emuzai

[emuzai]

Research as a Baby Witch (DAY 1)

1. History of Witchcraft: Belief in witchcraft as malevolent magic is attested from ancient Mesopotamia, and in Europe, belief in witches traces back to classical antiquity. Marked by periods of persecution and belief in malevolent magic particularly in Europe and its colonies. Witch hunts and trials led to the execution of tens of thousands, often fueled by religious extremism, social tensions, and economic uncertainty. Definitions

MALEVOLENT: having or showing a wish to do evil to others

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA: "Land between the rivers"

CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY: the period of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, roughly spanning from the 8th century BCE to the 5th century CE

2. Types of Witches:

COSMIC WITCH: astrology, zodiac signs, horoscopes, celestial energy

NOCTURNAL WITCH: darker energies, nighttime, works at midnight

SEA WITCH: oceans, lakes, and seas, weather magic, saltwater, shells, driftwood, etc.

GREEN WITCH: uses of herbs/plants, earth-based, grounding, herbalism, botany, oils, balms, tinctures, plant magic

CRYSTAL WITCH: crystals, stones, gemstones, chakras

LUNAR WITCH: attunes to and honors the moon, studies the lunar phases, comfortable at night

FOREST WITCH: works with and around trees, familiar with local plants and animals, herbs

MUSIC WITCH: magic in music, deep connection with sound, uses sound to enhance rituals

DIVINATION WITCH: palmistry, tarot reading, pendulums, tea reading, runes, bone throwing, candle reading

DEATH WITCH: spirit and ancestor work, mediumship, aids passing spirits, deeply connected to nature and the metaphysical world

ELECTIC WITCH: studies many forms of witchcraft, folk magic, rituals, spellwork, deities, etc

KITCHEN WITCH: cooking and baking, homemade items, home protection and cleansing spells, home routines

FIRE WITCH: works with candles, flames, burning, etc, focuses on the fire element

ELEMENTAL WITCH: uses all the elements in magic, may feel connected to a specific element

HEARTH WITCH: home is a sacred space to perform magic in, home is the heart

[emuzai]

Practicing Paganism (DAY 3)

Notes on Paganism (3/25/2025): 

When praying, it isn’t necessary to pay attention to each word. Sometimes, too much attention can get in the way of feeling; you focus too much on the mental side of things, letting the emotional and spiritual elements fall away

Don’t just listen to the words you are saying at the moment; listen for any answer to them

Making an offering can simply be praying with an object

The gods may be prayed to with dance, or with music, or with gestures

In Western culture, the body position most identified with prayer is kneeling, but most Pagans hesitate to adopt this posture because it makes us seem like slaves to the gods

The most famous prayer posture is the lotus position 

For most deities, standing with your upper arms parallel to the ground, your elbows bent upward, and your hands open with palms forward is a respectful greeting and a respectful way to pray

Treat spirits as if they were deities

It’s essential to communicate with your body during prayer, united in mind, body, and soul

Definitions:

ZOROASTRIAN: A monotheistic religion, believing in one supreme God, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord), who is the creator and sustainer of the universe.

PROSTRATION: The state of lying stretched out on the ground with one's face downward.

LOTUS POSITION: A cross-legged sitting meditation pose from ancient India, in which each foot is placed on the opposite thigh.

Quotes:

PRAYING THROUGH WORDS “In fact, it is virtually impossible to pray with words alone. After all, your body must be in some position when the words are spoken or thought. This position is an integral part of your prayer. This is especially true for Pagans—the gods reveal themselves to us in bodies, and it is with our bodies that we pray to them. By this, I mean both that we come before the gods in bodies, and that we also use our bodies to pray to them. The position you use “prays” as much as the words you say.” (Page 25)

PRAYING THROUGH POSTURE “Remember, these beings were once like us. You know how you would like to be treated; show them at least as much respect.” (Page 27)

[emuzai]

Practicing Paganism (DAY 2)

Notes on Paganism (3/24/25):

Paganism is a religion of action rather than belief

True Pagans never hold onto gifts from the gods, we keep the cycle going and we must not be “dead-ends”

What you give as an offering to the gods must be of some value to you and the presumed god

Small gifts are okay, for example: grains, a glass of milk, or a painted stone

Give to the gods, and not worthless things

You will never insult a god by giving too much

The prayers of many religions incorporate mythical themes, but not all prayers include myths

HIGH GODS: The God and Goddess of Wicca (the archetypal male and female) and the gods of the ancient Pagan pantheons—Brighid, Mithra, Isis, and so on

ANCESTORS: May either be those of a particular family or those of us all—a genetic ancestor or a cultural one

SPIRITS: A miscellaneous category identified primarily by their limits. Instead of being the gods of a people, they are peculiar to a locale or an object. They may be associated with a tool or a weapon, or they may be connected with a place

All three different beings we pray to are worthy of prayers and offerings

Definitions:

OSTENTATIOUS: Too obviously showing your money, possessions, or power, in an attempt to make other people notice and admire you.

NEO-PAGAN PIETY: The reverence, respect, and devotion to nature and the natural world, often expressed through rituals, practices, and a deep connection to the Earth.

WICCA or WICCAN: The largest of the modern Pagan, or Neo-Pagan, religions. Its followers, who are called Wiccans, typically identify as witches and draw inspiration largely from the pre-Christian religions of Europe. Influenced by earlier forms of Western esotericism, Wicca publicly emerged in England during the 1950s.

NUMINNA: A sacred force or divine power, often associated with a deity or spirit presiding over a thing or place, particularly in ancient Roman religion.

ARCHETYPAL: Very typical of a certain kind of person or thing.

BRIGHID: (“Exalted”) Gaelic goddess of fire; the fire of inspiration, the smith, and the body (and thus of health). And, of course, that most important of fires, the hearth fire. 

GAELIC: Relating to the Goidelic group of Celtic languages, particularly the Celtic language of Scotland, and the culture associated with speakers of these languages and their descendants.

HEARTH FIRE: Representing the heart of the home, family, and a connection to the divine.

MITHRA: (“Contract”) Iranian god (Vedic Mitra) of justice, friendship, and truth.

ISIS: (“Throne?”) Egyptian and Roman mother and protecting goddess. Her symbol was the throne. Since she protected the king, she is a good goddess to pray to for government. Her most famous myth tells how her husband, Osiris was killed and chopped into pieces. She gathered the pieces together and revived him magically.

OSIRIS: Egyptian Lord of the Underworld, husband of Isis. One version of his original name is Asar.

Quotes:

WHY DO WE MAKE OFFERINGS? “The gods are the ultimate hosts, inviting us when we knock. We must be the best of the guests, returning their generosity by acting as hosts in turn. (...) We invite them into our lives and, as their hosts, we give them gifts.” (Page 17)

THE “POLITICS” of GIVING “A gift with no value is no gift at all. There is no circumstance in which such a gift is appropriate, unless a return gift of no value is desired.” (Page 19)

[emuzai]

Practicing Paganism (DAY 1)

Notes on Paganism (3/23/25):

All offerings to Pagan deities see them as sacred

Praying in Pagan culture was inspired by Christian prayer

Offering material gifts ensures serenity

Making offerings is taking part in Nature

The giving of offerings is a case of hospitality toward the deities

EXAMPLES OF OFFERINGS: Food, drink, flowers, plants, incense, candles, jewelry, arts, songs, poems, dances, and prayer

PURPOSE OF OFFERINGS: Respect, gratitude, seeking favor, honoring the sacred, and celebrating the cycle of life

WHERE TO MAKE OFFERINGS: Altars, natural spaces, and home (dedicated spaces)

Definitions:

PAGANISM: A religion other than one of the main world religions, specifically a non-Christian or pre-Christian religion.

NEO-PAGANISM: The revival of ancient pre-Christian spiritual practices and traditions that identify their roots from western and northern Europe. The word neo means "new," signifying a resurgence of archaic Pagan practices in the modern world.

MODERN PAGANISM: A modern religious movement incorporating beliefs or practices from outside the main world religions, especially nature worship.

SERENITY: The state of being calm and peaceful.

HOSPITALITY: The sacred duty for Pagans; a demonstration of goodwill, an act of courage. An example is the giving of offerings.

Quotes:

THE ROLE OF PRAYER—YESTERDAY AND TODAY “Those of us who call ourselves Pagans owe a debt to all those who came before us. Before trying to define our own, modern Paganism, therefore, we should find out as much as we can about what the ancient Pagans did. To do that, we’ll look at their prayers. Then we can either follow their lead, or, if we choose to be different, we can at least choose from knowledge rather than from ignorance.” (Page 11)

WHY DO WE MAKE OFFERINGS? “For, just as there is a mystery in the natural order of eating and being eaten, so too there is a mystery in the natural dynamic of giving and receiving gifts—not in the sense of “you wash my hands and I’ll wash yours,” but rather, the same hands that reach out to give also reach out to receive.” (Pages 16-17)

[emuzai]

Practicing Paganism: Introduction

My initial desire to learn about paganism stemmed from the pentagram. Yes, that’s right—a symbol. The pentagram stood out to me because it was often used in ways that seemed Satanic as if it was a symbol that meant harm, evil, or something demonic. Instead of being ignorant, I decided to find out what the symbol truly meant. 

Turns out, the meaning could be interpreted in many ways. A pentagram is the star you see often, often meaning protection or representing the five wounds of Christ (for Christians). Something else caught my eye. Neo-Paganism. The star was used to represent the five elements: air, fire, earth, water, and spirit.

I had never heard of Neo-Paganism, let alone Paganism. 

Originally, I was an atheist. I didn’t believe in anything, maybe out of ignorance, but all I knew was that I despised Christianity and didn’t believe in Heaven or Hell. I was often told, “Wouldn’t you rather believe and end up in Heaven, than not believe and end up in Hell?” All I could say was, “Why even think of where I end up in my afterlife if I don’t believe in Heaven, let alone Hell?” Religion was always touchy for me. I hated being fed information or having it forced upon me. You can imagine the surprise I felt when Neo-Paganism’s definition on Google.com piqued my interest. 

So, I went to the nearest bookstore and picked up the first book I found: A Book of Pagan Prayer by Ceisiwr Serith. This will be my raw intake of all the information this book provides. You will come along as I try to understand and become the best version of myself.