iara, the literary witch.

she/her • 23y • brazilian • hellenic polytheist & folk witch • tarot reader • book lover

[boobookittenartblog]

Cobalt crust fungus, Germany

Photograph by Gunter Miglanz

[reliquary-of-a-velvet-curse]

When a craft has become marrow-deep, it stops looking like “tasks” and starts looking like being. A violinist who has played for decades doesn’t need to rehearse scales every night to still create beauty; their body remembers. A witch of my caliber, though rare, doesn’t need to keep “proving” themselves through rituals to maintain connection—the bond is already woven into their bones.

Repetition and constant ritual are often for the beginner, or for those who need structure to anchor themselves. For us, older and more seasoned, after 20 years, the lines have blurred. Witchcraft isn’t something we step into with incense—it’s how we exist. It’s in the way we speak to spirits, how we read currents in a room, how we will subtly bends chance, how our spells and jars or our words seal intentions.

What I'm describing is integration. That’s the final stage of the path: when practice becomes second nature, and ritual becomes optional, not mandatory. At that point, you don’t need to prove it, not with words, not with aesthetics, not with guiding others or posts. The very way you move in the world is your ritual.

[hypnotic-wine-dove-deactivated2]

I thank Hestia for the warmth and colours of the flame. Because of her, I live comfortably, I can watch the fire dance and create lovely hues over the statues on my altar.

I thank Zeus, King of the gods, for the kindness of people, the justice served for those tormented by the bigoted. I thank Father Zeus for safety. I thank him for the rain that comes after long, blazing summer nights.

I thank Hera for the protection of all of us. For the motherly, tender softness the world needs more of. I thank Hera, Queen of the gods, for sheltering love and marriage some others deem evil.

I thank Aphrodite for every type of love, the burst in your heart when you lay with a partner, the buzz the runs through you when you are with a friend. I thank Aphrodite for the courage to stand up for your worth, to see yourself through a kind lens.

I thank Hypnos, gentlest one, who guides woeful people into a peaceful sleep. For the nightmares and terrors he turns into dreams. I thank Hypnos for the soft pillows and blankets that keep us away from fear.

I thank Dionysus the Liberator, for the ability to express gender and sexuality, in spite of the ones who try to rid it. I thank Dionysus for the ecstatic love of living, the fight through it all. For the boisterous shouts of love and fury; the raging Dionysus walks with us in the battle for freedom. For the lit up theatres, the parties, the get-togethers. I thank Dionysus for the protection of youth, and the right to be your true self.

[plastiboo]

[velvetys]

I hate being blocked by association what if I was chill

[slfcare]

repeat after me:

on the other side of fear, there is relief. on the other side of fear, there is success. on the other side of fear, there is love. on the other side of fear, there is joy. on the other side of fear, there is contentment. on the other side of fear, there is result. i decide that my fear is not an ocean; it is a line.

[coven-of-genesis]

Italian folk magic basics

Italian witchcraft, also known as Stregoneria, is a form of traditional witchcraft that has its roots in ancient Italy. Here are some basics of Italian witchcraft:

The practice of Italian witchcraft is often passed down through family traditions, and many practitioners are born into it.

The practice involves working with spirits, ancestors, and deities, and often involves honoring the elements of earth, air, fire, and water.

Italian witchcraft is centered around the idea of "la vita e bella" (life is beautiful), and emphasizes the importance of finding joy and beauty in everyday life.

The use of natural materials, such as herbs, stones, and crystals, is an important part of Italian witchcraft. These materials are often used in spells and rituals, and are believed to have specific properties and energies.

The practice of divination, or seeking guidance from the spiritual realm, is also an important part of Italian witchcraft. This may involve reading tarot cards, using pendulums, or other methods.

The Italian witchcraft tradition places a strong emphasis on the importance of the sacred feminine, and many practitioners honor goddesses such as Diana, Hecate, and Isis.

Some Italian witchcraft traditions also incorporate elements of Catholicism, and may involve working with saints or angels as well as other spiritual beings.

Overall, Italian witchcraft is a deeply rooted and rich tradition that emphasizes connection with nature, spirit, and the sacred feminine. It is a beautiful and powerful practice that continues to inspire and captivate practitioners around the world.

[rawjoy]

u know what makes me cry..... that one van gogh quote about life changing for the better..... “many people seem to think it foolish, even superstitious, to believe that the world could still change for the better. and it is true that in winter it is sometimes so bitingly cold that one is tempted to say, ‘what do i care if there is a summer; its warmth is no help to me now.’ yes, evil often seems to surpass good. but then, in spite of us, and without our permission, there comes at last an end to the bitter frosts. one morning the wind turns, and there is a thaw. and so i must still have hope.” yeah..... Crying....

[podencos]

Not to be greedy but I want

[folkandbooks]

Offering to Persephone, celebrating her return to this world 🌷🌹 Happy Ostara!

[folkandbooks]

Did she just send a bat to my house as a response?

[folkandbooks]

Offering to Persephone, celebrating her return to this world 🌷🌹 Happy Ostara!

[weltenwellen]

Mary Oliver, from “Hum Hum”, A Thousand Mornings

[anditslove]

Andrea Gibson, Birthday

[gentlekiss]

yasminemei

[folkandbooks]

Magickal Bath for when things get too hard

This is a bath I usually make during difficult periods of my life. It’s useful for when you feel sad, depressed, anxious, angry, overwhelmed, stressed, and all of those bad feelings we don’t wanna get stuck in. We all have some bad days, so I thought it’d be useful to share ‘cuz we don’t gatekeep in here!

Ingredients:

- A large pan with some water;

- Himalayan or Sea Salt: to purify the water and everyone who’ll bathe in it.

- Thyme: to protect you and to give you strength for challenging situations.

- Lavender: to soothe your feelings over a situation and to give you inner peace.

- Origano: to enhance your vibrations and to solve current dilemmas.

Put those ingredients in the pan and chant your intentions while you stir it clockwise.

You can pray (I often use the Hail Mary prayer for this one) or just say your intentions out loud, it doesn’t really matter. Stir it until it starts to bowl, then wait until it becomes warm (or at room temperature) to bathe with it.

I hope this post reaches people who need it. I’m praying for all of us who’re going through a lot. Feel what you need to feel, but it’s also important to let it go when the time is right.

Sources:

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs - By Scott Cunningham

Plant Witchery - By Juliet Diaz

[conscious-alignment-deactivated]

[folkandbooks]

This might be a hot take, but as a former Buddhist I believe that “Karma” is a profusely misused word within the spiritual community. Karma and Dharma can’t exist on separate terms, and sometimes Karma can act as another person. That’s why I’m such an advocate for responsible cursing and hexing.

[phoenyxoftheashes]

Definitely not a hot take. It’s true

“Karma” has been misunderstood and misused in witchy circles (and the general public) for so long. Most don’t understand the context from a Buddhist (or Hindu) perspective

[momo33me]

This is a very old Islamic tradition, still alive in parts of Turkey. When a white blanket of snow covers everything - people go to the tops of mountains peaks and scatter seeds and food for the birds through the snowing season so as not to let the birds die of starvation. This deed was started by the Muslim caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz and is narrated in various books of history and quoted as “Go and spread seeds on the tops of mountains - may the birds not die of starvation in a Muslim country.”