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☽ she/they | 25 ☾ eclectic folk witch & cancerian

[tenofmuses]

Welcome to my witchy side-blog!

This space is dedicated to documenting some aspects of my craft and discussing general witchcraft-related subjects. A massive passion of mine is ensuring witchcraft is accessible, especially looking at things through an anti-capitalist lens.

I’m an eclectic Canadian folk witch and animist, currently in the process of reconnecting with the practices of my Acadian ancestors. Also a big fan of protection magic, trees, science, and the moon; tarot and divination are my jam.

🌬️ Frau Holle

Land Back.

Feel free to reach out anytime if you have any questions, or to chat about whatever! :)

If you're a beginner looking for some witchcraft tips and resources that are free: Here's a post I wrote about that very subject: link.

I like and follow from @redshoes-blues

-Emma

[goth-queen]

[crazycatsiren]

You know what?

My ancestors would have wanted pasteurization, vaccines, antibiotics, disinfectants, birth control, psychiatric medications, pain management, anesthesia. My ancestors would have wanted to be able to keep their loved ones around longer, and not lose them too early/too soon to childbirths, injuries, bacterial infections, mental illnesses, and diseases that are curable and/or preventable in our modern day life.

Modern medicine saves lives.

[tenofmuses]

I'm super curious about Frau Holle and how you got around to working with her. I think you're the first person I've seen on here who does, and I've never heard someone's experience about what that's like

Hi anon!

Ooh, I'm excited to answer this one. I haven't talked about this yet on here—which is kind of funny because this is my second winter worshipping Frau Holle. Just as a little correction, I would classify my current relationship with Frau Holle as a devotional, worship-centric one. A bit of semantics, but I strive to be as accurate as possible.

This all began when I started venturing into folk witchcraft around 2022/23. I was learning about the folk practices of the regions my ancestors are from, and came across Frau Holle when I was reading about Germanic deities. I remember also coming across a couple German (and German-American) folks on TikTok who worked with and worshipped her, and I really resonated with their experiences.

It's rare I feel such a strong resonance with a deity, and I usually take it as a sign to learn more and see where it takes me. I did this for several months and then I began to worship Frau Holle last winter (late 2024).

This was a very intentional decision on my part. At the time, I was working with my therapist to try and hate winter less. For context, I have MDD and struggle immensely with depression during winter, so it can be difficult not to write off the entire season. I was really trying to accept the season—turning inwards, allowing myself to rest, knitting, being gentle with myself, reading books set in frosty places, etc.

Frau Holle became a major part of this.

To me, she represents winter, yes, but she also has a warmth, strength, and comfort, in my experience. So, when I would have a bath, I would light an evergreen candle for her; I baked in devotion; I felt excited when it snowed. It sure didn't cure my depression, but worshipping a winter deity was a deeply healing experience for me, and has really helped the way I view the season. Instead of being angry at the way my body and mind recoil at the change in seasons, I embrace it. I try and work with it, rather than push it away.

Hopefully this is helpful or interesting!

[dionysianivy]

„Blessed Brighid burning bright Lead us from the darkest night Triple goddess of new life Shine your flame on us tonight Perpetual flame of love and light Wise guardian of the hearth You bless our homes and our lives Keeper of the healing light Shine your light on us tonight Shine on us in love and light Sacred muse of poetry Inspire creativity Sing to us your sacred song Shine your spark on us tonight Fiery spark of love and light” -Brighid by Kellianna

[call-of-the-seaside]

The girl took care of everything to Frau Holle's satisfaction and always shook her featherbed vigorously until the feathers flew about like snowflakes. Therefore she had a good life with her: no angry words, and boiled or roast meat every day.

[crazycatsiren]

Calling yourself a "white witch" who practices "white magic" because your witchcraft is good/light/positive/benevolent gets you blocked.

2025 is almost at an end. If you can't cut the ignorant racist white supremacist New Age bullshit by now then fuck off my lawn. I'm tired. My friends are tired.

[lesorciercanadien]

It’s awesome reading a traditional medicine book from an Acadian ethnographer and having Acadian french names for specific local herbs, plants and trees (can use those names in my practice and build localized correspondences) AND checking to see their current conservation status and DFO laws that impact my harvesting them. There’s also local initiatives in partnerships between universities and the Mi’kmaq people to grow and protect eelgrass meadows. Protect common eelgrass!

The Community Eelgrass Restoration Initiative (CERI) is a community-led, climate-smart, and knowledge-based conservation project.

I know they have a booth on Oceans Day by the waterfront every year and they sometimes give out little bits of eelgrass. I’ll wait until then.

[im-a-dream-wizard]

My Personal Guide to Works pertaining to German, Bavarian, and Alpine Folk Magick

This is not an exhaustive list, just a list of sources that inform my practice. Readers will benefit from being able to read German (and sometimes Bavarian/Boarisch German).

Not all works are specific/exclusive to these folk practices and may include other traditions in addition.

I will be updating this list as I recall or find works to add to it. It is not alphabetized or organized in any specific way. If you’d like to recommend a title for this list, let me know!

Additionally, I cannot speak or vouch for any of the views or opinions of the authors. Some of these sources are certainly outdated and could potentially contain content that is offensive or bigoted, which is not something I endorse. Finally, there are some sources that are of debatable historical accuracy, so take them with a grain of salt.

Books

Pow-Wows or Long Lost Friend, John George Hohman

The Secret History of Christmas Baking by Linda Raedisch

The Old Magic of Christmas by Linda Raedisch

Night of the Witches by Linda Raedisch (a great resource for Walpurgisnacht)

Mountain Magic: Celtic Shamanism in the Austrian Alps by Christian Brunner

Alpine Magic by Christian Brunner

Pagan Christmas by Christian Rätsch and Claudia Müller-Ebeling

Göttin Holle by Gunivortus Goos (also available in English)

Hausgeister! by Janin Pisarek, Florian Schäfer, and Hannah Gritsch

Queens of the Wild by Ronald Hutton

Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey Kenneth Johnson

Niederbayerische Sagen by Michael Waltinger

Witchcraft Medicine by Wolf-Dieter Storl, Christian Rätsch, Claudia Müller-Ebeling (available in both English and German)

Der Heilige Hain by Christian Rätsch

Von Sonnwend bis Rauhnacht by Valentin Kirschgruber

Witches and Pagans: Women in European Folk Religion, 700-1100 by Max Dashu

Spirit Beings in European Folklore 2 by Benjamin Adamah (I encourage you to read their sources as well, it’s important to find primary sources)

Deutsche Mythologie by Jacob Grimm (English as “Teutonic Mythology”) Please take Jacob Grimm with a grain of salt.

Handwörterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens (There’s a lot of caveats to this, as it is highly outdated, but it is still a handy resource for reference. HOWEVER, good luck finding it. You might find some volumes available online but there are very few complete reprints of this encyclopedia, at least that are affordable.)

Tiefe Wälder, dunkle Legenden by Josef Probst

Malleus Maleficarum by Heinrich Kramer (This is basically a 15th century manual to “witch hunting” and contains bigotry and a lot of factual inaccuracies. However, it has some content that can provide some insight into folk magic and superstition of the time. It is very violent and explains the torture process of those accused of witchcraft, so be warned)

Volksmedizinische Botanik der Germanen by Max Höfler

Trutmezzer by Frater Acher (Three Hands Press)

The Black Raven: A Study in the Folk Necromancy of Early Modern Germany by Alexander Cummins and Brian Johnson

Speculum Terræ: A Magical Earth-Mirror from the 17th Century by Frater Acher

The Language of the Corpse: The Power of the Cadaver in Germanic and Icelandic Sorcery by Cody Dickerson

The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil by Al Ridenour

Occult Germany by Christopher McIntosh

Journals and Scholarly Articles

Holda: Between Folklore and Linguistics by Thomas Leek

Perchten and Krampusse: Living Mask Traditions in Austria and Bavaria by Molly Carter

Divination: Mother Holle as Goddess of Seerdom by Ullrich R. Kleinhempel

Percht und Krampus Felix and Ulrich Müller

The Distribution of The Legends of Frau Holle, Frau Percht, and Related Figures by Erika Timm

Perchta the Belly-Slitter and Her Kin: A View of Some Traditional Threatening Figures, Threats and Punishments by John B. Smith

Holle's Cry: Unearthing a Birth Goddess in a German Jewish Naming Ceremony by Jill Hammer

Content Creators

Ella Harrison

The Witches’ Cookery

De Spökenkyker: A great resource for Silesian-German folk practice!

[forest-faerie-spirit]

{Lost Forest} by {NENE00}

[victusinveritas]

[the-lost-alchemist]

How Mexicans feel about duendes too.

[designertrances]

True. Most Irish people, as Norwegians do with Trolls, will happily let the 'fairies' be a thing to make tours for tourists and idle threats to make children behave. Most Irish people will have a very normal and mature explanation of fairies as a common folk mythology that expresses some dimension of Irish culture but are not, obviously, to be taken literally.

And most Irish people, if you ask them to move a stone from a fairy circle will immoveably, flatly respond with 'absolutely fucking not'.

Construction projects have had to halt and be abandoned for it.

[roach-works]

At work me and a couple coworkers (black, white, and mexican) had a fun discussion on whether there are more ghosts at a hospital or a cemetery.

everyone individually took a moment to specify that ghosts probably aren't REAL real. then weighed in on where and why.

for the record my position was that there's probably way more ghosts in hospitals because that's where people die horribly, but since you can only see ghosts in dark, solitary conditions, graveyards at night is where the majority of ghost sightings occur. hospitals are usually well lit and busy, so even if they're crammed with ghosts the living are too damn busy to see them. meanwhile if a cemetery has even one ghost that followed her corpse there from the hospital, she'll be spotted because that's where all the ghost hunters go to look.

this theory was received as extremely sensible, and a coworker drew the conclusion that that's why abandoned hospitals are even scarier than graveyards. once the place gets abandoned then you can tell how much ghosts got built up.

we all liked this explanation a lot and explained it to everyone else all night. and of course, none of us believe in ghosts.

[kyraneko]

Beliefs that are more interacted with than believed are so awesome sometimes.

Like this magical supernatural entity almost certainly doesn't actually exist, but that's no excuse to be impolite to them.

[shadowmedusa]

OMG YES THIS. I'm Indigenous and I always have to explain to people that, although I'm not superstitious, I WILL NOT whistle at night and if you do you're going outside the house to face the consequences yourself

[tenofmuses]

Tonight, this year, July 10th brought with her a full moon that happened to coincide with my 25th birthday. I’m cancerian through and through, and deeply connected to the moon, so tonight felt extra special. I took my altar outside for a simple candle and chanting ritual to a goddess I have very recently begun to incorporate into my practice, and the experience was beautiful.

[tenofmuses]

Never underestimate how crucial mundane tasks can be in a magical practice. Sometimes the shift in energy your space needs can come through cleaning, wiping down surfaces, removing dust and clutter, washing your bedding, etc.

[keysatthecrossroad]

Artwork by Machuca

Offering yourself to Hekáte:

Hekáte, enjoys offerings that are not only personal to Her but personal to those devoted to Her as well.

Artwork, poetry, song, dance, chants, and prayers that you have created. Offer Her your favorite food, play your favorite song for Her, sweepings from your home, flowers from your garden. Strands of your hair, a spritz of your perfume, clippings from your nails.

Continue to offer Her things that She loves but don't forget to pour yourself and your love into those offerings too.

Hekáte called you, She wants to know you, She wants your devotion.

Hail the Goddess of All, Hekáte Enodia.

[homunculus-argument]

Grave offerings and burying the dead with tools and goods is actually such a deeply human thing to do. It's not really even necessarily about how much you believe in a literal afterlife or them taking the tools with them. It's also just going Wait, I'm Not Done Taking Care Of You, let me make you one more pair of socks so your feet won't be cold when you go wherever it is where I can't follow.

[elizabethdavvn]

repetition

[noxcantio]

Well, this is the "Finished" altar. I'm feeling like it will probably shift a little bit. I have a couple of small things that I want to add to the wall but it is more a less the way it is going to stay.