#my practice

[elsoplao]

"Well, Wayne, if you scream, maybe Batman will come to rescue you."

"Shut the fuck up."

[lostghostdust]

Altar update.

[sag-dab-sar]

Daily Altar Set Up May 27, 2026

I haven't been able to set up a daily altar since I took my last one down in December 2025. But now I have one AND I don't have to take it down for festival altars any more. On the left is my devotional jewelry in a pretty art plate.

Gods Left to Right:

Left side: Hera Antheia; Nanše; Nanaya (small black/white figures), they have a they/them bracelet that can't be seen; Hygeia; Asklepios; Epione (blue candle); Akeso, Iaso, Panakeia, Aigle (beads on Asklepios); Ninisina Gula; Damu (snake ring); Nam Ninĝirsu'a (dagger on wall); Uraš & Gaia (globe); Eiar (purple stone); Athena [as Erganê, Phrónēsis, Panhellênia, Paionia]; Nisaba Geštug (pen); Utu Gešnu'dikuda Zalage (orange disc on wall). Right side: Ninĝu Ereškigal'am; Namtar (bracelet); Ninazu (pendant); Nanna (blue disc on wall) Gugal-ana; Enlil & Ninlil (framed image on wall); Gibil (red candle); Nisaba Gunida; Damgalnuna; Enki (attached to her statue); Nirah (snake); Inana*; Ningirima (center bell)

*I need to switch out the white beads Ĝeštinana for black beads Dumuzid on Inana because I didn't celebrate Emesh this year so I didn't ritually switch them.

The honey jar for Ereškigal finally had to be discarded so her gifts now are the ghost candle holder and her tablet. I need to get her some non-perishable sweets. I also discarded Hygeia's large candle because I found tea candles where the scent is much stronger.

I wanted to have the Oikos Gods on this altar, so I could have my gorgeous Zeus-Hera statue; but yeh that definitely wouldn't have worked 😅

Maybe I have too many Gods

[thehazeldruid]

A few shots of my altar before it gets rearranged and reorganized and cleaned this coming weekend. This isn’t more static worship altar, where I keep my books, cards, runes, rings and items I ever gifted from other practitioners and friends.

My working altar is by far messier and more active in my practice. It’s where I perform spell work, ritual work, and do card and rune readings. It’s covered in wax and herbs and all manner of tools day to day.

The drum is from @feraleryn (Etsy)

The wall print from @poisonappleprintshop

The Vegvisir from @shieldmaidenleahscreativeforge (Etsy)

Much of the herbs, jewelry, crystals and the like are gifts from friends over the years of my practice. The elemental triangles I made myself long ago.

While I greatly prefer solitude in my personal life, my practice has a great deal to do with connection. To oneself. To spirit. To the earth. To other people. To the elements. The ebb and flow energy in and between all things. I try to make and for meaningful connections, and while I struggle sometimes to remain connected to and in touch with everyone that I would like to, a majority of my connections remain in tact, if not as strong as they once were.

So with that said, I hold every piece on this altar of mine in high regard and cherish the memories I have of and with the people who have given me something present on it. My life has been so full of connections, so full of love and loss, of laughter and tears, of joys and of sorrows. But that is what makes life beautiful and worth living. Being connected to each other and the world.

It’s all we’ve got. And we’re all we’ve got. We can only make the world better together.

[sitting-1n-silence]

Raising the Black Castle

I refer to my circle casting rite as "Raising the Black Castle" and people seemed curious when I mentioned it in a recent post, so I wanted to elaborate on it a bit more. While I won't be providing the exact rite itself, I will present it's format for those interested.

This rite has 3 parts; the carving of the moat, laying the bricks, and ascending/descending the tower(s). It requires 3 key tools, an object made of iron, a knife/blade, and a receptacle of any kind. Prior to working it a relationship is to be built with ruling spirits of the 4 cardinal directions, and the 7 planets (sun, moon, mars, mercury, saturn, jupiter, and venus). As well as having a name/title for the 3 realms (the chthonic realm, waking realm, and etheric realm). The names you choose will depend on your practice. So the way I raise my Black Castle will be different from yours.

Carving the Moat/Cleansing and Hallowing the Space:

This is done using the tool of iron. Using this tool I mark a circle around me, going clockwise. As I do this I say the following chant,

"Spirit of Iron I call to thee, cleanse and mark this space around me."

I may go around the circle once or many times, depending on how much is needed for me to feel the trance process begin. If I do prior meditation or other ritual work this processes begins faster. I then move to the center of the space I marked out and stand tall raising my iron tool high in the sky. I make a declaration that I am consecrating/hallowing this space, then drive the iron object into the ground. Pushing it into the earth as I repeat my declaration 3 times.

This being done I may sit silently and feel the space, or I may ring a bell and declare the space hallowed that way. I always take a moment to pause in some fashion before proceeding.

Laying the Bricks/Calling to the Ruling Spirits:

This next step requires having names and seals for the spirits you are about to call. I use one seal for the 4 directional spirits, and individual seals for the 7 planetary ones. To represent the 3 realms I have a single seal for all 3 I utilize for general use, but if I'm working with a very specific realm I will use it's individual seal when I call them. Before taking up this rite, each of these individual powers should be made contact with in some fashion to receive these names and seals.

To begin, face the north and mark out your seal for the 3 realms. Vibrate their names as you do this. Then call to the spirit of the waking/material realm by name and title. Ask them to make their realm open to you, to allow spirits of their realm to come swiftly when called, and to lend their power to your workings ahead. Rotate about 120 degrees clockwise, and once again mark out the same seal in the air. Again vibrating the 3 names, followed by an evocation of the chthonic power. Repeat this for the etheric/celestial realm.

Move from the circle's center to it's eastern edge. Have your blade in hand, or pick it up in the east. Mark out the seal for the 4 directional powers, and vibrate their 4 names. Beginning with the eastern spirits, then south, west, ending with north. Declare the name of the ruler of the east you are calling with some of their titles, and invite them to open their gates.

Repeat this in each direction, moving clockwise around from east, to south, west, and ending in the north. Calling to each spirit of that direction by their name and title, asking each to open their gates for your work ahead.

Returning to the circle's center face skyward. Using your blade mark out the seal of the planetary ruler of that day and/or hour. Vibrate their name 3 times as you do this. Then call to them like you did the directional powers.

Having done all this, you may now call any specific spirits you will be working with in the next part of the ritual. When doing so you should know what direction they are best called from, or what planetary current they best align with/work under. Call these spirits from their preferred direction, or down from the heavens. Call until you feel the spirit's presence or receive a clear sign. The pressure in the room should be building from all these evocations. As if by calling in each spirit you are laying brick by brick, building the castle walls. So take your time, and enjoy the process. Especially when first developing this way of laying a circle.

Once all the desired spirits have been called in, ring a bell or sound producing device. Make a declaration that all these spirits are welcome to come in power and stay in peace.

Ascending/Descending the Tower(s)/Moving into the Otherworld:

Having brought all these spirits to the circle's edge, it's time to move into their realm and begin your work with them. Depending on the type of work you will be doing will dictate which directional or planetary gate(s) you will be passing through in spirit. Use whatever methods of trance you desire, inhibitory or excitatory trance. Both work in my experience. In the direction you will being you will place your receptacle, this will act as your gate into the Otherworld. If you are moving through multiple gates, either move the receptacle or have multiple prepared.

Moving out of body in whatever means you wish. When passing through the gates into the tower(s) you will move forward beyond the circle and let the passage come to you naturally. The spirit acting as this gate will present itself how it wishes. Once through the gate, descend if you are working primarily with chthonic entities, and ascend if you are working with celestial ones. If you are working with spirits of the earth and land, move right through the tower and into the environment beyond. Let your vision guide you, and try not to put pressure on yourself to see certain things.

Once you settle in a "space" in the Otherworld begin the work you planed to do. Speak to your spirits in mind and in body, also begin any psychical acts of ritual you may need to preform. Then return to your circle, and either proceed through the next gate if needed, or return to the body and let the magic settle. Place any psychical forms of your magic by the receptacle, and then proceed to any final things you need to tend to with your spirits. Give and share in offerings, replenish the body and your energy. As well as bask in the presence of your spirits.

Then make a statement of departure for your spirits. Allowing them to consume what they need to do the work ahead, and then send them off in power. Making it known that they will return again when called. Conclude with the sounding of your bell, letting its ringing hang in the air.

Do what you need with whatever physical works you may have done, tho I try to let them rest for at least a night unless they need immediate tending to. I will also leave offerings out for 1-3 days before clearing it off my altar if possible.

Final Thoughts:

Here is a general format for anyone curious. I have my own personal court and names I use for this rite, and I've developed shortened versions. The ritual itself and it's format isn't anything special or unique, as I take a lot of influence from ceremonial magic's ritual structure, as well of from work of dr Stephen Skinner. I have found tho the process of developing your own spirit names and seals for this rite i developed serves as a type of spirit initiation, as it was a long drawn out process that had many ups and downs which ultimately changed me as a practitioner. I high encourage people to develop personal methods of ceremonial circle casting and spirit conjuration. It's been very rewarding.

[thebraided]

I helped thread my first group project with the guild! It was my first time using a loom that wasn’t a frame loom :) We’re making random exchange towels and I’m very excited for when the setup finishes and it’s my turn to weave my towel. I plan on wearing the bandana I wove for Kirke while I weave, and the completed towel will probably go on Her shrine 🥰

[peach-crem]

tee in gee