eclecticwitchandpaganjean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Deity Info: Hestia

I feel as though this photo does this lovely goddess quite well. This is, if you hadn't read the title of this post, the Greek Goddess Hestia. To the Romans, she is known as Vesta, but I worship the Greek Goddess Hestia.

Hestia is the Greek Goddess of Home, Hearth, Hospitality, and Community. She is one of the three Virgin Olympians and the eldest daughter of Cronus: Titan of Time, and Rhea: Titaness of Motherhood.

Now, there is a lot of controversy if Hestia is deemed an Olympian or not due to there being 12 Olympians. There is a myth declaring that when Dionysus ascended to godhood, she noticed conflict arising between the current Olympians (Zeus, Hera, Ares, Athena, Hephaestus, Artemis, Apollo, Poseidon, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hermes) and gladly gave up her seat for him; hence why many view her as a very compassionate and kind goddess.

Even though she wasn't considered an Olympian, she was often still a very important goddess. Alongside her sister, Hera: Goddess of Motherhood and Marriage, presides over the boundaries of marital love, maternal love, and married women's lives. Hestia also presides over family love, such as the relationships between family members.

She also presided over the family hearth, thus often giving her an association with food. This, doing so alongside her association with family relationships, traditionally gave the order of offerings to Hestia first before any offerings were made to Zeus at any meal.

While she presided over every family's individual hearths, she also primarily resides over all community hearths and the hearth on Mount Olympus. This, and I presume her compassionate image, granted her the honor of being known as the Goddess of Community for which she was also seen to preside over city offerings to the gods.

One common Myth with Hestia is in Ovid's poem Fasti, which would be the myth where Hestia was taking a nap in the garden on Mount Olympus. I can't really remember if there was a party going on or not, but regardless, the god Priapus, the God of fertility, specifically of male genitalia, gardens, and livestock, drunkenly stumbled into the garden and attempted to SA (I don't know if guidelines will let me post the full word) Hestia. Before Priapus could get too far within his actions, a donkey saw the situation and began to bray at him loudly. Thus alerting Hestia and the other gods to Priapus's actions and saving Hestia's honor. Some recount this story to be the reason why donkeys became sacred to Hestia, even though donkeys were a sacrificial offering to Priapus in the city of Lampsacus, where his cult resided. However, I would like to gently remind you that this is a myth and that they are not to be taken literally and thus do not throw slander at Priapus for this story.

My Personal Practices with Hestia: One of my biggest personal practices with Hestia is, when I can, I thank her for every meal, as she is known to be a goddess of food and cooking When I worked in the food industry, I often used to pray and ask that she bless me with a warm and welcoming smile, to allow the day to go smoothly, to give me patience, and to give me her strength to be nice even when others are making absurd amounts of messes or absurd amounts of stress. I often channel her energy at work as I use her strength to help me be productive and keep a smile upon my face when I just wanna throttle someone for being disrespectful.

As an Eclectic witch with ties to Kitchen Witchcraft, I often call to her for help or guidance when doing a spell within my food or when I am cleaning my home.

Herbs associated with her are: Basil, Oregano, Marjoram, Mint, Sage, Spearmint, Bay Laurel, Cinnamon, Vervain, Chamomile, Rosemary, Thyme, Savory, Fennel, Coriander, Parsley, Dill, Chaste Tree, Lavender, Iris, Peony, Anjelica, Angel’s trumpet, Poppy, Goldenrod, Hollyhock, Yarrow, and Anise

Stones and Metals associated with her are: Wairakite, Grossular, Burmese Ruby, Almandine Spinel, African Jade, Adelaide ruby, Pumpellyite, Almandine Garnet, Pyrope Garnet, Diaspore, Mahogany Obsidian, Ruby, Gold, Silver, Brass, Hematite, Red Jasper, Quartz, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Agate, Amber, Yellow/Honey/Orange Calcite, Carnelian, Citrine, Sunstone, Selenite, Black Tourmaline, Moonstone, Lepidolite, mookaite 

Symbols associated with her are: donkeys, cows, pigs, fire, chaste tree, kettle, vase, fireplaces, tea, coffee

Colors associated with her are: Gold, light purple, black, silver, dark red, yellow, and orange

Tarot Cards associated with her are: Strength, Queen of Pentacles, Page of Pentacles.

Animals associated with her are: donkeys: for this I refer to the story of Hestia and Priapus), cows: cows were also common livestock that were sometimes alternately sacrificed in Hestia's name when pigs weren’t people sacrificed, pigs: pigs were often used as sacrifices in her animal to the point they were considered her sacrificial animal, pig fat was also used to keep the great fire at Olympus burning, 

Holidays associated with her: Vestalia (July 9th), Hestia Day (June 8th), December 26th to January 22nd (Days Sacred to Hestia)

Days of the week sacred to her: Saturday

Offerings to her include: first and last food offerings, baked goods, olive oil, incense of her herbs, fresh water, cooking/baking in her honor, warm drinks, teas, candles or lamps, handmade crafts, her sacred herbs, prayers, songs, Sweet wine, Fruits, Pure water, Hot tea, Tea kettles, Gold, light purple, black, silver, and dark red candles, Scented candles that are comforting to you or remind you of home, Scented incense such as Angelica, iris, lavender, and peony, Pottery, Art or statues of donkeys and pigs, Pictures of family, friends that are like your family, or your pets, Pictures of homes you want to live in one day or homes you have lived in, Pictures of architecture that you like, Teacups, Small kitchen antiques like teaspoons, tea towels, etc., Childhood memories like stuffed toys, baby clothes, old photos, etc., Keys, Homegrown herbs, Toys or art of donkeys and pigs,Tea light candles (real or fake), Your favorite poetry or poetry you have written for Her, Your favorite books, Stories you have written, Art of flames, fire, candles, etc., Crafts that you’ve made, Garments that you have made such as clothing, blankets, beanies, etc., Homemade lotions, bath bombs, shower gel, bubble bath, etc. (You can ask Her to bless them then use them, She would be happy about doing so)

Ways to honor Hestia: Donate to those who have lost their homes, or help them rebuild, Donate to food drives, Give to the homeless, Do little (or big) acts of kindness, thank her for your meals, If you have a fireplace, light it for Her or build Her altar around it (or in/near your kitchen), Meditate next to a fire or candle, If you can’t make a fire, listen to the sound of fire on YouTube or elsewhere, Read poetry or a book, Make a playlist for Her and play it while you clean or cook, Clean your house/room and keep it nice and tidy, Take a cooking or baking class, Try making your own bread, Learn how to sew, knit, crochet, etc., Collect recipes and keep a recipe book, Host celebrations at your home, Remember your ancestors and learn more about them, Spend time with your family, friends, and/or pets, Try incorporating a veil with your outfits or just wear one when you give Her offerings, Take care of yourself, your mental and physical health. Your body's a home for you after all, Treat ‘yo self! Seriously, she enjoys her followers loving and treating themselves well. Take a hot bath, eat some ice cream, chill at home for a day, etc, Praying to her for protection, for inspiration, for happiness, for guidance, for helping get rid of negative entities in the home, for bringing peace in the home, for good food, for an abundance of food, for independence, for help to start/tending to the hearth, and for strong family bonds

Signs Hestia is calling to you: Warmth and Comfortable energy, Drawn to Domestic Activities (baking, decorating, cooking, crafts), Dreams of Fire, A Desire for Stability, Finding and Appreciating Family Recipes, A Pull Towards Minimalism, Increased Sensitivity to Home Energies, Encounters of her Symbols, Feeling Protective of Home, Guidance in Meditation, Recurring Themes in Reading or Media, Sense of Belonging.

Epithets: basileia, chloomorphos, aidios, Virgin Goddess of Home and Hearth, Keeper of The Eternal Flame of Olympus, The Keeper, Oldest Olympian, Maiden of Compassion and Hospitality, and She of The Hearth and Home.

Hestia is a Goddess that I recommend for every to worship at least once within their practices, as she is often a good deity to help with starting out in life on your own. I also recommend her as a good deity for those who are Kitchen Witches or Cottage Witches who would like to find a good deity to start worshipping.

Although truth be told, I have been a little negligent in my worship of her, and I am hoping this post would be a good offering to make up for my absence of worship. As always:

Have a Blessed Day, a Blessed Morrow, and a Blessed Be.

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Money Scrub

I figured that a good thing to add to my reader's expansion of knowledge would be a money attraction scrub recipe. Now my mother and I have been using sugar scrubs for the past year or two, and the benefits have been so nice.

The common sugar scrub's health benefits include: removal of dead skin cells, improving skin tone and texture, unclogging pores, and even helping make your skin glow. However, with a witch making their own scrub, that can involve inducing magical properties to the scrub itself through the essential oils and herbs ground into the scrub.

I made this scrub recipe when I was in a moment where I was a little tight on money and could use an attraction spell for it. I used the wash ritual where it was 'wash your hands with salt before you leave the house and with sugar before you go to bed'. The ritual's ingredients are pretty basic and easy to find too.

ingredients:

two bags, one labeled morning, the other labeled evening

salt (charged or specific doesn't really matter, I used Epsom salt)

sugar

ground cinnamon

lavender

ground chamomile

Mixing Instructions:

Grind some cinnamon, chamomile, and lavender in with a majority of the mixture being salt.

Place in the bag labeled Morning.

Grind some cinnamon, chamomile, and lavender in with a majority of the mixture being sugar.

Place in the bag labeled Evening.

Usage instructions:

Wash your hands with the salt mixture in the morning with warm water

Wash your hands with the sugar mixture before bed with warm water

For each time, scrub until the salt/sugar mixture is completely washed off your hands

Side Notes:

I find it best to grind the mixtures clockwise for attraction.

A little affirmation that I say when I am scrubbing my hands is, "Money comes to me fast, Money comes to me easily, Money loves my company, when Money comes: Money lasts." I usually repeat it three times as I scrub.

I tend to make sure that I wash my hands until the sugar is off of them, as I don't want my hands to be sticky from the sugar.

Make sure to seal the bags so you don't get ants.

I typically only use this when it is needed, not an everyday thing, as I don't want to overuse this and therefore upset the balance of greed and temperance.

You can add as many or whatever money herbs as you like to the recipe. As I like to say, "Research, Renovate, Refine, and Recycle," although I will most likely post about my beliefs on my 'four R's of using others' spells' on a later date.

I usually know the spell is active or working when my hands smell like the herbs I used in the mixture. I try to use aromatic money herbs for that very purpose, hence the lavender and cinnamon.

I try to use the word Money instead of Wealth within the spell, as I try to have one specific intention instead of the universe giving me either money, abundance of materials, or good company in my life.

If you shower twice a day, I wouldn't blame you for using this ritual in the shower instead of washing your hands.

I hope you found this little ritual helpful if you are ever in a bind for money or other wealthful materials. In addition, I also hope that you find this helpful for if and when you are using this ritual for either glamour or for money, because let's face it, you could probably alter this spell for a glamour spell if you looked into it.

As always:

Have a Blessed Day, Blessed Morrow, and Blessed Be,

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Basic Talisman Enchantment Spell

Before I enclose this next post with my following spell, I would like to apologize for one of my previous posts where I was claiming to post this spell the following week. I am, unfortunately, a procrastinator with a busy work life and personal life outside of witchcraft, and I would like to apologize to you for that. I have also been working on two novels at once and would like to apologize as those also take priority in my life. When I am finished with them, I will gladly broadcast their titles and where to find them when I see fit to publish.

As you recall from my post about making talismans, I outlined my thought process on how they are made; however, I also have this spell, as it is often a go-to spell for me when I am trying to add a little extra intention to an item. It also helps since I have a little flair for the dramatic.

As I wrote in my personal grimoire, 'I came upon this spell when I was looking for a basic way to enchant a piece of jewelry so that it may be turned into a talisman to be used for a desired purpose. I had recently gotten a new necklace, and I wanted to enchant it with my goddess Bast, as I wanted to find an easy spell for her to help me with, so we can get to know each other’s energies more.' Later, I remarked in my grimoire that my spell was a success and that I often felt like it connected me to her in a way.

Before you ask, this happened to be one of my first spells I ever did as a fresh out of the broom closet witch dabbling with material witchcraft for the time being. It has changed a little since the beginning, but as nature is ever evolving, so are witches and their crafts.

Ingredients:

A bowl

A piece of jewelry

A cup

Herbs

Water (can be a specific water if desired)

A moist mouth

A dominant hand's index finger

Instructions:

Place the cup inside the bowl

Fill the cup with water

Place the herbs in the water

Place the jewelry in the cup

Stick your index finger in your mouth

Coat your index finger with your saliva

Remove your index finger from your mouth

Place your index finger into the bowl at the top of the circle of water

Stir the herb-filled water clockwise three times to invoke the properties of herbs

While stirring the herb-filled water, speak a basic incantation or a small prayer to a deity to ask for aid in enchanting the talisman

Other notes:

It doesn’t matter what kind of water, whether it is moon water, sun water, blessed water, etc; however, clean and fresh water is preferred.

Going counter-clockwise is to remove the effects so therefore, you can always remove curses, a spirit's attachment, or previous effects before doing so.

I recommend the herbs have at least one thing in common, like Lavender, Garlic, Chamomile, and Rosemary for protection, Sage, Juniper, Pine, and Chamomile for purification, or bay leaf, cinnamon, and chamomile for prosperity and luck.

There are always those herbs with a myriad of uses, so make sure to combine herbs that have at least two metaphysical properties in common

Forgive me for the bad bullets and the bad numbering, Tumblr was just not wanting to work with me on the lists. But regardless, I hope this makes up for the previous mistake of not posting as I wanted to. I will try to work better on that. But as always,

Have a Blessed Day, Blessed Morrow, and Blessed Be,

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Magical Ingredients: Lavender

For as long as I can remember, Lavender has been one of my all-time favorite herbs. Its scent was always so appealing, attractive, and appeasing. It has been a staple in my craft since the very beginning, and a good thing too, as it represents a myriad of uses, both normal and baneful.

Lavender represents: protection, tranquility, domination, happiness, purity, silence, devotion, serenity, grace, calmness, purification, sleep, love, wealth, money, luck, healing, and peace

Thus making it a powerful tool in spellwork and natural work.

For some normal uses: Promotes healing from depression, Great in sleep pillows and bath spells, Believed to preserve chastity when mixed with rosemary, Burn the flowers to induce sleep and rest, then scatter the ashes around the home to bring peace and harmony, Use in love spells and sachets, especially those to attract men.

I naturally use it in quite a few of my spells, specifically ones that involve: luck, money, healing, calmness, and my most important use of it in protection.

I often use Lavender and a few of my other ingredients in my Basic Talisman Enchantment Spell (a Spell of which I will be uploading next week).

Some baneful side effects of Moldy lavender for when used in a baneful ward include: Depression, Anxiety, Sleepless nights, Paranoia, Disturbing peace and harmony in one’s life.

I also discreetly recommend mixing normal lavender with: Calamus root, Rose leaves, Cloves, Honeysuckle flower, Licorice root, and Master root, for a potent domination oil. Of course, I haven't fully tested this out, so please keep this hush-hush for one of my later experiments. Of course, if you recall my post on how I practice my magic and construct my spells, you can decipher that through these ingredients; this would be a type of glamour spell, as most of these herbs are associated with love and sensuality. But you didn't hear that from me

Now that you are well acquainted with one of my favorite herbs, I shall bid you adieu. But before I go, I would like to note that I will try to make a new post once a week if I have the available schedule. However, please don't hold me to that; I, too, have a craft to practice outside of this blog. As always:

Blessed Day, Blessed Morrow, and Blessed Be,

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Spell Ingredients: Ticks

Hey guys, sorry for the accidental hiatus. I recently started a new job and moved into a new house due to some personal reasons that I will not get into on this post, as I would like to show a bit of creator and personal life boundaries. I hope you still find this post as enlightening as I have when I realized this information about four days ago.

Now, I do not recall if I have explained a bit of my craft's background and what types of witchcraft I happen to practice, but I will inform you that I do practice a bit of baneful magic and a bit of green witchcraft. I do hex or curse when I deem necessary and only when I feel like a person deserves it. For those that are curious, my craft is as my username states, I fall under the category of "Eclectic" when it comes to witchcraft.

Coming back to the main topic of this post, when I realized this tidbit of information, I figured it would be perfect for a comeback post for those who happen to hex and curse, and for those who have been curious if I have still been learning or practicing in my spare time.

When I stated that I practice a bit of green witchcraft, I wrote this bit of information to include the fact that I collect some animal parts when practicing my craft as much as I collect gemstones and herbs. I have seen other green witches incorporate animal parts into their craft, and thus I feel comfortable doing so within my own craft as well. Do not worry, I am not into animal sacrifice, and I collect animal parts ethically.

If you don't happen to hex or curse, that is no big deal. I respect your choices and your craft, and therefore, you can just take this post with a grain of salt. You do not have to worry about me shoving this information in your face, as I am just putting this out there for people to read and gain some knowledge. A witch's craft is to each their own.

For those who do hex and curse or practice baneful magick, I welcome you to check this tidbit of information out, as I feel this is kind of clever and a great way to find an easy hex or curse ingredient as the warm months arrive and tick season is on the rise.

When one thinks of ticks - the arachnid, not the neurological disorder - what does one typically think of when it comes to magical properties? The biggest one that came to my mind was parasitism and annoyance. Key notes of information, when I am discussing ticks, I am referring to all ticks as a whole species, as I have yet to see a difference in which ticks offer a better source of magical potential.

A tick gets its main food source from the blood of other mammals without the benefit of the host; thus, parasitism, and therefore, a tick would happen to be a good ingredient for a leech hex or for an annoyance hex, as from another point of view, ticks can also represent annoyance due to it just being a pain in the butt to remove them or just have to deal with them in general.

I will admit, I am tinkering around with a money leech hex, however, I have yet to test it out, as I do not see the need to test the hex on someone who doesn't deserve it. Meaning, I have yet to run into someone that I deem deserves to be a test subject. I will give some more information on this hex and ingredients for it on a later date, and will provide more information once I have perfected the spell for my own craft.

Now I don't have any key information on how to go about collecting ticks without risking Lyme disease. I will, however, suggest that finding a tick on a pet or on yourself would probably be the best way to collect one. But I would like to add a disclaimer that I believe there are pros and cons when it comes to collecting ticks, as the biggest con is that certain species are known to contain parasites, and the previously mentioned Lyme disease. Thus, make sure to remove a tick from your body or pet as soon as possible, or even remove them from your skin or clothes as soon as you see one.

For the purpose of safety, I will also add some protective tips if you just happen to want to go on a nature trail and would like to avoid ticks entirely. These tips include: wear bug repellent, avoid low branches and tall grass, stick to trails, and wear light colored clothing as most ticks will be seen more easily.

I will also include some information on Lyme disease in case a tick does latch onto you or a pet, and you would like some information. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted through the bite of an infected deer tick, also known as the black legged tick. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, and a rash, but if left untreated, Lyme disease can spread to joints, heart, and the nervous system. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics. The tick must be attached for at least 24-48 hours to transmit the bacteria. Not all ticks carry the bacteria, and a tick bite doesn't always result in Lyme disease. Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii are the bacteria that cause Lyme disease in North America, and Lyme disease can be found in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper-Midwest regions of the United States.

Now that you have been given both spiritual and scientific information on ticks and their dangers they can pose, I would like to finish this post off with a reminder that I do not condone using yourself as a way to collect ticks and would like to remind you to stay safe when collecting ingredients, especially life threatening ones.

As always,

Blessed Day, Blessed Morrow, and Blessed Be,

-Jean

P.S. Here is an identification photo:

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Deity Info: Bastet

Bastet, or also known as Bast, Ubasti, and Ailuros (her Greek name), is the Egyptian goddess of: Protection, Perfume, Pleasure, Joy, Music, Dance, Home, Cats, Ointments, Women's Secrets, Domesticity, Childbirth, Sensuality, Sexuality, Good Health, and associations with both the sun and the moon. She is the daughter of the Sun God Ra. However there is many speculation of who her mother is, many sources say that her mother is Isis: Goddess of magic, life, motherhood, protection, healing, fertility, and associations with the moon.

Now many link her with her elder sister Sekhmet: Egyptian Goddess of War, Healing, Plague, Carnage, Justice, Strength, and associations with the sun, as well as their other sister, Hathor: Egyptian Goddess of Healing, Love, Joy, Beauty, Motherhood, Fertility, Celebrations, Marriage, and Association of the Sun.

In modern traditions, there are multiple ways to praise Bastet, Sekhmet, and Hathor as the most common is viewed as a goddess trio or an individual goddess. I however, worship them separately as they each have their own depictions, ideologies, and personalities. Thus why this is an individual post. I do not work or worship Hathor, however I recently came into contact with Sekhmet as most Bastet devotees eventually work with Sekhmet in a way and thus Sekhmet shall get her own post eventually.

my relationship was Bastet is a fond one as she was my first goddess I answered to and she is truly a multi-purpose goddess. She is great for if you need a goddess to help with your protections, she is great for if you need a maternal deity figure, and she is great as a goddess of joy and mirth. I typically see her as a goddess of all three just as she is intended to be. anytime I go clubbing, I always ensure that I am honoring Bastet as dancing and drinking is a very common way to honor her. I will get more into ways to honor her in a bit.

A common myth Bastet is associated with is when Set took control of Egypt and usurped the throne from Osiris and gouged out Horus's eyes. In one version of the story, Bastet is said to have fought Set and managed to retrieve one of his missing eyes for him. Another common myth is that Bastet, along with the Eyes of Ra, battles the devouring worm and defends Ra on his nightly journey on the river of night. Now I cannot say the name of the devouring worm as names have power and I swore to Bastet I would never speak his name however, I will spell it for you. A.P.O.P.H.I.S. or as he is also known as A.P.E.P.

a little fun fact about Bastet is that she was the patron of firefighters of ancient Egypt. The Egyptians believed throwing a cat into a burning fire was a way to draw out the flames. Although, I don't know how as I wasn't there in that time period however, I do find it interesting how she is the goddess of firefighters and yet my family has a long history of being firefighters.

It is unknown if Bastet is married however, she does have two known consorts. Ptah: God of Architecture and Creation and Anubis: God of Funerals, Burial Rites, and Passage in the Underworld. although, I personally believe she and Anubis have something going on since her association with Oinments links her to embalming fluids and burial as well as she has a hand in the afterlife and therefore sees Anubis quite a bit.

She does have one confirmed son, Nefertem: God of Sweet Scents, Healing, Beauty, and Perfumes. A few sources state that she has a son named Maahes: The Lion Headed Egyptian God of War and Knives. although some say that he is the son of Sekhmet.

Now you are probably tired of my info dumping on my beliefs and adoration for my soul mother, so I shall here add her favored items: Herbs, stones, etc. As well as a few of her associated symbols.

Herbs associated with her are: Vervain, Cinnamon, Lavender, Jasmine, Vanilla, Catnip, Mint, Dill, Rosemary, Orange, Juniper, Chamomile, Dandelion, Kyphi, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lotus, Sandalwood, and although I am allergic to it: Hemp. Stones and Metals associated with her are: alabaster, cat’s eye, tigers eye, citrine, turquoise, black tourmaline, lapis lazuli, sunstone, moonstone, pyrite, malachite, copper, gold, onyx, jet, Colors associated with her are: blue, black, gold, silver, gray, green, yellow, red, and orange. I personally believe that she occasionally likes purple as well, although many will tell you she loves green. Symbols associated with her are: cats, eye of ra, sistrums Tarot cards associated with her are: strength, the moon, the sun, Animals associated with her are: cats Holidays associated with her are: Feast of Sekhmet and Bast (November 22nd), Festival of Bast (February 5th), Feast of Hathor (November 29th) Days of the week sacred to her: Mondays Offerings to her include: burning incense of her favorite herbs or Kyphi, fresh water, alcohol, music, dance, perfume, jewelry, gemstones, metals, meat, images of cats, aiding strays cats, images of the eye of ra, images of sistrums, anything pleasurable (whether it be sexual, simple, or sensational), chocolate, milk, honey, candles, ways to honor her: dancing, living your life joyously, bringing smiles to others, volunteering at animal shelters, keeping a secret a woman has given you, assisting cats/elderly/children/mothers in need, taking time to enjoy the things that bring you pleasure (doesn't matter what kind), taking a nap in the sunlight, sunbathing, moonbathing, cutting your nails into points and growing them to be claws, listening to music, watching the sunrise/sunset, also working on controlling your anger issues.

Signs Bast is calling to you: seeing cats (through media, real life, being drawn to them, in dreams, etc), feeling an innate desire for fun, pleasure, or sex, feeling a maternal, compassionate, protective presence nearby, seeing her in the astral realms. Epithets: Lady of East, Sacred Eye of Ra, All Seeing Eye of Ra, Beautiful Sistrum Player, She of The Ointment Jar, Bringer of Good Health, Banisher of Negativity, Hostess of Per-Bast, Mother of Cats, Protector of Homes, Goddess of Pleasure, Daughter of The Rising Sun

I hope you found this post to be really sweet as she is. I love Bastet as she is a goddess I shall worship for my entirety of life as she multipurposes are very good for whatever stage of life you are in. As I stated, she is my soul mother, and I cannot wait for her to assist me through my journey to the hereafter. I hope I honor her well with this post as I have found this knowledge throughout the past few years.

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

My Spell Crafting Thought Process

I had a friend ask to me earlier about how my spell crafting thought process was and I honestly thought I should share this as I sort of thought it all out. My friend found it helpful and I think people who are trying to create their own spells instead of learning other witch's spells would find it really helpful. I have the five basic ingredients for every spell: Emotion, Energy, Intention, Ingredients, Belief. Now I am not saying intention is everything and neither are the ingredients but you aren't going to get chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips if all you are using is intention.

Emotion: I share the belief that our emotions have access to our energy. It's why energy vampires break our emotional barriers and feed on our energy when our emotions are low. When I am trying to craft a spell, I think about what emotion would seem perfect for it. Ie. anger and malice for hexing, love and desire for love, etc. Of course remember, the stronger the emotion, the stronger the spell.

Energy: Energy is important as you don't want negative forces influencing your spell and that includes you. Therefore it is important to stay grounded while you are casting as well as projecting the energy you want. It is also important to cleanse your space so therefore you are able to have the energy you desire to linger instead of the other energies influencing your spell. More info on the importance of protection, cleansing, and grounding later. Some ways I set my energy for a spell is to play specific music while harnessing a specific emotion's intensity.

Intention: Intention is as I showed in my example earlier, very important. You don't want to let loose a bull without a corral. Set what you want to happen, set what you desire as the intention is one of the most important ingredients of spell work. What you can do is to circle things in a clockwise motion with a wand/athame or repeat the intention in your spell or your mind. This is why when you are setting the intention with your incantation, the specific words are needed to so that the spell doesn't run to the left when you are trying to make it run to the right.

Ingredients: As I showed in my example earlier, you need the proper ingredients for the proper outcome. Spell crafting in my opinion is like chemistry. Many herbs and crystals have many meanings but when they are put together specifically, you are able to make a stronger energy for one thing while weaken the others. Ie: amethyst and chamomile for calming, black tourmaline and lavender for protection, moonstone and mugwort for good dreams, coal and sage for cleansing. Of course, sometimes you need another ingredient to fine-tune the ingredients energies; like: citrine, pumpkin seed, and bay leaves for abundance.

Belief: the final ingredient is the most important. Belief or faith that your spell is going to work is a very important ingredient as it is needed to keep the spell in motion. Now this can go hand in hand with intention, however, belief in the spell and your spell crafting itself is just as important as it wont do anything for you if you don't expect it to. An egg would never hatch if it was never incubated thoroughly, therefore you must always have faith in yourself and your spells for it to work, otherwise it's not going to be a fulfilling spell.

Yeesh, rereading all my work that I wrote for this post and I realized I just wrote this post in an essay's format. I'm not trying to take the fun out of spell crafting, this is just my thought process on how I make my spells with my five main ingredients being: Emotion, Energy, Intention, Ingredient, and Belief. Although, rereading this post made me think I should put a disclaimer on this as some people may find it hard to use other witch's spells when they follow it word for word.

Disclaimer: Sometimes, the reason why other witch's spells might not work for everyone is because the person trying to use it is lacking in one of these ingredients.Another thing to think about is that the witch's that made those spells mostly made them for themselves and therefore those spells are tailored to their individual energy and not everyone else's so therefore you should twist a spell to fit you personally and your own needs as it is your craft and NOT ANYONE ELSES .

As Always,

Blessed Day, Blessed Morrow, Blessed Be,

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Enchanting Talismans

Hello everyone, I am so sorry for the delay in posts, life can be a hassle sometimes. I will try to get back to posting as much as possible but please remember I have a full time job and family/friends to spend time with.

Regardless, I figured my next post would be about Enchanting items. Now I have several methods, this method is the most basic of them all.

When I started thinking on how talismans or how talismans are made, I started think on how exactly that works. So I started tinkering around. I know that children's stuffed animals often have connections to joy and tranquility as that's what emotion is imbued into the stuffed animal itself.

Now many people could possibly wonder, how does emotion have any connection to the energy we put into our witchcraft, well coming from the belief that our emotions and energy go hand in hand. For example, You aren't going to have a fruitful hex by feeling happy about the situation that caused the hexing, you aren't going to have a protective spell if you are feeling paranoid and anxious, etc.

By using that ideology that is how many people make many talismans whether they believe it or not. Ie. a lucky coin, a necklace for protection, a comfort sweatshirt, etc.

My belief in this is to continuously come into contact with what you want to enchant to have a specific property and thus your belief and emotion and intention shall mix into the item and therefore give you the outcome you desire.

Now comes the tying it into type of enchantments. I, myself, occasionally like to make jewelry. well, that can be braiding bracelets, stringing beads, etc. To enchant the object I am weaving or stringing, I often harness the emotion, intention, and belief of what I am using it for and therefore bind that into the talisman as I am making it. Occasionally, I add ingredients into the crafting; like specific oils, specific colored threads, etc.

I hope you found this post a little helpful when it comes to enchanting things, I do have a spell I occasionally use for enchanting items if you are looking to make an ordinary thing into a talisman with the properties of certain things before you start wearing it. I will also be posting about my thinking process when it comes to spell crafting for those who are trying to find a more creative way to do their craft instead of learning other witches spells.

As Always,

Blessed Day, Blessed Morrow, Blessed Be,

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Devotion Gallery: Hekate

I am going to start trying this new thing that has some photos in it that feels aesthetically pleasing and that I feel the deity of said gallery would love. this one is for Hekate.

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Self Reflection Spell

Now I know you may be a little tired of the basic spells; however, we all have to start somewhere and this was one of my first spells that I saw actually work with it being a low energy spell.

So I growing up, I only had an older brother, and this guy was always had to be the center of attention regardless of the situation (even my birthday parties on a few occasions). Every time I had a friend over, he would try to befriend them and take the attention from me. Anytime I would tell a story, he would try to one up me and start every single time with "oh, that's nothing!" I couldn't even have a random conversation in peace with a random stranger, without him trying to intervene and shift the attention. Not to mention the constant interruptions when I was trying to voice my opinion or talk.

When I was younger, I just got used to it and submit to it due to my mother's lack of compassion towards this situation as well as her low tolerance for tantrums or fits of righteous anger. However, being the grown witch that I am now, I started taking power back into my own hands. Starting with this spell right here.

Ingredients:

compact mirror (two piece mirror preferred)

name and dob

paper

Instructions:

write target's name and dob onto the paper

fold towards you three times to attract or enough times to make the paper fold enough to fit inside (keep intention of them thinking inwards on themselves in your mind while you do so)

place the paper inside the mirror

(optional) seal or bind the compact mirror shut

keep in a safe place.

side notes/tips:

if you are wanting to add some herbs, feel free to add any herbs you like. I personally recommend: rosemary for mental clarity or sage for wisdom.

if you don't have access to a compact mirror, taping the folded paper to a normal mirror could hypothetically work as well.

this is also a really good 'white magic' alternative to dealing with someone instead of hexing them.

I hope this spell is as helpful to you as it is to me.

Blessed Be,

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Dear Followers:

After I finish sharing information about the rest of my deities: Bastet, Hestia, Hermes, Athena, Lilith, Medusa, and Hera. However, once I finish sharing about the deities I follow, I would love to receive any suggestions on which deities I should do next.

I plan to structure it similarly to how I structured Hekate's article where I discuss who they are, their lineage, a common myth about them, and the basic information about them: herbs, stones/metals, animals, tarot, etc.

You may contact me through dm or use this article's comment sections to leave a suggestion on who I will do after I finish my deities. I will answer all suggestions and if I don't get to yours, be patient with me as I am only human and will get to it in my own time. Also, if you do not feel comfortable having your name on the suggestion, I also take anonymous suggestions in my messages or inbox as well. although bare with me, I am fairly new to Tumblr.

Now I will say that I also plan to continue sharing information about my craft as well whether it is recipes, spells, my experiences, etc. I also take suggestions on types of potions, spells, and talismans you would like me to share, in which I would gladly do the research for you and share what I have learned.

As always: Have a Blessed Day, Blessed Tomorrow, and a Blessed Be,

-Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Deity Information: Hekate/Hecate

Now that I have established this blog, I feel I should start talking about deities for those who are looking to worship. I was torn between my three patrons: Bastet, Hekate, and Hestia; however, since Hestia didn't mind Bastet and Hekate going first, I tried to narrow my decision but truth be told, I was conflicted. On one hand, Bastet is my soul mother and I should honor her; however, on the other hand, Hekate is the goddess of witchcraft and a teacher of witches and thus should be honored on a blog about paganism and witchcraft and thus I used a decision wheel to decide.

Now before I get too far into this, I use the spelling of Hekate with a K instead of a C since the later spelling only became popular due to William Shakespeare's play Macbeth.

There are many accounts of who Hekate's parents are; however, I follow the belief that she is the daughter of Perses: Titan of Destruction, and Asteria: Titaness of Falling Stars and Divination.

Hekate: who is the Titaness/Goddess of witchcraft, poisons, ghosts, the night, the moon, the crossroads, and on some accounts: the goddess of boundaries, walls, and doorways. In Greek mythology, she was often seen as Chthonic Deity (deity associated with the dead) and an Oikos Deity (deity associated with the house and home).

After the Titanomachy, Zeus rewarded Hekate's loyalty, regardless of her father being on Cronus's side, dominion over Land (Underworld), Sky, and Sea regardless of Poseidon or Hades'es say so.

She does have the title as a mother as she has a few children as well: on some accounts, she is the mother to the goddess/titaness Circe: Goddess/Titaness of potions, sorcery, transformation, and enchantment, the demigods: Aegialeus - also known as Absyrtus - (King of Sicyon and Argos) and Medea (demigoddess witch known for repelling evil spirits in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, and known for murdering her own children to get revenge against her husband)[Also the slayer of her brother Aegialeus], and The Monsters: Empusa and Scylla (although before she was turned into a monster by Circe).

She is given the title of midwife as some say that she resided over the birth of Zeus himself and helped Rhea convince Cronus that the rock he was eating was baby Zeus.

One of her famous myths is where she became the attendant of Persephone/Kora. She happened to reside in the forest next to the meadow where Persephone and Artemis were said to be playing. Now I don't remember how Artemis left the picture; however, I do remember from the story that she heard Persephone's screams and went and found Demeter with Helios. I suspect that was when Circe was conceived due to Helios being Circe's father. Regardless, Demeter was notified of Persephone's disappearance. While she was distraught, Hekate lit her torch and braved the journey into the Underworld to retrieve Persephone/Kora. She then guided Persephone/Kora with torch in one hand and their hand in the other until they made it back to Demeter. Although everyone knows the story about the pomegranate and the being with Hades for half of a year and thus, Hekate, every year, escorts Persephone/Kora down into the Underworld and resides there during the winter months and returns with her every spring. I honestly think she does that since the lands are to barren to gather herbs for magic since most don't bloom or sprout in the winter.

Now, for Hekate and I's relationship. She and I have a neat little history, I have been worshiping and working with her since October of 2023 and we have had a great break through with my progress in witchcraft and paganism whether she offers her incites through dreams or divination means. If I was to describe her personality towards me would most likely be a German Shepherd Mother. She is kind and a great teacher but isn't afraid to show tough love from time to time. Although this feeds into my personal title for her to be my "Dark Mother Hekate" as I see her as sort of a mother figure just as I see my soul mother Bastet as a mother figure as well. But honestly, who wants to listen about my mother issues? Am I right? Now on with information about the things she likes as offerings from my experience of working with her.

basic information on the things she is associated with:

Herbs associated with her are: Almonds, Aconite (also known as Hecateis or Monkshood or Wolfsbane), Belladonna, Dittany, Cinnamon, Sage, Jasmine, Citrus fruits, Roses, Poppy seeds, Mandrake, Yew, Garlic, Angelica, Cypress, Pomegranate, Frankincense, Dragons Blood, Lavender, Mugwort, Mushrooms, Wormwood, Yarrow, Willow, Dandelions, Ebony, Garland, Oak, Saffron, Hag’s Taper (Mullein), Mint, Foxglove, Stones and Metals associated with her are: black tourmaline, obsidian, amethyst, hematite, smoky quartz, labradorite, moonstone, nuummite, opal, Symbols associated with her are: triple moon symbol, pregnant goddess symbol, keys, torches, knives, swords, the number 3 Tarot cards associated with her are: high priestess, moon, queen of pentacles, Animals associated with her are: snakes, polecats, dogs, flies, moths, horses, owls, cats, crows, ravens, magpies, Offerings to Her Include: a clove of garlic, keys, onions, honeycakes, images of her sacred animals, tealights, Breads, cakes, fruits, cheeses, onions, eggs, fish (red mullet and salmon), sesame seeds, almonds, libations of wine and honey, Candles, Bones, Fires - i.e. bonfires, Oil lamps, incense of her herbs, Crow/Raven/Owl Feathers, Statues of Her and Her sacred animals, Poetry, literature, and music you heavily associate with Her, milk, chocolate, Rose petals, Cypress and willow leaves, Frankincense, Seashells, Black dog fur, Dog nail clippings, Images of dogs (pictures, personal drawings, dog plushies, etc.), Keys, Personal offerings (nail clippings, hair), Anything relating to the moon (pictures, keychains, personal drawings, etc.), Round cakes decorated with candles, red wine, mead, Crescent shaped sweets, Pomegranates, Raw eggs, Mushrooms, Dandelion tea, Large candles, A cauldron, Imagery of dogs such as statues, toy dogs, paintings, etc., Incense (lavender and myrrh are great), Graveyard dirt (ask before taking! Do your research before gathering please.), Snake skin, Animal bones, Wands

Ways to honor her include: Helping and being friendly to dogs, Donating blankets, food, toys to animal shelters in her name, Volunteering at an animal shelter, Devoting time at night to her (meditate, talk to her, just have some silence for her, etc.), Sharing your experiences, especially painful ones and your anger or sorrow with her, Study herbs and planting herbs in your garden, Having rituals or casting spells during a dark moon and invoking her, Taking care of graveyards and keeping them clean, Holding a feast for her and having all her favorite foods and drinks

Holidays Associated with Her: Samhain (October 31st-November 2nd), Deipnon (Every new moon), Yule, Beltane (May 1st-5th), Lammas, Night of Hekate (November 16th), Day of Hekate At The Crossroads (November 30th), Day of Hecate’s Storm (August 13th), Festival of Hekate (August 21st) Midwife’s Day (January 8th), Feast of Hekate (January 31th), Feast of Hekate (January 2-3), Dark Mother Goddess Day (May 21st), Feast of Divine Life (September 21st).

Days of The Week Sacred to Her: Saturdays Signs Hecate is calling to you: seeing themes of three, seeing images of her sacred animals in physical, media, dreams, etc., feeling a dark but maternal and guiding presence nearby, seeing images of crossroads, coming across the tarot cards: the high priestess, the queen of swords, and death, feeling: power, strength, guidance, and protection in your craft. Another sign is flies/black moths: if the flie/black moth lands on your right side, then she is calling you to do something/ follow through with what you were intending/planning to do whether its build an altar, make an offering, do an act in her honor, etc. If the fly/black moth lands on your left side, then she is saying that she has accepted what you have done; such as she accepts your offering, is pleased with the work you have done in her honor, likes her altar, etc. Epithets: Aenaos: Eternal, agelong, ever-flowing, Aglaos: Beautiful, bright, pleasing, Apotropaia: The one that turns away/protects, Brimo: The furious, the avenging, the dreaded, crackling flame, Chthonia: Of the earth/underworld, Enodia: She on the way/road, Erototokos: Producing love, bearer of love, Daduchos: Torch-bearer, Trodia: Frequenter of the crossroads, Propylaia: Of the gates, Keeper of Keys, Goddess of The Crossroads, Goddess of Witchcraft, Guiding Light of The Darkest Nights, Blazing Torch of The Night

So there you have it folks. Pretty much everything I know/believe about Hekate. I treat this goddess/Titaness with the upmost respect and gratitude as she is one of the most reversed deities I work with and worship. I just hope I did her justice with this post.

first photo credit to IrenHorrors on DeviantArt, second photo is credit to Yliade on DeviantArt

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Witch Paper

witch paper is what I feel to be a very valuable tool to use during witchcraft. What is witch paper, you ask?

witch paper is paper that has been soaked in tea and other herbal excretions to enchant the paper to have magical properties. also, I find that it burns a hell of a lot easier than just regular normal paper AND it kinda gives a nice little aesthetic vibe to write sigils, spells, and petitions on it before burning it.

now everyone can have whatever herbal teas they would like, such as: chamomile tea for joy, peppermint tea for prosperity or healing, or cinnamon tea for confidence, regular tea for abundance or healing, etc. I personally use whatever tea best fits my intention. although, so I don't have to put down so many recipes, I will just demonstrate how I typically do a normal recipe with just coffee and tea.

ingredients:

two bowls

tea for whatever purpose you desire

coffee for manifestation and speeding up the process

paper

a safe place to let the paper dry

instructions:

place the tea in one bowl, and the coffee in the next

submerge the paper into the tea until it begins to change color

squeeze the fluid out of the paper

submerge the paper into the coffee until it changes color more

squeeze the fluid out of the paper once more

store in a safe place to let the paper dry

side notes/tips:

if you desire a faster way, you can always just mix the tea in with the coffee

if you desire to imbue with properties with specific waters: moon water, sun water, storm water, etc. then use said water in the fluids: however, if you use moon water or sun water you can always let it dry underneath the sun/moon.

some witches use rose water and vanilla extract to add a little bit of glamour magic intentions, which I feel would be a good use depending on the situation.

with that being said, I hope you guys find this recipe useful and maybe even taught you something new. in retrospect however, I probably should have put this out before my Basic Protection Spell on a Target. Oh well, we all live and we all learn as we go.

Blessed Be,

Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Basic Protection on A Target Spell

Now I made this spell from toying around with the burn a bay leaf wishing spell which I found a little helpful however, I use the added steps in this spell to seal in the intent of protecting my target.

I don't exactly know the duration of the spell as my targets were across the state but I know it works for me.

caution: Fire hazard - cast with caution

ingredients:

witch paper

protection oil (used lavender oil)

a protection rune/sigil

targets name and dob

bay leaf

any protection herb

fire safe dish

match/long neck lighter

instructions:

write the name and dob of the target onto the witch paper

draw protection rune/sygil on the back of the paper

place a bay leaf and any protection herb over their name

fold towards you three times to attract the intention of protection

place in fire safe dish

anoint with protection oil

strike match to burn with intention or use long neck lighter to act as a wand to direct your intention through the flames

let it burn to complete ash

scatter ashes to the wind

side notes/tips:

practice fire safety.

if you don't have any Wind, an air conditioning fan blowing upwards helps too

if previous tip isn't available, burying may work instead

if you don't know any protection herbs, I recommend lavender or mugwort. I don't exactly recommend cinnamon as it is a little hard to burn.

if you are looking for an oil to use as a protection oil, I use lavender oil

you can find bay leaves and lavender at your local Dillons or Walmart in the seasoning aisles

in conclusion, we may never know what happens in life, however with this spell, I hope you all can find peace of mind when it comes to a loved one who could use a little extra protection in their life. I know only one of my personal bsf's knows I am a witch, the other doesn't for OTHER reasons, I find it helpful to still be able to help them even when we are apart and without them knowing; kind of like a hidden guardian angel.

Blessed Be,

Jean

[eclecticwitchandpaganjean]

Welcome To Any and All Witches and Pagans Alike

Welcome to any and all witches and pagans alike. I am eclecticwitchandpaganjean, but feel free to call me Jean.

I am here on this site as I was wanting to do a TikTok blog with witchcraft and pagan content however, that recent bill being passed to ban Tiktok in the USA kinda had me nervous so a friend @gothicwitcholive, kindly pointed me to this app. I hope you guys treat me well and kindly as I cover topics about spells, herbs, deities, etc as well as share my own spells, go to herbs and stones, and my paths with my deities.

If you would like to follow along, read, and learn from my path then that would be incredible. If you guys have a deity you would like me to go really into detail about and teach others about that would be super. I would love to take requests on what to post.

However, I will not put up with Christian Bigotry and Propaganda and will have an instant block to any one spews the "You should repent and find Jesus" or "you need Jesus" or etc. I am expressing my right to have freedom of speech and freedom of religion and would kindly like everyone to respect that.

I hope that last paragraph wasn't a deterrent for my witch and pagan brothers/sisters/siblings/aunts/uncles/piblings.

I hope you guys find this to be resourcefull when needing information as well.

my history with paganism and the craft started a little over a year ago and I am still a little fresh but yet a little bit knowledgeful of many domains within paganism and witchcraft.

the deities I worship are: Bastet, Hekate, Hermes, Hestia, Lilith, Medusa, Hera, and Athena. I also work with said deities as well. to be honest, they are probably going to be the deities I blog about first and will talk about the most. If there is anyone that has a shared deity with me, feel free to send me some polite and respectful tips as I would still love to learn more about the deities I worship/work with, you know.

With that being said, I would like to say that I am excited to start this new chapter in my life and share it with you guys! I hope you guys are too! Now I hope this introduction post isn't too boring or too long to read and therefore I will end with this statement. I hope you all have a blessed day and a blessed tomorrow.

Blessed Be,

Jean