#☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

[exdivine]

who else is menstruating into the new year

[thecatsandthecrone]

Wheel of the Year: Yule

Photo by Ksenia Yakovleva on Unsplash ☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

Yuletide, Yule, Christmas… one of the biggest festivals in the wheel of the year and definitely one of the most popular ones, as it got adapted into Christianity and popularized as the "day of the birth of Christ". It is now known, observed and celebrated all over the world, be the country Christian or not. Even if Christmas is celebrated the 25th of December, Yule os more commonly celebrated between the 21st and the 23rd December on the North Hemisphere and between the 21st and the 23rd of June in the Southern Hemiphere.

Yule comes right after Samhain and before Imbolc. While pagan in origin, Christianity took from it, adapted it and turned into the majour festival of this religion.This is also one of the easiest to celebrate big time without needing to come out of the broom closet: a lot of the imagery of Christmas actually mirrors that from Yule, in fact.

Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice. Yule celebrates midwinter, and the longest night of the year. What this signifies is that the reign of darkness is over, the tipping point has been passed, and the reign of light is coming back. From now on, days are becoming warmer and warmer, sunnier and sunnier and life will start to come back to Earth, as winter winds down.

We don't know exactly where the origin of the word "yule" comes from, but it is suspected it might come from Old Norse, the word “jól", which meant a celebratory feast. The festival also has ties to Germanic and Scandinavian gods such as Odin, and it also played a part on their folklore.

Yule is a time for rejoicing. It mainly celebrates letting go of the old, accounting for the past year, cleaning house and making room for the new, shiny coming things. It's a time for rebirth, new beginnings and hope. It is also a time for reflection and introspection, to make sure not to repeat the same mistakes of the past year, and to try to steer ourselves in the good direction. It is also a time to chase away the darkness through joy and merriment: ignoring that the harvests have ended and our reserves are almost empty, let's celebrate and make merry for the good times are coming soon!

It doesn't matter where you live: Christmas, and therefore Yule, has become so popularized and commercialized that you probably can celebrate it inside your home and outside the house for the entire month of December. In most countries of the world illuminations, jingles, people dressed up as something or other and all sorts of shiny decorations will help you get in the holiday spirit. This is also one of the strong suits of Yule: you can still celebrate as much as you want, deck the halls and get into the holiday spirit… while still being extremely subtle about the fact that you practice witchcraft !

If you'd like to celebrate Yule, here you have a short list of options available to you. Some might be more adecuate to solitary practice, others might be best if you are part of a coven.Some allow you to get all materialistic about it, while others will help you keep in touch with the more traditional, raw side of the festival. Whichever you choose, make sure to enjoy yourself and look forward to the hope and hapiness this event brings us !

-Candles: Ever wondered why candles feature so prominently in Christmas decor ? Well, it's part of an old tradition where candles and fires were lit for Yule, both to light up the longest, darkest night of the year and to honour the Sun and call it home. Both candles and fire are incredibly popular motifs for Yule and many traditions include them, so if you can, light some: battery candles will do as well !

-Decorate: It's pretty evident that decorating is also a big theme in Yule. Christmas has become extremely commercial and big, lavish, expensive decorations have become the go-to; but just like with all the other festivals you don't need to break the bank to bring that holiday spirit home. Buying commercial decorations is not the only way to deck the halls: crafting your own, or collecting seasonal items such as pinecones, holly or mistletoe from nature are all fantastic options. Just make sure you are not damaging any plants or taking any protected species (holly is endangered in many countries) and you are golden !

-Crafting: Yule celebrates the longest night of the year, which means up until then the hours of night, of dark and of cold have been too long to go outside. This makes Yule a great festival to sit by the bonfire (or by candlelight) crafting decorations. Sew, crochet, felt, draw or create in any way that pleases you both to decorate your house and to offer gifts to your loved ones. I would recommend creating an evergreen wreath: they are so simple to make and so elegant !

-Bake: Like I mentioned just before, the days before Yule are too dark and cold to be out of the house much. The harvest season has also ended, so fresh ingredients are lacking: baking with dry ingredients such as flour served a double purpose back in the day (cleaning up the pantry from non-perishables that would sustain you through winter and starting the oven that would light up the entire house). Cookies and biscuits are traditional, but so are breads, pies, cakes, pizza… highly caloric, sugary food is favoured as well: you need to put on some weight to be able to deal with the freezing winter temperatures!

-Feast: "Feast", "festival"… close enough. You can't have a festival without feasting, and what are you going to do, not eat all those delicious cookies you just baked ? To really honour the season and bring some good luck and prosperity your way, make sure to share that feast with your loved ones or to do some charity !

-Share: While Christianity and Christmas might have popularized the "charity" aspect of Yule, it was always important to share during this season: those neighbours that weren't as fortunate in the past year might be running low on supplies and ingredients. Therefore, sharing is extremely important during Yule if you have extra, no matter what shape it takes: share your abundance by inviting your loved ones to a feast, give lovely gifts to those around you, share your time and joy by volunteering at a soup kitchen…

-Divination: Yule is close enough to the end of the year that you might be wondering what it has in store for you. Using a pendulum, scrying, tarot, tasseomancy… any way is good to discover what the future might hold and to look forward to it.

-Deep cleansing: Yule is a moment of saying goodbye to the past and honouring rebirth and new beginnings, so it is a particularly auspicious moment to make inventory, clean house and make room for the new and coming. This might be more metaphorical (looking back in the past year and letting go of what didn't serve you) or more physical, like really cleaning your house. Cleanse yourself and your house and don't forget to protect yourself to keep the wacky energies at bay.

-Shadow work: Yule is a particularly good moment for self reflection, for looking into the past and for being honest with ourselves. Shadow work will help you come to terms with the most painful parts of your past and of yourself, make a clean break with them and, if you can't let them go, make strides to integrate them into yourself and to start the healing process.

-Honouring: Yule marks the day where the Sun, the brightness and the warmth start to return to us. It would be a good moment to honour the Sun, honour your deities, honour yourself and everything and all that have allowed you to come to this place. Meditation, self reflection, gratefulness, offerings to your deities… all things that help you feel connected to yourself and the world, and everything that makes you feel grateful and hopeful for the future, works here.

-Decorate your altar: We can't have a festival without decorating your altar ! Add colours, motifs and themes that remind you of the season to your altar. It's also a good option to add offerings to any deities you might work with.

Colours associated with Yule: White, black, red, green, silver, gold Crystals associated with Yule: Black obsidian, red jasper, carnelian, calcite, sunstone Food associated with Yule: Apples, spices, wine and alcoholic beverages, baked items, meat, berries, sweets

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !

[evanspresso]

Manifesting Evan gets the golden globe ☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

🕯 🕯

🕯 🕯

🕯 🏆 🕯

🕯 🕯

🕯 🕯

🕯

✨✨✨✨✨

[clavissionary-position]

All the magic And sweets In the world For Gilbert

🎩/) ( •.•) />🪄 ☆・*。 　 ・゜+. 　　 °。+ ✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🌈✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🌈✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🌈✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🌈✨✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🌈✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🌈✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🌈✨🔮━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺🌙🔮☾︎✿︎❣︎✩🌙✨🪐🪄₊˚ʚ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎₊˚✧ ﾟ.☽🍰 🎂 🍮 🍭 🍬 🍫 🍿 🍩🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🎃🦇🔮🖤🪄⚡🧹🔮🪄🕯🌕🏰🐌🔮🍄🧚🏼🍃🌿🌱🌈✨

[balkanlila]

🌿☽☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🌼🌱🌷🐝🌸☆🎧🎸🎶☆🍓💐👨🏻‍🌾🌿🌼🌱🌷🐝👨🏻‍🌾🌿🌼🌱🌷🐝🌸🍓💐🌻👩‍🌾🌺🏡🥕🍄🔮☾🕯JO!!!!!! I LOVE YOU AND THIS IS US RIGHT NOW!!!!🃏🌕🍃🍎🌳🍀🌴☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚☘️🍏🍅🪴🍒☆🎧🎸🎶☆🧺🌾👩🏽‍🌾🍉🥬🍍🍄🍃🍎🌳🍀🌴☘️🍏🍅🪴🍒🧺🌾👩🏽‍🌾🍉🥬🍍🌿🌼🌱🌷🐝🌸🍓💐☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🔮☾🕯🃏🌕☆🎧🎸🎶☆

🌼🌱🌷🐝🌸🍓🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚☘️🍏🍅🪴🍒☆🎧🎸🎶☆🧺🌾👩🏽‍🌾🍉🥬🍍🍄🍃🍎🌳🍀🌴☘️🍏🍅🪴🍒🧺🌾👩🏽‍🌾🍉🥬🍍🌿🌼🌱🌷🐝🌸🍓💐☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚🔮☾🕯🃏🌕☆🎧🎸🎶☆🌼🌱🌷🐝🌸🍓🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖 (im about to make a museum for you too) ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖

WOOOOOOOOOOO IT'S US 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 This is just the starting point!!!!! I have to figure out the tagging system + make the header myself + pamphlets + pick up a couple of ghosts to decorate the place + come up with the soundtrack (like. it's a museum and each room (post) comes with a letter for the visitor (SONG LYRICS!!!! + A.P. DRAWINGS)) OH and no guide, we do it like Dalí (everyone gets to figure out the meaning of everything themselves! that's why we gift visitors with reinvent ❤ jackets at the beginning). I JUST NEEDED TO SHARE IMMEDIATELY, Tumblr has NOTHING on me. <3

OHHHHHHH MY MUSEUM :"))))) what if i wept <3

[xmatchaxmochix]

Witchcraft 101: Gnocchi and peas with cheese sauce for protection.

☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

    Going through a rough patch ? Uncertain times ahead ? Are you about to set out on a new journey and you are afraid of what might come your way ? People that don't have your best interests in mind are trying to mess with you ? Feeling scared, upset and uncertain in this kind of situations is a given, but one of the things that helps me the most when I have to soldier on is food; specially enchanted food.

    If you want to protect yourself and your loved ones against the "what ifs" and the "might be" or if you are stressed and worried about the future, this tasty and wholesome meal will not only fill your stomach but also put your mind at ease by granting you that extra magickal protection that you need. Before you start cooking just a warning: I use store-bought cheese sauce in this recipe, but you can make your own from scratch by making a béchamel sauce, adding a little bit of nutmeg and mustard and then dumping every type of cheese you've got in there ! Ingredients:

Potato gnocchi- Grounding, protection, stability. Peas- Protection, love, money Cheese-Success, happiness, fascination of women, transformation, divination Goat cheese- Strenght, stubborness, gentleness, endurance, leadership, independence. This is optional, but I always add it to the leftovers to bulk them up.

Instructions: The recipe is very simple to prepare, perfect for spoonies: -Heat up a little dab of butter or oil (I am partial to butter) in a pan. When the butter has melted dump your gnocchi in. -Let them get toasty and warm from a couple of minutes, stirring every once in a while to prevent them from burning or sticking. -Add the cheese sauce and stir, making sure to coat all the gnocchi well. Watch the pot for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, to ensure the gnocchi get all that flavourful cheese sauce. -When the gnocchi seem soft, add the peas. If the peas are canned or fresh make sure to rinse them first. -Concentrate on your intention (mine is often protection, but also happiness). If you want to chant, I usually go for "May this meal bring me happiness and protection so mote it be". Stir the pot three times clockwise and tap the pot with your spoon to seal the spell. -Serve and enjoy !     This recipe is very versatile and it can have a lot of variations. I usually add goat cheese to "bulk it up" when I have a little left over, and in the days I am feeling feisty I add sriracha, oregano and black pepper to the mix. I have considered adding caramelized onions and sage to make it into a "fancy meal", and if you make your own béchamel sauce from scratch you can experiment as much as you want with the mix of cheeses: find a mix that suits your tastes !

     If you would like me to create more posts like this, please reblog and like. It would also mean the world to me if you would donate to me in Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or visit my Etsy story here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header  Thank you for reading !

[calicocollage]

It's just a bunch of Hocus Pocus!

☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

{𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐭𝐬𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩}

[harryforvogue]

🧙🏼🍃⚡️☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

this is me putting a spell on your parents to never make you cry again or pilgrim harry will come and haunt them

LMAO I LOVE YOU ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[thecatsandthecrone]

Wheel of the year: Mabon.

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash   ☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

Mabon is the second of the three harvest festivals observed in witchcraft, with the first being Lammas and the third being Samhain.Mabon is commonly celebrated from the 21st to the 23rd of September in the northern hemisphere, from the 21st to the 23rd of Mrch in the southern one.

Mabon comes right after Lammas and right before Samhain. As the second harvest festival, it celebrates wealth, prosperity and abundance.This festival also marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, making it a time of preparation for the colder months.This means it is also seen as a time of shifting, changes and renewal.

While this festivity is tied to numerous harvest festivals all over Europe (Oktoberfest in Germany, Dionysus/Bacchus festival in ancient Rome and Greece, Harvest Home in tthe United Kingdom...) and all over the world (Mid-Autumn festival in many countries in Asia, Thanksgiving in the United States) but unlike many other festivals, it has no ties to Celtic folklore at all. That is why wiccan pagans took a lot longer to incorporate this festivity into their lore, and it wasn't observed until the 70s. Because of this, the name of the festival has no Celtic ties either. Actually it comes from the name of a Welsh god that was the son of the Earth Mother Goddess. This deity has close ties to the harvest and its prosperity, so any other deities that do so too are at honour during this festivity: Ceres, Bacchus or Dionysius, Persephone, Pomona...but, as it celebrates the switch from summer to autumn, gods tied to the dark, darkness and winter are also remembered here (Pluto, Hades...) Just like Lammas, this festival celebrates any imagery related to field and harvests, abundance and prosperity. The cornucopia is very present in this festival, usually filled with the first fruits of the havest: wheat, corn, grapes, apples, etc. Feminine or masculine imagery is also relevant (corn dollies, effigies), but so are the fields, water, and wheat as well. There are lots of traditions linked to this festivals, but the most important ones are harvesting, foraging and feasting! Thanking your deities or your neighbours is also important here: we must not forget that our abundance rarely comes from our effort alone, but from those that help us and make allowances for us giving us the opportunity of working hard at our goals.

What rituals you might be able to look forward to depend a lot on where you live, and if you are out of the broom closet. In Germany, you might celebrate Oktoberfest, Thanksgiving in the United States and Harvest Home in the United Kingdom.No matter if you are a solitary practitioner or in a coven, in the broom closet or out of it here are some ways to enjoy yourself. -Feast: It wouldn't be a harvest festival without a feast. Enjoy yourself and partake in the abundance and prosperity of the harvest. Berries, wheat, corn and beer are good options. Bonus points if you can feast on what you foraged (like nuts)! -Decorate: Be it your house or your local festivities, decoration is important to create that festive vibe. Cornucopias, grapes, picnic baskets, apples, nuts, acorns... Anything that brings images of autumn. -Honour abundance: Mabon is no time to spare in preparations. Go all out with it, put together and display abundance. Bring out your best cutlery, dress in your finest garb, and eat that lovely foie gras you have been saving for a special occasion. -Share: Few things show prosperity, abundance and wealth as passing it around and sharing it. Since Mabon celebrates prosperity and abundance, it is a good time to share the fruits of your labour with others (wiccans might remember the law of three here!).

-Honour your deities: Deities love to be honoured and remembered. Prayers and offerings are two excellent ways to show your give back to them, just as they bestowed blessings upon you. -Decorate your altar: Like with any other festival, seasonally decorating your altar is a lovely option. Corns, pinecones and decorations in gold, yellow, red and orange are the best options. Colours associated with Mabon: Red, orange, earth and muted tones Crystals associated with Mabon: Citrine, sapphire, lapis lazuli Food associated with Mabon: Apples, pumpkins, grapes, wheat, corn, berries, nuts

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !  

[thecatsandthecrone]

Wheel of the year: Lammas

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash  

☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

Also known as "Lammas" or "August eve", Lughnasadh is the first of the three harvest festivals observed in wiccan tradition (and in witchcraft). Lughnasad, often celebrated between the 1st to the 3rd of August in the northern hemisphere (1st February in the southern one) celebrates the impending leave of summer and the return of colder seasons, shorter days and of course, autumn.

Lammas comes right after Litha and right before Mabon.While the name "Lammas" comes from the anglosaxon words for "loaf mass", we aren't exactly sure of how, when or why this tradition originated. Some people believe it started from anglosaxon tradition, other suspect that while the name is anglosaxon the origin is celtic, and yet others think this tradition may have originated in early christianity. Regardless the origin, we know that the earliest tradition of this day was to bake a loaf of bread with the recent harvest, and to take it to the church to be blessed (and to thank the universe for the lovely bounty bestowed upon you). Likewise, it is also known that this particular sabbat was incorporated into wiccan faith later and reluctantly, perhaps due to its christian ties.

Lammas marks the beginning of the harvest that started in midsummer, and the harvest of the first fruits of the year.As it is to be expected, this festival has deep ties to agriculture and farming, to prosperity and to wealth. Back in the day, it was considered that collecting the harvest before Lammas was bad luck, as it would mean the previous' years harvest had ran out before its time. This festivity is closely linked to christian imagery, christian deities and saints due to its suspected origins. It is particularly tied to Christ (who is said to have transfigurated during this time) and to St. Peter in chains, said to have been released from prison in this day. The festivity is also tied to the celtic Lugh (the horned man), whose mother is said to have cleaned the fields of Ireland for agriculture, and died of exhaustion right after. Any other deities tied to the harvest, abundance, prosperity, fields or the hearth might be honored during this sabbat. This sabbat honours any imagery related to field and harvests, abundance and prosperity. As expected, the cornucopia is very present in this festival, usually filled with the first fruits of the havest: wheat, corn, grapes, apples, etc. Feminine or masculine imagery is also relevant (corn dollies, effigies) and so are the Sun, the water (particularly rivers and springs) and the soil. There are numerous traditions linked to this festival: the most evident one is baking and blessing, be it bread or cakes. Banquets and feasting are also common in most countries. Decorating your house or altar might be an option if you are a solitary practitioner, and in some countries they decorate the town square and throw a big party: another crucial theme of this festivity is sharing !

What kind of traditions you can participate in depends heavily on your country and if you are out of the broom closet or not. If you are in Germany, you might have Oktoberfest to look forward to, and some areas of northern France also celebrate "August day". Even if you are a solitary practitioner or in the broom closet, here are some ways to partake the joy that you can use to  honour this day. -Feast: The climax of every sabbat ! Feasting is a staple in every festival and Lammas is particularly suited to it because of its ties to abundance and the harvest. Meals that are particularly fitting would be bread or wheat cakes, corn, beer, grapes, apples, berries and fresh herbs. -Decorate: Joining the decoration efforts at your local festival or fair is just as valid as making some humble decorations for your house. Ribbons, corn dolls, cornucopias, scythes and baskets are lovely options. -Bake: Baking anything with seasonal ingredients such as cereals, fresh herbs, fruits or berries is an excellent option. You could even make decorative break that is scoured with designs such as leaves, suns or flowers. -Share: One of the most important parts of Lammas is sharing. This festivity celebrates prosperity and abundance, and sharing shows not only that you care but also that you have enough for yourself and to pass around !

-Honour your deities: No deity hates being honoured and remembered. Prayers and offerings are two excellent ways to show your gratefulness for the abundance that surrounds you. -Pilgrimages: Several traditions associate this festival to pilgrimages. In christian tradition it was commos to make a pilgrimage to a bakery for your loaf of bread, and then to a church to bless it. In celtic tradition, there was a tradition to go to a well, turn around it clockwise, and leaving offerings like coins. With your friend or on your own, take a little "pilgrimage" to a bakery, curch or well. -Decorate your altar: Like with any other festival, seasonally decorating your altar is a fantastic option. Fruits, bread, and decorations in gold, yellow, red and orange are the best options. Colours associated with Lammas: White, red, orange, yellow, gold, brown Crystals associated with Lammas: Agate, moonstone, sunstone, jasper, Food associated with Lammas: Bread, cakes, cereals, beer, corn, herbs, spices, berries and seasonal fruits

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !  

[thecatsandthecrone]

Wheel of the year: Samhain

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

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Samhain is the third of the harvest festivals observed in witchcraft, and perhaps the most popular one.Samhain is usually celebrated between the 31st of October to the 1st of November in the northern hemisphere and from the 31st of April to the 1st of May in the southern one.

Samhain comes right after Mabon and before Yule. It is also one of the most widely observed festivals both in witchcraft and in those folklores that drew from our traditions, as it was adapted by Christianity into "Halloween" or "All Hallow's Eve", commercialized, internationalized and spread as part of "traditional American culture" all over the globe. However, this festival has nothing American in origin, but like most other wiccan or witch festivals it originated in Celtic folklore and culture. This festival not only celebrate the third and last harvest of the year; but it is also considered the other "midpoint" of the year (with Beltane being it's opposite), a "turning point", and the day where the veil thins, allowing from visitors from the Other side to come and hang out with us for a night. As a celtic festival, Samhain is still widely observed in countries of Celtic tradition (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain…) but it has also been adapted and popularized by American culture as Halloween, a "time for fright" but also for reflection and for remembering the ones that are not here with us any longer. As a harvest festival, Samhain honours abundance, prosperity and bountifulness. Back in the day, after the last of the harvest was collected and the fields were cleared the cattle wa brought to the pastures for its last grazing, and then slaughtered to spare it from the harshness of winter. Ritualistic fires were also lighted, just like in Beltane, for protection and cleansing.

As a threshold festival where our world and that of the dead and of the fairies meet, rituals of protection, of appeasement, of welcoming and departing were held: we welcomed visitors amongst us for one night, we honoured and thanked them, we reflected on how much of our abundance is owed to them and them we gave them a proper depart to ensure they didn't linger with us for too long.

No matter where you live, you might look forward to those traditions American culture has popularized: trick or treating, dressing up and watching spooky movies. In some other countries, particularly those of Celtic tradition, you might be able to participate in many more rituals. However, no matter in which country you live, if you are a solitary practitioner or in a coven and no matter how subtle you want to be about your practice there are many options available to you to honour this festival. -Dressing up: the tradition of dressing up and trick or treating are both very intimately tied to Celtic folklore. Back in the day, it was believed that the dead and fairies would come visit us during Samhain, as it was when the veil between worlds was thinnest. Therefore, people would dress up (often in spooky costumes) to mix with them. Then, treats would be offered to appease and honour them. Honour this tradition by dressing up (preferably in a spooky costume) and go trick or treating, or stay at home and offer treats to those that come visit you! -Trick or treating: as explained before, this goes hand in hand with dressing up. Back in the day, treats would be offered to the dead and to the fairies to appease them, lest they haunt us if we don't honour them properly. Going trick or treating is a fantatic way to oberve Samhain, specially if you are dressed in a super spooky costume! -Decorate: This is one of the two times of the year where the departed come back to visit, so you wouldn't want them to find the place a mess, isn't it? Be it your house or the town square go all out with spooky and seasonal decorations! Bats, pumpkins, acorns, skeletons… deck the halls and make it stunning, but don't forget to cleanse and ward the day after, lest any negative presence lingers and is not sent off properly. -Feast: Just with like any other witchcraft festival, you need to feast to bring that seasonal spirit home. Samhain is, after all, another harvest festival so honour the last of the abundance by eating well and being grateful for all the prosperity and bountifulness the season has bestowed upon you.

-Dumb supper: Can you notice a theme with the ways to honour Samhain? Eating is a big part of this festival, but so is reflecting on the past and honouring our ancestors. To celebrate a dumb supper, prepare plenty of food (if possible something that your ancestors enjoyed!. Next, prepare extra seats (that will be left empty, for those that will come from the other side). Through your intention, invite the departed to join you and explain that this meal is to honour them. After that, wait a little, so they can "serve themelves" and partake of the offering. Lastly, partake in the meal yourself… in complete silence the entire time. You might finish this ritual by making extra offerings (burying biodegradable food in the floor, pouring drinks in the floor…), by burning any message that you want to send to them, or by visiting their graves and leaving an offering such as flowers. -Visiting graves: A traditional part of Samhain and a very common custom in Christian countries, visiting graves to honour the departed is usually done on the 1st November. Visiting the grave also requires a moment of gratefulness, of reflection and of communion with the fact that death is a part of life. In a lot of Christian countries, we also leave offerings to honour the dead with flowers and candles being the most popular ones. -Candles and fires: During Samhain, fires are of course lit for ritualistic purposes and for cleansing, but they also are lit to honour the departure or the light, of longer days… and of those that came to visit us. If you can't lit a fire, candles will do just fine. -Watch the sunrise/sunset: Take in the fact that, starting from now, the hours of light will be less and less and the hours of darkness will only increase. Take that time to reflect about the past year, to be grateful for both light and darkness and to truly be in communion with nature and the natural cycles of life: we can't have light without darkness and we can't have darkness without light. -Decorate your altar: A staple in every single festival, decorating your altar is a lovely option to celebrate this festival and to honour any deities you work with (if you so wish). Deck your altar in seasonal colours, relevant stones, offerings or anything that pleases you and makes you happy. Colours associated with Samhain: Dark tones, black, white, brown, yellow, orange, gold Crystals associated with Samhain: Quartz (particularly smoky quartz), black tourmaline, amethyst, obsidian, citrine, bloodstone Food associated with Samhain: Apples, pumpkin, nuts, cheese, sweets, meat, honey,chocolate

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !

[thecatsandthecrone]

Wheel of the year: Litha.

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Litha. Midsummer. San Juán. Summer solstice. Every culture has a different denomination for this festivity, which is just as popular in countries of celtic or pagan tradition as in those that are christian. This festivity celebrates the solstice of Summer, the beginning of this season and it marks the longest day of the year. In the Northern hemisphere it is originally celebrated around the 20th to the 21st of June, but in some countries the celebrations are stretched just until the 26th. In the southern hemisphere, Litha happens around the 20th to 21st of December.

Litha comes right after Beltane and before Lammas.Supposedly, this festival is more closely tied to Anglosaxon traditions than to celtic or pagan religions, and it is therefore not really linked to any deities. The name of this festival supposedly comes from the old Anglosaxon name for June, albeit some historians believe it might come from old Anglosazon words for "summer", "gentle" or "navigable". It is unclear where this festival started, but what it celebrated and its associations are clear and evident.

Litha celebrates the first of Summer, the heat of the Sun at its peak, and the season where Spring dies down to bring forth a full, lush summer. Flowers begin to die down leaving their place to fruit, baby animals are now in their infancy, the weather is hot and nature is bountiful.

Litha is a celebration of life and abundance in every sense of the word. It is a time for joy and celebration, and for letting go of inhibitions. This is a good time to manifest abundance and wealth into your life. As it is to be expected Litha is also closely tied with elements such as the Sun and fire, as well as with certain tradititions related to abundance or fertility. This is also a good moment to rejoice in the joy of life, to reflect on the abundance and blessings that the Gods have cast upon us and to share love and abundance with your loved ones. Litha is a moment of excess, no holding back here: celebrate, feast and love to your heart's content! While this festivity is not closely associated with any deity in particular, it is fitting to celebrate those related to sensuality, sexuality, abundance or fertility here. Both very feminine and very masculine Gods are in honour here, as well as those relating to the Sun. In Wicca, this is the moment where the Maiden aspect of the Goddess becomes the mother, while for Romans the Gods to honour were Juno (goddess of motherhood and the household) or Apollo (God of the Sun). Other good deities to worshio might be Lugh, Sunna, Horus, Hestia, Minerva... as well as any God or Goddess related to masculine or feminine energy! Likewise, this festival honours lush, virile or yonic imagery as well. Sensual images would not be out of place for Litha, but anything vigorous works as well: the most common association is the sun, but fires and candles are also important. So are certain types of flowers (particularly those yellow or orange, said to mirror the sun's exhuberance), certain types of trees (the oak tree in particular), water (as a balancing force for the sun and the other element required to enliven nature)... and, of course, this festival has strong ties to the Fae Folk. There are plenty of traditions associated with Midsummer, all of them heavily dependant in the area where you live. In Spain the most common tradition is "las hogueras de San Juán", where people barbecue, lit fires and enjoy a wonderful time partaking in different traditions with their families (in the north of Spain, you must jump over the fire 7 times to make a wish, while in the south you must find certain flowers, soak them in well water and wash yourself with it 1st thing in the morning to stay young). In Sweden, they dance around a Maypole, drink schnapps and eat pickled herring with potatoes. In some areas of the UK, they sing and dance while waiting for the sunrise.

Of course not all of this traditions will be celebrated in your country: it's possible that they don't celebrate any at all! In any case, no matter if you are a solitary practicioner, part of a community, in the broom closet or out of it there are numerous traditions that you can partake in to celebrate Litha! -Feast: Like with most festivals, Litha is a good time to feast. However, Litha is particularly suited to it as it is a festival that celebrates wealth and abundance. Don't hold back today, and make sure to share with your community, the loved ones or the less fortunate. A barbeque on top of a fire would be a good option, but so would a picnic close to a nearby body of water. Read more for some foods that are particularly suited to a Litha festival. -Dance: Dance is not only associated to celebration, happiness and merrymaking but it is also associated with sensuality and fertility. Many midsummer traditions around the world include dancing, so this would be a good time to let loose and enjoy all your body has to offer. Make sure to pay attention to how your body feels, and how the music makes you feel for an extra-sensual experience! -Light a bonfire: Bonfires remind us of the power and strenght of the sun, and are often used to honour it. A lot of midsummer traditions include bonfires, lighting them, sitting by them, or jumping over and dancing around them. If in your country they light bonfires, find a local one and join the festivities; but you are welcome to make one in your backyard as long as it is allowed and you follow all the regulations required in your country. -Light candles: No luck with bonfires? Not a problem. Candles are a good, simple and discrete option if you cannot have a full-on fire. Consecrated or not, particularly fitting candles would be white, red, orange or yellow.

-Honour the sun: A good way to enjoy Litha would be to watch the sunrise or the sunset, and to truly appreciate all the beauty and good that the sun offers us. The sun is such an important force in our lives, dictating the rythm of nature, keeping us warm, feeding the plants... Enjoy a moment of sun and meditate on just how much it offers us. -Go be by the waterside: A counter force to the sun, water is also celebrated during Litha. Water is another important source of life, vigour and vitality and required to keep our crops healthy and alive just as much as the sun. If possible, spend your Litha next to the sea, a river, a lake or even a well. -Enjoy freshness: Litha is a time where plenty of fruits, berries, flowers and herbs mature and are at their most fragant and tasty. It would be particularly fitting to enjoy foods including this ingredients, or to enjoy them as is. Going out to pick some of this ingredients is also an excellent idea. -Decorate your altar: Just like with any other festival, decking your altar in the colours of Litha is a good option.Decorate by using colours, stones, flowers, herbs or anything associated to the festival. Consecrate it to any deities that relate to this festivity of you want. This are only some of the options that you have to enjoy this festival, but of course there are much more. Explore, enjoy yourself and let loose! Colours associated with Litha: White, red, orange, yellow, purple, gold Crystals associated with Litha: Amber, tiger's eye, jade, onyx, cinnabar, fire opal Food associated with Litha: Meat, fish, honey, fresh berries and herbs, seasonal fruit, honey, bread

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !  

[thecatsandthecrone]

Witchcraft 101: cleansing, banishing, warding. What are they and why do I need them all ?

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash  

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     It is not difficult to find unexperienced witches on Tumblr, Reddit or other communities asking "help, I cleanse my space ALL of the time but bad energies keep coming back, what am I doing wrong?". It is also likely you have read the answer of an exhausted, experienced witch saying "that's because you don't ward...". You might also have read older witches insisting that you MUST ward before playing ouija or experimenting with spirits, and mentioning that cleansing a space might not be enough if you forgot to ward, and you might need to BANISH some presences. But what do this terms mean, and how are they different?

     There is a lot of confusion when it comes to this three terms and I relate to younger witches that do not understand the difference or end up thinking they are the same. There is so much information out there, and some of it is so obscure, that it is easy to get confused and choose the easiest option. However, if we want to grow into fine practitioners we must fill in the gaps in our knowledge and grow.

     Cleansing, banishing and warding are the three components of repelling bad energies and protecting yourself. They are similar, but not the same, and they are complementary: while using only one might be enough, you probably want to combine the three to be truly safe (especially if you play around with things such as spirits or black magic). This three components are like sweeping, vacuuming and moping: you can probably get by by doing only one, but for a proper house you probably should be doing all 3.

     Cleansing is the simplest, most basic step to protect yourself. To make an analogy, cleansing would be like sanitizing your house to make sure no insects or small animals are attracted to your house. Cleansing is a small ritual to get rid of any bad energies or negative vibes that might be in your space: if anything negative happened to you recently, if a toxic person visited you... you probably want to cleanse. Cleansing is usually easy and requires very little steps: it might be as simple as *actually cleansing your house*, using cleansing incense, spreading salt in your altar or on top or your important objects, or using sound (such as rain sounds or bell sounds) to purify a space.

     Banishing is slightly stronger, and it is usually done when you know there is negative energies around you. For example, if you know someone gave you the evil eye or a hex, if you suspect a bad presence or a spirit is attached to you or if it has been a very long time since you cleansed, you probably need to banish. To go on with the analogy, banishing is like shooing away any insects that are already in your house. There are simple banishing rituals that you can practice, sometimes specific or sometimes more general: burning sage, using strong incense or candles, screaming "FUCK OFF SPIRITS" while banging pots and pans, rituals that can "send back" hexes and dark spells...

     Warding is the last step, and it involves protecting yourself and your space. It prevents evil energies or off vibes from re-entering your space. Going back to the analogy, warding is closing the window to prevent the insects from getting inside. It is crucial that you ward *after* cleansing or banishing: otherwise, you might trap the bad energies inside your home. Warding can be as easy or as complex as you want: simple salt lines in front of your gates and windows are enough, but there also plenty of rituals that are absolutely wonderful.

     Why do all of this get conflated together? Because the terms are pretty similar, and often go hand in hand, taking into account numerous herbs with cleansing proterties also have warding properties. Sage, one of the most well loved cleansing herbs also works for warding, for example. While you can combine a herb with both properties for both things, it is not ideal: intent and focused effort count a lot here.

     All in all, cleansing, banishing and warding are similar terms, but not the same. All three are important in your practice, and while doing only one might get you by you need the three to actually be "well covered" and to be well protected. They must be done in a particular order for them to be effective (cleanse or banish BEFORE warding) and they can be as simple or as complex as you'd like. You might combine this steps in one, but they might not be as powerful as if you do them one by one (don't forget that focused intent counts a lot in witchcraft!).

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !  

[thecatsandthecrone]

The Wheel of the Year: Beltane

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May 1st marks Beltane on the wheel of the year (at least, in the northern hemisphere. In the southern one, it is celebrated in the 1st November). This celebration comes right after Ostara and before Litha. Beltane is one of the less well known festivities because other religions, because even if Christianity integrated it into their story they didn't link it to any "religious events" so Beltane stayed a minor festival, known as "May Day" and celebrated in areas of celtic or christian tradition.

Beltane celebrates life, fullness and lushness. What this festival highlights is spring at its peak, right in ists middle, and the impending return of summer. In Ireland and other countries of Celtic tradition this festival celebrates the first of summer ! As such, this festival is a time to make merry, to let loose and enjoy nature's beauty in its fullest and at its most charming ! As it is to be expected the main theme of this festival is exhuberance, excess and fertility. In antiquity, it was customary to partake in different fertility rituals, such as lighting two fires and having your cattle pass through, dances and the traditional May Pole (where girls would hold a ribbon attached to a massive pole in the middle of the field, and then dance around it, braiding the ribbons in different patterns). While most of this traditions are long gone, lighting fires, dancing and merrymaking are still important parts of this festival ! In its origin, Beltane celebrated the day where cattle could be again be brought to pastures, as well as the Earth's natural rythms. In certain traditions such as wicca, this festival is also used to celebrate fertility gods (such as Cernnunos or Belenus) or the moment where the feminine and masculine energies of nature are at its strongest, and at their most attractive ! The name Beltane might come from Celtic, meaning "bright fire", or "the fires of Bel", referring to Belenus. This is a good moment to rejoice and be grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us, to ask nature or any deities we worship to bless us, to enjoy being ourselves, alive in this crazy world and to partake and share joy with our loved ones. Beltane is a moment of excess, of celebration and of sensual pleasures: eating and drinking well, spending a good time with friend and enjoying the wealth of gifts that nature has in store for us ! This festival honours is associated with the maiden aspect of the Goddess (in the shape of a sensual maiden that will soon become a mother). It celebrates different Gods, mostly those related to exhuberance, energy (specially virile energy), fertility and lust: Cernunnos, Belenus, Father Nature, Apollo, Baal... but plenty of feminine godesses linked to fertility, sensuality or motherhood: Mother Nature, Venus, Ceres... Likewise, this day brings up lush, exhuberant and lively associations: plenty of phallic or yonic imagery,the Sun, fires, holy wells or springs, the maypole, flowers, greenery, merrymaking... It is for this reason that handfasting and marriages were traditionally celebrated during this festival as well ! There are plenty of traditions associated with Beltane, but not all of them might be reasonable for the modern witch living in a metropolitan city. For example, you could join a maypole dance if you were so lucky as to find one. You could also light a bonfire if you had the room and the permission of your local council. If you have cattle, definitely take them out to graze. If you have a partner or partners, by all means practice fertility or sensuality rituals as long as you have their consent. Here are some other ways to celebrate that might be more doable to witches that do not live in an Irish cottage in the XVIIth century:

-Feast: While Ostara was a good time for fasting Beltane is a good time for feasting. Today is not the time to count calories ! Enjoy plentiful, good food by yourself or in the company of your loved ones. A picnic under the Sun, next to a river or a barbeque would be particularly fitting ! Some foods particularly associated with Beltane might be any sort of animal products, fruits (particularly those associated with sexuality and sensuality), grains such as oats, wheat or barley, spices (specially hot spices, as they are associated with fire and the Sun) and of course, alcoholic drinks (or their non-alcoholic version if you don't drink). -Dance: Dance has always been associated with sensuality and merrymaking, to the point that certain cultures used to frown upon it. If you want to enjoy Beltane to the max let loose and dance: outside or inside, by yourself or with others, to any kind of music... just dance your heart out and take this moment to truly connect with yourself, your body and enjoy being alive as much as you can ! -"Bonfire": No big bonfire in your area ? No room to make your own ? No problem. Microdose bonfires with a barbeque, or light candles if you can. The fire will still represent and honour the Sun just as much as with a big bonfire ! -Gather flowers: In Celtic tradition it was popular to collect and decorate with yellow flowers, as they were used to represent the Sun. Sunflowers are particularly fitting, but dandelions and narcissus are also very good. You could even make dandelion wine, dandelion lemonade or syrup with the flowers you pick up !

-Wear flower crowns: As Beltane is heavily associated with lushness and fertility flowers are another good image that they link to. Wear flowers in your dress, gather flowers or wear flower crowns to celebrate your own body, sensuality and sexuality. -Fertility or sensuality rituals: Performing rituals is a good way to celebrate this festivity, as it was traditional in antiquity. Of course, fertility, sensuality and sexuality rituals are the most fitting for this season but you can also do rituals honouring nature or honouring the deities related to this festival. -May pole: No maypole where you live ? Not an issue: Create your own with a twig or a lollipop stick, ribbons and perhaps a crystal to top in off. You probably won't be able to dance while braiding it, but you can still jam to some tunes as you do so ! -Prepare a May basket: In antiquity people would often prepare little baskets full of flowers or different goodies for their loved ones and friends. Share the joy and merrymaking by making a little basket filled with flowers and treats, be it for yourself or for your friends. -Decorate your altar: As with every festivity now would be a great time to deck your altar in the colours of the season and include some fitting decorations. If you aren't shy about sexuality, images of the God and Goddess might be good options, and so would be phallic or yonic symbols. Other options might be flowers, crystals, ribbons or objects that represent the Sun.

Colours associated with Beltane: Red, yellow, orange, white, green, gold Crystals associated with Beltane: Garnet, carnelian, tiger's eye Food associated with Beltane: Meat, dairy, eggs, honey, grains, fruits,  alcoholic drinks.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !  

[thecatsandthecrone]

The Wheel of the Year: Ostara

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In Wicca as in witchcraft, festivals and festivities are held in high regard as important occassions to reflect on ourselves, on the universe and on goals at large. They are also a moment to take a pause and partake in nature, celebrate and spend time with loved ones (or with yourself, if you are a solitary witch), or to communicate and honour your deities. Every witch festivity celebrates a season or the middle point between two of them, and that is how we have a festival roughly every month and a half.

After the new year, the first one we encounter is Imbolc, while the second in Ostara. Ostara is celebrated often from the 20th to the 22th of March (or 20th to 22th September in the Southern hemisphere) and it celebrates the Spring Equinox. As Ostara celebrates the beginning of spring, it carries with it meanings of renewal, of new beginnings, birth, and new life and hope rekindled.

In origin, this festivity celebrated the goddess Eostre, an ancient goddess of dawn, spring and fertility. Her name, and the images we associate with her, gave us much of the folklore surrounding Ostara and the festivities that derived from it (Easter bunny and Easter eggs, anyone?).

Eostre and Ostara both have associations to new beginnings, renewals and fresh starts. Likewise, they also are associated with births, new life, fertility and change. Ostara is a good moment to reflect on the past and prepare ourselves for the future, to set new goals and to start over. It is also an occassion to overview the past, come to terms with it and be at peace with change. This is the season to plant your seeds to have a bountiful harvest in summer, and the moment where animals are born. The Earth is coming alive again.

This festival is often associated with the maiden aspect of the triple moon, and with youthful deities. It is a good moment to honour Persephone or Cybelles, Freya, Osiris, Ceres... but also those associated with beauty such as Venus or Aphrodite.

As you can probably guess there are plenty of traditions associated with Easter, a lot of them fairly well known after being popularized by christianity: some meditate, reflect or pray to their deities, while some fast (or refrain from eating meat) and others feast (particularly on foods related to fertility, such as milk, eggs...)

If you'd like to celebrate Ostara, here are some good traditions to do so:

-Fast: Fasting can be a good way to keep in touch with yourself, and truly reflect on how scarce food can be to some. Fasting or refraining from eating certain types of food can be a show of devotion to deities, but also a great way to appreciate the sacrifices made for the food you eat and to truly become grateful for food and for the way it nourishes your body.

-Feast: Just like with any other witchy festivity Easter is a lovely time to enjoy food and partake in merrymaking. Eat well, share your meal with your loved one and rejoice in foods associated with fertility, spring and new beginnings: eggs, milk, cheese, meat, anything that includes flowers... Don't forget the chocolate ! -Easter egg hunt: Egg hunts are perhaps one of the most well known activities of Easter/Ostara. They are fun and lovely for both children and adults, and while they are best practiced in a group, you can absolutely enjoy them alone: take a walk in the woods and notice athe offerings that nature might have left for you there: flowers, feathers... Make sure to ask nature before you take anything, and thank it profusely after you do !

-Give it a witchy spin: Not a fan of searching for chocolate eggs? Vegan? That's not a problem. Turn your easter egg hunt into an even witchier affair: hide crystals, bundles of flowers or herbs, incense or cool rocks for your group to find. If you are doing this in a public space make sure to clean up afterwards!

-Spring cleaning: What better time to cleanse and make room for new beginnings than Easter? Clean up your house thoroughly, perhaps with some Ostara herb infused cleanser? Don't forget to protect your house and yourself afterwards!

-Fertility and love rituals: Spring is a time associated with births, so if you are looking for one of your own what better time to pamper yourself and throw yourself and your significant one a little party? The rituals can be as complex as a full blown, hour long complex spell or as simple as taking a rose water infused bath, whatever fits your schedule and needs best.

-Self love rituals: Self love is love all the same, and since Spring is associated with love this sort of ritual is also fitting for this season. Buy yourself some chocolate dipped strawberries and drink some champagne in the bath, oh my!

-Offerings for your deity: Your deities always appreciate proofs of devotion and those related to Spring will be particularly happy to receive some love for Ostara. Some offerings that are particularly fitting for the season might be flowers, decorated eggshells or small feathers.

-Decorate your altar: Deck your altar in the colours of the season, and add some fitting decorations. For Ostara, green, white and any sort of pastel colour will work perfectly. Effigies of baby animals are another excellent decorations and so are flowers, eggshells or eggs, feathers and crystals related to the season.

Colours associated with Ostara: White, green, pastels Crystals associated with Ostara: Amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, moonstone Food associated with Ostara: Egg, dairy, grains, meat I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !

[thecatsandthecrone]

Kitchen witching: simple orange and yogurt pound cake for good luck and prosperity

☽🔮☾🕯🃏🌕🕸✨🍃🍄🧿🌙✩ 🪄📚

Imbolc is almost here, so it is a great time to post this lovely orange cake. Oranges are assoiated with the sun, with prosperity and good luck... so they make a great offering for divinities during Imbolc, and they are excellent for celebrating it as well. Plus, this cake is so easy to make and requires so little ingredients that even a child could make it all by themselves ! Ingredients:  1 serving of yogurt /125g (healing, spirituality, creativity, depression) 3 measures of the yogurt cup filled with flour  1 measure of the yogurt cup filled with olive oil (healing, peace, fertility, associated with the Sun)

2 measures of the cup filled with sugar 3 eggs (new begginings, rebirth, prosperity) 1 whole orange (good luck, prosperity, abundance, associated with the Sun) 10 grams/ a teaspoon of baking powder A teaspoon of ground flaxseed (prosperity, abundance)(optional) A teaspoon of cinnamon (good luck, success) (optional) A pinch of salt Preparation: In a bowl, add the yogurt, sugar, olive oil, eggs, and the the grated orange peel. Mix everything well. Once mixed, remove as much of the pith of the orange as possible and add the orange slices to the bowl. Grind everything up with your hand mixer until you get a smooth homogeneous texture. Add the salt, the flour and the baking powder and mix again until you get a paste. (If you are like me and don’t mind your cake being a bit bitter just chuck everything into a blender or thermomix and let it do the job). Into the oven it goes, bake it for 40 to 45 minutes at 180ºC (350 fahrenheit). Take it out of the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes and dig in !

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you would like me to continue making posts like this please support me so I can continue making them: you can support me by donating here https://ko-fi.com/bunnymatchamochi or by visiting my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovenestAtelier?ref=profile_header Reblogs and likes also help ! Thank you so much for reading me !