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@viridi-natura

Nonbinary Green Witch

561 posts

even if you're resigned that trump is going to win, 1/3 of the country lives in states with competitive senate elections. if democrats win the senate, there is very little that trump can do (can't even appoint supreme court nominees)

the following states all have competitive senate elections:

arizona

florida

maryland

michigan

montana

nevada

ohio

pennsylvania

texas

wisconsin

even if you don't think your state is competitive at all, THESE SENATE RACES STILL ARE, SO IF YOU LIVE IN ONE OF THESE STATES, MAKE SURE TO VOTE

and even if you don't live in one of those states, you could live in a competitive house seat. if democrats win the house, then trump can't pass any bills

and even if you don't live in a competitive state or district, your local elections matter even more than federal ones because they have a much more direct impact on your life

so VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

bbgirl-aesthetic20

sweetwatersworld

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘀

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

There are quite a bit of myths surrounding Lammas, or Lughnasadh. This post is intended to briefly paraphrase some of them. I thoroughly enjoyed researching and creating this post. I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I did!

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

Sif, the wife of Thor, had lovely golden hair up until Loki the joker chopped it off. Thor was so furious that he wanted to kill Loki, but some dwarves gave Sif new hair, and the moment it touched her head, began to magically grow. The harvest and the golden grain that grows each year are connected to Sif's hair.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

Farmers in the Shetland Islands thought grain harvesting should only occur during a waning moon. They also held this view regarding the harvest of potatoes in the fall and peat cutting.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

Calves are weaned at Lughnasadh, and the first fruits like apples and grapes are ripe. Farmers were reportedly required to wait until Lughnasadh to begin harvesting these fruits in some Irish counties, according to the folklore.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

Lammas is a time for warrior games and fictitious battles in some cultures. This may be reminiscent of the past, when there would be a harvest festival and people would travel great distances to attend. What better way for young men to impress the girls and display their strength than to smash all the opposition? Lugh, the powerful Celtic craftsman god, is also celebrated with games and competitions where artisans display their best creations.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

Giving someone a pair of gloves as a gift during Lammastide has become tradition. It has to do with an old custom whereby landowners would give their tenants a pair of gloves following the harvest, as well as the fact that winter is just around the corner. The glove is a representation of power and kindness.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

That's all for the Legends and Lore for Lammas. I hope you found this as interesting as I did! Let me know what you think of the folklore that stands behind the Sabbat. Stay Tuned for the next addition of the Lammas Celebration series. Fair Winds ♡

sweetwatersworld

𝗟𝘂𝗴𝗵 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

Lugh was revered as a god of talent who distributed it, much like the Roman god Mercury. Lugh is the subject of countless inscriptions and statues, and Julius Caesar acknowledged the significance of this deity to the Celtic people. Lugh was regarded as a warrior even though he was not a war god in the same sense as the Roman Mars because battle prowess was highly regarded among the Celts. Lugh is known as sam ildanach in Ireland, which was never conquered by Roman forces, and this name denotes his multi-faceted skill set.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗮

In one well-known legend, Lugh makes his way to Tara, the gathering place for Ireland's high kings. One blacksmith, one wheelwright, one bard, etc., is the only person with that skill who will be allowed entry, the door guard informs him. The guard interrupts Lugh as he lists all the wonderful things he is capable of doing by saying, "Sorry, we've got someone here who can do that." "Ah, but do you have anyone here who can do them ALL?" Lugh finally inquires. Lugh was finally granted access to Tara.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The Book of Invasions, which chronicles Ireland's numerous invasions by foreign foes, contains a significant portion of early Irish history. This history claims that Lugh was descended from a Fomorian, a monstrous race that opposed the Tuatha De Danann. Balor of the Evil Eye, Lugh's paternal grandfather, imprisoned his only daughter in a cave because he believed he would be killed by a grandson. She was seduced by a Tuatha, and as a result, she gave birth to triplets. Two of them were drowned by Balor, but Lugh lived and was raised by a blacksmith. Later, he led the Tuatha into battle, where he actually defeated Balor.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

According to Julius Caesar, the majority of cultures worship the same deities under various names. He lists the Gaulish popular deities in his essays on the Gallic War and uses what he believed to be the Roman names for each one. As a result, references to Mercury are actually attributed to Lugh, a god whom Caesar also calls Lugus. The hub of the worship for this deity was Lugundum, which is now Lyon, France. His festival, which took place on August 1, was the most significant holiday in all of Gaul and was chosen by Caesar's successor, Octavian Augustus Caesar, as the day of the Feast of Augustus.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀

Lugh was a renowned warrior, despite not being specifically a war god. One of his weapons was a powerful magic spear that was so bloodthirsty it frequently attempted to engage in combat on its own. In battle, the spear allegedly flashed fire and sliced untamed through the ranks of the enemy. When a thunderstorm approaches, locals in some parts of Ireland claim that Lugh and Balor are engaged in combat, giving Lugh yet another function as a storm god.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗟𝘂𝗴𝗵'𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀

Peter Beresford Ellis asserts that the Celts highly valued smithing. War was a way of life, and people believed that blacksmiths possessed magical abilities. After all, they were able to control the element of Fire and use their strength and expertise to shape the earth's metals. However, there is no mention of a Celtic counterpart to Vulcan, the Roman smith god, in Caesar's writings.

The smith, known as Goibhniu in early Irish mythology, works alongside two brothers to forge a triple god form. While the entire Tuatha De Danann host prepares for battle, the three craftsmen work on Lugh's behalf to create weapons and make repairs. The smith god is viewed as a master mason or a great builder in a later Irish tradition. According to some myths, Goibhniu, Lugh's uncle, protects him from Balor and the terrifying Formorians.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀

The fact that each tribe had its own patron deity and that there might be gods associated with specific places or landmarks within a region contributed to the fact that the Celts had a large number of gods and goddesses. For instance, only the tribes that lived there might be aware of a god who guarded a specific river or mountain. Lugh was a fairly adaptable god who was revered by the Celts almost everywhere. The Irish Lugh, in turn, is connected to the Welsh Llew Llaw Gyffes through the Gaulish Lugos.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁

According to The Book of Invasions, Lugh celebrated Tailtiu, his foster mother, with a harvest festival, which is how he came to be associated with grain in Celtic mythology. This day became August 1, and that time period corresponds with the start of the Northern Hemisphere's first grain harvest. In fact, lunasa is the Irish Gaelic word for August. Corn, grains, bread, and other harvest-related symbols are used to honor Lugh. This celebration was known as Lughnasadh. Later, the holiday was known as Lammas in Christian England, from the Saxon word "loaf mass" (hlaf maesse).

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻

Lugh is revered by many Wiccans and Pagans as the protector of talent and abilities. When they need inspiration, many artists, musicians, bards, and crafters invoke Lugh. Lugh is still revered during harvest time today, not only as a god of grain but also as a god of storms in the late summer. Many people still celebrate Lughnasadh with dancing, music, and bonfires in Ireland today. This day has also been designated by the Catholic church for the ritual blessing of agricultural fields.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼

That's all I have for a quick run down on the deity Lugh. Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for the next addition of the Lammas Celebration series. Fair Winds ♡

exhaled-spirals

« The gardener working under my window is an admirer of the world. He doesn’t think in terms of ‘producing’ plants. He cultivates. He helps grow that which exists without him. He doesn’t create, doesn’t build; he takes care of. Hence his humbleness. […] Plants often outdo him; he doesn’t feel shame or bitterness, but rather the dignity of belonging. »

— Chantal Delsol, La haine du monde

sluttysuperheroes

Trying to find contemporary rune books as an anti racist heathen is stupidly hard. I’ve read Diana Paxson’s book and I’m planning to study the rune poems as well as some of the more academic texts like ones by Page, but does anyone have recommendations for contemporary rune authors that do their research and aren’t massive pieces of shit? What about Pollington? I’ve heard mixed reviews.

Stephen Pollington is an academic first and foremost. ‘Rudiments of Runelore’ is a superb resource despite its slender size. Also check out the book on the Younger Futhark by Ann Groa Sheffield, and Suzanne Rance’s book on the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc - both work to contextualise the rune poems in the history of when they were written and compare older and newer translations in ways that will help you get to the core of each rune’s meanings.

Unfortunately the esoteric mass-market rune books are mostly garbage. Paxson cites some garbage rune authors but has supposedly cherry-picked their commentary that’s got solid scholarship (I have yet to read the new edition).

Lara Veleda Vesta, while leaning a bit heavily on the divine feminine for my taste, is careful in framing her work as undoing harms done by colonial ancestors, and her rune book is an animist exploration of the runes as independent sentient beings. I haven’t seen anything problematic from her or about her to date.

A collection of free-use texts on witchcraft, magic, and related topics. Shared with Dropbox

Hello, witches! Since I’m always harping on about learning your history and checking your sources, I thought I’d help folks get a head start by compiling some source material.

To that end, I’ve started a Dropbox folder with a stash of historical texts on witchcraft, magic, and related topics. Nearly everything I’ve managed to find so far is public domain (thank you Project Gutenberg), with the exception of a very thorough herbal grimoire I found online some years ago and a book of witchcraft from the 1970s that appears to be out of print.

I will be continuing in this vein with future texts that I find. Everything will be public domain or cited to the source that it came from, in PDF format. I will NOT be including PDFs of any book currently in circulation with a copyright linked to a living author or estate. The point of this folder is that everything in it should be free for sharing and open use as research materials.

Below is the initial list of titles. I tried to include as many as I could find, with a focus on some oft-cited classics. I will be adding new texts as I find them.

A Collection of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft and the Second Sight, by David Webster (1820)

A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718, by Wallace Notestein (1909)

British Goblins, Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions, by Wirt Sikes (1880)

Curiosities of Superstition, by W. H. Davenport Adams (1882)

Daemonologie, by King James I/VI (1597)

Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, Edited and Selected by W. B. Yeats (1888)

Irish Witchcraft and Demonology, by St. John Drelincourt Seymour (1913)

La Sorcière, or The Witch of the Middle Ages, by Jules Michelet (1863)

Lives of the Necromancers, by William Godwin (1834)

Magic and Fetishism, by Alfred C. Haddon (1906)

Magic and Witchcraft, by Anonymous (1852)

Modern Magic, by M. Schele de Vere (1873)

Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics, by Richard Folkard (1884)

Practical Psychomancy and Crystal Gazing, by William Walker Atkinson (1908)

The Devil in Britain and America, by John Ashton (1896)

The Discoverie of Witchcraft, by Reginald Scot (1594, 1886 reprint)

The Extremely Large Herbal Grimoire (date unknown, internet publication)

The Golden Bough : A Study of Magic and Religion, by Sir James George Frazer (1890)

The Illustrated Key to the Tarot, by L.W. de Laurence (1918)

The Magic of the Horse-shoe, by Robert Means Lawrence (1898)

The Mysteries of All Nations, by James Grant (1880)

The Mystery and Romance of Alchemy and Pharmacy, by Charles John Samuel Thompson (1897)

The Superstitions of Witchcraft, by Howard Williams (1865)

The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut by John M. Taylor (1908)

The Wonders of the Invisible World, by Cotton Mather and A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches, by Increase Mather (1693, 1862 reprint)

Witch Stories, by E. Lynn (Elizabeth Lynn) Linton (1861)

Witch, Warlock, And Magician, by W. H. Davenport Adams (1889)

Witchcraft & Second Sight in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland, by John Gregorson Campbell (1902)

Witches’ Potions & Spells, ed. by Kathryn Paulsen (1971)

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that these texts are (with few exceptions) more than a century old, and may contain depictions, references, or language that are outdated and inappropriate. The point of including these documents is to provide access to historical texts for research and reference. Inclusion in the collection does not equal unconditional agreement with or wholesale approval of the contents.

Take everything with a grain of salt and remember to do your due diligence!

Happy Witching! -Bree

Note: Further posts with additional titles in the notes.

If at any point the link stops working or the files cannot be accessed due to suspension by the Dropbox server, please make a note of the titles you’re interested in and visit Project Gutenberg or Global Grey Ebooks to download your own copy. :)

English Folk/Traditional Names for Common Plants & Herbs

These are known now as folk names, but back in the medieval era and well into the 18th century, these were the common names for some of the herbs and plants in use in witchcraft (and generally!) today.

This list is not an exhaustive one; the names given here are just some of the names that were used primarily in England for common plants within the region.These plants have other unique and wonderful names in many other cultures and languages throughout the world.

✧ ADDER’S TONGUE (Ophioglossum Vulgatum) A.K.A.: English Adder’s Tongue, Snake’s Tongue, Viper’s Tongue, Serpent’s Tongue, Adder’s Spear, Christ’s Spear.

✧ AGRIMONY (Agrimonia Eupatoria) A.K.A.: Harvest Lice, Cat’s Tail, Liverwort, Sticklewort, Stickwort, Stickweed, Fairy’s Wand, Church Steeples, Aaron’s Rod, Beggar’s Lice/Ticks.

✧ ALDER (Alnus Glutinosa) A.K.A.: Black Alder, Fever Bush, Owler.

✧ ANGELICA (Angelica Archangelica) A.K.A.: Holy Ghost/Root of the Holy Ghost, St. Michael’s flower, Angel’s Food.

✧ ANISE (Pimpinella Anisum) A.K.A.: Sweet Alice, Aniseed.

✧ APPLE (Malus) A.K.A.: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, Silver Bough.

✧ ASH (Fraxinus Excelsior) A.K.A.: Bird’s Tongue, Hampshire Weed, Widow-maker, Venus of the Woods, Husbandman’s tree.

✧ BALSAM (Commiphora Opolbalsamum) A.K.A.: Balsam of Gilead, Balm Tree, Mecca Myrrh.

✧ BASIL (Oscimum Basilicum) A.K.A.: Our Herb, St. Joseph’s Wort, Witches’ Herb, King of Herbs, Holy Basil.

✧ BAY (Laurus Nobilis) A.K.A.: Bay Laurel, True Laurel, Daphne, Noble Laurel.

✧ BERGAMOT (Monarda Didyma) A.K.A.: Horsebalm, Bee Balm, Scarlet Mondara.

✧ BIRCH (Betula Pendula) A.K.A.: Silver Birch, White Birch, Lady of the Woods.

✧ BITTERSWEET (Solanum Dulcamara) A.K.A.: Woody Nightshade, Felon-wort, Felonwood, Blue Nightshade, Fever Twig, Staff Vine, Violet Bloom.

✧ BLACKBERRY (Rubus Fruticosus) A.K.A.: Bramble, Fingerberry, Blackhide, Blackbutter, Thimbleberrym Brambleberry, Gouthead.

✧ BLUEBELL (Hyacinthoides Non Scrupta) A.K.A.: Nodding Squill, Auld Man’s Bell, Ring-o-bells, Wood Bells.

✧ BROOM (Cytisus Scoparius) A.K.A.: Besom, Irish Tops, Scotch Broom, Butcher’s Broom, Sweet Broom.

✧ BURDOCK (Arctium Lappa) A.K.A.: Thorny Burr, Beggar’s Buttons, Sticky Bobs, Love Leaves, Hare Burr.

✧ CARNATION (Dianthus Caryophyllus) A.K.A.: Gilliflower, July Flower, Clove Pink, Sops-in-wine.

✧ CHAMOMILE (Anthemis Nobilis) A.K.A.: Whig Plant, Chamomel, Earth/Ground Apple,

✧ CHESTNUT [SWEET] (Castanea Sativa) A.K.A.: Marion, Jupiter’s Nut.

✧ CHICKWEED (Stellaria Media) A.K.A.: Starweed, Adder’s Mouth, Scarweed/wort, Tongue Grass, Stitchwort, White Bird’s Eye, Little Star Lady.

✧ CHICORY (Cichorium Intybus) A.K.A.: Witloof, Blue Sailors, Coffeeweed.

✧ CLARY [WILD] (Salvia Verbenaca) A.K.A.: Christ’s Eye, Wild Clear-eye, Vervain Sage, Eyeseed.

✧ CLEAVERS (Galium Aparine) A.K.A.: Catchweed, Beggar Lice, Goose Grass, Sticky Willy, Bedstraw, Robin-run-the-hedge, Goose’s Hair, Hedge-burrs, Milk Sweet, Stick-a-back, Scratchweed, Barweed.

✧ COMFREY (Symphytum Officinale) A.K.A.: Knitbone, Slippery Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort, Ass Ear.

✧ DAISY (Bellis Perennis) A.K.A.: Day’s Eye, Poet’s Darling, Bachelor’s Buttons, Bairnwort, Billy Buttons, Boneflower, Margaret’s Herb.

✧ DANDELION (Taraxacum Officinale) A.K.A.: Swine’s Snout, Blowball, Puffball, Clockflower, Tell-the-time, Priest’s Crown, Lion’s Tooth.

✧ DEADLY NIGHTSHADE (Atropa Belladonna) A.K.A.: Belladonna, Banewort, Black-cherry, Devil’s Cherries, Naughty Man’s Cherries, Devil’s Herb.

✧ FEVERFEW (Tanacetum Parthenium) A.K.A.: Featherfew, Featherfoil, Midsummer Daisy, Nosebleed.

✧ FOXGLOVE (Digitalis Purpurea) A.K.A.: Fairy Gloves/Fingers/Petticoats/Thimbles/Weed, Witches’ Glove, Witches’ Bells, Our Lady’s Glove, Dead Men’s Bells.

✧ GARLIC (Allium Sativum) A.K.A.: Poor Man’s Treacle, Stinkweed, Camphor of the Gods.

✧ GOLDENROD (Solidago Vibgaurea) A.K.A.: Aaron’s Rod, Cast the Spear.

✧ HAWTHORN (Crataegus Monogyna) A.K.A.: May Blossom, Mayflower, Whitethorn, Hagthorn, Ladies’ Meat.

✧ HELLEBORE [BLACK] (Helleborus Niger) A.K.A.: Bear’s Foot, Setter-wort/grass.

✧ HEMLOCK (Conium Maculatum) A.K.A.: Poison Hemlock, Devil’s Porridge.

✧ HENBANE (Hysoscyamus Niger) A.K.A.: Hog Bean, Stinking Nightshade, Henbell, Devil’s Eye, Witches’ Herb, Devil’s Tobacco.

✧ HOLLY (Ibex Auifolium) A.K.A.: Bat’s Wings, Holy Tree, Christ’s Thorn.

✧ HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera Periclymenum) A.K.A.: Woodbind, Fairy Trumpets, Sweet Suckle, Honeybind.

✧ HOREHOUND [BLACK] (Ballota Nigra) A.K.A.: Madwort, Black Hoarhound, Black Archangel.

✧ HOREHOUND [WHITE] (Marrubium Vulgare) A.K.A.: Bull’s Blood, White Archangel, Eye of the Star, Houndbane, Devil’s Eye.

✧ IVY (Hedera Helix) A.K.A.: Gort, Bindwood, Lovestone.

✧ JUNIPER (Juniperus Communis) A.K.A.: Bastard Killer, Gin Berry.

✧ LADY’S MANTLE (Alchemilla Vulgaris) A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Mantle, Lion’s Foot, Bear’s Foot, Nine Hooks.

✧ LAVENDER (Lavendula Angustifolia) A.K.A.: Elf Leaf, Spikenard, True Lavender.

✧ LEMON BALM (Melissa Officinalis) A.K.A.: Sweet Melissa, Bee Balm, Sweet Balm.

✧ LEMON VERBENA (Aloysia Triphylla) A.K.A.: Lemon Louisa, Lemon Beebrush.

✧ LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria Majalis) A.K.A.: May Lily, Our Lady’s Tears, Mary’s Tears, Ladder to Heaven.

✧ MALLOW (Malva Sylvestris) A.K.A.: Cheese-cake, Pick-cheese, Round Dock, Wild Mallow, Wood Mallow.

✧ MANDRAKE (Mandragora Officinarum) A.K.A.: Satan’s Apple, Love Plant, Mandragora.

✧ MARIGOLD (Calendula Officinalis) A.K.A.: Bride of the Sun, Drunkard, Husbandman’s Dial, Mary Gold, Summer’s Bride.

✧ MARJORAM (Origanum Majorana) A.K.A.: Wintersweet, Joy of the Mountain, Mountain Mint.

✧ MEADOWSWEET (Filipendula Ulmaria) A.K.A.: Bridewort, Queen of the Meadows, Little Queen, Quaker Lady, Mead Sweet, Gravel Root.

✧ MINT [PEPPERMINT] (Mentha Piperita) A.K.A.: Brandy Mint, English Mint.

✧ MINT [SPEARMINT] (Mentha Spicata) A.K.A.: Garden Mint, Hart Mint, Our Lady’s Mint, Sage of Bethlehem.

✧ MISTLETOE (Viscum Coloratum) A.K.A.: Druid’s Herb, Witches’ Broom, Wood of the Cross, Golden Bough, Devil’s Fuge.

✧ MONKSHOOD (Aconitum Napellus) A.K.A.: Monk’s Blood, Blue Wolf’s-bane, Aconite, Women’s Bane, Devil’s Helmet, Friar’s Cap.

✧ MUGWORT (Artemisia Vulgaris) A.K.A.: Lion’s Tail, Lion’s Tart, Heart-wort.

✧ MULLEIN (Verbascum Thapsus) A.K.A.: Blanket/Velvet/Woolly Mullein, Our Lady’s Blanket, Beggar’s Blanket, Aaron’s Rod, Adam’s Rod, Jupiter’s Staff, Jacob’s Staff, Peter’s Staff, Virgin Mary’s Candle, Lady’s Foxglove, Graveyard Dust.

✧ NETTLE (Urtica Dioica) A.K.A.: Stinging Nettle, Burn Weed, Burn Hazel.

✧ PARLSEY (Petroselinum Crispum) A.K.A.: Devil’s Oatmeal, Persil.

✧ PENNYROYAL (Mentha Legium) A.K.A.: Royal Thyme, Run-by-the-ground, Lurk-in-the-ditch, Pudding Grass.

✧ ROSEMARY (Rosemarinus Officinalis) A.K.A.: Dew of the Sea, Sea Dew, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Rose of Mary.

✧ RUE (Ruta Graveolens) A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Herb of Repentance, Mother of Herbs.

✧ [CLARY] SAGE (Salvia Sclarea) A.K.A.: Clear-Eye, See-bright, Eyebright.

✧ ST. JOHN’S WORT (Hypericum Perforatum) A.K.A.: Scare-devil, Balm of the Warrior’s Wound, Rose of Sharon.

✧ SORREL (Rumex Acetose) A.K.A.: Green Sauce, Sour Sauce, Cuckoo Sorrow.

✧ SWEET WOODRUFF (Galium Odoratum) A.K.A.: Wild Baby’s Breath, Master of the Woods, Ladies in the Hay.

✧ TANSY (Tanacetum Vuulgare) A.K.A.: Bitter Buttons, Golden Buttons, Cow Bitter.

✧ TARRAGON (Artemisia Dracunculus) A.K.A.: Dragon’s Wort, Little Dragon.

✧ THISTLE [BLESSED] (Cnicus Benedictus) A.K.A.: Holy Thistle.

✧ THISTLE [MILK] (Silybum Marianum) A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Thistle, Saint Mary’s Thistle, Sow Thistle, Marian Thistle.

✧ VALERIAN (Valeriana Officinalis) A.K.A.: Garden Heliotrope, St. George’s Herb, Bloody Butcher, Cat’s Valerian, Vandal Root.

✧ VERVAIN (Verbena Officinalis) A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Enchanter’s Herb, Britannica, Juno’s Tears, Divine Wood, Pigeongrass,

✧ WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis Virginiana) A.K.A.: Spotted Alder, Winterbloom, Snapping Hazelnut.

✧ WORMWOOD (Artemisia Absinthium) A.K.A.: Absinthe, Crown for a King, Green Ginger.

✧ YARROW (Achillea Millefolium) A.K.A.: Woundwort, Nose-Bleed, Thousand-Leaf, Arrowroot, Carpenter’s Weed, Devil’s Plaything, Devil’s Nettle,

Sources, References and Cross-Checks: Breverton’s Complete Herbal (Terry Breverton), Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Scott Cunningham), Medieval Plant Names and Their Modern Corollaries (The Met Cloister).

If you like my content and would like to help me keep providing free stuff for my gorgeous Ghoul Gang, you can tip your witch here: [Paypal].

headspace-hotel

as promised, the transplanting tutorial

most sources make transplanting sound incredibly difficult, but transplanting young seedlings from areas with sparse dirt, like a driveway or roadside, is actually incredibly easy and can get you some great stuff. Once I worked out the method, i've had a very high survival rate

it took me like a month of trial and error to figure this out so you don't have to.

Feel free to repost, no need for credit

headspace-hotel

*chanting* do it do it do it

headspace-hotel

I...tried to make a meme and got carried away and made A Thing that is like partially unfinished because i spent like 3 hours on it and then got tired.

I think this is mostly scientifically accurate but truth be told, there seems to be relatively little research on succession in regards to lawns specifically (as opposed to like, pastures). I am not exaggerating how bad they are for biodiversity though—recent research has referred to them as "ecological deserts."

Feel free to repost, no need for credit

This all wonderful to read!

Had someone ask a good question yesterday. They asked to remain anonymous, but I'd like to share their question and my answer, since I think it's a good discussion to have.

Question: Are the rituals of circle-casting and calling the quarters considered exclusively Wiccan or should I always be doing these before I cast a spell?

Answer: While certain rituals for circle-casting or quarter-calling are indeed Wiccan, the concepts of casting a ritual circle and invoking four elements (or quarters) both pre-date Wicca and can be found in multiple other ceremonial magical traditions.

Whether you're Wiccan or not, there's no rule of magical mechanics that says you must do these things before every single spell you cast or the spell will fail. Plenty of witches work without circles or invocation, especially if they're doing a spell that's spur-of-the-moment or which involves a constraints of time and space which are not conducive to a full ritual setup.

You certainly can cast a circle if you wish, or call in the quarters if it helps you feel connected to what you're doing. Just know that it's not exclusive to Wicca and that it's not required for all spellwork.

hi! i was reading that post on things that need to stop in witchy/spiritual spaces and i was wondering what you meant by the burning times (spelled tymez)? i truly have no idea what this is and sometimes humor goes over my head. thanks!

Oh, my WHEELHOUSE! -claps on the Witchstorian hat-

The Burning Times is a revisionist bit of historical fiction passed around and promoted by the modern witchcraft and pagan communities. It refers to a very real period in European history in the 15th-17th centuries when witch hunts and witch trials were happening frequently, many ending in the hanging or burning of the accused. The revisionist myth seeks to turn these innocents into martyrs, labeling them as members of a secret underground pagan cult that survived the Christianization of Europe and were later hunted by the Church for their attempts to keep a pre-Christian nature-based religion alive. Estimates put forth by some community figures, most notably Gerald Gardner, total the supposed number of slain witches as close to nine million.

In reality, while these trials certainly happened, the accused witches were almost entirely marginalized or disenfranchised persons, targets of vicious gossip and hearsay, or victims of political and ecclesiastical machinations beyond their control. Some were on the wrong side of disagreements between Church factions. Others were Jews, Muslims, or Roma persecuted by a prejudiced and easily frightened populace. And by that point in history, it is safe to say that while pre-Christian trappings certainly remained part of various seasonal festivals and popular superstitions, none of the people accused, arrested, or executed in witch trials were actually pagans.

Nor would they have labeled themselves as witches, despite what our modern standards may make of their practices and beliefs about the world they lived in. It's important to remember that "witch," up until the early 20th century was universally regarded as a derogatory term rather than an empowering one. It is still a derogatory and even dangerous thing to be called in many parts of the world today, despite efforts to reclaim it by the modern witchcraft movement.

(It should be noted that accused persons who confessed to being witches often did so under duress or torture, and it should go without saying that this does not constitute any kind of objective truth.)

Furthermore, the figure of Nine Million Witches is factually impossible in historic terms. With the continent already ravaged by war, famine, plague, and political upset during the 200 or so years that make up the so-called Burning Times, a loss of nine million people from witch trials alone (nearly all of them women, if Gardner is to be believed) would have completely decimated the population of Europe. The Black Death alone killed at least a third of the population less than a century before the first spate of these trials began and the continent wouldn't recover for another 150 years. Simply put, even with the most dedicated and zealous of witch hunters on the case, there wouldn't have been enough people to burn.

The actual number of witch trial victims is closer to about 100,000 all told. That's just what we can prove on paper. And even that made a huge impact. The real figures are enough of a tragedy on their own. No embellishment needed.

The Burning Times was adopted as both a pagan and a feminist buzzword for the patriarchal crimes of the Church, and a documentary film (riddled with factual errors) premiered in 1990 which spread the story to a wider audience and cemented the presence of the myth in the second wave of the New Age and witchcraft reconstructionist movements.

There have been many revelatory texts written by both pagan and secular scholars over the years which debunk the idea of the Burning Times, but it's so firmly entrenched, particularly in popular books by the likes of Buckland and Ravenwolf, that you still see it crop up from time to time. It's one of the things we often have to unteach newer witches and pagans, especially the ones who have an axe to grind.

When we say, "Oh they probably still believe in the Burning Times," with a bit of an eyeroll or a knowing look, it often signifies in a gently derivative way that the person is question is either new to the conversation and has not yet been disabused of certain outdated notions, or that they're clinging to those notions with a tenacity of cognitive dissonance too strong to be countered by common sense.

If you'd like more information on witch trials, I did a very long episode on the history of witchcraft and the law on Hex Positive back in September of 2021, tracing the evolution of witchcraft-related laws and notable trials from the Code of Hammurabi to the late 20th century. The Burning Times myth makes an inevitable appearance during the discussion.

Hope this cleared things up for you! 😁

Redraw of this sketch from 12 years ago that Dracolizardlars found in the bowels of my blog

Buck Moon 2022

Put on your flower crowns and your dancing shoes, it's time for the Buck Moon!

Buck Moon

The Buck Moon is the name given to the full moon in the month of July and is called this because at this time of year, the antlers on male deer are at the height of growth and impressiveness. This month also marks ANOTHER supermoon and the closest our darling satellite will be to Earth all year, so if you think the Moon looks a little larger in the sky this month, you're not wrong!

Other names for the July moon include Hay Moon and Wort Moon. North American Indigenous names for this moon include Salmon Moon (Tlingit), Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).

The West Abenaki also call this the Thunder Moon in reference to the often-stormy summer weather. (This one is my personal favorite.)

What Does It Mean For Witches?

The July full moon continues June's template of planning for the future, this time with a focus on your passions and ambitions. Reflect on what you've accomplished so far this year and plan your next step.

Dream big and plan big, but don't give in to reckless urgency. Summer (and capitalist grind culture) gives us the urge to Go Go Go. Despite all this, it's important to take time to rest and recharge, lest we find ourselves burning out and losing our motivation.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

Celebrate your victories and revel in the abundance of the summer season. If you're inclined to do so, take a page from the deer and do a bit of prancing around a bonfire or your favorite flower arbor with some festive flowery headgear.

Go exploring! Find a local park or garden and take a stroll among the greenery, or use TV and the internet to explore and learn about faraway places. This is another opportune time to go and check out pick-your-own farms and farmers markets as well.

Apart from the usual full-moon festivities, I've always found this is an excellent time for weather-witching. Summer weather is notoriously fickle, but it is also highly malleable - one recalls that old Southern epithet of, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."

If you're hoping to bring some rain to water your garden or break the back of a heat wave, this may be the time to do it. Make sure you take local weather patterns into account and try to draw on existing fronts and nearby precipitation to get the desired result. And keep in mind that with weather magic, less is more and one casting is enough. Asking for too much or asking too often can produce undesirable results. And if you manage to make it rain, be sure to collect some for moon water!

Happy Buck Moon, witches! 🌕🦌

Further Reading:

Buck Moon: Full Moon in July 2022, The Old Farmer's Almanac

Buck Moon 2022: The Awesome Spiritual Meaning of July's Full Moon, Amanda Brethauer, The Peculiar Brunette

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison

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Paper Bead Magic

So a week or so ago I got the idea of making paper beads and hiding sigils inside them. I figured I could combine sigil and knot magic to accomplish various things.

Listen, I'm not a photographer, and I'm using a free phone that came with a prepaid plan, which really doesn't help.

It's easy enough to find tutorials online for paper beads, so I'm not going to make one, though I will put some tips I figured out under the cut at the end. I thought I'd mostly talk a bit about how you might use them.

This craft was largely inspired by the various uses of the many different types of prayer beads (I believe this is the umbrella term, but correct me if I'm wrong), but there are plenty of other things you could do with them.

Make them with sigils that correspond to your purpose and string them together with related knot spells, then:

hang the beads around your door(s), or wear them for protection

incorporate them into a pre-bed meditative ritual, then hang them over your bed before you go to sleep to help with lucid dreaming, remembering dreams, spirit communication, etc.

use them for trance work (repetition can be a great way to achieve a trance state)

make devotional jewelry for whatever deities you work with

use them like worry beads, for relaxation or to ease the urge to do addictive behaviors

hillbillyoracle

Hey! I saw a post of yours earlier mentioning dnd dice divination, do you happen to have a link or anything for more info?

You can print out any of the three zines/resources I've made on polyhedral dice for totally free here.

Hope this helps!

Me, preparing to destroy my own credibility: "I'm sorry, but if you want to practice witchcraft you NEED to-"

asksecularwitch

Drop the idea of perfection.

There's no "perfect" timing for a particular spell - meaning if you are preparing for a full moon ritual, and then you mc-fucking-get-the-poops the day of and are laid up, just do it the next day. Like I distinctly have this memory of someone telling me the Full Moon "lasts for 3 days" - in terms of spellwork.

BTW, I don't use the full moon for spellwork, but this is a common one for a lot of people. There's no "perfect" ingredient for a particular spell - meaning you really wanted this great potato, you bring it home from the store, and it's perfectly the spud. And you cut into it for the carving at 11:03pm when all other grocery stores are closed and SURPRISE the SPUD is rotten on the inside. So you have to get creative and use a carrot instead, because it's what you had. Then that's just what you have!

Perfection is an illusion.

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