🌹💀🌹

♡ digital hades and persephone altar ♡ (primarily hades)

[coinandcandle]

Samhain Cheat Sheet

It's approaching!! October 31st has many different names, some call it Halloween, Hallow's Eve, and some pagans and witches call it Samhain.

Here's a little cheat sheet I created for the coming holiday!

I'm working on my full Samhain post now and will post it as soon as I'm done so look forward to it!~

[royalhandmaidens]

because i love y’all, i’m sharing my family’s recipe for apple tea (traditional fall/winter drink in west asia, turkey, and many areas of the balkans)

it’s like a more delicate version of apple cider and i basically live off of this stuff when the weather starts to cool!

Apple Tea (for two)

1 large apple or 2 small, shredded (you can use a cheese grater)

3 cups water

1-2 cinnamon sticks

2-3 pc clove (optional)

honey to taste

1 tsp of lemon juice (add at end)

green tea (optional! some versions call for green tea but i actually prefer it without. up to you!)

throw it all in a pot and let it simmer on a low temperature for an hour or so. while it’s simmering, it will also make your home smell delicious! (if you make it with green tea, add the tea at the end, about five minutes before taking it off the heat so the flavor doesn’t become bitter from oversteeping). strain into your cups and enjoy hot.

end result:

[windvexer]

windvexer's spellcrafting and spellcasting checklist

These are the sorts of things I think about when I work the style of magic that I work. This stuff is based off of my beliefs which might include UPG and is therefore definitely not applicable to everyone. Take what you want and discard the rest.

I do not rigidly follow this checklist. These are just the kinds of things I think about and consider when planning and executing spells. For small, simple spells, I ignore almost all of these factors. For serious and large spells I may consider many more of them.

Spellcrafting

Intent

Do I know exactly what I want to occur?

Have I thought through a few obvious logical consequences of my intended goal?

Have I performed divination on the outcome of this intent?

Am I sure that what I'm asking for is the same thing as what I want? (e.g. do I really want more people talk to me or is my true desire make more friends?)

Do I need to crystalize my intent into one specific phrase, or is it okay for me to leave it casual or even improvise?

Expectations

How soon is it rationally possible for my spell to manifest?

Do I expect the spell to manifest very rapidly? If so, what components or spellcasting style am I going to use to encourage rapid manifestation?

Do I expect the spell to work "just okay," or to be very powerful? If I want it to be very powerful, what extra steps am I going to take to fill the spell with power?

If the spell does exactly as my intent dictates, what is the most likely outcome?

Responsibilities

Am I bound to any gods or spirits that would frown upon what I want to undertake with this spell?

Have I taken any vows or oaths that would conflict with my goals?

Does casting this spell intent conflict with personal goals I've set for myself?

If casting for others, is this truly a situation I want to involve myself in?

If casting for myself, is this spell in my own best interest?

Is there any chance I am casting this spell to side-step self care, responsibilities, or personal healing? (I don't mean don't cast a self-love spell if you actually need therapy! Cast that spell every gosh darn day if you please. I literally mean, are you using magic as an avoidance tactic, when the reality is you really really just need to eat a sandwich and do your homework?)

Design

Have I chosen a style of spellcasting which matches my intent? (e.g., if I want to banish, have I chosen a spellcasting style that includes sending away actions such as burning a paper or throwing away a rock?)

Can I be creative with what I have to avoid delaying this spell? (e.g. I usually use candles as a beacon to draw things in, but when I think about it, a candle burning down would also be a good sending away action for a banishment).

If I have already heavily cast in the past, do I have any ongoing spells (such as wards) which would interfere with the work I want to do now?

Do I want to include a physical indicator that the spell manifested or stopped working? (Such as tying a thread around your wrist that breaks when the spell stops working)

Physical Components

What physical object will be used to anchor this spell? I believe that manifesting in physical reality is much easier if you tie magic to a physical object.

Do I know how the physical objects I'm using are linked to the design of the spell? (e.g., I want to banish, so I choose to use a candle for a dwindling away effect.)

Do I have a safe and practical plan for storing or disposing leftover physical objects from the spellcasting?

How can I make storage or disposal of leftover objects a part of the spell? (e.g. I take the leftover melted wax from the banishment candle and walk to the dumpster down the street, completing the spell as I throw away the last bits of their presence in my life in the garbage).

Am I intending to invoke gods, spirits, or entities in this spell? If so, do I need physical components to represent them within the casting space, or within the spell itself?

If I am intending to invoke gods, spirits, or entities in this spell, and I need physical components to represent them, is it a good idea to save and re-use these components? Do I need to make disposable representations, or can I use permanent devotional objects?

What physical components have I gathered which are unnecessary?

Does each component that I've chosen have a specific job in this spell?

Does each component and their jobs fully align with my chosen intent and spell style?

If not every component and their jobs align with my intent or method of casting, do I need to re-examine my intent and rework the foundations of this spell?

Do I need to modify or prepare any physical components? If so, do I need to do any of this ahead of time?

Energy and Power

How much power do I believe it will take to successfully perform this spell? If the energy requirement is large, do I need to break this operation up into smaller parts and cast multiple small spells?

Will it be necessary for me to craft a physical spell vessel ahead of time so I can slowly charge it until it has enough power?

How do I intend to power this spell? (for me, I power it with my own energy, or call on external forces)

If I will use my own energy, do I have enough personal power reserves to successfully cast this spell? Or, will it burn me out, even on a day when I'm well-rested?

If I will use an external energy, how do I plan to raise or call this energy into my casting space?

How do I plan to combine power with my spell components? (sometimes this is inherent in spell style; if doing knot magic, the power is held within the knots. At other times, it must be thought through - if I draw a symbol on a rock, maybe my power will be consumed by the spell at the singular point where I draw the symbol on the rock. Or, maybe I'd like to charge the symbol ahead of time.)

If I'm using many physical components, do I need to individually charge each one?

Do my chosen energy sources align with my spell needs? (e.g. if I require very rapid manifestation, have I ensured that I am using airy, fiery, mercurial, swift, or rapid energies? Or, have I accidentally used lots of heavy, slow, earthen, saturnine, creeping energies?)

Spirits, Gods, and Entities

If asking spirits, gods, or entities for help, how is my relationship with that power? Do I need to visit them ahead of time and make sure we're on good terms before I call on them?

If asking spirits, gods, or entities for help, do I need to plan a formal invitation or petition?

If asking spirits, gods, or entities for help, do I need to repay them? If so, what do I need to collect or prepare for this purpose?

Aftermath and Upkeep

Is this a one-shot or continuous spell? Will I be maintaining and watching over the spell after it is cast, or will I let it go do its thing?

If it's an ongoing spell that will require upkeep, have I chosen a physical vessel that's practical to be worked with over a long period of time?

Will I need to make notes about this spell so I can remember what the vessel is in a few weeks or months?

How often will I need to recharge or maintain this spell?

If something went wrong, how would I undo this spell?

Spellcasting

Preparation

Have I gathered everything I need into one place?

If I forget something, is it okay for me to walk away from the spell to go get it, or is it really important I don't leave casting space until the spell is complete?

Is there anything special I need to do to prepare my casting space?

Do I need to take notes or write anything down so I don't forget it once the spell starts?

If I'm going to do a fancy ritual, do I need to write or print the ritual steps ahead of time?

If I've chosen to perform my spell at a special time, how much earlier do I need to prepare my casting space so that I can begin working within the correct time?

Pre-Casting Self Check

Do I feel safe and comfortable casting this spell?

Do I have enough personal energy to cast a spell right now? (even when conjuring external energies, you always use some of your own energy to cast spells)

If there is a risk that I will be drained, do I have anything important to do today or tomorrow that would be bad to miss or under-perform on?

Do I have enough free time today to have extra rest after spellcasting?

Do I have enough extra food to help restore me after spellcasting? (especially carbs, by the way)

Are there any tasks or activities I should do before I cast this spell, in case it is more draining than I expected?

Will I have enough energy to clean up my spellcasting space once I'm done? This includes properly disposing of or storing any spellcasting remnants or vessels.

Do I want to pray and ask for aid before I begin the spellcasting process?

Do I have any last-minute gut feelings about casting this spell? Is there a negative or worrying emotion that has been with me through this entire process that I've tried to ignore?

Do I want to exert my will upon the world?

After Care

How do I feel? (Including the physical, emotional, and mental)

Did I properly pay any spirits, gods, or entities involved in my spellwork?

Did I properly close down the spellcasting space (if applicable)?

If the working took place in my resting area, does my resting area feel comfortable? Is there anything I need to do, such as opening the window or playing music, to help my space return to normal?

Do I need a snack?

Do I need to perform a restful, low-energy activity for a little while?

Would it feel nice if I went and talked to people, or would I prefer to be alone?

Did I have any special insights during spellcasting that I want to write down before I forget?

Reflection

Did the spell go how I imagined it would?

Was I able to feel power being raised?

Did I end up feeling drained or buzzed after spellcasting? (note that you're not always bound to feel either, but it's worth noting as they're decent indicators that "something happened")

Did I ever feel a moment where I was still working over my physical components, but realized that they felt complete and the magic was ready?

If I called on spirits, gods, or entities, did I feel their presence? Did it seem like they had thoughts or feelings about the spell?

If I cast a spell like this again, what would I change? What would I keep the same?

Did I feel good about my disposal or storage methods for physical components?

Do I want to perform divination on how the spellcasting went?

Did I over or under-estimate how much energy the spell would require?

Did I like the style of spellcasting? Do I want to explore more spells of this style, or try a different type?

[420mermaid]

Cedric Laquieze - Leo Vulgaris (2021)

[screeching-0wl]

A guide to worship of Persephone- cheat sheets

Hellenic cheat sheets

If you like my content consider supporting me on: https://ko-fi.com/screeching0wlet

[missoccultural]

I decided to do some menus for our kitchen witches out there who worship/work with Hades and Persephone!

I wanted to keep Persephone's menu light and on the more floral/herbal side.

While I was making the menu for Hades, I couldn't help myself.... I kept adding more and more recipes with pomegranate 🤔

I hope these two menus are satisfactory to those who wish to use them ♡

[libbyframe]

Delicate spring florals

[lindagoesmushrooming]

[micromeria-deactivated20231118]

Hades devotion 101- part 4

part 1, part 2, part 3

Offerings, devotional acts, rituals, divination, UPG

There are so many wonderful people online, on tumblr and reddit, that share their altars and offerings with everyone. I'll admit that here I may not be the best source or a model for new practitioners- I do have my altar, I do lay offerings, but most of the time I base my Kharis on devotional activities and communication. But this is what I learned during the *almost* 9 years of devotion to Hades.

Offerings:

In general, physical offerings in the Hellenic tradition are categorized into 3 types: edible offerings, libations, and votive offerings. Edible offerings that I give to Hades tend to be mint-based, pomegranate-based (with association with his myths), or even chocolate-based (because who doesn’t like chocolate). Of course, these are not the only things you can lay on your altar/shrine to him. Cakes, bread, cookies, fruits, and sweets of all kinds can work here, depending on the context and the previous experience you had. Pay attention- some people avoid eating or sharing edible offerings with chthonic deities. I personally don't, but it's up to you to decide.

Libations are liquid offerings. You can make him a mint tea, wine, coffee, or simply water. Traditional Hellenic Libations can be olive oil and milk too. Again, up to you to decide if you want to share those libations with him or not.

Votive offerings, are anything that is not for consumption- candles, incense, flowers, tobacco, art you made, tokens, statues, and anything else that is physical. I have a few rocks on my altar for him, a skull ring, I light lavender incense, and light his black candles.

How do you know he liked what you offered? Well, most of the time you just *get* a feeling. Very arbitrary, I know, but that's just how it is.

Devotional acts:

This is my favorite way of devotion because I can make my faith present in my day-to-day life, make it a vital part of it, rather than an occasional activity. Devotional activities can be anything you do that is dedicated to a God. I usually devote things that I find relevant to the specific deity, so I won't devote taking care of plants to Hermes, but I might devote giving a ride to a friend to him. Since I associate Hades with many things, I may devote to him doing my taxes, working hard on projects in my day job, shadow working, anything financial related, anything about supporting others who go through loss and grief, and so on. You might find other things that you associate with him (his agricultural aspect may be more relevant to you for example).

Rituals:

Traditionally, Hades was mentioned in necromancy rituals (you can read more about it here). But any ancestor veneration ritual can be relevant to him, and you can call him for help. Other than that, any ritual you feel the need to call him (about emotional support, about financial stability, about shadow working, grief support, or other death-related issues). In later posts, I’ll mention some ritualistic ideas for the veneration of our dead.

Divination:

The number of divination techniques is so incredibly high, and many can be learned and used today. Personally, I'm really bad at divination. I got an oracle deck I dedicated to him, and I sometimes use a regular tarot deck. But find your own way to communicate with him- Cards, automatic writing, shufflemancy, anything you like.

UPG:

There are many opinions going around the community regarding the value and weight of UPG. The term UPG means "unverified personal gnosis" and it entails practicing according to insights derived from personal experience. Some people find this kind of source unreliable or flimsy, some find it crucial. My personal opinion (which you are welcome to ignore) is that UPG gets more and more weight in your practice the more experience you gain. When we start off, we have nothing to rely upon but tradition and ancient texts and maybe some insights from the experience of other modern practitioners. But as time goes by, as our relationship with the divine becomes more personal, we might find deviations from the original knowledge we acquired. The more experience we gain, the more data we have to analyze and form insights from. This is why we need:

Grimoire:

This word is often used in the witchcraft community, but any notes you keep on your journey, your actions, your insights, your UPG, is part of this- not just spells and incantations. Document everything. Since this is a specific series on Hades I have to say that documenting any small detail is something I personally associate with him. My UPG is that Hades is a collector. I see him as someone who keeps books and notes about everything, is highly perceptive, and loves analyzing information before making thorough plans and strategic decisions.

[sosuperawesome]

SewBeautifulx on Etsy

[nemfrog]

“The celebrated Frances Peach.” The Barnes Bros. Nursery Co. 1914. Catalog. Back page illustration.

Internet Archive

[sosuperawesome]

Arabescque on Etsy

[jade-sierra-rose]

Persephone🥀🦇🌾🌼

Goddess-Queen of the Underworld, goddess of spring growth, grain seed, agriculture, necromancy, ghosts, & curses

🍁Invocation :

Persephone, glorious goddess,

fair one with hair that flows like rippened grain,

eyes that catch the clear blue sky,

a smile sweet yet shadowed,

O-light footed one who dances in flowered fields, I praise you.

Persephone, lovely one who knows the feel of sun on skin,

who knows as well the press of cold stone on warm flesh,

in the world of the living, no maid is so alive as you,

In the world of the dead, Persephone, you reign as queen, crowned with riches unsurpassed, enthroned in splendor,honored above all others.

Goddess, child of the earth, bride of the darkness, i honor you.

🍁About Persephone:

Symbols: Pomegranate & Torch

Sacred Animals: Bats, Black Rams, Parrots & all other talking birds, & Monkeys

Sacred Plants: Asphodel Wheat, Narcissus, Willow Tree, Lily, Ivy, Lily of the Valley, Oriental Lily, Maidenhair Fern, Daisy, & Lavender

Retinue: Hekate, Iacchus, & the Erinyes

Other names: Kore

Cult terms: terms related to her religious praxis

Eleusinion: Temple of the Eleusinian

Kthonia: Festival of Kthonia

🍁 Titles & Epithets:

Khthonia(Cthonia): of the earth

Azêsia(Azesia): Of the dried fruits, or who seeks

Brimô(Brimo): The Angry, The terrifying

Karpophoroi(Carpophori): Bringer of Fruit

Dêïônê(Deione): Daughter of Demeter

Despoina(Despoena): Ruling Goddess or The Mistress

Eleusina: Of Eleusis

Epainê(Epaine): Fearful

Melitôdês(Melitodes): Sweet As Honey

Praxidikê(Praxidice): Bringer Of Justice

Sôteira(Soteria): Savior

🍁Offerings

Pomegranates

Pomegranate juice

Honey

Dark Chocolate

Floral tea

Spring water

Bread

Grain

Cakes

Sweets

Flower crown

Wild flowers

Fake flowers

Rose with thorns

Dried flowers

Natural Moss

Jewelry

Keys

Potted plants

Floral, Lavender,Almond, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Narcissus, Bergamot, frankincense, storax, or pomegranate incense

Crushed Mint(HAS TO BE CRUSHED)

Crowns

Statues or paintings of rams, bats, and/or deer

Statues or paintings of her

Sugar skulls or floral design skulls(to represent her duality)

Things that are reminiscent of Spring (when she returns to Demeter), & Fall(when she reunites with Hades)

Autumn leaves

Spring flowers

Rose quartz, garnet, citrine, green tourmaline, topaz, black onyx, agate, quartz, pink tourmaline, malachite, jasper, coral, sapphire, and obsidian

Small animal bones

Animal skulls (real or fake)

Artwork

Poetry, hymns, letters

Seeds

Tarot cards(and/or other tools of divination)

21+ offerings

Pomegranate Wine

Honey infused wine

🍁Devotional acts

Tend to a garden or take care of a plant

Study herbalism

Learn about flowers & the seasonal cycle

Make a playlist of songs reminiscent of her

Meditate Outside

Go on nature walks or hikes

Clean up nature trails

Smell the flowers

Celebrate the coming of spring & her return

Celebrate the coming of Autumn & her reunion with Hades

Honor the dead

Visit graveyards & help clean them up

Honor Hades, her husband

Honor Demeter, her mother

Honor Zeus, her father

Honor Hekate, her companion

Honor the Erinyes/Furies, her servants, Tisiphone(vengeance), Megaera(jealousy), & Alecto(anger)

Dedicate an outfit to her

Wear jewelry dedicated to her

Wear pomegranate scented things

Tend to wild plants if they need care

Go barefoot more often & feel the earth

Honor the death of animals and if you can bury them or move them to wear nature will care for them, I personally do this now in utah but im moving to Las Vegas in November where theres no nature or soft ground so I’ll have to dispose of them i cant bury or anything so if this is the case for you too just say words of respect & pray for the spirit to find peace

Buy or make a Bouquet of Flowers

Place flowers on neglected graves

Spread seeds of native flowers on the sides of highways or other unincorporated areas

Wear something fancy

Wear a flower crown

Paint your nails dark red or wear red lipstick

Build up your night vision, be familiar with the darkness

Shadow work

Take time to enjoy the sun

Practice assertion & demand respect & a listening ear from others

Decorate your home with dried flowers in the winter

Hold people accountable to their actions, do not forgive easily

Grow a rose bush or buy roses

Visit an arboretum or large garden

Volunteer for organizations that clean and restore forgotten places-graveyards, empty plots of land, etc

Offer a few dollars to those in need

Wear floral or fruity scents

Spend time outside in the winter too

Stand up for the abused

Dance in the rain

Defy stereotypes

Take a candlelit bath

Don’t let anyone dictate who you can and can’t love

Practice self love

Write poetry, hymns, songs, and/or letters to her

Make art for her

Donate to those who can’t afford a funeral service

Support local farmers & beekeepers

Support those who are grieving especially if they’re financially struggling bc of the loss

Donate to environmentalist organizations to help combat climate change

Digital Devotions:

Make an E-shrine to her

Make a mood board for her

Make blogs about her, agriculture, cemeteries, seasonal cycles, climate change

When playing video games you can dedicate any agricultural or funeral related actions to her, if you play AC Odyssey you can also visit the Eleusian Temple, the cult center of the Eleusian Mysteries that devoted themselves to Demeter and Persephone & theres also the Temple of Demeter and Kore in Tegea you can visit

🍁Altar/Shrine ideas

Personally i love to represent her duality by having spring & fall decor & items and living things (flowers) & dead(bones, dried flowers), on her sacred space, i also love sugar skulls & skulls with floral designs for her, have statues or artwork of her sacred animals(black rams, bats, deer, all talking birds, monkeys), i have a cockatiel so whenever she sheds a good feather I place it on her shrine, or if i find another antler ill give it to her, my first antler I already had put on Artemis’ shrine, I do have a little figurine of a black ram for her tho. You can also place pomegranate figures or dried pomegranates on her sacred space, as well as her associated stones mentioned earlier. Its best to express her duality, often we focus on Persephone’s Ouranic aspects or even her aspects from before she was Persephone many just think of her as Kore & ignore her chthonic aspects, shes the queen of the underworld, and the lady of the earth & spring, she lives and dies every year, she is so much more complex & multifaceted she isnt just demeters daughter or Hades Wife, it’s important to understand & embrace her complex duality nature

[kabochaa]

💐source💐

[whydoihavetoart]

mystery liquid from the sky

[headlikeanorange]

A Venus Flytrap captures a wasp. (Kingdom of Plants - Sky)

[love]

The Lovers of Valdaro, discovered by archaeologists at a tomb in San Giorgio near Mantua, Italy. The couple have been holding one another for 6,000 years.