JaiLeigh the HeathenWitch

Witchy heathen or heathen-y witch? You tell me 😉

[witchesversuspatriarchy]

[jaileighheathenwitch]

[malefixium]

[jaileighheathenwitch]

[sunw00d]

some kind of a moodboard

[chronicallylav3nd3r]

for anyone who needs to hear this

• i wish your painkillers help quickly today

• i wish your stomach won’t be upset today

• i wish your mental illness is stable today

• i wish you’ll have a low pain day today

• i wish you that you’ll have no flare ups today

• i wish you’re able to eat properly today

• i wish you can have a lot of water today

• i wish you have a lot of spoons today

[jaileighheathenwitch]

As a chronically ill and mentally ill spoonie, this my wish for all of you

[neutralfleur]

me: [softly] for fuck’s sake

[jaileighheathenwitch]

I feel this in my soul

[jaileighheathenwitch]

Beginner Books

There’s a ton of creators who have videos on their favorite beginner books, but its been a bit since some of my favorites have done one, so I thought let’s take a crack at it.

First recommendation of mine is Psychic Witch. Mat Auryn really does a great job teaching you how to tap into your intuition and more importantly trust your intuition. The exercises can be a bit challenging for some people and that’s ok, Don’t get stuck in the loop of ‘well I can’t get this one, so I can’t keep reading it.” If you feel yourself getting stuck on an exercise after a few tries, keep going on. Come back to it later, or don’t. It’s ok.

Another recommendation along the same idea is The Vampire Psychic Codex by M. Belanger. Similar concepts as Psychic Witch, but from a different angle that some people may find an easier approach to energy work. This is a little harder to find, but totally worth the hunt in my opinion.

A newer book I also recommend is Spells for Change by Frankie Castanea (aka Chaotic Witch Aunt). Frankie introduces the craft in an way unencumbered from the strong Wiccan vibes many beginner books give off. They delve in to the basics, the tools, spell crafting, and the basics of shadow work. They also discuss how we can use our practices in a way to decolonize and decanter our views and world.

For witches who are interested in the concept of the Wheel of the Year, but want to be able to personalize it to their lives and environment, I offer Year of the Witch by Temperance Alden. Temperance teaches how to think of your own life, locale, climate and seasons as tools in your craft. (One of my favorite details is her assignment to watch Princess Mononoke as a lesson in land spirits).

Weave the Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff is one of my personal favorites when you want to start growing your relationship with liminality. Liminal spaces are everywhere in our lives, many you wouldn’t think of as such immediately. Laura talks about personalizing your practice in our modern world, while still engaging with spirits, your ancestors, familiars and liminal energies.

I’ve got so many amazing books I can recommend on more specific topics, but these are some of my favorite first steps. Let me know what you all think and if any of you have books you would recommend to new practitioners.

[jaileighheathenwitch]

Mundane over magical

I want to talk a bit about one of the phrases I say all the time. I say it so often that at one point it was in my discord status message. But I say it because we all need that reminder every so often. Even those of us who have been practicing for years and decades. Sometimes we want it to be magical so badly. And sometimes it is. But often its something with a more mundane explanation. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But lets take a step back

Mundane over magical is a reminder that oftentimes we all wish things are signs from the gods/spirit guides/universe. And oftentimes there’s some ‘normal’ explanation, or simply its a coincidence. And that is okay. Normal, mundane things can be just as special. It is not invalidating experiences, or UPG or beliefs. It’s not telling you that you’re absolutely positively wrong. Its not gatekeeping or more experienced practioners trying to make novices feel dumb. Those of us who have been practicing for years and decades know how easy it is to jump to everything is a sign. And how that can end up discouraging newer practitioners because you can end up not listening to their intuition.

Something I will always believe about signs is, if it was truly a sign meant for you? You’ll know. No questions, no hesitation, no need to ask others. You’ll just *know*. It will be unmistakable. Like a smack in the face.

Remember when someone tells you to think mundane over magical, they are trying to help you and your practice. Not hinder it.

[jaileighheathenwitch]

Because horrible puns are part of my praxis

[thyrell]

[jaileighheathenwitch]

Because gods the crows are calling me.

[prismatic-bell]

So apparently Ask a Mortician has gotten told this video “violates community guidelines” for showing “non-graphic dead bodies without educational intent,” “excessive law enforcement without educational intent,” and “blood and gore.” (Spoiler: none of those things happened.)

It’s a documentary on a disaster you may never have heard of, the USS Eastland. It’s done with incredible quality, research, and heart, and it’s all but been delisted. YouTube is refusing to give answers as to why. (I have my suspicions, which are “she came down pretty hard on a shitty corporation in this video and it hit just a liiiiittle close to home.”)

Caitlin has asked that if viewers enjoyed the documentary or found it helpful, we share it directly with others. So I am here. Y’all know how important history is to me.

Make this important to you too.

[kostektyw]

Ever wondered what kind of immortal you'd be?

heres a quiz for you ;)

[amistytown]

[dcvilgrams]

[arcaneravyn-deactivated20250424]

[teacupqueer]

[jaileighheathenwitch]

[jaileighheathenwitch]

Ancestor veneration

Let’s talk for a moment about ancestor veneration. Things it is: beginnner friendly, safe, easy and really rewarding. Things it isn’t: a closed practice, disrespectful to any culture, or perpetuating colonization. When its done correctly and with respect to the plight of people that have been oppressed it is a great way to learn from our past’s mistakes.

Let’s start with the basics. What is ancestor veneration? It’s the practice of remembering those who came before us, both family and not. Many practioners include those beyond their relatives in their veneration. Personally I have three of my closest friends who i have lost, my best friend’s aunt, and the Golden Girls. Because everyone needs to remember the strength of friendship. But I also have something for my birth mother, and a small led tea light i have on mostly always for “those who came before me who wish me well”. It doesn’t just have to be about blood relation.

I know there’s discourse about the ethics behind venerating those who may have been involved in colonization, war, slave trades and other atrocities. To that I say, yes remembering that many of our ancestors have participated in some horrible practices is important. But I at least personally am not venerating them for their actions. I’m venerating them as a part of what has made me, me. And part of that is learning from some of the horrible things they may have been a part of in the past.

I’m not posting this to tell you exactly how to do it yourself. But to open some discourse on how it can be done ethically.

[toastyglow]

are you: right-handed, left-handed, or ambidextrous

and: which finger do you use to hit the spacebar when you type

[jaileighheathenwitch]

Lefty. Like full on completely screwed if I ever break my left hand lefty. And left thumb usually

[funnytwittertweets]

[jaileighheathenwitch]

You mean my love language?