istayinthesilence

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Hey! I was wondering what the Patron major spirit was? I saw it mentioned in a post of yours recently.

.:: What is a Major Spirit? ::.

Hi, thank you for your question! As you can understand by the title of the blog, we’re trying to reconstruct the Witchcraft of the Past, precisely the X-XVIII centuries Witchcraft.

So we’re dealing with the remainings of pre-Christian characters but inserted inside a Christian-dominated society.

So the Lares, for example, which were household Gods, remained inside culture as lesser and different spirits, such as the Household Fairy, which has many names depending on which Country you’re examining, for example they became the Kobold of the Germanic area, the Monacello of Southern Italian area, the Brownie in Scotland and England, and so on. 

So there were remainings of pre-Christian characters. We can distinguish between “lesser” and “greater” (or “Major”, as I call them) Spirits which remained in Christian times but are of pre-Christian origin.

The “lesser” spirits can be:

- The Household Fairy;- Fairies in general (aka spirits of nature);- Spirits of plants;- Ancestors and other dead;- Spirits of animals;- The Animal Familiar Spirit (which is the inner spirit of a witch in the shape of an animal).

The Major spirits are, instead:

- The Leaders of the Witches; - The Leaders of the Fairies; - The Leaders of the Wild Hunt;- Spirits remained in folklore which are of Pagan origins.

These Major Spirits would have been called “Gods” in pre-Christian times, but in Christian times we cannot talk about “Gods” anymore, because all the remaining characters of Paganism in Christian times were no longer considered Deities, they were just Spirits, and so Early Modern Witches weren’t Pagan, they were Animist.

.:: Why “Patron”? ::.

Ok, this is more difficult.

While until the 10th century the survivals of Paganism were just that, survivals, during the 10th century in Germany there was a union of many survivals that created the “Witchcraft complex”.

This union created a legend, according to which there was a procession of spirits which went from house to house to eat food offerings left for them by people, dance and bless the ordered and tidy houses.

This procession also had a male version, the Wild Hunt, which was composed by the Dead. 

While the female version usually had a Female Major Spirit (which academics call “Domina Nocturna”) as leader, the Wild Hunt usually had a Male Major Spirit (the “Wild Hunter”) as leader.

These two processions (mostly the female one) led to the creation of the Sabbath, which, before being chiefed by the Devil, was led by the same Major Spirit which led the procession. So the Domina Nocturna usually was the chief of the Sabbath before being replaced by the Devil.

The name of the Domina Nocturna (that sometimes had a Male Consort too) and the Wild Hunter (that sometimes was replaced by a Wild Huntress) changed from Country to Country, from region to region, depending on the Pagan survivals of the place in which this legend - the legend of the two processions - was spread.

So we have many different Major Spirits that lead these two processions and the Sabbath, depending on the area.

Seen that at the time there wasn’t a pantheon but just these few Gods survived as Major Spirits, the Major Spirit which was at chief of the Sabbath of a certain area was, in fact, a Patron for the witches of that company, coven or congregation which gathered in that area.

So, if you want to take again this use, you can choose an area, searching for the possible Major Spirits of the area by researching in folklore for the Leaders of the Witches, the Leaders of the Fairies, the Leaders of the Wild Hunt and the Spirits remained in folklore which are of Pagan origins, and choose one as your “Patron” Major Spirit.

To this Patron, you’ll offer food offerings regularly [1], you’ll celebrate Sabbath in their honor [2] and you’ll go with trance [3] or dream work in Spirit [4].

Notes:

1. See: https://elegantshapeshifter.tumblr.com/post/170758896566/historically-attested-offerings-for-the-major

And: https://elegantshapeshifter.tumblr.com/post/171876985371/how-to-make-offerings-to-the-major-spirits-ie

2. See: https://elegantshapeshifter.tumblr.com/post/170947963766/the-sabbath-or-ludus-bonae-societatis

3. See (part 1): https://elegantshapeshifter.tumblr.com/post/170708590266/historically-attested-trance-techniques-and

(part 2): https://elegantshapeshifter.tumblr.com/post/170710270761/historically-attested-trance-techniques-in

(part 3): https://elegantshapeshifter.tumblr.com/post/170785729256/historically-attested-trance-techniques-in

4. See: https://elegantshapeshifter.tumblr.com/post/170926906491/dreamwork-and-the-oneiric-sabbath

[istayinthesilence]

"Expõem o melhor de seus personagens, como mercadorias. Perfeitamente arquitetados para o consumo de alguém, vivem para entretenimento de terceiros, vendidos para o prazer alheio. Quem satisfaz mais? Despersonalizando entre as máscaras de si, quando olham no espelho, perguntam-se: 'quem sou eu?'. Dissociação. Aos poucos se corrompem, permitindo um abuso, outrora, deixando-se levar por alguma situação sem a vontade. Outros são mais sutis, impelidos pelo poder de algum sujeito, dizem perdoar algum desafeto, visando o benefício que conseguem com essa atitude. Entranham-se no joguete obscuro. Essa terra é corrompida. Não existem santos aqui. A profanidade é sagrada nesse sistema. Tudo é positivo, brilhante e prazeroso, o que não é aceitável joga-se em covas profundas e inacessíveis. A sociedade é uma grande prostituta. Todos nós temos um preço."

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Illustrations by Steven Zapata

This artist on Instagram

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A List of Websites About Theistic Satanism

Learning about Satanism has kind of become a hyperfocus so I decided to compile a list of websites that have a decent amount of information on them. A lot of these are old websites but the information is still useful. If you have a website to suggest feel free to DM me and I'll add it!

In Satan's Honour - This website is pretty regularly updated and even has a patreon! There are a lot of thought provoking articles and great resources on there.

Spiritual Satanist - The website and blog is a great resource and the author is vocally anti nazi. She made a blog post about how nazis don't belong in the community a few years back.

Spiritual Satanist Blog - The blog for the above site! Lots of interesting and useful stuff here too.

Black Goat Cabal - Now shut down but the websites maintained. Lots of essays, rituals and advice.

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Devil Worshipper - Maintained by the same person who maintains the BGC website. LOTS of great advice, sermons and even has a section for new theistic satanists.

In Praise Of Satan - A website about someone's personal journey with Satan. There is an FAQ section along with some other useful information.

[istayinthesilence]

Salvador Dalí - L’oeil du peintre, watercolor, 1941

[istayinthesilence]

“Calmo, desapegado, interiormente livre, habito o Eu silencioso e permito que sua energia atue através de seus instrumentos naturais” - Aurobindo O processo para se desapegar de objetos e pessoas é doloroso, porém, o desapego me proporciona uma sensação libertadora. Aprendi que posses são ilusórias. Eu não pertenço a nada, muito menos algo pertencera a mim por absoluto. Roupas desgastam-se, pessoas afastam-se, logo concluo que tudo é efêmero e intangível. 

Com o tempo a compreensão veio à mente: é apenas Eu e eu. Ocupo espaços, mantenho relações, porém, passageiro como bruma no mar. Sigo sem apegos, sou o meu lar. Tudo ao meu redor é estado, mas sou ser, eterno e constante. Paisagens movem-se ao meu redor, objetos deterioram, e permaneço suspenso no tempo.

No fim do dia, sou apenas eu olhando para mim mesmo. Estou comigo, observando e tentando entender a síntese da minha realidade, compreender quem sou e como vim a ser. Desapeguei dos meus pais, lugar onde vivia, amigos e algumas crenças, logo se foram às antigas convicções. Decidi que quero conhecer o desconhecido, nesse período percebi, que desconhecia a mim mesmo. 

Sendo assim, estou pronto para continuar em minha verdade, sem medos, ou desculpas. Crescer é transpor limites e meu limite é a própria vida, repleta de possibilidades. - 2018 - Nonato 

[istayinthesilence]

Hey guys, this is me... :)

[istayinthesilence]

O EREMITA E assim eu desci as profundezas, lá a esperança, companheirismo e amor são inexistentes. Lugar onde a solidão e decadência tornam-se amigas. Um abismo ilimitado, em que todas as almas terrestres adormecem obscurecidas, e despertei dentre as consciências e pude observar o cenário dantesco. Dor, Negligencia, Apego, Desolação, Traumas, um reinado onde habitam os mais assombrosos medos renegados. E entrei nas camadas mais intrínsecas do palácio onde frieza e culpa residem. E dentro de minha própria lamentação, a inquietação presenteou-me com a cólera, que caoticamente se apossou de mim, e então, estruturas cristalizadas começaram a ruir, lápides de traumas foram caindo, culpas viraram pó, e deram lugar a indulgência. Era o início de uma rebelião contra a nefasta tirania que habitava em meu coração, destruição foi o meu conforto, a cólera, uma cura e assim, matei a mim mesmo, um processo implosivo. E em cinzas transformei-me.

[istayinthesilence]

Ser o que se é, sem ego, sem vaidade fútil. Ter autenticidade. Descobrir a si, e assim, viver sua verdade. Admirar e receber inspirações/referencias de terceiros, sem ser uma cópia, adicionar um pedaço da própria alma em tudo que cria, e faz, isso é originalidade. Isso é ser você, ser verdadeiro, honesto consigo, trata-se de coerência, é falar do que se sabe com propriedade, não por modismo, por querer aparentar saber e que são meras suposições infundamentadas. Ser o que a alma pede, é sobretudo, não utilizar mascaras, não mentir para si, e evitar pensar que possui as qualidades almejadas, sem ter feito o mínimo de esforço para buscar desenvolve-las.

[istayinthesilence]

Faço tudo por mim, transbordo em perdão aos meus erros. Eu me inclino aos meus pés e rogo o melhor. Transviado rumo ao meu caos particular, onde nenhum deles podem me atingir com menosprezo. Um por um eu posso aniquilar. Um por um eu posso desestruturar, do maior ao menor, do mais inteligente ao mais medíocre. Não existe limite, castração ou algo que impeça o poder, a anarquia de se autogovernar. Eu não sirvo para nada, a não ser que eu queira. Posso ser puro desprezo, descaso e antipatia. Posso ser amor, lealdade e empatia com os meus. Eu decido, o que quero ser, quando ser e onde ser. E ninguém pode tirar isso de mim, a não ser que eu permita. Posso tudo pois me fortaleço em mim, cuido de mim, adoro a mim.

[istayinthesilence]

[istayinthesilence]

On Performing Witchcraft

This is a basic introduction on how to merge yourself with magick and use it to influence life. I will be going over traditional witchcraft rather than modern, as the latter is more watered-down and not nearly as powerful in my experiences. Unlike modern witchcraft which tends to focus on things such as crystals, rare herbs, and certain tools, traditional witchcraft is folk magick and is tied in with the ancient ways. We are also not all Witches who must focus on the moon, this is also mainly due to Wicca, as the Sun and stars are just as useful to us. 

Witchcraft is a scientific art, a flow of energy and desire which brings about change if done properly. The heart of magick is weaving our passion and need into the energies that flow through creation; though this energy of magick is within us as well and can be used to fuel our craft. As magick is a tool of need, we must strongly focus on our desire for the outcome in order for it to come to fruition. Without passion and the proper ingredients, magick does not work. So pay close attention to your successes and develop a successful method. So therefore, magick requires these things to work: intense focus, vivid visualization, desperation/passion, and the proper ingredients (proper plants, taglocks for curses, etc.). This is part of why meditating every day is so important, it will help hone your abilities to do this better. Though remember, witchcraft has never been something simple, it is closer to spirituality than anything else. It’s a way of life and it is a culture. Take it to heart and make your craft something passionate and powerful, learn as much as you can and live it. Using only your energy and willpower doesn’t do very much, and oftentimes, it does nothing at all; you need to dig deeper.

As a folk practice, traditional Witches tend to be animists, meaning that we see all parts of nature as having a soul- the plants, waters, stars, moons, planets, rocks, mountains, winds, the soil, etc. It is essential to become acquainted with their energies and their alignments if you wish to successfully use their energy in a spell. This however, requires skill in energy work, of sensing spirits and their alignments. With plants, each and every one of them contain energy and alignments of course, but not all of them hold magick. In order to tell which plants are magick, one must use their second sight in order to see which ones have a yellow glow. Then the plant can be respectfully harvested, do not be harsh to the body of any nature spirit. When using the magick plants, be sure to burn them in order to get their energy out and into the weave of magick you are creating during the spell. Just be certain to not harvest any plants during the Waning Moon, as this phase restricts the energy of the plants.

It is very much necessary that a Witch writes their own spells, for this will make them aligned to both their local plants and their own method of spellcraft. Do not focus too much on the plants you must buy online, everything you need is already around you in the moss, grass, acorns, pine needles, lichen, and mushrooms. Everything around Nature is something that can be used and are right there for you already. Plants can also have more than just one planet assigned to them, influencing their energy. Although these are not limited to just the traditional planets, as there are more, including the Earth (ex: Avocados are linked to both Venus and Earth). As one becomes more skilled in energy work, they will be able to sense the properties of the plants themselves, so it is best to not rely too much upon books of magick herbs as they tend to hold inaccuracies. Additionally, you cannot change the properties of a plant, it is like their DNA.

When doing a spell, we must focus on having the proper ingredients to absorb our energy and will, fueling the spell with our emotion and need, maintaining focus, visualizing, and having a proper taglock (if using spell upon another person). Working with trusted spirits is also a great way to make sure your spell is both powerful and successful, just be sure that you remain respectful towards the being and accommodate with an offering. And yes, this includes demons as well, for they are honourable teachers and a Witch must always question what the oppressors say. For taglocks, these can be a person’s hair, tooth, nail clipping, piece of their clothing, or a photograph. When a spell is completed, only put the ingredients in a witch bottle if you are going to keep it in your house, in order to protect yourself or draw something towards you. In this case, place the bottle in an area which corresponds with your intent. Otherwise bury or pour out the ingredients into a place that corresponds with your desire: crossroads are good for any spell, graveyards for curses, railroads for curses, your front yard to bring something in, etc.

With all that knowledge, you can begin experimenting with your craft, but keep in mind that the more passionate your spell is, the better it will be. Merge yourself with Nature, both its beauty and terror, for magick is both of them at once. Become ecstatic, delve into trances, use blood, use animal parts, dig your hands into the soil, sing your desire or even scream it if you want. Let the fabric of energy that is magick feel your plea and let it flow through it, giving life to your desire. Focus on your desire as if it is already taking place, make it as vivid as possible, for this is the way to make it work for certain. And once the ritual is complete, you may bury the ingredients you used or put them wherever else you choose, but they must be sent into the Earth to work best.

It is perfectly wonderful to be wild and untamed as a Witch, why wouldn’t we be if we are connected to the flow of Nature? Allow the magick to possess you, to take you over so you can channel it. Magick is not meant to always be simplistic, for it is an art and requires strategy. As long as you have the need and willpower to get what you want and use the spirits of Nature to aid you, you should be perfectly able to influence the world around you. As Witches, we must strive to learn as much as possible, there is nothing simple about being a Witch, especially since it requires a spiritual rebirth. It is a way of life for us, a way of viewing the universe and hearing its whispers. Anyone can be capable of this ancient power, but it take’s a strong mind to truly become adept at it and most importantly, the ability to ask questions and seek truth.

[istayinthesilence]

Jupiter Descending 

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La fiesta de Yaksha / The Yaksha party (Detail), 2017. By Guillermo Lorca

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De Profundis (2018) - Guido Ricciardelli

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Adrian Baxter

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