mystmagia

a personal collection of magickal, mystical, and metaphysical miscellanea

[jakattax]

I thought occult tumblr was bad, occult Reddit is wild

[ponzonyera]

Very close to the ancient acropolis of the Greek island of Halki stand two imposing thrones carved directly into the rock. While the dating of these thrones is uncertain, the inscriptions dedicating them to Zeus (left) and Hekate (right) likely date from the Hellenistic period or later. The worship at this space has been compared to the mountainous and rocky shrines or sanctuaries of Kybele, like the one at Akrai (Sicily). But in this case, perhaps is more appropiate to study diverse forms of aniconism in the greek cults:

"Nonetheless, the inscribed names of Zeus and Hekate suggest that the rock with its vacancies could have functioned as an index of the gods’ presence, telling visitors that the two deities could be present at the site, at least potentially and/or on particular occasions. This observation then suggests that when empty, the pair of seats were an example of what Mettinger termed ‘empty space aniconism.’ But with the vacancies carved into a particular boulder on the slopes of the acropolis, was then the entire rock regarded as the seat of the gods, with the carved vacancies serving merely as visual cues to the rock’s unique qualities? This case shows that while Mettinger’s classifications ‘empty space aniconism’ and ‘material aniconism’ can be useful, particularly for a taxonomic project, distinguishing between the two categories is not necessarily straightforward. Such distinctions may indeed have been entirely foreign to the culture and religious traditions of the specific cases under consideration. When ancient worshippers approached the seats of Zeus and Hekate on the island of Chalke, they may not have even thought to differentiate between the vacant spaces and the boulder into which they were carved." (Gaifman, p. 342).

Bibliography:

I used a photo from Wikiloc, the dating comes from Mooney, the comparison with Kybele is from Harvey, and the text about aniconiconism from Gaifman.

Mooney, Carol M. (1971) Hekate: Her Role and Character in Greek Literature from before the Fifth Century B.C, McMaster University. https://prod-ms-be.lib.mcmaster.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/9c4172a4-a4d2-4395-8875-3dd2fa80a6df/content

Harvey, William J. (2013) Reflections on the Enigmatic Goddess: The Origins of Hekate and the Development of her Character to the End of the Fifth Century B.C., University of Otago. https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/esploro/outputs/graduate/Reflections-on-the-Enigmatic-Goddess-The/9926480232601891/filesAndLinks?index=0

Gaifman, Milette (2017) Aniconism: definitions, examples and comparative perspectives, Religion, vol. 47, nº 3, pp. 335–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/0048721X.2017.1342987

[comparativetarot]

Death. Art by Emi Brady, from The Brady Tarot.

Pigweed, western wood cockroach, human (skull), Smilodon (skull), Tyrannosaurus rex (skull)

[ponzonyera]

This small and beautiful Hekataion is displayed at the Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca e della città di Cortona (Arezzo, Italy). It was made in marble, and dates from the first century of the common era.

I found a vintage photo of the same statuette!

[windvexer]

Someone please help a guy out. What do we call the opposite of a fallow period?

[mystmagia]

the idea of fallow periods in part stems from the 3-crop rotation cycle. one field is allowed to go fallow while the other two are cultivated (one with a nitrogen fixing crop). the opposite of fallow is not just fertility - fallow fields are fertile, they’re just not sown with a crop - but rather fertility that is being used productively (for the farmer). so with that in mind, the idea of tilling or plowing the fields and all the hard labor and dedication that involves would be the corollary, i think.

either your fields are lying fallow or they are being plowed.

fun times.

[antlering]

“The Egyptians had an intensely personal relationship with their gods whom they constantly approached with prayer, offerings, and requests for assistance. The deities were beneficent, sympathetic, and often responsive to the pleas of their devotees… Gods were revered, but they were also seen in practical terms as patient problem solvers and mediators who could be counted on for help as long as they were revered, maintained by offerings, and shown proper respect through prayer and veneration.”

— Pg. 76, Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt, Emily Teeter (via igamuinacra-merenptah)

[honorthegods]

Today, August 13, is the Nemoralia, marks the major annual Roman festival honoring Diana at her sanctuary at Lake Nemi. The hunting or killing of any animal was forbidden on this day. Women and slaves were free of their duties, and enjoyed equality with men and masters. Dogs were also honored, and adorned with flower crowns. Worshippers wearing flowers in their hair assembled with torches and candles at Diana’s temple at Lake Nevi. Votive offerings were made of bread or terracotta in the shape of stags, mothers holding children, and of body parts in need of healing. Ribbons with written prayer requests were tied to trees in the sanctuary. 

Diana was also honored on this day at her temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome, and this date was celebrated as the birthday of Diana by members of the College of Antinous and Diana at Lanuvium.

 🌳 🦌*∴°⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶°∴ * ● ☽ 🌕 ☾ ● *∴°⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷°∴* 🦌 🌳

Image: Cult statue head; probably Diana from Nemi Roman, circa 125 BCE. Penn Museum; Philadelphia, USA. March 2011. Ed Trayes Photo Archives at Temple University.

Height: 44.7cm/17.59in  Width: 28.5cm/11.22in

This colossal head, likely from the cult image of Diana at her temple at Lake Nevi, may have been part of an acrolithic sculpture, with the head, arms, and feet carved of marble and the body made of wood draped with fabric. This arrangement was not only less expensive than a statue entirely of marble, but resembled the chryselephantine statues of more ancient temples.  This type of cult image would have possessed life-like movement as the fabric drapery moved with the air currents. 

[windvexer]

Frustrated by how much tarot is a skill you have to maintain.

[satyrmagos]

Astrological Images: Fixed Star Algol as Medusa in Art Nouveau

Behold! Medusa as the image of Algol, the first or third (depending on the list you’re looking at) of what are often called the Behenian Fixed Stars. This image began as an excuse to draw a gorgon, and as a part of my recent re-obsession with Art Nouveau. I drew the initial sketch for it not long after doing the pencils for what became my Pop Zodiac Cancer image, and I think the image-to-image…

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[just--space]

Eclipse on a Polar Day : During polar day, in Arctic and Antarctic summer, the Sun stays above the horizon for periods of 24 hours or more. Recorded on December 4, this fisheye timelapse image tracks the Sun in multiple frames as it completes a circle in the summer sky above Union Glacier, Antarctica. Of course on that date, Union Glacier’s sky did grow dark even though the Sun was above the horizon. Captured during the brief period of totality, an eclipsed Sun is at bottom center of the composite view. Near the edge of the total eclipse path across planet Earth, the Moon’s shadow darkens the sky above. via NASA

[triste-le-roy]

Art by Lou Benesch (21st century). (reblogs)

[lokisspanana]

I need to re find it but I remember on pagan forum someone did a survey on Queer pagans and norse gods they worship and everyone expected Loki or Frey to be the highest in the results but it was Thor. It took people by surprise.

More the I think about it the more Thor makes sense as Queer god or Queer affirming spiritually. Having Thor be your protector is very comforting and i find he has very open caring attentive vibe.

I can see in general groups where there’s invisible ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ and rarely anything during pride etc people going for big ol’ Thor but not feeling safe openly talking about being queer and worshipping Thor in these groups. It’s a shame because we should be able to talk about Thor and connect him to anything positive we find in our queer lives too. As openly and safely as Lokeans can be with sharing this.

[broomsick]

Thor is a protector! In my experience he fiercely protects ALL his worshippers, and he loves them very much like a guardian or an older brother. He is a great ally to any and all oppressed groups.

[salixsociety]

also important but so underrepresented is the fact that with respect to the ancient culture at hand, Thor is closely associated with women and the proletariat through a modern lens. most Mjölnir pendants found in graves are found in women's graves and are associated with domestic protection and blessings, not to mention that Thor's hammer is deeply associated with life and blessings of life (he revives his goats with them). further, in a lot of ancient Germanic cultures, Woden/Odin was much more closely associated with chiefs and kings and their religious lives*, whereas Thunor/Thor was - as he always has been - associated with the protection of the common people.

it's a real shame that neoheathenry has kind of pushed aside Thunor because of this shallow, semi-comic macho man association that he's often given in popular media. as leftists he should be one of our principle gods that we confide in for blessings and protection together in solidarity. he is truly the ultimate friend of the people.

[unhelpfultarot]

Ace of Swords and Page of Swords

You just got this thing, and now you're being followed by advertisements for slightly different versions of it.

[registro-visual]

[cosmonautroger]

[honorthegods]

Conceived in two parts, this double-gallery exhibition explores the origins of Tarot in Renaissance Italy and its ongoing relevance as a sou

This exhibition is the first time the majority of the surviving cards from the 15th century Viconti-Sforza deck have been displayed together. Tarot cards and tarot-related art from later artists, notably Pamela Colman Smith, are included in this exhibit.

Through October 4, 2026

The Morgan Library and Museum, New York: https://www.themorgan.org/

[doomtemparts]

one of my friends in a discord server was talking about how they were nervous about their first scheduled acupuncture appointment. another friend offered to do a tarot reading for them. sent this picture.