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todays bird
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
YOU ARE THE REASON
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will byers stan first human second
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PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
Alisa U Zemlji Chuda
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@barbelleshy
I truly believe being able to name the world around you is integral to animism. learn the names of plants and flowers. learn how the rocks and soil you walk over daily form. sit with the streams and rivers, learn where they flow to and from. learn the names others have given, and give them your own as well. animism is interconnectedness, and one simple step is learning the names of your neighbors
look i love intention as much as the next witch, but i am personally replacing it in my practice with “devotion”. either to myself, to a deity or spirit, to an ancestor. i work in devotion of you, to you, for you. i am devoting my time, my will, my power, my life. my intention itself is devotion. my intent is to be devoted to this craft and through it i channel my desires and emotion. devotion feels like something settling on the bottom of the sea and that is plenty for me.
i was just given the most beautiful labradorite from the owner of my local metaphysical shop 🥹 (to the left of the middle tealight). it was from her personal collection and she said it looked like I needed it. actively choosing not to cleanse because I feel the care with which it was chosen has energy I'd like to keep around. one day I will pass it forward.
one of the most magical things to me are the relationships we build with the people around us. we were there because my friend was delivering bread to all the business owners in the area. she has such a way with people, I aspire to be as kind and welcoming as her. i love my kooky little town! 🌓✨✨
About Ancestors
The Ancestral Current
In Traditional Witchcraft, there is no sharp division between the living and the dead. The breath in your lungs, the fire in your blood, the voice in your bones—none of these are yours alone. They belong also to the ones who came before. To honor the ancestors is to honor yourself, for you are their continuation, their vessel, their dream carried forward.
Every culture has known this truth. From the Roman lares and manes who guarded the household, to the Japanese Obon festival where lanterns guide the dead back to visit their kin, to the Mexican Día de los Muertos, where food, candles, and marigolds create pathways for ancestral spirits. The Norse left offerings at burial mounds, while the Slavs poured libations of mead and milk on graves. Across the world, the witch has always stood as a bridge between both realms, ensuring that the living remember, and the dead are fed.
The Types of Ancestors
Not all ancestors are of blood, and not all guardians share our name. Witches recognize different streams of ancestral presence:
Blood Ancestors – those bound to us by lineage, by flesh and bone.
Mighty Dead – witches, healers, mystics, and practitioners of the Craft who shaped the path before us.
Cultural Ancestors – those who shared our land, our people’s struggles, our history.
Vocational Ancestors – the ones who worked the same craft as we do: the blacksmiths, midwives, soldiers, poets.
Adopted Ancestors – spirits with no blood bond to us, but who have chosen to guide, protect, or accompany us.
Each current flows differently. Blood speaks to blood, but the Mighty Dead answer to devotion. Vocational ancestors awaken when we work with the tools of their trade. To live as a witch is to weave all these voices together into a living tapestry of memory.
Chthonic Guardians: Gods of the Underworld
To call on the ancestors is often to call on the gods who dwell with them. These deities are keepers of the threshold, guiding spirits to and from the realms of the living:
Hades and Persephone (Greek) – rulers of the underworld, keepers of cycles.
Hel (Norse) – the Lady of the realm of shades, stern but just.
Hecate – torchbearer and psychopomp, guardian of the crossroads.
Anubis (Egyptian) – protector of tombs, opener of the ways.
Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacihuatl (Aztec) – lords of the dead, honored during Día de los Muertos.
The Morrígan (Celtic) – goddess of death, fate, and prophecy, often appearing as a crow over the battlefield.
Santa Muerte (Mexico) — La Madrina, La Flaquita, the Holy Death who governs the crossings of life and ending, sought for protection, justice, healing, love, and deliverance.
The Gede (Haitian Vodou) — the family of the Dead: bawdy, blunt, compassionate psychopomps who heal through truth and laughter.
When a witch speaks with the ancestors, it is wise to acknowledge the rulers of their realm. A candle, a libation, a prayer—small gestures open vast doors.
How to Speak to Your Ancestors
You can find the full traditional rite here, passed down to me by my lineage.
13 Rules When Working with Spirits
1. Always begin with protection. Circle, salt, prayer, guardian. Whatever your tradition teaches — begin there.
2. Be respectful, not fearful. Fear clouds the mind. Respect sharpens it.
3. Know who you're calling. Not all spirits are who they claim to be. Names hold power — and risk.
4. Don't demand. Invite. You are not their master. You are a guest in their presence.
5. Offer before you ask. Give water, incense, light, or words — a sign that you understand reciprocity.
6. Speak with intention. Every word is a blade or a bridge. Choose carefully.
7. Not all spirits want to help. Some are tricksters. Some are wounded. Some are bound to old grief. Learn discernment.
8. Record everything. Your memory fades. Their messages don’t.
9. Don’t bargain what you can’t give. No soul, no life, no years. Be firm in your boundaries.
10. Cleanse after every contact. Even the kindest guest leaves a trace.
11. Don’t open doors you can't close. Not every ritual needs to be performed. Not every spell needs to be spoken.
12. Your bloodline walks with you. Ancestors see what you do. Act accordingly.
13. If something feels wrong — stop. Your instinct is your first line of defense. Trust it.
land spirits do not have to be dramatic.
sometimes reverence for land starts very simply:
learning the names of local plants. noticing where water gathers. thanking a tree before taking from it. picking up trash. leaving a place better than you found it. sitting quietly long enough to feel the mood of the land.
animism is not always spectacle.
sometimes it is relationship, attention, and care.
2026 Witches' Calendar
For all my witches out there, here’s a handy list of the 2026 dates for the solstices, some commonly-referenced holidays, full and new moons, planetary retrogrades, and special celestial events. I’ve listed my sources at the bottom. This year's listings have also been updated to include full moon and seasonal observance dates for the Southern Hemisphere.
Dates and times for all events are calculated for Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -5). Adjust for your location as needed and check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what special events will be visible in your area.
Please Note: This is not meant to be a universal or infallible system of marking seasonal or lunar days of import for witches and pagans. Readers should take their own paths and beliefs into account, and are also encouraged to create their own seasonal calendars, holidays, and observances based on your local biome and personal preferences. Enjoy!
Northern Hemisphere Solstices, Equinoxes, & Cross Quarter Days
February 1-2 - Imbolc / Candlemas / High Winter
March 20 - Spring Equinox / Ostara
April 30-May 1 - Beltane / May Day / Walpurgisnacht
June 20-21 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer / Litha
August 1 - Lughnasadh / Lammas / Summer Harvest
September 22-23 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon / Fall Harvest
October 31 - Samhain / Halloween / Final Harvest
December 21 - Winter Solstice / Midwinter / Yule
Northern Hemisphere Full Moons
January 3 - Wolf Moon ♋ (Supermoon)
February 1 - Snow Moon ♌
March 3 - Worm Moon ♍ (Lunar Eclipse/Blood Moon/Micromoon)
April 1 - Pink Moon ♎
May 1 - Flower Moon ♏
May 31 - Blue Moon ♐
June 29 - Strawberry Moon ♑ (Micromoon)
July 29 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♒
August 28 - Sturgeon Moon ♓ (Lunar Eclipse)
September 26 - Harvest Moon ♈
October 26 - Hunter’s Moon ♉
November 24 - Frost Moon (aka Beaver Moon) ♊
December 23 - Cold Moon ♋ (Supermoon)
Southern Hemisphere Solstices, Equinoxes, & Cross Quarter Days
February 1-2 - Lughnasadh / Lammas / Summer Harvest
March 20 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon / Fall Harvest
April 30-May 1 - Samhain / Final Harvest
June 20-21 - Winter Solstice / Midwinter / Yule
August 1-2 - Imbolc / Candlemas / High Winter
September 22-23 - Spring Equinox / Ostara
October 31 - Beltane / Halloween
December 21 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer / Litha
Southern Hemisphere Full Moons
January 3 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♋
February 1 - Sturgeon Moon ♌
March 3 - Harvest Moon ♍
April 1 - Hunter's Moon ♎
May 1 - Frost Moon (aka Beaver Moon) ♏
May 31 - Blue Moon ♐
June 29 - Cold Moon ♑ (Micromoon)
July 29 - Wolf Moon ♒
August 28 - Snow Moon ♓ (Lunar Eclipse)
September 26 - Worm Moon ♈
October 26 - Pink Moon ♉
November 24 - Flower Moon ♊
December 23 - Strawberry Moon ♋ (Supermoon)
*The astrological signs should remain the same for the Southern Hemisphere, it's just the names that are flipped around due to the difference in seasonal cycles.
New Moons
January 18 ♑
February 17 ♒
March 18 ♓
April 17 ♈
May 16 ♉
June 14 ♊
July 14 ♋
August 12 ♌
September 10 ♍
October 10 ♎
November 9 ♏
December 8 ♐
Special Celestial Events
January 3 - Supermoon
March 3 - Lunar Eclipse, Micromoon
June 29 - Micromoon
August 12 - Total Solar Eclipse
August 12-13 - Perseid Meteor Show (coinciding with new moon)
August 28 - Partial Lunar Eclipse
October 21-22 - Orionid Meteor Shower
December 13-14 - Geminid Meteor Shower
December 23 - Supermoon
(Check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what will be visible in your area!)
Planetary Retrogrades
November 11 2025-March 10 2026 - Jupiter ♋
February 26-March 20 - Mercury ♓
May 6-October 15 - Pluto ♒
June 29-July 23 - Mercury ♋
July 7-December 12 - Neptune ♈
July 26-December 10 - Saturn ♈
October 3-25 - Venus ♏
October 25-November 13 - Venus ♎
October 24-November 13 - Mercury ♏
December 12 2026-April 12 2027 - Jupiter ♌
Happy Witching!
SOURCES & FURTHER READING:
Bree’s Lunar Calendar Series
Bree’s Secular Celebrations Series
Witchcraft Exercises for Building Your Craft
Full Moon Calendar 2026, Space.com.
Moon Phases Calendar 2026, MoonInfo.org.
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events 2026, SeaSky.org.
The Year in the Sky: 2026’s Most Noteworthy Celestial Events, Scientific American.
Dark Sky Placefinder for Stargazing, DarkSky International.
2026 Wheel of the Year, Patheos.
Astrology Calendar 2026, YourZodiacSign.com.
2026 Retrograde Planets Calendar and Astrology, Astrostyle.
Image Source - How Stuff Works
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If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my podcast Hex Positive, join my Patreon, check out my published works, or shop for handmade witchy wares in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊
In case you need a reminder, you're doing amazing as a witch. Your craft doesn't have to fit a mold, and you deserve good things
The most important thing I have ever learned in witchcraft is the mindset of having nothing to prove to anyone. Oh, you don't believe in any of that witchy stuff? It's nice how we can all have our own beliefs, isn't it? You think my practice is "aesthetic witchcraft" because my altar looks nice. It does look nice, thanks. I don't need to prove how functional it is. You want to see my spirit flight experiences validated? They're validated to me and, since they're personal, that's all that matters.
My witchcraft doesn't need a peer review system. I remain open to new information that impacts my worldview. I am open to the opinions of my family, friends, respected acquaintances, and former mentors. But I don't have to prove anything to them either. And that's the most helpful witchcraft mindset I've ever come to.
I love all my friends in the pathandpractice tag and in general. You all are lovely and kind individuals. 🫵🏼🥹
The mythological women in Christianity are consistently sidelined even though they're by far one of the most interesting parts. The Gnostics were cooking with Mary Magdaline as the recipient of Christ's mystical teachings.
Literally a world-changing fumble
Witchy asks
Do you believe in ghosts and spirits? Any experience with them?
What do you believe happens to us after we die?
How would you describe your personal beliefs/path/practice?
Do you think life is guided by fate, free will or a mix of both?
Do you think dreams have meaning? If so, have you had any meaningful ones you can remember?
Do you carry any good luck charms/talismans on you? How did you get them if so?
Do you believe people can feel the energy others have? If so, do you think you're good at doing so?
Are there specific celebrations you observe (eg. Sabbats.)?
What deities do you worship (if any)? Can you talk about how you connected with them?
What tools do you think are the most important in your practice?
Do you have any stones you favor? If so, which ones?
Ignoring birth month associations, is there an element that you most heavily identify with? Why?
Do you prefer doing spells that are cast and then forgotten? Or do you prefer longer lasting ones, like jar spells, that you keep around?
Is there anywhere spiritually significant to you that you'd want to visit someday?
Do you believe in things such as karma, or the threefold rule?
Protective Magic As an Act of Care
It isn't a common sentiment I've encountered, but over the years I've seen a handful of people say they don't bother with protection magic, wards, etc because they're "not scared". I've been thinking about this a bit lately because I've never viewed protective magic as something that stems from fear. For me, it's always been about care.
In some ways, it's like locking my door. I don't lock it because I'm scared someone is going to come through. I lock it because it means I don't need to worry because I know it's taken care of, and my home is protected. I value the peace inside my own. It's the same with preparing protective oils and herbs, maintaining wards, and every other little act of protective magic to make sure my house feels settled. The focus isn't on some looming threat that's hanging over me. It's on the belief that my home is a sacred place that deserves peace and protection.
To me, protective magic grows from affection, stewardship, and believing that the things you tend deserve a chance to thrive without unnecessary interference.
when i first began working with herbs, i thought rosemary was overrated. it’s not native to my ancestral lands or where i now live, nor had i used it much in the kitchen…
it wasn’t until years ago when my mother introduced me to her own rosemary plant. she also hadn’t had much of a relationship with it (she’s caribbean) until she bought her own and began caring for it, but wow did that relationship grow fast and strong!!
i watched how my mother talked to it. she’d compliment her plant, tell it about her day, and ask it how it’s doing. she’d touch the rosemary, brushing it so its scent would release and fill the room. i could feel how deeply her rosemary plant loved her, and since we’re family, i felt the rosemary begin to love me too.
this is what witches mean when they tell beginners working with herbal magic to build relationships with their herbs.
i shrug at the idea of any herb being “universal,” but because of the relationship i’ve built with the plant, those “universal” qualities feel unlocked for me. the rosemary spirit protects me and my family, and i can sense when it wants to be included in my spellwork, which happens to be most of the time. this can be true with any herb or any spell ingredient. i believe your relationship determines its strength and how versatile it can be. 🌿
The Samhain Ultramarathon | 100 Days of Witchcraft
"Etheri, why are you talking about Samhain already? It's still Spring where you live..." shhh...
October 31st is my favorite day to be a witch! I find myself looking forward to it throughout various times of the year. So, this year, I decided to make a little "challenge" for myself in the days leading up to Samhain, and I wanted to invite others to participate ^.^
Starting July 23rd, I'd like to invite you all to join me for what I'm calling "The Samhain Ultramarathon!"
The challenge itself is to touch your Craft for 100 days in a row! Starting July 23rd, the task is to do something, anything, witchy each day, counting down to October 31st. Some days can be as simple as just updating your grimoire or lighting a stick of incense, while other days can be more elaborate spells or rituals. The ultimate goal is to touch your practice at least once a day, even for just one minute, for 100 consecutive days! It'll be like a spiritual marathon... hence the name :P
I'm sharing this now, over two months out, to give anyone who may want to participate time to coordinate! If you want to share your preparations and if you want to share your "marathon experience" once the challenge itself starts, please use the tag #TheSamhainUltramarthon !
Gotta keep reblogging so that maybe I won't forget when the time comes 💕
Spiritual Hygiene and Self Care can and should be intrinsically connected, by the way!
Spiritual hygiene culture revolves around making sure you're clean and washed in some manner before interacting with your gods.
This should hopefully be something you automatically do if you're Hellenic Polytheist or Kemetic or Shinto Practitioner regardless?
It's okay to live for your gods.
You didn't just "Wash your face", you took water (and sometimes soap) and you cleansed your mind of the weight of the day's energy.
You didn't just "wash your hair". You cleansed the negative and heavy malignant energies from your hair (if you have hair). Or washing your head in general is cleansing the spirit and your thoughts.
Washing your hands is mindfully making your touch clear and pure of any unclean and tainted energies you naturally picked up on while doing daily work.
Your nails being clean is the same principle.
Same with washing your feet.
Clean clothes is important for your gods. They want you in clean clothes so you are "presentable" to them in sacred space.
Your gods love you regardless. And you are cared for regardless. But there is spiritual sacredness in being mindful of "cleanliness".
No running water? Braid your hair. Brush your skin down. Use oils where you can. Doing things to "freshen" your own body also translates to your spirit and how you mindfully conduct yourself around sacredness.
It's okay to do these things because of your gods. And it's okay to do them in ways you have access to.
But if you can, still take care of yourself how you are able to.
