Witchy Witsy

Arterrene Rillunis' Witchy Communications Old url: Lunardata

[artellene]

To everyone following this blog:

I’m actually going to delete this blog. I’ve come to accept that I am a trans man, and as such, want pictures of me presenting as a girl to be gone... some of which are featured here. 

For Witchcraft stuff, I have a Digital Grimoire over at @grimoireofchance

For my main blog (where I do reblog witchcraft aesthetics, witch art, witch humor, and general conversations on witchcraft at times - along with politics and life things), you can find it at @aschance

[libraford]

I love it when people tell me what is and is not witchcraft. Its witchcraft if I damn well say it is. 

[asksecularwitch]

This is what people dont get. Outsider perspectives dont reflect on insider behaviors and associations. So while someone may just see a pot of boiling water. I may see this same pot, that i am making holy, because I AM BOILING THE HELL OUT OF IT.

Why I am doing something is often more important than what I am doing.

Also #the fun police, here to stop fun witchcraft of planting seeds which literally is so old, that there is a divination technique after it with a large amount of other things like plant talking.

But you know, gotta be no fun zones.

[artellene]

"...while someone may just see a pot of boiling water. I may see this same pot, that i am making holy, because I AM BOILING THE HELL OUT OF IT.

Why I am doing something is often more important than what I am doing. "

...You know, in my entire time of questioning "what is and what isn't witchcraft", if someone had explained it to me like this, then I would have understood right away. Like, suddenly emoji magic DOES make sense to me, as well as other things I've questioned about witchcraft.

Thank you. Honestly, thank you very much.

[phoenix-fire-witchcraft]

I fucking love my broom. I have had the materials to make this for a hella long time, I just never did. Today that changed, and now it’s complete. I could not be fucking happier. Now all that’s left to do is bewitch it, carve it, and perform a special rite over it. I’ll be flying in no time.

[artellene]

Your broom looks so nice!!! Out of curiosity, if it’s ok to ask, what did you use to bind it and what are the bristles? I’ve been wanting to remake or improve upon my broom lately.

[marblemoontarot]

I made a pendulum board and a board to do my tarot readings on.

[cathysbookofshadows]

Ahhhhh they’re so pretty!!! The original poster had deactivated but I wish I could ask theme what they made them from!

[marblemoontarot]

Nope, just changed names! Sorry this took me so long to respond - got some what lost in my notes. These were just some wooden boards from AC Moore and acrylic paint. :)

[artellene]

These are so beautiful omg. I have some extra wood on hand from a past project that fell through, and this post inspires me *_* (Sadly though, I’ve been putting off making myself a pendulum for a long time oops, but this is honestly so pretty)

[marblemoontarot]

Do ittttt. And tag me so I can see it. 😁

[artellene]

Ok!! I will probably post it on my Grimoire blog once I have the time to try this! :D

[magsmagicalbookblr]

Look what just arrived - Steve Patterson’s “Spells from the Wise Woman’s Cottage”! I’ve only had time to unwrap it and marvel at its loveliness so far but I’ll do a review as soon as I’ve finished reading.

[swampseer]

Oh, oh, I’m excited to hear your thoughts on this one!

[goddess29]

I read my copy over the weekend. It is a lovely book in terms of production, certainly. The spells seem quite usable. And the material on the creation and history of the exhibit in the Museum is very interesting. There is also a good section on “What is a witch?” and some information on Cecil Williamson’s history with Gerald Gardner.

I also have the CD of the recording played at the exhibit and it is wonderful fun to listen to.

[swampseer]

I’ve had nothing but wonderful experiences with Troy Books so I’ve been eager to get a copy of this one. I haven’t heard much in terms of content and enjoyability so, that definitely helps. Thank you!

[artellene]

I'm on mobile, but is there a link where one can buy this book? It looks really nice!

[78uwriejkgmdsuifpusgjsd-deactiv]

people trying to make witch a gender neutral word is another example of women being expected to carry everyone. witch is a trendy word now, it’s a trendy practice. men don’t wanna be warlocks or occultists because it’s not as cool sounding and witch comes with a certain glamorous appeal. (thank you witch movies) and given that witches are still primarily women, since men want to be a part of the craft women are expected to just give up our spaces and let the men in and let the men decimate those spaces with their penis magick and their bastardization of the practice. men want the word “witch” to be a free for all because they’ve decided they like it now, so we need to just give it up already and let them overtake it. they can’t just create something for themselves or adopt a different label, because they have no respect for women or the things we’ve made for ourselves. 

[witchsuggest]

ASDFGHJKL PENIS MAGICK

[castle-karelon-deactivated20160]

So, I have a question about elements.

Originally, alchemists (and other early scientists) believed there were four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The reason these were called elements is that they were believed to be fundamental pieces, the parts which make up everything, hence the term element! However, as time passed and science became more advanced, we discovered that these were not, in fact, the elements which make up everything. Instead, we discovered a new set of elements, which we called atoms, meaning “smallest piece” or something like that. We also discovered that each different element, or type of atom, had different attributes, which eventually lead to the design of the periodic table, which grouped the elements by periods, which are the groups of elements that act in similar ways (if you look at the periodic table, you’ll find that each column has similar properties, and this is the reason it’s kinda chopped up.)

So, my question is, why do people still refer to the above things as elements? I mean, not just withing the magic community, but even in pop culture, things like avatar exist which still represent these things as elements. I really wonder why that is, surely there’s a better word for it, isn’t there?

[deactivated-blog]

Well, I use the term “element” when referring to these concepts because it’s traditional to use that term, and allows me to easily convey what I’m talking about. In reality, you’re absolutely right; the term is a misnomer. They’re actually best described as the four states of matter, and calling them “elements” isn’t quite correct.

[castle-karelon-deactivated20160]

Fire isn’t a state of matter, it’s a chemical reaction. It occurs when atoms get hot enough, and thus move fast enough, to form and break chemical bonds between the atoms. This often results in the creation of carbon monoxide, normal smoke, because the main components of the chemical reaction are the oxygen in the air and the carbon in the fuel (all Burnables are organic, meaning the main component is carbon.) the unused elements often end up as ash.

People often say that fire is a plasma, but this isn’t true. Plasma is an ionized gas consisting of positive ions and free electrons in proportions resulting in more or less no overall electric charge, typically at low pressures (as in the upper atmosphere and in fluorescent lamps) or at very high temperatures (as in stars and nuclear fusion reactors).

Of course, i totally understand if fire is also a misnomer for plasma, as plasmas sometimes give off light, like in the sun, Which is also something people commonly misconstrue as fire.

[upthewitchypunx]

Often the elements are more symbolic in witchcraft and get all sorts of other representations like 4 directions, 4 seasons, or 4 suits of the tarot. I don’t work with the traditional elements besides in a tarot sense.

I’ve especially always had a hard time with fire being an element as it is a chemical reaction that require air (oxygen) to even exist.

[sanctvs-obscvrvm]

Also, there are four states of matter. In order from lowest to highest energy: solid, liquid, gas, plasma. The sun is plasma. Plasma is as different from air as air is from water or earth. It is fire. Just as air is represented by any and all gases, water by any and all liquids (in principle) and earth by any solid (usually a natural solid), fire is all plasma.

[upthewitchypunx]

I really just don’t buy this as plasma was not a thing known when the Classical Elements were named and fire is not plasma. Plasma is so hot and not a thing that  human can easily create through fire at all. As forms of lowest to highest energy  is modern invention, which is fine if that is how you work with the elements now, but I think the discussion was about the Classical Elements.

I’ve also seen the break down of cold/hot/wet/dry and how each elements fold into those states.

Again, not my system, but really interesting to think about.

[milk-wort]

imagine calling on every element every time you cast a circle. it could actually make a pretty cool incantation. and/or you could rearrange the periodic table of elements into a large circle and use that as your space.

I’d probably exclude elements that don’t occur naturally on earth, so like everything after uranium, and maybe Tc and Pm would get the axe as well.

[upthewitchypunx]

Seriously. this would be a circle (table?) I might go to! Up The Science Witches!

[artellene]

I have a comment for this. For me, I view the “elements” probably differently than others.

I wrote another post about this over here: http://artellene.tumblr.com/post/140483204514/tinywitch-stormwaterwitch-i-like-to-think

Basically thinking of what I thought in that post, and applying it to the information here... I kinda want to make a correspondence in my grimoire for the Periodic Table now

[earthwitchery]

Techno Magic

Let me get this straight.

I’m not against techno magic, but you may notice i never reblog any emoji spells or other things like that. Let me explain why.

Techno ‘magic’ and emoji spells are great for visualization, and seeing one pop up on your dash can be a great motivation or reminder. Although on the other hand, I would not fully consider it magic.

See, in my opinion, there are two parts to magic: visualization, and energy work. Not to downplay visualization in any way, because it is a very important part of magic, but, it is basically the placebo effect. It is the intent of the craft. Energy work, is essentially, the actual ‘magic.’ It is the altering of the aura/energy that takes place when you preform spells, work with herbs, or do any witchcraft with the living breathing world.

Here is my problem with techno magic. It has no way of channeling or altering energy, which again, is essentially what magic is. Without energy work, it is only visualization, not magic. Technology, computers, phones, etc., have no energy or aura. You can’t work magic through something without an energy or aura.

And again, I am not against techno magic! I just wanted to make these things clear. Techno magic can be great to focus intent, but it falls short of actual magic.

[artellene]

Thank you. This is my feelings towards emoji spells as well.

[photochoco]

Jackpot

[photochoco]

This is getting kind of ridiculous.

There are two five leaves in there somewhere 

[photochoco]

I lost count

[humunanunga]

This is the lucky clover bouquet. Reblog for seven days of good luck!

[artellene]

Fun fact! If you find a four leaf clover, that means the clovers in the area have the gene that allows for the 4 and 5 leaf mutation. If you want more, dig up a little area surrounding the 4 leaf clover (including other clovers and their roots) and transplant it into a pot with more soil and nutrients. If successful, you now have your own clover plant that may grow more leaf-mutations of the 4 and 5 variety. Enjoy!

[starryeyedspell]

witch aesthetics » lunardata

b u r n i n g cities And napalm skies fifteen flares inside   - -  your o c e a n eyes .

x x x x x x x x x x requests are: closed

[artellene]

This is so good!!! Honestly, I feel this is the best aesthetic post thus far that anyone’s ever made for me!!! Thank you so much!!!

[takingbackourculture]

Wondering how the word gypsy is a racial slur? Why are you referring to it as the G word when it literally means a free spirited traveller. What is so offensive about that?

Let me tell you a story, ignorant one. 

Once upon a time, there were a group of people migrating from northern India and Pakistan after the invasion “of the Persian Muslims who have since settled in Trukey, all of Europe, and the Americas These people are called the Rromani.” (x)

Once the pale bird feces people of Europe came into contact with the Rromani, they believed them to hail from Egypt, thus calling them Gypsies. 

Now about what disgusting white people like you have been trying to turn this racial slur into. There is nothing about being a free spirited traveller if you’re called such a word. What is up with white people romanticizing everything to make it seem all nice and rainbows for them?

“They were not nomadic by choice. They moved around because they had to… they were persecuted everywhere they went, and still are, to this day. They were persecuted alongside the Jews in the Holocaust – the Roma & Sinti”. They were forced to have this sort of nomadic lifestyle because “no country wanted them there”. (x)

Let’s not forget these lovely things Rromani people did and still go through because of who they are:

“Forced sterilization (yes, it is still happening)

Eviction

Harassment (by law enforcement as well as civilians)

Fingerprinting (this is happening in Italy right now – all Romani people are being fingerprinted, simply because our race is considered ‘criminal’)

Concentration camps

Starvation

Exclusion from public schools and welfare programs

Bombings (it is not uncommon in places like the Czech Republic for people to throw molotov cocktails into the windows of Romani homes)” (x)

“First and foremost: THE WORD “GYPSY” IS AN ETHNIC SLUR. It is a pejorative. It is an exonym that is hurtful and offensive. You need to accept this, period.

We are NOT your halloween costume. We are NOT your flowy skirt. We are NOT your fashion sense. We are NOT your wanderlust. We are NOT ‘boho.’

Gypsy is not fashion. Gypsy is not traveling. Gypsy is not a headband or a costume, or boho, or a long skirt.

Gypsy is a hurtful ethnic slur used to refer to the Romani people.

We cannot seem to emphasize this enough to people. This word is a slur. It was created to be a slur. Its meaning does not change. It will always be a slur. It will always be offensive.

‘The word is not yours. It’s ours. We can use it as we see fit. You cannot.’ - biggadjeworld 

We are a real people, with traditions, culture, and colorful heritage that spans centuries.” (x)

The “x”s in the post refer to sources you can click on and educate yourself with. On those pages, there are more links to become familiar to this slur and the Rromani people.

Also, don’t forget to stop by thisisnotromani!

- Jess

[dianasson]

This is some shit that the witchcraft and neopagan communities really need to get straight. You are not a “gypsy” witch, that does not make you mystical, you are not special, you are just racist. V sorry.

[queerwitchcraft]

I REALLLYYY need everyone to read this at least three times so there is no chance for confusion.

[pen0fsw0rds-deactivated20170504]

in all fairness though, i can totally forgive tumblr paganism for being what it is. most of the people who reblog stuff like “the 10 witch commandments” or whatever are usually teenagers who don’t know any better.

all that bullshit i mentioned in my previous post? didn’t happen in a vacuum.

the writers of those 101 books are part of an “old guard” in the western occult movement. they carry with them the ideas and worldviews of their predecessors.

the hippies didn’t even start that shit. (no matter how much i hate john lennon.) oh no, we in the west have a looooong history of taking stuff from other cultures. it goes all the way back to the Golden Dawn and Theosophy and Spiritualism. 

you had white dudes in the victorian age travelling to other countries and going: “ooh! i like that! and that! and i’ll take that, too!” and then taking it back home, carving it up, and turning it into a kitschy souvenir.

i have every hope that the new guard - the young people coming through - can change this. we’re finally finally having conversations about entitlement and cultural appropriation and racism.

[breelandwalker]

THIS. This is EXACTLY why we need to read critically and vet all sources, especially where the “classical” pagan authors are concerned. Age and popularity do not make the “old guard” automatically wiser any more than it makes them automatically correct. (And in a lot of cases, they’re neither.)

Times have changed since the 70s, the 80s, the 90s…since last year. The pagan community has a duty to acknowledge this change and to adjust accordingly. Values and ethics are not static. Things that were common and acceptable twenty years ago might not be so today.

To say otherwise is like saying Joss Whedon is still a pillar of feminism because he put progressive-for-the-times material into “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” (And anyone who’s seen his treatment of Black Widow will tell you that’s complete crap.)

We are not parrots who can only repeat what we’ve heard before. We are the authors of the next chapter of modern paganism. We have a responsibility to shed outdated exclusionist rhetoric and misinformation, to do our own research and make our own decisions, and to make sure that what we contribute to the next generation is something of which we can be proud.

Whether you do this through blogging or mentoring or publishing your own book; or simply by making sure your own practices are as free of racism, sexism, cultural theft, and bigotry as you can make them; the lessons our successors will learn are in your hands.

Make them count.

[eibhlincatha]

Witch Things

-Sometimes birds are just birds

-Magic/crystals/herbs/spells should never replace actual medical treatments

-Spells do not always work in the way you expect them to; use caution

-Spells are not shortcuts for hard work; i.e., instantly memorizing information, increasing magical or psychic abilities. Chanting a poem over a candle or drawing a sigil will not instantly give you special powers or skills.

-Emoji spells may work, but don’t expect strong results.

-Gods are not tools, and cannot be controlled. They are very old, very wise, and deserve respect.

-Magic is potent, and real. It can be a force for destruction or transformation or new creation. But it isn’t like the movies. You won’t levitate, or freeze time, or control minds.

-Magic is unruly and untamable. Even with years of practice a spell may backfire or reveal itself in unexpected ways. Sometimes the effects will be immediate, sometimes they will take days or weeks or months.

-Christians can be witches. Wiccans can be witches. Polytheists can be witches. Anyone can be a witch.

-Witchcraft is a practice, and is very personal. It is not a religion, and though there are modern movements that attempt to standardize specific paths, witchcraft traditionally was personalized and individual. What works for someone else, might not for you, and that’s OKAY.

-Astral projection isn’t like the movies. There’s no one “right way” of doing it.

-The Gods are not tools.

-Nobody can tell you if you have been visited or chosen by a god or goddess.

-Wicca is a new religion, and was not practiced by our ancestors.

-You will receive the best results by creating your own spells, recipes, rituals. Borrowing can be good for learning, but personalizing your craft is vital if you want to grow.

-The Gods cannot be controlled.

-You don’t have to believe in Gods to be a witch.

-You don’t have to practice witchcraft to believe in Gods.

-Witchcraft is not easy. Witchcraft cannot solve all of your problems–in fact, sometimes it may actually complicate them more. But it is real, and beautiful, and empowering. Make it yours. Study others’ paths, become aware of the ridiculous amount of misinformation is out there. Never stop researching and learning. Recognize that some of the popular ideas and beliefs are harmful, inaccurate, and wrong. Accept criticism gracefully. But don’t let anyone dictate your practice. Make it yours. Make it real.

[bodaciousbanshee-deactivated202]

Ray and his whole crew can suck my strap-on. He’s no pioneer, he’s a shitty writer and all his crew pioneered was Fluff-bunnyism. I thought this hippy twat was dead already. 

[thistletongue]

What a vile piece of chewed gum. “Real Witches” my glorious, voluptuous, cursing ass.

[visardistofelphame]

Ah yes. Nothing like watching “popular” authors drag themselves.

[orderofthejackolantern]

Ugh. I’m disgusted.

[swampseer]

*ugly cackling*

[upthewitchypunx]

I had no idea he was still alive, let alone relevant. I just looked him up and apparently he is 81 and living in Ohio and even published books in the century.

Anyone who asserts anything about what “real witches” do can fuck right off.

[misterfoghatswildride]

True story: About twenty years ago, I wrote him a letter to ask about this passage on the color(s) of ritual robes in Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft:

“Some few Witches do wear black but, while acknowledging it to be a very ‘powerful’ color (in fact a non-color), I personally think that it plays up the misconception of equating Witchcraft with Satanism and, if only for that reason, should be avoided. We are a religion of Nature, so let’s use the colors of Nature … the bright and the sombre earth colors (there is actually very little black to be found in nature).”

I was confused and asked what he meant, as I could name many natural black things. I was incredibly polite, as he was an ELDER (in more ways than one) and all I wanted was some clarification on this idea.

His reply was utterly belittling and said, among other things, that I was too young to be questioning someone as wise and brilliant as him. Oh, and that I should just do what he wrote if I wanted to be a real witch (like him).

Haven’t respected him since.

[da-at-ass]

Uncle Bucky knows exactly how much of an asshole he is and exactly how much he’s misrepresenting witchcraft and witches, IMO. He says this shit because he’s built his own style of witchcraft up as a brand and thus himself as the only expert on that brand, and if he’s the only valid voice on witchcraft then he can make more money off of his books and speaking engagements, etc. It’s his career to redefine witchcraft to the parameters he can be an expert on so that he can claim he and those he endorses are the sole source of true knowledge on the subject. He’s one of many mages and witches to claim they’re the highest authority on magic and to move the goalposts in witchcraft to line up with only what they teach, it’s a basic formula to gain money and power.

I’m sure he curses and hexes and everything like that, but probably redefines what they’re called so that he can’t be called out for it. He’s among a group who want to brand witchcraft as completely pacifist and non-Satanic because he wants witchcraft to be as inviting for mainstream Barnes and Noble bookbuyers as possible. It’s all about PR and respectability politics for him, all about the buying demographic.

[brujxanimist]

What I find really funny about all this is that it’s actually kind of an open secret amongst a lot of older initiate Wiccans that Buckland did practice baneful/”black” magic from time to time, he’s just part of a movement (or was, the dude is in his 80s now) that never openly talked about it, and in fact openly discourages it/denigrates it.

Anyways. Whatever. To be honest, what Buckland is saying in that Facebook post is 80% respectability politics that is quite out of touch with what pagan/witchcraft communities are like today. Not to mention Buckland also did write a lot of bullshit stealing/appropriating/being a racist old man with tziganes and romani knowledges, peoples, and stories. Personally I don’t care about his books (never did read them myself, as Wicca isn’t my thing) though I understand they are important to some people. To me, the only thing I really know about him, and care to know about him, is that he acted like a racist white supremacist asshole and now we need to undo a lot of the racist white supremacist anti-tzigane anti-romani assholery that prevails in paganism and witchcraft. 

[breelandwalker]

-casually leaves this here for everyone who’s ever tried to drag me for saying that I don’t like or respect Buckland…because he really is an elitist bag of thieving racist trash-

[igatherthedead]

Free Download: Herbal Preparations eBook!

Free Download: Herbal Preparations eBook!

[forscryingoutloud]

US Games backed down off of the licensing fee.

They posted it on Facebook:

QotD: Big news! We’ve been listening to you, our customers. We don’t think of you so much as customers as community. Your voices are important.

Some of you may have heard of our fee for electronic use of our images in professional settings, i.e. email readings.

After some discussion, it has been decided that that policy is no more.

As always you are welcome to post images on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, blogs articles etc.

All we ask is that you indicate the copyright please as follows: “deck name here” used with permission of U.S. Games Systems. c. (publication date here). All rights reserved.

EXAMPLE: Rider-Waite Tarot used with permission of U.S. Games Systems. c. 1971. All right reserved.

This protects our artists and authors and we appreciate your help in that.

You are our voices. Thank you for speaking up. We heard you. We listened. We responded.

Thank you for showing off your decks and using them in your professional services. We appreciate you.

Sincerely, All of us at U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

P.S. To see the entire policy: https://www.usgamesinc.com/info/TarotReproductionPolicies.pdf

So basically Fair Use etc etc. I guess someone in their legal department remembered that they can’t dictate their own copyright law, amazing.

[upthewitchypunx]

Wanted to post the update here since the other post was put in my queue a few days ago.

[blackcat-witch-deactivated20180]

Spells witches should do for fun:

-bee fertility spells to help them thrive -ozone layer protection spells -glamours to hide endangered species from hunters -rainforest fertility spells

Anything helps, even if it’s a spell a day ❤️