firewindearthsea

[firewindearthsea]

Hosting A Dumb Supper

A Dumb Supper is a ritual meal where participants honor and communicate with the spirits of their ancestors or loved ones who have passed away. The term "dumb" refers to the fact that participants remain silent throughout the meal, creating an atmosphere of reverence and allowing space for spiritual communication. It is a form of ancestor veneration, commonly practiced during Samhain (Halloween) or Dia de los Muertos, but can be done at any time to honor those who have passed.

Purpose of the Dumb Supper:

• Honoring the Dead: To pay respects to ancestors or loved ones who have passed, inviting them to share in the meal.

• Spiritual Communication: To invite the spirits to interact with the living, either through subtle signs, dreams, or direct messages.

• Reflection: The silence of the meal helps participants reflect on the lives and memories of those who have crossed over, creating space for spiritual connection.

Needed:

• A quiet, undisturbed room or altar space.

• A table large enough to accommodate all participants, with an empty seat for the spirits.

• Candles (ideally, white, black, or purple for spiritual energy) to light the space. A candle for each participant and one in honor of the spirits is common.

• Pictures, mementos, or personal items of the deceased loved ones or ancestors you wish to honor. These could be photos, heirlooms, or items representing them.

• A meal prepared in honor of the deceased. This can be traditional foods the departed loved ones enjoyed or symbolic foods (e.g., fruit, bread, or other offerings that hold personal significance).

• A place setting for the deceased, usually at the head of the table or in a prominent position.

• Offerings of wine, water, or another beverage that was enjoyed by the spirits in life. Some traditions include a small dish of food for the spirits to let them partake without consuming it physically.

• Typically, the Dumb Supper is done in complete silence to maintain reverence. However, some people choose to play soft music (such as chanting, drums, or nature sounds) to invoke a quiet atmosphere.

• Depending on the tradition or intent, participants can wear something symbolic (e.g., a piece of jewelry that belonged to a passed loved one, or a small talisman representing the ancestors).

Setting Up the Dumb Supper:

• Prepare the Altar or Table - Arrange the table for the living participants, ensuring there is a place for each person, but also leave an empty seat for the spirits. Place photos, objects, or offerings for the ancestors in front of the empty seat to help honor and invite them into the space. If you are inviting specific ancestors or loved ones, you can write their names on small pieces of paper or inscribe them into a ritual bowl to be placed on the table as a focus of connection.

• Set the Meal - Serve the food on the table, ensuring there is enough for both the living and the spirits. In some traditions, you leave a portion of food untouched or a portion specifically for the spirits (symbolizing that the spirits partake in the meal).

• Lighting the Candles - Light the candles one by one, saying quiet prayers or invocations as you light them. If you are honoring multiple ancestors, you may say their names aloud as you light the candle for them. Keep the atmosphere serene and solemn.

The Silent Meal:

• Starting the Supper - Begin the meal in complete silence. No conversation is allowed during the Dumb Supper. This silence serves as a medium to create a sacred space and allows the spirits to join and communicate without distractions. Focus on your food, your thoughts, and any signs or feelings that may arise. Spirit communication may come in subtle ways, such as feelings, sudden memories, or dreams, but remain open to the experience.

• Introspection - As you eat, reflect on the lives of your ancestors or loved ones, recalling their positive attributes, lessons, or even the ways they may have impacted your life. Some people use this time to meditate or silently communicate with their loved ones. Pay attention to any thoughts, images, or messages that arise.

• Closing the Supper - After everyone has finished eating, you may choose to thank the spirits for joining and ask for their guidance, protection, or wisdom. The meal may be concluded with a prayer, a quiet word of thanks, or by blowing out the candles. If there is leftover food, it is customary to leave it out overnight as an offering to the spirits. Alternatively, you can bury or dispose of the leftovers in a respectful manner (i.e., burying them in the earth).

Optional Additions to the Dumb Supper:

• Spirit Communication - If you wish to deepen the connection, you can incorporate other methods of spirit communication such as divination tools (pendulum, tarot cards, or a spirit board) after the meal. This may be done in the quiet of the room or after the supper ends, using the energy raised during the ritual.

• After the Supper - Participants may leave the meal space quietly, maintaining the solemnity of the ritual. Some people walk away from the meal without speaking, ensuring that the energy of the supper remains intact.

A Dumb Supper is an intimate, powerful ritual meant to deepen your relationship with those who have passed and honor their spirits. It is a time for personal reflection, communication, and gratitude, where silence speaks louder than words. This practice can be an incredibly moving and spiritually enriching experience, helping to foster connections with the past while providing guidance for the future.

[firewindearthsea]

[firewindearthsea]

 💫 Why Protection Magic Is Useful (even if you have no enemies)

A lot of witches will tell new witches (baby witches) that they should start by learning and using protection magic. However, I've started to see a lot of witches say that protection magic is not as important as other witches claim it to be. Saying that they don't have anyone coming after them or an enemy in real life to warrant a spell of protection.

I think this may also be due to how I've not personally come across anyone really explaining why a witch may want to use protection magic all the time.

Now, it is true that there's no need to be paranoid all the time and have protection up 24/7. But here's a list where you may use it, find it useful, or haven't thought protection magic could be included.

An actual person -- This one is obvious, you have an enemy in real life or on the internet and you need protection magic to protect you from their curses.

A malevolant spirit -- They can come from your windows, mirrors (including tv screens, computer screens, and other reflective surfaces maybe), they seep through floor cracks, hanging onto your coats from outside, etc. Just like how you'd use garden gloves to avoid dirt up your nails being trapped there. Protection magic is just like putting on those gloves.

An energy -- Say you have a neighbour who's arguing with someone. They're yelling and screaming and it can be heard through the apartment walls. That negative energy is seeping into your home and your energy. So it may be worth protecting your home and energy from that sour neighbour's energy. (ever been scolded by your mother and your mood is sour? it's kind of like the same here.)

Your own spell -- Now a self-love spell is probably not something you should protect yourself from. But let's say you're doing a curse. It would be a smart idea to make sure you're protected before beginning such a spell. Much like how you'd wear an apron to protect your clothes from stains when cooking food. You may not always spill your food when cooking, but damn it is it annoying when you do and the stain won't wash off. It's the same with a spell.

Unintentionally -- Sometimes things can happen that's out of our control and it's a good idea to be a little prepared. A black cat suddenly running across the street? Bad luck. Someone got jealous when you told them something good? Evil Eye. Think of it as going to the store with an extra bag for your groceries. You may not need it, but isn't it handy when you at one point do need it?

Protection magic doesn't have to be elaborate or grand or be convoluted. Protection magic is powerful but also extremely simple. All you need is a horseshoe above the door, a little talisman in your pocket, a sigil for your car, etc.

So don't dismiss the importance of protection magic. It may help to improve your spellwork and your energy.

[firewindearthsea]

Crystals study

i'm so tired

[firewindearthsea]

i love you green. i love you forests. i love you smell of damp earth. i love you feeling before the storm breaks. i love you moss. i love you rivers. i love you streams. i love you thunderstorms. i love you sunlight shining through leaves.

[firewindearthsea]

one trait i have that i have enjoyed carrying over into witchcraft is not doing things until it feels significant for me. everyone at church lifts their hands, but for most people it's just because it looks more "holy"? hmm. well i don't have any urge to lift mine. so i won't

everyone at the party seems compelled by the music to sing and dance but i'm in the corner sitting quietly? well do i want to dance? no? okay then i won't. i'm not gonna listen to people telling me to "just do it" or i'm "not being any fun"

the way this translates to witchcraft is books saying to do an incantation or that every witch puts selenite over their door or that a certain holiday is a Witchy Holiday, and i simply will not do it unless i care. i love the concept of a daily ritual or a yearly celebration with a certain tradition tied to it, but i need to care first. i don't want to put things places bc that's just what people do. i don't want it to feel unnatural. that's how i felt in christianity as a kid.

like there's (i'm making this up) a holiday on september 15th to celebrate peace and friendship and traditionally we eat bread and honey and we sing the September Song? okay. i feel no way about this. i love peace and friendship. i love a Special Day to eat Special Food. but i don't feel anything about This Particular Day. so i won't celebrate that one bc it'll feel more like i'm following the September 15th Rules

HOWEVER. if there was a day. say. June 1st. to celebrate freedom from academic stress. to celebrate relief and warm weather and swimming. and it was tradition to eat popsicles and sandwiches with chips in them and sing a popular summer song i like/a meme-y summer song. okay well now i kinda care. these words mean something to me. that day means something to me. i don't have to force it because i was naturally going to do these things anyway, now there's just a formal time. there's a combination of it fitting into my life instead of me fitting into it, and a reason and personal pull for me to celebrate.

it's the same with other things. i tried black salt in my practice when i first started because i felt a bit of interest. it was alright and it worked for the time. but the idea of charcoal didn't have any sort of pull for me. i didn't particularly reach for black salt often.

however. straight salt?? that's my baby girl. i see salt everyday. i cook and bake with it. i take it on it's own for my POTS. i know it's pros and cons. i have personal opinions on different salt types. i've been to the beach. i've tasted my tears. i had a working relationship with salt before i even got into witchcraft bc i've worked with salt. i know salt. i care about salt. when i use salt in a witchy way it means something. i'm not just using it bc a book gave me a list of properties.

anyways im

actually lemme bold this part so i don't get yelled at by people who didn't read the whole thing

im not saying this to say that following someone else's guidelines or an old tradition or a list of properties is bad. following is still a very good way to learn and often it guarantees safety and efficiency bc a bunch of people have followed those rules before without dying and got the results they wanted

i actually say this just because sometimes i see either 1) rampant cultural appropriation or 2) people getting down on themselves for not following a holiday right when it's supposed to be a celebration or 3) people thinking pagan and witch aren't extremely extremely diverse groups of people. (think "_____ is stolen from a pagan tradition" which ones?????????? "here's some pagan holidays to celebrate" which pagans??? pagan does not just mean ancient generic europeans. and even if it did you can't even generalize old european traditions like that😭)

i think these things happen bc people want to care about a ritual or tradition or practice. they want it to feel sacred. and they hope copying the traditions of marginalized people or following old traditions will do that for them if they do the right song and dance for long enough. this is often not the case.

and being black i know a thing or two about having my history and traditions ripped from me before i even got to see them. i know how it feels to watch people care about their practice and understand the importance of even little things and wish i had that. but if you want a ritual or tradition to really mean something you have to look at your own history. including. your own lived life, for starters.

you try to celebrate the full moon but you keep missing days and you just don't really care about it? that's fine. what about the last day of your period. 👀you might care about that a bit more. that's worth celebrating

harvest holidays don't mean anything to you? no problem. what about the day you get your adhd meds refilled? what about when the grocery store finally stocked up on that snack you like again? what about bringing home homemade bread from a friends house?

you keep celebrating the summer solstice/spring equinox/idk but you just can never really get into it? whatever. what about the first day of the year when it stops snowing. what about the day of the first brisk breeze after a hot ass summer. the last day of your classes. the season you start seeing less mosquitoes out.

like, tumblr holidays can feel more sacred than following a holiday you don't feel connected to. i don't care about eating bread and honey on september 15. i do care about reblogging the Out Of Touch Thursday video on thursday every now and then. do i reblog on the wrong day sometimes? sure. do i ever miss a thursday? yes most of the time. but i don't feel like i did something wrong or broke a rule. and it still feels special reblogging it on thursday.

casting a circle doesn't feel important to you? alright. cast a "force field times 100" like you did when you were a kid.

so basically tldr do you want your craft to feel special and intentional and sacred but following the "witchy/pagan holidays" and doing the rituals everyone does just doesn't seem to give you that? try looking at your own life and make traditions and rituals and habits that matter to you. use a silly band in your witchcraft for luck or fun or to enhance a spell that involves exchange or something. celebrate the end of your period (if u have one) instead of the moon phases. things like that👍 and don't force yourself to do things a certain way if they don't feel important or valuable to you. or do. i'm not ur mom and that's still a way to learn (just be wary of cultural appropriation and bigotry)

i am once again asking everyone to be silly and cringe in their magic if they want it to feel special and personal. use your anime figurines and stuffed animals nail polish and memes and bandaids and otter pops and kpop photocards in your craft. it's FUN and it WORKS and most importantly it's FUNNY. say RANDY YOUR STICKS as an incantation to spells you want to work quickly🙏pleas

[firewindearthsea]

crystals in death magic

ajoite - overcome sorrow, emotional healing

amethyst - eases grief and sadness

andalusite - crossing over into the afterlife

apophyllite - spirit communication

bixbite (red beryl) - eases grief

black tourmaline - eases grief

bloodstone - to strengthen ties with ancestors or loved ones who have passed on

blue lace agate - connection to the spirit world, eases passage into the afterlife

calcite - emotional healing, peace

carnelian - eases sorrow, protection in the afterlife

celestite - spirit communication

charoite - eases passage into the afterlife

cuprite - spirit communication

halite - dispelling negativity, protection

hematite - grounding, peace, transforming negativity

jade - protection in the afterlife

jasper - safe passage into the afterlife

jet - eases grief and mourning

kunzite - eases heartbreak

labradorite - spirit communication

lapis lazuli - spiritual connection

obsidian - healing, deflecting negativity, grounding, protection

onyx - grounding, protection

pink tourmaline - emotional healing

quantum quattro silica - eases grief

quartz - safe passage into the afterlife

selenite - spirit communication, eases passage into the afterlife

sunstone - spirit communication

tanzan aura quartz - spirit communication

tsavorite - connection to the spirit world

turquoise - spiritual attunement

violet flame opal - spiritual awareness

© 2025 bunny-claws

[firewindearthsea]

The three-ring binder is the apex of book technology, by the way. All the advantages of a codex, plus you can add, remove, and reorder pages at will - pages which you can furthermore protect from damage in transparent sleeves, and store commentaries, notes, and other paratextual addenda behind them without obscuring the primary content. Truly the queen of codices. Reblog if you love the three-ring binder.

[firewindearthsea]

hobbies that you should try

the 5th house in astrology represents hobbies so your 5h ruler can tell about the types of hobbies that would be best for u. there can be more interpretations, but these r just some examples 🩷🎀🧸 ©novy2sirius

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 1h: running, hiking, biking, table tennis, cooking, air hockey, camping, archery, boxing, bodybuilding

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 2h: singing, gardening, clothing making, cooking/baking, karaoke

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 3h: journaling/scrapbooking, writing in a diary, computer programming/coding, web designing, digital art, 3D printing, photography, juggling

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 4h: theatre/acting, baking, interior designing, knitting, crocheting

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 5h: chess, video games, theatre/acting, hula hooping, babysitting

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 6h: fishing, gardening, hunting, camping, horseback riding

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 7h: dancing, playing instruments, acting, clothing making, painting

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 8h: puzzles, sudoku, word searches, magic tricks, card games, playing men for their money

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 9h: photography, learning languages, astrology, filmmaking, meditation

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 10h: ur main hobby could be ur career, running a fanpage, reading abt history

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 11h: computer programming/coding, web designing, digital art, filmmaking, 3D printing

ꨄ︎ 5h ruler in the 12h: playing instruments, writing/producing music, painting, astrology, filmmaking, meditation, magic tricks

[firewindearthsea]

Some Gemology Vocabulary

for your next poem/story (pt. 5)

Gemology—the scientific study of gemstones

Alluvial stone - A mineral that has been transported and deposited by water.

Bishop's stone - Amethyst

Fire - A popular term used to describe the flashes of spectral colors displayed by a gemstone as the result of dispersion.

Girasol - Any gem variety that exhibits a floating, milky sheen that moves about as the stone is turned or as the light source is moved.

Hardstone - used loosely to refer to any hard gem material used for carving.

Loupe - A magnifying device, usually hand-held, used for closeup viewing of gemstones.

Matrix - In mineralogy, the term matrix stands for the host rock in which a mineral is contained.

Natural rough - Gem material formed entirely by nature.

Swarf - The finely ground waste that comes off the stone during the cutting and polishing process.

Twin crystal - A crystal consisting of two or more portions of the same mineral crystal which have grown in such a way that some crystallographic plane is common to the parts of the twin.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 ⚜ More: Word Lists ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[firewindearthsea]

I do not care so much about the concept of "hope" except in a more personal, perhaps even religious view, but I do care about what can be done, and what can be done is that ecosystems can be protected and restored.

Humanity has managed and mismanaged natural environments since the beginning of our existence. What is different now is that we have a scientific understanding of how ecology works and we can organize our society based on this.

[firewindearthsea]

"these researchers published a paper on something that literally any of us could have told you 🙄" ok well my supervisors wont let me write something in my thesis unless I can back it up with a citation so maybe it's a good thing that they're amplifying your voice to the scientific community in a way that prevents people from writing off your experiences as annecdotal evidence

[firewindearthsea]

[ID: an illustration labeled “Iconic fauna of Hawai’i”, depicting animals - an i’iwi bird, a monk seal, a humpback whale, an Oahu tree snail, a yellow-faced bee, a nēnē goose, a Hawaiian hawk, a hoary bat, and a reef triggerfish. Teal leaves adorn the background and there is a red, yellow, and blue patterned border. Animals are labeled with their Hawaiian and English names. End.]

The theme for Creature Mail this month is endemic island creatures! This design will be a postcard. :-)

[firewindearthsea]

[firewindearthsea]

"touch grass" uh please get with the times, we are touching natural native plant gardens now, gently to not disturb the pollinators

[firewindearthsea]

The meaning of chart patterns in astrology

Seesaw pattern: it feels like these natives are constantly being pulled in two different directions in their lives, reflected by the planets situated on the opposing ends of the astrological wheel, forming two clusters. This may lead to feeling disoriented and/or maybe attracting situations where the natives’ real values are being called into question.

Their life is characterised by duality, sometimes expressing the energies of one planetary cluster, and other times behaving unexpectedly or in a contradictory fashion (when the energy of the other cluster is being expressed).

You may also find that you identify more with one “end” of the seesaw and have the tendency to deny/reject the other part of yourself that you find less desirable.

Relationships likely mean a great deal to you and it’s only in relationships that you feel truly complete and balanced. You may be unconsciously seeking the very same energy in other people that you deny within yourself.

It’s important: to accept that there are contradictory sides to your personality and integrate them as best as you can. Aim to achieve balance. Some people may find it weird. But this is what it means to be you. And if you learn how to properly utilise your gifts, you’ll be able to accomplish absolutely extraordinary things! Look at Robert Downey Jr. and Frank Sinatra’s charts for inspiration🫶

Bowl pattern: these people have solid values, are stable and probably have a good grasp of their weaknesses. There may be a reluctance to get out of their comfort zone and they may always feel like “something” is missing from their life (the other half of the wheel). They will be looking for that special half that makes them feel complete.

They aren’t dual or contradictory like the see-saw or splay people, but rather constant and they have specific talents and attributes that are reflected in the houses their planets fall into and.

They may not be as flexible or open to change as other patterns. They are focused, resilient and self-contained typically. There may be a need to develop certain qualities that they miss.

Depending on which side of the wheel is occupied, it manifests differently in the native’s life. If the upper half is occupied: there is more focus on external activities: social gatherings, public image etc. If the lower half of the wheel is occupied, the emphasis will be on the family, home, closer relationships, the self. If the planets fall on the right side of the wheel, the person will be easier to influence, and personal relationships will be quintessential to the native’s well-being. And finally if the planets are all on the left side of the wheel, the person will be enterprising, self-motivated and with a strong direction in their life.

Special attention should be given to the leading planet, that is to say the first one that is situated counterclockwise starting from the empty space.

Dominik Cruz and Ella Fitzgerald had this chart pattern.

Locomotive pattern: these people are independent and self-starters. They have a thinking of their own and often may feel misunderstood. Their ideas are ahead of their time usually. They can be motivational and quite stubborn. They are ambitious and steadfast people who have quite a few interests. Their focus is not as narrow as with bundle type. They are energetic people who want to improve the world around them and may feel a constant sense of “emptiness”, as though something is missing in their life.

It’s important to look at the first planet that rises clockwise starting from the empty space. It will significantly influence the native’s life.

George Washington and Isaac Newton had this chart pattern.

Bundle pattern: the native’s focus is oriented in limited, very specific areas of their life, in detriment to other important areas. They are very focused and driven people who usually become proeficient, real masters in whatever activity/job they have chosen for themselves.

There could be a tendency to be narrow-minded, rigid or unusually ignorant in areas outside of their interest range with this pattern however. Obsessive thoughts and behaviours are also possible. It’s an excellent chart type for a professional athlete, politician or car mechanic for example, depending on the houses and signs.

These people are passionate, unique, strongly hold onto their identities and are relentless when pursuing their chosen goal. They might feel like “something” is missing in their life and they need someone who teaches them to think outside the box and help them develop their weaker energies in their chart.

Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone had this chart pattern.

Splay pattern: these people are incredibly talented and have lots of potential. Their interests are in 3-4 areas and they may sometimes find it difficult to concentrate as their attention is quite divided. They are individualistic, inquisitive and open-minded people who have the potential to achieve great things if they “pull themselves together”. Their talents could be unrelated to one another and they may fight it hard to integrate their strengths into something concrete/tangible.

Some call this chart pattern the tripod.

These natives definitely march to the rhythm of their own drums. They are adaptable people who make interesting conversation partners.

They don’t like strict schedules or being stuck into routine for too long.

The aim should be on correctly distributing their focus so that they properly develop their talents and live up to their potential.

Franklin Roosevelt and Sandra Bullock had/have this chart pattern.

Splash pattern: these people’s talents are incredibly diverse. They are open-minded, inquisitive, curious people. They enjoy exploring different ideas, activities. The love new things and probably have lots of hobbies and interests. Choosing one career option is probably very difficult for them. They don’t like to focus on one single activity for too long, contrary to bundle pattern people. Their attention is very divided. They can be forgetful at times.

They likely have mercurial qualities and can easily adapt to almost any situation. They make very flexible people.

They can be quite confused especially during their youth or feel like they can’t find their direction in life. There is a desire for self-reflection and independence inherent within this placement. Many famous thinkers such as Carl Jung and Firjof Capra had this chart pattern.

They may have trouble focusing or be scattered due to which they never develop any of their talents deeply and fully. Their outlook on life is broad and brain-oriented.

Bucket pattern: these people are ambitious, enterprising, passionate, self-contained; they pursue their goals in a realistic fashion. It’s important to look at the planet that plays the role of the handle as it will play an important role in the natives’s life (the sign and house, major aspects).

They want to be recognised for their talents and be part of society in some way; they likely focus their attention in a single direction when trying to achieve their goals. The “handle” signifies the area of their life where they invest most of their energy or where they seek satisfaction.

They could be predisposed to conflict or do their best to avoid it.

Their challenge is learning to manage the energy of the “handle.”

Like with the bowl pattern they could at times feel like something is missing in their life.

Will Smith and Prince Charles have this chart pattern.

[firewindearthsea]

Urban Magick: Desire Paths

Put simply, a desire path is a strip of soil or land that's was eroded overtime due to animal or human foot traffic. The primary goal of these paths is to create something that is shorter and easier to traverse rather than the original path. Sometimes, when done by cars on a strip of veld, it's called Bundu Bashing. They could theoretically be considered crossroads as they connect to the main path but also go off route to cut the distance the path usually takes.

Example of a Desire Path

Since they're made by activity (I.e. erosion by movement), they can be considered more active. Their convenience also places a slight Mercurial aspect relating to the quick effect or the desire for quicker effects, alongside the movement of energy from a set path.

As with typical crossroads, one might understand this as an opportune place to leave offerings. One could theoretically also assume them to be tied to social magick and "attacks on reality" as they are more closely tied to people and animals moving on them rather than the fixed route.

Possible affinities can also include cutting time for petitions, blockage removal, revealing new pathways to the same object and so on.

Depending on the colour of sand, further ideas might be taken. The sand in my area is red due to oxidized iron, so red sand would obviously carry the connotation of Mars and protection, while also emphasizing Mars as the Dominator and Overcomer of Obstacles.