#pagan beginner

[themirroredmoon]

Superstitions!

The following list are some of the superstitions that I’ve heard or learned about over the years, in no particular order: • Throw rice in the air to make it rain • Carry a potato during winter to ward against colds • Smell dill to get rid of hiccups • Lay thorn branches by your doorstep to keep evil away • Place chips of cedarwood in a box with coins do draw money to you • Hang seaweed in the kitchen to ward off evil spirits • Burn allspice to draw money, luck, and healing • Place a piece of cotton in a sugar bowl to draw good luck to your home • Scatter chili flakes around your house to break a curse • Scatter salt/sugar to purify a room • Put a pine branch above your bed to ward off illness • Carry a chunk of dried pineapple to draw luck • Ask an orange a question before you eat it, then count the seeds. Even # = no. Odd # = yes • Toss oats outside your back door to ensure beautiful crops/plants • Place lilacs around the house to rid unwanted spirits • Add salt to bath for purification • Write your sigils on stones and carry them with you • Put sigils on medication bottles to help quicken their efficiency or for added healing benefits • When guests come over, light a white candle by the door; it will take their negative energy and purify the home. • To get rid of guests overstaying their welcome, turn any broom in your house upside down (bristles up) • Toss salt on the front porch every Friday for good luck and prosperity • Carry a blade of grass to increase psychic power • If something or someone is bugging you, write it on toilet paper, wipe, and flush it down the toilet

[pansleaf]

pagan tumblr, I have a really dumb question so pls don't make fun of me I need to know,,, when you leave food offerings (in this case some bread) do you like,,, leave it until it gets moldy and throw it out? Do you eat it? Or something else??

pls help a dumb witch out

[hillbillyoracle]

New to Paganism/Witchcraft?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what resources I’d recommend to people who are just getting into paganism generally or witchcraft more specifically. I’ve been practicing for about a decade now but I am by no means an expert so these are just sources that I trust and come back to. 

Pagan 101

eCauldron’s Pagan Primer Seeking: first Pagan steps and tools Magic

dianaandpansson’s Reading List dianaandpansson’s Spells tag (Folk/Historical) The Twisted Rope’s Magix Guides (Kemetic/Chaos/Other)

Divination

Me (lol; my resource list is pretty decent though) GoodBonesTarot (Their Big LWB project is gold)

Deity Work

The Twisted Rope Per Sobek SatSekhem Also just in general I recommend searching eCauldron’s archives. I originally posted this on Witchcraft.Cafe and just wanted to put it here in case it was helpful. These are really just places to get started. It’s not a syllabus or anything. Think of it as more of a springboard! 

[themirroredmoon]

Wine in Witchcraft - Meanings and Associations

Wine is generally associated with Happiness, Success, Love, Relationships, and Offerings. However, specific types can be broken down further and have more associations.

RED WINE (In General) Element: Earth Season: Winter Associations: Love, Warmth, Contemplation, Happiness, Success, Money, Passion, Health, Lust

[Cabernet Sauvignon] Tastes Like: Full-bodied, dark fruit flavors of blackcurrant (cassis), black cherry, blackberry with notes of green bell pepper, spice, tobacco, wood, and vanilla Element: Earth Associations: Grounding, Protection, Banishing, Strength, Energy, Lust, Fertility, Ancestors, Written Magic (Sigils)

[Merlot] Tastes Like: Soft/round, dark fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, and raspberry layered with herbal notes and undertones of vanilla and mocha Element: Water, Fire Associations: Unity, Love, Passion, Self-Care, Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Sexuality, Sea Witchcraft, Water Magic

[Pinot Noir] Tastes Like: Delicate and fresh, complex flavors that include cherry, raspberry, mushroom and forest floor, plus vanilla and baking spice when aged in French oak Element: Earth, Air Associations:  Prosperity, Protection, Wealth, Success, Beauty, Passion, Glamours

[Shiraz] Tastes Like: Hearty, spicy, black pepper, black currant, clove, blackberry, plum, leather, tar Element: Fire, Earth Associations: Wealth, Banishing, Divination, Tech Witchcraft, Comfort, Mystery, Secrets, Endings

[Zinfandel] Tastes Like: Rich, zesty, raspberry, raisin, black cherry, blackberry, pepper Element: Earth Associations: Growth, Wealth, Plant Magic, Vigor, Stamina, Happiness, Love, Healing, Versatility 

WHITE WINE (In General) Element: Air Season: Summer Associations: Joy, Happiness, Love, Relationships, Friendships, Endings, Success, Energy, Purification

[Chardonnay] Tastes Like: Wider-bodied, light, velvety, apricot, mango, green apple, citrus, melon, vanilla Element: Water Associations: Peace, Emotions, Safety, Success, Happiness, Balance, Polarity, Purification, Mental Power/Abilities

[Moscato] Tastes Like: Sweet, acidic, fruity, grapefruit, musk, citrus, apricot, rose, caramel Element: Air Associations: Love, Mystery, Lust, Relationships, Fertility, Purity, Cleansing, Healing, Love Magic

[Pinot Grigio] Tastes Like: Crisp, dry, fruity, peach, pear, acidic Element: Air Associations: Rebirth, Endings, New Beginnings, Happiness, Reality, Creativity, Longevity, Divination (especially open-ended, like tarot)

[Riesling] Tastes Like: Steely, crisp, fresh, slightly sweet, pear, apple, peach, petrol, honey Element: Fire, Water Associations:  Energy, Movement, Growth, Rebirth, Love, Friendship, Attraction, Activity/Movement (dance, preparation, cleansing, etc)

[Sauvignon Blanc] Tastes Like: Herbal, grass, bell pepper, green apple, lime, gooseberry, jalapeno, melon, mango, black currant, passionfruit, peach Element: Air, Earth Associations: Love, Peace, Friendship, Companionship, Arts, Healing, Happiness, Joy, Spirit Work

ROSÉ WINE (In General) Element: Air Season: Spring Associations: Beginnings, Happiness, Excitement, friendship, New Romance, Love, passion, Playfulness, Relaxation, Luck

SPARKLING WINE Element: Fire Season: Summer Associations: Success, Completion, Celebration, Wealth, Opportunity, Setting Things in Motion, prosperity, space Witchcraft, Weather Magic, Adding a “Spark”

[themirroredmoon]

Body Symbology and Omens

• Left Eye Twitching - Someone Intends You Harm • Left Cheek Twitching - Something Will Happen To Someone In Your Inner Circle That Cannot Be Avoided • Burning Back Of Neck - Someone Toxic Around You/Lying To You • Stabbing Pain In Temples (Also Stomach) - Negative Energy, Possibly Paranormal • "Deafness" - When Someone's Lying To You And And You Cant Hear Them Anymore. • Right Palm Itchy - Receiving Money Soon • Left Palm Itchy - Lose Money Soon • Cramps In Stomach - Someone Close To You Is Pregnant • Lower Back Pain - Toxic Relationship And Gossip • Stabbing/Burning Left Foot - Someone Holding You Back • Stabbing/Burning Right Foot - You're Holding Yourself Back

**Disclaimer: Remember to always check for the mundane reasonings as to why something feels a certain way or is happening before you jump into the spiritual/supernatural.

[themirroredmoon]

Graveyard & Cemetery Etiquette - The Basics

• Bring an offering for the spirits When deciding to venture into a graveyard or cemetery, keep in mind that every single graveyard has a Gatekeeper. What’s a Gatekeeper? They do precisely that: They guard the gate of the graveyard, usually having a statue or something near by of them. Sometimes it’s even the oldest spirit/first spirit buried there.

One of the most common offering is coins of any kind but you can leave anything from herbs, to bread, to water to even liquor. Try to avoid anything with cleansing or banishing properties as that can be seen as rude/taken as an insult. If you don’t have a physical offering, offer up a song or a poem, play some music, etc at the gate/entrance of the graveyard.

• DON’T take anything without permission This is a very basic courtesy as whatever is in there you may want, be it dirt or a rock, it is not yours to take freely. Ask via pendulum, meditate, etc but respect the answer you are given as to not anger anyone.

“If you take from a graveyard, you’ll leave more than you took.”

• If able, clean up any headstones that you visit The older the graveyard or cemetery, the more likely you’ll run into an old and forgotten headstone. While you don’t have to deep clean the marble, it’s always nice to pay your respects and tidy it a bit. Wipe away some loose dirt, maybe pull a weed or two—just some basic tidying. DON’T DISTURB THE GIFTS FROM THE LIVING. And be sure to be gentle with the headstones so nothing harsh or too abrasive to clean with.

• DON’T litter This is very common sense. I don’t care if it was just one wrapper and you missed the trash can. Just don’t be an asshole. Think of the graveyard or cemetery as the spirits’ home. You wouldn’t want someone to come into your home and leave wrappers and cigarette butts around, would you? Also, if you see a piece of trash and are able to get rid of it, do so.

• DON’T use mirrors Mirrors are gateways to the other side, blurring the lines between the physical world and the spiritual world. Yes, they can be used for scrying and other rituals but it is considered dangerous and shouldn’t be attempted by the inexperienced. Old tradition states that you should cover mirrors in the home of the dying and deceased because their soul could become trapped in the glass and render their spirit unable to cross over, and the same applies to graveyards and cemeteries.

• Be respectful of the living visitors Again, mind your manners around the living. Don’t be obtuse or overly loud, keep swearing minimal if there are children present, etc. Aka don’t be a distraction.

• DON’T step on the grave sites Mind your feet and where you’re walking, especially to look out for the graves that are in ground and just have markers versus having a headstone. If you do happen to step on a site, apologize and leave something for them if you have something. See top point. Stay on the paths!

• DON’T sit on the headstones I feel like I shouldn’t have to say this but—This falls under the same rules as littering. Imagine some random person coming into your home and climbing all over your things, including the roof of your home. Plus, due to the age, the marble can crack and break, causing you to injure yourself. Not good.

[themirroredmoon]

Itchiness and Its Omens

To go off my previous post about body symbology, here’s a list of meanings for body parts when they itch

• Crown of the Head: Advance in Position • Right Cheek: Someone is Speaking Well of You • Left Cheek: Someone is Speaking Ill Of You • Right Eye/Eyebrow: Meeting With An Old Friend  • Left Eye/Eyebrow: Great Disappointment • Inside Nose: Trouble and Sorrow • Outside Nose: You Will Be Kissed, Cursed, Annoyed, or Meet With a Fool Within The Hour • Lips: Someone is Disrespectfully Talking About You • Back of Neck: Illness of A Relative • Right Shoulder: A Legacy • Left Shoulder: Sorrow • Right Elbow: Pleasant and Exciting News  • Left Elbow: Bad News and Losses  • Right Palm: Much Money • Left Palm: You Will Pay a Debt • Spine: Disappointments • Loins: Reconciliation After Quarrels • Stomach: An Invitation to Dine • Thighs: Change Of Dwelling • Right Knee: Happy Journey • Left Knee: Misfortunate Journey • Shins: Unpleasant Surprise • Ankles (Either): Marriage or Increase of Income

**Disclaimer: As stated previously, always check for mundane reasons for the sensations before fully leaning into the supernatural/spiritual reasons.