Two hands, more teeth, the rest follows.

Lore(lei) | She/They | 32 | Southern Maine ✴︎Rhizomatic Weaver ✴︎ Sentinel of Soil✴︎ Cherisher of Beds, of gardens, of graves, or heavily quilted. ✴︎ Queer/LGBTQIA+ Safe ✴︎ Free Palestine | Land Back

[lurelurk]

₊˚.⋆⁺₊⋆✧⁺₊⋆˚.₊˚.⋆⁺₊✧⋆☾⋆✧⁺₊⋆˚.₊˚.⋆⁺₊✧₊˚.⋆⁺₊

✧ Lorelei, Lore, Lure, Thistle ✧ ⋆⁺₊(4th Generation Ashkenazi Jew: Moldova, Ukraine, New York)⋆⁺₊

Rings and rings and, well walker, Beneath the House, loyal to the Local, washed out Poet, dream-sifter.

Please read under the cut before direct messaging, or sending an Ask.

I've been on Tumblr for roughly over ten years on and off, and started utilizing this format when I was still a minor.

That said I've probably pissed a fair number of people off, and hopefully inspired some others. I hold no ill will towards anyone within overlapping circles.

I have been diagnosed with REALLY bad remembering of things, both short and long term, so advance apologies to any and all.

I would appreciate if anyone who is in contact with my ex-partner please not reach out to me about ANYTHING pertaining to them. I am still recovering from our relationship and cast a general warning to anyone still involved that they are dangerous.

Aside from that I'm a lot less volatile than I have been, though I'm sure to get fired up about protecting basic human rights and dignity.

If you are blocked by me please respect that boundary and move on, however if you'd like to have respectful dialog I'm always open.

If you are a MINOR please do not message me directly, I will only have conversations with minors via reblogs.

This is because I do think adults can offer insightful conversation in a mentor capacity (I do it for a living) but I also want to operate publicly when doing so for transparency for both parties.

General disclaimer for those still reading, I have been diagnosed with various disabilities that do impact my life semi-regularly. I think it is incredibly important to talk about these impacts, as they pertain both to my practice and to who I am as a person. If you need any clarification please feel free to reach out or ask, but I also reserve the right to personal privacy.

My other blogs at this time are:

@murmurmound - This is a personal blog for fantasy, fandom, cooking, gardening, and anything else that doesn't "fit" here.

I can add an FAQ if it becomes relevant here as well, but for now this covers most of the important bits. Thank you for reading.

[deadspitfaedm]

It is so strange, the way people are afraid to let themselves exist in separate spheres.

Curration to the point of starvation.

What is the point of a practice if the pieces are all perfectly plucked from "acceptable aesthetics"?

Foraging and medicine are adjacent so they're acceptable. Cottagecore resurgence years ago primed that pump of "live in the woods" in the most romanticized and sterile versions of this bastardization.

Cooking and baking are acceptable as well but when we step outside of these we are no longer meeting the preconceived expectations.

The amount of witches I know who have absurd hours in WoW is in the double digits.

[chronichlesofnillory]

Being open about all the kinds of things that you like means that you open yourself up to being disliked for some of those things, and I think that a lot of people really enjoy the prestige of being a witchy influencer type (even here on tumblr yes). On instagram I'll see a lot of "I lost 200 followers for posting x thing" and I honestly think most people who "curate" their online presence really want to see the follower number go up, the like number increase. It matters more than real engagement/connection or being authentic in any way.

Also tie this all in with the fact that you can't just post anything you do without somehow become a teacher/authority on it. I'm just a lil dood on the internet posting the things I like, I don't want to have to create a guide for it or have footnotes about why I believe in something.

[deadspitfaedm]

An excellent point, the teacher/authority dynamic because that is also a heavily used dynamic on here that I HATE.

Which is to say, people should be allowed to be learning something or to be BAD at something and not be considered less than or less valuable (?) because they're not superbly experienced.

Especially when it comes to one's spirituality or self improvement (obviously closed/ initiatory groups excluded, some stuff DOES require learning from someone else), the whole "journey" being the important aspect... And so on....

But like shitty movies and fandoms I'm a part of ACTIVELY shape and do not shape my craft and I just think choosing to share something solely based on it fitting a predetermined aesthetic is lame.

[deadspitfaedm]

Cleaning 🧹

[deadspitfaedm]

Practitioner Burnout: A Neurodivergent Perspective

This post is the sister post to a more personal post that I will be drafting afterwards, however I feel as thought the more general reflection could benefit other practitioners. The topic is one I've written about before and I also see asked about often; burnout. This portion is about how burnout impacts my practice and how I work through it (or don't).

I will warn this is lengthy, it is not bite-sized, you will not be able to consume this in 30 seconds or less. I initially was going to trim it down substantially for brevity but I don't feel like doing so now. If you want the tasty bits you're going to have to forage for them.

I will also add that I am neurodivergent and chronically ill so the burnout I'm experiencing is fundamentally different in how it impacts my life. That being said there is still useful information here for neurotypical people and everyone else.

My approach for my craft is logical, what is the cause of the burnout and then how can it be remedied. I won't say this is easy to assess initially, or that you'll always be correct in determining the cause at first, but it is where I start. It is similar to... perhaps "Where do you want to eat tonight?" conversations. I often have to determine what I don't want before I can sort out what I do. Applying this to my craft I can find areas I'm avoiding or that are perhaps not interactable enough with my current state.

It could be as simple as an altar setup, or as complex as an unplanned result or negative interaction. Aside from unpacking the emotional baggage (this can be especially sticky if you have Alexithymia) you also likely need to change the physical hinderances or else it won't change. If it is too much maintenance for a shrine with several items just choose one. If it is too much to tend to a large garden simply grow one plant. If it is too much to study one topic at large break it into tiny pieces.

You will likely gain more doing this anyways because aside from actually doing it you will also be likely to forge better connections. The world is constantly telling us we need bigger, and grander, and more. It is our purpose, I think, to experience, not to rush through.

Using myself as an example a poor work-life balance is another such obstacle. I feel that if you are in the throes of capitalism as well this is very relatable. I have in these periods barely time for baseline care, be it for my home, my partner, and myself. This compounds when my ability to recharge is impeded (hospital trips, ill family, household management). It has not been easy, and I will not suggest this to anyone else, but I have left my previous employer and have had such immense relief (and guilt) since doing so.

In addition to "Just quit your job! Teehee" (I jest) it comes down to time management, mental health awareness, and procrastination (unless it's actually executive dysfunction in which case I have something for you further down*). If I spend 2 hours scrolling on social media I have two hours less to do craft related activities. I have never once done anything in my craft and thought, "Well that was a waste of time" but I frequently do when I'm doom scrolling.

This isn't to say that rest isn't important, but I'd argue not all rest is true rest. Bombarding my brain with information for 120 minutes is not restful for me. If my body is too tired I can read, if my eyes are too tired I can listen to a podcast or an audio book. If my brain is too busy to take in new information I can tend to the garden, I can go foraging, I can journal, I can look up astrological elections. *Having a list of these things can be helpful in the moment if your brain is full of else. Preparing a place where I can review everything "in the works" is helpful. I realize it may sound sort of silly if you've never felt this way, but my brain is atypical.

*I love cleaning shrines and rearranging for seasons or for events. This is how I approach my craft on days when I am 'stuck'. Building the routine can help, but when you fall off it can be difficult to get back into things. It is then when I must tempt my brain into the preferred activities so I can allow myself to do everything.

The old "bait and switch" is only one approach, some brains prefer things to be setup like games (do the task get the reward) which can easily be incorporated into dice rolling, card drawing, and any other pseudo-gambling activities in conjunction to lists. This can also be worked into a form of offering or "worship" for gods if that suits them. Setting time limits and alarms for activities can also be helpful for some. Learning what works for you will be key, and if nothing does trying new things is crucial. Seek out threads online where others suggest what helps them, they are an amazing resource. You can also try to find others to follow who experience similar, community is key.

I find there are seasons/astrological occurrences where I am more able, inspired, and able to connect, plan, and practice. If you are similar it can be helpful to prepare and store magic for yourself for times when this isn't so. I am not suggesting excluding anything, but practicality is a necessity. There are times when I'm wringing my hands looking for something to do, often times I will do magic or divination for others during these periods. I have also started preparing a "pantry" of completed work (and components) for myself.

There is a benefit to magic in the moment in many instances, but there is also a benefit to magic stored for later. Like wine, if designed to age and kept in ideal conditions, you can age your magic for potency. Sometimes all you'll be up to doing in a day is gathering materials (considering both harvest cycles and planar conjunctions for added potency). These allies will be far more for you even if you don't utilize them when collecting.

And lastly, remembering this is not forever. Do not compare what you are capable of now to what you have done before. For one, they're not even comparable (you are not who you were so why would you do things the same) and for another it isn't helping remedy the issue. If you're stressed about preparing everything for a holiday scale it back or push the celebration out a day. Prioritize what is most important to you and work from the top down. Celebrate over the course of multiple days, let yourself rest between and enjoy or reflect, record what was difficult in preparation for the next year before you forget.

I hope this was helpful in some regards, I haven't seen a lot of people share anything like the above (not that they haven't obviously) so the intention is thought provoking portions. Feel free to drop a comment or reach out via reblog for any input on the above I'm always happy to engage in dialogue or educate. I only ask that we keep it civil please and that you be wary of oversharing personal information publicly. While my intentions here are genuine I cannot say the same for others who may see and add to this.

Thank you those who read this far, I realize in such a fast world that content is longer it is often overlooked. I don't write solely for others so this doesn't dissuade or upset me but it is worth acknowledging those of you who thought I had something to worth to offer.

[deadspitfaedm]

Mars in Scorpio.

[deadspitfaedm]

Solanum dulcamara | bittersweet, poison berry, woody nightshade When broken down and applied externally this plant has much to teach, especially if you don't mind your dosage. While I don't advise ingesting internally, I can say that if you're interested in doing so there are resources but I will not be providing them.

As it is Summer here many of these plants have bloomed and started fruiting (green, then yellow, orange, and finally red) so they are easier to spot as their purple flowers dot predominately green landscapes.

While they are more than simply an 'ingredient' in flying ointments, there is, as with most nightshades, an overlap of folklore, history, and personal experiences to review.

They have been recorded as a ward against the "Evil Eye" in some instances, against witches in others, and as a component is protecting livestock (predominately cattle). Personally I've found that their tenacious growth and remarkable climbing abilities coincide with their magical properties. That and a touch of madness.

[deadspitfaedm]

Sorry I've been busy.

[deadspitfaedm]

The gardens have yielded decently across my many friends and family. My mother's yard is swollen with freshly orange pumpkins as our last heatwave plummeted into chill. My partner suffered from tooth pain over the last few days so I've been pulling from our Balms in the evenings to make him infusions. They are full with foliage now after I had sprayed them down heavily with milk due to mildew. It reminded me of folklore of the Folk, the science behind it very interesting as well (sunlight and proteins).

I have been scoping out seeds and where to collect them when theyre viable which is coming soon for many of the plants I covet still, and I've also been collecting from my own garden in the hopes of starting many of them indoors first due to pests or weather fluctuations next year.

[deadspitfaedm]

I am returned.

Death has been a heavy guest in my home as of late and so I have been tending to all that comes with that.

Additionally my work-life has become a drain on my being, the clients we have currently are very different and require a level of care that our facility is not capable of. However they have nowhere else to go, especially with the politics of the country closing the existing programs and slashing funding.

This with the current state of the world and all of that additional stress and agony has made me isolate, I'm sure we can relate.

But these waves have become my norm, and despite this I always return.

[birchwood-path]

The Serviceberry- Robin Wall Kimmerer

I found out that @deadspitfaedm and @plantyhamchuk are both (re)reading this at the same time I am! I see that Planty reviewed it a while back but I still gotta ask both of you: what's sticking out this time through? The most recent bit that got me was her description of community as an alternative "unit of success".

There are many examples of functioning gift economies--most in small societies of close relations, where community well-being is recognized as the "unit" of success--where the interest of "we" exceeds that of "I." ...Security is ensured by nurturing the bonds of reciprocity... You can store meat in your own pantry or in the belly of your brother.

p.48-50

I've experienced food insecurity in the past and it left me with some hoarding mentalities that are not really in tune with the perspective Kimmerer is offering. Which, you know, that is what it is, but I found this to be a very helpful perspective for gently challenging that view. Food shared IS food stored. There's a lot to be anxious about right now, and asking myself not just what my metric for success was, but my unit for it (that we > I) gave me something to chew on as I considered what my community needs. I think I was reading this around when the tariff sabre-rattling was taking off, and food access is a big challenge in my area for a lot of people. Gave me some constructive direction so my response to the news wasn't just can-counting.

[deadspitfaedm]

[ @birchwood-path ]

I can appreciate the self-reflection here, especially when it may be born from traumatic experiences (in my state 10% of households experience food insecurity). I work a lot with children who have lasting impacts from food insecurity in their families, which we only can remedy by offering reminders of plentiful food within my program. My own mother went hungry on more than one occasion so that my brother and I did not.

Kimmerer is right obviously that, "food shared is food stored" and the solution to food insecurity is community. Historically, I pull from vague Norse influenced threads, recalling readings expressing how great the importance of sharing food and supplies was.

The "love thy neighbor" sentiment adopted by Christianity was no accident. In the harsh winter if you ran out of food, or if your house or barn burned down it was a death sentence without a community to help. Misfortune surely strikes us all, who better to help us back to our feet than our neighbors?

I also think of the states with laws prohibiting the feeding of the hungry. How people have been arrested for feeding hungry mouths, people in their cities...

I shake with rage at the hellscape rendered by Capitalism.

So back to the text, I had this segment underlined which I think relates to this thread quite well:

"Recognizing 'enoughness' is a radical act in an economy that is ways urging us to consume more. Data tell the story that there are "enough" food calories on the planet for all 8 billion of us to be nourished. And yet people are starving". (p.12)

The idea that there are currently limited resources on the planet that are exceeded by its population was born out of a false sense of urgency. This then drives up prices and too distances people from one another. The reason politics (at least in the US) work at accomplishing mostly nothing substantial (most hard earned wins are often repealled) is because of infighting and isolation.

This is apparent by the slowly dwindling availability of community spaces (parks, libraries, cafes, malls, community centers) that are being replaced solely by online hubs of interaction. This isn't to say online communities are a bad thing either, but that the face to face element is being stripped from our interactions.

Obviously social media can be accessed and explored for betterment of others (whether on Facebook requesting food or firewood or a ride or furniture) but require navigating through the hate and violence peppered throught. Rage bait, bots, and an overwhelming surge of misinformation all engineered for forced interactions to drive engagement up. Not to touch on the fact that social media is deliberately designed to be addictive.

It comes down to cultivating a space that has been painstakingly built by manipulating algorithms to work in our favor, a task that is not nearly so rigorous or burdensome in actual physical community spaces.

Recognizing this and then taking steps to neutralize these behaviors does take effort and should be acknowledged. We cannot change otherwise, which is why I'm so grateful for books like this and the people who take interest in them.

[deadspitfaedm]

A guest (or perhaps a neighbor, I'm not sure how long she has been or how long she intends to stay) and our first fruits of the season.

[deadspitfaedm]

Transported an Io lady to the patch of hypericum at work. Also, apparently, we have a patch of hypericum at work.

[deadspitfaedm]

A raccoon, a vulture, a snake. Fingers stained red with the most flavorful berries, biting at yarrow (I forgot my knife) the peppery stem yielding. Spreading the seeds of both mullein and yarrow in exchange for a modest harvest.

The first part of the arrival of Summer, the longest day felt deeply in my bones and heart.

Bombarded by a flurry of thoughts while hiking, heavy with a meditative quality I have been lacking in the weeks prior. They left me as they came and even now I find it difficult to recall them in specifics.

That said the overall message was more or less "I am alive".

Obviously the state of the world is a barrage of misery and death and we're all grieving and mourning someone (or several someone) or ourselves. It is raw, and, overwhelmingly achingly immense.

However entire those feelings, I remembered all that comes with remembering I am here.

The water was cold, the company was minimal and therefore preferable and the harvest was a self-imposed minimal gathering. I hope you reading this managed something pleasant for the Solstice, I'll be posting additional portions periodically. I had fallen into a habit of forgetting my camera which I have adopted into best practice.

[deadspitfaedm]

Characteristics of Vega / Wega Falling Vulture (Handle of the Lyre) Arabic word wāqi’ (واقع), meaning “falling” or “landing,” via the phrase an-nasr al-wāqi’ (النّسر الْواقع), “the falling eagle.”

Mediator between worlds | Music, Performance, Charm

Beneficence, Ideality, Hopefulness, Refinement & Changeability

Nature of Venus and Mercury and Alvidas (Capricorn & Taurus)

Used as the standard for measuring the brightness of other stars and galaxies for over a century . It is considered “the most important star in the sky after the Sun.”

1st magnitude (the brightest stars in the night sky, with apparent magnitudes lower than +1.50.) 5th brightest star, pale sapphire (magnitude (V) +0.026 (−0.02 – +0.07), spectral class A0Va.).

(Hercules Cerberus et Ramus, Vultur et Lyra, Cygnus, Sagitta, Vulpecula et Anser.)

The first distant star ever photographed (1850). It became the first star to have its spectrum photographed (1872).

Vega's stone is the Chrysolite (Peridot) and plant is Savory.

"Amoungst stones... is the Chrystolite/Peridot amoungst the plants... succory and fumitary." -Agrippa

Portion of Talisman prescribed for protections against spiritual attacks: "Savory juice with an equal amount of the herb called fumitory and with a little of the stone called turonso grants favors with b easts, protects from demons , nocturnal phantoms, and fears". -Translated by John Michael Greer (BM Bodleian MS)

(as drawn by Agrippa)

Bibliography: Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts Three Books of Occult Philosophy or Magic

[deadspitfaedm]

Witch Bottle* Apotropaic magic | ἀποτρέπω (apotrép) 'to ward off' Crafted on Mar's Day, during Mar's or Saturn's hours in places ruled over by either. Bottles are crafted during light hours and hidden at nightfall the same day.*

Uses:

deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye

cures for sickness, bad luck, or poor harvest

trap and ultimately break curses

kill the witch or wizard who cursed the person

Contents:

needles/ pins / nails (bent & colorful)

red wine / vinegar / salt / oils

sprite traps / knotted thread

taglocks: urine / hair / menses / spit / natal chart* / imagery*

bottle / jug (see Bartmann jugs)

sea water

earth / sand / stones

feathers / shells / bone

plant matter / thorns / rosemary / lemon

coins / glass

ashes

Locations:

buried in walls

near or under the hearth / chimney stack / fireplace

buried at the farthest corner of the property

placed in an inconspicuous spot in the house

thrown into a fire (killing the witch)

"... He therefore advised him to take a Bottle, and put his Wives Urine into it, together with Pins and Needles and Nails, and Cork them up and set the Bottle to the Fire well corkt, which when it had felt a while the heat of the Fire began to move and joggle a little, but he for sureness took the Fire shovel, and held it hard upon the Cork, And as he thought, he felt something one while on this side, another while on that, shove the Fire shovel off, which he still quickly put on Again, but at last at one shoving the Cork bounced out, and the Urine, Pins, Nails and Needles all flew up, and gave a report like a Pistol, and his Wife continued in the same trouble and languishment still. Not long after, the Old Man came to the house again, and inquired of the Man of the house how his Wife did. Who answered, as ill as ever, if not worse. He askt him if he had followed his direction. Yes, says he, and told him the event as is above said. Ha, quoth he, it seems it was too nimble for you. But now I will put you in a way that will make the business sure. Take your Wive’s Urine as before, and Cork, it in a Bottle with Nails, Pins and Needles, and bury it in the Earth; and that will do the feat..." Joseph Glanvill’s Saducismus Triumphatus

Sprite Trap: Set at night, constructed at sunrise blackthorn, red thread and animal hair. Once caught, the threads were removed and sealed in a witch bottle.

*Disclaimer: This is information that has been specifically collected for my own practice, with focuses on ancestor overlap. This is not all encompassing, and was not created with the intention to be used as a teaching tool. *Also these items are personal additions and have no historical basis.

[deadspitfaedm]

Hexafoil | daisy wheel, witch marks, rosette | apotropaic mark This symbol was used to protect one from harm, evil, malefic magic, and bad luck. It was carved into wood or stone in buildings (often places of worship), graves, or other objects or items.

Limestone ossuary from Jerusalem, ROM

A geometric design "with six-fold dihedral symmetry composed from six vesica piscis lenses arranged radially around a central point, often shown enclosed in a circumference of another six lenses."

As with many symbols ancient, this one cannot be accurately ascribed to any single people, religion, or culture. Those who have studied it's origins have proposed overlapping theories about the symbol being a solar symbol, or a storm symbol. Each attributing the origin to various gods (Taranis, Perkwunos, Perun, Tarhunz, Thor, Jupiter...) or delving into the name of the symbol across many languages ('little sun', 'sun of the Alps', 'thunder sign', 'thunder wheel') without definitive conclusion.

While some have tried to claim the symbol of Christian origin, hexfoils have been discovered on several Jewish ossuary boxes (dating around 100 BCE- 100 CE) and it was suggested that the symbol was borrowed from earlier pagans.

When looking into what tool would have been used to craft the geometric image left behind (difficult/near impossible to do by hand) it was suggested that either dividers, sheep sheers, or race knives could have been used.

Dividers were less accessible as they were tools primarily used by masons, which has been recorded throughout history in various artworks. Alternatively it was suggested that common people would have had access to sheers (sheep) which were a common enough tool for farmers. The race knife is still used today by carpenters, however most would not have been the appropriate size for large hexfoils found carved into beams and boards.

To Read: Daisy Wheel, Hexfoil, Hexafoil, Rosette: Protective Marks in Gravestone Art - Robyn S. Lacy

Goodenough, Erwin R. 1957. The Study of Man: Pagan Symbols in Jewish Antiquity. Commentary

[lurelurk]

Hey so, I uh....

I'm probably going to slowly be dwindling off this specific blog and transitioning to another... Longtime followers know this is a reoccurring trend, I think because Tumblr is deeply personal and I am a person who prefers to freeze moments of blogs in time and toss them in the junk drawer.

Without getting into to much detail (especially for those new here) I was in a long distance relationship with someone I met on this website, utilizing this blog for a good portion of it. If you go back far enough you will be able to find content that I cannot bear to see in my notifications. I've reconnected with a few old friends who shared a lot of information I didn't know about this now ex which tossed me into a bunch of unpacking emotions again.

I found myself not wanting to use this website as much because of it, and making smaller side blogs to distract myself, but that were still tied to the main.

This is all to say I have made a new blog and followed a few people through it already. You're under no obligation to follow obviously.

If you're interested its: @deadspitfaedm if you're not that's also cool. I'll be posting less here blah blah blah...