Oubliette

Appalachia|Bayous|Ozarks|Everglades| Nostalgia|Southern Gothic|Folklore|Forrests|Classical Arts|Oddities

[herbwicc]

I know I take a lot of pictures of my altar space but it’s because I’m in love with it

[art-nimals]

The Wilton Diptych, circa 1395-1399, National Gallery, London

[achasma]

Demon from The Fall of the Rebel Angels by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1562.

(transparent)

[essenceevocation]

Art by Cécile Berrubé

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Southern Folk Magic

I’ve already posted about how you should paint your mailbox yellow and your porch haint blue, but I wanted to share some Southern folk beliefs that I’ve heard throughout my life. By no means exhaustive, will hopefully add more later. 

Speak your sorrows to a weeping willow. The breeze in the branches will make it whisper them away. 

Willow bark is also good for inflammation remedies. 

Never gift someone a knife or scissors lest it cause a deep cut between the two of you.

Plant your garden on Good Friday.

Plant lavender by the front door. 

For remembered dreams, put a mugwort leaf in your pillowcase

To tell the gender of a baby, use a needle and thread pendulum over the pregnant woman’s stomach. Up and down is a boy. Side to side is a girl.

Only fertilize watermelon on the side where the dirt is highest.

Keep reading

[requiem-on-water]

Secret to Old Tower. by Paulo Flop

[requiem-on-water]

Wuthering Heights | Melancholia by marielleko

[mountain-laurel-hemlock]

Folk beliefs

So earlier I made a post talking about my Papaw and storms which got me thinking about superstitions and folk beliefs I’ve picked up from my family’s Appalachian roots. Here’s a few that I thought of that I’m pretty sure are Appalachian in origin, but then again who knows.

light a candle/lantern in the window in bad weather to act as a guide (I don’t know if this is a widespread one or just my Papaw)

open the window when someone dies so their soul can leave the house

cover mirrors and pictures of the deceased so they don’t see themself and then stay in the house

stop the clocks or else the spirit will stay

ask a daddy long legs where something/someone is and it’ll point the way with one of its legs

windchimes raise the dead

bells ward off spirits and harm

when momma was little, Papaw would always have her wear bells if she wanted to go play in the woods to make sure the spirits wouldn’t steal her away

he did the same thing for me and my siblings

it also serves a practical purpose of scaring off animals and making kids easier to find

don’t talk in a graveyard after dark or you’ll get haunted

it’s fine to sit in the graveyard after dark, the lights you see are the spirits (unless they’re fireflies in which case they’re fireflies)

groups of these lights are the children dancing!

just make sure you don’t speak 

go in the river to wash away sickness

or use dirty dishwater to get rid of sickness (that one’s fun because in one method you get to curse at it a lot)

method one: rub a rag that’s been dipped in dirty dishwater and wrung out onto the sickness, then take it outside and beat it against a large rock to beat away the sickness. repeat a couple times.

method two: start the same as method one, but instead of hitting a rock with it, tie it to a tree. as the rag dries and loses the dirty water smell (usually around a week), the sickness will fade too.

mamaw always insisted ghost water lets you talk to the dead

ghost water is water gathered inside a graveyard

it’s bad luck to kill a cricket!

stump water gets rid of freckles and warts

stump water is rainwater that collected in a hollow stump, as you can probably deduce from the name

never take something from the river without leaving something in exchange

[the-cinder-fields]

Shin Saimdang, Picture of Insects and Grass No. 2, 16th century

[witchespractitionersandtheoccult]

Monday herb sorting is so relaxing 🍃🌿🌱

This wee black bag (which im pretty sure was actually for makeup) is perfect for holding all my weekely essentials on the go 🥰

[lady-boa]

Flower Magick

Geranium- heals domestic conflict and trouble in the workplace, for first or new love, money

Hyacinth- self esteem, rebuilding trust after betrayal, domestic happiness, increasing radiance, attracting beauty 

Jasmine- powerful love, sacred sex, optimism

Lavender- love, self-love, fertility, happiness, health, guards against cruelty and spite, all healing, anti stress and addiction 

Marigold- positive energy, protects against the night and domestic matters, resolution of justice and legal matters, love and commitment 

Rose- Love and reconciliation, self esteem; healing the young, old and abused; attracting money, fertility, (Pink=New love, Red=commitment, Yellow=Love in later years, White=Secret love)

Orchid- Love, Fertility 

Daisies- Lust, Luck, Protection 

Dandelion- Divination, wishes, calling spirits

[kitchenwitchtingss-deactivated2]

BEST WITCHY BOOKS FOR THE BEGINNER WITCH

Buckland’s Complete Book Of Witchcraft - This book is a most have in every Wiccan’s (If you are) collection because of how informative it is. I highly recommend this book to really every witch who hasn’t read it yet.

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells - This book is a nice add to a baby witches collection, for how simple of a read it is. Not to mention how aesthetically pleasing it is.

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner - This book is also a very nice read, it has a perfect amount of information where you wont get information overload too quickly. Its unbiased and offers a great first start to starting the craft.

Wicca: by Harmony Nice - If you are a complete newbie to Wicca or the craft, then this is the book for you. This book is easy to swallow, and offers easy to understand information for newbies without being too difficult to process. 

Of Witchcraft and whimsy - I think this is the book for newbies who want to seek the more modern practices of witchcraft. This is a book that focuses more on the craft than Wicca itself. It is also complete with plenty of unique and fun spells perfect for beginner level.

Pastel Spells - A perfect book for newbies looking to try out spells of all types at a beginner level.

The Green Witch - Perfect for a beginning green witch, this book is complete with all the basics of Green magick complete with the correspondences of herbs and food, recipes, and basic practices and morals of a green witch.

Spellcrafting: Strengthen the Power of Your Craft by Creating and Casting Your Own Unique Spells - Perfect for a new witch looking to formulate their own unique spells.

The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine-Making Guide - Perfect for new witches looking to expand their knowledge on herbalism.

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs: Your Complete Guide to the Hidden Powers of Herbs - Beautifully illustrated guide to herbs and their magickal properties.

The Witch’s Herbal Apothecary:Rituals & Recipes for a Year of Earth Magick and Sacred Medicine Making - Perfect for the beginning witch interested in herbalism, ands its all around a pretty little book.

I love you all! My DMs, mail, and comments are always open! 

xoxo, Angel

[eclectic-earth]

Shadow Work Info 🧿🌀🥀

[credit: @risingwoman on Instagram]

[eclectic-earth]

Witchy Self Care & Mindfulness🌻🌿

Artwork by @CraftingWitch on Instagram

[research-images]

The Harrowing of Hell       French Book of Hours      15th Century

[dessyslava-ioanna]

[socialpsychopathblr]