic offerings may stay at the altar indefinitely or for long periods of time before being dispatched.

How to dispose of offerings?

This varies with culture and religious beliefs, so look for what was traditionally considered respectful. However, it's also important to take into account your reality, and if you are in doubt you can try to ask the spirits themselves what is the ideal way of disposing of them.

Some cultures bury their offerings. For example, in hellenic paganism it is (traditionally) believed offerings to chthonic deities should be buried and never eaten.

Some cultures don't mind you eating and/or drinking the offerings yourself after the rite is done. In Kemeticism (again, traditionally) eating offerings is preferred as to not waste food. If you are under financial constraints and cannot afford to throw away food this can be a good way of giving offerings while also avoiding waste. Of course this only applies to edible offerings, eaten right after you are done with your ritual. Please don't ingest anything that could be spoiled, illegal (such as underage alcohol consumption) or toxic.

Leaving it in a clean space in nature. This can be controversial and/or illegal depending on where you live and what you are disposing of, so make sure to get that checked out. In some cultures it is traditional to dispose of offerings even if they contain non-organic matter, but I advocate for only disposing in nature organic, non-toxic offerings. Times have changed, nowadays we must be more responsible of what we throw in nature and the effects it can cause.

An alternative to disposing in nature is to dispose of it on garden plants, if you have them, or re-use what would be wasted in some way. This can be an option for smaller offerings and folks with location restraints.

Dispose of them in the garbage. This can be controversial but I don't see it as an issue. If someone has something that makes the other options impossible or a big hassle, should they just not give offerings? I personally don't think so. Anyone is welcome to disagree, but respect the reality of other folks.

Non-organic, devotional offerings may also be kept in your house or garden in a dedicated/sacred space.

Offerings can also be burned. Always be careful handling fire, be aware of accidents and make sure to do research about what you are burning since some things can release toxic chemicals when burned.

Side note on eating offerings: Some spiritual beings like to share food and drink with you as a way of bonding and celebration. In some cultures, it is traditional to share in food and drink for specific rituals. It also may not always be appropriate to eat food on certain occasions.

What to offer?

The most traditional offerings are that of food and I personally like these the most. However, offerings are not restrained to that! You can even give them a more devotional meaning by, for example, offering an action, a song, art (poems, pictures, dance, etc), incense, a candle, water, or your time and energy.

Some offerings are pretty generalist and work for a lot of stuff, such as water, candles, bread, flowers and fruits. You can use these when you are short on supplies or when you are not entirely sure what you should offer.

But ideally you will want to offer something whose energy aligns with your purpose and the spiritual being you are working with. For example, you could offer lilies or white roses if you are doing work associated with peacefulness, but if you want passion you might want to pick red roses and cinnamon instead.

There will be times where you will have to improvise. You don't have to go without giving an offering just because you don't have exactly what you wanted to use. Yes it's better to have everything aligned, but sometimes you may feel the urge to do an offering at an inopportune time and you'll need to be flexible. This is why it's always good to have some generalist ingredients laying around.

How to make offerings?

Again, this can vary with culture and religion. You will have to find out what is the best way for your culture and beliefs.

But if you are unsure, here is a general setup:

Gather your offerings and everything you'll need for what you're doing.

Ideally cleanse and protect yourself and the environment you're in. If you have a space dedicated for offerings it's even better.

Remember you can give offerings before, during or after spiritual workings. Know at which point of the process you'll make the offering before you get started.

When you are ready to make your offering, start by saying a prayer and/or saying a few words. Try to tune in with the energy you are making the offering for. Here you can declare why you are making this offering and what you want (if applicable). Remember offerings have many uses, so here you can give praise, express your thanks and/or petition something to the forces you are making the offering for.

After making the offering you can meditate and try to tune in with spirits and what they feel. You can try talking to them. You can also carry on with whatever you planned to do.

Finish your ritual in a way you see fit and thank the spiritual beings involved.

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Final considerations!

Please, PLEASE make sure what you are offering and disposing of is LEGAL to acquire and dispose of.

Be conscious about the environment .

There needs to be a balance between honoring tradition and your reality living in the modern era.

To give offerings is to give energy. Make sure you are "feeding" the right spiritual beings, and not just being exploited for energy. Protections first, offerings later.

Be mindful of any potential accidents, especially concerning fire, children and pets. Be careful with potentially toxic offerings accessible to children, pets and wildlife.

Thank you for reading and best of luck in your practice ♡

[ambermotta]

Meeting a Dragon (Guide, Guardian, or Otherwise)

Disclaimer: the information I give is a mish-mash of personal experience, research, experience in study groups and other people's accounts. I don't claim to know the absolute truth. I'm just here to help!

Preparations

Just like any other type of spirit work you do, to connect with the right type of spiritual being you'll need to be in the right mindset. The more powerful and high frequency the spirit is at, the harder it can be to attune to their vibration.

For connecting with dragons I reccomend you do some heavy work on cleansing the environment and yourself, as well as make sure you have strong protections (how to do that is a matter for another post). Offerings prior to any ritual are also a great idea.

And after all the cleansing you will need to keep your negative thoughts and emotions in check as to not energetically upset the balance you have achieved. Of course, it's impossible to never experience these, so when you do it will be good to remind yourself to keep calm and return to a state of peace.

Something to Ponder

You may wonder - do I even have a dragon guardian? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, if you want to connect with any dragon willing to help you out you will need to do some introspection and evaluate things such as:

If I meet a dragon, what will I do with that information? What is my purpose? What is my goal with all of this?

Knowledge for the sake of knowing it is useless. You are far more likely to get a response from any spiritual being if you intend to do something with the information you're asking for, otherwise you're just wasting their time and energy to entertain a selfish curiosity.

Setting the Mood

After you have aligned your goals, energy, environment and mindset it's time to actually try to get in touch.

Do keep in mind that how successful you are can vary  a lot depending on how keen you are to sensing energies, experience, whether the technique works for you and whether the dragon actually thinks if you're ready to meet them or not.

I recommend you try to "set the mood". You definitely DON'T need to do all of these or get a lot of supplies, but if you think you can get your hands on these things they may help you connect more easily:

Turn on music that you think matches the draconic energy you are looking for.

Gather elements of nature such as rocks, plants, branches and crystals that you feel are right for what you are doing. Remember to always ask for permission when taking anything from nature and make sure it's legal!

Gather the four elements. Light a candle, an incense, get a glass of water... for earth you can use crystals but I personally like having living plants.

You can turn off the lights to help your mind slow down. You can focus on the candle, or close your eyes so that you can pay more attention on what you feel rather than what you see.

Dress for the occasion. No particular outfit needed, just try to make it feel special.

You can gather and use any personal tools you have, like a wand, athame, or sacred necklace.

It is preferable to have a protective token with you, if you have any. If you don’t a protection circle will do!

Please remember you can connect with spirits without any of these, and you can have all of these and still feel nothing. These are things that usually HELP, but it's YOU who makes it happen.

Techniques

#1 Divination

When I met my dragon guide it was through a tarot reading. I didn't even have my own cards, I used a website to draw my cards and after I did I felt the need to close my eyes and just "feel it". I was not yet ready to work with this dragon (damn, it took me almost a decade), and even though I doubted it when the time came it turned out my odd attempt at tarot reading was actually VERY accurate.

I did not use a specific spread as far as I remember. I was never a spread type of reader. I just pulled the cards with the intention of figuring out the energy of the dragon and the meaning revealed itself with each card drawn, as well as their collective energy.

Some ideas of what to look for in your divination session are:

Is there a particular element, symbol or environment this dragon is associated with?

What can they teach me?

What should I do to connect and work with them?

Do they think I am ready? If not, what should I do?

What are they like? Big and bulky, or slender and gracious? Do they have limbs? How many? What colors do they like most?

What do they expect from how? How are you supposed to behave around them?

These answers may come to you in the cards (literally) or through your intuition (subjectively). Both are valid, don't restrict yourself just to what you see.

Remember no two readers read the same way. If you are already into divination, work with whatever you have the most affinity with. If you like tarot spreads or boards, that's awesome! If you're more of a intuitive reader don't be afraid of trusting yourself either. As long as you are prepared, you're good to go.

If you're not a reader and would instead like to get someone else to do the divination for you, make sure you are familiar with the reader. What do they usually read? What is their moral compass like? How do your guts feel about them? And even after the reading, it's important you trust what your own intuition says about it all.

#2 Meditation

Meditation means different things for different people.

For some it can be a state of relaxation and observing ones thoughts and feelings. Feeling energy. If this is the route you want to take, before you start the meditation you can invite the dragon to come and let you feel their energy.

You can also kind of turn this into a prayer/conversation kind of thing by talking to them either verbally, or through sharing with them your thoughts and/or feelings. I really like doing it this way because it feels very personal and emotions can get very strong. However, it is basically impossible to do if you are struggling with negative feelings or feeling very anxious. Unfortunately if you're not at balance and you can't bring yourself back to a relaxed state feeling them is going to be really hard.

The other way to do meditation is through guided meditation. With this technique you will have someone else being your guide and taking your mind on a journey. This is very beginner friendly and something I enjoyed a lot when I was first getting into meditation.

You don't have to restrict yourself to everything your guide says. They are there mostly to help you stay in the right mindset and remind you of what you're doing, plus facilitating your connection.

There are a few dragon-specific meditations online. Unfortunately there aren't many, but if the ones there are don't work for you you can either improvise with a more general guided meditation or use ones aimed at spirit guides and deities.

#3 Prayer

I'm using the word prayer to describe "establishing some sort of dialogue with a spiritual entity". If you'd like you can write your own prayer and treat it more as a sort of reverence to the dragons, this can definitely deepen your connection.

But prayer can be as simple as sitting in silence, in a peaceful mindset, and talking to your dragon guide. I would avoid unimportant mundane matters... It is best to have a dialogue that can actually help you connect with the dragon. Telling them your goals, your thoughts, asking about them... then just pay attention to how your body feels, and what thoughts come up. You may wish to avoid talking about problems right away if your focus is to get to know them.

This sort of direct-ish communication doesn't necessarily require anything fancy. If you are able to tune in, you can do it anywhere. But as I mentioned before, certain tools can help you with that, and it's always a good idea to make sure you are protected.

#4 Ask for signs

Be specific about it and ideally set a time period for it to show up. If you ask for a sign that is too easy to come up and easily explainable by physical causes then anything can feel like a sign and lead you into delusion. If it's too complex it can take a long time to manifest in the physical world.

Also keep in mind a sign can come in a more subjective way. For example, if you ask for a rainbow apple to confirm a sign from your dragon perhaps you'll not get a literal rainbow colored apple, but instead a crazy music video with psychedelic rainbow aesthetic and random apples (as well as other objects) thrown around. Yeah this has happened to me - but regarding Loki.

Overall I'm very very careful with signs and I'd rather try the other methods a few times before asking for this one because it's way too easy for your mind to get in your way (either making you doubtful or leading you into finding your signs) or you asking for things that are too out of this world. For the average person asking for signs is not healthy or trustworthy. Plus, it rarely gives you any further insight into the dragon.

Conclusion

After you're done make sure to thank the dragons for their time and energy however you like. It is a great time to give them an offering if you haven't already.

If you did not feel anything, keep trying. Keep this off your mind for a few days then try again, or try the next few weeks once per week. If you are still unsuccessful you can ask the dragons why they are not showing up, or what is blocking you from feeling them.

If you felt something but still couldn't figure out much about the dragon, be patient. There could be a number of reasons why. You may ask them for clarification!

In any case, the keyword is Patience. It can take years for you to be truly ready to work with them. Sometimes they are willing to work with you, but even when you think you are ready, you end up backing away... and that's okay. They are rarely in a hurry, and neither should you.

Thank you for reading!