renaissance girl

neopaganism and aesthetics

[soraya-serene]

the world is crying out for help. it is our duty, as witches, as people, do help the planet that gave us everything. how can we, a people who rely on the earth for everything, continue to disrespect our Mother Earth? 

act.

do it.

act now.

[soraya-serene]

I am here in person, but in my mind, I am inside a quaint canary yellow cottage on the british columbian coast, sitting in a rustic rocking chair and reading dickins, occasionally looking above the crisp pages to see the choppy yet calm water, and the blue-grey hue of the overcast sky

[soraya-serene]

physically, I’m here, but mentally,

i’m at a rave that takes place in a forest clearing, and instead of a dj, there is a satyr playing the pan pipes, and for lights there are faeries and fireflies who light up with different colors

[soraya-serene]

[soraya-serene]

consider a quilt with sigils and/or representational imagery

that will protect you while you sleep <3

[soraya-serene]

for personal reasons, I will transform into an albatross and perpetually soar over the north pacific ocean

I see no other option

[soraya-serene]

imagine finding an archaic journal containing what people thought science was during colonial or victorian times. i think that would be a stellar experience

[soraya-serene]

suzzallo library at the University of Washington

[soraya-serene]

I’ve always thought that faeries live on fallen logs

they’ll use shelf mushrooms as tables to eat and sit,

make beds and clothes from moss, 

befriend the locals-

make the forest a better place

[nottnyx]

Magick isn’t always the solution

         This week on the forums I have read “is there a spell for numbness” “a spell for a broken heart” “A spell for weight loss” “A spell to make my husband stop wandering" “a spell to forget” and even "is there a spell for my friends boss who keeps taking credit for my friends work.” There is a constant influx of questions like these from baby witches and dabblers seeking to use magick to fix their inconveniences. 

        These are only a few everyday experiences people want magick to handle, and I find myself getting more and more annoyed by these. However, it’s not the questions that offend me; it’s the intention behind them. Many times people provide additional details for why they are asking for help, and most of the time, the impression is that they don’t want to deal with it. They are looking for an easy way out. (Not all, but most.) On the forums, people have offered real-life solutions to real-life issues only for the moderators to swoop in and say something like, “This is a witch group, provide a witch answer” or  "The is a spell group, provide a spell answer.“

        I have thought about this for a while and decided I wanted to discuss this here. I genuinely believe that there are some things in life that you have to handle and deal with on your own. Magick can not or will not effectively help you in the ways you may want help. Sometimes life throws challenges as us that are intended to help us grow, mature, gain experience, etc. These experiences are there to help us overcome similar or new obstacles later in life.  We need to feel the pain of loss, the heartbreak, embarrassment, and anything else. The best way to move past it, is through it, through experience. 

        Or, perhaps it’s not even that special, and there is no lesson to learn; you just need to adult up and handle the situation. Take ownership and responsibility or better communicate. I am sorry, but there no spell to make you lose weight. You have to do it yourself through diet and exercise. If you have a medical condition, you should seek medical help. If your coworker is undermining you to a boss, you should address it with the coworker or your boss. If your husband’s eyes wander, you need to communicate your needs and wants and what you will and will not tolerate, seek help, or consider your husband isn’t the one for you. 

         Magick and spell work is not an alternative to everyday life. It is not a shortcut, and it is not a way to avoid dealing with stressful situations. It should be part of your life and not a substitute for experience. 

        That doesn’t mean magick can’t help. If your husband wanders and you want to encourage him to stay, you could do some self-love and beauty charms, some honey spells, any number of things to try and boost your confidence and outward presence in the hope of redirecting his gaze. If his gaze isn’t redirected, then those same self-love and confidence rituals are there to help you see your value do what’s best for you. If you want to lose weight, I would suggest the same, so that you can love yourself so matter what stage of your weight loss journey you are in, maybe recommend some chants and meditations focusing on manifesting your inner strength and discipline. If communication is an issue, whether professional or personal, you could always do uncrossing rituals. In these examples, you still have to do the work, but they are there to help you along the way. 

And if these don’t work, there are always curses and hexes.

I am just kidding. Be mindful.

I wish I could snap my fingers or wiggle my nose and have my problems reduced, but that is not how it works. There are many magical ways you can seek help with life, but magick will never do all the work for you. It is a tool, not a solution. 

Tell me what you think below!

[soraya-serene]

could not agree more. magick is not something to be abused to make your life easier. it is a gift and a power, not something to be used recklessly

[saintacephale]

i give up on humans from now on i’m only befriending ghosts

[soraya-serene]

how to find your patron deity

patron deities are choice gods that a witch identifies with the most, and relies on for help. patron deities aren’t necessarily gods, but ideas so complex that the only way to describe them is as beings. anyways, here is my step by step

Step 1- familiarize yourself with your options. listen to mythology, read articles, and try and find a few ideas of who your patron deity might be, but don’t commit to any one deity. these deities can be from any mythology or religion, as they are purely symbolic figures.

Step 2- familiarize the deities with yourself. pray to all of the potential possibilities you set out for yourself. this will allow for the exchange to be natural. a deity can’t fully be chosen by the witch. it is something that has to happen on both sides. by drawing attention to yourself via prayer, you are allowing this process to happen.

Step 3- meditate. you need to find your core being, who you are as a person. you need to know who you are, and what your values are, in order to find a god whose principles you can live by.

Step 4- review. take a second look at your list, and now that you are in touch with yourself, narrow the list down further. meditate and repeat until you have found your patron deity.

Now that you have found your patron deity, you must live in their image. get a pendant with their symbol, drink teas of herbs that have similar qualities as your deity. but most importantly, you must adhere to the principles of a deity if you wish to keep them as your patron. for example, my patron deity is Seshat, the egyptian goddess of literature, curiosity, history, and knowledge, and i have to live by these rules. this is why it is so important to have the correct patron deity, because you will have to live by them. in return, these deities bless you within their jurisdiction, as well as charge your spells, as long as the spell aligns with their values. 

*note- you can have your patron deity, and then have other deities that aren’t necessarily your patron, but still praised and lived by.

[soraya-serene]

Chamomile

Of all the herbs and flowers out there, one of my very favorites are chamomiles. they are adorable and easy to grow at home. they are very versatile, having properties ranging from exfoliating to antibacterial to delicious. chamomile tea is one of my favorite drinks. it always helps me focus and calm down, or help me recover from a sickness. chamomile’s usefulness does not end here, though. its spiritual properties are just as all-round as they are physical. adding chamomile to nearly any poultice or mixture will always bolster its effectiveness. they assist in fertility. as for specific characteristics...

Associated Element- Earth

Associated Chakra- Heart

Associated Moon Phase- New

Associated Planet- Sun

Associated Runes- Kenaz, Uruz, perhaps Teiwaz

I have mentioned the fact that chamomile will compliment almost all other herbs, but I thought to give a more defined list of herbs that pair well with it.

Particularly Complimentary Plants:

Angelica Root, 

Stinging Nettle, 

Yarrow,

Hyssop,

Marshmallow Root, 

Licorice root,

Fennel root,

Juniper berries,

and Rosemary. 

(i would like to add that chamomile and yarrow are very similar, the only difference being yarrow is much more earthy.)

[soraya-serene]

I just want to sit in an ancient garden and play a song on my ancient celtic lyre

I would write songs and dedicate them to my patron goddesses, so whenever I played it, I would be honoring my deities

I would play traditional songs for ceremonies I perform with my coven

It would be a classy time

[soraya-serene]

Cottagecore x Light academia

[soraya-serene]

A gift from me to you

oh, to be inside an abandoned church left out on the countryside

where holes in the ceiling are partly shut by ivies twining around each other, letting in dappled beams of light

 where blades of grass and stalks of mushrooms sprout from the floor’s displaced tiles

 where the stained glass windows are blurred by weathering and moss

where tiny frogs live inside the bath of holy water

and where the swallows nest in the church’s eaves

and the raindrops thump on the old tiled roof

that place is home

[soraya-serene]

Fennel

Fennel. Fennel is known for its bright taste. It is often added into spicy dishes for flavor complexity. it has three parts, all with different characteristics, all very edible.

The root, which is the white bulbous part, is quite tasteful. As with all roots, the fennel root has its own identity. It’s associated symbols vary from the other parts of the plant, as seen here- 

Associated Element- Earth

Associated Chakra- Heart

Associated Moon Phase- Full

Associated Runes- Gebo, Algiz

The root is grounding, as opposed to the pale green stalks and leaves fennel, traits listed as followed:

Associated Element- Water

Associated Chakra- Sacrum

Associated Moon Phase- Waxing Crescent

Associated Runes- Nauthiz, Teiwaz

As for fennel seeds:

Associated Element- Air

Associated Chakra- Third Eye

Associated Moon Phase- New

Associated Runes- Kenaz, Isa

-As for unique and exclusive properties-

From the associated symbols of all components, you may have gathered an undertone of clarity and calmness: from the groundingness of the root, to the sensuous and creative control of the stalk, and the mental focus the seeds bring. These effects can be absorbed via boiling them for their vapors, or consuming it. Personally, I enjoy adding some fennel to my chamomile tea.