my chaotic craft

fable, 20, witch || elemental, death, spirit, chaos

[fabledwitch]

Fabled witch intro post

Hey peeps, you can call me Fable or Omen. I'm 20 years old and use they/them pronouns. I've been practicing my craft since I was 14, so I still consider myself relatively new but not a total beginner.

🥀 Death, chaos, earth + sea magic

🕷 Venturing into alchemy

🪶 Spirit work and dream work

🦊 Norse + Celtic deities

🐴 Working with Waterhorses

🌊 Will fight almost every Christian

🐚 Over caffeinated and sleep deprived

[themori-witch]

English Folk/Traditional Names for Common Plants & Herbs

These are known now as folk names, but back in the medieval era and well into the 18th century, these were the common names for some of the herbs and plants in use in witchcraft (and generally!) today.

This list is not an exhaustive one; the names given here are just some of the names that were used primarily in England for common plants within the region.These plants have other unique and wonderful names in many other cultures and languages throughout the world. 

✧ ADDER’S TONGUE (Ophioglossum Vulgatum) A.K.A.: English Adder’s Tongue, Snake’s Tongue, Viper’s Tongue, Serpent’s Tongue, Adder’s Spear, Christ’s Spear.

✧ AGRIMONY (Agrimonia Eupatoria) A.K.A.: Harvest Lice, Cat’s Tail, Liverwort, Sticklewort, Stickwort, Stickweed, Fairy’s Wand, Church Steeples, Aaron’s Rod, Beggar’s Lice/Ticks.

✧ ALDER (Alnus Glutinosa) A.K.A.: Black Alder, Fever Bush, Owler.

✧ ANGELICA (Angelica Archangelica) A.K.A.: Holy Ghost/Root of the Holy Ghost, St. Michael’s flower, Angel’s Food.

✧ ANISE (Pimpinella Anisum) A.K.A.: Sweet Alice, Aniseed.

✧ APPLE (Malus) A.K.A.: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, Silver Bough.

✧ ASH (Fraxinus Excelsior) A.K.A.: Bird’s Tongue, Hampshire Weed, Widow-maker, Venus of the Woods, Husbandman’s tree.

✧ BALSAM (Commiphora Opolbalsamum) A.K.A.: Balsam of Gilead, Balm Tree, Mecca Myrrh.

✧ BASIL (Oscimum Basilicum) A.K.A.: Our Herb, St. Joseph’s Wort, Witches’ Herb, King of Herbs, Holy Basil. 

✧ BAY (Laurus Nobilis) A.K.A.: Bay Laurel, True Laurel, Daphne, Noble Laurel.

✧ BERGAMOT (Monarda Didyma) A.K.A.: Horsebalm, Bee Balm, Scarlet Mondara.

✧ BIRCH (Betula Pendula) A.K.A.: Silver Birch, White Birch, Lady of the Woods.

✧ BITTERSWEET (Solanum Dulcamara) A.K.A.: Woody Nightshade, Felon-wort, Felonwood, Blue Nightshade, Fever Twig, Staff Vine, Violet Bloom.

✧ BLACKBERRY (Rubus Fruticosus) A.K.A.: Bramble, Fingerberry, Blackhide, Blackbutter, Thimbleberrym Brambleberry, Gouthead.

✧ BLUEBELL (Hyacinthoides Non Scrupta) A.K.A.: Nodding Squill, Auld Man’s Bell, Ring-o-bells, Wood Bells.

✧ BROOM (Cytisus Scoparius) A.K.A.: Besom, Irish Tops, Scotch Broom, Butcher’s Broom, Sweet Broom.

✧ BURDOCK (Arctium Lappa) A.K.A.: Thorny Burr, Beggar’s Buttons, Sticky Bobs, Love Leaves, Hare Burr.

✧ CARNATION (Dianthus Caryophyllus) A.K.A.: Gilliflower, July Flower, Clove Pink, Sops-in-wine.

✧ CHAMOMILE (Anthemis Nobilis) A.K.A.: Whig Plant, Chamomel, Earth/Ground Apple, 

✧ CHESTNUT [SWEET] (Castanea Sativa) A.K.A.: Marion, Jupiter’s Nut.

✧ CHICKWEED (Stellaria Media) A.K.A.: Starweed, Adder’s Mouth, Scarweed/wort, Tongue Grass, Stitchwort, White Bird’s Eye, Little Star Lady.

✧ CHICORY (Cichorium Intybus) A.K.A.: Witloof, Blue Sailors, Coffeeweed.

✧ CLARY [WILD] (Salvia Verbenaca) A.K.A.: Christ’s Eye, Wild Clear-eye, Vervain Sage, Eyeseed.

✧ CLEAVERS (Galium Aparine) A.K.A.: Catchweed, Beggar Lice, Goose Grass, Sticky Willy, Bedstraw, Robin-run-the-hedge, Goose’s Hair, Hedge-burrs, Milk Sweet, Stick-a-back, Scratchweed, Barweed.

✧ COMFREY (Symphytum Officinale) A.K.A.: Knitbone, Slippery Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort, Ass Ear.

✧ DAISY (Bellis Perennis) A.K.A.: Day’s Eye, Poet’s Darling, Bachelor’s Buttons, Bairnwort, Billy Buttons, Boneflower, Margaret’s Herb.

✧ DANDELION (Taraxacum Officinale) A.K.A.: Swine’s Snout, Blowball, Puffball, Clockflower, Tell-the-time, Priest’s Crown, Lion’s Tooth.

✧ DEADLY NIGHTSHADE (Atropa Belladonna) A.K.A.: Belladonna, Banewort, Black-cherry, Devil’s Cherries, Naughty Man’s Cherries, Devil’s Herb.

✧ FEVERFEW (Tanacetum Parthenium) A.K.A.: Featherfew, Featherfoil, Midsummer Daisy, Nosebleed.

✧ FOXGLOVE (Digitalis Purpurea) A.K.A.: Fairy Gloves/Fingers/Petticoats/Thimbles/Weed, Witches’ Glove, Witches’ Bells, Our Lady’s Glove, Dead Men’s Bells.

✧ GARLIC (Allium Sativum) A.K.A.: Poor Man’s Treacle, Stinkweed, Camphor of the Gods.

✧ GOLDENROD (Solidago Vibgaurea) A.K.A.: Aaron’s Rod, Cast the Spear.

✧ HAWTHORN (Crataegus Monogyna) A.K.A.: May Blossom, Mayflower, Whitethorn, Hagthorn, Ladies’ Meat.

✧ HELLEBORE [BLACK] (Helleborus Niger) A.K.A.: Bear’s Foot, Setter-wort/grass.

✧ HEMLOCK (Conium Maculatum) A.K.A.: Poison Hemlock, Devil’s Porridge.

✧ HENBANE (Hysoscyamus Niger) A.K.A.: Hog Bean, Stinking Nightshade, Henbell, Devil’s Eye, Witches’ Herb, Devil’s Tobacco.

✧ HOLLY (Ibex Auifolium) A.K.A.: Bat’s Wings, Holy Tree, Christ’s Thorn.

✧ HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera Periclymenum) A.K.A.: Woodbind, Fairy Trumpets, Sweet Suckle, Honeybind.

✧ HOREHOUND [BLACK] (Ballota Nigra) A.K.A.: Madwort, Black Hoarhound, Black Archangel.

✧ HOREHOUND [WHITE] (Marrubium Vulgare) A.K.A.: Bull’s Blood, White Archangel, Eye of the Star, Houndbane, Devil’s Eye.

✧ IVY (Hedera Helix) A.K.A.: Gort, Bindwood, Lovestone. 

✧ JUNIPER (Juniperus Communis) A.K.A.: Bastard Killer, Gin Berry.

✧ LADY’S MANTLE (Alchemilla Vulgaris) A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Mantle, Lion’s Foot, Bear’s Foot, Nine Hooks.

✧ LAVENDER (Lavendula Angustifolia) A.K.A.: Elf Leaf, Spikenard, True Lavender.

✧ LEMON BALM (Melissa Officinalis) A.K.A.: Sweet Melissa, Bee Balm, Sweet Balm.

✧ LEMON VERBENA (Aloysia Triphylla) A.K.A.: Lemon Louisa, Lemon Beebrush.

✧ LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria Majalis) A.K.A.: May Lily, Our Lady’s Tears, Mary’s Tears, Ladder to Heaven.

✧ MALLOW (Malva Sylvestris) A.K.A.: Cheese-cake, Pick-cheese, Round Dock, Wild Mallow, Wood Mallow.

✧ MANDRAKE (Mandragora Officinarum) A.K.A.: Satan’s Apple, Love Plant, Mandragora.

✧ MARIGOLD (Calendula Officinalis) A.K.A.: Bride of the Sun, Drunkard, Husbandman’s Dial, Mary Gold, Summer’s Bride.

✧ MARJORAM (Origanum Majorana) A.K.A.: Wintersweet, Joy of the Mountain, Mountain Mint.

✧ MEADOWSWEET (Filipendula Ulmaria) A.K.A.: Bridewort, Queen of the Meadows, Little Queen, Quaker Lady, Mead Sweet, Gravel Root.

✧ MINT [PEPPERMINT] (Mentha Piperita) A.K.A.: Brandy Mint, English Mint.

✧ MINT [SPEARMINT] (Mentha Spicata) A.K.A.: Garden Mint, Hart Mint, Our Lady’s Mint, Sage of Bethlehem.

✧ MISTLETOE (Viscum Coloratum) A.K.A.: Druid’s Herb, Witches’ Broom, Wood of the Cross, Golden Bough, Devil’s Fuge.

✧ MONKSHOOD (Aconitum Napellus) A.K.A.: Monk’s Blood, Blue Wolf’s-bane, Aconite, Women’s Bane, Devil’s Helmet, Friar’s Cap.

✧ MUGWORT (Artemisia Vulgaris) A.K.A.: Lion’s Tail, Lion’s Tart, Heart-wort.

✧ MULLEIN (Verbascum Thapsus) A.K.A.: Blanket/Velvet/Woolly Mullein, Our Lady’s Blanket, Beggar’s Blanket, Aaron’s Rod, Adam’s Rod, Jupiter’s Staff, Jacob’s Staff, Peter’s Staff, Virgin Mary’s Candle, Lady’s Foxglove, Graveyard Dust.

✧ NETTLE (Urtica Dioica) A.K.A.: Stinging Nettle, Burn Weed, Burn Hazel.

✧ PARLSEY (Petroselinum Crispum) A.K.A.: Devil’s Oatmeal, Persil.

✧ PENNYROYAL (Mentha Legium) A.K.A.: Royal Thyme, Run-by-the-ground, Lurk-in-the-ditch, Pudding Grass.

✧ ROSEMARY (Rosemarinus Officinalis) A.K.A.: Dew of the Sea, Sea Dew, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Rose of Mary.

✧ RUE (Ruta Graveolens) A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Herb of Repentance, Mother of Herbs.

✧ [CLARY] SAGE (Salvia Sclarea) A.K.A.: Clear-Eye, See-bright, Eyebright.

✧ ST. JOHN’S WORT (Hypericum Perforatum) A.K.A.: Scare-devil, Balm of the Warrior’s Wound, Rose of Sharon.

✧ SORREL (Rumex Acetose) A.K.A.: Green Sauce, Sour Sauce, Cuckoo Sorrow.

✧ SWEET WOODRUFF (Galium Odoratum) A.K.A.: Wild Baby’s Breath, Master of the Woods, Ladies in the Hay.

✧ TANSY (Tanacetum Vuulgare) A.K.A.: Bitter Buttons, Golden Buttons, Cow Bitter.

✧ TARRAGON (Artemisia Dracunculus) A.K.A.: Dragon’s Wort, Little Dragon.

✧ THISTLE [BLESSED] (Cnicus Benedictus) A.K.A.: Holy Thistle.

✧ THISTLE [MILK] (Silybum Marianum) A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Thistle, Saint Mary’s Thistle, Sow Thistle, Marian Thistle.

✧ VALERIAN (Valeriana Officinalis) A.K.A.: Garden Heliotrope, St. George’s Herb, Bloody Butcher, Cat’s Valerian, Vandal Root.

✧ VERVAIN (Verbena Officinalis) A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Enchanter’s Herb, Britannica, Juno’s Tears, Divine Wood, Pigeongrass, 

✧ WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis Virginiana) A.K.A.: Spotted Alder, Winterbloom, Snapping Hazelnut.

✧ WORMWOOD (Artemisia Absinthium) A.K.A.: Absinthe, Crown for a King, Green Ginger.

✧ YARROW (Achillea Millefolium) A.K.A.: Woundwort, Nose-Bleed, Thousand-Leaf, Arrowroot, Carpenter’s Weed, Devil’s Plaything, Devil’s Nettle, 

Sources, References and Cross-Checks: Breverton’s Complete Herbal (Terry Breverton), Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Scott Cunningham), Medieval Plant Names and Their Modern Corollaries (The Met Cloister).

If you like my content and would like to help me keep providing free stuff for my gorgeous Ghoul Gang, you can tip your witch here: [Paypal].

[thewitchintherivervalley]

hey hi hello can you reblog this if you’re a trans-inclusive witchcraft or paganism blog i am fighting for my LIFE out here

[fenlock]

Hey, was just wondering if you knew anything about the waterhorses on the Shetland Isles and Orkney. As far as I can tell there is alot contradictions and overlapping between the two places and I don't know how much is down to translation errors. Like nuggle, shoopilte and tangie all being named as separate creatures and also being classed as different names for the same spirit.

You're definitely correct that there is a lot of of overlap between the three. Even in older folklore books, they often get lumped together or treated as regional names for the same being. I do believe there are enough differences to classify them as separate creatures, but again there's a ton of overlap and contradiction opinions.

I'll start with the tangie, as it has the most written lore that I've been able to find. Generally they're considered to be sea creatures, vs some other waterhorses that are found inland in rivers and lochs. They're also the only waterhorse known for taking on a merman form. Older stories describe them as being apple green, while later they're almost always described as being black with a rough coat. The most famous tangie was ridden by the sheep rustler Black Eric, so if you're looking for stories that's your best starting point.

Shoopiltee and nuggle are both far less known, and there's a lot less information on them. The shoopiltee is slightly more popular, from what I've found, but the two are almost always referred to as the same beings under different names. I have found a few differences though. Shoopiltee usually take the form of shetland ponies, much smaller than most waterhorses. While they are known for drowning people, there are also a few scattered tales of them being more mischievous than malevolent, or even friendly. There are also accounts of people sacrificing coins or alcohol to the shoopiltee in exchange for successful fishing.

The nuggle is the one I've found the least amount of written information about. Unlike the shoopiltee, they tend to appear as a full-sized horse, sometimes described as having hair that faces the wrong direction (forward toward the head). Most accounts have the nuggle inhabiting inland pools or lochs, again unlike the tangie and shoopiltee who seem to favor the sea.

[fabledwitch]

Thank you so much 💙

The differences between waterhorses depending on their location has always fascinated me, but those 3 in particular have been a source of frustration as I only have access to basic folklore books about Scotland and websites (which most of the time care more about bringing tourists in than accuracy).

[huariqueje]

Beyond the Surface   -   Irina Cumberland

Ukrainian, b. 1975  -

Oil on recycled plastic canvas , 33 x 36 in.

[genderqueerpositivity]

Minnesota’s Giant Rainbow and Leather Pride Flags

June 28, 1998. Both flags measured approximately 50 feet wide and 75 feet long.

[ryuutchi]

Friendly reminder that the leather flag predates almost every other flag. We owe this community to leather daddies and kinksters

[nightmarechamillian]

In the era of corporate sanitization never forget it was leather daddies and S&M folks who protected some of the earliest pride parades.

[breelandwalker]

Kink doesn’t just BELONG at Pride.

Kink helped CREATE Pride.

[blairstales]

Historic Scottish Folklore Audio Recordings

If you are interested in Scottish Folklore, you should visit the site Tobar An Dualchais. They describe it best:

"Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches is Scotland’s online resource dedicated to the presentation and promotion of audio recordings of Scotland’s cultural heritage. Its principal content is songs, music, history, poetry, traditions and stories, recorded from the 1930s onwards. "

As well as insights into daily life, there are also wonderful stories on folklore. Here are some examples:

Kelpies/Each-Uisge

🔹 (link) A member of the Willock family mastered a kelpie and used it as a farm horse. 🔹 (link) A man cooking meat in a hut beside Loch na Mnà enticed a water horse out of the loch. 1958 🔹 (link) The water-horse that killed a girl. 1957 🔹 (link) Old woman approached by water horse. 1958

Fairy Mounds

🔹 (link) A girl is trapped in a mound and forced to bake. A fairy helps her escape, and is gifted with the ability to use a sickle faster than anyone(1969) 🔹 (link) They dug into a fairy knoll while ploughing. After that their animals died and they had to leave Uist 🔹 (link) A man carrying a five-gallon whisky jar went into Cnoc Glas, a fairy hillock on Barrapoll machair. The hillock closed and the man danced there for a year, until he got out the following Hogmanay.

Selkies:

🔹 (link) Woman falls for Selkie 🔹 (link) A man married a seal woman but lost her when she found her skin, which he had hidden. 🔹 (link) A Shetland seal hunter encountered a man whom he’d wounded in the form of a seal. 🔹 (link) A seal hunter was saved by a giant seal in exchange for its pup’s life. 🔹 (link) A man married a seal girl but she found her skin and escaped(1970)

Spunkies/Will-O-The-Wisp

🔹(link) Mention of stories of phantom lights. 1964 🔹(link) Story about the contributor and his brother encountering fairy lights while sleeping out on the moor one night, while out poaching on the Sabbath.

Healing Wells

🔹 (link) A magic well (Wine Fairy Well) on Yell that could cure insanity.

🔹 (link) The little people gathered once a year at a fairy well. Music could be heard during childbirths until the baby was born.

🔹 (link) Fairies frequent a well on a Shetland island, get dunk, and cause havoc.

Note:

If you like this post, I also have one about how to get free books on folklore.

[blairstales]

Scottish Folklore Songs (Historic Recordings)

The site Tobar An Dualchais is a collection of historic audio recordings in Scotland, and that includes songs. I collected just some of the folklore related ones into a list for you all.

I have no talent in singing, so I will have to leave that up to the rest of you. Some are in English, and other are in Gaelic.

Kelpies and Each-Uisge 🐎🌊

(link) A MHÒR, A MHÒR, TILL RID MHACAN. "This song, which was used as a cradle song, was said to have been a lament composed by a water-horse(each-uisge) whose mortal lover had gone, taking their child with her. He is pleading with her to return. " (Recorded in 1956)

(link) A GHAOIL LEIG DHACHAIGH GU MO MHÀTHAIR MI "This song takes the form of a conversation between a girl and a water-horse. The girl is asking him to let her return home to her mother. The water-horse has other ideas. It is clear from the last verse that the girl escaped. " (Recorded in 1954)

(link) 'ILLE BHIG, 'ILLE BHIG SHUNNDAICH Ò "This is a fairy song. It was said to have been composed by a girl who was in love with a water-horse. As the song describes, he was killed by her brothers. The song lists some of the gifts he had promised to give the girl. " (Recorded in 1963)

Mermaids 🧜‍♀️

(link) ÒRAN NA MAIGHDINN-MHARA "In this song a mermaid says that she was deceived. She fell in love with a man even though he was human and she was a mermaid. Her sleep is unsettled when there is bad weather. " (Recorded in 1963)

Selkies:

(link) THE GREAT SELKIE OF SULE SKERRY "Supernatural ballad in which a woman bears a son to a selkie." (Recorded in 1973)

(link) THE SELKIE "The woman is speculating on who her baby's father is, when he appears and tells her he is Gunhaemilar and he is a selkie [seal man]. She is distraught and turns down his proposal of marriage. He tells her to nurse the baby for seven years, then he will return and pay her. He comes back and she asks him to marry her, but he rejects her in the same words she used to turn him down. He says he will put a gold chain round his son's neck so she will know him. She marries a gunner who shoots both the selkie and his son and she dies of a broken heart. " (Recorded in 1971)

(link) UNKNOWN "A Shetland song mentioning the selkies." (Recorded in 1985)

Other:

(link) MORAG'S FAIRY GLEN "Song of a man telling the beauty of Morag's Fairy Glen, and bidding his love to meet him there. " (Recorded in 1952)

(link) FAIRY DANCE "This is the reel 'Fairy Dance' played on the fiddle. " (Recorded in 1970)

(link) CRODH CHAILEIN "This song belongs to the fairy songs tradition and was used as a milking song or lullaby. Colin's cattle referred to in the song are the deer. " (Recorded in 1955)

(link) TÀLADH NA MNATHA SÌDHE "This song is a fairy cradle song in which the speaker says she would wander in the night with her beloved child. Sections of the song contain vocables which belong to the piping tradition." (Recorded in 1970)

(link) HORO 'ILLE DHUINN SHUNNDAICH "A song in which a woman tells of the murder of her fairy lover who promised her the kertch of a married woman." (Recorded in 1994) (link) HÈ O HÒ A RAGHNAILL UD THALL "In this fairy song, a fairy woman is trying to get a herdsman called Ronald to come across a river to her. Fairies cannot cross water." (In some stories, certain types of fairies can't cross running water) (Recorded in 1953)

(link) HÓRO 'ILLE DHUINN SHUNNDAICH "Song about a woman with a fairy lover." (Recorded in 1962)

(link) ÒRAN AN LEANNAIN-SÌTH "In this song the bard tells of being visited by a fairy lover. She asks him to make her a song, which will win an award at the Mod. He describes her beautiful appearance and sweet voice. She promises to give him a magic wand. She tells him about some of her deeds, and reminds him to make the song as she requested." (Recorded in 1960)

[arteffects]

Some Midsummer Rituals from the North of England.

Happy Litha everyone! To mark the occasion, here's a collection of customs and rituals pertaining to Midsummer, taken from The Denham Tracts by Michael Denham (1846-59).

The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania by Sir Joseph Noel Paton (1849).

Midsummer Cushions

"This was a custom, used some seventy years ago at many places in the North of England ; but it, like almost every other of the innocent and pleasing customs and amusements of our fore-elders, is fast vanishing away, if it has not altogether done so. The young lads and lasses of the town or village having procured a cushion or, in accordance with local phraseology, a whishion, and covered it with calico, or silk of showy and attractive colour, proceeded to bedeck it with every variety of flower which they could procure out of their parents' and more wealthy neighbours' gardens, displaying them in such a manner so as to give it a most beautiful appearance. All this done, they placed themselves, with their cushion of Flora's choicest gems, in the most public place they conveniently could soliciting of every passer-by a trifling present of pence, which, in numerous cases, was liberally and cheerfully bestowed. A set form of words was made use of (in rhyme, I believe) when soliciting those gifts, the precise version of which I have never been able to obtain. This custom prevailed from Midsummer Day to Magdalene Day, which latter has long been corrupted to 'Maudlin Day'."

🙞

Wells

In Durham, the Lambton Well was used as a wishing well. A crooked pin along with a pebble on which is inscribed the initials of the 'wisher' is thrown into the well at Midsummer and the name of the 'wisher' is entered into a book. When the wish must be reversed, the name is erased from the book, and the pebble and pin are collected.

"Half a century ago it was in repute as a wishing well, and was one of the scenes dedicated to the usual festivities and superstitions of Midsummer Eve. A crooked pin (the usual tribute of the ' wishers ') may sometimes be still discovered, sparkling amongst the clear gravel of the bottom of its basin."

The Colwell, a little north of Hexham, the villagers used to dress their well with flowers, and in Erring Burn near Chollerton on or around 4th July (old Midsummer) -

"... great crowds of people used to assemble here from all the surrounding hamlets and villages. The scene has been described to me as resembling a fair, stalls for the sale of various refreshments being brought from a distance year by year at the summer solstice. The neighbouring slopes had been terraced, and seats formed for the convenience of pilgrims and visitors. One special object of female pilgrims was, I am informed, to pray at the well, or express a silent wish as they stood over it for the cure of barrenness. If the pilgrim's faith were sufficient, her wish at the Bore Well would be certain to be fulfilled within the twelve months."

Over in Monkton near Jarrow, the well of the Venerable Bede was said to have healing properties (as did the wells of Jesmond and Holystone), and children with any infirmities would offer a crooked pin and then be dipped into the well.

🙞

Bonfires

Midsummer Night by Nikolai Astrup (1926).

Rev. Gr. R. Hall, quoted in The Denham Tracts, said:

"The fire festivals or bonfires of the summer solstice at the Old Mid- summer until recently were commemorated on Christenburg Crags [Cumbria] and elsewhere by leaping through and dancing round the fires, as those who have been present have told me..." The driving of cattle through the smoke of the need-fire, as a supposed preventative of murrain, and the carrying from farm to farm as quickly as men could ride the sacred self-lighted fire, made by two pieces of dry or rotted wood being rubbed together very quickly, has occurred at Birtley within the last thirty years ; and this forms one of the most recent survivals of the adoration once so generally rendered to the great orb of day and to the element of fire".

Rev. J. E. Elliot Bates, rector of Whalton (Northumberland) recorded a similar ritual:

"The bonfire ... was lighted a little to the north-east of the well at Whalton, and partly on the footpath, and people danced round it and jumped through it. That was never interrupted."

🌞

[teathattast]

💯🙏💛🟨👍

[teathattast]

Worst part about this is I've only ever used that yellow square emoji once and it was just to see how it looked. This isn't who I am. However, in retrospect, I suppose it is

[teathattast]

Reading through the notes is a surreal experience please keep adding more to fuel my effervescent consumption of non descriptive emojis

[when-november-ends]

🩷🩶⬇️⬆️🔼

or alternatively, if the arrows don't count:

🩷🩶☀️🫂🥦

[fabledwitch]

🏳️‍🌈😍👀💀❌️

[animentality]

[commradequestions]

Disney using gay as a weapon against a fascist because taxes is on brand but wasn't on my bingo card for 2023

[moniquill]

Sign the Petition

Recognize the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe in Their Native Lands- Pass RI Bills 5020 & 5021

[the-witch-of-egypt-deactivated2]

Witch craft 101: Making throwing bones.

Alright alright alright my witches!! Todays post is a basic way to make throwing bones for a rune set!! Fair warning this does take a couple days so ya gotta have patience.

Okay first thing ya wanna do is get yo self some bones (I used chicken bones) , a spoon to scoop them out and a pot of water!!

Then next yer gonna set that shit on high and wait for it to boil. And once it starts boiling your gonna put all of your bones that you collected into the pot and let them boil for an hour or so. This helps loosen the remaining meat as well as get rid of lingering bacteria.

Next after there done boiling your going to take them out and your going to gently scrape the rest of the remaining meat of the bones. It usually helps to get the majority of the meat off beforehand though.

Once you've removed the rest of the meat your going to soak them in a bowl with warm water and Dawn soap. The Dawn soap acts as a degreasing agent so that it removes the rest of the grease. And your going to soak them over night.

After you've soaked them over night your going to rinse off the bones and pat them dry and then you going to get a huge ass bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Pour just enough to cover the bones. Your going to soak the bones for several hours to achieve the shade of white you want them to look like.

After your done soaking the bones your going to rinse them off and let them dry for about 2 days. Once they're completely dry you can design them using whatever you'd like ( I used sharpie) and you can seal them using a Matte or Gloss varnish.

Enjoy your new casting bones!!!!

[fabledwitch]

Please don't boil or bleach bones, that's a guaranteed trip to permanent grease and fragile bones that will decay extremely quickly.

[earth-tooth]

dont support industries that are driving animals to extinction thank you!

[tinysaurus-rex-deactivated20240]

Already reblogged one of these but another reminder: don’t by nautilus shells!

[saint-of-the-pit]

Plant Allies For Gay Witchcraft

 Herbs and flowers for magical workings pertaining to members of the LGBTQ community:

Calamus (Water/Moon) The name originates from the Greek myth of Kalamos (“reed”) and Karpos (“fruit”), a couple of gay youths in love. Karpos died while the two were having a swimming contest, and Kalamos, so struck with grief, allowed himself to drown and became the Calamus Reed whose sound in the wind was attributed to sighs of grief. Calamus, also known as Sweet Flag, channels gay masculine energies and the root is considered highly commanding.

Carnations, Green (Fire/Jupiter) Channel gay male energy. Carnations in general are considered highly protective, especially in areas concerning love.

Dill (Fire/Mercury) Dill seeds are considered the “semen of Hermes,” who was invoked during the 3rd century in Egypt for gay and lesbian love spells in Hellenistic (Greek) magick. Added to the bath, it makes the bather irresistible. Dill is known to induce lust when eaten or smelled, and is therefore carried in sachets or charm bags for this purpose.

Hyacinth (Water/Venus) Sacred to gay men and channels gay energy, though smelling the fresh flowers dispels works of “fascination”.

Lavender (Air/Mercury) Draws affection, especially from men, and can be used for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender energy.

Persimmon (Water/Venus) Considered a “queer” fruit, it is carried by gay, lesbian, transgender and transsexual people to draw luck. Eaten, it offers guidance to your perfect lover. Carry each and every seed from a Persimmon you’ve eaten yourself to aid in image magick. It is said if a female eats 9 unripe persimmons she will change gender within the week.

Queen Elizabeth’s Root (Water/Venus) Also called Orris Root, it is powdered and burned by bottoms/submissives in incense or carried to attract dominant love into one’s life.

Safflower (Fire/Sun) The petals are burned as a love-drawing incense by gay men, often directly before going out to seek a new mate.

Sampson’s Snake Root (Fire/Jupiter) More commonly known as Echinacea, it’s usually used by a top to increase virility and sexual performance in gay sex magick. It can be infused into a tea to drink prior to coitus, or to be rubbed onto the body; or simply carried in a pocket to attract men. Dried Safflower petals steeped with Sampson Snake Root in Safflower Oil and rubbed on the back of the knees, thighs, and buttocks attracts a dominant male lover.

[fabledwitch]

Beltane : fertility, love, spring, fire, flowers, pastel/bright colours, positivity, light

Me : *planning out rich darker colours, collects multiple rabbit skulls, sets up pinned butterflies and bees, purely coincidental that all flowers for my altar are toxic, small piece of tanned cowhide as an altar cloth, cow/sheep and goat horns dotted around, a worrying amount of lighters and matches everywhere*

Me : I don't know if this really says beltane

Hel : looks perfect to me

Loki : so when are we burning the house down?

Rán : good but needs more salt

*adds a couple of mermaid purses (empty shark egg cases)*

Rán : thank you

Me : yeah, that was probably it

[breelandwalker]

Secular Celebrations - Beltane

Beltane comes next, that little threshold holiday between late April and early May, the “spring fling” of our year. Mayday festivals have been around for centuries. Mentions of similar celebrations date back to the Roman Floralia and the Greek Maiouma, which is recorded as far back as the 2nd century BCE in the reign of Emperor Commodus. We also see similar festivals with things like bonfires, dancing, sweetheart rituals, and Maypoles all over Europe, and particularly in the British Isles. In some places, it’s connected with the Feast of St. Walpurgis (most notably the German Walpurgisnacht), and in others, it’s evolved into a kind of warm-weather romp that celebrates the month of May and the full flower of springtime. So there’s a lot of room for interpretation and a lot of activities to choose from if you’re celebrating this holiday as a secular witch.

The overarching theme of the day is definitely love. Love magic, sex magic, love divinations, marriage predictions, renewing of vows...it’s all there. There’s a reason besides the weather that May is the most popular month for weddings, and this might be part of it. So if you’re of a mind to work with any of that, DO IT. Cast spells to find love, attract a sweetheart, reconnect with your current partner, or if you’re single, maybe have a fling. Bring a little extra romance into your life. Just make sure you observe consent and common sense, and practice safe SEX as well as safe hex.

If you’re not interested in any of that, you can also work magic for self-love. Often in our conversations on love magic, we leave out that all-important relation with ourselves. Beltane is a great time to rediscover this. It can be a celebration of yourself and your own power and your own journey. Pamper yourself a bit. Have a home spa day, take a ritual bath, do whatever it is that makes you feel strong and gorgeous. Because spoiler alert - you ARE strong and gorgeous. A-bip-bip-bip...yes you are. Yes. You ARE. Even when you don’t feel like it, you’re an amazing person and the world is a better and more interesting place because you’re in it. So celebrate all the things you love about yourself - your mind, your creativity, your skills, and particularly your body, even if it’s uncooperative or a work in progress. Celebrate your strength and your ongoing metamorphosis into the person you want to be. Whether that journey is mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical, you are not the same person you were last year, and your progress deserves recognition.

Celebrate your communal and familial bonds as well. Connect with the people who make you feel loved and cherished and uplifted. If you can’t attend a party, maybe have a virtual game night or a socially-distanced movie marathon. If you’re working on coming out of your shell, this is a good time to maybe take a step in that direction, even if it’s just a small one.

This is a festival of flowers and fire, fertility and fun, so anything you want to do that involves any of those things would be appropriate. Have a bonfire, if you can do so safely, or light up some candles. Make flower crowns or garlands. Add greenery to your home decor. If you haven’t already planted your garden, or if your starter sprouts are ready and the final frost has passed, get them in the ground. Do some growth magic to help them along. Dress in something that makes you happy and comfortable. Put on your favorite music, dance around the house, and sing like you’re on your very own Broadway stage. Make your favorite foods, maybe experiment with making wine or beer or short mead if you’ve ever wanted to give that a shot. Make candied flowers or candied fruit peel.

Go on a picnic, if the weather allows it. If you’re partial to wildcrafting, gather wild herbs and flowers for your magic, always observing permission to harvest and best practices for your local ecosystem. That means whatever you want to pick, make sure you’re allowed to do so, whether on a spiritual level or on a practical one. Don’t go raiding state parks or your neighbor’s flower garden; you probably don’t have permission to take plants from these places. Take only what you need and don’t pick anything you can’t properly identify or anything that’s endangered. Make sure you label everything too; it saves time later and helps you remember what you’ve picked. I suggest bringing a pocket field guide to local flora to help you out. And while you’re out there, hug your favorite tree. If you have trees or shrubs on your property, decorate them with ribbons and streamers, give them a good drink of water, and thank them for all the oxygen. (Just make sure you take these decorations down and dispose of them properly before they become litter.)

Meditate on your passions. Think about your causes, all the things that put a fire in your belly. Think of what makes you feel happy and fierce and free. Rededicate yourself to the things that matter to you, whether in your witchy practices or your personal life, or the social and political causes that you feel most passionate about.

-from Hex Positive, Ep. 011 - Secular Celebrations (Nov 01, 2020)

Other Posts In This Series:

Imbolc

Spring Equinox

Beltane

Midsummer

Lughnasadh

Autumn Equinox

Samhain

Yule

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