Phaedragona

Wife. Illustrator. Harpist. Proud Michif. General eccentric. Witchy woman. Agoraphobic cryptid. This is a personal blog.

[i-hate-chick-fil-a]

She really ran when you said you’d been recording her. She looked panicked. Another old white lady who is otherwise powerless in her life lording her “church badge power” over a younger POC.

Wth why can’t white people mind their own business.

[phaedragona]

I literally hate toxic judgemental church machine "Christian" white women so much. Sickening. She's sickening. You are literally going against what Jesus was trying to teach. Racist bitter fool. Like it's not hard enough being a young girl, also a poc. Making what's supposed to be a safe place to be unsafe. Too many people are like this it's so disheartening. Totally one of the reasons why I don't do religion. I remember being a teen and being told my very modest past collarbone shirts were too revealing, being made to feel like my body was somehow indecent because I have big boobs. Ugh. I'm so sorry for this girl, she's so brave and wise to know that woman is wrong.

[theothersideofthechair]

Me to my 21 year old coworker: My darling. My darling please. Wipe up the spilled bleach powder BEFORE you spray a chemical on it.

21 year old coworker: Why?

Me: Because my sweet summer child. When you mix bleach with other chemicals you can accidently create chlorine gas, chloroform, and also give yourself chemical pneumonia!

21 year old coworker: Oh......

[patchmeup]

Fun fact one time my cat pissed somewhere totally inappropriate and my dumb ass thought it would be a great idea to pour bleach on it to make sure he never peed there again. I gassed myself out of my own home

[theothersideofthechair]

Well fuck.

Remember kids! Don't clean up urine or urine byproducts with bleach or bleach derivatives.

[phaedragona]

Do not mix anything but water with bleach. Do not.

[weavethewild-deactivated2022060]

A ritual for self confidence and joy, perfect to use for the Summer Solstice 🌞

This ritual is inspired by the warmth and the light of the sun on the Summer Solstice, invoking themes of confidence and joy within yourself. It makes use of a tea to drink, which will be charged with your intent.

Remember to make alterations where necessary, or where you wish. And also remember that witchcraft is not a replacement to your medical care or self-care routine.

Intent

“I invoke in myself the radiant joy of the sun on this longest day.

I call upon its fiery strength and power to inspire in me a confidence in my own self, my abilities, my values and my intrinsic worth.

With this tea, may my body and spirit be filled with the heat of the sun, calling forth an ability to see joy and positivity in the world, and in myself.”

Tea

I created a blend of berry teas; including Hibiscus, Hawthorn berry, Echinacea, Elderberries, Rosehip, Liquorice Root, and Beetroot. 

If you don’t like/can’t consume berries then choose a tea flavour that you like which has similar correspondences. A floral tea, such as chamomile would also work well.

Alternatively, if you don’t like tea at all, you could use pretty much any drink you like that has similar correspondences

Method

Perform this ritual on or around the Summer Solstice: to make use of the sunlight from the longest day. The energies of the solstice are present from around the 20th June to the 25th June. This year, solstice falls on the 21st June at 3:54pm UST.

Begin with yourself, your room and your tools cleansed. You can do this with salt, a room spray, incense, opening the windows, for instance. 

Write down your intent, or wait until later and say it out loud, or both! You can include the sigils above if you like. 

If you are writing it down, use a pen or paper colour which reflects the themes, such as yellow, orange or gold. Decorate this paper with sketches of seasonal flowers or plants. Place this to one side as you brew your tea.

If the day is hot and sunny where you are, you can brew your teas in the full sun, place the water in with the tea blend in a sturdy glass jar/vessel.

Place in the full sun and allow the water to warm up and steep the tea for around half an hour.

Alternatively, if the weather or your situation doesn’t allow this, brew your tea with hot water from the kettle and allow to steep for a few minutes.

Decant your tea into your best mug or cup – if you have one which is yellow, gold, red or orange then this will add to your intent.

If you have honey or another sweetener such as maple syrup, you can use this to draw the sigils in the bottom of the mug.

Once the tea is brewed, place it outside in the sun/daylight or on a windowsill to charge in the solstice sunlight.

Place your sheet of paper underneath your mug of tea, and/or say out loud your invocation over the tea.

If you don’t want to speak out loud, you can mouth or whisper it, or just think it over in your head.

After doing this, draw circles over your tea with your wand, your favourite crystal, or your finger to set your intent.

You could also make a crystal grid around your tea if you like, making use of crystals such as citrine, jasper, and tigers eye.

Afterwards, leave on the windowsill to charge in the solstice sun for as long as you like.

Drink the tea and consciously feel it imbuing your body with positive energy.

[ofcloudsandstars]

How to Make a Flower Remedy

Flower essences are a subtle form of energetic medicine that work as a remarkable catalyst for healing the body and mind by addressing underlying emotional and spiritual imbalances which are thought to be the cause of poor health. They are a wonderful tool for self-exploration and can facilitate great shifts in understanding.

The unique qualities of the flowering part of the plant are captured in the remedy and stored in a base of water and brandy. Suitable remedies are then selected according to the individual’s needs and a blend is made up which is usually taken orally, though the essences may also be combined in a spray, massage oil or other medium.

The first flower remedies were developed by the famous English Medical Doctor and Homeopath, Dr Edward Bach, though there are historical records of similar substances being used in Ancient Greece by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, and the 16th Century physician Paracelsus who was said to collect the dew from certain flowers to treat his patients. Dr Bach wanted to create a healing system that was simple to use and could enable people to treat themselves and their families and even make their own remedies. Dr Bach said “The whole principle of healing by this method is so simple it can be understood by almost everyone and even the very herbs themselves can be gathered and prepared by any who take delight in such.

[phaedragona]

Yeah! Rockrose for nightmares and anxiety!

[rayshippouuchiha]

Link must be down right terrifying for normal people in Hyrule to encounter.

He’s like a fucking heroic cryptid.

Just imagine it, your village/region/kingdom is under attack by some monster or another and out of the trees this slender little twunk appears and immediately starts acting like he’s gonna help.

And you’re skeptical of course cause look at him.

And then you find out that he’s basically a one man army who just fuckin wrecks the dragon/god/monsters/etc terrorizing your place before he breaks all of the pots in town and disappears again.

Shit must be wild.

[mercilessmime]

Your village has a statue of Link that’s built between his reincarnations, and people put clay pots around it as offerings and thanks.

One day some fucking kid shows up, breaks all your worship pots, and runs off without anything more than a “YAAAH!” as they jump off a cliff into the forest below. You’re confused as fuck but your great-grandmother is weeping like she just saw a god.

[silver-tongues-blog]

its like if you met jesus and he was a gremlin

[cillianmurphy]

I AM ABSOLUTELY LOSING MY MIND AFTER READING THIS PLEASE READ IT

[thewitchofthenorsetrilogy]

Spotting Alt-Right Imagery on Nordic Blogs

I’ve been getting a lot of asks/messages lately from folks who want to practice Norse paganism and join the heathen community but are worried about white supremacist blogs. That’s totally valid - there’s a lot of them and some of them are well hidden under “aesthetic norse” blogs. So, I wrote up a little lists of indicators to look out for and avoid. Most of the runes and images(like Odin’s ravens) aren’t inherently racist/problematic and should be considered in context of the blog. Please keep in mind there are many more symbols and names/titles that could be included, I am just focusing on the Norse aspect from the USA.

Odinist/Wodenism/Wotanist - Oidinist is most often the term norse leaning white-supremacists lean towards. The term “Odinist” was first used as a self-descriptor by Alexander Rud Mills, an Australian Nazi sympathizer who founded an Odinist church in 1934. The name was carried on by Else Christensen and her Odinist Fellowship; Christensen’s newsletter, The Odinist, contained more far right-wing political content than religious content. If you go the official Odinists website(link) you will find they support many white-only groups like the Asatru Folk Assembly. The Holy Nation of Odin is a church that is run from a maximum-security cell in California and is only open to whites.

Volkish/Folkish -  Volksfront is a hybrid racist skinhead gang/neo-Nazi group that started in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s. It’s still a very active group and only alt-right would really use this terminology.

“ —often termed “folkish” within the community—by viewing Heathenry as an ethnic or racial religion with inherent links to a Germanic race that should be reserved explicitly for people of Northern European descent or white people in general”. 

Not to be confused with folklorist/folklore heathens who practice heathenry because of Scandinavian folklore(i.e. disir, dwarves, etc.).

HH or 88 -  88 is a white supremacist numerical code for “Heil Hitler.” H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 = HH = Heil Hitler. One of the most common white supremacist symbols.

The number is frequently combined with another white supremacist numeric code, 14(shorthand for the so-called “14 Words” slogan: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”) in the form of 1488, 14/88, 14-88, or 8814. - ADL

Brosatru - I’m mostly adding this because it used to be a popular alt-right subreddit for “Asatru” practitioners that got removed. I’ve still seen it referenced in other pagan subreddits and some twitter profiles!

General keywords to look out for: heritage, ethnic, aryan, ethno-nationalism, nationalist, tribe

**Use reasonable doubt for runes and imagery**:

Othala. While not actually/originally a symbol of hate but a rune for family/ancestry, Othala has been appropriated by the alt-right regardless and should be judged by the context it’s seen in. It is frequently used in nazi marches, merch, and their websites. The U.S. National Socialist Movement replaced the swastika with the Old Norse Othala rune, which was previously used on an SS infantry flag in World War II. So if you see a blog with a red banner and a black Othala in the middle, just know it’s a replacement for the swatsika.

Algiz. Another Futhark rune appropriated, originally representing the Elk/Divine. It has been adapted by the far right as a “Life Rune”. Used in the “Free American Rally” and “National Alliance” and also used in the “Volksfront” logo. Like Othala it is used to replace the Swatsika in imagery where it’s illegal - it is  not used as frequently as Othala.

Huginn and Muninn. “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA featured two flags with Odinns ravens. Here’s the twist: some white supremacist groups claim the Raven flag was flown when Leif Erikson landed in North America in the year 1000 and thus is the “pure European: flag of the nation.” And for some white supremacists, according to David Perry of the University of Minnesota, “the concept of Vinland asserts a historical claim over North America, stretching from the northeast coast to the Pacific Northwest. They use the myth of Vinland to position themselves as righteous defenders in the wars of race and religion they believe are coming.” 

Valknut -  It is often considered a symbol of the Norse god Odin. Some white supremacists, particularly racist Odinists, have appropriated the Valknot to use as a racist symbol. Often they use it as a sign that they are willing to give their life to Odin, generally in battle. It was also seen on many shields at the Charlottesville, VA march. Many pagans may also use this symbol, so one should carefully examine it in context rather .

Tiwaz. Another rune appropriated, originally a rune for the Norse god of justice Ty.r Free America Rally is a loosely-coordinated network of white supremacists who hold protests and rallies on white supremacist-related themes. The logo for Free America Rally is an amalgam of several runes(Algiz and Uruz).

Mjolnir. This feels horrible to say because I know countless pagans and Marvel fans with Mjolnir necklaces/tattoos. However, I have also encountered many alt-right accounts with a BFG(Bound for Glory) banner or icon.

Additionally, I would highly suggest going through their follows/likes if you can’t find an obvious answer. Most modern Norse pagans who aren’t anti alt-right make it known in their bios but you an do further digging if necessary. 

Wordpress | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

[invaderxan]

Heard some important information on Twitter today, and thought I’d post it here for anyone who may not have heard it. This is actually a thing, devised by human rights organisation called Karma Nirvana.

Reblog to save a life?

[theindependentconservative]

Reblog to save a life.

[libertarirynn-deactivated202006]

Sharing because it’s actually a verified and sourced thing and not one of those dumbass fake tip posts.

[robotsvsdinosaurs]

[earendil-was-a-mariner]

Female clothing: no pockets

Gollum’s 500 year old tattered rags: has pockets where he keeps "fishbones, goblins’ teeth, wet shells, a bit of bat-wing, a sharp stone to sharpen his fangs on, and other nasty things.”

[phaedragona]

Real talk

[valtsv]

the lotr films love to present gimli as the ugly, dirty, ignorantly rude comic relief when the reality is that aragorn is a sweaty, grimy, greasy-haired ranger who sleeps rough on the road and maybe bathes once a month, and legolas is a feral cat who eats dirt and sleeps in trees and threatens anyone who tries to start shit with his friends with a notched arrow to the skull regardless of the potential consequences, while gimli is a dwarf prince who actually acts the part, is well-educated and mannered, has a strong sense of honor and duty, appreciates song, poetry and other fine arts and crafts as well as food and drink, and is actually probably the cleanest member of the three hunters. anti-dwarf propaganda never sleeps.

[valtsv]

headcanon that during their time in the wild together chasing merry and pippin aragorn and legolas started behaving more and more oddly and gimli wasn’t sure whether it was because they were becoming friends so they felt they could be more like themselves around each other or if they were just fucking with him, but either way he was too afraid to ask

[valtsv]

aragorn: *crouches down* *picks up a fistful of soil and starts chewing it thoughtfully* the uruk-hai are heading east

gimli: you can tell that just from the dirt?

aragorn: what? oh no, i figured that out from these tracks here. this is just a snack.

gimli:

[flurgburgler]

I have been so excited to post these!! My contribution to this year’s Barduil Mini Bang: a few illustrations for @ecthelions‘ wonderful fic Paper Crowns (https://archiveofourown.org/works/11205111) Honestly, it’s such a lovely story, it was a pleasure to get to make some art for it, 10/10 recommend <3

[transbagginss]

even more lotr as vines that nobody asked for!

[christopherleefan]

Christopher Lee and Ian McKellen on the set of The Lord of the Rings

[mithrildis]

the road was a bit too treacherous for our van to get any closer, but waving my Rohan flag at Edoras from the hills of the valley was pretty breathtaking

[asklepiad-apollon]

A Guide to Greek Alphabet Divination (Runes)

As many may already know, Runes are a popular form of divination in order to communicate with the gods! However, aside from the popular Norse runes (elder futhark) that everyone might be aware of, did you know that there’s also a form of “rune casting divination” for the Greek alphabet?

First found inscribed in Olympos, a city in ancient Lycia, the Greek alphabet divination system uses the 24 letters from the Greek language and assigns them meanings, and based on what rune you pull, can give you advice from the gods on your current situation!

There were many Alphabet Oracles in ancient Greece, and the idea of reading the Greek alphabet for signs of the gods is one of the oldest divination methods that we know of.

How do I create my “runes?” 

To create your runes, any way of making them works! Historically, they would be painted onto pottery shards, but any way you can think of to have them accessible to throw/draw is completely okay. I have personally used black stones with gold paint on them.

You create one piece per letter, and in total there will be 24. Each letter will be listed and elaborated on later on in the post!

I’ve made my alphabet set. How do I use them?

In order to call upon the Theoi to get an answer, you can firstly call upon them in an invocation. After you have called upon them or asked your gods to give you an answer (sometimes no formal structure is needed) you can reach into a bag which contains the letters and pull out one at a time and read that, or you can grab them and throw them and look for patterns or groups of letters that are clumped together. 

THE LETTER MEANINGS

Α - Alpha - “The God Apollo [Apollon] says you will do everything successfully.” With his luck and good fortune, the current thing you are working on will turn out well and you will be the leader of your situation and have good transactions with others.

Β - Beta - “With the help of Tyche, you will have an assistant [Boêthos], who is the Pythian Apollon.” You might be at a time in your life where you’re struggling, but this divine-coded letter tells you that the gods that you worship are going to help you soon, so the signs you get might be more prophetic in nature. 

Γ - Gamma - “Gaia [Gê] will give you the ripe fruit of your labors.” It is time for you to take a break and admire the hard work you have put in. Gaia will reward you, and you will have abundance in happiness, emotional fulfillment, food, or all of the above. 

Δ - Delta - “In customs inopportune strength [Dunamis] is weak.” Timing is everything. Wait for the right time to act, and do not act to hastily. Wait for your time, but at the same time, use your strength for good to make a change in your situation.

Ε - Epsilon - “You desire [Eraô] to see the offspring of righteous marriages.” You need to surround yourself with good friendships, romances, allies, or relationships in general in order to get the most out of it. Surround yourself with positive people or situations to bring yourself up in a righteous way.

Ζ - Zeta - “Flee the very great storm [Zalê], lest you be hindered in some way.” If you’re already struggling, know when to pick your battles. Sometimes flight is better than fight, and only you know your own limitations. 

Η - Eta - “Bright Helios [Hêlios], who watches everything, watches you.” Helios knows that in the past you feel like you have been wronged. As the enforcer of oaths and promises, if you are honest with yourself and the situation the truth will come out and you will be aided.

Θ - Theta - “You have the helping Gods [Theoi] of this path.” If you are taking a plan of action do not worry! The Gods are guiding your way and you are in good hands. 

Ι - Iota - “There is sweat [’idrôs]; it excels more than everything.” Within your situation, there is going to be a lot of work. The gods recommend you buckle down and work as hard as you can, and it will not be easy. But it will be worth it.

Κ - Kappa - “To fight with the waves [Kuma] is difficult; endure, friend.” Now is not the time. You should wait until the vicious waves die down, and then take action.

Λ - Lambda - ““The one passing on the left [Laios] bodes well for everything.” Something that may seem really bad currently or in the future is actually going to turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Pay attention to your intuition!

Μ - Mu - “It is necessary to labor [Mokhtheô], but the change will be admirable.” You might feel distressed right now and that nothing is going right. But keep working to change either your situation or yourself, and the results will be in your favour.

Ν - Nu - ““The strife-bearing [Neikêphoros] gift fulfils the oracle.” Something will be given to you and enter your life. While it might not be obvious at first, this is the first domino in a line of changes that will happen in your life and make prophecy come true. 

Ξ - Xi - “There is no fruit to take from a withered [Xêros] shoot.” Being bitter and angry is not the way to go about things. Don’t keep trying to pull water out of a well that is empty, and know when to let go. 

Ο - Omicron - “There are no [Ou] crops to be reaped that were not sown.” In order to get things out of the situation, you have to plan ahead. What goes around comes around. 

Π - Pi - “Completing many [Polus] contests, you will seize the crown.” After many trials, you will achieve your goal. Persistence will give you your rewards, and do not be afraid to use your talents. 

Ρ - Rho - “You will go on more easily [Rhaion] if you wait a short time.” You should act, and quickly. Now is the best time and waiting longer is not a good idea. The stars are aligned and while it not be easy, there is no better time than the present. 

Σ - Sigma - “Phoibos Apollon speaks plainly [Saphôs], ‘Stay, friend.’” The gods want to inform you to wait for more information before you make any decisions. In this time, relax, and let the signs come to you.

Τ - Tau - “You will have a parting from the [Tôn] companions now around you.” Soon, people in your life might not stay the way they are. Friends might leave or enemies might leave. You might grow apart or distance or travel might force you away. Be wary of this, and act accordingly. 

Υ - Upsilon - “The affair holds a noble undertaking [Yposkhesis].” The task at hand is certainly a grand one, but with confidence, you, the hero of your own story, can pull through. You must acknowledge your strength, but also acknowledge the size of the task. 

Φ - Phi - “Having done something carelessly [Phaulos], you will thereafter blame the Gods.” Something is going wrong, and you may be trying to blame other things than the cause of the problem. Don’t resort to pointing fingers. The Gods will help you if you do not take out your anger on them or others needlessly. 

Χ - Khi - “Succeeding, friend, you will fulfill a golden [Khruseos] oracle.” Luck is on your side, and by mere chance, things might fall into place. The answer is positive, and you might be pleasantly surprised at all the riches that the world gives you in addition to your solution.

Ψ - Psi - “You have this righteous judgment [Psêphos] from the Gods.” Truth will be brought forwards, so be careful in your actions. The Gods are watching, and they will be fair, honest, and unforgiving to those who deserve it. This includes those who might be harming you, as well.

Ω - Omega - “You will have a difficult [Ômos] harvest season, not a useful one.” The times will be rough, and you will not get what you wish for at the end. You also might be forced to make tough decisions that you are not ready to make.

And those are the letters! Happy letter-casting! 

[elsewhereuniversity]

The Knighting Ceremony

They fear us, you know.

They’d rather die than admit it, obviously - although they’d rather YOU die, all things considered, so I wouldn’t recommend saying it - but they do. There’s a reason they’re only found here, after all, and whatever they many tell you it’s not because of the iron out there. Some things in the depths of the Courts are older and stronger than iron. There’s a reason they hide underhill, a reason they disguise themselves when they walk among us (if only enough for plausible deniability). They are afraid of us, us short-lived little naked apes. Even though we’re nothing compared to them - even though we’re ugly, foolish, young, helpless - there’s something about us that they fear. Do you know what it is?

Keep reading