sionnie
AnasAbdin

@theartofmadeline

No title available
Aqua Utopia|海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
No title available

★

titsay

Love Begins
almost home
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
$LAYYYTER

Product Placement

blake kathryn

oozey mess
🪼

pixel skylines
Three Goblin Art
tumblr dot com
Misplaced Lens Cap
ojovivo

seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Belgium

seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from Germany

seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from Malaysia

seen from United States
@awitchofthewoods
sionnie
Also, I feel like I’m sharing less and less ‘witchy’ content as time goes by. It really is true what people say: once you get deep into it, things become personal. The tricks you discover. The gnosis you make. Certain knowledge is gained through experience, and words alone cannot impart what you have learnt unto others.
(Just a preface to this ask, I'm an Atheopagan, not a Christian, but I'm well versed in the bible due to my upbringing)
I mean absolutely no disrespect to you, so I'm very sorry if this comes across as condescending or accusatory as that is absolutely not my intention; but I do not understand how one can be both Christian and a witch at the same time. The bible expressly condemns witchcraft - For example, Exodus 22:18 and Leviticus 20:27 - and from a historical perspective, witches were heavily persecuted in biblical times (and basically all of history after that including today) in the name of Christ. I'm not saying you need to choose one or the other, but I don't see these belief systems as compatible with each other in any way. Could you possibly tell me your thoughts/feelings/beliefs on this?
Absolutely! Let's address these verses and some historical context. Since both verses are from the Old Testament, I'm going to use my interlinear Hebrew/English Bible. So, the verse in Leviticus you're talking about is this one:
In this verse, what's being forbidden is necromancy and the summoning of "familiar spirits". In context, the familiar spirits likely refers to A) tutelary/household spirits or B) pagan/foreign deities. Since Judaism is a monotheistic faith, and Leviticus is a book of Jewish law it makes sense that it wouldn't look kindly on summoning or venerating other spirits/deities. The first commandment is about not worshipping other gods:
I don't summon any spirits or venerate any other deities in my practice, so I don't consider myself to be in violation of this law.
Now let's look at the verse in Exodus:
This one seems pretty straightforward. The question to ask here is what is meant by sorcery? This is part of a set of laws given to the Jewish people after Moses led them out of Egypt, meant to mark them as God's chosen people. The sorcery being referred to here is likely the magic done by Egyptians in worship of/with power from their deities. In Biblical times "sorcery" is heavily, almost intrinsically associated with worship of foreign gods. Also, it has been suggested that the Hebrew word for sorceress used here may mean something closer to "poisoner" rather than "witch". It was translated as "pharmakeia" in the Septuagint, which would refer to an apothecary or herbalist. Keep in mind that many ancient medicines were poisonous or harmful.
Our modern definition of magic/witchcraft is wider than the Biblical one. In fact, there are many instances where Biblical figures do what we would consider magic (particularly divination) as part of worship or in service of God, and this is not forbidden or looked negatively upon.
As for your second point about persecution: the history of persecution of magic-users/witches is long and complex. Witch-hunts happened in many different places at many different times and were motivated by different things over the centuries. Often, they were used to erase people's traditions or to punish those they perceived as a threat to social norms. Generally, it was fuelled by misogyny, xenophobia, and racism. In many cases it had more to do with those factors than the practice of magic itself.
Fear and intolerance from Christians has caused massive amounts of harm to countless people over the years. As a lesbian, I'm all too aware of that, having experienced it firsthand. That's why I do my best to advocate for marginalized people in my community, especially those groups that have been harmed by hegemonic Christianity in the past. I try to be aware of the privilege being a Christian in America gives me, and to use the power that that privilege gives me to uplift people who need it.
I hope this answers your questions!
-Ailith
Hi! I found your blog and it’s adorable. I’m currently a baby witch but I’ve been trying to blend that lifestyle with my Christian lifestyle and I was wondering if you could help me find where to begin. I’ve found very little resources doing research on my own and I feel lost.
Hi there! If you're just starting out, looking back at history is a great way to begin. I'm not a Catholic myself, but I noticed you have "rosary" in your URL so if your beliefs/practices do lean Catholic I would recommend looking into historical folk Catholicism! Folk Catholicism throughout Europe essentially functioned as a way to syncretize pre-Christian traditions and magic with Catholic Christianity, so if you're looking to blend magic and Catholicism/Catholic practices I'd start there! Even if you aren't Catholic, it can give you a good example of what blending folk practices, magic, and Christianity can look like. Hope that helps a little! -Ailith
Witch aesthetic, which aesthetic are you ?
I think I'm the solar one maybe 🌻
Definitely forest/hedge witch!
Hall of Mosses by Pat Robidoux
WHY EATING SEASONALLY IS IMPORTANT
•save money - food is at it’s highest supply
•food is better - it is grown closer to home so less likely to rot
•support local, sustainable farmers
•more environmentally friendly
Oh I like this!
Just remember your seasonal may vary! Our local farmer’s market is kicking off soon, lots of fresh local veg, but I know some places were still buried in snow til a few weeks ago (or still are??)
Buying from local farmers is the best way to get local produce!
The more I learn about mycotoxin exposure the more I’m convinced that most haunted/possessed house stories are just houses with mold in the walls.
That shit’ll fry your brain.
Mold and other fungi. Ungrounded electricity. Food poisoning. Night terrors. Sleep paralysis. Sleep deprivation. The fact that when we don't see a human face, muscles related to hearing tighten to be able to hear farther for threats. Minerals leaking into pipes.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is usually my go-to when people come to me asking for advice about a haunted house/being cursed, usually followed up by most of the above.
Like sorry if you thought my witch ass was just going to tell you to place a salt ring and burn some incense or w/e, but if you come to me telling me you’re seeing shit/got ill/your partner started acting weird when you moved into your new house, my witch ass is still going to tell you to check you’re not being poisoned by your surroundings before I jump to “you got ghosts in your veins.”
"yea but I’VE had a real ghost encounter, and it wasn’t mold!”
Didn’t say you didn’t chief. I’m just saying that a lot of the things people think of as hauntings is just the living hell that is home ownership and that it’s a good idea to make sure you’re not accidentally eating radon for breakfast in your basement apartment. Smart witches worth their salt circle know that.
Just a thing to add to the list of "Am I Being Haunted Or Do I Need A Home Inspection (you need a home inspection)" :
So a couple years back, a demon moved into my parent's house.
Genuinely, this thing was Demonic. First indicator that something was off was the thumping and scratching in the ceiling and walls of all hours of the night, and an awful, arcid smell not quite as sulfurous, but significant'y worse than, brimstone. Then came the Hissing and Wailing and sudden propigation of severed animal heads all about the yard- mostly rabbits, but also rats, snakes, birds and even cats.
It was an awful thing, screeching and crawling around, scaring the dog, leaving severed heads around and the SMELL was absolutely vile. The worst possible combination of rancid meat and a gas station bathroom left unattended.
One night, the damn thing was close enough to the attic vents to see it's eyes peering out onto the driveway, blood red and almost human-looking.
At which point we were finally able to put a name to the wretched thing:
Behold, the feared Demon Tyto alba.
This thread is so good.
Fascinating!
Advice from an hereditary witch’s grandmother: things a crone has to say
My witch of a grandmother gave me her beautiful encyclopedia on healing plants to celebrate Ostara! I told her about my blog and she asked me to share some of her advice “for those lovely internet disciples of yours”. No, Yeyé, that’s not how this works…
But hey! When the crone talks, you listen!
“A jar of glass keeps away envious spirits and people who want to hurt you.”
“Everything dead deserves to be honored.”
“Strings of seeds bring prosperity.”
“A stone in the windowsill is a soldier that keeps away thieves, but make sure it’s not a pretty rock cause they might steal it!”
“When you trim a vine, keep some branches by the door so all the hard work you’ve done doesn’t disappear in a single day!”
“When you’re old and can’t move so much anymore, keep a jar of seeds by the Gods so they can pick their offerings as they please.”
“I keep lavender by the computer because it helps me remember how to open Facebook. Lavender is good for memory. Tell your friends of the internet.”
“I keep the obsidian and the agathe geodes in front of the TV so there will be no bad news.”
So there you have it.
Advice from an authentic crone with over 70 years of Craft , Old Yeyé.
She wishes you all many blessings and love and hopes you are all well guided.
Happy new season from lucky Old Yeyé!
-Semiramis the Magpie Witchling
Just a reminder: Heathenry does have a term for smoke-cleansing. Recaning. To recan. (Or reocan, in Old West Saxon.) This is cleansing via smoke, whether through incense or a bundle of herbs put together for a particular type of cleansing. Juniper and mugwort are both favorites for this. In case you’re wondering how to pronounce it, it sounds like reekening. The word “reeks” is actually derived from it, signifying a potent smell. For Old Norse fans, this seems to be related to the work reykr. In case you were wondering, Reykjavik in Iceland translates to “Smoky Bay”.
*dances around the entire pagan community waving this post like a fucking banner* THANK YOU.
Just a little addendum: Mugwort can be dangerous due to mildly psychoactive properties in the herb. Use with caution and avail yourself of the following list of free-use alternatives:
Basil (any kind, noting that Sweet Basil smells the best)
Sage (any type, but keep in mind that White Sage is becoming endangered)
Rosemary
Peppermint
Lavender
Cedar Tips or Shavings
Thyme (especially Lemon)
This literally makes me delightfully happy but it also wants to make me smack every person who didn’t take the time to learn this and instead just took something from Native Americans. (then proceeded to whine about not having alternatives when you were told NO)
The ancient Greek term is θυμιατεύω or thumiateuo which is usually translated as “fumigate”. The Latin is suffire, which is usually translated the same. Both mean to cleanse with incense smoke.
Anons: I want to talk to you but I’m really nervous! I’d message you but I don’t want to bother you! You seem intimidating!
Me:
tea elements
green tea - water
rose rooibos - fire
lavender earl grey - earth
chamomile calendula - air
Witches of Tumblr, what are your go to books about herbs/plants/flowers?
Yesterday I learned my backyard is home to purple ground ivy and its place within herbal witchcraft and herbal medicine was fascinating so I want to continue this journey. Obviously I know a few herbs and plants that are good for certain things but I really want to educate myself deeply!
I was looking into the Green Witch but really all and any suggestions are welcome for a beginner such as myself.
-slams mug down on the table and stands- MY TIME HAS COME.
….Ahem. Yes, I think I can help.
I’m a huge proponent of pairing magical education with mundane learning, both for safety and for context. Thus, books on plants, for spells and medicine alike, make up a big part of my library.
For the sake of convenience, I’ll break down my recs into two categories:
GREEN WITCHCRAFT
Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Cunningham)
Garden Witchery (Dugan)
The Garden Witch’s Herbal (Dugan)
The Sacred Herbs of Samhain (Hopman)
The Real Witches’ Garden (West)
The Hearth Witch’s Compendium (Franklin)
The Hearth Witch’s Kitchen Herbal (Franklin)
The Green Witch Herbal (Griggs)
PRACTICAL HERBOLOGY
The Complete Guide to Herbal Medicines (Fetrow & Avila)
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs (Carr)
Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs (Peterson Field Guides)
Edible Wild Plants (Peterson Field Guides)
Herbal Remedies (Chevallier)
The New American Herbal (Orr)
The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook (Green)
I also have a few other books that deal with practical gardening techniques and plant-related folklore, which I’m happy to provide upon request.
Please keep in mind that everything should be read with common sense and a grain of salt in mind. I have a lot more books that I refer to, but these are the ones I find myself reaching for most often.
Hope this helps!
A Compendium of Herbal Magick by Paul Bayerl
For a really great free resource I suggest Maude Grieves Modern Herbal available online here.
Green Witch by Arin Murray-Hiscock
Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck
I agree with Bree on the Cunningham book and the Ellen Dugan books and local field guides.
For the next step:
The Witching Herbs by Harold Roth
Corinne Boyer Books (Plants of the Devil, Under the Bramble Arch, Under the Witching Tree)
Veneficium: Magic, Witchcraft, and the Poison Path by Daniel Schulke
Any of the rad Dave Pendell books
It’s amazing that Christianity/Catholicism associates ashes with grieving and repentance, but in witchcraft, ashes are indicative of the power of rebirth and rejuvenation.
But you can’t have one without the other. No rejuvenation without grief. No repentance without rebirth.
Just something I’ll be thinking about this Lent.
Something I wish someone had told me when I started practicing
You have to find a balance between research and practice.
When I started, all I wanted to do was practice. I was in middle school and hadn’t really learned anything beyond “people post spells online and I know someone who’s Wiccan.” I didn’t know what was possible and what wasn’t, what led to genuine results and what didn’t, and (being only thirteen) I didn’t really want to put time into understanding that. This meant that I wasn’t really practicing, I was just googling spells and doing them for the hell of it, and nothing was happening because I had no idea what I was doing.
It took a little bit to grow out of that phase, which I forgive myself for because I was a kid and a particularly immature one. This led to my research phase.
My research phase was an important step in my practice. It’s when I recognized that in order to develop my path I had to sit down and read things, track down folklore and historical texts, and spend time understanding the environment of my region. The problem is that I never did anything with this information. I kept feeling like I wasn’t ready to do anything with the things I was reading about, and that I needed to prepare more.
Obviously research is a really important part of witchcraft, because jumping into something with no idea what you’re doing is ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. However, there’s also a certain point where you have to learn from practice. Read about the land, and then let the land teach you more. Read about a spirit, and then listen to the spirit to learn what the books couldn’t tell you. The balance between the two is going to be different depending on who you are as an individual and the path you follow, but finding what that balance is is important to applying both research and practice to your craft effectively.
Bottle and Jar Magic
Bottle magic is probably one of the most versatile and easy forms of spell casting I’ve encountered. It could be as small as a bottle necklace or as big as a large vase or jar (preferably something with a lid, though, to keep the magic in).
Actually a form of folk magic, a spell is sealed inside a container. This serves a number of purposes - the first being that it keeps the magic concentrated, and prevents it from escaping before the spell has been completed. The other nice feature of a jar or bottle spell is its portability - depending on the size, you can take it anywhere you like, whether it’s buried under a doorstep, tucked into a hollow tree, placed gently upon your mantle, or tied around your neck. You could even incorporate this kind of magic in your altar.
What sort of container you use in a jar spell or bottle spell will partially depend on the intent of your working. For instance, if you’re hoping to do magic to facilitate healing and wellness, consider putting your spell ingredients into a medicine bottle, pill container, or apothecary style jar. Personalizing these spells is easy, and makes them much more powerful. Try to use a container that means something to you if you can.
The ingredients can be vary from very simple to complicated depending on your intent and available materials. It could be as easy as putting your money aside in a jar with a blessing, or you could fill a bottle with various herbs and oils and even objects to reach your intended effect.
Keep in mind that spell jars can be plain and simple, or you can decorate them to look pretty. The nice thing about a decorative, attractive jar is that you can leave them anywhere you like, and no one will even realize that magic is afoot.
Here are some examples of some basic bottle and jar magic, to get you started:
Healing Bottle Magic
Emotional Healing
All-Around Wellness
Physical Healing
Depression Spell and Ritual
Anxiety
Prosperity Bottle Magic
Money Jar
Attracting Prosperity
Attract a New Job
Love Bottle Magic
Mend a Broken Relationship
Attract New People
Call Someone to You
Sweeten One’s Disposition
Mind Bottle Magic
Memory Charm
Focus Charm
Courage Spell
Happiness Bottle Magic
Protection
Creativity Charm
Restful Sleep
Banishing Spell
If anyone would like me to add any examples to the list, please just let me know! I’m more than happy to accommodate for you.
-Berk
Back to Spells and Rituals
Sources: (x)