Mythical Manda

Hello, I’m Deer (they/them)!! I’m 23, LGBT+, a Hellenic Polytheist (devoted to Hestia), and a witch. Currently studying: dragons, spirit work, and the fae. Also currently studying Polish Paganism. Mod of Pagan Sanctum (@pagan-sanctum). My main blog is @immapiggeh so I like and follow from there! *any "innapropriate" things are tagged as "lemon"*

[heatherwitch]

SDVA Masterpost 3.0

Updated December 4th, 2017 - SDVA  = Small Devotional Acts.

(Click here for latest version)

Made:

Acheron

Amphitrite

Aphrodite

Apollo

Arachne

Ares

Artemis

Asteria

Athena

Demeter

Dionysus

Eos

Eris

Gaia

Hades

Hecate

Helios

Hephaestus

Hera

Hermes

Hestia

Hygeia

Hypnos

Iris

Khione

Khronos

Kronos

Nemesis

Nike

Nyx

Pan

Persephone

Poseidon

Selene

Thanatos

Zeus

To Make:

Keep reading

[homey-worshiper]

"cup of tea"

my playlist for lady hestia

ABBA - angeleyes

alex warren - ordinary

beyonce - 16 carriages

beyonce - cuff it

beyonce - daughter

beyonce - plastic of the sofa

billie ellish - birds of a feather

chappell roan - picture you

connie francis - pretty little baby

doechii - anxiety

excape from new york - fire in my heart

hozier - too sweet

indila - derniere danse

indila - tourner dans le vide

indila - parle a ta tete

lady gaga, bruno mars - die with a smile

laufey - from the start

lola young - messy

the ronettes - be my baby

twice - this is for

twice - spark

one direction - what makes you beautiful

Support homey-worshiper

Support homey-worshiper

[venustapolis]

A Vanitas Still Life With A Flute, A Skull, Music Sheets, A Gold Crown, A Dagger, Shells And Other Objects, All Arranged On A Partly Draped Table (Vincent Laurensz. van der Vinne I, 1628 - 1702)

[kin-eats]

could you do recipes for a deer kin that are like woody? or piney or herbal?

I'll do my best!

Italian Herb Bread

Crusty Herb Potato Wedges

Garlic and Herb Pull Apart Bread

Zucchini Herb Casserole

Lemon Butter Herb Pasta

Sliced Tomatoes with Fresh Herb Dressing

I hope you enjoy!

[when-november-ends]

Burnt Out Witch Tips

for witches who are burnt out or have low spoons

[Disclaimer:

These things have worked for me. Don't force yourself to do this if you know beforehand that it won't make your situation better. Everyone is different. <3 Also, not all of these tips are strictly witchy. Some have spiritual elements in them and some don't. Take what you need.]

1. Doom Scrolling

Sometimes, it really is that damn phone.

Download one of these focusing apps that give you rewards for not using your phone. Hank Green recently released one called Focus Friend but apps like Forest or Focus Plant also work.

And then set yourself a time when you won't use your phone at all. It can be 15 minutes or multiple hours. Make sure you don't swap in your phone time for screen time on another device like a TV or computer.

2. Sense of Achievement

To avoid making the no-screen-time-period excruciatingly boring, find a small thing to do that you like, and that you can finish relatively quickly.

This will give you some dopamine and make the whole process more enjoyable.

Some examples include:

Playing your favorite song on your instrument, playing with your pet, reading one page or paragraph of a book, doodling on something you use often (like your calendar or your pinboard), searching for easy seasonal diys on pinterest and trying them out, clean one surface,throw away one thing you see and don't need anymore, pull one tarot card for the day, give a deity one offering or do a short grounding and centering meditation

The more of these little tasks you do, the more you will feel like you accomplished something (because you did), and that will make you feel good.

3. Let the Outside in

Open your windows.

Yes, even if it's really cold outside.

Then grab yourself a blanket and your favorite beverage and sit in front of that window while you look outside.

Breathe in deeply and focus on how the fresh air feels in your lungs. Visualize how the wind grabs onto the exhaustion in your body and carries it out every time you breathe out. Listen to the birds sing and the leaves rustle, and think of all the things you are thankful to be able to experience. Maybe even say a prayer to thank a spirit or deity for this beautiful experience.

Practicing gratitude regularly is a scientifically proven way to make you feel better, both in the short and long-term.

4. Food is Fuel

If cooking is not possible for you, eating a balanced diet as well as you can manage is still important. Fast food will make you feel worse, i promise.

If you can't chop a bunch of veggies, get a dip and just bite into them.

Grab yourself a trail mix as a snack and some dried cranberries instead of chips.

I'm not telling you to never eat chips again. But if you can, try identifying what your body craves.

Chips? You probably want fats. That's also in nuts.

Chocolate? Probably sugar. Also found in fruit, i suggest bananas.

You can also combine chocolate with banana. Or have some nuts and chips. You do you.

It can also help to specifically eat things that have the properties of what you want and need.

If you're stressed, try lavender tea. If you need energy, try spicy food. I'm sure you get what I'm trying to say.

5. Socialize

Even if it's hard, community makes us feel good.

Do you have to plan an entire day of action and adventure with 10 of your friends?

...no.

But even just asking one friend to meet you for coffee, playing a co-op game while on call or just having a conversation over the phone can help.

Humans are not meant to be alone as much as they are (me included).

If you don't have the energy for a conversation, you can go outside and get coffee by yourself. The presence of other people in your vicinity can do wonders.

6. Connect with your Roots

Walk barefoot.

No, I'm not kidding.

But do it on natural ground, not concrete.

My favorite place to walk barefoot is the forest. There are so many different textures on the ground. Moss, mud, tree bark, little rocks, a puddle...

Don't be afraid to get your feet a little dirty.

I would classify this as a grounding exercise, especially if you add being mindful about your surroundings in there. The birds, the breaking of sticks, the smell of the forest floor, the tiny mushrooms that are growing everywhere,...

If you have additional advice, feel free to reblog this with your own tips.

I love you. It will be okay.

[unusual-suspects]

messenger by kent ambler

[aesthetics-images]

[wyrmsfornerves]

Baba Yaga's hut sketch

[tarotbee]

Hi! Do you have any ideas for devotional acts for Baba Yaga?

Thank you for your help! Have a lovely day <3

Offerings and working with Baba Yaga (баба яга костяная нога)

(Baba Yaga is considered a dark crone goddess, but is most often referred to as a witch that resides between worlds from Slavic (Russian) Mythology and only semi recently (that I've found) has begun to be viewed as a symbol of one's individual power. Many would argue that Baba Yaga is only to be invoked and worked with (if even that) and not to be worshipped as she wasn't (at least to my knowledge) worshipped back when her Mythology/folklore was written. But as anything else you read, these are people's personal opinions and experience in their UPG and I hope whatever information I can provide here today, helps you on your journey with Baba Yaga)

Reclaim your personal power, in your craft (if you practice), in your personal, romantic and social life, speak up for yourself

Set firm boundaries and do not let them quiver for anyone, setting firm boundaries is one of the best kinds of protection, learn your boundaries and stick to them

Do not let yourself get walked all over, you have opinions and you have a voice, learn to utilise them strongly, you deserve an equal say and equal treatment, work with Baby Yaga on this development

Do not exhaust your own resources and energy to save other people all the time, you need to focus on yourself, you can not be an infinite source of stability and balance for everyone else in your life, you come first

In saying that, when you have the energy and the ability to help people, do so, Baba Yaga while known for her coniving tricks and a schemes, she aided many slavic heroes on their journeys in her own roundabout way

Put a mortar and pestle on her shrine or altar

Associated animals: Hedgehog, chickens, horses, snakes, dragons, crows, ravens and owls

Chicken bones (ethically sourced)

Any bones and skulls (ethically sourced)

Chicken feet (ethically sourced)

Chicken feathers (ethically sourced)

Hedgehog spines (ethically sourced)

Horse shoes

Snake shed (ethically sourced)

Crows foot (ethically sourced)

Black feathers (ethically sourced)

Eggs (especially decorated ones)

Items found in forests such as sticks, leaves and rocks

Associated plants: poppies, black sunflowers, medicinal plants, wheat and rye

Take care of your home, Baba Yaga is renowned for her house

Work with and/or honour the dead and your ancestors

Vodka

Cigarettes/Cigarette buts/Cigarette ash

Set offerings at night or at the base of a tree

Take care of those that are sick

Tough love

Celebrate Samhain

Make food with your grandmother (or by yourself) and offer that time spent learning and making it to her

Do your shadow work

Take up sewing, embroidering or cross stitching

Hand detailed towels, altar mats, rugs, veils, clothes etc

Study herbalism

Teas such as black Russian caravan tea and teas with medicinal properties

Study baneful magic

Foods: bread, steak, potatoes, kovbasa, pancakes, potato pancakes, borshch, patychky, pierogis and other traditionally Russian foods such as blinis, coulibiac and pelmeny

Wheat bundles

Nesting dolls

A decoeative knife on her altar/shrine

Dried flowers

Hair

Jewelery

Trinkets you find

[unusual-suspects]

messenger by kent ambler

[honeyandhestia]

For Hestia 🧡

[glitterandwitchcraft]

If you need help grounding yourself and feeling the magic you once felt before, go outside. Feel the wind. The sun. Listen to the birds and the leaves. Just escape life for a moment and listen to the earth.

[samwisethewitch]

A Spell to Strengthen Your Community

In the excellent book How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community, author Mia Birdsong writes about the importance of community and of acknowledging our interdependence.

Birdsong argues that the deep loneliness and isolation in modern USAmerican culture (and, to a lesser extent, other Western cultures) is a product of what she calls “American Dreamism.” This ideology saturates every aspect of our culture. American Dreamism says that to be successful, we need to be totally independent and self-sufficient. It says that to be happy, we need to successfully perform social norms like heteronormativity, monogamy, and the nuclear family. It says that we must see other people as competition and keep them at an arm's length. As Birdsong says, “The American Dream is white supremacy culture bound up with capitalism and patriarchy.”

I highly recommend y'all read How We Show Up for yourselves, but here are a few of my main takeaways from the book:

Our healing and growth is entwined with the healing and growth of others

We can build our own families, beyond biology and legal ties, based on shared experiences and values

Our culture encourages us to rely only on romantic partners for help and support, but there is no reason friends can't fill this role for each other

When we reject American Dreamism, we realize that we can prioritize and honor our friendships the same way we might a romantic relationship

When we expand our definition of family, we create support networks that make it easier to overcome life's challenges

With these lessons in mind, I created the following spell for strengthening your community, whatever it may look like.

A Spell for Your Community

For this, you will need to create an artistic representation of your community. You can do this with any medium you want. Here are a few ideas to get you started on your brainstorming:

Weave a web of community using an embroidery hoop plus thread or embroidery floss in different colors. Using a spider's web as inspiration, weave together the threads that make up your support network. You could use different colors of thread to represent different types of relationships, like blood red for your legal/biological family (your “blood”) or pink for romantic partnerships. From here, weave in more colors to represent the identities, feelings, and qualities that hold your community together, like green for a shared love of nature/gardening or rainbow colored thread for shared queer identity. If you'd like, you can place a jewelry charm in the center of the web to represent your place in your community.

Map out a relationship garden inspired by permaculture. In How We Show Up, Mia Birdsong writes about the work of Lawrence Barriner II, a communications strategist who “applied to his friendships a system of zones inspired by permaculture, a system of design that helps farmers and gardeners be efficient with their resources and energy. Zone 1 holds those he is closest to… Zone 5 is people he doesn't know exist.” You could create your zones on a blank sheet of paper by creating five nested circles, with each ring filled in with a different colored pencil or crayon. In each zone, write the names of the people who fall into that zone for you. For example, Zone 1 might include your core chosen family, your partner(s) and roommates, and your best friends, Zone 2 might include extended family and friends you see or talk to regularly, Zone 3 might include acquaintances and old friends you've lost touch with, and so on.

Create a community collage. For this, you'll need access to either a printer or a stack of old magazines, plus scissors, glue, and plenty of space to work in. Start with a blank sheet of paper, either white or another color that resonates with you. If using a printer, search online for images that remind you of different aspects of your community (like a bubbling cauldron for your witchy friends, a playground for your kids, etc.) and print them out. If using magazines, flip through the magazines and cut out any pictures that remind you of your community. Once you've gathered your cut-out pictures, arrange them on your blank paper in a way that reflects the rich diversity of the people in your life. Once you're happy with the placement of all the pictures, glue them down.

Write a love poem celebrating all your relationships. If you're more comfortable with words than with images, try writing a poem about your community. Any poetic structure works – rhyming couplets, limericks, haikus, free verse, whatever speaks to you. Make sure your poem mentions specific people and groups and what they bring to your community. Don't be afraid to go through several drafts!

You will also need a candle. (If you can't use an open flame, a LED candle is fine!) You might also want to have a notebook or journal onhand, but this is optional.

Try to create a ritual mood as you create your art. This might mean meditating beforehand, burning incense, listening to a playlist of songs about family and community while you work, or anything else you need to do to set the mood.

Once you've finished your art, choose a special place to display it. If you have a designated altar, that would be a perfect place for it. If you don't have an altar or don't have room for the art on your altar, choose a place where you'll see it often and where it won't be damaged. This could be in a picture frame on your desk, stuck to the fridge with magnets, or taped to the mirror where you get ready in the mornings.

Place your candle near your representation of your community.

At least once a week, light your candle and sit near it. Look at your art and focus your thoughts and energy on your community. What's going on in your community right now? What wins are they celebrating? What problems are they facing? What do they need from you? What do you need from them?

After several moments, turn your attention to what you can do to strengthen your community. This could be anything from checking in on a friend who is having a hard time, to watching a loved one’s kids for a weekend, to setting up a mutual aid network. Remember that community is something we build by choosing to give our time and energy to the people we care about.

Sometimes, you might find that you need to receive support from your community instead of giving it. This is totally okay! Healthy relationships are reciprocal, which means both people give as they can for mutual benefit. Reciprocity looks different for each of us based on our abilities and resources. It's normal to go through periods of being able to give more and periods of needing to receive more.

You might want to journal after this meditation. Write down at least one actionable step you can take in the next few days to support your community. Make an effort to actually follow through on this – remember, community is built by people getting out there and doing the work!

[honeyandhestia]

To Hestia 🌻

[hearthcentereddevotions]

Simple Ways To Honor Hestia

I haven’t always erred on the side of historical accuracy (I started out as a Wiccan, which essentially means that I relied a LOT on UPG experiences and less on historical accuracy), so I can’t guarantee the following are all historically correct or that you feel it’s appropriate to your own practice with Hestia.  But I thought that writing up a post about how I have honored do honor Hestia, whether historically accurate or not, might help others!  

Tea.  Best in the morning, as part of a healthy morning ritual, fire up your stove/electric tea kettle and make a cup of tea, both for you and Hestia.  If you don’t want to give a full cup of tea to her, you can always pour a little into her own cup first.  I just share whatever tea I happen to like, and I try to discard it daily with a prayer.  

Food.  I have cats, so I really don’t do this (because I don’t want my cats eating unhealthy amounts of table food), but you could set aside the first bite or portion of a meal as an offering to Hestia.  Alternatively, you could always set aside a portion, go to your altar/shrine, state that it’s an offering for her, and then refrigerate it until you’re ready to eat it.  This, I do pretty often - I even have a container that’s used solely for Hestia offerings.  I know some people feel you shouldn’t eat offerings reserved for the gods, but I don’t have the money to dedicate food in such a way; so I usually eat this as part of my breakfast, or whenever I do a daily devotional to/for her.  

Candles & Flames.  This is probably the easiest, most simple way to honor Hestia.  I find that she likes all sorts of fire - and even fire representations!  So feel free to use an electric nightlight instead of a candle, or an electric candle, or even a lamp.  Traditionally, her fire was never let out, but I just don’t feel safe (or confident) in letting fires burn - because I have cats, and if you’ve ever had a cat, you know that they like to investigate things and knock them over - and we’re on a budget, so I prefer not to leave things on 24/7.  I prefer to light a candle (if I’m at the altar saying prayers) or rely on an electric candle (if I know I need to walk away, but want her symbolic hearthfire to burn for a specified time).  

Kitchen Altar.  If it were up to me, my house would be FULL of altars just about everywhere.  One space I really love to devote to Hestia is a space in the kitchen, preferably near the stove.  I have an electric stove (it came with our apartment), so it’s not quite the same as having an open flame, but I do like to set aside a candle just for her in that space.  If a candle isn’t your thing, or you’re trying to keep things from getting too cluttered, you could always leave her an offering bowl or dish there, or anything that you feel symbolizes Hestia.  

Veiling.  Many followers of Hestia advocate veiling, and I would really suggest giving it a try!  If you’re feeling a little self-conscious about veiling, you can always just put it on as an act of devotion right before prayer, and take it off right after.  If veiling puts you off completely (it’s not for everyone), you can try using a specific clip, ribbon or scrunchie that you use to pull your hair out of your face for devotional purposes.  

Prayer Beads.  You can do this with just about any deity, but consider making your own prayer beads or purchasing a set in honor of Hestia.  As part of your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly devotions, you can meditate on this goddess, chant, or recite prayers with every bead.  It’s a great way to really feel connected to a deity, and a great memorization technique when you’re working with a new prayer.  

Fireplace.  The hearth is the traditional center of the home, and the traditional symbol of Hestia.  If you have a fireplace, fire it up!  It doesn’t have to be a daily occurrence, but it would be nice to occasionally remind Hestia how much you love her through fireplace maintenance a roaring fire.  If you rather do this outside in a fire pit, go ahead!  If your fireplace is purely decorative (or you’re otherwise not allowed to use the fireplace), try putting a candle in there and lighting it instead.  If you don’t have a fireplace, you can always pull up a crackling fireplace video on roku, or stream a video of such from youtube on your computer, laptop, tablet, TV, or phone.  It makes for a meditation session!  

Hospitality.  As the goddess of hearth and home, Hestia is a goddess who would have gone out of her way to make everyone feel warm and welcomed in her abode.  You should do the same!  The next time you have visitors, offer to take their coats, grab them a drink, and make them feel welcomed, comfortable and loved.  

Generosity.  I feel that Hestia is a generous, charitable sort who would give you the clothes off her back if you were in need.  Practice generosity; think of ways that you can help out your relatives, friends, neighbors and community.  Do you have a yearly block party or monthly potluck for your neighbors?  Why not try to start one up?  Is there someone that could really use some extra help - maybe a babysitter in the evening, a tutor for a child, a little extra help cleaning their home, or just a shoulder to lean on?  Maybe there’s a new neighbor you haven’t met yet - why not bring a batch of cookies as a gift and introduce yourself?  

Food Drives.   Lots of stores have food drive promotions (and sometimes for clothes and school supplies).  The next time you notice one of these going on, donate.  Maybe go through your house and purge what you don’t want/need and donate it.   Donating time to a food shelter or a homeless shelter are also excellent ways to honor Hestia!  

Meals.  In the old days, people would use the hearth for cooking.  Now, we have lots of contraptions that aid in cooking - blenders, stoves, grills, microwaves, etc.  Instead of ordering take out or microwaving a frozen dinner, try cooking your meal.  Dedicate the time spent preparing and cooking to Hestia - make it a devotional act!  

Prayers.  You don’t need to have a shrine or altar to pray to Hestia, and nor do you need candles, statues or a physical representation.  All you need is you and your intent.  Using things like Homeric or Orphic Hymns are perfectly fine, but so is just speaking from the heart.  

Cleaning.  Turn boring, monotonous, daily chores into an act of devotion.  Meditate on Hestia while you clean, or chant, speak prayers, or simply keep her in mind while you do your rounds.  Some like to combine the veiling technique above - put your hair up or veil while cleaning as a devotional dedication.  Don’t focus on perfection; it’s better to develop a daily cleaning routine where a little is done at a time but very frequently rather than an occasional cleaning day spent obsessively scrubbing floors and organizing.  

Family Reunions.  Have you gotten together with your family recently?  Organize a family get-together!  This can be in the form of a family game night, a movie night with you and your closest friends/relatives/significant other, or a big party for all of your relatives.  So many of us only speak to our relatives around the holidays, but Hestia emphasizes the importance of building strong family ties and keeping those bonds strong.  If getting together with family is impossible (due to transportation issues, living out of state, etc), pick up your phone and give them a ring!  

Healthy Boundaries.  If you’re like me and you struggle with having healthy boundaries between yourself and your family, you can always go to Hestia for help in this area.  You should never feel pressured to always say yes to everything people ask of you - especially if you feel unappreciated or are being taken advantage of or abused.  Hestia can help!  

Meal Planning.  A great way to make sure you spend some time with Hestia everyday of the week is through meal planning.  One day each week, every other week, or once per month (depending on how often you go grocery shopping), sit down and plan out in advance the meals you plan to cook.  You should aim for at least one home cooked meal a day, preferably breakfast, lunch and dinner (and factor in a few snacks).  The very act of meal planning can be a devotion to Hestia, and it helps you budget, make a grocery list, and keep things organized.  Plus home cooked meals are delicious!  

Budgeting.  A big part of running a househeold is dealing with budgeting issues.  You can devote the time spent on balancing checkbooks, paying bills, and going over savings and expendable income to Hestia.  

Household Notebook.  Remember the suggestion of meal planning, budgeting and cleaning?  You can utilize all this - and more - through a household notebook.  All you need is a binder and some paper - and if you have a printer with a hole punch, you can even find beautiful decorative templates to help you out!  A household notebook is basically where you keep everything you need to help run your house.  I have a section for recipes and meal planning, a section for local take out places (with menus, if possible) and their address and numbers, a section for emergency medical information (there’s even a section with receipts for every time our cats have been to the vet).  I keep lists of things that need to be done on a daily basis, weekly basis, monthly basis, and seasonal basis (which I change up as needed).  I even have a section on how to remove different kinds of stains from different surfaces, and how to clean specific things (like electronic equipment, appliances, cleaning supplies, etc).  I even keep track of the recipes I use for homemade cleaning recipes (like homemade dishwasher tabs, or glass cleaner for my eyeglasses, simple disinfectant, etc).  If you have trouble remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and annual celebrations, put it in here!  You can even go one step further and add sections to your household notebook for daily to-do lists, a prayer section for Hestia, and if you’re more along the lines of a pagan vs Hellenic reconstructionalist, you can even include things like spiritual cleaning, altar dedications, statue consecration, etc.  I’m not saying go full blown BoS with this binder, but keeping things that you use on a daily basis as part of your everyday life all in one spot is just practical and convenient.  

Seasonal Cleaning.  Everyone knows about spring cleaning, but I wholeheartedly feel that we should do a version of spring cleaning at the change of every season.  This can be a devotional act to Hestia!  

Cooking Class.  Hestia is all about hearth and home, and what better way to show your love and appreciation to yourself and to your family and friends than by learning how to cook (better)?  Any time you cook can be a dedicated act to Hestia.  

Musical Playlist.  Try putting together a list of songs that really reflect how you feel about Hestia, or put you in a Hestia-like mood.  

Domestic Bliss.  Even the time you spend bonding with your significant other and working out your issues can be considered devotional time.  Keep your home happy and filled with love by being open, communicative, and supportive of your partner.  

Relaxing Night In.  There’s nothing wrong with occasionally spending a night at home with a relaxing atmosphere, take a bubble bath, read a good book, watch a favorite movie, binge watch a neglected series on Netflix, or doing a hobby that you love.  Give yourself permission to take it easy and practice self-care!  

Dinner Parties.  Much like a family reunion, a good way to express appreciation to your friends and family is to have a dinner party.  It doesn’t have to be formal, and you don’t have to be a slave in the kitchen - what matters is that you open your heart and home to those you love.  

Prayer Book.  If you work closely with Hestia, consider starting a little prayer  book for her.  There are tons of ways to do this - you can use a diary, a binder, a pronged folder, or even try some simple bookbinding.  I’ve had great success with cutting computer paper in half, punching holes along one side, and binding it together with ribbon.  If you work with other deities, you can make a prayer book for each individual deity, or one large one for all of them.  Keep it on or near your altar/shrine for easy access!  

Cookbooks & Recipe Collections.  Another excellent devotional to Hestia!  Track the recipes you try with a cookbook or a recipe collection.  This can even be digital through sites like All Recipes or tracked through apps like Google Drive (which can be synced between your phone and computer).  

Home Remedies.  I don’t know about you, but I grew up in a household where my mother always had an aloe plant for burns and irritated skin, salt and water for gargling when I had a sore throat, orange juice and garlic when I felt under-the-weather, and fresh mint leaves for an upset stomach.  If you have holistic or natural remedy leanings, consider devoting the time spent to researching and creating homemade remedies as sacred to Hestia.  

Sewing, Knitting, Crocheting, Weaving & Embroidery.  Cottage industries involving thread has always seemed so very Hestia to me.  Learning how to properly darn a sock, sew on a button, or repair ripped seams are things that are SO valuable that extending that over to something like sewing, knitting, crocheting, weaving or embroidery only seems natural.  It’s okay if you discover you don’t like it - what matters is that you gave it a try!  

Crafts.  We’re in an trend where having crafts in the home is very much in!  Take advantage of this by looking up different crafts that you can do for your own home to save money, make it look nicer, and give it the aesthetic that fits your - and your family’s - personality.  Time spent creating these things can definitely be dedicated to Hestia.  

Interior Decorating.  Just like with crafts, interior decorating can be an exhausting process, but one that is very important.  Most of us want a warm, comforting home, and in order to have that, we need to do what we can to look - and feel - that way.  For some of us, this means investing in a fireplace and mood lighting, while others feel a puffy, comfortable couch is the way to go with a nice flat screen tv.  Others are more bohemian and rustic in their decor, while some like shabby chic touches and refurbished antiques.  Even if you’re a minimalist by nature, using the right combination of colors and accents can really give a homey, comforting feeling.  Take the time to discover your own personal style and figure out ways to translate it into your home.  Anything you do to make your home a loving, comforting environment can be a dedication to Hestia!  

[witches-bottle-deactivated20241]

Wanna learn energy work? Wanna keep yourself on your toes? Get a rock.

Legit any rock, bonus points if it's got personal meaning. Put it in your hands or in a space where you can see it. Connect to something, like the sun, the moon, a spirit, the earth... Create a circuit, energy goes into you and energy goes out of you. You're not the proprietor of the world, you sustain it and it sustains you.

Find your center point, find the source's center point... Now find the stone's center point. Continue with the circuit. Energy comes into you, leaves you and enters the stone, leaves the stone and back into you, and then back into the source.

The stone becomes more affected and resonant by exposure, now pump it with energy. Give it its own circuit (it takes in energy and sends out energy, sustaining itself) and repeat constantly to just build up the muscle.

[themirroredmoon]

Hymn to Hestia

Hestia, blessed flame who dwells at the heart, Äídios, Eternal, keeper of the sacred spark. You are the first to be called, the last to remain, Unmoving one, in you all things sustain.

Voulaia, wise one, mistress of council and law, Whose calm breath steadies both kingdom and hearth. You guide every vow with invisible thread, In your silence, the voice of right reason is read.

Khlöómorphos, Verdant, in stillness you bloom, Life stirs in the warmth of your gentle perfume. Grain rises and ripens by your quiet grace, You hold spring and autumn in one sacred place.

O Daughter of Kronos, O flame without end, You who dwell where peace and holiness blend. Accept this prayer, this reverent song, And dwell in my home, a presence lifelong.

With incense I honor your ever-bright name, May your blessings descend as a gentle flame.