beetlegobbler

I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too? Then there's a pair of us - don't tell! They'd banish us, you know. How dreary to be somebody! How public, like a frog To tell your name the livelong day To an admiring bog! -Emily Dickinson

[beetlegobbler]

hail and welcome!

welcome to my blog! im in the process of refurbishing it, as ive decided to use it for a multitude of things

mostly unoriginal posts (reposts or quotations), but all original work will be tagged as such

some information:

you can call me Rafreygr/Raf or beetlegobbler or any other nickname, i dont mind

my pronouns are he/she/they/it/x/bug

i am a heathen and hellenic polytheist (newer to hellenism) and practice witchcraft & study the occult

studying to be an entomologist, working on my biology bachelor's now

i endorse pluralism in all aspects of life, however: i am explicity anti-fascist, anti-bigot, anti-capitalism, etc etc

Digital Grimoir TOC (coming soon)

fan blog

i hope you have fun here!

[khaire-traveler]

This is your reminder that your gods love you. They care about you. They want to help. It's ok to reach out.

[sharpnelshell-deactivated201905]

It had almost escaped my notice that it is now May, the month that dooms to a heartbroken death 99% of characters from folk ballads. So, if you suspect you may be a character from a folk ballad, for your own safety: 

don’t fall in love, don’t go by the river, don’t go to the sea, don’t talk to sailors, don’t gamble, don’t ramble, don’t go North, don’t go North-West, don’t stand in the wind, don’t dance with anyone named Sally, Sue, Mary, Ann, or Barbara, don’t go to the pub (but if you do go to the pub at least don’t drink, and if you do drink at least pay for your own drink, and if you are absolutely broke and have to let someone else pay for your drink then at the very least do try not to forget to toast everyone you know whom you think might be there very loudly and possibly multiple times), don’t lend money, don’t borrow money, don’t wish you had more money, don’t make plans to make more money, don’t start working for a new employer, absolutely do believe anyone who says they will try to kill you, curse you, or maim you, absolutely do believe anyone who says you might die, turn down every invitation to go a-hunting, horse-riding, or a-courting, be wary of flute players you meet on your path, don’t dance with satanic men in black coats, don’t marry off your daughters to the first man who’ll have them, and don’t promise your true love any herbs you can’t readily plant and gather in your own garden. 

There. That should just about cover you for 31 days. Heed the warnings and you may have a chance to last the month. Good luck.

[a-ginger-in-black]

Avoid navigable waterways. Don’t let yourself be talked into going down by the wild rippling water, the wan water, the salt sea shore, the strand, the lowlands low, the Burning Thames, and any area where the grass grows green on the banks of the great North Sea. Cliffs overlooking navigable waterways aren’t safe either.

Broom, as in the plant, should be given a wide berth.

Stay away from the greenwood side, too.

If your name is Janet, change it.

But not to Margaret, or any diminutive thereof.

If you are an unmarried lady and have sex, you will get pregnant. No good will come of it.

If you are a young lady and a soldier promises to “marry you in the morn,” it means he’s already married. And has kids. And he’s not going to marry you anyway. Even if you’re pregnant. Which you will be.

If you’re a young unmarried lady with child, and your pregnancy embarrasses or inconveniences someone else, consider yourself a sitting duck. Don’t meet with your young gentleman alone, or at odd hours, or in isolated locations, even if he says he’s taking you to be married. Next thing you know your Doleful Ghost will be telling your mother all about it.

If you look at the calendar and discover it’s May, stay home.

[dandelionsandderivatives]

Also, beware of large green snakes that turn into beautiful women in kirtles as green as poison. They will kidnap your sons and make elaborate schemes to take over your husband’s kingdom. Stay safe, everyone.

[echoesofolympus]

The gods are everywhere;

Every time someone falls asleep on your shoulder, that is Hypnos with you

Every time you have that random boost of self-love, that is Aphrodite with you

Every time you are courageous, that is Ares with you

Every time you find joy in music or poetry, that is Apollo with you

Every time you let yourself relax and drink, that is Dionysus with you

Every time you stand up for what is right, that is Zeus with you

Every time you travel, that is Hermes with you

Every time you remember a dream, that is Morpheus with you

The gods are everywhere, even if we cannot see them

[bookwyrm10]

“What is the difference between Orphic and Homeric Hymns?”

The Orphic and Homeric hymns are both significant in the context of ancient Greek literature and religion, but they differ in origin, purpose, and style.

1. Origin and Tradition:

- Homeric Hymns: These hymns are attributed to Homer, though they were likely composed by various poets in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. They are part of the broader tradition of epic poetry and are generally seen as a way to honor the gods through narrative and invocation.

- Orphic Hymns: These hymns are tied to the Orphic tradition, which is associated with the mythical figure Orpheus. The Orphic hymns date from later periods (around the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE) and reflect a more esoteric and philosophical approach to religion.

2. Content and Themes:

- Homeric Hymns: Each hymn typically praises a specific deity, recounting myths or stories related to their attributes, powers, and deeds. They often serve a liturgical purpose, meant to invoke the favour of the gods.

- Orphic Hymns: These often incorporate themes of mysticism, cosmology, and the soul's journey. They focus more on personal religious experience and metaphysical concepts, such as the nature of the divine and the afterlife.

3. Style and Structure:

- Homeric Hymns: They generally follow a narrative structure and employ traditional epic techniques, such as invocation and epithets. The language is grand and formal.

- Orphic Hymns: While also poetic, these hymns tend to use a more lyrical and mystical language, emphasizing philosophical ideas. The structure can be less consistent than that of the Homeric hymns.

While both types of hymns celebrate the gods, the Homeric hymns are more concerned with storytelling and invocation in a traditional epic style, whereas the Orphic hymns delve into mystical and philosophical themes, reflecting a different aspect of religious belief.

If I missed anything or messed anything up please let me know, I am up to hear about your opinions / knowledge on this too ^^

[pukicho]

Did you know I’m actually 12

Literally get in here

[femininefirebrand-deactivated20]

from the book Children of Ash and Elm by Neil Price

[breelandwalker]

Simple Moon Spell - One Dozen Wishes

Intent: To create a jar of potential wishes, to be used as needed.

Materials:

Small Jar

Whole Bay Leaves (12)

Moonlight

In addition to their usefulness in spells for protection, wisdom, and healing, bay leaves are a potent ingredient for wishmaking. This spell does not specifically create a wishing spell, but it prepares a small supply of leaves for future spellwork, using the fulfilling energy of the full moon to pre-charge the component.

Obtain a bag of whole bay leaves. These can usually be found in the spices and seasonings aisle at the grocery store, or you can order them from a botanical supplier if you wish. Prepare a clean, dry jar with a lid as you see fit. Select twelve leaves, as whole and unbroken as possible, and place them into the jar. Cap the jar and leave it to soak up the moonlight on the next full moon evening.

When you have need of some wishmaking magic, take a single leaf from the jar, write your wish upon it, and use it in your spell. The use of the leaf depends on your casting method - you can include it in a jar or sachet charm, cast it into fire or water, or bury it to help your desired results grow, to name just a few.

Use the leaves as needed and when the supply is exhausted, you can pick twelve new leaves and refill the jar.

Happy Witching! 🔮🍃

[acrystalwitch]

(***NO N*zis or TERFs allowed to interact with this post or my blog*** This is a post for Norse pagans or polytheists looking to work with Odin. This is all based on my own experiences working with the all father and nothing here is to be taken as a hard fact. If your practice differs from my own that is totally fine. There will be a lot of UPG and SPG)

An incomplete summary of Odin in Norse mythology.

Odin, god of war and wisdom is a key figure in the Norse myths and is involved in a lot of the stories. He is the head of the Norse gods and is called the All father, because it’s by him that all of humans were created. He is married to Frigg and together they had Baldur and Hodr. Odin also has other sons, Thor, Vali, and Vidar.

He has two ravens Huginn and Muninn, and two wolves Geri and Freki.

He only has one eye, he sacrificed his other eye by throwing it into Mimir’s well in exchange for knowledge that could better help him prevent Ragnarok.

Another famous story of his is when he hung upside down from the tree of life for nine days and nine nights to get knowledge of other worlds and to be able to know everything about the runes.

The type of magic he practices (Seiðr) was a feminine type of magic that wasn’t always looked highly on when men would participate in it. Yet our Allfather was very practiced in it.

My experience working with him: One thing to know about working with Odin going in, he will be very honest and blunt. My other deities have a habit of being softer on my feelings than I’ve heard other devotees say they’ve been with them, I’m assuming because I’m very sensitive. But Odin..? He does not care. He will stop giving advice if I tell him I don’t want to hear it. But, if I ask for advice…oh boy, am I gonna get his full opinion. He is very much a father in the way he goes about things, he cares but he wants his followers to push themselves as much as they can, learning as much as you can and always growing, never staying sedentary for too long.

I have a notebook dedicated to him that I’ve been using to work on learning the runes and that seems to be the best offering to give him in my practice right now. He never misses a chance to remind me I need to get back to learning the runes too.

I always wondered why it mattered so much to him that I learn them. Eventually he told me that it was because they really would be useful in spells, and wards and making bind runes out of them is something I’m learning to do now.

He is not the easiest deity to work with, he may even push your buttons on purpose to get you to think harder on things. I’ve noticed he’s even been rude before just to see if I’d stand up for myself and set boundaries and then he’ll explain himself after. Lots of tests trials and teachings. But man, is it worth it for the immense amount of knowledge and mentorship that he can bring. All in all, I’m glad he came to me later in my practice as I might’ve been scared off from deity work if he was the first. But, I love him to pieces and hope to work with him for a long time.

Offerings and associations of Odin

(Odin does not eat food so I’ve seen many people say not to give him food offerings, I disagree! Give him things that he can feed to Geri and Freki. He is known to still fill his plate and just give them bits over meals. So don’t hesitate to gift him any food offerings you would to any other Norse god)

-colors: gray, dark blue, black

- tree Imagery, Yggdrasil in particular

- raven Imagery, black feathers

- wolf Imagery

- clear quartz

- onyx

- blue goldstone

- amethyst

- carnelian

- the hermit tarot card

- the hanged man tarot card

- the four of cups tarot card

- the king of swords tarot card

- mead, wine, alcohol

- poetry (he writes poems!)

- mugwort scent/incense

- Ansuz rune ᚨ

- learn about the runes

- learn his myths

- learn useful and practical knowledge

- read books

- ask him for advice

There are many more ways to learn about him and get close to him. A great one is reading the Hávamál. If you meditate or do tarot or rune casting those are also great ways to contact him and get closer to him.

Signs he might be reaching out; seeing ravens more than usual or in non native areas, very windy days, rain, seeing his name often, feeling drawn to his mythology, seeing his tarot cards pop up often, you already work with one of his sons (I think he sent Thor to me first to soften my idea of the Norse gods and be a warm intro into their pantheon.)

He is a great god to work with, lots of work though. Odin is not for the weak minded, but he’s been so worth getting to know.

[fornasedensgudar]

Eir.

[broomsick]

Devotional writing to Loki

He smiles, he looks upon me,

His features shift, again and again.

He is my father, my mother, my brother, my self;

He is in turn an illusion, a wildfire, and a breeze.

He is the source of all mystery

He is the spark behind every idea

He is the shape of the runes

He is the sound of every song.

He was given more names than language can remember:

He is Lopt, Loke, Loka,

Whose presence is a trance, hypnotizing;

He is the foe of Heimdallr,

Whose form is ever-changing, ever moving.

He is bench-mate of Óðinn,

Thief of the giants,

Father of the Ván-Monster,

Of the Miðgarðsormr;

Unclear are the outlines of his being:

He is the bound God.

And yet, he is free as the wind!

His mind is unbound, his body without limit.

For thought itself cannot be confined,

And so, the might of Loki is boundless.

Art: Loki and the Young Fenrir (1845 Th. Lundbye)

[momowho34]

Here’s to hoping that every single person with schizophrenia or a schizoaffective disorder or DID or NPD or any other ridiculously demonized mental illnesses has a wonderful day

[momowho34]

oh and people with ASPD and borderline and bipolar disorder and anybody who experiences psychosis but doesn’t have schizophrenia or a schizoaffective disorder. i love all of you and i wish you the absolute best <3

[diana-thyme]

Magic For The Disabled

A few things that I do when I’m at my lowest. Made specifically for disabled people, but anyone can do these! See this post for low energy witchcraft ideas not directly related to disabilities.

Enchant your blanket for a good night’s rest

Enchant your coffee/juice/water/NyQuil/whatever you’re drinking to aid in recovery

Enchant food to aid in recovery

Place sigils around to aid in recovery, memory, etc.

Keep relaxing herbs/stones/etc. around

Cast a sleep aid spell (I have a bag with lavender and amethyst hanging on a bedpost)

Cast a recovery spell (I have another bag with a variety of protection and rest herbs and crystals)

Enchant fidgets or objects used to stim to calm you and to never break

Use energy magic instead of physical spells.

Use art/writing/etc. magic! Draw sigils, deities, write spells, recipes, shopping lists, etc.

Stir and infuse good energy/banishing into teas or coffees.

Keep some supplies nearby (i.e. tea lights, a lighter, grimoire, oils, etc.).

Use showers, washing of face/hands, etc. for cleansing.

Brush out the bad energy when brushing your hair.

Ward health aids or mobility aids against breaking and bless them to work quickly and well.

Use apps or websites for sigils, spells, etc. (VirtualCandleSpell for digital candle spells, Craiyon for sigils).

Keep room sprays near you and bless them to serve a certain purpose.

Make emoji/song spells! Use corresponding emojis and charge them with intent. Use corresponding songs, put them on a playlist, charge them, and listen to it whenever you want to cast it.

Use makeup/skincare as glamours.

Use sunscreen as protection!

Use wax warmers and melts instead of candles.

Use oils in diffusers instead of candles or incense.

Enchant anything you use daily.

[beetlegobbler]

id like to add, if you can cook for yourself, charge your food with intent (even microwave food or frozen-to-the-oven food)

enchant your toothbrush, sponges/wash clothes, shower scrubbies, etc

open a window or door to get fresh air and to cleanse a space

most of all: be kind to youself <3

blessed be!

[notthesomefather]

My dear queer and trans heathens and norse pagans,

Remember today and always that your gods love you.

Remember today and always that Odin and Loki know and share your truth.

Remember today and always that Thor and Freyja battle by your side.

Remember today and always that Tyr fights for your justice and rights.

Remember today and always that Lofn celebrates your joy.

Remember today and always that your gods love you, that you have nothing to apologize for, that you are not alone, and that we will prevail against evil and cowardice.

[notthesomefather]

Reblogging since I've seen some attention-hungry TERFs clogging up a few of the tags lately.

Fighting for your rights is not an attack, it is an honorable demand for your humanity and dignity. And it is a demand we will continue to make for as long as there are those who would deny us our safety and liberties. We are united as Family, and we are strengthened by the gods' love and might.

[analog-machine]

I've seen a LOT of pagan terfs lately, so I'm sharing this to remind some of you that they are not right. I may not share in your faiths and thus not know much about them, but everything I've seen posted by the people more educated in the many pagan beliefs than me confirms that the terfs are indeed fooling themselves.

Notthesomefather is very right: fighting for your rights is NOT an attack, it is an honorable demand for your humanity and dignity.

[lunar-witches]

10 Tips For the Beginner Witch

1. Don’t rush into things:

Take the time to explore and learn about witchcraft, its traditions, and practices. Resist the urge to jump into more advanced practices or take on too much at once. Start small and build your knowledge and skills gradually.

2. Don’t believe everything you read online:

Be mindful of where you get your information about witchcraft. Do thorough research and cross-check multiple sources before adopting any beliefs or practices. Remember that not everything online is reliable or accurate.

3. Don’t compare yourself to others:

Each person’s journey in witchcraft is unique, and it’s important to focus on your own growth and path. Don’t compare yourself to others or try to measure up to someone else’s standards. Embrace your own journey and celebrate your progress.

4. Don’t neglect self-care:

Witchcraft can be emotionally and mentally taxing, so prioritize self-care. Take time for yourself to recharge, meditate, and do things that bring you joy. Pay attention to your physical and emotional health and practice self-compassion.

5. Respect nature and the elements:

Witchcraft often involves working with the elements and nature, so treat them with respect. Avoid harming wildlife, littering, or engaging in practices that harm the environment. Build a relationship with nature and the elements based on respect, gratitude, and reciprocity.

6. Don’t force your beliefs on others:

Witchcraft is a personal practice, and everyone has their own beliefs and experiences. Respect the beliefs of others, and don’t try to force your own beliefs on anyone else. Be open-minded and respectful of different perspectives and approaches to witchcraft.

7. Ask for help:

The witchcraft community is a supportive and knowledgeable community. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, guidance, or advice from more experienced practitioners. Join online forums or local groups to connect with others and learn from their experiences.

8. Balance your practice with mundane responsibilities:

Witchcraft can be a fulfilling and meaningful part of your life, but don’t neglect your everyday responsibilities. Make sure to balance your practice with your job, family, and other obligations. Remember that taking care of yourself and your responsibilities is an important part of a healthy witchcraft practice.

9. Keep a grimoire or book of shadows:

Keeping a grimoire or book of shadows is a valuable tool for any beginner witch. It allows you to record your experiences, insights, and practices, and serves as a reference for your ongoing learning and development.

10. Embrace experimentation:

Witchcraft is a creative and experimental practice, so embrace your inner curiosity and explore different practices and techniques. Try out different forms of divination, herbalism, meditation, or ritual practices to find what resonates with you. Remember that experimentation and playfulness are key components of a healthy and dynamic witchcraft practice.

As you embark on your enchanting journey as a beginner witch, remember to take your time and savor each magical moment. Witchcraft is a unique and personal practice that is meant to be explored and experienced with joy and curiosity. Remember to approach your craft with wonder and gratitude for the beauty of nature and the elements. May your path be filled with enchantment and wonder as you explore the mystical world of witchcraft.

My Ko-Fi

[beetlegobbler]

spirituality and religion absolutely should be personalized

i grew up hearing "you can't pick what you like from the Bible and leave the rest"

but the more i consider history, which evangelical Christians often ignore, the more i agree with Jesus (or what he represented), and i still would call myself Heathen

hell, give me a few years, and i might even have added Jesus to my alter and praxis

as long as you aren't doing it in a disrespectful or harmful way, absolutely pick and choose, and leave what doesn't resonate

[gloamses]

as we see skyrocketing amounts of legislation targeting trans youth in particular I’m begging people to stop parroting “your brain matures at 25”. this article by the director of harvard’s neuroscience lab is a good read. like I’m no neuroscientist myself but Brain Complicated. at best “your brain matures at 25” is an incomplete and inadequate summary of a single idea in a relatively new field wherein broad generalizations are almost impossible. *some* aspects of brain development *tend* to *plateau* *somewhere* in your 20s, *we think*; but “brain maturity” is poorly defined, and the data is still highly incomplete. plenty of aspects of the brain demonstrably continue developing well past 30, or for your entire life; on the other hand, plenty of studies have simply failed to include participants over 30, or 25, or even younger. attempting to define maturity, let alone make RULES about it, based on particular neuroscientific metrics, is extremely dicey

and this popsci notion is now actively being used to justify taking away people’s rights so pls stop perpetuating it for the sake of your age gap ship wars or whatever