By glory of Hermes

24 | Hellenic polytheist

[wholeheartedsuggestions]

reblog to reassure the next person who reads this that everything is going to be okay and it’s all going to get easier soon

[ninanation]

Come to think of it, it really is insane that my entire country is burning alive and literally no one in the rest of the world cares. Thousands of Indians are dying every day from the heat, it's 45+ degrees in multiple areas, the government couldn't give two fucks, we're getting severe warnings and red alerts, and not a soul outside of South Asia is speaking about it because why would you ever care about brown people

[ninanation]

please keep talking about how Becky from Maryland doesn't like the rising gas prices. It's clearly the more pressing issue.

[creacher-art]

USA folks, that is a consistent temperature range hitting 113°. Death Valley temperatures. In Banda, it hovered between 116°-118° (47°-48° C) for a week straight.

This has been happening all month with little to no international media attention. Here are a few organizations you can check out for resources or to support:

ActionAid India

SEEDS India

GlobalGiving

Raise India (Project Tapan)

[beebfreeb]

Messaging people for the first time is so hard. What am I supposed to say? Like, "You seem really odd and your blog intrigues me. Do you want to have philosophical conversations or perhaps talk about fictional characters?" What! Whatever. I will just follow you back and stare at your blog with my big beautiful brown eyes.

[scribe-cas]

Reblog if you're okay with people coming into your DMs with the "you seem really odd and your blog intrigues me, do you want to have philosophical conversations or perhaps talk about fictional characters"

[mischievous-heretic]

Salty about spiritual lopsidedness today

If reciprocity is so important to spiritual relationships, why am I seeing so many people who appear to think their needs, their desires, their thoughts and emotional state, their inner experience of themselves... are the center of the universe?

Now sure, these things are important to an extent. We shouldn't ignore or erase ourselves within our relationships.

But let's not take that to an extreme, where we subconsciously treat gods and spirits as existing only to fill our needs, while ignoring theirs.

What about the feelings of a deity?

The emotions of a spirit?

The inner experiences of the incorporeal?

I don't see much curiosity about this unless a deity or spirit's thoughts or emotions happen to benefit a human somehow like, if a god falls in love with a person. THEN they wanna know all about how that deity feels, in relation to them of course.

But what if we were curious about gods and spirits?

Without always making that about us?

What if we offered the gift of genuinely unselfish interest? Showed care by asking how they experience themselves and other things not related to us specifically?

How about asking questions intended to open up conversations? To know them better?

Like maybe...

"What does this particular myth mean to you? Do you like how it portrays you? Why or why not?

When I said or did [a thing], how did you interpret that? What did you think or feel about it? Why did you respond that way?

If you could have anything you wanted right now, what would it be?" Why do you want it? What does it mean to you?

How are you experiencing the things that matter to you right now? Do your domains require cultivation or some sort of regular attention? If so, how would you describe the effort you put into that? etc, etc

How about showing interest in THEM for a change?

I cannot tell you how many times I have done this and (UPG) some god or spirit has been very surprised that I cared enough to enquire how they felt. Sometimes they also get emotional about it. Then we talk about why they feel that way and get to know each other better.

A few things to consider

In my experience, honest, genuine enquiry can deepen relationships amazingly well if it's accompanied by the following things...

sincerely motivated by a desire to know the god or spirit

not about trying to get something (like attention, interest, responses you like) from spiritual entities, or force them into giving answers they don't feel comfortable with

asked with an open mind, willing to hear responses you might dislike or that might clash with your theology, and respecting the god or spirit's right to have thoughts or feelings different from yours, including the possibility that they don't feel comfortable talking about it right then

offered with the promise of confidentiality if the god or spirit desires it, so the god or spirit knows they can say anything and trust you not to blast their private inner experiences all over the internet without their consent

a regular part of your relationship with that deity or spirit, because showing consistent interest shows you genuinely care and are not just mildly curious

Hopefully that offers some ideas for growing reciprocal connections with deities and spirits, for those who wish to deepen spiritual relationships.

Have fun with asking questions, and by all means invent more! Deep, caring interest in a god or spirit you love is a wonderful thing 🙂

[meancatboy]

Penetration is a gender-neutral act. Topping is gender-neutral. Bottoming is gender-neutral. You are not more or less of a man or a woman depending on how you fuck. You are not “fake trans” for having sex a certain way. You are not any less masculine for bottoming or any less feminine for topping.

[playfully--sadistic]

Additionally, acting like being penetrated is an act of submission is deeply rooted in misogynistic, cisheteronormative ideas of sexual intercourse, as in "penetration is something that is done to women for the sexual gratification of the man, nothing more, therefore it is inherently degrading and feminine".

A cishet man getting pegged by his cishet girlfriend is not gay, he's not less of a man or submissive by default. A cishet man getting pegged by his cishet girlfriend can be sexually dominant and simply likes to be fucked in his ass - these two can co-exist. Yet, in the eyes of cishet society, a man that likes to have his ass played with, must enjoy it because it's "degrading" , not because it simply feels good.

That's why I so heavily preach about the difference between sub/dom/switch and bottom/top/vers. Penetration can be used to increase the feeling and severity of a power dynamic, but it doesn't create one. These two things are entirely separate from eachother, unless connected willingly.

[meancatboy]

you should reblog this version instead, actually

[angeliicide]

UNDER THE SEA || Theme Series 01 › Request

✰ USAGE RULES .ᐟ Please credit @angeliicide in the post you use my work! You may also credit me in your pinned or somewhere else visible on your blog. Please do not reupload or alter my dividers.

╰› ꒰ bonus tentacle dividers cuz they were too pretty for me to leave out <3 ꒱

Likes/reblogs are also appreciated .ᐟ

[huniebunny]

@whaleofatjme1920

[thelanguagelearningguide]

○ 625 words to know in your target language ○

There is a really interesting blog called “Fluent Forever” that aids foreign language learners in tricks, tips and techniques to guide them to achieving fluency “quickly” and efficiently. One of the tricks is to learn these 625 vocab words in your target language, that way you have a basis to start delving into grammar with ease as you can understand a lot of vocab right off the bat. Plus this list of words are common across the world and will aid you in whatever language you are learning. Here is the list in thematic order :

• Animal: dog, cat, fish, bird, cow, pig, mouse, horse, wing, animal

• Transportation: train, plane, car, truck, bicycle, bus, boat, ship, tire, gasoline, engine, (train) ticket, transportation

• Location: city, house, apartment, street/road, airport, train station, bridge, hotel, restaurant, farm, court, school, office, room, town, university, club, bar, park, camp, store/shop, theater, library, hospital, church, market, country (USA, France, etc.), building, ground, space (outer space), bank, location

• Clothing: hat, dress, suit, skirt, shirt, T-shirt, pants, shoes, pocket, coat, stain, clothing

• Color: red, green, blue (light/dark), yellow, brown, pink, orange, black, white, gray, color

• People: son, daughter, mother, father, parent (= mother/father), baby, man, woman, brother, sister, family, grandfather, grandmother, husband, wife, king, queen, president, neighbor, boy, girl, child (= boy/girl), adult (= man/woman), human (≠ animal), friend (Add a friend’s name), victim, player, fan, crowd, person

• Job: Teacher, student, lawyer, doctor, patient, waiter, secretary, priest, police, army, soldier, artist, author, manager, reporter, actor, job

• Society: religion, heaven, hell, death, medicine, money, dollar, bill, marriage, wedding, team, race (ethnicity), sex (the act), sex (gender), murder, prison, technology, energy, war, peace, attack, election, magazine, newspaper, poison, gun, sport, race (sport), exercise, ball, game, price, contract, drug, sign, science, God

• Art: band, song, instrument (musical), music, movie, art

• Beverages: coffee, tea, wine, beer, juice, water, milk, beverage

• Food: egg, cheese, bread, soup, cake, chicken, pork, beef, apple, banana, orange, lemon, corn, rice, oil, seed, knife, spoon, fork, plate, cup, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sugar, salt, bottle, food

• Home: table, chair, bed, dream, window, door, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, pencil, pen, photograph, soap, book, page, key, paint, letter, note, wall, paper, floor, ceiling, roof, pool, lock, telephone, garden, yard, needle, bag, box, gift, card, ring, tool

• Electronics: clock, lamp, fan, cell phone, network, computer, program (computer), laptop, screen, camera, television, radio

• Body: head, neck, face, beard, hair, eye, mouth, lip, nose, tooth, ear, tear (drop), tongue, back, toe, finger, foot, hand, leg, arm, shoulder, heart, blood, brain, knee, sweat, disease, bone, voice, skin, body

• Nature: sea, ocean, river, mountain, rain, snow, tree, sun, moon, world, Earth, forest, sky, plant, wind, soil/earth, flower, valley, root, lake, star, grass, leaf, air, sand, beach, wave, fire, ice, island, hill, heat, nature

• Materials: glass, metal, plastic, wood, stone, diamond, clay, dust, gold, copper, silver, material

• Math/Measurements: meter, centimeter, kilogram, inch, foot, pound, half, circle, square, temperature, date, weight, edge, corner

• Misc Nouns: map, dot, consonant, vowel, light, sound, yes, no, piece, pain, injury, hole, image, pattern, noun, verb, adjective

• Directions: top, bottom, side, front, back, outside, inside, up, down, left, right, straight, north, south, east, west, direction

• Seasons: Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall, season

• Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72, 80, 81, 82, 90, 91, 92, 100, 101, 102, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 10000, 100000, million, billion, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, number

• Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

• Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

• Time: year, month, week, day, hour, minute, second , morning, afternoon, evening, night, time

• Verbs: work, play, walk, run, drive, fly, swim, go, stop, follow, think, speak/say, eat, drink, kill, die, smile, laugh, cry, buy, pay, sell, shoot(a gun), learn, jump, smell, hear (a sound), listen (music), taste, touch, see (a bird), watch (TV), kiss, burn, melt, dig, explode, sit, stand, love, pass by, cut, fight, lie down, dance, sleep, wake up, sing, count, marry, pray, win, lose, mix/stir, bend, wash, cook, open, close, write, call, turn, build, teach, grow, draw, feed, catch, throw, clean, find, fall, push, pull, carry, break, wear, hang, shake, sign, beat, lift

• Adjectives: long, short (long), tall, short (vs tall), wide, narrow, big/large, small/little, slow, fast, hot, cold, warm, cool, new, old (new), young, old (young), good, bad, wet, dry, sick, healthy, loud, quiet, happy, sad, beautiful, ugly, deaf, blind, nice, mean, rich, poor, thick, thin, expensive, cheap, flat, curved, male, female, tight, loose, high, low, soft, hard, deep, shallow, clean, dirty, strong, weak, dead, alive, heavy, light (heavy), dark, light (dark), nuclear, famous

• Pronouns: I, you (singular), he, she, it, we, you (plural, as in “y’all”), they.

The original blogpost I copied this list from (it includes more tips & tricks to learning vocab) : https://fluent-forever.com/the-method/vocabulary/base-vocabulary-list/

I’m going to be making my own vocab lists using these words for my target languages of Korean, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese. I’ll be posting the vocab by theme on my blog, so make sure to follow me https://asian-lang-stubyblr.tumblr.com if you are interesting in seeing those!

[selenocysteine]

Tips to learn a new language

The 75 most common words make up 40% of occurrences The 200 most common words make up 50% of occurrences The 524 most common words make up 60% of occurrences The 1257 most common words make up 70% of occurrences The 2925 most common words make up 80% of occurrences The 7444 most common words make up 90% of occurrences The 13374 most common words make up 95% of occurrences The 25508 most common words make up 99% of occurrences

(Sources: 5 Steps to Speak a New Language by Hung Quang Pham)

This article has an excellent summary on how to rapidly learn a new language within 90 days.

We can begin with studying the first 600 words. Of course chucking is an effective way to memorize words readily. Here’s a list to translate into the language you desire to learn that I grabbed from here! :)

EXPRESSIONS OF POLITENESS (about 50 expressions)      

‘Yes’ and ‘no’: yes, no, absolutely, no way, exactly.    

Question words: when? where? how? how much? how many? why? what? who? which? whose?    

Apologizing: excuse me, sorry to interrupt, well now, I’m afraid so, I’m afraid not.    

Meeting and parting: good morning, good afternoon, good evening, hello, goodbye, cheers, see you later, pleased to meet you, nice to have met.    

Interjections: please, thank you, don’t mention it, sorry, it’ll be done, I agree, congratulations, thank heavens, nonsense.    

NOUNS (about 120 words)

Time: morning, afternoon, evening, night; Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; spring, summer, autumn, winter; time, occasion, minute, half-hour, hour, day, week, month, year.    

People: family, relative, mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, husband, wife; colleague, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend; people, person, human being, man, woman, lady, gentleman, boy, girl, child.    

Objects: address, bag, book, car, clothes, key, letter (=to post), light (=lamp), money, name, newspaper, pen, pencil, picture, suitcase, thing, ticket.    

Places: place, world, country, town, street, road, school, shop, house, apartment, room, ground; Britain, name of the foreign country, British town-names, foreign town-names.    

Abstract: accident, beginning, change, color, damage, fun, half, help, joke, journey, language, English, name of the foreign language, letter (of alphabet), life, love, mistake, news, page, pain, part, question, reason, sort, surprise, way (=method), weather, work.    

Other: hand, foot, head, eye, mouth, voice; the left, the right; the top, the bottom, the side; air, water, sun, bread, food, paper, noise.    

PREPOSITIONS (about 40 words)    

General: of, to, at, for, from, in, on.    

Logical: about, according-to, except, like, against, with, without, by, despite, instead of.    

Space: into, out of, outside, towards, away from, behind, in front of, beside, next to, between, above, on top of, below, under, underneath, near to, a long way from, through.    

Time: after, ago, before, during, since, until.    

DETERMINERS (about 80 words)  

Articles and numbers: a, the; nos. 0–20; nos. 30–100; nos. 200–1000; last, next, 1st–12th.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.    

Quantifiers: all, some, no, any, many, much, more, less, a few, several, whole, a little, a lot of.    

Comparators: both, neither, each, every, other, another, same, different, such.    

ADJECTIVES (about 80 words)    

Color: black, blue, green, red, white, yellow.    

Evaluative: bad, good, terrible; important, urgent, necessary; possible, impossible; right, wrong, true.    

General: big, little, small, heavy; high, low; hot, cold, warm; easy, difficult; cheap, expensive; clean, dirty; beautiful, funny (=comical), funny (=odd), usual, common (=shared), nice, pretty, wonderful; boring, interesting, dangerous, safe; short, tall, long; new, old; calm, clear, dry; fast, slow; finished, free, full, light (=not dark), open, quiet, ready, strong.    

Personal: afraid, alone, angry, certain, cheerful, dead, famous, glad, happy, ill, kind, married, pleased, sorry, stupid, surprised, tired, well, worried, young.    

VERBS (about 100 words)    

arrive, ask, be, be able to, become, begin, believe, borrow, bring, buy, can, change, check, collect, come, continue, cry, do, drop, eat, fall, feel, find, finish, forget, give, going to, have, have to, hear, help, hold, hope, hurt (oneself), hurt (someone else), keep, know, laugh, learn, leave, lend, let (=allow), lie down, like, listen, live (=be alive), live (=reside), look (at), look for, lose, love, make, may (=permission), may (=possibility), mean, meet, must, need, obtain, open, ought to, pay, play, put, read, remember, say, see, sell, send, should, show, shut, sing, sleep, speak, stand, stay, stop, suggest, take, talk, teach, think, travel, try, understand, use, used to, wait for, walk, want, watch, will, work (=operate), work (=toil), worry, would, write.    

PRONOUNS (about 40 words)

Personal: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, one; myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.    

Possessive: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Universal: everyone, everybody, everything, each, both, all, one, another.    

Indefinite: someone, somebody, something, some, a few, a little, more, less; anyone, anybody, anything, any, either, much, many.    

Negative: no-one, nobody, nothing, none, neither.    

ADVERBS (about 60 words)

Place: here, there, above, over, below, in front, behind, nearby, a long way away, inside, outside, to the right, to the left, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, home, upstairs, downstairs.    

Time: now, soon, immediately, quickly, finally, again, once, for a long time, today, generally, sometimes, always, often, before, after, early, late, never, not yet, still, already, then (=at that time), then (=next), yesterday, tomorrow, tonight.    

Quantifiers: a little, about (=approximately), almost, at least, completely, very, enough, exactly, just, not, too much, more, less.    

Manner: also, especially, gradually, of course, only, otherwise, perhaps, probably, quite, so, then (=therefore), too (=also), unfortunately, very much, well.    

CONJUNCTIONS (about 30 words)

Coordinating: and, but, or; as, than, like.    

Time & Place: when, while, before, after, since (=time), until; where.    

Manner & Logic: how, why, because, since (=because), although, if; what, who, whom, whose, which, that.   

[000l]

[shrewreadings]

like to charge, reblog to cast.

[sisterofiris]

How would/should a recon Hellenic polytheist purify things? Their space and objects they want to use for sacred things. As well as themselves?

I just finished setting up and consecrating my new altar, so this is a particularly appropriate topic to write about now.

Before going in-depth, I’ll start with a reminder: there are different types, or “levels” if you will, of purification in Hellenic polytheism. The most basic is what I would call everyday purification, or purification from lyma; then there is expiation, to get rid of severe pollution or miasma; lastly, there is consecration, the process of making something sacred. I won’t discuss expiation much here, as it is necessary only in specific situations which I assume don’t apply to most people. (If you’re interested in it, I’d recommend reading the Greek tragedies, especially Aeschylus’ Oresteia and Euripides’ Iphigenia in Tauris, which deal in part with expiatory rites after murder.)

Let’s start with everyday purification. I’ve found Labrys’ book Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship to be particularly accurate in explaining what it is (distinguishing it from more severe pollution) and how it’s done:

For living humans to approach the world of the Gods demands physical, mental and spiritual purity. This may be attained through the simple ritual cleansing that is a prerequisite to any ceremony.There are, however, particular states of “contamination” or Miasma that prohibit any attempt to approach the Gods whatsoever. To be purified from Miasma requires special ritualistic actions. (Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship, p. 73-74)

Cleansing (Khernips): this should be a bowl or basin, wide enough to be filled with water, which may be used for the ceremonial washing of the hands or face before each ritual. (idem, p. 40)

The book also mentions hand-washing as the third step in a ritual: “all participants wash their hands in the cleansing basin” (p. 92).

This is accurate to ancient sources, which describe people washing their hands and sometimes face before ritual. See, for example, how Achilles prepares for prayer in the Iliad (16.225-232):

Ἔνθα δέ οἱ δέπας ἔσκε τετυγμένον, οὐδέ τις ἄλλοςοὔτ᾽ ἀνδρῶν πίνεσκεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ αἴθοπα οἶνον,οὔτέ τεῳ σπένδεσκε θεῶν, ὅτε μὴ Διὶ πατρί˙τό ῥα τότ᾽ ἐκ χηλοῖο λαβὼν ἐκάθηρε θεείῳπρῶτον, ἔπειτα δ᾽ ἔνιψ᾽ ὕδατος καλῇσι ῥοῇσι,νίψατο δ᾽ αὐτὸς χεῖρας, ἀφύσσατο δ᾽ αἴθοπα οἶνον˙εὔχετ᾽ ἔπειτα στὰς μέσῳ ἕρκεϊ, λεῖβε δὲ οἶνονοὐρανὸν εἰσανιδών˙ Δία δ᾽ οὐ λάθε τερπικέραυνον.

His beautifully crafted cup was there; no other mandrank from it the fire-coloured wine,and neither did he libate from it to any God other than Father Zeus;taking it from the chest, he purified it with sulphurfirst, then washed it with beautiful flowing water,washed his own hands, and drew the fire-coloured wine;then, standing in the middle of the courtyard, he prayed and spilled the winewith his eyes to the sky; and he did not go unnoticed by Zeus who rejoices in thunder. (transl. my own)

That’s really all it takes: a little washing with pure water. Water from a flowing spring is best, or if you live by the sea, seawater. I’m lucky to live in a country with very fresh and clean tap water, so I’m comfortable using it for purification, but if that’s not your case and you don’t have access to natural water sources either, you might want to consider buying bottled water for this purpose.

Now let’s move on to consecration. This is, to give a slightly tongue-in-cheek explanation, a purification level-up: its purpose isn’t just to cleanse something/someone, but to bring it/them into a sacred state. Anything that is to be used in ritual, including ritual space, should be consecrated. (This is why the requirements for cleanliness when entering an Ancient Greek temple were particularly stringent - these weren’t requirements for everyday ritual purity, but for entering a highly sacred, consecrated space.) Naturally, since consecration is a kind of level-up from purification, it requires more elaborate rites.

There are many different methods for this. Purification by fire, particularly by flaming torch, was common; so was sulphur, as evidenced by the Iliad quote above; bathing objects/people in seawater was another option. I personally use the tried and true method of what is commonly called khernips, that is, a flame extinguished in pure water. I begin by washing the space I want to use (for example, a shelf or cabinet surface) then anoint every ritual object, including statues. I also anoint myself. If I feel it to be necessary, I might recite a small prayer as I do so, something like: “Khairete Theoi, I consecrate this (object’s name) to your service. May it be sacred to you, and only come into contact with that which is pure.”

Lastly, since consecration requires a high level of purity, I often shower and dress in fresh clothes before beginning, and I always veil my hair. By contrast, for a regular, simple ritual, I consider it enough to bind my hair (which I do anyway) and wash my hands and face.

I hope this helps, and may the Gods keep you always <3

[bodhi-devotee]

devotional journal tips!

they can be great for having no altar space or supplies! here are some ideas of what to put in it to get you started

prayers -

this is good for those who don’t feel safe speaking their prayers out loud. it can be meaningful to keep a written log of all your prayers instead of keeping them in your head. some day you may be able to look back at all the prayers your deity has answered, or at all the ways your prayers have evolved. if you want to memorize a prayer you can write it in the journal to repeat later!

aid + questions -

are there times in your day that you felt like you received your deities’ aid? or, are there times where you wished you’d received help and felt like you hadn’t? will you need aid in the future? similarly, do you have any little questions? write down the question or request, and then what symbols or signs you’ll be looking for as an answer. this can help you keep track of what certain signs mean and what questions you’ve asked/requests for aid you’ve done in the past that have been answered.

symbols -

have you noticed any symbols of your deity in your day that made you think of them? what did seeing that symbol make you feel like your deity was trying to communicate? this relates heavily to the section above. this can include historical symbols or signs that you’ve personally learned to associate with your deity!

offerings -

it might be helpful to record your offerings, past present & future! perhaps journaling IS the offer? if you want to offer your deity writing, do it here! out down your poems, short blurbs, brainstorming, doodles, etc. and dedicate it to your god!

drawings -

as mentioned a couple times above, if you like to draw, feel free to! you can draw the symbols you’ve seen, images of your god, and offerings you’ve given or plan to give, or just whatever comes to mind. the art you create for your deity is personal and yours to make!

divination -

jot down the results of any divination with your god specifically! if you do tarot, what cards did you pull, and what did they mean to you? what answers did your dice, smoke, or pendulum give you? it can be fun to look back after time has passed :))

i have a journal per deity for organizational purposes but also i’m not a cop! your relationship with your gods is yours alone, develop it as you see fit

happy worshipping & journaling!!!

[dionysianivy]

𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐤

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁

🎉 Write everything you wish to accomplish before your next solar return.

🎉 Make a spell jar just for yourself (add herbs, crystals and elements to attract good health, succes, love and joy :D)

🎉 Learn about numerology and connect with the energy of the number representing your new age.

🎉 Carve witchy symbols on a scented candle and blow it out while visualizing yourself achieving all your desires.

🎉 Bake or eat food with magical correspondences that attract good health, love, prosperity, abundance, and fulfilled wishes.

🎉 Create a personal altar as an act of gratitude and self-honor.

🎉 Write a gratitude list for yourself.

🎉 Bake a cake (or any favorite food) and decorate it by carving sigils, runes, or magical symbols.

🎉 On the morning of your birthday, do a tarot reading to help guiding you for the year ahead

🎉Take a gold (or yellow) candle and carve your birth date on it for luck and success.

🎉 Do self-care magick with intention and love.

🎉 Connect with your ancestors (leave some offerings for them and also ask for some guidance in your life)

🎉 Honor your sun sign by meditating on your horoscope, especially if you know your exact birth time.

🎉 Analyze your natal chart (especially your transits) and find insights that could improve your life.

🎉 Do any form of divination (tarot, runes, pendulum, etc.) to receive guidance.

🎉 Go out in nature and allow yourself to feel free and open.

🎉 Write a letter to your future self. Imagine this is a manifestation letter you'll read on your next birthday to see if you managed to fulfill your wishes.

🎉 Reflect on your achievements and also on the challenges you faced this year, consider what lessons they taught you.

🎉 While baking, practice kitchen magick and connect with the properties of the ingredients (e.g., milk for abundance, eggs for new beginnings, sugar for sweetness).

🎉 Treat your birthday as a personal new year celebration, a chance to start fresh and grow into the best version of yourself.

🎉 Write a list of wishes on bay leaves, one for each year you're turning and burn them with intention.

🎉 Do a guided meditation to release the old version of yourself and welcome blessings and opportunities for the year to come.

🎉 Thank yourself for everything you’ve done and overcome this past year.

🎉 Since it’s your birthday, do only what you truly want, whether that means dressing up or staying in, spending time with others or being alone. It’s your day!

🎉 Treat yourself and buy that thing you’ve wanted for a long time but couldn’t bring yourself to get, you deserve it <3

🎉 Celebrate your birthday with your deities and spend time connecting with them in your favorite way.

🎉 Play music that has positive messages or high-vibrational energy (or listen to subliminals).

🎉 Wear or hold the stones associated with your birth date.

🎉 Look at your natal chart and explore what the next year might bring.

🎉 Choose a special candle, set an intention, and blow it out to mark a new beginning.

🎉 Practice sun magick to honor your solar return and purify yourself with its radiant energy.

🎉 Try something new that you’ve never done before, to break the ice and step into this new age with boldness and curiosity.

🎉 Connect and meditate with your birthstone and wear it as a charm for the coming year.

[hekateanwitchcraft]

Ancient Greek Religion & Hellenic Polytheism: A Reading Guide

I’ve been wanting to make something like this for a long while, and talking to my friend @olympianbutch today gave me the push I needed to do so. When I was starting out as a Hellenic Polytheist years ago, this is the kind of resource I needed. So I hope you all enjoy and find this helpful!

Introductory Reading:

Ancient Greek Religion by Jon D. Mikalson

Athenian Popular Religion by Jon D. Mikalson

Greek Religion by Jan N. Bremmer

On Greek Religion by Robert Parker

Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship by LABRYS

Comprehensive Guides:

Greek Religion by Walter Burkert

Companion to Greek Religion edited by Daniel Ogden

Understanding Greek Religion by Jennifer Larson

Rethinking Greek Religion by Julia Klindt

The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Greek Religion edited by Esther Eidinow and Julia Klindt

Polytheism and Society by Robert Parker

The Gods and Theology:

Ancient Greek Cults by Jennifer Larson

Theologies of Ancient Greek Religion edited by Esther Eidinow, Julia Klindt, and Robin Osborne

Underworld Gods in Ancient Greek Religion by Ellie Mackin Roberts

Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World (Routledge Series)

Offerings and Sacrifice:

Personal Experience and Materiality in Greek Religion by K.A. Rask

Singing for the Gods by Barbara Kowalzig

Smoke Signals for the Gods by F.S. Maiden

Sharing with the Gods by Theodora Suk Fong Jim

Primary Sources:

Theogony & Works and Days by Hesiod

The Homeric Hymns

The Orphic Hymns

Sources for the Study of Greek Religion by David Rice and John Stambaugh

Greek Religion: A Sourcebook by Valerie M. Warrior

Ancient Greek Religion: A Sourcebook by Emily Kearns

[witchescollection]

protection work 101-ish

1. the basics

to start with, lets look at some common terms. i’d define them as follows:

wards = long-term protection on spaces (altar, room, etc) - they’re generally seen as permanent despite needing energetic top ups.

shields = temporary personal protection (veiling, amulets, visualization) - you can also shield someone else, either directly or remotely.

cleansing = an act that resets energy to neutral - can be a space, yourself, or an object.

banishing = essentially telling energy or an entity to fuck off (in varying degrees of hostility). i tend to be more nice than mean, especially if that entity is important or likes to hold a grudge.

these concepts get blurred sometimes, and that's fine. most people use them in overlapping ways - it’s just useful for this post (and this blog) to have a list of definitions.

2. why protection work was hard for me at first, and what i do now

i've always found protection work difficult to keep up long-term. i really struggle with doing big rituals consistently (probably the ADHD). i don't have the energy for it. for ages, my protection either just... didn't exist, or it happened in the moment - shielding when something felt off, visualising energy forming around me, stuff like that. the idea of putting wards up every full moon or doing protective cleansings every sunday made me feel exhausted just thinking about it. the energy it took, the way it felt like a chore didn’t feel right, and had me really questioning if witchcraft was for me. i believe that the more energy you give something, the more energy it has - but the more i complicate things, the harder it gets for me, and the less my magick feels like an extension of myself

so instead, i started doing it intuitively. i put my wards up once, and rather than topping them up on a schedule, i check in with them. if they feel off, i fix them. if they feel fine, i leave them! this is something that no one really talks about in protection work, which is: you have to get to know yourself. you have to build trust in your own senses. that comes from meditating, yes, but also from learning to set boundaries, making decisions about what you want your space to feel like, and letting yourself be messy and wrong and curious until you start to learn what "off" feels like. building your intuition will help you sense when you need to top up your wards, when things aren’t right. i visualise a pulse scanning out from me (think like a laser beam), to figure out how my wards are. when my wards are strong, i feel a kind of energetic solidity around me. when they're broken, it feels more like a wooden fence with slats in it, and the energy leaks. things come through that shouldn't. sometimes i feel it energetically. sometimes it's just vibes being off. sometimes my deities let me know. sometimes i don't notice at all until shit starts going sideways.

i also have a servitor who maintains my protective space (his name is alfred (like from batman)). i created him, i feed him energy, and he works like a bouncer: letting only kind-intentioned spirits and energies through. i’ve talked about my “swinging-door” policy here if you want to read more about it, and if you want a separate guide on how to set a servitor up let me know. ultimately, this means that sometimes, if i'm meditating and talking about something, a deity i wasn't expecting shows up. i might think i need aphrodite's help, and freyja turns up instead. or maybe dionysus just wants to hear some gossip. it also allows deities to decide what kind of relationship we have, and let them take the lead. i also send a regular pulse scan out, and if my wards are low I feed energy into them and servitor with visualisation, usually i'll set a five-minute timer and visualise a meter filling up, like i'm charging a battery. i can do this from my bed so it’s decently low effort. again, if you’re like me and find ceremonial magickk feels more performative than a natural extension of yourself, it’s fine to not overcomplicate it! find your own rhythm.

3. advanced protection

i mentioned before about using a shield on someone else, either directly or remotely. taglocks, which you’ll hear mostly used in baneful magickk, are helpful if you're protecting someone else - usually i enchant a crystal or an amulet for them. consent is important here - i don't like remote magick on people without them knowing. for example - my boyfriend (who's very much not a witch) wears a few protective bracelets, one of which is a hematite bracelet from me. it’s sentimental and serves a spiritual function (win-win). you can also shield someone else if you’re with them in person, just by visualising them the same way you’d visualise yourself! this only really works whilst their visible, but can be useful if you and a friend are walking through a busy place and you want to shield you both from the energy.

another thing worth mentioning, and this goes for all advanced practices, is that the most potent magick is that which is a natural extension of the self, and that doesn’t feel like a chore (more on that in another #moaw post). veiling is one of my favourite low-key protective acts. so is wearing enchanted jewellery. both of these work at the subconscious level, and have the added benefit for those in the broom closet of being pretty discrete (you can veil with anything over your head! doesn’t have to be a headscarf). i'm messy, so i don't clean my space often, but when i do, i notice the energetic shift - it’s one of the most underrated methods of cleansing, and again, very discrete. another method is setting up my digital boundaries! curating what i consume, who i let into my digital space, and noticing what drains me. this is energy work too. protection work doesn’t mean much if you’re then bringing negative energy into your space through your phone.

and here's a big one: know your land. get to know the spirits around you. build good relationships. that way, you're not doing protection alone - you have backup. if something breaches your wards, you have plant spirits, ancestors, deities, and the land itself helping you notice, and you can (with consent) draw from their energy or ask for their support. so even when i'm tired or distracted, i'm not unprotected.

4. “i think something’s in my space - help!”

don’t worry! i’ve created a handy flow-chart below to help!

step one: diagnose it

is it just negative energy from an interaction you had? have you been behind on cleansing? is it something mundane?

→ if yes → cleanse and reset your space

→ if no or unsure → keep going

step two: what is the entity?

use some method of divination to figure out who the entity is! some good questions to get started:

what do they want?

are they trying to communicate?

did i do something wrong?

is this a known spirit? have we interacted before?

is it just some local energy passing through?

step three: response

if it’s just lingering energy → cleanse

if you accidentally offended something → apologise or offer something meaningful, and keep talking - depending on the level of upset, you might be able to salvage this and forge a new relationship

if they’re just cranky for no reason → be compassionate, but banish! sometimes entities (especially ghosts) take out their anger on random folks, and you might just be unlucky.

if they won’t leave/are actively making things worse → banish!

step four: check your wards

do the pulse technique i mentioned earlier (or whatever works for you), and figure out how the entity got in - are your wards fractured? did you forget to energise your servitor? whatever it is, diagnose it and work on it.

step five: reflect and learn

most strong negative energies don’t just wander into your space for fun. hopefully by now you’ve figured out the root cause - write that down and reflect on the experience!

5. final thoughts

banishing is, firstly, a boundary. it's no different than saying "hey, i don't want to talk about that right now” or “please leave my house.” it can be kind. it can be neutral. it can be mean. it's just a way of telling an entity to leave. i think there’s this misconception in the community that banishing is negative, and it can be, but it doesn’t have to be. and sometimes the kindest thing is to send stuck energy moving if you can’t help it and it’s causing a nuisance (or being actively damaging).

and honestly? you're probably fine. when i was starting out, i wasn't talking to spirits or doing anything risky. i could've skipped protection entirely and been fine. as i got more confident, i started staying in places where the vibe felt off, just out of curiosity, because now i know how to handle it if something weird happens.

you're probably not going to get haunted by a demon. you probably don't need ten layers of magickal protection. if you're not poking around the otherworld, antagonising spirits, or diving into deep trance work, you're probably okay. there’s so much fear-mongering out there, and i get why - better safe than sorry - but take a moment to remember that everything will be okay, and if you fuck around and find out and need a hand, there’s many resources and many people here on witchblr to ask.

and if you’re gonna keep fucking around and finding out? good on you - but you might need stronger wards than someone like myself, who stays pretty far away from the fucking around part of witchcraft now.

--

thank you for reading this! i hope this was helpful, and if you have any questions or add-ons please reblog/reply or send an ask. just a reminder: everything i wrote here is my opinion, and i know people will have different methods, and i encourage y’all to share those! and if you have any suggestions for topics you’d like for this longer form series (tagged #moaw if you’d like to read the others), please also send me an ask.

[bugmeeku]

What can u say he’s observant

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[huniebunny]

Remind me when ao3 comes back up

[thespectralcottage]

✨ Spell Oils 101 ✨

Spell oils are probably one of my most used tools & most popular items in the shop i own. I wanted to do a quick dive for folks who are new to them and how to use them in your practice. 🖤

What are they..? Spell oils are tools for spellwork. In simple terms they’re ritually made herbal infusions in a carrier oils (sometimes with fragrance added) with a specific intended energy behind them. Every practitioner who makes them has their own process for how exactly they’re done. You can then use the oil in your day-to-day as well as rituals as energetic boosts. Theyre used to make your spells more “potent” by adding in another layer that matches your intention. Just like you would add crystals, candles, herbs or other magical items into a spell. They’re an additional layer to your magic.

How do I use them..? The best thing about oils is there are endless possibilities. As far as your creativity lets you roam. Most commonly they are used to anoint candles, added to spell jars & ritual baths, mixed with herbs, used to enchant items, put directly on the skin, added to your hair/lotions, used on your hands or objects before a working, given as offerings, etc. I know witches who use them on their vails and clothing, or add it to their hair dye. Others will enchant items to be used in rituals or carried in their day-to-day. Unfortunately Instagram won’t let me post a massive list of all the ways to use them, but hopefully this gives you some insight.

Some practitioners make oils with incredibly specific intentions, but even within that energy you can use them for many kinds of workings. A specialized domination oil can sometimes be perfect in a money working for a new job. Mixing different kinds of oils is always a beautiful way to layer the energy needed for your working too! You’re a witch- go crazy with what feels right. ✨

Hopefully this gives you guys some ideas for how to use your oils. If you’re interested in try out ours, we currently have 18 different options on our website linked here. 👻

[astra-ravana]

All About Glamour Magick

Glamour magick is the art of illusion, enchantment, and transformation. It is a form of witchcraft that influences perception, helping you shape how others see you—and how you see yourself. Often associated with beauty spells, glamour magick extends far beyond physical appearance, touching on charisma, confidence, energy projection, and personal empowerment.

What is Glamour Magick?

Glamour magick is the ability to create an aura, illusion, or energy field around yourself to influence perception. This can be subtle (radiating confidence, appearing more attractive) or dramatic (completely shifting how you are perceived in a space).

Key Aspects of Glamour Magick:

• Illusion & Perception – Shaping how others see you.

• Energy Manipulation – Projecting an aura of beauty, mystery, or confidence.

• Psychological Influence – Aligning your actions and appearance with desired outcomes.

• Inner Alchemy – Changing your self-perception and unlocking hidden power.

Glamour magick is not deception—it is a tool of empowerment, allowing you to embody different versions of yourself as needed.

Uses & Applications of Glamour Magick

⭑ Personal Power & Confidence

• Make yourself appear more confident, charismatic, or authoritative in important situations (interviews, speeches, negotiations).

• Command attention when entering a room.

• Enhance self-love by seeing yourself in a new light.

⭑ Beauty & Attraction Spells

• Enhance your natural charm and allure.

• Strengthen magnetic presence, making others drawn to you.

• Boost your radiance and personal style.

⭑ Influence & Social Perception

• Be seen as trustworthy, mysterious, or irresistible depending on the desired effect.

• Appear invisible or unnoticed when needed (useful for avoiding unwanted attention).

• Shift your perceived energy (e.g., appearing powerful in a leadership role, approachable in social settings).

⭑ Spiritual Transformation

• Align with goddesses or deities associated with beauty, wisdom, or seduction (Aphrodite, Freyja, Hekate).

• Use glamour magick for shadow work, integrating hidden parts of yourself.

• Enhance dreamwork and astral projection by shifting your astral form’s appearance.

Methods of Practicing Glamour Magick

Glamour magick can be performed through visualization, ritual, enchanted cosmetics, clothing, perfumes, and energy work.

⭑ Visualization & Energy Work

One of the simplest forms of glamour magick is projecting an aura through visualization.

Example: Confidence Aura Spell

• Close your eyes and breathe deeply.

• Visualize a glowing golden or red aura surrounding you.

• Imagine this energy making you radiate power, beauty, and confidence.

• As you step into a room, picture people noticing and respecting your presence.

⭑ Enchanted Beauty & Self-Care Rituals

Makeup, skincare, and beauty routines can be ritualized and infused with magick.

Ways to Enchant Your Routine:

• Lipstick or Lip Balm Charm: Before applying, whisper:

“With each word I speak, my voice is heard. My words captivate and command.”

• Mirror Enchantment: As you gaze at your reflection, say:

“I see myself as divine, radiant, and powerful.”

• Perfume or Cologne Spell: Anoint yourself with intention: Rose for love, jasmine for sensuality, lavender for peace, cinnamon for attraction and boldness, etc.

⭑ Glamour Through Clothing & Colors

Fashion is a powerful tool in glamour magick. The colors, textures, and styles you wear influence energy and perception.

Color Correspondences in Glamour Magick:

• Red – Power, confidence, passion, boldness.

• Black – Mystery, protection, authority.

• White – Purity, elegance, divine energy.

• Pink – Soft attraction, friendship, charm.

• Green – Wealth, prosperity, health.

• Blue – Calm, wisdom, trustworthiness.

Example: Enchanted Clothing Ritual

• Hold the clothing item and infuse it with intention (e.g., a red dress for power, a black cloak for invisibility).

• Say:

“As I wear this, I become the energy I invoke. I walk with power, I shine with radiance.”

⭑ The Art of Presence & Body Language

Your posture, eye contact, and movement influence how people perceive you.

• Stand tall and move with purpose.

• Maintain eye contact to assert confidence.

• Slow, intentional movements exude mystery and grace.

• A well-timed smile can captivate and disarm.

Glamour Magick Exercise:

• Imagine a golden thread pulling your spine upright, making you appear poised.

• Envision a soft glow around your face that makes you radiant.

Glamour Magick Spells & Rituals

⭑ Magnetic Attraction Spell

To draw attention and admiration.

Needed:

• A red or pink candle

• Rose or jasmine essential oil

• A small mirror

Instructions:

Carve your name into the candle. Anoint it with essential oil while saying:

“As this flame burns, so does my allure. Eyes turn, hearts stir, my presence is known.”

Light the candle and stare into the mirror. Envision your aura glowing and expanding, making you irresistible. Let the candle burn down. Carry the mirror with you for continued effect.

⭑ Invisibility Spell

To avoid unwanted attention.

Needed:

• A black candle

• A smoky quartz or obsidian crystal

• A small black cloth

Instructions:

Light the black candle and hold the crystal. Whisper:

“Shadow cloak, silence veil, unseen I move, unheard I sail.”

Visualize your aura dimming, blending into the background. Wrap the crystal in the black cloth and carry it for continued effect.

Glamour magick is a form of self-empowerment, transformation, and energy work. Whether through enchanted beauty rituals, confidence spells, or aura manipulation, this practice allows you to embrace your divine presence and radiate power.